Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 4/27 Part 2

Disney's Darkwing Duck #1
Story: Aaron Sparrow
Art: James Silvani & Andrew Dalhouse

He is the terror who flaps in the night, and he's back! I was sad to see Boom Studios Disney line end, especially since some books, like The Incredibles, never were actually resolved, and because the Darwing Duck series there was so perfect. It captured everything about one of my favorite Disney cartoons, a supehero send-up with an egotistical duck hero, his hapless sidekick, his spunky daughter, and a rogues gallery of cool and wacky villains. So now that Disney has Joe Books doing some comics for them, it was the perfect time to bring Darkwing back for his 25th anniversary. This first issue is a treat both for fans of the original animated series, the previous volume of the comic, and DW neophytes as well. The story is structured to introduce or re-introduce all the classic Darkwing elements: we get a supervillain battle with one of his recurring foes, Megavolt, aided by his pal and sidekick, Ducktales' own Launchpad McQuack. There's a barbecue with his neighbors (and often the banes of his existence), the Muddlefoots and his daughter, Gosalyn. He gets a new headquarters as a gift from S.H.U.S.H., the spy organization he works with, still including Agent Gryzlikoff, a Russian bear whose Cold War attitude started getting dated as the Cold War ended and now eerily works again. And as Gosalyn and her best friend, Honker, go on a field trip to the newly opening St. Canard Maximum Security Penitentiary, we get to see more villains, and as anyone who has ever read a comic or watched a cartoon knows, innocents in a prison means one thing... BREAKOUT! And what's great is the comic is completely aware of this; it acknowledges the trope and plays off it, and also acknowledges Darkwing's massive ego, as he's initially more upset that he wasn't invited to cut the ribbon on the Pen than he is that his daughter is walking into it. Darkwing Duck was a great superhero comedy, and this comic gets all the beats just right to recapture the magic.Now if we can only get someone to convince Greg Weisman to come over and do some new Gargoyles stories...

Faith #4
Story: Jody Houser
Art: Francis Portela, Marguerite Sauvage, & Andrew Dalhouse w/ Pete Pantazis

The Faith mini-series wraps up with an issue packed to the gills with action. Now that Hadley, one of the alien Vine, has come to Faith with information that the aliens have been the ones kidnapping potential psiots, Faith prepares to go in and save the taken, but she needs some help. So first she calls in Obadiah Archer, of Archer and Armstrong, and, well, I try not to be a person who 'ships characters, since I have scene that often that way lies heartbreak and ire, but holy crap they are absolutely adorable together! Faith's flirty and Archer is so awkward. And after giving a rousing hero speech to Hadley, she agrees to join in the fight as well. Faith jokes internally about leveling up in inspirational speechifying, but I think this is one of the charms of the character she is so genuinely good that she inspires those around her to be better, and it makes her all the more wonderful for it. The fight scene is beautifully done by Francis Portela, who has a great sense of motion and action. I also like that Hadley isn't a damsel in distress, as she has to point out to the chivalrous Archer more than once; she does her own stunts after all. Faith has one more ally in the fight, but that ally is also an enemy as her ex-boyfriend/ex-teammate, Torque, has been mind controlled by the Vine, and it's cool to see Faith have to fight a physically superior foe and still win. And win she does. The end of issue has one of my favorite of Marguerite Sauvage's fantasy pages, as Faith imagines her friends as a superhero team. It doesn't work out that way, but Faith is still fighting the good fight, ans she has a new beginning. I love that Faith realizes that it's the little things, all together, that mean you're making a life for yourself, and she winds up not in a dark place but in a bright one, one that she deserves. And that's it for Faith! Oh, wait? An ongoing series launching in July? Sweet! Looks like there's more to come, and I can't wait.

Saga #36
Art: Fiona Staples
Story: Brian K. Vaughan

The last issue of an arc of Saga is usually an issue that steps back from the big plot of the series and focuses on a secondary character for an issue. That... is not the case at all in this issue. As a matter of fact, as the big plot things go, this is probably going to be one of the biggest issues of the series. And while there is the usual assortment of character beats and snappy dialogue, this is an issue full of exciting action that moves the series forward to interesting new directions. The two main quests of the past arc, Marko and Alana attempting to retrieve their daughter, Hazel, and bounty hunter The Will seeking his revenge against Prince Robot IV both reach a climax here, and end in very different ways. I'm going to SPOIL one bit here, while leaving the big end of issue cliffhanger unmentioned. The reunion between Marko and Hazel is absolutely heart-rending, in the best way. The splash page, of the two embracing with a bit of narration and Hazel just repeating, "daddy" over and over again would make the most stone-like heart grow three sizes when they saw it. And Marko's parting from his mother is equally heart wrenching; Saga is at its best when it's driving home emotional truths abut its wide cast. By the end of the issue, Petrichor, the hermaphroditic member of Marko's species, has made it onto Marko and Alana's ship, and her reaction to Alana and her marriage to Marko is surprising; for someone who has had people act towards her in disgust for her biology, her complete revulsion at the thought of Marko and Alana is interesting and I hope is something we see dealt with more in the next arc, Meanwhile, The Will's insane visions finally come to a head, now not only seeing his ex, The Stalk, but his sister, The Brand. His inner discourse, and the choices he makes, change where he's going as a character. But the highlight of that sequence? Adorable little seal-man Ghüs is a badass! He sure as hell knows how to use a battleaxe. I understand that there's all this other emotion going on, but seeing Ghüs come at The Will with his axe was just... awesome. Now, the wait between arcs begins. I'm going to spend it reading Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin's Private Eye, which I have been saving for the Saga hiatus, but for those of you not caught up, this is a great time to start.

Image + #1

This isn't a regular review, since what I'm talking about here isn't really a comic. Image + is the new supplemental magazine from Image that comes with your Previews catalog if you buy that, or is $1.99 separately. When I heard it announced, I figured this was going to be like Marvel's Previews supplement, just the solicitations in a different magazine so it captures the eye and can be sold on its own. But it's way more. It's actually a series of preview pages and interviews from upcoming Image projects, some of which haven't even been solicited yet. It's a really nice package for $1.99, and might be worth checking out if you, like me, are always curious to see what Image has coming down the pike. Oh, and if that's not enough, this issue features the first four pages of a  twelve issue serial by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard that features the origins of The Walking Dead's favorite potty-mouthed, bat-wielding sociopath, Negan. That's worth the price of admission alone.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 12/24

The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage: Second Lives #1
Story: Jen Van Meter
Art: Roberto De La Torre & David Baron


