Best Comics of the Fortnight:
Echolands #1 – I’ve been a big fan of JH Williams III’s art since I first saw it (check my next Retro Review column for more on that), and loved his Batwoman series with W. Haden Blackman, so I was more than ready to sign up for Echoland, their new Image series. This book is beyond gorgeous. It’s produced in the landscape format, which gives Williams the opportunity to provide interesting vistas, and have his action flow in a widescreen format. The book centres on Hope, a young woman who has stolen something from the wizard who controls San Francisco. As the book opens, she flees from his police through a constantly shifting and very strange market. Hope has magical abilities, and it seems that’s kind of rare, as the wizard’s people are surprised by it. This issue leaves a lot left undiscovered, but it’s clear from the comic, the textpiece, and Blackman and Williams’s afterwards that there is a long road ahead with much still to learn about Hope and her world. I’m pretty excited to see where this book goes, and how beautiful it gets. This really looks like the beginning of a great series.
Pyrate Queen #1 – I love that Bad Idea has figured out some way to give us more Adam Pollina artwork! He and Peter Milligan tell us the story of Monday Ryan, a pirate who, with her husband Lin, has built a reputation for herself back in England. Pregnant with Lin’s child, Monday has to make some hard choices when they are captured by the British. Milligan is good at this type of story, and Pollina’s art is absolutely fantastic. There’s also a cool backup by Matt Kindt and Travel Foreman. This is an impressive offering from Bad Idea.
Quick Takes:
Alien #6 – There are a couple of surprises in this issue, as Phillip Kennedy Johnson wraps up his first story arc, sets up his second, and makes it clear that he’s adding a new direction for this property, exploring the purpose of the xenomorphs on a galactic scale. I’m liking this book a lot, and want to know more.
Black Hammer Reborn #3 – As this series continues, we get to know Lucy and her husband, Elliot, a lot better. Their relationship is on the rocks, but due to their other identities and pasts, it’s hard for them to discuss it. What’s clear is that whatever happened twenty years ago, when they met, is connected to whatever is happening in Spiral City today. Jeff Lemire has made this series very compelling, and filled it with strong and effective characters.
Cable Reloaded #1 – As much as I preferred the teenage Cable of recent years, there is something to be said for Old Man Cable putting together a team featuring Cannonball, Boom Boom, Lila Cheney, and Wiz-Kid, among others, to travel with him to Breakworld to get a weapon that will be helpful in the fight against Dormammu. It’s interesting that this SWORD-related book isn’t considered an X-Book, but is just part of the Last Annihilation mini-event. Al Ewing is always great on whatever he writes. I have been wondering about the fact that now Cable can swap out his metal arm for various models; I always thought that it was part of the techno-organic virus he’s always fighting. Anyway, this was a fun book.
Chu #7 – Saffron and Eddie plan their theft of the rare wine bottles, and we learn just what makes these wine bottles so special. I’m enjoying this book, and like that it’s set off on its own, away from Tony Chu and the other Chew characters. I like the way John Layman’s figured out a way to return to this world, and even the same family, but tell a completely different kind of story.
The Department of Truth #12 – Hawk, the Department’s fixer, continues to tour Cole around, and we learn some pretty surprising things about him in this issue. I don’t want to give anything away, but the revelations of this issue are going to have a lot of repercussions as the story continues. I like how James Tynion IV is structuring this series, but do wish that Martin Simmonds’s art was clearer – there are some sequences that just don’t work. At the same time, I love the paintings he creates to accompany the long pages of Hawk talking. This book is unique, and really topical.
Die #19 – After this, there is only one more issue of Die remaining, and that means it’s time for Ash to finally admit to the secret they’ve been hiding, and take responsibility for their choices. Just about everyone has to make some kind of sacrifice in this issue, as they head towards their final challenge. I love this series, and how slowly Kieron Gillen has built each character, revealing new aspects of their personalities over time, while continuing his homage to role playing games. This is a subtle and nuanced comic, and it’s gorgeous. I’m going to miss this title.
Dune: House Atreides #9 – As we move into the final quarter of this series, things pick up a lot. Leto has been made Duke, while Shaddam has ascended to the role of Emperor. As some intrigues mature, other plots are hatched, and things speed up quite a bit. It’s definitely getting more entertaining than the more plodding early issues.
Fire Power #15 – The snakes that have been popping up everywhere have attacked the Scorched Earth Clan, while at home, Owen has to manage the revelation that his ex-girlfriend is alive, and he didn’t tell his wife about it. This issue balances character, plot, and action wonderfully, and sets up the next big events. Chris Samnee is doing incredible work on this book.
Hellions #15 – There’s a lot revealed in this issue, as the fight against Tarn leads to Kwannon revealing that she was complicit in lying to the other Hellions. It feels like this book, which has been pretty entertaining, is moving towards some big changes, as it’s not likely the team is going to trust Sinister after this. Zeb Wells has done a fine job of making these mostly unlikeable characters compelling.
