When super-spy organisations around the world begin to fall one by one, Lois and Clark find themselves on the back foot - with Amanda Waller at their When super-spy organisations around the world begin to fall one by one, Lois and Clark find themselves on the back foot - with Amanda Waller at their door, Lois' father in critical condition, and a new Leviathan on the rise, this doesn't look like a job for Superman, but he's going to do it anyway!
I don't understand how Bendis' Superman title can be so bad, and this can be so good. They're entirely different stories, focused on entirely different things, but they're written by the same guy, about the same character. It's just baffling.
This volume puts the Invisible Mafia on the backburner in favour of a prelude to Event Leviathan instead. There's something super funny about watching Superman and Lois trying to deal with a problem that's almost entirely out of their wheelhouse, going undercover with Spyral and dealing with Amanda Waller and Sam Lane instead of punching bad guys in the face.
Also included is a story from the Leviathan Rising one-shot, which fits in surprisingly well with the rest of the book. Superman gets kidnapped by Talia Al Ghul, only to run into the new Leviathan; it's a fairly straight forward premise, but there's a lot more meat on the bones than you might expect.
There are points where Bendis does seem to forget that Superman's the main character in favour of literally everyone else, and the BendisSpeak can go a tad overboard (everyone and their dog mentions that leaving Amanda Waller alone in the Fortress Of Solitude is a bad idea), but overall this is definitely one of Bendis' best showings at DC so far.
The artwork for all five issues of the main title is by Steve Epting, who needs no introduction. It just looks brilliant, and I still can't believe Bendis gets all these awesome artists all the time. Then Yanick Paquette pencils the Leviathan Rising Special, who's another one that needs no introduction. This is just a lovely book from page 1 to the end - even the variant cover gallery is perfect, since they're almost all Francis Manapul, for Christ's sake.
Action Comics is far and above Bendis' gem currently. This second volume sets up and expands on Event Leviathan in some fun ways, and looks gorgeous doing it. I'd recommend checking out Event Leviathan itself as well, since it's more of the same. Bendis does mysteries pretty damn well....more
The next installment of the 4000 AD timeline of the Valiant Universe is collected here, with the five issue Fallen World mini-series as well as the FaThe next installment of the 4000 AD timeline of the Valiant Universe is collected here, with the five issue Fallen World mini-series as well as the Fallen World prelude from Free Comic Book Day 2019.
Pitting Rai against a new incarnation of Father, this series explores what the world of New Japan/Earth is like, thrusting together future incarnations of the characters you know and love and even bringing in some fan favourites from the 4000AD timeline. Valiant have done a lot of flash-forward, The End type books, but they definitely seem dedicated to 4000AD since it gets a lot more fleshing out than the others.
Despite this being a self-contained story, it definitely serves as a springboard for the new Rai ongoing, setting up a new status quo for the characters and moving Rai along his character arc as he tries and fails at pacifism. I like that writer Dan Abnett doesn't eschew any of the other supporting characters that Rai has gathered, like Lula and Momo, instead folding them into his story as if they were there the whole time.
The art is by Adam Pollina (with the prelude by Ryp), and it works pretty well. It's a bit fast and loose in certain areas, but his lines have good weight and his quality doesn't dip over the five issues. Apparently he was big in the 90s (although this is the first I've heard of it), but his style still fits pretty well with today's books.
Fallen World is basically a new Rai Volume 0, but that doesn't stop it being entertaining, with high stakes and a good collection of characters that keep the momentum flowing throughout....more
It seemed appropriate to end the year with a Christmas book.
Collecting the first two of Grant Morrison and Dan Mora's Klaus one-shots, this hardcover It seemed appropriate to end the year with a Christmas book.
Collecting the first two of Grant Morrison and Dan Mora's Klaus one-shots, this hardcover collection is a perfect companion to the first. This one includes Klaus & The Witch Of Winter, and Klaus & The Crisis In Xmasville.
Klaus has always been a little adjacent to magical fantasy, but these stories delve right in, with a witch, a werewolf, and the Krampus (or what is basically the Krampus) being the main obstacles Klaus faces. Each story brings him closer to our modern day interpretation of Santa, and bounces around the timeline Atomic Robo style so we get bits and pieces filled in as we go along. They're nice self-contained stories, but there's a sense that we're just getting a peek at what Klaus does all year, which makes sense given that we only get one story a year.
