Thought Bubble: Wildstorm - Almost Gone But Never Forgotten

By Matt C

Over the last week or so comics news sites have been awash with stories of DC’s restructuring, reshuffling, relocations and redundancies. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty here as there's plenty of comment and analysis of the situation elsewhere. There's one thing I did feel I needed to mention though, and it's probably the same news that fanboys across the world greeted with sadness: the closure of Wildstorm.

The publishing house launched by superstar artist Jim Lee in 1992 under the Image umbrella, which went on to be absorbed by DC Comics in 1999, is shutting its doors for good at the end of this year. While the imprint may not have been inundated with critical plaudits in recent times, if you rewind back a few years they were a force to be reckoned with.

I admit I wasn't onboard when they first arrived on the scene. Along with most of Image Comics' early output, their apparent reliance on T&A and 'kewl' concepts (remember those ads that described the books variously as "Hot!" and "Violent!"?) was a real turn-off (obviously I later realised that was a bit of a sweeping generalisation!). It was only at the tail end of the '90s and the early '00s that I began to take notice thanks to Alan Moore's America's Best Comics imprint and Warren Ellis' groundbreaking run on Stormwatch and then The Authority. ABC gave us Tom Strong, Top Ten, Prometha and - most notably - The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The Authority pretty much set the tone for superhero comics for the next decade. A very big deal, in other words.

For at least five years Wildstorm were putting out (under their own banner or one of their various imprints like Cliffhanger and Homage) some exceptional comic books. Personal favourites include Planetary (natch), Sleeper, WildCATS, Arrowsmith, Global Frequency and The Intimates. I could list a lot more, but you get the idea.

For me, the moment Wildstorm lost their momentum, the momentum they began to fall behind, was when they canned Joe Casey's Wildcats 3.0, a series that had pushed the superhero genre to places it had never been before in a brilliantly audacious manner. It wasn't exactly selling like hotcakes, and speaking to Casey 'off the record' at Bristol Expo a few years ago his future plans for the title sounded like they'd eventually make the entire Wildstorm Universe largely redundant. Looking at where we're at now, perhaps that wouldn't have been such a bad idea, but the editorial bods didn't like this direction and relaunched the book with Grant Morrison and Jim Lee at the helm. And it lasted one issue.

Wildstorm have attempted to resuscitate their major properties since then but the interest just hasn't been there. Ex Machina received a lot of praise, and the finale of Planetary was an all-round success, but of late it seems their focus has shifted towards licensed video-game tie-ins (the first issue of the Gears Of War comic was reportedly the biggest selling book of 2008 when sales outside the direct market were taken into consideration). There was a pervading sense that perhaps Wildstorm had now lost their raison d'etre but in the past few months Brian Wood's triumphant DV8: Gods & Monsters miniseries suggested that all that was really needed was some new blood to bring some fresh perspective to their characters. I guess it was just too late in the day to change anyone's minds (or more likely - and sadly - too irrelevant to the big wigs and their long term business projections).

The kind of creator-owned stuff Wildstorm dealt with will no doubt appear at place like Vertigo or Image (although one less place for folks to pitch their projects is never an ideal situation). I guess we'll see the likes of Grifter, Apollo, Midnighter and various Carriers appear in the mainstream DC Universe at some point down the line, but I can't see them really retaining the unique identities they've forged during the last 20 years if they do.

Wildstorm's closure will be a huge loss to the industry: as the market adapts to the increasing prevalence of digital distribution it's doubtful we'll ever see a time when top tier creators get to play in a large superhero sandbox with such creative freedom again. Truly the end of an era of great comics.

Incoming... 29/09/2010

New comics are released Wednesday (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: Well these slim-pickings weeks just seem to be mounting up at the moment! It's starting to slow me down as my pockets reach saturation point with all this disposable income that I'm just dragging all over the place rather than spending it on a mountain of new comics! Admittedly it could go into a pot playfully labelled 'San Diego Comic Con 2011 trip' but I may not be able to stop laughing if I did that.

So what, may you ask, am I spending my money on this week? Well, currently the list is a little in flux as I'm having a little mental debate as to whether to carry on with two titles. The first is Action Comics #893 the latest instalment in Paul Cornell's Lex Luthor focused story. After a very promising start I've felt that the last two issues went off the boil somewhat with Mister Mind and Slade adding little to proceedings yet being thrown in as large additions. The involvement of a highly intelligent (and furry) super villain this time out will probably keep my interest for one further month but it's treading on thin ice for being dropped from my pull list.

One title which - now I think about it - won't be leaving the shelf of Paradox Comics this week for my loving arms is Dragon Age #5. Once again another promising start for a series has been ruined by a change of artist. For me Mark Robinson was the big appeal for this comic as his liquid style really did suit the eye-catching mage powers that the story relies upon, setting it apart from other fantasy titles. Now he appears to have been replaced with Anthony Tan who just cannot match Robinson's ability and when the main 'draw' for a limited series disappears after only three issues it really doesn't bode well. At $3.99 and with the best element conspicuous by its absence I'm afraid I'm calling time on the Dragon Age.

Of course, where would we be without a few Marvel titles flying about the place in a week's order? First of all I'll give a mention out to Amazing Spider-Man #644 for two reasons: Mark Waid's storytelling ability and one of my favourite variant covers of the year to date from Chris Bachalo. After the bitter taste left in the mouth from Joe Quesada's rather terrible 'One Moment In Time' ending to the Brand New Day concept, Waid's latest foray into the world of everyone's favourite web-swinger has actually been pretty entertaining with last issue's chase-and-fight extravaganza being the highlight so far. With only a few weeks to go until Dan Slott takes on his full-time writing duties I dare say that Waid's work may not lead to any great changes for the future of Peter Parker but I wait to be proved wrong on that particular point.

There's something of a sad farewell this week as Atlas #5 marks the end of Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman's current attempts to keep the Agents of Atlas in the comic-buying public's eye-line after a good couple of years trying to get as much fun, mysterious and dramatic international crime-fighting into 22 pages as possible. I've loved the heck out of this team's antics even with the occasionally frustrating reliance on cross-overs with Marvel's more established groups and I truly hope that we're not left waiting too long before the House of Ideas decides to give Jimmy Woo and Co - along with Parker and Hardman if we're lucky - another shot at getting a large and dedicated readership.

The remaining two books in the pile are Captain America #610 and Casanova #3 and I'm looking forward to spending the early part of my weekend reading through what Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction have to offer this month. Captain America is back to its best with Baron Zemo's slow psychological torment of Bucky and Casanova has been a bonkers, science fiction espionage thrill that has really made an impression. With artists like Butch Guise and Fabio Moon showing how high a level they can work at it for both titles it all adds up to a week of quality over quantity! Now, perhaps I should start preparing for the stupid whale-sized order that's sure to surface next week to taunt me!

Mini Reviews 26/09/2010

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.

This week also sees the next instalment of Matt C's Buscema Avengers Project.


