Mini Reviews 28/11/2010

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.


BATWOMAN #0
Writers: J.H. Williams III & W. Haden Blackman
Art: J.H. Williams III, Amy Reeder, Richard Friend & Dave Stewart
DC $2.99

Matt C: There's no question that J.H. Williams is one of the most creative and inventive comic artists working today, but when this title was first announced I'm sure I wasn't alone in wondering whether he had the chops to cut it as a writer too. His Batwoman-centric run on Detective Comics with Greg Rucka was an electrifying modern classic, but when Rucka quit DC it looked like we were going to be left with a lot of hanging plot threads and no closure. Thankfully there's no reboot being employed here - Williams has Kate Kane still waging her own personal war against the Religion of Crime, and as well as essentially continuing where we left off it is immediately apparent that the level of storytelling is of the same extremely high standard. Simply put, this is one of the best single issues of 2010. Williams isn't sailing this boat solo though; he's wisely brought in several people to assist. Onboard are W. Hayden Blackman (best known for his Star Wars novels) to help with script, and Amy Reeder, who will share art duties on the series. Reeder's style is less dense, with it's smooth, seductive lines, but it compliments Williams own illustrations well, especially here where the work's split between the two (Williams gets the Batwoman–in-fight-mode part of the story, Reeder focuses on Kate out of costume). On top of this, the redoubtable Dave Stewart utilizes a flashy palette where reds and blacks really spring off the page. While it's basically a teaser for the forthcoming series, all told from Batman's POV as he tries to ascertain whether Kathy and Batwoman are one and the same, it gets right to the core of her character without the need for her to utter a single word - it's all conveyed through her own actions and Bruce's assessment of what makes her tick. Williams easily proves he's exactly the right man for the job of telling Batwoman's continuing adventures, and his art work, well, his art is phenomenal. Nobody composes and structures a page like this guy does. If this is any indication of what we can expect from the ongoing series, I think we (already!) may be looking at one of the contenders for best comic of 2011. 10/10

James R: This is turning into another good time to be a Bat-fan. When DC took Bruce Wayne off the playing field for a while, it re-invigorated the Bat-books, the most noticeable examples being Batman And Robin and the simply sublime Detective Comics run from Greg Rucka & J.H.Williams. I was a huge fan of Promethea so the artistic genius of Williams didn't surprise me, but his sheer creative verve did. Every month, his panel layout and stylistic choices elevated the title to the level of art. With this issue #0, it's not quite ‘as you were' as there's no Rucka on writing duties, but with the greatest respect, you wouldn't notice - Williams & Blackman do a fantastic job of getting new readers up to speed, and giving us continuing fanboys Bruce Wayne's view on the double life of Kate Kane. If there is a complaint, it's that I’d have liked more story pages rather than the preview pages at the back (a touch irksome to pay for six pages of Detective Comics when it was on my pull list this week, but still...) A beautiful comic in every sense of the word, and I'm now excited about the future of the title. Corking stuff! 9/10

Stewart R: This is a prime example of how #0 issues should be handled. Williams III takes one of the big occurrences in the DC Universe and uses it to his advantage in reminding recent readers of Detective Comics - and educating a new readership hopefully in the process - about Kate Kane’s life as the dark avenger in black and red. The writing is superb and the decision to split the storytelling process on every page to show Kate’s civilian life transposed against her crime-fighting duties as Batwoman is a masterstroke. The double team of Williams III and Reeder on art chores works very well, even seeing Williams III at one stage emulate and merge Reeder’s style with his own with brilliantly effective results. There will have been concerns surrounding the writing chops of someone predominantly known for being an artist, especially after Greg Rucka set the bar so high for the character in the recent past, but on this proof I don’t think anyone need worry. I don’t even feel like grumbling over the price as the quality is so darn high, but maybe with a product this effective DC should have stuck its neck out on a $1 issue and reaped the rewards later? 8/10


UNCANNY X-FORCE #2
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Jerome Opeña & Dean White
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: X-books in general are not happy affairs and there’s rarely a smile being broken before some dark cloud appears on the horizon to see that smile disappear in an instant. Uncanny X-Force seems like it may be going for a big line in brooding despair clouds, as there’s a terrific sense of foreboding and sorrow that seeps out of every page and panel of this book. Now, that wouldn’t normally sell a comic to you, but when a writer like Rick Remender weaves the tale, it sucks you in and keeps you there through every torturous moment. This team of five - well maybe four, as Deadpool is Deadpool after all - seem to realise the odds stacked against them as they try to prevent the resurgence of Apocalypse and fight the demons lurking within the team itself. It’s rare to find a book where everyone on the hero roster knows that they could snuff it at any moment and even rarer for the reader to believe that it could happen, but this is what we’re getting here. Opeña and White’s visuals really help to make this comic stand out from previous X-Force books and I have to say folks I am well and truly hooked. 8/10


THE TRAVELLER #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Chad Hardin & Blond
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: The second Stan Lee generated title from Boom!, but even with Mark Waid onboard as writer this turns out to be even more hackneyed than Soldier Zero. For some reason it reminded me of that period in the ‘90s when smaller publishers and imprints where popping up everywhere offering generally unoriginal spins on the superhero paradigm. There’s nothing specifically bad about this debut issue – it’s put together with an obvious understanding of the genre – but it does nothing to mark itself out as special and nor does it imply that signing up for the ride will lead us somewhere we haven’t been before. It doesn’t help that the main character comes across as a not especially appealing individual – he’s seems to be arrogant, irritating, and not really someone you’d want to spend a great deal of time with. All this really does is suggest that, while Stan may have practically reinvented the wheel way back when (alongside Kirby and Ditko, natch), that period of creative brilliance is long since behind him. Stan Lee will be rightly remembered for the likes of Fantastic Four, Thor, Spider-Man and the X-Men. The Traveller won’t even register as a footnote. 5/10


