Mini Reviews 28/02/2010

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.

CAPTAIN SWING AND THE ELECTRICAL PIRATES OF CINDERY ISLAND #1
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: Raulo Caceres
Avatar $3.99

Matt C: Even though I wish Ellis would get around to carrying on with those series he’s left hanging (Fell, Desolation Jones, Doktor Sleepless etc) rather than continuously churning out new books, I can’t help but find myself drawn to pretty much every title he puts out due to the strength of the core concepts he has the enviable knack of generating on a regular basis. Captain Swing is another doozy, with Ellis mixing the birth of the British police force with a dash of steampunk in the form of the mythical Victorian era ‘creature’ known as Spring Heeled Jack. Ellis often plays successfully with the accepted storytelling conventions of the medium, here interspersing regular comic panels with single-page bursts of prose exposition. Caceres’ art captures the atmosphere of the era well, conveying the combination of historical fact and total fantasy with aplomb. A promising opening shot. 8/10

James R: A new Ellis series is always a cause for celebration with me, and Captain Swing is enough to break out my Bathtub Gin and shout, “Sainted cancerous testes!” It’s what we've come to expect from Warren Ellis: a tale seeped in history (like Crecy and Frankenstein's Womb), a narrative with technology and the future at it's core (like... well, everything Ellis writes!) and some frankly Olympic-level swearing. The tale is set in a Victorian London beset by Spring-Heeled Jack, but a Jack who seems to have some rather non-Victorian weaponry and means of transport at his disposal. So is this a secret history? An alternate history? Ellis keeps his cards close to his chest on this one, but those of us who slavishly read everything he puts out will know that the answer will be as clever as a room full of particle physicists wearing some weird cybernetic brain enhancers. Reassuringly good, but am I the only one who thinks Captain Swing looks a lot like Scottish comedy maverick Jerry Sadowitz? 8/10


ULTIMATE COMICS ENEMY #2
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Rafa Sandoval
Marvel 3.99

Tom P: This comic hits the ground running, from a great opening page with Spider-Man discussing why he doesn’t want an action figure of himself to make money as it defeats the point of his “selfless acts”, to Nick Fury getting attacked thus revealing himself to the world again and breaking his black ops cover. Fury rolls through flames, guns blazing, while his personal force-shield takes the damage. This all looks fantastic by the way, I can’t praise Sandoval enough: his pencil work is fun and energetic. The Fantastic Four also make a tragic discovery, Ben Grimm’s skin continues to fracture and break, and we start to see a bit more of this new Enemy. Not as strong as the first issue and I hope to see a bit more of the motivation behind these attacks in the next two parts. However, all said and done, I can’t wait to read more. 7/10


BLACKEST NIGHT #7
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert & Joe Prado
DC $3.99

James R: ...And it started so well. Damn. Blackest Night finally comes entirely off the rails in this month. After last week's slugfest in Green Lantern, I was hoping this issue would get back to the core of the tale – the concept of life and death in the DCU. And it does, but now, I wish it hadn't. Now, I accept this isn't our Earth, or our Universe, and different rules apply but please – this is beyond nuts! We learn that all life in the Universe started on Earth! What?! And the entity who “bestowed the light that triggered life itself" has been hidden on Earth! Huh?! So, of all the super-powered beings on Earth, and all the geniuses, no one had ever figured this out? Or sensed it? Bonkers. Naturally, it looks lovely, and Johns has some great touches, but for me this is the issue where the suspension of disbelief collapsed (and bearing in mind I was willing to go along with the Spectre getting his eyelids ripped off, that's saying something!) 5/10

Stewart R: This an interesting issue to be sure - it's got some good points but unfortunately some disappointing ones as well. Johns finally brings all of the various Corps to the Black Lantern party on Earth and the madness ensues as the forces of light attempt to stop Nekron from bringing death to the whole universe. With one issue to go it's obviously time for Johns to start playing with the higher concepts at work and it's here where the disappointment begins to creep in. Making Earth yet again the point of origin for the beginnings of life is quite a tired idea now and I think it smacks of a little laziness. Admittedly he offers an explanation from the Guardians about their previous actions, which ties into the Green Lantern history of limiting human accessibility to the Corps, but I've come to expect a bit more invention from such a great writer. The other thing I've noticed is the complete disappearance of peril that oozed from the earlier issues where hearts were being ripped out all over the shop. Now the 'end of everything' scenario is playing out it feels like the initial drive of emotion and danger that made this series unmissable has almost had its own heart ripped out. It's still good for an event comic but just not as good as it could have been. 6/10

Matt C: I can see a lot of people loving this issue as it’s basically non-stop, wall-to-wall action all the way through, but for me it’s easily the weakest part of the series so far and highlights one aspect of Johns’ style of storytelling that I find a real turn off. Essentially the writer is throwing in everything including the kitchen sink (and a lot more besides) in here, and the end result is an overcrowded, cluttered, noisy read that, for a tale that relies on the ‘emotional spectrum’, had absolutely zero emotional resonance for me. I mentioned in previous reviews of Blackest Night that when you get into tale of this magnitude you really need a character, or handful of characters, to hold on to, to help you navigate through the narrative. It really should have been Hal Jordan and Barry Allen, and while it looked like it would play out that way early on, too many other characters have tried to nab a piece of the limelight since then. The art amps up the intensity with each passing page, but unfortunately I found myself caring less and less as I got further through the book. Sinestro’s role in the finale shows promise, but I can’t say I’m excited to see how this ‘event’ plays out anymore. 5/10


AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #33
Writer: Christos N.Gage
Art: Jorge Molina & Victor Olazaba
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Siege has impressed in its own right and The Initiative, under Gage's terrific direction, is the perfect accompaniment to Marvel's triumphant return to comic events. Gage takes the main points from the latest issue of Siege and sets the likes of Taskmaster, Constrictor and Diamondback in the thick of the action to show their unique perspectives. It's a well thought out move and even though it fudges a few of the situations from the main title to brings these guys in, it does add an extra level of emotion to proceedings as these perennial also-rans begin to see the bigger picture. The breakdown of Diamondback's feelings for Constrictor is also very well judged indeed, though I can't help but feel it'll all end in tears. I can take or leave the Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. attack by the Avengers Resistance element of this title but that is still poised to explode nicely in the next few issues. Jorge Molina returns on pencils and he's proving to be one of Marvel's underrated gems. 7/10


CHOKER #1
Writer: Ben McCool
Art: Ben Templesmith
Image $3.99

James R: A couple of years ago at the Bristol Comics Expo, I and some of the other members of the Paradox Group happened to be meet a guy during dinner who, for want of a better word, was a character. He held court as he regaled us with tales that would make a Sailor blush and a Marine faint. At one point, I lent across to one of the group and said, “Who is this guy?” The answer was Ben McCool. After such a night, I obviously took a great interest in McCool's career – could he write comics that were as unhinged as he was? Well, yeah, he can! Choker is a 6-part miniseries that has got some corking ingredients: it's a hard-boiled detective tale fused with a dystopian future, and a smidgen of serial-killer grime. The tale focuses on PI Johnny Jackson, drummed out of the Police for not wanting to take performance-enhancing drugs, but given a chance to return by his boss Milton Ellis – all he has to do is track down a particularly egregious murderer. As well as being a compelling read, it looks fantastic due to Ben Templesmith's distinctive pencils. His work does make me pine for more issues of Fell, but in the absence of Warren Ellis' genius, McCool's brand of psychosis will suit me just fine. 9/10

Matt C: Of the two Bens involved in this book’s creation, Templesmith’s the real star while McCool’s something of an unknown quantity (bar him entertaining me and several others with some scandalous tales over curry at the Bristol Comics Expo a few years back!). We know Templesmith’s visuals will be a real treat, but has McCool got the writing chops to ensure Choker is an engaging read? On the this evidence, the answer is ”oh, yes!” McCool appears to be drinking from the same profane well as Warren Ellis, so we get a lot of juicy dialogue set against the backdrop of a ‘hell on Earth’ dystopian setting. It’s the kind of premise that Brit writers seem to excel at, and with the exquisite, utterly distinctive artistry of Templesmith to aid him, McCool looks like he might be onto a winner. The final scene was a tad confusing to these eyes, but that aside this was a strong, attention-grabbing debut. 7/10


THUNDERBOLTS #141
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Miguel Sepulveda
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: I'm really starting to feel sorry for some of the Thunderbolts members. It’s slowly beginning to dawn on them that they're being hung out to dry somewhat as Osborn has more urgent matters to attend to than the internal conflicts of this ragtag bunch of psychos and individuals of a questionable moral nature. Parker, a true master of group and team comic writing, ensures that the tension simmers nicely as Scourge tries to keep the potentially lethal mission on track and all of the T-Bolts in line. I'm guessing the mission that Osborn has sent his black ops team on could play a big part in the latter stages of Siege, but Parker's inclusion of the Mighty Avengers here makes me think that it might not be as clear-cut as I first thought. Sepulveda's art is serviceable but I'm no great fan and occasionally his style seems a little too simplistic. It'll be interesting to see where this team are taken post-Siege, if anywhere, but for now it's a reasonable contributor to the bigger picture. 6/10


FLASH: REBIRTH #6
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ethan Van Sciver & Scott Hanna
DC $2.99

Matt C: Now it’s all done and dusted it’s clear this ‘relaunch’ of Barry Allen into the DC Universe hasn’t really matched up to expectations by a long shot. Where Johns and Sciver’s Green Lantern: Rebirth was a total success, this mini has been marred by poor pacing (pun semi-intended!) and a generally confusing approach to the obviously complicated Flash mythos. There’s a sense that Johns’ is preaching to the converted here and doesn’t really go out of his way to cater for newbies. The quieter, human moments shine through but I did feel on a regular basis that the story was running ahead of me and I had no chance of catching up (pun totally intended!). All told, it’s not been terrible, but it had the chance to be something so much more. I approach the new Flash series now as something to try, but with no expectation of it settling into my pull-list for the long term. 6/10


