Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 7/3

Batman Incorporated #12
Story: Grant Morrison
Art: Chris Burnham

As Grant Morrison's multi-year, multi-series Batman epic nears it's conclusion, Batman makes his move against Leviathan, the terrorist organization headed by Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul and mother to his now dead son, Damian. The Batman segments of the issue are mostly the Dark Knight in combat with The Heretic, the clone of Damian who killed Robin. This is the issue that most of the stories post the death of Damian have been leading to. This is a Batman at the very edge of sanity, one who is savage and brutal. But by the end, when the Heretic is unmasked, and Batman looks into the face of what Damian might have been if he had not come to his father, he stops, unable to take a life. This is juxtaposed against the new Knight, the former Squire, Batman of England. The previous Knight was also killed by Heretic, and she is more than willing to kill the Heretic. Meanwhile, much of the rest of Batman Inc goes to rescue Wingman, Jason Todd, and discovers the identity of the leader of Spyral, the superspy organization that has infiltrated Batman Inc. The final scene sees Talia going to confront Batman for one final fight. Morrison has set up a lot to pay off in his final issue, both between Bruce and Talia, but more with Spyral. There are references to a bigger game being played, of which Batman Inc and Leviathan are small parts. As Morrison has said this is pretty much the end of his run in the DCU, with the exception of Multiversity, I wonder if this is something that Morrison is just toying with or is something that he's going to fully address. But in the end, Morrison has spent this whole arc breaking down Batman and rebuilding him. So we have one issue until we see exactly what this new creation is going to be when he rises from the ashes.

Detective Comics #22
Story: John Layman
Art: Jason Fabok/Andy Clarke

The Wrath is a fairly obscure Batman villain. Created by Mike W Barr for the Batman Special in the early 80s, he has only appeared twice since; once in an arc of Batman Confidential, and once in an episode of The Batman. The Wrath is one of the characters who was created as an anti-Batman, whose origin is intentionally a mirror of Batman's; his criminal parents were shot and killed by a police officer (namely Jim Gordon) while he watched. This issue introduces this character into the New 52. He maintains the original modus operandi, targeting police officers for death, but seems to have a sidekick, Scorn, who appeared first in the cartoon. But there's more to this new Wrath, as he is cold and calculating, and seems to have no compunction about the death of allies in his crusade. We are also introduced to a new billionaire on the Gotham scene, E.D. Caldwell, a weapon manufacturer who also seems to be a humanitarian and who has his eye set of acquiring Wayne Enterprises. The end of the issue gives hints to a connection between Caldwell and Wrath, and while in most cases I would see this as a clear indication they are the same person, I wonder if John Layman, who is a craftier writer than that, has a surprise up his sleeve, and even if he doesn't, I'm sure he'll give a thorough and interesting background to this new vision. Layman has done an excellent job of fleshing out and creating villains in his run of Detective Comics, and this is another winner. Coupled with Jason Fabok's great new design, I'm looking forward to more stories featuring the Wrath.

Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin #5
Story: Jim Butcher & Mark Powers
Art: Joseph Cooper

Nothing ever really works out for Harry Dresden. He was called to the town of Boone Mill to deal with a series of mysterious deaths, and not only has he failed to stop them, but now he's locked up as the one who has done it. Despite all of this, Harry is willing to stand up for the little guy. This series has done a great job of demonstrating one of Harry Dresden's main character traits (or flaws, as some would have you believe): Harry is always going to protect the innocent, always going to do what is right. With the Talbot family caught between a Ghoul and a Goblin, and with the Naga that is refereeing the competition unwilling to step in, it's up to Harry, sick, wounded Harry, to protect the three remaining Talbots. Harry stands up to the Naga, a being that could obliterate him with an eyeblink, and tells her exactly what he thinks of her inaction. Harry has always spoken truth to power, and it has often gotten him into trouble, but this creature seems to respect him for it, and gives him a hint. By issue's end, Harry has learned the secret of Boone Mill's mayor, and might have an ally to help him make his stand. But the ghoul and goblin, two creatures that can easily take Harry physically, are preparing to make their final attack. Harry Dresden is at his best when the odds are stacked against him, and next issue, the series finale, those odds have rarely been stacked as high against him; let's see how he gets out of this one.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 2/27

All Star Western #17
Story: Jimmy Palmiotti and Justi Gray
Art: Moritat/ Staz Johnson

