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 10/7

Atomic Robo and the Ring of Fire #2
Story: Brian Clevinger
Art: Scott Wegener & Anthony Clark

Atomic Robo is back! Again! After the first issue of the current volume of Atomic Robo, where a few of the action scientists of Tesladyne were able to retrieve the head of Atomic Robo from a warehouse currently controlled by the international super-science secret police, Ultra, we get a return of everyone's favorite super genius robot. Well, his head in a box anyway. The first few volumes of Atomic Robo had our heroes with nearly unlimited resources, but now, on the run from Ultra, they have to make due. I've missed Robo himself all these months, and it was wonderful to see that, as much as I missed him, those who work with him miss him more. I can only imagine what a great boss Robo must be to inspire so much loyalty in his employees, and how much joy in  his return. But there's much more for the team to do, and so they set off for the Disputed Zone, a stretch of the South China Sea that has dubious political ownership, where sales the Vasilia, a ship with the international super science black market (God, I love writing sentences like that), which comes from the remnants of Department Zero, the Soviet Tesladyne-analogue, which just screams for a story of its own. While the team is working on getting together everything they'll need to restore Robo, Ultra continues to prepare for the Biomega threat, which I'm sure will have nothing to do with the plot going on involving Robo, nothing at all... And back with the Tesladyne crew, well, things go well and they're able to put together a temporary body for Robo, only to be raided by Project Zero's security guards, led by... Phil, one of their old coworkers! I love that we're slowly getting the band back together, and I love the genre awareness that Robo has, when he's told that Jenkins, his right hand man of butt-kicking's body wasn't found, and Robo is completely sure he's not dead. This scene also has a great Hackers reference, which every comic should have more of. Oh, and a Biomega attack. Biomega are naturally big scary kaiju things, which are designed incredibly by artist Scott Wegener; they feel right at home in the tradition of kaiju without looking like Godzilla knock offs.  So, two issues into the new volume, we've got more of Tesladyne together, Robo back (well, he doesn't have one, but he is anyway), and giant monsters. Yup, it's Atomic Robo, and it's wonderful.

Nailbiter #16
Story: Joshua Williamson
Art: Mike Henderson & Adam Guzowski

After declaring Nailbiter my favorite horror comic on the racks a couple weeks back, how could I not review this excellent one off issue this week? It's Halloween in Backaroo, and you'd think that a town filled with so many day to day horrors wouldn't celebrate Halloween, but I looks like they do it in spades. But being Backaroo, there are certain very specific traditions, as we follow a group of kids who plan to knock on the door of the current local boogeyman, Edward Charles Warren, the Nailbiter. There's a lot of typical and classic kids out on Halloween in a spooky story/urban legend, with the one kid who's kind of reticent and his friends who keep egging him on and teasing him. And when they arrive and knock on Warren's door, they find it... unlocked. And when they go in to investigate, well, they find more than they bargained for, but less than what they might have feared. Warren is such a complicated character. I know he's a monster, a killer of multiple people in the coldest of blood, but it's very hard not to like him. He has his principles, he's a monster with a very particular code, and his kindness to the kid left behind, like telling him how he did he same thing when younger at the home of another the Buckaroo Butcher, the Bookburner, is the kind of thing that makes you hope there's something in Backaroo making people monsters and there's a cure. Of course, Nailbiter is an ensemble book, and we spend a few pages off in the hospital with Sheriff Crane at the bedside of her daughter, Alice, recovering from her stabbing and talking with Morty the Mortician, and Agent Finch runs afoul of the FBI, finding out not only that Carroll, his fiend and the instigator of so much of what has happened, has awakened and disappeared under the auspices of FBI Agent Burke, who we know has been infected with some of Buckaroo's madness. Things aren't looking good for Carroll, and Finch's hot temper has once again gotten him into trouble, which is par for the course for him. But this issue is Warren's, further digging into his mindset, and setting him of on a roadtrip. The final pages look like they're setting up a new Butcher, and the title of the next arc, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," has me already haring fiddle music. Nailbiter is a comic perfect for a Halloween issue, and this one did not disappoint.