The Last Annihilation: Wiccan & Hulkling #1 – I picked this up against my better judgement, because of my completist tendencies, and while I enjoyed bits of it, I was underwhelmed. Billy and Teddy are working to save the galaxy from Dormammu’s invasion, and that involves them each having to face some of their doubts or something. Teddy’s part of the story, featuring a Supreme Intelligence-like character, felt more forced than Billy’s. It was okay, but I’m sure the rest of the Last Annihilation event would be clear without reading it. Knowing this, I’m probably still going to get the Wakanda one-off too.
The Lot #3 – This series is intriguing, and gorgeous, but also feels really familiar. I don’t have a whole lot to say about it.
Monster Kill Squad #1 – In this new Bad Idea book by Christos Gage and Tomas Giorello, the world has been suffering from almost constant attacks by monsters. A group of monstrous clowns, creatures that don’t usually work together, have taken a university, and it’s up to the Monster Kill Squad, a team of specialists, to deal with them. There’s a lot of gross-out stuff that made me think a little of the Violator character in early Spawn comics (was he the first Juggalo in comics?), and the attempts at character development felt a little forced, but this comic has potential. I’ll stick it out. The backup story, by Matt Kindt and Juan José Ryp, felt like something I’ve read before, almost like it’s a discarded idea from Kindt’s ENIAC, mixed with recent issues of Valiant’s Rai.
New Mutants #21 – This title is really falling into place. Proudstar continues to train his students, in an ill-planned adventure that ended up involving the Brood, while Gabby gets resurrected, and Rahne finally opens up to her friends about what’s been going on with her. I’m hoping we are close to reaching the end of the Shadow King’s involvement with this book, as I really hate this character. Vita Ayala’s run seemed unfocused when it started, but it’s coming together nicely now.
Ninjak #2 – Jeff Parker and Javier Pulido are having a ball with this latest Ninjak series, and it really shows. This series is a delight, full of clever panel layouts, bright colours, and strange new characters. I’m really happy this book exists.
Oblivion Song #33 – Heather makes a last-ditch effort to save negotiations with the Kuthaal on their homeworld, while the other various characters make some progress in their fight with the alien invaders, saving Los Angeles and then turning their attention to Paris. This series has been exciting since the beginning, but has really been running full tilt lately. I really like the way Robert Kirkman is digging into the cultural differences between the humans and the Kuthaal, and how that is impacting the efforts to come to a solution. This is a great series.
The Old Guard: Tales Through Time #5 – This issue is one of the strongest in the series, with a strong focus on Book in both stories. In the 70s, he falls in with a group of gun toting nuns who can’t decide if he’s an angel or a devil, and take turns killing him and sleeping with him. In post-Napoleonic France, Book and a companion have dinner at a restaurant, still a novelty to him, and an experience that hasn’t solidified in the culture yet, as shown by the actions of an older man who doesn’t understand how bills work. This story is drawn by Kano, but if you squint, you’d believe it was Guy Davis.
Once & Future #19 – All of England is a mess since Boris Johnson basically gave the country over to Otherworld. Now our heroes are doing their best to survive in the old folks home, although their chances don’t look great. I like how this series has turned out – it took me a long time to warm up to it, compared to anything else Kieron Gillen has written.
Robin #5 – The former Robins – Dick, Jason, Tim, and Stephanie, chase Damian across some rooftops in an attempt to get him to accept their help, while the tournament begins on Lazarus Island. I have some issues with the way time is portrayed in this book – the last issue had Damian training with his grandfather but must have been compressed into a single day. Anyway, I feel like Joshua Williamson has one of the best takes on Damian I’ve seen yet. He gets the fragility of the kid, and how that drives him. The scenes between Dick and Damian are excellent. I’m really liking this book, and the pace of it. Gleb Melnikov’s art is very nice – it is sometimes more cartoonish than I’d prefer, but he handles the emotional scenes very well.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #15 – This issue backs up a bit, and shows Darth Vader’s scheming before turning up at the Crimson Dawn party. We see him put his plans in place, and test Ochi, his latest assistant, by maneuvering him into a fight with Crimson Dawn. This issue felt a little out of place, given that the last one was concurrent to events in the War of the Bounty Hunters event, but it has great Rafaele Ienco art, so I’m not complaining. I do find it interesting how every Darth Vader series ends up being about the people around him, because otherwise, it would get pretty boring pretty quickly. Vader himself is just not all that interesting.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #13 – Aphra and Sana take advantage of all the excitement at the Crimson Dawn party to go about their usual mischief. It’s a solid issue, as Alyssa Wong finally starts to nail the right tone for this series.
