Life, and big release weeks, got in the way of finishing last week’s column, so here’s a double!
Best Comics of the Fortnight:
Sins of the Salton Sea #1 – I’m a big fan of Ed Brisson’s writing, and got really excited to see him pairing up with CP Smith for this new AWA miniseries. I became a fan of his work when he drew Stormwatch: Team Achilles years ago, and hadn’t realized until today that he has been steadily putting out work at AWA. Anyway, this first issue is fantastic. We meet Wyatt, a drifter who has been living in an RV and moving around for years. His brother tracks him down, needing him to return to his old life as an explosives specialist for one last robbery. We don’t know exactly why Wyatt left that life, but it’s clear that he’s still haunted by his past. And, of course, the job doesn’t go as planned, and things start to fall apart in a very strange way. Brisson is so good at crime comics, although this is not a traditional one by any means, and Smith’s art looks as good (if less abstract) than I remember. I’m excited to read the rest of this series.
Void Rivals #1 – I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t even had the opportunity to come across any spoilers for this new Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici series before I read it. I assume that with every new Kirkman book, there’s going to be an unexpected twist or two in the first eight issues, so I never even flip past the first couple pages before reading it. This series appears to be about two starship pilots from rival races who find themselves stranded on a distant planet, with their ships damaged. It appears that their races have been at war for a long time, so that there are cultural prohibitions against helping one another, but they recognize that it’s their only hope for survival. This book has a surprise cameo, and a surprise ending, neither of which I will discuss, except to say that the first one was completely unexpected, and the second I could tell was coming from about the halfway mark. Kirkman is good at building worlds and suspenseful stories, and De Felici is as good at designing these alien worlds and tech as he was in creating the weird environment and creatures in Oblivion Song. I’ve been missing a regular dose of Kirkman for a while now, and am happy to be getting this book, even if I have reservations about getting involved in the expanded world that is talked about in the textpiece (I’m going to avoid spoiling that). This was a good comic.
Quick Takes:
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #4 – Jon is still on the Injustice Earth, trying to figure out what is going on, and whether or not he should trust this version of his father. I’m not sure why Jon’s not pushing to get his two friends out of the Phantom Zone as well as conducting his investigation, but it’s interesting to see how people on this world react to Superman. Darick Robertson filled in as artist on this issue, and I honestly didn’t recognize his work. He’s always been someone whose work is instantly recognizable to me, so I wonder what happened there. I’m not saying it’s bad, it just didn’t look like his usual style.
Almighty #5 – Edward Laorche kind of rushes the ending to this exciting Mad Max style series. Fale has been working to rescue Del and get her back to her family, but now they’re stuck in a mutant hellscape, confronted by the gang of men who captured Del in the first place, and things look rough. There are more of the stunningly well-choreographed fight scenes that Laroche is so good at, as Fale meets someone from her past. I liked this series, but feel like it needed to have its ending spread over two or three more issues; I would have liked to know more about Fale’s past. I’ll be keeping an eye out for Laroche’s next project.
The Ambassadors #6 – I worried that Mark Millar wouldn’t have space to wrap this series up adequately in one issue, but didn’t know that it was going to be a double-sized issue. He and Matteo Scalera show the inevitable confrontation with the gang of rich men who have tapped into the same power set as them, and we move into familiar Millar ultra-violence territory once again. This was a solid issue, with a couple of surprising or amusing moments (I like the revelation about the Australian ambassador, for example), and I’ll be coming back for a second volume. The rotating roster of artists really kept my interest in this book.
Batman #136 – Now that Batman is back home, he is struggling to cope with what’s happened to him in the other dimension, as well as what’s happened at home while he was gone. One of my criticisms of recent Bat-books I’ve read is that they don’t much centre Bruce Wayne, but with this issue, Chip Zdarsky has Bruce looking within, coming to grips with the creation of Failsafe, the apparent independence of the Zur-En-Arrh personality (especially in the backup story), and the tension between his need for rest and the need for Batman to be seen out and about in Gotham. I know that Zdarsky is moving us towards another big Catwoman story (and here I’ve not even finished Tom King’s), but what impresses me most is the way he makes use of the extended Bat-Family. I like Belén Ortega’s art here, and would like to see more of it.
