Mini Reviews 25/10/2009

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

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


COWBOY NINJA VIKING #1
Writer: AJ Lieberrman
Art: Riley Rossmo
Image $3.50

Stewart R: Ok, first point: this comic is not likely to fit in your bags and boards for easy storage due to it’s Golden Age format. Second point: the first point is the only negative thing that I really have to say about this strangely entertaining comic. The artwork and blue-tone colour scheme by Rossmo is captivating and suitably madcap which matches the fantastically bizarre premise - a secret psycho-behavioural programme once trained people with multiple personality disorders to become deadly assassins – to an absolute tee. The jumping from time frame to time frame alongside limited character reveals is a little off-putting to begin with, but a second read through clears everything up nicely. I think I may be drawn to this simply because it loosely reminds me – in artwork and story - of the awesome anime series Cowboy Bebop, but in my eyes that can only be a good thing. 8/10

Matt C: I like the premise – people with multiple personality disorders trained as deadly government assassins – and Riley Rossmo (Proof) has developed a wonderfully distinctive style that’s a joy to look at, but unfortunately this is one of the most unwelcoming debut issues I’ve read in a while. The overall plot isn’t too vague, but once you dig a little deeper, the way the story’s told causes it to become a bit of a head-scratcher. On top of that, you have the titular ‘hero’ with his three supposedly separate personalities that don’t really come across as being that different from each other. There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding this book, so much so that Image have decided to change it’s status from ‘mini’ to ‘ongoing’ but, for me at least, Lieberrman fails deliver the goods in a way that makes me want to stick around. A damn shame, as the art’s really nice. 5/10


SKRULL KILL KREW #5
Writer: Adam Felber
Art: Mark Robinson & Mark Getty
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Ok, the artwork by Mark Robinson has been the standout part of this limited series and I truly hope to see his efforts put to use on other Marvel titles, hopefully where symbiotes or other Skrulls are involved as he has exceptional ability to portray shape-shifting abilities. As for the story itself, well I’m not convinced that my $19.95 has been well spent to be honest with you! It started so well but by the time we get to this finale it’s increasingly difficult to tell one Skrull from another and trying to establish the specific motivations of each Kill Krew member left me feeling rather ambivalent about the whole thing. I guess in that respect it’s actually like a Skrull: it shifted and changed shape during the entire run and ended up being far less than I expected from a pretty decent idea. 5/10


CHEW #5
Writer: John Layman
Art: Rob Guillory
Image $2.99

Stewart R: You know, the more I read of this title the more I understand the mini-whirlwind of hype that surrounded its debut issue and the crazy number of reprints that have been run to date. This is brilliantly delivered storytelling that has characterization at its very heart and a sweet polish on its exterior. This issue focuses squarely on Tony Chu and Mason Savoy and the fall out of their recent experiences, while leaving the future of this comic balanced very nicely indeed with a astutely worked open-ending. The humour infused into every situation where Tony has to use his cibopathic abilities brings a wry smile to my face and Guillory’s expression work once again comes the fore. The five-part Taster’s Choice has been fantastic and I’m really looking forward to where writer and artist decide to take us next time out. 8/10


INCREDIBLE HULK #603
Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Art: Ariel Olivetti, Giuseppe Cammuncoli & Michael Ryan
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The fact that Olivetti’s work only appears on five pages in total doesn’t do the book any favours because his style just doesn’t gel with Cammuncoli’s. That aside it’s a fairly entertaining issue with Logan and Banner watching their respective sons hook up for a brawl, while not exactly having an violence-free meeting themselves. It’s the first time the main feature has been superior to the back-up Savage She-Hulk tale but, three issues in and with me being conscious over how many titles I’m picking up a month, this is getting dropped from the pull –list. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t really scream out to be purchased at the moment. 7/10


POE #4
Writer: J. Barton Mitchell
Art: Dean Kotz
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: This started off as quite a promising mystery series, heavy on atmosphere and intrigue, but now we’ve reached the final issue it’s all gotten a bit silly with Edgar Allen Poe prancing about like some sort of Victorian action hero. Poe ends up battling a villain named Usher (!) inside the nefarious fellow’s House (!) while, amongst other things, a Raven (!) flaps around in the background. Hmmm. There are some relatively effective (if a little hackneyed) observations on how people cope with grief, and the art does a decent job of evoking the period, but by the end I wasn’t taking it seriously anymore and had pretty much disengaged from the proceedings. 4/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #19
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Mr Fraction appears to have been wearing some magic Hat of Writing Excellence for the past two years – either that or he might just have been damn talented from the get-go! I truly suspect it is the latter. This was as perfect an ending to the Most Wanted arc as a reader could ask for and doesn’t cap off the story with a big fat full stop but instead drops in a delicious comma at the end, meaning that you’ll definitely be back to see what happens next. The characterization of Victoria Hand slowly beginning to crack under the pressure of looking after the most psychotic VIP on the planet is terrific and there’s certainly scope for expansion on that plot point. Fraction manages to reach a crescendo that people were anticipating in this title and while the Osborn vs Stark confrontation skirts along clichéd lines for the briefest of times, it fits so well into the giant puzzle of Tony’s plan that it’s instantly forgivable. Larroca, as always, brings his A-game to the table and to be honest I’m struggling to think of a time when the Iron Man armours have been drawn with such brilliant dynamism. Get the Most Wanted arc in trade when available if you’re late to the party and jump onboard next issue. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 10/10

Matt C: There were a couple of points early on where I felt the narrative wasn’t really going anywhere and maybe it was time to jump ship, but Fraction turned things around pretty swiftly and in the final analysis World’s Most Wanted has been a smart, gripping and ultimately audacious story arc. Even though I’m not entirely sure where Fraction’s going to take things from here, the ending provided a real “Yes!” moment, and in amongst the Dark Reign saturation the characterization of Osborn here really sticks out. In fact, it's the characterization in general that helps put this in the top tier of current Marvel titles, and with the superbly rendered action scenes from Larroca ratchetting up the excitement levels, come next summer it will surely be one of the rare occasions when a superhero hits the big screen in style while the character’s book on the racks is equally as good. 8/10


RESURRECTION V2 #4
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Art: Justin Green Wood & Dominike Stanton
Oni Press $3.99

