Incoming... 29/06/2011

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: Wednesday is here everybody, Wednesday is here! Gather round and collect your comics. Ooooh, picking that up are you? Well I never, I’d heard it was good but hadn’t tried it yet. Is it worth giving it a go and picking up the back issues? I’m waiting until (insert such-and-such’s name here) comes on for writing/art duties before I get back into it but maybe I’ll give it a try, thanks for the recommendation!

Right, don’t say I don’t listen or try to interact with you guys. Now, what am I picking up today?

Well first things first we get a little look into yet another bizarre DC scheduling moment as Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #11 hits the shelves BEFORE we’ve had the grand finale to War of the Green Lanterns. The events in Peter J.Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin fall after the war has come to its conclusion so I dare say that what transpires within its pages may spoil the odd point here and there for the final chapter when it arrives. Having a quick look through DC’s solicitations it now appears that we aren’t going to be able to pick up Green Lantern #67 until July 13th, some two weeks later than initially listed and around 6 weeks after the last chapter of the event. This is actually a bit disappointing and could suggest that a small amount of ‘tweaking’ has been necessary in order to have things fall into DC’s glorious (or not-so glorious, we the reading public wait to be convinced) relaunch when it rolls around. Suffice to say that I’m going to buy Emerald Warriors #11 today and then leave it unread until July 13th to make sure things get done in the right way.

Following a light few weeks for my DC picks I’ve ended up with 3 of their titles on the magic list today and one of them arrives there following a recommendation from James R for I will be following the continuing adventures of nanite-infested David Kim in Xombi #4. Upon said recommendation I picked up issues #1-3 of this series by John Rozum and Frazer Irving and have been very, very impressed with what these two creators have brought to this comic so far. There’s an incredibly dark and brooding feeling to this comic series thanks to Rozum’s ability to instil the quite capable characters with a sense of fear at any given moment as situations threaten to get out of hand. Irving’s artwork - which briefly derailed my enjoyment of Batman And Robin several months ago - is brilliantly suited to this tale of undead spirits, bullet-spraying nuns and conspiracies that could end with disaster of biblical proportions. I tore through the three issues in double-quick time just a few days ago and would now recommend taking a look at this if you’re in the mood for something a little different from DC. The only reservation... even writer John Rozum is in limbo currently as to whether this series will carry on beyond September’s madness at the home of Batman and Superman! Watch this space then...

Let’s stay over in that particular corner of the publishing universe shall we and take a quick look at my Vertigo course for the week. American Vampire #16 by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque is the only option on the menu for me over there and it looks like poor old Henry is more than likely to end up on the menu for the gruesome hordes of vampire-creatures lurking about on Japanese-held Taipain. Bringing Henry and Skinner Sweet side-by-side in this story has been something of a masterstroke by Snyder who has ramped the tension up immensely by doing so. Not only do they both face the fight of their lives to survive the nightmares of the tiny Pacific island but the history that ties the two of them together could lead to even further bloodshed. Add to that recipe the fact that Pearl is flying into the midst of the battle to try to save her love, well I say that we’ve some exciting issues ahead!

So what have Marv... hmmm, no, don’t think we’ll go there yet!

Let us instead have a small amount of limelight fall upon Cullen Bunn’s Sixth Gun #12 which starts a new arc and forms a perfect jumping on point for those of you tempted to try this Old West story with a supernatural difference. The first two arcs from Bunn and series artist Brian Hurtt have been superb, melding the genres with skill and placing characterisation at the very heart of a story with a varied cast. This new arc sees Drake Sinclair and Becky escort the festering corpse of the vile General Hume to its final resting place but when you transport valuable or dangerous cargo by train in the Old West then it’s likely that things are not going to go smoothly and things could go ‘off the rails’ at any second. I’m very pleased for Bunn and Hurtt that this series has made it through it’s first year on the shelves and appears to have impressed a good many readers along the way. I hope to see them bring us another couple of dozen instalments from here on.

So what’s happening in Amazing Spid... oop, no wait, I forgot about Image! Whoops!

Joe Casey will be picking up the writing reigns on Image’s Haunt later on in the year but for now the Man Of Action man is bringing us his own anti-hero antics in Butcher Baker Righteous Maker #4 where the gang of escaped super-villains are finally getting themselves properly organised and decide that now is the time to attack the hulking mountain of machismo, right at the moment (and I’m quoting from what appears to be the official spiel here) when Butcher Baker is ‘balls-deep inside some serious superheroine cushioning’! If you’ve not heard of this title before that description should give you the smallest glimpse of how close to the vice-like knuckle Casey and artist Mike Huddleston are taking things with this book, but I will add that it’s not all filth and comedy as there have been some neatly realised serious moments along the way so far which makes this a more rounded yet still rude as you like offering.

Well, I think I’ve run out of time now so I’ll bring things to a clo...

Okay, fair enough, I’ll cover at least one Marvel title this week from the five that I’ll be collecting from Paradox Comics despite giving the ‘House That Stan Built’ some glowing coverage last Wednesday. There’s actually a #1 out today and my interest in it just jumped to another level when I took a look at just who had been given the job on artistic duties having initially thought it was just Lee Weeks - an artist who I’ve a lot of time for anyway. Ben Oliver did a brilliant job with Alpha Flight #0.1 a couple of months back and I was disappointed to see that he wasn’t the regular artist for that series. Thankfully he’s been handed the pencil to help transfer the writing of Christos N.Gage and Rob Williams to the page in Iron Age #1, a time-travelling romp where Tony Stark is thrown back into the past to save the future from a chain of events that he inadvertently set in motion all those years ago. Gage and Williams have sent ‘our’ Tony back to the days when he was a party-boy drunkard and I’m certainly looking forward to see how they go about weaving this story which in a tongue-in-cheek way kinda sounds like Marvel’s own to Back To The Future!

Great Scott (Summers)!!

In Memorium: Gene Colan 1926-2011

By Rob N

It is of course sad news when anyone in the comics industry dies, but from time to time we lose a writer or artist who is indisputably one of the pioneering greats of the industry. I grew up with comics in the 1970s when Marvel UK began to reprint their '60s material for the home market alongside regular imports of monthly colour comics from the US. Marvel for me as a young kid therefore meant Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, John Buscema and of course, Gene ‘The Dean’ Colan, a supremely talented artist who tragically died a few days ago from complications arising from liver disease and a broken hip.

Like many of his contemporaries, he had an established body of work before he joined the Marvel bullpen, but it was his work for Stan Lee in the '60s and early '70s that proved he was not only as one of the great artists of the Silver/Bronze age, but importantly a unique one. You could never mistake Gene’s pencil style with its dynamic use of perspective and heavy shadow for anyone else. For him, the comic book wasn’t limited to a two dimensional vision – he attacked each page with his pencil and a fierce desire to make his drawings jump out from the confines of the panel borders.

