The New Mutants Project - Completed (For Now!)

Matt C: Turns out it's been 11 months since I started this particular project off and while I didn't quite make it to a year, issue #50 (reviewed last Sunday) seemed like a good point to knock it on the head, for the time being at least. I did wonder if I was going to go all the way through to issue #100 when I set the ball rolling but, to be honest, I haven't been wowed the way I thought I might have been when I selected New Mutants as the title I was going to tackle.

Mini Reviews 13/10/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project concludes.

THREE #1

Writer: Kieron Gillen

Art: Ryan Kelly & Jordie Bellaire

Image $2.99

Matt C: From Gillen’s essay in the back this appears to be his response to the mythologizing in 300, attempting a more accurate and balanced take on the era (within certain parameters). My knowledge of Spartan history is minimal at best so I can’t pass comment on whether this debut issues achieves the writer’s aim, but from a purely storytelling perspective it’s a compelling opener, one that digs into the social structure of Sparta circa 364 B.C. Again, I know little of the period, but it comes across with a strong sense of authenticity and both Kelly’s assured linework and Bellaire’s subtle colours help emphasise the slow-building tension that drips with inevitable violence. “This is Sparta!” bellowed King Leonidas in 300 – he may have been right, from a certain perspective, but there’s probably a very reasonable argument to be made that Three is a bit closer to the truth. 8/10

Mini Reviews 06/10/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

HINTERKIND #1
Writer: Ian Edginton
Art: Francesco Trifolgi
Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: What a superb way to start a new series. Edginton manages to throw quite a few characters at the page over the first half of the book, introducing our young protagonists in a wave of hormone-fuelled teenage banter and friendship as well as several of the elders of the New York village from which they hail. There are some nice details dropped into casual conversation which allude to the complicated politics in play within the camp as well as the general danger lurking in the overgrown streets of the once great city, now lush with invading vegetation. Trifolgi does a fine job of drawing his ‘camera’ back slowly and letting the mystery and spectacle build in several places, capturing the spirit of a wild, jungle adventure amongst the recognisable landmarks. It’s all very believable for the most part and even when the fantastical element of this plot shows its head, things become even more exciting (and humorous in one blood-thirsty moment!). Edginton’s sublime characterisation drew me in quickly and the surprises kept me wanting more and more, to the point where I almost wish I held the complete collected edition in my hands right now. Any comic that makes you long for that from just the debut, Hinterkind has to be a series to keep a good eye on. 9/10

Mini Reviews 29/09/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

SEX CRIMINALS #1

Writer: Matt Fraction

Art: Chip Zdarsky & Becka Kinzie

Image $3:50

Matt C: Trust Fraction to turn a comic entitled Sex Criminals into a sweet love story! Okay, there’s still plenty of, shall we say, ‘adult’ content on display (did you really expect anything else?) but at it’s core, at least at this stage of the game, it appears to be about the deep well of loneliness that can be plugged (ahem) by a connection with someone on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. It just so happens that this is told via characters who are able to stop time briefly when they reach orgasm. And before you scoff, have you look at the origin stories of some of your favourite superheroes and then come back to me and tell me it sounds ridiculous. So, while there may be plenty of ‘rude’ things contained within the pages of this book, more than enough to earn it that ‘adult’ tag, there’s also genuine heartfelt emotion on display, the kind that can easily resonate with anyone who’s ever searched for a special connection with another human being. Zdarsky’s art has a slight cartoonish quality that helps lighten things up considerably, so it avoids any seedy connotations, but it also has the ability to draw that aforementioned heartfelt emotion to the surface. And we haven’t even got into the ‘criminal’ aspect of things yet! Sex Criminals is likely far from what you expect it to be, and the fact that it contains one of my favourite pieces of writing in any comic from 2013 (something about oxygen masks, that’s all I’m saying) shifts it into the winning category already. Fingers crossed that it continues on this trajectory. 8/10

