Thought Bubble: Where Are They Now? AWOL Comics.

By Matt C

If there’s one thing guaranteed to get the back up of your everyday comics reader it’s late books. Ongoing titles, by and large, are supposed to arrive on a monthly basis, the serial-storytelling format relying on regularity to weave the constantly unfolding tales. A couple of months wait is annoying, but when books start getting delayed for several months it’s kind of irritating to say the least. Huge gaps between “chapters” of a story don’t help the narrative flow, and I’m sure I’m not alone in picking up a much-delayed book, trying to remember what happened last time while simultaneously trying to absorb the new information presented, which usually results in you not enjoying the end product as much as you should/would.

But at what point does a late book cease being late/delayed and become, essentially, lost. It’s not as a rare an occurrence as it should be in the industry; books suddenly disappearing from view with no news when the next issue is due out, if at all, seems to happen a little too frequently. Retailers aren’t exactly furnished with information (which is pretty unacceptable when you compare comics to other entertainment products) and getting a solid answer out of anyone is often close to impossible. Case in point: Grant Morrison’s relaunch of Wildcats and Authority back in 2006 which resulted in one issue of the former and two of the latter. Although it was generally assumed neither would ever continue, Morrison has said recently that Wildcats would be back when Jim Lee is ready, but after reading reviews for the first issue of Authority, he decided “Fuck it!” Oh, really? So I bought all three issues and we get vague (and unlikely) assurances that one will continue, but you knocked the other on the head because of negative reviews? Do you wanna give me my money back then? You or DC/Wildstorm? It's certainly not up to the retailer to cough up a refund based on your sensitivity to other peoples opinions!

Would we allow this kind of situation to occur elsewhere in our lives? So you’re getting a house built, the builders come back to you and say it’s done, but there’s no roof, and while they should be able to get around to putting that on at some point they can’t promise when. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a crap analogy, but you get the idea: you pay your money, you expect a service to be provided; you don’t settle for a half-finished job. (I don’t know anything about the legalities or contracts involved in the comics world so I’m not going to get into any of that – feel free to fill me in if anyone’s in the know).

Anyway…. the imminent reappearance of Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk (which I’m no longer bothered about…. too much time has elapsed for me to care any more) got me thinking about the various titles I was picking up that are now MIA. I’ve attempted to do some quick research into their whereabouts, see if I can uncover anything on the way….


GEMINI (Image)

This one I’ll give a pass to as Jay Faerber has been honest that it was taking a while longer than expected to get each issue of the mini out but has assured fans that the final two parts will see the light of day in 2009. If only other creators/companies took this approach, keeping the people who put down their hard-earned cash in the loop.


GUTSVILLE (Image)

Really strong first issue, two (delayed) issues that were good but didn’t quite match the impact of the debut, and then….. nothing. Found an interview with Frazer Irving on a blog saying it’s “a very emotionally draining comic, so it's being delayed” and then the book’s Facebook page has both creators saying #4 is being worked on (although this is back in August last year). Ok, fine, but why no official announcement stating this is the case? Or at least something passed to retailers explaining the delay? And why must I go scouring the net for little drops of information? Still have no firm date for release of the next issue.


INFINITE HORIZON (Image)

Another Image series (is there a trend here?) that managed three issues before disappearing into thin air. There’s bugger all out there on the web regarding the delay or even if the rest of the series will ever see the light of day. The best I could find is another blog asking the same questions.


THE KILLER (Archaia Studios Press)

Only two issues left of this excellent series but Archaia Studios Press ran into trouble last year and all their books have disappeared off the release schedules (bar the acclaimed Mouse Guard which reappeared in January). There was talk of the difficulties ASP was experiencing around October '08, along with news of a possible buyout, but since then I can’t locate any updates. As well as The Killer, I’m also waiting for the publisher to put out the next issues of Killing Pickman and Secret History – I guess if Mouse Guard is making its way to the shelves then I should be hopeful the rest will follow in the not too distant future. Again, it would be nice if we got some sort of official comment.


NEWUNIVERSAL: SHOCKFRONT (Mavrel)

After plenty of hype, the initial Newuniversal series from Warren Ellis lasted six issues before vanishing seemingly without a trace. Silence for a time, then we get the announcement that a miniseries called Newuniversal: Shockfront would continue the story. Two issues of that (last in August 08), and then nothing. A couple of one-shots appeared to fill the gap, but a release date for the third issue keeps being pushed back. Ellis often seems to lose interest in some of the books he writes when he comes up with a newer, “better” idea to focus on. Will we ever see another issue of Desolation Jones? Or Fell? Admittedly I’d kind of lost interest in the whole Newuniversal concept but was prepared to give Ellis the benefit of the doubt…… my mistake it seems!


PRETTY BABY MACHINE (Shadowline/Image)

Loved the first issue of this book from Image’s Shadowline imprint. Is that it though? It’s been eight months and it was only listed as a three-issue mini - I can’t find anything hinting at reasons for the delays with a quick Google search. It was a great book, I’ll support it and hopefully be able to give it further glowing reviews….. if we ever see it again! Anyone know where this has gone?!


RED MASS FROM MARS (Image)

Image again?! Sort it out guys! I recall Hickman saying the were experiencing delays before it initially debuted – I seem to remember they bumped the release of the first issue for several months (was it Feb 08 to July 08?) to ensure there wouldn’t be any lateness once it hit the shelves. Ok, so you managed two issues in fairly quick succession and then…… where the hell are the other two? I hope this hasn’t been forgotten about due to Hickman’s focus on his Marvel work.


