Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 2/4

American Vampire: Second Cycle #6
Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque

After returning from hiatus, it felt like American Vampire went back on hiatus with the massive delays between issues four and five and then five and six. But the wait was worth it. Any comic that opens in 1965 with the Russians retrieving a pod of space monkeys who turn out to be vampire space monkeys is off to the races in the best possible way. There's a lot that happens in this issue, and a lot of information that we finally learn. Firstly, it puts all of the surviving main characters in one place. I don't think an issue of this series has actually featured a meeting between all four of the American Vampires: Skinner Sweet, Pearl Jones, Calvin Poole, and Felicia Book (I know Felicia is a half breed, but close enough for government work). We see there's no love lost between the Vassals of the Morning Star and Skinner who betrayed them in the final arc of volume one. Of course this is a scorpion and the toad kind of thing; Skinner is self-interested at heart, and they should have just killed him because that betrayal was inevitable, Suicide Squad-style bomb or not. But once things settle down a bit, we finally learn the origin of the mysterious Gray Trader, the big bad introduced at the end of volume one, and we realize he is Darth Vader to the Emperor Palpatine of this series. It all ties together in a very cool way, tied in with various world mythologies. Snyder has established that all monsters are simply different breeds of vampire earlier on, and we even get a Gorgon this issue, which is a nice touch to reinforce it before the big reveals later. By issue's end , all the pieces are in place for this arc. We know the stakes, with the Cold War masking a secret supernatural war for the weapon to destroy the Gray Trader's master. We know the weakness of the Trader, so it doesn't pop up like a deus ex machina later. We know what Pearl and the others will have to do, including the infiltration of Area 51 (not said expressly, but when you talk about secret bases in the Nevada desert, that's a gimme). And you meet a vampire elephant. Of course, we are also reminded that Skinner has been touched by the Trader, so, as ever, Skinner is the wild card. I've missed American Vampire, with it's mix of myth, history, and genuine horror. I'm glad it's back, and hope it stays a while.

Saga #25
Art: Fiona Staples
Story: Brian K. Vaughan

And speaking of books returning from hiatus, Saga is back from it's standard between arc break. One of the best things about Saga is it's wide cast, which allows for some very interesting character combinations. The end of last arc has now created the unexpected duo of Marko, father of Hazel, our narrator, and one of the principal protagonists, and Prince Robot IV, the robot who has been hunting Marko since the beginning of the series, as they both hunt for their kidnapped children. Dengo, the robot kidnapper, has left Alana , Hazels's mother, and Klara, her mother-in-law, imprisoned together, and so we really get to see how they have grown together. And we get the really odd combination of The Brand, Pretty Boy, Gwendolyn, Sophie, and Lying Cat, hunting down the semen of beast to cure The Will, and accidentally grabbing a female, and hilarity and chaos ensuing. Beyond the character interactions, though, the opening of this issue feels different than usual. The opening to an issue of Saga is usually a flashback narrated by Hazel, and while this issue is no different, the scope of the flashback is. Instead of discussing some personal moment between characters, it is an examination of the origins of the war between Wreath and Landfall, about what drives people into the army, and what drives the war. It's a thoughtful discussion of the blindness on the homefront that can occur in a long standing conflict, and I feel it's setting up a new element to the series. The issue ends with the introduction of a new faction, one that makes perfect sense in the context of the series, and one that will add even more characters to the epic of the series. Also interesting to note is the inversion of the typical comic book credits, both on the cover and on the title page, with the artist listed before the writer. It's a testament to the marriage between art and story in this series, and how the creators view each other. The letter's page includes a comment that, despite all the new projects both creators are working on, there will be no additional delays or fill ins for the series, because this is a series they are both invested in. That investment shows on every page.

And from Dan Grote...

Ms. Marvel #11

Words by G. Willow Wilson

Art by Adrian Alphona and Ian Herring

Well, we’ve made it. After a year and 11 issues, G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona have capped their first arc on Ms. Marvel. She’s got her origin story, kept her secret identity from loved ones, established a support network (Lockjaw!), teamed up with Wolverine, given an inspiring speech or two and defeated her first villain, only for a loophole to set up his inevitable return around issue #25. She’s earned that cupcake she’s eating on the cover.