I first came across his work in an early Tomb Of Dracula (the issue that introduced Blade the Vampire Hunter) when my Dad brought back a small stack of colour Marvels from a trip to Liverpool. Gene was the first artist who declined to draw in the ‘House’ Marvel style of art, and boy did it show. Kirby’s art crackled with energy and ideas, but Gene’s art seemed alive in three dimensions. The heavy use of shadow brought a rarely seen (at the time) depth of realism to titles such as Daredevil and Captain America, and of course Tomb Of Dracula, while his elongated use of unusual perspective from the reader’s point of view gave the impression that a fight scene was literally flailing about around you. When Colan was at his most dynamic, the reader often felt like he should be ducking to avoid a boot in the face.

My memory of classic Gene Colan issues from the late ‘60s to early ‘70s includes many stunning periods in his work. The Captain America run when Steve Rogers took to a motorbike, Easy Rider style, and drove around America. The handful of gothic-tinged Daredevils when DD visited out of the way Sleepy Hollow style locations, and the crazy and cosmic Doctor Strange issues when, for the first time since Ditko had left the title, Doctor Strange became a must buy comic again.

But if I had to point to one single run that was the definitive Gene Colan series, it would be Tomb Of Dracula. Colan became so synonymous with the character that even now it’s difficult to imagine any other artist outdoing his legacy. More so than most Marvel and DC artists at the time, Colan put an incredible effort into his backgrounds, but never at the cost of distracting the reader from what was occurring in the foreground. Other Bronze Age fans might reasonably point to his work with Steve Gerber on Howard The Duck – another series for which he will forever be known as the definitive signature artist. All other non-Colan incarnations since then have been pale imitations at best.

Like many of his contemporaries he fell out with Marvel in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s and not surprisingly took up residence with DC. He was given some first division characters to draw – Batman and Wonder Woman included - as well as more minor characters such as the Spectre. He produced quality work as always, but for some reason he didn’t fare as well at DC as he had done at Marvel. This seemed to be a familiar pattern for his generation of writers and artists who had eventually jumped ship between the Big Two publishing houses. The comics industry was a fickle place during that period, and the likes of Kirby, Ditko, Buscema and Colan, although respected for their past legacy, were no longer hot properties when compared to next generation talent such as George Perez, John Byrne and Frank Miller.

The revolution in independent publishing in the mid ‘80s provided other outlets for Colan’s work, but again, very little of it clicked with the buying public. And so, following in the footsteps of his peers once again, he made the return journey to a by now unrecognisable Marvel. Despite returning to the character of Dracula, and producing some great Black Panther pages, he gradually disappeared from view.

Unsurprisingly his eyesight began to deteriorate in later years to the point where regular comic book work was little more than a pipe dream. He supported himself by way of private commissions for fans throughout the last decade, returning only occasionally to pencilling a comic book (most recently an issue of Ed Brubaker’s Captain America).

Gene Colan will always be remembered as one of the great architects of the Marvel Universe and a first class artist in his own regard. Rest in peace, Gene.

Mini Reviews 26/06/2011

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.


MIGHTY THOR #3
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales & Laura Martin
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: While he appears to be failing to provide the requisite epic scope in Fear Itself, Matt Fraction's not having that problem in Mighty Thor. It probably helps that there's a tighter focus, a clearer threat and a smaller cast of characters, but there's no sense that the narrative is escaping his grasp; he has complete control of his story and he squeezes every drop of drama and excitement out of it. As we've seen in Fear Itself (which is set after this tale), there's a bust-up between Thor and Odin, and the seeds of that are effectively sown here through dialogue and the artwork. Oh yes, the artwork. There are very few other contemporary artists I'd want to see render a confrontation between Thor, Odin and the Silver Surfer than Olivier Coipel. Electrifying and enticing, the sheer command of the page that Coipel exhibits is frequently awe-inspiring. With Morales's inks enhancing the intricacies of Coipel's pencils and Martin ensuring that every page gleams, it is unquestionably one of the best looking books on the stands. Alongside Journey Into Mystery, Mighty Thor is making a strong case for Asgard being the place to be in the Marvel Universe right now. 9/10

James R: In a word, corking! Fraction's run on everyone's favourite Hammer-throwing Asgardian (admittedly, he doesn't have much competition) goes into overdrive this month. I know Stewart R has already been fulsome in his praise for this title the other day, and all I can do is agree. For your $3.99 you get a magnificent face-off between Thor and Silver Surfer - and a cosmic headbutt! Asgard declares war on Galactus, and if that phrase doesn't make your fanboy monocle pop out... well, this whole blog probably isn't for you! I love it when Marvel toss about the cosmic ideas; this month I loved the idea that the seed of the World Tree is not only a remnant of the last Universe, but also the thing that could end Galactus' hunger once and for all. This is Fraction at his best and yet again, he's matched by Coipel's epic pencils and Morales' tremendous inks. I'm not picking up a lot of Marvel stuff at the moment, but this has quickly established itself as a must-read for me, and I can only implore you all to do the same. 9/10


SILVER SURFER #5
Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Harvey Tolibao, Sandu Florea & Wil Quintana
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Here we go folks with the big grand finale, and you know what, Pak does a very good job of wrapping up a tale with a somewhat inevitable and predictable ending. The key to this success is showing the magnitude of the eternal task that a man once took upon his shoulders and how love can conquer all... the majority of the time. Things build to a crescendo thanks to Pak’s willingness to bring Galactus into the fold and the high level concepts that govern the union between master and herald, creation and consumption, clash head on with the intense and personal love that Norrin and Suzie have experienced, albeit fleetingly. I was really pulling for Suzie and Norrin through these five instalments and it’s testament to great writing when your heartstrings get tugged in spite of inescapable destiny. The inclusion by Pak of the Future Foundation actually adds to the story rather than distracting from it and serves to highlight the peril that this situation has put the Earth in. The artwork from Tolibao, Florea and Quintana has been a true success throughout this series and I’d really like to see this creative team get opportunity to tackle another Surfer or maybe Cosmic title again. Well worth picking up in its entirety. 8/10


MYSTERY MEN #2
Writer: David Liss
Art: Patrick Zircher & Andy Troy
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: Reminiscent of both of The Twelve and The Marvels Project, although more concentrated in its approach and reliant on the staple ingredients of the pulps, Mystery Men is developing into something of a pleasant surprise. You think somebody should tell Marvel because, at least from where I’m sitting, they haven’t made much of a fuss about this book, with unhelpful Previews solicitations and a lack of any major promotion. Okay, so this was never going to be a huge hit, but a little more time taken selling it in advance might have seen me pick up the first issue when it was released rather than going back the next week to purchase it after reading several glowing reviews across the web! But anyway, here am with the second instalment, and while not as instantly impressive as its predecessor (the element of surprise is gone) it’s still a compelling read, as a mystery develops on the streets of New York City during the Great Depression with various early iterations of costumed crimefighters attempting to stop a nefarious villain with designs on ultimate power. Well written with some superb, noirish art from Zircher, Mystery Men is one mini that doesn’t deserve to remain in the shadows. 8/10