Dan Mora's one of my favourite artists in comics these days; his visuals are so well defined, and there's just something about his style that I really love. I can't put my finger on it, but it's just great, and I'm glad he can find the time to reunite with Morrison each year for these stories.
I hope these one-shots continue for years to come, because they're a lovely way to return to the character and these creators each Christmas. It's like seeing old friends!...more
After all the build-up, all the struggles, all the random detours and spin-off mini-series, that’s the ending we get? I’m disappointed to…Is that it?
After all the build-up, all the struggles, all the random detours and spin-off mini-series, that’s the ending we get? I’m disappointed to say the least. Without going into spoiler territory, I didn’t think this was going to be the end of the series. Given that Black Hammer has already relaunched once, I thought this was just going to be the end of this era, and then we’d get a new series next year or something. But no, this is apparently it.
It just feels like a jip. These characters have been through the wringer, and to get to this point in the series and have to make this decision, it just feels wrong. Yes, they’re heroes. They have to do the heroic thing. But it’s the same thing they’ve already done. Twice, if you’ve read the Black Hammer/Justice League crossover. There’s only so many times Lemire can play on the same sacrifice, no matter how many times the characters are forced to make it.
Otherwise, the rest of the volume is fun. The side-issues set inside the Parazone with the half-created characters are full of clever ideas that I’d like to see more of, and even if the ultimate conclusion isn’t my cup of tea, the journey to get there is the usual Black Hammer fare.
I think maybe I’m in love with the idea of Black Hammer, and the world that it inhabits, rather than the book itself. There’s so much more potential to be mined here, and I just can’t bring myself to accept that this is the end that these characters have to have. ...more
First up, the War Of The Realms devastates San Francisco, and Otto enlists the reluctant aid of the West Coast Avengers to tackle it. Then, Spiders-MaFirst up, the War Of The Realms devastates San Francisco, and Otto enlists the reluctant aid of the West Coast Avengers to tackle it. Then, Spiders-Man and the Norman Osborn Spider-Man of Earth-44145 (the annoying one from Spider-Geddon) target Otto for death, but they’re going to destroy his entire life first! Is the Superior Spider-Man up to the task, or is this a job for Doctor Octopus? Mephisto thinks he knows the answers, and where he’s concerned, nothing’s ever simple.
Let’s start with the happy – the West Coast Avengers two-parter is hilarious. Otto’s straight laced humour butts up against the insanity of the WCA perfectly, with Quentin Quire and Gwenpool rubbing him the wrong way and America Chavez and Kate Bishop threatening to hit him on almost every page. The real treat though is the fallout issue, which brings Peter Parker into the action to give Otto a pep talk that I expect he’s needed for a while now; it’s a nice way to get some outside perspective on how Otto’s feeling, and also goes to show how far he’s come as a character as the Superior Spider-Man.
Then there’s the sad. The last three issues of the series bring back some Spider-Geddon villains who are good foils for Otto, especially given that they were pitted against each other over in Spider-Geddon itself (also written by Gage, coincidentally). There’s an effort to make this kind of a mirror to the Goblin Nation arc of the previous Superior Spider-Man series, in that the only way for Otto to win is to make the ultimate sacrifice, and I like that about it. But the ultimate ending, while it does feel well explained and is overall satisfying, definitely feels premature. It’s a shame Marvel didn’t have more faith in this concept, but considering it was only meant to last like 12 issues when Dan Slott initially did it, I’m not surprised. A little disappointed, but not surprised.
On art, Lan Medina steps in for the two War Of The Realms tie-ins, while series artist Mike Hawthorne pencils the remaining four issues. Hawthorne’s made a mark on this series easily; he’s a reliable artist, and it’s nice that we’ve managed to steal him away from the Deadpool office for a little while. Medina’s also solid; there are no complaints on the art front at all here.
