Ultimate Wolverine #2 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Chris Condon, Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio, 
Colourist: Bryan Valenza, Letterer: Cory Pettit

One of the things that I like more about this new Ultimate Universe over the first one is that whilst there's a pretty varied style across the board, and most of the books are doing their own thing, none of them have been bad, and certainly so far none of them have been incredibly objectionable. There have been some big changes, the world is so unlike the one we know that entirely different nations exist, and some well known characters have died already, but it's not as bad as a racist Captain America, incest twins, or heroes being eaten alive. But if there's one title that feels like it could possibly come close to entering that territory it's Ultimate Wolverine; but unlike those examples, the book has so far managed not to feel nasty or meanspirited.

The first issue of Ultimate Wolverine introduced us to this world's version of Logan, who had been through the same adamantium infusing experiments as the 616 version, but had also been programmed into this worlds Winter Soldier. This is a Logan who has yet to escape being a weapon, and is being used to hunt and kill anyone who opposes the rule of the Rasputins and Omega Red. We saw this in the first issue where he was sent to kill an Opposition cell, including two of their mutant leaders, Mystique and Nightcrawler. This is what I mean by this book has the potential to be like the worst parts of the old Ultimate Universe, because right from the start Ultimate Wolverine has shown it's not afraid to kill characters in horrible ways. But whilst things such as the Blob eating the Wasp felt like they were done for shock sake, here at least it feels like it fits.

We see that even more this issue, a world in which killing, cruelty, and darkness feel right at home. From the opening pages where we see the Maker creating the world he wants, to the Rasputin's torturing Logan, and the throwing away of loyal subject's lives in order to perform a test; the cruelty feels baked in, and as such it means that the brutality this series delivers doesn't feel as jarring, even though it's more extreme than what we'd see in the main 616 universe. The first issue of Ultimate Wolverine felt like it was creating the tone, but this issue shows us how that tone works, how the Eurasian Republic operates from the top and gives us insight into the twisted machinations that take place in the background.

As with the first issue, the art on the series is impeccable, and suits the tone wonderfully. Cappuccio and Valenza create some absolutely beautiful moments in this book that most pages had at least one panel that had me stopping for a moment just to pour over how good it looked. The scenes in the forest were beautifully crafted, and captured the desolate, cold atmosphere in ways that almost had you feeling the chill. The art works well in moments of violence too, where you see just enough that you can feel the visceral, animalistic nature that Logan brings to his killing, yet it never feels overly gory or gratuitous. It manages to walk that line between dark and disturbing incredibly well.

Ultimate Wolverine, like much of this new universe, feels like a slow burn story, one that's not just carefully crafting these characters but the world they inhabit, allowing the reader to get a little more each issue rather than presenting everything up front. It's an approach that's working incredibly well for this title so far, and has quickly elevated this book to my most anticipated Ultimate book each month.

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Wolverine #6 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Saladin Ahmed, Artist: Martín Cóccolo, 
Colourist: Bryan Valenza, Letterer: Cory Petit

After a few issues with Logan babysitting Leonard, a teenage infected with the Wendigo curse, we've finally gotten back into the main thrust of this first arc, which sees a mysterious infection that's turning people with Adamantium in their bodies into mind controlled killers; as well as turning their Adamantium from silver into a golden coloured metal instead. We pick up with Logan after his fight with Constrictor, Lady Deathstrike, and Cyber last issue, joining him in the middle of a vision that makes him think he's trapped deep under the earth, like Adamantium ore, after having been infected in the final moments of issue five.

Drawn out of his vision by Nightcrawler, it seems that Logan is no longer infected, whether because his healing powers allowed him to fight it off, or the infection chose to let him go, it's not clear yet; but Logan is back in the game and ready to go after his foes. However, they've vanished, leaving bodies and destruction in their wake. It's amidst this destruction that Logan comes across family, as the other Wolverine, Laura Kinney, is in the middle of fighting Leonard. Luckily, Logan is able to stop the fight, and father and daughter are able to team up to continue their chase of their infected enemies. It turns out that Laura has been on their trail too after a group of metallurgists in the UK were killed, leading the two Wolverines to come to the conclusion that anyone with knowledge of how to create Adamantium is being targeted by the infected. 

The two of them are able to track their foes to a facility in Arizona using the Blackbird's tracking system, and head there to continue the fight. Finding even more death, they're surprised when they come face to face with Donald Peirce, the mutant hating Reaver, who's cybernetics are coated in Adamantium, allowing him to be infected too. Joined by the other infected, the two Wolverine's have to fight for their lives; but discover a familiar, ancient face, leading them in a final page reveal that promises some interesting things to come. 

It feels like Wolverine has begun to increase in quality over the last two issues. After a fairly promising start the book seemed to lose a lot of momentum as Logan took a few issues out of the main story to deal with Leonard, something that so far doesn't seem to have added much to the series. Perhaps he's a Chekov's Gun, and he'll end up being important at a later point. The last two issues feel more like what people tend to come to a Wolverine book for though, as we get lots of blood, and action scenes where Logan and Laura fight their way through familiar and fan favourite faces.

The story is still kind of thin, there's some kind of ancient entity called the Adamatine that wants to change Adamantium and make the people with it in their bodies into mindless drones to its will, but that's about it. We don't know what it is, where it came from, or why it's doing this; though the final moments of this issue do give the impression that some kind of explanation will be coming next time. But, what we have here is enough in the sense that it's what we need as an excuse to have our titular hero and his daughter get into some fights. After all, we don't really expect complex, intellectual stories in a Wolverine title, we expect fighting and some Logan angst; and that's what we've been given so far.

The art team, Martín Cóccolo and Bryan Valenza, make some great work, and even if the story isn't to your taste it's hard to deny that the book doesn't look really nice. Everyone looks crisp and clean, character designs are really nice, and you get a great sense of the death and destruction happening around Wolverine as the background details are usually really well crafted. Even when the book felt a bit slow for my liking on previous issues I couldn't fault the artwork, and that continues here with some really great fight scenes and smaller character moments that never leave me disappointed.

After the last page reveal I'm very curious to see what's going to be happening next. It's something of a morbid curiosity as my experience with this character has been in stories that I've not hugely enjoyed, but perhaps Ahmed will change my mind on them and this will be the story that makes me see them as an interesting and impressive antagonist.

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The Ultimates #9 - Comic Review

 

Writer: Deniz Camp, Artist: Chris Allen, 
Colourist: Federico Blee, Letterer: Travis Lanham

I have been enjoying The Ultimates, but the last couple of issues felt like a slight dip in quality for me. I didn't really vibe with the Guardians story last month, and it felt like the series was changing gear a little. This issue, however, feels like a powerful return to form that I can't help but love. Issue nine does what this series seems to do best, it took a step away from the overall story and focused on a small corner of this new universe and fleshed it out for us, delivering more of the larger revolution against The Maker, whilst also showing us how bad things in 6160 can be.