A new story begins in this All Star Western, bringing Jonah Hex, still in Gotham City seemingly against his better judgement, up against another of DC Comics great characters, the villainous immortal, Vandal Savage. As a plague ravages a neighborhood called Death's Doorstep, Catherine Wayne, wife of current Wayne patriarch Alan, is kidnapped while trying to give the victims aide, and Hex, along with his current partner/sidekick Amadeus Arkham, and two other bounty hunters are sent in to retrieve her. Moritat does a beautiful job giving the creepy, near deserted and corpse strewn Death's Doorstep a horror movie feel, and when the plague victims attack, the scenes seem right out of a modern zombie thriller. The fights are brutal, and Hex shows his usual casual feelings about taking a human life. Meanwhile, Vandal Savage is presented somewhere in between the madcap barbarian warrior he is in Demon Knights, set in England in the Dark Ages, and the calculating serial killer from his appearance in DC Universe Presents, set in the present. Savage has the air of his more jovial self, filling himself with wine, women, song, and gambling, but does not charge in to immediately take what he wants, instead laying out an elaborate plan. Hex already is more than prepared to kill Savage for cheating at cards, so when he finds Catherine in Savage's clutches next issue, who knows exactly what's going to happen, but I know it's going to involve a hail of bullets. The back up story is also the first part of a new one this issue, introducing the Stormwatch of the 19th century. Specifically, this issue features Jenny Freedom, the embodiment of the century, who controls steam (as Jenny Sparks, of the 20th century, controlled electricity, and Jenny Quantum of the 21st manipulates the building blocks of existence, as scientific understanding grows), fighting a mad scientist/anarchist on a blimp who is controlling ancient, Mesoamerican mummies, and plans to kill Chester A. Arthur. It's a fun steampunk western, and with the appearance of Adam One, the leader of Stormwatch at the end, we know there's more to come. All Star Western has done a great job since the beginning of its run in balancing its lead and back ups, and tying them together after a time. I look forward to seeing what happens when and if Jenny and her teammates, who I hope we meet next issue, run across Hex.

Batman Incorporated #8
Story: Grant Morrison
Art: Chris Burnham & Jason Masters

Ok, I knew that this book was going to be the elephant in the room if I didn't review it, clearly indicating a severe dislike for what is the keystone Batbook of the week, if not the month or year (difficult to say, in a month with the excellent Batman #17, wrapping up "Death of the Family," a book that should reverberate through the Bat titles for a while as well). Fortunately, I wound up enjoying the issue a great deal. I admit, when Damian was first introduced, I hated him. He was replacing Tim Drake, my favorite Robin. He was obnoxious and arrogant. And he was homicidal. None of these thing endeared him to me. But slowly, over the course of the past few years, especially in the early issues of the Morrison Batman and Robin, he grew on me. And now, I admit, I'm going to miss him. The highlight of this issue for me had nothing to do with Damian's battle with his evil clone, or Batman breaking out of a deathtrap that would have done in Houdini. Hell, it wasn't even Red Robin, the aforementioned Tim Drake, fighting off a group of Talia's soldiers and acting like the Tim of yore, and not the current version, one I have various issues with. No, it was the scene where Damian and Nightwing, Dick Grayson, team up again, for what is currently the last time.The rapport Morrison built between them, the fact that Damian actually likes and respects Dick, came through, as Damian admits that Dick, who was Batman when Damian first officially became Robin, was his favorite partner. They work well together, and have an easy camaraderie. Knowing what was coming made this moment all the more poignant. Death in comics is more like the common cold than anything permanent, I admit, and when you come from a family who has access to boiling pits of chemicals that can raise the dead, well, it might be an even quicker turnaround. But still, Morrison and other writers have done a great job over time of making an unlikable character very likable, and I'll miss Damian as long as he's gone. Now, we just have to see how Bruce reacts, and what happens next.

Star Wars: Agent of the Empire- Hard Targets #5
Story: John Ostrander
Art: Davide Fabbri

Agent of the Empire has proven to be a fun series, with a perfect espionage, James Bond caper sort of feel. I've talked before, in a review of previous issues of this series and in my list of favorite Star Wars characters, about my affection for the "noble Imperial" as a character type, and I think Jahan Cross fits that bill very well. But what he is also is a spy, and his morals are greyer than even characters like Thrawn, Pellaeon, or Baron Fel. In this issue, Cross's plan to save the young Count Dooku, distant relation to the Prequel villain of the same name and current count of Serenno, comes to fruition. It's one of those spy plots, with wheels within wheels, but much of the issue is focused on Cross in combat with Boba Fett. Davide Fabbri is one of my favorite Star Wars artists, with a lively style that fits the pulpy worlds that populate the Galaxy Far, Far Away, and his backgrounds are nicely detailed. This adds to a big fight by making it feel more definite, less sketchy. Cross cleverly fights Fett, but knows that he can't beat him. His stalling action works, and his plan goes off without a hitch. But in the process, one good woman dies, and Cross has no problem seeing a villain killed in complete cold blood, and the Empire winds up with a pawn in place; Cross still doesn't quite see the evil in the Empire, but sees it as a necessary one. This is not a man who would settle in nicely with the Rebel Alliance. Cross is a hard man, one who fits into the world of double dealing and backstabbing perfectly. In the end, the fate of the young Count Dooku is placed in safety, but his fate is far from certain, as anyone with a passing familiarity with Star Wars knows that Alderaan isn't going to be safe for much longer. Also, for those of you out there who are fans of John Ostrander's Star Wars work, did you pick up on the name drop that now connects Agent with both Republic and Legacy? If you didn't, go back and try again. I've always loved how Ostrander ties together works that exist in a shared universe, and it's little nods like this that make the universe seem like a place that exists as a whole, and not isolated pockets.