SECRET AVENGERS #14
Writer: Nick Spencer
Art: Scott Eaton, Jaime Mendoza, Rick Ketcham & Frank D’Armata
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: I've not been convinced by Nick Spencer as a suitable replacement for Ed Brubaker on Secret Avengers so far. There are elements I like - there's some sparkling dialogue in his scripts - but while the basic ideas behind his plots are sound, they often enter into realms where suspension of disbelief just doesn't cut the mustard. Last month it was an omega-level mutant in the US capital who had apparently evaded discovery for decades (and his power was somewhat ridiculous when revealed). This time we get a tale that works on the surface (Valkyrie leading SHIELD agents into a battle where the death toll will be high, juxtaposed with a retconned origin for her) but it's predictability and implausibility scuppers it before it really gets going. The lovers on the battlefield angle isn't a bad way to go, but the character's reactions to the potential threat don't ring true and there's very little sense of imminent catastrophe. Eaton's art's quite tasty, there are some effective moments, and Adi Granov's cover is superb; there is potential here but it doesn't look like Spencer will get the chance to find his feet before Warren Ellis takes control. 5/10


BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM #2
Writers: Scott Snyder & Kyle Higgins
Art: Trevor McCarthy & Guy Major
DC $2.99

James R: As perhaps the biggest Bat-fan of the group, this book is definitely ticking all the right boxes for me. I love any 'Old Gotham' tales, and it's brilliant to see that Snyder and Higgins have got Grant Morrison's knack of being able to use all of the Batman family to good effect. This month, I loved the interaction between Damien and one-time Batgirl Cassandra Cain (or lack of it in Cassandra's part!). This fledgling relationship really drove the issue, and gave the finale a tremendous kick. There's also a healthy dose of detective work, and I'm continuing to enjoy Trevor McCarthy's art. My enjoyment of this issue - and the reveal of a new criminal threat - is a bit tempered by the idea that this fine work will be rendered moot by the DC relaunch/reboot in September. I'm delighted both these writers are playing their parts in DC's new beginning, but when you see how well they use the current Gotham toy box, it will be a real shame to lose this part of the current DC Universe which has brought me hours of fanboy enjoyment. Still, three issues of this left, I plan on following this title down all of Gotham's twisted streets. 8/10


CAPTAIN AMERICA #619
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Butch Guice, Chris Samnee, Stefano Gaudiano, Mitch Breitweiser & Bettie Breitweiser
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: It’s a little obvious to see that Brubaker’s hand has been forced by the Hollywood engine to ensure that Steve Rogers is back in the red, white and blue garb by the time July rolls around. Following one of the greatest runs on this title for many a year where he successfully convinced us - and a sidekick - that another man was worthy to wear the uniform and carry the shield, this talented writer has done very well to essentially undo, or transform, much of what he accomplished. This is the issue where it becomes clear just where Bucky could be headed and I nearly wiped my brow in relief to see that there is at least a future for this character. Tackling this story from three different angles and with three different art teams has really worked well with the ‘Gulag’ sections by Butch Guise being my favourite for the incredibly desperate situation Bucky finds himself in. There are renumberings and new titles aplenty headed our way shortly and we just have to hope that they can match this quality. 8/10

Matt C: The last episode before the title breaks in two: Captain America is being relaunched as a new #1 with Steve Rogers in the costume and the current numbering for this book continues under the new name of Captain America And Bucky, which, from what I can gather, focuses on the two men's relationship during WW2. So, Bucky's inevitable (and exciting!) escape from the Russian Gulag results in him making a decision about his future (as well as giving Rogers the push he needed to get back in the iconic stars'n’stripes suit). It's gripping stuff with Guice and Samnee splitting art duties, and while their styles don't really gel, they both have plenty to recommend them (although Guice's work is where my preference lies, particularly when joined with Guadiano & Mitch Breitwesier’s gritty inks and Bettie Brettweiser's deliciously moody colours). Brubaker is at point now where constructing thrilling episodes of Sentinel-of-Liberty-related adventure is almost second nature, and his grasp and understanding of the characters he utilizes is near-definitive in contemporary Marvel. With recent events in Fear Itself there's a worry that the Winter Soldier will be taken off the table for the near future - I hope this isn't the case, as his transformation from dead sidekick to tortured warrior has been one of the main high points for Marvel in the 21st Century. 8/10


THUNDERBOLTS #159
Writers: Jeff Parker, Joe Caramagna, Jen Van Meter & Frank Tieri
Art: Declan Shalvey, Frank Martin, Valentine De Landro, Chris Sotomayor, Eric Canete, Fabio D’Auria & Matthew Southworth
Marvel $4.99

Stewart R: $4.99?? They’re robbing us blind! Do they think we’re made of mon... oooooh actually, nope, sorry, this is worth every darn penny! Splitting a bumper issue into four parts and chucking an extra dollar or two at the price tag often leads to a comic that entertains for three-quarters of the time and disappoints for the remainder, but everyone who contributes here adds something to the greater Thunderbolts future. Parker and Shalvey arguably deal with the most important chapter as the new Thunderbolts 2nd team attempt to find the opportunity of freedom amongst the carnage of the Raft’s decimation and I like the way that Parker sets wheels in motion that will keep future pages of T’bolts issues stacked with tension. Moonstone’s run in with the survivors of the women’s wing and a look at what Crossbones does with the opportunity of a jailbreak are well realised instalments but the pure highlight is Van Meter and Canete’s depiction of Warden Walker’s attempts to salvage the situation as best he can with whatever tools and manpower he can come across on the way. Balancing Ghost’s withdrawn demeanour with Walker’s own icy facade works well as we get to see how both of them view the issue of the incarceration and rehabilitation of inmates from two differing perspectives, and it really does show just how wide and deep Parker’s groundwork on this title has led the team roster to be. In a week of Marvel-ous consistency this bumper effort garners an 8/10

Cover To Cover: THE MIGHTY THOR #3

THE MIGHTY THOR #3
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales & Laura Martin
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Just a couple of months ago I sat down and decided to crack through a Cover to Cover review for The Mighty Thor #1 and then some four weeks ago the difficult second issue wound up with 8 and 9 out of 10 scores from myself, Matt C and James R. When a series starts off that well the question of when the quality will dip often raises its head. I’m very relieved to say that with this particular title’s current velocity I shouldn’t think we’ll be expecting to see it dip from the lofty heights of its trajectory any time soon!

Many reviews get stuck straight into the meat and bones of the plot but with this particular issue it really is quite a task to stop looking at that magnificent cover from Coipel and turn the page to the goodness within. It’s brilliantly composed, the banner title adding weight to the power and stature of the dwarfed Thunder God who stands firm, studying the silhouette of the huge unstoppable force heading his and Asgard’s way. The colouration is perfect too - Martin bathes the whole page in a glorious blood red glow that really does add to the sense of foreboding. When this arc eventually gets collected in trade form I imagine someone at Marvel is going to have quite the head-scratching session deciding what delicious piece of Coipel art should adorn the cover!