Issue nine focuses on Luke Cage, who we meet twenty years ago as he's sentenced to one year to life in prison, his crime is never revealed to him, he doesn't get a trial, he's just a fifteen year old boy who realises he's facing the rest of his life in prison. Over a shifting timeline, we see Cage at various points in his life, being abused by a for-profit prison system that wants him as a slave. He's beaten by faceless guards, abused, maligned, and very literally stripped of his status as a human. So when Iron Lad sends him a package that promises to give him power it leads Luke down a path to revolutions. 

This issue is a fantastic book, it's the kind of issue where if I've got someone asking if this new Ultimate Universe is any good I'd hand them it to read; because I think this is a perfect way to win people over to it. It captures the tone of The Ultimates perfectly, of an oppressed people leading a movement against a cruel regime to fight for a better tomorrow.

The art for the issue is provided by Chris Allen and Federico Blee, who create a wonderfully oppressive atmosphere. The prison world that we're introduced to feels cold, hard, and unwelcoming, and you're sold on how terrible it is immediately. Luke himself looks great, and it's wonderful to see his gradual change over the years, and if you're not hyped to see him as the super powered saviour of the oppressed, wrapped in the chains used to imprison him I don't know what would win you over. If The Ultimates keeps making issues like this the series is going to become a must read for decades to come.

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Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Movie - Book Review

 

'This fully illustrated tome is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of the Marvel blockbuster. Follow the film’s complete artistic evolution, featuring stunning concept artwork, behind-the-scenes photographs, production stills, and in-depth interviews with the cast and crew. Here is everything you need to know about the film from its key players, including director James Gunn, co-producer Jonathan Schwartz, executive producer Jeremy Latcham, head of visual development Charlie Wen, along with the talented concept illustrators and storyboard artists who worked on the set and behind the scenes to create the art of Guardians of the Galaxy.'

I was working in a comic shop when the Marvel Cinematic Universe began, and there was a huge sense of excitement from it. As soon as Iron-Man hit, and we got the post credits scene with Nic Fury namedropping the Avengers people became unbelievably hyped, realising this was a shared universe that was going to build towards the most ambitious project comic book movies had ever seen. People came into the shop talking about the films, and wanting to learn more about the characters on the screen. People took more of an interest in folks like Captain America and Thor, giving them a second chance when they might have overlooked them before. 

By the time Guardians of the Galaxy rolled around the shop wasn't there anymore, but I'd have been super curious to see what people's reaction to this unknown team would have been. Even for those who read a lot of comics, the Guardians were a group that tended to fly under the radar, who maybe appeared in a crossover for an issue; but even then it would be a niche story. The MCU had played it fairly safe until Guardians of the Galaxy picking characters that had some wider recognition at least, but the Guardians was a big gamble for them. An unknown team with a bunch of aliens that included a raccoon man, and a talking tree, it wasn't like anything that had come before. Luckily, writer/director James Gunn managed to not only make the film succeed, but made the Guardians a household name. The latest entry in the Marvel Studios Infinity Saga art book series takes a look at the first entry in this hit trilogy of movies.

One of the things that I love about this series of art books is seeing how the filmmakers bring the comic to life on the big screen. Seeing iconic characters go from the pace to the real world is a fascinating experience, but in some of the previous books these sections have to be shared with more mundane things, such as how they designed Tony Starks house, or creating the small town where Thor hangs out. With this latest release, however, everything is new. It's set in space, there's very little here that feels recognisable or normal, and because of this the book is absolutely jam packed with stunning art, and unused concepts that you'll find yourself wishing could have been on film.

Guardians of the Galaxy also brought to life a lot more characters than previous films, from the Guardians themselves, to their villains, background cameos, and others they meet along their journey, it's a bit of a who's who of the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. This means that the majority of the book is given over to character designs (my favourite thing). Having been familiar with how the characters looked in the comics prior to their big screen debut, I was very interested to see how they changed as much as they did, and the book covered this in spades. Whether it's seeing versions of Peter Quill sporting a full helmet rather than just a mask, or versions of Yondu with a huge fin on his head, these versions feel much closer to their original look, and give you a fascinating idea of what the film could have been like before the designs were further refined. 

It's also fascinating to see why some of these changes took place. Quill had his helmet scaled back to being just a mask because the fully helmeted look was a bit more menacing, and they needed the audience to identify him as the hero quickly. Drax was a fascinating one to see here too, as it gave a much more in depth look and explanation for his film design than anything in the films. There's some fun designs that put Drax in a form of armour, with the armour creating the shape of his tattoos, but the ritual scarring design that was settled on was an idea unique to the film; and the book shows them off beautifully. There's a two page spread showing close-up shots of a few of his scars, and explaining the events from his life they depict. This was a scene that was cut from the actual film, so getting to see that here, with photos that you can examine and take in in your own time, is great, not least because it's given me a whole new understanding of the character. 

Whilst there are designs for most of the characters where you can find things you like over the ones that made it into the film, and may even prefer some of the unused designs, two characters that seem to have been the perfect versions of themselves are Rocket Raccoon and Groot. The book says that they landed on the perfect Groot design pretty early, and looking at some of the alternative designs you can see why that was the one they went for. A walking tree isn't easy to make work, especially if its supposed to be a character that can emote, and some of the rejected designs are a bit too cold and alien to work. Rocket is the same, with some of the rejected designs feeling too cartoonish, or too unpleasant to look at. One of them looks like a mutant Wookie. It seems the design team really nailed the perfect looks for these two characters, and looking at some of the images in this book its clear we got lucky.

The film also had to create spaceships, planets, and weapons, as very little in the movie was from Earth, and so everything had to be created from the ground up. Much like the character designs it's great to see some of the alternative looks we could have had. The Guardians ship was bigger and longer in some designs, with one looking like a futuristic hot rod. There are versions of the Dark Aster that resemble twisted floating heads that evoke demonic imagery. Some of the Nova Corp uniforms make them look less like beat cops and more like robots. It's amazing how despite the varied looks of the different cultures of the film everything seems to work together so well, especially when you see so many designs here that are good designs, but would have thrown that unified feel off if they'd have been chosen instead. 

Guardians of the Galaxy is a film that probably shouldn't have worked. It was so different and so risky for Marvel, yet it became one of the best parts of the MCU, and I'll maintain that the three films (and their Christmas special) is perhaps the best, most consistent comic book movie series made. This book offers a fantastic insight into the creation of the film, one that will please both film fans and comic readers alike.

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Weekly Comic Review - 3rd July 2024

 

I take a look at a selection of this weeks comic releases. This week I read and review Absolute Power, X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psyclocke, Birds of Prey, and more!