SKULLKICKERS #1
Writer: Jim Zubkavich
Art: Chris Stevens & Edwin Huang
Image $2.99

Matt C: The latest title to receive a huge amount of speculative buzz prior to its release (see also the likes of Chew and Morning Glories), this one allegedly popping up on eBay for several times the cover price before it even hit the shelves. It’s a somewhat bizarre development and anybody wanting to make a fast buck may want to investigate the Speculator Boom of the ‘90s before shelling out for multiple copies, but the fact that this particular trend is focused on creator-owned indie titles rather than foil-embossed covers from the Big Two suggests somebody’s keeping an eye out for the next big critical breakout hit. So, is Skullkickers the next breakout hit? I’m not convinced, but then I’m not really the target audience for this kind of thing. Generally, fantasy stories of dwarves, wizards and ogres leave me cold (there a exceptions of course) so this moderately humorous, irreverent tale of two mercenaries prepared to take any job as long as the money’s right - whether it’s dispatching marauding werewolves or recovering kidnapped regal corpses – has only a mild appeal to me. It’s a brisk read and the cartoonish art revels in the over-the-top violence but while I can see it tempting fans of the genre looking for something more manically anarchic, it’s not something I’ll be picking up again. I’ll be sticking my copy on eBay tonight for roughly ten times the original price though – please start your bidding as soon as possible. 6/10


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #52
Writer: Tony Bedard
Art: Ardian Syaf & Vicente Cifuentes
DC $2.99

Stewart R: So the first arc under Bedard's reign draws to its conclusion and while there have been moments of quality I have to say that I'm pretty underwhelmed by the whole thing. Syaf's art fluctuates between decent and poor and action scenes are certainly not his strong suit. Admittedly I don't think Syaf's pencils have been particularly enhanced by some heavy-handed inking by Cifuentes, and on the whole this isn't a particularly pleasant comic to look at. Bedard's story is strong enough but when it becomes apparent that Cyborg-Superman has probably just been used as a pawn in a greater, far-reaching game that's being played out in the Green Lantern title it takes away a lot of the tension from the plot and things start to grind along in formulaic fashion offering up little in the way of surprise. For a comic featuring John Stewart and Kyle Rayner it's a little strange to see their bold and prominent personalities left rather to one side and the closing scenes are almost puke-inducing they're so clichéd. I did have hopes for the title post-Peter J.Tomasi but they seem to be dwindling fast. 4/10


THOR #615
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Pascal Ferry
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: When Fraction scripted the series of Thor one-shots back in 2008 it became immediately clear that he understood the character and mythos, making him an obvious contender for writer of the monthly series whenever Straczynski left that seat vacant. Straczynski’s long gone, and although it’s been delayed a bit, Fraction’s first issue as writer of Thor is finally here. The verdict? A good start. It’s not the slam dunk people might have expected based on those aforementioned one-shots, or even his exemplary run on Invincible Iron Man, but there’s plenty of promise on display. Ferry’s art is a little ‘cleaner’ than what we’ve seen applied to the Thunder God of late, and while there are elements of blandness in the rendering of the titular character there are enough flourishes (especially the depictions of non-humans) to suggest better will follow. 7/10


NEMESIS #3
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Steve McNiven
Marvel/Icon $2.99

Stewart R: Well, this is certainly a comic of conflict! The conflict between Nemesis and Chief Morrow and the conflict within me as to whether I've enjoyed reading it. It's definitely had the 'two-read' speciality treatment from me and I'm still not quite sure what my overall opinion is. The best to be seen in the pages is Nemesis displaying amazing, lethal, hand-to-hand skills against a wave of riot cops with McNiven delivering the suitable level of visceral destruction. I'm leaning towards saying that the tense phone confession is also handled well but there's just something running under the whole premise that screams that this really isn't that great. I believe that it could possibly be a strange lack of common sense that's pinning me back, an element that would have possibly escalated this comic to greatness. Considering who the antagonist is in this story it seems almost ludicrous that the law-enforcement's abilities are that underwhelming. The key would have been to demonstrate just how damn good the police are and then how Nemesis is another level above that but by showing the police to be ill-prepared and wholly naive Millar has really taken the the impetus away. 6/10

Matt C: I’m never going to sing this book’s praises, but there was something about the relentless nihilism in this issue that began to get increasingly infectious. There’s plenty to find objectionable in Millar’s script, along with a level of cynicism that he doesn’t even try to conceal, and all in all this is something I should probably trash on sight, but it’s so slickly told by a writer who knows how to hit all the right (and wrong) buttons that I can’t deny I got a kick out of it. McNiven’s art is much stronger this time too but I still contend his work is much improved when he has the right inker embellishing it. Millar’s obviously capable of a lot better, and while Nemesis may seem like it was created specifically to appeal to a certain demographic rather than evolving organically, there are signs that the series won’t be the complete write-off it initially appeared to be. 6/10


HIT-MONKEY #3
Writer: Daniel Way
Art: Dalibor Talajic
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: I've recently dropped Deadpool from my pull-list as I felt that Daniel Way was running out of ideas when it came to depicting the Merc With The Mouth but thankfully his skills remain polished with this madcap and entertaining series. Rather than simply have Hit-Monkey and Bullseye go straight at it and stand back to let Talajic portray page after page of carnage for the finale, Way takes his time to explain just how the Macaque on a Mission came to walk the streets of mankind and gives us an insight into his rather sombre existence. The ghostly assassin leading Hit-Monkey on his path to destiny is a terrifically worked premise that succeeds thanks to Way and Talajic allowing the macaque's actions do the talking for him. When it comes to the action there's plenty of gun-totting, fur-flying madness to be had, the creators clearly having great fun with it. At the same time they maintain a level of high-paced tension that helps to alleviate a little of the sense of disbelief that could have rendered this an instant throw-away failure in lesser hands. All in all this is a brilliant origin piece that I really do hope expands into a larger series for a very interesting and fun character. 9/10


HULK #25
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Gabriel Hardman & Mark Robinson
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I haven’t given this title a look since its debut issue and really couldn’t see a situation where I’d ever pick it up again. Funny what the right creative team will do though, isn’t it? Jeff Parker may not have generated the same level of buzz as the likes of Fraction and Hickman but he’s been quietly positioning himself as one of the very best of the new breed of superhero scribes. He often works in tandem with Gabriel Hardman, a wise move as the artist brings a level of visual realism to the genre that reminds me of people like Michael Lark and David Aja (in other words, he’s very, very good). Together they managed to hold my interest for the duration; I’m not really keen on the Thunderbolt Ross version of the Hulk, but this worked thanks to a deft blend of characterization and action. I don’t think it’s quite enough to sell me on the concept, but I may be tempted back for more in future. The Rick Jones back-up didn’t work for me though. Ross as a gamma-induced monstrosity is one thing, but taking Jones up that path – at the same time! – is a step too far. Shows a lack of restraint, but I guess that’s a leftover for Loeb’s run on the title. 7/10