THE TWELVE (Marvel)

A cracking series from J. Michael Straczynski that seemed to be making it out on a monthly basis before delays started to creep in. It hasn’t been that long since the last (#8 in November 08) but considering the frequency up to that point, it’s absence was slightly worrying. Thor has been slow to appear too, and I know Stracynski has a lot of movie work in the pipeline, but with four issues to go it seemed to be a strange time for it to be put on hold. A bit of web-surfing came up with the reason, and fans of the book may want to read this blog post (which includes a statement for Joe Quesada). Doesn’t sound too promising at all. Are comics something to do until a better paying gig comes along, be it within the same industry or outside? And fuck the fans, who cares what they think anyway?! I guess we’re the mugs because at the end of the day we put up with the delays and continue to buy the books, but does that justify this kind of treatment of an audience by creators and publishers?


So that rounds up this list of books, and there are a probably a few more I’m missing (feel free to enlighten/remind me in the comments section). Image comes off the worst here, and I imagine the only reason DC don’t feature is that I’m gradually spending less and less on their output. You would hope that people who buy the books would get treated with a little more respect, but sometimes you get the feeling their concerns are irrelevant when weighed up against potential movie options and the like. All we’re asking for is a little honesty now and then – it’s not hard to communicate directly to your audience via the internet these days, so take a leaf out of Jay Faerber’s book and don’t try and coat everything in bullshit and spin. We can see through it and we’re not stupid. If we like something we’re prepared to pay for it and support it; treat us like we don’t matter, and that support is likely to evaporate.

Mini Reviews 22/02/2009

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.

Matt C's Byrne FF project continues this week.


DARK AVENGERS #2
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato
Marvel $3.99

James R: The Avengers are called to Latveria, where time travelin’ Doctor Doom is up to his old tricks, they're accompanied by America’s top espionage force, and The Sentry gets involved in some eye-popping action in this issue of Dark Aveng-... oh, hey waitaminute! I already read this storyline! Mighty Avengers #9 anybody? Now, I’m sure Bendis/Quesada would declare: “Aaah, you see, this is clever comic book writing – by making the Dark Avengers deal with a similar situation to the, err, Avengers last year you can compare and contrast how different this team is… etc etc.” I prefer to see it as Marvel being particularly dull at present. I like the idea of ‘every villain is the hero of the story in their own eyes’, but this is already feeling like a diluted version of Ellis’ run on Thunderbolts, a fact punctuated by Deodato’s art. All told, a pedestrian comic at the moment. 4/10

Stewart R: I rather enjoyed last issue's introduction to Osborn's posterboy team in the Dark Reign world. This issue however, while being filled with plenty of action, has me concerned as to whether we need three main Avengers titles and a Thunderbolts title; there's almost too much grey area between the four for my liking. With dubious heroics intended for the Dark Avengers we get this current situation where Osborn has to pack his mix-and-match team into the car and drive off to help Doctor Doom who's gone and scorned the one mystical temptress you don't turn your back on, Morgana Le Fay. Bendis handles the moral-ambiguity of his team pretty well, with a rather shocking tactical move made by one member being the prime example. The only problem of course is that wherever magic turns up in the Marvel Universe there's usually a quite handy reset spell waiting in the wings and I'm predicting that it's probably just waiting to be pushed next issue. Add to that the fact that most of this team are unlikable in the first place, so do you care about any peril that they find themselves in, temporary or otherwise? 6/10


GODLAND #26
Writer: Joe Casey
Art: Tom Scioli
Image $3.50

Matt C: Casey is a writer who excels at twisting the superhero template with a surrealistic, irreverent bent, and Godland has been one of the best examples of this approach. The self-aware, mocking tone never quite masks a love of the genre, and Scioli’s Kirby-inspired visuals are gorgeously inventive. Unsurprisingly, delays have hampered the narrative momentum, but it remains an enjoyable read even if you do get a nagging feeling it would work better with the addition of hallucinogenics. 7/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #587
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Art: John Romita Jr & Klaus Janson
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: So, big case of déjà vu here and I’m trying to rack my brains and remember whenabouts Matt Murdock got Spidey out of a court case jam by getting a bunch of his friends to pose as the wallcrawler in the court room. It wasn’t that long ago but the exact circumstances escape me – perhaps someone could put me out of my misery and provide an answer?! Anyway, with some blanks to fill I couldn’t figure out why we needed a rehash of that scene, but apart from that this was a fairly solid, if unspectacular, issue. I’m still not sold on the secret identity of Menace, but the police corruption angle is well handled, if a little unlikely. The art is, of course, delicious, but it can’t quite patch over the ‘ho-hum’ feeling I got from this issue. 6/10

Stewart R: Last week's 'Interlude' issue in the Character Assassination arc is making a little more sense this week as we are now treated to a full issue concentrating on the various threads of the 'Spider-Tracer Killer' storyline. It's a packed issue and so much happens in terms of cross and double-cross, not too mention a nice link back to the courtroom events of issue #550. If Guggenheim had left the Menace reveal to play out amongst the plot here, confusion would have reigned and taken something away from the story as a whole. The entire thing is paced so well with realtime urgency that I'm convinced that this material would make a successful jump to a televisual medium. I've also been quite slow to realise that this is also helped by the fact that nary an advert (Marvel or otherwise) appears before the 20th page. This lack of disruption would help any artist and having Romita Jr back on pencils to fill the pages is the glorious cherry on a mighty fine cake of an issue. Seconds for me please! 8/10


SOLOMON KANE #5
Writer: Scott Allie
Art: Mario Guevara
Dark Horse $2.99

Matt C: I love me some Conan, the Kull mini has been a blast, but Solomon Kane hasn’t struck me in the same way the other Dark Horse Robert E Howard adaptations have so far. Maybe it’s the character, maybe it’s the telling, but bar the occasional bright moment I’ve found this series to be a little dull. Art was nice in places, if a little loose at times, but there really isn’t anything here that would convince me to come back if a second mini was announced. 4/10


