Discuss new issues of your favourite comics here.
The Continuing New Comics Thread
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I’ll admit I got chills with #127. It pushed all the right buttons. It’s good stuff.
It is kind of funny how backwards looking it all is though. I guess Morrison is partly to blame for that given how popular his run was and the way that it leant so much on Batman’s history.
But a brand new, fresh Batman run opening with a story that calls back to Tower of Babel, Robin Dies At Dawn and Batman RIP all at the same time is kind of funny.
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Very true. Those callbacks are the very reason that it’s resonating with me, but must be a little confusing to the uninitiated.
I realise a large part of it is Zdarsky being a fanboy. But, editorially that’s quite a change from DC’s usual approach (at least in recent years) where they have tried to be forward looking and less continuity heavy.
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Kind of. It’s always difficult to know how much information a hypothetical new reader needs, but (say) the Zur En Arrh personality is explained as a weird backup personality, but without really explaining why it looks so bonkers. So I can see people being a bit nonplussed if they’re not already familiar.
Having said all that, I imagine a dwindling number of new readers are discovering these kinds of comics these days. It’s probably mainly readers who are already familiar with this stuff.
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Well, I’ll probably find out for myself March / April next year.
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There’s nothing here that will confuse you, Ben. You’ll enjoy it as much as we have, I’m sure. It’s a fun, action packed story with an emphasis on Batman’s family, and gorgeous artwork.
But, for someone who hasn’t read a JLA story (Tower of Babel) from over twenty years ago and Grant Morrison’s Batman run from before the New52 it might be a different experience.
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Read this tonight. It’s Tom King doing his best Killing Joke-era Alan Moore impression, and to be honest, like Killing Joke it’s just slightly too nasty and unpleasant to really feel truly enjoyable.
That said, it’s mostly pretty decently written (albeit with a few favourite King themes and stylistic touches cropping up, as usual) and Gerads’ art is good. I also like the format (essentially the old KJ format of a standard size, 64-page squarebound comic) and I like getting a complete standalone story.
I am a bit confused though by the idea of doing one of these “one bad day” stories for so many different Batman villains. It’s already a stretch of the concept here (it’s more a KJ homage than a story about one bad day) so I’m not sure it’s an idea that can support an entire series of one-shots.
Also, I’m not sure why this isn’t a Black Label book as it feels like prime BL material. Are they winding up that imprint or something? As one of the only good things about DC at the moment, I wouldn’t be surprised.
I’ve always disliked the Riddler. I found him annoying and ineffectual, and by far one of the lesser villains in Batman’s rogue gallery. So, this was a bit of a punt on the strength of the creative team.
And, to be fair to them, they hit it out of the park. If the intention was to amp Edward up as a credible bad guy, in much the same way that Killing Joke did for the Joker, they really succeeded.
It’s a dark and slightly disturbing book, that has potentially massive ramifications if it is part of the canon.
Which, is the clever bit here (and probably why it’s not overtly part of the Black Label line). Much like Killing Joke beforehand, there’s nothing here that says the book is in continuity. But, there’s nothing that says that it explicitly isn’t. I guess that’s the bit that will depend on future editorial and creative whims.
But, for the reader, we’ll always be left with the “how far will this go?” question in the back of our minds. That is quite the impressive trick.
Well played, DC.
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Righteous Thirst for Vengeance #11 wraps up the series in dark and brutal style. I don’t know if it’s just me but this felt very much like a what would happen if a certain former President got locked up for his crimes wish fulfilment fantasy.
This series was a surprisingly grounded tale from Remender and Araujo, with next to no fantastical elements. It would make a fairly compelling Netflix or Amazon Prime movie.
It’s very well made but pretty bleak and unforgiving. I don’t regret reading it, but it’s not exactly something I have any intention of ever revisiting either.
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It’s very well made but pretty bleak and unforgiving. I don’t regret reading it, but it’s not exactly something I have any intention of ever revisiting either.
This was one of my favorite series of the past year. I thought Rick Remender was at his best here, creating memorable, believable characters involved in a story that just kept propelling forward without any wasted scenes. Even the quiet moments during the second half of the series served to set up the devastating climax. And Rememder’s work was perfectly supported by the visually fluid artwork of Andre Lima Araujo who handles action scenes and facial expressions with equal skill. I strongly recommend this one.
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Oh, definitely. I didn’t mean to sound negative about it. It has been a couple of days since I read the final few issues but images and scenes still linger on in my head. It’s a powerful piece of work.
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I‘m not a big fan of Donny Cates writing. It’s very Kirkman-esque, I find. Some great ideas and concepts, but fairly journeyman execution, occasionally elevated by fantastic artwork.
Crossover started well, but lost me before the end of the first arc.
I’m enjoying his Venom run on Marvel Unlimited, but I soon realised what I love is Stegman’s artwork (the first arc, most of the second, Absolute Carnage are fantastic; the rest merely so-so).