Superman: Son of Kal-El #2 – This issue is pretty much exactly what I was hoping for from this series. Jon’s attempt to create a new secret identity fails as soon as he starts at his new college, thanks to a kid with a gun, and that leads to him questioning why his father hasn’t done more to actually help the world with some of its more intractable problems. Tom Taylor sets Jon up for conflict with a classic Wildstorm villain after he rescues some refugees at sea, and gives us a fresh take on a character like this. I like that his Jon is so idealistic, but also carving his own path. John Timms’s art is pretty nice, and I have hopes that this is going to be one of my favourite DC books as it progresses.
Tankers #3 – It took a while to get ahold of this last issue of Tankers, but it was worth waiting for. This series about Texas oilmen trying to change the past to ensure larger oil reserves in the future, but messing it up, is fun in a Starship Troopers kind of way. If you want to see people in big open-framed mech suits fighting dinosaurs, you can’t go wrong. The Pizza Detective backup is entertaining too.
Teen Titans Academy #6 – I wasn’t too impressed with this issue, which has a group of teens heading to East Nyack to go swimming in a pond, only to find the town mostly deserted, and strange things taking place. A couple of the most prominent characters in this issue are new to me, and I found it odd that one of the Bat-Pack would venture out without his friends. There are some great moments here, mostly coming from Stitch, but I wish this was more connected to previous issues, and that I knew who some of these characters were.
That Texas Blood #9 – This series is paced so differently from most comics. Much of this arc involves Sheriff Joe Bob narrating events from decades before, but in this issue, he takes time out from his story to let his new deputy tell a similar story from her past. I find I get drawn in by the stories and the speech patterns. This is a very cool series.
Thor #16 – Thor goes to see Jane Foster to discuss his issues with his hammer, gets into a fight with the Wrecking Crew, and then gets summoned to see his mother. I’m enjoying Donny Cates’s Thor, but it feels a little decompressed. I think I just miss subplots in comics.
Undiscovered Country #15 – Our heroes venture to an island of deep lore, where they meet the fabled characters of America’s past, some of whom were once real. We also get to learn more about Ace’s childhood. This series is good, but also bugs me for reasons I can’t seem to put into words.
The United States of Captain America #3 – This book is starting to feel a little formulaic, as we are introduced to yet another person who has taken on the mantle of Captain America, while working to protect his own community. At the same time, Cap and Falcon continue to pursue Speed Demon (who is dressed as Cap and has his shield) and Sin across America. It turns out someone else is behind their troubles, and we still don’t know who. There are a lot of aspects to this book that I’m enjoying, but so far all of the backup stories have been underwhelming, and it’s starting to drag. The addition of Bucky to this issue was welcome.
Vampirella #23 – With just a few issues remaining in his excellent run, Priest takes us back twenty years to when Vampirella met a child believed to be carrying the virus that makes him Dracula, who also happened to be related to Earth’s version of Shane, the crazed interdimensional astronaut causing mayhem. The best part of this issue is the scene featuring Dr. Chary, Vampirella’s therapist, who maybe needs to get his own series when this one ends.
We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #8 – I’m enjoying the second arc of the series so much more than the first, which was great in its own right. The difference between them reminds me of the early films in the Alien franchise, where each was related to and built off the original, but were completely different movies. We learn just what the new main character has in store for the body of Malik, which is now being worshipped as a god, as her mission hits a few snags. Al Ewing is killing things at Marvel these days, but this book is better than any of his Marvel titles.
Wolverine #15 – I’m pleased to see that the character Solem, from Arakko, is returning to this book. He was the most interesting character to come out of the X of Swords event, and a good match for Logan. This issue was tighter than most have been for a while now. It gives me hope for what’s to come.
Comics I Would Have Bought if Comics Weren’t So Expensive:
Amazing Fantasy #2
Avengers #48
Dark Ages #1
Infinite Frontier #5
Mister Miracle The Source of Freedom #4
The Fortnight in Music:
Brian Jackson, Adrian Younge, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – Jazz is Dead 8 – The compositions and beats on this latest (and last of the first season) Jazz is Dead album are pretty incredible. This album feels like it’s both more out there than the other albums in the series, and a very fitting conclusion to it. It makes me happy.
Brandee Younger – Somewhere Different – Brandee Younger takes her beautiful harp music and makes it the centre of this album, which sounds pretty big. It’s hard for me to fully explain all that Younger and her collaborators do here, but this album fits with the music we’ve been hearing coming out of London, and is lovely.
Deadpan Darling – Deadpan Darling – This older collaboration between Blue Sky Black Death and Ceschi was thought lost to time until recently, when Televangel (who used to go by Young God) discovered the songs on his harddrive and restored them for their first release. I’m a huge fan of Ceschi, and loved the old BSBD blending of shoegaze and instrumental hiphop. This is a nice atmospheric album, with Ceschi singing over most of the tracks. It’s pretty cool.