Mini Reviews 22/09/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

ZERO #1

Writer: Ales Kot

Art: Michael Walsh & Jordie Bellaire

Image $2.99

James R: Every now and then you get a comic that comes out of nowhere and announces its arrival in phenomenal style. All praise the comics gods, because this week Zero did just this and it's yet another feather in the cap for Image. A few years ago, I adored Warren Ellis' Global Frequency, a comic that lept from location to location, delivering a self-contained tale every month, inevitably shot through with Ellis' interest in technology and futurism. Zero brilliantly uses a similar structure; writer Ales Kot has said that every issue will be a self-contained story. We're introduced to Edward Zero, a shadowy agency agent in his twilight years, who tells us about his life in flashback. The first issue has Zero trying to reclaim some bleeding edge cyborg technology from a flashpoint between the Israeli and Palestinian forces. Not a panel is wasted in this high-octane tale (the story runs across the inner covers - after months of that awful Audi Iron Man ads in Marvel books, this is a tremendous plus!). Michael Walsh’s art reminded me of David Aja's work, and it really suited the gritty and desperate feel of the book. Kot says that the series will build to a grander narrative end and I cannot wait to see where this all goes. Along with Trillium and Lazarus this is the book that's taken my breath away straight off the bat this year. If you like creativity, action and invention in your comics, you definitely need Zero. 10/10

Mini Reviews 15/09/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

BRAIN BOY #1

Writer: Fred Van Lente

Art: R.B. Silva, Rob Lean & Ego

Dark Horse $2.99

James R: Fred Van Lente is a man who knows how to make the most of space. In every comic of his that I‘ve read he jams his panels with plot, ideas and action. A fine example of is the Taskmaster miniseries from a couple of years back. Universally loved by all of us here at the PCG, what should have been a disposable title became a must-read event as with each issue Van Lente found new ways to up the craziness and keep twisting the plot to more fantastical heights. His first issue of Brain Boy doesn't disappoint either. A minor character from Dell Comics back in 1962, he's been resurrected by Dark Horse and they've picked a creative team to do it with aplomb. The plot features the eponymous hero Matt Price on the trail of a particularly nasty South American dictator, who may be embroiled in something nefarious at the UN. As Price tries to keep tabs on him, the plot spirals off into a breathless chase brilliantly illustrated by R. B. Silva (whose work here reminded me of Stuart Immonen - and that's a very good thing). An inventive first issue, and easily my book of the week - Brain Boy is far smarter than your average comic. 9/10

Mini Reviews 01/09/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

SECRET #3

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Art: Ryan Bodenheim & Michael Garland

Image $3.50

Matt C: It’s been over a year since the second issue of this series appeared, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it might never have been seen again. Fortunately it has returned, as those first two instalments were really, really strong, setting the wheels in motion of a magnetic conspiracy thriller, where deceit and danger constantly lurked under the surface of the narrative. It kind of goes without saying that you’ll need to refresh your memory of the first two chapters before heading into the third as there’s a lot of plot to take on board, especially when it comes to grasping who’s conning who, who can be trusted (as far as it goes) and picking up on how the mystery is unfolding. We’re more often than not used to seeing Hickman playing on a broad canvas, and there’s nothing at all wrong with that as evidenced by the rest of his current output, but a change of pace is welcome on occasion, and it’s nice to see one of his tales operating in a smaller, more contained environment. Bodeheim’s art possesses an effective brawny realism and Garland’s minimalist colour palette succeeds in emphasising shifts in tone and emotion. Secret is a smart, tricksy and compulsive read, and I fervently hope it’s not beset my any more scheduling delays! 8/10

Mini Reviews 25/08/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

AVENGERS #18

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Art: Lenil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan & Sunny Gho