Once you do summon the strength to pull yourself away from that cover and turn the page it’s clear that Fraction really is working some magic of his own. The opening scenes are touched with comedy and capture the fractional opinion of the citizens of Broxton as those with strong Christian beliefs and and a ‘not in my backyard’ attitude voice their stance to Volstagg who happens to be on a quest to impart his ‘masterful’ knowledge. Both writer and artist play with the humour here - Coipel seemingly poking at a few bible belt stereotypes with the dour faces on show - and Volstagg, being the perpetual Asgardian joke that he is, fits the bill perfectly. It may be unintentional I dare say, but there’s something a little ‘Obelix’ about the rotund god’s attitude to his public shunning by the 'tiny men' of Broxton and I for one don’t mind Fraction channeling a little Goscinny and Uderzo here when it works this well.

Fraction’s choice to open on such a light note helps to keep the plot grounded and acts as an appetiser for the high-powered meeting of Marvel’s heavy-hitters that takes place next as the Silver Surfer is set upon by an agitated Thor before he can put across the terms of his master. The reigns are once again handed over to Coipel to deliver the swift and kinetic encounter and the sense of speed is tremendous as hammer-wielding Thunder God and the silver herald go at it. It’s not long though before hostilities are brought to a conclusion and Fraction then cleverly mimics Volstagg’s dismissive attitude to Broxton’s deity of choice at the start of the issue in the Surfer’s ‘tête à tête’ with Odin, which suggests that the Asgardians do not rank highly on the galactic scale and do not fully understand what awaits them should the world seed not be handed over. I really do enjoy the characterisation that Fraction squeezes from the dialogue with the Silver Surfer’s plain and direct delivery being matched with an older and grandiose manner of articulation from the All-Father.

Posturing confab over we then get a look at another mysterious plot thread as the youthful Loki goes about some peculiar mischief with a slumbering Sif (no, NOT that sort of mischief!), a brief and quite stunning interlude with Galactus and the Surfer as they prepare themselves for the confrontation ahead and Fraction gives us a reminder that all is not quite right with Thor following his experience fighting the protectors of the World Tree’s root. There’s so much going on here and it covers a large emotional base that really has propelled this title to another level. To then be treated with a final page from Coipel that almost rivals that cover in terms of spectacle and promise of what’s to come, well I dare say these creators are spoiling us! I can’t be plain enough here; this is a Marvel title that really should be tried! Epic doesn’t quite cover it... 10/10

Incoming... 22/06/2011

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: Wow, it seems like only one comic publisher really loves me this week and even then only loves me enough to provide me with 5 comics that I want to read. Some of you familiar to this blog may be thinking ‘He seems to have been getting more Image titles lately, perhaps...?’ and others may go ‘Well he does like the Green Lantern titles perhaps there are some DC...’ but no, it’s Marvel okay, Marvel love me this week while none of the others do at all! *sniff*

The House of Ideas first offering of true love to yours truly comes in the form of a bow-ribbon wrapped copy of Silver Surfer #5, a comic which itself should contain the conclusion of a story about love and humanity. This series by Greg Pak really did surprise me as I had half expected to pick up the first issue, decide that it wasn’t going to be a Silver Surfer story that I was interested in and promptly drop it from the pull-list. That, I am very pleased to say, is a situation that never happened as this story of the Surfer’s transformation back to Norrin Radd at the hands of the High Evolutionary has completely grabbed me and refused to let go. Norrin’s continuing analysis and narration as he adapts to his renewed Zenn-Lavian form (c’mon, he may be pink but he’s not human!) has given a great insight into how the man beneath the silver sheen of the power cosmic thinks and the developing relationship and attraction to Suzie Endo has been brilliantly written by Pak. The art by Harvey Talibao, inking by Sandu Florea and importantly colouring by Wil Quintana - who had previously coloured many of my favourite Cosmic titles from War of Kings to The Thanos Imperative - have really meant that this has been a series of high quality and I really am beside myself at the thought of reading the finale that this group of talented creators has put together.

One down...

Since I was gushing over great writer and artist team ups and because we have that cover being thrown at us today - it is just an epic, EPIC cover from Olivier Coipel - I will of course have to talk about Matt Fraction’s Mighty Thor #3 next. It’s actually a little crazy to be talking of only the third issue in the run as it feels to me that there has been far more happening than could be contained in just two issues to date. Being the skeptical fellow that I am, I was initially wary of the news that Fraction was going to be removing the visiting gods from their Broxton home and replanting them back in Asgard as I enjoyed the interaction that came from the everyday folk of Midgard coming to terms with their all-powerful, yet inquisitive neighbours. It seems that unlike the jarring, quickfire decision to return home made by Odin within the pages of Fear Itself, we’re getting to see the events that may have led up to that point as the wily old Allfather makes plans now that he is in possession of the World Seed. Adding the Devourer of Worlds and his silver herald into the mix should make this week’s issue simply unmissable.

Two in the bag...

With continued news of relaunches and reboots - even Marvel have jumped onto the bandwagon with Uncanny splitting and relaunching in October - it seems to have gone a little unnoticed, or perhaps ignored, that we appear to be on the verge of seeing one Captain America move aside so that another may once again don the stars and stripes and that mighty vibranium shield. Brubaker has been plugging away at the 'Gulag' arc, covering the ground from three different angles as Bucky tries to survive his Russian imprisonment, Sharon Carter and the Black Widow attempt to unearth the true motives behind Bucky’s extradition to the former soviet state in Natasha’s backyard, while Steve Rogers does some digging on the US side. It seems quite clear that Steve Rogers will be Captain America again soon - a big summer blockbuster will tend to do that to a character - but it's thankfully still something of a mystery just how Brubaker envisages this role reversal unfolding and Captain America #619 should enlighten us somewhat. I’ve fingers crossed that we won’t be seeing Bucky reverting back to his Winter Soldier ways but with these comic-book types you never can tell.

Three’s more than company so let’s make it a big crowd...

While it appears that we at the Paradox Comics Group haven’t been pouring on the praise for Jeff Parker’s Thunderbolts as much as we used to I will say that I’ve found no drop in quality from him or artists Kev Walker and Declan Shavley in recent months. For some reason, Marvel see this as an ongoing title that they can regularly ‘play’ with and so for the second time in the space of a year we get a bumper $4.99 issue with Thunderbolts #159. For the extra couple of dollars we are going to be given a varied and expansive look at the destruction caused by Cain Marko’s transformation into one of the Serpent’s Worthy and the surviving Thunderbolt’s efforts to prevent some of the most dangerous criminals and villains in the Marvel book escaping into the wider world. The names Matthew Southworth and particularly Eric Canete - a personal favourite artist of mine - certainly piqued my interest and the previous bumper Thunderbolts issues have been worth the extra pennies. Juggernaut’s transformation and unfortunate fall to a darker path - anyone else a bit sad since he was ‘doing so well’ in the team? - looks to be one of the bigger plot points for this event as it will effect this book and ultimately Uncanny X-Men later in the summer and I’m interested to see whether this feels like something Jeff Parker was happy to write into his title or whether it comes across like his hand was forced from those above him.