Batman Incorporated #9 – With the team facing off against Joker’s version of the team concept, the story is stretched pretty thin this month. Ed Brisson checks in with the various partnerships that are facing Joker’s people in different corners of the globe, but as a middle chapter, that left things kind of disconnected and rushed feeling. I like this series, but this particular issue didn’t do a lot for me.
Black Panther #1 – I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this latest Black Panther relaunch, by Eve L. Ewing and Chris Allen. The last BP run wasn’t very good, and it left off with T’Challa exiled from Wakanda, which is an awkward place for a new writer to have to pick up. What I didn’t expect was that she would turn T’Challa into a Wakandan version of Batman. He’s slipped back into the country, and is living in Birnin T’Chaka, a rough industrial town that has fallen on hard times. He’s wearing a new version of his suit (I miss the days when Priest called it a habit), and is patrolling the streets where some former Hatut Zeraze have been running a protection racket. We meet a lawyer who is trying to improve the city, and see a glimpse of another powered individual. I am left with a lot of questions after this first issue, and kept finding myself wondering about some of the logistics, like where T’Challa is staying or how he’s funding his work, but am also curious about where Ewing is going to take this. Chris Allen’s work on Miles Morales caught my eye, and I feel like his work has improved in the short time since then. The book looks very good, and I love the new Panther design. I’m feeling good about this take, even though I know it’s not going to last much longer than when T’Challa was living in New York after splitting from Storm.
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #13 – I’m getting tired of this Cold War storyline. In the last chapter, Steve and Sam went at each other for a whole issue, but now they put their differences aside and still don’t really accomplish anything, as Bucky tries to take over the Inner Circle or something, and Hunter turns into a werewolf. There’s a long conversation between Peggy Carter and the Black Widow that also left me thinking I’ve missed a few things along the way, but at the same time, it’s not like this is some Grant Morrison comic where I’ve missed a key clue. Instead, this is a storyline that was developed too quickly, and involved one too many retcons, and now it’s wobbling on its shaky foundation. I think when these two Cap books end, and JMS gets his relaunch, I’m going to sit it out. Maybe there isn’t a place for Captain America in the 2020s, and he should go back in the ice for a while.
Captain America: Cold War Omega #1 – The Caps crossover concludes with a big fight that reveals just why Bucky took such a strange turn. I know that the three writers that have navigated the two series – Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Tochi Onyebuchi – are wrapping up their time and these books, and really, I’m left disappointed. I think that Onyebuchi’s Sam Wilson series had a lot of potential, but I now realize that what was holding it back was its role in setting up this storyline. I don’t know what JMS has planned for either Cap, but I would like to see Sam get his own book, with enough space for him to exist outside of Steve’s shadow.
Captain Marvel #50 – It took me way too long to realize I should have been reading Kelly Thompson’s Captain Marvel from the beginning. Thompson has been on fire lately (check out Black Cloak!), and I’ll be following her to DC’s Birds of Prey (where I’m hoping Harley Quinn doesn’t make the book unreadable). This issue is a coda to this run, and it has Carol working through her grief after a friend died in the last arc. Jessica Drew decides to throw a party for her, which doesn’t really cheer her up, and we see how Thompson built layers into this character that weren’t there before. I’ve started gathering up the back issues of this run, and look forward to reading it straight through some time soon.
Daredevil #12 – Can Chip Zdarsky’s run get any bleaker? Matt has decided that the only way to end the threat of the Hand and rescue his friends is to journey into Hell to face the Beast himself. I love that Zdarsky brought DD’s one-time sidekick Blindspot back for an appearance, and the way he’s writing Matt’s relationship with Elektra. This was a very strong issue, and I’m gutted that Zdarsky’s leaving the book soon.
Doctor Strange #4 – Jed MacKay’s approach to this book is delightful. This issue focuses on Wong and his partners in WAND, as they work to figure out how so many magic users are turning up dead. The done-in-one approach that MacKay has mostly used on Moon Knight also works well here, as MacKay builds his story in smaller, more satisfying chapters. It’s nice to see Andy MacDonald’s art here – I don’t see his work enough these days.
