Wolverine: The Anniversary #1 — (First Story):  Writer: William Harms;  Art: Jefte Palo;  (Second Story):  Writer: Jonathan Maberry;  Art: Thom Coker Gee, all these random specials — you’d think there was some kind of special Wolvie event looming on the horizon or something…. This one offers two stories  dealing with memories of Mariko, the second great love of Logan’s life (the first being Silver Snail, or whatever her name was, but we only ever got to read about that in flashbacks; Mariko’s story unfolded in real, Claremont-sponsored X-time). The first, main story is a Japanese-gangster deal that tries to be … Continue reading →

Fables #83 — Writers: Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges;  Pencils: Mark Buckingham;  Inks: Andrew Pepoy This is the first of a nine-episode crossover with Jack of Fables and the new The Literals mini-series, and it’s a good introduction to the pleasures of these comics: the matter-of-factness of elements like blue-eyed evangelical badgers, the larger-than-life violence leavened by courage, the ancient evils and sly humor spread out among its huge case of characters, and, always, the sense that the reader is part of a vast, well-constructed world, and in very good hands. Amazing Spider-Man #591 — Writer: Dan Slott;  Art: Barry … Continue reading →

Super Zombies #2 — Writers: Marc Guggenheim and Vince Gonzales; Art: Mel Rubi A zombie plague infects Earth’s population, including the superheroes, and bad things happen. Stop me if you’ve heard this before…. At least with Marvel Zombies, there was the elicit thrill of seeing your childhood heroes chowing down on their friends and family — and Kirkwood and Phillps made a great team, and took the story in unexpected directions. Here, it’s a generic superhero world, with generic characters you’ve never heard of, and the whole thing is so cynical, so slapdash and hacked-out, that the only sensations generated … Continue reading →