Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie #1
Written by Anthony Del Col
Art by Werther Dell’Edera
Colors by Stefano Simeon
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Fay Dalton, Emma Vieceli, Robert Hack
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: March 8, 2017
Paperback | Digital

Is it just me or is everything taking a turn for the darker side lately? Well, I can tell you that Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie #1 is certainly following that trend. This is nothing at all like the books I grew up reading in the seventies. As a matter of fact, it feels like it would make a rather successful television show on the CW.

Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #1
Written by Chris Ryall
Pencils by Tony Akins
Inks by John Livesay
Colors by Leonard O’Grady
Letters by Robbie Robbins and Shawn Lee
Covers by Tony Akins and Paul Mounts (Regular), Rob Guillory (Subscription), Robert Hack and Stephen Downer (Retailer Incentive)
IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 20, 2015
Cover Price: $3.99

Everything is connected. That’s the long and short of how the title character in Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #1 sees the world in general and how he works through his mysteries in particular. If you haven’t read any Douglas Adams then immediately following this review, go do so. The man was not only amazing but he should have been sainted for the wonderful work he did in science fiction literature. I applaud anyone who revives or adapts his work for the newer generations. But we are here to talk about this individual issue, folks, so let’s do just that!

As it turns out, the concept of fundamental interconnectedness means that time, space, and reality can all be thrown to the wolves. If the entire makeup of everything is connected to everything else then it’s as if the universe is playing a game akin to the Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon! In this comic, we see the eponymous Dirk Gently seeking those very same connections! Relying on his wits and wisdom, and a good deal of luck and fate, he somehow manages to find the thread that links it all together.

Swords of Sorrow #1
Written by Gail Simone
Illustrated by Sergio Davila
Colored by Jorge Sutil
Letters by Erica Schultz
Edited by Hannah Elder
Covers by J. Scotty Campbell & Nei Ruffino, Jenny Frison, Emanuela Lupacchino & Ivan Nunes, Robert Hack, Joyce Chin & Ivan Nunes, Tula Lotay, Nei Ruffino, and Cedric Poulat
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: May 6, 2015
Cover Price: $3.99

Swords of Sorrow #1 is many things: a really fun story, even though it’s not supposed to be; a great comic to look at. But, beyond that, this book is special because it stars an all-female cast of heroes. As a man, I almost didn’t want to review this, but then I thought “It doesn’t matter if the book stars women, the only thing that matters is if it’s good or not.” So, is it? Let’s find out…

Red Sonja #100
Written by Eric Trautmann, Roy Thomas, Michael Avon Oeming, Gail Simone and Luke Lieberman
Art by Dave Acosta, Pablo Marcos, Taki Soma, Noah Salonga and Sergio Fernandez Davila
Colors by Valentina Pinto and Salvatore Aiala Studios
Letters by Joshua Cozine
Cover art by Ed Benes & Alex Guimaraes, Robert Hack, Andrew Pepoy & Paul Mounts, Ken Haeser and Pablo Marcos & Austin Janosky
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: February 18, 2015
Cover Price: $7.99

Red Sonja #100 is truly the definition of “jam packed”! Dynamite Entertainment has truly gotten the gang back together, and in doing so, we get just about every single kind of Red Sonja story that there is right here in this single comic. In this giant issue, you get sword and sorcery, horror, action, and even a little heartwarming drama. What’s not to love?

Consisting of five different stories, by legendary Red Sonja writers like Eric Trautmann, Roy Thomas, Michael Avon Oeming, Gail Simone, and Luke Lieberman, you get everything you want and more in this comic book. Roy Thomas pens a truly great old fashioned sword and sorcery tale with a hint of mystery. Current Red Sonja scribe Gail Simone writes a very entertaining story about Red Sonja finally meeting her childhood “idol.” Then there’s Luke Lieberman’s (Queen Sonja) story about Sonja, a companion, and a sorcerer that is thrilling, yet very heartwarming. Out of all five stories, there’s not a bad one in the bunch.

Doc Savage Special 2014
Written by David F. Walker
Art by Kewber Baal
Colors by Kelsey Shannon
Letters by Rob Steen
Cover art by Robert Hack
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 24, 2014
Cover Price: $7.99

Doc Savage Special 2014 is a send-off of sorts to the Doc Savage title that Dynamite published through 2014. While it doesn’t focus on Doc himself specifically, he does play a pretty important role. But, I know you’re all wondering if this book is worth the $7.99 price tag or are you better off buying a coffee at Starbucks. Here’s my take…