Kamala’s establishing arc is paced for the decompressed, trade-waiting age of modern comics. Consider that 50 years ago, by issue 11, Spider-Man had already faced the Chameleon, the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, the Sandman, Dr. Doom, the Lizard, Electro and the Enforcers. While Ms. Marvel may seem slow by comparison, consider how much character work Wilson and Alphona have done in this time. The book has really been more about how Kamala interacts with the people around her – her parents, her Muslim faith, her friends, the teenagers duped into working for the Inventor – as it is about “embiggening” (1 million points for working a classic Simpsons reference back into the popular lexicon, BTW) and punching stuff.

Taken by itself, this issue’s greatest achievement may be the splash page that shows Kamala inside one of the Inventor’s robots, stretched and weaving among the gears, filling tight spaces already inhabited by rats, garbage and what appear to be Christmas lights. Also, for you Easter egg hunters, enjoy spotting references to The Princess Bride, Black Dynamite and bad Japanese-English video game translations.

Next issue sees Kamala dipping another toe into the wider Marvel Universe, meeting up with the sexy-teen version of Loki. Here’s hoping Kamala keeps embiggening and learning along the way.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 3/19

American Vampire: Second Cycle #1
Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque

Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque's American Vampire returns with a new volume in an issue that i a great place for new readers to jump on. The final issues of the previous volume did a great job of closing that first chapter, and so our series two principle characters, American vampires Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones are in very different places than the last time we saw them; set in the sixties, a decade after the end of the last arc, Pearl is running a halfway house for vampires trying to flee they're past and make good lives without killing, and Skinner is, "The Sugar Man," a highway bandit riding a motorcycle, not the evil mutant. Each character has a gorgeous two page spread beautifully put together by Albuquerque that gives a montage of their pasts, and no knowledge of the previous series is required. The issue opens with a scene of Pearl defending her newest charge from a lynch mob, which is done very cleverly, playing off reader expectations, since the reader doesn't find out until later the girl is a vampire, and seeing a large group of white people with pitch forks and torches chasing a young African American girl conjures images that aren't out of horror movies, but historical horrors. There is more to the girl than seems, as she is tied to the mysterious Gray Trader, the villain who was hinted to in the final issue of volume one. Skinner, meanwhile, heads to hijack a cargo that is not what he expects, and seems to run afoul of the Gray Trader himself. The Gray Trader is the new mystery to keep readers guessing, and to draw Pearl and Skinner back together in the dance they have danced since Skinner turned Pearl. American Vampire has done an excellent job of building its mythology and developing different threads, and it looks like the second half of the series will be drawing those threads together into a new, terrifying tapestry.

Buffy the Vampre Slayer: Season 10 #1
Story: Christos Gage
Art: Rebekah Isaacs

While I thought Season 9 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an improvement on the somewhat meandering Season 8, the real highlight of the Whedonverse comics last year was the wonderful Angel & Faith by Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs. Gage knew the character well, and wrote character driven stories that explored his two leads and pushed them to new places they hadn't been before, while mixing in humor and action in big doses. Isaacs is an artist who has quite a few credits under her belt, and is just waiting for that one big project for her to become a breakout star; her characters are distinct, well wrought, and she draws great action, great character pieces, and some creepy monsters. When it was announced this team would be moving over to the main Buffy series with the new season, I was excited to see what they would do with the whole Scooby Gang, and it has paid off. While Willow and Spike appeared in Angel & Faith, Buffy herself didn't, and Gage hits it right out of the park in issue one with his narration from Buffy's point of view; he captures her voice, while also making her the confident character that she has completely developed into over the course of the last season. This issue ties up a loose end from last season, using that as a way to bring all the relevant characters into play, as Buffy and her allies fight off an horde of zompires, the mindless vampires created by the lack of magic the previous year. By issue's end, the zompires are destroyed, but the new breed of vampire introduced at the end of season nine confronts Buffy, and while it looks like things might end poorly, a couple old allies reappearing tip the balance. OK, SPOILER hats on, so stop here if you haven't read the end of Angel & Faith, or want to avoid knowing a bit of the end of the issue, even though it was telegraphed at the end of A&F. Buffy's reunion with the de-aged Giles is a scene that warmed my heart. Giles was one of my favorite characters in the Whedonverse, and his loss was keenly felt when he left the series (something Buffy references in her narration). I'm sure there will be plenty of humor down the line from a father figure in the body of a thirteen year old, but for the end of this issue, the teary moment when Buffy and Giles embrace is done so beautifully and wordlessly that it was definitely the moment of the week for me.