CAPTAIN AMERICA #612
Writers: Ed Brubaker & Sean McKeever
Art: Butch Guice, Bette Breitweiser, Filipe Andrade & Chris Sotomayor
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Script wise, Captain America is now back on track as Bucky prepares to stand trail for his crimes when he was better known as the Winter Soldier. A smart mix of politics and superhero action is exactly what this title should be all about, and after treading water for a few months Brubaker has turned things around. The problem that still exists is the lack of any consistency in the art department. Daniel Acuna started off this arc but hasn't managed to make it to the second issue. This is not to say Butch Guice's work here is below par - in fact, it's excellent - but I do yearn for a bit of visual continuity with this book. I'd accept different art teams for different story arcs, but it doesn't particularly help matters when there's what seems like a constant personnel change from issue to issue. I'd be more than happy to have Guice on full time - his realistic style suits the tone perfectly - but while his name's regularly in the credits it’s often accompanied by various other pencillers and inkers, which, for me at least, dilutes the overall visual impact. This is an ongoing problem though, and taken on its own terms this issue hits the mark repeatedly in the main feature and the Nomad back-up almost matches it with an unexpectedly brutal episode. The only thing holding Captain America back from the top of the pile right now is the revolving-door approach to the art teams; they get that sorted, and they're there. 8/10


DRACULA: THE COMPANY OF MONSTERS #4
Writers: Daryl Gregory & Kurt Busiek
Art: Scott Godlewski & Stephen Downer
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: This series continues to impress by not following a predictable path and coming at an over-used character from an unexpected angle. Sure, it utilizes plenty of vampire conventions in its narrative, but up to this point they've not been employed in a clichéd fashion - there's a freshness to the telling that makes it such an absorbing read. Godlewski’s art manages to effectively juxtapose the drabness of Evan Barrington-Cabot’s existence with the intelligent malevolence of Dracula's, and his rendering of the Lord of the Vampires exudes unbridled power. This issue wraps up the first arc nicely and while there are a couple of elements being introduced that make me wonder if the series is on the brink of becoming more formulaic, I still hold out hope that the creative team can keep things on the right track. Whatever the future holds, Dracula: Company Of Monsters has proven that there is still life in the vampire genre yet, so to speak. 8/10


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #649
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Humberto Ramos, Carlos Cuevas & Edgar Delgado
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: There is no let up, no let up whatsoever in quality, as Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos bring us more Big Time Spider-Man and I really did feel myself get sucked into yet another terrific $3.99 read. Slott once again ties the past to the present and provides us with a future of possibility by performing some creative housekeeping in the Hobgoblin world and the level of unpredictability that it brings is just great fun. Peter’s realisation that his scientific mind has been attuned and focused on fighting villainous foes for most of his adult life is another nice touch that I’m sure will affect his conflicts and day job in issues to come. Slott also acknowledges the wider Marvel Universe and Spider-Man rogues gallery in single page instalments that add interesting little angles to the wider Spidey picture. I do question a little why Peter would think that keeping his costume and gear in a high-security, hi-tech laboratory which is going to be under surveillance 24/7 is a good idea, but it’s a single wobbly tooth in a huge smile of awesomeness. Great story, great character work, great art; there really isn’t any reason for you not to be picking this up if you like Spider-Man at all. 9/10


DETECTIVE COMICS #871
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Jock, David Baron & Francesco Francavilla
DC $3.99

James R: I'll start this review off with a tip o' the hat towards editor Mike Marts - after the Bat-books had been in the able care of Bob Shreck for a long time, Marts has come in and made some excellent editorial choices for the Gotham universe by selecting the right creative teams for each title. Batwoman is a fine example, but so is this - American Vampire author Scott Snyder takes the reigns of Detective and immediately sets out his stall. His focus is going to be on both Dick Grayson and Gotham itself. In a recent DC Nation piece, he noted that Gotham reflects the dark side of a character's personality; "What if Gotham is a black funhouse mirror to whoever wears the cowl?" It's a great idea, and it shows the Vertigo sophistication and sensibility being applied to the DC Universe. Speaking of Vertigo, I was always a fan of Jock's art from The Losers, and it seems that he's a perfect fit for Gotham - with David Baron's moody colour pallet, the book looks terrific to. Add into this is a back-up story that's actually good (at last!) - Snyder writes it too, tying it into the main feature - and you've got a solid win on your hands. As our contributor and Paradox gang member Tom P so aptly put it to me: "DC is getting a lot of our Bat-cash!" 8/10

Matt C: There are several things that Grant Morrison has done with the Batman mythos over the last few years that I've liked (the introduction of Damian Wayne; Dick Grayson donning the iconic cape and cowl) but generally, no matter how many times I've given them a shot, I've come away from Morrison's Bat-books with a mix of emotions ranging from frustration, to confusion, to downright anger. It's reached the point where I've made the decision to avoid any Batman titles with Morrison's name in the writing credits, but I love the character too much to walk away completely, so this title had to be sampled at the very least to see if it fulfilled my need for Caped Crusader fix. Synder’s run on Detective is off to a good start, that's for sure. Although tied to all this Batman Incorporated malarkey (it's a concept that just doesn't work for me) it looks like it'll retain enough independence to be able to forge its own identity. Synder isn't attempting anything on the same scale that Morrision's been putting the Dark Knight through recently; he's pulled things back and we see Dick using his detective skills to solve a mystery rather get involved in an unnecessarily complex and pretentious plotline. The back-up feature, also written by Snyder, shows promise too, with Jim Gordon seeing various signs that suggest a past case is coming back to haunt him. The art from Jock (for the main feature) and Francavilla (for the back up) is very different, but both styles suit the tone of the book, revelling in the portrayal of the shadowy back allies and dubious figures of the underworld setting. I used to get a Bat-book religiously just about every week for a long, long time, so reading this has reminded me how there's been a Batman-shaped hole in my life of late, and how this may be the beginning of a run to help fill it. 8/10