'Four' these are jolly good titles...

So let me round out this week’s Incoming... offering by looking at the fifth and final comic that I shall be shelling out my cash for this week. Secret Avengers #14 is yet another Fear Itself tie-in as Nick Spencer continues his short writing stint on the title - to see who’ll be picking up the reigns in a couple of months check out the recent Ten Forward - and this month his focus falls upon the team’s very own mystical Norse member, Valkyrie, as she has to decide on which side of this war of fear her loyalties lie. I rather enjoyed Spencer’s last Washington D.C. based story despite the rather ludicrous reasons for the capital never being given it’s own 50 State Initiative Team, and I have a suspicion that this Valkyrie story could take an interesting look at one of the lesser known Secret Avengers and offer up a new perspective of this hard-as-nails lady and why Steve Rogers picked her for the team!

Mini Reviews 19/06/2011

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.

GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES #1
Writer: Mark Sable
Art: Paul Azaceta & Matt Wilson
Image $2.99

Stewart R: This is a promising start for the zombie story with a difference as Sable takes his time setting up the mood and situation, resisting the urge to dive straight into the flesh-eating mayhem. Instead we get an insight into military outpost living in Afghanistan as a group of US troops find the going tough amongst the locals who aren’t happy for them to be there, with some who want to see them all leave in body bags. There’s plenty of tension and a good line in banter to be had in this first issue as the various troops deal with their situation with the necessary amount of bravado and the cracks in the chain of command begin to show as the situation degrades and the casualties begin to mount. This is definitely a war comic first and zombie story second at present but I expect that to switch around as the series progresses and Sable has ensured that there are enough character threads to keep this interesting. Paul Azaceta does a great job of capturing the Afghan setting and the day-to-day events that keep the troops busy and Matt Wilson’s reserved colouring really helps to keep things grounded. My only slight complaint is that I found it hard on occasion to tell which characters we were supposed to be following and who we were looking at, partly due to sparse name use from Sable and partly due to Azaceta’s choice of viewpoint. A small niggle in an enjoyable debut. 8/10

Matt C: There’s a rough authenticity to this tale of US soldiers stationed in the turbulence of modern day Afghanistan. Of course, I’m not basing that on any personal experience(!), rather on various TV shows and movies that featured conflicts in the Middle East during recent years. So, yeah, that may be point of reference, so to speak, but the grittiness and realism of both the writing and art feels truthful. Apart from the zombies, obviously, but there’s not much in the way of any walking dead shenanigans in this debut issue. There’s part of me that likes the way the story plays out until the last few pages enough to want it to carry on without the introduction of the horror element, but I’m curious to see how the genres gel together and the serious tone taken suggests there’s plenty of allegorical legroom. If there’s a flaw, it’s that it’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between certain characters, but apart from that this is an impressive opener. 7/10


ALPHA FLIGHT #1
Writers: Fred Van Lente & Greg Pak
Art: Dale Eaglesham, Andrew Hennessy & Sonia Oback
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: So Marvel give their Canadian superhero team another shot with an 8-part series headed by Van Lente and Greg Pak. The biggest problem straight from the off with this debut is that it involves a big Fear Itself battle as Nekkrod, Breaker of Oceans, attempts to flood the city of Vancouver and Alpha Flight turn up to rescue citizens and try to pour some hurt upon the ‘Worthy’ and his deep sea followers. While the clash itself is well realised by Dale Eaglesham, with each member using their particular skills and powers to good effect with the established inter-team tensions and banter popping up throughout, the big issue for me is that while this event elsewhere really does smack of an end-of-the-world scenario, with heroes being crushed underfoot in vain attempts to turn the tide, Alpha Flight wrap their battle up in quick time and then it’s back to base for a shower. It almost feels that Van Lente and Pak have been forced to include the cross-title event of the summer but would much rather be writing about this team and their relationship with their government and so they quickly brush the planet-wide doom that is unfolding under the carpet somewhat and get on with their idea. Unfortunately it leaves this opening chapter feeling a little forced and has me looking at issue #2 as the make or break point for my continued interest. 5/10


KIRBY: GENESIS #1
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Art: Alex Ross, Jack Herbert, & Vinicius Andrade
Dynamite Entertainment $3.99

Matt C: Pioneer 10 was shot out into space back in the ‘70s; it appears to have made contact with alien life and now Earth is receiving visitors from beyond along with a plethora of other strange occurrences. That’s where we up to at this point, viewing everything through the eyes of series protagonist Kirby (!) Freeman and his childhood friend Bobbi Cortez. The characterization is well handed, the slow build of the plot effectively utilizes ‘alien invasion’ tropes, but I’m still none the wiser where this series is headed. I guess I could have a look around the web and see what I could dig up, or I could just let things play out the way the creators are intending. I’m opting for the latter at the moment. 7/10


POWER GIRL #25
Writer: Judd Winick
Art: Hendry Prasetya & Jessica Kholinne
DC $2.99

James R: After a couple of exceptional weeks, all my books this week felt spectacularly average. I'd been tempted back to Power Girl based on some good word of mouth, but yet again, I find myself uninspired by Judd Winick as a writer. To his credit, Winick is good at highlighting social injustice - this story is really about Rayhan Mazin, an American Arab metahuman labelled a terrorist by the authorities, finding himself going toe-to-toe with Power Girl and Batman. Winick moves things along nicely, but this story had huge potential; the old adage that 'One man's freedom fighter is another's terrorist' could easily be applied to superheroes, and with Batman's presence there was scope to compare Mazin with a man who is essentially a vigilante operating outside the law. Sadly, we don't get any of that depth. It's the perfect example of mediocrity. Hendry Prasetya does a nice job on the art, but with Amanda Conner's outstanding run still fresh in the memory, it doesn't quite compare. I was hugely excited to see that Catwoman will be relaunched after DC's reboot, but then was disappointed to see that Winick will be producing the scripts. I fear his cat will lack claws in the same way that his Power Girl fails to pack a punch. 5/10


INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #505
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca & Frank D’Armata
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: There something that tells me that while Fear Itself - the event and the main book - is Fraction’s ‘baby’, he’s getting a true sense of enjoyment out of writing Tony Stark’s individual fight with his fears and a seemingly unstoppable foe. I loved the flashback beginning to this issue where Tony recalls a hard lesson that his father tried to impart upon his him all those years ago and which now resonates as Paris’ denizens literally lie in ruin and Iron Man is unable to fix the situation. The big triumph through this issue and last is that Fraction and Larroca really manage to convince us that Mokk, Breaker of Faith, is an unrelenting being of pure destruction and that Tony is literally only hanging onto the fight by a thread. Despite the huge casualties already inflicted on the European city, each and every subsequent loss that we witness feels like a big deal and adds yet more weight and responsibility upon Tony’s already burdened shoulders. Fraction rightly keeps the rest of the Stark Resilient story ticking over with brief moments that see Bethany Cabe’s arrival at the fledgling company and that leads to a finale that shows just how bad things have got and just how good a handle Fraction has on this character. 9/10

James R: For this month's Invincible Iron Man, just see my comments from last month! It's a continuation of the Fear Itself storyline which I felt was uncomfortably shoehorned into the book in the previous issue. This time out, Tony continues to battle against the Grey Gargoyle/Asgardian demon, while at Stark Resilient, Bethany Cabe starts work as Tony's security chief. Fraction uses one of his best techniques in flashing back to young Tony and Howard Stark's past - I think Fraction has brilliantly filled out the life of the young Tony, and these pages work the best for me. However, this is outweighed by the almost laughable introduction of a character from a previous arc, who is then promptly killed off! It's almost as if Fraction thought: "Ah, I've still got this guy hanging around... hmm, here's a way to get him out of the way!" Fear Itself has entirely derailed this title for me, and while I'll be taking a look when it returns to just being an Iron Man tale, if the next story arc is as uninspired as this I'll have to step off. 5/10

Matt C: I may not be convinced by Fear Itself as an event at present but I have to admit that Fraction brings the concept into his ongoing Iron Man book in spectacular fashion. There’s a real sense of Tony being out of his depth here, and that this is a situation where neither his brain nor the brawn of his suit will help him beat the odds and save the day. This is emphasised by the way Fraction brings in a previous subplot and effectively ends it in an unexpected but fairly powerful manner. If there’s a problem, it’s one I regularly have when comics attempt to display carnage on a monumental scale, and here we see the vast majority of Parisians wiped out by the mutated Grey Gargoyle. That’s a bit excessive and it’s one of those points where it becomes hard to suspend disbelief. Fair enough if it was some fictional city, but Paris?! That’s the nature of the beast though, and aside from that both Fraction and Larocca are still on fire with this title. 8/10


BATGIRL #22
Writer: Bryan Q.Miller
Art: Pere Pérez & Guy Major
DC $2.99

Stewart R: I do occasionally like it when writers decide to have a bit of fun with the Batman family and of the current Incorporated roster it’s likely to fall upon the shoulders of Stephanie Brown to bring a slice of comedy and entertainment to her crime-fighting shenanigans. Miller decides to cut loose with the international flavour that the new financial Bat status quo brings by having Batgirl take a trip to London in order to liase with the big boss himself. This leads to a team up with Squire that really does emphasise just how good a writer Miller is as the girls attempt to stop the Orphan and his gang of Urchins from messing with time in order to exact their revenge. There’s some great moments where Miller pokes fun at the typical British clichés and almost lobs every one he can think of into the mix to show just how unrealistic those stereotypical views of these fair isles can be sometimes and I couldn’t help but snigger as Squire just shrugs it all off. Pere Pérez does a terrific job once again, capturing all of the fun and humour in some neat and varied panel work, and I’m still looking at that fight sequence where the girls take on the Urchins at the jousting tournament and saying to myself “Yep, that’s how you do that!” Yet another example that this writer fully understands his character and I will miss her adventures when the relaunch comes around. *sob* 8/10


UNCANNY X-MEN #538
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Art: Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson & Justin Ponsor
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: The ‘Breaking Point’ arc comes to its conclusion in this issue and I’ll admit that my opinion of what Gillen was doing with this story has changed somewhat since my moments of disappointment a couple of issues back. This finale is not the explosive, grand-standing end that I had predicted that we could see unfold, and Gillen instead opts to draw things to a close in far more reflective and peaceful manner - don’t worry though, this is Uncanny X-Men, there’s still fighting to be seen! He manages to show that Kruun is far more complex a character than he’d initially been portrayed as, though in the same stroke he leaves Kruun’s motives a little cloudy even at the very end where he plays a cruel game with his victims. We never learn just what his final aim was other than playing the games themselves and that prevents the story reaching a crescendo like it could have. It was, however, good to see Gillen branch out with the X-Men roster and keep the likes of Cyclops, Emma Frost and Magneto away from the action in a comic that has focused on them more than most in recent times. I’m still of the opinion that the Dodson’s style is not brilliantly suited to delivering the gritty, tense scenarios that the X-Men face but I can’t fault them on the polish of what they accomplish. At the end of the day this series remains on my pull-list. 7/10


NORTHLANDERS #41
Writer: Brian Wood
Art: Marian Churchland
DC/Vertigo $2.99

James R: So, it looks like this title is soon to depart to Valhalla. The writing is on the wall for Brian Wood's Viking series, and I'll be sad to see it go, but of late I can have a little sympathy with the Vertigo editorial decision. The strength of this title was always that Wood could jump all over Europe and across a huge period of time to tell a dazzling variety of tales. When it's good, it's brilliant, (as with last month's single issue tale) but of late, it's been distinctly underwhelming. 'The Siege Of Paris' was uninspired for me, and this month's tale, 'Thor's Daughter' (nay, not that Thor!), feels like it could have been a whole lot more. The daughter of a popular trader has to stand up to the men who killed her father and seek to take his territory as their own. I expected this comic to reflect on gender issues and give some illumination into Viking justice, but both these things were sadly lacking. I finished reading this, and had all but forgotten about it by the time I put it down. I hope Wood finishes this series on a high and give it the flaming funeral its innovation and uniqueness deserves, rather than a story like this, which melts away like Nordic snow in summer. 5/10

Screen Time: GREEN LANTERN

GREEN LANTERN
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Temuera Morrison, Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett, Michael Clarke Duncan, Geoffrey Rush
Directors: Martin Campbell
Runtime: 105mins
Certificate: 12A
Release Date: 17 June 2011

Stewart R: And so the endless months of DC’s press, promotion and merchandising push comes to a head for 2011 as their big bet finally hits 3D and 2D cinema screens worldwide carrying their, and Warner Bros', hopes of a new, blockbusting franchise. They, and die-hard fans around the globe really do have hopes that they can turn this Summer green and ‘will’ as many bums onto seats as possible so that the adventures of Green Lantern can capture the imagination of young and old alike.

A-lister in waiting, Ryan Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, cocky test pilot with mountains of potential, something to prove and lingering issues over the death of his father. When his persisting fear of perishing as his father did begins to see his life unravel on Earth, larger, galactically important events unfolding out in the cosmos conspire to point him in a new direction. And so was born the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps: an army of empowered peacekeepers that patrol the universe at the behest of the Guardians and using the power of Will to create physical constructs to help them do so. At the same point that Hal is being deputised, the Corps and the Guardians are facing one of the greatest threats they’ve ever faced as Parallax, the very embodiment of the energy of Fear, is set free and sets course for Oa, the Corps homeworld, to exact its revenge.