All good things come to an end. Superior Spider-Man is an idea that lived far longer than we could ever have expected it to, and while it is a bittersweet ending, Chris Gage manages to stick the landing and sell a conclusion that I expect most comic fans aren’t going to enjoy. It’s disappointing, but this is the nature of comics – nothing lasts, so enjoy it while you can. ...more
Supergirl’s quest for answers-slash-vengeance brings her into conflict with the sinister Circle, an Illuminati-type group that are responsible for theSupergirl’s quest for answers-slash-vengeance brings her into conflict with the sinister Circle, an Illuminati-type group that are responsible for the destruction of Krypton. With help from the Omega Men and her new friend Z’ndr (and Krypto, of course), can she stop the leader of the Circle once and for all, or will her rage turn her into something she doesn’t want to be? Then, as if one trial wasn’t enough, Rogol Zaar returns! But this time, Kara has back-up in the form of Superman, and the newly returned Superboy!
I’ll admit, the first half of this volume nearly got away from me. The detour with the Omega Men and the clones and the warlord whose name I can’t remember didn’t feel important to Kara’s journey, and felt more like playing for time instead, which is a shame because in any other Supergirl storyline it’d probably be pretty good. But it has almost no impact on The Circle stuff itself, so I was prepared to give this arc a lower rating.
But then we refocus about halfway through, just in time for Kara’s final battles with Gandelo, which are awesome. The action’s top notch, thanks to Eduardo Pansica’s excellent artwork, and it’s nice to see Kara get some catharsis after all that she’s been through. This whole Circle storyline has been an interesting look at the rage she holds and how she handles it, perhaps even moreso than the previous Red Daughter Of Krypton arc in her New 52 series.
The last three issues are a semi-crossover with Bendis’ Superman series, but the Supergirl issues focus far more on Rogol Zaar and Kara’s new relationship with Jon after his little growth spurt. They’re much closer now than they’ve ever been before, and as with the Gandelo story, the catharsis of Kara kicking Rogol Zaar’s ass (god, I hate him) is well-earned and well-deserved. Kevin Maguire returns for these issues too, so again the art’s very slick.
Marc Andreyko’s run on Supergirl is due to finish shortly, but he has at least gotten to finish the story he started telling; it goes a little off the rails to begin, but it recovers nicely for a very well earned conclusion, and it always looks stunning thanks to two exceptional artists. Maguire's Krypto is the best, fight me....more
Hating Tom King's run seems to be the 'fun' thing to do lately, for some reason. I'm still loving it, personally. Knightmares was a bit of a misstep, Hating Tom King's run seems to be the 'fun' thing to do lately, for some reason. I'm still loving it, personally. Knightmares was a bit of a misstep, but The Fall And The Fallen gets right back on track, as King's long-form Bane story ramps up with Batman spiraling further and further away from himself and the people he cares about until it forces him into the arms of the one person he should be staying away from - his father, the Flashpoint Batman.
The first three issues of the volume are the spiral, and the second two after that show what happens when Bruce and Thomas Wayne finally start working together. Spoiler alert: nothing good. The journey that King is taking Bruce through is really quite harrowing at times, and this volume is almost the precipice of it all. If you think Bruce has fallen as far as he can go, you've got some major surprises coming.
Also included is Batman Secret Files #2, which are mostly little vignettes about all of Batman's foes, the ones that he battles through in issues #70-71, and how they're going to play into his final downfall in the next two volumes. It's a nice little addition, but none of the stories are particularly essential.
On art for the main five issues are Mikel Janin and Jorge Fornes, who split each issue fairly evenly. Their styles are quite different, but they mesh surprisingly well. King's run has been full of excellent artists, and these guys are two of the best. The Secret Files has a few different artists thrown in, not least of which is Eduardo Risso, who deserves a special mention as ever.
The Fall And The Fallen is a painful volume to read at times, but it's all just more set-up for what's about to hit. Batman may think he has it sussed, but he'll be surprised - and I bet you will be too....more
Mairghread Scott's second (and final, unfortunately) volume of Batgirl stories collects seven issues that pit Barbara against some deadly foes, includMairghread Scott's second (and final, unfortunately) volume of Batgirl stories collects seven issues that pit Barbara against some deadly foes, including the vicious Cormorant, her brother James Jr., and the Terrible Trio.