Paper Girls #1
Story: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Cliff Chiang & Matt Wilson

Credit where credit is due, Brian K. Vaughan has range. Paper Girls, his third series currently running through Image Comics, is a completely different animal than either his space opera/love story Saga or his revolutionary tale We Stand On Guard. Set in the '80s, Paper Girls starts on Halloween night, as Erin goes out to deliver her paper route, and quickly runs into three toughs who are scared off when three other paper girls, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ show up. Erin is taken in by this sisterhood so they all have cover on this particularly dangerous night, only to encounter weirdoes in robes who steal from them and lead them to a house with a device that looks alien in the basement, and once it goes off, they find themselves in a world with a strange sky. Even stranger, when they confront the berobed men again, they are something less than human underneath and drop a device with a version of a logo familiar to us but foreign to the 80s. This is Vaughan hearkening back to Runaways, his last teenager coming of age story, but adding in psychedelic prophetic dreams with elements of the Challenger disaster, fewer evil parents, and more weird alien languages. The first issue spends much of its time giving us a feeling for Erin and Mac, who interact the most, but still spends time making more Tiffany and KJ more than cardboard characters. As always, Vaughan is working with an impressive artist, in this case Cliff Chiang, who is a favorite of mine from his work on Wonder Woman, Zatanna, and Human Target. One of the important things about Chiang in relation to this title is when he draws teenage girls, they look like teenage girls, not shrunken adults. They are also wonderfully expressive. But along with the normal stuff, he also draws a great alien machine and freaky guys under robes. And Erin's bedroom has a movie poster from The Monster Squad up in it (Seriously folks, it's around Halloween, and if you haven't seen that movie, or seen it in a while, do yourself a favor and go out and watch it. It holds up). With a wealth of mysteries, well thought out characters, and excellent art, Paper Girls looks like it will sit nicely with Image's current crop of series.

Rowan's Ruin #1
Story: Mike Carey
Art: Mike Perkins & Andy Troy

Mike Carey's comics work usually has a touch of horror; Lucifer had it's share of monsters, as did The Unwritten, and even his run on X-Men had a giant consciousness eating monster. But Rowan's Ruin is the first time in a while Carey has dived in to pure horror. Opening with a young woman being pursued by some sort of revenant, we flash back to see the woman as Katie, who has just agreed to swap houses with a British girl, Emily, so Emily can see the States and Katie can see England. Arriving at Rowan's Rise, the house she will be living in, Katie gets a bad feeling, but she ignores it, and goes about seeing the local landscape. But things are off, and Katie's bad feelings about the house get worse; it seems to eat electricity, for one, and is old and lonely. Most of this first issue is dedicated to getting to know Katie. Narrated by her blog, we get inside her head, and even see her starting to get involved with a local constable, James Hallam. But there's a pall hanging over Rowan's Rise. Inside Emily's bedroom, locked but suddenly mysteriously opened after a fuse blows, we see the room of someone disturbed; not necessarily insane disturbed but haunted disturbed. Mike Perkins is a great artist, but the scene that really sent gooseflesh up my arms was Emily's room. Festooned in horseshoes hanging from the ceiling, with a circle of salt around her bed, and a booby trap of nails under the window, this is the room of someone who is trying to protect herself from something. More disturbed than ever by this, Kaie confides in Hallam that as a child she had feelings about places, and after years of therapy she got past it, but now those feelings are creeping back. Carey plays with atmosphere, contrasting the beautiful English countryside near Stratford with the dark foreboding of Rowan's Rise. Even without the opening flashforward this would all have the feeling of a classic haunted house tale, but with that it takes on the drumbeat of the inevitable, moving inexorably, horribly towards the monster's coming. Tension is the key to a good scary story, and Rowan's Ruin #1 sets up the tension for the remaining issues perfectly.

