Incoming... 30/03/2011

New comics are released Wednesday in the States and guess what, in the UK too! Here's a brief look at our expectations for the books we're picking up this week.

Stewart R: Those ‘big order’ weeks just keep rolling in at the moment and even with the absence of titles from Image and Dark Horse this side of the Atlantic pond - fear not American and Canadian chums, you’ll still be getting your fix from those publishers - my order is still on the hefty side once more. And guess what? It’s Ed Brubaker and Scott Snyder week ladies and gents!

Yep, both writers have a a handful of titles hitting the stands this Wednesday and I really do think it’s going to be difficult to pick between the two for a winner once all the reading has been done and the brains and eyes are being rested. Brubaker brings the curtain down on the latest Incognito series as Incognito: Bad Influences #5 has Zack Overkill coming face to face with a foe intent on leaving no-one alive during his pursuit of him. I’m currently of the opinion that this series hasn’t been quite up there with the first arc was, but a strong final installment should help to elevate this particular arc from good to great.

While he’s rounding off one story it seems that Mr Brubaker is leading us off on a new journey in Captain America #616 and he’s bringing a whole boat-load of friends along to help out as Marvel celebrates the Sentinel of Liberty’s 70th anniversary this month with a bumper issue. A fair portion will focus on Bucky’s current predicament as he finds himself incarcerated in a Russian prison awaiting judgement for his actions as the Winter Soldier and Steve Rogers must play detective to unravel the bizarre international conspiracy that has dragged his friend out of one particularly nasty situation into another. Then we’ll be whisked from pillar to post as a handful of top writers and artists bring us short tales of Steve Rogers’ escapades as Captain America where he fights to defend freedom and liberty from war torn 1940s Germany through to modern day America. Marvel have a habit of making these larger, anniversary specials into compelling and interesting reads and I’ve got my fingers crossed that they repeat the magic here. Art from the likes of Mike Deodato and Travis Charest certainly sweetens the deal!

But that’s not it for Brubaker’s Steve Rogers and Captain America story for this week as Secret Avengers #11 will be taking a look back into the past of the best and brightest Super Soldier. The next two issues are likely to look a little closer into the mysterious Shadow Council and just how the likes of John Steele ended up amongst their ranks and will bring to a close Brubaker’s tenure on what has to be considered to be the best ‘Avengers’ title currently on the shelves. Nick Spencer is due to take over the writing duties from #13 onwards - and also takes up the pen for #12.1 which could be interesting - and we’ll just have to see whether his creative skills can match that of one of the most talented writers on Marvel’s books.

So let’s take a trip over to DC and Vertigo where Scott Snyder will be cutting loose with his efforts on two titles. American Vampire #13 is the bigger draw of the two comics for me as Snyder will start a brand new arc where Pearl and Henry get pulled into the heart of World War II and a fight against vampire foes who are making plans and moves during the conflict with Japan. These shifts from one era to another have worked remarkably well for twelve issues of this series and that’s thanks to Snyder remaining true to his characters and allowing them to mature as time would allow yet remain ultimately recognisable when we get dropped into a fresh period of their lives during the 20th Century. From the preview pages out in interwebs land there seems to be a clean, rich feel to Rafael Albuquerque's work for this arc and I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on this comic.

Snyder’s other title this Wednesday is Detective Comics #875 which will once again focus primarily on Jim Gordon’s troubled mind now that his son James has reappeared and could potentially pose a threat to innocent citizens of Gotham. The last chapter was a brilliant example of tension bred through suggestion and misdirection and thanks to the art of Franceso Francavilla that bubbling mood was made even more intense. It seems that this isn’t simply going to be a ‘flash in the pan’ story which I’d actually taken it for when it started off as the backup story in Detective and it looks like Snyder has plans to get James Gordon involved in the life of his father and Dick Grayson’s Batman for many months to come.

Just perusing the trusty pull list it also seems that it’s a week for titles where I’m slightly dubious about the continuing level of quality for one reason or another. Scarlet #5 should be another chapter of enthralling tension and social commentary as Bendis and Maleev place their protagonist smack bang in the midst of her supporters and her detractors as she attempts to bring about revolution and an end to corruption throughout the ranks of those charged to protect society. My doubt sneaks in somewhat on the ongoing level of quality following the recent news that Bendis and Maleev would be working together on a new Moon Knight title due out in April. The previously excellent Spider-Woman title was brought to a premature end due to various excuses like over-working and tedium and it doesn’t fill me with confidence that this pair of creators - and Maleev in particular - are going to manage two titles like this without things going awry. I look forward of course to being proved quite wrong there!

Oh and the other title I was thinking of is Mark Millar's long overdue Kick Ass 2 #2.....meh, whatever! Haha, enjoy folks!

Four-Colour Yesteryears: Atlas Shrugged (Briefly…), Part III

In Four-Colour Yesteryears we delve back into the past to look at the periods, events and creators that helped shape the medium.

Click here for Part I and here for Part II.

By Rob N

So Atlas had launched in a blaze of glory and the fanfare of golden trumpets. But this was the mid-70s, and surely the writing was on the wall from day one, for if the mighty Marvel couldn’t keep new titles in print how could Johnny-come-lately Atlas expect to do any better? Yes, comics were cheap, and kids could easily buy seven comics with their weekly pocket money, but there were also space hoppers and chopper bikes to lust after, not to mention those all important Action Man accessories like the M*A*S*H style helicopter with the working rotor blades, or the Saracen armoured car. Savage Combat Tales featuring Sgt Stryker’s Death Squad might have had an eye-catching title, but once past the cover it really had to pull out all the stops to get between an eleven year old boy and a new Action Man with gripping hands. And between you and me, it didn’t.

Martin Goodman’s business plan was built around a single important principle: make the Atlas comics look like Marvel comics because Marvel comics sold well. Unfortunately, despite a few similarities in character concepts, the Atlas line didn’t look anything like Marvel. For starters there were relatively few superhero comics, and crucially perhaps, the spandex comics that did exist didn’t seem to sit in a shared ‘Atlas universe’. If you had to pinpoint one of the most important factors influencing Marvel’s success in the ‘60s, it was the idea to place all the books within the same continuity and occasionally have stories and characters cross over from one book to another. That such a basic factor could be overlooked by a company that wanted to imitate Marvel, and was after all run by the publisher who used to run Marvel, is bizarre.