THE GREAT UNKNOWN #1
Writer: Duncan Rouleau
Art: Duncan Rouleau
Image $3.50

Stewart R: Duncan Rouleau has been responsible for some of my favourite comic work over the past few years both in ideas and delivery. With The Great Unknown he's tackling the themes of idea ownership and of lost potential and he is tackling them very well indeed. Usually I would spout on and on about Rouleau's talent with pencil and pen and while his hand here is strong it's ultimately his brain, and particularly his character work, that shines through. Zach Feld is the unfulfilled potential of Generation X wrapped up into one superbly over-confident, brilliantly unenthused and possibly exploited drop-out. It's him against the world as far as he's concerned and just when he thinks he might be onto a winning strategy he's always mysteriously second best. Rouleau seems to be addressing issues which he has an interest in and even brings the pointlessness of reality television in for the briefest of laughs. Set it all against a palette of black, blue and the occasional splash of yellow and you've got my stylish book of the week. 9/10.

James R: The formidable Warren Ellis once defined a particular kind of emotion as a comic fan: ‘Manic Indie Thrill’ – when a hardened comic fan stumbles across a nascent comic talent. Duncan Rouleau might not quite fall under the ‘Indie’ umbrella having done a handful of works for the Big Two, but The Great Unknown certainly gave me a welcome shot in the arm this week. It’s all about Zach Feld, a boy genius who has grown into an adult loser (think Ziggy from Season 2 of The Wire) who has a thousand ideas, but finds that another inventor beats him to the punch every single time. In true comics tradition, there is something nefarious afoot – and Zach learns that his ideas are being stolen from his mind…

It’s a great idea, and it has a distinctive look – both are down to Rouleau, who is one of the Man Of Action studios along with Joe Casey, (and in their spare time have come up with cartoon juggernaut Ben 10.) At the moment, it’s a five-issue mini series, which means it could fizzle out, or feel half-baked, but as first issues go, it’s well worth checking out – I’ll let you know next month just how great it gets. 7/10


UNCANNY X-MEN #506
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Terry & Rachel Dodson
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: One of these days I’ll knock this title on the head for sure, but some sort of twisted fanboy logic has me continuing to buy it – hey, I’ve got more copies of Uncanny then any other series in my collection, why stop now?! Well, maybe the time to stop is when you’re not receiving the full quota of enjoyment you expected, and while I like some of what Fraction’s doing here it hasn’t reached the level where I can wholeheartedly endorse it. I don’t know…. one day there will come a straw, and it will be the one that breaks the camel’s back, but it’s not arrived yet. So I guess Uncanny’s place on my pull-list remains unaltered once more. For now. 6/10


JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #30
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Art: Jose Luis, JP Mayer
DC $2.99

Stewart R: I've stuck with latest JLA series for the full run so far and for the past 12 months it's always hovered on my 'to-drop' list. The world's greatest heroes, working as a team to react to the biggest events that are too big to be handled alone. All well and good on paper but it always seems to be an afterthought to whatever giant crossover DC are currently running. It's borderline pointlessness. Don't get me wrong, some of the scraps and scrapes that the Leaguers have found themselves in have been entertaining enough and some of the character interaction, Kendra and Roy particularly, has been handled with some skill, but the level of peril doesn't ever seem to warrant the line-up. This issue is no exception as Shadow Thief makes a rather unexplained move which doesn't really seem to trouble anyone too greatly and at the slightest sign of a catastrophic event everyone bands together and it's job done. 'Hooray' and just a little ho-hum. 4/10


NOBLE CAUSES #39
Writer: Jay Faerber
Art: Yildiray Cinar
Image $3.50

Matt C: There have been some great moments but generally I don’t think this title ever returned to form following its short hiatus. With this being the penultimate issue I guess I have to pin my hopes on it going out in style because, while this was a pleasant read, it wasn’t anything to get too enthusiastic about. 6/10



GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Brad Walker & Victor Olazaba
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: A gun-wielding, wise-cracking Raccoon and a giant, hard-as-nails Tree with a battlecry to match that of The Tick; two main reasons why I look forward to this title each month but there are many more beyond that. This issue sees Star-Lord backed into a corner as Blaastar's hordes bear down upon the Negative Zone Prison with the current GOTG roster attempting to mount a rescue. Abnett and Lanning obviously have their hands full laying all of the groundwork for the epic War of Kings to come but they haven't let the ball drop once here. It's almost as if this book is their guilty pleasure where they can really cut loose. Rocket's banter is a constant source of amusement and I love the fact that the 'Mission Debrief Log' plot-tool pops up, albeit once, to keep a sense of continuity in the title. A nice double-page visit to Earth serves to reiterate that the WOK will remain a space-based affair while also drumming it in to us that cosmic comedy of this quality should be appreciated while it's here. 8/10

Matt C: A bit of a weak issue as the prison-based rescue of Star-Lord isn’t quite as thrilling as it could have been. There’s some nice character moments sprinkled throughout (particularly when the Guardians confront Reed Richards) but I’m now wondering if having the team scattered across the cosmos is doing the book many favours. There will inevitably be some sort of regroup – I presume during War Of Kings – and to my mind it should come sooner rather than later. 6/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #239
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne
Marvel $0.60

Matt C: I’d only be exaggerating slightly when I say this comic took more time to read than all the new releases I picked up this week combined. They certainly knew how to give plenty of story for your money back in those days, long before any fanboy knew what the phrase ‘decompressed storytelling’ meant. This issue Aunt Petunia’s favourite nephew is reunited with…. Aunt Petunia! Yep, the Thing’s relative that even Reed had written off as “a figment of Ben’s imagination” makes a surprise appearance leading the famous foursome (plus Frankie Raye) on an adventure in the middle of nowhere (or Arizona, to be precise!). It’s a well-crafted tale, culminating in a situation where the FF are confronted with a foe they are unable to defeat - this is another issue where character dynamics take the lead, with Byrne showing complete mastery of the medium. 8/10

Ten Forward: April 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 February issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in April 2009.