The Answer #2
Story: Mike Norton & Dennis Hopeless
Art: Mike Norton

The Answer is a series that debuted during my brief hiatus, and is one of three books I feel bad not reviewing at the start to try to get it some more attention with issue one (the others are Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood and, no one is more shocked than me, Justice League of America's Vibe). After last issue, where the quirky superhero calling himself The Answer saved librarian Devin Mackenzie from gun toting guys who tried to kidnap her, we open in a bus station, where Answer is trying to get Devin to safety. Unfortunately, more gun wielding thugs appear, this time with a creepy looking nurse and orderlies, and a madcap chase ensues. Devin is picked up in a limo by people claiming to represent the Brain Trust, an organization that is a think tank for the world's smartest people, of which Devin is one. I like Devin a lot as a character, this sort of smartass, take no crap from anyone, librarian, and she doesn't take any guff from the Brain Trust people. They provide evidence proving The Answer is an escaped lunatic, and in the end she goes off with them and Answer is carted away by the nurse. But Devin knows that something's up, and it becomes clear to the reader that the Brain Trust is tied to the mysterious self-help program, Apeiron (picture Tom Cruise from Magnolia meets Scientology, all wrapped up in a guy with one of those crappy little trianlges of hair under his lower lip). The Answer himself is a hectic, madcap sort of hero, in the style of The Creeper or Madman, quirky and probably not all there, but the good guy nonetheless. This is a fun, self contained series, and one I hope does well for Mike Norton and Dennis Hopeless, creators whose other work I also quite like, and hope that it ends as strongly as it began.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 1/2

Batman Incorporated #6
Story: Grant Morrison
Art: Chris Burnham


The end of the first half of Grant Morrison's final act on the Batman titles centers around a conversation between Batman and Talia over radio, while Batman makes his way through one of Leviathan's houses of horror. As much as we've heard of Leviathan, Talia's evil organization, we haven't really seen them in play beyond a few small instances before now, but it seems that is about to change as the endgame begins. The whole series has always been really about the relationship between Batman, Talia, and Damian, and the family dynamic, and this is becoming more clear as Batman and Talia discuss Damian while he fights through an army of her minions. Talia gives Batman and ultimatum: save Gotham or save Damian. And Bruce freezes. He isn't sure which he would save, which for Batman is a big deal. It indicates just how important his son has become to him, and how central to his life Damian has become. The scenes taking place away from this confrontation are no less riveting. Members of Batman Inc, wounded and trapped on the top floor of the building that Batman is fighting through, and the scenes of Knight attempting to resuscitate the wounded Squire are heartrending. When The Heretic, Talia's lumbering bodyguard (who I still believe to be a possibly malformed and imperfect product of the same science that gave birth to Damian), arrives, he brutally seems to kill one member of Batman Inc., an event that will resonate further down the series. And in the Batcave, Batman's four sons (Nightwing, Wingman aka Red Hood, Red Robin, and Robin) discuss what they have to do, with Alfred attempting to referee. Damian's pain at possibly being sent back to his mother is apparent, and he has surrounded himself with his pets, Titus the dog and Batcow. And Alfred presents him with a new one: a kitten whose demeanor is as prickly as Damian's own, something that seems to please him. With an army of Leviathan's converts marching the streets of Gotham, and a last minute revelation by Talia about Heretic and the vision Batman saw of the future, this issue moves the series into its highest gear, speeding towards a conclusion that will no doubt leave the lives of Batman and his son changed forever.

Fatale #11
Story: Ed Brubaker
Art: Sean Phillips

"The Case of Alfred Ravenscroft" is the first of a series of one off flashback issues of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips horror noir series, Fatale. The issue, set in the 30s, features a younger Josephine then we've seen before. Josephine, one of the protagonists of the series, a seeming immortal with the ability to make men fall madly in love with her whether she wants them to or not, hunts down pulp author Alfred Ravenscroft to find out why the stories she read by him are so similar to the nightmares she has been having. Ravenscroft is a thinly veiled analogue for legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, right down to the diary of his lingering illness, something Lovecraft did in the last years of his life. When Jo asks him where the ideas come from, Ravenscroft spins her a tale of his youth, traveling through Mexico with his mother and a cult that she joined. In the end, the young Ravenscroft sneaks into the leader's tent, and there sees a book that grants him a vision of a many eyed thing, a certainly Lovecraftian monster, something similar to the demonic things that have been plaguing Jo in the arcs set in the present. In the letters page, Brubaker comments that this story is one he's had in his head a long time, one that helped spawn the idea for Fatale, and has been reinvigorated by reading the Dark Horse Comics reprints of classic Creepy and Eerie. While I haven't read any of those, there is also a distinctly EC feel as well to this story, especially at the end when Ravenscroft introduces Jo to his mother, or the thing that was his mother. All Brubaker and Phillips works are atmospheric, and I enjoy how Fatale is taking both of it's literary ancestors, the classic horror and crime noir, and twisting them into a chilling mix. This is the first of four one off issues, and is a great point to give the series a try if you haven't yet.

