What I’m Reading 0026: 1/27/14 – TWO-FISTED EDITION!

Two weeks of comics reviews coming at you–BOOM! POW! A VERITABLE SMORGASBORD OF SNARKY, REVIEWY GOODNESS!! LET’S DO THIS!! By which I mean, let’s start with a trifecta of zombie-infested reads…

1. Empire of the Dead #1 (Marvel, W: George Romero, A: Alex Maleev). You read that right: THE GEORGE A. ROMERO is writing a zombie comic. Sounds legit, right? Well, yes and no. Bringing Hollywood-types into the realm of comics to write, and expecting them to be able to pull it off with the same skill and aplomb that they do in their day job often yields mixed results at best. Sure, for every J. Michael Straczynski who turns out a successful comics-writing career, there’s a whole slew of Heroes writers waiting to crash and burn in their turns at Marvel (ahem). Thankfully, Romero proves to be adept at translating a story script-to-panel. So what, then, does the master and progenitor of all things zombie-related give us in his turn in the funnybooks business? Not surprisingly, a zombie comic that’s set in the cinematic world of the undead he’s created. However, don’t mistake this for co-existing with the Marvel Universe (Marvel Zombies covered that nicely), either. This is a brand extension of what Romero’s been doing for nearly fifty years now, and the comic doesn’t hesitate to remind you by throwing in a bit of a twist on a classic scene from Night of the Living Dead that ties one of the comic’s protagonists back to that original film. It’s a nice touch, but a bit forced and unnecessary. Empire sees all of Long Island overrun by zombies, but also under a sketchily-defined marshall law. These zombies aren’t the ravenous, constant threats we’re accustomed to. But rather, they’re almost docile, unthreatening until threatened. The human populace has become so accustomed to their shuffling presence that they almost don’t register as a threat. Think Shawn of the Dead minus the humor and pointed social critique. This begs the question, which is the fuel that propels the series: can a zombie be taught to be human again? It’s an intriguing set-up, and just for added spice, Romero throws a second supernatural curveball in at the end, which could prove to be interesting or incredibly lame. Alex Maleev  Although my mind wasn’t blown, it was a decent enough read that I’ll be back for more. As for Romero, I don’t expect he’ll give up his day job anytime soon, but the fact that the master himself is writing a zombie comic–and not sucking at it–is cause enough for celebration. Score: 7/10.

2. Afterlife With Archie #3 (Archie Comics, W: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, A: Francesco Francavilla). With all the hype, how could I NOT check it out? But damned if Afterlife With Archie doesn’t prove to be a well-executed, mood-drenched piece of zombie fiction. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any means, and revels in its tropes. But that’s actually the book’s strength: taking well-worn zombie standards and applying them to the sugary-sweet world of Riverdale is a move that could have failed miserably, if writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa weren’t taking it all so seriously. There’s a pervasive sense of dread permeating every panel of this book, creating an ominous mood that not only can’t be escaped, but also sets the tone for every scene. Artist Francesco Francavilla can be thanked for that, whose retro-noir style is utterly perfect for this book (although I’m a bit disappointed that this gig has apparently stalled the second volume of his Black Beetle). Aguirre-Sacasa isn’t playing it safe, either, just because these are classic characters: without spoiling anything, another of the iconic Archie cast meets a grisly fate this issue. My one real complaint is that Archie himself seems a bit undefined this issue, although that may be my own fault for coming in at issue three. But he doesn’t have much personality other than “resourceful guy who cares about others.” However, that said, it may only seem that way because the supporting cast takes center stage this issue. It’s great seeing the likes of Betty and Veronica treated like real people instead of the cartoon characters they’ve come to be known as over the decades. This comic seemed like a mere gimmick when first announced, but Aguirre-Sacasa and Francavilla have turned out a solid, if not wholly original, addition to the zombie sub-genre. Score: 8/10.