Very soon Goodman began to criticise the scripts and art that landed on his desk because it wasn’t ‘Marvel’ enough for him. To add to this, Martin’s son, Chip, had been placed in a position of authority within Seaboard, and the general feeling amongst artists and writers was that Chip didn’t really understand the industry. Back in the days when Chip Goodman worked for Marvel, Roy Thomas remembered a typical scene with the man when he discussed a Wild West title:

"It was a Western cover and Chip sent back word that he wanted all the bad guys in the story inside and on the cover to be wearing animal masks. We asked why and he said, 'I don't know. Maybe it'll sell better.'"

Only a month or two after the initial launch of the colour books, where sales figures were reputedly as low as 13% of the print run (though interestingly, a figure as low as 25% to 30% sales was considered acceptable to break even in those days), Martin Goodman panicked and decided that on the whole his titles all looked wrong. Out of the blue he gave instructions to radically change many of the ongoing titles overnight. Some of the changes were as extreme as you could imagine. Chaykin’s atmospheric pulp ‘30s adventurer, the Scorpion, became a costumed superhero in the 1970s in issue #3, drawn in a simplified Jack Kirby style by a new art team (Chaykin was thrown off his own creation). I recall picking up the issue in a state of mild confusion, thinking, this is crap.

Morlock 2001, an SF comic set in the future, was radically overhauled when Goodman suddenly decided that SF comics wouldn’t sell. Frank Thorne’s Lawrence Of Arabia serial was axed because it had Arabs in it (presumably this blindingly obvious revelation wasn’t understood at the commissioning stage…), and Jeff Jones (arguably one of the finest painters of paperback covers during the period) was turned away from doing covers because Goodman didn’t like his style (for which, read, Jeff Jones didn’t draw the old fashioned Marvel way). Goodman had strong opinions on what made a good cover. He wanted the art plastered in word balloons and lots of text, whereas his creators fought a battle to let the art speak for itself. In desperation they would sneak art through the production process, keeping it away from Martin Goodman’s attention until it was too late to change it.

With sales figures bottoming out, the page rates, originally so very attractive to experienced talent, were mercilessly cut to reduce costs. Within just a few months of launching in a blaze of glory, Atlas came crashing to the ground before any title had chalked up a fifth issue. The mocking (and relieved) laughter from the boardrooms of Marvel and DC must have echoed through their buildings in reply.

For a long time Atlas has been consigned to the recycling bin of history, but recently the trend for revisiting every nostalgic property has come home to roost even here. A recent copy of the Previews catalogue announced that a select few Atlas creations are getting a second chance in print. For those who are curious, there will be a relaunch of two of the old titles: The Phoenix and The Grim Ghost. Jason Goodman (Grandson of Martin) is behind the retro move, but how these properties will perform in a very crowded marketplace is anyone’s guess.

Mini Reviews 27/03/2011

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 latest instalment of Matt C's Secret Wars Project.

HELLRAISER #1
Writers: Clive Barker & Christopher Monfette
Art: Leonardo Manco
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: I’ve never been much of a horror aficionado but the first Hellraiser movie really captured my teenaged imagination when I first watched on VHS back in the late 1980s. Original, disturbing and packed with terrifying imagery, it spawned several (increasingly bad) sequels as well as giving us one of the icons of cinematic horror in Pinhead. The franchise has visited the comic book format before, but it’s been a decade and a half since the Cenobites have made an appearance on the printed (and coloured page) and with a reboot due to hit the big screen next year, and factoring in the enduring popularity of Pinhead, it seems reasonable to assume now is a good time to bring him and his sadistic buddies back to the medium. The best part of this debut issue, without question, is Manco’s often-extraordinary artwork. Grimly atmospheric, imaginatively horrific, it captures the right tone with apparent effortlessness. The script is where things slip though, with Pinhead wandering around in a state of ennui, seemingly keen to given up his role as a paingiver in Hell to go and experience life as a regular human being. It’s hardly petrifying subject matter and does seem to depend on the readers’ knowledge of the movies a little too much. The back-up (a preview of the forthcoming Hellraiser Masterpieces series) features a reprinted tale from Larry Wachowski (the Wachowski Brother who has allegedly become a woman) that’s embarrassingly pretentious and probably something best left in the back-issue boxes. As I said, I’m not much of a horror aficionado so this is probably a little too ‘niche’ for me. Hardcore fans of the movies may find they get a lot more out of it. 5/10


UNCANNY X-FORCE #6
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Esad Ribic, John Lucas & Matt Wilson
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: This has quickly become the X-book that you simply should not miss out on. ‘Deathlok Nation’ is proving to be as engaging and absorbing an arc as the ‘Apocalypse Solution’ was and the key to that is the emotional burden that these five teammates are carrying with them. The scene with Betsy discussing her membership of the team with brother Brian and his reaction to what they’re having to deal with is excellent, especially the panel where Ribic portrays Brian’s stunned silence. Remender keeps the team constantly unsure of their actions yet certain that action is required, which brings up some well thought out discussion and dialogue between the various team members. He’s even managed to make the Deathloks interesting and far more complicated that I ever pictured them to be and I’m certainly of the opinion that this is fighting to be Marvel’s top title currently. 9/10


GREEN LANTERN #64
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, Tom Nguyen & Randy Mayor.
DC $2.99

Stewart R: The War Of The Green Lanterns is finally here (the build up has been something of a protracted and expanded one) and Johns and Mahnke do their usual job of making this something of an explosive first chapter as Krona unleashes his revenge upon the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps. I like the way that all of the various participants and elements of this war have been positioned specifically over the past few months so that the initial actions and clashes are swift and raw - especially Krona’s ambush of Oa - but it’s also possible to see this being a long, drawn out, and - most importantly - gripping conflict. The key of course is going to be how all three writers tie this event together but it’s clear that enough preparation was taken in the run up so I remain positive at this juncture. 8/10