COWBOY NINJA VIKING #9
Writer: A J Lieberman
Art: Riley Rossmo
Image $3.99

Stewart R: I haven't reviewed an issue of CNV for quite some time but have been picking up each copy without fail as it is yet to disappoint. Lieberman has been delving into just how Duncan's fractured, triplet mind works over the past few instalments and the differing personalities are becoming more rounded and increasingly important when it comes to the unique feel that this comic has. Allowing Duncan to almost be a fourth personality, guiding and coercing the other three into co-operation has given the bizarre, over-the-top yet highly entertaining plot something of an anchor and it's brilliantly brought to the page in the latter stages of this issue by Rossmo. While sometimes his art style forces a second or third read of a page to fully understand what has transpired and who did what - the double-cross that turns up this week being a prime example - he is also capable of deft characterisation work that melds fantastically well with Lieberman's plot progression. The madness doesn't look like it's going to brought to a standstill any time soon and long may this remain on my pull-list. 8/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #583
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Steve Epting
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: Hickman’s ideas continue to come thick and fast, but while it initially seemed like he was throwing things out there and then moving forward, leaving them in the dust, he’s now bringing some concepts back into play that originally appeared at the start of his run. Basically, he knows what he’s doing and he appears to be weaving this huge, labyrinthine, utterly captivating narrative tapestry. Now he’s got Steve Epting as his co-pilot the book's been elevated to the next level thanks to the artist’s phenomenal skills with the pen. If you want a prime example of why he’s so good at what he does, look no further than his depiction of Doctor Doom. I know it’s early, but already it’s looking like on of the best visual portrayals of the Latverian despot I’ve ever seen. In fact, thanks to the Epting’s imagery and the spot-on characterization, the scenes between Victor and Valeria are possibly the highlight of Hickman’s run on the title so far. Excellent work all round. 9/10


AVENGERS #287
Writers: Roget Stern & Ralph Macchio
Art: John Buscema & Tom Palmer
Marvel $0.75

Matt C: Another disappointing issue of Avengers following Stern’s departure (he once again gets a ‘plot’ credit here). The structure of the story is sound (undoubtedly thanks to Stern) but the dynamics are all off kilter. This is particularly noticeable in the portrayal of Captain Marvel, whose insecurities over her leadership status don’t jibe with the smart, strong woman we’ve seen up to this point. In fact, the whole team seems a little less than the sum of its parts, and hardly worthy of the moniker ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’. You could view it as possibly an essential ingredient of the tale being told (a team in disarray!) or you could look at it as a case of a one writer trying to make sense of a basic story template another writer left behind. Either way, it’s not great, but at least the art team means the book retains some kind of consistency with what’s come before. 5/10

Incoming... 22/09/2010

New comics are released Wednesday (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: You pray for a quiet week and then two come along in a row!! Crikey O'Reilly my wallet has never breathed easier (well, as far as it goes for buying comics) as I'll only be picking up five comics this week and to go all scientific on it 80% of them will be from Marvel.

So let me of course start with DC's effort first and splash you all in Green Lantern Corps #52 loveliness. This first arc under the careful steering of Tony Bedard and Adrian Syaf has been pretty enjoyable so far though still yet to hit the heady heights of the Tomasi and Gleason run. Bringing Superboy Prime into the equation and basing things on Green Lantern Stel's homeworld has givien the new creative team a chance to break free of what has happened in the recent past on Oa and I think it's been a good way to show just what they have to offer to this core Green Lantern title. There's still part of me that thinks that this may become slightly overshadowed by the quality evident in the recently released Emerald Warriors series but for the moment it remains and integral part of my DC section of the pull list.

Wedging itself firmly onto my comic menu has been Brubaker and Deodato's highly entertaining Secret Avengers title as the varied team with decent scripting, dialogue and off-worldly setting has really hit the mark. #5 could well give us intrigued readers a little more insight into just why Nick Fury is involved in this tale in that secret way that he is... no spoilers here guys!!! Deodato has really been on his top game from the very beginning which pleases me as I thought that his work was starting to look a little shabby on the Dark Avengers towards the end; to see an artist come back and surprise you is always a pleasurable experience. It seems that Nova may have been relegated to a part-time member as well which seems to be a good call as involving him as a regular player just doesn't make sense considering that he's the leader of the Nova Corps and probably has more important things to do than spank Hydra henchmens' arses!

Speaking of spanking (and here's where the segues get really tenuous) there's bound to be at least one red bum in Hit Monkey #3 by Daniel Way and Dalibor Talajic as the manic macaque takes the fight to Bullseye in what should be an explosive finale full of flying fur and bullets. This has turned into one of those 'guilty pleasure' miniseries for me where I can just switch off and enjoy the madness and not even try to pick holes with what the creators are trying to do. The fact that Marvel have even given such a character a mini after a one-shot and a Deadpool guest appearance makes me think that they may not yet be finished with his deadly skills.

The same cannot be said with the deadly skills of Mark Millar and the Paradox Comics Group as recent discussions amongst various members has shown a tired ambivalence with some of his 'high concept' ideas. With another hefty delay since the last issue, Nemesis #3 has to once again pick us up and remind us why we should be throwing our money at this title. Steve McNiven's art hasn't been at his awesome best for a while now and I've hopes that things might turn around on that front this week.

Mini Reviews 19/09/2010

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.

This week also sees the next instalment of Matt C's Buscema Avengers Project.


THE UNWRITTEN #17
Writer: Mike Carey
Art: Peter Gross & Ryan Kelly
DC/Vertigo $3.99

James R: At a friend's birthday recently, talk turned to 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books (or for our UK readers, the Fighting Fantasy series). We waxed lyrical as we reminisced over the titles that pretty much acted as our generation's Gameboys. Each paragraph would give the reader a choice of responses, and whichever one you took then lead you to a page with your consequential action on it (but you know this, right?!). Well, that afternoon we were clearly tapping into the collective unconscious, as this week sees a unique issue of The Unwritten that brings these quantum-esque anthologies back to the spotlight. Mike Carey presents the backstory of Lizzie Hexam as a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' novel, and in a word, it's outstanding. Flipping the comic to read horizontally allows Peter Gross to cram in double the amount of story pages, and indulging in the game itself is a perfect dose of retro fun. Better still, Carey uses the indeterminacy of the tale as part of the narrative - without spoiling the issue, Tom's reasoning behind his speech to Lizzie is all about how truth is largely made up of what we accept. With a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book we have to accept the narrative our choices have given us. I've heard some people say that the comic isn't 'easy to read' like this, but seriously? If carefully turning a few pages back and forth is too much of a chore for you, well, I guess you should sit things out until they develop the technology where content is streamed straight into your brains! Every now and then I worry that the series is becoming too pedestrian (there were certainly points in the last arc that felt inert to me) but as with the Kipling issue and the Beatrix Potter-esque instalment, Carey and Gross continue to produce something remarkable that you want to force on other link-minded people. A triumphant experiment in every way. 10/10