3. The Walking Dead #120 (Image, W: Robert Kirkman, A: Charlie Adlard). Halfway through “All-Out War,” and the casualties continue to pile up as Negan and his Saviors take the fight to Rick and company. Scorched earth is the name of the game, and the sanctity of their home is thrown into jeopardy. Nary a zombie is to be seen, but with the walls on fire, it’s just a matter of time. Accusations of Kirkman repeating the prison story here aren’t entirely unfounded, but there are critical differences: this is a Rick Grimes who is far more wise and world-weary, and determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past. He’s organized, a true leader, not just someone thrown into the role by circumstance. Negan, too, is a far different threat than the Governor was: whereas the latter was an unpredictable psychopath, the former is a “mere” sociopath, capable of planning, organizing, and rallying his troops into becoming disciplined military units rather than just rabble with guns. Also, the cost of losing is far greater here: whereas the prison was always acknowledged as a temporary safe haven at best, in Alexandria, Rick, Carl, and the rest have carved out a true life for themselves where they can thrive and return to a semblance of normality. That Negan threatens that existence makes him a greater threat than the Governor ever was. BUT… all that analysis doesn’t mean this issue isn’t without its problems. There’s a sense of “been there, done that” in some of the story beats–from Rick’s panic over the possibility that Carl has been injured to the mangling of several of the supporting cast in many a gruesome way. And that doesn’t help quell the accusations that Kirkman’s merely repeating himself with this arc. Is the man out of ideas? Hell, no, and “All-Out War” is going to inevitably lead to the next phase of this book’s evolution–potentially setting up the third act, as it were. (I count the first act as ending with the fall of the prison, and the second act potentially concluding with this story. We’ll see.) Most stories have a bit of drag in the middle, as it serves to set up the conclusion. That sense is keenly felt in this issue, which winds up being decent and readable, but hardly an essential chapter of the overall story. Score: 6/10.

4. Amazing X-Men #3 (Marvel, W: Jason Aaron, A:Ed McGuinness). That Jason Aaron is leaving the vastly superior Wolverine and the X-Men to write this drivel makes me despise the book on principle despite its overall lazy execution. To whit: the X-men fight pirate demons in limbo, all in the service of bringing Nightcrawler back from the dead in a whimsical manner that fits his character. They fight pirate demons this issue, that’s it. Sure, there is a great action sequence featuring Nightcrawler in all his bamf-tastic glory, but that’s about it. Ed McGuinness’s art is as nauseatingly cartoony as usual–shouldn’t this guy be working in animation rather than drawing comics? But that’s a matter of personal taste. Again, it’s Aaron’s paper-thin plot that dogs this book. Maybe it will gain some momentum once Nightcrawler’s back from the land beyond, but at this point, it’s a mash note to that titular character that’s far more style than substance. Score: 3/10.

5. All-New X-Factor #1 & 2 (Marvel, W: Peter David, A: Carmine Di Giandomenico). If Peter David wanted to simultaneously justify the end of his previous volume of X-Factor and wow me with the debut of this iteration, he’s off to an extremely poor start. We’re introduced to Serval Industries, a Google-like conglomerate that’s decided to extend its ethos of improving peoples’ lives by starting its own team of mutant superheroes. They initially induct Polaris and Quicksilver, the former of whom recruits Gambit, currently on the outs with Wolverine the Jean Grey School. (Apparently, it’s frowned upon to be both a teacher and a professional thief.) Polaris’ recruitment method involves coming up to Remy in a greasy spoon and sitting down with him in order to talk Serval up. If that scene sounds familiar, that’s because it’s been played out a hundred times before in other stories. Likewise, every other beat in this plot has been equally beaten to death in comics: from the torture of mutants for scientific gain to the seeming benevolence of Serval that’s too good to be true, there’s nothing here we haven’t seen before. Even David seems bored: his dialogue, usually full of clever wit and turns of phrase, is dull, drab, and not particularly exciting. Di Giandomenico’s art is stylish, but doesn’t do much to help the proceedings either, lacking any real pop to grab the reader. Issue one in particular ends with one of the most jaw-droppingly inane cliffhangers I’ve ever read, relying on the surprise reveal of a character who, at best, is a D-lister from ’90s. Yet David treats her appearance as if we’re supposed to care beyond measure. Seriously, what editor approved this? Did David promise, “Don’t worry, I got it,” and that was good enough? And on David’s end of things, why in the hell did he think this was good enough for mass release? He’s one of the medium’s most talented writers, but he clearly didn’t bring his A-game. Given time, the great Peter David could certainly turn it around. But today’s market is far less forgiving of subpar comics, and cancellation will certainly be in this book’s future if David doesn’t turn it around quick. Score: 2/10.

