Mini Reviews 31/07/2011

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.


CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #620
Writers: Ed Brubaker & Marc Andreyko
Art: Chris Samnee & Bettie Breitweiser
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: Ever since Brubaker teased us with some exhilarating Invaders flashbacks in his early issues of Captain America plenty of fans have been begging him to do a full blown Invaders series. This isn’t quite that – not yet at least – but it’s the closest we’ve got so far and as an opener it’s pretty damn special. This is basically another look at Bucky’s origin, but it’s well paced and surprisingly moving, suggesting great things are ahead of us with the title. Chris Samnee, whose work often clashed with Butch Guice’s grittier style in recent issues of Captain America, is completely in his element here. His retro-stylings add a layer of warmth to the proceedings, as well as providing a healthy dollop of stimulating action , beautifully coloured by Breitweiser. Using the original numbering may be a questionable decision on Marvel’s part but the quality of this ‘debut’ issue isn’t in any doubt. 8/10


MARKSMEN #1
Writers; David Baxter, Dave Elliot & Michael Benaroya
Art: Javier Aranda, Garry Leach & Jessica Kholinne
Image $1.00

Stewart R: Hmmm, has anyone written about a post-apocalyptic landscape before? No? I’m sure there was this comic that one time... Yup, once again a group of comic creators are exploring the well-trodden 'downfall of society and the corruption of mankind as we try to survive in a harsher and far more dangerous world' scenario. This time however, the vision put across by Baxter, Aranda et al is one that could actually come about in the not too distant future (it’s especially poignant when the US and the rest of the world nervously looks at the financial deadline looming this Tuesday!) I like the focus on the environment and dwindling resources as well as the interesting religious slant that Baxter adds to the plot to highlight the differences between the warring factions. The America that the creative team has created is part Mad Max desert wasteland, part technological oasis and reminds me somewhat of the stark feel of the Fallout series of videogames. The art’s pretty decent though there are a few strange angles and blank stares on some of the cast to be found throughout. I’ll also be waiting for some real characterisation to rear its head soon for protagonist Drake McCoy as he’s a touch one dimensional at the moment but mysteries and plot threads surfacing in this debut suggest that we’ll get to know a lot more about him over the next few issues. Reasonable for the price tag and I’ll be back for a second helping at least. 6/10


DETECTIVE COMICS #880
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Jock & Dave Baron
DC Comics $2.99

James R: It’s been another outstanding week for comics, and once again I had to perform all kind of difficult equations before settling on Detective as my book of the week. Why? Because this issue sees Scott Snyder demonstrating a skill that's incredibly difficult to pull off in comics - pacing that wouldn't feel amiss in the best movie thrillers. When reading a comic it is, of course, easy to dictate your own pace as you read, but here Snyder produces a script that compels you to burn through the pages, and once again gives us a jaw-dropping finale. Snyder has been ably supported by an equally talented pair of illustrators - Fancesco Francavilla produces dark and moody visuals that have set the tone for this series, but Jock's pencils are a cut above. His panel design is beautiful, a nice balance for his frankly terrifying images. Underneath all this, the plot focuses on vendettas and obsessions: the Joker's with Batman, and Barbara's with James Gordon. I know I've been saying this a lot, but I cannot remember the last time a Bat-book was this consistently good for such a long run. When it's collected, it'll be a majestic read, whereas at the moment it is an essential one! Darkness has never been so much fun. 9/10


XOMBI #5
Writer: John Rozum
Art: Frazer Irving
DC $2.99

Stewart R: This fifth instalment expands our knowledge of the floating castles dotted around the globe and highlights just what it is that makes the Skull Stronghold different from all of the others. Rozum allows David Kim and his friends to come up with a plan of action while offering small asides that add a few extra dimensions to some of these intriguing characters as well as expanding the very strange world in which this is all taking place. Pterodactyls, deceased giants of the Old Testament, henchmen with nothing but huge eyeballs for a head - this is one freaky show but it all works because every character is a touch bizarre for one reason or another and everything links together nicely. Rozum even takes the time to address the concerns that David has about his existence as a Xombi and whether he can continue to follow the old path of relationships that his life was treading before his transformation. For a $2.99 book there’s a great deal going on and all of it bloody enjoyable. I can only hope that the powers that be at DC are working their magic to make sure that this series continues as they’ll have one of the greatest books in their arsenal if they do! 8/10


MIGHTY THOR #4
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales & Laura Martin
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: By Odin’s beard, could this be the first less-than-stellar issue of Mighty Thor? It just might be. I’m not saying this is a dud though – far from it, in fact. The art is eye-poppingly good, with some exquisite fight choreography on display as we watch the confrontation erupt between supremely powerful beings. Particularly impressive is the way Fraction et al handle the Odin vs Galactus scenes, refraining from fisticuffs in favour of presenting it as a battle of minds, with each combatant pulling the other’s worst fears from the darkest recesses of their psyches. Positives aside, it does seem very brief. Sure, there’s lots going on, with some great character interplay interspersed amongst the action, but it did leave me wanting at the end. Important as part of a whole, but on its own not as fulfilling a chapter as it could have been. 7/10

James R: Clash of the Titans ahoy! This month sees Galactus and Odin going head-to-head (or, as it turns out, mind-to-mind) while Thor trades blows with the Silver Surfer. This time out, I've got to focus on the beautiful pencils of Olivier Coipel, as it's his artistry that really makes the issue work. We find out that when you're as powerful as Odin or Galactus, you don't fight a peer in the conventional way - you have to defeat their mind. As a result, we get to see the two heavyweights engage in psychic assaults. Coipel draws the Kirby-esque world of Galactus when he was still Galan, and the mythological past of Odin's youth with deft skill - it's a total treat for the eyes. As a cherry on top of this visual feast, we also get Thor throwing himself full pelt at Galactus' head, with suitably spectacular results. I feel particularly cut off from the Marvel Universe at the moment - I don't think that the House of Ideas has got many compelling ones on offer, but this book is certainly making up for it. A suitably epic title for the Gods of the Marvel Universe. 8/10


DRACULA: A COMPANY OF MONSTERS #12
Writers: Kurt Busiek & Daryl Gregory
Art: Scott Godlewski & Stephen Downer
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: This fine series reaches its conclusion, an opened-end one at that, so potentially we’ll see the story pursued further at a later date. For now we get to see how the final confrontation between Conrad and Dracula plays out with Evan working as many angles as he can to achieve his goals. It perhaps lost some of the more interesting elements it had early on, when Dracula taking on the modern world through global corporations, and began to rely on a more formulaic clash between good and evil, but it was well-written, the art always held the attention and it was a cut above a lot vampire literature currently doing the rounds. If you fancy adding a bit of blood-sucking mayhem to you ‘To Read’ pile, you could do a lot worse than seeking the collected version of this book when it arrives. 7/10