That’s all preamble to my saying that Cates and Stegman had a new creator owned title from Image come out this week. I think it’s from their Substack but I could be misinformed about that. And, it’s actually very good.
There’s not a huge amount I can say about Vanish #1 without spoiling it. It’s about what happens to a proverbial “Chosen One” after he has saved the world. It’s a grim dark take on superheroes, with a splash of fantasy, and a heaped spoonful of 1990’s Image nostalgia thrown in for kicks.
It’s a slightly oversized first issue, with card stock covers, for $3.99.
Not totally sold on it as an ongoing title, but it’s a promising debut with an interesting hook to it.
Worth a punt, I feel, if you enjoyed the creative team’s prior Marvel work.
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Nightwing #96 was a fun and exciting finale to the current arc, but let’s be real. It was all about the feels.
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Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt and Rob Garney’s BRZRKR #10 came out this week, and I just read the last few issues back-to-back (from #7). I no longer have a clue what the hell is going on with this series. It’s incredibly opaque. It’s no longer immortal barbarian’s adventures over time, but now something about the origins of life and cosmic entities. I’m barely following it. I shudder to think what someone new to comics and only here because of Reeves would make of this.
Two more issues to go. There better be a huge turnaround in the finale, or this is going straight into the long box until the Netflix adaption hits and I try to scam some unlucky schmuck to give me my money back.
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I think this is Deniz’s best comic so far. A nice straightforward action story with great art and writing that knows when do offer depth and detail, and when to get out of the way of the art and let the visuals tell the story. It’s a bit 90s but in a conscious way. I enjoyed it and will definitely pick up the next issue.
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I agree, Dave. Bloodshot Unleashed #1 was really good. It’s the first time I’ve read any of Deniz’ comic books so this may just be due to Davis-Hunt’s art, but this felt very Ellis. In terms of high concept and execution. I liked it a lot and pretty much immediately pre-ordered the rest of the 4 issue run.
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Running parallel to the main Dark Crisis series is a Dark Crisis – Young Justice six issue mini. Echoing a lot of the themes of the main series, it focuses on the missing generation of DC’s legacy characters that have largely faded into irrelevance in recent years.
I say that as the biggest fan of these characters that you know. Young Justice are to me what the Legion are to David.
Written by Meghan Fitzmartin this is a vast improvement over Bendis’ work on the team. She’s not as polished a writer, but she does have a good grasp of the core cast’s personalities, histories, and interpersonal dynamics.
The series, however, is a difficult one to write about, in that it is proving to be very meta. And, as a result, I’m actually not sure if she’s having a go at me for my continued love of this cast or celebrating that fact.
A recurring theme of the book has seen the characters question their existence and why they can’t seem to escape the roles that they have, even when they have been replaced by newer models. The most recent issue (#4) , specifically, features a villain who is holding them hostage whilst claiming to be their biggest fan. I don’t know. It feels a little on the nose.
There are two issues left in the mini, so hopefully we’ll see the characters proverbially break free of this malaise by the time it is done. Assuming they do, I’d quite like to see their continuing adventures in the new year.
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I agree, Dave. Bloodshot Unleashed #1 was really good. It’s the first time I’ve read any of Deniz’ comic books so this may just be due to Davis-Hunt’s art, but this felt very Ellis. In terms of high concept and execution. I liked it a lot and pretty much immediately pre-ordered the rest of the 4 issue run.
I think it’s actually quite different to Deniz’s other stuff, which has often been more wordy and (deliberately) disjointed. This feels like a more accessible and refined approach.
And yes, I definitely felt an Ellis influence both in the themes and plot and the way the action is written.
I’m also on board for the whole series on the basis of this opener. I’m buying all Deniz’s stuff anyway but this is his standout book so far.
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This was decent. A tight, pacy, escalating crime tale from (That Texas Blood’s) Christoph Condon, set against the backdrop of the wrestling business, with dynamic art from Francesco Biagni and vivid colours that really pop.
The oversized squarebound format is the icing on the cake and makes it all look great.
I increasingly gravitate towards self-contained stuff like this, and even though it’s a fairly straightforward tale with not much in the way of surprises, it was a good yarn, solidly told.
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With possibly the worst first issue cover that I have ever seen, Tim Drake: Robin #1 launched last week. I’ve been looking forward to this since Morrison unceremoniously dumped him back in 2009. Did it live up to my expectations? Of course not
It’s by no means a bad comic, but it is clearly playing for an audience that I’m no longer a part of. And, I’m okay with that. Sort of.
The book is written by the aforementioned Meghan Fitzmartin and builds off the work that she has been doing with Tim in Batman: Urban Legends and the Young Justice mini-series I mentioned above. It’s not exactly a brand new day with quite a few callbacks to those earlier stories.
However, she does write Tim well. He comes across as methodical, capable, and charming. Just as he should.
He’s also got a boyfriend now. In case you didn’t remember, you’re reminded about that on seemingly every other page. It’s hard to forget.