DEADPOOL #20
Writer: Daniel Way
Art: Carlo Barberi and Sandu Florea
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: This is still not reaching the laugh-out-loud limits that I was hoping for, but Deadpool and Spidey's first meeting with Hit-Monkey is certainly a grin-fest as the two masked super-bods attempt to survive the gun-slinging encounter. Way has some decent fun with Deadpool's completely irrational fear of the macaque assassin as well as Spider-Man's suggestion of a possible get-out for the Merc with a Mouth. There's also some great work here from Carlo Barberi who delivers the usual Deadpool antics as well as some decent characterisation for the newly introduced primate with a vendetta. While it doesn’t hit the heights of previous issues it's still worth checking out if you're up for a chuckle. 7/10


BATMAN AND ROBIN #9
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Cameron Stewart
D.C 2.99

Tom P: I love this comic. This is one of those times when I get to an a single issue in a run, and that issue completely blows me away. It’s the last part of Stewart’s story with Morrison and it’s been fun, gripping and original. Plus, every one said the right thing this time - phew! Its extremely well written, from the mad Batman clones crazy broken dialogue to Dick's crush on Batwoman (and who can blame him, but he’s definitely not her type!) I also loved his description of the cloned Dark Knight’s fighting style: “Like a good song in the hands of a really bad singer”. The conversation between Squire and Knight about new equipment also made me smile: “We can barely cover the unleaded for the bikes.” I know that feeling. Damian’s great in this, the ways he fights his father's clone is inventive and full of disdain and humour. New age of crime meet the new age of the crimefighter - it’s Morrison at his best and I will miss Stewart’s dynamic high-level work. With this and Detective Comics I think it’s an exciting time to be a Batman fan. Did I mention I love this? 10/10


SECRET WARRIORS #13
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Stefano Caselli
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: This title is still gearing up for Nick Fury's big push at Hydra and the newly unveiled Leviathan organisation, so the emphasis from Hickman falls on the reader getting to learn more about the pasts of Baron Von Strucker and The Kraken, as well as Daisy's contemplation on whether all of her team can survive the upcoming life and death battles. I'm sure Hickman is enjoying himself with these plotlines, selling us the odd feint here and there, dropping occasional hints of what may or may not come further up the road, and keeping his audience guessing at every turn. He's also done a grand job with adding flesh to the bones of Hydra and showing that they're not a one-dimensional organization and even have their own internal politics that are threatening to tear them apart. Caselli still pumps out the pages of expected quality even in these times of limited action, and the cover from Jim Cheung is yet further evidence that we need him working on his own book sometime soon. 8/10


SCALPED #35
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Danijel Zezalj
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: Something quite unexpected this issue: hope. Month in, month out, we’re used to Aaron supplying us with heavy doses bleakness and brutality in the Prairie Rose reservation, but here it’s as if he’s decided to remind us that he’s focusing on one particularly violent and repellent aspect of the town, and that it’s not all doom and gloom. An old couple, living on the outskirts of the reservation, cut off from the seedy goings on of Red Crow et al, amply display that feelings of love, pride, connection and hope still exist and are cherished by those people who haven’t chosen a path of self-destruction. Tonally, it’s a hell of a lot different than what we’re used to in this book, and while guest artist Zezelj’s work goes some way to differentiating the focus, stylistically it’s not that far removed from series regular Guera’s art to cause any jarring. Something of an emotional sucker punch all told, and further proof that Scalped remains in a class of its own. 9/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #622
Writers: Fred Van Lente & Greg Weisman
Art: Joe Quinones & Luke Ross
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Bah, this is the problem with Amazing Spider-Man at the moment: you get a decent arc of three or four issues and then you get an extra dollar slapped on the cover and a drop of quality between the covers for a week. Morbius is one of my least favourite Spider-Man characters and the vampire-fuelled story that fills the front end of this issue is pretty poor all around. The story from Van Lente is rather pedestrian with a dollop of annoying cliché for good measure. Morbius' scientific work may come back to play a part in future stories but it wasn't really worth the twelve pages of rubbish we're given here to get that across. The second story from Weisman and Ross is decent enough as Flash Thompson has to deal with his disability and overcome the depression that he's been feeling. It's a nice character-driven piece, but to be honest it probably should have found its way into Web Of Spider-Man as it didn't seem to offer anything substantial to the rather promising ‘Gauntlet’ work we've seen so far. It would have also saved us all the extra dollar at the same time! 5/10


COWBOY NINJA VIKING #4
Writer: A J Lieberman
Art: Riley Rossmo
Image $3.50

Stewart R: The issue starts with a terrifically madcap scene where a dozen or so 'triplets' talk amongst themselves and the multiple personalities start bickering and sniping at each other. The truly bizarre choices that Lieberman has made for these triplet characters is where half of the fun of this comic lies and while the stereotypes on display could render the comic unreadable in the wrong hands, artist Rossmo and letterer Clayton Cowles make a great job of keeping things flowing nicely. The action tapers off somewhat but that's blatantly necessary here considering Image's decision to move this up from miniseries to ongoing title. What we get instead is a neat flashback and explanation of Duncan's most catastrophic mission, a little more insight into Johann Blaq's motivations, and the introduction of Duncan's new sidekick.... Gary. It all goes a little awry here, as Gary's condition isn't quite explained in clear enough detail (and neither is his sudden induction into the team) but this is a screwball comic anyway and I can live with little things like this. 8/10

Incoming... 24/02/2010

New comics are released tomorrow (in the States at least; we have to wait until Thursday in the UK!). Here's a brief look at our expectations for the books we're picking up this week.