Valiant's The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage returns with a second volume that starts out with an issue mixing, action, emotion, a touch of humor, and some solid supernatural shivers. After the end of the first series, medium Dr. Shan Fong-Mirage has retrieved the spirit of her husband, Hwen, from the afterlife, and you'd think they'd get a happily ever after. But when one of you is a ghost who can't physically effect the world around him, that happily ever after doesn't come easily. If you'd never read the first series, the first page does a great job of establishing where Shan was with her husband without being a recap page, and the first scene, at a haunted wedding, not only establishes their current status quo, but Shan's power set. It's the lightest part of the issue, as Shan is called in to break up a haunted wedding. We learn the rules of ghosts in this universe, we see how Shan makes money as an exorcist/TV ghosthunter, and we get the first inklings of how strained things are since Shan and Hwen can't interact physically. We're also introduced to their friend/agent/producer Leo, whose suggestion upon arriving back at Shan's place, that they find a willing host for Hwen so he can interact with the camera, meets with such a vociferous negative you know that's going to be important later on in the series. The plot of the issue follows Shan and Hwen as they try to recover a scroll that potentially possess a spell to grant Hwen a more physical form, but when their copy turns out to be destroyed, they visit their old friend Seline and her family, both the living and the ancestral spirits, who might have one of the few remaining copies of the scroll. But something goes horribly wrong when the scroll is opened, and something is freed. The thing that makes this book so engaging are the characters. Shan and Hwen's relationship and dynamic is delightful to read, and Seline and her family are charming. Jen Van Meter always has had an ear for dialogue and character (I'm super excited that my copy of her new Hopeless Savages OGN arrived last week and I can't wait to dig into it), and she provides a great mix of character and supernatural suspense. Robert De La Torre's art both proves to be perfect for when Shan and Hwen are just talking and interacting as a couple, and when they're dealing with ghosts; I enjoyed his work on the first series, and this one is even stronger. This is a great jumping on point for readers who haven't tried this series or any Valiant book before, a thrilling ride, and good for fans of both super heroes and supernatural stories.

The Rocketeer at War #1
Story: Marc Guggenheim and Lisa Morton
Art: Dave Bullock

IDW's Rocketeer mini-series have all felt very different, from the wild high adventure of Cargo of Doom to the mystery of Hollywood Horror. Rocketeer at War sees Cliff Secord, the Rocketeer, as a grunt in North Africa, fighting the Nazis as a solider is World War II. The issue is a classic war story with a pulp twist, as Cliff saves a pilot from a shot down plane, and chases a Nazi spy trying to steal a component from a plane. The pulpiness happens when Cliff grabs the spy who turns out be wearing a glider suit, and so we have gliding Nazis versus the Rocketeer, even if Cliff doesn't have his rocket pack. It's an exciting issue, with a lot of set-up for what's coming, as we also see the Nazis developing a superweapon, Betty join the WACs, and we meet the pilot Cliff saved, a feisty redhead named Molly O'Hara, who greets Cliff with a kiss. Its such a standard Rocketeer trope to see Cliff as almost pathologically jealous when it comes to Betty, I'm curious to see how it works with a flip, as Cliff has another love interest this time. I don't think it's surprising that Cliff is back in his Rocketeer costume by issue's end, ready to serve his country. A Rocketeer story wouldn't be a Rocketeer story without a cameo from a historical or pulp figure, and this issue has Howard Hughes pop up, which is a great nod to the Rocketeer film, where it was Hughes, not Doc Savage, who designed the rocket pack. Dave Bullock's art is perfect for this series; he's an artist with a style that hearkens back to the classic age, and his work with Darwyn Cooke on New Frontier established his chops of stories set in the 40s and 50s. The comic also has the first chapter of a prose story, "The Rivet Gang," from writer Lisa Morton. This first chapter has Cliff and Betty going to a fancy party and Cliff tearing off after robbers to find himself in a... sticky situation. Read the story and you'll see that's a pretty bad pun, but those are the best kind.

Saga #32
Art: Fiona Staples
Story: Brian K. Vaughan

Saga is about sixteen comics in one. There are issues that are love stories between leads Alana and Marko, while others are domestic dramas with those two and their daughter Hazel. There are political intrigue stories featuring Prince Robot IV. The previous arc wrapped up with a quest story featuring The Brand, Sophie, Lying Cat, and Gwendolyn. The stories with D. Oswald Heist spent a lot of time discussing morality and war. And this are just a few off the top of my head. This month's issue hits one of my favorite genres: it's a caper, as Alana and Marko break into an administrative building to get a lead on Hazel's location. As Hazel points out in her narration, Alana and Marko are closer now then they ever have been, working as a well oiled machine to find their stolen little girl, and it's important to remember they've been doing this for YEARS,and they're still at it. The issue sees them knock out a guard, use technology and magic, and jump out of a window into their passing tree-rocket in the tradition of the best caper movies.Between this and the previous issue, we've reset where our principals are, and know exactly what the stakes are at this point. And while I love Saga's story, it's one of the best marriages of art and writing in comics, as Fiona Staples is a master of design, and this issue's new creatures/characters, the constables on the world of Variegate, are nightmares out of a fever dream dreamed after reading Fahrenheit 451, but as you read the issue, their looks as unstoppable monster are pretty misleading. We get reacquainted with a couple more Saga favorites by issue's end, including Sir Robot IV, his son Squire, and adorable little seal-man Ghus and his walrus pet, Friendo (I had to write all them out because it's just amazing to have that assortment of characters with such amusing names), and the stage is set for what might be a big jailbreak story, another new story type for Saga Thirty-two issues in, and Staples and Vaughan are still world building like no other comic, and that's what keeps me coming back to Saga month in and month out.


This week, Dan Grote looks at the debut issue of an All-New, All-Different Marvel title...

Patsy Walker aka Hellcat #1

Story by Kate Leth

Art by Brittney L. Williams and Megan Wilson

What is it about 68 Jay Street that produces such wonderful books? She-Hulk was arguably Charles Soule’s best Marvel work, Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones have set Howard the Duck in the same Brooklyn building, and now Kate Leth and Brittney Williams have given Shulkie sidekick Hellcat her own book that may be even more fun than the other two.

Historically, Patsy Walker is something of a continuity mess. She started out the star of the company’s early teen-romance comics, then was rebranded in the 1970s as a superhero whose early, Archie-esque stories were written by her exploitative mother. She married Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, and she was written into Marvel Divas, the company’s less-than-beloved attempt to craft its own Sex and the City-style book, alongside the Black Cat, Firestar and Monica Rambeau.

Soule’s Patsy – a feisty, hard-partying, charge-ahead PI bestie to Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk – began the character’s rehab, which makes fitting the new series’ inciting event: She-Hulk lets her go because she can’t afford a PI anymore, and Shulkie’s landlord figures out Patsy’s been living in a storage closet in the building and kicks her out (politely; they’re friends).

If you’re coming to this book from Netflix’s Jessica Jones, these are not the droids you’re looking for. Comics Patsy is, first of all, not “Trish.” She’s not a talk-radio host with a fortified apartment and funky trust issues. In fact, if this book contains any DNA from a Netflix original series, it’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, with the title character’s infectious optimism amid a sea of troubles and unwanted past publicity.

