Mini Reviews 25/01/09

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the next instalment of Matt C's Byrne FF project.


DARK AVENGERS #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: It's no great surprise that, since Dark Avengers seems to be modelled on the recent run of Thunderbolts, the artist from that title has moved across. The results are relatively sedate for a first issue, establishing a team and possible antagonist for them to battle. Of course filling this new Avengers team (and by the way, 'Dark' Avengers?! How many bloody Avengers do Marvel want?) with facsimiles of the other teams will lead to a battle of some variety, but I'm thankful the identity reveals for this new team haven’t been drawn out over the entire run. A solid start, but God knows both Civil War and Secret Invasion made the same kind of introduction so I'm cautiously optimistic that Bendis won't fuck it up. 7/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #584
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Art: John Romita Jr & Klaus Janson
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: The beginning of the story arc that should finally put the whole spider-tracer killer storyline to bed gets off to a slightly wonky start with some decent character moments and fantastic art, but also some cheesy asides and lame gags. The soap opera elements are, on the whole, successful and keep a level of constituency to a series with multiple writers. Hardly classic material but a decent read all the same. 7/10


CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #7
Writer: Timothy Truman
Art: Tomas Giorello & Richard Corben
Dark Horse $2.99

Matt C: The first arc of the latest Conan book draws to a close, and overall it’s been a hugely impressive return to form following the slighting lagging feeling that accompanied the end of the preceding series. Truman has shown he implicitly understands Robert E Howards’s famous barbarian and the world he inhabits, while Giorello has improved tremendously since he joined the creative team, finally proving himself to a more than worthy replacement to Cary Nord. The Corben illustrated interludes focusing on Conan’s granddaddy have given us an enlightening insight into where the “black-haired, sullen-eyed” warrior obtained his wandering spirit. Fantastic stuff, and I’m now very excited to see the Black Colossus adaptation, which commences next issue. 8/10


THUNDERBOLTS #128
Writer: Andy Diggle
Art: Roberto De La Torre
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: Much like Dark Avengers, this is an introduction to the new team, but is dealt with in a far more interesting fashion. Seeing Ant-Man as his usual sleazy, lecherous self on a much more upfront team makes me feel far more confident for the future, especially as the rest of the line-up look particularly mean on the cover. Giving Diggle his own toys to play with may well spell disaster, but once more I'm edging to the hopeful side on this evidence. 8/10


PUNISHER: FRANK CASTLE MAX #66
Writer: Duane Swiercztnski
Art: Michel Lacombe
Marvel MAX $3.99

Matt C: A new title, a new price, and a new creative team ,lead to a conundrum. Do I continue with this book? The story is slightly clichéd but I found myself enjoying it far more than I anticipated, even though it was obvious pretty much from the get-go that it wasn’t going to match up to the previous story arc. And that’s the crux of the matter. It’s not as good as it was but it now costs 33% more than it used to. Following my recent Thought Bubble rant, this could be a title I drop because I’m not convinced it’s value for money any more. I’ve not come to a firm decision, but I’m getting close. We’ll see. 7/10


MIGHTY AVENGERS #21
Writer: Dan Soltt
Art: Khoi Pham
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: A resounding 'wha?' for this book, stemming mostly from the fact that magic has made everything go tits up. Major characters die, which normally spells a hasty 'it was all a dream'-type approach, which makes me care very little about the future of this title. The line-up has potential, but with the other 854 Avengers books hustling for shelf space and New Avengers still to make an appearance, this is more than likely the one that'll suffer on my pull-list. 6/10


ELEPHANTMEN #15
Writer: Richard Starkings
Art: Ian Churchill & Boo Cook
Image $2.99

Matt C: The virus plotline kind of lost me early on but everything involving Obidah Horn, Sahara and Joshua Serengeti is juicy stuff. Boo’s inks completely transform Churchill’s pencils into something quite different (and, in my opinion, better) than we’re used to seeing from the artist. The Vanity Case back-up was a fun but a bit throwaway, and I’m hoping we’ll get into some meatier subject matter next time around. 7/10


X-FACTOR #39
Writer: Peter David
Art: Valentine De Landro
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: Holy crap. I kind of saw the ending coming, but it was still a gut-punch. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone, so it's difficult to flesh out how bad this made me feel for the core characters in this book. Anyone following the Siryn pregnancy storyline will know that it's reaching a climax here, and thankfully the major event isn't treated as a last page cliffhanger, but occurs midway through, so the repercussions can be seen as well. I have no idea how this will end, but I'm impressed by Peter David's build up and execution of a really emotional plot, which has plenty left in it. 9/10


GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #9
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Brad Walker, Carlos Magno, Victor Olazba & Jack Purcell
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: This book continues to retain pole position out of DnA’s two cosmic titles at the moment as it weaves its way deeper into the War Of Kings event with some amusing shenanigans centred around 42, the Negative Zone based superhuman prison. The change of artist halfway through doesn’t really do the otherwise unstoppable momentum any favours, but that aside this remains a joy. 7/10


GREEN LANTERN #37
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert & Julio Ferreira
DC $2.99

Matt C: On occasion Geoff Johns does seem to pack a little too much into his stories, not allowing characters a hell of a lot of breathing space, and this issue is fine example of that. There’s still plenty of excitement, with Reis’ artwork causing the action to burst off the page, but there’s often too much going on at once to really pull you in to the mayhem fully. There are some absolutely brilliant moments with Sinestro though, which sufficiently displays that while he is the best writer currently playing in the DC Universe, sometimes he needs to shift down a gear. 7/10


SPIDER-MAN NOIR #2
Writers: David Hine & Fabrice Sapolsky
Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Marvel $3.99

Matt T: I was something of a late starter on the first issue, so after being very impressed by it I snapped up the second part straight away. The formulaic origin, which we all knew was coming, is at least gotten rid of within a page or two, and there are a few interesting twists to keep me on board for #3. What I'm hoping is that this doesn't turn into an alternate universe book a la the Ultimate universe, in which the only interesting aspect is how the original characters have been twisted. So far I love the setting and characterizations, so here's hoping David Hine and co can keep it up for the remaining two. 8/10


UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #2
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Mitch Breitweiser & Daniel Acuna
Marvel $3.99

Matt T: I've been hearing good things about Matt Fraction from my Paradox Comics Group cohorts, but from this evidence I'm not going to seek out his entire back catalogue. Trying to retcon part of the pile of arse that was the Dark Reign one-shot only makes me remember what a waste of money it was, and the characterizations are way off for most of the cast, including a suddenly gay Sebastian Shaw. We know Emma Frost is a bit of a bitch, but the manner in which she fobs off Cyclops on the phone is a universe away from her motivations in the other X-books. 3/10

Matt C: Spotlighting Emma Frost, and giving us further insight into how and why she’s caught up in Norman Osborn’s anti-Illuminati, this annual is more interesting/intriguing than particularly riveting. Frost’s past with Namor was a bit of an eye opener, and her complicated relationship with Sebastian Shaw was well handled, but my general irritation with the whole Dark Reign set-up, along with the element of dryness in Fraction's script, prevented me from enjoying this without reservation. 7/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #235
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne
Marvel $0.50

Matt C: The FF fight to stop Ego The Living Planet – one of the most ridiculous but awesome characters in the Marvel Universe – from destroying Earth. The premise suggests slightly more in the way of a cosmic extravaganza than it delivers, and there is a sense of wasted potential lurking under the surface, but Byrne’s terrific handling of the titular foursome, and the way he draws out their distinctive personalities, ensures it remains a thoroughly engaging read even if the plot is ultimately unsatisfying. 7/10

Thought Balloon: Time For $3.99?

By Matt C

You don’t need to have any insider knowledge to predict that 2009 is going to be a difficult year for the comics industry. The most blatantly obvious reason is the global recession, or credit crunch, or downturn, or whatever else is the buzzword of the day. Folks are tightening their belts and aren’t splashing the cash like they used to. People are loosing their jobs. It’s not a happy time all told, and in this kind of situation, when you’ve got less money to throw around, you’re really going to be thinking harder about what you’re spending your spare change on. Comics geeks know they’re always going to allocate some funds for their addiction, but the habit is probably not addictive enough that they won’t cut back if necessary. I know I’ve been more careful which titles I’m picking up on a regular basis. No more “well, hopefully it’ll get better” for me. (At least that’s what I tell myself!)

So, we’ve got the credit crunch to contend with…….. and then there’s the whole $3.99 price-point business.

Mini Reviews 18/01/09

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the next instalment of Matt C's Byrne FF project.