Southern Bastards #11
Story: Jason Aaron
Art: Jason Latour

One of the best parts of any of Jason Aaron's books, and especially his crime comics, is the depth and ambiguity of his characters even the blackest of villains has a side that is not so dark, and nearly all his heroes are far from spotless. The new issue of Aaron and Jason Latour's southern crime epic Southern Bastards introduces a new character, and one who I found absolutely fascinating, a character I couldn't take my eyes off of. Boone is a southern man, a woodsman. He is a bow hunter, but not for sport. He kills to eat. He's a self professed holy roller and snakehandler. He is a man of faith, who goes to church, but who kills a man because that man committed an unspeakable crime, and this is what God would want him to do. He might be the first character we've met in this entire series who can't stand football. And he hates Coach Boss, the series' principal antagonist. Listen, I'll be up front if you haven't figured it out yet: I'm about as much the stereotypical Yankee intellectual as you can get. But this issue so deeply dives into Boone's mind that I get a real feeling for the man. In one issue, Aaron has found a way to define a completely different southern man than any other we've seen, a study in contradictions in many ways, but a man who is confident in what he's doing, because he has his faith. Jason Latour's art is stellar as always, crafting the world of Craw County, and this issue really drew my attention to the colors he's using. I wouldn't say the color pallet is muted, but it's unique to the book, really setting it apart from everything else on the racks. The scenes of Boone in the woods, of him facing down some of Boss's men as they encounter each other on boats travelling along the river, and of snakes crawling all over him at his church are indelibly grafted onto my memory. Aaron and Latour are setting up a board with many different pieces in place, and this new one, Boone, strikes me as far more than a pawn. He's a knight, maybe a tarnished one, but an important piece that will be making his move against Coach Boss soon enough, and I can' wait to see what that move is.


And Dan Grote brings two reviews for two of this week's most anticipated launches...

Jughead #1

Story by Chip Zdarsky

Art by Erica Henderson

When I found out Chip Zdarsky (Sex Criminals) and Erica Henderson (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) were going to be teaming up on the all-new, all-different adventures of Archie’s be-crowned best friend, I pretty much yelled “Shut up and take my money” at my phone.

I was not wrong.

Jughead’s solo sojourn fits perfectly in the retooled Archieverse but also stands perfectly on its own. Whereas the main Archie book by Mark Waid and, until recently, Fiona Staples, is more teen soap, Jughead is quirky teen comedy, hence the creative team, which specializes in quirky characters and generally laugh-out-loud comics. There’ll be no talk of the Lipstick Incident here, but there will be plenty of talk about hamburgers.

With the new series comes a shakeup in Riverdale’s status quo. Longtime Principal Weatherbee is out, clearly not of his own volition, and a younger, leaner, angrier-looking Principal Stanger is in. Stanger is immediately positioned as Jughead’s nemesis when he changes the cafeteria menu, replacing lasagna Mondays with a high-nutrition gruel. As someone whose one true love is food, this will not stand.

This leads into a terrific parody of Game of Thrones, complete with a dragon, an incest reference and football player Moose in the Hodor role. Such dream sequences and other flights of fancy appear to be a regular part of the book, as next issue teases the return of Jughead’s Time Police.

The thing to remember about Jughead is that he appears lazy, but he can be quite resourceful when compelled to action (which we saw in Archie #1 when he set about his own plan to reunite Archie and Betty). The book opens with him spending an entire night killing people in a video game, then, upon arriving at school, mocking Betty for protesting the clear-cutting of trees by Veronica’s developer father. Once Stanger implements the new food policy, Jughead makes his own protest sign, has the home ec teacher show him how to make his own burgers, then bypasses Stanger’s rules by selling burgers for charity in the cafeteria, piggybacking on Betty’s open-space initiative and turning the new principal’s face new shades of red.

Also, he dispenses this nugget of wisdom by which I will now live my life: “Teach a man to fish, and he’ll bring home fish, which are gross. Teach a man to make burgers, and he’ll be the hero Gotham deserves, or something.”

Doctor Strange #1

Story: Jason Aaron

Art: Chris Bachalo and Tim Townsend

Stephen Strange has an odd place in Marvel’s pantheon. As the Sorcerer Supreme, he’s arguably one of the most powerful people in the universe. As a member of the Illuminati, he’s helped manipulate events over decades. Heck, in this summer’s Secret Wars, he was literally the right hand of God (till, you know, God killed him).

Yet the one thing he hasn’t been able to do, at least in the past few years, is carry his own book.

But with a movie coming out next year, Marvel can’t afford to let its top mystic ride the bench anymore. And so, in the first week of the All-New, All-Different age of Marvel, we get Doctor Strange by Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo.

