Incorruptible #29.

So just how many ways can you express that a society is screwed?  Things are pretty bad in Coalsville, the home town for Max Damage.  Anyone who tries to cling onto their old way of life is killed on the spot, called a ‘hanger’ by those who seek to make money from the new world order.  In essence, unless you’re earning, you’re dead to them.  Much like most conservatives…

But with a giant radioactive cloud heading right for them, what can the citizens really hope to do?  There is no escape, you can’t run from something that’s going to take over most of North America.  What’s left really?  You can try to hide, you can seek shelter in the dwellings of those more powerful.  You can even offer false hope to those so desperate they seek to end the lives of those closest to them to spare them the pain and agony.  All this happens in this issue, but I bet you’re expecting a sparkling, bright ending.

You came to the wrong comic book.  This feels dark as night with the lights out due to a bill not being paid, that kind of grimness that brings sorrow to an already harrowing situation.  Regret fuelled with the knowledge of the capacity previously to prevent it all.  This book is deep, dark and angry.  It’s not something to read lightly between episodes of Ponies.  If you’re up for that kind of desperation, then please purchase and feel satisfied.  May the gaping maw where your soul once resided rejoice in the darkness within. -Bretzke

Invincible #91.

Invincible is up and about, and confused.  That’s never a good feeling, having leads still attached to you and wondering how you ended up in a broken space ship within a forest, with a bleeding and broken dinosaur next to you.  Sounds more like the next edition of the Hangover rather than a comic book, but take it as it comes.

Mark is recovering from an engineered virus, and from a thorough walloping from those who were meant to protect him.  It’s all confusing and he needs some answers, but more than that he needs protecting.  He doesn’t feel himself and as we all know from reading enough comic books, not feeling yourself means severely underpowered.  But Atom Eve is on the case and looking to find him, but in bringing in the cavalry will this cause more difficulties than it’ll solve?

It’s a solid issue, but there’s nothing amazing here.  A lot of confusing augmented with a lack of communication makes the book a frustrating read.  This kind of juvenile situation is something you’d expect from an episode of Scooby Doo, not the writing of the great Kirkman.  In short, this isn’t what it should be, it’s below par and does not deserve celebration.  Completionists will grab it to fill in the gaps but beyond that, leave it on the shelves. -Bretzke

Ultimate X-Men #11.

Ultimate X-Men best get with more of the doing rather than just showing us how glamorous action can be if it wants to win over a greater audience.  In all seriousness I read through this entire book in about 90 seconds – there isn’t much meat on these action packed bones.  I almost bet I could hold my breath for the entire time it takes to read this book.  Certainly it’s small change, but when the longevity of a title can be the difference between purchase and not, this stylistic decision could have some negative outcomes.

The X-Men are on the back foot.  Already imprisoned after Magneto’s attack, feared and loathed, they have broken free from their oppression, only to learn of the nuclear attack on Washington.  Their reprieve is short lived, along with their liberty as Sentinels attack, but no longer within the control of government, lashing out at all and sundry, mutant or human.  This leads to a temporary truce and some uncomfortable realisations; the mutant/human conflict is no longer relevant, there is a far greater foe on the horizon.

While I can expand that out to seem like a lot happens, it really doesn’t.  A few double-page splash layouts, along with a bunch of advertising really quickly blows through the page count so you are left with a tepid experience at best.  I couldn’t recommend this one, even with it’s great art and written by Spencer no less.  This just feels like an amount of fluff between decent pieces of action.  You’ve missed nothing, skip over this one and wait for 12. -Bretzke

Batman #9.

So when we look at the Iron-Bat, further to my theory that money is the ultimate super-power, we can see a distinct convergence between DC and Marvel when it comes to the ordinary man fighting crime.  Sure you’ve still got Hawkeye out there with his arrows and good looks, but when you really need to lay out the smack down, apparently you need a suit of metal armour that’s powered and steaming.  It appears DC were looking through old issues of Iron-Man, something along the Mark I lines.  Clunky and massive.

But to the case at hand.  Owls have infested the batcave and to quote a well known Simpsons reference, “We know all your secrets”. That’s predictably threatening and Bruce brings out the big guns – a suit of powered armour that he’s had stashed aside for when he needs to look like Tony Stark.  I mean, for when somebody infests his cave (Or he wants to play Avengers).  But knowing how the Owls regenerate is the most important thing.  They don’t deal well with the cold and it just so happens that the batcave has quite the AC system.

Beyond this, Gotham bleeds.  The family of bats are doing their best to stem the flow but Batman must fly quickly to the most wanted target.  But in a sea of nobles, who towers above them all?

