She-Hulk goes to Murderworld: A Marvel: Multiverse Missions Adventure Gamebook by Tim Dedopulos - Book Review

 

'Embark on an adventure with She-Hulk to uncover a sinister plot from destroying the world where your choices – and chance – drive the story

'When She-Hulk decides to represent old foe Ruby Thursday, who swears she is being framed for murder, she must overcome her bias to prove Ruby’s innocence. Her investigation leads her into a conspiracy involving tech companies wielding insurmountable powers… and yet who are all mysteriously dying like flies. While trying to get Ruby out on bail, She-Hulk discovers a mysterious Expo being held in L.A., but a swarm of zany villains have been sent to slow her down. But for She-Hulk, nothing will stand in the way of true justice – even if it means facing a villain who believes mazes and games should only end one way: in murder.'

Having previously read and enjoyed the previous Marvel Multiverse Missions book, You Are (Not) Deadpool, I was excited to try out the second book in the series, She-Hulk goes to Murderworld, especially now that the TV show is coming to an end and I need more She-Hulk in my life.

Just like in the other book in this series, She-Hulk goes to Murderworld does not put you in the shoes of the titular hero. This feels like something of a risky choice, as I imagine most readers want to play as the comic book heroes, fighting the fights and doing all of the cool stuff, but this series puts you into the role of a regular, ordinary person in the Marvel Universe who gets swept up in an adventure you're not equipped to be dealing with. And this is a move that I ultimately think works for the better; especially in this book.

The Deadpool book was enjoyable, but it also felt a little odd at times thanks to the reader having to pal around with a character that's extremely weird. This time, it feels like it works a lot better as She-Hulk is a more grounded and serious character than Deadpool; even if she does break the fourth wall and comment on the game mechanics a few times.

This more serious focus also comes into play with the story, as in the other book you were running around trying to figure out what was going, often left wondering why you were doing things, other than simply 'because Deadpool is telling me I have to'. Here, you're a paralegal working on a murder case with She-Hulk, and what you're doing makes more sense. You're searching for clues, interviewing witnesses, and following the trail to try and get your client freed and find the real killer.

But, this being a She-Hulk book, it's not your average procedural, and the very first things that happen in the story show that off, as you and She-Hulk get attacked by a vampire cow, Hell Cow. Despite the more serious tone of the book, this first encounter shows us that this is still going to be pretty damn weird too.

The book uses the same kind of mechanics as the other one, so if you've played that it'll feel familiar to you. If this is your first go round at one of these books there's enough explanations and help to begin with that you don't feel like you're too overwhelmed when things kick off for the first time.

I hope that these books prove popular, and that we get more of them. These first two have been really enjoyable and intriguing, and I'd love to see what characters the team at Aconyte would do for next. With so many weird and wonderful characters in the Marvel Universe, this feels like a series that could go on for a while, and do some great things.

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Batman #127 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The new issue of Batman begins with a flashback to one of the more infamous stories from JLA, 'The Tower of Babel', where Batman's contingency plans to eliminate every member of the Justice League get stolen and used against them. Superman asks him what contingency there is for Batman, what could ever take him down. And this really solidifies what this arc is about (and gets further explanation later on), the thing Batman created to eliminate him if it was ever needed.

I honestly love this idea, and the fact that Failsafe was designed and built by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, a special hidden personality within Bruce's psyche, and therefore Batman knows nothing about it is a fun conceit. Batman would absolutely have to have no idea about Failsafe, or how to take it out, for it to work. Plus, it's a fun excuse to give us more Batman of Zur-En-Arrh.

Speaking of, we get a much better look at his costume in this issue, and we see that it's not built out of rags like the previous time we saw it, but is a proper, armoured suit. It maintains all of the colours and the general look of the original suit, but gives it a modern twist. It's very cool, and is a great way of not only bringing the look up-to-date, but to make this appearance of it stand out.