Don’t Spit in the Wind #3 – This oddball Mad Cave series from Stefano Cardoselli and Dan Lee is entertaining but doesn’t have a whole lot of story to it. I’m surprised to see that it’s ending with the next issue, as I’m still not fully clear what the storyline to be resolved is. At the same time, I’m really liking Cardoselli’s art and portrayal of a post-human Earth. It has some Jamie Hewitt and Geof Darrow vibes.
Fantastic Four #8 – Ryan North’s approach to the Fantastic Four is so refreshing. He’s taken the team back to basics in some ways, stripped of their scientific equipment and their children, and placed them in a rural setting, where weirdness continues to find them. Sue and Alicia are doing some shopping and realize that people in the area are not just going missing, but being completely forgotten. North is putting the team up against some really novel threats (and in this case, a really old one), and it makes it all seem so fresh and new. I like how so much of his focus is on the personalities of the team, instead of some kind of impossible science thing. I haven’t been this excited about the FF since Jonathan Hickman was writing them.
The Flash #800 – I’m really sad to see Jeremy Adams leave this book. He made The Flash a fun title again, and brought together all the things I love most about Wally and his family. The emphasis on a wide cast, that expanded to include Maxine Baker and Mister Terrific, as well as the various speedsters was a welcome addition, as I don’t get that same sense of community from a lot of DC books. I loved the inclusion of Gold Beetle, Wally’s future partner, and hope to see her again. I also loved the way that Adams focused many stories on Wally and Linda. This 800th issue features a few short stories. The one by Adams and Pasarin is cute, explaining why so many DC villains avoid Central City. Mark Waid and Todd Nauck take us back to the 90s Impulse series, and it’s nostalgic and fun but forgettable. Similarly, Joshua Williamson and Carmine DiGiandomenico have a story about Barry and Iris that is a tonal shift, and didn’t keep my interests (as Barry rarely does). Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins have a story that reminded me of why I avoid both of them and most of their work. It was right back to time travel and meanness, and I wasn’t feeling it. Lastly, Simon Spurrier and Mike Deodato preview their upcoming relaunch. I love Spurrier’s writing, but Wally is not a character I would think to pair him with. Spurrier writes about concepts and strange ideas, and I feel like his run will be a big change from what Adams has been doing. I’ll give it a shot, because I do really like Spurrier, and always appreciate Deodato’s art, but I’d rather the current creative team stick around for a while.
Green Lantern #2 – I’m still on the fence about Jeremy Adams’s Green Lantern, which is strange after I’ve had so much praise for his Flash. Maybe it’s because I just don’t like Hal Jordan, and Adams is returning him to his roots, having him return to Carol Ferris’s life. I also don’t like that this story is continued in the upcoming Knight Terrors event, which I think is going to throw off the momentum of this and other new series (especially since it means the kind of confusing John Stewart backup story is now on hiatus until the fall, just two chapters in – I’m not likely to remember what it was about by then). Xermanico’s art is very nice, as is Montos’s on the backup, but I’m not feeling this.
Immortal Sergeant #6 – The conflict between Michael and his father comes to a head when their ongoing argument turns physical in a few odd ways. Michael finally gets an idea of why his father has always been such a bastard to him, as he messes up his father’s chance to get the justice he’s been looking for for years. Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura are doing some pretty incredible work on this book. Niimura’s art always looks simple, but he really has a lot going on here.
Immortal X-Men #12 – It’s been a while now since Piotr’s mind got taken over by a mutant working for his brother, but we haven’t gotten to see a lot of how that is playing out. Kieron Gillen makes Piotr the centrepiece of this issue, and portrays his despair as he is used as a puppet to harm the Quiet Council. Also central to this issue is Mystique’s relationship with Destiny, which is one of the best-written and most interesting relationships in X-Men history. I’d feared that this book might fizzle out a little after Sins of Sinister, but it doesn’t look like there’s any danger of that happening. Gillen is telling a big story that has a pretty unpredictable shape, but it’s increasingly clear that Krakoa should have a different form of government.