Matt C: I’ve got to tip my hat to Guggenheim here, the introduction of a new – and familiar – character to the mix is a really ballsy move. It’s the kind of thing that, if handled badly, could derail the entire narrative, but on this evidence the writer just might pull it off. Resurrection would make an excellent TV show, certainly a lot better than the above average FlashForward Guggenheim has been working on (although he’s apparently been booted off that) – the characters are compelling and it’s an intriguing spin on the usual clichés trotted out for alien invasion storylines. Having said that, I’m glad Guggenheim’s still pursuing this in the comic book format – there were some inconsistent and wonky facial expressions in the back-up story, but that aside this issue delivered a compulsive reading experience. 8/10


SPIDER-WOMAN #2
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Alex Maleev
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: I have to say that my past experiences with these creators do have me turning every page of this particular comic waiting for everything to fall to pieces into unreadable, unfathomable nonsense, and yet every single one of those pages is terrific. While the rest of Marvel’s Bendis’ titles seem to be stocked to the gills with heroes and villains which leave little room for characterization and occasionally even plot, the Spider-Woman comic is a piece of inspired focus as Jessica Drew continues through her first day as a S.W.O.R.D agent tracking down Skrulls in Madripoor. The few pages that Bendis includes here to give a broader view of her powers are spot on, showing that not all superheroes have full control of their talents and gives a taste of what would happen in a ‘real world’ setting with pheromones and similar chemical-based abilities. When the action cranks up a notch Maleev displays some exceptional talent, especially with his use of shadow and panel layout. If it continues down this path we could have another keeper on our hands ladies and gentlemen. 8/10


THE STUFF OF LEGEND #2
Writer: Mike Raicht & Brian Smith
Art: Charles Paul Wilson III
Th3ird World Studios $4.99

Matt C: I’m pleased to see the words “Volume I” on the cover because there’s plenty more to explore in this wonderful world Raicht, Smith and Wilson have created. This issue isn’t quite as strong as the debut, but the characters are beginning to come into their own a lot more here as they find themselves trapped in the strange town of Hopscotch. It’s pure fairytale, but with a dark edge that broadens its appeal considerably, and the realism that Wilson brings the imagery ensures that it transcends any age-range categorization. The format size The Stuff Of Legend is presented in is the same as Archia’s Mouse Guard; I wonder if that’s intentional because those of you out there who’ve been enthralled by David Petersen’s excellent series would be advised to give this book look if they haven’t done so already. 8/10


DARK AVENGERS #10
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Conti-fecking-nuity! Please? Seriously Mr Bendis; last issue we were left with the Sentry having had his face melted off by his own wife with an alien gun and now he is flying around like nothing’s happened. Even the rather bizarre ‘workshop corridor’ scenes from last time are just left without any explanation here. It’s these little points that really get my back up when reading comics on a regular basis as, even if there’s some great explanation further down the line, the level of aggravation and annoyance is probably not worth the pay off. Norman steadily losing the plot is handled reasonably well but then Mr Bendis has been trumped on that front by Mr Fraction in Invincible Iron Man. Even Deodato isn’t impressing me like he did last issue with some rather pokey panel layouts and the sad Venom face further making me ‘tut’ in disgust. I came back to this title only recently due to tie-ins and might drop it just as quickly. 4/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #277
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Jerry Ordway
Marvel $0.65

Matt C: This issue sees Byrne in experimental mode again, with two stories running concurrently: the first, featuring the Thing’s return to Earth, takes up the top half of the page; the second, with Reed, Sue, Franklin battling Mephisto with a little help from Doc Strange, fills the bottom half. You might think it would get a little bit confusing, constantly jumping back and forth, but surprisingly, due to the strength of storytelling on display, it works brilliantly. Even though I love any appearance of Mephisto when he’s handled right (as he is here), if I had to choose a winner I’d go for the Thing-centric tale - now back from the Secret Wars planet, he’s decided to go tell Alicia that they’re just going to be friends only to completely lose the plot when Johnny opens the door in his pyjama bottoms. Alicia slapping Ben across the face is one of those shocking but memorable panels that has stuck with me for a good 20 odd years. Byrne and Ordway are starting to conjure up some real chemistry on the visual side of things in this near-perfect instalment of Fantastic Four. 10/10

The Indie Club: BLOOD ORANGE

The Indie Club is an irregular feature where we take a closer look at any small press or self-published books that have crossed our path.


BLOOD ORANGE
Writer: Justin Giampaoli
Art: Grant Lee
June Lake Press $0.50

Matt C: Memories are funny things. Often your recollection of some event or incident will appear to slip right out of your mind to the point where it’s almost forgotten, only for a random sight, sound, taste or even smell to trigger it’s lightening-quick return to the forefront of your consciousness. And, as if by magic(!), you’re there again, right back in the middle of that memory, as if no time had passed. This is particularly true of childhood memories: during your formative years, when you’re perception of the world may not be as expansive as in later life, certain things make much more of an impact. These memories are especially potent because, big or small, they help shape the person you will eventually become.

Justin Giampaoli taps into one such memory in the delightfully honest, autobiographical short story, Blood Orange. During tough times in the late ‘70s Giampaoli’s parents had to resort to eating blood oranges from the garden tree when the money wouldn’t stretch to anything more substantial. At the time Giampaoli was completely oblivious to what was really going on, and so the significance of that week’s feeding habits only became apparent in later on. That’s hardly surprising since, as kids, we usually miss much of the details in the big picture, but it’s obvious from his tale that this was a moment that really stuck with Giampaoli, especially once those missing details were discovered in hindsight.

Grant Lee’s linework is simple but incredibly effective, drawing out the emotion of Giampaoli’s tale. It may be only eight pages long but it packs a punch because, while the events might be entirely personal, the feelings exhibited are universal, and any piece of art that can achieve that effect is something that deserves to find an audience. 8/10


Purchase a copy of Blood Orange here.

Mini Reviews 18/10/2009

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.