Absolute Power #1

Writer: Mark Waid, Artist: Dan Mora, Colourist: 
Alejandro Sánchez, Letterer: Ariana Maher

Absolute Power has been building for a while now, slowly taking shape across multiple titles such as Batman, Green Arrow and Suicide Squad: Dream Team to name but a few. But after months of preparing it seems that Amanda Waller has finally decided to make her move. Using AI generated imagery and video, she's flooded the internet and news media with reports of the super hero community turning on the world, with the heroes now performing random acts of destruction, resulting in the deaths of many, apparently. Despite this being fake, the worlds citizens have bought into it, resulting in incidents like Animal Man and his daughter being attacked by a mob, Black Lightning and his family being put in the hospital, and the Doom Patrol having their home burned to the ground. As the heroes try to desperately react to this Waller launches the next stage of her plan, a series of Amazo robot, boosted by Brainiac Queen tech, that rob the heroes of their powers and abilities. With their powers gone or weakened, the heroes fall victim one by one, including Superman, who is shot through the chest. The world is burning, the heroes are dying, and all hope seems lost.

Absolute Power hits the ground running and does not stop for the entirety of the issue. Part of this is likely because this event is only three issues long (sort of), and so can't waste time on the smaller things. Of course, the build-up to this has been happening for a while over multiple issues, and there are a number of tie-in issues that will fill things out over the next three issues of the main title, so it's not really a three issue event; but it still feels like it's acting as one and there's not a second to breathe during the first issue. And I kind of like it. The dominos Waller has set up are falling hard and fast, and the heroes have little to no time to react before the next awful thing happens, so being on the ground with them, seeing it happen that fast, certainly adds to the tension. That being said, it's not completely perfect, as we've not really been given a full explanation as to how it's all happening, specifically in terms of the magic users. The book claims that that knowledge to access magic has been blocked or removed from the minds of magic users, but that somehow kicks the Spectre out of Jim Corrigan, meaning Waller literally beat the spirit of God's vengeance, as in THE God. Feels a bit much to me.

Of course, these are wrinkles that we may see ironed out over the coming issues as we learn more about how everything here works. As it stands though, the first issue works pretty well, even if the final page is a horrific gut-punch that you may have already seen spoiled all over social media (I loved seeing that before I even got a chance to read the book). One of the biggest draws to the title is Dan Mora, who's providing the artwork. Mora is easily one of the best artists in comics right now, and getting to see him draw not just a bunch of new characters, but some beloved icons, is a blast. We kind of get a small bit of Dan Mora doing the JLI this issue, as well as members of the Justice Society, and the Doom Patrol, which is always an absolute treat to see. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke #1

Writer: Steve Foxe, Artist: Lynne Yoshii, Colourist: Ruth Redmond, 
Letterer: Ariana Maher

Psylocke has become a fast favourite X-Man of mine thanks to the way that she was used during the Krakoan Era. Her time on Hellions was fantastic (as was the entire book), and seeing that she was going to be getting her own spotlight issue during Blood Hunt, and that she's be joined by John Greycrow and that she'd be fighting Japanese monsters was just a cherry on top of the cake. The issue begins with the two leads enjoying some down time between X-Men era's, with Kwannon relaxing in a hot spring whilst Greycrow keeps her company, opting to stay out of the water to prevent rust. However, when the sun goes out and the sky goes black and Kwannon begins to sense the death and fear around them, they quickly hit the streets to try and help. However, they find not just vampires waiting for them, but a host of other monsters from Japanese myth, such as the Nure-onna, and the Kuchisake-onna (the Mouth Slit Woman).

Whilst we don't know if this is going to play out into the next X-Era, the fact that Greycrow and Kwannon are still a couple here has me super happy, as I've loved their developing relationship over the last few years; and the fact that this issue discusses Kwannon's fears about abandonment and rejection only to use it to reaffirm their connection was fantastic. It felt like the perfect next step for establishing them as a long running new couple. As someone who loves Japanese horror, I was also delighted that the issue played into that, incorporating some of the monsters from Japan rather than relying on simple vampires. The Slit Mouth Woman was super creepy, and was a great foil for Kwannon in this issue, with her history and her story playing into. The issue also manages to balance the horror, character development, and action really well too, and the leads make for a great duo who we definitely need to see more of in future issues (especially as Greycrow was rocking a pulse rifle from Aliens that we never got to see him actually use).

Lynne Yoshii and Ruth Redmond provide the art, and there are some fantastic moments in this issue. Kwannon and Greycrow look amazing fighting monsters, getting to kill and maim without worrying about being careful or moral questions hanging over what they're doing. They're killing monsters, and it's fantastic. I genuinely loved this issue, and it might be my favourite of the entire event so far. Just like the Magic one-shot, this feels like an ongoing that we need on the shelves. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Birds of Prey #11 

Writer: Kelly Thompson, Artist: Robbi Rodriguez, Javier Pina, 
Gavin Guidry, Colourist: Jordie Bellaire, Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Birds of Prey is one of those books that I was expecting to like, but never thought I'd love as much as I do. It's very quickly become one of those books that when I realise it's being published that week I get super excited to read it and it makes its way to the top of my pile. The fact that the series was only supposed to be six issues but has gotten to continue on makes it all the better, especially when compared to Green Arrow, which went through a similar extension, yet feels like a book that had to try to figure out a way to carry on, whilst Birds of Prey did so effortlessly. I'm also loving that it's giving us something different to what the title has done in the past, moving away from street level crime to more outlandish adventures.

This issue picks up where the last left off, without team of heroes and their new ally jumping through another pocket dimension portal, rebooting the universe into a new form. This time, rather than dark and gothic, or 1950's glamour, we get dinosaurs and tattered costumes as the team land in a pre-historic jungle, where they have to battle through hordes of giant dinosaurs (much to Big Barda's delight). The issue also manages to progress some of the personal stories somewhat too, with a focus on both Vixen and Sin this issue that gives some big insights into their characters and their emotional states as they deal with the stresses of their situation. 

Whilst the issue includes three artists I honestly didn't really notice whilst reading the book. Part of this might be down to having been so absorbed into the narrative that I just didn't notice, or it could be that the various artists involved had similar styles that it wasn't all that noticeable. However, it could also be down to the colouring of Jordie Bellaire. Colourists often get overlooked when talking about comic art, yet are a huge part of the process, with a book often being make or break depending on the colourist. We've all seen artists we love producing work that looks off because of the colours applied to it. This has never been more apparent to me than this series, in which Bellaire's style changes the art in huge ways. The book looks different to anything else on the shelf because of the colours and the style that it brings to the table, and I can't help but love this series for daring to be so different to everything else. I genuinely love this series, I can't wait to see what weirdness Thompson has in store next time, and I hope the book continues on forever. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Blood Hunt: Werewolf By Night #1

Writer: Jason Loo, Artist: Adam Gorham, Colourist: Alex Sinclair, Letterer: Joe Sabino

I have to be a little honest, I went into this book expecting something different. I thought that this one-shot was going to be following the other Werewolf By Night, Jack Russell. The one-shot with him in it earlier in the year, by writer Derek Landy, was a great book that I wanted more of, and so I thought that would be what I was going to get here. Instead, we join Jake Gomez instead, as he gets caught up in a magic ritual in an abandoned amusement park that opens up a portal to hell whilst the world is dealing with the Blood Hunt.