AMERICAN VAMPIRE #17
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque & Dave McCaig
DC $2.99

Stewart R: What an exhilarating issue this is with the surviving members of Henry’s squad and Skinner Sweet attempting their daring escape from the Japanese vampire farm in the Pacific. Snyder always manages to add an extra ‘something’ to any of his titles and I particularly liked Henry’s inner-monologued recollection of his first battlefield encounter as he and his comrades go up against nigh impossible odds when fighting for their freedom. By giving Sweet an enemy that could realistically spell the end for him, Snyder ensures that the danger levels remain ramped up throughout and it’s refreshing to see the first American Vampire and veteran Henry fighting side-by-side towards a mutual goal and it made me want both parties to make it through the prison facility more or less unharmed. The art from Albuquerque is to his usual high standard with some particularly nice work on delivering emotion through the characters' eyes; shock, weariness, doubt and fear all come through very well indeed. Yes, it’s a shame that writer and artist have a little mix up with ‘right and left’ when it comes to one character’s arm but that’s the only negative thing in a damn fine issue. 8/10


CRIMINAL: THE LAST OF THE INNOCENT #2
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips & Val Staples
Marvel/Icon $3.50

James R: In the back of this issue, the brilliant Ed Brubaker rather humbly says "I hope the rest of the story lives up to the hype." Well, I can safely say that this perfectly crafted noir tale is not only living up to the hype, it's exceeding it. This month sees Riley Richard's nefarious plan to murder his wife played out. Once again, Brubaker cuts back to Riley's youth (wonderfully illustrated by Phillips and Staples in the best Archie tradition) and we learn more about how Riley came to be married to such a Femme Fatale and we're given more clues about the murders that haunt Brookview. The character development is superb, and Brubaker shows that he's not only a great student of the noir genre, but he's quickly becoming a master of it too. The creative team even manage to throw in a nod to Frederic Weretham's Seduction of the Innocent in the last page - Wertham was particularly worried about images in crime and horror comics that showed eyes stabbed or gouged, and it's a savvy nod from a classy book. Here's hoping that Brubaker, Phillips and Staples have got plenty more dastardly schemes on the drawing board. 9/10

Matt C: The Last Of The Innocent follows a classic noir template – man finds himself boxed in by his life, aware that his wife’s cheating on him, thinks back to paths he could have travelled earlier on, decides to commit the perfect crime and bump his missus off. What raises it above potboiler status is the delivery; Brubaker gets right inside the head of his protagonist and, in turn, the protagonist gets right inside our head. He may be plotting to take a life but the level of honesty he displays makes him much nearer to a sympathetic character than you’d think. The Archie-esque flashbacks continue to be a brilliantly effective device for relaying a past that was never quite as innocent as the visuals suggest. Exceptional on every level, Criminal continues to go from strength to strength. 9/10

Thought Balloon: The Trouble With Bob

By Stewart R

(Please note that I don’t have a full and comprehensive knowledge of Bobby Drake’s appearances in all Marvel comics and this article is based purely on my current viewing position of the character.)

Marvel have been traversing through something of a new golden age it could be said, with the many characters that Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Joe Simon, Larry Lieber and Don Heck created some 70 years ago still appearing in monthly comic publications and even making their way to the Hollywood machine for decent preparation and introduction to a new, media-hungry global audience. In fact we’ve reached the point where all of the big characters and teams have had exposure across a realm of different media forms. Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Fantastic Four and the X-Men have possibly received more exposure in the past ten years than they ever have done before. Comics, films, animated series, video games, toys, top trumps card decks, even Madame Tussards’ Wax Museum; they’ve appeared either in, on and as them all.

But of that cast of 16 original heroes I’ve listed - including the five founder team members of the X-Men and Charles Xavier - there’s one character of that 16 that hasn’t managed to capture the great attention of writers, readers and consumers in general. One, it has to be said, who’s been limping behind the others in the popularity stakes. Sure, he appears in comics on a reasonably frequent basis but he’s never had the limelight fall on him for any great length of time. Perhaps it could be said that he’s been given the ‘cold shoulder’? I am of course talking about Bobby Drake, Iceman!

Cover To Cover: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #666

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #666
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Stefano Caselli & Marte Garcia
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: I had two periods of heavy UK comic exposure to Spider-Man in the 1990s. The first was the Exploits Of Spider-Man which cemented my love for the web-slinger with terrific adventures, foes of old and team-ups with heroes I hadn’t been exposed to before like Nova and Moon Knight. Good times! The second period was The Astonishing Spider-Man which, at the time I jumped on board was in the midst of the reprinted 2nd Clone Saga which made me want to pile the pages of the entire script, with all that retarded, mutated, cloned DNA and multiple Peter Parker rubbish into a big heap, light a match and keep warm for a few hours. I persisted with the comics through and beyond that arc but to this day I still hold that period as one of the weakest that I have ever read. So, Dan Slott’s only gone and bought the Jackal bloomin’ back hasn’t he?!

Spider Island has been building for almost a dozen issues now as we’ve had the odd glimpse of denizens of New York city developing Spider-like powers at moments when they most need them while Peter has continued to struggle with his powers having permanently (well ‘comic version permanent’ at least) lost his Spider-Sense. Following on from the fantastic arc that was Big Time things have gone off the boil a little and it seems that a lot of the positivity to the new direction that Slott was taking things in has dissipated. Well the big event that has been months in the making is now staring us in the face and I have to say that this prelude has me as excited as I was for Big Time.

From the great cover that offers up that iconic image altered to reflect the strange and dark period coming New York’s way, through the somewhat light and colourful web-slinging antics that take place within, this is a big, fun read. Slott jumps us from pillar to post, failed robberies to escaped super-villains, science labs to smokey poker games - oh yes, the infamous heroes’ card game makes another welcome appearance - from martial arts training to ghastly genetic experiments. There’s an awful lot going on here but it’s all held together nicely because Slott has done the groundwork and kept every cast member involved in some way over the past few months. He’s also a master of character work, giving everyone a unique ‘voice’ yet letting the majority of the weight of this title rest upon his lead character’s shoulders.