Which is also cool, as I’ve said in the past. It kinda makes sense given the character’s published history for him to be queer. But, if that ends up defining the character going forwards, as this debut issue does, it’s going to be really annoying.
On the positive side, the Gotham marina that Tim has relocated to is an interesting new locale, full of quirky characters and potential.
Aside from that horrendous cover, the inside of the book is drawn by Riley Rossmo. If you’ve not seen his art style before hand, he’s got a quirky aesthetic that probably wouldn’t be out of place in manga. Big heads, big eyes, incredibly but deceptively detailed. It’s a good looking book, but definitely not mainstream in art style.
It is either a pretty bold decision on DC’s part to eschew the core superhero crowd with this book, or a knowing one given Tim’s new found fame. We’ll see. Given my love for the character I hope it finds an audience to support it. I’m definitely on board for a few more issues at least. We’ll see how it develops from here.
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I know that I’ve been a little bit down on Tynion recently, but I recently caught up with a couple of his ongoing books and still really enjoyed both of them.
Something Is Killing The Children #21 – 25 kicks off the second major arc of the book (following Erica’s origin story in #16 – 20). Tynion introduces us to a new town, a new monster, and a new cast of supporting characters. Far from feeling like a recurring “monster of the week” the new character’s reactions and the evolving dynamics with the House of Slaughter keep things fresh and exciting. It wraps up on a cliffhanger, in brutal fashion, that will be picked up on in November’s #26.
The Nice House on the Lake #8 – 10 moves the story on dramatically, ending with what appears to be the tables having been turned on the party’s sinister host. There’s still no obvious connection between the “current day” and “flash forward” scenes that makes me suspect that the rumours of a season 2 are accurate. I don’t see how they can wrap things up satisfactorily in the last two issues. The artwork here remains beautiful throughout.
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Earlier this month in the latest LAZARUS RISEN book, Greg Rucka announced that they won’t be soliciting any new issues for a year or more, until they have enough issues completed to guarantee monthly shipping of what will be the “final” story arc of Forever Carlyle. Then in today’s RECKLESS book Ed Brubaker announced that he and artist Sean Philips are putting this book on hold while they move on to a different project.
I’m feeling quite dejected.
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Earlier this month in the latest LAZARUS RISEN book, Greg Rucka announced that they won’t be soliciting any new issues for a year or more, until they have enough issues completed to guarantee monthly shipping of what will be the “final” story arc of Forever Carlyle. Then in today’s RECKLESS book Ed Brubaker announced that he and artist Sean Philips are putting this book on hold while they move on to a different project.
I’m feeling quite dejected.
Fuck, Jerry, what did you do NOW?!?!
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So long as I can buy 1-2 OHCs to complete Lazarus, I’m fine with them taking the time to go out with a bang.
As to Brubaker-Phillips, I’m inclined to trust that whatever they are cooking up will be excellent.
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Yeah I heard Brubaker chat a month or so back, he said they’d ploughed through the Reckless books faster than they thought they would but it sounded very much like business as usual for him and Phillips regularly putting out material. They’ll just put out some other stories for a while and get back to Reckless later, like they did with Criminal.
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Batman: Killing Time #1 – 6 is the recent mini- series by Tom King, with art by David Marquez and Alejandro Sanchez. It comes out in hardcover a little later this year.
It’s set in the early days of Batman’s career. Costumed villains are rampant, but Bruce is still a little inexperienced, Arkham Asylum is new, and Commissioner Gordon is still married.
It’s a heist story, the likes of which you don’t normally see in comic form. Full of moves, countermoves, betrayals and false leads. King’s story jumps around in time giving you just a little bit of new information with each piece, as the big picture starts to come together over the course of the book.
I won’t spoil the twists and turns, because, whilst the MacGuffin at the heart of the story doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny, the journey was hugely enjoyable. It’s a real page turner of a story that I couldn’t put down.
Whilst not as dark as his recent Riddler one off, there is a similar dark viciousness to this book that I found really fascinating. It’s rare to see the characters in this light, truth be told.
As much as I enjoyed the story, the real highlight of the show was the artwork. It’s gorgeous. Absolutely drop dead gorgeous.
I definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a self contained Batman mystery. It’s good stuff.
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One of the best comics of recent times, and an absolute disgrace that DC cancelled early, was Simon Spurrier’s short lived Hellblazer run. 12 issues plus change of cold and cynical brilliance. Sadly, despite the buzz and critical acclaim it didn’t do enough to justify its continued existence to the powers that be.
After reading the first issue just now, Damn Them All #1 is very much the spiritual successor to that run. In fact if you squint and ignore the character’s given names, Ellie Hawthorne could be the literal daughter of John Constantine himself.
Gangsters, demons, foul mouthed magicians, and a London cityscape. It almost feels like a cover band. But, Spurrier’s skillful storytelling and Adlard’s art raise it up beyond a cheap knock off.
I really liked this. Boom have another hit on their hands. Long may it continue. Hopefully.