(Inserts break to let everyone quietly sing a few bars of the Kimmy Schmidt theme. Dammit!)

Patsy needs money. One would think that being the star of a long-running series of comics would open her up to royalties, but after her mother died, the rights went to her longtime frenemy, Hedy. After a run-in with a wannabe baddie Inhuman with the unfortunate nom de crime Telekinian (He can move objects with his mind, and his name is Ian), she realizes there are many down-on-their-luck Inhumans, mutants, and otherwise powered folk who need jobs, and not necessarily hero or villain work. So she pitches The Patsy Walker Agency for Heroes and Other Cool Friends What Are in Need of Work, a job-placement agency, which she’ll have to fund by working retail.

Oh, and she moves in with Ian. It’s OK, though, he reformed after she beat him up. Also, just like Kimmy and Titus!

Seriously, though, this first issue was a lot of fun. I was already a Kate Leth fan from her Adventure Time work and following her on Twitter, and artist Brittney Williams draws Patsy as an adorable go-getter ready to show Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl they didn’t invent young, female superheroes with moxie. Definitely pick it up.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 7/8

We're going to start off this week with Dan Grote's return to regular reviews, looking at what might be this year's most anticipated reboot...

Archie #1

Story: Mark Waid

Art: Fiona Staples

Fictional teenagers are one of America’s most precious commodities. They are fonts of potential yet somehow more self-actualized than real teenagers. They embody American ideals of physical perfection that put to shame the real thing, which is just a walking bag of hormones programmed to make bad decisions unless its parents tightly control every waking moment of its existence, which generally only backfires anyway. They provide an illusion of hope and order in a time of wanton id.

That’s why shows like Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210 and The O.C. maintain a place in the cultural conversation years past their expiration. And it’s why Archie will never go away.

The Archie Andrews of Mark Waid and Fiona Staples’ reboot is still the wholesome face of fictional-American teenage life. Perhaps even moreso than the pre-2015 Archie, as he lives in a version of Riverdale where raven-haired part-time lover Veronica Lodge hasn’t even moved to town yet. There’s only ever been one woman in his life – Betty Cooper – and they just broke up. Why? Well, there was something called “the lipstick incident,” but no one will explain what that is – no matter how much food you bribe Jughead with – and all parties agree it’s none of your business.

But because Riverdale High School works on Saved by the Bell logic – Archie talks to camera, there’s an inordinate number of school dances, and life seems to revolve around a core group of kids (God, I wish Jughead had a robot named Kevin) – the students of Riverdale feel it’s their mission to reunite Archie and Betty.

If there’s a lesson to this first issue of Archie, it’s butt out. It’s nobody’s business why Archie and Betty broke up, even in a book where Archie talks directly to the reader. It’s obviously complicated, and the fact that Archie and Betty still speak highly of each other and respect each other as friends and former significant others (“I wish everybody would stop looking for a villain in this,” Betty says at one point) speaks volumes to the quality of their character and to the strength of Mark Waid’s writing.

Waid appears to be at a stage in his career where he can do no wrong. His run on Daredevil was a phenomenal mix of character-driven plot, lighthearted superheroics and occasional detours into horror. This fall, he’ll be taking over the most diverse team of Avengers yet, including Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) and Nova (Sam Alexander).

And I want to live in a world drawn by Fiona Staples. I’ve been in awe of her work on Image’s Saga, the way she can take even the most grotesque concepts – a ghost with its guts hanging out the bottom, a contract killer with a spider’s lower half and thin red slits for eyes, a robot with a retro-futuristic TV set for a head – and make them all beautiful in their own way. And now she’s drawing normal American teenagers! Normal clothing with sags and creases and unironed collars! All races and body types! Even Archie’s dad, playing guitar on the couch in a sweatshirt, khakis and Gold Toe socks, looks like the best version of a balding, paunchy, American dad in his mid to late 40s.

Also shining this issue is Jughead, who though given a reputation for being dimwitted and food-obsessed over the years proves smarter than all the other gossipmongers at Riverdale trying to steer the course of the good ship Bettchie (the portmanteau for Betty and Archie). An ad at the back teases a Jughead solo series this fall written by Chip Zdarsky (Image’s Sex Criminals) and Erica Henderson (Marvel’s The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl). Sounds like another can’t-miss book.

Full disclosure: I never gave a rat’s ass about Archie prior to this reboot. I respected Afterlife with Archie, in which zombies come to Riverdale, but mostly because I love Francesco Francavilla’s covers. I am fully sold on Archie 2.0. Come join me on the bandwagon; the seating is very comfy.

And now on to my reviews of this week's highlights...

Batman #42

Story: Scott Snyder

Art: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, & FCO Plascencia

Jim Gordon's tenure as Batman sure doesn't look like it's going to be getting any easier. In the same way the first issue of this new direction Batman spent time flashing between Batman's fight with a new foe and his decision to become Batman, this issue starts with Jim training before going out, and in the middle of this month's fight flashes to a scene with him and Maggie Sawyer, before returning to him training after the fight. The symmetry if the opening and closing work really well, but it's the middle sequence that really grabbed my attention. Firstly, Greg Capullo draws new commissioner Maggie Sawyer differently than I've seen her drawn before. She's slimmer, with a very thinner face, and I really like it. But in the discussion, we see the first hints of a rift between the GCPD and the new Batman. Sawyer pretty clearly doesn't view Gordon as a cop anymore, but as something cop adjacent, and has no problem pointing out that while he can get the collar, it's the GCPD's place to do that actual legwork. I can't recall how much Maggie's background has changed in the new continuity, but there's a logic to this if it's still pretty much the same. Maggie started out in Metropolis before coming to Gotham, and while she might respect Gordon, she doesn't have the same hero worship that many GCPD officer's like Bullock and Montoya would have for him. It's also an interesting inversion of the Batman/Gordon relationship, where Gordon would privately support Batman while publicly have to disavow any cooperation, while here Maggie has to publicly be gung ho for the new Batman while privately not trusting the program. The main thrust of the issue if Gordon fighting a new villain, Gee Gee Heung, a Triad leader who has been given powers; he's basically Magneto but with silica based things and not metals. This lets Capullo run wild, drawing an incredible fight sequence. Streets and brick buildings become his weapons, become horizontal columns of death, and a giant brick traditional Batman-monster throws down with the armored Gordon. There's a lot of other stuff to like, including the hints of the new big bad, Mr. Bloom and his seeds that grant powers, Jim Gordon proving he's still a detective by deducing Julia "Perry's" previous relationship with Batman, and the opening of the two Batman action figures that also comes back around at the very end as the kids in a shelter discuss who is really Batman, a discussion I'm sure Snyder predicted would be happening in comic stores everywhere.