FF #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Steve Epting & Paul Mounts
Marvel $3.99

James R: To begin, I couldn't help but raise a wry smile when I saw the title of this book. A few years ago, Mark Waid and the (much missed) Mike Wieringo started their superb run on Fantastic Four with a strong 'statement of intent' issue. Marvel's First Family were identified as having an image crisis and brought in a publicity agency to boost their profile. Their idea to get the Fantastic Four back on top?! Well, their comic was due to be re-branded 'F!F!' and everyone got new uniforms. Waid suggested that this was a crazy idea as it ignored what made the characters great to begin with... jump forward to 2011, and whaddayaknow? Fantastic Four is re-launched as FF... and everyone's got new uniforms! Okay, taking my cynics hat off, I decided to read this as my co-reviewers did a great job of convincing me to give it a second chance. I've professed my admiration for Jonathan Hickman here many times before but there's just something about his take on the Fantastic Four that doesn't feel right. At the moment, I still think this book is too heavy with foreshadowing. By using the 'Franklyn & Valeria from the Future' plot device it seems like everything Hickman does needs to have the epithet 'This will be really, really important... eventually'. Whereas I'm all for long arcs and payoffs, at the moment the title seems to be missing the spark that it had for me in during the seminal Byrne run and in Waid's masterful issues. For me, this didn't read as a brand new dawn, or an interesting diversion, just more of the same, and that's not quite enough. 6/10

Stewart R: For someone relatively new to the current world of the Fantastic Four like me this is a terrific debut. Hickman manages to squeeze everything that a new reader would require to know into this single issue without allowing it to get too bogged down in the kind of history lesson which could grate on regular readers’ nerves. The inclusion of villainous AIM antics and Nathaniel Richard’s differing perspective to that of his son’s keeps things fresh and offers plenty of promise for the immediate future. Epting is definitely a good choice for this comic bringing in a serious and mature level of detail while maintaining a somewhat classic look for the First Family and Future Foundation of Marvel. And while we’re on that point, I’m very glad to see the inclusion of a ‘Who’s Who’ page in there (Hickman seems to favour such bonuses) as I was on the verge of bringing up Wikipedia to figure out just who made up this expansive roster. A good start to what I’m sure will develop into an interesting series. 8/10


NEONOMICON #4
Writer: Alan Moore
Art: Jacen Burrows & Juanmar
Avatar $3.99

James R: The final issue of this much-discussed series from Alan Moore ends in the same vein as the prior instalments - by subverting the reader's expectations and leaving them with a sense of palpable unease. Traditionally, the last part of any comics series is the payoff issue - the last battle, the big reveal, I'm sure you know the deal. However, here Alan Moore plays this Lovecraftian tale out almost as a coda, giving it the feeling of an extended epilogue, as Merril escapes the cultists and ensures that they're brought down. The main climax of the issue comes in the final pages though, as Merril returns to see the incarcerated Aldo Sax. Their conversation is trademark Moore, and reads like the dark twin to the finale of Promethea; where that series considered an apocalypse brought on by ideas and language, but happily bringing about the next step of human evolution, this one marks an apocalypse also brought about by ideas language (the Aklo of the cult) but here it's heralding the end of the 'Vermin' of mankind. The other big reveal of the issue was lessened due to the hive mind of Internet comics geeks (like us!) puzzling it out after issue #3. It's a nicely understated read, and in comparison to Avatar's more visceral horror books, it's a great example of horror done right - one that highlights the banality of evil, and one that stays in your head a long time after you close the final page. Alan Moore has been a tad cranky of late, but when he's this good I'm willing to forgive him almost anything! 9/10

Matt C: With the more disturbing aspects of this largely successful stab at Lovecraftian horror out the way, the finale focuses mostly on wrapping up the mystery. Moore is too clever to place a full stop on the end though, finishing off with an open-ended ‘conclusion’ that leaves the reader to hazard a guess at what the future holds for certain characters. Taken as a whole, I enjoyed this series a lot more than I thought I would, although perhaps ‘enjoyed’ isn’t the right word considering some of the more depraved scenarios witnessed for the duration. It did start to lose me towards the end though as it became more immersed in Lovecraftian mythology – something I’m not overly familiar with – and it began to feel a lot more exclusive. The realism of Burrows art, along with the gruesome images he puts on the page, helped sustain the tension, and even when discussing subjects you know little about Moore’s prose is captivating. It maybe a minor work in the great man’s cannon, but worth a look all the same. 7/10


THOR #620.1
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Mark Brooks, Sonia Oback & John Rauch
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: This is when the ‘Point One’ concept doesn’t work. Overlook the regular creative team in favour of some guys who haven’t had much dealings with the character as a way to entice new readers into the fold? Doesn’t seem like the wisest of moves. It may have worked if Abnett and Lanning – usually solid, often inspired writers – had crafted a tale that was anything other than forgettable, but unfortunately that’s not the case. The Grey Gargoyle sneaks into Asgard to cause mayhem in search of treasure, and that’s about the size of it. Entirely throwaway, the saving grace being some impressive, majestic art from Brooks, who clearly understands the correct way to present these characters. It’s just not enough to part money hard-earned money for. 5/10


BATMAN:THE DARK KNIGHT #2
Writer: David Frinch
Art: David Finch, Scott Williams & Alex Sinclair
DC $2.99