Yes, okay, it’s a little unfortunate that he feels the need to give everyone an update on how busy Peter Parker’s life has become, what’s going on with Aunt May’s move to Boston and reinforcing once again that the spider-sense has gone once and for all. It’s a little boggling that Marvel still believe that thousands of potential new and fresh-faced readers are going to flock to their titles for the start of an event and tend to ‘bloat’ lead in issues at the detriment of the tens of thousands of readers who already know what is going on and could probably do without the incessant need for exposition. In any other writer’s hands I may well have docked a few points for the constant reiteration but Slott manages to fold everything in to an engrossing and expanding tale and his love for Spider-Man is certainly shining through. While crippling Peter with one hand by removing the sixth sense that had served him well for years he’s enhanced him with the other, providing the Spider-Man we know and love with new fighting skills and an inclination to use his intellect to find solutions where his fists and speed won’t be enough; it’s pure evolution of the character and it adds so, so much to this continuing story of one of the all-time greatest comic book heroes.

Along with the writer’s well measured script Marvel have to be applauded for locking two of their most vibrant artists in for this event. Humberto Ramos will pick up the majority of the heavy-lifting from next issue but this prelude is ably handled by Stefano Caselli and I dare say that he’s produced possibly his best work for this week’s read. The action is frenetic, the line style simple and effective and his ever-so-slightly cartoon-like style lends very well for all of the emotion and character driven scenes that Slott throws into the mix. Just check out that one crazy panel depicting the problem that the hospital staff are having with newly-empowered patients for proof of the man’s versatility with facial expressions.

All in all this is the terrific payoff that the slow build had promised it could be and considering that it’s only the ‘Prelude’ I’d say there are some fun and fraught Spider-Man adventures to come through Spider Island. Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed that Slott manages to convince me that the Jackal is worth the ink and my money! 8/10

Incoming... 27/07/2011

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: I’m going to take a somewhat different tack to this week’s Incoming... and try to guide you through my recent brain-numbing experience from the weekend when I compiled the list of titles that I would be getting this Wednesday from the full catalogue of new issues coming into Paradox. This is in no way meant as an example of bragging and may possibly include some rather saucy language like ‘Jeezy Hulk Balls!’ or ‘Holy Hamster Organs!’ You have been warned...

To kick things off I peruse the DC titles available - avoiding all of the Flashpoint tie-ins for the momentas I will decide whether it's an event to come back and visit once it's wrapped up - and the following delights turn up:

Batman: The Dark Knight #4
Detective Comics #880
Green Lantern Corps #62
Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #12
Xombi #5

The Dark Knight has been an enjoyable, self contained Batman story so far and of course Finch’s art work is very kind on the eyes indeed. Detective Comics continues to be one of the best crime books on the shelf with Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla conjuring up a delicious look at Dick Grayson’s time in the cape and cowl and a very troubling time for the Family Gordon as James’ return has proved to be as shocking as expected. On recent form the Green Lantern titles should be enjoyable enough despite the fact that the full and gutsy post-War of the Green Lanterns stuff seems to be waiting for the September relaunch. Finally there’s Xombi #5 which I’m very excited about as this issue promises to expand upon the mysterious floating strongholds that are circling the globe. If that sounds interesting to you there’s a preview of the latest issue here.

So, DC out of the way it then falls to Vertigo and things are simple enough:

American Vampire #17

Yup, Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque are back this week for yet another chapter of World War II Pacific action as Henry, Skinner Sweet and the remainder of the vampire hunting squad try to turn the tables on their Japanese captors. Snyder isn’t afraid of bringing the hurt to his lead characters and I’ve a feeling that we may be in for some painful surprises as readers by the time this particular arc finishes.

So far, so good. Okay, the order’s looking a little on the bulky side but it’s been ‘worse’ than this. Right, let’s have a look at what Image are offering up this week...

Butcher Baker Righteous Maker #5
Last Mortal #3
Marksman #1
Undying Love #4

Ouch, a few more there than I expected in one week. Marksman #1 is brand spankers new and at $1.00 really can’t be overlooked this week, such has been Image’s success rate when it comes to new ideas and properties in 2011. The post-apocalyptic nature of the story certainly appeals to me and for that price it has to be worth a gamble. Butcher Baker Righteous Maker is really turning into a comic of long-term potential if Joe Casey keeps his writing this tight and raw while Undying Love has already proven itself popular with the Hollywood execs out there having been optioned as a potential big screen money-spinner. The only slightly dubious entry is Last Mortal which has been ‘interesting’ through the first two issues but hasn’t totally grabbed me yet. It’s a mini-series only 4 issues in length so I’m invested enough now to see how it ends at least.

Phew, wow, well this is getting quite cumbersome now. Just got to hope that Marvel have a quiet week and..... OH SWEET GALACTUS’ TITTIES, how many?!

Amazing Spider-Man #666
Captain America and Bucky #620
Criminal: Last of the Innocent #2
Fear Itself: The Deep #2
FF #7
Mighty Thor #4
Secret Avengers #15
Secret Warriors #28
Uncanny X-Force #12
Venom #5
X-Men Schism #2

Ummmmm, yeah, that’s just bat-shit crazy!! Talk about weighting one week in a single month Marvel! Well let’s just go through it quickly. Spider Island kicks off in Amazing Spider-Man #666 as Slott brings us possibly the biggest story since he gained full stewardship of the title. Brubaker takes us back to the early, untold days of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes in Cap and Bucky #620 - no way I’m going to miss that with the feature film hitting the UK this Friday. Brubaker and Sean Phillips bringing us more noir goodness in a Criminal book? Nuff said really there! Eye-candy a-go-go from the supremely talented Olivier Coipel in Mighty Thor where Fraction is likely to be on top of his Asgardian game. The big grand finale of Hickman’s Secret Warriors is a must see after nearly three years of enthralling cross and double cross action.

Rick Remender can’t seem to put a foot wrong with Uncanny X-Force while Jason Aaron's Schism is provisionally looking to be the X-event worthy of turning the mutants’ lives upside down once more. In fact the only doubtful entry in Marvel’s efforts is Venom #5 and I’m only thinking of picking it up and carrying on with the series as a Medina - either Lan or Angel but I'm not sure which due to conflicting reports coming out of San Diego this weekend gone - is due to come on as artist from #9. I may have to make the tough choice in Paradox and leave than one on the shelf. All of the others are shoe-ins for making the ride home with me though.

Well I guess that’s it then. Crikey, what a mountain of a Wednes...what? You’re kidding? Oh Deadpool’s derriere, you’re having me on? More? MORE??

