Reviews

Batman Confidential #8 — Writer: Michael Green; Penciller: Denys Cowan; Inker: John Floyd This is the second of a multi-part story involving Batman against The Guy Who Will Eventually Become The Joker, and it also, unfortunately, is one boring comic. Batman fails to stop crimes. Batman talks to Officer Gordon. Batman beats up thugs, trying to get information. Batman — well, Bruce Wayne — sleeps with the spunky girl you’ve never heard of, which means she’s gonna die next issue. Nothing actually happens. Oh, and the art isn’t by Denys Cowan version A, who’s careful and competent and a good … Continue reading →

Crecy — Writer: Warren Ellis; Artwork: Raulo Caceres This actually came out last week, but I put off reading it, thinking that a historical/Cartoon History of the Universe-type treatment of an English military victory over the French in 1346 would be heavy going. I was wrong — it’s an assured look at life 650 years ago, well-researched and human, narrated by one of the Suffolk longbowmen who helped to slaughter the heart of the French aristocracy and usher in the era of long-distance modern warfare. It’s too bad that all the realistic violence and swearing will keep this out of … Continue reading →

The Marvel Tarot — Writer/Designer: David Sexton Secret Defenders was a kind of Dr. Strange Team-Up book from the mid-’90s, where Doc used a tarot deck to select whichever Marvel heroes most needed a commercial boost, and then sent them on missions that the “real” Defenders, like Hulk and even Nighthawk, were too A-list to bother with. This purports to be Dr. Strange’s tarot deck, with faux research notes on how magic now works in the Marvel Universe, and why certain heroes appear on certain cards (some cards get more than one hero, so that, for example, the “High Priestess” … Continue reading →

Hellboy #4 (of 6) — Writer: Mike Mignola;  Artist: Duncan Fegredo Fegredo’s art keeps getting better and better, as the story moves beyond the claustrophobic spookiness of the last few issues, opening out to a long fight and pursuit (when your opponent is called “Koshchei the Deathless,” you know you’re in trouble). Hellboy’s always been an acquired taste, but he’s such a great character — a stubborn splash of color against all of Mignola’s undercurrents of grimness and dread — that once he hooks you, you want to keep reading his adventures forever. Buffy the Vampire Slayer #5 — Writer: … Continue reading →

Heroes for Hire #12 — (Main Story): Writer: Zeb Wells; Penciller: Clay Mann; Inker: Terry Pallot; (Back-up Story): Writer: Fred Van Lente; Penciler: John Bosco; Inker: Terry Pallot A World War Hulk tie-in. Only 16 pages to the main story, as the team gets in way, way over their heads (Humbug, particularly). Nice splash page at the end, but the art is otherwise undistinguished, and the back-up story, featuring Paladin and the new female Scorpion, has no compelling reason to exist; it presents unpleasant people doing unpleasant things in an unpleasant way. The Chemist #1 — Writer/Artist: Jay Boose The … Continue reading →