I take a look at a selection of this weeks comic releases. This week I read and review Blood Hunt, Nightwing Annual, Get Fury, X-Men, and more!
Blood Hunt #1
Get Fury #1
I've not read much of the Punisher Max universe, I think just a single one shot issue (though I very much loved that issue), and as such I was interested to see a little bit more of what it's like. I'd heard that it's incredibly violent and disturbing, which considering Garth Ennis is the writer that doesn't come as much surprise. However, I was still incredibly taken aback by some of the stuff in the first issue of this three part series. The basic plot is that during the Vietnam War, Colonel Nick Fury is captured by the enemy and is going to be taken to a facility where he'll be tortured for information. Considering the level of info that Fury has the US cannot allow this to happen. As there's no way to save him they're instead sending one of their best snipers to kill him before he can give up any info, that sniper being Frank Castle.
Most of this first issue is spent on this set-up, with the first several pages just showing a bit of the day to day life for Frank and his unit in Vietnam. The rest of the issue deals with him getting his mission, and Fury being sold to the Viet Cong. It's this latter part that contains the Max universe's famous ultra violence and gore. Captured alongside two other soldiers, soldiers who aren't worth anything to the VC, the book very quickly shows the brutality of the enemy force by dispatching them in brutal, nightmarish ways that are some of the most uncomfortable pages in a comic I've ever read.
The books art team really come into their own in this moment too. With nothing much more than people standing around talking to draw for the rest of the issue it's the deaths of these two soldiers that's the artistic stand out of the issue. The moment is depicted in gruesome detail, with the art leaving very little to the imagination. With this only being the first issue and things likely escalating from here I'm actually kind of worried about what we might see going forwards. Definitely not a book for the weakhearted, containing disgusting moments, awful language, and a degree of violence that will test readers, this feels like a distillation of everything I'd been told the Punisher Max books have been. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Mark Russell, Artist: Edwin Galmon,
Steve Pugh, Fico Ossio, Colourist: Edwin Galmon, Jordie Bellaire,
Rex Lokus, Letterer: Dave Sharpe, Dave Sharpe
House of Brainiac has been an enjoyable read so far, with the Superman event having been slowly teased for several months with the titular villain popping up occasionally in the background. With Superman off world, trying to get his family back from their imprisonment by the monstrous Brainiac, having teamed up with Lobo, the stage is set for exciting developments. Sadly, whilst this issue is great, none of that really happens here, as this ends up being more of a between chapter that fills in some of the background details of the event itself.
The special consists of three stories, the first of which details the history of Brainiac and the planet Czarnia, and shows how he came to have a city of monstrous, violent Czarnians in his possession. For those that have been crying out that Lobo was supposed to be an outlier, and that his people aren't like him in response to an army of Lobo-like people this issue does clear that up a lot, and explains away who these people are. It's a decent attempt to clear away continuity issues, and it definitely adds to Brainiacs history in interesting ways too. The second story almost feels like it should have been featured in Action Comics when it was doing three stories per issue, as it feels almost completely disconnected from the House of Brainiac story, and with a slight line change or two here and there it could be set any time. The story focuses on Perry White, and his bid to become mayor of Metropolis, going up against a right wing bigot who's leading in the polls and wants to get rid of the city's alien population. It's a decent story, and I had a lot of enjoyment reading it, but it does feel a little out of place here and I wonder why it was included in this special. The third and final story has the big developments, revealing who the Council of Light who's been helping Amanda Waller really is, and setting the stage for a new villain to enter the story.
The art throughout the issue is decent, and whilst each of the stories have their own feel none of the art styles are too drastically different from each other to feel out of place. The middle story, the Perry White one, is the most different from the other two, and only helps to reinforce the out of place nature of it. The first and final story both feature some big moments, and the art teams showcase them in some pretty awesome ways, creating a few pages that are going to stick in readers minds. Overall, this was a decent issue, one that gives readers some needed context and backstory that doesn't have to bog down the main story now, allowing the other issues to go and have fun without having to fit this in there. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
X-Men #34
Writer: Gerry Duggan, Artist: Joshua Cassara, Colourist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.,
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Most of Orchis has fallen, with the AI behind the organisation having turned on the humans and revealed their true hand. With most of the leadership gone the only real threat left to deal with outside of the AI plot is M.O.D.O.K., and it falls to a handful of X-Men to deal with him and his ability to turn human Orchis agents into hulking monsters. Synch, Wolverine (Laura), Firestar, and Ms Marvel take on the monstrosity, and we get some nice character moments thrown in too. With the death of Talon a few issues ago we get time for Synch and Laura to show that things are still cool between them, and a point is made that despite the darkness the X-Men are in, and despite so many of the heroes having to turn to killing their enemies there's still light to be found in characters like Ms Marvel, and that that's worth protecting.
