Special Forces #2 — Writer/Artist: Kyle Baker
Fifteen or 20 minutes of a fire fight, tracking the main character. I think of Baker a lot like I think of Darwyn Cooke (and, come to think of it, Alex Toth): Worth buying just to admire how he’s solved the technical problems, even if he’s not always quite as good at the plots and human stuff.
Checkmate #21 — Writers: Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann; Penciller: Chris Samnee; Inker: Travis Lanham
The origins of Mademoiselle Marie, as a kind of Phantom-like one-dies-another-takes-over Spirit of France, and her connections to a Checkmate operative. Cool to Silver Age fans, plus a well-constructed adventure, the first of these from Rucka on this title that’s made me think of Queen and Country.
Incredible Hulk #112 — Writer: Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente; Artists: Khoi Pham and Stephane Peru
The Hercules/Amadeus Cho pairing is OK, and for now has enough interesting stuff happening to keep readers, although I think this book’s gonna have to get back to its main character a lot sooner than, say, Captain America. And, hey, what possesses Marvel to think the Warbound thing and the son-of-the-Hulk thing and the Red Hulk thing and this are all going to find an audience? Were sales on Gamma Corps really that good?
Justice League of America #16 — Writer: Dwayne McDuffie; Penciller: Joe Benitez; Inker: Victor Llamas
Kind of a one-off, featuring a quick connection to the Tangent universe when Guy Gardner’s storage locker is broken into, and ending with an unexpected character out of place. Only 15 pages, too (there’s a 7-page backup featuring just Red Arrow, by Alan Burnett and Allan Jefferson, that’s, um, inoffensive, I guess, is the most charitable way to describe it), which reinforces the general we’re-in-between-actual-stories-and-this-was-kind-of-a-fill-in air of the proceedings.
Mighty Avengers #6 — Writer: Brian Michael Bendis; Artist: Frank Cho
The question about this all along has been, how will it play as a trade? I’m not sure; I’ll have to reread all of them next week and see if they hang together (I’m worried that the Great Thought-Balloon Experiment will screw up the long-form rhythms of the story). At least the ending gets us sort-of in synch with Marvel chronology again….
Detective Comics #839 — Writer: Paul Dini; Pencillers: Ryan Benjamin with Don Kramer; Inkers: Saleem Crawford with Wayne Faucher
Conclusion of the seven-part Ra’s Al Ghul crossover, which has been remarkable for (a) how little it’s actually changed the status quo, despite all the running around, punching and yelling, and (b) the way it’s managed to make normally dependable Bat-writers like Morrison and Dini just barely tolerable.
The Umbrella Academy #4 (of 6) — Writer: Gerard Way; Artist: Gabriel Ba
Still good, although four issues along is too early for the characters’ mannerisms to be getting so annoying (yeah, Space Boy, I’m looking at you). Making this a series of mini-series is looking like an increasingly-wise move; this is a rich enough story that it’s better to leave the readers wanting more than to wear out the welcome.
Grendel: Behold the Devil #2 ( of 8 ) — Writer/Artist: Matt Wagner
Good stuff — new fans can admire the formal precision and design elements, and old ones can appreciate the last-page cliffhanger.
Phil Mateer