Stewart R: The end of the month hits hard with Blackest Night #7 which should have many a comic fan rubbing their hands in eager anticipation. I’ll certainly be flicking through the pages of my copy before any other comic this week if for no other reason than to see if, and how, the events of Green Lantern #51 are covered and/or mentioned by the talented Mr Geoff Johns. From the start I’ve wondered if Johns has been writing this event with the two titles acting as the core pillar of the story or whether he thinks the event book can stand purely on its own.

The other DC title finding it’s way into my pile will be Batman and Robin #9 which should certainly throw up something interesting as the injured Damian comes face to face with the psychotic, Lazarus-Chamber revived clone of Batman. I've certainly not been blown away by the two previous parts of this arc but bringing Damian to the fore, particularly in his injured condition, should get Morrison earning his pennies.

Image throw Cowboy Ninja Viking #4 into my pile for the week and I cannot wait to see what other bonkers 'triplet personality' assassins might turn up in this highly entertaining comic. Image were so certain of success with this title that they switched it to an ongoing from 4-issue series before the 1st part had hit the shelves and while I'm not sure what sort of numbers it's been shifting it certainly deserves an audience as AJ Lieberman and Riley Rossmo have done well with this first, important arc so far.

And now on to the House of Ideas offerings for the week... Christos N Gage brings us the penultimate issue of Avengers: The Initiative as the trainee superheros are led into the Siege of Asgard by Taskmaster, Constrictor and Diamondback in #33 I've really enjoyed the title since its introduction and Gage has done a remarkable job of making me care about characters who would have never have had the focus if not for this book. I just hope he resolves the Constrictor/Diamondback storyline before it all comes to a close.

Deadpool #20 brings us the madcap antics of the Merc With The Mouth as he tries to help Spider-Man track down the infamous and deadly Hit-Monkey. Way seemed a little bit reserved in the last issue with the jokes and quips but I'm really expecting him to bust them out when the lethal Japanese primate makes his full debut. I'm expecting it to all go absolutely bananas... just as it might go in Secret Warriors #13. The Druid features on Jim Cheung's superb cover (c'mon Marvel, give this artist his own comic already!!!) and Phobos' predicted big things for Sebastian Druid a while ago and I'm thinking we might get to see what that was all about here.

Abnett and Lanning are working hard, managing to get a book out almost every week of the month what with the large number of cosmic titles under their command these days. The Realm of Kings miniseries' have certainly been impressive after I was highly sceptical of both in the early days of their runs. Realm of Kings: Inhumans #4 promises to increase the strain that the royal family have already been struggling to control as the threats and problems come from myriad angles. These writers have worked tremendously hard to develop both Queen Medusa and Crystal as leaders and I'm looking forward to finding out just where they are taking these strong, driven women.

A quick perusal over the rest of my list sees more 'Gauntlet' action in Amazing Spider-Man #622 as Morbius (groan - really? Morbius?) flies back into the Web Swinger's life; Thunderbolts #141 no doubt has these whipping boys on the end of a serious hiding in Asgard and X-Force #24 will probably be delighting and frustrating in equal measure as Clayton Crain draws/paints us some more Necrosha antics. I'll certainly be looking to be pleasantly surprised by at least one of these titles this week.

From The Vaults: 30 DAYS OF NIGHT #1-3

While we spend a great deal of time engrossed in the current crop of comic books, let us not forget those fantastic tales from the past that still sit in amongst our collections but are always worth revisiting...

30 DAYS OF NIGHT #1-3
Writer: Steve Niles
Art: Ben Templesmith
IDW

By Matt T

*WARNING - CONTAINS SPOILERS*

The first thing that struck me about 30 Days Of Night was the premise. In the remote town of Barrow in Alaska, where the sun sets for an entire month every year, a horde of vampires set about having themselves a party. There's far more to it than that, but the central plot rarely strays away from the abject horror of the situation. This isn't your pretty boy vampires, all angst and hair gel, this is a group of animals intent on tearing a small town apart.
Standing between the few survivors and complete annihilation are local sheriff, Eben Olemaun, and his estranged wife, Stella, who find they have to go to extraordinary lengths to survive. What follows is a bloody, thrilling and occasionally shocking account of the 30-day period before the sun reappears. There isn't a whole amount of exposition or dialogue required as a result, with little more than the occasional bout of bickering and attempts to find a sliver of hope filling the word balloons.

Helping Steve Niles' atmospheric writing is the individual style of Ben Templesmith’s visuals. The artist's scratchy, watercolour technique is a real 'marmite' divider amongst fans, but I find the minimal backdrops really bring out the exaggerated physiology of the vampires. Instead of the vamps resembling humans in all but their longer incisors, Templesmith portrays these bloodsuckers as razor-toothed creatures with very little similarity to their prey, and the presence of child vampires is utterly chilling. There's no stopping or placating them, and as the conclusion shows, the only manner in which the heroes can overcome the approaching darkness is to become one of them.
As Eben struggles to retain his humanity in the face of the overwhelming predatory instincts of the vampire infection, he chooses to spend his last minutes with his wife, seeing in the sunset in what some may see as a clichéd ending, but personally I find it poignant in a book of such simplicity.