Marvel $3.99

Matt C: This follows on nicely from Infinity #1 with a handful of Avengers joining up with the Galactic Council to repel the invaders, further pushing the storyline onto a broad cosmic canvas. A good chunk of the issue is taken up with the Skrulls marshalling their warring factions together to present a unified front to the Council, realising their squabbles mean nothing when faced with the extinction of their race. I never used to get on with Yu’s art but I’ve warmed to it a lot over the last couple of years - either his style has evolved more to my liking or I’ve started looking at it differently, more appreciatively – and here he captures the drama of the unfolding conflict with explosive skill, expertly translating the tension Hickman ratchets up in his script (credit goes to Alanguilan and Gho for assisting in creating the overall effect, of course). Still early days, but with Hickman in control of the three main titles involved in this event it’s looking like we may be set for a cohesive, intelligent cosmic storyline that could actually deliver on its potential. 8/10

Mini Reviews 17/08/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

INFINITY #1

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Art: Jim Cheung, Mark Morales, John Livesay, David Meikis & Justin Ponsor

Marvel $4.99

Stewart R: While other promising and 'top' talents at Marvel have failed to convert their obvious gifts at writing ongoing titles into pure success, when it comes to scripting and directing the publisher's summer tent-pole fare Jonathan Hickman has always seemed capable of accomplishing that which has evaded his peers. Judging by this oversized debut, I'd say that we could be in for six issues (before we even count the Avengers and New Avengers chapters that will add to the Infinity fun) of the best event storytelling for quite some time. Hickman manages to drag the audience - rather willingly - from one side of the galaxy to the other, showing us very different pieces of an almighty puzzle as he does so. A brief recount of the Illuminati's clandestine actions is followed by a reprint of the excellent Free Comic Book Day teaser before we get into the truly new material which highlights the multiple threats each making their way to Earth. The devastation on Galador - superbly rendered by Cheung as the Alephs go about razing that world at the behest of the Builders - leads us back to Hickman's work at the beginning of his Avengers series, before we then tie up with the team themselves back on Earth, discussing plans on how to avert the approaching catastrophe. There's a hair-raising sense of cinematic intensity to this whole book as we jump between the various locales, each vignette oozing with seeming importance and teasing that this is just where the carnage begins. Hickman is a master at writing plots that utilise 'wheels within wheels' and everything here just has me itching to see what surprises he brings and how we might be side-swiped by something we hadn't picked up on the first time around. This is epic storytelling at its finest and long may it last. 10/10

Mini Reviews 04/08/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

COLLIDER #1

Writer: Simon Oliver

Art: Robbi Rodriguez & Rico Renzi

DC/Vertigo $2.99

Matt C: A great high concept premise that sees the existing laws of physics being thrown out the window and new ones hastily rewritten, Collider #1 is a promising debut that works because it wisely keeps things relatively intimate and character-driven at this early stage. There’s more than enough hints that the story will start expanding rapidly, but this is where Oliver eases us into this world, introduces his cast, keeping things safely on the intriguing side without the sense that he’s throwing all his ideas on the table from the beginning. There’s a great deal of energy in Rodriguez’ art, from the expressions to the panel choreography, and again there’s the feeling of an artist just skirting close to what he’ll eventually be required to produce but at the same time exhibiting the chops to suggest he’s got what it takes. Not the kind of debut that instantly knocks you for six, but probably proof that Vertigo aren’t anywhere near being the spent force in the marketplace some commentators have implied. 7/10

Mini Reviews 28/07/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

HAWKEYE ANNUAL #1

Writer: Matt Fraction

Art: Javier Pulido & Matt Hollingsworth

Marvel $4.99

Matt C: Kate Bishop has been an integral part of Hawkeye from the get go, so it’s only fitting that she get her chance to shine in the spotlight, and Fraction dutifully provides her with that chance here in this is witty, sprightly one-off adventure. Spinning out of the events of Hawkeye issues #4 and #5 this sees Kate escaping the mess Clint’s making of his life for a jaunt to L.A. only to find herself being pursued by Madame Masque who’s hellbent on revenge. Fraction has injected this character with a cool sassiness that’s helped define her in the last year or so, and he knows exactly how to make her consistently endearing page after page. There’s a dash of the pop art brilliance of Darwyn Cooke to be found in Pulido’s illustrations, although he has plenty of tricks of his own up his sleeve, and he takes a similarly inventive approach to David Aja for his panel designs (although he possibly overplays the silhouette card). If you’re even thinking anything along the lines of “This is an annual – do I really need it?” then the answer is a resounding “YES!” because all you love about the monthly series can be found right here too. 8/10