We open with the titular Old Enemies, which introduces Barbara's newest job as a social media director for a new congresswoman, who of course finds herself targeted by an assassin. There's also the return of Jason Bard, who I never expected to see again, let alone in Batgirl's life after his role in Batman Eternal, but this is all pretty surprising, in a good way. Babs' new job gives her some new story avenues to explore, and even Cormorant, who's fairly generic as a bad guy, gives Babs a run for her money.
The one-shot story between arcs is a tie-in to The Batman Who Laughs mini-series; James Gordon Jr. is always a good villain, I don't think I've ever read him written badly, and Scott's interpretation, as well as Barbara's reactions to him really sell this issue. It's not essential as a tie-in, but it's nice to see this interconnectivity between series when it could easily have been overlooked.
Lastly is the three part Terrible story, which isn't terrible at all, but brings Barbara into conflict with the Terrible Trio of Fox, Shark, and Vulture. Again, fairly generic as villains, but Scott makes them far more threatening than you'd expect, to the point that they're actually sticking around under the next writer's pen as well.
Paul Pelletier pencils the two three-part stories, and Ive said it before, and I'll say it again, but DC criminally underuse Pelletier. Not that Batgirl isn't a good gig, but he's such a solid and reliable artist that he should really be getting bigger books at this stage in his career. The James Jr. issue is split between Elena Casagrande and Scott Godlewski, who have been doing the rounds as fill-in artists for a while now; Casagrande found herself a slot over on Go Go Power Rangers for a while, and I'd like to see DC trust Godlewski with something more consistent as well. This is one good looking book, overall.
Old Enemies fleshes out Barbara's world in some unexpected ways, and Scott never lets something straight forward become old hat. Under her pen, Babs fights villains who should feel one note, but are much deeper than they first appear, and I'm genuinely disappointed to see her leaving the series so soon. Hopefully the next writer is just as good, if not better....more
Dial H for Hero's a fairly straight forward concept, but it always seems to get creative teams to do weird and wonderful things with it. My only two eDial H for Hero's a fairly straight forward concept, but it always seems to get creative teams to do weird and wonderful things with it. My only two exposures to Dial H are this series, and the previous New 52 one, and they couldn't be more different, and yet are equally as entertaining.
This series focuses on Miguel Montez, a normal kid who finds the H Dial and tries to get it to Superman, since Supes should know what to do with something dangerous, right? Of course, it's not that easy, as the illusive Thunderbolt Club are out to steal it from Miguel, and the Operator lurks in the shadows with a truly inspired link to Dial H mythology that will delight fans of the concept.
The story's pretty good fun, but this first volume is mostly just setting the stage for what's coming next; I'm surprised at the ambition here, because it doesn't wrap up at all, and if DC hadn't given the book another 6 issues, I might be singing a different tune right now.
The art however is utterly phenomenal. Joe Quinones' normal artwork is always gorgeous, but when he turns his hand to the new heroes that pop up in each issue, he manages to be inspired by the heroes in question and turn out something truly special. Some characters are obvious parodies or pastiches of established franchises, while others are entirely new, but they're all wonderfully drawn by Quinones on every page.
Dial H is fun with a capital F. This definitely feels like just the beginning of something larger, and I'm glad we're getting to see where Humphries and Quinones are going to take it....more
Kelly Sue DeConnick returns to mainstream comics to pen a brand new arc of Aquaman, spinning out of the events of Drowned Earth as Arthur finds himselKelly Sue DeConnick returns to mainstream comics to pen a brand new arc of Aquaman, spinning out of the events of Drowned Earth as Arthur finds himself an amnesiac trapped on an island full of strange men and women with even stranger secrets.
First off, I love that this manages to be both an organic continuation from what came before and a brand new starting point all at the same time. That takes some doing, but DeConnick does it really well. She dives into (pun intended) the mythology of the sea and the gods in interesting ways, crafting a twisty and turny mystery that keeps you guessing right to the end and upends Aquaman's world by the end of it. She also never forgets what's going on back home, and the rare glimpses of Mera are tantalising as well as teasing what's going to happen next.
On art is Robson Rocha, who has really come into his own as part of Rebirth and gets to headline the book here as the main artist. He does some hyper detailed panels, and his big, bombastic action splashes are super great. You can see from his process pages in the back of the trade how talented he is, and I'm glad he's getting the opportunity to show it off on a bigger stage.