Elsewhere, Kitty breaks into an Orchis facility to save Caliban, who she needs to lead her to Charles Xavier, who has switched sides and is working with the AI to protect mutants. The Charles situation is tricky, and whilst the mutants in the white hot room know that Charles is spinning a number of plates and is doing all this to stop the enemy it seems like the mutants on Earth don't know this. Which means we've got characters like Kitty and Logan ready to go kill Xavier. And this is the breaking point for Kitty. Whilst I cheered the issue after the Hellfire Gala where she unleashed herself upon Orchis and killed their soldiers in brutal fashion it seems all the death and killing has finally become too much for her, and she's ready to walk away from everything one the fight is done.
The art on this issue is suitably bloody and violent in places, and the scene in which M.O.D.O.K. is getting his face blown away, or the moments where Orchis agents are turning into monsters are suitably body horror that it makes the issue feel gross at times and sells the brutality of the fight the mutants have ahead of them. With the next issue being the big 700th, and the Krakoan Era very nearly done it's something of a bittersweet issue. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This has been the first Iron Man series I've read as it's been coming out issue by issue, and whilst I'll admit that it's been chiefly due to it being a major tie-in to the X-Men stuff (and I've come ton think of it as an X book) I have been enjoying it for the most part. However, with this issue finally bringing together Tony Stark, Magneto, and Feilong, I was somewhat disappointed that the much hyped up ending to this particular chapter kind of felt like a bit of a let down. Perhaps a lot of that was my own doing, being excited to see Tony and Feilong come to blows, but the issue doesn't really become more than just middle of the road for me.
Having destroyed a load of the Stark Sentinels with his new Sentinel Buster suit, things look dire as the suit as run out of power, and there are still multiple Sentinel factories churning out the death machines. Unable to fix the suit alone, Tony is luckily helped by a tech genius, and the Master of Magnetism. Magneto provides the power, whilst Tony and Feilong get the thing up and running. It's an okay development, and it does help the overall fight as the Sentinel factories finally get brought down, but it's never really more than just okay. Well, except for the moment that Feilong tells Magento 'You stole Mars from me', and Magneto doesn't even know who the man is; which was a laugh out loud moment that I absolutely adored.
Whilst the art on the issue is decent it has a distinctly different feel to the issues that have come before, and I noticed straight away that this wasn't the same art team. Having really enjoyed the art on the previous issues I was somewhat disappointed that the same team wouldn't be rounding out this particular story. With the X arc of the series coming to a close in issue twenty as Tony and Emma deal with their marriage the stage seems set for Iron Man to move on to a new adventure of his own. ⭐⭐⭐
Nightwing 2024 Annual #1
Writer: Travis Moore, Artist: Travis Moore, Colourist: Ivan Plascencia,
Alex Guimarães, Letterer: Travis Moore, Tamara Bonvillain
Having not read the Dick Grayson Spiral agent era, nor his time as Ric Grayson, and having gotten back into the title at the start of Tom Taylor's run my knowledge of that time is basic at best. I know the general beats and who a few of the characters were. I knew that Bea Bennet was Dick's girlfriend whilst he was Ric, and that she owned a bar. Since then it's been revealed that she's the daughter of a pirate king and is now basically the head of a secret pirate gang. This is fin, it's a bit silly, but that's what comics are. This annual, which focuses solely on Bea and her story, goes on to add several more layers and retcons to her character that honestly, kind of made me lose interest more than once.
The annual reveals that Bea began life as Destiny, the daughter of a powerful businesswoman who was assassinated one day whilst out at sea. Surviving a boat explosion, Bea lived on the streets for years before meeting her adoptive father and becoming a pirate, then she gets recruited to be a secret agent, then she learns her mother was also a secret agent and that's why she was killed, then she gets assigned to spy on Ric Grayson, and then.... This book packs in the plot twists and 'oh actually!' reveals that it almost feels like a parody of a spy comic rather than something serious. Everyone has ulterior motives, no one is really who they appear, every event has a secret string being pulled. And all this does is takes Bea from Dick's civilian romance who was also a pirate (bit of a stretch in itself but acceptable) into a super spy with a James Bond style back catalogue of adventures and history. I'd heard some grumblings from fans before reading this that the annual ruins the character for them, and I can see why. I've got barely any history with or attachment to Bea and I thought this was bad, so if readers liked her I can see this making them actively angry.
