Ocho Duro Parlay Hour (#ODPH) Podcast

Welcome to an all-new edition of Parlay Points, the comic book review blog to the ODPH Podcast.

For this entry, a legendary series returns to the comic shops this week for the first time since 2001! In the early 1990’s after the big Seven (Todd McFarlane, Erik Larsen, Jim Valentino, and X-Men line artists Rob Liefeld (X-Force), Whilce Portacio (Uncanny X-Men), Marc Silvestri (Wolverine) and Jim Lee (X-Men) left Marvel Comics formed Image Comics, many fans wondered who would be the next big superstar to emerge from the top line of comics at the time. They didn’t have to wait too long as an artist made an immediate impact and gave the flagship title a whole new look. His name was Joe Madureira.

Madureira was named the artist on Uncanny X-Men in 1994. His work led to the success of the “Age Of Apocalypse” storyline as well as “The Trial Of Gambit” just to name a few. With a style all his own, Madureira quickly became one of the biggest artists in all of comics. In 1997, Madureira left Marvel to join up with an offshoot imprint of Jim Lee’s Wildstorm line known as Cliffhanger. Madureira joined Humberto Ramos (Crimson) and J. Scott Campbell (Danger Girl) with a creator owned title “Battle Chasers” in 1998.

The fantasy-adventure book had much hype behind it but constant release issues with the series led to the last issue being published by Image in 2001! In that time, Madureira has gone on to different non-comic projects with a few returns to Marvel with “Ultimates 3” in 2007, “Avenging Spider-Man” in 2011 and “Inhuman” in 2014. However, fans have never stopped clamoring for more Battle Chasers. Image released The Battle Chasers Anthology in 2019 to huge reactions. With a fanbase still clamoring for more, an announcment was made that shocked and electrified fans…

Early in 2023, Image and Madureira announced that they were bringing the series back with the long-awaited Battle Chasers #10 (by Madureira and LUDO LULLABI). The wait is finally over! The book is in stores! Let’s take a deeper look at how the story fares after debuting 25 years ago, shall we!

***Battle Chasers #10 by Joe Madureira and LUDO LULLABI (credit: Image Comics)***

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

This issue kicks off with a great recap of characters for readers jumping in for the first time:

Garrison - A former Paladin coming to terms with his past involving Aramus

Red Monika - An infamous figure who plays by her own rules

Gully - The daughter of the legendary Aramus, Gully possess gauntlets once wore by her father that have immense power

Calibretto aka Bretto - A war machine that has a mind of its’ own and is a force to be reckoned with

Knolan - A wizard of great mystery and capabilites

The story as it stands is the world of Gaia is in danger. Mana, a prime resource is dying out. Sides are being taken and conflict is rising. King Vaneer has played a role in the power balance, helping Gully and Bretto in the search for Aramus. The same cannot be said for Garrison who defies an order to captrue red Monika and now becomes a fugitive himself!

Red Monika wakes up in Garrison’s house after escaping Lord August. Garrison is waiting at the house and informs her that she was followed. Outside the house is Mastreo, leading the Martial Paladins on their bounty mission. Readers get a quick introduction into what they are capable of after they dispose of Akiman, Monika’s partner. Mastreo and his team bicker about what to do when Garrison and Monika make a break from the house. However, they don’t get too far before the Paladins make another play.

All the while, Gully is confronting her alleged brother Sebastian Nefar, who is rotting in a cell with no hands after trying to put on Gully’s gauntlets. Their conversation is brief but sets Gully on a quest to fin answers. What happens when she goes searching? What of Garrison and Monika’s fate? How does Bretto play into the mix? Readers are taken on quite the adventure as events are set in motion, kicking the saga of Battle Chasers into high gear.

BREAKDOWN: Madureira plays into the strengths of what makes this series such a beloved one with fans. The relationship between Garrison and Monika has always been combustible. Madureira focuses in on this for some great back and forth moments. The latest threats of the Martial Paladins are an interesting one. They come across to the reader as highly dangerous and ones that have a separate agenda all their own. Gully’s story didn’t get as much time in comparison (only 6 pages)but hit its’ key points. The dynamic with her and Sebastian works flawlessly to set up the forthcoming drama. As a “welcome back” issue, it does a great job for connecting with new and older readers of the series.