Mini Reviews 21/07/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

SCARLET #7

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Art: Alex Maleev

Marvel/Icon $3.95

Matt C: Observation #1: Scarlet is the best thing Bendis has turned his scribing pen to in a good long while. Observation #2: the delays and erratic release scheduling are seriously hampering the momentum of an otherwise very fine series. It’s that momentum that's at the core of the narrative as it builds on Scarlet’s escalating revolutionary antics, but it’s hard to sustain it when the reader is trying to recall what happen in the last issue that appeared five months ago. It’s still a daring comic that reminds you of Bendis in his heyday, when the likes of Alias, Powers and Daredevil where at the top of everyone’s must-read lists, but the writer is more preoccupied these days with what's going on in the X-Universe and beyond to prioritise this. Understandable, as that’s where the larger audience (and larger pay packet) is, but there are probably a lot of us who wished it was the other way round. The art from Maleev is as mesmerising as ever, but the missing ingredient right now is a regular schedule to get things moving again. 7/10

Mini Reviews 14/07/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #2

Writer: Scott Snyder

Art: Jim Lee, Scott Williams & Alex Sinclair

DC $3.99

James R: Ahh, this is more like it! After a solid (but a bit over-gimmicky) start last month, issue #2 of Superman Unchained finds Scott Snyder hitting his stride and composing a Superman comic that's accessible, compelling and fittingly epic. After the wild difference of opinion in the fanboy community over Man Of Steel, I've really seen that Kal-El is a character that means so much to people that if he's written in a way that doesn't sit with their conception or ideals, then there is a real disconnect with the narrative. For me though, I like what Snyder's doing here - Superman is the character who always knows what the right thing to do is but here were given access to the interior monologue of a man who is having to improvise and think on his feet. This certainly drew me into the first ten pages, and thereafter Snyder shows that he's going all-out - not only do we get a great scene with Clark and Bruce Wayne, but he then shows us that along with the new Super-doppleganger, the Man of Steel is also going to have deal with Lex Luthor. Since the start of the New 52 I've bemoaned the lack of a really great Superman title, but it looks like I might have finally got my wish. This week, this was the book that gave me that authentic comics rush, and had me from first page to last. 8/10

Mini Reviews 07/07/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

CATALYST COMIX #1
Writer: Joe Casey
Art: Dan McDaid, Paul Maybury, Ulises Farinas & Brad Simpson
Dark Horse $2.99

Stewart R: Joe Casey surely can’t sleep much these days? He’s been a comic producing machine this past couple of years bringing us Butcher Baker, The Righteous Maker, Haunt, Sex, Bounce and now Catalyst Comix (and that’s not even taking his television work into consideration either!). This is a superhero book that drops us into a world under attack by extra dimensional forces that have spewed forth from the belly of the universe, threatening New York and the planet beyond and only saved by the heroics of one self-doubting, yet immensely powerful man. Casey breaks the book into three separate stories, dealing with very different elements of the incident - the attack itself, it’s discovery and possible cause, as well as preparations being made elsewhere to tackle such dangers and the changing tides of world politics - and it quickly helps to build a picture of the social landscape that shares some similarities to our own. Casey doesn’t hold back with the varied and intricate vocabulary when dealing with the quantum and psychological physics of the action and the portrayal of the sociological condition of the wider battleground and, while quite dizzying in places it’s all this complexity that helps to suck you in and keep you there. The artwork from all involved is colourful, vibrant and just a little rough around the edges which helps to identify this as something a bit different and this is a prime example of how you world build in a single issue. I’m sold on picking up #2 on August 7th that's for sure! 8/10