Moon Girl #3
Sixth Gun #13
Spontaneous #2

Yup, all of those other publishers out there have decided to chip in with unmissables in the last week of July! Moon Girl has been shaping up nicely as a dark tale of fighting against destiny as the titular heroine tries to steer away from the grim path that she was originally trained for. Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn just goes from strength to strength and the strange reveal at the end of the last issue should definitely lead us to an interesting chain of events in this latest instalment. Then finally, I can collapse and rest my eyes once I’ve torn my way through Spontaneous #2, a comic I’ve looked forward to since the debut was offered up on Free Comic Book Day. The premise of this Bret Weldele and Joe Harris comic which sees an unlikely duo teaming up to explore the bizarre, and increasingly more common phenomena of spontaneous combustion has me locked in for sure and Oni Press do come up with some decent comics with a difference from time to time.

So that’s it. 24 titles in total. A completely mental week for comic reading ahead. Yeah, so I’m looking at the list and doing some quick and worried guestimations on the cost but to be honest there’s barely any comics there I would happily go without and at least I’m not hitting the DC September relaunch as hard as a few other people I know out there so this can been my big month instead. Possibly...

Mini Reviews 24/07/2011

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.

DAREDEVIL #1
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin, Joe Rivera, Javier Rodriguez & Muntsa Vicente
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: It had reached a point where you wondered whether Matt Murdock could spiral down any further without Daredevil becoming nothing more than an endlessly depressing ride through someone else’s miserable existence. I bailed on the book once Andy Diggle took over and installed DD as the head of the Hand, but while there were some undeniably classic arcs during both Bendis’ and Brubaker’s runs it was clear that the wallowing had to be curbed sooner or later. What was needed was a writer who wouldn’t ignore the despair that had come before, and wouldn’t try to take the character too far in the opposite direction, but would brighten up the tone a little and open up a new chapter in Daredevil’s life. First impressions are, Mark Waid is that writer. He’s a pro, and he knows how to work this ‘debut’ issue so it appeals to the hardcore, the lapsed and the newbies alike. This is still the same Murdock as before, but it’s a Murdock who wants to get in front of all his past traumas and get back to the business of living life, even if there are those close to him who aren’t convinced it’s really all behind him. Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin are both the right men for the artistic duties, and they bring an energy that the glides across the page, lifting DD out of the dour surroundings he’s been relegated to in recent years. A very promising start, all told. 8/10


HULK #37
Writer: Jeff Parker
Art: Elena Casagrande & Bettie Breitweiser
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Having picked up Avengers #14 a month or so ago I - along with a few tens of thousands of readers - was privy to the full blown scrap between Thunderbolt Ross’ Red Hulk and the transformed and now malevolent Ben Grimm on the streets of New York. That was a bone-shuddering encounter and is worth picking up. Now back on his own title the Red Hulk doesn’t feature as prominently as I expected with Jeff Parker instead taking the opportunity to retell the fight from M.O.D.O.K.’s perspective as he analyses his creation and looks for signs of weakness. I’m glad that Parker has elected to go down this route as it adds some terrific character development to possibly the most interesting villains in Ross’ rogues gallery as well as expanding the convoluted crowd of enemies all circling in for the kill. Elena Casagrande’s art style is a perfect fit for this title, sharing similarities with the work of Gabriel Hardman and Patrick Zircher, and I’m hoping that she gets chance to contribute to this comic again in the future. 8/10


MALIGNANT MAN #4
Writers: James Wan & Michael Alan Nelson
Art: Pitor Kowalski
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: This started off with such promise it was rather a shame when it quickly started to bend towards the ploddingly formulaic. It became increasingly more predictable and tiresome as it went along; in fact, it was so predictable and unoriginal that it almost felt like the ‘unique’ details had been fed into a computer program that inserted them into a pre-existing, bogstandard story template in a cynical attempt to create something that can be passed off as ‘new’. Basically, it’s a movie pitch for a movie you wouldn’t want to see as you’ve already seen it too many times before. The saving grace is Kowalski’s art – I said in an earlier review of the title that it worked when things were on the move, and having read the whole thing now I can see that it only ever really worked when the focus was on action and motion. That’s where things cam alive and felt full of possibility. Malignant Man may be forgettable but Pitor Kowalski is a name I hope to hear more of. 4/10


THOR: HEAVEN & EARTH #1
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Art: Airel Olivetti
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: It was a relatively quiet week so I cast my eye across to a title I hadn’t initially considered getting. Paul Jenkins is currently doing a great job in the Captain America miniseries, All-Winners Squad, so perhaps he might be able to repeat the trick with that other Marvel hero who’s graced our cinema screens this year, Thor Odinson. I have to say that, while it is a perfectly acceptable ride into the Asgardian mythos, those of us who’ve been reading tales of these characters for many years will recognize that this is well-trodden ground. Essentially, we’re getting another Ragnarok story, and although it’s not a dull read it doesn’t really have anything to make it stand out from the pack. Jenkins handles the notion that deceit isn’t necessarily the preserve of the wicked with intelligence and Olivetti’s bulky art suits the milieu well, but unless this idea is completely new to you then chances are that you’ll find this mini superfluous to requirements. 6/10


G.I. JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #168
Writer: Larry Hama
Art: S L Gallant, Gary Erskine & J. Brown
IDW $3.99

Stewart R: After a brief blip, Larry Hama has experienced a rise in writing form over the past few issues and this is feeling like a classic G.I. Joe read again. Hama has that brilliant ability to have several different things going on at once that then come together to create an exhilarating read. Here we have a desperate situation for the Joe’s subzero team as they attempt to escape from the clutches of the Cobra forces set alongside Firefly and Crystal Ball - the only dodgy piece of the puzzle with his hypnotism shield and ‘psi-sensitivity - trying to infiltrate the Joe’s New York base. All the while Destro and the Baroness return to the US to try to prevent Cobra Commander making further inroads on their operations. It briefly felt like Hama was juggling too much in this issue but when the mission reaches it’s exciting climax everything makes perfect sense and works really well. S L Gallant and the art team also play a large part in this and Gallant certainly seems to be growing into his role on this comic, coming up with some nicely captured action and some subtler character driven scenes. 8/10


CYCLOPS #5
Writer: Matz
Art: Gaël De Meyere
Archaia $3.95

Matt C: The inside cover credits may (incorrectly) say otherwise, but a quick web search of the original French editions confirms we won’t be seeing Luc Jacamon on this title anymore. I have no idea why, and while Gaël De Meyere is certainly a more than competent replacement, doing a fine job of aping the visual style of the previous instalments, Jacamon brought that little bit extra to the table and his presence will be sorely missed. It’s still a compelling tale though, as the morality, ethics and greed tied up to this potential future where war is a money-spinning, audience-grabbing form of entertainment watched by millions increasingly distracts our protagonist. Their scheduling may be erratic, but hats off once again to Archaia for translating and publishing this kind of thing. 7/10