First of all, how has Chris Bachalo never drawn Doctor Strange before? His dark, psychedelic, heavily inked style is a perfect fit for the doctor. Artwise, this book is all giant-mouthed soul-eaters, tentacle porn, mystical bacteria, and floating teddy bears. Everything is in constant, swirling motion, even Strange’s cloak, which he can ride like a magic carpet or tie around his neck like a hipster scarf. (His tunic also transforms into a sleek denim jacket when he’s on the street).

Storywise, Aaron is creating a Doctor Strange for new readers, much the same as he’s done with Thor in the past couple years. An intro page quickly retells his origin, reprinting classic Steve Ditko art, but that’s all the continuity you need for this book. Baron Mordo, Clea, Dormammu, Wong and the rest of his normal supporting cast are all on the shelf, at least for now. This Strange is too busy making house calls, casting interdimensional bogeymen from children’s nightmares, wrestling soul-sucking leeches on the streets of Brooklyn, hitting on women of all planes of reality, and showing up late for drinks with his fellow Marvel mages.

Aaron’s Strange eschews shadowy meetings with Namor, Black Panther and Reed Richards in favor of pub crawling with Doctor Voodoo, Shaman of Alpha Flight, and the Scarlet Witch, all of whom take pot-shots at Strange as if he were their version of Andre from The League. I quite like this unexpected circle of friends, both for its diversity and the fact that no one is treating Wanda like the delicate continuity wormhole she’s been for the past decade.

The book’s long game appears to involve some sort of interdimensional migration (there should probably be a blanket ban on the word incursion after Hickman’s Avengers run/Secret Wars), with all sorts of be-fanged nasties fleeing other realms ahead of a coming slaughter (“Great. Another one of those,” Wanda says casually). There’s also some talk about keeping the cosmic balance by sacrificing a life for every life saved through magic. As of right now, I plan on sticking around to see how these themes play out.

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.

All-New Marvel WOW and Image Excitement: Titles We’re Excited About This Fall

Last week saw the announcement of a ton of new series from both Marvel and Image, and there are a bunch of those that have both Dan and me really excited. Here's a rundown of those series.

All-New All-Different Avengers (Dan): The old order changeth! For real this time! Writer Mark Waid, hot off a great run on Daredevil and currently rebooting Archie, and artist Adam Kubert roll out a new Avengers lineup featuring Original Recipe Iron Man, Captain America (Sam Wilson), Thor (Jane Foster), the Vision, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Spider-Man (Miles Morales), and Nova (Sam Alexander). And, despite the fact that Tony Stark is in the picture, they apparently have no money. The best part of this is seeing all the new faces on the team. Considering Kamala’s penchant for writing Avengers fan fiction, I’m especially interested to see how she reacts to getting called up to the big leagues.

Daredevil (Matt): I've loved Mark Waid's run on Daredevil, which is evident to anyone who has read any of my reviews of the title, of which there have been many. And while I'm sad to see it go, I can't think of a better writer to take over than Charles Soule, who just happens to be a lawyer, and who wrote my favorite short-lived Marvel series since Captain Britain and MI-13 closed up shop, last year's She-Hulk series. I'm hooping he can bring that same wit and legal sense to Marvel's premiere superhero lawyer. Ron Garney is a great choice for penciler, as his work on Wolverine showed a sense of dynamism and how well he draws ninjas, a plus with DD.

Deadpool (Dan): YAY! DEADPOOL’S NOT DEAD ANYMORE! Not that I ever thought that was going to stick. Homeboy’s got a movie coming out next year! Writer Gerry Duggan and artist Mike Hawthorne return to keep being awesome.

Doctor Strange (Dan): It’s a bit of shame that Doctor Strange hasn’t been able to carry a series in recent years, especially considering how important he’s been to big stories like the Infinity Gauntlet and Secret Wars. But I have faith in this new title, both because Marvel needs to give the doctor a big push with a movie coming out next year and because of the creative team assigned to him. Jason Aaron has done amazing work for Marvel in recent years on Wolverine & the X-Men and Thor, and few artists do dark and trippy as well as Chris Bachalo. Plus check out that sweet ax Doc’s been wielding in the promo art.