James R: Doing the whole 'artist & writer' trick is a rare skill in mainstream comics. Oh, sure, Frank Miller used to make it look easy (before he went totally hatstand) and my personal favourites, Chris Ware and Jeff Lemire, also make it look easy, but all in all there are precious few people who can combine the written word with the illustrated figure. (In independent comics the one man - or woman! - show is par for the course, but that's a discussion for another time...!) How does David Finch measure up in the double-threat talent stakes? Not so great I'm afraid. First, let's focus on the positive: this book is gorgeous. Seriously. It looks incredible, and alongside the inks of Scott Williams, Finch is as good as I've ever seen him, the Batman universe being a great fit for him. His character designs are great and his panel designs equally so. However, it's on the writing side that Finch doesn't quite cut the mustard. Like I said in my review of the first issue, the plot feels hugely nostalgic - it reads like the Batman/Detective comics of the early ‘90s. That's no bad thing in and of itself, but when you stand it next to the two outstanding Bat-books at the moment (Scott Snyder and Jock's Detective and Morrison's Batman Inc) it feels like an anachronism. For example, a street kid steals the Batmobile? That's a little Jason Todd for my liking (if you're not a decrepit Bat-fan like me, well, that's how Batman met Jason Todd - he was stealing the wheels of the Batmobile!) There're plenty of nice touches that show Finch understands Batman (the face-off with the Penguin and his goons for example) but at the moment, the plot needs to take a few innovative twists and turns to get it up to the 'Outstanding' bracket. 7/10


X-MEN #9
Writer: Victor Gishler
Art: Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Wayne Fauchner, Jaime Mendoza & Al Vey
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Well, things take a very interesting turn this month and I certainly wouldn’t have predicted the appearance of one character, but it’s their relationship to the X-Men that makes Gischler’s choice the right one. It definitely adds an extra level of menace to proceedings and amplifies the threat that the new incarnation of the Lizard would have posed on his own. I will admit that on the whole the story does take a backseat to the artwork and doesn’t really break the conventional threat/big fight/bigger threat/bigger fight mould but then with Bachalo’s visuals sometimes that’s pretty damn okay! There’s the usual niggle about too many inkers dipping into the collective ink but with Bachalo’s rich line style it doesn’t prove to be as much of a factor as it can be with other artists. Once again the maestro demonstrates why he’s a good bet for colouring his own work, throwing in deliciously simple and effective contrasts and occasionally electing to go for an absence of colour to great effect. 8/10


MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS #12
Writer: Jim Shooter
Art: Mike Zeck, John Beatty & Christie Scheele
Marvel $1.00

Matt C: Often when you reach the end of a large-scale comics event you find yourself disappointed with the way it concludes and are left with the feeling that the writer couldn’t quite think of a way to tie things up in a suitable manner. Fortunately that’s not the case with Secret Wars: a bombastic, double-sized finale, it sees everything come to a head in gripping fashion. The omnipotent Doctor Doom is overcome with paranoia and self-doubt, helped along by the constant jibing from Klaw. The corpses of the heroes are now lying in the ruins of Doombase, and Doom has not only defeated his lifelong enemies but also the Beyonder himself. He should be revelling in his triumph, but what if a stray thought should alter reality and bring Cap and the rest of the heroes back from the dead? It’s a thrilling sight to watch the Latverian despot unravel as he discovers that perhaps a mortal man – even Doom – is not built to contain such power. Away from all the fireworks we see the newly upgraded Molecule Man transporting the villains (and a chunk of Denver) back home and also get a bit of exposition courtesy of the Enchantress that gives an indication of where the story of the Beyonder may go next. Fantastic scripting from Shooter, undoubtedly some of his best work in the medium, while Zeck delivers some epic, explosive, exhilarating artwork, probably some of his most impressive work in comics too. It suffered some slight dips in quality early on, but once it gained momentum it became unstoppable. It may have opened the doors for the reliance on ‘event books’ in the industry but that doesn’t stop of it from being a classic piece of pop superheroism. 10/10

Cover To Cover: FF #1

FF #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Steve Epting, Rick Magyar & Paul Mounts
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: There’s no question, at least in my mind, that this new series won’t be anything other than a temporary excursion for Marvel’s First Family. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either new to the world of superhero comics or is the kind of gullible fool the hype-merchants love to dupe. Johnny Storm will return to the fold sooner or later, but for now Hickman is going for the time-honoured “illusion of change” approach that has buoyed the industry for so many years. And so it’s out with the iconic ‘4’ logo and in with a new set of costumes plus a new addition to the team: Spider-Man.

I can understand why some may groan at the wallcrawler’s inclusion, as he’s in danger of becoming as ubiquitous as Wolverine, but for me (considering his long history with the Fantastic Four and his friendship with Johnny) Spidey feels like the right man for the job. He’s certainly a much better fit for this team than he is the Avengers. I can imagine some folks will also be groaning at the new costumes, and while they’re not exactly a design I would choose, they make sense with the path Reed and co are currently taking: no longer are they merely superheroic explorers of the unknown; now their remit in their new guise as the Future Foundation is to change the world.

As this is something Hickman has gradually been building up to it feels like a natural progression rather than a forced transformation, albeit one that was hurried along a bit due to the loss of the Torch. In fact, this whole world-changing business is something that various writers of the team have been playing around with for the last few years – Hickman’s just taken it to the next level. Of course, there’s not much world-changing going on in this issue, instead it’s more of a scene-setter as regular readers are given an idea of where this new direction will take us, but in a way that new readers can lock into without feeling excluded. The dynamics of the extended ‘family’ are well realised, and now that Nathaniel Richards is in a mix there’s a suggestion that his relationship with Reed will be one of the more interesting aspects of the series (and it’s worth keeping in mind that Hickman is utilizing the character in S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Epting’s artwork is generally terrific, his action sequences are exciting and beautifully composed and his framing of the various character interactions is spot on. A few facial expressions are a bit wonky but then you look at the close-ups of the Thing brooding and you really have to let any criticisms go. When Epting nails it, he really nails it. Paul Mounts colours are perfectly suited to Epting’s illustrations: a little darker than sometimes utilized for these characters, but brilliantly effective through the use of shadows and shading.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Hickman’s work on Fantastic Four so far (the best he’s done for Marvel in my opinion) so there were no surprises here in terms of quality: FF is intelligent and compelling, a comic that honours the grand history of the team as well as expanding upon it. Nearly fifty years since their debut, these characters remain some of brightest jewels in Marvel’s crown, and in the right hands they are capable of outshining all of their peers. 8/10

Incoming... 23/03/2011

New comics are released Wednesday in the States and guess what, in the UK too! Here's a brief look at our expectations for the books we're picking up this week.