LULLABI steps in the art duties and delivers on fast moving, BIG action panels. The short sequence with them taking out Akiman delved into that frenetic pace. The moments with the Paladins hunting Garrison and Monkia establish the stakes very quickly.This leads into an amazing 2 page full panel spread closing out Garrison’s portion of the issue. Lullabi does a spectactular job catching Gully’s reactions to Sebastion’s manipulations. Ranging from anger to puzzled to defiant, the emotions display sold that time in the book and made up for the lack of pages. Great final panel to send things off into the next issue.

FINAL POINT: 9 OUT OF 10

The saga of Battle Chasers resumes without missing a beat. Madureira and Lullabi greet new and faithful readers with great storytelling and incredible visuals that encompasses why this series still connects with fans after 25 years! With the action and drama building back up, it is a perfect time to add this series to your comic book collection.

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know what you thought of Battle Chasers #10. Thanks for reading.

Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay points, the comic book review blog tot he ODPH Podcast!

For this entry, we’re following along the latest hit horror series from Cullen Bunn as the family dynamic of the Agates seems to have a paranormal problem. Ghostlore #2 from Cullen Bunn, Leomacs, Jason Wordie, Ed Dukeshire and Danny Luckert via BOOM! Studios invites readers to follow at their own risk into the unknown dangers waiting. Let’s take a closer look and see how this issue fares, shall we?

***Ghostlore #2 from Cullen Bunn, Leomacs, Jason Wordie, Ed Dukeshire and Danny Luckert*** (On Sale June 14th, 2023 - Credit: BOOM! Studios *Featured Cover artist: ***Javier Rodriguez)***

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

One fateful night has changed the Agate family forever. When leaving church, Pastor Lucas Agate, his wife Emily, his quiet son Chris are involved in a car accident when his daughter Harmony swerves from a boy standing in the middle of the road. The car crashes into a tree. From the crash, Harmony is convinced someone is in the road, but her father doesn’t believe it. Chris emerges from his silence and starts speaking about what Harmony is seeing. Chris’s story talks of a child who turned into a monster after some young boys bullied her. Chris swears never to speak a word, even when the boys are killed. With a small community rocked, The parishioners of Pastor Lucas’s church start losing faith.

Chris’s story is puzzling to his dad but it sinks in that this isn’t Chris, but his spirit as he and Emily were killed in the crash. Once confessing, Chris can finally rest with Harmony now carrying the weight of his guilt. Surrounding the car are more ghosts who want their story heard to gain peace.

This issue jumps in with Lucas and Harmony coming to grips with what has happened. The scenes are cold and reflecting the losses they have endured. Leaving the house in silence, Harmony sets out for some errands. Lucas is still waking up when he’s approached by a spirit wanting to talk.

With Harmony gone, What happens when it’s Lucas now talking with the spirit? What story do they have to tell? Readers watch with chills as the spirit confesses their tale. With a new dynamic in play, will things go smoothly or crash and burn? The final act leaves nothing behind as it closes this chapter definitively while featuring a final panel that adds more to the mystery at hand.

BREAKDOWN: Bunn role reverses from last issue’s fallout with Lucas stepping into the ghost conversation. The opening moments give the readers a sense of how things have weighed down the family with no real sense of improvement. The ghost appearance made for an interesting dynamic as Lucas fills in for Harmony. Its’ story is arguably the strongest pint of the book as the ethics behind it leave much to be figured out. The results show that nothing is “normal” about how these meetings are conducted. Bunn filters in Lucas’ anger with a newfound layer into his character. The closing will catch readers off-guard but makes for more drama as the story progress int the following issue.

Art duties are split again with Leoomacs taking the main timeline and Luckert stepping in for the flashback story. This is a winning formula as the story comes across to readers as truly told thru the spirit’s eyes. Luckert’s visuals bring the emotional backstory into the spotlight. It wastes little time in creating the sense of fear haunting the ghost and the burden now on their shoulders. Leomacs makes the opening scenes click with no words uttered. It’s only body language that the readers can cypher. The panels speak volumes on how things are deteriorated between Lucas and Harmony. It’s countered with some truly horrific imagery stemming from the ghost story. The closing panel is very subtle but is sure to set the Agate family into another tailspin before it’s all said and done.

FINAL POINT: 8 OUT OF 10

The supernatural hold on the Agate family becomes tighter as the pressure mounts in the latest chapter from Bunn and Leomacs. Strong imagery raises the frightening tale being constructed into new heights. Don’t miss checking this book out on New Comic Book Day.

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know what you thought of Ghostlore #2. Thanks for reading.

BATTLE CHASERS #10 (IMAGE COMICS)

GHOSTLORE #2 (BOOM! STUDIOS)