Matt C: The most ambitious issue of the series yet. It’s a bold move to attempt a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ style story in the middle of an ongoing story arc, but when you consider how The Unwritten is largely concerned with the power of fiction over the real world it seems like an inspired but logical move. With the pages arranged in the landscape format and then divided in two (56 ‘pages’ in total), it begins brilliantly as the reader is given choices to move to a different page to take the story of Lizzie Hexam’s origin forward. It’s a pity that halfway through Carey essentially gives up on the ‘choose where to go next’ approach, and follows a more ordered structure – at this point the constant back-and-forth page-turning becomes a largely redundant exercise. Gross tackles the reduced panel size with real vigour, as though the challenge has prompted him to up his already impressive game. The art is tremendous and Kelly’s inking contribution adds a new layer to the visual style Gross has been perfecting for the last sixteen instalments, resulting in a very good looking book indeed. This issue readily demonstrates that, whilst the creative team may not always hit the mark dead on, their penchant for taking risks and thinking big is paying huge dividends for their readership. 8/10


THUNDERBOLTS #148
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Declan Shalvey
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Crossovers and events! The bane of many a comic writer’s life I would imagine, especially if you’re trying to get on and develop a story and a group dynamic in the early stages of a run. No sooner than four issues into the new line-up’s tenure and Parker finds himself having to deliver a couple of Shadowland instalments because Luke Cage is pretty good friends with the old ‘Man Without Fear’. Of course, this being Jeff Parker means that he uses the situation to show us how the Thunderbolts handle their tedious and restrained downtime while at the Raft and how they react and behave when Luke Cage is not there to exert his parental control over them all. There are some neat mess hall shenanigans which highlight that these characters are definitely from the nastier side of the tracks and then when the inevitable attack of Hand ninjas rolls into view there’s a great sense of anticipation on how Parker will shake things up this time. Declan Shalvey is not a name I’ve heard of before but his style shows some similarity to that of Gabriel Hardman and Giancarlo Caracuzzo and while it’s not the eye-catching awesomeness of Kev Walker it still fits this book pretty well. If your title has to get dragged into a crossover then this is a prime example of how to make it work for you. 8/10

Tom P: Thunderbolts was opened with caution this week. Would the fact it’s a Shadowland tie-in make it rubbish? Would Kev Walker taking a break from art duties dull my enjoyment of what has been a terrific comic he has helped Jeff Parker turn around since he started working on it? Well, the good news is it’s still a great read with the story progressing nicely. The Shadowland links come mostly towards the end of this issue which leaves plenty of time for Parker to write some fun stuff about the team having lunch at the Raft. It’s a lot of fun reading this team of misfit villains interact, argue and bond. The only gripe I have is Shalvey's artwork is not as strong as Walker’s. Don't get me wrong, it’s fine, but that’s as much as I can say about it. He must have done something right though because #148 was still a thoroughly enjoyable issue. 7/10


JOE THE BARBARIAN #7
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Sean Murphy
DC/Vertigo $2.99

James R: Most weeks this would have undoubtedly been my pick of the week, but in a heavyweight showing for Vertigo (again!) this has to accept a respect-heavy second place. The penultimate instalment of Joe The Barbarian sees Joe starting to assume the mantle of the Dying Boy and marshal his forces against the coming darkness, whilst simultaneously having to make a choice between realities - the hallucinatory kingdom or the 'real world' of his home. Inevitably, the choice is not what it seems, and I cannot wait to see how this all plays out in the final part. In fact, that's the only thing preventing me from scoring this issue higher; as with Daytripper, it wasn't until the conclusion that I could properly judge the series as a whole. Until the jigsaw is complete next time out however, I'm more than happy to geek-drool over the beautiful art of Sean Murphy. His work in this series has been outstanding, and I'm willing to overlook the mild delay (as I did with John Cassaday for Planetary) when the work is of this calibre. A feast for the eyes, and it's always brilliant to see Grant Morrison on form, expertly weaving the hyper-real with moments of real drama. 8/10


GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #2
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Fernando Pasarin & Cam Smith
DC $3.99

Stewart R: Last issue was all about Guy Gardner, his deal with Ganthet and Atocitus and his request for a little business trip away to the Unknown Sectors. It was a bold, entertaining issue and raised my excitement for what this series would hold. With the trip now planned this second issue basically involves Gardner and Tomasi ‘packing for the trip ahead’ as everything is gathered that will be needed over the coming instalments. This involves small looks into the current mentalities of Kilowog and Arisia as they come to terms with the loss that the pair of them have realized through the past year. While it stalls the story somewhat these pieces are brilliantly written and really do raise the tension when the three Lanterns join up and work through the first awkward moments of their journey. Pasarin doesn’t get to plaster the page with action and ring-based power battles but instead uses his terrific skill to plaster emotion over the faces of all involved and this guy really can draw. It has to be said that the cover doesn’t really represent what takes place within the pages, but with Tomasi working on this form you can believe that the covers won’t be what this series is judged upon. 9/10


DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS #6
Writer: Brian Wood
Art: Rebekah Isaacs
DC/Wildstorm $2.99

Matt C: We're reaching the home strait now in Wood and Isaacs hugely impressive miniseries, and the violence is escalating. Wood continues to explore various fascinating ideas through the prism of the superhero genre, particularly how our behaviour and morality is defined by the environment we operate in. I'm not usually too keen on teen books, but this title is far more appealing because the concept is more effective when applied to an age group that’s more emotionally malleable and liable to turn their backs on accepted moral frameworks very swiftly. Wood has positioned himself as one of the smartest writers in the business, but while its the intelligence behind his script that fires the synapses it's Isaacs clean, confident linework, with its assured command of movement, that ensures there's plenty for the eyes to absorb. The violence, when it erupts, is brutal, but contains a certain kind of elegance when rendered by Isaacs' pen. Some of the panels are gorgeous, and credit for that must also go to Carrie Strachan for her bold, glossy colour scheme. All in all, DV8: Gods & Monsters has completely exceeded my initial expectations. Brilliant. 8/10

Tom P: The last Wildstorm book I purchased was the final issue of Planetary. I haven't read any of their other stuff in a long time and never feel at all compelled to pick up an Authority book again. It’s a shame considering how I used to love that world when Ellis was writing it all about a decade ago, but it was another time. Anyway, back to the topic at hand! Matt C told me many times how good this miniseries is, so one Thursday afternoon I purchased the previous five parts and read them in one sitting. I can confirm that it is indeed awesome stuff and this issue is no different. Its great to see Brian Wood dust these characters off and it makes for a fascinating and unpredictable read. Let’s hope he gets an opportunity to write more Wildstorm titles. This is truly a breath of fresh air. 9/10


STEVE ROGERS: SUPER-SOLDIER #3
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Dale Eaglesham
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: You could easily argue that this is very formulaic stuff from Brubaker: a moustache-twirling villain using Rogers’ past against him, a love interest who may not be what she seems, and plenty of butt-kicking action as the former Captain America does what he does best. I’d take that argument onboard and make my own rebuttal as follows: all those aforementioned elements are exactly what make this miniseries so entertaining. Yes, it’s not moving the character into any new territory, but it plays to all his strengths, reminds us of the reasons behind his enduring appeal, and is delivered with such gusto from Brubaker that it’s impossible not to get carried along. Eaglesham assists with some of the best work I’ve seen from him yet, referencing a more classic style of comic book illustration but updating it with an intense kineticism. It won’t win any awards for originality but if you want to see Steve acting more ruthless than you may have ever seen him before, this is where you need to be. 8/10