FLASH: REBIRTH #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ethan Van Sciver
DC $3.99

Andy H: Books have been re-invented, re-imagined and re-jigged. These things don't sit well with me, half the time it just doesn't work and the half the time it's just not needed. Geoff Johns seems to get this and instead of changing everything we know and love about a character he takes everything on board and builds on it. If you read Green Lantern since Johns took charge you'll see what I mean. He's breathed fresh life into one of my favourite characters without trampling over the years of reading I've invested in him. So, time for the Flash to get the magic touch. This will be an odd experience for me this time round though as I've always been a Wally West Flash fan, but I'm looking forward to being won over by the 'late' great Barry Allen. He's got such an illustrious history his re-introduction could be the event of the year. Already looking forward to the first Flash and Green Lantern team-up!

Matt C: I pretty much covered the reason I was enthused by this mini when it was announced at last year’s Comic-Con. If Johns and Van Sciver can repeat the brilliance of Green Lantern: Rebirth here then maybe I can finally become a regular Flash reader. Bring it!


SEAGUY: THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #1
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Cameron Stewart
DC/Vertigo $3.99

James R: It’s pretty safe to say that Grant Morrison is firmly ensconced as the Marmite of the comics world – people tend to love him or really want to do something nasty to him and his cat. It’s easy to see why – for every We3 there’s a New X-Men. So, depending on your point of view the notion of a new Seaguy series could send you running for the hills. However, I really liked the first series, and it was a much better forum for Morrison than something like The Filth. Four issues of madness guaranteed.


SKRULL KILL KREW #1
Writer: Adam Felber
Art: Paulo Siqueira
Marvel $3.99

Matt T: The Krew is back! As a fan of the ‘90s series, which mixed some Troma-esque fun with an interesting team dynamic (involving a white supremacist and a woman who turned into a reject from Alien) I'm looking forward to the further adventures of Ryder and co. The 'and co' part of that may be up in the air at the moment with one member dying and 3D Man being just plain pants, so hopefully a bunch of likeminded nutters will join the cause for plenty of green-skinned mayhem. As I know nothing about the writer I'm heading in with a degree of caution, but here's hoping the spirit of the original will be kept intact.


THE DESTROYER
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art: Cory Walker
Marvel/Max $3.99

Stewart R: Take a superhero from the Golden Age and have him avoid the blocks of ice, the time paradoxes, the longevity serums and you end up with an octogenarian who can still kick criminal butt in today's brutal world. I'm getting quite excited by this Max title which picks up the story with Keene Marlow, The Destroyer, as he discovers that his days are numbered and he sets out to rid the planet of as many villains as he can before his card is punched. An aged hero with the strength of Captain America who's not afraid to get his hands dirty sounds a little similar to a three-clawed whirlwind that we'll all be sick of before Summer's end but I'm hopeful that this could be a contender for miniseries of the year. C'mon, it's the toughest grandad in the world beating people up!


LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY VOL III – CENTURY: 1910 #1
Writer: Alan Moore
Art: Kevin O’Neill
Top Shelf Productins $7.95

Rob N: Is there anyone who isn’t waiting for this with bated breath? Now that Alan Moore has pretty much turned his back on the style of writing that made his name in the 1980s, the League books are occasional flash backs to the heady days of Watchmen, Marvelman and V for Vendetta when he wrote books with mass appeal rather than some of the more high brow stuff he’s known for now. Moore receives perhaps more credit than he is actually due for the concept of using other people’s characters in the same ‘world’ (Kim Newman got there ahead of him with the Anno Dracula trilogy spanning the three periods of the late Victorian age, the First World War and the Fellini La Dolce Vita 1950s) but there is no mistaking he does it very well indeed. What I’m particularly excited about this time around is the inclusion of one of my all time favourite fictional characters – Michael Moorcock’s innovative Jerry Cornelius. I’m expecting great things here.

Matt T: The bearded Brummie legend prepares to dive back into the League, filling in some blanks from Black Dossier. The battles with their French counterparts and Orlando becoming a more central character adds the icing on the cake for what looks to be a less psychedelic read than BD (let's leave the 3D glasses out of it this time, eh Alan?), giving me a level of anticipation that may result in a small explosion if we can't get it this country again (knocking on all wood available as I type). I'm already creating the necessary gap in my collection, hoping that this will be the classic is promises on paper. Don't let me down Alan!

James R: As others are also flagging this up, I’d just like to say:

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

Oh, happy day – Alan Moore: genius writing. Kevin O’Neil: incredible art. New team (now with added Raffles – the gentleman thief!). French bad guys (called, fantastically, Les Hommes Mysteryeaux!). Three bumper-sized issues. Do. Not. Miss!


GARTH ENNIS’ BATTLEFIELDS: TANKIES #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Carlos Ezquerra
Dynamite Entertainment $3.50

Andy H: Garth Ennis teams up with living legend Carlos Ezquerra for Tankies, the
third story in his Battlefields trilogy. This time we're in Normandy where a British tank (and crew) is cut off behind enemy lines. Obviously they need to get back to safety but you can rely on Ennis to throw a few curve balls in: the only chance the crew have is their commander but no-one can stand him and he isn't too fond of them either! Garth very rarely disappoints with his war stories so I hope this continues the trend and with the added bonus of Carlos on pencils it should!