Hellboy in Hell #2
Story & Art: Mike Mignola

Boy howdy, I can't get over just how gorgeous this book looks! I think I said pretty much the same thing with issue number one, but Mignola has only gotten better during his hiatus away from drawing Hellboy. This issue, Hellboy begins a Dickensian travel through his past, seeing his own birth and how exactly he received the fabled Right Hand of Doom, and then takes a trip to Pandemonium, the great city of Hell. There is no one who draws demons like Mignola in comics, creating things that look close to classic demons, with their cloven, goat like appearance, but still something very much in the vein of the universe that has been created. The dusty, twisted architecture of the abandoned Pandemonium adds to the overwhelmingly eerie feel of the issue. Even trapped in Hell, Hellboy maintains his usual cool and sarcastic demeanor, still refusing to take up the crown that has waited for him his entire life. The issue ends on a cliffhanger, with Hellboy about the confront the last demon in the city of the damned. This series is a great extension of Mignola's already fascinating Hellboy mythos, and it will be interesting to see more and more of what will happen as Hellboy tries to maintain his good spirit in a realm where good spirit is something distinctly lacking

The Manhattan Projects #8
Story: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Nick Pitarra

The Manhattan Projects is one of the most interesting comics on the market for its discussions of science and its relative morality, but this issue, there's nothing relative going on. President Harry Truman and his fellow Mason leaders have decided that the alliance between the Manhattan Projects and their Soviet counterparts in Star City to create science outside the control of their governments is not to be tolerated, and so AI Franklin Roosevelt has taken over all robots and tech that he can and has begun to kill anyone at the sites. And even in all of this chaos, Hickman finds a way to get in some very interesting character moments. The issue is mostly narrated by Wernher Von Braun, and we get a good view inside the head of the former Nazi scientist. I won't say he's made sympathetic, I don't think any of the cast of this series is ever going to be terribly sympathetic, but the reader is given a view into what drives Von Braun, and his passion to reach the stars and make advancements in science. Also, what other comic has an evil alternate dimension Einstein and Robert Feynman shooting robots with their computer screens filled with the image of our 32nd President? While the issue wraps up with the combined Soviet/American scientists winning a victory, the question remains how long can they maintain it?  The issue title, "They Rule," is spoken about the Masons, but with a victory for the Projects, has the balance of power shifted? Or is it just a matter of time before Truman and his crew attack again?

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 11/18

Batman Beyond Unlimited #10
Story: Derek Fridolfs & Dustin Nguyen/ Adam Beechen/ JT Krul
Art: Dustin Nguyen & Derek Fridolfs/ Norm Breyfogle/ Howard Porter

DCs anthology of stories from the world of Batman Beyond continues with the conclusion of the first arc of Justice League Beyond. Writer/artist team of Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen have a great feel for all the characters on their team, and while there are some nice character beats in this issue, with Superman saying goodbye to an old friend, Bruce having a brief moment with a surprise old flame, and the reunion between Big Barda and Mister Miracle, the story was more an amazing and gorgeous action piece. While half the team fights the Kobra cultists, Superman and The Demon Etrigan face down the giant serpent they have summoned. Nguyen draws an excellent Demon, and watching him cut loose on the giant serpent is awe-inspiring. In the Superman Beyond segment, Superman is settling into the new identity he has taken up as firefighter Kal Kent, but a mysterious alien pops up that seems to have not so good intentions for the man of steel. The Batman Beyond segment continues the "10,000 Clowns" story. The Batman family is all back, with Dick Grayson helping the future Batman, Terry McGuinness, and Catwoman Beyond on the street, while Tim Drake runs the Bat computer. Taking story elements from the first Batman Beyond comic mini-series and from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, the story is full of action and character. While the heroes fight off a legion of suicide bombing Jokerz, the Joker King gives his frightening world view, and heads to the hospital to have a final talk with his family, including his sister, Terry's girlfriend, Dana. But Bruce Wayne, dying of liver failure, happens to be with the Tan's, and the issue ends with Bruce smiling as he plans to fight one final Joker. Aside from the breakneck pace and great story, the Batman Beyond segments are drawn by Norm Breyfogle, one of my favorite Batman artists of all time, whose work is always something to look forward to. There are few comics that cram as much good stuff between their covers than Batman Beyond Unlimited, so if you're looking for more bang for your comic buying buck, this is great place to start.

Batman Incorporated #5
Story: Grant Morrison
Art: Chris Burnham

This issue of Batman Incorporated sees a return to the future from Batman #666, and if you thought things couldn't get worse from their, you were wrong. Framed around Bruce telling Damian he must return to his mother to avoid the dark future, and seeing Damian's heartbreak, we see the vision of the future Bruce had while travelling through time on The Return of Bruce Wayne, the one he has been trying to prevent all along. With a Joker plague on the loose, the only sane people in Gotham are left stranded in Arkahm Asylum, surrounded by armies of the mad. Damian finds a baby that he thinks might hold the key to curing the plague, and brings it to Jackanapes, one of the villains who cameoed in the previous future story, who seems to be a superintelligent molecular biologist gorilla. The story ends with the twist of a metaphoric knife, where the scheme of Leviathan comes to fruition, with the destruction of Gotham. This series seems to be taking the loosest view of New 52 continuity, with appearances by the Outsiders, and with the appearance of Dr. Hurt, a character who is inextricably linked to Darkseid, a character whose interactions with the heroes of the DC Universe seem to have changed greatly. But I take this as an example of one of those cases where continuity doesn't matter as much as the story were being told. Morrison is telling a story of Batman and Talia playing an intricate chess game  with Gotham as the board and Damian as a piece, and I'm curious to see who is put into check next.

Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #4
Story: Darwyn Cooke
Art: Amanda Conner

The first Before Watchmen to reach its conclusion, the final issue of Silk Spectre does a good job of wrapping up all the threads that the series has built. While Laurie Jupiter, the young Silk Spectre, deals with her boyfriend disappearing from her life, Hollis Mason, the original Nite-Owl comes to talk to her and bring her home. Meanwhile The Chairman moves to get rid of all the evidence of his scheme and anyone who might know anything about it. The whole action part of the series, with the manipulation of the flower children, has struck me as secondary to the more personal story of Laurie trying to start a new life away from her hovering mother, and that has been the parts of the story that have interested me the most. Cooke does a great job of portraying Sally Jupiter as a woman who cares about her daughter, but is completely unable to show it, and more who just doesn't understand how to not say the wrong thing. It doesn't make the reader forgive Sally's needlessly cruel and confrontational attitude, and maybe not even understand it, but you don't see her as a monster either. The series ends with the first meeting of the Crimebusters, a scene directly from Watchmen, and a scene that has been featured in nearly all the series so far. It's interesting to see the scene told from the point of view of each of the characters involved, and I wonder if that was something that each writer was asked to do. The art on this series by the always excellent Amanda Conner was outstanding. I can think of few artists who draw better and more expressive faces, and so the scenes that are talking scenes are visually interesting. This has been one of my favorite of the Before Watchmen mini-series, and one I recommend highly.

Gambit #6
Story: James Asmus
Art: Diogenes Neves & Al Barrionuevo

The new Gambit ongoing (his third, if you can believe it) has proven to be a fun superhero-meets-crime comic. James Asmus has a good feel for crime, as evidenced by his cowriting the current arc of Thief of Thieves with Robert Kirkman, and this issue sees Gambit involved in what might be the biggest heist of his life. As I mentioned in this past Friday's recommended reading, MI13 is appearing in this arc, so its not too surprising that Gambit, who has fallen afoul of international criminal mastermind Borya Cich and is currently strapped to a bomb, has to go steal Excalibur, still in the possession of MI13 agent Dr. Faisa Hussain. This doesn't go well, and leaves Gambit to the not too tender mercies of Pete Wisdom, who wants to know exaclty what Gambit was up to. But with international criminals, things aren't always what they seem, and pretty soon Gambit and MI13 are in the middle of a firefight with Cich's henchmen, and the real object of their raid becomes clear. Asmus is writing a Gambit who is the perfect rogue (no pun intended), with a devil may care Han Soloesque grin and just enough scruples to know that working for Cich is something he needs to get out of not just because it's someone controlling him, but because Cich is a really bad guy. He also handles Wisdom well, having the protective Wisdom particularly miffed that Gambit went after Faisa, once of Wisdom's people. Things end with Gambit in a bad place and Wisdom on his heels. I kind of now want a series with Wisdom and Gambit doing The Odd Couple thing, only with more trenchcoats and accents.

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi - The Prisoner of Bogan #1
Story: John Ostrander
Art: Jan Duursema

John Ostrander has been doing some great work on Agent of the Empire, but he's never more on fire than when he's working with one of his regular artistic collaborators, so seeing him and Jan Duursema together again for  the second Dawn of the Jedi mini-series is a treat. Picking up shortly after the previous series ended, most of this issue is spent with Xesh, the Force Hound who crashed on the Jee'dai (the name of the order that will someday become the Jedi) homeworld of Tython last arc. Xesh has been banished to the moon of Bogan, where he encounters Daegon Lok, a former Jee'dai who the order banished when he had a force vision and seemingly went mad. It seems Lok's vision was correct, presaging the arrival of The Rakatan Infinite Empire, but that doesn't mean he hasn't fallen to the Dark Side. Xesh is an Ostrander protagonist, pulled in multiple directions and unsure of what is right and where he should be going. Xesh and Lok are off on a Butch and Sundance mission to assemble a Force Saber, the weapon of the Force Hounds, but its clear that before this is done, the two will come to blows. Aside from these two characters, we stop in to see the three Jee'dai journeymen who confronted Xesh in the previous arc, and the Rakata and another Force Hound who are preparing to hunt down Xesh and his masters. Ostrander and Duursema are setting up a lot of action for this arc, and moving the pieces of what will most assuradely be war between the Jee'dai and the Rakatans into place. I just hope that, with the probable changes on the horizon for Lucasfilm Licensing and comics due to Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm, we get to see the payoff.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 10/24

All Star Western #13
Story: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art: Moritat/ Phil Winslade

Clowns and Gotham City do not mix. Well, they do if you enjoy homicide and chaos.As Haly's Circus arrives back in Gotham, Jonah Hex, Tallulah Black, and Amadeus Arkham are called to look into a gruesome murder, and all hints point them to the circus. There they find it's more than just a clown that have gone insane, and that it seems like this madness is tied in with what they have already been hired to look into, the missing formula of Dr. Henry Jekyll. It seems that Jekyll's formula is tied in with the black diamond, the source of Eclipso, that has been popping up all over the DC Universe. What's nice is that none of that matters to the story at hand. What we have here is a suspense and action story, with killer clowns, man eating tigers, and a formula that makes men evil. Which in all fairness is pretty much any Tuesday in Gotham, no matter what era the story takes place. This issue also sees the return of the Barbary Ghost, who was featured in the back-ups earlier in the series, now entering the main story. While she didn't really interact with Hex and crew this issue, I look forward to seeing her more in upcoming issues. Speaking of back-ups, a new serial begins this issue, featuring Tomahawk, although this is a different version of that character. Here, he is a brave fighting with Tecumseh against the US forces after the American Revolution. It's an intense story, not sugar coating in any way the way the US treated the Native Americans. Interestingly, the US general who will be leading the army against Tecumseh and Tomahawk is "Mad" Anthony Wayne, who's last name was given by Bob Kane to his greatest creation and has been established as an ancestor of Bruce. I'm curious to see if this will all tie into the Watyne family legacy, or if its just a nice little nod. We'll have to see.