Snyder is in his stride here, after a brief hiccup last issue. But still you can see the reigns he’s straining against, wanting to make this story his own rather than follow the directions of some plebeian editor far above.  To make this positively sing, give all the bat-titles to Snyder, along with a case of no-doze and about a week’s vacation when it’s all over.  Seeing as that isn’t going to happen we’re left with an enjoyable story that could be better, but fits well enough with the other players.  Not a shining star, just one of the pack. -Bretzke

Suicide Squad #9.

Taking a page from the book of Marvel, DC is doing a story that goes across the titles like herpes within a fraternity.  You know that quality book Resurrection Man?  Well it turns out the Suicide Squad have been tasked with taking him down, bringing him in and generally being unpleasant to the poor sod whose only power is to come back after a thorough trashing with a new power.  Imagine if he ever came back with the power of love…

Regardless, this isn’t where the action really is.  Certainly there’s some biffo and a fair few shots exchanged and Deadshot getting himself into quite an amount of trouble (Difficult when the target keeps getting up, even after some decent lead poisoning), no, the interesting bit is with Harley Quinn.

See, Ms Quinn has had a change of heart after her run in with the squad – mainly Deadshot.  You’ll remember he thoroughly aerated her torso after she went all Buffalo Bill over the Joker’s face.  It appears that after that incident and subsequent rehabilitation (read beatings) Dr Quinzel has decided that a life of crime may have some significantly negative outcomes when it comes to longevity and retirement.  This is the only shining light within the book.

If I weren’t already reading Resurrection Man I’d feel fairly cheated by this book.  I read both titles and I already feel cheated, but I’m a sucker for a girl with a split personality so my purchasing power is moot – I’m already on board.  But for those of you who have greater impulse control than a grade-schooler in the candy aisle with a ten dollar note, then please steer clear of this title.  It’s turning into a fair amount of torture porn with a side order of bad writing. -Bretzke

Batgirl #9.

Going to be honest with you, I’m more than a little sick of this Owls business in the Bat-universe.  I’m fine with them infesting a title, maybe two, but just because something has Bat on the front cover does not give them the go ahead to ruin it.  Point in question – Batgirl #9.  If you’re not up to date with 4 other titles, this becomes a little redundant.  I do hate tie-ins that go across multiple titles, I don’t read them all and it makes me resentful.

Batgirl has come across one of the assassins from the Court of Owls – a secret organisation that has allegedly been within Gotham City since the beginning, running the place from behind a curtain of ignorance and disbelief.  You’d know this if you have been reading Batman.  You also deserve some manner of medal, because even with Snyder’s awesome ability, it’s turned into a crap heap.  So Barbara has to fight against a single, skilled acrobat who has it in for the Gotham P.D.  Bombs have been going off across the city in a spate of distractions to cover for another spate, that of assassinations of the leaders of the city.  This parliament of owls really has it in for authority.

The book flows well and the action is well written but poorly drawn in places.  During the final combat it’ll take several reads to get what happens to allow victory.  This move, in and of itself, also doesn’t make sense with all we’ve been informed of before.  It is the kind of convenient storytelling that is driven by a greater plot – the destination rather than the journey.  The Owls storyline is going to end up going somewhere grand, but it’s going to make a mess along the way.

Books like this make me miss Stephanie.  She wasn’t perfect but she got the job done, either as Spoiler, Robin or Batgirl.  This new 52 has almost been brilliant across the board.  Almost.  This is one of the places where it’s lacking. -Bretzke

Dial H for Hero #1.

Vertigo is always great for a title that’s going to be a bit off the wall, or at least out of left field.  Daytripper and Greek Street were great examples of fiction taken to its logical end, whereby our imaginations were extended beyond the normal and into the paranormal, while maintaining a hold on reality.  Dial H has a similar feel, but takes us to a disquieting place where retribution over-reaches and feels the tendrils of vengeance.

We open with two gents, one fat and arrogant, the other obviously cares for him, possibly too much.  Upon leaving the latter is attacked in an alleyway – the former goes to assist but cannot; there are so many men and they seem to know what they are doing, each an expert with a length of pipe or bat intended for other things.  Desperately, the fatter man reaches for a payphone nearby, dialling randomly.  What occurs next is part mysticism and part magic, but all justice.  Criminals are served their just desserts while limbs are snapped and lungs choked out.  But where does justice end and the desire to punish begin?

