Lynx #5 - G-Man Comics

LYNX No. 5, August 2024

Tackling the rather enthralling (and arguably disconcerting) question as to whether a known child killer should “face the justice system or street justice”, Rik Offenberger’s narrative for Issue Five of “Lynx” quite understandably contains some deadly serious set-pieces. True, the American author does inject this comic with the occasional moment of humour, such as when Mateo Martinez wishes he owned an actual ‘Lynxmobile’ with which to drive into action. But the central theme ensures that much of what takes place within its twenty-pages is delivered with plenty of gravitas and solemnity.

For openers, the relationship between the colourfully-costumed Federal Agents and Police Department appears to be as prickly as a reader might expect, especially when the titular characters are authorised to take over a local officer’s investigation. This tension is so well-written its palpability quite literally leaps off the printed panels, and it should come as absolutely no surprise to the audience that the disheartened cop turns to some distinctly shady help in order to rectify the situation; “Mascaras Asesino is killing kids in the neighbourhood and you’re drinking coffee. I don’t want your money, and we aren’t friends.”

Equally as well penned though is debatably the handling of Hombre Pinata, who considering is dressed like a walking, papier-mâché container crammed full of sweets, is completely convincing as the resident vigilante who is determined to ensure that Columbia Height’s latest mass-murderer doesn’t slaughter any other adolescents. In fact, Jorge Pérez’s colourfully-costumed alter-ego, and his no-nonsense ‘rule of law’ will doubtless resonate with many a bibliophile whose own faith in their judicial system has taken a bit of a battering.

Undeniably doing their part to help Offenberger sell the sheer brutality of “Retribution” are Alan Faria and colorist Teo Pinheiro, who together provide this publication with plenty of beguiling visuals, including somehow imbuing the aforementioned Senor Pinata with all the physical heft of a genuine neighbourhood heavy. In addition, it will be difficult for some in this comic’s audience not to wince when Pérez attacks “the man who killed Ricardo Tapia’s daughter” with a barb-wired baseball bat, and quite literally puts the sports accessory right through Asesino’s torso.

The regular cover art to "LYNX" #5 by Alan Faria

Nightwing #106 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 106, November 2023

Whilst neither Nightwing nor Batgirl really “sail the high seas” in this twenty-two page publication as “DC Comics” solicitation suggests, it doesn’t mean for a second that Tom Taylor’s storyline is any less riveting. In fact, “The Crew Of The Crossed” still contains an abundance of swashbuckling saltiness with which to ensnare the audience’s imagination, and keep them utterly hooked as they’re plunged neck-deep in the mysteries of the Quartermaster’s enigmatic Hold; “Oh, it’ll be worth it. This is beyond anything you’ve ever seen. We’re talking generations of wealth in one -- It’s gone.”

Furthermore, this pirate-flavoured periodical also provides plenty for the adrenalin-junkies out there, courtesy of a pulse-pounding set-piece which sees the titular character and Barbara Gordon’s more sedentary alter-ego chasing down an ambulance through the busy streets of Bludhaven. Such a headlong dash could easily have become a somewhat typical affair as seen in many a comic book. But such is the Australian author’s skill that he imbues Dick Grayson will plenty of panache as he holds a polite conversation with his distant lover whilst simultaneously battering a pair of overconfident body-snatchers.

Similarly as successful as this tome’s penmanship is its pencilling, with Stephen Byrne providing its layouts with lots of shadowy subterfuge and secrecy. Indeed, considering that Ruben Blüd’s costume simply consists of the former Captain wearing a sailor's sou'wester and waterproof jacket, the actual character generates a spellbinding air of ambiguity which makes him utterly convincing as the pivotal protector of an ancient secret society, who seemingly knows the location of several highly sought-after safes.