Aquaman's new direction is great from start to finish. With DeConnick steering the ship and Rocha at the rudder, the seas have never looked brighter and I can't wait to see where we're heading. Is that enough boat puns? Can I stop now?...more
The X-Men have been directionless for a long time now. There have been numerous attempts to try and get them back to their glory days, but they've metThe X-Men have been directionless for a long time now. There have been numerous attempts to try and get them back to their glory days, but they've met with varying levels of success. So of course, here comes Jonathan Hickman to shake things up the only way he knows how - by taking the X-Men apart at their very core and reconstructing them as something entirely new that they feel like they should have been right from the beginning.
House Of X and Powers Of X are two distinct series, but they form one overarching story that is full of plot twists, exceptionally clever retcons (looking at you, Moira), and ends with the potential to change the face of the Marvel Universe in a way that hasn't happened since...well, since Hickman literally ended the universe and rebuilt it all after Secret Wars.
On art are two growing superstars of Marvel, Pepe Larraz and R.B Silva, who have both made a name for themselves on smaller books and are now stretching their legs on the big stage. These two are absolutely phenomenal, and when you put them together, true magic happens. This is a good looking pair of series.
I'm not going into story details; if you've not read these series, you deserve to experience them fresh. And you should - on the list of books that you absolutely have to read this year in comics, HoXPoX should be at the top....more
Deathstroke and the Teen Titans collide once again when Damian's latest plan to stop supervillains permanently puts him firmly in their crosshairs. AfDeathstroke and the Teen Titans collide once again when Damian's latest plan to stop supervillains permanently puts him firmly in their crosshairs. After their last meeting, you'd think the Titans might be a bit more wary, but this is a new set of Titans, and it all goes about as well as you'd think.
The crossover itself is decent enough; Deathstroke's mind games and the way he manipulates Damian and Emiko especially is very well executed, but it's really the aftermath of these stories that will be more memorable, since it's a crossover that actually has an impact on every character involved in it to some degree.
There's a bit of a disparity between the Deathstroke and Teen Titans issues due to the vastly different writing style of Priest and Glass, but then I don't think anyone writes comics quite like Priest and it'd feel incongruous if Glass suddenly changed himself up to try and keep it all cohesive.
The art is by both series artists, which is nice, with Carlo Pagulayan doing the Deathstroke issues and Bernard Chang on the Teen Titans ones. Again, a bit of a disparity between styles, but it definitely feels like the two series are crashing together rather than just one larger story split into six parts.
Fun times abound when Deathstroke and the Teen Titans meet, and this is no exception....more
Chip Zdarsky's second Daredevil arc deconstructs Matt Murdock even further as he attempts to put Daredevil behind him; but Hell's Kitchen isn't about Chip Zdarsky's second Daredevil arc deconstructs Matt Murdock even further as he attempts to put Daredevil behind him; but Hell's Kitchen isn't about to let him do that, and Matt's personal life collides with his superhero life in a big way when his newest love interest reveals a secret about herself that throws Matt through a loop.
Matt's tried this before. Stepping away from Daredevil isn't new to him or the readers at this point, but the reaction of the city and the movement that Daredevil inspires as a result of his actions in the first volume are totally new. They bubble away nicely in the background while Matt's personal life takes centre stage, only for the two plots to dovetail at the end of the arc in one last confrontation. Meanwhile Detective North, whose role I thought might have been over after the last arc, still makes his presence known. I'm sure Zdarsky has Plans with a capital P for him, and I'm excited to see where he takes it.
On art is Lalit Kumar Sharma, who I've never seen before, but does an admirable job; he's no Marco Checchetto, but then no one is, and he makes Daredevil's world his own very easily with his clear lines and expressive characters. The shining star though is Jorge Fornes, who steals the show with his David Mazzuchelli-esque art in the final issue of the arc. More of that, please.
Champions is the little book that could, but unfortunately, it can't any more. These final four issues do their best to tie up all the loose plot threChampions is the little book that could, but unfortunately, it can't any more. These final four issues do their best to tie up all the loose plot threads that Jim Zub has been seeding for the past six issues (and back further into the previous volume), but it's just not enough room to do the stories he's been building justice.