AVENGERS #15
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Wayne Faucher, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba, & Mark Irwin
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: No one quite captures heroes slamming into concrete and debris or punches, kicks and blows landing upon various crania like Chris Bachalo. That makes him a perfect fit for this issue of Avengers then as Fear Itself rolls on and the likes of Spider-Woman, Protector and Ms Marvel have to take on the transformed Hulk in Brazil. That in itself would normally be an enjoyable enough read but Bendis grabs the opportunity to look at Jessica Drew’s continuing battle to prove herself. Bendis can occasionally throw too many things into the mix but this superpowered dust-up is better for the all of the different elements involved and also from the continuing use of debriefings and interviews with Avengers to retell the tale. I like the fact that he’s also addressing attractions between members of the team, something that hasn’t really been focused upon for a while, and it’s a welcome addition. I’m not convinced when it comes to the portrayal of Noh-Varr here, and the ‘talking head’ schtick has maybe run its course, but they’re little niggles that don’t distract that much. Bachalo is on top form once again and credit has to go to Tim Townsend and the rest of the inkers for treating his pencil work with the love that it deserves. Well done, gentlemen! 8/10

Cover To Cover: UNCANNY X-MEN #541

UNCANNY X-MEN #541
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Art: Greg Land, Jay Leisten & Justin Ponsor
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: When Matt Fraction left this title in the hands of Kieron Gillen I had my doubts. When Gillen went on to revisit Joss Whedon’s Breakworld saga in one of his first story arcs I had my doubts. And when it was mentioned that the X-Men were going to find themselves tangled in the groaning strands of the Summer event that is Fear Itself I once again began to feel dubious that one of my favourite titles in recent years was going to make it to the next with that title intact.

It’s a lucky break then that when I began reading this week’s copy of Uncanny all of my doubts faded away. The Juggernaut’s transformation into Kuurth: Breaker of Stone upon the Thunderbolts’ Raft did have me wondering if we would see that team deal with their comrade’s rampage but once he started on his path across the continental United States it became an inevitable, and highly exciting prospect that the X-Men were likely to butt heads with one of their most famed foes once more.

Gillen wisely bases a good proportion of this issue in the company of Mayor Sadie as she prepares to inform the population of San Francisco of the Juggernaut’s imminent arrival and then receives her own psychic briefing from Cyclops on how the confrontation will pan out. The psychic mindscape that Emma Frost sets up for the mental confab is nicely realised by Greg Land - even if he does indulge in the occasional odd poster pin-up moment as he’s inclined to do - and allows us access to a war room with a difference. While I’m not convinced that Gillen gets the chemistry between Scott and Emma quite right he clearly aims for Scott to be the focus for this confrontation and as a result we get a terrific look at how this tactical maestro prepares for and conducts a dangerous mission against a nigh on unstoppable foe.

The initial contact is fleeting and would probably only cover around 15-20 seconds in real time but it’s exciting and given a nice feeling of brevity by Land who seems to have stepped up his game a little of late, especially when it comes to action pieces. It also highlights just how much Juggies’ powers have been enhanced since picking up that hammer by showing him shrugging off attacks from the X-Men’s heavy hitters. From this point we’re in pure Scott Summers: Tactical Genius mode as he acts to reassure the Mayor that the X-Men will prevail and I like the confidence that Gillen instils in the mutant leader. Things escalate quickly with a tense clash between Hope and the hammer wielding powerhouse and then a reiteration that this threat is potentially beyond the understanding of the citizens of Earth be they human or carriers of the X-gene.

What Gillen has accomplished with this issue has seen him produce an exciting add-on to the Fear Itself event (albeit of little consequence to the overall story presently), confirming that he clearly understands how to depict Cyclops, one of the most important characters at his disposal, and also that he realises that because he has access to write and use hundreds of mutant powers it doesn’t necessarily mean that he has to use all or any of them in order to get the story - and particularly battle scenes - across to the reading audience. This is what I expect of an issue of Uncanny X-Men and would certainly like to see the quality maintained over the following two issues which tie-in to Fear Itself. Yes, it’s unfortunate that at the point where he seems to have got the formula just right it seems that Uncanny is set to be turned upon its head once Schism is done and dusted, but Gillen is clearly a writer who can steer whatever rises from the ashes in an interesting and entertaining fashion. 9/10

Incoming... 20/07/2011

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: Image? Dark Horse? What’re you doing? I guess that so eager were you guys to throw everything in the back of the car and get to this weekend’s San Diego Comic Convention that you forgot when the boat to the UK left the dock (probably powered these days by eager Marvel interns rowing their hearts out?). Suffice to say that the order going on sale today at Paradox and other British based stores will be a touch smaller than originally planned!

What I end up with in my pile this fine (all lies, grey cloudy and threatening rain as I write this - Hello Summer!) Wednesday is a selection of Marvel titles and one or two from the other publishers. I vaguely remember the week before SDCC last year being somewhat lighter than usual but this delivery is a reasonable size and covers a range of titles.

Top billing has to go to this week’s new number #1 in the form of Mark Waid’s Daredevil #1. Now I’ll stand up here and now and say that Daredevil is one Marvel character that I’ve never had a great deal of time for. In fact, the only DD comic I believe I own is #288 which was given to me in a generous pile of comics from an aunt back in the '80s. With Marvel keen on selling the Man Without Fear to a new audience with this renumbering - YES, another one! - and Mark Waid writing with the great retro stylings of Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin providing the visual wonderment I think it’s time for me to jump in head first and see if the Hell’s Kitchen that Matt Murdock (keep the shaving foam pies away from this one!) patrols is a place I could learn to loathe... for the right reasons. This has been listed up there as a Marvel ‘Bigshot’ alongside Bendis’ Moon Knight and I’m hoping that this title manages to impress more than that particular architect’s did!

Where would we be this Summer without some Fear Itself action? Something of a question of provocation that one I imagine, as I gather than Marvel’s big event is not filling all of you with the most complimentary of thoughts. I’ll admit that it’s been hit-and-miss up to now but there have been successes and some of those get further time in the spotlight today. I picked up Avengers #13 purely because of Chris Bachalo’s artwork but what I discovered was a decent look at the inner workings of the team at a point when the Serpent’s plans had not yet been revealed. What followed in #14 was a terrific depiction of Thunderbolt Ross trying to make his contribution in the team as the Red Hulk took the battle to the transformed thing. Well, in Hulk #37 this week Jeff Parker and Elena Casagrande take a look at that battle from the Red Hulk’s own perspective and I suspect that their efforts will only add to what was a great encounter especially since the new M.O.D.O.K. still seems to be sniffing around and analysing Ross' every encounter.