Far more tongue-in-cheek, though potentially just as deadly for Nightwing as this comic’s main tale, is Michael Conrad’s short “Breakfast For Dinner”. Initially dealing with Richard just teaching Cassandra Cain how to make his famous pancakes in her flat's kitchen, this somewhat harmless undertaking may well be seen by some bibliophiles as something of a ‘filler’. However, throw in a well-dressed, professional assassin who plans to kill Grayson just as soon as the right moment presents itself, as well as two incarnations of Batgirl, and this tale contains some unexpected bite which should cause most Bat-fans to promptly visiting their local book shop to ensure they've pre-ordered a copy of its next instalment.

The regular cover art of "NIGHTWING" #106 by Bruno Redondo

Never By Night: Disturbing Passages Into The Unknown - SnowyWorks [Part One]

NEVER BY NIGHT: DISTURBING PASSAGES INTO THE UNKNOWN, October 2024

Opening up this “newest annual event read” with a twenty-three page trip down into the murky depths of a small town’s dirty, disused garden pond, Jonathan Chance arguably seems able to conjure up the atmosphere of Rob Reiner’s 1985 teenage boy drama movie “Stand by Me” combined with a healthy dose of bone-tingling terror. Indeed, despite many in the audience probably guessing the future fate of poor Arthur Rogers, having earnestly promised the murderous monster he encounters that the lad won’t ever return to tentacled gestalt’s deadly abode in Fairhaven, there’s still plenty of narrative and grisly-goings on to enjoy inside “If I Never Come Back.”

For starters the story’s first half, which depicts three children bravely forgoing an over-packed swimming lido for an ill-advised dip in a fenced off pool, contains everything a fear-fan would want from such a familiar horror setting - including the so-called protagonists being so busy goading one another to dive in that they never truly appreciate why none of the other locals have never thought of visiting the same place. In addition, once one of them finally makes the plunge, the storyline solely focuses upon the youth scrambling for a solution to his dire predicament on his own, courtesy of his supposed friends quickly leaving him to potentially a fate worse than death; “I’m sorry Arthur.”

This bargain with the devil beneath the water's surface is then subsequently explored, as the incredibly lucky survivor risks a fleeting visit to the completely renovated municipality some thirty-two years later so as to settle things with his former pals. As aforementioned, it’s pretty transparent that somehow the now bespectacled father of two is going to somehow inadvertently enter the dread beast’s submerged lair once again, so the writer’s skill comes with him wrong-footing the reader in predicting just how this catastrophic confrontation will occur.

Definitely adding plenty of gratuitous physical mutilation to these published proceedings is Dell Barras, whose pencilling quite wonderfully captures both the wide-eyed innocence of youth in the trio of boys, whilst simultaneously showing a former victim of the skull-faced water creature getting his head squished flat with a multi-suckered appendage. Admittedly, some may struggle to realise that the beast rises to the surface during its early conversation with Arthur, as that sequence isn’t perhaps as clearly sketched as some might like. But there’s no doubting overall that the illustrator does a good job in drawing the hair-raising events as they transpire, and quite unnervingly captures the stark terror on the central character’s face when he realises that he is once again nose-to-nose with the entity that has for so long haunted his thoughts.

Written by: Jonathan Chance, Illustrated by: Dell Barras, and Colored by: Davi Comodo

G-Men United #3 - G-Man Comics

G-MEN UNITED No.3, October 2023

Containing five stories, or six if the rather mischievous Editor-in-Chief is to be believed in his foreword, there can surely be little doubt that Issue Three of “G-Men United” certainly gives plenty of bang for its buck. Indeed the anthology comic is an excellent example of Rik Offenberger’s ever-expanding universe, with all manner of imaginative costumed crime-fighters, demi-gods and deities depicted battling fire-breathing dragons, fending off murderous forest beasts, and even becoming the centre of attention for an unscrupulous boss of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; “She could be the world’s greatest champion, or the end of all life on Earth. I’m only going to have one chance to win her trust.”

Foremost of these adventures though is undoubtedly “Fire!” which sees the Agent cajoling poor Maya Santiago into mentoring the potentially deadly Atomik Bombshell. Penned across just eight pages, this yarn does an excellent job of showing the super-heroine’s nervousness at tackling such a great responsibility, as well as quickly hurling the audience into a seriously high-octane scrap against an impressively sketched giant winged serpent – complete with Sister Flag trying to blow the mythical beast away with a hand-held bazooka.