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Teen Justice #6 – This mini-series has been entertaining overall, though it has some pacing issues. Every time I start a new issue I have to go back and read the previous one because I’ve forgotten so much of what happened previously. That said, I’ve enjoyed seeing the young (usually gender-swapped) heroes and villains of Earth-11. Kid Quick (Jess Chambers) and Supergirl have been my two favorite team members, and there was a nice twist in this (final) issue that really caught my attention.
Superman: Son of Kal-El #17 – I don’t really consider this a crossover even though it’s part 4 of “Kal-El Returns”. This is basically a stand-alone story, with Jon coming out to his father (Superman, duh) about the fact that he’s dating a boy. Great issue with great art and a wonderful Superman moment for Clark/Kal-El. Only just started getting back in to the Superman titles so I’m not familiar with Red Sin as a character but I’m interested to see how he develops as a villain.
WildC.A.T.s #1 – Grifter is a lot of fun here but the rest of the team barely gets more than a cameo. The art is decent enough but the story doesn’t really have a hook. I thought this was going to be regular monthly series but the cover states its only a limited series. I might pick up #2 but so far it’s pretty forgettable.
The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1-3 – I put off getting this for a while as it’s a tie-in to the The Flash movie which won’t be out for another year. Overall though, while it is mostly forgettable it is pretty clever when comes to using the villains (Girder, Tarpit and The Top), with each one getting the spotlight for an issue. It reminds me a lot of season 1 of the current Flash TV series, with Barry constantly questioning himself while discovering new abilities. Overall fun, but I suspect I’ll have forgotten about it by the time the movie comes out.
The New Golden Age #1 – Intriguing, but I think this storyline will be a continuity nightmare. Geoff Johns seems to be retconning stuff in and out of JSA history and while it’s framed as taking place across time I also have to wonder if its taking place on both Earth-2 and Earth-0 (or whatever it’s called). Some nice art in here, especially by Jerry Ordway. but as a prelude to the new Justice Society of America series I’m not sure the story doing anyone any favors. A lot of characters show up for cameos but only Dr. Fate and the “new” Huntress really get any development. I’ll definitely pick up the new JSA series, but I’m less enthusiastic for it now.
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Jon Kent stepped up big time in Dark Crisis #6.
This has been a fun event. It’s nonsensical continuity bollocks all round, but Williamson has stepped up his game here, and Sampere’s artwork is beautiful. Definitely one for the DC nerds only.
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Thanks to DCUI Ultra I decided to catch up on Black Adam #1-4.
I don’t know how it tracks with the tone of the movie (which I haven’t seen) but this series is pretty great.
I will say that the somber covers and the solicitations imply a particular type of story that don’t necessarily align with the story within. Priest’s story, and Sandoval’s art especially, take a noticeably lighter tone, whilst not shying away from some heavier subject matter.
There are all the classic Priest tics at play here. Clever storytelling and humorous quips included. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoyed his Black Panther run, I think. It’s quite similar, from what little I read of that back in the day.
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Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #9 – A fun read. One of the great things about this story arc is seeing the original Teen Titans interact.
Stargirl: The Lost Children #1 – Great art by Todd Nauck as always. The story is basically just set up and exposition. Part of “The New Golden Age” is the mystery surrounding Golden Age sidekicks who have been erased from history. Based on the last couple of pages it looks like they may be trapped on some version of Neverland (like the Lost Boys from Peter Pan).
The Flash #788 – The Rogues have been deputized by the new mayor, Gregory Wolfe, former warden of Iron Heights. This gets a pretty big laugh from Wally until the Rogues end up kicking his ass. Linda’s pregnancy is confirmed (will it be twins again?) and an old friend shows up in the nick of time to help The Flash. Great stuff as always from Jeremy Adams. Loved the chaos in the background of the panels at Terrifictech. Hilarious.
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Read the latest Wolverine issues. It is gory tbh.
Quite uncharacteristic for one character who has been known by readers for decades. How he could possibly be redeemed…
This storyline,the last X Force, and the new Sabretooth title are quite bloody.
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I enjoyed this first issue, having picked it up on a whim after reading the solicit.
It’s a thoughtful sci-fi story that’s grounded in character, with plenty of humour and satire as you’d expect from Mark Russell, but also something very human at the heart of it.
The art from Roberto Meli (who I’d never come across before) is nice, and there’s a reflective, wistful tone to the whole thing that I enjoyed. I’ll be picking up #2.
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The Department of Truth #18 – 22 marks co-creator Martin Simmonds’ return to the series, after a run of less than stellar fill in issues. The series improves dramatically almost immediately, but suffers I feel from being too mythology driven.
Much like The X-Files before it, people always wanted to see progress in the core conspiracy storyline, but those episodes on the whole were the least well written and ultimately as satisfying as a Big Mac meal. Tasty in the moment, but you always feel bad afterwards.
That’s exactly how these issues (that will make up vol 4 of the TPB) feel too. If you’re invested in the mythology behind this series, there are some dramatic developments that potentially suggest the end is not that far away. The storyline even includes callbacks to those aforementioned fill in issues to somewhat justify their existence.