NORTHLANDERS #32
Writer: Brian Wood
Art: Richard Burchielli
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Tom P: I’ve had this comic recommended to me several times, and as a new arc is always a good jumping on point I decided to finally check out Northlanders. Along with DV8 it’s another book from Brian Wood this week and it’s completely worth your cash. I was so impressed that you know I will just have to order all the trades or pick up the previous issues on eBay. He injects his gruff Nordic folk with so much character and it’s fascinating to watch these Pagan's adjust to the new Christian world they find themselves in. If you want to know more about Brian Wood and his work click on over to the excellent 13 Minutes. Justin is writing a great series of articles as part of his Brian Wood Project where he will do a much better job than me explaining why you should check out every comic with his name on it. 8/10


AVENGERS #286
Writer: Roger Stern & Ralph Macchio
Art: John Buscema & Tom Palmer
Marvel $0.95

Matt C: A quick bit of research and it appears that Roger Stern was fired from Avengers at this point, so while he gets a plot credit it's now Ralph Macchio on scripting duties. I've not been able to ascertain the reasons behind Stern's dismissal but only a fool or a mad man could have given him the boot based on the quality of his stories, as they were arguably up there with the very best. Whatever the 'discussions' were behind closed doors, there's a noticeable dip in quality here. Macchio's a solid if unexceptional writer but being left to pick up the pieces, so to speak, of Stern’s future plans means the script here feels pedestrian and by-the-numbers. Fortunately the art team of Buscema and Palmer remains in place but even that isn't enough to generate anything particularly memorable. More than anything what this issue does is highlight just how great Stern's run on the title really was. 6/10

Ten Forward: November 2010

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 September issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in November 2010.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1
Writer: David Finch
Art: David Finch & Scott Williams
DC $3.99

Tom P: David Finch must love a challenge! To illustrate and write a Batman comic with the subtitle The Dark Knight is a tall order, but I like Finch's art and, let’s face it, some of the best comics are from artists following their own scripts. It’s direct with little getting lost in translation, and I believe this is the deal-sealer that persuaded him to leave Marvel. I’m not sure about the return of the yellow Bat-symbol on his chest (maybe DC are going for the Frank Miller ‘it’s a target thing’?) but I like the idea of an artist with full creative control as well as the fact he's going for a supernatural twist with this book. I look forward to reading the results.


HALCYON #1
Writer: Marc Guggenheim & Tara Butters
Art: Ryan Bodenheim & Mark Englert
Image $2.99

Matt C: This is listed as Utopian in Previews but has recently undergone a name change to Halcyon. As far as I'm aware the content remains the same, and it still deals with a world where superheroes have eradicated crime and war, and asks ‘What happens next?’. It's that very same question that writer Guggenheim posed in his post alien invasion series, Resurrection, which started of well but got scuppered by severe pacing issues. Hopefully that won't happen here, and he's certainly got a better artist involved (Bodenheim, who made a very strong impression with Red Mass From Mars). It's priced up at $2.99 too, so really an attractive proposition all round.


SUPERBOY #1
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art Pier Gallo
DC $2.99

James R: I'm no big fan of Superboy in any guise, but I've got to pick this up. Why? Two words: Jeff Lemire. The Canadian creative powerhouse behind Essex County and the unmissable Sweet Tooth continues to ease his way into mainstream superheroics with writing duties on this relaunch. The previews of this are predictably sketchy - a secret in Smallville and a huge threat - but Lemire is a unique voice in comics and I'm fascinated to see how he does with somebody else's characters. I'm also keeping a close eye on his work with the Atom, but given his output in 2010, this title demands my attention!


CYCLOPS #1
Writer: Matz
Art: Luc Jacamon
Archaia $3.95

Matt C: I'm not automatically drawn to future-set sci-fi tales in comics these days as they’re too plentiful and often seem stuck in the shadow of the likes of Mad Max and Blade Runner. I’m making an immediate exception for Cyclops though, because not only does it see Archaia translate another acclaimed French comic for English-speaking audiences (something I'm a big champion of) but the creative team behind it are Matz and Jacamon, the same guys behind the rather excellent existential assassin series, The Killer. It may be a completely different genre but their work on The Killer is strong enough for me to follow wherever they lead. The story involves the protagonist being drafted into a war where all the combatants are rigged up with POV cameras, their battles transmitted to a fanatical worldwide audience. It's an appealing high concept, but in these hands I'm confident it could end up being a whole lot more.


MICHAEL MOORCOCK'S ELRIC OF MELNIBONE VOLUME 1
Writer: Roy Thomas
Art: P.Craig Russell & Michael T. Gilbert
Dark Horse $29.99

Rob N: It's no exaggeration to say that Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné is one of the most significant creations in the history of contemporary Fantasy writing. The books are up there with Conan and Lord Of The Rings in terms of originality and influence on subsequent writers. This then is a welcome reprint of an adaptation of the first two books in the series that originally saw print in graphic form in the mid-80s. Elric is the last Emperor of dreaming Melniboné, an island that is in effect an allegory of Great Britain. Once, long ago, it conquered the (then) known world by striking pacts with Arioch, a sardonic and beguiling Demon Lord, and ruled a Bright Empire with varying degrees of cruelty for 10,000 years. Then, after exhausting itself in winning a long drawn out war with an even crueller race (an allegory of Britain bankrupting itself against Nazi Germany), the Bright Empire gradually fell apart as the subject nations won their independence. Centuries later when the books begin, the indolent Melnibonéans still think they are superior to the barbarians that they once ruled – barbarians who now regard the island with a mixture of fear and avarice. Elric is the opposite of Conan – an almost (Gaiman) Sandman-like figure who has mastered the arts of sorcery, but whose body is sick and physically weak without the aid of cocktails of potent drugs. His subjects look to him to restore the glory of the Bright Empire, but Elric has that rare thing amongst his race – a streak of conscience. As a complete work, Moorcock's series is a masterpiece, and the adaptation of the first book by Roy Thomas and P Craig Russell is near perfect, the art in particular capturing the surreal and often psychedelic feel of the world that Elric inhabits. Sadly the adaptation of the second book isn't quite so good due to Russell taking a minor role in the art duties.


BATMAN INC. #1
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Yanick Paquette
DC $3.99

James R: The arguments over Grant Morrison will no doubt run until we're Paradox Comics Group: RIP, but one thing you have to concede is that he knows how to kick a title off. He's a master at hooking in a reader and promising super hi-jinx to come. As a result, I'm really psyched about the debut issue of Batman Inc. which looks like a fantastically ambitious project. Back from his cavort through time with a new mission statement, Bruce Wayne has decided not to lurk alone in the shadows but to go globe-trotting and recruit a whole gang of vigilantes in his endless war on crime. This looks like it'll be a departure from any Bat-title currently on the stands, and it'll be interesting to see how readers take to a 'lighter' Batman. Either way, it'll generate a tsunami of debate, and is a rock solid must-read this month.