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


THE ANCHOR #1
Writer: Phil Hester
Art: Brian Churilla
Boom! Studios $3.99

Stewart R: I previewed this a few months ago and I have to say that I’m a little surprised by this first issue compared to interviews and features I read back when I wrote my previous piece. What we’ve got here is an interesting scene-setter as the titular Anchor battles the demonic hordes of hell with his soul, while his body is in Iceland (in the mortal plain) being pummelled by a gigantic monster sent to test his faith. I like the simple approach taken by Phil Hester in establishing just what the Anchor is going up against rather than getting weighed down in the history of how he has gotten to this point. Introducing a female Icelandic emergency aid worker (first time I think one has appeared in a comic as a major character!) as a possible companion on the Anchor’s journey is an interesting move. I’ll certainly be looking at how and if Hester develops her character next issue or whether she simply acts as a plot tool to explain the world that the Anchor now finds himself in. The art from Brian Churilla is of a clean, simple and cartoon-like style – it reminds me of ‘90s cartoon Mighty Max somewhat - which fits the story nicely and I’ll add an extra note for Matthew Wilson’s colour work which is typical of BOOM!s’ muted palettes but compliments Churilla’s lines perfectly. A promising start indeed. 7/10

Matt C: Something of a different proposition to the norm, and that not only goes for the premise but also the location (Iceland!). The blurb describes the protagonist as “God’s own legbreaker”, the one man standing between Heaven and Hell, but to be honest that wasn’t abundantly clear from this debut issue, nor was it clear exactly what he was doing on Earth, fighting a giant monster, while simultaneously fighting demons in the Underworld. But…! But, there’s still something quite appealing about the off-the-wall approach to some familiar genre tropes, and the art, with it’s shades of Mike Mignola and Brian Hurtt, has an impressive energy to it. Early days, and it’s not a dead cert, but definitely worth keeping an eye on. 7/10


WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1
Writers: J.M. DeMatteis, Tom DeFalco & Sean McKeever
Art: Val Semeiks, Dan Green, Ron Frenz, Sal Buscema and Stephanie Buscema
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Marvel seem to like to really push their audiences to the limit of their patience and their wallets: not two years on from Brand New Day and the thrice monthly promise of ‘focus’ with Amazing Spider-Man, now we’re handed another Spidey title to apparently broaden and deepen the webhead’s world. This of course is pure nonsense. Stephen Wacker even writes in the back of this first issue that Web will be used to tell those stories "that flat-out didn’t fit in Amazing". If they don’t fit then do we really need to read them considering how much we’re already shelling out for Spider-Man titles every month? This first issue of Web screams a definitive ‘NO’ I’m afraid. The first story adds a small amount of history to Kaine’s recent re-appearance in ASM but begs the question, "won’t this also be explained in ASM anyway??" It’s a mediocre read as Kaine goes deep into his psyche to establish just who and what he is. The willingness of the Spidey ‘Brain Trust' to tread back over the horrid grounds of the Clone Saga already has me pondering a Spider-Man hiatus on my pull list. The second story here is the ongoing exploits of the Spectacular Spider-Girl and is essentially Part 5 of an already started arc. The single page introduction and catch-up does little to help the reader (a) understand who everyone is and what their motives are, and (b) really give a rat’s ass about finding out what happens next issue. By the time I’d gotten to the third story here I was already feeling jaded and the Frog-Man (a character that I actually like) appearance is let down by the tone of the piece by both writer and artist – it’s just too cutesy. I’m left saying simply that the stories "that flat-out didn’t fit in Amazing" don’t rightly fit anywhere. 2/10


THE UNWRITTEN #6
Writer: Mike Carey
Art: Peter Gross
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: As the scope of this series widens (see last issue’s Kipling-centric offering, which I didn’t get around to reviewing but I can say now it was pretty frickin’ amazing!), and as Carey and Gross really begin to find their feet it’s becoming increasingly apparent that The Unwritten is turning into something very special indeed. At its core, it’s about stories and the power of the written word, something that has been tackled several times in comics in the past, but the creator’s faux-multimedia approach here feels fresh, inventive and surprisingly effective. It’s looking more and more like Vertigo are on a roll again. 8/10

Matt T: Even when Carey goes on his bizarre flights of fancy, The Unwritten is still a cracking comic, and the material extraneous to the central plot is always worth reading. The story is moving along nicely, and there's even some explanation behind the odd going's on to sink your teeth into. Of course it's all still a bizarre mystery of the life of a Harry Potter facsimile and the fictional characters bleeding into reality, but at least there some blanks being filled in this expertly crafted tale of how stories affect our lives. 8/10


UNCANNY X-MEN #516
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Greg Land and Jay Leisten
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: Spending an issue with everyone discussing how unbelievably awesome Cyclops is while Magneto makes yet another contrived reappearance in spite of being dead/depowered/stuck in space, smacks of a slightly lazy rehash of so many old X-Men stories it's almost dull to write about it. Fraction does manage to conjure up a degree of craft and depth from what would normally be a by-the-numbers affair, so I can't really begrudge him passing over old ground. Land does his best to temper his more annoying habits, like making every scene seem posed to the point of being static, although the ladies do suffer from 'one face syndrome'. By no means essential, but at least a bit of fun. 7/10

Stewart R: Magneto featuring on the cover of any X-book normally means either a good old fashioned mutant dust-up or plenty of conversation and analysis of the mutant condition and the future. This time around Fraction goes for the latter and in doing so succeeds in solidifying the world the X-Men now find themselves in. The back and forth between the returning Master of Magnetism and Professor Xavier is certainly nothing new, but justified now that Cyclops is the leader, and the piece acts out almost like a strange angel/devil-on-the-shoulder situation. The Lobe’s machinations with Scalphunter and the pack of Predator X’s are still to be explained (I’ve a few predictions of what’s going on here but will hold my tongue for the moment) but should ensure that the mutant powers are let loose with abandon next issue. Land manages to keep his pencils reserved for once with only brief glimpses of his delight for ‘the female form’ – Psylocke’s bum makes two appearances while her face is strangely absent, and what’s with that pose of Verre’s on page 21?? – and the test will be to see whether he can keep that up when his action credentials are called to the fore next time out. 7/10


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #41
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Patrick Gleason, Rebecca Buchman, Keith Champagne & Tom Nguyen
DC $2.99

Stewart R: I do enjoy this book - I really do! -as it keeps the focus squarely on the plight of the Green Lanterns and the stellar bunch of characters that Tomasi has at his writing disposal. From Soranik and Iolande’s attempts to rescue the injured Corps members (or should that be ‘Corpse’ members?? Oh dear…) from the pursuing hordes of Black Lanterns, to Kilowog’s confrontation with his former mentor, the tension and desperation fills each and every page thanks to Tomasi’s tight writing and neat dialogue added together with Gleason’s dynamic and action-oriented artwork. I’m guessing that this title will boil down to a Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner story eventually but the path of destruction we’ve been weaving our way down has been really enjoyable to date. One other thing: I must point out is that the lettering on the onomatopoeia are really exceptional in this title, go on just read through again and have a look! 8/10


