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M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand #1-10, a1
MASK MOBILE ARMORED STRIKE KOMMAND RIDING VENOMS TRAIL
the special ops team that streaks into the dangerous landscape of dark wars, high intrigue, and non-stop action to stop the impossible threat of Miles Mayhem and his black ops squadron, V.E.N.O.M.
An untested Matt Trakker must lead M.A.S.K. through a complex new world order where nothing is as it seems! Plus, the origin of V.E.N.O.M.! Trakker goes on a solo mission to identify new recruits and, along the way, he crosses paths with Dr. Mindbender, who instructs him on the art of leadership and manipulation. Collects the M.A.S.K. Revolution one-shot, all 10 issues of the series, and the 2017 Annual.
Advance solicited for October release!
Winner of two 2017 Glyph Best Male Character and Fan Award for Best Work!
An untested Matt Trakker must lead M.A.S.K. through a complex new world order where nothing is as it seems! Plus, the origin of V.E.N.O.M.! Trakker goes on a solo mission to identify new recruits and, along the way, he crosses paths with Dr. Mindbender, who instructs him on the art of leadership and manipulation. Collects the M.A.S.K. Revolution one-shot, all 10 issues of the series, and the 2017 Annual.
Advance solicited for October release!
Winner of two 2017 Glyph Best Male Character and Fan Award for Best Work!
- GenresComics
312 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2018
8 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Easton
147 books37 followersBrandon Easton is a writer for the new Warner Bros. Animation series THUNDERCATS and a writer for the TRANSFORMERS: RESCUE BOTS for The Hub Network.
In January 2012, Brandon's first graphic novel SHADOWLAW was released to a nationwide sell-out and widespread acclaim with positive reviews from USA Today, Forbes, Wired, Ain't It Cool News and other major publications. Brandon continues to produce his "Writing for Rookies" advice podcast for aspiring comic book and sci-fi writers.
Brandon recently signed a 6-book deal with LION FORGE ENTERTAINMENT, a new transmedia company based out of St. Louis, MO. He splits his time between Los Angeles, New York City and Baltimore, Md.
In January 2012, Brandon's first graphic novel SHADOWLAW was released to a nationwide sell-out and widespread acclaim with positive reviews from USA Today, Forbes, Wired, Ain't It Cool News and other major publications. Brandon continues to produce his "Writing for Rookies" advice podcast for aspiring comic book and sci-fi writers.
Brandon recently signed a 6-book deal with LION FORGE ENTERTAINMENT, a new transmedia company based out of St. Louis, MO. He splits his time between Los Angeles, New York City and Baltimore, Md.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 16, 2021
The author should have read some of the MASK comics that came with the toys or watched the cartoon. It was such a generic story. Plus it relies on you having read the Revolution event between the first two issues to even know what's going on. In the first issue all of the MASK team are working with General Mayhem. In the next issue, Mayhem is the bad guy along with half the MASK team without ever explaining what happened. I don't care that they made Matt Tracker to make the book more diverse. My problem is they made him whiny and weak. Everything General Mayhem says about him is true.
I liked the tie-ins with G.I. Joe. That completely makes sense. Bringing in the Dire Wraiths from ROM was a mistake though. And then to end with the team falling apart and a team member missing. Oof. You could tell as it went along that IDW had given up on the title.. The art got more and more sketchy with no backgrounds. An intern in the copy room may have finished drawing this book.
I liked the tie-ins with G.I. Joe. That completely makes sense. Bringing in the Dire Wraiths from ROM was a mistake though. And then to end with the team falling apart and a team member missing. Oof. You could tell as it went along that IDW had given up on the title.. The art got more and more sketchy with no backgrounds. An intern in the copy room may have finished drawing this book.
November 15, 2020
You're browsing along, not really thinking about anything, and you come across a blast from the past.
Could it be? A comic version of one of those mostly forgotten toys you loved?
Keep browsing and don't sully happy memories with this hot garbage.
Dropping the characters into a shared universe with Transformers and GI Joe, bizarrely pulling focus away from cool masks and feature filled vehicles for a heretofore unknown storyline about radiation and black-market intrigue, wildly changing focus after only five issues for an entirely new track with bizarre lava monsters, all of it detracts from the simple enjoyment and nostalgia one hoped for.
