David Márquez

Blacks are the evil ones, and the white guys are the good ones. Are we really doing this in 2026?

It started off real good. A bit cliché with the "I don't know what happened and people are coming to rescue me, but oh there's another party who seems just as powerful and they both want me, and I don't know anyone". But the art is wonderful enough, as well as the magic system and of course the opening with "The Words". Was enough to get me intrigued. 

The white-good and dark-evil color show more symbolism isn't new, of course. I'm not much of a fan of it, as pure white seems much more evil to me, however I understand why people work with familiar color themes to get messages across. When using the good/evil narratives with skin colors, though … no, thanks. At least not with brown folks being the bad guys.
I am genuinely hoping there's a twist somewhere – either that MC got tricked and the white leader is bad too, or the only bad, or they're neither good nor evil, perhaps both controlled by a higher being and just doing what they believe in, or there is no good or bad. 
And, sure, you could say it's my own fault, as the cover already gives a lot away with the color symbolism. However, with the title being "unchosen", which already is an anti-cliche trope, I had hoped for the cover colors to be just as anti-cliche. 

Well, I'll have to see. Apart from the colors, I am interested in everything else. Languages are my special interest, and the fact that the magic system is based on words and minor languages, fills me with joy. I can't wait to dwell more into that part of the lore.

Have I mentioned I love the art? The vibrant colors for the magic usage and the compositions were simply mesmerizing. Each face is easily recognizable, even with many characters introduced at once. Quite diverse, too, at least with the skin tones. 

While I may not be much of a fan of the "powerful chosen one" trope, I do like anti-cliches, and it was also said MC isn't the first to have had that fate. Others sharing similar paths makes MC a bit less powerful and "less special", which is nice for a change. 

I'm also glad that there is no romance. There *may* be hints for one or two, but so far seems very platonic which I hope stays for a while. (MC is 13 after all.)

~

Thank you to Image Comics on Netgalley for an eARC. The book is set to be released on 3rd February 2026.
-Ayxan Solongo, 09.01.26 show less

I have to admit that, as much as I enjoyed the Peter Parker Ultimate Spider-Man comic, it was getting a little old. Replacing him with Miles Morales has really breathed new life into this concept, and I've been sucked back into this series.

Having made Kite Man interesting, Tom King tries to burnish the reputation of another of Batman's lesser rogues but with much less success since he goes for grimness instead of humor. Mostly, this is a heist story with Riddler and Catwoman stealing a MacGuffin from Batman and going on the run as they try to sell it to the mysterious mastermind behind the whole affair.

The narration gets tied down in tedious detail that makes sense in the story but gets to be a little much to read.

Still, show more Catwoman and Riddler's back and forth is fun, the Help -- a new villain with deep retcon roots -- is cool, and the art of David Marquez is magnificent. And the dumb punchline of an ending made me chuckle even as its meta aspects insulted me.

So a lukewarm thumbs up. show less

Time to go on a Bendis bender! (#2 of 8)

An underwhelming villain, a conclusion deferred to the next volume, and a surprising lack of chemistry between the members of the Defenders make for a lukewarm debut. And I must have missed it, but at some point they went from a bunch of heroes who know each other and are bumbling around against a c-list bad guy to calling themselves the Defenders like it's a thing.

Nice Bendis scenes and dialogue can only carry the enterprise so far. The book needs a show more purpose to exist beyond there being a TV show. show less