FINAL CRISIS #6
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: JG Jones, Carlos Pacheco, Doug Manke, Marco Rudy, Christian Alamy & Jesus Merino
DC $3.99

Matt C: While there are several moments I got a kick out of during the course of this issue, as before the series continues to be plagued by disjointedness, with Morrison not appearing to make much effort in creating a reader-friendly book. It’s not helped this time around by the number of artists pitching in – there’s a lot of good work on display but it lends the proceedings an increased air of inconsistency. Final Crisis seems to playing out in it’s own little bubble; it feels untethered from the rest of the DC Universe, and the overall impression is that anything occurring within these pages will have no impact outside of them. That also applies to the “shocking” final page, which – when you take a step back and really think about it – should have been one of the most gobsmacking moments in recent comics history. Instead, it merely elicits a “meh”. DC are doing themselves no favours at the moment. 4/10

Matt T: The madness of Morrison is starting to make a touch more sense, even if he juggles plotlines with often infuriating jumps to and fro. There are still elements that confuse, and the out-of-continuity bigger moments lose the majority of their impact by having been told elsewhere weeks or even months before. The seventh issue should bring a few of the looser storylines together, like the fate of one of the major stars and how fast the Flashes can go as, once again, they're having to go 'faster than they've ever gone before.' 7/10


X-INFERNUS #2
Writer: C.B. Cebulski
Penciller: Giuseppe Camuncoli & Jesse Delperdang
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: The second issue of this mini is a great X-read. All of the main players are here as the Darkchilde turns up on the mutant's doorstep willing to tear anyone a new hole to get her Soul Sword back. This is predominantly an action issue with plenty of delicious thwak, shraak and shlokery present to sate the appetites of those who like a good mutant-related dust-up. Cebulski does a great job with the continuity, making sure that the experiences that Pixie, Mercury and Rockslide shared in Limbo previously count for something here, while also addressing the apparent tensions between the old X-guard of Colossus, Nightcrawler and Cyclops. I'd personally like to see an ongoing title emerge from what the creators are doing here, but with Young X-Men getting canned we'll have to wait and see. 8/10


LOCKE & KEY: HEAD GAMES #1
Writer: Joe Hill
Artist: Gabriel Rodriguez
IDW $3.99

Andy H: I've been really looking forward to this comic. Were my expectations too high? Would I be disappointed? No and no! This was a great read. It had love, loss, murder and mystery. If you read the first series you will want to read this. Joe Hill once again delivers a well-crafted and paced story. The glorious art of Gabriel Rodriguez moves from charming to sinister capturing the feel of the story in every panel. The bad guy from the first series is back and a professor recognises him as a student that disappeared 20 years ago. So we now learn a little more about the mysterious Luke/Zack (but not much) and his connection to the Locke family (who return next issue). I loved this book so much it would be rude not to give it 10/10


HOUSE OF MYSTERY #9
Writer: Matthew Sturges
Art: Luca Rossi
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt T: You have to get into a different mindset in order to read House Of Mystery, preparing yourself for a smidge of madness, some intertwining plotlines that may not actually intertwine for another couple of issues, and an ending that may make no sense at all. Of course with this accepted there's plenty of fun to be had in between, especially when one of the house's inhabitants tells their own story of woe. This issue has so much going on it started to make my head spin, but the Universal Monsters-themed secondary story is a cracking read. 7/10


BOOSTER GOLD #16
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Art: Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
DC $2.99

Matt T: As ever Booster keeps the time-travel tinged japes a-going, but there's a far more serious tone this time round. With the setting in WWI that isn't much of a surprise, and the majority of the action is dealt with in a sombre manner. The path ahead looks to be extremely similar as the mysterious Egyptian Knife drags the title character through some significant historical events. A well written, great looking comic that is heading in a new direction, which I hope won't spoil the funnier aspects. 8/10

Matt C: Time-hopping through the ages attempting to locate a 4,500 year-old Egyptian knife that has changed history for the worse, Booster winds up in the middle of No Man’s Land in the Great War, facing off against the legendary Enemy Ace. Jurgens is impressing far more with his art than his scripting – the story’s readable enough, but only in a throwaway kind of way. The buzz I used to get when Johns and Katz were at the reins has failed to return, so unless this arc receives a sudden jolt of brilliance, Booster Gold is going to get knocked off the pull-list. 6/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Barry Kitson & Mark Farmer
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Apparently the release of this book caused a bit of a sales frenzy over in the States; in Blighty it hasn’t generated quite same level of interest but still seems to have some people frothing over what is essentially a publicity stunt. The back-up story featuring soon-to-be-President Obama is fluff, nothing more, nothing less. Certainly not worth the ludicrous prices some idiots are forking out for it on eBay (Credit crunch? What credit crunch?). Bypassing all that, let’s look at the main feature, a Betty Brant-centric tale where she attempts to play matchmaker for Peter Parker. All I can really say about it is that it was “nice”. Nothing really objectionable about it, but definitely not up to the standard of Waid’s previous two-parter, and rather forgettable all told. Let’s hope those eBay purchasers get more out of it than I did then, with the money they’re paying for it! 6/10