Meanwhile, getting back to the work of one Chris Bachalo, the pencilling maestro returns to the pages of Avengers this week in #15 as Spiderwoman, Ms Marvel, Hawkeye and Protector rush to Brazil to the site where the Hulk has been transformed into one of the worthy. Now, having read Fear Itself #4 we already know how this confrontation is likely to end but Bendis has made things interesting through the recent issues by having various members of the Avengers recollect events through - yep, you’ve guessed it - some talking head montages. Now, Bendis’ predisposition to have everyone in a multi-character scene almost act as a collective conscience has grated on nerves of a few of the Paradox Comics Group for some time but I will hold my hand up and say that he’s actually close to getting it right through this particular arc and I’m looking forward to grabbing a copy of this latest effort today.

This week of course marks the occasion when the X-Men enter the Fear Itself fray as the Juggernaut turns up in San Francisco and a battle of epic proportions is unleashed in Uncanny X-Men #541. Kieron Gillen has done a decent job with everyone’s favourite mutants since gaining stewardship of this title but this is the first time when he gets to really cut loose with a clash between classic, old school parties and I’m interested to see how this pans out. Odds are the X-Men are going to get their asses handed to them by Kuurth: Breaker of Stone but with a few surprises beginning to surface in the greater FI story I wouldn’t necessarily guarantee that.

Of course Fear Itself is Matt Fraction’s baby and it appears that he’s used the main event title to tell a slice of Tony Stark’s specific story in #4 as the beginning of Invincible Iron Man #506 sees our hero on his knees at the crumbled gates of Asgard calling out Odin and offering up possibly the greatest sacrifice that he could make: his sobriety. Had it been anyone else making this sort of ‘forced’ jump in their comic based on their work on another title I would have reservations but Fraction has done such a great job with Invincible Iron Man that even a blip like this is probably going to be easy to overlook. Whatever the case, I’m looking to see how Tony and the weaponsmith’s of Asgard work together to find a solution to the Serpent’s relentless attack.

Phew. That’s almost too much of a reasonable thing right there. But wait, I’m not out of the realm of comic events quite yet! DC are still in the mix with War Of The Green Lanterns Aftermath #1, first of a two part look at the Green Lantern Corps following Krona’s devastating attack which has left the remaining lanterns battered, bruised and wondering where their future lies. Strangely, of the three writers involved with the current range of GL titles, it’s Tony Bedard who is left in charge of his epilogue rather than Geoff Johns or Peter J. Tomasi. Perhaps they’re too busy with Flashpoint and DC relaunch work and considering his strong showing with last week’s issue of Green Lantern Corps Bedard is capable of making this a success. Miguel Sepulveda makes the leap across from Marvel to pencil this first effort and if he maintains the quality that he showed through the Thanos Imperative then this could be special.

Mini Reviews 17/07/2011

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.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Steve McNiven , Mark Morales & Justin Ponsor
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Is this the third Captain America #1 I’ve bought over the last 10 years? Okay, so Marvel’s renumbering fixation can be tad annoying (especially when you’re trying to file your collection!) but it’s just the nature of the beast these days, so there’s no point moaning incessantly about it. Instead we need to focus on what’s between the covers, and what’s between these covers is pretty good. Not great though; not yet at least. Let’s start with the best thing about it: Steve McNiven’s art. For me, this guy just gets better and better, and when paired up with an inker like Morales, someone who knows how to extract the best out of pencilled layouts, the results are pretty special. The dynamism in some of the images is so effective it feels like certain panels move. I’ve got no complaints about Brubaker’s script on the whole, but there is a worry that he’s relying too heavily on the espionage-infused-tale-with-ties-to-Cap’s-wartime-past template. It’s still good, but it’s not as refreshing as it was when the book was previously relaunched. I still had a blast with it, and it’s great to have Rogers back in the costume, but I had hoped for something a little punchier for this debut. 7/10


RED WING #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Nick Pitarra & Rachelle Rosenberg
Image $3.50

Matt C: It’s good to see Hickman back at the helm of an indie book as it was his creator-owned work at Image (in particular Pax Romana) that had me and my fellow Paradoxers frothing with praise not so very long ago. Red Wing shows a lot of promise as Hickman applies his usual brand of sci-fi intelligence to a future where time-travelling armies conduct a war across the ages. I’m glad there’s no exposition dump but I did look for a little more explanation as to why this war is being fought (and between whom?) and as has happened before, you wonder whether the idea is simply too big to cram into a four-issue miniseries. Quibbles aside though, it’s an intriguing opener - Pitarra’s art gives it the flavour of a European graphic novel and with a cliffhanger like that there’s no way I won’t be picking up the next issue! 7/10

Stewart R: Wow, an Image #1 that failed to really impress me! Through this first chapter we see glimpses of a conflict that is crossing through time but get little or no exposition to explain who is fighting and what they are fighting for. Then things shift to focus on two young pilots who have a family legacy tied closely to the start of the war and their initial moves to follow in their fathers’ chronological footsteps. This is Hickman doing science-fiction and time travel in his usual style but for me, being a reader of his other works, it feels that he’s just addressing a few ideas that he’s not been able to explore fully in issues of S.H.I.E.L.D. or FF over at Marvel and there’s not much in his script here that really grabs me. Much of the ‘Wow’ factor is left to Nick Pitarra who does a fine job of depicting the time-transcending warfare and flight with a particularly terrific page which details the unfortunate demise of one poor pilot. Considering that this is only going to take four issues to wrap up I may stick around for pure curiosity’s sake but I’ve a nasty feeling that this is Hickman trying to pull a little bit of a ‘Mark Millar’ experiment on us and that’s a model I’d personally like to see him avoid. 5/10

