Best Comics of the Week:
Letter 44 #6 – 
Charles Soule keeps getting a lot of attention at the Big Two, but this Oni Press series is far and away his best comic, blending political intrigue with a vast outer space story involving mankinds first contact with another lifeform. While the President has a pretty calm conversation with his predecessor, followed by a very threatening “Letter 43″, the crew of the Clarke deal with the loss of one of their own, and the birth of a new crew member, whose parentage turns out to be a surprise. I really love this title, and how well written it is. Artist Alberto Alburquerque is no slouch either, keeping the book visually interesting.
Quick Takes:
Avengers Undercover #3 – Dennis Hopeless has the Avengers Arena survivors go after Arcade in his new Murderworld, and things end a little unexpectedly. I’m pleased to see that this storyline looks to be finishing up right at the beginning of this series, as I’d get bored of seeing each issue be about hunting for revenge. This series is interesting, but is so far missing the clear mandate that Arena had; I’m going to assume that Hopeless will make his long-term plans more clear with the next issue. This one is drawn by Timothy Green II, whose style is becoming a little more generic than it was when he got started.
The Bunker #3 – Joshua Hale Fialkov has taken his strange idea about a group of friends who receive instructions from their future selves to help them save the world, and has turned it into a very interesting character study. Heidi narrates this issue as she watches Grady, who becomes the President one day, runs into the scene of an explosion to rescue injured people. The thing is, Grady knew this was going to happen, but didn’t tell Heidi, so his heroism looks to us more like opportunism. It’s a very fascinating book, with great art by Joe Infurnari. His sketchy work helps add to some of the ambiguity of the plot and the characters’ motivations; he really is a good choice for this book.
Conan the Avenger #1 – I hadn’t planned to come back to this title after Brian Wood’s run ended, but I was curious to see how different the comic would feel under Fred Van Lente’s pen. A grief-stricken Conan has wandered his way to Kush, where he gets robbed and left to die in a rubbish pit, before being accused of witchcraft. Brian Ching’s art is very nice, fitting with the aesthetic of the last run, and Van Lente, who I usually associate with more light-hearted stories, picks things up where Wood left off rather nicely. I might be sticking around with this title.
Daredevil #2 – I’m a little surprised that Daredevil has never met or teamed up with The Shroud before now, but I trust Mark Waid to know what he’s talking about. This D-level character has been the main vigilante patrolling San Francisco lately (although I last remember him hanging out with Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman during the Civil War), and he’s not too happy to see Matt Murdock setting up shop. Waid and artist Chris Samnee are taking their time in establishing Matt in his new town, and building up the supporting cast, with the Deputy Mayor looking like a possible love interest. I wonder what happened to the woman who was Mayor during the time the X-Men were in San Francisco. I like the way Matt Fraction and Kieron Gillen wrote her.
Dead Body Road #5 – This is the penultimate issue of Justin Jordan’s violent revenge movie comic, and as such, it’s pretty violent and fueled by distrust. I really like how kinetic Matteo Scalera’s art has been in this series.
Elektra #1 – I’ve long felt that Elektra should have been retired forever after Frank Miller finished with her, and I’ve not seen any comics published in the last twenty years or so to make me feel differently. I was going to pass on this new All-New Marvel NOW! series, except that I was really curious to get a look at Mike Del Mundo’s stunning artwork. He channels Bill Sienkiewicz a fair deal in this issue, but mixes his look with a bit of Esad Ribic or Jerome Opena at the same time, making this comic visually unique. As for the story, I’m on the fence. W. Haden Blackman (the former co-writer of Batwoman) gives Del Mundo lots of space to play, but does set Elektra off on a mission, to assassinate an old assassin named Cape Crow (dumb name). He also starts a plotline about another killer named Bloody Lips (another dumb name) who is searching for Bullseye. I think for this series to succeed, it needs a couple of things – to actually build a bit of a character for Elektra, who’s never been actually given much of one; and to move her out of the shadow of Miller’s classic work with her. Tying her up with Bullseye is probably not the way to do that. This book was lovely enough that I’ll be coming back for the second issue, but I’m not sure if there’s going to be enough going on here to keep me committed to the title. If Marvel starts playing artistic musical chairs, like they do with most of their line, I’m going to be gone.