The only real saving grace for the book is that the art is very nice, and looks good throughout. There are some nice visual moments to be found in the book, with spy action and fights scattered throughout, with some super hero and villain cameos packed in too. But sadly the nice art can't make up for the ridiculous story. As this annual wasn't written by Taylor, who's been doing some great things with the character (the last two issues were top tier) I really hope that this isn't a sign of how Nightwing is going to go once he leaves the book. ⭐⭐
Weapon X-Men #3
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Following this the team get sent after the villain, and find them ready to talk and make a deal rather than fighting. It seems that Onslaught tried to beat death on this world, and accidentally made things worse and needs the Wolverines to fix it for them. This sets the group out on a mission that will see the five of them go up against a group of immortal villains. This has been an enjoyable series, with stakes that are high for the story yet aren't going to affect the main universe at all. It gives the creative team a chance to do some fun and unexpected things, and tell some unusual stories on vastly different and somewhat familiar worlds. As a fan of the original Exiles series it's very much giving those kinds of vibes, and because of that I can't really hate it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Star Wars: Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special #1
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Rather than re-telling the story of the film, this new issue deepens it, and tells a rather sweet story that happens in the background of scenes we already know. The book opens with Anakin having a dream of being a Jedi, coming to free the slaves on Tatooine. We see him in his life as a young slave, and how even then he was trying to help others; even managing to save a Tusken from being enslaved. After helping Qui-Gon and the others repair their ship he heads off to fulfil his destiny. From here we get a number of new scenes set around the ones we know, such as Anakin and Jar Jar talking after Anakin meets with the Jedi council, Anakin overhearing Obi-Wan telling Qui-Gon he thinks the boy might be dangerous, and the moment in which Anakin learns that Qui-Gon has been killed and Obi-Wan's promise to train him. These are moments that we know happen, we know Anakin learns of Qui-Gon's death, but seeing that scene feels like a wonderful addition to the lore.
The book expands the story we know, it adds these extra layers, and the end of the book returning to Tatooine, where we see the Tusken Anakin saved coming to Shmi to tell her of her sons kindness and heroics is an uplifting, heart-warming moment. Though it's also one shrouded in pain as we know Anakin's fate, we know he never frees the slaves, that his mother is killed, and that he slaughters innocent Tuskens rather than helping them like he does here. Anakin is doomed to a dark fate, but at least here we can celebrate the lightest moment of his life, the days before he steps onto the path that will see him being corrupted by Palpatine.
The art on the book is really good, capturing the likenesses of the characters well, without it having that horrible traced quality that a particular Star Wars and Marvel artist has (having previously drawn a number of Star Wars comics and ruining them). It's great to see new twists on scenes we know, and the new stuff, such as Anakin imagining himself as a Jedi hero, look particularly great too. With May 4th weekend here, and the anniversary year of the films release there's not going to be a better time to give this book a read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Incredible Hulk #12
Wilson, Letterer: Cory Petit
Immortal Hulk has been lauded as one of the best runs on the character that there's ever been (quite rightly too), but I also think that folks who aren't reading the Phillip Kennedy Johnson run are doing themselves a disservice as this has been one of the most interesting, varied, and engaging Hulk series that I've ever read. Turning the Hulk into a horror character is a perfect twist on the expected formula, and each new branch on his journey has been better than the last with some unique and horrifying monsters to fight along the way. This issue, however, seems to be taking us in an interesting direction. Voodoo mentions that Hulk contains more than two personalities (which we know), and sends the Hulk we know here and Bruce into the pocket dimension to help Charlie. This allows the two characters to share a space with each other and actually interact. But also, on Earth, there's another Hulk around. It really feels like we've been set up for some great interactions and interesting revelations in the coming issues.
Perhaps one of the best parts of this issue, however, is the return of artist Nic Klein. Klien has really shone on this title, and his art has elevated the great writing into a series that's one of the more memorable and interesting ones on the shelf. Every time the Hulk transforms it's a thing of pure horror, and the way he creates his layouts is never dull. For example, this issue has multiple double page spreads for scenes that normally wouldn't be done that way; but it works so well in his style. This is definitely going to be remembered as one of the best Hulk runs ever made, and those who aren't reading it now are absolutely going to kick themselves later. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII #1
Letterer: Joe Sabino
From here the story does move on to include a weird cult, and we follow Logan as he does some globetrotting in order to find them, and the now missing Deadpool. However, the main thrust of the plot, what's going on and why, are kind of hazy still. The main villain of the issue is spouting complete gibberish throughout, and the ending with the cult and their transformation of Deadpool isn't explained yet. The result is an issue that will probably read fine when part of a larger whole, but for now just feels a little bit too lacking to really be all that interesting. That being said, some of the interactions between the two leads are good, and I liked the moments where Deadpool dropped the jokes to be serious, showing a varied and deeper version of the character.
The art on the issue looks decent, and the action is entertaining. However, the villain design feels kind of generic, and the new look that Deadpool gets towards the end of the issue feel like maybe it was a first pass and lacks any real flair of style, resulting in a 'oh that's just Wade in a biker helmet huh?' kind of reaction. The second issue might improve things for the series somewhat, but for now this feels squarely in the middle. ⭐⭐⭐
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