The P.O.W - 02/26/20 - AMETHYST #1 / GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: JEAN GREY + EMMA FROST #1 / TMNT - JENNIKA #1

PICKS OF THE WEEK - Feb. 26, 2020

• AMETHYST #1: The Princess of Gemworld returns in this riotous reboot from writer/artist Amy Reeder. It’s her sixteenth birthday and our titular violet vindicator Amy Winston celebrates on her two home worlds. It’s a pretty normal affair for Amy and her adoptive parents on Earth; gifts, advice, and love; but when she steps through that purple portal she finds something’s rotten in the state of Gemworld. Reeder packs a lot of power and pzzazz into the book and sets our protagonist up to be a ‘get things done’ kinda gal. She doesn’t back down…ever! This is her greatest strength and tends to lead her down some messy roads. Reeder really does a great job of setting up the world, both narratively and artistically with shifts in tone from light to dark, good and evil on a dime in a world of crystal she describes as “not so clear”. You can expect big things from her in the future. If Sailor Moon meets Wonder Woman sounds like a winning combo then throw this one right on your pull.

• GIANT-SIZE X-MEN: JEAN GREY + EMMA FROST: This issue is worth it’s price of admission for Russell Dauterman’s art alone. This book is extremely light on story; that is, Jonathan Hickman has put literally on 76 words in the entire over-sized issue. But, where there is a lack of prose, there is no lack of power of which Dauterman’s art elicits as Jean and Emma delve deep into the depths of one of their oldest and closest allies. The action moves very fast and though it may seem like it’s over too soon, it will have you rereading just to appreciate whatever magic is on the page. Master Matt Wilson makes this issue sing like an angel with his colors while Hickman and Dauterman’s story tell you everything you ever needed to know about Emma and Jean without saying a word. That is not an easy thing to do and they make it all seem like child’s play. This issue’s beauty is not undone without a major plot point that will have you itching for more when you reach the final page. 

• TMNT- JENNIKA #1: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ break out star Jennika gets her own book and boy does it hit hard. Following the success of her Debut, the yellow masked Jennika gets her own series as she adjusts being to being a mutant and laments the loss of her former humanity. She makes new friends and runs into some old flames; but, the glory of this issue is Jennika exploring what she’s all about and how she can express it. Plus, there is a backup story that explores more of her past so you get a double dose of where she is coming from on all sides. Ronda Pattison’s art in the first half is like a jolt of lightning flashing and moving quick from action to action without missing a beat; and Jodi Nishijima’s art in the back up story adds a more focused, more traditional style that really helps aiding in telling that particular story. If you want to learn more about Jennika and her monumental impact for the TMNT pick up this issue immediately.