Stewart R: The Future is here ladies and gentlemen and it is brought to us by none other than Jonathan Hickman and by golly he’ll be delivering it to us this Wednesday! Following the tragic events and emotional aftermath of the past couple of Fantastic Four issues we finally get to see what the f-f-fuss is all about with FF#1. New uniforms. A new but familiar member. A new outlook. Everything seems to scream ‘new’ but will the fans and followers of Marvel’s First Family enjoy this change in direction?? There's probably a part of every reader that’s saying ‘very few people stay dead in the Marvel Universe’ and I suspect that some are eyeing up the current numbering of the title and have spied the big 6-0-0 looming for 2012 so it’ll be interesting to see where Hickman leads us with any of that in mind. Having only just jumped on board in recent months and having enjoyed Hickman’s work first with Secret Warriors and then S.H.I.E.L.D. I’m looking to see just how all the pieces come together for Reed, Sue, Ben, Valeria and Franklin as they try to move forward following their loss.

Speaking of loss, did Mr Finch lose track of time or was Batman: Dark Knight #2 always going to come out three months after the debut? At this rate we’re on for four, possibly five issues a year and while I appreciate that writing and drawing your own comic will often be a monumental task, maybe it would be better to have a good few issues in the bag before even releasing the first so that audiences don’t become disinterested and potentially spend their money elsewhere. I enjoyed the first issue enough to keep an eye out for the second installment but seeing as how I don’t buy any other Bruce Wayne related titles I would say that it won’t take much to find myself keeping that $3.99 in my pocket. I remember picking up a relaunched Moon Knight comic close to five years ago based primarily on the quality of David Finch’s artwork but even then I seem to recall there being issues with delivering work at a quick enough pace and he wasn’t even writing that title!

One comic that I hadn’t expected to be hit by delays finally lands on the shelves this week after a resolicitation and Haunt #14 offers the promise that we’ll get to learn a heck of a lot more about the mysterious ‘Apparition’ that has been stalking Daniel and Kurt Kilgore through recent instalments. It would have not been unreasonable to have dubbed this a comic that ‘melds Venom with Spawn and a healthy dose of Mission: Impossible’ when it started and while there have been comparisons to draw with some of those, Robert Kirkman has been able to make this stand on it’s own thanks to some focused character work and a decent amount of tension woven into every action sequence. This issue is being touted as a turning point for Kurt and Daniel and I really do get the feeling that Kirkman was lulling us into a false sense of security when things seemed to start going right for the brothers after an intense period of training and discovery regarding their powers.

The War of the Green Lanterns kicks off properly this week and I’m thankful that DC appear to have made it possible to really sink my teeth into this event by releasing Green Lantern #64 and Green Lantern Corps #58 on the same day. The various writers of the three GL titles have been doing some careful manoeuvring in recent months to lead us to this point and following the corps having to deal with threats coming from all angles I think it’s going to be interesting to see what happens when the threat comes from within and threatens to break or destroy the wielders of the emerald light forever. As this is an event that spans itself across the three titles in a chapter format - much in the same way that Marvel tend to treat their X-Men events these days - I’m certainly interested to see if this forms one continuous story throughout or whether each title and writer will primarily look at the characters that are associated with their specific title i.e. Geoff Johns takes Hal Jordan’s point of view in Green Lantern, Tomasi from Guy Gardner’s etc.

Okay, so two Green Lantern books in one week is pretty impressive but Marvel have managed to top that once again by providing me with three X-books to chew through today and I’m left with something of a quandry - which bloody one do I read first??? Matt Fraction is slowly handing the reigns of his X-title over to Kieron Gillen and it’s been difficult to tell so far just how much input the substitute has been having as there hasn’t been any noticeable drop or leap in quality which I’ll take to be a good sign. Uncanny X-Men #534 continues the entertaining ‘Quarantined’ storyline as the virus-riddled and underpowered X-Men decide to throw off the bunny slippers, down a bottle or two of cough medicine and scatter used tissues everywhere in order to show Lobe and his Sublimecorp that their DNA is not for sale.

While Mr Fraction’s Wednesday offering may be good I have to say the hard choice on first read actually lies with Victor Gischler’s X-Men #9 and Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force #6. X-Men obviously has the warm and loving and sweet caress of Chris Bachalo’s absorbing artwork to wash all over my eyes and tickle my visual cortex while X-Force has Remender tugging on those emotional strings running through my brain and heart as he works wonders with his character development and dialogue. Hmmm, perhaps I’ll have to lay them down side by side and have a bit of a threesome in one go... oo-er!

Mini Reviews 20/03/2011

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 latest instalment of Matt C's Secret Wars Project.

FEAR ITSELF: BOOK OF THE SKULL #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Scot Eaton, Mark Morales & Sunny Gho Of Ifs
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I've steered clear of any plot details that have trickled out regarding Marvel's 2011 event book, Fear Itself - I figured as Matt Fraction is at the helm I'd be picking it up whatever, so I wanted to keep the experience as fresh as possible. This prologue hardly fills me with excitement for the impending series though, and it's a bit perplexing as to why it falls so flat. It's written by Ed Brubaker and contains a selection of characters he's spent the last few years playing around with to deserved acclaim, but in all honesty it seems like a different writer's responsible as there's little of the gripping intensity and intelligence on display that we're used to from him. It all feels rather perfunctory, and if they're setting up Sin as one of the major players in Fear Itself, she comes across as more of a one-dimensional knock-off of her father than the compelling character we were watching develop in the Captain America title. Perhaps the art contributes to this general feeling of deflation - although perfectly fine, it lacks the grittiness usually applied to these characters, and overall it comes across as a bit too 'clean'. Whether you're looking forward to Fear Itself, or a fan of Bru's Captain America, or both, I'm confident that this will prove to be an entirely skippable addition to the event. 5/10