HOLLOW POINT/DAMAGED FLIPBOOK
Writers: David Hine & David Palham
Art: Elia Bonetti, Ong Chew Peng & Dennis Calero
Radical Comics $1.00

Matt C: This is the kind of thing I’m always willing to give a shot: a doubled-up preview of two books Radical are putting out next year at the customer-friendly price of one dollar (although with Damaged #1 listed as appearing in June 2011 you do wonder if the publisher are jumping the gun just a tad – six months is a long time in the comics biz!). Neither of the tales look like they’ll win prizes for originality – particularly Damaged, which at this stage is a little too much like a Punisher rip-off - but both are well-written, with very attractive artwork, and they share a gritty, hard-boiled vibe. Of the two, Hollow Point was the more persuasive intro, but the blurb at the beginning suggests it’s heading off into supernatural territory (which isn’t really evident from the 12 pages here), so perhaps not one for me in the long run as on the whole I prefer my crime stories without cross-genre pollination (something like Incognito is obviously excluded). Neither are slam-dunk certainties to be added to the pull list without hesitation, but both will warrant consideration when they’re finally released. 7/10


BATMAN AND ROBIN #17
Writer: Paul Cornell
Art: Scott McDaniel, Rob Hunter & Alex Sinclair
DC $2.99

Stewart R: Okay, so the original plan to have Tomasi and Gleason follow straight on from Morrison’s run has hit a blip and we now get this three-part story from Paul Cornell instead. The writer brings a new villain into the fold in the form of the mysterious Absence and shows the Dynamic Duo’s first outing together since Bruce’s return. Straight off the bat (no pun people, no pun!) it’s clear that Cornell doesn’t infuse the partnership between Dick and Damian with the kind of antagonism that made Morrison’s work on the title quite so absorbing, instead going for the annoying shtick of having the pair conduct detective work and finish each other’s sentences as if this were the ‘60s TV show, and it just takes too much of the edge off. I do like McDaniel’s pencil work, finding as it does a nice line between the styles of Mark Bagley and Cameron Stewart, but unfortunately he adds too broad a smile or grin here and there that accentuates Cornell’s somewhat hammy dialogue. While I am focusing on the negatives I will state that I did find the Absence to be a very interesting creation and I’ll certainly be sticking around to see if the character has long term potential but I’m afraid this issue has confirmed that Paul Cornell is not a writer I’ll be following again. 5/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #32
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca & Frank D’Armata
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: A bumper issue as we finally get the big scrap with Detroit Steel that’s been brewing for many months but it’s a scrap with a difference. Rather than have Tony slug it out in a David vs Goliath spectacular, Fraction does what he does best and writes a conflict with multiple factors and distractions that causes Tony and the rest of Team Iron Man to think on the fly... literally! This gives Larroca the opportunity to mix things up with angles and viewpoints that really give the whole comic a feeling of breakneck pace. Then, when we think it’s all finished for another month, there’s a little back-up story - also written by Fraction - which hints towards another ‘Disassembled’ storyline peeking at us from a distant horizon, one that is sure to throw Tony’s life into chaos once again. Superbly consistent, incredibly readable. 8/10


ACTION COMICS #895
Writer: Paul Cornell
Art: Pete Woods and Brad Anderson
DC $3.99

James R: So far, Cornell’s run on this book has been a little up and down for me - some moments of brilliance (the first issue and the Grodd issue) tempered by some let-downs (the Deathstroke and Death issues.) This month's instalment is a tick in the plus column as all round meanie and immortal Vandal Savage makes an appearance. Cornell has a blast showing the passing of centuries behind an indifferent Savage, and Lex has a moment of dream inspiration which brings his inevitably fiendish plan closer to fulfilment. Cornell has got a great handle on Luthor - a man strictly nonplussed in the face of an immortal, quipping: "I don't associate with 'super-villains' unless it's to lead them. They have master plans and costumes and pretensions. We have little in common." This continues to be an intriguing read for me, but I'm now starting to think that the arc's climax will mark it out as either a memorable run or just a quirky experiment. 7/10


AVENGERS #296
Writer: Walt Simonson
Art: John Buscema, Tom Palmer & Max Scheele
Marvel $1.00

Matt C: With Doctor Druid and She-Hulk under Nebula’s control, Thor and Black Knight attempt to put an end to her machinations only to find themselves in her thrall within quick succession. With the Avengers under her command, Nebula readies herself to take a souped up Quinjet to her target: a time bubble containing a renegade Celestial (oh yes!). Meanwhile, the three members of the Cross-Time Kang Korps who don't appear to have succumbed to Nebula's feminine charms and given up their secrets attempt to enter the timestream and thwart the traitor before she begins her mission. It's a fantastic blend of sci-fi and superheroics where we get to hear phrases like "There’s a red light on the left existential turbine!" being bandied around as Buscema and Palmer strut their stuff in space once more (and do so with real visual pizzazz). Simonson's script rockets along at a breathless pace, taking no prisoners as he pushes the team into one of the worst places they've ever found themselves. You know it'll all turn out alright in the end, but the trick Simonson pulls is making the reader believe for the duration that things could very well go irreversibly wrong. 8/10

The Indie Club: 9/11 HEARTBREAKER

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


9/11 HEARTBREAKER
Writer: Craig Staufenberg
Art: Craig Staufenberg
$4.99(Print)/$2.99(Digital)

Matt C: Everyone has their own memory of the day the Twin Towers came down, an event that has loomed over the opening of the 21st century more than any other, and this idea forms the starting point for Craig Staufenberg’s graphic novella 9/11 Heartbreaker. Told from the point of view of a twentysomething Buffalo, NY native, it takes her meeting with a guy who collects peoples' stories of 9/11 as an opportunity to meditate on what historical events mean to us, how we all perceive them differently, and how they have the ability to alter our lives in both obvious and barely perceptible ways. Furthermore, it highlights how history isn’t just about the big, world-changing events – it surrounds us. Everywhere we look is drenched in the stuff, you just have to really pay attention to notice it.