WOLVERINE: WEAPON X #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Ron Garney
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: So what the world needs now is another Wolverine ongoing title, right? Well, no, but while Marvel’s decision to release another book featuring the character is dubious when one is surely enough, it’s the creative team involved in this new series that ensures it gets added to my pull-list. Aaron and Garney were responsible for one of the best Wolverine stories I’ve read in years with 2008’s Get Mystique arc over in the main title, and if they can repeat that kind of quality here they may well have a red-hot title on their hands. Although Aaron’s Wolverine: Manifest Destiny wasn’t all that, I’ve got a feeling it’s the Aaron/Garney combo that brings the magic. No idea why they can’t take over the main title, but unless they’ve got something stellar lined up for that this’ll be the only Wolverine title worth a damn.


IGNITION CITY #1
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: Gianluca Pagliarani
Avatar $3.99

Rob N: Described by Warren Ellis as ‘Deadwood meets Buck Rogers’, and sounding very much like he’s taking the Kim Newman/Alan Moore approach of utilising public domain characters in a shared universe, this seems to be more of a ‘grand concept’ than his more recent plethora of short three-part serials for Avatar. Where Newman and Moore set a precedent for plundering Victoriana and pulp heroes, Ellis seeks to achieve a similar effect with characters from a Star Slammers of the Rocket Agents period of lurid space opera SF, depicting them many years later past their prime and wondering where it all went wrong. So nothing new really, but if you’re the sort of person who looks forward to each new volume of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, then this may well work the same kind of magic.


IRREEDEMABLE #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Peter Krause
Boom! Studios $3.99

James R: Now this is a nice idea – what if the world’s greatest hero became the world’s greatest villain? Writer Mark Waid has a pretty tasty track record, and I like his central conceit here - that it’s never one moment that turns you to the dark side, but a series of smaller betrayals and disappointments. And how would you stop Superman if he decided to take a walk on the wild side? Definitely a must-buy, with the potential to be one of the most memorable series of ’09.

Matt T: The world's greatest superhero becomes the greatest villain. That kind of hooked me straight away. With Waid at the helm I'm hoping that Irredeemable will fulfil the promise of the premise, showing us the dark path from saviour to destroyer. I'm all for the darker side of heroics and the moral implications of being all-powerful, and Krause is solid enough on pencils to make me think the action will be worth waiting for too.


RESURRECTION VOL. 1
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Art: David Dumeer & Doglas Dabbs
Oni Press $6.00

James R: Alright, so this isn’t a new release per se, but it is something you have to pick up – check out that price! Even with our firmly crunched pound, this works out as a bargain. I got the first issue of this, then couldn’t get hold of any of the other issues due to it selling out. This is a smart series, dealing with life on Earth after a failed alien invasion; to paraphrase Robocop’s Bixby Snyder – “I’d buy that for six dollars!”

Mini Reviews 15/02/2009

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.

Matt C's Byrne FF project continues this week.


THOR #600
Writers: J. Michael Straczynski, Stan Lee & Chris Giarrusso
Art: Olivier Coipel, Marko Djurdjevic, Mark Morales, David Aja, Chris Giarrusso & Jack Kirby
Marvel $4.99

Matt C: Talk about value for money! This issue we get a staggering 42 pages of the Straczynski-scripted main story, with some astounding artwork from both Coipel and Djurdjevic. In addition there's a likable but predictably corny short from Stan Lee with some nice retro-rendering by Aja, then it’s a dollop of humour from Giarrusso, and finally some classic Tales Of Asgard by Lee and Kirby, featuring a look into the Asgardian pasts of both Balder and Loki. If I had criticisms they’d mostly centre around the inclusion of a certain ‘Dark’ superteam and the nagging feeling that the buildup of Loki’s machinations promised something a little more decisive than what we get here. Other than that, it’s yet another impressively composed chapter of one of the best ongoing series on the stands, and the eye-popping battle scenes that take up a good chunk of the lead story are worth the cover price alone. 8/10


THE DARKNESS #75
Writer: Phil Hester
Art: Mark Timson, Michael Broussard & Mark Silvestri
Top Cow $4.99

Matt T: For the anniversary issue we travel into the future to see how the life of Jackie Estacado pans out and, unsurprisingly, it doesn't go massively well. In fact 'spectacularly tits up' would be an accurate description. The Darkness has taken over the world and the last clutch of human survivors are hoping to strike back with the help of a 'chosen one'. Normally I'm not a fan of 'far future' stories as they rarely serve a purpose, but in this case the book was so well put together I didn't really mind if it meant bugger all to continuity in general. A good read, and hopefully an indication of things to come. 8/10


BATMAN #686
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Art: Andy Kubert & Scott Williams
DC $3.99

James R: This two-part storyline has been hyped up to stratospheric proportions – Neil Gaiman writing a tale that is a Bat-version of Alan Moore’s classic ‘final’ Superman story Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow! So how does it read? Well, at the moment it’s pretty much ‘As you were’ – it’s very reminiscent of Grant Morrison! The disembodied voice of Batman watches his own funeral with an as-yet-unseen companion, while we are presented with some very different takes on Batman’s life and death. So, it’s all very metaphysical, which is fine, and Kubert’s artwork is nice. It’s also amazing to see how much story Gaiman packs in – after years of decompressed storytelling (yes, I’m looking at you Bendis!) it’s a treat to read a story from a skilled hand in the medium. Final judgement will have to wait until this gets resolved in the next Detective Comics, but still a quality issue. 7/10