The Fuse #3 – I am really loving this police procedural series set on a space station. Our two cop heroes are continuing to investigate the deaths of two cablers (space station homeless) who apparently have deep ties to the mayor’s office. Antony Johnston is writing a very smart comic, and Justin Greenwood’s art works better on this series than on anything else I’ve ever seen him draw. Recommended.
Eternal Warrior #8 – This issue wraps up the ‘Eternal Emperor’ arc, which is set in the far future of the Valiant universe. I’ve liked this story a lot, largely because of Robert Gill’s art. No further issues of this series have been solicited, so I’m wondering if it’s been cancelled or is just on a hiatus for a while. I also wonder if Future Gilad is going to be showing up some time in the new Rai series debuting next month. The future, as shown in this book, looks a lot different from the one we’ve seen in previews of that title.
Ghosted #9 – While this continues to be an alright series, I’m not getting as much enjoyment out of this arc as I did the first. I think that once this story wraps up, I’m done.
Harbinger #22 – Harbinger continues to be the best series in Valiant’s stable, mostly because of the strength of Joshua Dysart’s character work. The Renegades plan a raid on a key Harada Foundation facility, but Harada is on to them. At the same time, Faith and Torque continue to build their new relationship, which may be having some negative effects on his projected self-image.
Iron Patriot #2 – I enjoyed the first issue of this series, but this one feels very decompressed. Not a whole lot happens – Rhodey sinks into the Gulf in his turned-off armor, while some people kidnap his father and try to abduct his neice. Ales Kot is a great writer, but something about this series feels constrained. I was going to stick with this title, but two issues in our hero has already lost his armor, and nothing much is making the book stand out.
Justice League United #0 – I don’t buy a lot of New 52 books anymore, and have stayed clear of all of the Justice League titles since I dropped Dark in its first year, but I felt I had to give this new series, which is written by Jeff Lemire and set in Canada a try. First, as a Canadian, I will admit to being a little more interested in the book for that connection alone (Lemire and I live in the same city, so there’s a hope for more authenticity than your average Alpha Flight reboot), especially with the addition of a Cree character. The comic, unfortunately, was only okay. There is some sort of alien threat taking place in Northern Ontario that has been discovered by Adam Strange, and that leads to him showing up at a comic convention to try to get help from Animal Man and Stargirl. That in turn leads to Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow getting involved. Hawkman and Lobo also show up. Mike McKone is one of the most underrated superhero artists in the business, and he does a terrific job on this issue, but sadly, the story didn’t do a whole lot to draw me in, which is surprising considering just how good a writer Lemire is. I’m going to chalk it up to the usual trouble with finding a way to bring a disparate and diverse team together, and hope that things are going to improve. I don’t know why this is a zero issue, when it reads like a pretty standard #1; I assume that DC is hoping to goose their sales numbers a touch by having two debut issues.
Lazarus #8 – Plotlines converge in this issue, as Forever tracks down the people building an IED, and as the ranching family make their way to Denver for the Lift. I really like the way Greg Rucka has taken the time to build up some of the main characters in this arc, while providing lots of information on how this vision of the future really works. This is a great series.
The Manhattan Projects #20 – Our Albert Einstein has returned, and Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra give us an inkling of the adventures he’s been on, in this issue that really shakes up the status quo of this series. I love this title – it’s impossible to predict, and always a little bizarre.
The Massive #22 – When I saw that Garry Brown was moving to Marvel to draw the Iron Patriot book (see above), I wondered who was going to be taking over The Massive. I was very pleased to see that Danijel Zezelj drew this issue; he has been a favourite artist of mine for years, but his output (at least in North American comics – he does illustrations for Harper’s Magazine all the time) is pretty minimal. He does moody stories very well, and that is what Brian Wood gave him for this new arc, which is focused on Mary, the mystery woman who has been Callum Israel’s girlfriend for years. In the last issue, we learned a few things about Mary, and when this comic opens, she’s turned up at a camp in Saudi Arabia. Mary, and the other women in the camp, get work providing security for a convoy of haulers taking water across a desert to Morocco. In the post-Crash world, women have not gained any more status in this part of the world, but desperation has given them this opportunity. Wood subtly reveals a little more about Mary, and her lack of aging, as she leads a crew who end up having to look after their own hauler. It’s an interesting issue, and quite lovely.