While it tackles big themes, it’s a very personal book, and it succeeds due to the humanity contained within the script. The illustration may be simple (for want of a better word) but it is extremely effective at conveying the emotions of the accompanying prose, and it shows just what a versatile method of storytelling the comic book medium is.

It’s brief, but it’s tightly constructed to ensure that every panel, every sentence, counts. It has a quiet power rippling throughout, strong enough to guarantee that it’s a though provoking read that features a welcome message of hope even when dealing with such potentially upsetting subject matter. 8/10

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Incoming... 24/11/2010

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, it seems that most of the smaller publishers out there in comic land may well be busy burying nuts for the harsh winter to come as this Wednesday/Thursday boils down to that old sluggers’ fest that is a ding-dong DC vs Marvel battle. Hmmm, perhaps they’ve just queued for ring-side seats instead. One contender is certainly looking a little on the light side when approaching the scales for weigh in while the bulkier, heavy-hitting old-timer could well struggle from a flabby gut if not careful. Seconds out, round one!

The relative newcomers start things out cautiously but with plenty of enthusiasm. Batwoman #0 skips out with a straight and a jab this week with J H Williams III picking up the quill to write the ongoing adventures of the character he captured on the page so superbly in Detective Comics all those many months ago. Now I originally thought that Williams III was going to be flying this thing solo but it turns out that he’ll be handing over the second arc to Amy Reeder for her artistic skills and a few interviews dotted around here and there suggest that we won’t be getting a resolution any time soon to the Kate/Alice story that was left tentatively poised at the end of Elegy. Williams III is leaving that door open for whenever - or ‘if?’ - Greg Rucka decides to return to the character and I guess it would only be fitting that he be the one to finish off that particular personal story. In any case this is a #0 issue that I’m quite looking forward to as I find it interesting to see how an artist’s style shifts when a greater part of the creative process is laid in their hands.

Already finding it’s range early in the fight last month was Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force and after the cool little reveal at the end of that debut I’m itching to get my hands on #2 to see just where this title is likely to be heading in the near future. Certainly it was a delight to see Jerome Opeña’s art again after a long break and the team that Wolverine - well, Remender really - has assembled really is an intriguing bunch of ass-kickers that are sure to entertain over the length of this arc and beyond. Any comic that includes the enigmatic Fantomex as a major character is alright by me!

After a brief towling down, the occasional spitting into a bucket and a liberal smearing of vaseline across the brow the bell rings and two more pugilists head to the centre of the ring...round two!

Batman and Robin #17 could well see the title take a standing 8-count following a swift one-two in the form of Grant Morrison’s departure and a delay to the arrival of incoming creative talents Peter J.Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. We’re instead going to receive a three-issue interval as Paul Cornell takes over the reigns and brings a new villain into view in the form of The Absence. I’ll say right here that I am contemplating a brief sojourn away from this title in order to return to it fresh and lively for issue #20 and also because Paul Cornell is still yet to really sell me on some of his stories. If he manages to nail the Dick and Damian relationship in this first issue of the arc I may stick around but if he fails in that department then I’ll cut and run for the short term.

One title that seems to be regaining its wind is sadly edging ever nearer to the end of a bruising career as Secret Warriors #22 hits the stands. I was very relieved to see Jonathan Hickman start to bring things full circle in this book last time as the devastating battle between Phobos and Gorgon played out in front of Fury and the rest of the Caterpillars. The most important issue in the entire run came earlier on with Alex offering his thoughts and predictions for the teams' future and to see how that is all going to pan out will keep me hooked to this to the very end. The slightly shaky state of the art team is a concern but it looks like Alessandro Vitti has been handed the champion belt to defend once more and I’ll certainly be one happy punter should he go the distance on Secret Warriors now.

DC look to be on their last legs for this Incoming... as they offer up what little defence they have left in the form of Batman Beyond #6 which brings the curtain down on this decent enough mini-series. I love the world of Batman Beyond and the great banter-filled partnership of Terry McGinnis and the elderly Bruce Wayne. For the most part Adam Beechen and Ryan Benjamin have managed to translate the overall feel of the cartoon to this story and I'd certainly look at picking up any further instalments that they might offer. I do have concerns that the twist may have been given away a little too soon in this series leaving this finale to sheer spectacle alone, but tales of any Batman usually have a few things left up their sleeve or perhaps tucked inside the odd 10oz glove.

Marvel on the other hand come out for the final rounds jabbing and uppercutting in a ferocious flurry that would put any other contender on the canvas. Amazing Spider-Man #649 is just a hay-maker waiting to be unleashed after the first issue of Dan Slott’s Big Time arc just blew me away. Humberto Ramos has delivered delicious Spider-Man stories in the past and he gets to handle another Goblin character here which should be a whole heap of fun. Captain America #612 will focus on Bucky’s attempts to answer for his despicable actions as the Winter Soldier before the court of the American people while Invincible Iron Man #32 should see a big heavy-weight scrap of its own as Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca finally shows us what happens when beaten, bruised and harassed Tony Stark takes on mecha-mercenary Detroit Steel.

Phew, I’m sorry folks, the ref’s called this to a halt and the towel has been thrown in before the likes of Uncanny X-Men #530 and Secret Avengers #7 had a chance to float like a lepidoptera and sting like a hymenoptera! Still, I’m sure they’ll get their own shot at the title soon enough...

Mini Reviews 21/11/2010

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.