In spite of the obvious attempts to set up a sequel, and the unnecessary subplot of a camcording, helicopter-riding fella from New Orleans who gets killed almost as quickly as he enters Barrow airspace, 30 Days Of Night is a straightforwardly entertaining read. There are plenty of spin-offs and follow-ups, as well as a movie adaptation, but for effective, unfussy shocks and scares you can't go far wrong by sticking with the original.

Mini Reviews 21/02/2010

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.

CHASE VARIANT: ONE SHOT (IS ALL I NEED)
Writer: Rich Johnston
Art: Saverio Tenuta & Bagwell
Image $3.99

Matt C: Rich Johnston is primarily known throughout the industry as the premier purveyor of comics scuttlebutt, formerly over at CBR’s Lying In The Gutters and now at his new home of Bleeding Cool. He ruffles plenty of feathers, and folks like to turn their nose up at what he writes, but everyone reads his columns all the same. He’s penned several comics in the past, although nothing that’s sold by the bucketload, and if you were being cynical you may wonder if he gets half these gigs by blackmailing various high up bods at the publishers in question. Based on Chase Variant, that would be a wholly unfair assumption, since it’s an entertaining and cleverly constructed one-shot. Briefly, the idea is that two god-like beings are playing a kind of Top Trumps-esque card game, the characters profiled on each cards having no idea their strings are being pulled from afar. It’s not an entirely original premise, but it’s propelled along at such a pace that you aren’t really given the time to question whether you’ve seen any of these tricks before. Johnston’s writing is solid and displays a blatant understanding of the genre(s) he’s riffing on, but the art really kicks everything up a notch. Both Tenuta and Bagwell turn in some stylish visuals, full of energy and intensity, with Bagwell’s work being faintly reminiscent of Clayton Crain in spots. It’s doubtful this would have much potential beyond it’s one-shot status, as Johnston says pretty much all he needs to here, but as a single burst it delivers the goods. 7/10


SPIDER-WOMAN #6
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Alex Maleev
Marvel 2.99

Tom P: Jessica Drew faces the Thunderbolts, aka the team you send to lose a fight. Setting aside the standard plotting of Norman’s black ops team, this is a great action packed issue. The fight with Ghost (who still continues to be the best character from Thunderbolts) is very good indeed and is set out wonderfully by Maleev, his depiction of the energy discharged in this smackdown looks very cool. I watched the first Spider-Woman Motion comic and decided it wasn’t for me as I found the voice acting distracting and I prefer being able to read it at my own pace. I feel this is a better format for this story and I’m glad I’m reading this sexy and fun comic book. 7/10


UNCANNY X-MEN #521
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Greg Land
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: There's something about Magneto, sat in the lotus position, blood dripping from his nose, that just has an exciting air to it. A man of action like Magneto doesn't stay still for long and it's evident that Fraction knows how to get the very most out of such inaction. He also knows that when you send three X-Men heavy-hitters like Wolverine, Colossus and Psylocke to Japan on a mission you've got to make the action count. Bringing Fantomex into the fold works really well and he's a character I'd like to see more of in this book if he's handled like this. Land manages to pull out another quality issue without the previous niggles turning up again. Not bad, not bad at all. 8/10


GREEN LANTERN #51
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke
DC $2.99

James R: Or: 'The issue where Blackest Night begins to strain under it's own ridiculousness.' So far, I've loved Blackest Night, and been impressed with the blend of all-out action and delving into the concept of death and rebirth in the DC Universe. Sadly, at the moment Johns has neglected this more philosophical strand and just opted for a WWE-style slugfest. I can't deny that there is a certain fanboy joy to be had in watching the Spectre getting his face torn off (and yep, that is the most ridiculous sentence I'll write all year) and Mahnke does his usual stellar art job, but for me, Green Lantern has just become a little repetitive. I'm hoping Johns turns it round in the next issue proper of Blackest Night. 6/10

Stewart R: I love it when I get to the end of a comic and it feels an age since I read the first page. I got that very feeling when closing the cover to Green Lantern #51 this week and any concerns I had had about the return of Parallax in this title have washed away in a sea of green willpower. Johns has set out his stall with Blackest Night and has demonstrated that through this unnerving wave of black there are anomalies and exceptions that even the force of death cannot deal with in one fell swoop. In this issue Johns looks at just what the Spectre is and why he has been turned into a Black Lantern, and also explains why Parallax and similar emotional life-forces manage to trouble the Spectre so. While that's the over-riding story to this issue there's some delightful development of Larfleeze and Lex Luthor's battle for the Orange Lantern and Johns even gets time to drop some hints as to what Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns might be looking for once the Brightest Day arrives. Mahnke is still managing to eclipse Ivan Reis' work on the main title for me and I hope he's sticking around on this title for a good while yet. I don't think anyone is likely to disagree when I say that DC are succeeding in giving us the almost perfect event! 8/10