The final confrontation with Mephisto and Blackheart feels rushed, and there's an entire Ultron subplot that gets forgotten which is just unfair. I do like that Zub revisited the two-Vivs plot from Waid's run to give it more of a well-rounded conclusion, but I just wish we had more. More, I say!
What Zub doesn't forget in his haste to finish the series off is that it's the characters that make this series as compelling as it is. With Sam's return to the Nova mantle (which better stick this time, I swear), and the reconciliation of Ms. Marvel and Miles, the Champions core are reunited just in time for the ending, which feels hopeful and full of potential for the future. I just hope we get to see it....more
After only 12 issues, Robert Venditti has revolutionised Hawkman and built up a conclusion to what could have been the series at large, but is only thAfter only 12 issues, Robert Venditti has revolutionised Hawkman and built up a conclusion to what could have been the series at large, but is only the first arc of the book. With the Deathbringers at the door, the world is in peril and Hawkman will have to call on all the knowledge of his past lives to save us; epic as a word thrown around far too much these days, but it really does describe this story well.
There's even time before the main Deathbringers arc begins to flash back to one of Carter's previous lives on Krypton; I wonder if this'll be a recurring theme through the book, kind of like the old Starman series and the Times Past issues.
And somehow, Bryan Hitch manages to draw all six of these issues as he did the previous six as well. His art's well-suited for this level of bombastic storytelling and it never falters, even after twelve issues in a row. It's just grand.
Hawkman's first solo series in a while caps off its first year with an explosive conclusion worthy of an event-level book, then whacks you in the head with a mace and moves on to whatever comes next, just as Carter himself would. Top marks....more
While he's busy over with War Of The Realms and the Thor tie-in issues, Jason Aaron also has the Avengers to contend with as well. The Thor ones soar,While he's busy over with War Of The Realms and the Thor tie-in issues, Jason Aaron also has the Avengers to contend with as well. The Thor ones soar, but the Avengers ones kind of just flutter.
These four issues are mostly just random tie-in things. They slot in between issues of War Of The Realms, without really moving the Avengers story ahead because there's kind of a war going on? There are a few bits and pieces evolving with relation to the Coulson/Squadron Supreme aspect of things, and there's a nice focus issue on Gorilla Man which I enjoyed, but otherwise it's just your usual tie-in fare.
The FCBD material included in the back feels a little incongruous, mostly because it's more of a prelude of what's going to happen next year, but I guess it's nicer to have than a random classic or something. At least it's somewhat relevant.
On art is Ed McGuinness, back again, while Jason Masters draws one issue. McGuinness's style works for the big bombastic stuff, so he's a good choice (and seems to be the rotating 'main' artist of the book), so I'm not complaining.
Eh, this is fine. Just a bit of a detour before we get back to the good stuff....more
Marvel Team-Up’s back…sort of. In this short six issue revival, Ms. Marvel teams up with Spider-Man and Captain Marvel to battle bodyswaps and the KreMarvel Team-Up’s back…sort of. In this short six issue revival, Ms. Marvel teams up with Spider-Man and Captain Marvel to battle bodyswaps and the Kree Empire, to varying degrees of success.
The lead story, by Eve Ewing, and Joey Vasquez on art, is great stuff. A bodyswap between two similar characters shouldn’t work, but Kamala and Peter’s personalities shine through even when they’re in each other’s bodies, and the fact that Kamala is basically teen-Peter is played very well. Both of the characters learn from each other, and the final showdown with the Jackal feels almost inconsequential compared to the influence that the two of them have on each other. Vasquez’s art is great too, cartoony without losing definition or detail, and the first issue flipbook style works surprisingly well.
The second story is a different beast unfortunately. Written by Clint McElroy (yes, that one), with art by Ig Guara, it spends far too much time throwing out weird references to previous stories and having Kamala and Carol argue to really get anywhere. I love continuity, probably more than most comic fans, but this is how to do it wrong – the story is driven entirely by obscure references to stories from yesteryear, and doesn’t do anything to make itself compelling in its own right. Kamala feels like a caricature of herself unfortunately, and she and Carol have had more than one falling out story recently, so another on the pile feels redundant. Guara’s art’s not great either, feeling very blocky compared to his usual fare.