Somewhat slower paced, simply on account of Taranis excitedly showing his beloved Dara the splendour of his “long-missed home”, Avalorr, is Eric N. Bennett’s fantasy-based tale “The Eyes of Esh-Kar”. Rather intriguingly touching upon the central protagonist’s chauvinism, or perhaps his lady’s ungratefulness at being rescued just prior to her being mauled to death by a sharp-toothed monster, there’s a fair bit of character development to be found within its dungeon & dragons-flavoured doings which helps bring artists Ron Williams and Victor Raniery’s wonderfully sketched medieval metropolis to vibrant life.

Lastly, many a bibliophile may well be enthralled by the third instalment to “The Night Lili” due to the ongoing narrative quite neatly dealing with both the aftermath of the True Knight’s injuries battling against a dark-hearted demonette, as well as setting the super-heroes up for a rematch. Initially, this refight appears to be a bit of a one-sided affair, courtesy of Red Halo’s involvement. But all is not what it seems when it's revealed that the original Astor’s body is disconcertingly “beginning to be someone” else, and resultantly the nefarious Lili can’t simply be banished to another realm just yet.

The regular cover art of "G-MEN UNITED" #3 by Stefani Rennee

Daredevil [2022] #7 - Marvel Comics

DAREDEVIL No. 7, March 2023

Containing an interesting take on the titular character’s personal war against the “Laws of Man”, as well as setting up a potential roller-coaster of a ride for its subsequent instalment, it is easy to see why Issue Seven on “Daredevil” was the sixth best-selling comic in January 2023 – at least according to the online trade magazine “ICv2.com”. Indeed, despite the Man Without Fear teaming up with a band of minor league super-villains against Charlotte’s Police Department during an eviction exercise, there probably wasn’t many within this book’s audience who were particularly supportive of the ‘Thin Blue Line’ as the authority's threaten, bully and batter the unhappy occupants of a high-rise flat.

In addition, Chip Zdarsky’s script does a first-rate job in showing Matt Murdock’s costumed alter-ego using his ‘supporters’ to the best of their special abilities, such as when Speed Demon is directed to defuse a series of explosive charges set up throughout the building just before they’re detonated with the tenants and cops still inside. This command clearly comes rather easily to a seasoned crime-fighter such the red-hued Defender. But it isn’t penned too over dramatically, at least until Hornhead ‘spots’ an unfound bomb on the roof with just seconds to spare, and simply just shows Bill Everett’s co-creation taking on the additional responsibilty of leading an army in his stride.

Likewise, this twenty-page periodical’s plot provides its readers with plenty of evidence as to just how good the blind lawyer can be by having him tackle Castlemax’s illegal eviction notices at both the source, and in the courts. This two-pronged attack appears to work really well, and again adds an element of legitimacy to Matt’s somewhat ‘holier than thou’ claims that he is now answering a far higher calling than simply being the protector of Hell’s Kitchen; “Sometimes fear is the only weapon -- The gentlest weapon. We needed to stop him from doing more harm.”

Similarly as successful as Zdarksy’s penmanship is the artwork of Rafael De Latorre and Marco Checchetto, who along with inker Elisabetta D’Amico and colour artist Matthew Wilson, manage to imbue all the outraged and angry residents with a palpable sense of injustice. Furthermore, the illustration team impressively imbue the oafish government officials with all the arrogance required for so-called justice department agents to justly receive the odd smack in the mouth and kick to the head – especially when they’ve pencilled whacking a kid just because the adolescent bit one of them in defence of his terrified mother.

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, and Artists: Rafael De Latorre & Marci Checchetto

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #6 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 6, August 2024

Despite the rather enjoyable premise of Mystery Incorporated being used by the master villain of the piece to accidentally commit their nefarious crimes for them, courtesy of the fiend concocting a “sleuthing competition with a huge prize”, the pedestrian pace of Amanda Deibert’s twenty-page plot won’t have arguably excited many of this mini-series’ readers in June 2024. Furthermore, the storyline disappointingly relegates the Dark Knight himself to a rather disagreeable secondary character, who just ‘bookends’ this publication to initially arrest the hapless teenagers, and then later captures the true crook at its end; “Just as I suspected.”