Set out in the middle of the desert, in an old dinosaur themed amusement park, the story follows Jake as he heads out to spend the full moon letting his inner monster run around the park blowing off steam. However, he's interrupted when a group of teens and young adults he knew from school come to the park to perform a magic ritual, one that opens a door to hell for the ghost of Duke Jensen to come through into the real world. Not satisfied with just being a ghost, Duke takes over the body of his nephew and begins a reign or terror and death.

I can't help but feel that this could have been a separate one-shot, and may even have started that way, that would have worked better without being tied into the Blood Hunt event. Other than the sky going black as the Dark Force is used by Blade and his people, there's no real connection to the event here. Even the appearance of vampire cops towards the end of the story could have been done without the Blood Hunt connection. The events of this story also happen across the time of Blood Hunt, and the book kind of has to fudge the numbers a little because of that. It says that hours, maybe days go by, and never puts down a firm answer. But the fact that none of the teens running from Duke's spirit are able to escape the amusement park for maybe days does feel like a bit of a stretch. This could have been a fun one-shot issue, but having to tie into the event it's a part of feels like it really hampered a lot of the enjoyment and internal logic for me. ⭐⭐

Star Wars: Inquisitors #1

Writer: Rodney Barnes, Artist: Ramón Rosanas, Colourist:
Guru-eFX, Letterer: Joe Caramagna

The time between the prequels and the original trilogy is an era where we've not had a huge amount of exploration. There is still a lot we don't know, especially towards the start of this time. Yes, we've recently had a focus on this with The Bad Batch, but that didn't give us much, or any, info on the state of the Jedi or the Sith, something that fans are always clamouring for. With this time being the start of the Inquisitors, an order of fallen Jedi turned Darksiders who hunt their former comrades, it seems prime real-estate for exciting stories. The new mini-series, Star Wars: Inquisitors seems to want to make the most of this as we follow the Grand Inquisitor in a mission to hunt down a Jedi survivor who's upsetting the balance of the galaxy.

The first issue sees the Grand Inquisitor being given a special mission by his master, Darth Vader, who has learned of a powerful Jedi Knight names Tensu Run, who has been taking on missions against the Empire, freeing prisoners, and destroying Imperial facilities. Whilst the loss of life and equipment is annoying, the biggest issue is that Tensu Run is inspiring hope in others, and hope cannot be allowed to flourish within the new Empire. As such, the Grand Inquisitor sets out to find the rogue Jedi and end his life. This journey takes him to several worlds, and a huge ship in orbit over a remote planet that houses several Jedi, including Tensu Run's former master.

There are some people who have complained that there are too many Jedi survivors of Order 66, which is ridiculous as even if it was 99% effective there would still be more than 100 Jedi around to play with, which means more survivors turning up in stories isn't too big of an issue for me. Those that feel otherwise will likely dislike this new series, however, as we get several just in this first issue. But, this is what the Inquisitors were made for, and seeing them fight regular people just wouldn't be as fun. Ramón Rosanas has worked on Star Wars titles before, and brings a great style to the title. The characters all look great, and it very much feels like a Star Wars we've seen before, even when we get new stuff. It fits the universe well, and the new characters and locations offer something new whilst still feeling like part of the franchise. For those wanting more Jedi vs Inquisitor stories, and to explore the early days of the Empire this series will definitely scratch that itch for you. ⭐⭐⭐

Batman #150

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Denys Cowan, Jorge Jiménez,
Colourist: Tomeu Morey, Letterer: Clayton Cowles

The latest issue of Batman, is a book split across two stories, with only one of them tying into Absolute Power as the cover suggests; so those picking up the title expecting the entire thing to tie into the current event might be somewhat disappointed. However, the section of the book that has nothing to do with Absolute Power turns out to be the best part. The main story of the issue picks up on something that was teased towards the end of an issue way back during Gotham War, an event that a lot of people disliked so might be wondering how that's affecting things now. Way back then, one of the crooks that Catwoman trained up to be a burglar broke into the home of a rich Gothamite and learned something shocking, Bruce Wayne is Batman. Now, Theodore Critchley is trying to sell that information in order to get rich and put his life back together. The only problem is, the criminals either don't want to know, or Batman is following him everywhere.

For the most part, I really liked this story, and this is something that I would actually like to see more of in Batman. We get to see a slightly different point of view on Gotham and its characters through Teddy, and learning about his family life and how it all plays out for him is actually great, especially his son's story. There's a lot in here that feels like the best kind of Batman to me, how he doesn't need to always throw a punch to frighten people, and how behind the scenes he does a lot of good for those that need help. I also loved the Two-Face scene and how he views Batman, and it really sells you on the idea that the big villains wouldn't want to know who he really is.

The back-up story is where Absolute Power comes into play, as we catch up with Batman after the events of Absolute Power issue one. Task Force VII has been unleashed and the heroes have been depowered. Of course, this means nothing for Batman, and so he's still doing his thing; this issue his thing being trying to rescue Cyborg, who would be a huge help to the heroes in this story. We also get a lot of internal monologue of how Bruce is blaming himself for this (totally fair). Weirdly, this issue also introduces the idea that the Amazon Amazo talks with a Victorian era Cockney-like accent; which is frankly a bit bizarre.

The art on the two stories are both really good, and have very different tones to them. Denys Cowan provides the art on the first story, and it gives it a more gritty, dirty, and grounded tone that fits following a henchmen through the mean streets of Gotham City. In comparison, Jorge Jiménez gives the Absolute Power story a bigger feel, it has the tone of a big event tie in, with flashy visuals and a sense of scale that works well in comparison to the previous, more intimate story. Overall, this was a decent issue, but one that was at it strongest when doing something different and not really being a part of the biggest story that Zdarsky has been building since his run began. ⭐⭐⭐

Blood Hunters #3

Writer: Erica Schultz, Josh Trujillo, Sean McKeever, Artist: Bernard Chang, Claire Roe, Lan Medina, Colourist: Romulo Fajardo Jr., Neeraj Menon, Marcelo Maiolo, Letterer: Joe Caramagna,

Blood Hunters has provided readers with tiny snapshots of the vampire take over as we've hopped from story to story, checking in on characters that don't make an appearance in the main title. It's been pretty enjoyable, though the quality of the stories varies from issue to issue depending on your own personal taste. With that being said, this third issue might be my favourite of the bunch, and was one that I really enjoyed. The first issue follows a group of Latverian citizens who are taking sanctuary from the vampires in the walls of their embassy, doing their best to survive whilst hoping that Doom will come to save them. Doctor Doom is a very interesting character, one that I've come to have strong, complex opinions of over recent years, so seeing a villain in a more heroic setting like this, being held up as a saviour, is super interesting. Especially as you're waiting for the other shoe to drop with one of the people waiting for his rescue being a traitor to Latveria.