Stewart R: This issue will forever be known as the 'Obama issue’ despite the fact that the main story centres on someone more worthy of the attention (in the Spider-Man Universe that is - 'Yes We Can!' and all that, woo and indeed hoo!). I'm now used to the interlude stories that appear in this ongoing Spider-Man title before we get treated to the 5-issue, heavy-hitting runs, and Waid's effort is solid enough. Betty Brant has been a continuous presence since the BND reset button was pushed and Waid takes the time to address her position, and predicament, since the shake-up at the Bugle took place. It's also nice to have a playful reminder of why Peter is currently without a girlfriend but can always do the right thing for his friends when it counts. Kitson's artwork is always a mixture of decent action-splashes and panels that look like they were rushed to the presses, and this is no exception to that rule.

The back up story on the other hand is, to be frank, a waste of the extra dollar slapped onto the cover price. Admittedly it's better than having another Agents of Atlas or Wizard of Oz preview, but the whole thing is an unnecessary nod to a man who is yet to actually do anything apart from win a giant popularity contest, Spider-Man fan or not. The artwork is decent but I can only think that Marvel have pulled out a sneaky attempt at raking in the dollars and the newsprint this week. So, for the main story 6/10, but the backup with its shameful Presidential-elect bum kissing gets 2/10


ACTION COMICS #873
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Pete Woods, Renato Guedes & Wilson Magalhaes
DC $2.99

Matt C: Considering it was blowing the competition out of the waters several months ago it’s a shame to report that Action Comics his plummeted into the realm of mediocre. John’s still has a good handle on the Man Of Steel, but the whole New Krypton thing isn’t clicking with me, and the art pales in comparison to the exceptional work Gary Frank was turning out during the Brainiac arc. With Superman leaving the title very soon, this is yet another DC book that I’ll be turning my back on. 5/10


DEADPOOL #6
Writer: Daniel Way
Penciller: Paco Medina
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: This book just doesn't let up. Great stories, great humour, great artwork. It also seems that ASM #583 isn't the only book this week that deals with dating issues as the Merc With A Mouth starts thinking about getting to know the ladies better in his own unique way, all the while having the fearsome Tiger Shark after his head… literally! The inner-dialogue that Way bestows upon Deadpool is comedy gold, especially when it transfers into what he actually says mid-fight and at an inappropriate moment. Paco Medina is also showing himself to be one of the most consistent artists Marvel have in their canon. Six issues, superb quality, no delays (to my knowledge) and the creators know exactly how to sell us Deadpool's specific kind of crazy. Keep it coming. 9/10

Matt T: Even though it's based around a nutcase, Deadpool is a pretty consistent read and in Paco Medina the book has an artist who can reflect the insanity without completely alienating the reader. This issue has a big fight feel to it, as the equally insane Tiger Shark seems intent of making Deadpool even uglier then he was before by eating various parts of him. Of course there's lots of entertaining banter along the way, and a certain Hydra soldier who throws like a girl also shows up. A fun, if unspectacular, read. 8/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #234
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne
Marvel $0.50

Matt C: A regular working joe – a typical 9 to 5 average nobody – has the power to change to change reality with a thought, but wanders through life without even an inkling of his extraordinary abilities. A chance to visit New York means we get to see the FF through this guy’s eyes - a different perspective of Marvel’s First Family - before a global calamity manifests itself (which the average joe may or may not be responsible for), providing an opportunity for all four spring into action. All this and a very satisfying spacebound cliffhanger. Byrne’s art impresses again with its level of detail in each panel, from two-storey home-life to city-flattening carnage. 8/10

Ten Forward: March 2009

Every month we spend an evening scouring the pages of the latest issue of Previews and pick the ten titles we are looking forward to the most. This month it's the January issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in March 2009.

KILLER OF DEMONS #1 (of 3)
Writer: Christopher Yost
Artist: Scott Wegener
Image $3.99

Andy H: I've stated before that Christopher Yost is a great writer of X-books over at Marvel so it's only right I'm excited to see what he can do with his own book at Image. Hell has come to Earth and it looks like junior account executive Dave is the only man that can stop it! Okay, we've done the demon thing before but here's the rub: is Dave a heroic demon slayer? Or an insane mass murderer? As only Dave can see the demons and they all appear to be his co-workers or people that annoy him even Dave must question his sanity. Scott Wegener provides the smooth uncomplicated art, so if you like his work on Atomic Robo this should be your next stop.