A lot of the issue is given over to Batman and Tim trying to fight Failsafe inside the Batcave and Wayne Manor, and despite their every effort there seems to be nothing that they can do to slow it down, let alone stop it. We see how deadly it is back in Gotham, where several members of the Bat-Family are being loaded into ambulances from their fight with him before.

The final pages of the issue manage to up the ante even more, as the Bats bring in one of the heaviest of hitters to help stop Failsafe. It's going to be interesting to see how super powered heroes fare against this thing, as I wouldn't have put it past the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh to include the possibility of Batman calling in allies when he created Failsafe, and included take-downs for them too.

The back-up feature brings the Catwoman story to a close in a surprising way. We travel to Metropolis and meet an older man who runs a small florist. He grabs a muffin and coffee for breakfast, chatting to the staff and being friendly, before heading to his flower shop where he finds Catwoman waiting for him. Because he's the Penguin.

Yep, turns out Oswald faked his death, got some plastic surgery, and is retiring for a regular life in another city because he just wanted out of the game. He framed Batman for his murder as one last parting gift on his way out, but it turns out it's not really part of some sinister scheme; and he never wanted his children to kill each other to get his money.

It's kind of a nice send-off to the character, and if this ended up being the last time we ever saw him I'd be really okay with that. Sometimes characters start to get a bit stale, they need to reinvent themselves, or sometimes just bow out; and that's what Penguin is doing here. We'll just have to wait to see if it sticks.

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The Lonesome Hunters #4 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

The final issue of The Lonesome Hunters has finally arrived, and whilst I’m happy to have the next chapter in this hugely enjoyable series in front of me, it’s bittersweet, as this is the final issue of the initial four part mini-series, and it means we could be waiting a while to get more.

Last issue, Howard had travelled with Lupe in order to return a watch to the Magpie Queen, a supernatural entity that has been targeting the two of them. However, when he entered the abandoned house he was quickly attacked by the creature, who also wanted the magical sword that Howard has in his possession; a magical sword that he’d left in the car with Lupe.

This issue we pick up in the middle of the action as Lupe realises that something’s wrong, and that Howard is in danger. Having lost all of her family, everyone that she’s ever cared about, Lupe has to face the idea that she might lose Howard too. Although they’ve only really known each other for a few days, the old man is pretty much all that she has in the world, and so Lupe steps up and tries to save Howard. But will it be enough?

A lot of times in stories where a young hero learns about the world of magic and monsters and is thrust into a situation where they have to fight to survive it tends to be something that happens very quickly. They find themselves having to take up a weapon or die in the heat of battle, and don’t really have time consider their actions. Tyler Crook has kind of done the opposite here; he has Lupe away from the danger, away from the action, able to sit there and weigh up her options. She’s forced to confront the gravity of the situation and consider her future, and I think that it makes her ultimate choice to pick up the sword and rush into battle mean a little more. She’s thought about it, and this is the choice that she’s come to.

And whilst this issue has some action and some horror, it’s not really about that, but the characters. We spend the required time on the conclusion of this particular arc, and we get to see some cool stuff, but the focus is really on the characters, their relationship to each other, and their feelings. The best scenes in this book aren’t when Lupe has to charge into battle, or when the Magpies go up against her, they’re the ones where she and Howard are just talking. I came to this series hoping for some cool supernatural action, and whilst I got that, what I got more of was a series that has a lot of heart.

Crook seems to care less about the amazing world he’s crafting, and more about what that means for these two people. Some writers clearly want to tell stories where amazing things happen, and you can see where the characters are just being moved from one explosion or fight to the next, where the spectacle is the point. But here it’s the opposite. The big moments are the things that break up the important ones. This isn’t two characters getting swept up in a story that’s bigger than them, this is a story about these two people, their experiences, and their emotions. The stuff that’s happening around them is almost secondary. And this makes The Lonesome Hunters an incredibly strong series. The next arc could just be four issues of Howard and Lupe driving to the next stage on their journey, chatting shit bout their lives, their hobbies, and I’d eat that up.