That very description seems like an awful lot to try to convert and put into a film measuring an hour and three quarters in length but you’d think it would be doable. Heck, that’s not too dissimilar from the succinct and highly enjoyable Green Lantern: First Flight animated film from a couple of years back. This, however, is an example of the Hollywood machine in full flow and with a hushed whisper of ‘demographics’ echoing in the makers' ears we end up with a whole lot more being crammed into the running time which leaves it feeling slightly bloated at the seams. What it does well, it really does well, but in the same stroke, those podgy bits of plot poking out at the sides are not given the attention or treatment that they deserve and it ends up being a little hard to gauge just who this film is aimed at. There’s moments of sheer excitement which will wow kids (and adults too) but they’ll likely find the gaps between a little too long as love story development and Hal’s attempts to ignore and then deal with his fears drag things out, those sections supposedly appealing to the older audience.

The screenwriters and director Campbell - he who directed Goldeneye, Mask of Zorro and Casino Royale to reasonable success - opt for the safest option of all by going with the traditional superhero origin story route in showing us how Hal becomes a Green Lantern and, in taking this safe path, they manage to rob the film of the great potential it had. The tried and tested formula checklist is printed and neatly ticked off as we go; 1) Troubled protagonist who’s not meeting his potential? Check. 2) Love interest who snaps venom and lobs puppy dog eyes at the protagonist in equal measure throughout? Check. 3) Outcast childhood friend/acquaintance to both protagonist and love interest who ends up with powers of his own and a taste for revenge? Check! It goes on like this for at least an hour of the film and some 34 years after Star Wars (yes, I’m mentioning it here) it still seems to suggest that film companies continue to believe that audiences are simply incapable of grasping a comic book or science fiction story without having exposition and clichéd story heaped atop a spoon, coated with CGI sugar and then rammed into their willing gobs.

I get a feeling that this is a film strangely at odds with itself and the stories that it’s trying to tell. We could have either had Hal deputised into the Corps and whisked off to Oa to train in his powers, be the unready human that the Corps don’t trust to get the job done and then proving himself worthy in the last explosive zero-gravity act with audiences whooping at the space-soaring spectacle of it all. Or we could have had Hal deputised, remaining on Earth to discover his powers alone, develop the weird love/jealousy triangle that unfolds and triumph over adversity on home soil, cue the trip into deep space for Green Lantern 2, ‘oh look Oa, and the Corps, ooooooh!!' And the audience whoops at the space soaring spectacle of it all. Over two films, both those plot lines could have worked but in one single film - which is essentially what we get - it doesn’t translate half as well as it could have and that’s the great shame.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no hater of this live action Green Lantern; there are some good laughs from some neat comedy dialogue, a nice line in realising that superhero anonymity in these knowing times is not as simple as comics of 50 years ago made out it was, and some effective acting from the cast. Reynolds does a reasonable job in the lead role and convinces in his transformation from the self-depreciating fly-boy to unflinching superhero. Peter Sarsgaard for me excels as Hector Hammond who’s own transformation into a feeble bodied yet psionically powerful antagonist should have probably been the peg on which this film hung it’s villains' cloak. Anyone playing a member of the Green Lantern Corps does a fine job as well. In an example of great casting Mark Strong as Sinestro and Temeura Morrison’s Abin Sur offer up so much promise yet find themselves unfortunately robbed of screen time. Blake Lively appears to me to be a miscasting as Carol Ferris, being not nearly ‘lively’ enough and Tim Robbins’ strangely hammy performance grates in a character role that adds nothing to the story whatsoever.

The CGI and makeup effects are however a triumph, with the ring constructs working tremendously well on screen - I did have concerns initially on how well they would translate - and this being one example where post-shoot 3D treatment holds up well. The odd glimpses of Oa are suitably lush and filled with alien wonderment much in the same way that the vistas of Asgard were a few months back, it's just a great shame that more time isn't spent meeting more of the strange and bizarre members of the Corps in this alien setting. Where I would have recommended seeing Thor in 2D earlier this Summer though I would recommend the extra cash for a 3D showing of Green Lantern in order to suck in the parts of this film which do really work well.

At the end of the day I’ve come away from my viewing of Green Lantern disappointed that the creators don’t appear to have realised that they were taking far too much on for a debut feature for this comic book character. A streamlined and cut-down origin - probably away from the confines and comforts of an Earth setting - could have really set this up as a long-term franchise investment for them and importantly for the viewing public. By no means is it a complete failure and there’s enough entertainment to be found over the course of nearly two hours to merit seeing it on the big screen and in 3D. In fact I would suggest that option over waiting for the DVD or Blu Ray which may rob a viewing of the spectacle which helps to make it watchable. It’s not terrible and it’s not brilliant and it gets a 5/10

Ten Forward: August 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 June issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in August 2011.


ANGEL AND FAITH #1
Writer: Christos N Gage
Art: Rebekah Isaacs
Dark Horse $2.99

Andy H: The decision to split the Buffyverse between two publishers was always an odd one but I'm sure the reasons were good at the time. Now Dark Horse have it all under one roof and that should make it easier to keep some continuity between characters. They kick off with Angel but this time he's teamed up with Faith. Both have stepped over the line in the past so this will be a double act to watch and after the events of the last series of Buffy, Angel will have to work hard to make amends. Christos N. Gage gets the writing duties and Paradox Group favourite Rebekah Isaacs brings her artistic talents to the page. The IDW series lost it's way a bit so let's see if Dark Horse can keep them on the straight and narrow.


SEVERED #1
Writers: Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft
Art: Attila Futaki
Image $2.99

James R: Scott Snyder has had a magnificent record of late. American Vampire has won over many fanboys (myself included) who would normally steer clear of Vampire tales, by showing invention and a verve to his writing style that leaves you wanting more. On top of that he is rightfully being lauded for one of the best runs on Detective Comics in an age. I'm psyched to see that the DC top brass know a good thing when they see it and have given him the reigns on both Batman and Swamp Thing, but I'm equally excited by Severe, a creator-owned horror published by Image. Set in 1916, Snyder's tale focuses on a teenager, Jack Garron, who takes to the road and encounters a mysterious travelling salesman with a taste for human flesh. Snyder's script looks to be beautifully illustrated by Attila Futaki, and the writer promises that his tale will delve into the heart of the American psyche. At $2.99, I can see no good reason for not checking this out!