And it's the shelter that has the big reveal of the issue. As interesting as Mr. Bloom's scheme is, it's the final pages, with a bearded Bruce Wayne working in a shelter with Julie Madison, that has garnered the most attention. Snyder actually seeded Julie at the end of "Zero Year" so it's a good opportunity to pay off that cameo. And there are a lot of questions left here. How did  Bruce escape the Batcave? Does he remember his past? Has he retired? I'll be honest. I am one of the few people who liked the end of The Dark Knight Rises, the fact that Bruce got to retire and move on with his life. But I know this is comics and that will never happen, because these are endless, ouroboros stories. But it's an interesting choice to have, as Snyder said in an interview, "Batman die and Bruce Wayne come back," and I think there's story potential in any of the eventualities, whether it's a choice or amnesia of some kind. Keeping Bruce's presence in the book also  makes the tension different. There's none of the looking for Batman that was tied in with Grant Morrison's death of Batman. No where, just how and when he will return, and Snyder hasn't let me down yet, so I'm in for the ride.

Princeless: Raven- The Pirate Princess #1

Story: Jeremy Whitley

Art: Rosy Higgins & Tod Brandt

The fourth volume of Princeless is in full swing, and with four successful mini-series under his belt, creator Jeremy Whitley, along with the art team from the third mini-series, get the band back together for this spin off featuring that volume's break out character, Raven Xingtao, known as The Black Arrow, the pirate princess. Raven is the heir to the pirate king, whose twin brothers locked her in a tower to claim her inheritance for their own, and after retaking one of the ships that is rightfully hers (granted without its crew) with the help of Adrienne, Princeless's protagonist, at the end of the third volume of Princeless, Raven finds herself in need of a crew and food, so she stops at a city that is populated by pirates and goes out to get a bite. But being this is, to quote a phrase, a wretched hive of scum and villainy, it's not long before she is taken in by a pick pocket con artist, and the chase is one. Rosy Higgins draws a fabulous chase sequence, as Raven and the pick pocket cut through buildings, over roofs, and even go through a stall or two, leading to a hilarious nod to Avatar: The Last Airbender. Higgins fight scenes are some of my favorites in recent memory, with a fluidity to her characters that makes the fights seem almost like dances. And when Raven and Sunshine, the pick pocket, get into a fight with a band of toughs led by a guy called Melancholy Johnny, and there's an unimpressive street name if I ever heard one, they start working together seamlessly, which is a clear set up of them working together in the future, and possibly keeping the romantic tension from Sunshine's distracting kiss. And yes they're both female and this is an all ages book. I think it's cool how little this is played up, no more than if it was a female pickpocket kissing a male hero to distract him. How far we've come as a fan community. The issue ends with Sunshine leading Raven to her place of employment and not getting the result she anticipated, with the introduction of a character who has a past with Raven and isn't trying to kill her, which is a change. Princeless is still one of the top all ages books on the market, full of character, action, and a rollicking adventure plot, and it feels like The Pirate Princess is right in line with that.

Saga #30

Art: Fiona Staples

Story: Brian K. Vaughan

The end of the past few arcs of Saga have pulled away from Marko and Alana, to focus on supporting characters, but this issue is a different beast. As our protagonists have been separated for the length of this story, this is an issue about relationships and about coming together. As Marko makes his way to find his wife and daughter, Alana fights her way out of the Revolution's ship, only to find that Hazel is still inside it with Klara, her grandmother. OK, so if you're reading Saga in trade, here we go with the SPOILER ALERT. The important character beats of the issue show exactly where Marko and Alana are with Hazel gone. Reunited, the stand with Dengo, the robot who kidnapped their daughter, on his knees and vulnerable, but they decide not to kill him. The choice between taking a life or not, between violence and peace, has been central to this title, and one violent act by Marko is what drove them apart some time ago. By choosing the peaceful way, by choosing not to act, the two are drawn together again, and Hazel's narration points out that couple change together or they break up, and it's clear this time apart has gotten our leads to grow into more complimentary people. That's not say Dengo lives. Because Robot IV is still there, and he wants his son back and revenge for that kidnapping, and we see some true tenderness Robot has for his son when he holds him. The opposite of that tenderness is when The Will awakes to find Gwen, Sophie, and Lying Cat waiting for him, only to find out about what it took to heal him. I'd love to see some flashbacks to The Will and The Brand as kids, so we could get a better feel for the roots of their tight familial bond. Dan talked about Fiona Staples's amazing art on Archie above, and I just want to echo it here. the splash of Marko and Alana's reunion might be one of my favorite pages in all of Saga, just so completely full of emotion. And now we enter Saga hiatus again, time for those who trade wait to catch up, and those of us reading in singles to hibernate and wait for the next new issue. Hopefully, I won't go crazy with the wait

Star Wars: Jedi Academy- The Phantom Bully

Story & Art: Jeffrey Brown

I wrote a recommended reading on the Star Wars books of Jeffrey Brown last year, and this past week saw the release of the final volume of his Jedi Academy series, an all ages series that mixes diary entries and comics (ala Diary of a Wimpy Kid) about Padawan Roan Novachez's last year at Jedi Academy middle school. Roan is your typical teen/tween protagonist: good hearted, kind of clumsy, unsure of himself. But this third year looks like it will be great for him. He's learning to be a pilot finally, he's got a good group of friends, and he has a girlfriend, Giana, the smartest girl in school. But his new Jedi Advisor is Mr. Garfield, the monosyllabic Zabrak, who Roan is sure is out to get him. And Cronah, his old bully, is still definitely out to get him. Throughout the book, there's a mix of tween pathos and good lessons for the young ones who will read it about friendship and confidence building (heck, maybe an adult can use that too here or there). We see Roan constantly set upon by Cronah, although Roan can never prove the pranks are Cronah, and he makes it through withe the help of Pasha, his best friend, and Giana, as well as other Padawans. Since it's set a few hundred years before Star Wars continuity as we know it, Yoda is there, as inscrutable and backwards talking as ever. This might be the last book to feature some of the string ties to the EU, which Brown puts in without making someone feel like they're being inundated with Star Wars minutiae, but are fun for those of us in the know. I was also impressed in how he handled Cronah and Cyrus, who were the bully duo in previous volumes. Cyrus reforms throughout this book, clearly trying to be a better guy after he got into serous trouble in the last volume, but Roan isn't fast to trust him, and at the end of the volume, we learn why Cronah has been targeting Roan all along, and it's a really interesting, really human reveal. If you're a Star Wars fan with kids this is a delightful book to share with them, or just a fan who enjoys a fun, light read, The Jedi Academy series is a perfect afternoon's diversion.