X-INFERNUS #3
Writer: C.B. Cebulski
Pencils: Giuseppe Camuncoli & Jesse Delperdang
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: The quality doesn't let up for this title as the X-Men head into the depths of Limbo to seek out the newly transformed Darkchilde only to find themselves besieged by Witchfire's monstrous hordes. Cebulski is really cranking up the pace with the writing as everyone in the title finds themselves in a delicately balanced battle of some sort. There's some nice teamwork between the various mutants as they fight to survive against their magical opponents and Wolverine's berserker rage is handled superbly by Camuncoli. I've gone back to those two particular pages three or four times already, they’re that good. With only one issue remaining in this series I'm really hoping that this creative team get another chance to work on another X-title as they seem to know the characters inside out and I'd happily part with my money to see more work of this quality. Superb stuff. 9/10


BOOSTER GOLD #17
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Art: Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
DC $2.99

Matt T: Booster Gold has done well in the last year or so because it didn't get mired in the complexities of the time travel element which forms the crux of its plotlines. Unfortunately it looks like that may come to an end, as the title character loops back into his own past to find a vital ancient dagger. There's plenty more to it than that, but the feel of the book has shifted from being a bloody good laugh to an overly sensible comic that takes itself far too seriously. I'm hoping it's going to revert to type after this arc otherwise I may leave the following issue in the shop. 4/10


NEW WARRIORS #20
Writer: Kevin Grevioux
Art: Reilly Brown & Casey Jones
Marvel $3.99

Matt T: The last issue of the New Warriors is pretty downbeat at the end, but at least it goes out with a bang. The time travelling group finally right the future wrongs as Night Thrasher is forced to fight his own brother, leading up to an unsurprising conclusion. The series on the whole has been a missed opportunity in my mind, with a superb premise of ex-mutants fighting the good fight under the radar of the government with the use of hi-tech gadgetry. It could easily have been more subversive, but instead ended up as another run-of-the-mill team book. A shame, although with the sheer amount of Marvel books out there I'm sure the publisher will revisit it before long. 6/10


SCALPED #25
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: R.M. Guera
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: A new character is introduced in this opening chapter of the High Lonesome storyline, and whether his name really is Moses Johnson, or whether that’s another of his multiple aliases doesn’t matter: after being subjected to his vile, ugly, fucked-up thoughts throughout the issue, all that matters is the knowledge that he’s a nasty piece of work. He’s a con man, a hustler and a murderer, and the way he manoeuvres himself into the world of Red Crow and Dashiell Bad Horse is brilliantly executed. This title continues to go from strength to strength as it puts the darker side of human nature under the microscope. Sublime. 10/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #586
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Pencils: Barry Kitson & Karl Kesel
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Hmmmm, not sure what has happened here. The previous issue was a great read with the Character Assassination arc getting into its flow, John Romita Jr hitting us with his delicious artwork and the ‘Braintrust’ giving us a nice story reveal. Now we're hit in the face with a rather poor 'Interlude' issue where all of the details of the last issue's cliffhanger are delivered in a rather slow, predictable way. I can hear the word 'conned' somewhere in the back of my head. I know the backstory has to be fleshed out but I can't help but feel a little robbed that it's taken an entire $2.99 of my money to do it in the middle of the arc. The Braintrust are obviously building up to an explosive climax in the next two issues but this slow-burning rubbish has spoiled the urgency somewhat. Additionally, Kitson's artwork is something of a puzzlement; the man actually seems to be trying to make his own style look like JR Jr's in places and is nowhere near his best. The fact that JR Jr is the named artist on the Marvel website also shows that Kitson was probably a late in the day substitute due to his speed. We'll be back to normal service next week hopefully. 3/10


INCOGNITO #2
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips
Marvel/Icon $3.50

James R: To use a musical analogy, this issue is like the moment the drums kick in a particularly rocking tune. After a first issue where Brubaker introduced us to this pulp-inspired world, this second issue ratchets everything up several notches. Mixing together the best elements of Sleeper (the interaction of super-powered beings with the everyday world) and Criminal (a cracking plot featuring not so much good vs. evil, but more evil vs. evil & twisted) this is a top-draw read in every department. As a cherry on the cake, there’s a cool mini-essay from Jess Nevins on Doc Savage. Being bad has never felt so good! 8/10

Stewart R: With the punchy first issue out of the way the second issue has to show us where this title is heading and introduce the other players who will drive the story along. We're given brief glimpses of the criminal mastermind and his underlings at work, all trying to understand why Zack is still alive and still has his powers, and I'm looking forward to seeing how their plans will come together. Zack's continuing study of his own post-villain life is still interesting as he lives out his vice in secret and witnesses the vices of the others around him. Everyone in the book seems to be in a dark place and Brubaker keeps Zack's motives for his powered out-of-office activities in the foreground; it's a release of aggression and frustration first and then heroism only as an afterthought. It's gritty stuff and it's refreshing to boot. 7/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #238
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Terry Austin
Marvel $0.60

Matt C: This issue sees Frankie Raye revealed to be something a little more than just another in Johnny’s unending stream of girlfriends, her origin story giving a nice nod to a certain flaming 1940s crimefighter. Elsewhere, the question of whether Ben Grimm keeps himself in the form of a “rocky orange monster” for fear of losing Alicia’s heart raises its head once more. Fairly low-key again, but by bringing us closer to the foursome as human beings Byrne ensures he’s got his audience onside when he inevitably cranks things up a notch. 8/10

Mini Reviews 08/01/09

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.