Debatably this narrative’s biggest annoyance though can be found in Velma Dinkley’s holier than thou haughtiness, and the young girl’s obsessive compulsion to solve a riddle - even when it’s abundantly clear to the audience that the knee-high sock-wearing sleuth is being set-up. Such a fixation also requires the “New York Times bestselling comic book writer” to pen many a contrivance so as to let the young girl reach her goal, with the most notable being when the team are allowed to just walk past a national bank’s security unit straight to its central vault, and crack its lock so they can peruse its numerous safety deposit boxes.

Of course, many a bibliophile will need to be mindful that this issue’s more ludicrous sequences were probably written with humour in mind, such as Shaggy Rogers replacing Scooby-Doo at a dog grooming salon whilst the others explore the shop for evidence. But it’s hard to ignore the likes of Fred Jones fortuitously finding a stethoscope in a flower pot right beside the strong room just after he had successfully completed “an online safecracking course this summer while I was bored.”

Disappointingly adding to this overriding feeling of lethargy are Dario Bruizuela’s layouts, which apart from an initial flurry at the start when Daphne Blake is sketched running for her life from a ghost inside Huntingstun Library, generally struggle to add any adrenalin to the periodical’s proceedings. In addition, many of the panels appear disconcertingly empty apart from the figures of the central cast, with the scenes set inside the bank’s safe looking particularly plain and uninteresting.

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Coloured by: Franco Riesco

Uncanny X-Men #3 - Marvel Comics

UNCANNY X-MEN No. 3, November 2024

Delightfully crammed full of pulse-pounding action, along with some utterly enthralling insights into both the “completely untrained young mutants” who Rogue has promised to coach, and the truly terrifying Hag, Gail Simone’s narrative for Issue Three of “Uncanny X-Men” should genuinely take long-term fans of the super-group’s franchise back to it’s ‘Golden Years’ under Chris Claremont’s prolific pen. In fact, the twenty-page periodical’s plot is pretty near perfect, with the American author even somehow managing to convincingly convey Anna Marie LeBeau’s deep-rooted love for Gambit within the space of just a few text boxes; “And I wouldn’t trade this bed nothin’. Nor this fella its loaded with. My rambunctious boy.”

Furthermore, the comic should keep any new readers hooked with its barbed warnings concerning Corina Ellis’ relationship with Sarah Gaunt’s emaciated alter-ego. Up until this point the good Doctor and her Sentry Team have been depicted as being all-powerful, most notably in their complete overhaul of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters mansion. However, despite all the so-called “most sophisticated A.I. security ever conceived”, it appears evident that the Hag can simply move from cell to cell without any problem whatsoever – an ability which intriguingly bodes ill for Captain Erza, or anyone else who may stand in the self-proclaimed witch’s way in the future.

Of course, the meat of this super-heroic sandwich rests with Nightcrawler testing out the Outliers remarkable abilities, whilst simultaneously giving the audience a little bit of background as to where the adolescents come from. This action sequence is really well paced, with Deathdream’s powers particularly proving memorable after the boy almost throttles poor Kurt Wagner to death. Indeed, the entire ensemble are all shown to be quite dangerous once the red mist of battle falls over their eyes.

Also worthy of a mention has to be David Marquez, who provides this publication with some proficient pencilling and well-planned layouts. The initial horizontal panels used for the comic’s dialogue driven opening set an even pace for the various conversations taking place, and doesn’t truly stop until Rogue takes her new charges in-hand with a dynamically-drawn farm-based interpretation of the famous Danger Room – complete with haystacks, a ship’s mast and plenty of wooden stakes.

The regular cover art to "UNCANNY X-MEN" #3 by David Marquez & Matthew Wilson