Mini Reviews 30/06/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

LAZARUS #1

Writer: Greg Rucka

Art: Michael Lark & Santi Arcas

Image $2.99

James R: There are some books that you know are going to be great before you even open them - the talents involved are such that you know you're not going to be sold a dummy, and so it proves with Lazarus. Along with Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka and Michael Lark put together one of my favourite series ever, the majestic Gotham Central, and seeing Rucka and Lark reteam for Lazarus, I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed, but better than that, I was totally knocked out. The book has a dystopian setting that feels all-too-believable as in the near future, nation states no longer exist and the world is fun in a feudal state by mega-rich families. Each family has a protector - a Lazarus - who is seemingly unkillable and naturally badass. This introductory chapter brilliantly introduces us to the world of Lazarus, and to our protagonist, the aptly named Forever. Once again, Image shows the other publishers exactly how it's done - 28 ad-free pages at $2.99! Rucka crams so much into these page, including a superb essay in the back from the scribe highlighting his motivations and development of the title, which should be read by anyone with an interest in the creative process. If you're looking for a book that's not all tights and capes, and has a prescient plot, you need look no further than Lazarus. I'd say it was a miraculous first issue, but from this creative team it's par for the course. 9/10

Mini Reviews 23/06/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

WILD BLUE YONDER #1

Writers: Mike Raicht, Zach Howard & Austin Harrison

Art: Zach Howard & Nelson Daniel

IDW $3.99

Matt C: How come we’re not bored with post-apocalyptic visions of the future yet? Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but for me they play into our fears of having the rug pulled from under us on a global scale, watching the lives we know crumble to dust, but they also provide a sense that humanity is strong enough to survive, and even thrive, against impossible odds. It taps into something primal about human nature and how we, as a race, are determined to carry on no matter what’s thrown at us, and I think that’s why tales of this nature can be so vital, so compelling. I’m not saying that Wild Blue Yonder tackles these themes with any sort of pomposity (since my preamble may lead you to believe that’s where I was headed!) but it’s there in the background, the indomitable human spirit that propels most of the great stories of any age. Essentially we’re dealing with a band of outcasts doing their best to stay one step ahead of the bad guys in a distant future where the Earth’s surface is inhospitable and people have taken to the skies to stay alive, despite constant danger. With dynamic art that gloriously conveys the pulp sensibility of the lively script, this is a tremendous debut from a creative team clearly relishing the tale they’re telling. Exhilarating, adventurous fun. 8/10

Mini Reviews 16/06/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Jim Lee & Alex Sinclair
DC $4.99

James R: In his excellent Cover To Cover piece on this book earlier in the week, my colleague Stewart wondered if anyone would remove the pull-out pages from this book. Dear reader, I must admit, I am one of those fools. When I get my weekly stash home, I'll give each issue a cursory flip before reading them properly. On coming across the fold out page here, I pulled gently on the page, not expecting it to be held in place with what I believe publishers call 'snot', and... damn, guess I don't know my own strength! Personal catastrophe aside, I felt this was a fine comic without being too stellar. In a week where many of us are focused on Superman (and rightfully so in my opinion - I'm still on a high from Man Of Steel!) I've been reminded of just how great the character can be. Superman Unchained plays to a lot of Scott Snyder's strengths - he sets up a a character who might be a match for Superman while doing the perfunctory introductions to the people in Clark Kent's world. I do have to add my voice to those who have raised a concern with the price of the book. I am a massive fan of creators that stretch the medium (Chris Ware's recent magnum opus Building Stories shows just how much creators can alter the form of comics to make something unique and remarkable), but the fold out here felt superfluous. I think it would have worked better as two double-page spreads. All told, this immediately establishes itself as the best Super-book DC are publishing, but sadly this speaks volumes about it's competition - and I hope Snyder has a few more tricks up his sleeve for the title. A solid start rather than a super one. 7/10