CAPTAIN AMERICA #603
Writers: Ed Brubaker & Sean McKeever
Art: Luke Ross, Butch Guice, David Baldeon & N. Bowling
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The hoo-ha following last issue and it’s teabagging reference kind of flummoxed me until I bothered to look into it and find it had nothing to do with a bizarre sex act and instead concerned some political protesters in the States. It’s all seems to be a bit of a storm in a teacup (sorry!!) so let’s set all that nonsense aside and get down to the real important business, namely stating that Captain America is back on track again! This is the kind of pre-Reborn storytelling that got the book at the top of critics’ lists all over the place and it’s great to see it returning. Brubaker’s on form, and Guice’s inks bring a familiarity to Ross’s excellent illustrations – the whole thing’s a gripping read from start to finish. The Nomad backup still feels out of place, but it’s certainly not terrible and is a more-than-passable diversion. That said, this needs to go back to being a $2.99 book again. 8/10

James R: After last month's return to form for this title (and the frankly insane media storm surrounding it) this month sees it hit an awkward patch. The plot itself is fine – Ed Brubaker steps up the action as Bucky tries to outwit ‘50s Mental Cap (as I feel he should be called by everyone – including his friends and co-workers!) and the Watchdogs' insidious plot. The problem for me is this is one of the ugliest and poorly rendered comics I've brought in a long time. I always feel bad attacking artists, as I can't draw stickmen, and I appreciate what skill it takes to produce a monthly book, but jeez, this is poor. This is an issue that should be all about action and dynamism, but Ross' art is so awkward, it only serves to distance the reader from the narrative. When you consider the superb art teams on both Thor and Iron Man, I can't help but feel the Sentinel of Liberty is getting a rough deal. 5/10


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #45
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Patrick Gleason, Rebecca Buchman, Keith Champagne & Tom Nguyen
DC $2.99

Stewart R: MOGO!! After his great introduction to the Blackest Night event last issue, Mogo is proving to be one of the most promising and interesting characters in this title and Tomasi is doing a terrific job of showing us some of the planetoid’s unique abilities while not giving us too much to spoil the appetite. These abilities are really needed as the remnants of the GL Corps try to save Guy Gardner from the rage that is flowing through him and the red ring that threatens to kill any one of them at a moments notice. It is my belief that Tomasi and Gleason are one of the strongest writer/artist partnerships working in comics today and this issue is yet again evidence that I'm probably right. Every ounce of emotion and tense excitement that Gleason wants to invoke in his audience is translated so dramatically by Gleason's pencils, with delightful help from inkers Buchman, Champagne and Nguyen. That cover alone demonstrates the abilities of an artistic team using dynamic layout, focused colours and superb use of dark space. Keep it coming guys, I'm loving it! 9/10


DARK AVENGERS #14
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato
Marvel 3.99

Tom P: Dark Avengers has travelled a rocky road, a mixture of good and bad. The Sentry hasn’t been doing much for me, he seems to die nearly every time I read it! However, after reading the quite wonderful Siege I can see Bendis has been setting the Sentry up slowly (often badly) over the past 14 issues. This is one of the better Dark Avengers instalments as the Void is now in control of the Sentry and it sets up Siege #2 nicely. Deodato’s two-page spread of the Void wreaking havoc over New York is great, as is Osborn struggling to control the Sentry. Miss Hand also gets a cool moment, taking care of Moonstone effectively and proving why she’s Norman’s second-in-command. Much Better. 6/10


JOE THE BARBARIAN #2
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Sean Murphy
DC/Vertgo $2.99

Tom P: Not as strong as the excellent debut issue but still bloody good. The walk through Joe’s house last time makes a lot of sense now. He seems to be having these mad visions due to lack of sugar - he needs glucose and is trying to get to some soda in the kitchen - but this is getting more and more difficult as his condition gets worse and the fantasy world gets more dangerous. Sean Murphy’s art work is the real winner here; I love the page with a crashed Batmobile in Lego rubble, mini figs being marched away and a teddy bear in an Aliens style loader fighting the spooky black knights. 7/10

Stewart R: 'Magnificently Bonkers' is probably the phrase I'd use to describe this comic. The $1.00 price tag last time out lured me in and now the rush of the ride is going to keep me here for a while longer yet, though I've no clue where Morrison is going with this. The strange world that he has come up with is certainly intriguing and helps to keep the questions coming as Joe begins his heart-pounding journey through his own house and the fantastical-hallucinatory other world. Chakk the Rat Warrior is a guilty character pleasure dating back to the madness of the toy-driven 1980s and I'm especially looking forward to any character development that he might experience as this title runs. Sean Murphy produces some breathtaking work which makes all of the unexplained events certainly bearable while we wait for some clarity on Joe's predicament. I also really like the occasional use of dot colour and shading which gives this book an additional retro feel to go with all of the subtly placed toys from decades past that are strategically dropped in from time to time. 8/10