Dial H is a great story, a yarn told by the campfire to pass the time until dawn.  The concern would be whether it could sustain the tension through into comic book form.  I’m happy to report it does so admirably, though without a well established set of ‘rules’ by which the system works, we are left in the dark as to any real risk or danger.  I’d imagine this is going to be set up in the subsequent issues.  Tell you what, I’ll let you know how it goes, because I’m hooked. -Bretzke

Age of Apocalypse #3.

I think I’ve found a flaw with the alternate universe storytelling method, but it’s a bit patchy at best.  Let me walk you through it and see what you think.

Sugar Man and Dark Beast have started bringing Alphas back to life.  These Alphas are the warriors of the mutant army, that very same army that sought to quash all humanity and almost won.  There are but a few humans left, without powers and without friends – 0nly having the drive and determination to fight against impossible odds and for a cause that is but a glimmer on the horizon.

This book is dark, grim and horridly daunting.  Even just reading it makes you feel loss deep within your chest – each punch thrown and stab attempted is a drum beat along a song that’s going to end all too soon.  You know within your heart these heroes, unaugmented and tragically mortal, will come to an end worthy of a warrior; bloody and brutal.  But there’s a problem.

This being an alternate universe, with it’s own characters, the issue comes in the interpretation of who is who and why they are important.  The story is thick with irony; character roles are twisted and mirrored from their original on Earth to this horrific mess of morality and bigotry.  It is this irony, while clever, that makes the book hard to read.  I spent more time interpreting the characters than actually enjoying it.  This makes the book a winner when it comes to re-reading, there will always be more to discover, especially with the amazing art by De La Torre (Pencils) and Loughridge (Colours).  But I want to go back and read a book again because I want to, not because I have to.

It’s like healthy eating – it only works with the right motivation. -Bretzke

Amazing Spider-Man #685

Spidey has himself in a pickle.  He knows Doc Oc is evil, but gosh darn it if anyone will listen to him.  And now he finds that all of the U.N. and S.H.I.E.L.D. are on his tightly webbed but.  It’s tricky being the only right man in the room, even more so if you’re not sure if you’re right.  Peter is certain on his motives and knows the mind of the one with mechanical arms.  But we, the audience, are kept guessing.  Spidey has gone out on a limb so many times before to have it come crashing down around him, will this time be the one instance where things go his way?

The title says Spider-Man, so you can make your own assumptions there.

Spider, Silver Sabre and Black Widow are popping their way across the globe to take out Doc Oc’s manufacturing facilities to prevent his lens from coming into effect.  He claims it’ll prevent global warming, but the same technology could also fry the entire surface of the planet.  What’s an avenger to do?  High end property damage seems to be the order of the day and the three break all they can find until a final showdown that is predictable if not astonishing for the scope it engages.  But with the Sinister Six involved, not everything can be as it seems.

A1 writing here from Slott, with a few plot holes that are noticeable but otherwise a very serviceable script that makes with the wise cracks and has everyone speaking with their own voice.  To stipulate this as a specific positive is a sad indictment of the industry as it stands, much like a car review stating the vehicle ‘rolls without bursting into flame’.  Ramos delivers his stylistic art that works well up to a point, but since most of the reading population just saw Black Widow in the very delicious curves of Scarlett Johansson, some may draw ire with the depiction.

Ends of the Earth has been a fun ride, but it feels like it’s coming to an end, much like that final bend in the roller coaster; the fun is almost over and now you’re left with a queazy feeling in your gut that’s the result of too many corn dogs and not enough fibre.  I am left to wonder where this series has left to go – the final page is somewhat, well, final.  Read and see. -Bretzke

Daredevil #12

I worry about Matt Murdock’s priorities.  He has every bad guy on the planet who’s affiliated with a crime syndicate on his back, but he decides it’s time for a decent date with the hot, new D.A..  I guess he is the man without fear, but I didn’t think him the man without sense.

The book is about senses.  Ignoring my clumsy segue, Matt takes his lovely lady on a sight deprived date, wrapping her eyes in cloth while regaling her with stories from his college days and how he defended Foggy once from an erroneous charge of plagiarism.  It’s great reading and it’ll suck you in quite nicely.  In short, it’s a really good Daredevil story that doesn’t even really need him to don the suit.  But, there’s something missing.  Context.

With so much going on around Matt, this story sticks out as an oddity.  This feels more like a Point One story, slip it in around 16 of so to get the new audience in and avoid all the continuity about the data disc and you’re onto a winner.  But to place this now breaks the tension built through so many issues and one delicious crossover with Punisher.  To undo all that great work is like striking out with bases loaded and it’s the pitcher that you really don’t like.  He chews tobacco and spits on your shoes.

Great story, poor placement.  Story of Murdock’s life really, all the vision he needs but not the sight he wants. -Bretzke