BATMAN INCORPORATED #1
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Yanick Paquette, Michel Lacombe & Nathan Fairburn
DC $3.99

James R: For us Bat-fans there's a double dose of goodness this week, with the one-two punch of Batman: The Return and this title. Of the two, I was more taken with this one, as it demonstrates Grant Morrison at his best and shows his Batman ethos at work. Back at the start of his run on Batman And Robin he said that one of the great thing about Batman as a character is that he stands up to so many interpretations - the ‘60s Batman TV show was every bit as valid as The Dark Knight to him. I like his way of thinking and it was a treat to see it applied here. Bruce Wayne's attempt to create a global army of Batmen stops off in Tokyo (in an acknowledged nod to Chip Kidd's 2008 book, Bat-Manga) and a confrontation with Lord Death. The bonus for me here was the inclusion of Catwoman, who Morrison writes with the right mix of mischief and hotness! Paquette's art is great, though I thought Tokyo deserved a more vivid neon colour palette. To round it all off, the issue finishes with a nod to the ‘60s TV Batman, aping the cliffhanger hyperbole pronouncements of William Dozier: “Can Batman solve the Reaper's Riddles? Or will curiosity kill the Cat?” You bet your rear ends I'll definitely be tuning in same Bat-time, same Bat-title next month. 9/10


THUNDERBOLTS #150
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Kev Walker, Frank Martin & Fabio D’Auria
Marvel $4.99

Stewart R: So, milestone issue time, and for that we end up with a bumper-sized comic with the usual bumper-sized price, but are we getting quality and value for the extra money we’re paying? The main story sees a couple of the T’bolts make a break for it while on a ride-along mission with Iron Man, Thor and Steve Rogers, and Parker uses the hero/villain history well to keep the various conflicts interesting. While these knockabouts would seem a little pedestrian in other hands the whole thing has Luke Cage’s frustration and self-doubt seeded throughout and that’s what boots this into another level; honestly, there’s a little unexpected, warm and fuzzy moment in there towards the end that put a smile on my face and shows why this is the Marvel book to be getting into presently. There are a few points to pick at - I’m not buying that Ghost hasn’t been able to glean some news on Stark’s current pursuits while in the field, and Kev Walker’s art looks a little rushed in a couple of places - but surprisingly the reprint of Thunderbolts #1 in the back isn’t a problem for me. I’ve never seen where the team originated from and there’s never much complaint with Bagley artwork, even 13 years on. Some may bemoan half of the comic being given up to old material, and they do have a point, but I’ll still lavish this with a 8/10


KILL SHAKESPEARE #7
Writer: Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col
Art: Andy Belanger & Ian Herring
IDW $3.99

Matt C: After Juliet's rousing speech last issue, which generated some rebellious blood-letting perpetrated by our band of heroes, things quieten down a little as new characters are introduced into the mix and we get an opportunity to get explore the events that made both Juliet and Hamlet who they are today. The entire issue utilizes a neat visual device whereby drawn stage curtains frame every page - it’s an inspired decision as it not only fits in with the content of this particular instalment but also nods towards the original plays the characters are taken from. The further we get into this series the more apparent it becomes just what an ingenious concept lies behind it; it's one of those occasions where an idea seems so obvious in hindsight you wonder how come nobody ever thought of it before. So, kudos for McCreery and Del Col for getting there first and executing the story with such wit and confidence. 8/10


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #54
Writer: Tony Bedard
Art: Tyler Kirkham, BATT & Nei Ruffino
DC $2.99

Stewart R: This title was dangling on the precipice after last month and I’m still not convinced by Bedard’s handling of Kyle Rayner, but this issue has a fair amount going for it. The punch up between Rayner and Sinestro is swift and nicely depicted by Kirkham and I enjoyed the brief history lesson that we get about Planet Qward, the Thunderers and Weaponers which adds a neat bit of backbone to the plot. Bedard’s character work with the Weaponer as a man hellbent on focused and raw revenge is pretty decent too and I hope that he gets opportunity to expand on this area of the story as the arc continues. As a comic read it does feel rather brief, and I’ve a feeling that that’s down to Kirkham’s ‘big style’ of pencil work, but nevertheless this title gets a stay of execution for another month. 7/10


SUPERIOR #2
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Leinil Yu, Gerry Alanguilan & Sunny Gho
Marvel/Icon $2.99

Stewart R: The second issue of any Mark Millar series is usually where the cracks or overblown ego really start to show but this issue of Superior may prove to be an exception to the rule. There’s the expected and acknowledged nod to ‘80s boy-trapped-in-man’s-body flick Big and then Millar thankfully whisks us off to show us what two teenagers really would do if one of them was imbued with super-powers. The dialogue is reasonably crude and teenage-like but it does occasionally read like a man in his 40s writing what he thinks teenage boys sound like. The best bits come when Millar is transposing Simon’s previous struggles with his condition over his current struggles to control and use his powers, and it’s possibly the strongest writing that this ideas man has come up with in a good few years. Yu is really showing us what he can do with Superior, capturing a huge range of emotion on the faces of the characters and then showing off his technical skill with a brilliant splash page that makes next months’ chapter unmissable. 8/10


FLASH # 6
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
DC $2.99

James R: I had such high hopes for this book. I was a big fan of Geoff John's first run (forgive the pun!) on Flash, and after Flash:Rebirth I was looking forward to making this a firm fixture in my pull list. Sadly, for now, this will be my last issue. Why? Well, this is obviously just my opinion, but the book feels very flat to me. There's an air of plodding predictability to it, and given the wealth of possibilities Johns could have gone with in featuring a squad sent back from the future to arrest the Flash, it struck me as a particularly dull resolution. For a book about a speedster, it reads as surprisingly sluggish, and worst of all, I found that I just didn't care about the characters or the situation. On the plus side, Manapul and Buccellato's art is beautiful, but it can't salvage the lack of excitement or peril here. Johns' teaser pages about history being corrupted looks like it could be a good arc to come, but I'm going to have to utter the dark words “wait for the trade.” 5/10