I’m honestly mad that this series is over, for now at least, as it’s been one of the best things I’ve had to pleasure to read each month. If Dark Horse don’t bring out the next stage in this story soon I’m going to be very upset, as I need more. And the fact that it’s this great, whilst being written and drawn by one person is absolutely astonishing.

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Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

So, with issue four we get a new title, or an expanded title as Dark Crisis becomes Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, a book that has now been revealed to be a direct sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Things start to really escalate in this issue, and Pariah's plan seems to all come together in the final moments to set the stage for something huge in the future. But before we get to that, everything else.

Since the last issue the Justice Society have stepped up and are leading the worlds fight against Deathstroke's forces, as well as helping to spread hope and helping people wherever they can. There's a great two page spread with panels that show the JSA and other heroes working together, saving folks from disasters, getting supplied to hospitals, and visiting sick kids. They've become the wall against which the darkness is breaking a little.

However, there's still one hero who needs to be helped away from the darkness himself, Nightwing. Having fought and lost at Titans Tower, and with Beast Boy laying in a coma, Nightwing is more beaten down then we've ever seen him. And When Alan Scott comes to see him he doesn't seem to really want to know. He tells Alan that there are other heroes out there doing the right thing, helping out, younger heroes who've stepped up and become bigger and better than they ever thought possible. And Alan tells him that people need the first person who ever did that, Dick Grayson. 

It's a truly wonderful scene that really shows how important Dick is, how he was the first sidekick, the first young hero, and one of the people in the DC Universe every hero looks up to in some way. Everyone else can be out on the front-line, doing whatever they can, but they need Dick there with them too, leading the way, being the beacon they all need. As someone who loves Dick Grayson, seeing him acknowledged in this way was a truly heartwarming and emotional scene.

Elsewhere in the issue, Hal get saved from some fake people in John Stewart's prison/dream world thanks to Barry Allen, who was freed from his own dream prison by Wally West in the last issue of The Flash. Together, the two of them head off to find the person Barry believes might be able to help stop Pariah's plan; a journey that takes them into Batman's world.

Back on Earth, Black Adam comes to the Legion of Doom for help in the fight against Deathstoke and his dark army; but when they Legion come under attack from Deathstroke, the darkness manages to infect everyone there, except Black Adam, increasing the evil army.

This issue definitely built a lot more stakes, provided some decent explanations, and had some great character moments. And the final page will change the DC Universe going forward in big, big ways. 

This is one of my favourite event books in a long, long while, and I'm loving everything that's been happening in the series so far. Let's just hope that this quality continues.

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Frankenstein: New World #2 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

The first issue of Frankenstein: New World returned readers to the B.P.R.D. universe, thousands of years after the story of Hellboy and his allies ended with the destruction of the world as we knew it. Now, after watching over the remains of humanity within the centre of the Earth, Frankenstein has re-awoken, and has set out to the surface with his young companion.

The last issue did a lot of stage setting, managing to not only continue the story that fans had spent decades reading, but making it accessible to new readers too. We got to know what humanity was like in this new world, how they’d survived the end of the world, and met Lilja, a young girl who’s been having strange dreams of a woman trapped inside a crystal, calling out to her.

This issue, we get to explore the surface world with Lilja and Frankenstein, as they walk across this new Eden. Pollution is gone, the skies are clear, the plantlife is abundant, and amazing animals call it home. There are bright, vibrant insects, amazing looking birds, and huge flying manta-like creatures that make their home above the trees. And that’s just in the first couple of pages. The characters are awed by the things around them, and we get to experience that discovery alongside them.

However, not everything above ground is quite so wonderful, and the two of them end up coming to the aid of a frog-person being attacked by some vicious plant-like creatures. Saving the girl, Lilja and Frankenstein discover that the surface has new sentient people on it too, and start to make friends with Bonji people. Sadly, it looks like something evil has followed them to the surface, and is bringing darkness to this new world.