6. Uncanny X-Men #16 (Marvel, W: Brian Michael Bendis, A: Chris Bachalo). Issues like this rely on the perception that comic readers have short attention spans. It really wasn’t that long ago that Magneto was the ruler of the all-mutant nation of Genosha (before it got blowed up real good by Grant Morrison), yet here, when Mystique has done the same thing and turned Madripoor into the same, Magneto flips his shit because of some imagined slight involving the more underhanded means by which she accomplished the task. So, okay, I get his moral objection. My qualm is that this is MAG-FUCKING-NETO, and he has the keys to a sovereign mutant nation right in front of him, and he’s made because… what? Mystique is posing as Dazzler? She cut a deal with Hydra to purchase control of the island? What? Sorry, but that just doesn’t wash. It’s the thinnest of rationalizations for him to angrily assault her, Sabretooth, and Blob, and to reject Madripoor altogether. It’s also a callous set-up for the upgoing Magneto ongoing series. Ultimately, issues like this may make sense to newer readers who don’t have much of a sense of the X-Men’s history, but for anyone with a working knowledge of the characters, it’s eye-rollingly lazy. At least Chris Bachalo’s art is on point. Score: 4/10.

7. All-New X-Men #21 & 22.NOW (Marvel, W: Bendis, A: Brandon Peterson & Brent Anderson [#21], Stuart Immonen [#22.NOW]). So continue the adventures of the Young X-Men, merrily trampling their way across many a decade of established continuity because Marvel needed a big selling point to coincide with Bendis’s arrival on the X-books. Good thing he’s at least got focus now on this book, what with the X-kids fighting anti-mutant religious bigots and the addition of X-23 to the cast. Things continue to unravel for Jean Grey, who recently discovered all the horror she’s in for, made worse by the arrival of the Guardians of the Galaxy in issue 22.NOW. But here’s what works: by allowing the original X-Men to witness the crazy scope of what they’re in for, we readers are treated to characters who react realistically to the revelation of how insane their lives are destined to become. It’s the age-old question: if your teenage self could see what you’ve become as an adult, how would he or she react? How would the revelations of destiny affect them? Well, they’d get pissy and/or sullen, most likely. But having these characters respond in realistic ways and act like real human beings rather than snarky tabula rasas is what’s turning the book around. A fascinating new spin on what makes the X-Men great. Score: 7/10.

8. Thor: God of Thunder #17 (Marvel, W: Jason Aaron, A: Ron Garney & Emanuela Lupacchino). Sweet Christmas, does Jason Aaron knock it out of the park with the conclusion of “The Accursed!” With all the cards on the table and all the players in the same room, everything comes to a head in the least predictable fashion possible. Which of course I won’t spoil! And the stage is set for an even more epic confrontation, one that might just involve… Nah! Not telling!  But holy crap is it going to be cool. This arc has suffered for lack of a consistent artist, but Emanuela Lupacchino proves to be the most capable among them. It’s a shame she wasn’t tasked for the entire story, as opposed to the banal and untalented Ron Garney. As I’ve stated before, Jason Aaron is writing the premiere superhero book of his career, and frankly, it’s second only to Scalped as his greatest work of all. But who knows? Time will certainly tell, and the son of Odin could prove to be the mightiest of them all. Score: 8/10.

QUICK HITS:

9. Daredevil #35 (Marvel, W: Mark Waid, A: Chris Samnee). The other shoe drops. With one more issue to go on this volume, Mark Waid has Daredevil do the last thing anyone would expect. If you think I’m telling you, you’re nuts. But the oft-overused phrase “everything changes” DEFINITELY applies. Score: 9/10.

10. Velvet #3 (Marvel, W: Ed Brubaker, A: Steve Epting). Image continues its string of hits by letting Brubaker & Epting do what they do best: tell a kick-ass spy story. Not only is this one of the best books out right now, it’s easily the best book Brubaker’s written in about three years AND one of the strongest with a female lead. DO NOT be left behind when this book takes off. Score: 10/10.