Batman Incorporated #4
Story: Grant Morrison
Art: Chris Burnham

Batman Incorporated has its first major throw down with the forces of Leviathan, and while things seem to work out in Batman's favor, there's much more going on here. I like that Morrison can actually take an all action issue and use it for some excellent character development. We get a really good sense of many of the members of Batman Inc who aren't Gotham residents, specifically the adversarial relationship between The Hood and Gaucho due to the issues between their countries, and a nice scene with Batwing getting back at the ninja Man-Bats for his near death fight with them in the "Leviathan Strikes!" one-shot. Batman had been left in a pretty precarious place last issue, but as ever, he's Batman and had his escape plan set all along. Morrison crated Damian, and writes him as such a perfect little brat with a broken soul underneath. When the revelation of who has been wearing the Wingman costume finally happens, you can see that Damian is both hurt and confused, exactly as ten year old would be, no matter how mature he pretends to be. The revelation makes perfect sense, and fits with some of what has been going on in the New 52. I wonder if Morrison had this planned even before the transition. The ending, the last panels, is something I didn't see coming. Poor Damian has been pushed around like a chess piece for so long, I wonder if these events will finally push him over the edge. Only time, and Grant Morrison, will tell.

Fables #122
Story: Bill Willingham
Art: Gene Ha

Fables is the second longest running Vertigo series currently running, and every time I think Bill Willingham is getting ready to wind the series up, he comes up with a new angle to play with. This issue starts out some years in the future, with an adult Ambrose Wolf working on his history of Fables. The story he tells is one of the old days in the Homelands before the war with the Adversary, when his father, the Big Bad Wolf was still the most terrifying creature in all the forests.Bigby gets himself into some trouble when he tries to eat a witch, and finds his destiny is to die in two days time. As we all know, this doesn't happens, but we get to see how destiny works in the world of Fables. More than just a fun and interesting story, this issue features beautiful art by Gene Ha. Not only are his people always great to look at, but he draws beautiful forests. And most of all, his giant wolf is out of this world. I can't wait to see what happens in the second part of the arc.


OK, folks, I'm an east coast boy, so I'm scheduling this sucker to be posted tomorrow and finishing battening down the hatches for the monster storm about to hit us. Stay safe, everyone, and you'll hear more from me once I'm out the other side.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 9/26

Batman Incorporated #0
Story: Grant Morrison & Chris Burnham
Art: Frazier Irving

As #0 issues go, I think Batman Incorporated got one of the best. Many of the zero issues were really out to try to smooth over some continuity issues created by the New 52 or to detail brand new origins for existing characters. But Batman Incorporated #0 really works to not only set the stage for the ingoing, but to flesh out some of the existing characters. If you were a reader who came into this series fresh with the New 52, you now have met many of Batman Incorporated's members, seen how Batman recruited them, and gotten a feel for their different attitudes. Especially important was sare the scenes with Batman recruiting the new Dark Ranger, the Batman of Australia. This is a new character, one who hasn't really appeared in more than a panel or two before this, so getting to know him means, I assume, he will play an important role later. I liked watching his burgeoning relationship, albeit a long distance one, with Squire, the partner of England's Knight. Squire is a spitfire, a great character, and she provides a great sounding board for Dark Ranger. Frazier Irving is an outstanding artist, and his style, with it's heavy shadows and beautiful darkness, is well suited for Batman. The only thing I didn't get but was hoping for was an appearance by Cassandra Cain as Black Bat, Batman of Hong Kong; but I figured it was a long shot. A guy can hope that she might pop up before the series is out though.

Happy! #1
Story: Grant Morrison
Art: Darick Robertson

It's been a while since Grant Morrison stepped back into the kind of comics that made him famous. He's been working on Batman and Superman for so long, you can forget this is the guy who made his bones writing The Invisibles, Flex Mentallo, and the trippiest run on Doom Patrol probably ever. Happy! is is new creator owned series from Image, teaming with Transmetropolitan and The Boys artist Darick Robertson. What starts out as a noir, with four mobster brothers looking to take out ex-cop-turned-hitman Nick Sax, quickly turns into something very different as, after waking up from near fatal gunshots, Nick starts seeing a flying blue horse named Happy who claims to be an imaginary friend and needs Nick's help to save his master (owner? maker? You get the idea). Morrison is clearly working tongue in cheek with both the noir genre and the gritty comics of today. The two brothers who are talking at the beginning curse so liberally that they are a parody of the profane mobster. Happy stands out so much against the dark world that Nick exhibits that it's jarring, and I think it's supposed to be that way, similarly to how Batmite stands out against the world of Batman in Morrison's run there, although even more striking. Darick Robertson is an artist whose style is realistic, but who does a wonderful job of peppering in bits of sheer unreality, be they the sci-fi elements of Transmet or the supes in The Boys. Happy the horse is charming and amusing, and looks really out of place surrounded by mobsters in a hospital. Choosing to set the story at Christmas makes for certain overtones that come with all Christmas stories; ideas of hope and redemption most prominently, even if the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is never portrayed quite as cute as Happy. I don't know if this story is going to wind up being a tale of Nick's redemption by saving the girl from whatever danger she's in, but I'm along for the ride no matter what.