Extraordinary X-Men (Dan): I haven’t read X-Men on the regular since the days of Grant Morrison, but I’m intrigued by this title, which features a classic lineup: Storm (Mohawk), (Old Man) Logan, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Iceman, (young) Jean Grey, and Magik. It’s almost as if Marvel realized the X-Men needed a flagship book! Best of luck to new X-writer Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth, All-New Hawkeye) and artist Humbero Ramos (The Amazing Spider-Man).

Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Matt): I love Marvel monsters. I think Werewolf by Night is seriously underrated as a character. And so a book of monster heroes working for S.H.I.E.L.D. lead by Dum-Dum Dugan, a favorite agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the only guy I know who can rock a bowler hat and a walrus 'stache, sounds like a great book. Frank Barbiere's Five Ghosts from image has had some great supernatural twists and turns, and while I'm not familiar with artist Brent Schoonover, a little internet research has show some great work, so I'm pleased to see where this goes.

Karnak (Dan): Of all the new Marvel titles, this one, about the Inhuman whose power is to see the fatal flaw in every scenario, is the one I never thought would ever exist. But given it’s being written by Warren Ellis, whose bitter British wit I’ve loved since he wrote Excalibur 20 years ago, I’m willing to give it a shot.

Sam Wilson, Captain America (Dan): I’m on record about my love of the Steve Rogers-Sam Wilson dynamic, and I’m happy to see Sam’s still wearing the colors, as much as I found myself burned out by previous writer Rick Remender’s kitchen-sink approach dating to Uncanny X-Force. The new series by writer Nick Spencer (Morning Glories, Ant-Man) and artist Daniel Acuna (Uncanny Avengers) appears to show a rift between Steve and Sam, and I’m hoping it injects some new life into Cap’s adventures.

Spider-Man 2009 (Matt): Despite ending on something of a cliffhanger before Secret Wars, I wasn't sure we'd see this title return. But here it is! Peter David and Will Sliney return, giving Miguel O'Hara a new costume and hopefully keeping up the same fun and action that the first volume had.

Totally Awesome Hulk (Matt): Greg Pak is second only to Peter David as my favorite Hulk writer, so it's exciting to see him back. And Frank Cho draws an awesome giant monster, so he's a great choice for the book. And if my supposition on the identity of the new Hulk is correct, (c'mon Amadeus Cho!) I'll be even more excited.

And from last week’s Image Expo:

Black Magick (Matt): Ok, Greg Rucka could write anything and I'd read it. Nicola Scott could draw anything and I'd look at it. Combine the two with the words "supernatural" and "police procedural" and I might have my new favorite book of 2015 staring back at me sight unseen.

Camp Midnight (Matt): Steven T. Seagle has written a lot of very smart comics, and is best known for his work for Vertigo. But outside of comics, he's best known as part of the Man of Action studio, that created the hugely popular Ben 10 franchise. With artist Jason Katzenstein, he's combining his comics background with his all-ages work to give us Camp Midnight, the story of one of only two human campers at a summer camp for monsters. Sounds like a fun OGN to me.

Crosswind (Matt): Gail Simone is writing a creator owned book for Image? Sign me up. Add in strong art from the talented Cat Staggs and the concept of a no-nonsense hitman swapping minds with a frazzled housewife, and this looks like another home run from Simone, whose early Killer Princesses is a lost gem of hitwoman hilarity. 

Private Eye (Dan): Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin’s formerly digital-only series, about a future in which personal privacy is so guarded that everyone wears a mask, is finally being printed through Image. If Vaughn (Y the Last Man, Ex Machina, Saga) has written a bad story, I haven’t read it.