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 9/24

Harley Quinn: Futures End
Story: Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Chad Hardin

A year into it's publication, I realized I haven't talked about the new series starring Harley Quinn. From her first appearance in the New 52, I had a lot of problems with the new Harley, from her awful costume to her completely violently psychotic attitude. But with this ongoing being written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, I gave it a shot. And it is, far and away, the most fun comic coming out from DC. It's DC's answer to Deadpool: wacky, over the top cartoony violence, quirky protagonist. The series began by moving Harley to Brooklyn, giving her a new supporting cast, and removed it pretty much from the mainstream of the New 52, and it works beautifully. The Futures End issue is similarly removed from the downright dark and brooding event, and its a story of Harley flying on vacation to Barbados only to crash on an island that her Mr. J, The Joker, is using to hide out, and where he is worshiped as a god king by the natives. It's a great introduction to Conner and Palmiotti's take on Harley, since she spends a lot of time on her own, thinking (and talking to Bernie, the taxidermy beaver that is sort of Jiminey Cricket for her throughout the series). There are plenty of sight gags, especially once you realize what the Joker has been doing to the natives. And the writers get the way Joker and Harley are supposed to interact, with Harley growing a spine around him, only to have him say one thing that gets her to melt, and him simply having fun manipulating her (I feel the way Joker deals with his subjects is just how he feels about Harley written large, and the end would be what we wish Harley could do to the Joker. Read the issue and you'll see what I mean). The issue is drawn by regular series artist Chad Hardin, so you get the full Harley Quinn experience, and he draws the issue with the same manic verve that he does every issue. If you're looking for a comic that has that Itchy & Scratchy vibe, while still capturing the voice of both Joker and Harley, this is the comic for you to try.

Lumberjanes #6
Story: Grace Ellis & Noelle Stevenson
Artist: Brooke Allen

Ah, capture the flag. Nothing says camp like capture the flag (I think. I never went to to camp, but it's one of those things that I see every time there's story about camp, so I feel like that). Of course, since this is Lumberjanes, things have a slightly more supernatural bent. This issue we get a bit more with Diane, the somewhat standoffish camper who has been around a couple issues, and we see most of what her deal is, a lot of which has to do with Jo, the most grounded Lumberjane. After the bear woman made reference to Jo being supernatural, the other girls aren't sure what to make of it, but this issue we get answers to that and exactly what Diane is and is up to. Frankly, Diane's identity makes perfect sense, and it makes me want to go back and reread her previous appearances to see if there were clues there that I missed. But while there is mystery and the supernatural, the thing that still gives Lumberjanes it's charm and it's warmth is the relationships between the leads. Before you know exactly what's going on , the first two pages make it seem like there's dire trouble at hand, and the way the girls stick together, the way they care for the wounded Molly, the way they depend on Jo's planning, is all wonderful. I also get a kick out of a scene later, when Mal is coming up with her crazy plan to save the captured Jo and Ripley, only for them to have escaped and see Mal's disappointment that she yet again didn't get to enact one of her plans. It all reminds us that, as much as the series is about the Supernatural, it's more about these five characters, their friendship, and what a unique group of characters they are. A couple of final notes, I like how the events of earlier issues are staring to pay off in these issues. While Lumberjanes is now an ongoing, it was originally planned for an eight issue run, so I'm curious to see if everything gets answered at issue eight with a new set of mysteries appearing after that or if the creators had enough advance notice of the extension to build subplots forward. I also love the continued development of Jen, the councilor. She could have been the strict authoritarian character who was the girls' nemesis in camp, but she has grown, wondering what she brings to a camp that battle monsters and trying to help keep her girls safe by going off on their adventures. I connect a lot with Jen's mindset, being a rule follower and the kind of person who doesn't chase monsters, so I like seeing that growth in her.

Saga #23
Story: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples

The end of last issue of Saga was heartbreaking, and this issue is the fallout from Alana and Marko's confrontation (SPOILERS if you're reading the series in trades). With our lead couple now on the outs, Alana goes into the treehouse while Marko makes what might be the dumbest move ever and goes to Ginny's. We see exactly what each of them are feeling, and frankly a month later I'm still torn up about whose side to take. Marko's throwing something in a fit of rage at Alana is unforgivable, but I will say that Alana being under the influence while being with Hazel is something that is utterly wrong as well. Vaughan has done a great job of fashioning a situation where everyone is as right as they are wrong. Still, as we see the two of them deal with where they are now, Alana has the breakdown that has been coming since the beginning of this arc, and Marko does something that affirms his commitment to his family. Izabel, the ghost girl babysitter, also gets some more character development. Vaughan uses her to speak about the pointlessness of war in a way that is far more effective to me than our leads usual wistful discussions of love being stronger than war, more in line with Oswald Heist's story of his son and less with the stories he wrote in flowery prose. And I absolutely love Klara, Marko's mom, once again proving she is far and away the toughest member of the cast; this is a grandma you don't want to mess with. It does seem that Alana's time with the Open Circuit is over, and the events have me unsure of how I feel about Yuma. I mean, I don't think there's been much redeeming the drug dealing costumer to begin with, and seeing her interactions with Dengo makes her seem even more despicable. But she seems to have a moment of realization, even if it seems to be one of those deathbed conversions that will only mean anything if she does survive. Vaughan ends the issue with his trademark cliffhanger, with the meeting of two characters who haven't crossed paths yet who have been in each other's orbit since the series began. There's one more issue in this arc before the next hiatus, and as ever, I don't know where this is going, but I'm along for the ride.

The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #20
Art: Various
Story: Various

In previous years, the annual Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror comic has brought in creators from all around comic to tell various comedy/horror themed stories set in Springfield. This year, the stories are from Bongo Comics stable of regular creators, but are all themed towards today's leading horror trend: zombies. The lead is a mashup of two of the biggest pop culture events with "Zombinado." Yes, it's a tornado full of zombies, and only Homer Simpson's capacious gullet can save Springfield. "The Walking Ned" casts Homer as the Governor-esque leader of a post-apocalyptic Springfield and Ned Flanders as the man who must stop him from getting everyone killed . And the special ends with a parody of zombie classic "Dawn of the Dead" and Bart and Homer unleashing nuclear zombies during a bring-your-kids-to-work day. These are all entertaining stories, perfect if you're looking for a little Halloween laugh.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 8/14

Batman #23
Story: Scott Snyder/ James Tynion IV
Art: Greg Capullo/ Rafael Albuquerque