Mini Reviews 09/06/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

AGE OF ULTRON #9

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Art: Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, Roger Bonet, Paul Mounts & Jose Villarrubia

Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Is this the moment where the narrative becomes unmoored and drifts into a sea of implausibility? There have been a few bumps along the way up to this point, but generally I've been far more impressed with this series than expected. Unfortunately Bendis seems to have written himself into a situation where no amount of momentum-slowing exposition can help him out. This is the penultimate issue but reads like it should have been at the end of the second act at the latest, and it's not made any better by the number of time-travelling paradoxes that present themselves only to be swiftly ignored. I guess it will all come down to how Bendis resolves things in the final instalment, but while I had been quite optimistic up until now, that’s not so much the case anymore. 6/10

Mini Reviews 02/06/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

THE WAKE #1

Writer: Scott Snyder

Art: Sean Murphy & Matt Hollingsworth

DC/Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: The last time these two gentlemen, Snyder and Murphy, collaborated on a comic book it spawned the awesome American Vampire: Survival Of The Fittest miniseries which to this day remains one of my favourite comics of the past decade. It may be jumping the gun a little here, but with only one issue of The Wake read I do believe I can see the potential to produce something just as enthralling. The quiet, tense opening within some future, flooded cityscape is a tantalizing tease of what’s to come as we are then whisked back to the modern day and are introduced to cetologist (the zoology of whales and similar aquatic mammals) Dr. Lee Archer as she’s approached by the Department of Homeland Security and given an offer she can’t refuse. Snyder weaves the interactions between Archer and the enigmatic Agent Cruz with no small amount of guarded tension as steadily Cruz reveals his hand little by little and shows the cautious Lee that she may have bitten off more than something mysterious and oh-so-sinister can chew. As the story rolls on Snyder gives Murphy some great panels to play with as we’re introduced to the rest of the cast and such ideas as Ghost Rigs upon the ocean floor and a legacy that dates back millennia. It all combines to give a sense that Lee really is getting literally ‘in too deep’ as the team’s journey takes them to the ocean floor and the horror part of this puzzle is revealed. It’s exciting stuff indeed, with subtle dialogue, a mysterious plot, terrific line and shading work from Murphy and a brilliantly moody palette from Hollingsworth that exemplifies what we all love about Vertigo comics. The Wake is awash with goodness. 9/10

Mini Reviews 26/05/2013

We may not have time to review every book on our pull-lists but we do aim to provide a snapshot of what's been released over the past week, encompassing the good, the bad, and those that lie somewhere in between.

Also this week, Matt C's New Mutants Project continues.

THE BOUNCE #1
Writer: Joe Casey
Art: David Messina & Giovanna Niro
Image $2.99

James R: I've got a huge amount of time for Joe Casey. He's a man who clearly loves comics, and for a guy that could spend the rest of his life rolling around on a bed of $100 dollar bills laughing wildly (thanks to his part in the creation of cartoon and merchandise sensation Ben 10) I love that he continues to try and find new perspectives and reflections on modern comics. Way back at the start of the century, I remember being really astounded by his miniseries Automatic Kafka, and I've followed him closely from there. The Bounce once again deals with one of Casey's favourite themes - what does being a hero actually represent? He's recently looked at this theme in a psychedelic way with Butcher Baker, The Righteous Maker and a more conventional way with Sex at Image. The Bounce sits somewhere in between these two tropes, as we're introduced to Jasper Jenkins, the eponymous and unlikely hero of the book. With an assured hand, Casey introduces us to a world where superheroes and villains are a nascent phenomena... but where are they all coming from? As always with Casey, the script is smart, and you get 23 ad-free pages for $2.99 (Anyone wondering why Vertigo have been floundering in the wake of Image of late should see a big clue right there!) David Messina and Giovanna Niro give the book a nice 'blockbuster' feel, and by the final page - and as always with Casey's work - I was keen to see where this was going next. A fine debut and the promise of even better to follow. 8/10