Daredevil #1
Story: Mark Waid
Art: Chris Samnee

For the past three years or so, Mark Waid's Daredevil has been a breath of fresh air. Since Frank Miller, Daredevil as a character has been mired in so much darkness that it's been hard to see the red costume in all that black. But when Waid came on, he brought some joy back to the character, making him fun and fearless without making him a poor man's Spider-Man. This was vastly helped by his artistic collaborators, especially Chris Samnee, who worked on much of the run. Last month saw the end of that volume, and this month sees the dawn of a new era. While many All-New Marvel Now! number ones introduce new creative teams on their books, the change in Daredevil is very much internal and plot driven. After the end of the last volume, Matt Murdock, Daredevil, has had to move to San Francisco, where he lived back in the 70s briefly. With his powers and identity public, Matt can work with the government of the city. I'm curious to see of Waid actually uses some of the material established with the Marvel Universe San Francisco back in Uncanny X-Men, or if he'll just start fresh; I have no problem with either, frankly, but am curious. We get an issue that has Daredevil going to rescue a kidnapped girl, and then must escape the terrorists who kidnapped her. It's a good place to start, because you get a good impression of exactly how Daredevil's powers work, something that Samnee has developed a great visual representation for, and to see the new status quo with his new partner, both in law and crime fighting, his maybe-sorta-ex-girlfriend, Kirsten McDuffie (in all fairness, there are very few female characters in the Marvel Universe who aren't Matt Murdock's ex). The two have an easy banter that is charming, and Kirsten is willing to stand up to Matt, and even hit him back in a metaphorical way. The final page sets up a mystery that I don't expect to last long, but definitely left me scratching my head in a good way. If you have heard good things about Daredevil, this is a perfect place to jump on, so go for it.

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi- Force War #5
Story: John Ostrander & Jan Duursema
Script: John Ostrander
Art: Jan Duursema

So far today I have written up three new number ones that are places to start a series. The final review of the day is a final issue, and more than just the final issue of a series or mini-series, but the end of an era. John Ostrander is one of my three favorite writers in comics, and he has had a run on Star Wars comics that stretches over a decade. With the license shifting from Dark Horse Comics to Marvel Comics in 2015, a lot about Star Wars comics is up in the air, so this is definitely the last Star Wars comic by John Ostrander published by Dark Horse, and maybe ever. And it's a perfect send off. Working with his regular collaborator on these comics, artist Jan Duursema, Ostrander brings the story of the war between the Infinite Empire of the Rakata and the Jee'dai, the order that will someday become the Jedi of the films, to a close. Each of the major characters gets a resolution to their arc, and that's an achievement with such a large cast; but then again, Ostrander crams more into one issue than most writer do into three. Xesh, the Force Hound and sometimes Jee'Dai, and Shae Koda, have a showdown while Daegon Lok, the mad Jee'dai general, faces down Skal'nas, the leader of the Rakatan invasion. Sek'nos Rath, the Sith Jee'dai, faces his won darkness when he confronts Trill, the woman who betrayed him. And Tasha Ryo, the Twi'lek Jee'dai seer, finds her connection with the Force after it was severed. It's a very satisfactory end, and it leaves the world open if anyone wants to revisit it in the future. I am going to miss Ostrander and Duursema on Star Wars more than any other creative team, and I'm going to look forward to revisiting all their work in a re-read soon, something I intend to write up later in the year.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 8/29

American Vampire #30
Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque

The current arc of American Vampire continues, taking us deeper into the 50s and one of the title vampires Pearl's hunt for the coven of vampires who attacked and nearly killed her human husband.  Pearl continues working with her sire, the first American vampire, former wild west outlaw Skinner Sweet, who is now forced to work with the anti-vampire organization the Vassals of the Morning Star. The fight between Pearl, Skinner, and the vampires is a beautifully choreographed fight sequence, and artist Rafael Albuquerque does an amazing job with it. The fact that the vampires now know the one weakness of the American breed makes the battle all the deadlier, and makes Skinner's treachery all the worse. Scott Snyder does a great job of balancing the incredible action scenes with the more personal moments of Pearl's time at Henry's bedside, her flashback to when he proposed, and the choice she makes at the end. The cliffhanger is heartrending, not an action based one, but one that has deep resonance with the personal lives of all of the principal characters of the series. Snyder promised in interviews that this is the arc that will change everything in the world of the series, and it looks like he's not pulling any punches, and I can't wait to see where he goes with it.