Snotgirl (Dan): Color me intrigued by this series about a fashion blogger with severe allergies, written by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgrim) with art by Leslie Hung. The promo art for this series features a traditionally beautiful woman with green snot running down her face.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 7/1

Detective Comics #42
Story: Brian Buccellato & Francis Manapul
Art: Fernando Blanco

The first issue of Detective Comics in the new Batman era got a bit lost for me last month, as it was released the same day as the new issue of Batman that really introduced Jim Gordon as Batman, despite having good things to say for it. This second issue is not only just as good, but might even be better than the first. While Jim/Batman does show up, both in and out of costume, this issue, and I think this book in general, has the feel of some of the best old GCPD stories from the '90s, and even a touch of Gotham Central, as Harvey Bullock is clearly the main character of this title, not Batman. While we open with a really cool fight scene between Batman and a gang of skull painted assassins called LaMorte, assassins with tech designed to take out the new Bat-mech suit, the thrust of the issue is Bullock trying to come to terms with his new status quo. I'm super-excited that Renee Montoya is back, and it's interesting to see her in a lighter tone. From "Half a Life," when Two-Face outed her, through her appearances as the Question, Renee was a haunted character. I can imagine people familiar with her exclusively through her time as written by Greg Rucka might see this more confident, less tormented Renee as a departure. But if you read her in the '90s, when she was first introduced, this Renee is close to that, a good, strong officer of the law. I love the interplay between her and Harvey, both when they're getting along and when they're fighting. Bullock's anger when he thinks Renee might be internal affairs is also perfectly in character; with the exception of Jim Gordon (and his late, old continuity wife, Sarah) Bullock has always had a problem with authority figures, and his somewhat old school rough cop attitude has caused problems with IA before. There's a lot of building blocks in this issue, with Bullock realizing that his partner/lover Yip might be hiding something from him, and I like that this book is focusing on the Batman support unit of the GCPD, as it's fleshing out exactly how Batman now relates to the city. Fernando Blanco's art is outstanding, sharing some of the git with guys like Michael Lark and Steve Lieber, artists I associate with GCPD, so I feel he's a great fit for the title now that Francis Manapul is off art and soon will be leaving the title. I'm glad that each Bat-title is getting more and more of its own flavor in this new DC era, and as the police/crime book, I think Detective Comics has a lot of potential.

Groot #2
Story: Jeff Loveness
Art: Brian Kesinger

"How Groot Met Rocket..." would be an apt description of this issue. I was a little worried when Skottie Young left his delightful Rocket Raccoon ongoing, and it was replaced by this new Groot title; after all, Groot can only say one sentence. But last issue's adventure with Rocket was fun, and left Groot floating in space, and this issue sees Groot thinking about how he met his pal. He also bumps into a space bus and accidentally terrifies everyone as some sort of floating space monster, but that's just an amusing aside. The main flashback sequence sees Rocket and Groot meet while both locked up in a jail in space. I like how Jeff Loveness builds the relationship. Rocket isn't friendly at first with Groot, which makes sense, since Rocket isn't exactly known to be friendly. But when the guards pick on Groot, Rocket stands up for him, which is a perfect character beat for Rocket, who I think views himself as a defender of the little guy, even though most little guys are bigger than him. The rest of the issue is them getting to know each other more, and Rocket warming up to Groot, and eventually learning to understand Groot's language, although the how  that isn't explained, which I don't mind, This is a fun comic, an all ages book, and I like that we're really just watching these two character on an adventure, not encumbered with any of the continuity of the ongoing Marvel universe epic.

Nailbiter #14
Story: Joshua Williamson
Art: Mike Henderson

I'm not sure if Joshua Williamson is moving his serial killer horror comic, Nailbiter, to its endgame, but he's certainly ramping up the tension and starting to give us some answers. After last issue's horrific final page reveal, we see exactly what Reverend Fairgold's plan is, and that might make his little act of cannibalism all the creepier, as it's all to get rid of Edward Charles Warren, the Nailbiter. But as Warren's reluctant protectors, Sheriff Crane and Agent Finch cart him off, they don't take him to jail. Instead, they insist he show them what he has learned about the history of Buckaroo and how the town continues to give birth to serial killers. What we get is a gorgeous and atmospheric scene, where artist Mike Henderson shows descents into caverns and submerged Aztec temples. It's a creepy scene from a comic that has done a tremendous job of building atmosphere from issue one. Nailbiter is a master class on tension and mood, not just in individual scenes (most notably the scene where we saw Warren hiding under the Sheriff's bed a few issues ago), but in the way the whole two feels. I can't think of another series since Starman that has built the personality of its setting as well as this. And I love the buts of background we get on the Buckaroo Butcher phenomenon. It's not enough to tie everything up, not in the least, but it happily whets my appetite for more. And I was happy to see a brief return of Alice, the teen who believes she is destined to be the next Butcher, as brief as it was. She and Sheriff Crane have been my favorite characters in the series, and I hope her fate isn't sealed in this issue, although this is a comic that doesn't shy away from a body count. I also absolutely loved the flashbacks to Warren and Crane as young lovers on the night of their prom, and the early sign of Warren's slipping. More than that, the fact that Warren resists the urge to kill Crane and leaves a note for her is actually touching. I like that we're seeing more of Warren as a character, and not just the sort of grinning killer he's been since the series started. Joshua Williamson recently wrapped his excellent supernatural caper comic, Ghosted, and that ending showed me this is a guy who knows how to pay off his readers. While I know that Nailbiter will have as great an ending, I do hope there's some more time before we see that end.