WAR OF KINGS #1
Writer: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Paul Pelletier
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Although I don’t have any fanboy fervour for the likes of the Inhumans or the Shi’ar Empire, it’s the creators involved that guarantees my purchase of this miniseries. Abnett & Lanning have cornered the market in Marvel spacebound brilliance, so although they’re playing with some new (to them) characters, the supporting cast will feature many faces they’ve already shown they have an exceptional understanding of. If you enjoyed the Annihilation minis then this is one to add to your pull-list.


SUPER ZOMBIES #1
Writer: Marc Guggenheim & Vince Gonzales
Art: Mel Rubi
Dynamite Entertainment $3.50

Matt T: Granted, Marvel has done the superhero zombie thing to death (pun intended) but a new spin by Marc Guggenheim might give it some more legs, especially in a whole new universe. The creative team aside, with a 5-issue limited series it's unlikely this will drag as much, and the art looks cracking.


STRONGMAN GN
Writer: Charles Soule
Art: Alan Glagfelter
SLG $9.95

James R: 'NAAACCCHHOOOOOOOOOO!', Ah, I love Nacho Libre, anybody else? ... anyone?... just me and the girlfriend then! But still, I love a bit of Mexican Luca Libredore action. Hate American wrestling mind you, but the Mexicans? Cool! Masks! High Drama! Secret Identities! Charity Work! It's all good. So I'm going to be picking up Strongman, an OGN about a former Mexican Wrestling Great reduced to the status of a bum in New York City. He gets a shot at redemption when he becomes embroiled in a black market trade in organs (as in hearts, not the Church-based variety!). I love the occasional left-field comic, and this could be a gem!


RAWBONE #1
Writer: Jamie Delano
Art: Max Fiumara
Avatar $3.99

Rob N: I’ve mentioned before that I rate Jamie Delano very highly, and feel he’s one of the great unsung talents of the comics industry. Good then to see he has another Avatar mini-series due, this time set in the 17th century Caribbean. Bucking the current trend for metrosexual pantomime pirates wearing eyeliner, Delano promises a more serious ‘blood and snot’ approach that sees the Church trying to eradicate a pirate enclave, though I note that (presumably for commercial reasons) there will be a supernatural element too. Delano is an inspiring writer who seems to take pride in never writing the same kind of story twice.


POTTER'S FIELD: STONE COLD ONE-SHOT
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Paul Azaceta
Boom! Studios $3.99

Rob N: The Potter’s Field miniseries last year wasn’t just a quality read, it also left us wanting more, which is an achievement in itself. Three issues it seems just wasn’t long enough to tell the story of the mysterious ‘John Doe’, who investigates the deaths of anonymous people buried in a cemetery field reserved for unidentified corpses. In an industry where many story arcs feel padded out to achieve the necessary page count for a collected edition, Potter’s Field could have done with several more issues at the very least. Luckily Mark Waid hasn’t turned his back on the title, so this one-shot will be finding its way onto my standing-order list in March.


JESUS CHRIST: IN THE NAME OF GUN #1
Writer: Eric Paterson
Art: Ethan Nicolle
Bad Karma Productions $2.95

Matt C: Most months flicking through Previews there’s usually some indie comic starring the Son of God battling zombies, or Nazis or some other villainous force, and I usually titter at the concept and then move on. For some reason this title tickled my fancy, as it were, and although it remains to be seen whether having Christ as an action hero can go the distance in the gag stakes, I think I’m going to risk it and get into the Jesus business for a gander at this.


DARK REIGN: ELEKTRA #1 (of 5)
Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Clay Mann
Marvel $3.99

Andy H: After the really good Venom: Dark Origins Zeb Wells gets to turn his attention to another deadly - yet easier on the eye - character: Elektra! After her release from her Skrull captors (you did read Secret Invasion, didn't you?) Elektra needs to clear her name but she's in her worst shape ever (if you don't include coming back from the dead!): she's been tortured and beaten and must struggle just to stay alive. On top of this there are plenty of people who would like to take advantage of her current predicament and finish her off for good. Some girls just can't get a break!