Matt C: A rather disappointing finale to this story arc which has me wondering whether my search for a Flash series I can really get behind may have come up empty again. The bit I couldn't get past is the Renegades announcement that their intention is to eradicate crime from history. Now, I've read my fair share of sci-fi stories over the years, and it was my understanding that one of the standard conventions is that going back and changing the past will create an alternate timeline from that point, which then continues concurrently to the existing one. Yeah, I know we're talking about something that's only theorised by top boffins, but it's the kind of thing that’s ingrained in the minds of geeks, so going against one of the accepted norms of the genre kind of jars. This is probably making me sound like one of those hardcore nerds who interrupt interesting talks at conventions to ask about a ridiculously specific continuity question that no one else cares about, but I do believe you have to adhere to the internal logic that's been set up in a shared universe (and anyway, I seem to recall Johns playing around with the notion that certain events in history couldn't be changed in Booster Gold, so having a group going out with the intention of removing all crime from the timestream seems like a whopping contradiction). That aside, Manapal's art continues to win me over; his light, breezy style suits the character, with Buccellato’s restrained colours enhancing the sense of constant movement, and Johns is still an expert at mixing character and action. I'll stick with this book for the time being, and see how it develops during the lead up to Flashpoint, but this was one instance where suspension of disbelief just didn’t to cut it. 5/10


HULK #27
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Gabriel Hardman & Bettie Breitweiser
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I picked up issue #25, liked it quite a bit but wasn’t sure it was a title I needed to add to my pull list. Tom P convinced me to give #26 a shot, and again, I liked it, but committing to a new ongoing is a big decision in these cash-strapped times. I figured I’d give it one more issue to change my mind (third time lucky?), purchased this and… yup, I liked it quite a bit. Parker has an incredible knack of taking characters you had next to zero interest in and making them interesting and compelling, and Hardman continues to mark himself out as one of Marvel’s brightest ‘new’ talents. But, as much as I enjoyed it, I’m not ready to make it a permanent fixture in monthly haul. The price point’s the deciding factor really – if Marvel put this out at $2.99 and dropped the amusing but inessential Rick Jones back-up feature I’d probably stick around, but if they’re not going to follow suit when DC drop their prices next year then they’re going to have to realise that peoples wallets will start doing the talking. If I could justify the cost I’d pick up further issues of Hulk, but I can’t find enough reasons to, unfortunately. More than likely I’ll be keeping an eye out for it in back issue boxes in the not to distant future. 7/10


SUPERMAN #705
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Art: Wellinton Dias, Eddy Barrows, J.P Mayer, Eber Ferreira & Rode Reis
DC $2.99

Matt C: The first issue after last week's disappointing announcement that Straczynski is leaving early to concentrate on the sequel to Superman: Earth One also turns out to be my last issue of Superman for the time being. I get what Straczynski's trying to do here - send the Man of Steel on a walk across his adopted homeland as a way for him to rediscover what he means to people and what he represents in the 21st century - but the approach he's been taking has generally been a bit too simplistic, obvious and uninspired. There's the odd moment that really hits the spot but overall there's a feeling that this is just going to hammer the same point again and again, ad nauseam. I was excited about 'Grounded' in advance, but even if Straczynski was sticking around I'd still make the same decision to drop this. 5/10


X-MEN #5
Writer: Victor Gischler
Art: Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco & Marte Gracia
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: I remember many moons ago scoffing at this title when it turned up in Previews, especially as it seemed to show Marvel jumping on the horrific bandwagon of everything vampire-related. Well I’m not scoffing now, as this has really proven the age old adage of not judging a (comic) book by its cover. Gischler has handled the presence and menace of the Vampires in the 'Curse Of The New Mutants' with aplomb, making them a true threat to mutant-kind and forcing the X-Men to bring their A-game to the fight. This issue highlights Gischler’s masterful handling of the X-roster in terms of abilities as well as a near-perfect depiction of Cyclops as the tactical leader that he is. I think I was loving this so much that I even laughed out loud at how good a time I was having watching the two sides go at it. Paco Medina and the rest of the art team have been a great pick to start this series off and I’m not sure there are many artists out there who can render a mutant battle much better than he can. Terrific stuff and I’ll happily suck that earlier scoff back in. 9/10


THE KILLER: MODUS VIVENDI #5
Witer: Matz
Art: Luc Jacamon
Archia $$3.95

Matt C: Sleek, intelligent and bursting with tension, The Killer: Modus Vivendi could possibly be close to outclassing the original miniseries in terms of sheer brilliance. Our unnamed protagonist is in deeper than ever before now he’s mixed up in a huge plot involving various shady organizations and the destabilization of a South American government. Once again, what makes this such a thrilling read is the prefect blend of Matz pulling the meditative cynicism from the mind of the title character and Jacamon’s glossy, vibrant, beautifully composed panels. Archia may have a slightly cavalier approach to scheduling their titles, but they earn my eternal thanks for bringing this exceptional series to the English-speaking market. 8/10


OSBORN #1
Writer: Kelly Sue Deconnick & Warren Ellis
Art: Emma Rios, Jose Villarrubia , Matt Wilson & Jamie McKelvie
Marvel $3.99

James R: On the surface, I had no reason to pick this book up. I don't get any of the Spider-books, I stopped reading Thunderbolts the moment Ellis stopped writing it, so why get a Norman Osborn book at all? Well, the pitch alone perked my interest: Osborn is in prison (inevitably planning his escape) and it involves being in a maximum security facility with a group of extraordinary criminals, including Xirdal (an alien trapped on Earth since the ‘50s, hell-bent on wiping us out) and Al Apaec (a South American Chimera God). Trust me, it's fun! Osborn is clearly going to start to use everyone around him for his own nefarious ends, while on the outside Norah Winters and Peter Parker (refreshingly not in Spidey threads in a single panel) try to figure out just what the cardboard-haired sociopath is up to. It's a compelling read in and of itself, but the cherry on top is the back-up feature: Warren Ellis & Jamie McKelvie give us the back story of one of Osborn's cellmates - June Covington, 'The Toxic Doxie'. It's brilliant, but what else would you expect from Ellis? Definitely worth a look if you're looking for a break from ‘the norm’. (Jeez, that's my second bad pun of the week. I'm off to beat myself over the head with a Walking Dead compendium until I learn my lesson!) 8/10