THE MARVELS PROJECT #3
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Steve Epting
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The wheels are spinning but nothing’s really moving forward. It’s still undoubtedly a quality piece of work but this issue’s narration-heavy approach with it’s singular perspective takes something away from the unfolding drama. It makes you feel a little distant from the action rather than in the thick of it. Still, the sight of Namor and the original Torch engaging in their first mid-air dustup over Coney Island takes some beating (particularly when rendered by Epting) and the teasing hint that one of Marvel’s major icons will shortly be making an appearance is enough to keep this at the top of the pile. 8/10


HOUSE OF MYSTERY: HALLOWEEN ANNUAL
Writer: Various
Art: Various
DC/Vertigo $4.99

Matt T: An annual is rarely a worthwhile purchase unless you're a big fan of the ongoing series, as the story therein seems to be either completely superfluous or a flight of fancy for the writer, bored with their existing lot. In this case a pretty shameless shill for all the other books Vertigo is selling is a more accurate description. Granted, there's an underlying tale from the house, but I don't need all the backups for books that would barely pique my interest anyway. There are a couple of exceptions, but for the most part poor, shameless and not worth the money. 4/10


BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #3
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Aroian Syaf & Vicente Cifuentes
DC $2.99

Matt C: It became patently apparent at the conclusion that I really didn’t need to pick up this three-issue mini, and that I’m probably making the right decision avoiding the other Blackest Night books that don’t tie-in directly into the main event. There’s no subtlety on display here as Dick Grayson and Tim Drake are confronted by their deceased parents in the form of Black Lanterns, and the whole thing just comes across as overheated and emotionally false. There are a couple of moments when genuine feeling sneaks through, and the art is very nice in a sub-Kubert kind of way, but I can’t help thinking Geoff Johns could’ve tackled this much better in a couple of pages in the core title. 4/10


INCREDIBLE HERCULES #136
Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Art: Reilly Brown & Nelson DeCastro
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: The two-issues-a-month formula is still going strong and working very well indeed. This time we’re back with Herc and his childish father, Zeus, as they try to prevent the Dark Elf Hordes from invading the kingdoms of the world. There is a terrifically funny and entertaining punch-up between Hercules (masquerading as Thor) and Thor (masquerading as Hercules) as the Prince of Power’s initial duping of the Elvish Queen Alflyse is maintained for as long as possible. Pak and Van Lente really seem to appreciate that Herc is a true hero who can cross some moral and comedy boundaries in order to be the best that he can be. They also appear to be acutely aware that Thor and Herc have punched each other about the place before and they needed to come up with something fresh this time around. Here they display that knowledge perfectly with an outstanding and gut-bustingly funny fight which employs a manner of playground tactics to get the guffaws a-bellowing from your lungs while dissecting just what makes Herc the legend that he is. Reilly Brown’s talent as an artist really ups the comedic edge and the range of facial expressions that he can produce is particularly noteworthy. Great work from everyone involved. 9/10

Matt C: Thor and Herc have been involved in plenty of rucks over the years (usually instigated by the Prince of Power) but I don’t believe there’s ever been another occasion where they’ve been dressed in each other’s clobber, nor do I remember a time when they’ve managed to sneak in a bit of nipple twisting in between throwing punches. Yeah, you read that right: nipple twisting! In Pak and Van Lente’s hands the comedy in this series never feels forced; the laughs flows easily from the increasingly bizarre situations Herc finds himself in, and the relationship between him and the newly ‘reborn’ Zeus is proving to be a winner. Brown and DeCastro capture the light-hearted tone perfectly – any chance these guys can stick around for a while? – and it’s mostly down to their input that the nipple-twisting panel will have me chuckling for a good while to come. 8/10


BOOSTER GOLD #25
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Art: Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
DC $3.99

Matt T: Something of a 'downtime' issue, but things rarely make a full stop in the world of Booster Gold. Instead the life of our favourite time-travelling shyster is in turmoil behind the scenes, with Black Beetle preparing a hefty hit of pain against him from afar and Rex Hunter virtually powerless to stop him. It may not be as explosive as Johns' run on the book, but Dan Jurgens is weaving together numerous points and keeping the flow to an acceptable level, although I get the feeling the pacing will need to pick up soon or the Black Beetle story will be in risk of dragging. Meanwhile, the Blue Beetle backup had some crossover with the main story, spoiling a certain amount of the mystery behind the character and teasing a crossover. 7/10


SCALPED #32
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: R.M. Guera
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: The anticipated fireworks that were hinted at the end of last issue don’t quite explode this month – it’s more of case of the pieces being moved into place before everything really kicks off. Then again, Aaron is a master at misdirection in Scalped, so he may readying us to expect one thing only to deliver something completely unexpected when the time arrives. Predictable? This book is anything but, which is one of the many reasons why it stands head and shoulders above the plethora of monthly titles clogging up the racks. 8/10


DEADPOOL #900
Writers: Various
Art: Various
Marvel $4.99

Stewart R: Pick this book up in your local comic shop. I’m actually talking in a literal sense here! Go on, feel the weight. Doesn’t that bring a small smile to your face that you have a comic book that thick to read through and all for a reasonable $4.99? And what a terrific cover, so simple and so understated. Now, I’m not saying that the smile will disappear or be wiped straight from your face but when you get just over halfway through this comic and find that the remaining 40-or-so pages is a rather disappointing Deadpool Team-Up reprint from 1998, you might then turn to that glorious front cover and squint a little at the price-tag. The all-new material is good Deadpool fun with Fred Van Lente’s Silent But Deadly story involving mimes with telekinetic powers, and Charlie Huston’s fourth wall busting One Down being the stand-outs. Even the appearance of Rob Liefeld on artistic duties can’t really dampen things as Joe Kelly’s Pinky Swear is a typical madcap ‘Pool read where a school yard bet from yesteryear has to be honoured in the usual madcap way. The premise of #900 was good and it far outshines what Web Of Spider-Man was perhaps trying to do this week in similar vein, but you, like me, may feel that there are 40 pages at the back of this book that could have been put to better use. 6/10


BATGIRL #3
Writer: Bryan Q. Miller
Art: Lee Garbett, Trevor Scott & Sandra Hope
DC $2.99