TOP 10 SPECIAL #1
Writer: Zander Cannon
Art: Da Xiong
Wildstorm $2.99

James R: This preview also acts as a recommendation for the latest Top 10 series - I said last year it would be worth checking out, and I'm pleased to say that three issues in the standard has been excellent - it's an absorbing read with characterization as good as a great TV cop show (though maybe not quite the greatness of The Wire!). This one-shot promises to be more of the same, focusing in on Girl 2 and a tricky court case... if you've been unsure about the world of Top 10, this should be a neat way to get on board; trust me, it'll give you more bang for your buck than an issue of Secret Invasion, that's fer sure!


ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #3
Writer: Damon Lindelhof
Art: Lenil Francis Yu
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: My God. It's actually going to continue. I can't believe it. After two years of waiting, seething, and trying to remember what the hell happened, the final installments will hit the shelves. Hopefully. As much of the storyline has been spoilt by the various Ultimates and X-Men books since, there's not going to be too many surprises, but at least I'll finally be able to file this limited series away.

Mini Reviews 11/01/09

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the next installment of Matt C's Byrne FF project.


SECRET INVASION: WAR OF KINGS #1
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Paul Pelletier, Bong Dazo, Rick Magyar & Joe Pimentel
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I’ve not been keeping tabs on either the Inhumans or Vulcan & the Shi’ar Empire recently and a lot of that’s down to general lack of interest. Picking up this one-shot prelude to War Of Kings showed me that I’ve obviously missed out on a fair few changes, especially regarding the Inhumans, as an angry Black Bolt leads his race on the warpath across the stars following his abduction by the Skrulls and eventual rescue. Why am I jumping into this now having ignored the various minis featuring the characters over the past couple of years? Two reasons. The first is Dan Abnett. The second is Andy Lanning. These two (with the help of a Keith Giffen and a slew of talented artists) have turned Marvel’s cosmic milieu from a forgotten part of the company’s fictional universe into possibly the most vital and exciting place to be. I spent most of the issue reacclimatizing myself with the various characters before folks I’m more familiar with (Nova, Guardians Of The Galaxy) get involved in the conflicts, and while I wasn’t exactly blown away, if you consider that both Annihilation minis pissed on Civil War and Secret Invasion from a great height, we should be in safe hands over the next few months. 7/10


DETECTIVE COMICS #852
Writer: Paul Dini
Art: Dustin Nguyen & Derek Fridoles
DC $2.99

Matt C: I’d kept away from Detective while it got sucked into Morrison’s Batman RIP storyline but now all that’s a thing of the past I thought I’d take a look again as I’d been enjoying Dini’s work on the title when its direction didn’t feel like it was being dictated by the Scotsman or Dan Didio. Initially I thought maybe I should have waited a little while longer as the issue turned out to be entirely focused on Hush, a character I’ve never had any great affection for. Having said that, Dini’s tale of the villain passing himself off as Bruce Wayne was quite entertaining and Nguyen’s art is always a pleasure to see. Not great, but certainly readable. 6/10


MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #4
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Art: Kev Walker
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The final page sets up a fourth series, which just proves how well Marvel can flog a dead horse. This mini started off fairly well and had pluses in the shape of some genuinely humourous moments and some effectively grungy art, but unfortunately it quickly became apparent that the whole superhero-zombie thing is way past its sell-by date. 5/10


30 DAYS OF NIGHT: 30 DAYS 'TIL DEATH #2
Writer: David Lapham
Art: David Lapham & Len O'Grady
IDW $3.99

Matt T: A little more background to this spin-off from the superb Steve Niles comic 30 Days of Night has made all the difference, as the vampire trying to get by with average humans is an interesting twist on a genre that was starting to look a little tired. The art and writing from Lapham are spot-on, with the change in palette when a character vamps out a particular highlight. I'm looking forward to the next issue and hoping Lapham can crank up the tension when some old friends invade the central characters carefully constructed life. 9/10


X-MEN NOIR #2
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Art: Dennis Calero
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: At certain points in this series it feels like the aesthetics of the genre are being applied a little too heavily: by bathing everything in shadow it becomes difficult to ascertain who’s who amongst the characters. Obviously Cyclops’ glasses and Professor X’s slaphead single them both out, but it’s not always immediately clear who the rest of them are. Still, the general moodiness and hardboiled nature of the book is impressive and the pseudo-pulp prose back-up is pretty nifty. 7/10


HEXED #1
Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Art: Emma Rios
Boom Studios! $3.99

Matt C: A likeable debut that doesn’t thrust us into its world of magic, angels and demons straight away, preferring instead to give us a handle on its central character, Luci Jenifer Inacid Das Neves (or Lucifer for short!). I’m quite often resistant to anything related to the magic genre but this piqued my curiosity enough for me to want to see more. And, really, any comic that makes such creative use of a fat man’s corpse has got to be headed in the right direction! 7/10