In Hell We Fight #1 – I’m always down to check out a new series by John Layman, although I’m never sure what I’ll be getting (aside from some bizarre humour). This new series is set in Hell, and focuses on three young people who are determined to steal themselves some ice cream from some demons. They have a plan, which gives us plenty of opportunity to get to know these characters. The comic is amusing, and the art by Argentinian artist Jok is pretty great. He has a John McCrea feel to his work, which is welcome. Oh, and there are demon frogs, so readers of Chew will feel a little bit at home with this series.
Invincible Iron Man #7 – I kind of like how wrapped up Tony Stark’s story is with the events of X-Men, while not actually featuring many of them. Tony and Rhodey try to destroy the Stark Sentinel plant, but (as is a theme this week), things don’t go according to plan. Increasingly, writers are really leaning into Tony’s faults and limitations, and I’m starting to wonder if anyone is ever going to really see him as a hero again. The guy’s just not that capable – he’s got Peter Parker levels of dysfunction happening these days, without even taking a drink.
Love Everlasting #8 – Joan is released from the hospital after years of treatment, and is back home, pretending that everything is fine. The way that Tom King has structured this story, though, it’s clear to all of us that Joan is the only sane person, and everyone else is losing it, especially since every year is 1963, even on both sides of New Year’s. This series is an odd one, as King plays with the rules he established for this series, and as Elsa Charretier gets to immerse us in early 60s designs. I enjoy this series a lot, but have given up trying to figure out what’s real and what isn’t.
Moon Knight #24 – Another old Moon Knight villain, Morpheus (who looks like Eclipso on the cover) comes after Marc, but with an interesting twist. I like how Jed MacKay doesn’t make every issue of this series about Marc’s illness and mental health, and instead focuses on telling good stories that acknowledge his problems. It really works for me.
Phantom Road #4 – Jeff Lemire takes us deeper into this strange story this issue. We get back on the road with Dom and Birdie, who don’t really know how they’re going to deliver the strange item they’re transporting to where it’s supposed to go. Agent Weaver finds herself held prisoner by some guy in a ski mask who demands to know details about an FBI project she’s never heard of before. I really like the way the mysteries of this supernatural series are starting to stack up, and look forward to learning more about what’s happening. Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s art is so good in this series.
Red Goblin #5 – I guess I noticed that there was a Red Goblin book being published by Marvel, but because of how strongly I avoid symbiote stuff, I didn’t know who or what the character was. I’m a massive fan of Alex Paknadel’s indie comics, but haven’t engaged with his symbiote-centric Marvel stuff at all. This is a chapter of the Carnage Reigns event, so Normie Osborn, the boy who has his own symbiote that he’s kind of using to be a hero, doesn’t get a lot of screen time. Still, this seems like it might be a little bit palatable, and perhaps I should support Paknadel’s work. I might check this book out again after the event is done.
Carnage #14 – As Carnage Reigns continues, I find I’m pretty lost. I’m not sure exactly what it is that Cletus is trying to accomplish. I like how this book is bringing in the Stark Sentinels from X-Men and Iron Man, and that it’s further establishing Feilong as a key character in the Marvel Universe, but all this symbiote-controlled armor and robot stuff is getting tired.
The Sickness #1 – The last time Lonnie Nadler and Jenna Cha worked together, they gave us the creepy and disturbing Black Stars Above at Vault. Now they’re at Uncivilized, and they’re creeping us out with The Sickness, a historical piece set in a small town in Minnesota. The story opens in 1945, and we see that something is not right with a teenager who has creeps for friends. Ten years later, there is a grisly murder of a family connected to one of the group of friends, but the connection to events is not yet clear. Nadler is always an interesting writer, and Cha’s art is distinctive. This being a black and white book, Cha’s pencils and inks stand out for their detail, and the general creepiness of peoples’ faces. I like this story, and am intrigued by it, but I’m not sure what I’ve signed myself up for. Small town killings seem to be having a moment in comics again.