But, if you preferred the more stand-alone one or two parters that made up the first few issues of this series, this will continue to be a bit of a disappointment.
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Dark Spaces: Wildfire #1-5 is the first arc in what, I assume, will be an anthology series curated by Scott Snyder. It’s from IDW.
This first arc, written by Snyder, with artwork by Hayden Sherman and Ronda Pattison, is a heist story set in and around a California wildfire. As with all the best heist stories, this is filled with an eclectic mix of characters and twists & turns aplenty.
It’s also, genuinely, one of the best comics I read this year. Certainly one of the best things that Snyder has done in a long time. Really enjoyed it.
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It’s easy to forget or overlook how good a writer Jason Aaron is, given how long he has been writing for Marvel. I mean there’s nothing wrong with the work he’s done there. Some of it is very, very good and enjoyable, but on the whole it’s pretty much comfort food.
But, then you remember he wrote Scalped. And Southern Bastards (how I miss this). And, you wish he’d do more of that sort of darker material again.
Once Upon A Time At The End of the World #1 is his new creator owned series, from Boom. It’s a fun debut issue, setting up a charming post- apocalyptic love story. It’s not dark, like those aforementioned titles (although there are a few little touches here or there), but it’s also not as disposable as his Marvel work.
The artwork by Alexandre Tefenkgi and Lee Loughridge is also really very nice. Quite similar to Chris Samnee’s style – cartoony but with impeccable storytelling.
It’s a very promising start.
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Thanks Vik. I was on the fence on Snyder’s IDW book but curious about Aaron’s new book, sounds like both are worth a punt next year.
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This was an interesting first issue.
I love the art – the combination of Miller’s layouts with Tan and Henriques’ lines works really well, and the images here are big and bold, and everything feels epic and weighty and demands your attention – and the same goes for the pacing of the story, which favours lots of big epic moments.
Having said that, there’s not much story to go on here. It’s almost like the big attention-grabbing pre-credits sequence of a big movie. And on that level it works.
So I enjoyed it, but I hope future issues have a little bit more meat to them.
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Batman 130 – Chip’s whole story. Commentary on Bruce being so paranoid his creation becomes his own undoing.
I enjoyed this issue a lot. A really fun opening sequence, an exciting battle with an unexpected ending, and a great backup too. This first arc has been lots of fun.
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I’ve found myself enjoying the continuity heavy Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths quite a lot. Especially the focus on the importance of the legacy characters that I’m so fond of. So, it’s a bit disappointing that it (#7) ends in such an anti-climatic manner.
Sure there are a couple of big moments, and foreshadowing for events to come in 2023. But, the “everything and the kitchen sink” finale does a disservice to the central conflict, which should have been far more emotional and cathartic to really stick the landing.
It’s also disappointing that the closing pages of the series had so many guest artists come in to get it over the line. The inconsistency is noticeable, especially when Sampere did such an outstanding job throughout the whole series up ‘till now.
I’m also sick to death of Amanda Waller, so that didn’t help either.
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This was an interesting first issue.
I love the art – the combination of Miller’s layouts with Tan and Henriques’ lines works really well, and the images here are big and bold, and everything feels epic and weighty and demands your attention – and the same goes for the pacing of the story, which favours lots of big epic moments.
Having said that, there’s not much story to go on here. It’s almost like the big attention-grabbing pre-credits sequence of a big movie. And on that level it works.
So I enjoyed it, but I hope future issues have a little bit more meat to them.
I had no idea this was coming out. The chance of a Ronin sequel would’ve blown my mind a decade ago (or two). These days… I don’t even know if I’m interested.
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In case Brubaker/Phillips fans didn’t know they have a Criminal short story in the Image anthology comic out today:
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The Nice House On The Lake #12 provided an enjoyable conclusion to “Cycle 1” of the series. It does appear as if it’s going to be continued, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No spoilers, but the main story that ran through the book so far ends in a pretty neat manner. What happens next should be quite different.
If any of you read The Woods – Tynion’s original creator owned series from Boom Studios – this feels a lot like how that story transformed from one thing into something quite different at the end of every year. He successfully pulled off that trick twice over the course of that series. It looks like he is trying the same thing here. I’ll certainly be sticking around to see what happens next.
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If you’ve paid attention to my posts over the last year or so, you can’t have escaped my comments on DC vs Vampires. I know some of you harbour the belief that the effusive praise was made in jest and that I actually hated it, but, no. Genuinely. This was awesome. I loved it from beginning to end. It was so much fun.
Twists and turns aplenty, with such a great use of DC’s wide library of characters, not just the usual suspects that you tend to find in these things. The shadow of the bat loomed large (obviously) but so many others played important parts – Lobo, Mary Marvel, Captain Cold, Constantine, Grifter, Frankenstein, Booster Gold, Midnighter, …
Probably worth mentioning that the All Out War mini-series ended up being pretty essential too. As well as a fun post-apocalyptic action adventure.