11. Astro City #8 (DC/Vertigo, W: Kurt Busiek, A: Brent Anderson). When her world begins to crumble around her, Winged Victory’s allies, Samaritan and the Confessor, come out of the woodwork to come to her aid. Winged Victory has always been a very womens’-lib focused version of Wonder Woman, and it’s outstanding to see what happens when the entire life she’s built for herself around those principles is torn apart. The best AC has been since it’s Vertigo debut. Score: 8/10.

12. The Massive #19 (Dark Horse, W: Brian Wood, A: Garry Brown). Dying of cancer and his entire belief system thrown into chaos after the events of “Longboat,” Callum Israel is determined to die on his own terms, which leads to him pursuing the crazy man who threatens his entire operation. This book is now firing on all cylinders as it approaches its conclusion and playing to all of Wood’s strengths as a writer: deep, nuanced characterizations, and rich, fully-defined worlds. A wonderful sleeper book that deserves wider recognition, much more so than Wood’s vastly overrated X-Men. Score: 8/10.

13. Wonder Woman #27 (DC, W: Brian Azzarello, A: Cliff Chiang). I’m not sure when exactly Brian Azzarello’s masterful Wonder Woman devolved into an irritatingly convoluted soap opera, but that’s where we are. The supporting cast has overrun the book and there’s no clear notion as to whose motivations are what anymore. Still better than 99% of DC’s other output, though. Score: 5/10.

14. Hawkeye #16 (Marvel, W: Matt Fraction, A: Annie Wu). I’ll give it up to Matt Fraction: for all this book’s recent problems, he still managed one hell of a great issue here. (Even if it did ship before #15 for some stupid reason.) It’s essentially a love letter to mentally-ill Beach Boy Brian Wilson and his lost masterpiece album “Smile,” all wrapped up in a mystery Kate Bishop must solve. Kate’s less obnoxious this issue than in her previous solo jaunt, and every loving nod to Wilson rings perfectly and true. This one deserves to be up for an Eisner. Score: 10/10.

15. Wolverine and the X-Men #40 (Marvel, W: Jason Aaron, A: Pepe Larraz). With only two more issues to go until Jason Latour steps up to the plate, Jason Aaron positions himself to go out on a high note and not only give us a coda for what makes the Jean Grey School so special, but also starts Wolverine and Cyclops down the road to mending their friendship. While kicking Sentinel ass. It’s X-nerd heaven. Score: 9/10.

16. X-Men #9 (Marvel, W: Brian Wood, A: Terry Dodson). All right, the hype on this book has officially worn off for me. Brian Wood’s all-female X-squad needs to start coming into its own. The story is so nuanced, it feels like nothing is happening. Worse still, the villains are completely unoriginal and uninteresting. Arkea is about as threatening as Ikea. Yawn. Score: 5/10.

17. Captain America (Marvel, W: Rick Remender, A: Carlos Pacheco). The Mandarin, I mean, the Iron Nail wreaks all sorts of havoc in this issue as for once, a writer treats Nuke like an actual human being instead of a colorless, flag-waving obstacle to be overcome. Cap’s still in bad shape after the events of the Dimension Z arc, weary and quick to anger. Remender’s approach to the character may be unorthodox, but it’s working, relevant, and excellent. Score: 7/10.

18. Avengers #25 (Marvel, W: Jonathan Hickman, A: Salvador Larroca). Jonathan Hickman decides to steal from the X-Men treasure chest and have the original Avengers show up. No, it’s not time travel–it’s an alternate dimension version. Close enough to still reek. Score: 4/10.

19. Avengers World #2 (Marvel, W: Jonathan Hickman & Nick Spencer, A: Stefano Caselli). Stefano Caselli’s always-stellar artwork saves what could have been an otherwise drab affair. In the midst of some AIM Island shenanigans, under-utilized rookie Avenger Smasher gets the spotlight, and the generational results are oddly DC-ish. Which isn’t such a bad thing for Marvel to co-opt, since DC has completely abandoned the concept of generational heroism. I’m still waiting for this title to distinguish itself from Avengers proper, though. Score: 6/10.