CABLE #10
Writer: Duane Swiercynski
Art: Ariel Olivetti
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: I'm a shameless fan of this book, as it uses the time travel aspect in the most intelligent manner I've seen in many years of reading comics, and the characters of Bishop and Cable are superbly written throughout. Although this is something of a transitional issue which will doubtless lead to a huge fight over the next couple, the quieter moments still pack a punch, especially when tragedy strikes Cable's time-hopping family. Olivetti's art really works here, and the action scenes pop off the page. A great read, even when the plotline is heading towards an inevitable conclusion. 8/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: Although Dark Reign as a concept is a bit of a turn-off for me, I do like the idea of pitting Tony Stark against Norman Osborn, at least the way Fraction is writing it. Even better is Tony’s idea for making sure Osborn never gets hold of the old SHIELD databases after the former downloaded them in their entirety into his own brain! After a bit of a stumble this title - with its hybrid mix of espionage, political intrigue, outlandish science and superheroics - is back to being a thoroughly gripping read. 8/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #233
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne
Marvel $0.50

Matt C: Keeping it low key as Byrne puts Johnny Storm in the spotlight, giving him a chance to play amateur sleuth when he looks into the case of an old school bully who’s just been fried for a murder he insisted he didn’t commit. Elsewhere seeds of future discontent are sown as the Torch almost gets his head bashed in by a fuming Thing after placing a photo of Christopher Reeve on the big guy’s bathroom mirror! Byrne provides Johnny with a bit more depth than the hotheaded, carefree young buck he’s often portrayed as, showing that character comes first when dealing with this super team. His art suffers slightly from the absence of someone else providing the inks, but there are still numerous beautifully constructed panels. 7/10

Mini Reviews 04/01/09

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the first installment of Matt C's Byrne FF project.


INCOGNITO #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips
Marvel/Icon $3.50

Matt C: The first issue of this temporary replacement title for Criminal supplies a solid opening to the tale of an ex-supervillain in Witness Protection who begins to slip back into his old habits. When Brubaker and Phillips work together they seem so confident and in control of their subject matter, so on the ball with their characterizations, so assured in their creation of a suitable atmosphere that it almost renders the end product critic-proof (to my eyes at least). This doesn’t quite rock in the same way Criminal does (yet!) but for fans of that series it’s a no-brainer that you’ll want to pick this up. 8/10

Matt T: The duo that brought us the fantastic Criminal re-team for Incognito, which can probably be best described as a superhero noir. It's an oddly ambiguous start, but also a well drawn, excellently structured one. The central character needs a little work as far as his motivation is concerned, but the Golden Age feel is just about perfect and I'm in for at least another couple of issues. 8/10


X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #4
Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: How come this series isn’t receiving the high profile buzz it deserves? I can sort of see a few reasons for this: there are so many X-Men minis out there you wonder if they ever gain attention outside of the hardcore fanbase; origin stories can be a turn-off because they get done, re-done, and then retconned out of continuity, so why make the effort in the first place?; comic books tackling real world horrors, especially something so monumentally devastating as the Holocaust – can it be anything other than crass and inappropriate? Well, listen, I had similar reservations initially, but then I read the thing and I can now do nothing but praise the assured approach Pak and Di Giandomenico have taken with such difficult subject matter. It’s far from pleasant reading but while it may be frequently upsetting, it’s the intelligence and emotional power that make this one of the most vital series Marvel have published in recent times. 9/10


JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #28
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Art: Jose Luis & JP Mayer
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: I've not got too many issues with Dwayne McDuffie busting out a superteam he originated, but the build up looks like a relatively sedate team-has-a-fight-then-joins-forces-against-a-greater-evil type affair. This issue purely establishes the Shadow Cabinet as a genuine threat with the ability to give the JLA a run for their money, and that Superman and his opposite Icon are buddies from way back. It's entertaining, but I hope McDuffie has more going on here than trying to provoke DC into giving him a standalone book for the Cabinet. 7/10


WOLVERINE #70
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Steve McNiven & Dexter Vines
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: After reading this issue I wonder whether some things are better left with a bit of mystery surrounding them. After keeping Hawkeye in the dark for so long, Logan finally discloses the events that caused him to retract his claws for good and….. well let’s just say that even taking into consideration the possible-future Millar’s been playing with in this arc, it’s pretty far fetched. Wolverine dispatches a horde of familiar faces with relative ease, and although there is a twist you may not see coming, it’s all very unlikely, reducing the aforementioned familiar faces to nothing more than cannon fodder. I’ve enjoyed Old Man Logan so far, but this pause to add some backstory was a bit poor. 5/10