Zero Year continues on in the breakneck pace, with this issue paying off not only much of the set up from the previous two issues, but much of what was given us in Batman #0 from a year ago. The issue opens with the Red Hood gang invading Bruce's penthouse and basically beating the hell out of him and burning the penthouse, juxtaposed with Bruce falling into the caves below Wayne Manor. Bruce escapes into below Gotham, and makes his way through the subterranean caverns to Wayne Manor, where he is met by Alfred. The symmetry of the two events is presented beautifully, and Capullo is in top form. It's also wonderful to see Bruce find his way to the Manor and have Alfred waiting, affirming the strong relationship between them that Snyder has been writing since his first issue on the series. Snyder continues to tease the identity of the Red Hood Leader; based on classic continuity, it should be the Joker, and the beating with the crowbar he gives Bruce is a nod to Joker's beating of Jason Todd, and the dialogue sounds very Joker like, but I feel like Snyder might have an ace (or a Joker) up his sleeve when the big reveal comes. Also interesting are Phillip Kane's words to Riddler as he leaves his employ. I'm curious to see exactly what changes Snyder has made to the Riddler's background, and whether we'll see them in next month's Villain's Month Riddler issue.And the issue ends with one of the most iconic scenes from the Batman canon: the bat on the bust and the realization of what Bruce must be. Snyder adds his own twist on it, while maintaining touches from Batman: Year One, including Bruce talking to his father and the bell on the table, and it is still a powerful scene every time I've seen it done. This issue's backup, "The Pit," is about Bruce's physical training, and ties into the main piece by showing how Bruce can take such a savage beating, but also ties nicely into the eventual driving force behind what Bruce does: fear. While he won't kill, the driving, obsessive need to keep going inspires as much fear as the fear of death. And now, next issue, it's time for him to don the cowl for the first time. I can't wait.

Batman: Li'l Gotham #5
Story & Art: Dustin Nguyen & Derek Fridolfs

And on the other end of the Batman spectrum is Li'l Gotham. This is not just an incredibly fun book, but the perfect comic for those who miss the pre-Flashpoint Batman continuity. This is a delightfully all ages comic; it never talks down to its readers, and has great action, but is well suited for younger readers as well as those of us who like a superhero romp that isn't steeped in angst. The first of this month's two stories is a Mr. Freeze tale, about Freeze being released from Arkham and after having a good day, he decides to freeze the city in that state of perfection so when Nora awakes, she will find the perfect city. This is the tragic Freeze created by Paul Dini, not the more disturbed New 52 version, and I have a very soft spot for this incarnation of the character. Probably second only to Claremont's Magneto, this Freeze is a villain who you can empathize with, although he is clearly not exactly right in the head. The second story is a Cinco de Mayo tale (since this is a digital first comic, the holidays each story touches on are usually a couple months behind) of Red Robin, Robin, Katana, and Abuse (a Gotham vigilante who Damian befriended, a kid who was experimented on with Venom so he could grow to adult size, sort of a very angry Captain Marvel) trying to infiltrate Bane's gang. It's a light tale, and is cut with scenes of Batman, Huntress, Zatanna, and Red Hood playing Scrabble and Nightwing and Oracle out on a date. While I have embraced the New 52 and all its changes, these are the incarnations of these characters I grew up with, and to get a chance to see them again makes me smile. I love how Nguyen and Fridolfs find a way to write Damian as both bratty and endearing, and I like this incarnation of Katana, although part of me feels like she is taking the place of Cassandra Cain who is verboten by some strange DC fiat. If you want so fun Batman action without any continuity that you can share with anyone, I can't think of a better book.

Herobear and the Kid: The Inheritance #1
Story & Art: Mike Kunkel

Herobear and the Kid is one of those all ages books I missed the first time around, and have heard nothing but amazing things about. Now that BOOM! is publishing new material, I was hoping they would do exactly what they're doing, which is reprinting the original mini-series. The Inheritance is the original Herobear and the Kid story, initially selfpublished by creator Mike Kunkel. Tyler is ten, and he and his family have just moved into the house that belonged to his grandfather before he passed away. For a kids comic, it starts very frankly, at Tyler's grandfather's funeral, and is narrated beautifully by Tyler as he remembers his grandfather. When Tyler receives his inheritance, he is surprised to find it is just a stuffed bear and a broken pocketwatch. When Tyler goes to school, we see a lot of the typical schoolyard tropes: the geeky kid, the bully, the pretty girl. Kunkel handles all these characters well, but it's only after Tyler is soundly thrashed by the local bullies that he smacks the stuffed bear on the nose, and it spins around on its own and changes into a polar bear in a cape. That's the end of issue #1, so we haven't really gotten to meet Herobear yet, but Tyler is a likable protagonist, and this comic feels to me to be about the wonder of childhood and so a teddy bear superhero is a perfect vehicle for all that is special about childhood.

Saga #13
Story: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples

Saga is back! It seems the time between new arcs on Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples space/fantasy/war/romance comic gets longer each time. This issue picks up a bit before the end of the last issue, setting up exactly how Marko, Alana, Hazel, and their extended family wound up on the planet Quietus in the home of D. Oswald Heist. The family dynamic with the addition of Marko's mother, Klara, is fun, as she clearly is not a fan of Alana, but after the death of her husband, she wants to stay with her family. There's some great action once the family arrive on Quietus, with living bones attacking them, and as Hazel points out in her narration, the first impression give by Heist is not the best, adding some humor to a tense scene. Meanwhile, The Will has crashed his ship and is stranded with Gwendolyn and Slave Girl. There's a Tracy and Hepburn banter going to between The Will and Gwendolyn that is clear to everyone but them, especially to the spirit of The Stalk, that seems to appear to The Will and tells him what she really wants for him. For an issue where there is very little action, a lot happens here, especially when The Will makes a statement at the end regarding Slave Girl. I think I've stated before that I think Vaughan is the master of the cliffhanger in comics, and while this issue's end isn't a jawdropper of WTF!!! proportion, it is the beginning of what I think is serious character evolution for The Will. The thrill of Saga has been how well wrought all the characters are, so this cliffhanger is actually more meaningful to me than a ship crashing into a blackhole.

The X-Files: Season 10 #3
Story: Joe Harris
Art:Michael Walsh

When it aired, I was a huge fan of The X-Files. I'm talking huge; watched every episode multiple times, owned all the novels, comics, episode guides, poured over it's arcane mythology. I stuck with it to the bitter end, and am one of probably eight people who saw the second feature film on the big screen (on the second weekend it was out (it opened opposite The Dark Knight. There was no competition there). And despite the lackluster last couple seasons, I had to admit a new season presented in comic form like Buffy and Angel, with show creator Chris Carter "executive producing" it, the same way Whedon does his comics, made me very curious. Three issues later, I'm actually pretty pleased. Writer Joe Harris has the character's voices pretty much dead on, and artist Michael Walsh, whose work on Comeback I loved, has their likenesses down while still putting it in his own style. The creators have quite a ways to go, since the series finale prophesied an alien invasion that never happened, and the mythology grew so complex by the end it took a map to find your way out of it, but Harris jumped in headfirst, with a mystery involving Mulder and Scully's son, William, long since given up for adoption, alien/human hybrids, and cults pursuing Scully. This issue brings back one of The X-Files most notorious characters, Cancer Man, the mysterious smoking man who seems to have all the answers. He and Mulder have a confrontation in a diner, and the dialogue given to the mystery man is so perfect I could hear Wiliam B. Davis's voice in my head. The last page gives a reveal that sends a shiver up my spine as it hearkens back to some of the best of the mythology episodes of the series, with Mulder unwrapping a gift from Cancer Man, who for once flat out makes a pronouncement about his relationship to Mulder. There's more going on with ol' CM than it seems, as he has now been killed twice and yet seems mostly fine, although there is a hint that he might not be as healthy as he seems. Scully, meanwhile, is running through the countryside with an alien to protect her from other aliens, and... yeah, it's good to be back in X-Files territory. Let's just hope that the truth is really out there this time, and not a whole lot of unanswerable mysteries.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 4/10