20. All-New Invaders #1 (Marvel, W: James Robinson, A: Steve Pugh). This comic exists solely to appeal to the nostalgia factor of a certain sect of comics fans. Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch, is sad and mopey out in the sticks when he’s attacked by a Kree warrior who’s in search of his piece of a Maguffin that, of course, ties back to World War II. The writing is lazy and uninspired, and I genuinely can’t find a single reason for this comic to exist at all. Pugh’s art is decent enough, and the cover is outstanding. Too bad that can’t be said for the rest of the comic. Score: 2/10.

Keep Readin’ Those Funnybooks!

~ILL DIABLO~

What I’m Reading 0025: 1/9/14

Hello from Antarctica, also known as Oklahoma. Damn, it’s been cold. But hey, it’s, like 60 degrees now. In January. But no, that climate change stuff’s just hokum! The nice thing about being a comics nerd, though: weather be damned, I’m still plowing out there to purchase my wares! With that in mind, 2014’s still off to a great start, with a whole slew of new books on the way, including one that debuted this week. But I’m starting with one of last year’s breakout books instead. Enjoy!

1. FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics #7 (DC/Vertigo, W: Simon Oliver, A: Robbi Rodriguez). After months of me praising the covers on this book, this issue finally breaks that trend. What the hell’s going on here? What am I looking at? Okay, okay–eventually I figured it out, but I shouldn’t have had to stare so hard or for so long. Poor color choices made the cover image rather indecipherable at a glance, which is very, very bad, since the first selling point of any comic is its cover. All those dark tones run together, blending into the black background yet clashing with the bright blues of the wormhole that’s being leaped through. (Trust me, it’s a wormhole.) Just a mess, though an extremely rare misfire for cover artist Nathan Fox. Inside, however, the story shines and crackles as we get the conclusion of the origin of the team’s newest member, Rosa Reyes. She’s more than a little socially awkward, but with good reason, as we discover. The wonder of this book is all of the completely off-the-wall physics concepts writer Simon Oliver comes up with–in this case, involving wormholes. Yet he also makes you feel for the characters involved, and doesn’t get too caught up in the weirder, bigger picture (a lesson Jonathan Hickman could learn in his Avengers titles). In just two issues, Rosa has become a fully-realized, three-dimensional character that fits perfectly with Adam and Cicero and their bizarre world.  The situation she gets involved in this issue–a prison break involving a wormhole generator–is a perfect balance of physics madness and straight-up crime, with Rosa caught in the middle without her team to back her up. The resolution is flawless–heck, if it weren’t for that garish cover, this entire issue would be perfect. Jump on now before this comic get too much further into its run. Score: 9/10.

2. The Walking Dead #119 (Image, W: Robert Kirkman, A: Charlie Adlard). Never let it be said that Robert Kirkman only does things halfway. He called this story “All Out War,” and he damn well meant it–as of now, both sides have taken heavy casualties and there’s no sign of any letting up. The cracks in Ezekiel’s facade begin to show in a big way after the events in last issue, and it could impact Rick’s strategy against Negan. No time for that, though, because Negan’s bringing the fight to Rick! And so does “all-out war” itself reach Rick’s community, potentially threatening everything he’s built. The most exciting aspect of this story is Kirkman’s ability to make the reader feel very “in the now” as events are occurring. The chaos and madness of war is a frightening, frenetic, fast-paced thing–and Kirkman makes sure we know it by making us feel its presence at every turn. And in it all, the (vast) supporting cast all get little moments to shine as actual human beings: Aaron mourns the death of his boyfriend Eric, Jesus gets to philosophize about the futility of war among zombies, Michonne gets to be a bitch at the best time possible. Carl also continues to prove that he’s grown up before our very eyes in this series, in that Rick trusts him to be in charge while he’s away as much as he would any adult. Even Heath, never the most fleshed-out of supporting characters, gets a moment amid the din to show us the kind of guy he is when he’s not having to kill zombies. I mention all this to make a point: that despite everything–the zombies, the world-rebuilding, the war, the “Negan is just the Governor done differently” nonsense–this is a book about people who are just trying to survive in a world that’s gone completely insane around them, and cope with it as best they can. Robert Kirkman hasn’t forgotten that for a minute. So to all the haters out there, or to the folks who moan because Daryl Dixon isn’t a cast member in the comics–get over it. This is a consistently fantastic book that’s become the bedrock of Image’s astounding output. Score: 8/10.