One great story, one mediocre one, and they flatten out to a middle of the road collection. It’s a shame the book didn’t get to last longer, because Marvel Team-Up is usually a good time, but I guess it just didn’t get off the ground this time around....more
Jason Todd has earned a rest. He’s lead the Outlaws. He’s mourned the death of Roy Harper. What’s he going to do now? Oh, how about take over the PengJason Todd has earned a rest. He’s lead the Outlaws. He’s mourned the death of Roy Harper. What’s he going to do now? Oh, how about take over the Penguin’s casino. Because why the hell not.
I think ‘not going to last’ is something that follows this book. I certainly didn’t expect the high quality to last, that’s for sure. Jason murdering the Penguin? Didn’t last. The latest incarnation of the Outlaws? Didn’t last (more on that in volume 3 though!). This status quo. Yeah, not going to last either. But it’s the journey that’s the fun here. Even though we all (Jason included) know that his happy ending is going to be fleeting, that doesn’t mean he (and we) can’t enjoy it while it lasts.
Bringing back supporting characters from across Lobdell’s run with the character, from Bunker in the last volume way back to Essence and Suzie Su from the original New 52 run, this feels like a coming home, as well it should, since it repositions Jason back in Gotham. It’s nice to see Lobdell revisit the characters from earlier like Essence, since he handles them far better than he did when they were first introduced. It shows how far he’s come as a writer (which feels weird to write about a guy who’s been writing comics for 30 years but you know what I mean).
Pete Woods finishes out his run on Red Hood with this volume. His art’s always been a fun fit for Jason, a little chunky and rough around the edges, like Jason himself. The colours feel a little flatter, but that’s mostly because the locale of the Iceberg Lounge doesn’t really lend itself to much more than that unfortunately. Oh, there’s a fill-in issue by Stephen Segovia as well, but the fact that I didn’t remember until I looked it up should probably tell you that he blends in pretty well.
Red Hood: Outlaw continues to defy the odds. It knows that change is fleeting in the comics world, but it revels in the changes while they last. The art’s pretty great, and the story moves swiftly along while reminding us of how far we’ve come from the past. All around good times for everyone, except maybe Artemis and Bizarro....more
After skulking in the shadows for 20 issues, it’s time for a full-on confrontation between the Immortal Hulk and General Fortean’s Shadow Base. Of couAfter skulking in the shadows for 20 issues, it’s time for a full-on confrontation between the Immortal Hulk and General Fortean’s Shadow Base. Of course, where the Hulk’s concerned, nothing is ever that straight forward, right?
It’s really not. Al Ewing’s Hulk story continues at a breakneck pace, finally smashing (see what I did there) his action figures together and then picks up the pieces. With the fallout from Abomination behind them, Breaker of Worlds sets the stage for the confrontation, which plays out probably the most simply as anything in this series has done so far, but it’s all just a deception, because the ultimate conclusion shakes up the series status quo in a way that no one would have seen coming.
And that’s just the first four issues of the volume. The fifth, the series’ big #25, is a different animal entirely. Shooting forward into the future, we view a strange alien civilization’s last days, as the Breaker Of Worlds, an enormous, unstoppable Hulk, rips them to shreds. But even this isn’t just as simple as ‘this is what’s going to happen if the Hulk isn’t stopped’, because the last two pages of this issue flip everything on its head once again. I can just about keep up with this wild rollercoaster ride, and I want to put my arms over my head and scream with enjoyment as I do.
And of course Ewing’s joined by Joe Bennett (who seems to have attracted as many inkers as Chris Bachalo and Doug Mahnke in order to keep him as the main artist on the book), who gets to do body horror like never before as well as some knockout throwdown superhero fights as well. Then issue 25 is drawn entirely by German Garcia, who gives me some very Pasqual Ferry crossed with Christian Ward vibes.
You’d think, especially given Marvel’s current trend of most books being 10 or 12 issues long and then dying a death, that Immortal Hulk might be winding up. But it looks like this book’s never going to die, just like it’s title character, because it looks like it’s just getting started. ...more
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