Batman #19
Story: Scott Snyder/ James Tynion IV
Art: Greg Capullo/ Alex Maleev

Since the first issue, the new Batman series has been an epic title, with the two major arcs being long, twisty, and grand. "The Court of Owls" and "Death of the Family" were both great stories, and the two one offs featuring Harper Row were excellent character pieces as well, but this issue was a great change of pace; it's a small Batman story. This isn't a status quo changing arc, it's a great Batman story that is focusing on Batman trying to figure out a mystery. The opening pages show Bruce Wayne robbing a bank and after his escape flashes back to Batman finding out about the apparent suicide of an acquaintance of his, and going to investigate it. Batman is still clearly haunted by the death of Damian, and despite Harper Row's plea to take care of himself last issue, he isn't doing too good a job of it. Batman quickly determines exactly what was behind the death of his friend and the man's seemingly strange criminal behavior. It's just an appealing story of Batman working a case; Snyder captures Batman's voice perfectly, and I like seeing him just working out a case that isn't tearing his world apart. I won't spoil the identity of the perpetrator, despite it being spoiled on the cover of the next issue and the solicitation for some upcoming Batman family titles, but it continues the evolution of a classic Bat villain we have seen popping up sporadically throughout the New 52 era. The back-up is a Batman and Superman team-up written, which is something we haven't seen much of in the New 52 except in Justice League. It's been established they're friends, and so seeing them play off each other is interesting. While the relationship is clearly more pre-Flashpoint than pre-Crisis, Batman isn't acting like Miller's Batman wanting nothing to do with Superman, so I like that; I've always found I prefer the relationship between Batman and Superman to be friendly. It has definitely whet my appetite for the upcoming Batman/Superman series.

Batman and Red Robin #19
Story: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Patrick Gleason

OK, there's a lot in this issue, and I'm still of mixed feelings about some of it. The good is so good, though, that I want to talk about that. First the stuff I'm of two minds about. I liked seeing Frankenstein appear, but I would have thought there are more practical resurrection schemes than duplicating Dr. Frankenstein's work; this would have worked more for me if we had seen Batman exploring other plans first. Also, I feel like Red Robin, who is in the title, is underused in the issue; we have barely seen Tim and Bruce interact in the New 52, and I was hoping that this issue might remedy that. On the other hand, the introduction of Carrie Kelly was done beautifully. While she clearly has a different life than the version of her we meet in Dark Knight Returns, Carrie still has the spunk that allows her to stand up to the looming presence of an angry Bruce Wayne. The details of her relationship with Damian are still mysterious, and I'm expecting that to play out over the course of the next few issues. It's interesting to see both Snyder and Tomasi now having young female foils to Batman, and just how different Harper Row and Carrie Kelly are. Carrie seems to be a much lighter, less haunted character, but we'll see. I also have to say, her roommate looks an awful lot like Stephanie Brown. It would be nice to see Steph back. While I felt like Red Robin was underused, I did like how he was handled, and the painful choice he had to make. To top it all off, Patrick Gleason continues to be one of the most impressive artists in the comics right now; his Frankenstein was amazing. With next issue teaming Batman with Red Hood, I'm curious if Jason proves more integral to the plot, and how Carrie Kelly will factor in to the continuing arc of the series.

Batman: Li'l Gotham #1
Story & Art: Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs

DC's Johnny DC line,the all ages comics published by DC, seemingly folding all its superhero titles, it's nice to see Li'l Gotham appearing. An all ages Batman title, themed around holidays, Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs, who have been writing Justice League Beyond for some time and have history as artists on various Bat family titles, have created a fun and accessible Batman comic. The stories star Batman and Robin, a Robin who is Damian Wayne, and play off of Damian's strange upbringing and how unfamiliar he is with these holidays. Bruce attempting to explain Halloween to Damian leads to reminiscence about killing Lazarus Pit generated zombies with his mother and grandfather and Damian to some aggressive trick-or-treating. And on Thanksgiving, Penguin leads an army of turkeys to take the day of turkey slaughter back. The continuity is light, and while it takes place in a universe closer to the pre-Flashpoint one (Barbara Gordon seems to be in her wheelchair, and Cassandra Cain appears at the Bat family Thanksgiving), no knowledge of that is necessary. These are fun stories in the vein of Batman Adventures, all ages without being kiddy comics. If you know a kid who loves Batman and are worried a Joker who cuts off his own face is too much for him or her, this is the perfect gateway book for that young Batman fan.

Princeless Vol.2 #1
Story: Jerome Whitley
Artist Emily Martin

Oh, it's always a joy when an indy series you love pops back up on the radar, and so it is to see the beginning of Jerome Whitley's fairytale for girls who kick butt, Princeless. Picking up shortly after the first series left off, Princess Adrienne and her friend, Bedelia the blacksmith, are off to rescue the first of Adrienne's sisters, Angelica from her tower. Of course, things never go that easily. They can't quite find the tower, and are still having some issues with landings on Sparky, their trusty dragon. But that doesn't stop two such plucky heroines. Adrienne's determination is a great character trait, and as I said in my recommendation of the book, she is a character you want your younger female friends and relatives to look up to. Meanwhile, the King, Adrienne's father, still believes her dead and killed by a mystery knight (who is, in fact, Adrienne), and so he calls six of the kingdom's great bounty hunters and heroes to find the knight and dispatch him. Not surprisingly, these six guys all fit fantasy tropes and subvert them, none being particularly heroic, especially when discussing the possibility of taking one of the king's daughters to wife. New artist Emily Martin gives designs for these bounty hunters that take their trope and pushes it to the extreme; they're so one dimensional it's perfect. There is also a mystery around the behavior of Adrienne's mother, who knows the truth about her daughter and seems complacent about it; I wager that Adrienne gets some of her steel from her mother, and we'll see exactly what the queen is up to soon. Adrienne and Bedelia end the issue with a lead to Angelica's tower and possibly a new traveling companion; I enjoyed the slapsticky humor of the sequence where we meet the young poet who seems to appeal to Sparky more as dinner than as a new friend. Princeless is an all ages treat, smart and funny, and if you enjoy any fairy tale flavored comic, you are doing yourself a disservice not trying this book out.