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #3
Story & Art: Darwyn Cooke

 Darwyn Cooke is a master storyteller, and this, the third issue of his written and drawn Before Watchmen: Minutemen mini-series, showcases his talents as both writer and artist. The issue is told primarily in a classic nine panel grid, which is used so infrequently in modern comics, but was the way Dave Gibbons structured the original Watchmen, making this issue as much an homage as a prequel. The issue also uses an interesting narrative; part of it told by Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl, through his recollections and memoir, while it is also told by a narrator who is not revealed until the end of the issue. Cooke plays with expectations on the second narrative, starting it off as seemingly a sexual encounter before using the story to reveal it's something else entirely. While Cooke is clearly using Nite Owl the most, being he is the narrator of much of the story, he has done an excellent job of fleshing out Silhouette, the female vigilante who was one of the minor characters from the original series. Her quest to protect children from those who would abuse them is noble, and she is dedicated to doing real good far more than most of her teammates. Knowing Silhouette's tragic end just makes the development of her character more tragic, and the story all the more engaging.

Locke & Key: Grindhouse
Story: Joe Hill
Art: Gabriel Rodriguez

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Locke & Key is one of the best modern horror comics on the market, and the inspiration for the best un-picked up TV pilot I have ever seen (Thank you IDW and NYCC 2011 ), and one of the comics I look forward to most when it comes out. This is a book that is going to get a full recommended reading come November, when the final mini-series chronicling the current generation of the Locke family is released, but I had to do a review of this one shot. Locke & Key is a series that has always done an amazing job of balancing the truly frightening with the very human, a coming of age story with magic keys and things from beyond reality. But as the title suggests, this is not a story that is going to be full of tender moments. In the 1930s, a trio of criminals attempt to use Keyhouse, the home of the Locke family and the magical keys, as a point to escape the law, and when they take the family hostage, things go poorly. For the criminals. The comic has the feel of a classic, pre-code horror comic, with the criminals receiving their due comeuppance. Artist Gabriel Rodriguez's style, while clearly recognizable as his own, has an edge here that fits the grittier tale he's telling. The backmatter in the issue is a treat for any fan of the series: architectural layouts of the entirety of Keyhouse, with views of the interior and exterior, with annotations from series writer Joe Hill. If you like horror comics and have never tried Locke & Key, or have already visited Key House, this is an issue not to be missed.

The Sixth Gun #24
Story: Cullen Bunn
Art: Brian Hurtt

"Winter Wolves" the new arc of The Sixth Gun, begins with this issue, and it seems like the cast of this weird western are in for a hard road. The Sword of Abraham, the order of warrior priests attempting the stave  off the apocalypse, are given a prophecy of doom from the mouth of the corpse of General Hume, the undead villain who has sought the six magical guns. Gord Cantrell, separated from the rest of the cast, continues to try to find his allies, while something has found him. But it's our hero and heroine, ne'er do well Drake Sinclair and possessor of the titular Sixth Gun Becky Montcrief, who are in the worst way. Drake and Becky are being pursued through a suddenly (and mystically) winter environment by the namesake of the arc, frightening mystical wolves. Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt are one of those great writer/artist teams who work together seamlessly. The story moves at a breakneck pace without seeming rushed, and the art is clean and cool, mixing both realistic looking characters with a great ability to showcase magic and monsters. They produce a great comic that blends horror and western into a dish that leaves you wanting more. Comics have always done a great job of blending these genres (DC's Jonah Hex stories over the years have been key examples), but The Sixth Gun takes it to a new level, building a continuing narrative and mythology that deepens with each arc.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 6/13

Amercian Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #1
Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Dustin Nguyen