LOKI #4
Writer: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Sebastian Fiumara, Al Barrionuevo, Michel Lacombe, Alvaro Lopez & José Villarrubia
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The finale to this mini suffers slightly from the introduction of some new artists to assist with its completion, and while it’s not a move that makes the visual quality suffer it is irritating that they couldn’t keep it in the same pairs of hands for such a short series. Other than that it’s been a pretty good read, with a heavier focus on character than plot, and Aguirre-Sacasa has done an impressive job of bringing the God of Mischief under the spotlight. To be honest, because of the way it was structured (framed by a ‘current’ confrontation between Loki and Thor before delving into the past), my feeling now is that it will probably work better in the collected format than it has done in single issues. Those not fussed by Marvel’s interpretation of Norse mythology are unlikely to find anything here to convince them otherwise, but Thor fans – even those of a casual variety - will probably draw a decent amount of enjoyment from this tale. 7/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #502
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca & Frank D’Armata
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: How many times must we praise this title, the writing of Fraction and the art of Larroca and D’Armata? Well people, I don’t think we’ve come up with a number yet as month after month after month this creative team really do come up with some of their best work to bring us the continuing story of Tony Stark. While the scenes showing Pepper holding her own against Sinister Six members Electro and Sandman are - pardon the pun - ‘electrifying’ enough, the pure gold comes from the interactions between Stark and Octavius as the former tries to come up with solution to the latter’s seemingly unsolvable physical condition. Fraction manages to construct a realistic dialogue between the two rivals as Stark not only tries to cure Otto’s physically manifested problems but also suggests that his overall outlook on life is the reason that he’s in his predicament in the first instance. The conversation swoops from touches of playful banter to serious life and death moments and it goes without saying that this is some of the most enthralling and enjoyable writing in the world of comics today. 9/10


UNWRITTEN #23
Writer: Mike Carey
Art: Peter Gross, Vince Locke & Chris Chuckry
DC/Vertigo $2.99

James R: There's no doubt that The Unwritten is one of my favourite books at the moment - along with Sweet Tooth it's been the series I've been pushing into the hands of friends who ask the eternal question: 'What's good at the moment?' My one criticism is that in some ways it's a victim of it's own incredible high standards - the good issues are so good that on the occasions where the narrative has been anything less than outstanding, you feel cheated! However, the current 'Leviathan' arc has been solid gold. This month Tom finally figures out how to escape the whale that's captured him and his illustrious fictional voyagers, and best of all, Carey gives us a big reveal into both the source of Tom's powers and what the battleground of his adventures truly is. Carey is clearly a hugely literate and smart writer and it's a joy to read a book that respects it's readership enough to throw in a wealth of literary references - from the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes to the Old Testament tale of Noah - and not spend pages on explication. At the back of the book, editor Pornsak Pichetshote is saluted as he is replaced by Karen Berger, and reading those pages it's clear that everyone in this creative team is intent on crafting a comic that's something special and are setting themselves the very highest of standards. At the end of this arc it's clear that they're staying true to their goals, and I cannot wait to see where the narrative of Tom Taylor unfolds to next. 10/10


AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE – YOUNG AVENGERS #1
Writer: Allan Heinberg
Art: Alan Davis, Mark Farmer & Javier Rodriguez
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Spinning out of the events of the last issue of the Children’s Crusade miniseries, it’s questionable whether you need to add this to your collection if you’re a fan of the main book because it seems a bit too tangential and lacks the spark that Heinberg usually brings to the teenage team. Certainly if you appreciate Alan Davis’ art, and consider him one of the premiere pencillers of the last three decades, then you’ll probably want to pick this up. His wonderful panel composition doesn’t disappoint, particularly the expertly choreographed double-page splash, divided into four strips to show the subsequent stages of a brawl between our heroes and a holographic Sinister Six. Those looking for the wit, insight and character dynamics we’ve come to expect from Heinberg are likely to feel short-changed, as there’s only brief flashes of what we’re used to. This could of course turn out to be an essential component to the developing storyline in the miniseries, but at this stage it’s doesn’t look like that’s the case. 6/10


NORTHLANDERS #38
Writer: Brian Wood
Art: Simon Gane & Dave McCaig
DC/Vertigo $2.99

James R: The brilliance of Northlanders is its scope. In using the whole Norse era as his landscape, Brian Wood isn't limited to a tight time frame or a static roster of characters. Up to now, this has given the series a fantastically sharp edge as he moves effortlessly between one-shots and more epic arcs. Two issues into 'Seige Of Paris' though, and it feels like the first misstep of the series. The premise is a neat one - Vikings lay siege to a stubbornly defended Paris of 886AD - but Wood doesn't really take the idea and run with it. We see precious little of the defending forces when it would have been great to see how they viewed the Viking horde, and our protagonists Mads and Abbo, are a little two-dimensional. The issue could be saved by some epic action, but Simon Gane's style is a little too cartoony to properly convey the horror of battle. Like I said, the joy here is the scope, and Wood will be onto another tale in two months (which I'm sure will be more to my liking) but sadly this arc has been more Hagar the Horrible than Leif Erikson for me. 5/10


THUNDERBOLTS #155
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Kev Walker, Jason Gorder & Frank Martin
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: The great thing about having a group of buddies you can chew the fat about comics with is that, although there’ll be a lot of diverse (and divergent) opinions, you’re generally willing to listen to what they have to say and what they say may convince you to pick up a book you may not have given a second look otherwise. Case in point: Thunderbolts. It never really appealed in its original incarnation, and I only picked it up during Warren Ellis’ short stint purely because it was Ellis rather than any of the characters involved. I left when Ellis did, heard nothing to convince me to come back during Andy Diggle’s tenure, but when Jeff Parker came onboard several of my colleagues started frothing at the mouth, proclaiming the series’ return to brilliance, and it was enough to get me to dip my toe in again. From dipping my toe I quickly dived headfirst into the book because, yes, it is really, really good. Parker is a real master of group dynamics, which is why he can get a group of second-stringers together and make them absolute stars of the show with such ease. That’s not the only key ingredient to this book’s success though – Kev Walker’s illustrations are distinctive and intricate, able to deliver equally on the action front and the more intimate moments. Thunderbolts isn’t one Marvel’s high profile books but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best. 8/10