Could it be? A comic version of one of those mostly forgotten toys you loved?
Keep browsing and don't sully happy memories with this hot garbage.
Dropping the characters into a shared universe with Transformers and GI Joe, bizarrely pulling focus away from cool masks and feature filled vehicles for a heretofore unknown storyline about radiation and black-market intrigue, wildly changing focus after only five issues for an entirely new track with bizarre lava monsters, all of it detracts from the simple enjoyment and nostalgia one hoped for.
July 21, 2023
In theory, this reboot is phenomenal and a great update of the cornball '80s franchise, with great artwork (especially considering how many CARS there are, although my spouse looked over my shoulder and made fun of Matt Trakker's expression when talking to Dr. Bender), better representation (making Trakker black was a gutsy move), and some crossing-over that is a little weird but still kind of fun.
In practice, I feel like something's missing.
I don't know. It's not really that it's taking itself TOO seriously, for a series about vehicles that transform and do things like fly or eject a boat, but... actually, maybe it is? Like, it feels not only strange that the members of V.E.N.O.M. know who the members of M.A.S.K. are (even though it's actually stranger they DIDN'T in the original), but also there's SO MUCH going on that it's a bit hard to follow. Like, it STARTS with that M.A.S.K. is basically a planetary defence team, specifically against "the Cybertronian problem." Which is already a huge ask, but it goes ALL OVER THE PLACE from there.
Also, no page numbers, which is normally "whatever" until I need to cite a page for reference.
It's interesting to flip through once, but I honestly forgot literally everything I just read. Hence, in practice, something's missing.
In practice, I feel like something's missing.
I don't know. It's not really that it's taking itself TOO seriously, for a series about vehicles that transform and do things like fly or eject a boat, but... actually, maybe it is? Like, it feels not only strange that the members of V.E.N.O.M. know who the members of M.A.S.K. are (even though it's actually stranger they DIDN'T in the original), but also there's SO MUCH going on that it's a bit hard to follow. Like, it STARTS with that M.A.S.K. is basically a planetary defence team, specifically against "the Cybertronian problem." Which is already a huge ask, but it goes ALL OVER THE PLACE from there.
Also, no page numbers, which is normally "whatever" until I need to cite a page for reference.
It's interesting to flip through once, but I honestly forgot literally everything I just read. Hence, in practice, something's missing.
March 6, 2024
I rarely review books, but this one was so disappointing that I feel a need to warn others to save their money.
I really enjoyed the first decade and a half (roughly) of IDW's comics, particularly their licensed work (like most of the Hasbro license). As a childhood fan of MASK, and someone who had long been looking forward to it being integrated with the rest of the Hasbro fictional universe, I had high hopes for this.
They were dashed on all levels.
The writing here is just terrible. It does not read like a professional work. Honestly, this may be the worst comic book writing I have ever come across from any substantial publisher, without hyperbole. It reads like it is fan fiction from a 12 year old who doesn't know what anything means but heard things in a movie once, and also doesn't know anything about narratives or storytelling.
The art starts off ok (not great, but completely fine), and rapidly devolves to looking rushed, unprofessional... and also from a 12 year old.
I don't know what was going on in the background of the creation of this series, but the final product is beyond disappointing.
Recommended for completists with low expectations, only.
I really enjoyed the first decade and a half (roughly) of IDW's comics, particularly their licensed work (like most of the Hasbro license). As a childhood fan of MASK, and someone who had long been looking forward to it being integrated with the rest of the Hasbro fictional universe, I had high hopes for this.
They were dashed on all levels.
The writing here is just terrible. It does not read like a professional work. Honestly, this may be the worst comic book writing I have ever come across from any substantial publisher, without hyperbole. It reads like it is fan fiction from a 12 year old who doesn't know what anything means but heard things in a movie once, and also doesn't know anything about narratives or storytelling.
The art starts off ok (not great, but completely fine), and rapidly devolves to looking rushed, unprofessional... and also from a 12 year old.
I don't know what was going on in the background of the creation of this series, but the final product is beyond disappointing.
Recommended for completists with low expectations, only.
May 2, 2021
Could have been better. Some interesting ideas and plots but the art was inconsistent and at times ridiculous.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews