BRZRKR #6 - BOOM! Studios

BRZRKR No. 6, December 2021

Absolutely packed full of senseless violence from across the ages, Issue Six of “BRZRKR” grabs its audience straight from the start, and never lets go until its shock ending, which makes plain just how strongly the American authorities have been playing this comic’s titular character for a fool from the start. Indeed, within the space of just a few panels at this book’s very end, any sympathy readers might have had for Doctor Diana Ahuja and her possible feelings for the immortal warrior are arguably thrown completely out of the window, following the revelation that the woman was “secretly recording everything” her ‘patient’ had been saying during his most recent ‘botched’ mission.

Equally as successful in generating a strong emotional reaction from any perusing bibliophile is Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt’s sub-plot depicting Berzerker’s badly-injured handler, Jim, needing to receive modern-day medical attention before he dies from his wounds. Bleeding from a large hole in his side, as well as literally being covered in multiple shrapnel cuts, the fever-riddled fighter’s increasingly poor health is poignantly well-penned, and at one point makes it genuinely appear as if the seasoned soldier is about to succumb to his infected lacerations just before his journey to safety up into the mountaintops can be successfully achieved; “You… You’ve seen so much conflict. Why’d you pick our side?”

Impressively, the fact that the pair’s failed assignment was in reality doomed before it even began, courtesy of Caldwell deciding to risk the veteran soldier’s life in order to elicit a “brothers in arms” moment of trusting revelation between the two blood-soaked men, never enters the mind until the rescue chopper finally lands. But once the United States' duplicity becomes clear, the sheer sense of betrayal towards those who are supposedly meant to be helping Berzerker deal with his persistent bloodlust is disconcertingly palpable.

Ron Garney also needs an enormous ‘pat on the back’ for his crucial contribution to this twenty-four page periodical. The artist produces some memorable, jaw-dropping set-pieces, such as an unarmed immortal warrior lifting up an enemy tank with his bare hands or participating in a large-scale, black powder-era fracas, which really help sell the ferocious nature of the Berzerker’s fighting prowess. However, it’s probably the penciller’s ability to slowly suggest the biting fatigue wearing Jim down during his travels through the hostile countryside which will remain longest in the mind’s eye.

Written by: Keanu Reeves & Matt Kindt, Illustrated by: Ron Garney, and Colored by: Bill Crabtree

Stargirl Spring Break Special #1 - DC Comics

STARGIRL SPRING BREAK SPECIAL No. 1 July 2021

Weighing in at an impressive thirty-one pages, there was arguably always going to be an element of padding to this one-shot’s narrative before Geoff John’s finally brought the titular character into direct conflict with the notorious Clock King. But whilst this publication’s opening two-thirds tries to make such a ‘penmanship ploy’ less conspicuous than normal by including an enjoyable recap as to just how Oliver Green went back in time to become the Golden Age Green Arrow, the vast majority of this book simply consists of Courtney Whitmore talking to her stepfather, Pat Dugan.

Fortunately, the “legendary comic writer” does eventually inject this book with an incredible amount of sense-shattering shenanigans by the time his storyline reaches its final act, and the American author’s “breakthrough hero” teams-up with Red Arrow for a ‘trip’ to South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach. Admittedly, having been abandoned by the ‘adults’ to find their own way to the ship-shaped “time machine built by someone called Per Degaton”, any convincing explanations as to precisely what is going on with so considerably-sized a cast are debatably thrown right out of the window; “When the boat exploded, it imploded, got shunted through time… and apparently reappeared off the South Carolina coast somewhere.”

Yet, what this pulse-pounding action sequence lacks in exposition, it more than makes up for in dynamism, with the Seven Soldiers of Victory battling a flock of Pterodactyls, whilst Lee Travis desperately tries to steer the out of the control sea vessel to safety. Impressively crammed full of explosions, multiple time distortion effects, and a genuinely heart-wrenching decision as to just who will live and die following the ship’s destruction, this climax is incredibly well-written and is well worth the cover price of the comic alone.

Likewise, Todd Nauck’s artwork throughout this “special” is simply superb, with the Texas-born illustrator even making the more sedentary moments set at the Last Roundup restaurant entirely agreeable to the eye, courtesy of his highly-polished pencilling giving the likes of Dugan plenty of emotion as he discloses what happened to his team-mates from the Forties to an eager-eared Courtney. In addition, Green Arrow’s fisticuffs with the Clock King on board a large flying time-piece hovering above a burning ocean, is outstandingly drawn, and captures all the fast-paced excitement wanted from a confrontation between two such long-standing opponents.

The regular cover art of "STARGIRL SPRING BREAK SPECIAL" #1 by Todd Nauck

Star Trek: The Mirror War: Data #1 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE MIRROR WAR: DATA No. 1, December 2021

Packed full of bizarre contrivances and unconvincingly manufactured set-pieces, Celeste Bronfman’s narrative for this “one-shot set in the Mirror Universe of The Next Generation” arguably didn't land with fans of Gene Roddenberry’s science fiction franchise anywhere near as well as the mini-series’ central title. Indeed, apart from supposedly returning Data and Reginald Barclay to “peak operating efficiency”, it’s hard to see just how this particular twenty-page periodical progresses the year-long event’s overall storyline.

True, the comic does open with the crew of the I.S.S. Enterprise-D suddenly seeming to have acquired a Romulan cloaking device from a recent ‘off-screen’ mission, and such stealth technology will clearly be of enormous benefit to Jean-Luc Picard’s plan to become the sovereign ruler of the Terran Empire. But the lack of its acquisition’s coverage within the book is definitely one of this publication’s biggest disappointments, especially when it becomes clear that the “biological cousins of Vulcans” could actually have arranged for the Galaxy-class starship’s away team to steal the invisibility screen simply so the vessel would later blow itself up when it was activated; “Do you also believe we killed an entire ship of Romulans and risked out lives to retrieve a device we can’t use?”  

Instead, the “award winning” author pens a sedentary tale in which the Enterprise just happens to be passing Reg’s home planet, and upon which a hundred year-old mystery involving the Barclay family and Klingon treachery is just waiting to be solved by Data. This principal plot seems highly implausible, with the Lieutenant’s ancestors historically being accused of conspiracy by the Erya estate and the engineering officer’s bloodline subsequently being threatened with extermination as a result. Unsurprisingly, Noonien Soong’s creation soon discovers a bottle of Klingon bloodwine in plain view inside of Erya’s cellar, and one quick scan of the imperial network later conveniently discovers “video footage of Merliak granting the Klingons access to Solaris’ defence systems.”

Far more enjoyable than this wafer thin ‘whodunnit’ are Roberta Ingranata’s layouts, which do a prodigious job in depicting Bronfman’s script, especially during Inquisitor Troi’s rather tense disagreement with her Captain over whether they should activate the Romulan cloaking device before La Forge returns from some mysterious assignment in the Delta Quadrant. The Italian artist’s illustrations are also noteworthy for her attempt to occasionally give the reader an entirely different perspective of proceedings, such as Data’s almost ‘Terminator-like’ view of Erya’s armed minions when his covert reconnaissance of her holdings is discovered.

Writer: Celeste Bronfman, Artist: Roberta Ingranata, and Colorist: Valentina Pinto

Batman: The Detective #6 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 6, January 2022

Whilst many Bat-fans may justifiably agree with “DC Comics” pre-publication claim that Tom Taylor’s overarching narrative for “Batman: The Detective” ultimately produced an “epic [mini] series”, there were probably a few readers of this final instalment who disagreed with the Burbank-based publisher’s belief that its sixth issue also successfully delivered a “stunning conclusion” to the Australian author’s storyline too. Indeed, considering all the utter mayhem the deadly Equilibrium have wrought upon the world during this title’s preceding chapters, the surprising simplicity of the Caped Crusader’s ultimate victory over the insane terrorist organisation could arguably be seen as something of a disappointment. Fortunately though, the fact Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego just has to hack into Charlotte Le Serf’s squadron of pre-programmed, death-dealing military drones in order to thwart her dastardly scheme to destroy London, doesn’t debatably detract from the rest of this twenty-two page periodical’s pulse-pounding plot.

To begin with, the Melbourne-born writer pens a seemingly tragic demise to Henri Ducard’s life at the hands of a truly ferocious Sullivan Petit, only to then have the titular character heroically save his former mentor in the very next panel. This sort of ‘last minute’ rescue genuinely helps make the comic an unputdownable read, but also helps demonstrate just how close to his upper limits the Dark Knight is actually being pushed by the well-financed criminal society. In addition, Batman’s sudden appearance alongside the likes of Knight and Squire on board a Thames ferryboat leads to one of this adventure’s most enjoyable rematches, as the costumed vigilante goes toe-to-toe with the gigantically-sized Sullivan for one last bout of fisticuffs; “Oh @#$%.”

Admirably supporting Taylor in all these sense-shattering shenanigans are Andy Kubert’s pencils, which do an incredible job of depicting the violence people like Le Serf can physically dish out when the situation calls for her. The woman’s single-handed rescue of her imprisoned henchmen against a gaggle of well-armed security guards during this comic’s opening really helps set a strong visual tempo for the rest of the book, and the American artist impressively manages to maintain this pace even during some of the more sedentary sequences, such as when Charlotte suicidally places a gun to her head when she realises her nemesis has just saved her life.

Writer: Tom Taylor, Pencils: Andy Kubert, and Inks: Sandra Hope

Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle #4 - Marvel Comics

WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE No. 4, January 2022

Having spent the best part of three instalments showing Canoness Veridyan slowly leading her squad of Adepta Sororitas through the corruption-filled corridors of the planet Siscia, Torunn Grønbekk’s narrative for Issue Four of “Warhammer: Sisters Of Battle” probably provided many of its readers with some sense of satisfaction by finally having the all-female infiltration team encounter their target, Inquisitor Acolyte. Yet whilst this meeting does a good job of illustrating just how much of a cursed heretic Origen has become during his time on the “minor Imperial Mining World”, it arguably does so in such a heavy-handed manner that it raises several questions as to why the ‘Daughters of the Emperor’ didn’t just try to extricate the treacherous Inquisitorial henchman en mass from this mini-series’ start..?

To begin with, having finally learnt of his agent’s betrayal, Inquisitor Ander immediately dismisses any need for the urgent secrecy upon which this entire storyline’s premise has debatably been based, and instead informs Canoness Preceptor Oris that she may now crush the Chaos-led rebellion with maximum effort. This complete U-turn is genuinely infuriating and whilst it supposedly makes the Orders Militant’s commander-in-chief “grateful for this moment when the politics and uncertainty fade into irrelevance”, it also means that Veridyan never needed to attempt so doomed a mission to begin with just a handful of warriors.

Likewise, it appears abundantly clear that Novitiate Ghita’s team had absolutely no hope of ever making it through their assignment undiscovered, when both the planet’s Governor and Origen were neck deep in the mysterious Crea’s perfidies straight from this story’s start. Disconcertingly however, the removal of such clandestineness isn’t seemingly communicated to the Sisters prowling underground, but that doesn’t stop them literally blowing up the chaos force’s headquarters in a highly visible effort to extract the acolyte from his mistress’ demonic side; “Milady. The Sisters of Battle are on the ground. Our forces are ready. We only need your order.”

Perhaps therefore, this twenty-page periodical’s most notable highlight is to be found within the layouts of Edgar Salazar. The freelance artist does an excellent job of drawing the mindless violence surround the Sisterhood during its skirmishes with Origen’s numerous minions, and surely must have raised a smile upon the lips of many a “Warhammer 40,000” fan with his sketch of Veridyan double knee-capping her ungrateful ‘charge’ after he foolishly attempts to escape by unsuccessfully strangling Tedra.

The regular cover art of "WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE" #4 by Dave Wilkins

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #102 - DC Comics

BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT No. 102, January 1998

Absolutely dripping with murderous menace and a decidedly arctic atmosphere, James Robinson’s opening instalment to his three-part storyline “Spook” surely must have thrilled Bat-fans everywhere when it first hit the spinner-racks in January 1998. For whilst the basic premise behind the ‘whodunnit’ is unashamedly contrived simply to 'serve up' this comic’s considerable cast into the hands of a homicidal maniac, the thought of several billionaires being trapped in a seemingly deserted mansion in the middle of an icy wilderness definitely helps keep the audience guessing as to just who the mysterious killer actually is.

In fact, one of the Inkpot Award-winner’s strengths with this publication is his ability to quickly paint a pen-picture of all the different personalities thrown together for his narrative, and then almost immediately begin whittling away at them, courtesy of some extremely violent deaths, just as soon the reader forms an opinion as to just who within the motley band they either like or dislike; “Don’t pay him any mind. Some people don’t realize that we’re all living on the same planet.”

In addition, the British-born writer also helps add an extra element of vulnerability to this twenty-one page periodical’s plot by having Bruce Wayne appear just as bamboozled by its strange supernatural events as everyone else. Initially depicted as clearly being the ‘man in charge’ of the upper class conference to ease the world’s environmental issues, the Caped Crusader soon starts to question his own sanity when he apparently confronts a ghost and is felled by his intangible opponent by a well-placed karate chop to the neck.

Equally as enjoyable as the script to Issue One Hundred and Two of “Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight” are the layouts of Paul Johnson, which do a tremendous job in helping sell the sheer terror and stark cold of the situation. The former “2000 A.D.” illustrator appears particularly good at adding little visual clues, such as David Gracy’s runny nose or Jason Maconi’s hot breath, to many of his panels so as to emphasise the bitingly chilly conditions, and later does an incredible job of portraying the aforementioned bespectacled businessman’s evident horror during his final, tortured moments of life.

Writer: James Robinson, Artist: Paul Johnson, and Colorist: Dan Brown

Dune: House Atreides #12 - BOOM! Studios

DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES No. 12, December 2021

Bringing their twelve-issue long comic book adaption to an end, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s narrative for this twenty-two page periodical undeniably brings some semblance of resolution to the trials and tribulations of Duke Leto Atreides. But whilst the young ruler of Caladan succeeds in protesting his innocence before the great Landsradd Court on Kaitain, courtesy of a personal plea by the upcoming Padishah Emperor himself, the vast majority of this publication disconcertingly seems much more concerned with laying down the groundwork for the collaborative authors’ subsequent printed chronicles rather than even partially resolving the numerous character-arcs of this particular storyline’s sizeable cast.

Perhaps the biggest of these disappointments is the notion that Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is never once suspected of being behind the mysterious destruction of a Tleilaxu ship aboard a heighliner, despite the fact that his animosity towards the Atreides is apparently well-known to the numerous noble houses of the distant future. If Leto himself wasn’t behind the surprise attack, and Thufir Hawat is convinced of this despite all the crime’s physical evidence suggesting otherwise, then surely the famed Mentat and Master of Assassins would quickly deduce just who would be manipulating the events so as to destroy his duke; “We were supposed to start a war that would wipe out both House Atreides and the Tleilaxu! It failed entirely -- and now that pup is seen as a hero!”

Likewise, debatably out of no-where, the audience discovers that both Hasimir Fenring and Earl Dominic are unconvincingly destined to set up a base of operations upon Arrakis so as to further their own personal ends. Just why Crown Prince Shaddam would exile his former friend upon Dune as its Imperial Spice Observer is never explained, nor how the “harsh desert planet” seemingly still has water enough to create large ice caves within which the outlawed Vernius Family can house their fighters and atomics for a surprise attack upon the treacherous Emperor..?

Happily however, what Issue Twelve of “Dune: House Atreides” debatably lacks in satisfying resolutions, it does make up for with some eye-pleasing pencils. Dev Pramanik’s layouts for the Tleilaxu wheeling their torture device into the court-room and enthusiastically declaring their intention to “drain every drop of his blood” if they succeed in their prosecution of Leto are tremendously well-drawn, as is the determination upon Dominic's grim visage to have his revenge upon the murderers of his beloved wife, when the embittered Earl visits her final resting place on Bela Tegeuse.

The regular cover art of "DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES" #12 by Evan Cagle

Iron Man [2020] #14 - Marvel Comics

IRON MAN No. 14, January 2022

Heralding “the birth of the Cosmic Iron Man”, and debatably consisting of little more than a twenty-page long dream sequence in which Tony Stark supposedly fixes himself by disconcertingly imaging the utter annihilation of every noteworthy super-hero on Earth, many readers of “Through The Mirror” were probably wondering why Christopher Cantwell didn’t just ask artist Cafu to simply sketch a splash illustration or two to depict the titular character’s current mental instability, rather than painfully ‘pad out’ an entire issue with it. Frustratingly however, that doesn’t happen, and instead this particular publication slowly plods along at a pedestrian pace reliving how, as an adolescent, the Golden Avenger’s alter-ego was always alone – especially following the death of his parents; “I must’ve sat there for hours. No one saw me. No one ever saw me.”

Similarly as devoid of any dynamism is the American author’s sub-plot involving Iron Man’s determination to change the world for the better, and his realisation that “I’m always in my own way” whenever he sets about fashioning such transformations. Shell-head’s egotism is arguably already legendary, so a prolonged sequence featuring Stark facing a much larger incarnation of himself repeatedly blocking him in attaining his goal with just a couple of gigantically-sized armoured fingers, doesn’t seemingly help progress this story’s overall narrative, just somewhat alarmingly extends it.

Indeed, possibly this book’s sole highlight is when Tony decides “it’s time for me to be in charge for a while”, and realises that he’ll need to kill all of his former team-mates in order to do so. This psychopathic slip of the mind is genuinely disturbing, and is penned as being such a natural consequence to the billionaire’s elevation into a comically enhanced overlord, that the cold-blooded murder of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and even Captain America, doesn’t seem to bother the titular character’s conscience at all. 

Desperately trying to help ‘fill out’ Issue Fourteen of “Iron Man” are artists Cafu and Angel Unzueta, who, at least according to the Marvel Database on the “Fandom” digital platform, would appear to have quite literally split the job of pencilling this book between them. The “Marvel Comics exclusive artist” certainly captures the imagination with the horrifically murderous assault a deranged Stark launches against the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, whilst Unzueta proficiently tackles this magazine’s conclusion in which Tony finally confronts Korvac.

The regular cover art of "IRON MAN" #14 by Alex Ross

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #1 - IDW Publishing

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN No. 1, November 2020

Advertised by “IDW Publishing” as “the TMNT event of 2020”, Tom Waltz’s narrative for Issue One of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin” arguably reads more like a simple reimaging of John Carpenter’s 1981 science fiction film “Escape from New York” rather than something original “springing from the minds of co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird”. But whilst this paperback’s basic premise may well be ‘borrowed’ from “one of the greatest masters of the horror genre”, its blinding pace, phenomenal action sequences, and surprising cliff-hanger of a conclusion, certainly seems to make it live up to its promise of being “one of the most memorable TMNT stories you will ever read!”

To begin with, there’s plenty of unexplained mystery surrounding just which of Master Splinter’s students the sole-surviving assassin attempting to infiltrate Oroku Hiroto’s headquarters actually is. Repeatedly shrouded in shadows, at least for this adventure’s earliest scenes, the deadly warrior seems to predominantly favour the twin sai known to have been Raphael’s preferred weapon of choice. However, these ninjutsu melee weapons are soon replaced with a sword, hand-baton, and even micro-grenades by the titular character whenever the situation demands it; “Old turtle. New tricks.”

Likewise, the mechanical army of the Shredder’s grandson is an intriguingly mixed affair consisting of everything from synthetic Robo Ninja Cops with human body parts wired into their armour, through to flying Mousers with lasers. This incredible variety of foe causes the Ronin to consistently adapt his fighting style, and leads to a pulse-pounding mixture of stealthy approaches, high octane diversionary explosions and straightforward fist-fighting all taking place in order to successfully ensure the ‘lone wolf’ edges ever closer towards his increasingly terrified target.

Esau and Isaac Escorza’s pencils/inks are also worthy of praise, with this oversized comic’s lead protagonist never looking better bedecked in a literal arsenal of deadly close-combat weapons. The sheer speed projected by some of Kevin Eastman's layouts is truly breath-taking, such as the shinobi ‘skysurfing’ a stolen flying police car through a billboard and onto a rooftop, whilst there’s a definite ‘crunch’ behind each and every punch, kick or throw the determined turtle makes during his mission to “obtain justice for his fallen family.”

Story: Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird & Tom Waltz, and Pencils/Inks: Esau Escorza & Isaac Escorza

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #101 - DC Comics

BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT No. 101, December 1997

Set “a hundred years in the future” in both a very different and very dark Gotham City, it is perhaps somewhat understandable to believe that some within this comic’s audience mistakenly took John Wagner’s incarnation of Batman’s home as simply a less than subtle reimaging of the American-born British writer’s equally as famous post-apocalyptic metropolis’ Mega-City One. Indeed, considering that this twenty-four page periodical is packed full of “thought police, telepathic crime lords and antigravity technology”, as well as being superbly pencilled by legendary Judge Dredd co-creator Carlos Ezquerra, many a bibliophile was probably half-expecting this plot’s latest incarnation of the Dark Knight to reveal himself to actually be Old Stony Face himself.

Enjoyably however, none of these similarities debatably matter as the three time Eagle Award Winner pens a riveting tale involving Carmine Valera desperately trying to push the ‘Thought Crimes’ amendment bill through the senate so as to stop the truly deadly telepathic mutant Argos Leonard Jax from becoming an unassailable Crime Boss. The hoodlum’s incredible powers are quickly put on display, as he causes a councillor to commit suicide and then attacks the district attorney in her own home as a multi-faced, serpentine ghoul with a penchant for setting the dwelling on fire.

All of this scene setting is extremely well-paced and also helps set up Sergeant Mack’s evident obsession with the nineteenth edition of a book entitled “The Incredible Adventures Of Batman”. In fact, just a third of the way through this publication, the somewhat straightforward storyline is all set out, with a mysterious vigilante wearing an all-too familiar cape and cowl, setting himself the formidable task of overcoming Jax’s “impregnable to physical attack” gigantic “floating island” before the night is out; “The bat-line was rusted and unusable, but I repaired it. Other tools I fashioned myself. My technical know-how must be at least the equal of his.”

The following pulse-pounding, action-packed sequences are genuinely captivating, with this book’s Spanish artist imbuing the chisel-chinned super-hero with all the visceral menace this title’s readership would expect from Gotham’s protector. Seemingly able to wade through his numerous opponents with some ease using a mixture of blows, gadgetry, grenades and gas, the illustrator’s Batman is truly a force to be reckoned with, and it is not until Wagner’s narrative reaches its surprising conclusion that the true nature of this latest Caped Crusader is imaginatively revealed.

Writer: John Wagner, Artist: Carlos Ezquerra, and Letterer: Willie Schubert

A Man Among Ye #7 - Image Comics

A MAN AMONG YE No. 7, October 2021

Featuring a truly dynamic opening sequence in which Anne Bonny rather savagely demonstrates just why the Pirate queen is so feared by those cutthroats who sail the high seas, Stephanie Phillips’ narrative for Issue Seven of “A Man Among Ye” certainly sets a cracking pace. But whilst this vicious, and ultimately fatal furore, with a decidedly vile bounty hunter contains some truly sense-shattering swashbuckling with flaming torches, daggers, and deadly throwing knives, this comic arguably sags somewhat in the middle as it focuses upon a whimsical Captain John Rackham reminiscing about his time spent with his former red-haired lover two years earlier.

Of course, such a flashback firmly establishes the tight, intimate bond the pair enjoyed when previously carousing the Caribbean during “the waning days of piracy”, yet such second thoughts as to whether the rugged skipper will actually go through with his plan to give his ex-lover “a slow and painful death” doesn’t necessarily require Josh George to pencil six pages worth of panels. Indeed, a single splash illustration might have just as successfully delivered an insight into Rackham’s internal emotional battle, and resultantly given this comic’s creative team a little more room to explore Bonny’s successful escape from prison.

Enjoyably however, once the American author’s storyline does return to Anne’s desperate flight through a series of poorly-known underground passageways, this book’s earlier briskness returns in spades - most notably once a few well-placed Redcoats spot the fleeing jailbirds as they make their way to the port’s docks. This fracas genuinely helps sell how much more formidable a band of fighters the fleeing women have become since fate first threw them together, and the look of uncertainly upon the British riflemen’s faces as they confront such bold battlers is one of the highlights of the publication.

Likewise it’s nice to see both Phillips and George trying to give the swelling cast as much individual spotlight as possible during these intense, tightly-framed fight scenes. The likes of Jane Castor, Iris and Mary Read have debatably been little more than non-speaking passengers for much of the group’s flight, so it's rather enjoyable to finally witness them either blasting away at a hot-headed assault by the King’s finest, or demonstrating their prodigious seamanship skills when in a pinch. 

The regular cover art of "A MAN AMONG YE" #7 by Josh George

Shang-Chi [2021] #6 - Marvel Comics

SHANG-CHI No. 6, January 2022

As finale’s go, Gene Luen Yang arguably still leaves a lot ‘hanging in the air’ with his final instalment to “Shang-Chi Verses The Marvel Universe”. But whilst a truly despisable Tony Stark and Reed Richards disconcertingly depart the Master of Kung Fu’s partially destroyed headquarters still arrogantly believing that they were right to attack their former friend because of an evidently ill-placed hunch, the California-born writer’s storyline still provides its audience with plenty of high-octane, action-packed entertainment.

Foremost of this twenty-one page periodical’s hooks has to be the titanic tussle between Commander Hand and the mighty Thor, which momentarily threatens to level the entire House of the Deadly Sabre with the truly phenomenal forces on display. Admittedly, it soon becomes apparent that Shang-Chi isn’t actually fighting with “the power of Takemikazuchi, the God of Blades and Thunder”, but rather a disguised Cosmic Cube. However, such a deception at least momentarily manages to wipe the infuriatingly smug smile off of Odinson’s face, when he’s shockingly cut on the cheek by the seemingly rapier-sharp magical sword, and resultantly realises he might not actually be as undefeatable as his overconfident team-mates all believe.

Likewise, the elite martial artist’s ability to persistently hold off the best efforts of Iron Man are incredibly satisfying. The American author really does a first-rate job of penning the Golden Avenger as an incredibly dislikeable bully, whose contemptible self-importance supposedly fully justifies him being able to threaten a group of non-super-powered onlookers with death and destruction. So when the titular character stoically holds his own against Stark’s ‘trump card’, it’s not hard to imagine many within this publication’s audience cheering aloud at the billionaire industrialist's obvious discomfort; “Shang-Chi’s holding his own!”

Injecting this comic with all the sense-shattering sketches needed to make such a frenzied fracas followable is Dike Ruan and colorist Triona Farrell. The Chinese artist does a fantastic job of imbuing the Master of Kung Fu with all the blinding speed a reader might expect from a close combat expert occasionally referred to as “the Chi-Meister”, and later does an equally fine job in depicting all the electrical energy resonating from the mortal being’s intense battle against the living God of Thunder.

The regular cover art of "SHANG-CHI" #6 by Leinil Frances Yu & Sunny Gho

Artemis & The Assassin #3 - AfterShock Comics

ARTEMIS & THE ASSASSIN No. 3, July 2020

Whilst readers of a comic based upon the exploits of a time-travelling killer would understandably be expected to employ a willing suspension of disbelief during Issue Three of “Artemis And The Assassin”, it’s probably doubtful that many could cope with some of Stephanie Phillips’ more outlandish plot-threads for this particular publication. Indeed, having been almost fatally shot in the shoulder by her World War Two target and resultantly started bleeding out, the suggestion that Maya could subsequently throw punches during a mass fist-fight that are strong enough to fell a man with a single blow is debatably pushing the boat out a little too far. 

Disconcertingly however, that is precisely what occurs within the American author’s narrative for “It’s Just Time Travel”, as the seemingly always angry murderer and the utterly befuddled spy Virginia Hall, somehow manage to successfully escape the clutches of six heavily-armed gunmen in the Wild West. Sure, the pair’s repeated bravado in the face of having numerous pistols, rifles and shotguns rammed up against their heads certainly marks them out as two truly remarkable central protagonists. Yet it’s debatably difficult to imagine that ruthless desperados such as Dynamite Dutch Henderson would ever tolerate such aggressive resistance as the girls give him, especially when it later becomes clear his men mean to kill them anyway. 

Luckily though, this twenty-page periodical doesn’t just dwell upon events occurring in Goldfield, “the best city in Arizona”, in 1875, but also includes plenty of insight into the sheer scope of the Nine’s homicidal operation in the distant future. Isak’s confrontation with a disgruntled customer shows just how serious things can get when one of his cold-blooded agents fails in their job, plus the inclusion of Toby and the fifteen-century ninja, Akechi, demonstrates just how varied the corporation’s agents actually are; “Bring me a jumper, Bryon. I’ll deal with the other situation myself. If you want something done right…”

Equally as enjoyable as this comic’s exploration of Maya’s peers is Francesca Fantini’s artwork, which goes a long way to helping project the sheer violence of the world Phillips’ has created with this mini-series. Toby’s super-fast slaughter of some terrorists shows just how lethal the modern-day military sniper can be when the situation calls for it, whilst the Italian illustrator’s layouts involving Henderson’s violent assault upon his two supposedly helpless prisoners imbues the scene with an added layer of sheer physical brutality.

Writer & Creator: Stephanie Phillips, and Artist: Francesca Fantini

Battlestar Galactica #3 - Marvel Comics

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA No. 3, May 1979

Grabbing its audience by the throat and arguably dragging them through two-thirds of the theatrically released “Saga of a Star World” within the space of just seventeen-pages, Roger McKenzie’s script for Issue Three of “Battlestar Galactica” probably made little sense to anyone unlucky enough not to have seen Glen A. Larson’s $8 million pilot on the big screen. Indeed, this comic book adaption’s ending is so rushed that exploits such as Apollo and Starbuck momentous battle against a Cylon Baseship orbiting Carillon is relegated to just three hastily compressed panels crowbarred in at the end of the edition, whilst the likes of Cassiopeia and Sire Uri are absent from this particular periodical entirely.

Such major truncations and omissions genuinely damage this storyline’s pacing, and begs the question as to whether the American author was anticipating having another issue (or two) with which to work with. Certainly everything seems to be going smoothly with the writing up until Boomer discovers the Ovion’s mesmerising casino in the middle of nowhere, and then suddenly the entire subplot concerning Uri awarding the Gold Cluster to the three pilots who successfully navigated the desperate fleet through the Nova of Magadon is skipped. Admittedly, this exclusion does add an extra element of mystery to Starbuck spotting several Colonial warriors from his own squadron who he’s never seen before. But such an enigma doesn’t last long as within a handful of millicentons the Lieutenant is suddenly up to his armpits in Cylon warriors and human-eating Ovion hatchlings; “A-Apollo… I think I’m gonna be s-sick…”

Perhaps however, the biggest disappointment to the curtailing of the movie’s climax is that it robs Ernie Colon of the opportunity to pencil more great pictures of the “race of robots at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity.” The Puerto Rican artist does a stellar job depicting the Imperious Leader’s hulking minions during their discussion with Carillon’s resident insectoid creatures as to how the Galactica’s population will ultimately be destroyed. So it’s a real shame that the illustrator isn’t then later given more room with which to sketch the silver-chromed soldiers being blasted to pieces by the likes of Apollo, Starbuck and Boomer deep inside the planet’s claustrophobic catacombs.

Script: Roger McKenzie, Art: Ernie Colon, and Colors: Marie Severin

Harley Quinn #6 - DC Comics

HARLEY QUINN No. 6, October 2021

Featuring a somewhat run-of-the-mill storyline concerning the titular character successfully stopping Professor Strange’s importation of illicit drugs from Alleytown into the Secure And Fearless Engagement (S.A.F.E.) program, as well as the artwork of ‘guest’ contributor Laura Braga, it is perhaps easy to see just why Issue Six of “Harley Quinn” saw a disappointing drop in sales of some 4,000 copies during August 2021. Sure, Stephanie Phillips pens some truly exhilarating fight-scenes for Catwoman with which to showcase Selina Kyle’s formidable fighting skills, but so straightforward are the threats facing this publication’s pair of anti-heroes that it’s debatably hard to shake off the feeling that this particular comic is simply a ‘holding statement’ before the American author’s larger narrative resumes anew with the next instalment. Indeed, the actual ‘raid’ upon Hugo’s secret warehouse is surprisingly over before it has really started, due to Bill Finger’s whip-wielding co-creation almost single-handedly taking down the building’s balaclava-wearing malcontents within the space of just of a few panels; “There’s at least fifteen guys with guns down there… You can’t just expect to fight them all without some kind of distraction or --” 

Instead, what “Cat & Quinn” offers its readers is a disconcertingly discouraging tale involving an utterly inept Harleen Frances Quinzel, who would seemingly have been killed by a contingent of the Magistrate’s paramilitary super-soldiers in the East End at the very beginning of this book, if not for the timely arrival of Catwoman. Dull-witted, clumsy, and seemingly incapable of viewing the behaviour of her team-mate as anything other than some sort of sexual advance, the supposedly star-struck Gotham City Siren is arguably unrecognisable from the fast-thinking “trained psychiatrist” this ongoing series has previously portrayed her as, and sadly is given little to do apart from annoyingly wax lyrical as to how great she thinks Kyle’s black cat-suited alter-ego is.

Unnervingly adding to this twenty-two page periodical’s soporific storytelling are Braga’s aforementioned illustrations, which whilst being prodigiously pencilled, as well as eye-catchingly coloured by Arif Prianto, somewhat jar in their serious-looking aesthetic with Phillips’ rather blatant tongue-in-cheek adventure. The Italian can undoubtedly draw some truly superb high-octane action sequences, most notably that of Selina dispatching a number of Strange’s goons with a flurry of kicks and backflips during the book’s later stages. However, this style doesn’t debatably transfer over so well to those scenes in which a spellbound Quinn gets all ‘gooey’ over working alongside Imagine Games Network's eleventh 'Comic Book villain of All Time'.

Writer: Stephanie Phillips, Artist: Laura Braga, and Colors: Arif Prianto

Strange Academy #13 - Marvel Comics

STRANGE ACADEMY No. 13, January 2022

Split between “a tour of a famous NOLA graveyard” and Emily Bright’s own personal field trip deep inside the Sorcerer Supreme’s darkest dungeon, Issue Thirteen of “Strange Academy” is definitely a two-sided affair which contains plenty of answers to several previously unsolved mysteries. But whilst such sub-plots as the secret origin of Zoe Laveau and the identity of the man behind a certain cellar door are enthrallingly explored, it does arguably cause this twenty-page periodical to lack any sort of action whatsoever; “Soooooo, what kind of trouble have you all been up to tonight?”

Fortunately however, so dialogue-driven a publication doesn’t mean that Skottie Young hasn’t penned a truly mesmerising narrative for this comic, with the super snake-filled story as to how Laveau became one of the walking dead proving to be a highlight of the book. Desperate to please both her parents, as well as live up to the high expectations of her magical heritage, it is quite easy to see why the young girl would fall prey to the deceitful ‘drugs’ of Gaslamp in order to develop her own powers, and why later on her mother would turn to so extreme a solution as zombifying her dead daughter just so the woman could bring her back from beyond the grave.

Likewise, there’s a satisfying sense of resolution to Bright’s storyline concerning the Imperator and the disconcertingly dismal fate which Doctor Strange has seemingly ordained for the leader of the Empirikul. Initially, it appears certain that the American author will disappointingly fall into the usual trap of depicting the well-meaning child stupidly releasing the deadly villain through her utter naivety. But splendidly, that simply isn’t the case with this tale, and instead Young provides a heart-warming outcome involving the Stone of Shackles in which debatably everyone comes away happy.

Of course, that doesn’t mean for a moment that this comic is just packed full of sickeningly sweet feel good moments, as Calvin Morse’s uncertain future at the school persistently lingers over the student throughout the entire comic. Bereft of any actual magic, and already late with his school presentation for Zelma Stanton, the orphan’s aggressive anger at his peers’ special abilities appears destined to make him a suitable puppet to manipulate by the sinister Gaslamp in a future instalment…

The regular cover art of "STRANGE ACADEMY" #13 by Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado

Harley Quinn #5 - DC Comics

HARLEY QUINN No. 5, September 2021

Somewhat disconcertingly starting with the suggestion that Hugo Strange’s obsession with Batman might actually be “a sexual thing”, Stephanie Phillips’ second instalment to her “No Good Deed” storyline might have initially perplexed some within this comic’s 36,000 strong circulation. In fact, this twenty-two page periodical’s opening quarter could arguably be criticised as consisting of little more than a rather perplexing, dialogue-drowning sequence in which Harley Quinn simply doesn’t stop talking psychobabble to her captor for approximately thirty-five panels straight; “Is this a bad time to tell ya I gotta pee? I drank an extra-large caramel latte before breakin’ in here…”

Happily however, all these speech bubbles are eventually shown to simply be part of the qualified psychiatrist’s cunning plan to be left alone in a toilet cubicle long enough so as to rid herself of her handcuffs, and summon the help of Solomon Grundy from the sewers. This marvellous team-up results in just the sort of beatings a bibliophile might hope Strange’s sadistic orderlies would receive following the physical abuse they themselves have heaped upon their hapless patients, and additionally clears the way for a short-lived but satisfying bout of fisticuffs between the persistently talking Gotham City Siren and the formidably-sized professor himself.

Similarly as successful as this comic’s action-packed antics is the American author’s subplot that “another hand [is] working behind the scenes” to antagonise Quinn, who is called Keepsake. Somewhat shockingly this mysterious new villain certainly seems capable of berating Hugo as if the bespectacled leader of the S.A.F.E. programme was just one of his own underlings, and also appears to intriguingly arm himself with an astonishing array of items presumably stolen from his previous fallen foes.

Helping this publication bound along with plenty of dynamic energy are Riley Rossmo’s layouts, which initially go a long way to making Quinn’s aforementioned semi-soliloquy during the book’s opening, much more tolerable. Indeed, Strange’s prodigiously pencilled rooftop confrontation with the Dark Knight during a thunderstorm, is undoubtedly one of this comic’s biggest draws, and definitely helps this tome’s readers partially navigate Harley’s incessant banter with Hugo until he eventually caves in and permits the anti-heroine to go to the hospital facility's bathroom.

Written by: Stephanie Phillips, Art & Cover by: Riley Rossmo, and Colored by: Ivan Plascencia

Alien #8 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 8, January 2022

If Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s plan for Issue Eight of “Alien” was to make the title’s audience actually hope that the comic’s cast get horribly eviscerated by the “dangerous alien species known as Xenomorphs”, then his script certainly seems to succeed. For whilst no particular character actually behaves quite so badly as to warrant such a truly grotesque demise as being literally torn asunder by one of Hans Ruedi Giger’s co-creations, many readers would arguably be hard pressed to recollect a more dislikeable ensemble of farmers, technicians and settlers within a single publication.

Indeed, straight from the start of this particular twenty-page periodical, the residents of the moon colony Euridice demonstrate an incredible unwillingness to believe the eye witness account of their previously infallible leader that their farmsteads have been ‘invaded’ by a deadly extra-terrestrial, and instead seem far more concerned with fuel lines poisoning the soil or the wreck of the Heraclides causing years’ worth of damage by selfishly ripping “right through our cornfields and the orchard.”

Even the basic interactions between the various community members smacks of the Spinners being solely invested in their own needs and personal ambitions, rather than acknowledging that a large number of people have died quite horrifically in a spaceship crash. The utterly obnoxious Gunnar is debatably the best example of such a disagreeable outlook upon life by supposedly taking some moral high ground over Jane when he feels her terminal illness is detrimentally affecting her decision-making, and then later repulsively trying to pressurise Becca into continuing an intimate relationship with him despite the man already having a partner; “Tabby don’t know nothin’ that I don’t tell her. Only thing she needs to know is -- Nng.”

Happily however, once the Aliens do decide to make their presence known mid-way through the book, then the action undeniably begins to pick up, with artist Salvador Larroca pencilling a superbly paced chase scene from the remnants of the U.A.S. Extrasolar vessel back to Ambrose’s innocent-looking residence. This entire gauntlet is as thrillingly to peruse as its terrifying for those traversing it, and arguably ends with an astonishingly good cliff-hanger of a conclusion when one of the Spinners is dramatically revealed to be a malevolently-minded synthetic.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #8 by Marc Aspinall

Star Trek: The Mirror War #2 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE MIRROR WAR No. 2, November 2021

Featuring various short-lived interludes concerning the Klingon Regent Worf, almost the entire cast of Deep Space Nine, Ro Laren and even “the obnoxious Okona”, David and Scott Tipton’s narrative for Issue Two of “Star Trek: The Mirror War” could arguably be criticised in places for seeming a little too choppy in its storytelling. But whilst this comic’s twenty-page plot certainly does leap about quite a bit, the book’s basic premise of Captain Picard ruthlessly recovering one of his recently stolen secret supply caches still provides plenty of fun, action-packed antics both in outer space as well as planet-side. 