The series definitely has Tynion’s fingerprints all over it, but Matt Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt did the heavy lifting throughout. Clever and funny, with beautiful and atmospheric art.
The ending was left wide open for a sequel. If I would fault anything it’s that it’s almost too inconclusive in how #12 wraps up. I’m betting that we see one start before the year is out.
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I can’t really argue with that. #12 definitely had me going “WTF?” a few times. Feels like there’s at least a six issue follow up to come.
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Having bought the individual issues as they came out, I wasn’t really sure that I would ever read Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines #1-6. The loss of Carlos Pacheco meant that this would be the last new material of his ever published, and that … bothered me.
Nevertheless I decided to pull them out of my “to read” pile this afternoon and spend a lazy hour or two reading through them.
For the uninitiated, this is the second creator owned Arrowsmith mini-series by Carlos and Kurt Busiek. The first came out almost 20 years ago, back in the early 2000’s.
It’s an alternate history of World War I, with wizards, dragons, trolls, and all other creatures fantastical. Arrowsmith, the eponymous hero of the story, is a neophyte wizard on the frontlines of the war. It’s brilliant stuff.
Busiek’s story is wonderfully told, and Pacheco’s artwork is gorgeous to look at. Some of the best of his career.
I waited a long time for this second mini-series to appear, and I can say without a moment’s hesitation that it was worth the wait. It was excellent.
Unfortunately, it’s also only half the story, and therefore ends on something of a cliffhanger, with many questions still unanswered. Who knows if we’ll ever see a continuation? It’s a little like if Star Wars ended after Empire Strikes Back.
I would love it if Busiek came back to the series in a few years, when it doesn’t hurt so much. Maybe with Jesus Merino, or others, as a tribute to the great work that Carlos did. Although understandable, it would be a great shame if the series never continued further.
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The Magic Order 3, by Mark Millar and Gigi Cavenago, was really good. A smaller, more intimate affair than the two volumes that preceded this, it really amps up the tension and ends on a deliciously evil cliffhanger (or three) for volume 4.
Given that the earlier books had the sublime Copiel and Immomen on art, this volume was always going to struggle without an artist of similar stature. Cavenago is a new name to me, but his artwork was really nice regardless. An aesthetic similar to a Parlov or Sudzuka. With pretty impressive and clean storytelling skills.
Looking forward to vol 4 now. Is this the final book or is there a fifth planned, does anyone know?
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Immonen’s art was good. Hmm, wonder if there’ll ever be an Empress sequel?
Magic Order is a series that there’s nothing particularly wrong with, I just haven’t latched onto the characters. As you say maybe three will nail it better.
The fourth trade is currently set for July / August.
Haven’t yet seen anything about the artist for the fifth series, but it’s Millar, no way does he keep quiet about it!
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Bloodshot Unleashed #4 wraps up the mini-series, or at least this run of issues. I do hope it comes back, but given Valiant’s current fortunes that may not be happening. Which is kind of ironic, as these four issues were the first Valiant books I ever bought “off the shelf”, due to the creative team – Deniz Camp and Jon Davis-Hunt.
Dave and I both mentioned upthread how #1 of the series was a surprisingly good, done in one, action sci-fi story that felt very Ellis like in execution. #2 was more of the same.
#3 and #4 took a more fantastical turn, that I felt detracted from the more grounded nature of the book. The X-O Manowar appearance probably didn’t help either, at least for me, as I have very little knowledge or context for that character. Davis-Hunt being replaced on #4 was also a negative, although his replacement’s work was at least aesthetically similar.
So, a disappointing ending to an otherwise solid four issue run. I’ll certainly be up for more should they be forthcoming.
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Nightwing #100, by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, and a host of esteemed guest artists from Mr Grayson’s past was a blast. DC’s best ongoing superhero title, and one of the very few I still buy in physical form after subscribing to DCUI Ultra.
There’s a great scene between Dick and Bruce that almost made me cry big manly tears of joy. And, continuing the theme of Dark Crisis, the Titans step up big time.
This is the where the “Dawn of DC” really starts. I look forward to where it goes from here.
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I never thought I’d read a Nightwing comic in my life but this run is the most enjoyable comics I’ve read in ages. Big fan of the son of Superman comic as well.
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from one 90s fanboy to the other, what did you think of Seven soldiers of victory? i loved the line in #3 about them.
if you go in hoping for Morrison’s 7 soldiers save your money
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Dark Web was a bit of a mess. I only bought the “alpha” and “omega” issues (or whatever they were actually called this time) and the main Amazing Spider-Man issues (#14 – 18), so missed about 12 issues of tie in content. For all their claims of being able to follow the storyline without reading everything, there were a lot of WTF moments as a result.
I did enjoy a lot of it. Adam Kubert and Ed McGuiness’ artwork was pretty excellent throughout, and there were some funny moments. But, for a story literally called “Dark Web” it was all a bit light weight and inconsequential. The stakes never felt meaningful and the action almost slapstick at times.
A bit of a misfire, really.
Looking forward to Joe Kelly and Terry Dodson coming on board Amazing for a bit of a palate cleanser, before JR Jr hopefully brings a return to form in the spring.
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Yep, it was a misfire that fell victim to the classic crossover blunders. Like you, I only picked up Dark Web and the Finale (which I haven’t read yet) and the ASM issues and it all felt quite disjointed and meaningless.
I’m only sticking around for the promise of JRjr coming back soon. Hopefully the fill-in will be good though.
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The first issue of this came out a long time ago (and I was almost giving up hope on it ever being continued) but I found this surprisingly easy to get back into. It’s a really solid “last story” for Swamp Thing – well written, with very decent art and some interesting ideas underpinning the whole thing. Looking forward to seeing how it wraps up in #3.
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I just read X Force 37 and there is a flashback to a character not seen in over 30 years. Percy is writing an intriguing story. Imo every character currently in the book is or has been a villain. Many of them are trying to reform but the one at the top is not and is pursuing unethical and immoral means to achieve his ends. Is Percy writing a story that may lead to Beast failing and blaming his evil deeds on the suspect mutants under his command?
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I am curious as to how the post Hickman X-books play out.
Sounds like the books are led by Duggan, Gillen, Ewing, Spurrier, Percy. That’s a good group of writers.
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I’ve drifted away also.
Does anyone know (1) a good way of threading through Marvel Unlimited? (2) Whats both interesting and important ?
Are these the Recent plot threads?
- 10 lives/deaths of Wolverine (exploring Moira post Inferno situation?)
- Destiny of X (X-men Red, Immortal X-men – moving in the post Inferno (and hickman) world)
- Dark Web ( Madelyne Pryor and the other Inferno. Skippable? – seems likely)
- A.X.E.: Judgment Day (unsure of the point of this, other than uncovering the Sinister plot? – oh, selling comics?)
Right now…
- Sins of Sinister (Maybe bringing the simmering Mr Sinister subplot to a head + a round of powers of X future history)
And then…
- Before the fall
- The Fall of X
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Duggan and Percy continue to be enjoyable on their individual titles (X-Men, X-Force, Wolverine, etc.) although I think they are ill suited to the big crossovers. X Lives/ Deaths wasn’t great, for example.
Spurrier and Ewing are doing good work, but struggling a bit with second tier titles and lesser characters. These books struggle to feel essential to the ongoing narrative.
Which leaves Gillen. I’ve only read a couple of issues of Immortal X-Men so far, but I’ve probably enjoyed those more than I liked Hickman’s work since House of/ Powers of X.
Gillen’s Eternals was also top stuff so I’m looking forward to digging into A.X.E. in the near future.
And, yes, Dark Web was a waste of time. At least from a Spider-man perspective. It might be worth checking out from the X-Men side of things, as it seems to progress the Madelyne Pryor arc. But, I haven’t read those yet, so take the recommendation as pure speculation at this stage.
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And, yes, Dark Web was a waste of time. At least from a Spider-man perspective. It might be worth checking out from the X-Men side of things, as it seems to progress the Madelyne Pryor arc. But, I haven’t read those yet, so take the recommendation as pure speculation at this stage.
Yeah I ended up getting the sense that it might be more meaningful on the X-Men side. Certainly for Spidey the whole thing felt very hollow and empty and left the book pretty much where it was when the event began. Which makes it nicely skippable in trade I guess.
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Reading this second issue I feel like I’m starting to ‘get’ Ronin Book II a little better.
I was initially taken aback a little bit by how little happened in that first issue, with such an indulgent use of the page space – but now I’m getting used to the pacing, I’m finding I really like that it’s so wild and dynamic and isn’t afraid to go BIG in a way that only comics can (even if the big multiple splashes can still feel a bit 90s-Image sometimes).
There’s a nice trademark rhythm and momentum to Miller’s writing, and some really stunning black-and-white art throughout – having Miller on breakdowns and Tan and Henriques on finishes works really well and feels like the best of all worlds. There’s also an interesting manga influence there that comes through pretty strong in places.
This might be a bit of an acquired taste but it’s like nothing else out there at the moment.
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I kinda bounced off X-Men after Inferno finished. It really started to feel like it was treading ground instead of building towards something. Is it worth delving back in?
Yes.
It did start spinning the wheels around Inferno but the relaunch of a few of the books gave it a spark. Most notably Immortal X-Men by Gillen which is really good, far superior to his first stint on X-Men back in the day, every issue is told from a different character’s perspective while also progressing the plot. I’d say get the books by the Brits – Gillen, Ewing and Spurrier are putting out the best material albeit the Duggan and Percy material is worth reading.
The rest, don’t bother really.