PUNISHER #1
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Marco Checchetto
Marvel $3.99

Rob N: I’ve never been much of a Punisher fan. The character always seemed to me to be a cheap imitation of the plodding Don Pendleton ‘War against the Mafia’ Executioner books that my brother used to read avidly during the Seventies. I picked up some of the early Garth Ennis run, but by and large Frank Castle has always been a bit too single-minded and fanatical to appeal to me. No doubt he still is, but I’m willing to give the title another chance now that Greg Rucka is on board as the writer. I’ve often mentioned my deep admiration for Rucka’s Queen & Country series. Rucka is a writer who excels when it comes to contemporary action/thriller material, so he seems a perfect choice for a character who is essentially Jack Bauer-esque in terms of mindset and methods. Hopefully Rucka will root the character in a relatively realistic corner of the Marvel universe - a bit like Bendis did with Daredevil - and avoid some of the more ridiculous concepts that have plagued Castle in the past.


VESCELL #1
Writer: Enrique Carrion
Art: John Upchurch
Image $2.99

Stewart R: Image? Doing a new comic? Never... Haha, okay so it seems to be this publisher’s forte at the moment to bring us new stories and ideas from new writers and creative teams and it looks like that’ll continue into August with Vescell, a sci-fi noir comic looking at an age of technology and crime where the mind and soul of a person can be transferred into another body. This advancement of course allows for a new form of espionage and criminal activity to flourish and this book will focus on Agent Mauricio Barrino who works for the company behind the technology investigating and handling the most complex and high-risk of cases. I do like a good old fashioned, futuristic crime story - a phrase somewhat at odds with itself there - and the preview art from Upchurch reminds me of Diego Greco’s work on another favourite Image title of mine, Bad Dog, so all of the ingredients are coming together to make this an unmissable debut.


ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Esad Ribic
Marvel $3.99

James R: Gah, what a horrible, horrible title for a book! Of course, when the second-to-last issue of this ships it will be hugely pleasing to say "Ah! Penultimate Ultimate Comics Ultimates!" so I'll let that go for now. As for the book itself, I'd long since lost interest in the title after Millar and Hitch departed, but with this 'soft reboot' - urgh, that's a horrible phrase (sorry!) - I'm drawn back by the talents of one Jonathan Hickman. I'm yet to be convinced of Hickman on Fantastic Four/Foundation Funsize but his indie stuff is brilliant as his S.H.I.E.L.D. series. I'm really curious to see what he does with Marvel's big hitters and with artist Esad Ribic citing Appleseed as an influence on the look of the title, it looks like there could be all manner of greatness afoot here!


FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND HC
Writer: Bill Willingham
Art: Jim Fern, Craig Hamilton and Ray Snyder
Vertigo $22.99

Rob N: I know I’m pretty much a lone voice when I say this, but Marvel and DC do their regular main titles a disservice by publishing a flood of spin-off titles and miniseries. Hardly a month goes by without half a dozen new X-Men, Spider-Man or Batman books (either one-offs or limited runs) solicited in Previews. They very rarely have anything to do with the regular title, and since they involve different teams of creators the overall effect is a confused morass of conflicting continuity that dilutes the value of the original characters. Vertigo thankfully takes a rather more restrained approach to its books, and when a spin-off title does appear, it usually has some value. In this case the main series writer, Bill Willingham, is attached to the project, which bodes well right away. The book is a road movie tale of Bigby Wolf (a man who’s more Wolverine than Wolverine) as he searches for a new home for the exiled Fables community. His travels bring him to a town full of werewolves and no doubt some wolf-on-wolf conflict as fanged snouts clash. Previous Fables one-offs have all been rather splendid and well worth the prestige format, so I have high hopes that this one won’t break the established pattern.


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #667
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Humberto Ramos
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: For months the ground work has been laid throughout issues of Dan Slott’s Amazing Spider-Man but finally we all jump off the boat and find ourselves stranded on Spider Island! I know a few people who were full of enthusiasm for Amazing following Slott’s 'Big Time' arc but it appears to have been fading fast following a few stories that to some may come across as thumb-twiddling filler in the schedule before we arrive at this first big Spidey event for some time, where the inhabitants of New York City all manifest spider-like powers. My big hope is that Slott manages to remove Peter’s Future Foundation membership from prominent view and keep this as Spider-Man focused event as possible - I appreciate that it looks like a good many of Spidey’s New York based allies will be involved - as I’ve felt that that’s been one of the stumbling points which was adding one ingredient too many to Slott’s transformation of Peter from down-on-his-luck burnout to successful scientist, boyfriend and crime-fighter. Of the artists working on ASM at present Humberto Ramos is definitely the go-to guy for an event like this and I think our eyes may well be spoilt rotten this August.


SECRET AVENGERS #16
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: Jamie McKelvie
Marvel $3.99

James R: Alright, so this is a bit of a cheat as it's not an issue #1, but given the caliber of talent involved, I felt it was worthy of attention. Whisky-powered comics overlord Warren Ellis returns to the Marvel Universe in the pages of Secret Avengers - pound-for-pound, the best team book Marvel are producing at the moment (in this fanboy's opinion anyhoo!) Ellis' run will consist entirely of one-shots and in an era of decompressed storytelling and endless crossovers, I think it's a brilliant idea that Ellis is delivering a run like this. I'm also psyched to see that Phonogram's artist Jamie McKelvie will be the artist for these issues. Some have questioned whether his idiosyncratic style is right for a book like this but I think it should be an unmissable experiment either way!


DC RETROACTIVE: GREEN LANTERN THE '90s #1
Writer: Ron Marz
Art: Darryl Banks
DC $4.99

Andy H: One of the biggest shake ups of a DC character was way back in the mid '90s when it was revealed we were getting a new Green Lantern. Goodbye Hal, hello Kyle Rayner. There was a storm of protest and rightly so. How could they do this? Luckily for me (and others I'm sure) we were in the safe hands of Ron Marz and Darryl Banks who created a well rounded and sympathetic character and Kyle has become a firm favourite moving on to greater things. Now Marz and Banks are back to tell a 'lost' story that will test the young Green Lantern. Always difficult to return to past glories but I'd be a Poozer if I miss this.


HABIBI GN
Writer: Craig Thompson
Art: Craig Thompson
Pantheon Books $35.00

Rob N: I was amazed to learn that Craig Thompson has been working on this book since 2004 – it’s apparently his first major work since his highly acclaimed Blankets - and if internet columns are to be believed, Habibi is as eagerly awaited by the comic book literati as the second coming of Christ is to Bible belt America. A hardback volume (cloth bound and stamped in gold foil, no less) weighing in at 672 pages of original un-serialised work by a single creator, this is surely what the term ‘Graphic Novel’ was meant to define. It takes as its theme a juxtaposition of modern and ancient Middle Eastern culture and faith told through a tale that takes in slavery, religion and a love story between a prostitute and a eunuch. The advance blurb seems to suggest a tone similar to early Salman Rushdie combined with the genre of Magic Realism. It’s probably a safe bet to suggest that Habibi is set to make the list of ‘serious literary’ comic books alongside the likes of Maus and Will Eisner’s A Contract with God. And let’s face it, it’s going to look good on your book shelf during middle class dinner parties.