Comic Reviews

So, this week the Nazi stupidity is (almost) over. Secret Empire is over, Captain Charlottesville is Captain America again and with only an epilogue issue yet to go (because apparently this idea needs another issue before it is allowed to die) I am unlikely to be confronted with any more sudden Nazi stupidity in my reading.

Bombshells United #1

American Soil part 1

Funny that DC should relaunch their WWII AU series the same week Secret Empire ends, isn't it? If it was deliberate then more power to the Distinguished Competition, I say. Anyway, the single best series DC has published in years is now back with a fresh coat of paint and a three year time jump. After London, the Berlin Ghetto and Moscow, I wondered what theatre Marguerite Bennett was going to send her Bombshells to next.

I was not expecting “the United States” to be the answer. I don't want to harp on the Secret Empire parallels too much but its sort of inevitable that just as Marvel finishes a series that posits the Nazis could have won (they really, really couldn't have), DC has Wonder Woman in a Rosie the Rivetter costume fighting US soldiers to prevent the Japanese internments.

Oh, and Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark are introduced to the Bombshells universe. Its been a long time but its nice to see a Cassie that I can at least vaguely recognise as the same girl from Peter David's Young Justice as opposed to kleptomaniac that was introduced during the New 52.

Gotham City Garage #2

Start With Hope

And then there's this other gem being hidden in the digital side of DC. Seriously, for a company obsessed with its own multiverse you'd think they'd do more to promote these AU-style series.

Anyway, the titular garage finally appears as well as some small background on how the world outside the rotten paradise of the Garden functions. Natasha Irons, always a nice face to see, turns up to be aggressive at Kara. We get a few answers on who this fascist-even-by-Batman-standards version of Batman is (and, boy, is that interesting). Like you'd expect its a whole lot of answers leading to a whole lot more questions and I absolutely adore it. I cannot wait to see where this is going and to see what other DC heroes get the Mad Max treatment.

Most of all, though, I want to know why Kara recognises Harley's name. Theory: given the psychological programming we know is going on in the Garden, what if Doctor Quinzel was one of the people who did the groundwork on that?

Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1

Big Tent, Bigger Dreams

You know, I've actually become rather fond of this series since it came back and this is a perfect done-in-one example of why. We join our Outlaws undercover in a circus that is a cover for the Russian mob and Jason has called Nightwing in to give them as hand. Its a pretty good set-up and there's a classic Batman baddie knocking around but the meat of the issue is examining the relationship between Jason and Dick. In fact, at certain points, I rather thought I was reading the beginning of a smutty fanfic since artist Tyler Kirkman spends a good few panels having Jason looking coyly to one side like a lovesick schoolgirl as he thinks about how much he admired Dick's circus performances when he was younger.

Most of the issue is just Jason, Dick, Artemis and Bizarro hanging out and talking and its sweet. Its not a particularly flashy story but it spends the extra page space of an annual wisely and I look forward to any other encounters Lobdell has planned between the Outlaws and the rest of the Bat-family (I think there's a Batwoman appearance on the slate, if I recall correctly?).

Generations: Hawkeye and Hawkeye one-shot

The Archers

This was a bit less consequential than most of the other Generations one-shots but it was fun. Its interesting to see Kate interacting with Clint back when Clint was, let's be honest, still a fairly serious character. They're both on an island filled with other archery and otherwise weapon themed characters who have been summoned for a game to see who is the greatest marksman.

Somehow this involves Boomerang but just go with it...

Anyway, the order of the day is meditating on mentors as Kate meets a younger Clint as he encounters his own mentor, the Swordsman, on this island. There's a lot more worry with Kate over the ethics and effects of time travel which seems like a bit of a drag on the story but, admittedly, is probably natural since she's more likely to think in those terms than most of the other characters we've seen drawn back into time. There's nothing as Earth-shattering revealed here as the whole “Odin banged the Phoenix” business from the Thors issue buts its a nice prelude to the modern Clint and Kate promised on the last page.

As Kate remarks at one points, its nice to be reminded how well these two characters bounce off each other even if the Hawkeye here bears little resemblence to the walking hot mess the guy's been since Matt Fraction got his hands on him.

Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension Alpha one-shot

The Lost Dimension part one

Um...

Seriously, I have no idea what's going on with this. You've got all the regular Doctors who have ongoing series, cameos by the Fifth and Third Doctors, UNIT and a certain guest star who shall remain nameless because spoilers (no, it isn't River). There's all sorts of shenanigans with time and space and, well, this is a whole big Moffat-esque puzzle box that's going to be spread over eight issues and multiple Doctors so don't go getting your hopes up for things to make any sort of sense at this stage, okay?