James R: This is very quickly becoming one of my favourite books. Joe is a beautiful read which shows off an artist and a writer working in perfect harmony. In this issue, Morrison spells out what Joe's quest will entail, whilst at the same time enhancing the mystery of his transformation. It cracks along without being ponderous or indulgent (and once again, I feel the need to play my 'See? Morrison can produce the goods!' card) whilst Sean Murphy's artwork is stunning, striking a balance between a fantasy landscape, and the mundane everyday world of Joe's home. I feel there's many more twists and turns in this tale, but I'm well and truly hooked. Sorry to sound repetitive, but Vertigo has an incredible series of titles out at the moment. Long may it continue. 8/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #621
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Mr Negative has to be one of the best things to come out of the ‘One More Day’ ASM-event and Dan Slott is certainly the writer who seems to know best when to bring him back into the fold. With Negative's Devil's Breath gas now tuned to Spider-Man's DNA the old wallcrawler has every right to be concerned about coming into contact with the monochromed super-villain and so he asks a favour of everyone's favourite buxom thief, Black Cat, to help 'procure' the deadly toxin. Mr Negative is essentially a crime boss and bringing former Daredevil artist Michael Lark on board adds a great noir feel to the events here as the darker side of Martin Li gets to show Spider-Man just what his powers can do. The plotline showing forensics specialist and Peter Parker plaything, Carlie, starting to influence control over her own life is well judged but the whole badass Aunt May is starting to get on my nerves. 7/10


INCORRUPTIBLE #3
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Jean Diaz & Belardino Brabo
Boom! Studios $3.99

Stewart R: This is shifting along nicely as Max, Jailbait and Armdale continue stumbling through their uneasy alliance while learning new things about each other in the process. Max's stance of not relying on his ill-gotten gains is well noted and yet he's still running the dubious line with his dealings with other super-villains and former associates. Waid seems to think that society would still follow some form of order in the face of such a powerful and unpredictable threat and he's at least sticking with that consistently which I think works very well. There's still the issue surrounding Diaz's portrayal of Jailbait but we're obviously set with that now so it's not worth going on about. Aside from that niggle the art suits the story well and all in all this looks like being a Boom! comic to stick with. 7/10


MARVELS: EYE OF THE CAMERA #6
Writers: Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern
Art: Jay Anacleto
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I think it’d be fair to admonish Marvel over the scheduling of this book (the penultimate issue came out last April with the finale only arriving this week), but it wouldn’t be fair to judge the last part of this sequel to the seminal Marvels as a standalone issue. Basically, ten months have gone by and in all honesty my recollection of what happened in the last five instalments isn’t as fresh as it would be if they’d come out in a timely manner. Certainly any emotional weight the series carried has essentially dissipated, and the poignancy of the ending suffers a significant loss of impact. I can say for sure that it doesn’t come close to matching it’s predecessor – the concept’s not as fresh and Alex Ross was a rare discovery – but the mark at the end of this review would no doubt be higher if I’d been able to read it without a substantial gap between the last two chapters. 6/10


BLACKEST NIGHT: THE FLASH #3
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Scott Kolins
DC $2.99

Matt C: Following both this mini and (the still incomplete) Rebirth my anticipation for the new Flash series has nearly flatlined I’m afraid. This is another of those superfluous Blackest Night tie-ins where you wonder why you got duped into buying it in the first place. Bar a few interesting scenes with the Rouges and a couple of nearly-affecting moments featuring Bart, this really didn’t have much to say for itself; certainly nothing that hasn’t been said – in less time – over in the main Blackest Night book. I still find Kolins’ art an acquired taste but to be fair there is some imagery that’s pretty effective. It’s an ongoing challenge of mine, to find my way fully into the Flash mythos – I’ve failed to do it so many times in the past, and based on this evidence it’s looking like that’ll happen again. I do hope I’m proven wrong though. 4/10


GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #23
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art: Wes Craig and Serge Lapointe
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: *Sigh* My big quandary over Wes Craig's artwork rises to the surface once again. The guy's talented, there's no doubting that, but his style is similar to that of Michael Avon Oeming and when running in relay with the vastly differing (and breathtaking) style of Brad Walker it just doesn't seem a good fit. The story work from DnA is decent enough with some tasty reveals this issue that may have some Guardians fans jumping for joy and others asking just how final anything is in the comics. Abnett and Lanning have stuck by their guns with Phyla's transformation into Martyr and it gives an extra emotional dimension here which works very well. 7/10


BATMAN #696
Writer: Tony Daniel
Art: Tony Daniel
D.C 2.99

Tom P: This hasn’t got the class of Detective Comics or the crazy retro charms of Batman And Robin, but it’s still a solid Batman tale. It suffers in the shadow of those terrific books, and is the weakest of the three, but is in no way a bad read. It’s nice to see Daniel draw and write this even if it is quite by-the-numbers with corrupt cops and mind controlling gas. However, he stuffs it full of the Dark Knight’s rogue gallery and his Catwoman looks great. There are some strong hints at who the Black Mask is in this issue and I for one am looking forward to finding out his true identity next month. 7/10