Stewart R: The quality of the first two instalments isn’t quite maintained in Batgirl #3 as Miller tries to wrap things up in a rather clichéd ‘facing your fears’ and ‘the power within’ type way. It’s by no means handled badly and it allows the artists involved to deliver some decent action, but little bits of dialogue seem clunky and forced in simply to help Batgirl’s introspection. I’m not quite sure why the Scarecrow would almost get into a conversation with Stephanie mid-fight about facing who she really is and that’s what slightly distracts from what Miller seems to be trying to do. That said, this three-part arc has certainly got me interested in Batgirl as a character and bringing Barbara Gordon in as a mentor and partner has helped with that. I’ll stick with it for the next arc to see how things pan out and whether I can get used to that new Batgirl costume. 6/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #276
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Jerry Ordway
Marvel $0.60

Matt C: Romance is in the air again as the Torch gets thoroughly loved up with Mia Farrow – oops, I mean Alicia Masters! – and there are sparks flying between Jen & Wyatt, but the real focus of this issue is on Reed, Sue and Franklin. The games up as far as their newly concocted secret-identities are concerned as a nosey neighbour has called in a big time exorcist to take care of things, believing the Richards’ to be witches. Reed’s a bit out of his depth when it comes to the mysterious supernatural forces, especially when an “impossible” accident befalls him, and Sue’s not really equipped to deal with it either. But then, neither is the exorcist herself, unleashing energies she can’t control, which allows the welcome appearance of a certain Ruler of the Underworld at the end, which in turn attracts the attention of a familiar Sorcerer Supreme. Ordway’s inks look like they need a bit of time to gel with Byrne’s pencils, but other than that this is an all-round excellent read. 9/10

Ten Forward: December 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 October issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in December 2009.


HELLBLAZER: PANDEMONIUM HC
Writer: Jamie Delano
Art: Jock
DC/Vertigo $24.99

Rob N: It’s a sobering thought (for me at least) that 25 years have gone by since John Constantine first appeared as a (named) supporting character in Swamp Thing #37, since I remember buying it the month it came out and reading it in a squalid, damp basement flat barely fit for cockroaches to live in. To commemorate this milestone in DC’s publishing history, Vertigo has commissioned a Hellblazer graphic novel with an impressive line up of talent attached to it. Jamie Delano is of course the writer who fleshed out Alan Moore’s original mystery man, and established most of the background that we now take for granted. Jock is an exceptionally talented artist, currently exhibiting his distinctive style on the covers of Greek Street and Scalped. Pairing the two of them on an original novel length body of work bodes very well indeed, particularly since the recent Ian Rankin Hellblazer book was undermined by amateurish art. The Hellblazer monthly title has been on a roll in recent years with great story arcs from Andy Diggle and (now) Peter Milligan. Hopefully this graphic novel will be another feather in the Constantine cap.


JONAH HEX #50
Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art: Darwyn Cooke
DC $3.99

Matt C: This is not a book I pick up on a regular basis and although every time I have picked it up it’s generally featured some solid, self-contained Western tales, it’s never quite made the grade to find its way onto my pull-list. What changes this month? Oh, come on – look at those credits! At the risk of boring everyone to tears by professing my love for the man’s work again, if Mr Darwyn Cooke finds the time to illustrate and entire comic book, I’ll find the money to buy an issue (or two). Even a cliché-ridden cowboy shoot-out (which I’m not saying this will be!) would be elevated to something approaching genius by Cooke’s artistic brilliance. So yeah, you could say I’m just a little excited at the prospect of getting my hands on this.


DAYTRIPPER #1
Writer: Gabriel Ba & Fabio Moon
Art: Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba
DC/Vertigo $2.99

James R: So far, 2009 has been a good year for Vertigo - The Unwritten and Sweet Tooth have been absolutely top-draw titles, and their savvy strategy of releasing issue #1’s for a dollar seems to be bringing in new readers. As a result, I’ve got high expectations for this title. Daytripper looks like the very definition of an indie title. The Ba Brothers (who supplied the art for Umbrella Academy) bring us a slice-of-life series about life in their native Brazil, but… there’s a killer twist hidden in this story. All concerned are keeping traps shut as to what it might be, but this will be worth it for the art alone, which looks stunning. Hopefully, this should keep Vertigo’s reputation nicely topped up.


X-FACTOR #200
Writer: Peter David
Art: Bing Cansino
Marvel $4.99

Matt T: A bumper sized X-Factor that brings the team back home to NY for a cracking mystery? Count me in. David's run up to this point has been superb, with more twists than a slinky, along some expert weaving of numerous plots, so I'm expecting the return to the Big Apple to be something spectacular. And if you're not picking up X-Factor now, do so. It's awesome. Trust me.


LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Greg Tocchini
Radical $4.99

Matt C: That’s such a great title that it’s probably got my hopes way to high for this three-issue mini, but the preview art looks a bit special and I really like the premise: the US government is set to secretly broadcast a signal that will make committing crimes impossible, but 10 days prior to it going live it becomes public knowledge. This means that the crime Graham Brick has been planning for some time is now likely to be the last one committed in American history. The only question for me here is whether Remender can deliver the goods as I’ve not really been that bowled over by the work of his I’ve read of his so far (The End League, for example, started strongly but lost it very quickly). Of course, it’s entirely possible that this could be the turning point of his career – there’s enough promise to make me want to find out, that’s for sure.


BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: WILLOW ONE-SHOT
Writer: Joss Whedon
Art: Karl Moline & Andy Owens
Dark Horse $3.50

Andy H: Joss Whedon returns on script duties for this Buffy one-shot featuring Willow. The beauty of the Buffy universe (well, for me) is the supporting cast, all of which are fully fleshed out individuals and not throwaway characters. Of late we have seen Willow, as ever, playing an important part in the Buffy legend, including a glimpse into the future with another of Joss's creations, Fray. Now, with Whedon’s Fray collaborator Karl Moline, we get to see some of the gaps in Willow’s recent history and possibly some answers including 'Who is that serpent lady from a few issues back and what does she mean to Willow?' As ever I look forward to reading Buffy and even more so when Joss is at the helm.


PILOT SEASON: DEMONIC #1
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art: Joe Benitez
Image/Top Cow $2.99

Matt T: On the surface this month's Pilot Season one-shot from Top Cow sounds like your usual, bog-standard 'vicious vigilante' story, but the last line of the description caught me: “What if the Demon isn't real?” Posing the question that the title character's bloody swathe through the ne'er do-wells is all in his head, and the barter made with said supernatural body-sharer is nothing more than a psychological disorder really does intrigue me. I'm all for the darker end of superheroics, but if there's nowt more than a tortured mask slashing and stabbing I quickly reach for the lighter end of the scale. With Kirkman doing the honours with the words I'm not too concerned that it'll step into formulaic fare, and the cover art looks decent enough.