SECRET WARRIORS #1
Writers: Brian Michael Bendis & Jonathan Hickman
Art: Stefano Caselli
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The Bendis/Dark Reign combination would normally turn me right off, but throw Jonathan Hickman, one of the brightest talents on the scene, into the mix and you’ve got me interested (especially as it’s clear this is his baby rather than Bendis’). Although Fury’s a definite draw I can’t say I’m that excited about any of the other characters making up the team, but it’s early days and I’m prepared to give them time to breathe, especially after seeing the Hydra angle brought into play. The best part of this opening issue, for me, is the back-up material: Fury’s secret files featuring maps, data and personnel info is fascinating reading and shows how much work Hickman’s put in to flesh out the background of the story, and convinces me that the series has potential. 7/10

James R: Along with the excellent Incognito, this was the other 2009 release I was excited about – I love Hickman’s work and thought Nick Fury’s new gang was one of the few good ideas to come out of the slow-motion car crash that was Secret Invasion. So how does issue one look? A resounding ‘not bad’. I like how Bendis & Hickman are writing Nick Fury, and Phobos remains one of the best Marvel creations for a long time, but the issue didn’t knock me out – they’ve gone for a big reveal at the end of the issue, but rather than jaw-dropping, I found it to be eye-rolling (though I may just be getting cynical in my old age!) Seeing Jim Cheung’s cover reminded me of how great and fresh Young Avengers was when that first debuted, and sadly Secret Warriors isn’t in that league… yet. However, I have nothing but faith in Hickman – we’ll see how it looks in three issues time. 6/10


30 DAYS OF NIGHT: 30 DAYS TIL DEATH #3
Writer: David Lapham
Art: David Lapham & Len OGrady
IDW $3.99

Matt T: Somehow this book has transformed itself from a relatively taught, but slightly clichéd, thriller into a far more entertaining gorefest. As Rufus the sheep-killing vamp tries to keep his 'family' in check without eating his new human friends, things go a bit wrong in a thoroughly enjoyable fashion. As someone who's OD'd on both 30 Days of Night and the vampire genre in general this book is a real breath of fresh air, with David Lapham making some unpredictable turns and keeping me on the edge of my seat. Good job guys, I'm definitely on board until the conclusion. 9/10


DEAD IRONS #1
Writer: James Kuhoric
Art: Jason Shawn Alexander
Dynamite Entertainment $3.99

Matt C: Supernatural creatures in the Wild West sounds like a pretty cool kernel of an idea, but you could potentially take that in a multitude of different directions. Thankfully Kuhoric and Alexander seem to have hit on one of the best options: dark, unnerving and gritty. Kuhoric’s script is solid and sets the right kind of tone straight away but I’d imagine the real attraction for many will be Alexander’s edgy, wild artwork. It really is something special and should persuade many to give the book a shot who perhaps weren’t initially sold on the premise. 7/10


JERSEY GODS #1
Writer: Glen Brunswick
Art: Dan McDaid
Image $3.50

Matt C: Blend in the banality of suburban existence with battling cosmic deities and you have a tempting proposition; a dash of reality with a drop of the fantastical. The script has plenty of wit while the art, with its hints of Kirby and Darwyn Cooke among others, seems to possess a boundless energy. As with several of the other number ones this week it’s not a sure thing, but there are enough positives to get me back for the second issue at the very least. 7/10


BLUE BEETLE #35
Writer: Matthew Sturges
Art: Carlo Barberi and Jacob Eguren
DC $2.99

Matt T: With only a single issue of this comic left, I'm feeling a little bit disappointed that it wasn't given a more time to show what the character can do. I know Teen Titans will still follow Jamie Reyes in his adventures, but somehow it won't be the same. The penultimate issue does what most penultimate issues do, rapidly setting up a huge final fight to see the last out in the loudest fashion possible. In keeping with the rest of the series it's a colourful, entertaining romp with no overly cerebral elements, with the classic teen-centric comic device of the big school dance. It's all going to end tits up, that much is for sure, meaning the final chapter of Blue Beetle should end with a bang rather than a whimper. 8/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #10
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca
Marvel $2.99

James R: This time last year Iron Man was one of my favourite books – the Knaufs had fused together Warren Ellis’ ‘Tony Stark – Pilot of the Future’ ideas with some cool 24-esque espionage action. It had character, and alongside Brubaker’s Captain America, it felt that two of Marvel’s big guns had intriguing plots and futures. One blockbuster movie later, and the book is being handled by Matt Fraction who did such a top job on Iron Fist. The problem for me is that the series feels like it’s lacking a direction – I just don’t buy the notion that everybody is now against Tony Stark, and his empire has been crumbled all too easily. I’m sure the idea was to get Iron Man back to basics, but this just feels too basic, and the idea of Pepper Pots being Iron Woman – hmm. 5/10


HOT WIRE: REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD #1
Writer: Steve Pugh & Warren Ellis
Art: Steve Pugh
Radical Comics $2.99

Matt C: Even if you didn’t see the credits you’d probably figure out it originated from the mind of Warren Ellis pretty swiftly. It’s got his thumbprints all over it: hard-assed lead character, not-too-distant-future setting, a melding of various genres (in this case, sci-fi and supernatural) and a sprinkling of violence. Difference this time is that Ellis has laid down the bones of the story and Steve Pugh has put the meat on it. He definitely stamps his own identity on the book, giving it a more British flavour than we normally see from Ellis, even in his UK-based stories. Still, there’s an emotional coldness that puts me off a bit although this is offset somewhat by Pugh's lusciously rendered art which lends the proceedings a surprising amount of realism. Not quite definite about adding this to the pull-list considering the number of new titles that have made the grade this week - I’ll have to go with gut reaction when the next issue is released. 7/10


THE MIGHTY #1
Writer: Peter J Tomasi & Keith Champagne
Art: Peter Snejberg
DC $2.99