Indeed, Jean-Luc’s no-nonsense quest to track down the hideout of Thadiun amidst the Chandler Asteroid Belt offers this publication’s authors the perfect opportunity to showcase just how markedly different the crew of the I.S.S. Enterprise-D actually are from their small screen counter-parts in our universe. Foremost of these disconcerting dissimilarities is the increasingly tense relationship demonstrated between Riker and Troi, who despite secretly plotting to take the Galaxy-class starship’s captaincy for themselves, are quickly at one another’s throats when the Commander demands the Inquisitor to “do your job” and teach a troubled Data to process the android’s shock at being betrayed by his supposed friend Reginald Barclay.

Equally as intriguing though, is this comic’s depiction of the sovereign of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. The sudden appearance of Worf’s flagship, the Negh’Var, in orbit around Tyraeus 2 just as the Enterprise is about to depart is debatably one of this book’s many highlights, and not only shows just how powerfully brief space battles can be in this alternate 24th century timeline. But also illustrates just how prickly the bond between Barclay and Data has become, and how catastrophic such intense quarrelling can be in a life or death situation for the rest of the starship’s crew; “If you’ll just listen to me, damn it! Try rerouting around the damaged components --” 

Also adding enormously to the storytelling are Gavin Smith’s layouts, which do a simply splendid job of illustrating just how aggressively violent the Mirror Universe actually is. The likes of Picard and Riker seem to be forever snarling at their subordinates whenever the slightest happenstance goes against their wishes, and this makes even the somewhat sedentary sequences set upon the bridge positively bubble with potential volatility.

Writers: Scott & David Tipton, Artist: Gavin Smith, and Colorist: Charlie Kirchoff

Battlestar Galactica #2 - Marvel Comics

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA No. 2, April 1979

Sporting a truly dynamic cover illustration by Jeff Aclin and Bob McLeod which strongly suggests Commander Adama’s lone battlestar will soon be mercilessly attacked by a plethora of deadly Cylon raider ships, Roger McKenzie’s narrative for “Exodus” probably came across as something of a major disappointment for its readers in January 1979, considering that the comic’s plot predominantly focuses upon the human fleet’s food shortages as opposed to any sense-shattering spaceship battle. True, this seventeen-page periodical does depict some intriguing insight into the motivations behind Baltar’s titanic treachery against his fellow colonials, but witnessing the traitor’s unsurprising comeuppance later on at the hands of the Imperious Leader doesn’t debatably work as this book’s biggest highlight; “But… What have you done? What of our bargain? My colony was to be spared!”

Instead, the American author spends a good portion of his penmanship slowly depicting the supply issues being experienced by the crumbling convoy, courtesy of pluton poisoning, and the disconcerting rise of the utterly odious Sire Uri “to the Quorum of Twelve after the Cylon attack against the Twelve Colonies.” Such sub-plots are obviously crucial to explaining just why Captain Apollo is later galvanised into recommending he leads a seemingly suicidal mission through the heavily mined Nova of Magadon so as to ensure the supposed “safety of the entire fleet”. However, these scenes are so dialogue-heavy that it is decidedly difficult to traverse them without the publication’s already pedestrian pacing almost grinding to a complete halt.

Luckily though, Jeff Aclin’s script for Issue Two of “Battlestar Galactica” does at least include the introduction of child-friendly favourite, Muffet Two, and provides plenty of spotlight upon Serina’s fast developing relationship with Adam’s eldest son. These scenes set aboard the Rising Star appear to do an excellent job of adapting the televised sequences shown in “Saga of a Star-World”, as well as genuinely helping convey a sense of family between Apollo, the ‘famous female news reporter’ and her young son, Boxey.

Ernie Colon’s artwork should also receive some praise for at least trying to add some dynamism to this comic’s lack-lustre narrative. The Puerto Rican artist’s illustrations of Uri and Lieutenant Jolly are, admittedly, somewhat different from their small screen counterparts in physical appearance, yet they both still manage to imbue some of the characters’ unique personality, particularly the bald-headed Galactican politician who positively exudes his self-centred vileness in every panel in which he appears.

Script: Roger McKenzie, Art & Letters: Ernie Colon, and Colors: Bob Sharen

Black Widow #12 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 12, December 2021

Restricted to just twenty pages, Kelly Thompson somehow manages to cover an incredible amount of ground with her script for Issue Twelve of “Black Widow”. Indeed, the Eisner Award-winner's technique of populating this periodical with a number of insights into the leading cast members’ motivations, followed by an increasingly fraught covert mission to infiltrate a mysterious “high society group” arguably allows her to pen the perfect mix of characterisation and action-packed super-heroic action; “Next time you wish to use me as a pommel horse, please ask.”

One such success is undoubtedly the sense of vulnerability the American author manages to imbue this comic’s titular character with straight from the start. It’s debatably difficult to imagine Natasha Romanoff having any sort of weakness, but the Avenger’s obsession as to how her infant son is developing whilst in hiding from her deadly foes is wonderfully written, as is her evident anger at the Winter Soldier when she chides him for letting her people find James and Stevie despite him supposedly protecting their identities from such enquiries.

Likewise, the unfurling of Romanova’s plan to discover just what is actually occurring at the Golden Gate Gala is equally as well delivered, with all the ex-Soviet spy’s numerous contingencies quickly failing during the time it takes for a single dance with the annual benefit’s glamorous host. Considering that a number of players within this game are Avengers, such as the smart-mouthed Hawkeye, the dread slowly creeping across Black Widow as she is increasingly outwitted by her unknown foe is actually quite palpable.

Adding enormously to the deepening sense of fear in the former KGB agent is Elena Casagrande’s pencilling, which goes a long way to show just how decadently opulent and disconcertingly violent San Francisco’s criminal world is. Natasha and Yelena Belova’s pulse-pounding battle with a corridor of animal mask-wearing goons is probably the highlight of this comic. Yet it is the Italian illustrator’s handling of Romanoff catching sight of the mythic Living Blade at this book’s end which will most likely remain within the reader’s mind, courtesy of some wonderful blurring of her line art so as to provide some forced perspective, and a truly haunted look in the defector’s piercing green eyes.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #12 by Adam Hughes