The Midas Flesh #5 – I’m so happy that I stuck with this science fiction adventure series written by Ryan North. The series, about a trio of friends who track down the body of King Midas, and intend to use it as a weapon to free the galaxy from totalitarian rule, is really hard to predict, and much more complex than the cartoonish art would suggest. I really like the way North has developed these characters, and has stuck so carefully with the internal logic of the story.
Mind MGMT #21 – Reading this issue, all I could think of was how long it’s been since comics made use of the thought bubble with any regularity. Matt Kindt brings it back in a big way, with a silent issue that is full of thought bubbles. Meru, Lyme, and their friends are all under attack by the Eraser’s people, and things don’t go well for them. We’re in the middle of an arc, so there’s not a whole lot to say about the story at this point, except that I really appreciate Kindt’s willingness to experiment with how he tells this story.
Original Sin #0 – I am in no way interested in or excited about the Original Sin crossover that is starting soon. The concept, that the Watcher has been murdered, sounds like it could be interesting, but the tie-in conceit, that his missing eyes can reveal dark secrets in the pasts of just about any Marvel hero, sounds a little corny. I picked up this zero issue though for three reasons: Mark Waid, Jim Cheung, and the new Nova. I thought that combining three things that I like about comics would have to work, but I was a little disappointed in how dull this comic was. Sam Alexander, the new Nova, stops a robotic Mayan god from trampling some oil wells, and has an incredibly forced conversation with the Avengers about the Watcher (it made no sense that the conversation would go there, except to set up the rest of the story), and then flies to the Moon where he has a one-sided chat with Uatu. We get a recap of his origin story, and that’s about it. Uatu’s portrayal, as the silent and brooding keeper of knowledge flies in the face of his recent appearances in FF and All-New X-Men (that one came out two weeks ago), and doesn’t really do anything to set up the event book that will follow. Cheung’s art is awesome, of course, but what he draws isn’t all that interesting. It does not bode well for this tentpole event, which already has me considering dropping books instead of wading through tie-ins.
Powers Bureau #9 – Just when you think this book may never come out again, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming surprise you with a new issue, and the promise of more to come shortly (because we’ve never heard that before). Walker interviews the Extreme, a hero accused of killing a team of powered teens, and we get a hilarious double-page spread that works as a Rob Liefeld tribute. I always enjoy this book, but wish that the creators would wait until they had a whole arc ready to go before they start publishing – the wait between issues kills all story momentum.
The Saviors #4 – I haven’t been seeing or hearing much about this series, which has Tomas, a stoner, running from an alien conspiracy. In this issue he has a conversation with one of the aliens, who is injured and trapped, before making his escape. James Robinson is building up a pretty interesting story, and J. Bone’s art is great, with a very effective sense of layout. This is a fun read.
Sheltered #8 – Ed Brisson and Johnnie Christmas’s story about a group of survivalist teens and children who kill their parents in order to survive an imagined coming catastrophe continues to heat up, as the girls that have been hiding out in a bunker emerge to try to turn everyones’ opinion against their leader. Brisson’s writing has been pretty taut in this series, and Christmas matches the intensity of the story nicely with his artwork. I really look forward to reading each new issue of this book.
Skullkickers #26 – This month, Jim Zub and his crew give us a history of the Dwarven people, which involves a lava Stargate, and some pretty impressive product placements. Skullkickers is always a fun read, but I’m not sure I enjoy having so many parallel characters running around; I hope we move through this storyline quickly and get the book back on track.