It’s still not clear exactly what the big goal is for Frankenstein: New World. We’ve gotten vague hints across the first two issues, but it’s still at a point where the story could evolve and go off in any direction. And it’s kind of great that it’s not clearly telegraphing what’s to come. Instead of waiting for the next story beat to drop, you get to sit back and enjoy the journey for what it is, marvelling at the things that the characters are discovering.

And the world that Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, and Thomas Sniegoski, have created through the writing, and that Peter Bergting, and Michelle Madsen have brought to life with their wonderful art, is truly a big draw for this title. It feels so completely different to other entries in the B.P.R.D. universe, despite clearly being a part of it, that it feels unique and special. I don’t know if this world is going to stick around, if this story could be the end of all of it, or if it could spark off new adventures in this setting, or if somehow everything gets undone and it goes back to what it used to be, but I kind of hope that we get more of this place and these people, even after only having them for two issues.

As someone who’s not read a lot of the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. stuff I don’t know if this is enjoyable for long time fans, but as someone coming in with only the vaguest knowledge of those comics it’s a great little story that stands on its own, that feels incredibly charming, and seems to have a lot more story just waiting to be told.

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Star Wars: Obi-Wan #4 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The Star Wars: Obi-Wan series feels like it's been a bit of a mixed bag. There have been some absolutely fantastic moments, but some of the mains stories that Obi-Wan has been writing in his journal feel a bit dull at times if I'm being honest. The story with him and Qui-Gon in the mining complex didn't do much for me, for example.

However, this issue is easily my favourite of the series so far, as we get a dark and interesting Clone Wars era story that sees Obi-Wan and Anakin in a kind of situation we've never really seen before.

The two Jedi are called into a secret mission with Admiral Yularen, who gives them a top secret mission, to track down and eliminate a former ally, who's gone rogue and is performing terrorist attacks. Our to Jedi heroes hate the idea of being sent in as executioners, and this seems to further build towards Anakin's eventual feeling's that the Jedi have become corrupted.

The two of them travel to the planet where their target is located, having taken refuge in an old Sith temple. The two of them make their way down the jungle river, past effigies made from Clone Trooper armour, and come face to face with a man they once fought alongside, who now wears old Clone armour, sits on a throne, and wields a sword made from the bones of Clone Troopers. Despite trying to talk him down Anakin is forced to kill the man in a moment that feels very much like suicide by cop.

This is easily the darkest story in this miniseries so far, and might compete for one of the darkest stories in Star Wars mainly because it's clearly taken its story from Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. This isn't the first time the series has done this, with the old Shatterpoint novel also being loosely based on those stories.

The thing is, it works so well in a universe that seems to be perpetually at war, where regular people are either forced to fight and do terrible things, or live under fascist regimes. Of course some people are going to be pushed too far and will end up becoming monsters. 

The artwork on this issue is also phenomenal, and has some truly creepy and unsettling moments scattered throughout. the Clone Trooper effigies look disturbing, the Sith temple looks amazing, and I knew it was Sith before the story told me because of how well designed it is, and the sword made from Clone bones is one of the darkest, and coolest looking weapons in the saga by far.

This is the kind of thing that I wanted from this series, stories that show how Obi-Wan has been challenged and pushed in unexpected ways. He's been through some incredibly dark, and harrowing things, yet never strayed from the light or the path of the Jedi. This story showcases just how much strength that took him at times thanks to the things he's had to deal with, and it really elevates the character.

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The Thing (2002) – Throwback 20

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

No, you’re not misremembering, we did already do a throwback to The Thing this year, and yes, the film is much older than twenty years old. This time we’re covering the sequel video game that came out as part of the film’s 20th anniversary, and is now celebrating its own 20th anniversary. It really doesn’t help that so many things in this franchise all have the same name.