BLACKEST NIGHT: THE FLASH #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Scott Kolins
DC $2.99

James R: For me, it was his work on Flash that put Geoff Johns on my comics radar. Everything that makes him the lauded writer he is today is present in that run; a winning mix of characterisation, affection for the world his characters live in and, of course, great action. I was equally won over by the pencils of Scott Kolins (who remains a personal favourite.) So you can definitely colour me as interested about this Blackest Night mini – the two are reunited to tell another Flash tale, and if it’s up to the standard of most of the Blackest Night titles thus far, this should be a very welcome bonus to the buy pile.


FALL OF THE HULKS APLHA/FALL OF THE HULKS GAMMA
Writers: Jeff Parker & Jeph Loeb
Art: Paul Pelletier & John Romita Jr
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: At the monthly previews night my fellow Paradoxers heard me roar (hmm, choke like a water vole might be more accurate!) in exasperation as we turned the page to find Fall of the Hulks Alpha and Gamma staring at us in the face. I believe my first utterance went along the lines of “Seriously? Marvel expects us to shell out a further $8 on two more One-Shots? They’re kidding right?” The premise has FOTH Alpha concentrating on a new villainous brain-trust called The Intelligentsia where the likes of MODOK, The Leader and Dr Doom come together to contemplate 'The Smartest There Is', while FOTH Gamma concentrates on the relationships between the various Hulks themselves, red and green, and an event that triggers the war between them all. I think my initial negative bias here has been my dislike of Loeb’s recent work on the Hulk title, but on reflection there is so much promise here that I may find myself reaching deep into my pockets. Jeff Parker is demonstrating on a weekly basis that he has a respect for character history and depth while bringing new ideas to the table, and the large character base may prove to be a good vehicle for Loeb to flex his action-based writing 'muscles'. And that’s just the writing talent! Marvel have called in John Romita Jr and the excellent Paul Pelletier to give us the best in mean, green, smashing machine action plus hand-rubbing-together, cackling villainy and ‘mischief’. The talent involved may be too hard a temptation to resist.


BORGIA VOLUME 3 HC
Writer: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Art: Mila Manara
Heavy Metal $14.95

Rob N: Milo Manara is one of the big names in European comics. Italian by birth, he’s highly respected in France, a country that has always viewed graphic storytelling as a serious art form, and where the superhero genre is notably conspicuous by its absence. Over the last couple of years he’s been working on a series of books set during the reign of the Borgia dynasty in Renaissance Italy (1492 to 1503), working in collaboration with the writer Alejandro Jodorowsky. Manara is probably most famous for his love of the scantily clad female form, which his art style excels at. But to dismiss his body of work as nothing more than soft porn (which in fairness, it sometimes is…) is to overlook the literary value of much of his collaborative work with visionaries such as Hugo Pratt (e.g. Tutto ricominciò con un'estate Indiana - a particular favourite of mine - and El Gaucho) and Federico Fellini (e.g. the dream-like Viaggio a Tulum), all of which are available as English language translations and worth reading. The series of Borgia books capture the feel of films such as Ken Russell’s The Devils and Paul Verhoeven’s Flesh and Blood.

Mini Reviews 11/10/2009

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.

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


PLANETARY #27
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: John Cassaday
DC/Wildstorm $3.99

James R: Farewells can be difficult sometimes. In the world of comics, final issues can either be bitter affairs, or horribly rushed (if they’ve fallen victim to a cancellation). Sometimes, they’re strangely underwhelming too – as if the writer doesn’t quite know how to end the tale, and as a result, just abandons it like a joyrider ditching a stolen car. And that’s how the last issue of Planetary feels… No, sorry – I’m joking! It’s bloody incredible, of course! I’ve often used my reviews here to talk of my geeky admiration of Warren Ellis, and this issue is a perfect example of why I love his writing. The general thrust of the plot is about Quantum Physics. Quantum Physics fer Chrissakes! And yet Ellis ties into this a heart-warming and dramatic conclusion to this erudite and illuminating series. By the final page, all the loose ends have been neatly tied up (even referring to the Planetary/JLA prestige one-shot from a few years back) and the romantic suggestion that the Planetary Organisation still have many more strange adventures ahead of them. Sadly, we won’t get to see them, but it’s been a joy to get lost in this universe. Not only has Ellis’ writing been superb, but John Cassaday’s art has been outstanding, and he continues to excel; here he shows his talent at both the epic scenes and emotions of Elijah, Jakita and the Drummer, and for good measure gives us an awesome wraparound cover. Perfection is a rare thing to find in this life, but Planetary as a series comes mighty close, and this issue is a beautiful coda to 10 years of brilliant comics. 10/10

Matt C: There was a part of me that thought we’d never get to see this final issue but, after a rather ridiculous delay, Planetary #27 has hit the shelves at last. As I’ve not looked at the preceding issues since the first read through I’ll be damned if I can remember the finer details of the plot, but the characters and premise are so strong it didn’t take me long to get back in the swing of things. With phrases like “quantum foam” and “supermassive frame-dragging” being bandied about you know that Ellis is in his absolute element here; a master, fully in control of his craft. That goes for Cassaday too, who brings the same level of precision to scenes with people chatting in a room as he does to splash page of a time machine being constructed. Now it’s all in the can I’m going to have to dig out the whole lot and read through it all again; I’ve got a feeling my final judgement will be that Planetary has been the pinnacle of Ellis’s extraordinarily impressive career so far. 8/10


HAUNT #1
Writers: Robert Kirkman & Todd McFarlane
Art: Greg Capullo, Ryan Ottley & Todd McFarlane
Image $2.99

Stewart R: The first thing I will say about this comic is that there isn’t a great deal of new ideas here. The second thing that I will say about this comic is that the ideas that are not new are used very, very well indeed. For $2.99 (thank you Image, for being sensible) you get an unenthused and disenchanted holy man, Daniel, believing that the image of his murdered one-man-army brother, Kurt, is simply a figment of his subconscious giving him a hard time. But as the previous actions of his brother start to threaten the woman that they both loved things may not be as they seem. McFarlane of course came up with the iconic creation of Venom in the late ‘80s, and then Spawn in the ‘90s, and what we might have here is a culmination of those two ideas. There’s also a ‘team-up’ premise displayed at the end which has been seen with Nova and Worldmind, as well as DC’s Firestorm, but I’m optimistic with the talent involved that this is going to be an interesting title to follow regardless of any clichés or repetition. The artistic team of Capullo and Ottley is definitely the right choice for what I’m expecting to be a rather gruesome action comic. 8/10