That having been said its plenty intriguing, the surprise guest star is a character I never thought to see again and I'm interested to see what the murderer's row of writers on this crossover have decided she's been up to since... well, that would be telling.

Oh, and Bill and Nardole make their Titans Comics debut which is nice since given time constraints we probably won't see much of the Season Ten era cast in the pages of the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip. Not that these comics will ever compete in my affections with the DWM comic strip, I'm just saying its nice Bill and Nardole will get some extra time in the limelight, is all. 

Why my 100 Model Challenge was a dumb idea

It was, there's no way around it, the entire idea was misconceived. It sounded good in my head to start with: lay off buying models for a while and get a decent chunk of my backlog done in the meantime. It started off easy when GW were releasing stuff like the Imperial Gu... ahem, the Astra Militarum (goodness sake), a decidedly mediocre release with some very odd design choices like spiky Chaos armour for Storm Troo... ahem, Scions (goodness sake).

Then the Wood Elves came along. I've been waiting years for a Wood Elves books and longer still for plastic Eternal Guard. The new book is fantastic but I girded up my loins, gritted my teeth and stayed the course.

The final straw came when I was going through my bits box for a suitably impressive sword to slap on my Bretonnian Lord and I found a Maximus-pattern helmet. I looked at it and I remembered a thought that entered my head last September when the plastic Librarian came out that it would look sweet with a Maximus helmet.

And that was it. I broke. I came to the realisation that all I was doing was denying myself enjoyment. “Life is too short,” I declared to myself and went out immediately to buy a plastic Librarian and a box of Glade Guard.

Targets are for work. Goals are fine but targets can piss off. I'll keep posting models, at least once I find a varnishing method that doesn't leave my models shining like latex fetish models ('Ardcoat), like they're covered in a light dusting of snow (Purity Seal) or dulls all colour to horrible flatness (Lahmian Medium).

And, you know what? That Librarian does look sweet in a Maximus helm. 

100 Models #2: Vampire Counts Wight King

Vampire Counts Wight King

single plastic miniature

Games Workshop £9

With the application of a sheet of A4 to provide a neutral background and using the timer on my camera so I don't judder it as I press the button I think I'm getting much better pictures. I just have to figure out how to switch off the flash to get rid of those shadows and I'm set. Anyway, onto the miniature:

This is a far more complicated model than the Cairn Wraith. It has a lot of layers so you really have to go in with a plan for painting it. Some layers need drybrushing, some need inking and it can tie you in knots. This is actually my second attempt to paint one of these, having hashed up the first go so comprehensively I had to buy a new model (the original is in a drawer waiting to be paint-stripped and turned into Bretonnian Paladin).

The solution to this model is to paint it from the inside out, innermost layer to outermost. This wasn't exactly a simple process and I had to touch up the innermost layers rather a lot (covering stray Necron Compound off the boot and knee after drybrushing the chainmail, for instance).

An effect I'm rather proud of, but which hasn't photographed well, is the dirty metal effect I tried out on the sword blade. With luck and better photography you'll see a lot more of this effect on my Black Knights and Guardians Of The Covenant but it basically goes like this: basecoat in Leadbelcher, wash Nuln Oil, drybrush the whole area in Necron Compound (or Runefang to suit your taste) and then wash Agrax Earthshade. The brown ink picks out and colours the brighter drybrush layer so you get the look of mottled filth covering the blade.

I also rather like the colour of the cape (Incubi Darkness) and I think I'll use it wherever I can within the arrmy, try to create a more cohesive look for a very disparate force.

The red armour I am less fond of. I went right up far too bright in layering and tried to darken it down again with inks but it didn't quite take.

All in all this was a complicated but very satisfying model to paint. When I'm buying models again (98 to go!) I might get some Grave Guard and paint them to match him, albeit with darker armour. I am painting some units, by the way, it's just that the character models were finished first (there'll be another one on Thursday) so I should make more substantial progress towards my goal soon, especially when I have a chance to basecoat those eleven High Elves I'll need for Sunday's Triumph & Treachery game. 

100 Models #1: Vampire Counts Cairn Wraith

Single plastic miniature

Games Workshop, £9

Let's talk about simplicity. It's hard to review a simple model. If I were reviewing something like, for instance, the Black Knights I'm currently painting I could talk about the variations between the five figures, the impressive alternative build, the business of deciding on their colour scheme. But this model...?