James R: Jonathan Hickman is a pretty divisive figure amongst the Paradox group - there are some that think his run on Fantastic Four/FF is a work of patient genius, one that's building up to spectacular heights, whereas there are others who find his endless procrastinating plotlines to be frustrating. However, most of us are agree that his work with Image is something special - Nightly News, Pax Romana and Transhuman were terrifically idiosyncratic and inventive books. As a result, it's brilliant to seeing him hitting those grooves again with his first issue of Red Wing. In short, it's a time travel story - mankind has cracked the eternal conundrum of time travel, and have used the technology to wage war across the eons. Our story focuses on a father and son - both fighter pilots in TACs (Temporal Attack Crafts) - and we follow the story of the father, thought dead when his ship hit the 'temporal wall', and his son who begins his training to follow in his father's footsteps. What’s brilliant here is Hickman's skill in making an idea-heavy issue without making it read like a lecture, and his use of the language of comics. As the fighters jump across time, they cross the distinctive 'walls' of each panel, an effect skilfully rendered by Nick Pitarra. At only four issues long, it looks like Hickman is going to carry this one on at full throttle - you should really track it down before time runs out! 9/10


X-MEN: SCHISM #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Carlos Pacheco, Cam Smith & Frank D’Armata
Marvel $4.99

Matt C: I’d been out of the X-Universe for a good few years before the brilliance of Remender’s Uncanny X-Force reopened the door for me and with news of Jason Aaron (writer of the incomparable Scalped) getting heavily involved in directing the mutant’s future I decided now was the time to walk straight through that door to discover if I liked what I saw. And you know what? I was pretty damned impressed by X-Men: Schism #1. The thing that really struck me is how well Aaron handled the relationship between Cyclops and Wolverine – they’ve had their ups and downs but there’s a really solid bond between them, and it shines through here. It’s no secret that they’re going to fall out big time in this series, but Aaron wisely starts by focusing on what they’ll lose when that happens. There are plenty more great characters moments and some effective action sequences (superbly rendered by Pacheco – check out that double-page Sentinel attack!) but I can’t deny there was something of a flaw slap-bang in the middle of it. The event that sets the ball rolling, causing rapid escalation in anti-mutant sentiment, doesn’t really convince – I won’t get into spoilers but surely people trust politicians so little these days that they’re unlikely to be totally shocked by ‘scandalous’ revelations of this nature? Fortunately the strength of the writing and art doesn’t make this a major concern, and I’m happy to say I’ll be sticking around for more. 8/10

Stewart R: So Marvel gears up for its big fraction of the X-Men with this hefty debut of Schism but it’s not quite what I expected. I figured that with only five parts/months to get through before the big split this would get stick in straight away and we’d have Cyclops and Wolverine barking at each other just like it was in the good old days. Aaron resists this however, electing instead to show just why this understanding and friendship between the two men has worked for as long as it has with Scott now willing to act as the leader his people and Wolverine willing to support his vision. The political slant of the plot gets a thumbs up from me as the governments of the world are asked to reveal and decommission their weapons of mutant destruction in light of the dwindled population and then - BAM! - another reason for everyone to get jittery raises its ugly head and those with X-genes need to be on the alert. Pacheco delivers on every level, be it action sequences, a varied montage of nations readying their Sentinels, or quainter moments dealing with the day to day living that the X-kids are experiencing. The true villain Aaron brings to the table should make things interesting and his introduction here certainly makes for fascinating reading. I’m locked in for sure but I’m still not 100% convinced that this fracture can be sold to us in a further four issues. 8/10


GREEN LANTERN #67
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Tom Nguyen, Mark Irwin, Gabe Eltaeb & Randy Mayor
DC $2.99

Stewart R: After much toe-tapping and finger-drumming we finally get to see how the War of the Green Lanterns concludes and, for the most part, it is a success. Johns resists the urge to show too much of the battle against the possessed Guardians and keeps the focus squarely on Hal Jordan and his fight to defeat Krona. This is possibly to do with DC’s stand at keeping this to 22 pages for the $2.99 and I personally wouldn’t have minded paying an extra dollar to have this wrapped up in a more fleshed out fashion. A lot was made about the entities and the possession of the emotionally-repressed Guardians but that hasn’t really been touched upon and it’ll go down as an opportunity missed. The final confrontation with Krona is breathtaking though, offering up the odd surprise - which will be taken through to the September relaunch - allowing Mahnke and colourists Eltaeb and Mayor the chance to really have some fun. We get a brief look at the fallout from this conflict and the line that the Guardians are taking in light of the events that have unfolded and it thankfully seems that many of the threads left unfinished will be looked at in months to come. It’s not perfect but as far as event conclusions go this is far better than Blackest Night. 8/10


DETECTIVE COMICS #879
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Francesco Francavilla
DC $2.99

James R: Scott Snyder just doesn't know how to let up! After the last stunning instalment with Jock he's back with his other Detective collaborator Francesco Francavilla to deliver yet another brilliant issue. The focus swings back to Jim Gordon and his wayward son, James. After the previous bombshell finale this time we deal with Gordon's realisation about his son's true nature, whilst we're also treated to Scott Snyder's take on the Joker as he breaks out of Arkham. This might be an idea that you've read or seen a hundred times before, but with this creative team he's creepier than he has been in years. It’s a triumphant, breathless read because while there’s virtually no widescreen action or set-pieces it drives forward with incredible speed. Francavilla impressed me yet again - his colours giving the pages a nightmarish feel, and his rendering of the cast's faces - all mostly done in claustrophobic close-up – add to the effect. Snyder's run on Detective has been a treat, and although I’m sad it’s coming to an end, at the same time I'm giddy with excitement at what he's got in store for a rebooted Gotham in September... 9/10

Matt C: A tale of two psychos. One is flamboyant and colourful, the other quiet and nondescript. But is it really a case of ‘better the devil you know’? Snyder digs deep into the darker recesses of the human psyche for this issue as Jim and Barbara Gordon try to ascertain whether the recently returned James Gordon has really found his way back to sanity. Meanwhile, as we watch the Joker being carted around like Hannibal Lecter, up to his usual malevolent tricks, we begin to wonder whether someone more monstrous is hiding in plain sight. The creepy tone of Synder’s script is matched by some increasingly unnerving visuals from Francavilla, the prevalence of reds and blacks in his colour scheme taking us into the realms of serial killer horror. A fantastically dangerous issue of Detective, so good you barely notice the absence of the Dark Knight in any shape or form. 8/10


