Freelancers 1 (of 3) . Roger Bonet (Writer), Ivan Arnal (Art), Rafa Barragan (Colours), Henar Casal (Letters). WP Comics (2017)

A very enjoyable and engaging story that mixes profound cynicism and superheroes to great effect. The Freelancers are a superhero group that are also stars of a reality show on Free TV. When Daikaiju, God of Pestilence explodes from a poisoned river the Freelancers are sent to deal with him, with nicely unpredictable results.
From the start Roger Bonet strikes the balance of the story, Daikaiju is called fort when a when a rotting sandwich is thrown into the river, it is the final item needed to create the conditions for the monster's entrance. The story moves forward with the context for the Freelancers being set up as the TV show they they lead is put into action to capture their triumphant battle with Daikaiju. Roger Bonet has made a very interesting story decision, this is not a superhero parody or a straight expose of hollow actors in spandex, there is a much darker and interesting set of factors at work, the Freelances are not who they are presented to the public, they are also not what might have been expected. It becomes clear that a very dark bargain has been struck and it will be fascinating to see how it plays out as the pressure seriously esclates.
Ivan Arnal's art manages to capture the different aspects of the story with considerable flair and sharp detail. The superhero action is as big and loud as it should be, the quieter action of the TV show is delivered with great force. The shifting requirements of each section are held together with tremendous use of panels to control the pace of the story and to pull the threads of the story together. A small sequence featuring a an assault on a well known franchise about robots who can convert into vehicles is a little self indulgent, it still sets up a smart joke.
Rafa Barragan's colours are superb, they capture the very different emotional context's of the story as the action moves from one location to another. They are as bright as they should be for superhero action, equally bright with different tones and emphasis for the action in the studio.
Henar Casal's sound effects are a joy, they lift the action right off the page with great force and impact. They are cartoony and explosive, the dialogue lettering is natural on the pages and delivers change of tone and emphasis with subtle care.
Roger Bonet has sidestepped a serious problem with any alternative approach to superhero storytelling avoiding the dominant versions of playing with or embracing the absurdity. The concept of people with extraordinary abilities is wholly embraced, the context in which they act has been given a refreshingly different set. Cynicism should be kryponite to superheros, instead it has been carefully used to make them more engaging and cleverly increase the stakes for everyone.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts. To purchase a copy of Freelancers 1, which you should to enjoy such darkly creative story from very talented creators, it is available from http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics

The Simple Art of Murder. Marcos Dominguez Garcia (Writer), Horacio Boriotti (Art), Henar Casal (Script). WP Comics (2016)

A engaging and very entertaining noir murder mystery that embraces and utilises the genre staples with energy and confidence. Phillip Conan is a private investigator who acquires a client and a murder and finds that this is only the start of trouble to come.
 There is noting unexpected in  Marcos Dominguez Garcia story, he takes the established elements of the genre and uses them in the same way that lots of others have. The substantial pleasure of this comic is the energy and conviction with which he uses them. The temptation to wink at the audience, to assure the reader that they and the writers are sharing the same joke as the ironic use of cliches is thankfully avoided, the story is treated with the level of serious intent that readers deserve. We know Phillip Conn is going to find his foot caught in a bear trap, what he will do about is is the open question. The set up for this story makes that a very inviting prospect.
Horacio Boriotti black and white art is perfect for the story, there is no ambiguity here it is a story of increasing desperation and the art gives it the edge and definition that it needs. The cast look beaten down before they start, the events are gong to push them further and further. The panel designs increase the tight focus on the cast so that details mount up and until the action explodes with a full page splash that uses red to drive home the point.
The lettering is used with considerable skill to create a nearly audible voice over to the action, it provides a smart commentary for the action, retrospective knowledge that builds and enhances the atmosphere.
The Simple Art of Murder's confident storytelling means the reader can relax into the story possibilities sure that the creators know what they are doing and that the unfolding story will be worth looking out for.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Kim Roberts, to purchase a copy of The Simple Art of Murder which you should for the pleasure a really confident noir story brings, you can do so from here,  http://www.wpcomicsltd.com/comics