Matt T: With a little help from my friends (cheers Matt C!) I remembered to pick this up after recommending it in Ten Forward about three years ago. The first issue was very much the set-up, with only the occasional hint that something more sinister was occurring in the background. The head of the support force for the world's only superhero is dead, and the investigation brings his deputy to the fore. Unfortunately it seems that Alpha One, the hero in question, isn't all that he appears to be and may have a hand in things, setting up a mystery that I'm hoping will echo the likes of Powers in its heyday. There isn't a huge amount to sink your teeth into in this debut, but I'm interested enough to hang on for the next couple. If Matt C reminds me that is. 7/10


SOUL KISS #1
Writer: Steven T. Seagle
Art: Marco Cinello
Image $3.50

Matt C: A deal with the devil may get you out of a sticky situation but there are always consequences, as a young woman named Lillian discovers much to her regret. Seagle’s script doesn’t give too much away but there’s just enough to pique my interest. The art bolsters the appeal, investing the proceedings with something akin to a dreamlike quality in certain places, then switching the colour scheme and pencil style to bring it a touch closer to a recognisable reality. 7/10


DEADPOOL #7
Writer: Daniel Way
Art: Paco Medina
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: As ever, Deadpool is completely mental. Completely. Bob the Hydra agent is an entertaining lackey, with the title character constantly bullying, berating and occasionally shooting him just for shits and giggles. With the appearance of Osborn's new team of reprobates (are they another Avengers? I can't remember!) towards the end it looks like 'Pool will have a whole new cast of nobodies to take the piss out of, and I can giggle away to myself for 25 pages. 7/10


I AM LEGION #1
Writer: Fabien Nury
Art: John Cassaday
Devil’s Due Publishing $3.50

Matt C: I originally picked this WWII set tale up when DC put out a deluxe edition of the first half as part of their aborted partnership with European publisher, Humanoids, and although I remember it being pretty damn awesome I’d long ago come to assume I’d never get to read the whole story (unless I became fluent in French!). Thank God then for Devil’s Due Publishing who are intending to publish the whole lot in as a six-issue mini (fingers crossed they make it through….. fingers crossed!). The first instalment lays the groundwork for what lies ahead, featuring a body-swapping immortal, Romanian resistance fighters, evil Nazi's with sinister schemes and a group of British policemen with no idea what they’re about to get themselves into. If you missed this the first time round don’t make that mistake again: the writing’s strong, and – unsurprisingly – Cassaday’s art is absolutely magnificent, some of the best work I’ve seen from him. You won’t be disappointed. 8/10


CABLE #11
Writer: Duane Swiercynski
Art: Ariel Olivetti & Jamie McKelvie
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: Cable seems to have slowed to a gentle walk in the space of one issue, taking the time travel element to the forefront without really doing anything massively interesting with it. Cable and Hope finally reach humanities end, making them more than a little shy of supplies as there doesn't seem to be too many MacDonald's in an uninhabitable nuclear wasteland. Who knew? Still, the lead-in to the next big X-event will start in earnest in the next couple of issues, so I'm glad I've followed the book which looks set to form its heart. 7/10


CITY OF DUST #4
Writer: Steve Niles
Art: Brandon Chng, Zid & Garrie Gastonny
Radical Comics $2.99

James R:
*Ring Ring*
“Hello?”
“Hi Steve, it’s Barry Levine here, owner of Radical Comics.”
“Hey Barry. What’s up?”
“Oh, just thought I’d see how your new series, City Of Dust, was coming along.”
“It’s not bad – I’ve combined a number of exciting tropes about the world of imagination and set them in a mysterious dystopia!”
“Really?”
“Well, No. That’s what I’ll put in Previews. What I’ve actually done is nick some of the best bits from Blade Runner, 1984, Frankenstein, and Equilibrium, mashed them all together in a rather unsatisfying cocktail, topped off with some clunky dialogue and frankly odd artwork.”
“Okaaaaay. How about we put a load of multiple covers on it, and hope nobody notices?”
“Sounds good to me! I have to dash, I have to go roll around on a bed full of money that I made from the 30 Days Of Night movie!”
*Click*
(I would like to point out that the following conversation may not have actually taken place!) 2/10


DYNAMO 5 #19
Writer: Jay Faerber
Art: Mahmud A Asrar
Image $3.50

Matt T: It's been a little while since the last issue, making me have to track back a touch to remember what was going on. Fortunately Jay Faerber never strays from the familiar superhero team formula, so I didn't have to strain the old noodle too much. The team has been split apart for a little while now, so the eventual re-team-up and fight against insurmountable odds could have been predicted by even the most casual reader, but at least it's done with the usual amount of enthusiasm and verve I expect from Dynamo 5. A good read, if a little predictable. 7/10


AGENTS OF ATLAS #1
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz & Benton Jew
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The Agents Of Atlas mini may not have sold by the bucketload but it garnered enough cult and critical credibility that the return of the group that started life in the 1950s seemed inevitable. With Dark Reign now enveloping the Marvel Universe, writer Jeff Parker reintroduces his team as the “bad” guys to Norman Osborn’s “good” guys. This issue’s mostly concerned with setting up the Agents place in the new status quo, but it’s smartly written with enough humour to suggest this is definitely a series to watch, and the art matches the script’s level of excitement perfectly. All in all, supremely cool stuff. 8/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #237
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne
Marvel $0.50

Matt C: This time we deal with the loose ends from last issue, focus a little on the love lives of the team, have a hint of Franklin’s latent mutant powers, and give Reed and Sue a chance to take centre stage. It’s a slight tale of innocent behaviour confused as hostility due to communication difficulties that’s only resolved when Reed wraps his big brain around the problem! A fun read, but nothing spectacular. 7/10