No bells and whistles, no weapons options, no posing options: just a cloak, a skull and a scythe. There are maybe half dozen different colour areas involved, paint it to look ethereal and you can cut that down to a white basecoat and a wash. Your only real decision is what colour you're going to paint the long, flowing robe that makes up most of the miniature. As you can see I went for a traditional black Grim Reaper-style robe. It may be unambitious but I think the model benefits from a simple colour scheme.

That said I've seen some fantastic Cairn Wraiths with green robes and if I buy a second one I'd be tempted to paint it that way.

The whole model revolves around the robe, which is empty below the skull. It's a wonderful design even if you do have to strain a little to see if you've painted every part if the interior. This simplicity also makes it easy to paint, hence it being the first model to make it off my hobby table in this project (99 to go!).

The only flaw in the miniature is the price. £9 is more than reasonable for a character and if you're using it as a Hero, as I am, you won't feel cheated. It's if you want to run a unit of five of the things you run into financial difficulties because suddenly you're looking at a £45 bill for a very small unit.

As to my own work on the figure I'm rather proud of the rust effect on the scythe, achieved through drybrushing (I'm not actually that fond of the effect the new Ryza Rust technical paint gives). The Skavenblight Dinge drybrush on the black robe appears thicker and less subtle now I've varnished the miniature. I want to use the effect again on my Hexwraiths and Deathwatch so I'll have to remember it needs to be very subtle. I don't hate how it's come out, it still looks enough like cloth but if I want to use it as a highlight on, say, power armour it won't do.

Also, it's been so long since I painted a base that I need more practice to get the line between side and top neat and straight. Still, one benefit of this project is that I'll have another ninety nine goes to get it right. 

100 Model Challenge: The Rules

The Intention

To paint 100 Warhammer models before buying any more miniatures. This might sound like a lot but since I play mainly Warhammer Fantasy that's really just five rank-and-file units. Every hobbyist ends up with a pile of half-finished projects and it's time to tackle some of mine.

The Rules

One: 100 models to be painted. “Painted” defined as tabletop standard, based and varnished.

Two: No matter what size the miniature, one model is defined as one model towards the total: a Zombie is one model; a Knight on a horse is one model; a tank is one model; a towering Necrosphinx is one model; and so on. One equals one.

Three: The only Games Workshop products to be purchased in this period to be paints, brushes and novels.

Four: All finished models to be photographed and reviewed for the blog just as soon as I find my digital camera.

Five: Once a model is set down on the paint station it stays there until it is finished. The point of the exercise is to finish the projects I set to one side so no setting thing to one side.

Six: No wriggling out of it, Ashelford, I know you.

Hobby consequences of my annual water rates

For a brief, beautiful, fleeting moment I had money. My deposit came back from my old landlord. I wasn't even planning to do anything with it, just put it into savings in case I had to move again at the end of this six month contract. Then the rates turned up, which I really should have expected but there we are.

Anyway, the current financial situation has led me to make a bit of a resolution. Since I need to save money I should get on with painting some of the Warhammer models I've got sitting around half-finished. Every hobbyist gets to that stage eventually, no one ever buys “just one kit at a time” and finishes it “before I buy the next one”. No one.

Let's pick an arbitrary big number and say that I will finish 100 models before buying any new ones. This might sound a lot but I play mainly Fantasy so that's five rank-and-file units. Hell, I've got two Bretonnian Battalions sitting atop my bookshelf and they constitute 90 models between them.

I have a mountain of projects half-built or half-painted or just waiting for a few finishing touches. I started painting some Black Knights in December, painted the bone effect and just... stopped, got distracted. I've been fielding them less-than-half-painted since Matt started his campaign and it's time to get them done. I need more models for my Zombie raising pool, I bought a box, never got round to building them. I really need to make a start on my Dark Vengeance set (Guardians of the Covenant for the Dark Angels, Word Bearers for the Chaos Marines). I bought some Death Guard kits and a Wight King Battle Standard Bearer at Games Day then I had to move and they got shoved in a box, unopened. I picked up Belegar Ironhammer just to paint and... didn't.

I did make a list of all the odds and sods hanging around and it was shaming. I had no idea how far behind I was on these things. 100 isn't exactly a drop in the ocean but it's less than half the list.

Time to get to work. Progress posted to the blog as I finish models.