The Latest and (Mostly) Greatest #85 by Dan

All right, we’re back! This week, no villains covers. Looks like I have about 500 less words to write. Let’s do this!

lazarus 4  Lazarus #4 Writer: Greg Rucka Artist: Michael Lark

In this issue, moving pieces finally create some actual results and consequences of the actions. Forever Carlyle (our protagonist) has to deal with her brothers actions and what he’s doing to her family. It’s all been very high-concept, attempting to create all these different families amid the struggle to stay within a specific class. It’s a lot of fun, and this issue really ramps up the stakes. Everyone is playing games and nothing is as it seems and it’s all really good.

Catalyst Comix 4Catalyst Comix #4 Writer: Joe Casey Artists: Paul Maybury, Ulises Farinas and Dan McDaid

Catalyst Comix changes up the format making Amazing Grace the main story, taking up almost half the issue. I’m starting to wonder if things will line up and if all of these stories will fit together, or if it’s just three stories set in the same world. Overall it’s still an enjoyable new tale using artists that don’t normally get mainstream face time. It’s good stuff and absolutely worth reading.

Hinterkind #1 Writer: Ian Edginton Artist: Francesco Trifogli

In a world where humans are going extinct and mother nature has risen up to take back its land, several survivors on Long Island decide to go exploring. The results aren’t exactly the greatest. This book has zebra hunting, giant ogres and a dude that’s grown a tail, so it’s kinda all over the place. But that’s what makes this work. It’s an interesting oversized first issue that’s worth checking out. We’ll see how it is in a few months, but a good start nonetheless.

MK spider-man 1Marvel Knights Spider-Man #1 Writer: Matt Kindt Artist: Marco Rudy

Spider-man fights all his villains, and the style changes with almost every page. It’s one of the craziest visual comics I’ve seen in a while, (even before Spider-Man gets sent into everything, the panels are all over the place) and it just gets crazier with every page. Kindt seems to love the superhero genre and he’s running on all cylinders here. It’s a great first issue of what could be a fun mini-series.

BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE 2Batman Black and White #2 Writers/Artists: Various

You start with a Steranko cover and it only gets better from there. If we ignore that Didio writes the first issue and tries to mislead you with a dumb narrator, the other four stories are completely solid. The star here is Rafael Grampa, who does some of his first mainstream Marvel work and draws a pretty crazy interpretation of the Joker. The rest of the stories are stellar, with Dave Bullock drawing an almost silent story with hel from Michael Uslan writing the sider. It’s great stuff and actually worth it’s $5 price tag.

Forever Evil #2 Writer: Geoff Johns Artist: David Finch

Ok, so I want to like this a lot, but I just can’t. Johns uses the normal same old same old of the Crime Syndicate (that stupid Owlman-Superwoman-Ultraman love triangle) and it’s as overplayed and useless as you’d expect. He has a really interesting take on Power Ring, but it’s barely even addressed. DC gets so bogged down in it’s own mythology that the new stuff doesn’t get time to even make a real appearance. Not sure why I should care since I can just read the older stories that have covered the same ground. Oh! and Finch can’t draw teeth; it’s creepy.

Now some quick hits!

CBLDF Liberty Annual 2013: Writers/Artists: Various: Worth noting cause it’s for a good cause and full of good stories, the best being a weird Richard Corben story.

Hit #2 Writer: Bryce Carlson Artist: Vanesa R. Del Rey: Pieces keep moving in this weird L.A. Confidential-type story as more bad cops keep doing bad things. It’s really fun though and worth a look.

Mara #6 Writer: Brain Wood Artist: Ming Doyle: Is that the end of Mara? I can’t tell. If so, it’s a great ending of a great book.

The Star Wars #2 Writer: J. W. Rinzler Artist: Mike Mayhew: This is still the weirdest most confusing thing I’ve ever read, and I think I love it.

Savage Wolverine #9 Writer/Artist: Jock: This is a very strange issue. That doesn’t mean it’s bad though, it’s got potential, but only if you already like Jock’s style (it’s very much in his style, of course)

Fantomex Max #1 Writer: Andrew Hope Artist: Shawn Crystal: Hey look Fantomex can swear! Boy does he ever in this weird issue. It’s OK, we’ll see how long it lasts.

And that’s the week! See you kids next time.

“The” Dan Jacka

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