STAN LEE'S THE TRAVELER #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Chad Hardin
BOOM! Studios $3.99

Andy H: Following Soldier Zero in October Stan Lee offers up: The Traveler! Mark Waid fleshes out the mysterious character who appears out of nowhere to battle time-travelling bad guys the Split-Second Men. The secrets of the Traveler will not be revealed at once and Waid is great at giving you just enough to leave you wanting more. Check out The Unknown minis and you'll see what I mean. Who is the Traveler, how did he get his powers and does he have connections to the Spilt-Second Men? Just some of the questions that Waid will answer over the course of this series. In today’s market new superheroes aren't always easy to introduce but, with the success of Incorruptible and Irredeemable, Mark Waid is in as good a position as anyone to make this work.


OSBORN #1
Writers: Kelly Sue Deconnick & Warren Ellis
Art: Emma Rios
Marvel $3.99

Tom P: So, after the dreaded Dark Reign and Siege we catch up with one of Marvel's most overused characters of the past few years (just in case you haven't had enough of him!). The former Green Goblin, Iron Patriot and Director of H.A.M.M.E.R is taking a break in a supermax-security prison and I am quite curious to see where this miniseries (in case you haven’t had enough of them either!) has to go with Spider-Man's greatest foe. All that aside, to be honest, the main reason I will be checking this out is the fact Warren Ellis will be writing Osborn again in the back-up feature. His Thunderbolts run was so electrifying I'm keen to see what Mr Ellis has left to say. "Nobody does it, half as good as you! Warren your the best!"


ELMER GN
Writer: Gerry Alanguilan
Art: Gerry Alanguilan
SLG $12.95

Matt C: Due to the cost, graphic novels are naturally more of a high-risk investment than monthlies; you have to commit to the entire thing rather than picking a story up in chapters where you can jump off at any time. But, while the risk may be high, if you invest in the right book the rewards are huge, and consequently I'm always on the lookout for something new to put my money behind. Elmer looks like a contender. Originally released in the Philippines, Elmer has now been translated for the English-speaking market and there appears to be a significant buzz surrounding it. The premise is that chickens have suddenly gained human intelligence and characteristics and now have to be reintegrated into society, which (unsurprisingly) isn't a process that goes smoothly. The tale is told through the eyes of a particular chicken, Elmer, and follows his journey towards acceptance. Sounds off the wall enough with plenty of allegorical potential to grab the attention so this is definitely one to fork out for if you're looking for something a bit different from the usual spandex-fests.


BATWOMAN #0
Writers: J.H. Williams III & W. Haden Blackman
Art: J.H. Williams III & Amy Reeder
DC $3.99

Rob N: One of the 'sit up and take notice' moments of recent times was the sudden appearance of Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III's Batwoman story in the pages of Detective Comics. Rucka's scripts were great but were made even better by some gorgeous layouts by Williams. Since then Rucka has waved goodbye to DC and that seemed to be the end of a brief run that was arguably cut short in its prime. Now Williams intends to carry on without Rucka, taking up writing duties and alternating art with Amy Reeder Hadley who impressed a lot of people recently with her work on Madame Xanadu. The usual concern applies: can a great artist write a good comic? Very few artists can, and that's no disservice to Mr Williams, because you wouldn't expect a writer to suddenly take up pencilling and be a natural from the word go. Whatever the quality of the writing, we are at least guaranteed to see more Williams art, and that must be worth the price of the comic alone.

Incoming... 15/09/2010

New comics are released Wednesday (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: Phew! After two stupidly heavy weeks for my pull list things creep back down to a more manageable level this Thursday, which sees only six titles hovering upon its glorious radar. I love comics, I really do, but trying to wade through a dozen or more titles in the space of three days before writing about several of them while sticking to a Sunday night deadline, well it can make you long for the quieter weeks when you can enjoy one of your favourite pastimes at a more leisurely pace... and read comics too!!! Baddum-tish!

The biggest and tastiest blip on my comic radar is definitely Green Lantern: Emerald Warrirors #2 by Peter J. Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin. The first issue was so strong in its characterisation of Guy Gardner, Ganthet and Red Lantern Leader Atrocitus, and smile-inducing with its level of visual quality, that I've actually been hoping each week when I check the roster of incoming titles that I might see the its name staring out from the screen at me. The second issue promises to be a tense affair with Red Lantern Bleez being sent to 'aid' Gardner in his mission into the unmapped territories and Guy's lingering connection to the hate-fuelled Corps. Tomasi was responsible for making Guy's previous recruitment by a red ring so mesmerizing and I bet that this series is going to give us a long hard look at what the repercussions of that temporary deputization are going to be.

And speaking of repercussions, it seems that the fallout of Terry and Bruce's bickering may be realised in Batman Beyond #4 this week as the murderer who may or may not be Batman's old nemesis Hush continues his lethal rampage through the nefarious ranks of Bat-villains. I have been enjoying this trip into the future of Gotham and Adam Beechen has captured the frequently strained teacher/student dynamic that was found in the animation and taken it a step further, almost allowing us to believe that these two crimefighters could go their separate ways at any time. The mysteries surrounding the new Catwoman and Hush still remain at this point and I hope that we get insight into at least one of those this time around before the story goes much further.

Stories are where it's at with Mike Carey's brilliant Unwritten series from Vertigo. We'll be getting our hands on Unwritten #17 this week and it promises to be another classic issue of experimentation. This series has employed some interesting techniques through the run so far but #17 now drops a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' gimmick into the mix to help us learn more about the mysterious Lizzie Hexam during this extended, oversize issue. Carey and Gross haven't really put a foot wrong with the previous sixteen issues and I can't see this failing to be another thoroughly enjoyable reading experience that could possibly bring this creative duo yet another Eisner nomination at some point.

Struggling to pick up any awards at all is likely to be the situation for Amazing Spider-Man #643 which really will have to pull out the stops to impress me this week. After the utter rubbishness of the ‘One Moment In Time’ finale #641, the following issue proceeded to disappoint with its somewhat over-the-top nature which brought several dozen Spider-foes into the fray and all working together - kind of - to grab Lily Hollister and Norman Osborn's newborn son. I've already vowed that I will stick with this comic until I get a taste for what Dan Slott is going to bring to the title but this is currently Mark Waid territory and I still have hope that he can bring things around.

So this just leaves two titles to cover before I sign off for yet another week. Thunderbolts #148 takes a small wander into the realms of the Shadowland as Matt Murdock's old pal Luke Cage decides that it's time he stepped in to help his long time friend shake off the madness that has befallen him. Of course that's never going to be easy and Cage inevitably has to call in the Thunderbolts to assist, which could be a recipe for disaster. While Parker remains on writing duty for #148, regular - and superb - artist Kev Walker steps aside for an issue or two to allow Declan Shalvey to pick up the pencil and show us what he can do. Having seen the preview art it seems that Shalvey's style falls somewhere between Walker's and that of Jefte Palo (see his work on the current Taskmaster series) and it could fit quite well.