We Stand on Guard #1
Story: Brian K. Vaughan
Art: Steve Skroce

It's an embarrassment of riches when we have multiple titles from Brian K. Vaughan on the racks. While Saga is a space opera war story centered around the idea of family, We Stand On Guard is set on Earth in the not too distant future. I was going to say it was more grounded, but that would be doing Saga a disservice, since that comic, despite being set in worlds unknown with magic and superscience, is emotionally one of the most grounded comics out there. We Stand On Guard is set in a world where the USA is at war with Canada, and we readers are following the Canadian side of things. We open with the first salvos of the war, and see our protagonist, Amber, lose her parents to a bombing. Flash forward twelve years, and Amber is now alone in the wilderness and fighting off a robot dog, only to be saved by Canadian freedom fighters. Vaughan gives us snapshots of who each of these characters are, and even gives on, Booth, a great speech about how Superman is Canadian (read it to get the full impact, but it's great). And then a giant walker mech shows up, and we get a great scene of The Two-Four, the name of the resistance, taking it down. While Vaughan does his usual strong job building character and writing clever dialogue, it's Steve Skroce's art hat floored me this issue. Skroce is an artist who doesn't do a lot of comics anymore, working mostly as a storyboard artist in Hollywood, but I've been a fan since he drew Cable and X-Man back in the '90s for Marvel. His gorgeously detailed art is perfect not only for the characters faces and body language, but he draws a mean robot. The giant walker and the robot dog are rendered beautifully, and the action scenes are some of the best I've seen in years. The first issue of We Stand On Guard is a strong start to a new series from two creators I'm glad to see still working in comics.

27 Reasons You Should Care About... Agent 355

As Black History Month transitions into Women's History Month, I can't think of a better character to write about than all-time badass Agent 255 from Brian K. Vaughan's most-excellent Y the Last Man. Three-Fifty served as Yorick Brown's protector and traveling companion on his journey across the globe in search of his girlfriend and a way to reverse the near-extinction of the Y chromosome. Along the way, she dropped a lot of fools. A lot. In honor of that, rather than list just five reasons why 355 is awesome, here's all of the reasons.

Issue 1: Has no problem capping mofos from the get-go, killing Jordanian terrorists in the very first issue.

Issue 3: Hijacks a trash truck, gate-crashes the White House, and defuses a gunfight between legislators holed up at the White House and the widows of Republican congressmen who demand to succeed their husbands (Vaughn's eye for sorting out the logistics of a world dominated by women is astounding).

Issue 4: Saves Yorick's life for the first time, vs the Daughters of the Amazon.

Issue 6: Beats up two boxcar butches trying to extort Yorick, 355, and Dr. Alison Mann aboard a train bound for California. Throws Mann and herself from the train after the extortionists throw Yorick.

Issue 7: Gives Mann a gun, tells Mann to leave her bleeding in a field to find Yorick.

Issue 11: Fights a Russian agent atop a moving train.

Issue 13: Shoots an Israeli solider in the head, runs through gunfire and tackles another, shoots that one point black with the soldier's own gun.