American Vampire has been a slow but sure exercise in world building for writer Scott Snyder and his artistic collaborators. Since issue one, Snyder has been creating a whole new vampire mythos, with different breads and an order of humans who are fighting them. This, the second spin-off miniseries from the core Vertigo title, follows up on the end of the previous spinoff, Survival of the Fittest. Felicia Book, the half American-Vampire is back, along with her now foster son, Gus, who has a vampiric lineage of his own. They seem to be living a normal life in Paris before Agent Hobbes, the face of the vampire hunting Vassals of the Morning Star, pops up again. What he reveals at the end of the issue shouldn't be too much of a shock; this is a vampire story, and the twist is something that usually goes hand in hand with those, but it is well handled. The opening sequence of the issue, with Agent Hobbes sitting down with the enemy for a talk, and the chaos that ensues at the end of it, are beautifully rendered by Dustin Nguyen, making his American Vampire debut. This is a promising start to the mini-series, with a central plot that I'm excited to follow and the return of Felicia Book, a favorite character from earlier arcs. If the rest of the series can keep up with this premiere issues, it will be a worthy addition to the American Vampire mythos.

Batman #10
Story: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Art: Greg Capullo & Rafael Albuquerque

Scott Snyder continues to wow this week, with the penultimate issue of this "Court of Owls" story in Batman. Just in case you've been avoiding them from the numerous places they have been on-line the past week, SPOILERS AHEAD. While the revelation that Lincoln March is the mastermind behind the Court of Owls plot was one I saw coming, the revelation that he is, in fact, Thomas Wayne Jr. was a pleasant surprise. I was going to lay out the history of this lost scion of the Wayne family, but Chris Sims over at Comics Alliance beat me to it. Still, Bruce's slow realization of the answers to the mystery, his discovery of the remains of much of the Court, and his discussion with the man claiming to be his brother were excellent character beats. The back up, by Snyder and James Tynion IV, continues to flesh out the rivalry between the Court and the Wayne family, and giving a voice to Jarvis Pennyworth, Alfred's father, who has never really been anything other than a character mentioned by Alfred before. This has been the stand out book of the New 52 for me, and I'm looking forward to see how Snyder wraps up his epic next issue.

Batman and Robin #10
Story: Pete Tomasi
Art: Patrick Gleason

Since it's New 52 #1, Batman and Robin has really been a book about Damian and Bruce Wayne, and how they act towards each other as father and son. It's interesting to watch Bruce, who has always acted as something less than a father but more than a friend to his previous Robins, really try to act like a father to Damian, and fail as often as he succeeds. This issue introduces a new villain, Terminus, and a new group of henchmen made up of those criminals injured by Batman in his crusade. And that's an interesting concept, but isn't the focus or the heart of the issue. No, the center of this issue is sibling rivalry. One of the things that I have felt most missing from the Bat titles since the New 52 has been the presence of Tim Drake, the hero called Red Robin. Tim is probably my second favorite character in comics, right behind Batman himself, and while I understand he's busy in Teen Titans, I miss him interacting with his family. This issue is probably not Tim's shining hour. After bickering with Damian, the young Robin declares that he will best all the previous Robins at something they are good at, and prove himself. And he beats Tim. He out thinks Tim, which is Tim's strongsuit: he was always the smartest Robin. Now, Tim has had a weak spot when it comes to Damian since Damian entered the Batcave, mostly since their earliest interactions mostly involved Damian trying to kill Tim, so I have no problem with Tim's characterization here. He lets Damian push his buttons. I just love the ways the characters interact, which has been Tomasi's strong suit on this book. I can't wait to see Damian take on the other former Robins in the next couple issues.

The Sixth Gun #23
Story: Cullen Bunn
Art: Tyler Crook

The Sixth Gun is a great weird western that debuted two years ago on free comic book day, and the action hasn't slowed down since. After a very cool silent issue in #21, and the wrap up of the current storyline, "A Town Called Penance" last issue, this one serves as an epilogue of sorts to that story, with the return of dashing, and treacherous, gunslinger Kirby Hale. I enjoy the one offs that writer Cullen Bunn has worked into the ongoing narrative of The Sixth Gun, fleshing out side characters and giving us a breath between the major arcs. Artist Tyler Crook, best known for his work on B.P.R.D. does an admirable job, making the issue his own, while bending just enough to fit with the overall style of the book. By issue's end, it looks like Kirby Hale is on a crash course with our heroes, and I don't think everyone is going to make it out alive. But what's a western without a little bloodshed?