Stewart R: So last issue we had Man Thing and some much needed backstory to that character and this time we get Parker moving the Thunderbolts story on and showing us that the future is far from set with the way that things are run on the Raft. I like the fact that Parker is not shy of acknowledging the greater Marvel Universe in this title but makes it actually relevant to the Thunderbolts as a team when he does and the inclusion of Stephen Strange here makes terrific sense, allowing us to get a little more time with Luke Cage too as they go on a mystical recruitment drive. All the while that’s in main focus he’s playing with ideas that will cut to the very heart of the team of and their insecurity over the fact that they may well be regarded as disposable considering the danger involved with their job. Kev Walker made this title his own many months ago and here he delivers another strong effort and seems to be playing with the panel layout to great effect. Marvel’s collection continues to grow stronger presently and this is one of the titles leading the charge. 8/10


BAD DOG #4
Writer: Joe Kelly
Art: Diego Greco
Image $2.99

Stewart R: Mr Kelly, Mr Greco, all is forgiven! I can’t even begin to figure out the length of delay we’ve had since issue #3 of Bad Dog turned up but it really doesn’t matter. This comic is about debauchery, excess and blackouts and a good portion of the fun when reading this story is the feeling that you’ve been along for the mystifying and memory-loss ridden ride. Kelly does just enough in the first few pages to remind us that Lou has been doing some serious werewolf soul-searching over his direction in life and is not ready to give up on finding that little missing girl from the side of the milk carton. Of course, nothing in this world stays on the tracks for too long and before we know it Lou and Wendell are bathing in the hedonistic bright lights of Vegas and are on the type of bender that Hunter S. Thompson would be proud of. This allows Greco to really go for it in terms of the ludicrous and the hilarious as the pair find themselves in various states of a) undress and b) chemical influence. The preamble from Kelly suggests that we may be seeing this comic more often in the near future and I for one am very happy to hear that based on the quality of this issue. 9/10


UNCANNY X-FORCE #5.1
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Rafael Albuquerque & Dean White
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: Another decent enough stab at this 'Point One' initiative - it provides new readers with a good idea of the mood and thrust of this title, but does get a little formulaic at points, especially when compared to the previous issues of the series, and as such may be considered slightly disappointing for those already onboard. Only slightly though, because there's still plenty to enjoy, from the incisive dialogue, the exhilarating action and the murky artwork that matches the morality (here provided by Albuquerque). If you've not had a look at Uncanny X-Force already, this is as good a place as any to start. Take it from someone who these days would probably cross the road do avoid another X-book - this is good comics! 7/10

James R: This is a complete vanilla issue. As a recent convert to Uncanny X-Force I had no hesitation in picking this up, but in reality this is about as far from essential as it gets. Wolverine and the gang track down the Reavers who are planning an assault on Utopia - as far as I can make out, these 'Point One' books are designed to give the reader a 'state of play' on the title, and whereas I thought this worked well for Invincible Iron Man I really couldn't see the point of one. True, there is a neat subtext about Psylocke worrying about giving into her dark side too much, but that would've worked as well in the pages of the main title. I did enjoy Albuquerque and White's art, which carries on the very European aesthetic seen previously, but all in all, I could have lived without this. The final page preview of the next issue though - the second part of 'Deathlok Nation' arc - reminded me that there's plenty more goodness to come from this book. 6/10


MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS #11
Writer: Jim Shooter
Art: Mike Zeck & John Beatty
Marvel $1.00

Matt C: After stealing the Beyonder’s power, Victor Von Doom finds himself in the position of being the most powerful life form in the known multiverse. Righting a few wrongs from the very recent past, Doom tries to present himself to the heroes as a benevolent god, whose past wrongdoings are now beneath him as he prepares to ascend to a higher state of existence. Cap and co just aren’t buying it though. Doom’s vanity was always one of his biggest flaws, and the way Cap sees it, even omnipotence won’t eradicate that aspect of his character. Despite himself, Doom remains just a little too human. A great penultimate episode, packed with really strong character work, and even looking at it in hindsight, the way Secret Wars flipped its central concept on its head is still seems both audacious and brilliantly executed. 9/10

Ten Forward: May 2011

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 March issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in May 2011.

FLASHPOINT #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Andy Kubert
DC $3.99

James R: Man alive, am I excited about this! I know there was a whole lot of excitement about Blackest Night last year, but I felt that it lacked a certain something. However, I think this summer's big DC event looks far more to my tastes. Front and centre is the Flash, who wakes up to find out that due to some time stream jiggery-pokery (and yes, that is the technical term!) the DCU we knew and loved is no more! It's up to Barry Allen to try and re-right the wrongs with a gang of familiar, but now strangely different heroes. I've always had a soft spot for the Flash, and I love a good alternative universe title, so here's hoping that Geoff Johns brings his A-game to this one - it shows a bucketload of promise!


GLADSTONE'S SCHOOL FOR WORLD CONQUERERS #1
Writer: Mark Andrew Smith
Art: Armand Villavert and Carlos Carrasco
Image $2.99

Matt C: Yet again Image have a slew of #1s launching this month, and while the majority don’t really have me salivating, this one looks like it will be the best of the bunch. I’m never usually that enamoured by tales of super-powered kids (although I did have a soft spot for Power Pack back in the ‘80s) but Gladstone’s School For World Conquerers looks like it’s witty premise – a training academy for young supervillains – may just be enough to ensnare my attention. Failing that, considering how many new Image books have attracted a speculator buzz recently, I could always attempt to flog it on eBay for a tidy profit!


ALPHA FLIGHT #0.1
Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Art: Ben Oliver
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: The little exposure to Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight that I’ve had has come purely from the animated X-Men cartoon of the ‘90s and that is all. So what’s making me go for this comic you ask? It’s got to be a combination of creative team, previous ‘Point One’ successes in recent months, and the fact that Marvel seem so damn willing to keep these guys in the rotation and try to find them an audience. Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente have a proven record with the Marvel canon, Van Lente in particular wowing me in 2010 with the truly superb Taskmaster miniseries, and Dale Eaglesham’s name has been bounced around as being a more than competent hand with pencil and pen. I’d been rather dismissive of Marvel’s ‘Point One’ initiative back in the day but it’s actually proven to be a shrewd move by the House of Ideas that has had the creators on it’s books churning out some damn fine work. I’m hoping that this will be the case for Alpha Flight.


BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM #1
Writers: Scott Snyder & Kyle Higgins
Art: Trevor McCarthy
DC $2.99

James R: Well, this is a pleasant surprise! Scott Snyder has been smashing it out the park with his work on Detective Comics (which you should all be reading!) and this month we get some bonus Snyder/Bat-goodness in the form of Gates Of Gotham. As the DC Universe blog says "When a mystery as old as Gotham City itself surfaces, Batman assembles a team of his greatest detectives – including Red Robin, Owlman, I-Ching and others – to investigate this startling new enigma. As clues are discovered and the mystery deepens, Batman’s team soon finds itself on a journey that explores different eras in Gotham’s history." Cool huh? This is going to set up story arcs for the next year of Batman books and tie in with Grant Morrison's Return Of Bruce Wayne, so that's a triple-fisted win in my book!


ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #1
Writers: Mike Allred, Kurt Busiek & John Cassaday
Art: Mike Allred, John Cassaday, Michael Kaluta, Mike Mignola & Jim Silke
IDW $3.99

Andy H: There's something about the Rocketeer. It's in a class of it's own and deservedly so. Dave Stevens creation has been around for nearly 30 years now and has lost none of it's magic. So now my dilemma: do I believe the Rocketeer can be done justice by anyone other than the late, great Mr Stevens? Knee jerk reaction was “no”. Then I thought about it a little more and realised this could be a good thing. Look at the talent involved: Alex Ross, Kurt Busiek, John Cassaday and Mike Mignola. All with a passion to pay tribute in the best way they can. If you never had a reason to pick up Rocketeer books in the past, or are a fan of the original, this anthology should have something for everyone.


X-MEN GIANT-SIZE #1
Writer: Christopher Yost
Art: Paco Medina & Dalibor Talajic
Marvel $4.99

Stewart R: Christopher Yost returns to the world of X in May and I cannot wait. He and Craig Kyle brought some great X-Force tales to the page a couple of years back and now he’s jumping into the mutant universe once more to weave us a tale of time travel that will bring the past into the present. Oh yes, that very first class of Xavier trained mutants will be paying a visit to the 21st Century to help the current roster battle a group of enemies known as The Evolutionaries. Yost’s involvement is a big reason for picking this up but when he’s supported by Paco Medina and Dalibor Talijic on art duties this has to be considered as a lock into my pull list really. Medina has proven time and again that he excels when it comes to the X-Men and Talijic really impressed with his work on Hit-Monkey last year. With X-Men: First Class hitting movie theatres later this summer I think I’d also like a little reminder of where the mutant story began all those years ago too and this seems to fit the bill.


KIRBY: GENESIS #0
Writer: Kurt Busiek & Alex Ross
Art: Jack Herbert & Alex Ross
Dynamite $1.00

Matt C: This book sees Alex Ross and Kurt Busiek (you may have heard of them!) attempt to bring a variety of Jack ‘King’ Kirby’s creator-owned properties under one roof, so to speak, with the likes of Captain Victory and Silver Star existing in the same universe. If you’ve ever sampled any latter period Kirby you’ll probably know that while the outlandishly brilliant concepts where still in place, there was a plentiful supply of slightly embarrassing dialogue and the blatant need for a good editor to whip the stories into shape. His genius still endures though because there simply hasn’t been or ever will be anyone else like him. Without him it’s highly unlikely that I would have sat down to write this and you would now be sitting elsewhere reading it. There’s obviously potential here, but then that was also the case when Ross launched Project Superpowers at Dynamite, and that didn’t exactly set the industry ablaze. For £1.00 you’d be a fool not to give it a shot though.


STRANGE ADVENTURES #1
Writers: Brian Azzarello, Scott Snyder, Peter Milligan et al
Art: Eduardo Risso, Jeff Lemire, Kevin Colden et al
DC $7.99

James R: Anthology books can be a strange brew. In my experience, for every good tale, you're also shelling out for some pap at the same time - consistency is the key! With that in mind, I'm hopeful about the return of the Strange Adventures title to the Vertigo world, as it looks like it's choc-full of greatness. First up, it's our first chance to see Azzarello and Risso's new collaboration Spaceman - and as a fan of 100 Bullets, I'm itching to see their take on sci-fi. Best of all is that it also features work from my current favourite artist/writer as Jeff Lemire takes on Ultra The Multi-Alien, and that alone will be worth the price of admission! For good measure, there are 10 pages from Scott Snyder and Pete Milligan. I think that's solid gold throughout, and a definite add to my pull list!


MOON KNIGHT #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Alex Maleev
Marvel $3.99

Rob N: It's fair to say that 'Bendis & Maleev' is a partnership that always prompts me to sit up and take notice when it's slapped on to the solicitation blurb for a new comic book. Together they've been responsible for three of my favourite titles in the last decade: Daredevil, Spider-Woman and Scarlet. Moon Knight is a character who has suffered many unfortunate reboots over the years, none of which have even begun to approach the quality of the classic Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz run in the 1980s. Most people agree that Bendis is at his best when he's dealing with street level characters, and as an artist Maleev's use of dark shadow and photo realism seems tailor made for a subject like this, so at long last it seems that Moon Knight is in good hands. I'm not by nature a betting man but I can't see that this can possibly fail, quality wise.


THE TATTERED MAN
Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art: Norberto Fernandez
Image $4.99

Andy H: Palmiotti and Gray certainly get around a bit and I'm sure they won't mind me saying that, especially as they generally deliver the goods. This one-shot looks like it will continue the trend. A spirit of vengeance born from the horrors of the concentration camps of Nazi Germany is loosed upon the streets of modern day New York. Art is provided by Norberto Fernandez and captures the horror of the camps and the horror unleashed by the Tattered Man in convincing style.