ALL-WINNERS SQUAD: BAND OF HEROES #2
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico & Andy Troy
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: My favourite aspect of this series so far is the scenes set during WW2 where we see the Specialized Unit, Enhanced Soldiers, aka the ‘Crazy S.U.E.S.’ (basically a unit of superpowered troops) go from bonding in the barracks onto the hellish battlefields of Guadalcanal. Jenkins doesn’t hide the fact that his template for the story is the likes of Band Of Brothers and The Pacific and he successfully transplants some of the intensity of combat seen in those series into comic book form (with added superheroics, obviously). Di Giandomenico does complete justice to the combat sequences – his unique style brings real emotion to the chaos. The contemporary scenes work well too as we step ever closer to the revelation we know is on the cards (although there is a WTF moment on the last page that has me scrabbling to figure out what could possibly come next!). Although he’s ever present here, the focus is not squarely on him, but even taking that into consideration, believe it or not, this is the best book featuring Captain America to hit the shelves this week. 8/10


BATGIRL #23
Writer: Bryan Q. Miller
Art: Pere Perez & Guy Major
DC $2.99

Stewart R: Miller follows up last month’s London based jest-fest with an issue that starts to bring all of the threads together and shoots us towards the end of Stephanie Brown’s tenure as Batgirl (*sob*). Naturally this involves the continued machinations of the Reapers, who have been a thorn in her side for the later part of this series and who send Stephanie the most brutal of messages when dealing with one of her allies. The attack on the police station is swift, yet shows just how dangerous these meta-villains are and allows Stephanie’s maturity to come through in her response. There’s still the wisecracking that we’ve grown to love but it’s now tempered with a confidence that comes with our young heroine knowing that she’s worthy of this role. And speaking of roles, artist Perez has certainly grown into his and has done some sterling work throughout his run - I’m a big fan of his regular use of repeated background panels. The writing has of course allowed this to work particularly well and this time Miller gets to play with some nice cameos and even some nice publisher-spanning dialogue and nods that brings everything neatly together for the tasty cliffhanger which ensures that next month’s grand finale is unmissable. 8/10


LOOSE ENDS #1
Writer: Jason Latour
Art: Chris Brunner & Rico Renzi
12-Gauge Comics $3.99

Matt C: I’m familiar with – and have been impressed by – Jason Latour’s art when I’ve seen it in the past but just because he’s got the chops for illustration doesn’t mean his storytelling skills will translate across to penning words. Us fanboys are a cynical bunch when it comes down to it – we’re always a bit dubious when an artist switches to writing. Surely nobody could be that talented?! Turns out Latour knows exactly what he’s doing and bangs out one hell of a mesmerizing, atmospheric script that keeps its feet firmly on the wrong side of the tracks. Brunner brings the tale to life with the right balance of sexiness and sleaziness and Renzi adds his vivid colours to finish off the effect of making you feel like your walking into situations you’d normally run a mile from. A very strong debut and if your only complaint is that the larger format means it won’t fit into a comic box then you’re obviously grasping at straws! 8/10


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #61
Writer: Tony Bedard
Art: Daniel HDR, Keith Champagne & Nei Ruffino
DC $2.99

Stewart R: I’ve been regarding GLC as the lesser book of the trinity of Lantern titles in recent months but this post War of the Green Lanterns episode manages to convince me that Tony Bedard is a man who can write measured and emotional pieces. With Oa to be rebuilt (once again!) and thousands of wrongly recruited Green Lanterns to be dismissed, Bedard uses this opportunity to show just what it means to wear the ring while dealing with the guilt that John Stewart must now add to the pile that he constantly carries with him. Yeah, okay, so this story of resolving a conflict between two warring worlds has been seen before but Bedard crafts it in such a way to reflect certain political and ethical disputes still happening in the modern world today. The big win here I’m afraid to say is the replacement on art duties of Tyler Kirkham whose stark and hard art style I can’t imagine would have suited this emotive story. The pencil instead gets passed to Daniel HDR whose ability to capture facial emotions really shines through and helps to elevate this to a standard worthy of the Corps. 8/10


JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #625
Writer: Keiron Gillen
Art: Doug Braithwaite & Ulises Arreola
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: Does Fear Itself finally start making more sense here? Sort of. Gillen does a better job of tying the event into Asgardian mythology than Fraction has so far, that’s for sure. He’s focusing on things happening behind the scenes, deals being made between powerful, magical beings who each have their own reasons for wanting the Serpent to meet ultimate defeat. Running through this, with his own agenda, is young Loki, who proves to be more fiendishly clever, more devious than his former, older incarnation, if that’s even possible. Gillen has made Loki into an endlessly fascinating, complex character who is compelling because it’s impossible to second guess him. You never know what his next move will be and it’s a joy to follow his successive manipulations. Braithwaite’s art is outstanding: epic, regal and muscular, it’s given an otherworldly hue by Arreola’s bright, pastel colours. Hell, I’m just going to go ahead and say it: Journey Into Mystery is the best book Marvel are publishing right now. 9/10


AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #2
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Sean Murphy & Dave Stewart
Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: D’you ever get comics where you feel you have to stop halfway through because it’s just too good? That’s what I experienced when reading this week’s issue of Survival Of The Fittest. The combination of Snyder’s tense adventure script and Murphy’s immaculate line work is just superb. Starting with a haunting and vivid meeting between Felicia and the loathsome Skinner Sweet, Snyder ensures that we’re kept on our toes as Felicia and Cash’s little jaunt across to Nazi-occupied Romania is anything but predictable. Plane crashes, rescue plans and gothic castles; this has got the lot, but also has some touching moments as Felicia and Cash address the tension between the two of them and the things left unsaid. The creators hint at a possible attraction between the pair, both scarred deeply by their experiences with vampires, but hold back from that particular precipice for the moment. Not much else needs to be said apart from advising you to pick this and the debut issue up if you haven’t already as this is a miniseries to truly embrace. Epic. 10/10


HELLBOY: THE FURY #2
Writer: Mike Mignola
Art: Duncan Fegredo & Dave Stewart
Dark Horse Comics $2.99

James R: There's something brilliant about a comics creator suddenly producing their best work again after a lull - it's like they’ve found their way home! With Hellboy: The Fury Mignola is writing the kind of story that made me fall for Big Red in the first place - not just his own unique take on horror, but the huge apocalyptic themes and undying armies are all here. Duncan Fegredo is also turning in some of his finest work - it's difficult having to imitate Mignola's style, but he does a grand job of drawing the apocalyptic scenes (though - ulp - I hope our dear ol' Blighty makes it through this arc - we take a pounding this month!) but he also does the big, heavy-hitting stuff well too. It's great to see Mignola using threads and characters that are over a decade old and giving them such explosive payoffs. At the end of this issue, we're promised a conclusion next time - I have a creeping suspicion that it might not be the end for Hellboy, but after this high-octane episode I can't wait to see how this one ties up, and it's been a while since I thought that about any Hellboy tale. Corking stuff all round! 8/10