In 2000, American video game publisher Universal Interactive were given the task of looking through the back-catalogue of films that Universal Pictures had the rights to, to try and find something that could be made into a video game. Whilst they had a plethora of properties to choose from (and it starts to boggle the mind to think of some of the games that could have come out of that!) the one that had them the most excited was John Carpenter‘s The Thing.

Before production on the game could even begin, Universal and Konami announced it to the public, stating that it would be a sequel to the film, rather than an adaptation. They also revealed that it would be for ‘next gen’ consoles, such as the Xbox, and Playstation 2, as well as getting a handheld port. Sadly, when the game released the handheld versions never surfaced, with only the console and PC editions of the games ever reaching players.

The Thing was developed to be a third-person action horror game, where players take control over a US Special Forces soldier who’s sent in to investigate the remains of Arctic Outpost 31. The player is joined by three other computer controlled characters who make up the rest of your four man squad. These characters can be soldiers, who are better at combat; engineers, who are able to make repairs; and medics, who have an infinte supply of health kits. However, this isn’t just a simple squad based shooter, as it is possible that any member of your team, or even the entire team, could become infected, changing into an alien entity.

The game utilised a new feature called the ‘fear/trust system’ to try and bring some of the paranoia of the film to the game. The NPCs would follow your orders as long as they trusted you, and each of them has their own level of trust that you have to build up by providing them with weapons and ammunition, medical kits, and by proving that you’re not infected yourself. If the level of trust your team has for you decreases they can refuse to follow your orders, and if it gets low enough they could attack you, believing that you may be a creature in disguise. There is also the chance that your teammates could become infected, and you’d have to keep a close eye on them at all times. Whilst the system was pretty unique, and worked well enough, there were enough kinks in it that the cracks do show through, and there are times it doesn’t work as intended. Despite that, it remains a pretty unique feature that sets the game apart.

The game’s story picks up some time after the film, with the player character being sent to the ruins of Outpost 31 to try and find out what happened. There you explore what’s left of the base, as well as getting to find small things from the film, such as Blair’s UFO, MacReady’s recordings, and the frozen body of Childs. This area of the game acts as an introduction to the main mechanics and game-play, and it’s something of a training level that’s made to feel like part of the main story.

From here, the game takes you to the remains of the Norwegian outpost seen briefly in the film, where you have to fight your way through a variety of Thing creatures. The game uses small enemies called Scuttlers, which are made from severed limbs, and larger creatures called Walkers, which are hulking, human sized monsters. The game also includes a number of boss creatures that are much bigger and tougher too. At the remains of the Norwegian outpost you begin to uncover a larger conspiracy hidden beneath the snow and ice, and discover a plot that would put the entire world at risk unless you’re able to stop it.

Despite the fear/trust sequence not being quite perfect, and some criticism that the graphics weren’t as good as they could have been, the game received some pretty positive reviews upon release. The game ended up being praised for its story and the action set-pieces it gave players, as well as for expanding the series in a new direction. The story was liked enough that John Carpenter approved of it, and even voiced one of the characters in the game, alongside veteran X-Files actor William B. Davis, who played yet another shady character involved in conspiracies and alien shenanigans. There were initial plans to continue the story on, thanks to the game’s popularity, but this was unfortunately shelved when the studio went into receivership the year after the game was released.

If you’re a fan of The Thing and want to see an interesting scenario for a sequel, or if you’re a fan of horror games who wants something a bit more fast paced and action oriented than your average survival horror, or you’re just down to try our a game that you might have missed when it first came out, The Thing is a pretty solid and enjoyable experience that’s fun to play even two decades on.

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DC Saved By The Belle Reve #1 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

There's a lot of specials and annuals from DC this week, an the one-off DC Saved By the Belle Reve might be one of the more enjoyable ones on offer. This 80-page collection brings together eight short stories that deal with schools in the DC universe, and features some fun characters and touching moments too.