The second story is where this issue excels, however, with 'The Fall of the House of Udder'. I feel that title alone bags this story as the best in the entirety of Blood Hunt. Speaking of the event, this story has basically nothing to do with it, and is instead a tale of a man who works for Hellcow, taking care of her farm and managing things for the vampire. Yes, it's ridiculous, yes, it's amazing. This is the kind of silliness we need more of from mainstream comics. The final story continues the multi-part 'Once More Into Darkness' that has been in the other issues, continuing to follow Dagger as she tries to find a way to help Cloak, and encounters various other female characters. This issue introduces another character in the final moments, but one that honestly fails to elicit any kind of excitement. This story is definitely the least interesting of the bunch, and I can't help but feel that if we had entirely stand alone stories each issue it would have been more enjoyable. The art across all three stories is great, though the artistic tone in the Hellcow story definitely fits that tale wonderfully, and stands out amongst the others. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shazam! #13

Writer: Josie Campbell, Artist: Mike Norton, Colourist: Trish Mulvihill, Letterer: Troy Peteri

There are some problems within the Shazam family at the moment. They have a new home, but can't really settle into it and become a legal family until Bill's issues are sorted out. Billy and the Captain seem to have split somewhat and aren't getting on. And the siblings who lost their powers have been a bit envious that Billy and Mary get to keep being super heroes. There are more, but these are the main points that are driving the current arc, as Mary and Freddy hit the road to try and find the Rock of Eternity and their missing brother, Billy. Whilst searching for their wayward brother the two of them come under attack from some monsters, which sees Freddy jumping into the action despite having no powers; a decision that leads him to an old villain, and a potential new path.

Josie Campbell clearly loves the Shazam family and their lore, and is not only bringing in small threads left hanging in the Waid run, but her previous New Champion of Shazam! mini-series, and older comics too. The book feels like a great mixture of classic Captain Marvel adventures, with the reintroduction of Uncle Marvel in a new role that's nonetheless delightful to see, with some brand new ideas. The story also seems to be taking Freddy in a new direction that could add some great new drama to things. He looks poised to be gaining new powers, probably from a less than reputable source, and whilst this feels like a bad idea it also feels very in keeping with where his character is at at the moment. He misses being a hero, he's jealous of his siblings even if he'll never admit that, so of course this can be taken advantage of. In a lot of ways the Shazam book feels like it's taking place in its own little corner of DC, doing things different and just having some fun; and because of that it's the kind of series anyone can pick up and have a blast with. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Weekly Comics Review - 22nd May 2024

 

I take a look at a selection of this weeks comic releases. This week I read and review Blood Hunt, Nightwing, Green Lantern: War Journal, Ultimate Black Panther, and more!

Fall of the House of X #5

Writer: Gerry Duggan, Artist: Lucas Werneck, Stefano Caselli, 
Colourist: Bryan Valenza, Letterer: Travis Lanham

The war against Orchis is fast moving to it's conclusion, and this issue pretty much wraps everything up in a nice neat package. Without wasting any time this issue opens in the middle of the action, with the X-Men fighting Nimrod and his multiple duplicates across the world and on the crashing Orchis space station. Nimrod being able to split himself across different avatars at the same time allows multiple heroes to have the chance to tangle with the villain this issue, and we get some great moments, such as Magento and Polaris teaming up, and Cyclops continuing to prove why he's a leader as he holds the monster off long enough for the big gun to arrive; Storm.

Not only does the issue deal with Nimrod, finally putting the machine down for good (hopefully), but we get a conclusion to Omega Sentinel's turn as a villain. Having had her body inhabited by a version of herself from a dark future, Karima has turned on her former allies and has been fighting for their extinction. Thanks to Psylocke, however, her true psyche gets freed, and the injured and traumatised Karima is saved. I know fans of the character haven't been completely happy with her villain turn, so this issue addressing it, and setting her up to have a decent story come out of this with her journey to forgiveness, should hopefully keep fans satisfied. 

The art team on the issue do a hell of a job, and deliver some fantastic action sequences and it feels like most of the key players in the issue get a moment where you just have to stop and take in what they're doing because it's incredibly cool. The issue really hammers home how great the X-Men can look when they're backed into a corner, fighting to save the world, never giving in. There are some great moments here that really reinforce why people love these characters so much. With the AI's put to bed, things are still not finished though, with Xavier still working his schemes, and the danger of Enigma still looming, the final two issues of the Krakoa Era look set to be just as pack as this one. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Spectacular Spider-Men #3

Writer: Greg Weisman, Artist: Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba,
Colourist: Edgar Delgado, Letterer: Joe Caramagna

One of the best parts of The Spectacular Spider-Men has been the slowly unfolding mystery. In the first issue we got brief interludes that felt almost unconnected, and in the second we began to understand them more are we realised people were being given the chance to live the life of their dreams, and this issue we finally learn who's behind the bizarre scheme as Peter and Miles fall victim to it too. Split across different time periods, we see Miles and Peter further searching for the missing people around campus in the sewers, with a little help from the Vermin clones and Shift, as well as the dream lives that the two heroes get trapped in.

As with most 'dream' scenarios that Peter has been in in the past (think House of M) his dream life is him living in a post-Spider-Man retirement with his loving wife Gwen Stacy, and their two kids. Having seen this kind of scenario before it does feel a little bit like a rehash, especially as Ultimate Spider-Man also has a happily married father Peter Parker going on; however, it's Weisman's writing that keeps it from feeling stale, and makes these parts of the issue enjoyable to read. Whilst Peter is stuck in that reality, Miles is going on his first date with Kamala. Building upon seeds planted in past interactions, we get to see a little bit of what the two of them becoming a couple would be like; and it's pretty adorable.

The art on the issue, with pencils by Humberto Ramos and inks by Victor Olazaba, looks great. The art on this series has been a genuine joy so far, with even the more mundane and realistic scenes being packed full of energy and tiny details that will bring a smile to your face. However, this issue it's perhaps the splash pages that are the best looking, with the second page in the book being a great reveal of some sneaky trickery going on with the first page. Overall, this has been a really enjoyable title so far, and those feeling disappointed in the flagship Spider-Man book should definitely be checking this out. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Titans #11

Writer: Tom Taylor, Artist: Lucas Meyer, Colourist: Adriano Lucas,
Letterer: Wes Abbott

One of the things that I find with Tom Taylor's writing is that it always feels like a fast read. Taylor likes to get to the point quick, and moves the plot forward so that by the time you get to the end of the issue it feels like you've only just begun. This issue of Titans definitely had that feel to it, likely enhanced by having the first half of the book giving us a history to this arcs new villain, Vanadia. A little girl who watches the Teen Titans save the world, she grows up wanting to be a member of the team. Spending years building herself up, getting stronger and faster, she eventually joins a programme designed to give her enhanced powers. Unfortunately, those kinds of things never go as planned, and readers won't be surprised to find out that she's far from what she set out to be. Now being lied to and manipulated by other forces, she's sent to fight her heroes.