Saga #12
Story: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples

Oh, Prince Robot IV... Brian K. Vaughan has done incredible work over the course of Saga to make every one his characters, both protagonist and antagonist, three dimensional, and this issue, featuring the prince of the Robot world, does a great job of adding new layers to him. Starting with a flashback to Robot IV receiving the injury that has been referenced a few times throughout the series, Vaughan demonstrates his power as a writer by introducing a medic and killing him a couple pages later and making the reader care. In the present Robot IV makes his way to meet D. Oswald Heist, the author of the book that Alana loved and helped draw her to Marko. The issue is mostly a conversation between Robot IV and Heist, about what the book means, and about Heist's son, who fought in the war and eventually took his own life. We learn just how haunted by his own war experience Robot IV is, and see just how much of a deathwish he has; knowing this makes the reader look at many of his actions, especially his murder of The Stalk, in a very different light. The tension of the conversation ratchets up by degree over the course of the issue, with the almost inevitable explosion of violence not dismissing it but leading to even more tensions. The last page reveal marks the end of this arc and the beginning of another hiatus for the title. I've always felt Vaughan was the king of the cliffhanger ending, and if this one doesn't prove me right, I don't know what will.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 3/20

Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray #1
Story: Frank J. Barbiere
Art: Chris Mooneyham

I love comics and movies influenced by pulps, that sort of story that is full of action and character, with a crime of supernatural edge. The high concept of Image's new series, Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray is that an Indiana Jones-esque treasure hunter has acquired the abilities of five literary characters: the detective, the archer, the wizard, the samurai, and the vampire. However, it seems that these powers are killing him. We see Fabian use his powers on one of his hunts (although it seems like he's as much a thief as he is a treasure hunter), and then bed his client. He is also on a quest to find a mystical artifact that he is hoping will awaken his sister from a mystically induced coma. The details are a bit sketchy, but it's only one issue in, so frankly we got more story than we do in a lot of issue ones.There's some great set up of a cult or evil society chasing after Fabian, and in the end Fabian and a man I assume is his brother-in-law, or at least his sister's significant other, run afoul of a tribe that may or may not have the stone they seek. It's a lot of classic pulp and serial tropes tossed together that work really well. The characters grab you right away, and you see there's more to Fabian than meets the eye. The art fits the book perfectly, with the grit that suits the period. Like a lot of pulp influenced stories, the series is set in the 40s, and seems to thoroughly researched. This is a very impressive first issue, and sets up a series that has a ton of potential.

Justice League #18
Story: Geoff Johns
Art: Jesus Saiz/ Gary Frank

While I have found Justice League a bit hit or miss since the New 52 began, the issues starting with "Throne of Atlantis" have been firing on all cylinders, and while this issue seemed like it was going to be a downtime sort of issue, we got a good amount of forward momentum, as well as expanding the team and really meeting the New 52 versions of some characters we either haven't seen or have gotten very little exposure to. After needing to call in the reserves during the attack by Atlantis, the League decides it's time to find some full time members. The most interesting of these characters is the New 52 Atom, a completely new character. While hints of Ryan Choi had been dropped, and Ray Palmer was a recurring character on the late, lamented Frankenstein Agent of SHADE series, it seems this Atom is Rhonda Pineda, a student at Ivy University, the school that both Palmer and Choi have been associated with, so it's possible her background will tie in more with them. I want to see more of this character, and how she is going to fit in with the new team. I also enjoyed seeing a completely new character, Goldrush. I've found a distinct lack of brand new characters in the New 52, so any chance to expand and try new things is welcomed by me. Johns ends the issue with something a mystery and cliffhanger, moving the series towards the upcoming Trinity War. I was also excited to see the art for this issue by the dramatically under-rated Jesus Saiz, who has been flying under the radar for too many years. I hope this issue raises his profile enough to get him on a major book soon. The Shazam back up story, which has been the highlight of the series for much of its run (which is not a slight at the main story. The back up is just that good), continues as well, setting up Billy's final confrontation with Black Adam and the Seven Sins. I like how Billy has grown from the seeming brat he was at the start into someone who clearly wants to do what's right but has baggage that is making it hard, and I like the further development of the other kids staying at the foster home with Billy. Artist Gary Frank also wins the award for creepiest designs of the week for the personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins. Those are some creepy monsters.

Saga #11
Story: Brian K Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples

Every issue of Saga is a gift, a perfect comic. Picking up right after the events of last issue, we watch as Alana, Marko, Hazel and the rest of our protagonists flee the birth of the giant space creature, while The Will tries to keep his own ship together. We get very little of The Will and his crew, though, as this issue really focuses on Marko and his father, as Barr meets the end that he has been expecting for the past few issues. The really incredible scene is Marko's flashback to a memory of his father. The entire sequence is in their native language, so none of it was decipherable to me, but the art perfectly conveyed the story and the emotion of Marko's fond remembrance of a parent now lost. Vaughan finds a way to pack so much emotion into one issue, and Staples makes it so real; it's that kind of synergy that makes this medium work as well as it does. On the other end of the spectrum, the opening scene, the flashback to Alan and Marko's more... intimate moment before the birth of their daughter, is hilarious. It's bawdy and so real in how awkward it is. And even with all this personal stuff going on, Vaughan finds a way to mix in some new sci-fi/fantasy aspects to the story that continue to build the world. If every comic was half as good as Saga, the industry would be a wonderland of amazing work.

Star Wars: Legacy Vol.2 #1
Story: Corinna Bechko & Gabriel Hardman
Art: Gabriel Hardman

It's great to be back in the future of the Galaxy Far, Far Away. As excited as I was for new Star Wars: Legacy, I admit the lack of John Ostrander and Jan Duuresema had me a little nervous. Fortunately, new creators Corinna Cechko and Gabriel Hardman brought their A-game on this first issue. We're thrust right into a universe where the clean up from the last war is under way and the fallout from the Sith War is not entirely done. While it was nice to see the ruling triumvirate again, Empress Fel, Admiral Staazi, and Master K'Krukh are the only characters to return from the old series, and that's good; having a lot of teases of the old series would just make people expect to see all those characters again, while this feels like more of a fresh start. Ania Solo, the descendant of Han and Leia on what I assume is their son Jacen's side (versus on their daughter Jaina's side, who are the Fel dynasty), is our new hero, and takes after her great grandfather, Han. While Cade Skywalker was on the fringe of things, running away from his past as a Jedi Padawan and the loss of his father, it seems Ania has been living on the fringe for her whole life, is used to it, and is looking for a way to get out of it. She's tough, savvy, and smart, just like all the best Star Wars heroines. By the end of the issue, we have met Ania, her friend/sidekick Sauk, a Mon Calamari (Admiral Ackbar's people) engineer, an Imperial Knight imprisoned, and a Sith with an agenda of his own. All the pieces are in place for an exciting Star Wars series, familiar and still with some interesting new twists.


By the way, this is my 100th post, which is pretty exciting, and I'm hoping to do something midweek for post 101 that will celebrate hitting the milestone. Stay tuned!