GREEN LANTERN #59
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Randy Mayor & Gabe Eltreb
DC $2.99

Matt C: Almost 60 issues into this series and I think I’ve reached the point where I’m experiencing Lantern fatigue. Ever since Blackest Night was put to bed, this title has become increasingly convoluted, juggling too many characters in a narrative that’s too tied up with Brightest Day to really feel like it’s retaining its own independence. There’s still a lot to like – Geoff Johns is great with the character interplay and Mahnke has a strong command of his subjects – but I’m kind of wishing they’d scale things back now. I yearn for the days when we had a proper Hal-Jordon-up-against-a-villian story; something a bit more concise and without the need to include numerous multi-coloured Lanterns. I’ve devoted a lot of time to Hal since the Green Lantern: Rebirth mini, and I don’t really want to bail out now, but this is getting close to falling into ‘chore’ territory. 6/10


THE SIXTH GUN #6
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Art: Brian Hurtt & Bill Crabtree
Oni Press $3.99

Stewart R: The Sixth Gun has been a series that I’ve picked up month after month but never felt the need to write about for some reason. Here, at the end of the first arc, I find myself looking back over the series with a real feeling of respect for creators and publisher alike for making a supernatural Western story work and work well. This finale brings everything with it: terrific tension, a real sense of spectacle from Brian Hurtt’s art, and a sense that this is simply the beginning of what may turn out to be a high-quality, long-running series. Bunn brings all of the plot threads together, spinning some surprises as he does - Mrs Hume’s powers can do that?? Wow! - and showing that Drake Sinclair is the kind of reluctant hero that makes a comic book like this a really interesting prospect. Pick up the trade when you can and then jump in with #7 people. 8/10


AVENGERS #295
Writer: Walt Simonson
Art: John Buscema, Tom Palmer & Paul Becton
Marvel $1.00

Matt C: Nebula pulls Grimlock from the Dinobots from another dimension and deposits him Washington DC where he proceeds to wreak havoc. New Avengers chairman Doc Druid quickly dispatches Thor to the US capital to put stop the rampaging robot. Okay, so it's not really Grimlock, but try telling an old school Transformers fan that they don't look the same! Druid becomes progressively less sneaky and more blatant in his manipulations of the Avengers (who are now down to four active members), while the Kangs discover that Nebula's endgame involves the ultimate weapon that they themselves have been pursuing. It's gripping stuff because you're just waiting for the moment when the team implodes and the sparks start flying - Simonson practically has the reader in the palm of his hand as only he knows exactly when that moment will arrive. Buscema and Palmer still make the magic happen on the page - they way the render some fantastic, contorted facial expressions for Druid is worth the price of admission alone. 8/10

Graphic Perception: RIFT RAIDERS

Review by Stewart R


RIFT RAIDERS
Writer: Mark Sable
Art: Julian Totino Tedesco and Juan Manuel Tumburus
Kickstart Comics $14.99

The pairing of Mark Sable and Julian Totino Tedesco impressed me last year with brooding, conspiracy malarkey in the terrific Unthinkable for Boom! Studios and so any opportunity to grab more of their collaborative efforts must be taken when they arise. Luckily for me Kickstart have managed to reunite the duo to spin a tale of adventurous time travel as four orphans discover that their parents are actually alive and well and hidden throughout time. With the knowledge that their families are out there trapped somewhen the plucky group of teenagers set out to steal precious antiques and items from days gone past that could be the key to their parents’ freedom.

Stories involving or focusing squarely on chronological navigation can sometimes get bogged down by the ‘science’ behind it all, or can linger too long in one particular epoch, changing the feel of the story to that of a period piece and treating the whole journey more as a secondary point to the events taking place in the current setting. Sable manages to avoid these pitfalls by clearly detailing the mission at hand and ensuring that the hopping between eras is swift and fleeting which is certainly needed to keep the momentum in a self-contained 96-page book. Time (and page space) is of the essence they say...

He also opts to throw the reader straight into the action without any need to use page after page of back story to explain just what sort of characters Dodger, Myles, Layla and Sikes are; their reactions and interactions during the adventure are enough to tell us what their individual motivations and traits are and once again it helps to keep the story on track. To this end we do end up with a certain familiar group dynamic: the greatly talented but roguish protagonist, the brainy kid with steadfast morals, the feisty female with deadly skills and the begrudging companion with a dubious grasp of ethics and a thirst for power, but this familiarity is a help more than a hindrance to the plot and their characters are strong and rounded enough. Certainly the strained, almost antagonistic relationship that Dodger has with his parents is captured nicely and proves a refreshing change to the usual sugary, familial mold dotted throughout many a comic book tale.

The easiest thing to spot throughout Rift Raiders is that Sable and Todesco are placing the focus squarely on fun with some neat set pieces and a decent amount of humour dotted throughout the white-knuckle ride - the result of taking a lackadaisical approach to the loss of two prehistoric eggs is a particular highlight. Whether he's rendering partially completed pyramid tombs in ancient Giza or Zeppelin war weapons gliding over New New York, Todesco has certainly altered his art style to fit the lighter, fantasy-based antics contained in Rift Raiders compared to the darker, realistic feel that he captured in Unthinkable. There’s a younger, animated style on show and combined with Tumburus’ vibrant colours it makes for a pretty book indeed. Todesco’s ability to alter and adapt his style highlights him as a rising talent in the industry and definitely one to watch over the next few years.