Mixed into this we also get a little furthering of the evil Raven arc, with Dick having been onto her for a while now and investigating her. But how do you investigate someone who can read your mind? Well, this brings us to the part of the issue that I honestly didn't really like too much. Dick having set up a mental safe room to hide his thoughts, fine, I can go with that. But the word that activates it was a little too much for me. Batman is currently driving Zur-en-arrh into the ground for me, and this issue taking some inspiration from that just lost me if I'm honest. Hopefully Circ-en-arrh will never come up again; I've already seen it relentlessly mocked dozens of times online, so I don't think I'm the only one who isn't down for that particular one.

Outside of the story that has some ups and downs the art on the issue is great, and Lucas Meyer does some great work at bringing Vanadia to life. She's got a pretty decent design, reminiscent of Amazo, yet also retaining a lot of elements of her human form, and she's utilised well in the action scenes she's in. Hopefully we'll get to see her do some more stuff next issue, and hopefully away from Titans Tower too, as we yet again have another story where a lot of stuff seems to be happening around the building. I'd like to see the Titans get out of the house a bit more as this arc goes on. ⭐⭐⭐

Predator: The Last Hunt #4

Writer: Ed Brisson, Artist: Francesco Manna, Colourist: Erick
Arciniega, Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Having grown up reading the Dark Horse Predator comics, I've long held the belief that comics are definitely a medium in which the movie monster can not only thrive, but excel. There have been some amazing comics featuring the Predator, and the entire concept of them crossing over with the Alien franchise (something that just seems to be a universally accepted part of the lore) began in the comics. But since the Marvel take-over of the book I've struggled to really enjoy them. They're all decent, there's nothing really wrong with the books, but they've just not wowed me (with the exception of the cross-over with Wolverine).

As this volume of the series comes to a close (and I wish they didn't start a new volume each story arc) it's the third or fourth story arc of the series and as with the others it kind of just limps towards it's end goal. The issue opens with Theta having been healed by the Nightmare Predator, and taken to a new hunting ground. Finding her armour waiting for her, she engages in a fight with the hunter with her allies Paolo and John being the prize. One of the biggest problems with the Marvel Predator titles for me has been that there's little memorable about them. This time round we've got John Schaefer popping up, and a cool looking new foe, but John doesn't do much and of course Theta beats the Predator at the end. There's no big wow moments, it just moves from one story to another without any sense of big resolution or pay off. Perhaps stopping the ongoing adventures of Theta and doing self contained mini's like Dark Horse would be the better way to go.

Whilst the story is fairly middle of the road, the art at least is good, and the pages of Theta fighting the Nightmare Predator are absolutely packed. There are a couple of pages that cram in as many panels as possible, showing the length and brutality of the fight, and how over powered Theta is by her new foe. And, the new Predator itself is a great design. Perhaps one of the more interesting looking Predators in this entire ongoing saga, it's a shame he's dispatched at the end and couldn't be used as an ongoing threat. With this story at a close we'll have to wait to see what comes next; but at least while we wait for news on the Predator series we know there's another cross-over coming in the near future. ⭐⭐⭐

Black Widow & Hawkeye #3

Writer: Stephanie Phillips, Artist: Paolo Villanelli, Colourist: Mattia
Iacono, Letterer: Joe Sabino

Perhaps it's something of a hot take, but I'm pretty sick of symbiotes. Everyone seems to have a symbiote now; every character in the Venom series, Black Widow, Deadpool, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man 2099, and now Hawkeye gets to have a little play around with the alien goo too. The popularity of Venom seems to have become something of a curse as symbiotes are getting a constant push, worming their way into series and characters that just don't really need it. But, Black Widow having a symbiote is just her current status quo, and as such we have to deal with it in this issue as it was used to help burn poison out of Hawkeye's system.

That's the main thrust of this issue, Clint dealing with the comedown of the experience, of feeling just as sick from the alien creature as he did the poison. Natasha tells him about how it heightens negative feelings, and how this is something that he's going to have to deal with for a short while as a result, and it's interesting to see how just a brief exposure to the symbiote has such a dramatic effect on him. It definitely raises questions as to how much it might be affecting Natasha too, and if this series is going to be using the history between the two characters to help her through this and make her see she needs to get rid of the symbiote I'm definitely going to be interested in that. Kind of like a story of an old friend confronting you about an addiction.

Interspersed into this are flashbacks to the early days of the two leads, and we get to see some great scenes of them in their classic costumes, with a little cameo appearance by an old Avenger. The big, colourful costumes and the trick arrows definitely feel like a stark contrast to the more realistic and dour modern day parts of the book, and it's interesting to see how comic sensibilities have changed over the decades, where the silliness of old has been replaced. The flashbacks are definitely where the art excels too, and whilst it's fine seeing Clint recovering in a dark room watching him in bright purple breaking his way into the Russian embassy is just way more fun. ⭐⭐⭐

Superman #14

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval, Miguel Mendonca,
Colourist: Alejandro Sánchez, Letterer: Ariana Maher

The fourth chapter of House of Brainiac continues to deliver shocks and thrills as our scattered heroes begin to come together; but as Brainiac's plan unfolds the stakes shoot up when a deadly new foe enters the battle. Opening just where we left off before, Superman is having to deal with his ally, Lobo, turning against him. It's not clear yet whether this is a true double cross, or if Lobo and Superman have planned for this and it's part of their scheme to get to Brainiac, but frankly, at this point it doesn't really matter. What matters is that we've got an excuse to see the two of them fight, and it makes for a great moment in the story for sure as the two of them battle their way across the page. The fight gets some fantastic double page layouts that showcase why the art team on the book are a great choice to bring this particular story to life.

Joshua Williamson isn't just content to let the fight take centre stage and take it easy for the rest of the issue though, as the plot moves forward in some important ways. The other members of the Superman Family get some stuff to do, we discover more back story, and one of my favourite characters from L.E.G.I.O.N. makes his appearance, and I'd totally forgotten he was a part of the story so it was nice to see him pop up again. The issue ends with the introduction of the Brainiac Queen, the new thing that has been teased for a while now, and those expecting a female version of Brainiac and that's all will be pleasantly surprised, as the Queen very quickly becomes a scary new threat in relatively short time on the page. With the story moving forward at this pace, and still managing to get some great character moments into things too I can't wait to see what the rest of the upcoming chapters do. The Warworld Saga was definitely a high point for Superman fans in recent times, and this story definitely feels like it's going to be standing alongside it as a modern classic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1

Writer: Stephanie Phillips, Artist: Federica Mancin, Colourist:
Nolan Woodard, Matt Milla, Letterer: Ariana Maher

One of the appeals of the Spider-Gwen/Spider Woman/Ghost Spider comics has been that her world has made for an interesting new place to set stories in. She has her own villains, some of which are new twists on those that we know, she has unique relationships, and an interesting supporting cast of characters. Unfortunately, with her having become a more popular character people have been calling for her to interact with the 616 characters more and more. As such, she's come into that universe multiple times for team ups and events, but now she's getting the Miles Morales treatment as this new series brings her to 616, 'permanently'.