And finally I stumble across Joe The Barbarian #7, the penultimate issue of Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy's brilliant Vertigo miniseries. It feels like quite some time has passed since the last issue hit shelves but I do remember things taking a turn for the decidingly strange as Joe's two worlds seemed to merge when Joe's situation became more precarious by the minute. The world of wonder that both writer and artist have brought to the page has been nothing short of mind-boggling and as things start to come to a head it'll be interesting to see how Morrison chooses to bring the story to its conclusion.

So, there we have it; a smaller week in terms of number of titles but one that once again bubbles with potential quality. I wish you all a funtastic comic reading experience!!

Mini Reviews 12/09/2010

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.

This week also sees the next instalment of Matt C's Buscema Avengers Project.


DAYTRIPPER #10
Wrters: Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba
Art: Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: I suspect there’ll be many theories and interpretations regarding this final issue of Daytripper (there’s no explanatory twist, so it is left open to interpretation to a certain extent), but one thing I’m sure everyone will agree on is that Daytripper has been a moving, inspiring and utterly brilliant series, an undeniable highlight amongst Vertigo’s exemplary roster during 2010. Moon and Ba’s meditation on how a man’s life can be defined – their achievements? those other lives they’ve touched? – was written with a perceptive insight into the human condition that came as a totally unexpected surprise from two creators primarily known as artists. Their scripts have been consistently mature, intimate and truthful, and they’ve matched the quality of their wordsmithery with some astonishing illustrations that displayed a richness and warmth that proved to be utterly captivating. As I said, there’ll be plenty of different interpretations, (I haven’t personally settled on my own, so I’ll avoid spoiler-filled analysis here) but by its very nature Daytripper will require repeated visits and, when this year reaches its close, I think it’ll be clear that few other works in the medium during the last 12 months have matched its emotional impact. 9/10

James R: This tenth issue marks the end of Moon & Ba's affecting miniseries. Over the previous nine issues we've seen Bras Domingos’ life end again and again. Each issue has been like a parallel reality or a 'What if?' where Bras has met his end at a different time in his life, and as we found out last month, the philosophy of the series has been that how our life ends gives it meaning - our mortality is what gives our lives context. So this coda marks a fitting and yet contrasting end to the series. Here we see Bras at 76 and facing a terminal illness, but the events of the issue are more about the richness of life. They write: "Only when you accept that one day you'll die can you let go and make the best out of life." It's fine advice, and this has been an exceptional series. It's now added to the list of titles and collections that I'd give to people who don't read comics to show them how good the medium can be. A tip of the hat to the Brazilian brothers for a year of exceptional comics and to Karen Berger at Vertigo, who is continuing to make this imprint full of interesting and compelling tales. 9/10

Stewart R: As a series, this title would easily garner a 9/10 from this reviewer; it's been a well thought out and emotional look at how we can perceive our lives and the lives of those around us. As for this finale, well I'm a little torn. On the one hand I was expecting a little 'more' than what Ba and Moon actually give us, but on the other hand we’re given a last, poignant glimpse into the life of Bras Domingos and an ending that does stay true to the feel of the series as a whole. Bras' characterisation through his various ages has been brilliant as he has matured and grown wiser and that development reaches a nice crescendo here. In fact, at the time of writing this review, this is the only comic of the thirteen I picked up this week that I have given a second read through so far and that has been something that has happened quite frequently whenever this title has found it's way into my hands. Any comic that makes me do that on a consistent basis has to be applauded. 8/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #30
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: I'll admit that I wasn't quite sure what had occurred at the end of the last issue with Tony whisking Sasha Hammer out of the party in a quick, flirtatious fashion, but it's all thankfully explained here and had me uttering a relieved “Ooooh, that's what it was!” Where the past couple of issues have taken a more leisurely approach to Tony's latest attempts to get his company and life back in order this adds that extra dimension of intelligent action and tension that Fraction displayed so magnificently through the 'Most Wanted' arc. Of course, having the hugely talented Larroca rendering said action in his instantly recognisable style helps take things up that extra couple of notches. Fraction is playing the smart game, making every encounter - be it touched with spoken venom or met with armoured menace - count for something and by ensuring that Pepper has regained her identity as Rescue he’s added a further touch of genius that keeps every page a 'must read' moment. This is getting back to it's consistent best and I'd like a lot more please. 9/10

Tom P: Fraction and Larroca continue their magnificent run on this book and if a lesson is to be learned from Invincible Iron Man it has to be that long-term collaborations of this quality should be encouraged. Take a look at most Marvel books these days and you’ll see that artists change so frequently it can be damaging when a writer is trying to maintain a consistent tone to their work. I always think a good artist is akin to a good director as a bad director can turn even the best script into a terrible movie. So I can only applaud Larroca and Fraction and their continued collaboration - these are truly comics of the highest quality. 9/10

James R: At a Paradox Group meeting earlier this month, I made a shocking pronouncement: outside of Batman, I felt that I was almost done with superhero books. My argument? Marvel don't seem to be doing anything interesting to me at the moment - I've even dropped the great Ed Brubaker's Captain America and DC's Brightest Day push has been largely underwhelming for me. I then said that even Invincible Iron Man was on the wane - after the fantastic ‘Stark Deconstructed' arc, I felt that the title was treading water, and the current 'Resilient' story hadn't engaged me. Right on cue this week comes issue #30, which shows me that I may have been a little hasty. Stark takes Sasha Hammer out for a memorable ride that gives us a lot of what we like about Tony Stark's world - cutting-edge science and very cool action. Fraction brilliantly references both his first arc on the book and New Avengers for extra geeky coolness, and leaves us with the prospect of a Hellzapoppin' issue next time out. Much more like it, and still safely on my pull list. 7/10

Matt C: With Captain America still not quite back to its former glory there really doesn’t seem like there’s much competition for Invincible Iron Man when it comes to Marvel’s mainstream superhero output. Fraction’s tightly-written scripts brim with wit and intelligence and Larroca matches the quality of the words with art that combines photorealism with kinetic high-octane action. It really seems keyed into the 21st Century world in a way few other titles are; it feels like its pushing things forward rather than remaining in thrall to almost 50 years of continuity. Now 30 issues in, there’s no signs of the creative team flagging, and at this point its fair to say this is one of the definitive runs of contemporary superhero comics. 8/10


BATMAN & ROBIN #14
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Frazer Irving
DC Comics $2.99

Tom P: Fantastic. I loved this issue so much, was so completely gripped, that I can’t imagine waiting for a trade on this as every issue has been captivating, extremely well-written and plotted. All the elements are starting to click together from Pyg and his addictive qualities to Batman and Robin being forced to work with the Joker. On the subject of the Joker, it’s a great notion of his to use the current Bat-team to get revenge on the Black Glove and return his Batman to him. He needs Bruce Wayne to define him. He needs his Batman so he can truly be the Joker; he's just too much fun. The opening scene in prison is the highlight of this issue for me. “I’m not mad at all. I'm just differently sane." I will be very sad when Morrison finishes his time on this book as I think its been terrific. 9/10