3. Cataclysm: The Ultimates’ Last Stand #3 of 5 (Marvel, W: Brian Michael Bendis, A: Mark Bagley). That’s a lot of (presumably) dead X-Men on the cover. Too bad the X-Men don’t show up at all in this issue! Maybe this is symbolic, though, of how little the public at large cares for the Ultimate X-Men anymore. Are they doomed? Hell, is anyone doomed? At issue three out of five, it feels like very little has actually happened–which tends to be Bendis’ stock-in-trade. By the end of issue five, things will probably feel complete, but probably not a second before. In this issue, lunatic Reed Richards and Miles Morales are enlisted to go to the 616 Marvel U to retrieve information on Galactus, who’s busy destroying New Jersey as a means of protesting Chris Christie’s highway lane closures. What the duo discovers is extremely humbling, but it doesn’t exactly bode well for the long-term health of the Ultimate U, or at least most of the characters in it. At least this time as death is being doled out, it isn’t Jeph Loeb’s hack-ass writing it. Unfortunately, however, amid the clamor of trying to write the situation with a vast sense of urgency, Bendis misses the mark on much else. Including depth. What this story boils down to is, “Trouble! Hurry! Respond!” and very little else. Which is unfortunate, because taken at face value, it’s still an exciting read. But face value is actually worth very little when there’s nothing much else beneath the surface. Is this a fun issue? Sure. But do I wish anything more had occurred? Definitely. Score: 6/10.

4. Sex Criminals #4 (Image, W: Matt Fraction, A: Chip Zdarsky). What, you didn’t think there would be sex criminals without the sex police too, did you? Suzie and Jon find that out the “hard” way (insert erection joke here) in the midst of their daring bank robbery (for the realest of reasons: to save a library). The sex police are at first a seemingly fascistic bunch, made worse by the fact that they’re not actual police. Who are they? What puritanical reason do they have for stopping people from having sex in public and committing crimes? How are they not affected by the Quiet (or “Cumworld” if you prefer)?  Fraction neatly sets these questions up, but gamely dodges them and instead focuses on Suzie and Jon’s frenzied reactions to having their time-frozen world set upon by the po-po. Being novices to the world of sex criminality, Suzie and Jon’s resistance goes about as well as you’d expect. My one real gripe with this issue is that Fraction insists on inserting more flashback sequences for Suzie, which really aren’t necessary here. They don’t slow the pace of the story up too much, but if he keeps this up, he’s going to lose momentum. Still and all, though, this book is absolutely on fire. Because at the end of the day it’s not about the raunchy jokes, the sexytime, or the general weirdness–it’s about Suzie and Jon, two people meeting each other and falling in love. What more can you ask for? Score: 8/10.

5. Fatale #19 (Image, W: Ed Brubaker, A: Sean Phillips). I’ve given up trying to figure out when Brubaker’s going to wrap this story up. When the paychecks stop rolling in, I suppose. The Seattle arc wraps up here, with highly predictable results. If you can get past that, however, this has been one of the book’s better arcs, clearly told from the heart (Bru grew up in Seattle in the ’90s) with a keen eye for the details of an underground rock scene and inter-band dynamics. And that is a great cover, and the set-up for the next arc gets us back to modern times and is quite a doozy. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel the book’s on autopilot, for all the unoriginal twists and turns the story’s taking. Jo is bad. Yes, we know. She literally drives men crazy. Yup, got that too. There are evil Lovecraftian villains who want her for their own nefarious ends. Gotcha. But Brubaker, buddy, you’ve got to give me something new to work with, okay? Like maybe an end to this story… Score: 5/10.