Star Wars #35 – Luke’s quest to fix his lightsaber leads him to a strange individual who knows a lot about Kyber crystals. We get some meditation sequences reminiscent of Charles Soule’s Darth Vader run, and it’s cool to watch Luke grow into the character he was in Return of the Jedi. I like how Soule is using this stretch of the storyline.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #35 – It’s kind of odd for Doctor Aphra to return to these pages to help Vader figure out how to control his Force powers now that the Force has gone wild after the Hidden Empire event. Greg Pak writes Aphra all right, and we get a strong sense of just how afraid of Vader she really is, but it also shows how in contrast to Aphra, both Ochi and Sabé are nowhere near as interesting. Vader is one of those characters that needs a POV character, since Vader on his own is kind of boring, and the first Marvel Vader series was the best because of Aphra’s status as main character. This book is never bad, but it’s also never all that impressive.
Star Wars: Sana Starros #5 – I really liked this miniseries, and would gladly read more Justina Ireland Star Wars books. It took me a while to get into this, but now I’m a fan of the Starros family. This issue has Sana and her family working to save her cousin from her brother and some other Imperials, and we get a solid heist story along the way, and a cameo from Hondo Ohnaka, which wasn’t expected. This was fun Star Wars, and it never got silly, which is how I like it.
Superman: Lost #4 – Clark’s lengthy sojourn in space continues, but after losing his way, he returns to the world he’s called Kansas, where he tries to help the underclass, and soon finds himself involved in a larger conflict. Priest writes Superman very well, and has structured this story in an interesting way. The team of Priest and Carlos Pagulayan works very well – this is as good as their Deathstroke run, although very different.
WildCATS #8 – I like how Matthew Rosenberg has approached this series, and I’m enjoying as the team finally comes together to stand up against Marlowe, while in another dimension, Grifter fights a different version of the same man’s forces. There’s a cool revelation in this issue, making use of a group that I wondered if we’d see again.
Wolverine #34 – Ben Percy has really ruined Beast for almost all time with this latest storyline. After watching him eat lobster and oysters, I’m not sure I will ever like his character again. This issues is a little nasty, as Logan meets with his former teammate to try to come to some sort of agreement. This run is getting weirder by the issue, but I’m liking it more than I did a while ago.
The X-Cellent #4 – We’re getting to the end of this series, as Zeitgeist continues to show what a monster he is, his own teammates continue to plot against him, and the X-Statix struggle to withstand his onslaught. Now Zeitgeist has turned to spreading disinformation about his enemies, which is as effective as doxing them was, so he doesn’t really need Dox, his robot, anymore. This series is strange; I feel like writer Peter Milligan doesn’t have the same sense of popular culture he had when he first wrote X-Statix, and it shows.
X-Men #23 – I read this after the comic below, but it helped echo the same notions about the use of Orchis in the X-Books now. They have the first of the new Iron Man-style Sentinels turn up at the scene of a fire, and immediately provoke a reaction by the X-Men. How long has it been since most of a comic has been just the X-Men fighting a single giant robot? I liked the throw-back nature of it, but I think I’m getting tired of the Mister Sinister clones like Stasis and Mother Righteous, who makes an appearance here (without the flowing orb things that trail her like balloons). It’s a good issue, but it kind of left me wanting more. This team lineup is clicking with me right now, so of course it’s time for another Hellfire Gala to mess with it. I think more time needs to be spent on the current rift between Jean and Scott; it’s kind of showing up only through the comments of other characters, and that’s not all that effective.
X-Men: Before The Fall – Mutant First Strike #1 – I’m not entirely sure what the point of these Before The Fall one-offs is, aside from giving writers the chance to wrap up series that maybe got canceled too soon (RIP Legion of X), but I did enjoy this one. Orchis orchestrates an attack on a small town in America, making it the new Stamford in their attempt to discredit mutants, but Bishop leads a large team of first responders to the site, helping to save people and repair the damage. It’s nice to see such powerful individuals actually use their abilities to do lasting good (I’ve always wanted to read a series about powered first responders who don’t also fight supervillains), and Steve Orlando dusts off a number of obscure characters to help him do this. I love the fact that the Watchdogs made their return, because really, they feel very post January 6th to me. It’s clear that since Jonathan Hickman left Krakoa, things are getting more conventional, in that Orchis is kind of like the new anti-mutant Hydra, but there is still a lot of potential there. I guess this is a bit of a swan song for Orlando’s Marauders series, which had a lot of potential, but always seemed a little rushed and not fully cooked.