James R: Yesterday I was talking to fellow reviewer Stewart R about this title and Grant Morrison in general. I pointed out that when he's kept together with Frank Quitely, the result is always spectacular (All Star Superman, We3, the first arc of this title). However, the second Quitely’s replaced by someone who isn't quite as brilliant, the comic can go wildly off the rails. Exhibit A: New X-Men. Incredible first two arcs and then... Igor Kordey.) Exhibit B: Batman & Robin #14. This month Morrison starts to pull together the arcs of both 'Batman RIP' & this title to build to an inevitably explosive finale, but by the Great Googly Moogly, I have no idea what's going on at some points here! Frazer Irving is a fine artist (I loved his work with Morrison on Klarion) but he's not an artist who excels with action. For example, Batman's arrival toward the end of the issue seemed confused to me - sequential art is all about context and Irving simply doesn't give us any. This had been one of my titles of the year, but I'm now awaiting the finale of the arc with apprehension rather than excitement. 6/10


X-FORCE: SEX AND VIOLENCE #3
Writers: Craig Kyle and Chris Yost
Art: Gabriele Dell'otto
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: The three issues that have made up this X-Force miniseries clearly highlight just how well this pair of truly talented writers know how to write Wolverine, how to write Domino, and how to bring everything together to make one heck of an entertaining read. Sex and violence have been prominent as advertised in the title but the underlying wry comedy that has wound its way through this book has been a delicious surprise. This finale rounds off the visceral show tremendously well with a surprising amount of tension for a comic involving the indestructible Logan and luckier-than-a-leprechaun Neena. Kyle and Yost don't throw anything particularly new into the mix and instead try - and succeed - to make this their 'Ode to X-Force' by bringing in all of the elements that have made their tenure with the team so enthralling. The art from Dell'Otto is simply mouthwatering and based on his artwork alone I think this would make a terrific addition to anyone's collection when released as a trade. Things in the comic biz obviously change but I can't help but feel that these writers moving on to other things is a great loss to X-Force fans everywhere. 9/10


WEIRD WAR TALES #1
Writers: Darwyn Cooke, Ivan Brandon & Jan Strnad
Art: Darwyn Cooke, Nic Klein & Gabriel Hardman
DC $3.99

Matt C: I’m sure there’s some strong storytelling to be found in all these ‘War!’ one-shots DC are publishing during the month of September, but budget reasons meant I was only going to pick one, and there was no contest which one it would be. Two words: Darwyn Cooke. Do I really need to explain further? The man turns in a humorous skit that looks at those dead souls who thrived on the battlefield, the ones more likely to cry “War is great!” rather than “War is hell!”. It’s good, if not up there with this best, but it’s essential if you’re a fan. Brandon’s claustrophobic tale is the standout while Strnad’s is slightly mawkish in places to be really effective. The art throughout is excellent though, with Hardman’s style in particular displaying the kind of grit and intensity that really suits the WWII environment. 7/10


THANOS IMPERATIVE #4
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Miguel Sepulveda
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: These writers and the one artist are keeping this the one Marvel series that can be truly dubbed 'EPIC'! After last issues’ rather surprising and powerful conclusion, we're dropped straight into the action as Nova and his posse of powerhouses mount a rescue mission in the heart of the enemies' stronghold. Sepulveda is a man transformed it would seem - his art work for this event has far exceeded anything I have seen him produce before and he is incredibly well suited for the action-orientated events that take place within the pages of this comic. While Nova's attack relies on brute force it is the scenes involving Thanos, Drax and Star-Lord that requires a somewhat darker, brooding touch as tempers move beyond frayed and take a more lethal turn. We're still two issues from the end of this series and there's still a feeling that things could get nastier still. If you loved how Guardians and Nova started their runs then I highly recommend picking up all four issues released so far; it's a gripping read. 9/10


AMERICAN VAMPIRE #6
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque
Vertigo $3.99

Stewart R: So Stephen King's name no longer graces the front page and this is now Snyder's tale to tell in full. After the first interesting arc - with backup 'history lesson' from King - I was certainly eager to see where Snyder would take this. What I had not really been prepared for was the jump in time and location, moving things from 1920s Los Angeles to the mid-1930s in the bright lights of Las Vegas, but it works very well indeed. Rather than focus back on Skinner Sweet and Pearl's ongoing story Snyder instead chooses to introduce a host of new characters in the city that never sleeps amidst the chaos of a Vampire-based homicide. Chief McCogan is brilliantly depicted as a tired, no-nonsense lawman who's struggling against the tide of lawlessness sweeping his growing city and I suspect this arc will hang on how his fight against bloodsucker and criminality turns out. Albuquerque keeps things suitably dark and the art certainly fits this series but - and this is only a slight criticism - occasionally during action pieces it appears that the character's stunt doubles are in shot as they don't quite resemble the person in the previous panel. Aside from that small point this is a strong start to the second arc. 7/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #641
Writer: Joe Quesada
Art: Paolo Rivera, Joe Quesada, Danny Miki & Richard Isanove
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Wow, this is one thick comic! Now, is that a statement about the amount of paper used or am I making a comment about the pure bilge that this story, and Quesada's attempts at being a writer, represent? Probably a bit of both. We all knew that for the die-hard Spidey fans out there Peter unmasking himself and then his marriage to Mary Jane being unwritten were changes that took things a step too far. I personally liked the freedom it presented and for the most part enjoyed the 'Brand New Day' concept. This 'One Moment In Time' bullshit however is even too much for me. What Quesada has managed to do is actually take Peter Parker and make him rather unlikeable without the aid of a morality-warping symbiote or touch from Mr Negative. Mary Jane's reasoning for her actions and attitude go against the strength that she showed in the first place when the original deal was struck by her with Mephisto some 100 issues ago. To top it off, the plan concocted by three of Spider-Man's allies goes beyond far-fetched despite it being obvious that the writer thinks he's actually stumbled upon a decent way of explaining how to return Peter's anonymity. If the art were something to write home about I could probably find a positive in here but unfortunately Paolo Rivera's style is ill-suited for a story of this nature. So there we go: utter bobbins! 1/10


AVENGERS #285
Writer: Roger Stern
Art: John Buscema & Tom Palmer
Marvel $0.75

Matt C: The Olympian arc reaches its conclusion with plenty of physical and emotional fireworks as a reawakened Hercules enters the fray. It’s expertly paced, building to a thrilling crescendo, followed by a more composed aftermath, and topped with the usual cliffhanger ending that ensures you’ll be back for the next adventure. Near faultless and an unquestionable high point of Stern’s run on the book. The only mark against it is that there are a couple of instances when it looks like someone else may have had a hand in the art, but aside from that it’s pretty much required reading for anyone with an interest in Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. 9/10