Justice League Dark #0
Story: Jeff Lemire
Art: Lee Garbett

Justice League Dark came out of the gate as a solid comic, despite its somewhat awkward title. But when writer Jeff Lemire took over with its second arc, the series really started firing on all cylinders, not only having a great supernatural feel but a wicked sense of humor. This zero issue details the New 52 history of John Constantine and Zatanna, and introduces a new character, their mentor Nick Necro. Necro is clearly a proto-Constantine, the man John models his eventual behavior after, for good or ill. Ok, this is Constantine we're talking about; it's mostly ill. John and Zee study under Nick, and watch his eventual descent into madness hunting for the fabled Books of Magic; that Nick will turn out to be the Big Bad of the current arc of Justice League Dark will probably surprise no one when it's revealed. Seeing Constantine, a character who has existed solely in the Vertigo side of things for so long, interacting with the DCU has taken some getting used to, but I've come to really enjoy it, and to see a young Constantine giving in to some of the instincts that an older one would deny, like the urge to run and help a clearly unbalanced mentor who, shock of shocks, betrays him, is something the older Constantine of Hellblazer of even JLD would never do. But a Constantine, no matter the age, is the bastard of all bastards, and anyone who gets close to him is probably on their way to a messy death. The lessons learned by Constantine in this issue, ones about control and about who really has power, are things that are key to his character, and it was a great ride to see him learn them. Consider it, "The Portrait of the Mage as a Young Bastard."

The Punisher #16
Story: Greg Rucka
Art: Marco Checchetto

Writer Greg Rucka's tenure on The Punisher ongoing comes to a close, and it does so in a way that nicely ties up all the loose ends. I'm not a huge Punisher fan, but I am a huge Rucka fan, and read the series with quite a bit of interest. I wrote a piece about Batman and his use as a plot device in Batman: The Animated Series, and I feel like Rucka has pretty much been doing that this entire run. Garth Ennis did that for much of his run on the MAX Punisher series, where the mobsters, victims, and other characters were the focus, but Rucka's Punisher is a force of nature, who spoke fewer lines over the course of the run than most lead characters do in a single issue. This series has really be the story of Rachel Cole-Alves, a marine whose family was killed in a mob scuffle and has become a sort of apprentice Punisher. Rachel's story wraps up this issue, with her finally reaching a breaking point, and realizing she isn't the force of nature that Rucka's Punisher is. It's a heartbreaking scene, Rachel guilt ridden over the death of an innocent during the final battle between her, the Punisher, and the super crime syndicate The Exchange, and watching Punisher quietly taking the police out of the equation to allow her the chance to live. One of Rucka's other supporting characters, Detective Ozzy Clemons, factors in to the end of Rachel's story, and he is given his own satisfying ending. In October, Rucka's Punisher: War Zone mini-series begins, which promises to be much less intimate, and more over the top crazy. But I think someday, this will be looked at as one of the best Punisher runs ever, and I'm glad I read it.

The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #18
Story: various
Art: various

Ah, it's that wonderful time of year again. The leaves are changing, there's a cool breeze, and Homer is going on a killing spree. Yes, just like the TV series, Bongo Comics releases a Simpsons Halloween annual each year, collecting various short pieces. This year's is chock full of some great horro/comedy. The first story, an Evil Dead/Cabin in the Woods parody, comes from The Houghton Brothers, creators of Reed Gunther. Gerry Dugan and Phil Noto riff on Rosemary's Baby. Jim Valentino does a Rashaman-esque take of the regulars at Moe's trying to remember how the Bride of Frankenstein makes her entrance. And Chris Yambar tells a tale of Bartman entering Springfield Asylum in a tale neatly parodying the Arkham Asylum video game. There's nothing heavy here, nothing to sit around and contemplate. But if you like The Simpsons or a comic that's going to give you a good chuckle, give this one a shot. Oh, and on a side note, if anyone out there has, or knows where to get, a Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #1, let me know. I've been looking for that for, well, eighteen years now.

Talon #0
Story: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Art: Guillem March

The first title in the new DCU to feature a completely new character began this week, and I was pleased to see it. The lack of new characters headlining books was something I was surprised by with the New 52, and although the concept of Talon comes from Scott Snyder's "Court of Owls" story in Batman, Calvin Rose makes his first appearance here. The reader gets everything they need to know about Calvin in these pages: his history before coming to Haly's Circus, his training with the Court of Owls, and his abandonment of his duties. There are mysteries left about his past, but they seem to be flavor more than essential, which is fine, although who knows what might be important later on. What we see is a character with a certain set of skills, an escape artist who now must use those skills to escape not just from a strait jacket, but from the men who are hunting him. Snyder and Tynion have proven how well they work together in the back-ups on Batman, and this issue only further cements it. Calvin has a great voice; he doesn't sound like a recycled Bat character. I do have a feeling we'll get a similar vibe to the early issues of the Azrael series, a mixture of adventure and secret societies, which I'm looking forward to; the first two years or so of the Denny O'Neil Azrael ongoing were great comics. But whether I'm right or not, I think the Bat-family has an interesting new addition.