Sovereign #2 – Chris Roberson and Paul Maybury’s new fantasy series really has my attention. Two issues in, I’m not all that sure where the book is headed, as each issue so far is really three short serialized stories about different groups of people that look like they’re all going to be running into each other soon. The Luminari, a sect who manage the bodies of the dead, are travelling towards the royal city, where brothers clash over who gets to take their dead father’s throne. Our other travellers are also headed to the same place. Roberson is playing things close to the vest, but it’s clear that he has crafted a massive amount of history for this fantasy world, and learning more about it intrigues me. This book is like an Eastern take on Game of Thrones, and I’d recommend it to fans of the TV show or books.
Star Wars Legacy #14 – Ania Solo is still on the run from bounty hunters on a very hostile world (it rains glass), and while her friends are able to locate her, so is the woman searching for her. We get a better sense of Solo’s past this month, still without any real explanation of who she is and what she’s been through. Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman have done a good job of building on what John Ostrander started, and I’m sad that this series is being cut short by the transition of the Star Wars license to Marvel next year. I feel like this book could have lasted a long time, with the wealth of what Bechko and Hardman have been building.
Thief of Thieves #20 – Redmond has really stirred the pot, having stolen a notebook that contains the history of mafia payouts in Rome, and now he needs to get out of Italy and back home without being snatched up. This book is always a lot of fun, so I’m happy to see it return from hiatus with a new arc. It’s always a good read.
Uncanny Avengers #19 – Rick Remender’s epic saga continues, with a new issue that backs up and better explains the way things are working in the new mutant-only world that the Apocalypse Twins destroyed the Earth to bring about. I wondered why the last issue seemed to only feature mutants who are traditionally villains (Toad, Blob, and Magneto) chasing Havok, but now we see the rest of the X-Men ruling council, and it’s made clearer that they are being manipulated by Eimin. Strangely, for a bright, shiny, mutants-only future, the X-Men have gotten pretty dark (and old), but that’s probably just Daniel Acuna doing his thing. Havok is being aided by Kang and a weird group of characters from various Marvel futures, so it doesn’t look too good when his friends and family find him. This story has been working better lately, and I’m pleased to see that Marvel is just letting Remender do his thing, as if this story is completely separate from continuity (which it is, since we all know that the Earth is going to be fixed).
Undertow #3 – I have been really in to Undertow. Redum Anshargal, the leader of the Atlantean resistance, is trapped on the surface, at the mercy of the Amphibian that he and his men were looking for, while politicians on his ship maneuver for control. Steve Orlando is writing a very cool comic here, and Artyom Trakhanov keeps the art looking very unique.
The Walking Dead #126 – At the end of All Out War, the epic twelve-parter that has shipped biweekly, I’m left with a sense of optimism about the futures of the characters that I’ve really grown to love over the last ten years. At the same time, because this book is written by Robert Kirkman, that also leaves me with a sense of dread, as I know it won’t take him long to really start messing with these poor people again. I don’t want to spoil what happens in this book, especially for all the people who wait and read it in trade, but I will say that I love Rick’s method of dealing with Negan, his nemesis. This has been an incredible story arc, and it’s positioned the series in a new place, where some interesting things can happen. This is always a rewarding and satisfying read.
Zero #7 – Zero is an incredibly interesting series, and where a lot of this issue felt very slow and obtuse, the ending is pretty shocking and stunning. Edward Zero accompanies Zizek, his boss, on a trip to meet with the leader of a Mexican drug cartel who likes to talk about Hindu mysticism. The panels, drawn by Matt Taylor, are expansive, and the comic moves quickly, until a set of nested betrayals are revealed at the end, sending this book into uncharted territory. This is a very cool comic.
Comics I Would Have Bought if They Weren’t $4 (or More):
All-New Invaders #4
All-Star Western #30
Fantastic Four #3
Guardians of the Galaxy #14
Savage Wolverine #17
Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #12
Uber #11
Bargain Comics:
Talon #12-17 -Talon started very well under James Tynion IV’s direction, but the series eventually lost my interest as it kept shifting status quo and struggled to find its own voice. These last six issues feature three different writers, as Calvin Rose finishes up his business with the Court of Owls, and manages to find a way to return from the undead state the Court left him in. They aren’t terrible comics, but they are pretty generic in the end. I feel like there was a lot more potential to this series than what we ended up getting from it.
That’s everything I read this week. What about you? Let us know in the comments.