Issue 14: Arranges a deal with Alter, the Israeli military leader, for Yorick in exchange for two astronauts headed back to Earth from the International Space Station. Threatens Natalya, the Russian agent they have befriended, to make it look convincing. Claims to be in love with Yorick (Or is she really?) to sweeten her case. Never has any intentions of making the trade.

Issue 18: The issue opens in media res with 355, Yorick, and Dr. Mann riding ATVs away from shooting cowgirls. At one point, 355 threatens to rip off Yorick's penis with a claw hammer.

Issue 22: Infiltrates the Sons of Arizona militia camp to rescue Dr. Mann, sneaks up on Dr. Mann's interrogator/torturer, knocks her out with a hypodermic needle, takes out another militawoman's eye with her baton.

Issue 23: Shoots another militiawoman up the jaw, and their leader right in the forehead.

Issue 27: Lets Yorick disguise himself as a mascot and heckle a basketball game as a birthday present. Sets up two members of the Setauket Ring to get hit by a San Francisco trolley.

Issue 28: Setauket Ring leader Anna Strong, arranging a MacGuffin swap: "You know where Candlestick Park is, yes?" 355: "Yeah, it's at the croner of f*** you and go to hell."

Issue 29: Finds out the Setauket Ring killed her friend, charges them as they fire at her, positions herself so one Setauket gets shot in the face by the other’s gun, then shoots the second Setauket in the face with the dead one’s gun. Then cracks their leader’s neck with her bare hands.

Issue 31: Gets in a gun, baton and sword fight with Toyota, the ninja assassin hired by Dr. Mann’s father to steal Ampersand the monkey, on the Golden Gate Bridge. Survives getting cut by Toyota’s sword.

Issue 32: Slaps the gun out of a ship crew-woman’s hand with a crowbar, kicks her in the stomach. Also, 355 and Dr. Mann … um … exchange insurance info.

Issue 34: Picks a brig lock with knitting needles. Uses the same needle to knife the ship captain in the shoulder, then cracks her across the skull with her own rifle.

Issue 37: Beats up a bunch of Australian junkies, knocks one into a glass display case.

Issue 38: In a flashback to one of her first missions with the Culper Ring, shoots up a band of Eritrean soldiers. Plunges off the balcony of an Australian high-rise with a tabloid journalist who took photos of a naked Yorick.

Issue 39: Grabs a balcony railing on a lower floor and pulls herself and said journalist to safety. Later socks her in the jaw, grabs her by the throat and knees her in the stomach.

Issue 41: In a flashback to her adolescence as an orphan, takes a baseball bat to two white teen boys who call her a bunch of racial slurs. Later, as a young Culper Ring agent, rips out the throat of her former mentor with her bare teeth to thwart an assassination attempt on President Clinton.

Issue 43: 355: “I’ll never understand your obsession with Presley. Heartbreak Hotel? That s--- is unlistenable.” Y: “It’s not his songs, it’s his life. I just think he’s interesting.” 355: “No, the Mata Hari is interesting. Elvis is nothing but pills and co-opting black music.”

Issue 45: With an ex-Japanese cop named You, pulls a The Raid-style assault on the hotel stronghold of a former Canadian pop star turned Yakuza lord in search of Ampersand. Gets caught after her gun runs out of bullets, just as she was about to shoot an armed girl.

Issue 50: Steals an ambulance to get Dr. Mann, who is sick and bleeding, to her mother.

Issue 51: Picks herself out of handcuffs, charges Toyota through a high-rise window. The two then engage in a naginta duel on a rooftop. 355 jams the busted-off end of a naginta into the side of Toyota’s neck, killing her, but not before taking the blade end in the stomach. It doesn’t kill her, but it severs her fallopian tubes, meaning she can’t bear children if the effects of the plague are ever reversed.

Issue 55: Beats up some Russian guards assigned to Lenin’s body, which is being moved by train, after the guards search 355 and Yorick and find Yorick’s “F--- Communism” lighter.

Issue 58: Gets shot through the head by an Israeli sniper right after confessing to Yorick her real name. Live badass, die badass. 

Dan Grote’s new novel, Magic Pier, is available however you get your books online. He has been writing for The Matt Signal since 2014. He and Matt have been friends since the days when making it to issue 25 guaranteed you a foil cover.