DAREDEVIL #501
Writer: Andy Diggle
Art: Robert De La Torre
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: It’s loyalty to the character that made me check this issue out, even though I’m not exactly keen on the new status quo or of the belief that Diggle’s got the chops to do the character justice (Sidenote: saw Diggle at the Bristol Expo a few years back – a Vertigo panel – where he basically turned his nose up at the whole superhero genre, as though it was beneath him. It’s an attitude that always pisses me off, and makes me especially wary when a creator who’s spouted such nonsense starts writing superhero books). I can’t say I’m impressed, and after picking up Daredevil for so many years, it’s time to take a break. The art’s suitably moody, but Diggle has taken the sulking to the extreme and it just grates. You just want to slap some of these characters around the face and tell them to pull themselves together. Brubaker often came close to this but had enough skill to keep the general vibe from toppling headlong into utter doom and gloom. Anyway, there’s nothing here that I feel I really need to see, so this will be my last issue for the foreseeable future. 4/10


CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD: THE LAST BATTLE #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Oscar Jimenez
Avatar $3.99

Matt C: The original Chronicles Of Wormwood miniseries was a total blast, with Ennis’ intriguing musings on religion set against such sights as a sex-obsessed talking rabbit and a man with a penis for a nose. There was a one-shot, The Last Enemy, that wasn’t much to write home about but it didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for seeing these characters again. Perhaps it should have, because as first impressions go, The Last Battle wasn’t that great. Maybe it’s because Jacen Burrows stamped his mark on the characters so well the first time round that nobody, Oscar Jimenez included, can really bring the same mix cheekiness and realism that made the original series such fun? Or maybe, Ennis had gone as far as he could with these characters and is now just milking it? Or maybe I just need to let this series warm up and see where it goes – Ennis deserves the benefit of the doubt at the very least. 6/10


CABLE #19
Writer: Duane Swiercynski
Art: Gabriel Guzman
Marvel $2.99

Matt T: Well, Cable is ticking along nicely, but hopefully there will be some actual resolution to the time-travel chase soon. Bishop is either the worst tracker in the world, or Cable is more slippery than a greased up eel. Either way, one of them needs to stop dodging the bullets, which may happen sooner rather than later if the appearance of the Brood is anything to go by. And as much as Gabriel Guzman's art is decent enough, there's no real pop to it at the moment, so either a new hand is needed or a more inspired turn. 7/10


SWEET TOOTH #2
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Jeff Lemire
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: Jeff Lemire, two issues in, has only shown us a forested area and the remains of a gas station, but somehow he has managed to paint such a bleak and empty world that every page draws you into Gus’s naïve journey beyond the bounds of his knowledge. Introducing hard-faced Jepperd counters Gus both in personality and image and will surely make for a spellbinding partnership. Lemire is making sure that he doesn’t give too much away and raises teasing questions when necessary to keep the reader hooked. The apocalypse has been done many times before but I can’t help get the feeling that this is turning into something special. 8/10

Matt C: It’s certainly not a unique partnership in fiction – the jaded badass and the sweet-natured innocent – but Lemire has placed his unlikely twosome in such a curiously compelling futurescape, and has brought such an affecting level of honesty and realism to the characters, that it’s hard not to be sucked in. Stewart R mentioned in his review of the first issue that Lemire’s art is all about the eyes, and I can’t help but agree with him there; just as in the real world, we are drawn to the eyes of an illustrated character before anything else, and Lemire has completely taken this on board. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and if that’s the case then the writer/artist has provided us with a proper glimpse of what makes Gus and Jepperd tick in a very short space of time. To me, that bodes well for the future of this book. 8/10


CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips
Marvel/Icon $3.50

Matt C: After the entertaining diversion that was Incognito we’re now back to the real business of thieves, murderers and duplicitous dames. Longtime readers will recognise Tracy Lawless, the protagonist of this tale, but I’m hoping he’ll be new to a lot of folk – yep, my fingers are crossed that the success of Incognito has inspired more people to pick this book up and be amazed by its quality, and that the resulting sales increase will insure Criminal’s longevity. I’ve said it so many times before I fear I’m sounding like a broken record, but this is one of the very best books on stands right now, not only in terms of the quality of the storytelling, but also for the additional articles and features, making it absolutely worth your money in these cash-strapped times. 9/10

Stewart R: After the terrific run on Incognito, and with the constant plaudits from my PCG comrades, I was certainly not worried that picking this up would be a mistake or an underwhelming experience. While obviously a different kettle of fish compared to Incognito’s super-powered darkness, The Sinners is a magnificent detective/noir comic with writer and artist working in complete harmony. Having never read any of the previous stories featuring Tracy Lawless I did wonder how much backstory was going to be provided and whether it would interfere with delivering a dazzling first issue for the faithful readership. I get the feeling now however that Brubaker, the master storyteller that he is, has managed to pull off an inspired introduction to not only this Criminal story but possibly also the world that it inhabits. Sean Phillips seems to have adjusted his style slightly to deliver the real world setting and his use of shading and black ink to provide the oppressive mood is terrific, not least when coupled with Val Staples’ reserved and inspired palette work. A great team effort, so get onboard now. 8/10


WAR HEROES #3
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Tony Harris
Image $2.99

Matt C: Should I have bothered picking this up? I mean, it’s been over a year since the last issue, and to be honest I wasn’t that enamoured with that, and I can only really recall the panel showing the fellow with the ludicrously over-sized cock. This new instalment was kind of hard to take seriously with its super-powered Al Qaeda warrior creating merry hell for US troops, and I assume that wasn’t the intended effect. Harris’ work here is disjointed: it may look fine in individual panels, but not all of those panels flow together successfully, often resulting in confusion. Obviously Millar’s attempting to pass comment on conflict in the Middle East but I found this book so unengaging that any points he was trying to make flew right over my head. Question is, now I’ve reached halfway point to I stick around for the conclusion? Or bail out while I’ve still got the chance? 3/10