The first story, 'Sophomore Year' is all about Gotham Academy, and fans of that series will probably want to pick this book up just for this. Knowing nothing about these characters or their stories, I was honestly quite lost in this, and didn't really engage with it beyond taking it as an okay story about some kids sneaking around their school trying to check out their new zombie groundskeeper.

'High School Lows' takes a Suicide Squad made up from the more memorable members that appeared in the movies and has them infiltrate a school to find their target. You have Katana working in the library, Peacemaker as the gym teacher, and Harley Quinn as a guidance counsellor; which all makes a kind of sense. But when Weasel ends up working as the new lunch lady and King Shark ends up teaching English (even explaining the past tense of 'Nom') you know something weird is going on. This is a fairly fun short with some good laughs along the way.

The Super Sons return in 'Back To School' which sees Jonathan Kent and Damian Wayne returning to school after their summer break. The two of them meet a new student, who's being bullied because they're non-binary. Damian tries to teach them how to fight back, whilst Jonathan talks to them about rising above stuff and turning the other cheek, and come the end Sydney ends up using a bit of both. This was a pretty nice story that seems to introduce the kids to queer identities (something that will be important to both in their futures) and there's a great moment with Jonathan about embracing who you are that feels perfect for him. There are some nice messages in here, and Damian arriving to school in a helicopter blasting out the Imperial March was pretty amusing.

'Earn It Back' is a nice story about Green Arrow learning how to be the best kind of parent to Roy Harper that takes us back to the silver age, complete with dodgy costumes and things like the arrow cave, arrow car, and arrow jet. It's nice to get to see more of their parent child dynamic as it's something that has kind of been forgotten now that Roy is older.

The Tiny Titans appear in 'Piece Making', which sees the kids arrive at Belle Reve prison, thinking it's a farm they have a flyer for, and meeting members of the Suicide Squad. It's a bit weird seeing the adult oriented concept of the Squad meshing with the Tiny Titans, and luckily it doesn't stick around too long so you don't really have to think about it too much. Fans of the Tiny Titans will probably like it.

'This Is Why' deals with Black Lightning and his time as the Secretary of Education under President Luthor, and we get to see a lot of Jefferson as a teacher, the relationships he has with his students, and the great work that he's done. It does a lot to justify why a decent man like him would work for a criminal president, and following Trump being the US President going back to a President Luthor story really does land different.

'How Angels Are Made' is a great Azrael short story that could easily tie into the current series (especially as it's by the same author), and takes a look at the past of Jean Paul Valley, and reveals that his programming by the Order of St Dumas happened a lot earlier than he first thought. This feels like the only story in the bunch that actually could be part of the DC Universe, and has any kind of impact or bearing outside of this book. I wouldn't be surprised to see this short story included in Azrael books at some point.

The final story in the bunch 'Night Off' follows a teenage Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson as they attend prom together. However, along the way their limo gets attacked by armed thugs and Mr Freeze, and the two teens are forced to suit up and take action; making them late to the prom. This story is okay, though doesn't really seem to line up with the characters actual histories or timelines. But as a standalone story its decent enough.

DC Saved By the Belle Reve is a fun, enjoyable anthology book that has a lot of different stories on offer, and will appeal to a lot of different readers thanks to the different styles, characters, and tones on offer.

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Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories #2 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

The second issue of the new Dark Horse comic series, Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories feels like an improvement over the debut issue as we join Luke and Leia as they scout out a snowy world for signs of Imperial occupation.

This new story, written by Cecil Castellucci, definitely seems to have more of a point to it than the first issue, which ended up feeling kind of lacklustre and seemed to gloss over a lot of things. This story has a much tighter focus on the two main characters, and also introduces us to a new world and a new group of people under the thumb of the Empire. The Rebel Alliance know that the Empire sometimes stops off on the remote outpost on the planet Banas, where they refuel their ships. Believing that this could one day be used as a larger staging area, the Alliance sends Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa to investigate the area. They’re hoping to either find a local who would be willing to spy on the Empire for them, or see if it would be worth installing their own people.