Wolverine & the X-Men #17
Story: Jason Aaron
Art: Mike and Laura Allred

Oh, Doop. Nothing quite like a floating green potato man to save the day. This issue of Wolverine and the X-Men steps back from the ongoing plots of X-Men fighting Avengers and the machinations of the new Hellfire Club to tell a one off story of exactly why Wolverine has recruited Doop, former X-Force/X-Statix member, to hang around The Jean Grey School. Doop is Wolverine's secret weapon, to look for threats against the school and stop them before they can attack. This includes dealing with zoning, Nazi bowling clubs, teaming up with Howard the Duck, and internet trolls. It's a hilarious issue, with each predicament Doop gets himself involved in seeming to be more ludicrous than the last. The scenes of Wolverine recruiting him, including Wolverine having to put on a one man show of what he thinks Cyclops would be like with a claw in his head were unreal and amusing, and Doop's dinner with Sabretooth ends about as well as you would expect. Doop co-creator Mike Allred is on art duties this issue, and I could think of no one more perfect for the job. Allred's sense of the absurd is second to none, and he draws all these bizarre scenes with a straight face, for want of a better term, while still making it seem odd and off kilter. Even if you're not an X-Men person, this is a great comic, one that plays with all the weirdness that this medium does so well.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 5/23

Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1
Writer: Grant Morrison
Art: Chris Burnham

I was concerned going into this issue that it would feel out of place. Morrison controlled the fate of Batman and the whole franchise for a fairly long time, from the end of Infinite Crisis until right before the dawn of the New 52, and since his departure things have changed. Scott Snyder's Court of Owls and the work he's been doing in the exemplary Batman have replaced the Batman Incorporated arc as what drives that Bat books. But fortunately, Morrison has not missed a step since he's been away from the character. He falls naturally into the rhythms of both Bruce and Damian, and continues to develop the creepy Leviathan organization. There are very Morrisonian concepts, like the new villain Goat Boy and his rocket rifle, and the poisoned beef, as well as the return of the Mutant gang from Dark Knight Returns. There are some issues that will drive continuity purists crazy, but frankly, I firmly believe that continuity is a tool, and you take what you can and just have to ignore or fudge the things that don't work for benefit of the story. Chris Burnham's art, which was great during the first incarnation of this series, has improved leaps and bounds. It has an amazing dynamism that carries the book forward. He probably draws the coolest Ninja Man-Bats yet. To top it all off, there is also the first in continuity appearance of Tiny Titans' Bat-Cow. Never thought I'd see that, but it made me smile.

The Guild: Fawkes
Writers: Felicia Day & Wil Wheaton
Artist: Jamie McKelvie

I've been a fan of Felicia Day's hilarious web-series, The Guild, following a group of socially maladjusted on-line gamers as they interact on- and off-line, since it's second season, and was delighted to hear Day would be bringing the series to Dark Horse comics. Each of the one-shots have focused on one member of the eponymous Guild, but this issue instead focused on the Guild's nemesis, Fawkes. head of the anti-Guild,. the Axis of Anarchy. One of the fun things about these one shots has been most of them have been co-written by Day and the actor who plays the character, and so this issue is co-written by former Star Trek: the Next Generation cast member Wil Wheaton. The story is fun, detailing Fawkes's fall from grace and how he arrived at the place he was when we last saw him in season five of The Guild. It's a fun story, full of great character bits, but the star here is Jamie McKelvie. I recently discovered McKelvie's work in some Marvel books, and loved it, and this issue spotlights his talents. He is one of those artists who does tremendous work on characters; he draws incredibly expressive faces, and I could see him drawing a silent issue and using just expression and posture to tell a story. If you are a long time Guild fan, or someone who hasn't ever laughed at their antics, this is a good issue to try out to get a feel for the series.

Near Death #8
Writer: Jay Faerber
Artist: Simone Guglielmini

With Image launching so many high profile titles recently (Fatale, Saga, Manhattan Projects) this title seems to have been a little lost in the shuffle, and that is a real shame. Near Death tells the story of Markham, a hit man who had a near death experience, and seeing that Hell waits for him, now must do his best to make amends for his ways. Most of the issues have been done-in-one, which is something you'll see I like, and have a wonderful noir feeling. Jay Faerber, the writer, is best known for his super hero creator owneds Noble Causes and Dynamo Five, both of which I enjoyed quite a bit, seems to be writing out of his wheelhouse, but clearly he knows his crime stories, because he writes great ones. Simone Gugliemini has an art style perfectly suited to the book, parts Sean Phillips and Michael Lark, but distinct in his own right. This particular issue sees Markham getting in the middle of a vendetta between two men, and tries to find a way to settle things without either dying. Markham is a flawed and fascinating protagonist; questions of morality are central to the series, and the question of whether acting differently without really changing how you think and who you are really means anything is most central. The issue showcases this ambiguous morality and is worth checking out for any fan of crime stories.