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I would not have resisted buying the the new Captain Britain if this was the cover
Happy Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain release day! #captainbritain #betsybraddock #xmen #marvel #psylocke pic.twitter.com/iBJpvFXjLH
— Pixel Sean (@Super_Pixel_Boy) February 22, 2023
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Lemire and Walta’s new Image series, Phantom Road, is off to an intriguing and haunting start. It’s not at all what I was expecting, and there’s not enough here to really understand what’s going on or why, but it’s got all the usual hallmarks of Lemire’s writing. And, the artwork is beautiful. Worth a look, I think.
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Dan, that post makes as much sense as Tini Howard’s writing on Betsy Braddock.
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Lemire and Walta’s new Image series, Phantom Road, is off to an intriguing and haunting start.
Yeah, another great entry from Jeff Lemire. I’m along for the ride until the end of the first arc, at least.
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Batman – Chip ZDarsky might be onto something.
But we will get another DC hero off world for a while.
Then his return…I get it that it gives writers more space to create new alternate stories
and reinvent things away from the usual constraints in the DCU.I’m in.
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As the prices of floppies has gotten out of hand and the quality of the content gets worse, I’d made a decision late last year to move almost exclusively to DC Infinite on the Ultra option for most new DC (and doing similar for Marvel Unlimited).
I’m still picking up Batman, Danger Street, Gotham Year One, Star Girl and JSA in print. 2 of those wrap up this month so I’m down to 3. At Marvel I’m still getting The Punisher, Ghost Rider, Alien, Predator, Amazing SpiderMan and Daredevil in print. I’m dropping Alien with the Shalvey relaunch and AMS is on a shoogley peg.
Anyway I completely digress…….
The Ultra tier has been pretty great. By the time I get my monthly preordered box from 86th floor, most of this shit is up on Ultra anyway, sometimes before the box even arrive so I’ve been using it to read any new series being launched from DC, moving into Dawn of DC, and although most of that feels like a form of punishment, there’s the odd one that takes me by surprise.
Superman # 1 by Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell was one such surprise. I opened it up expecting to go through the motions, which is what I did for most of Phillip Kennedy Johnston’s Action comics run and the incredibly decompressed Tom Taylor Son of Kal El book.
However it was about as good a start to a Superman series as you could hope for in the currently era of under developed big two books.
There’s some really great dynamics between Superman and Lex going on that I’ve not quite seen done before, some really clever ideas and hints at multiple cool threads still to come.I’ve not enjoyed everything I’ve read of Williamson. I found Dark Crisis and the Incarnate books that lead into that very difficult to get into. However I enjoyed Nailbiter, the start of Birthright and I’m reading his Flash run just now which is better than I remember it being before dropping it back when originally Released. The first issue of Dark Ride is also great.
Reading this first issue of Superman it feels like he is unshackled by no longer carrying the weight of continuity and juggling dozens of characters on those big books he was on previously. It’s a really nicely paced, easy read. And Campbell is a terrific storyteller.
I feel really positive about this one and I’m hoping for the same when his Green Arrow book is launched in a months time.
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I love the og cover that was based on but Howard’s writing is horrible imo
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Btw, does anyone know if Peter David has recovered from his pre-Christmas stroke? I haven’t heard anything since then which is slightly worrying.
I found an update from around a week ago from his wife.
12 March 2023by Kathleen David, Beneficiary Where we are right now.
He is back in rehab after yet another hospital scare.
He will be there a while and this time the co-pay increases.f
I am working on getting the doors widened so his wheelchair can get into all the room downstairs along with a few other fixes.Sounds like he’s a while away from working again and recovery is a big job. -
Considering how much I enjoy Something is Killing the Children you’d think I would get more out of House of Slaughter than I do. But, it’s not really working for me.
The second arc, “Scarlet” (#6 – 10), by Sam Johns and Letizia Cadonici, introduced a whole new cast of characters to the series. The eponymous scarlet masks seem to be the record keepers and historians of the House. And, this arc focuses on one character’s investigation into mysterious events on Lake Michigan.
It starts off as one thing, turns into another, and ends as something else entirely. It was weird. I don’t think I entirely got it, even reading all five issues back-to-back. I had to search online for an explanation afterwards.
I’m pretty sure there are a few pages printed out of sequence too in one of the climatic scenes, as they really don’t make much sense to my eyes the way they are presented. Not a great sign.
That being said, it was a haunting and sometimes unsettling read. Moody and atmospheric.
I am intrigued enough to want to see what happens next, although not enough to continue paying full price for the individual issues. I’ll switch to trade waiting from here. Definitely not as immediately compelling as the main title.
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I stopped reading HoS about 3 issues in, there was nothing grabbing me about it. Looks like I wasn’t missing much.
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House of Slaughter I think was what ultimately played a big part in me abandoning SIKTV altogether.
I thought the writing on the first arc was very poor and the second arc was a bit better technically but it still failed to engage me.I think that compounded the feelings that I was regularly having on the main title that Tynion was really dragging things out and milking the concept, one that wasn’t originally intended to be a long series. I think i stopped reading around issue 22.
I might go back to it one day but put all the issues on eBay (with the exception of issue 1). Got a good few quid for them as well if anyone is inclined to do the same at some point.
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