Whilst they’re expecting a light Imperial presence, they’re shocked to find a full garrison, and a mining operation that’s using the local population to dig up important resources. Forced to try and hide to avoid the new Imperial patrols, Luke and Leia have to make a dangerous trek across the cold and mountainous planet in order to get back to the Rebel Alliance.

It’s a fairly simple kind of story, one that I think those who’ve read similar Star Wars stuff, like Star Wars Adventures, will be familiar with. A couple of our heroes go to a planet, find the bad guys are already there, and have to sneak their way back to freedom, getting into a fight or two along the way. And whilst the stories in this series are canon, they’re never going to really be anything big. We’re not going to have huge moments that will reverberate through the rest of the saga happen in an anthology comic series designed for younger readers. As such, Castellucci keeps things kind of small, and focused more on the character than anything else.

There are some nice moments where we learn more about Leia and her childhood, and get some insight into her relationship with her father, and these are the kind of things these stories can do well. We also get to see a much more impatient Luke then we usually do, and it gives the impression that these events would take place not long after the fourth film, and that he’s still very much the eager farm boy, rather than the Jedi Knight he will become. Leia’s haircut also looks a lot like one of Padme’s from the prequel films, which is a nice touch.

The art on this issue is done by Megan Huang, and whilst it’s simple and neat, there are a lot of nice details thrown in that make the comic look really good. There’s the already mentioned Padme hair style, but when Luke and Leia are wandering through the town or hiding out in one of the shops there’s always stuff around them to check out, tiny details hidden away. Plus, the design of the aliens on Banas are really cool; kind of goat-like, but very different from the Gotals. Their thin, hoofed legs are cool, and their tiny horns and floppy ears are a great design choice.

Overall, this was a definite improvement on the first issue, and I think it showcases a bit better the kind of stories that this series is going to do well. Hopefully the trend will continue, and the next issue will be even better, but even if it stays at this level it’ll remain a decent, entertaining read.

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Harley Quinn Annual 2022 - Comic Review

 

Originally published on Patreon

The final part of the current, weekly Harley Quinn story is here, and it honestly doesn't feel like anything really special. The other annuals I've read so far this week weren't great, but felt different. The Flash took a step away from the main story to do something else, and the Wonder Girl one was special because there is no Wonder Girl book at the moment. But this? This is just another, regular issue of Harley Quinn that has a small back-up story tacked onto the end to bump up it's length.

The bulk of this issue is the conclusion to the 'Task Force XX' story that's been going on all month, with the team having come together, gotten some new weapons, and beginning their assault on the alien menace. This fight takes them to Blackgate Prison, where the alien has taken over the prisoners and staff. The team fight their way through them, and Killer Frost uses her powers to suck the life force out of the alien, saving the day.

And that's about it. The issue is heavy on the action and light on characterisation, and there's not a huge amount here. There's so little to be given to the characters that it actually starts to get a little confusing, as Verdict seems absolutely fine working alongside Harley, taking orders from her, and even puts herself in danger to save her and buy her time. And last issue she still hated her. Where did this turn come from? I get that she's probably putting her feelings about Harley to one side to win the day, but there's no explanation given for this.

And yet again, Harley feels relegated to being a side character in her own title, as she spends much of the issue shouting nonsense, drawing on downed enemies, and acting like she's the leader. She's honestly quite annoying here, and this story seems to be highlighting some of the worst aspects of Harley. It's like the writer is trying to make her the DC equivalent of Deadpool, and it just makes for a shallow, annoying, uninteresting character. She's been the best this series when there's been some real depth to her, but that's absolutely lacking here.

The back-up story feels incredibly tacked on too, and if anything it feels like the first dozen or so pages from the start of the next story arc thrown in here. The book feels like the annual is just the final issue of the 'Task Force XX' story with the opening scenes of the next issue stuck together to make the desired page length. It doesn't feel like an annual at all. Annuals have to feel like something special, this really doesn't.

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