DOCTOR VOODOO: AVENGER OF THE SUPERNATURAL #1
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Jefte Palo
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: After the bizarrely understated search for the new Sorcerer Supreme – c’mon Marvel that deserved a bigger run than a paltry 3-4 issues in New Avengers – I was interested to see what the bigwigs at the House of Ideas had in store for Doc Strange and his successor. I’ve not come across much of Rick Remender’s work before but he seems to have clear plans for where he’s taking Doctor Voodoo. The dealings with Dormammu at the beginning may be swift but I think it’s a great move showing (a) just what sort of mystical combatant Brother Voodoo can be when he needs to fight tough, and (b) that we’re not going to be treading down too many well worn paths with this title. Another cameo from a ruthlessly villainous face (or masked face at least!) is another good choice, not least because that character would certainly fancy his chances of obtaining the Eye of Agamotto in a moment like that. Jefte Palo’s style – something of an Eric Canete and Skottie Young blend - is a perfect fit for the otherworldly occurrences and characters, and his panel work is terrifically varied. My only observation at this point is that he doesn’t appear to like drawing human eyes as everyone has a ‘squinty’ quality to them. But that’s just a needlessly picky comment on a truly outstanding first issue. 9/10


BATMAN AND ROBIN #5
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Phillip Tan & Jonathan Glapion
DC $2.99

Matt T: Mr Morrison seems determined to put the caped crusaders through the mill for their fledgling tenure as the new Dark Knight and Boy Wonder, to the point where the real deal would probably have trouble coping. Damian really has come out as the standout character in this book, being a typically arrogant and cocky teenager while occasionally kicking ass, although mostly steaming in without much care for his well-being or what Bats tells him. Long may it continue, and hopefully long may Morrison stay out of his 'weird shit' draw. 9/10

Stewart R: Ah-ha! Everything about that one panel with the Pink Flamingo’s jet in the midst of last issue is fully explained here in brutal detail and my initial concerns of last issue have faded away. I found this to be an excellent Batman And Robin read and having the Dynamic Duo go up against evenly matched foes in the form of Red Hood and Scarlett so early in their partnership is certainly ramping up the tension. The two of them are still trying to find their feet with each other, which has them somewhat on the back foot when confronted by calculating and deadly opponents. The relationship between Sasha and Jason Todd is also developing nicely from the mentor/student role to something more rounded and Morrison is delivering some brilliant work. Philip Tan’s art also steps up a notch and seems less confused this time around and the ‘Next in Batman and Robin’ tease is a great little idea. 9/10


VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT #2
Writer: Gregg Hurwitz
Art: Jerome Opeña & Paul Nounts
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Yep. I was right: we’re in good hands here people. The meeting between Moon Knight and the Sentry is brilliantly realised by writer and artist as the Sentry flies from pillar to post to prevent accident after accident in the course of telling Moon Knight just how difficult a job he has in front of him. Then it’s down to business as Jake Lockley starts building up his crime-fighting credentials while constantly battling back his darker nature in the form of a miniature Khonshu, constantly chirping away in his ear to ‘kill, kill, kill!’. Hurwitz makes sure that for every Moon Knight set-piece we get some decent Jake Lockley introspection, and it really does feel like I’m getting a lot of comic for my money. Once again the slight cliffhanger at the end could be a worry under other circumstances but I’m confident that the writer has things under control. 8/10


CROSSED #7
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Jacen Burrows
Avatar $3.99

Matt C: At this point the characters feel a lot less like zombie fodder and a lot more like people we’ve come to care about, which pretty much means Ennis has us in the palm of his hand and he can do whatever he likes. Basically, no one’s safe here, a fact that the writer highlights to horrifying effect this issue. With help from Burrows, who provides some expressive visual characterization along with the expected repulsive imagery, Ennis has had the all the ammunition to deliver what – so far – has been 2009’s most startling miniseries. 9/10

Matt T: A gleefully sadistic and generally evil book for the most part, but Ennis also injects his characters with more than one dimension, making it entirely possible to feel bad when they're raped/beaten with a horse cock/killed in the face. The Crossed are getting more organised, determined and are slowly becoming even more of a nightmare than in the first issue. Although there hasn't been any truly horrific occurrences for a little while there's still scope for it to go all horribly, graphically wrong which, I'm slightly ashamed to say, I'm really looking forward to. 9/10


X-MEN VS AGENTS OF ATLAS #1
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz & Chris Samnee
Mavrel $3.99

Stewart R: I am so, so torn with what Jeff Parker and Carlo Pagulayan have managed to come up with here. On the one hand you have the two teams well portrayed and brilliantly illustrated by the creative team, yet on the other you have a gaping axe-wound of a plot hole staring you smack in the face. Considering that Namora and Namor are currently big players on each side it really does beg the freaking question why the Agents of Atlas couldn’t just sneakily ask the X-Men for use of Cerebra? Add to that the small fact that we’re not shown the events leading up to Venus’ kidnapping in the first place and there are two good reasons to not pay the $3.99 cover price. The thing is, I can’t dislike this comic book. It does a fantastic job of keeping in line with Matt Fraction’s view of the current X-World and doesn’t deviate far from the Agents of Atlas that I’ve come to love. If you can look past its foibles then there’s a reasonable enough team dust-up here to entertain. 6/10


NORTH 40 #4
Writer: Aaron Williams
Art: Fiona Staples
DC/Wildstorm $2.99

Stewart R: I have to say that I’m entertained by this title in a way that similarly-premised TV shows and movies have failed to entertain me before. The High School Dance setting for some undead action against mutated school kids is clichéd certainly, but no less fun for it. It also acts as a much needed character development piece for Wyatt Hinkle as he tries to bring his deputised lawman persona to the party. Williams seems to be playing this as a spook-fest first and a tongue-in-cheek comedy second and that appears to be working as the crazy goings-on never seem to be too far over the top. Staples’ reserved line and palette work helps to realise the world that Williams has imagined tremendously, and her ability to get across the fear and plight on some of the poor unfortunates’ faces is superb. It’s good guys, believe me. 7/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #275
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Al Gordon
Marvel $0.60

Matt C: A sleazy editor of a low rent jazz mag trys to snap some paparazzi style photos of She-Hulk with her norks out while she sunbathes atop the Baxter Building. Shulkie is understandably unhappy so first attempts to put a stop to her topless shots being published for the world to see by going down the legal route in the form of her alter-ego, Jennifer Walters. When that fails, it’s time to Hulk-out!! Ok, this is hardly in the same league as the FF’s battles with Doom or Galactus, but it is fun, if a little on the silly side. And – I’ll be honest – if I was living in the Marvel Universe you can be damn sure I would have picked up a copy of any stoke book featuring She-Hulk in her birthday suit. Hubba hubba! 7/10