ACTION COMICS #864
DC Comics
Geoff Johns (W)/Joe Prado (A)
JON: “The often-confusing history Legion of Super-Heroes is tackled head on as Batman, Superman and Lightning Lad try and solve the murder of Duo Damsel and Karate Kid in the lead-in to Legion of 3 Worlds. The intriguing part of this book is that acknowledgment of the three major versions of the Legion…and the reveal of classic Legion villain the Time Trapper. And while it’s meant to be confusing to draw interest to the Legion book, it works almost too well—I spent a lot time trying to remember which Legion Lightning Lad came from.”
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #12
Marvel Comics
Dan Slott & Christos N. Gage (W)/Steve Uy (A)
MATT: “The epilogue to the ‘Killed in Action’ storyline hits hard the fact the death is always on these newly graduated heroes’ doorstep as they mourn—and surprisingly welcome back—their comrades in arms. This issue’s status quo changes of Trauma’s revival, Henry Gyrich’s resignation and a Skrull reveal are a bit abrupt, and quite deliberately beg to be explored in the next chapter. Hopefully the thrills of the series will remain as we follow the current cast’s adventures in their respective districts throughout the Marvel Universe.”
BATTLESTAR GALACTICANDY: SEASON ZERO #7
Dynamite Entertainment
Brandon Jerwa (W)/Charles Carvalho & Jackson Herbert (A)
ANDY: “I’ve generally dug this prequel series—set two years before the Cylon invasion—up to this point. But this installment falls flat on several fronts, but most notably in the muddy art; the sci-fi elements get lost in the murk, and the likenesses are so off I didn’t know who was who at many points in the story. I credit Jerwa for introducing a lot of new elements to the ‘BSG’ mythos—his handling of the ancillary characters like Admiral Rohmer intrigues me more than the main cast. But I’m not sure the characters’ voices, specifically Bill Adama and Kara Thrace, are on point with where they should be. All in all, this issue probably could have used an upgrade; where’s the Chief when you need him?”
BLUE BEETLE #26
DC Comics
Jai Nitz (W)/Mike Norton (A)
RICKEY: “We’ve been behind this book since it started here in the Wizard halls, and I gotta say I’m still pretty impressed with DC for having the cojones to print big chunks of the book in Spanish. If you didn’t know, this Beetle lives in El Paso, Texas, a city that’s predominately Latino, meaning they speak a lot of Spanish. So it only makes sense for an issue that sees Beetle at a family reunion to be heavy on the Spanish. But don’t worry, English mono-linguists! There’s a key in the back that guides you through what folks are saying. But as Andy Serwin pointed out to me, a good book should be entertaining even without dialogue, and this issue certainly fits that bill. When the Superman baddie Parasite attacks, it’s all action, amigos!”
FRIDAY THE 13TH: ABUSER AND THE ABUSED #1
DC/WildStorm
Joshua Hale Fialkov (W)/ Andy B (A) RICKEY: “It’s a shame the cover of this standalone issue looks like a clichéd mid-’80s rock album because the interior art from Andy B is phenomenal! The same can’t be said for the story as a whole, which revolves around an abused high school girl getting revenge on her parents and boyfriend for violently neglecting her over the years. You get the same ol’ boobs and gore as any other Jason Voorhees comic, but Andy B’s art makes it look like the equivalent of a grindhouse movie trailer. Complete with thick, cartoon-y inking and a coloring style straight outta the ’70s, this issue’s look should appeal to most horror fans. Just check out the page below to see what I mean.”
GREEN LANTERN #30
DC Comics
Geoff Johns (W)/ Ivan Reis (A)
JON: “Geoff Johns continues slightly revamping the origin of Hal Jordan to fit in with ‘The Blackest Night’ prophecy, this time showing how Jordan came to Ferris aircraft and Abin Sur’s crash on Earth. I have to applaud Johns’ work on this origin—he could’ve simply started from scratch, but he really took the original origin to heart and used the new stuff to complement. It really doesn’t contradict anything before, but adds elements that really enhances the story—even little things like finally explaining why Abin Sur was flying a spacecraft!”
JSA: CLASSIFIED #37
DC Comics
B. Clay Moore (W)/Ramon Perez (A)
ANDY: “Moore and Perez provide a satisfying one-two knockout in the final installment of their three-part story, ‘Forward Through the Past.’ An aging Wildcat teams up with Catwoman to take out a ‘promoter’ who’s using Ted Grant’s old gyms to train hired muscle for local crime bosses. The mix of satisfying superhero shenanigans and hard-boiled crime fisticuffs is the perfect vehicle for the JSA’s heavyweight champ, and Moore will floor readers with his insights into why Wildcat’s still relevant in the DCU. But it’s also a tale of two kitties in this story, as you learn exactly how Wildcat got inducted into the JSA, and for that, Perez showcases his ninja-like skills as he seamlessly cuts from a modern, animated style to Golden Age renderings for the flashback sequences. I want more Moore writing the DCU, and I want more Perez drawing it. When do I want it? Now!”
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #41
DC Comics
Jim Shooter (W)/Aaron Lopresti(A)
MATT: “In individual chapters, this series is a lot to take in, and once it’s all said and done, I’m interested to see how this magnum opus plays out for this incarnation of the Legion. While the future-speak and abbreviated references for Legionaries can be a bit jarring at times, the archetypes of the characters still come through. However, I’ll need to get a few more issues of this series under my belt before I make a permanent jump to the 31st century.”
MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #8
Marvel Comics
Various (W)/Various (A)
RICKEY: “The Machine Man arc kicks off here in this Marvel Universe anthology with a bit of a slow start as the hero visits a psychiatrist. Double-M recalls how Spider-Man tried taking him down in a past adventure, which comes off chuckle-worthy in a few scenes. The real treat is the beautiful art from Niko Henrichon (Pride of Baghdad). Also look for a subtle story involving Wolverine and Cyclops as they discuss the recent events of Cyke’s personal life.”
TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE # 4
DC Comics
Amy Wolfram (W)/Karl Kerschl (A)
MATT: “The spotlight is on Kid Flash this issue and his burgeoning rivalry/jealousy of his teammate and future best friend, Robin. As the team makes its debut to the world on a national TV broadcast, Robin proves that even if you arrive late and have no superpowers whatsoever, you can still save he day—by yourself. Can the team survive when everyone’s ranting for Robin?! Stay tuned.”
THOR: AGES OF THUNDER
Marvel Comics
Matt Fraction (W)/Patrick Zircher & Khari Andrews (A)
ANDY: “Fraction and a talented pantheon of artists present this one-shot of mythic proportions that recalls two legends of the Thunder God and his thwarting of Frost Giants throughout Asgard’s immortal history. The creative team puts readers smack dab in the middle of Asgard during its golden age, with Odin in charge and the assembly of Norse gods at full strength, including Thor, who essentially acts as a living WMD whenever Asgard is threatened. But while the heroics are at an all-time high (with visuals that stun like Mjolnir to your forehead), there’s something bad brewing between Odin and his son Thor, as the Thunder God appears to be growing weary of being Asgard’s savior when the other gods are too wrapped up in their own affairs to do anything about it. Whether these will be stand-alone legends or somehow tie into the current Thor continuity remains to be seen, but Fraction and company have captured lightning in a bottle with these early tales of Thor and the Norse gods.”
ULTIMATE HUMAN #4 (of 4)
Marvel Comics
Warren Ellis (W)/Cary Nord (A)
ANDY: “Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, captives of the Leader, must make their escape and stop the big-brained one from using the Hulk’s blood to make a super-weapon. After a bit of finagling—and a head-butt to cause Banner’s transformation—the Hulk goes ape-spit crazy and takes out the Leader’s private army. Tony Stark also joins in the fun, using a remote Iron Man suit to crash into the Leader and stop him from taking over Hulk’s brain. Nord draws a pretty mean-ass looking Hulk, and Ellis provides a couple of his patented snarky quips, but other than a goofy superhero diversion, I’m not sure this miniseries accomplished anything in terms of advancing these characters or expanding the mythos of Ultimate Marvel Universe.”
ULTIMATE X-MEN #93
Marvel Comics
Robert Kirkman (W)/ Harvey Tolibao (A)
JON: “Jean Grey/Phoenix puts a quick end to the X-Men’s fight against Apocalypse by not only taking down the mutant powerhouse, but also by taking the X-Men back before the fight ever happened. Tolibao’s art is amazing and gives a real sense of power to both the giant Apocalypse and petite Jean, and while the ending could’ve felt like just a cop-out, Kirkman’s writing makes it feel more fresh—like we’ve gone back to the exciting fresh start of the early issues of the series.”
USAGI YOJIMBO #111
Dark Horse Comics
Stan Sakai (W/A)
ANDY: “Usagi goes sticking his pink little nose where it doesn’t belong, and the impulsive rabbit bodyguard winds up on the end of a bullwhip during a brief misunderstanding when he tries to break up an attempted robbery. Turns out the victim, Sakura, is an old friend of his traveling companion Gen, and the three head off to the nearby village, where Sakura tells them of her quest to find her long-lost missing brother. The story takes a serious turn when Sakura kidnaps a young serving girl from a local gambling den, then goes to Usagi and Gen for help when the boss’ thugs come after her. Sakai’s mastered the art of switching gears, going from frolicking fun to serious swordplay in a blink, and his whimsical art delivers as much visual impact as you’ll find in any superhero showdown. Usagi’s one of the few comics on the stands that puts the ‘art’ in this art form.”
WITCHBLADE/DEVI #1
Top Cow/Virgin
Ron Marz (W)/Eric Basaldua (A)
ANDY: “I have to admit: Sight unseen, I thought I’d probably hate this crossover, because I don’t really know Devi, and I’m not much of a Witchblade fan. However, Marz gave me a plausible reason for why Sara Pezzini would be in India—she’s sent there to follow up a murder case involving an Indian archeologist killed in New York City—and delivered a credible set-up that puts the Witchblade and Devi together (they battled that evil Tama millennia ago in their ancient incarnations, and they’ll have to do so again in the present). Throw in the fact that I was completely blown away by Basaldua’s art—he’s channeling one-part Jim Lee, one-part Mike Turner and one-part Marc Silvestri—and Witchblade/Devi had to be biggest pleasant surprise of the week for me.”
X-MEN LEGACY #210
Marvel Comics
Mike Carey (W)/Scot Eaton (A)
ANDY: “After fighting Exodus on the astral plane, and forced to relive all the most painful moments of his life, Charles Xavier shows he’s still the most powerful telepath on earth by easily shrugging off the attack and bringing Exodus to his knees. But he’s got an ulterior motive for attacking Xavier—he wants Prof. X to lead the Acolytes! Still stinging from the emotional attack (rendered ably by Eaton), Xavier declines and heads off to put his psyche back in order after his mind was destroyed at the end of ‘Messiah Complex.’ Though I’ve never been an Xavier fan, Mike Carey gives you a perfect recap of what he’s all about as a character, and sets up what he’ll be doing for the foreseeable future. Plus, the epilogue teases—Rogue in Australia, the Hellfire Club up to some shenanigans—earmark this as an X-book with big surprises in store.”
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