The reason for her coming into the main Marvel universe is a major plot point in this new series it seems, but the first issue shrouds it in a lot of secrecy, with OB from the TVA popping up to tell her it's important that she be there, but that she can't do anything super heroic or talk to any other heroes. The why's aren't brought up, yet the situation is spoken with with such weight that I couldn't help but feel like I'd missed something important. The issue tries it's best to draw you in, but it does feel like you've accidentally picked up issue eight of a series rather than the opening chapter. This, coupled with the loss of the world and characters that readers have come to like (including the beginning of a much anticipated queer relationship for the hero) makes the issue feel very flat.

The art is decent, and it's always nice to see Gwen doing her hero thing, no matter the setting, as she's got a fantastic design. But there are some moments where things feel a little off in places, with the shape and look of faces not always matching even on the same page. Spider-Gwen is a great character, with a huge fanbase, but I can't help but feel that bringing her into the 616 universe is only going to harm her in the long run; and this lacklustre first issue doesn't dissuade from that feeling. ⭐⭐⭐

Nightwing #114

Writer: Tom Taylor, Artist: Bruno Redondo, Colourist: Adriano
Lucas, Letterer: Wes Abbott

Tom Taylor has been laying the groundwork for the final story in his run for a while, with the villain Heartless having been around, quietly plotting and building his strength, since the very beginning. Now, finally, it seems like he's ready to make his move and destroy everything that Dick Grayson holds dear. We open with a scene of a bearded Dick in the mountains, trekking through the snow, accompanied by Haley. Jumping back in time, we pick up with Dick as he travels to his old home of Gotham. Having helped to change Bludhaven for the better with Alfred's inheritance, Dick has decided that Gotham needs the same. We get a scene that shows how imperfect vigilantes can sometimes be, with Dick assaulting a man stealing food, something that only reinforces the idea that perhaps the best way he can help people is by working within the light as Dick, rather than being Nightwing.

This brings us nicely to a benefit being thrown by Bruce, who's trying to get his rich Gotham friends to invest in the Alfred Pennyworth Foundation to bring its good work to Gotham. Unfortunately, this is where Heartless' plan comes into motion. Having seen him earlier in the issue, forcing a group of high level bosses and mobsters to work for him, it seems that the first step of his plan is to try and publicly smear Dick, making it look like the Foundation is taking dirty money from criminals. And that's about it, the issue ends somewhat abruptly as the fire alarm goes off. It definitely feels like the first part of an arc, and has no sense of resolution within itself as part of the issue.

Taylor's run has felt very interconnected throughout, and even the odd issue here and there that initially felt standalone, such as the entirely first person issue, is all part of the bigger whole that's coming into play here. Whilst this issue failed to grab me as much as pervious ones have I get the feeling that it'll read much better when collected in a trade. The art on the book is, as always for Nightwing, decent, with Redondo doing some pretty fun and interesting panel layouts. My only criticism with the art on this issue is in the depiction of Damian. Despite being up to Bruce's shoulders in other books here he's a couple foot shorter, and looks more like a mini-Bruce than himself. The pale skin tone doesn't help either, and is yet another instance of DC whitewashing the character in certain titles. ⭐⭐⭐

Union Jack The Ripper: Blood Hunt #1

Writer: Cavan Scott, Artist: Kev Walker, Belardino Brabo, Craig Yeung,
Colourist: Javier Tartaglia, Dee Cunniffe, Letterer: Travis Lanham

Union Jack The Ripper: Blood Hunt is easily one of the most British feeling Marvel books that I think I've ever read. Set in Manchester as the world falls into the darkness and chaos of the vampire assault on the world, the issue opens with a group of survivors just trying to find a way out of the monster filled city. Straight away I knew that British people were working on the book, as the backgrounds were filled with the kind of tiny details that made the place instantly look like a British location, even down to the type of paving slabs you find beside pelican crossings. This was later confirmed when a character casually mentions a Greggs. Not the kind of thing that I expect from a Marvel book, but a delightful surprise.

The book sees our small group of survivors about to be killed when Union Jack arrives on the scene. Less concerned with saving people than he is with killing any vampire that he can find, Jack is a bit of a dick here, and it creates a fun dynamic between him and the others. Where the other tie in's feel more like a super hero book that's trying its hand at horror, this title feels like an actual horror book. It has that look and feel of indie horror series, from both the writing and the art, and because of that it's maybe meeting the assignment better than the other titles in the Blood Hunt event.

The art is particularly good, and definitely helps with the grim and gritty feel of the book. Things are a little less clean than you expect from a Marvel book, and again it feels closer to an indie horror series than it does a big two event book. The vampire designs are much more monstrous than in other titles, and the art sells the idea that this could be the end of the world. With the big name heroes in New York fighting to save the world this series instead gives readers a fight for survival, making it a hidden gem of the event for sure. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Catwoman #65

Writer: Tini Howard, Artist: Ivan Shavrin, Colourist: Ivan Shavrin,
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

After crashing to earth in the experimental space plane at the end of the last issue it looks like Catwoman may have used up all of her nine lives, and the fact that we open with the villains discussing not being able to find her body in the wreckage seems to hint that perhaps this time there was nothing left of the thief to come back to life. Selina, still dead, finds herself in Bast's realm, where the goddess gives our thieving anti-hero a bit of a talking down to, complaining about her having used up her extra lives in selfish, reckless ways. Giving her one last chance, the goddess sends Selina back, with her waking up in a freezer in a weird facility. Now she will have to figure out where she is, and find a way of escaping. However, the facility is a lot more than it first appears to be.

One of the things that I noticed straight away about this issue is the change in artist, with Ivan Shavrin coming on board to both draw and colour the issue. I couldn't be happier with the change. Whilst there was nothing wrong with the previous art teams on this arc, they were all fairly standard looking, with nothing that really made them stand out. Shavrin, on the other hand, has a style that makes this issue instantly different. It's much more cartoonish and stylised, and it made the issue much more fun to read for me. There have been ups and downs with this current arc, and some of the issues have definitely dragged in places, but this kind of art style makes even some of the more dull moments have a sense of life and fun to them. Plus, the panel of the giant angry cat god holding Selina up and yelling at her might be my favourite panel of any comic this week; I absolutely loved it. Catwoman is doing a lot of weirder things with this story, and this issue seems to have embraced that weirdness a little bit more, and it feels like we're moving away from telling the same kinds of stories over and over again to do something a little bit more fun. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ultimate Black Panther #4

Writer: Bryan Hill, Artist: Stefano Caselli, Colourist: David Curiel,
Letterer: Cory Petit

Perhaps it's because the 616 Black Panther has such a different status quo at the moment, but the Ultimate version of the character feels like the least unusual series in the Ultimate line. The smaller details are different, such as who T'Challa is married to, his nation being at war, and interpersonal relationships being set up differently, but he's still king of Wakanda, and he's still Black Panther, and compared to other titles in the 6160 universe he's much more recognisable. And that brings a certain level of comfort to the book. It definitely feels like reading a Black Panther book, with the same focus on the politics and culture of Wakanda that readers have come to expect.

