Showing posts with label Mariano Navarro. Show all posts

Cloaks #04 Review


It's the final issue of Cloaks, and there is more action than ever. The stakes are high, as Adam and Evy are set to have their big showdown and Mariano Navarro continues to deliver incredible action-filled art in more bountiful quantity than any of the other issues before it. There's some intriguing revelations to be had too, courtesy of Caleb Monroe's highly meticulous writing that you'll just have to read to believe. Though this is the end of the series for now, this issue doesn't actually feel like an ending. There is plenty left open for the series to continue so if you enjoy what you read, you should absolutely tweet/write to Boom! Studios and let them know that you want another chapter in this David Henrie-created story. Many of the visual mediums, from film to television, have looked to comics for stories to adapt into live action content and were this series to continue, we could easily see it being adapted into a film or television series.

Order all four issues of the Cloaks series on the Boom! Studios website here.

Cloaks #03 Review


Adam must mentally re-trace his steps to determine how to find Evy, what it is she's up to, and who she will go after next. The first target in question is Danielle Fisher, who has a highly developed eidetic memory, which Adam is quite certain is a weapon Evy wants in her arsenal. Along the way to save her and other potential candidates, Adam reveals slivers of his childhood and back story.

Writer Caleb Monroe did an excellent job taking readers through Adam's cognitive process to decoding Evy's actions. We'd still like a bit more character development for Adam. He's somewhat lacking in stand-out personality traits, and flaws in particular, thereby making it feel as though he's flirting with 'Mary Sue' territory. Artist Mariano Navarro followed up to that awesome full-page parkour sequence in #01 with even more impressive artwork. His art nicely accompanied the narrative during Adam's mental mapping at the beginning but it's the action and fight sequences that were the most exciting of all.

With just one more edition left in this four-part series, the stage is set for another showdown between Adam and Evy. Catch up on our reviews of #01 and #02 and stay tuned for our review of #04.

Cloaks is available for purchase from Boom! Studios.

Cloaks #02 Review


Picking up right where #01 left off, we find Adam reunited with his not-actually-dead father-figure, Blackstone. Though he's rightfully cross at having been deceived all these years, he's not so quick to want to rehash old times just yet. Adam accepts the offer to join the CLOAKS organisation and begins his training to become a super-spy. But before he can even fully acclimate to this abrupt change in his life, CLOAKS is attacked by rouge agents and Adam meets his first assignment sooner than expected.

Cloaks #02 starts off a little slow but the pace picks up as it continues on, particularly in the second half. Artist Mariano Navarro effectively infused warmth into the flashback sequence through the alterations in the colour scheme. The only thing that threw us off was how bafflingly short Evy's skirt was later on in the story. If it's cold enough to be wearing a long-sleeved fur coat, it seems illogical to wear a dress/skirt that is so high that any sudden movement threatens to expose a cheek or two. Putting that aside, by the end we were quite enjoying Evy. Writer Caleb Monroe composed a character that was sharp, calculating, with just enough malice and bite to generate interest into what trouble she'll stir up next.

Check out our review of Cloaks #01 here and stay tuned for our review of Cloaks #03.

Cloaks #01 Review


From Boom! Studios comes Cloaks, a series created by David Henrie ("Wizards of Waverly Place"), written by Caleb Monroe and illustrated by Mariano Navarro.

The story revolves around a boy named Adam, who's had a rough start in life, thus leading him to embrace the life of a modern-day Robin Hood. When he's not hustling on the streets with his masked magic show, he's infiltrating the wealthy Wall Street elite and using his skills as an illusionist to chip off a piece of their wealth to distribute to others more deserving of it.

This first edition was overall interesting but there were a few small issues we had with it. It could have done without the Banksy reference, as pretentious gentrification leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We were also left a tad confused by the characterisation of Adam, as all directions pointed to his being a meticulous and organised planner, not to mention secretive, yet he impulsively revealed his identity to a tourist he had just met. Impulsivity of youth, perhaps?

However, we greatly enjoyed the action. Writer Caleb Monroe constructed a terrifically exciting sequence that had similar tones to sleek spy films, particularly when accompanied with Mariano Navarro's art. Keep an eye out for the one full-page illustration, as it stood out above all else; we had to pause our reading just to take it all in. By the end, there was enough tension built and questions posed to make us want to know more about this world we had been introduced to and what comes next for our hero Adam. Bring on the next Cloaks!

Review of Cloaks #02 here.
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