While the positives are mounting up here there are a couple of niggles within Rift Raiders. Occasionally it feels that Todesco is cramming too much on one page in order to get the best impact out of the next and the big villain of the piece, Casimir, isn’t featured enough for my liking. However, I put these points down mostly to the limited format; had this been a new ongoing comic series Sable could have easily spun things out and delved into character development a great deal more and lingered further on the ramifications that time-travel could potentially have for those involved, but for a self-contained adventure graphic novel everything we readers require is right here and contributes to an enjoyable read.

If you fancy a change from the superhero and noir crime genres and feel like grabbing a slice of time-hopping fun then this is probably one of the first places you should look. It’s certainly a positive start for a new publisher in the industry, helps to highlight the breadth of work that these creators can produce, and hopefully promises great things to come from all involved. 7/10

Incoming... 17/11/2010

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: I’m going to head back to 18th Century France and I’m going to drag two titles with me and shove them in front of the guillotine as some poor grubby peasant or deposed King has 10 or 11 inches ‘taken off the top’ as a warning that they’d better up their game this week as I flick through their pages, I’m serious! (Note: Stewart R lacks the most rudimentary of time travel devices and so his chronological posturing is simply for effect - thank you for your continued patience, normal service will resume shortly)

The two titles in question happen to both be DC titles and fairly prominent ones they are too. Since J. Michael Straczynski’s announced that he’s had enough of this monthly comic lark and is jumping off of Superman I’m going to make a last minute decision as to whether I even bother to pick up #705. I personally think it’s a pretty damn poor show that he’s not going to be seeing the full 12-issue run out on a so-called important story like ‘Grounded’ that was supposed to allow Superman to regain the high profile that he once held. While another writer coming in may well do a good job, the issues released so far have underwhelmed and have left me doubting the ability of anyone to turn the story into a winner. Tell you what, I can’t find much in the way of positives to write about this title and the promise of another instalment so it’s gone, off the list with you!

The other book is Green Lantern Corps #54 and while #53 was quite the picturesque affair I had some concerns about the way in which Tony Bedard was depicting Kyle Rayner. I think I will pick this up simply to see how the inevitable clash between Rayner and Sinestro is played out and how the writing of the various characters feels. I’m still thinking that this is now the third string title in the Lanternverse but if this chapter is an improvement it may find itself with a stay of execution for another month. Certainly Green Lantern #59 has no such problems as I’ve been getting a real kick out of Geoff Johns’ work on this title following the Blackest Night and the constant inclusion of Larfleeze at the moment is always a grin-inducing ingredient. It looks like we’ll finally get a peek at what the Indigo Tribe have been “nokking” about with Black Hand since Nekron was defeated and that’s certainly one of the more interesting things to have spun out of DC’s big event since it ended at the beginning of the year.

A few people out there may well say to me “Aren’t you going to be mentioning or picking up Batman Incorporated #1?” And I will answer “No, no I am not, I’ve called a taxi for the workings of Mr Morrison and we won’t be seeing each other for a little while.”

As for the workings of Jeff Parker... gimme gimme gimme! Oh yes, Tom P has worked his salesman-like skills and managed to convince me that a comic starring Thadeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross is really worth picking up. So Hulk #27 is a lock in for my pull-list now after a delayed purchase of the previous two issues, a thoroughly enjoyable quarter of an hour read and eventual thirst for more. I really didn’t get on with Jeff Loeb’s work earlier on in the title mostly due to the constant mystery over who the Red Hulk actually was and repetitive, gratuitous scraps with Marvel heavy-hitters. To be honest I had no real love for where the Hulk world seemed to be heading but Parker is a man who manages to combine character, comedy and spectacle so damn well and I really shouldn’t be surprised that he’s won me over yet again. Gabriel Hardman has been producing some impeccable work on this book already and he really is one of the publishers’ shining lights when it comes to raw artistic talent.

Of course this is the week where we get to see another of those bright beacons return to a title after the swiftest of interludes as Kev Walker’s pencils make their reappearance in Thunderbolts #150. Jeff Parker gets yet another opportunity to show off his uncanny ability to make cross-overs and team guest appearances work as he brings three of the most famous Avengers into the fold for some tense entertainment. We’re into bumper territory for this milestone issue with a 40-page lead story which sees Thor, Iron Man and Steve Rogers taking a visit to the Raft, coming face to face with some of their former deadliest foes in the process... who are of course the good guys now - well most of the time! We’re also promised some extras like character bios and key reprints in a 96-page book for a price tag of $4.99 but I’m expecting something a little more exciting than filler about Ghost, Moonstone and company in a book that I’m shelling out that amount of shynola for.

There are two comics out this week that both dealt with disabled characters becoming super-powered heroes in their first issues and it’ll be interesting to see whether either of them pack enough punch in their second episodes. Mark Millar’s Superior #2 flies onto shelves and I’m intrigued to see where the big ideas man takes things this time. He’s certainly one of the more unpredictable writers out there today and you can quickly end up loving or hating his works early in a run because of that constant need to shake things up for the sake of shaking. It also gets a little vomit inducing the number of times that outlandish and self-indulgent statements and claims get plastered upon his comics and it appears that this issue is going to be no exception to that nauseating rule.

Certainly the other comic, Soldier Zero #2 from BOOM! Studios will sink or swim not based on smilin’ Stan Lee’s idea, which is simple and promising enough, but instead upon Paul Cornell’s ability to turn it into a working, emotion-and-character-driven story. I’m yet to really get into Cornell’s writing style having left Action Comics behind and I may not be able to give him long to wedge this comic firmly enough into my pull-list to prevent it ending up face down over a basket with the slight glint of the sun upon razor sharp steel in its peripheral vision.