6. Avengers World #1 (Marvel, W: Jonathan Hickman & Nick Spencer, A: Stefano Caselli). Ah-ha! Bet you thought that, since this book spins right out of Infinity, and is called Avengers World, then perhaps it would take a larger, global or even interstellar view of the Avengers, right? That seems logical, right? Tough luck, sucker! There’s literally nothing to distinguish this book from its sister title Avengers, which is of course also written by Jonathan Hickman. It’s the exact same team of Avengers fighting different villains. In fact, in the backmatter, the editor even admits that this book exists to fill the void left by Avengers coming off its bi-weekly schedule. Wotta rip-off. As for the story, it’s actually not too bad, and is a pretty good jumping-on point for new readers. There’s not much you need to know prior to jumping aboard. It’s a solid, decently-told story involving a sea monster with an island on its head, and the Avengers–most of whom are, in what’s becoming Hickman’s default style, written interchangeably–who must stop it. The real star of this book, however, is the always-awesome Stefano Caselli’s art. As usual, his animation-cell style is crisp, clear, and drop-dead gorgeous. With him on board, even the most pedestrian tales have that much more going for them. Not that this story is OVERLY bad or even pedestrian, per se–it just feels forced and, worse, an unnecessary cash grab. Score: 6/10.

7. Wolverine #13 (Marvel, W: Paul Cornell, A: Alan Davis). Rarely has Wolverine been brought so low as Paul Cornell has taken him. Without his healing factor, Logan is a shell of his former self–unable to cope with his mortality. So naturally that’s Sabretooth’s cue to step out of the shadows and rub Logan’s nose in it that much more! There’s something about a good villain who revels in causing the hero pain that can only be brought about by someone who knows them at every level. Lex Luthor to Superman. Green Goblin to Spider-Man. Joker to Batman. And Sabretooth to Wolverine. Cornell’s saved the best of this volume for last. His Sabretooth isn’t some frenzied lunatic–he’s a sadistic monster, but a rational, calculating, even level-headed one. He knows exactly how to hurt Logan the most and it’s by his inaction that he does so. “Killable” has been a pleasure to read because not because of the tired trope wherein the hero loses his powers, but rather in the emotional depths Cornell has plumbed in Wolverine, reducing him to a state we’ve never seen before: vulnerable, and frightened of what it means to be truly human. Back in the day Larry Hama touched on these themes right after Magneto ripped Logan’s adamantium out, but not with this degree of finesse or subtlety. (Truthfully, there’s not much subtle about Hama’s style at all. Loved his Wolverine run anyway.) Unfortunately, Alan Davis isn’t quite up to the task of complementing the story in equal measure artistically. He’s gotten plain lazy in a very John Byrne-esque way, in that he’s opted to add less detail and more heavy inks to hide that fact. It’s not a mess, but it’s clear evidence that he’s past his prime. Oh well. Ryan Stegman takes over next month with the new volume, and his hyper-kinetic style couldn’t be more different. Of course, at some point Logan will get his healing factor back. But it promises to be a fun ride leading up to that inevitable conclusion. Score: 8/10.

8. Green Arrow #27 (DC, W: Jeff Lemire, A: Andrea Sorrentino). Jeff Lemire’s run on Green Arrow has been an excellent but sometimes frustrating thing. While he’s certainly injected a level of focus, intrigue, and outright fun into the book that was sorely lacking beforehand, he’s also leaned a bit too heavily on certain tired old superhero tropes for my taste. His biggest fault in this regard is currently being played out in the current arc, “The Outsiders War:” the old “everything the hero thought he knew was WRONG!!” bit. Here’s a nice bit of clunky dialogue from Shado that perfectly summarizes what I’m talking about: “You already know what I’m talking about. You’ve always known it, but you’ve buried it deep down, refused to accept the truth…” Ugh. That reads like somebody just cribbed their dialogue out of a stock “ominous phrase” textbook. And then there’s Magus, who shows up out of nowhere to reveal to our titular hero the secrets of his past, just like Stick in Frank Miller’s Daredevil. Actually, exactly like that: Magus is even a blind martial arts expert too, to boot. Don’t get me wrong, this book is still one of DC’s strongest (and that’s a very, very select few), but Lemire needs to ditch the tropes and come up with his own ideas, or ultimately, even with Andrea Sorrentino’s phenomenal art, it won’t mean squat. Fortunately, he’s playing the hell out of these cliches, but that can’t last forever. But hey, if nothing else, check out the quasi-return of old-school Green Arrow on the final page! Score: 7/10.

Keep Readin’ Those Funnybooks!

~ILL DIABLO~