X-Men Red #12 – I think that Al Ewing really likes this John Ironfire character, who gets a spotlight this month. He’s been sent to Arakko to get help for The White Sword, who is facing an attack by Genesis and her army. There’s no sign of Apocalypse, but we know that one of these Before The Fall one-shots is going to focus on Genesis and her family, so this issue mostly exists to set that up. I really like Ewing’s writing on this book, but I wish that it didn’t just lurch from one X-Event to the next, and instead could be its own thing more often.
Comics I Would Have Bought if Comics Weren’t So Expensive:
Night Fever HC
Peacemaker Tries Hard #2
Spirit World #2
Waller Vs. Wildstorm #2
In Memoriam:
John Romita – My Twitter and Substack feeds have been full of tributes to John Romita, one of the most important comics artists to ever work at Marvel. He’s the man who solidified Spider-Man’s look, and gave us Mary Jane Watson in addition to dozens of other characters (the Kingpin was his design, I think). He also worked behind the scenes to shape so much of what people remember as Marvel’s heyday. I remember Romita as the first comics artist I ever met. In 1986, when Peter Parker married Mary Jane, local comics shop The Silver Snail hosted a big event, and had Romita there to sign comics. My memory is a little vague, but I remember meeting him at their uptown location (my first regular comics shop, which I still miss), and he offered to draw a sketch for me. I didn’t know that artists would do this for free (another thing I miss), and because I was deeply obsessed with Frank Miller’s Daredevil, that’s what I got. I remember that Romita was kind and patient (I don’t think the store was too busy, because I never would have held up the line), and the sketch (pictured here) hung framed in my childhood bedroom until I moved out. Chip Zdarsky went to the same event, and wrote about it (in a much funnier way, which is why he gets paid to write) on his Substack this week. Romita was a giant of this industry we love so much, and it’s nice to see so many paying tribute to him. My condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and fans.
The Weeks in Music:
µ-Ziq – 1977 – This is a surprising album from µ-Ziq, whose work is usually much more uptempo. On this album, he blends ambient sounds with a downtempo drum and bass sound, creating lush soundscapes that have some bite to them. It’s his least dancey album, but it has a lot more going on than your usual ambient project. It’s pretty interesting.
sleepingdogs – I’m Faking My Own Death Just To Get Some Rest – sleepingdogs are the rappers and producers Jesse the Tree and Andrew, and their collaboration is terrific. This is the kind of older style boombap that makes me think of older Atmosphere, but the sound is up to date and fresh, and the rhymes are insightful. I’ve really been loving this album lately, and was glad I got a copy.
Joy Oladokun – Proof Of Life – I really like Joy Oladokun’s voice and approach to songwriting. She usually writes about the confluence of church, weed, and optimism, with the effect that her albums just end up making me feel good. Her music doesn’t fit into my usual wheelhouse, as I don’t listen to a lot of folk, but she’s someone I always check for. I also like that she’s expanding beyond that genre, and even has a feature with rapper Maxo Kream, as well as a country singer.
Kurena Ishikawa – Kurena – This might end up being one of my favourite albums of this year. Kurena Ishikawa is a bass player and singer in Japan, who has put together an absolutely lovely jazz album. Some of the tracks here are covers – she covers Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, Stevie Wonder’s Bird of Beauty, and a Chick Corea song – while the others are original compositions. Her voice is beautiful, as is her bass and the playing of her collaborators. This was an album I had to own, and paid import prices for, but it was worth it.
The Orb – Prismorb – I’ve been a huge fan of The Orb since high school, but have also often found the group that pioneered ambient house music to be a little confounding. The group leans into their love of dub music on this album, and have a few actual songs (or at least, as close to a conventional song as they’ve ever come). It’s a long album that goes to a number of places, and its shifting landscapes do a lot to hold my attention.
EABS Meets Jaubi – In Search of a Better Tomorrow – I’ve really gotten interested in the output of Astigmatic Records, a jazz label that mostly releases bands from Poland. EABS is their premier group, a rousing and talented nu-jazz group that would fit nicely in the London scene. On this album, they partner with Jaubi, a group from Pakistan, and the result is contemporary jazz with an Eastern flavour. The album really swings, and the partnership is perfect.