JUSTICE SCOIETY OF AMERICA #22
Writers: Geoff Johns & Alex Ross
Art: Dale Eaglesham, Alex Ross & Nathan Massengill
DC $2.99

Matt C: The quasi-sequel to Kingdom Come reaches it’s conclusion and after such a long build up I can’t feel anything other than disappointment. The journey to this destination has provided plenty of meaty moments but also a lot of fluff that could have been jettisoned in favour of allowing more space for the ending to make a proper impact. There’s a certain poignancy to Ross’s painted pages that should please fans of the original Waid/Ross collaboration, but that aside this is nowhere near the classic it hinted it could be on several occasions. 6/10


CAPTAIN AMERICA #45
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Luke Ross, Butch Guice, Rick Magyar & Mark Pennington
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: I hate to say it, but there’s a nagging feeling that this book’s running on fumes at the moment. The momentum of the already-classic Red Skull/Death Of Cap storyline is still carrying it along, but the title is now merely pretty good when it should be brilliant. There are also a few seeds of doubt out there now that have me wondering whether Bucky has got what it takes to wear the iconic uniform. The final couple of pages are promising though, so here’s hoping they pay off and return Captain America to the top of the pile again. 7/10


SCALPED #24
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: R.M. Guera
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: The characters in this book aren’t split down the middle; there’s no good and evil or black and white, just differing shades of grey. Red Crow may have been responsible for some heinous crimes but there is a sort of twisted sense of morality that guides his actions, a warped notion of honour. But in a place where violence is part of everyday existence, it becomes more difficult to judge what is right and what is wrong – as Crow says at the end of another excellent issue, “It’s trouble enough just trying to live.” 8/10


MARVELS: EYE OF THE CAMERA #2
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Art: Jay Anacleto
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Phil Sheldon is such a great everyman character that the reader immediately feels comfortable in his presence and can empathise fully with his predicaments. This mini is unlikely to repeat the impact of the original but it’s shaping up to be a worthy successor. Both Busiek and Anacleto use their talents to relay a palpable sense of distrust that fits perfectly with the general cultural mood of the early 1970s. 8/10


AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #20
Writer: Dan Slott & Christos Gage
Art: Steve Kurth & Drew Hennessey
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: My God, Hank Pym is one screwed up puppy. When he's not trying on his dead wife's clothes (he's the new Wasp) he's having a romantic dinner with a robot impersonating her. Personality defects aside, this issue simply tidies up a lot of loose ends from previous issues while setting up a brand new protagonist for the fledgling team to tackle, but getting a feel for this book may be tricky with the Dark Reign subheading across the top. For my money it was one of the best Secret Invasion books in places, but whether or not too much Osborn madness leaks in will really determine the success or failure of the title. For the time being though, I'm in. 7/10


KICK-ASS #5
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: John Romita Jr & Tom Palmer
Marvel/Icon $2.99

Matt T: From a slightly brutal black comedy/action book, Kick-Ass is turning more into a coming of age story as each issue progresses. The title character meets a fellow costumed vigilante who's in it for the money, chicks and plaudits, then actually does something extremely heroic that doesn't involve him getting his ass handed to him. I'm glad the ridiculous levels of gore have been removed, even if I get the feeling a return is on the cards for #6, and the characters are being developed beyond thrill-seeking nutcases. Romita Jr is on cracking form too, making Kick-Ass an entertaining read. 8/10

Matt C: With the movie adaptation due out later this year it’s getting harder to avoid spoilers as the release schedule for this book gets more and more slack. Will the final issue hit the stands before the movie reaches the cinemas? I hope so, because even though the lurid plot sees Millar trying a little too hard to seem hip and with it at times, I can’t deny that it’s thrilling, funny and beautifully illustrated by Romita Jr. 8/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #232
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Bjorn Heyn
Marvel $0.50

Matt C: It’s 1981, and Byrne takes creative control of the book for the beginning of a legendary run that will last several years. His first issue in the writer’s chair (he’d illustrated several beforehand) plays it safe, pitting the FF against on old foe, Diablo, whose scheme involves setting elemental creatures against Marvel’s first family. It’s almost as though Byrne is laying down a loose template here, giving us a sense of the approach he’ll be taking with each character, weaving in some soap operatics and mad science, as well as a surprise guest star. Enjoyable, but not especially memorable – that would come later. 7/10