DEADPOOL #19
Writer: Daniel Way
Art: Carlo Barberi, Juan Vlasco & Sandu Florea
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Ok, seems that I had a detail wrong in my Incoming... report this week as Paco Medina was not on artistic duties for this shift, but I have to say that I read the majority of the comic before noticing! Barberi's art style is a very good match for Mr Medina and when you have the same inkers and colourist doing their jobs this also can help 'blend in’ an artist. With the Hit-Monkey one-shot out of the way it helps here to not have to ask too many questions about the furry-primate's presence in New York but when you deal with a Deadpool title questions and answers don't tend to be a high priority. There's some tasty little comic touches with a great 4th wall breaker regarding the last Spidey-Pool team up as well as a certain 'alibi' that the Merc with a Mouth has to use. It's not laugh out loud funny at the moment but I'm guessing with a nutter monkey assassin on the loose there'll be comedy poop hitting giant fans any time now. 7/10


DOCTOR VOODOO: AVENGER OF THE SUPERNATURAL #5
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Jefte Palo
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Strongest instalment of the run so far which is apt I guess - always better to end on a high. Where some of the previous issues had floundered and become bogged down in Nightmare's remade reality, with far too much double-crossing and possession going on, this actually uses all of those points to produce a strong, concise and exciting story. Keeping Doom in the loop was a nice touch and really paid off at the end and I get the feeling that Remender had some real plans for Brother Voodoo in this role - a shame that we won't get to see them all but I don't think the character is going away anytime soon. Jefte Palo is also another talent that Marvel have done well to offer fresh work to and I really look forward to seeing him on another title soon. 8/10


DOOMWAR #1
Writer: Jonathan Mayberry
Art: Scott Eaton, Andy Lanning & Robert Campanella
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I’m out of the loop with the current goings on in the X-world, I have no idea what’s been happening in Wakanda with the Black Panther et al, so you may well ask what am I doing picking this book up? Take the first syllable of the title, and there’s your answer. Doom. Certainly my favourite comic book villain, and more than likely one of my favourite characters in the medium (ever!), sticking his name on the cover often gives me an irrational urge to purchase a title my rational mind tells me I have no interest in. Sometimes that works out in my favour though, and this is definitely one of those occasions. Doomwar #1 is an excellent opening shot, positioning all the players in the unfolding drama, keeping the stakes high and the tension bubbling towards boiling point. Yeah, it’s superhero world politics so you can’t take it too seriously, but Mayberry applies a great deal of intelligence to the situation and Eaton’s art generates some foreboding atmospherics (helped greatly by Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s muted colours). And Doom himself? He’s (unsurprisingly) in malevolent bastard mode, manipulating everyone for his own nefarious ends. You don’t need to primed with backstory to jump onboard this one, and it’s definitely worth a punt. 8/10


PSYLOCKE #4
Writer: Chris Yost
Art: Harvey Tolibao and Sandu Florea
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Meh - not sure what I really think of this miniseries now we've reached the end. I've certainly been wowed by Harvey Tolibao's talent as he’s delivered some terrific fighting set-pieces with Betsy's powers at the forefront of the action. Chris Yost has done an admirable job of making this something of a mystery piece with some good character development of Psylocke as she comes to grips with her latest incarnation, but I can't help but feel that this comic was not quite what it could have been. Using Wolverine as a surprise element is okay until we get up to the point where he once again becomes the unstoppable animal of rage, which is getting oh so very tired. I also question Logan's final response here considering the lengths that he has gone to and the story does just seem to just peter out at the end. There has to be a smarter way of using such a convoluted character and I can't help think that a trick was missed there. Pretty decent overall but not nearly as good as it could have been. 6/10

Graphic Perception: THOMAS WOGAN IS DEAD

By Matt C

THOMAS WOGAN IS DEAD
Writer: David Hughes
Art David Hughes
Tabella £5.99/$11.95

Thomas Wogan is one of those archetypal British losers that are instantly recognisable due to their prevalence in homegrown popular culture over the years. He's the kind of unassuming guy that would go unnoticed in a crowd, but shine a spotlight on him and he becomes a unique and curious character to observe. Locked into a never-ending daily routine, his habits and hobbies are as bewildering as they are hilarious, and they're never anything less than fascinating.

The title might drop a bit of a hint about the plotline, but it's not quite as clear cut at that . Deciding - for reasons only known to him - to break his monotonous routine, Wogan inexplicably finds himself naked in a nondescript waiting room. Seated in the other chairs are a cuckoo, a sea urchin, a toad, a bat , a fish and an egg. What follows is a series of vignettes where the occupants relay to each other exactly what they were doing before mysteriously appearing in the waiting room. Unsurprisingly, a common theme begins to emerge.

Potentially depressing subject matter is enlivened by a large dollop of black humour as the general mundanity of the characters' lives becomes clearer, with the reasons they find themselves in the waiting room ranging from the bizarre to the ridiculous. Wogan himself is an endearing creation (despite himself), his obsession with the minutiae of Delia Smith's life being a particularly successful running gag.

Hughes’ witty script is packed with wry observations and his art is mixes it up to great effect: there's an air of realism to many of the animal cast as well as the backgrounds, while the human characters - particularly Wogan himself - have a far more cartoonish look about them, adding a layer of pleasing incongruity to the proceedings.

Thomas Wogan Is Dead is wonderfully witty little read that tackles one of the major, universal, unanswered questions. It theorises that, for all the human race's protestations of being the superior species, we are destined to end up in the same place as every other living thing once the lights go out for good. 8/10