This issue opens with Queen Okoye having to reassure the citizens of Wakanda that their king is safe and well, despite him having vanished weeks before. We get to see some of the strain between Okoye and Shuri as they discuss T'Challa's absence, and Ra and Konshu start to plot their next moves, even sending an assassin to try to kill the queen. Thankfully, T'Challa returns and is able to help stop the assassin, alongside Shuri. He's also brought with him his new, trusted allies, Storm and Killmonger, who he calls his most trusted friends; forming an inner circle of trust along with his wife and sister.

Things definitely feel like they've started moving now, and it seems like we're getting to understand a little more about this conflict, the places where the enemy have infiltrated, and some much needed characterisation for the main villains. There's a part of me that can't help by question if T'Challa has been duped, and if Killmonger is going to turn out to be a villain or not, but that's my experience with the character in other universes colouring my experience, as there's nothing here to really hint at that. As it is, we're set for a series that feels like it's combining super heroics with an espionage thriller, and it's a great combo. ⭐⭐⭐

Blood Hunt #2

Writer: Jed MacKay, Artist: Pepe Larraz, Colourist: Marte Gracia,
Letterer: Cory Petit

Following on from the devastating first strike from the vampires, our heroes are struggling to survive and must come together with unlikely allies in their mission to save the world from destruction. The first issue of Blood Hunt very much felt like it was designed for shock value, especially with the red band version (which must be out of canon as no other comic has shown Doctor Strange cut in half) throwing more gore and destruction onto the page. This issue, however seems to roll back on the big shocking moments, apart from a final page reveal that was kind of obvious if you were paying attention to the first issue.

The issue mainly follows Jed MacKay's favourite characters, having Tigra, Miles Morales Spidey, and Hunters Moon being the main focus of the issue as the three of them try to make their way through a vampire infested city to Doctor Strange, who they assume is going to be working on a solution. Whilst they're right, he's in a pretty poor condition after the last issue and the previous issue of Doctor Strange. Meanwhile, the Blood Coven are sent after Blade's main targets, Dracula and Brielle, who come under attack from the gang of super vamps. Thankfully, the surviving Avengers find them, and for a brief moment are able to drive the Coven off with the return of a small piece of the sun. This group also heads to Strange, where Brielle's presence seems to activate Miles, who's a sleeper vampire. This final page reveal doesn't really come as too much of a surprise as Blade and Miles had a scene together in the first issue, and Miles still being alive clearly means that something untoward has happened. Despite it not being that big of a shock, the way in which his transformation happens is drawn well enough that it still feels like a big moment.

The art on the book is great, but that's what you come to expect from Pepe Larraz. The characters look great, and you can feel the tiredness and desperation on them, you can see them getting worn down by how terrible things have become. Yet there are also some moments of triumph too, and the Avengers coming back and managing to come out on top is a great high after the first issue events. Blood Hunt still feels like it's just getting started, and if it carries on with this quality it's going to end up being a rather enjoyable, if violent little event. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Green Lantern: War Journal #9

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Montos, Colourist: Adriano
Lucas, Letterer: Dave Sharpe

When this series and the main Green Lantern title began I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd not really found much to like in recent runs, and the status quo for GL with the United Planets didn't excite me at all. However, I really love where things are at the moment. As Hal and the other Earth Lanterns deal with fixing the Corp, John is dealing with ancient eldritch powers tied to the origins of the Corps and the Guardians; giving readers two vastly different series that work wonderfully well together. After the last issue saw John taken away by the Radiant Dead, Lantern Shepherd uses the Book of Oa (kept in the back of Guy Gardner's closet) to try and find information that can help him save John.

This allows us to dive deep into the history of the Radiant Dead, and the Dark Star, revealing another hidden chapter of the Guardian's history. The Guardians having multiple shady secret things in their past that come back to bite the Lanterns is something that has become a bit of a joke, but I do kind of love it. It's a part of the series, it fits with who the Guardians are, and it does feel like it enriches the lore every time it's done. I'd love to see DC release a Book of Oa which is just a breakdown of every shitty thing the Guardians have ever done, but the cost would be quite high as it'd be a big book.

Whilst we dive into the history, John and the others stuck in the Dark Star dimension are having to fight against the evil forces there, and the Ellie construct is still protecting John's mother from her illness, and the Radiant Dead trying to get to her. The story is definitely a big draw for this series, and this is a great series that I expect that people will talk about whenever John Stewart gets brought up as one of his best, but another thing that makes this title a must read is the art by Montos. The issues have looked fantastic, particularly the way the Radiant Dead are drawn. This does not look like your average Green Lantern book, and its uniqueness is fantastic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Batman/Superman: World's Finest #27

Writer: Mark Waid, Artist: Dan Mora, Travis Mercer, Colourist:
Tamra Bonvillain, Letterer: Steve Wands

Batman/Superman: World's Finest is easily one of the best, if not the best, comic being produced by DC at the moment. It's consistently fantastic in terms of both writing and art, and the way in which Mark Waid twists the story in new and interesting directions, just doing things because they're fun and make a good story, is a genuine delight. And this issue really encapsulates that. With the various villain imps having crossed over into the real world to team up with the villains they idolise, the world is on the brink. The villains are overpowering the heroes, and Batman, Superman, and Robin are trapped in a wall, unable to help. The only people who stand a chance at turning the tide of Bat Mite and Mr Mxyzptlk, who come up with a rather unique plan.

The plan might just be my favourite thing this series has done to date, as Mxyzptlk makes use of all of the weird Golden Age crap that Jimmy Olsen went through, by drawing out all of his transformations, monster forms, and super hero identities, and making them into separate beings that form the Olsen Squad. The way in which Waid pays tribute to these classic comics, creates something new, adds to the history of the DC Universe, and makes a truly, wonderfully enjoyable comic is nothing short of phenomenal and makes him one of the best comic writers around.

It also helps that he'd backed up by an incredibly art team. The issue looks fantastic, with Mora delivering jaw dropping moments and blending modern art with classic designs in ways that make things from the 40's and 50's feel old and silly, yet manages to make them work in this setting. The issue is also joined by Travis Mercer, who draws some unique moments in the issue that evoke the look and feel of the Super Friends television series. But again, I'm not sure if anything in this issue looks as good as the Olsen Squad. With a final page that had me laughing out loud, and super excited for the next issue, I can't help but give this top marks and name it my comic of the week. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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