DC Vs. Vampires: All Out War #6 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR No. 6, February 2023

For those readers who have followed Alex Paknadel and Matthew Rosenberg’s six-issue mini-series from the start, this “grand finale” probably took them on an emotional roller-coaster of a ride through several waves of disconcerting depression. However, such negative vibes are not in any way connected to the well-penned plot provided, as the likes of Booster Gold and Deathstroke bravely tackle an utterly homicidal Man of Steel head-on. But rather that its conclusion fatally ends the enthralling adventures of several significant cast members who have done everything asked of them in order to keep Humanity’s hopes of salvation alive; “The blizzard’ll last a little longer. It’ll cover him real good, I promise. It’ll cover all of ‘em.”

Naturally, most comic book fans will be pretty certain as to who should win a contest between a deranged Superman, Slade Wilson, and the Twenty-Fifth Century Gothamite. Yet, this publication’s plot still manages to throw in several shocks, courtesy of its collaborative storytellers utilising John Constantine’s covert partnership with Deadman to catch both the vampiric Kryptonian and the vast majority of bibliophiles completely off-guard at the last minute. In addition, there’s some surprising humour to be found within the twenty-four-page periodical, such as when an abandoned Midnighter returns to life having literally been torn apart by Baron Cinder and asks if anyone from the ”Suicide Squad” is still there.

Adding an extra edge of horror to all these pulse-poundings proceedings is Pasquale Qualano and Nicola Righi, whose blood-soaked grey-scale panels repeatedly reinforce just how frighteningly murderous Kal-El has become since joining the legion of Nosferatu. The artistic pair are particularly good at highlighting the colossal physical powers in play when Mary Marvel downheartedly decides to go toe-to-toe with Clark Kent’s alter-ego after witnessing him kill Deathstroke with a single punch, and should certainly cause many within this publication's audience to give a momentary cheer when she opens up her attack with a mighty wallop to the chops.

Just as enthralling is this comic’s “backup” tale written and drawn by Mirka Andolfo, which focuses upon what happened to Poison Ivy once she was turned into a vampire. Initially slaughtering her undead brethren due to her need for “snacks”, Doctor Pamela Isley soon succumbs to an overbearing lust for fresh sustenance, which causes her to both suck dry the prisoners she potentially was intending to rescue, as well as extend her deadly vines throughout the metropolis like some giant lethal web of red-coloured vegetation.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR" #6 by Alan Quah

X-Men Legends #8 - Marvel Comics

X-MEN LEGENDS No. 8, December 2021

Pushing a plot which is predominantly obsessed with pulse-pounding pugilism, Larry Hama’s narrative for Issue Eight of “X-Men Legends” probably pleased the vast majority of its readers after a debatably shaky start. True, the American author should certainly have got any perusing bibliophile’s senses reeling with Wolverine’s early battle against an entire crew of thugs who were hired to secure a Shanghai pier for the mysterious Jie Jie. But once “Ol’ Canucklehead” has sliced his way through the low-tier minions, this twenty-page periodical’s tempo somewhat slumps as its panels are packed with exposition explaining such unconvincing contrivances like Yurei just happening to also be able to conveniently time travel, as well as teleport Logan to the southern estuary of the Yangtze River.

Thankfully, such manufactured moments are soon forgotten once Jubilee has impressively broken free of her bonds, and teams-up with her fellow X-Man for a serious showdown with Lady Deathstrike. This action-packed sequence is absolutely spot-on, with all the combatants attempting to best one another with plenty of insanely fast punches, a bellyful of serious physical damage and some highly enjoyable quips; “Is a frog’s butt watertight?”

Perhaps however the surprising star of this comic is the mutant adolescent Yurei, who soon demonstrates a deliciously sadistic persona when it comes to selecting a location to abandon her would-be assailants in. Ranging from a zoo’s tiger pen just as feeding time approaches to a deadly mine-laden swamp, the politely spoken schoolgirl is equally as entertaining when it also comes to a killer quip just before she leaves her latest victim stranded.

Far less impressive is probably Billy Tan’s artwork, which due to the sparsity of this book’s script, definitely needs to shoulder the lion’s share of work. Indeed, at times it appears the Malaysian illustrator is desperately attempting to pad out his layouts by monotonously pencilling numerous cargo crates, forklift trucks and empty loading bays. Such ‘filling’ genuinely starts to bog down the storytelling and proves particularly noticeable once Jie Jie arrives at Shanghai supposedly in a hurry to complete her sale only to spend an eternity walking along the disconcertingly empty pier in an effort to liaise with her buyer’s Russian agent - Omega Red.

The regular cover art of "X-MEN: LEGENDS" #8 by Billy Tan & Chris Sotomayor

Batman: Gotham Knights - Gilded City #3 - DC Comics

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS - GILDED CITY No. 3, February 2023

It's difficult to imagine that many of this book’s bibliophiles were particularly won over by Evan Narcisse’s dubious decision to focus much of this comic’s narrative upon Nightwing and Robin’s successful endeavour to halt a roller coaster before its open cars plummet through “a broken section of track”. Indeed, the notion of the ‘dynamic duo’ spending a considerable amount of time simply stopping a horde of brainwashed people from visiting a condemned fairground, wolfing down large amounts of popcorn, sugary snacks and candy floss, arguably seems a strange setting for a storyline supposedly penned to help advertise an exciting new video game where the players must battle all manner of “notorious villains in epic confrontations”.

To make matters worse though, the American author doesn’t debatably do much better when it comes to writing what Batman is up to whilst his two proteges tackle the aforementioned “crazed victims of the Golden Iris Virus.” True, the Dark Knight is well known for seeking out those experts with more scientific or technical knowledge than himself if it’ll help his investigations. But turning to imprisoned criminal psychologist Harley Quinn seems a bit of a stretch, especially when he bizarrely has to fiurst fight his way through some of Blackgate Prison’s other inmates in order to speak to her; “Heya, Batsy! I see you’ve met my clients.”

Far more successful is the journalist’s flashback sequences to the Court of Owls on the outskirts of Gotham City in 1847. Nicely laced with some serious Frankenstein’s Monster vibes, the plight of a disorientated Runaway is rather riveting as he realises just how formidably well-organised and large the criminal organisation creating zombies actually is. In fact, the masked vigilante’s fate appears to be well and truly sealed by the ‘immortal’ Talons until the swashbuckling super-villain Vandar Adg of the Blood Tribe suddenly makes a surprise entrance.

Clearly this comic’s greatest asset therefore lies in the layouts of artist Abel, who manages to inject even the sweet scoffing miscreants at the old amusement park with plenty of dynamic life. Furthermore, the illustrator’s ability to pencil the acrobatic antics of both Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne’s costumed alter-egos as they utilise the Batwing's skyhook to slow down a runaway ride is one of the meagre memorable moments stemming from this twenty-two-page periodical.

The regular cover art of "BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS - GILDED CITY #3 by Greg Capullo

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #4 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 4, March 2023

Whilst there’s understandably an almost childlike sense of fun with this comic’s scary shenanigans, as well as a number of opportunities to wrong-foot its audience, Amanda Deibert’s narrative for Issue Four of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” probably struck many a bibliophile as being a little too contrived for their liking. Indeed, this twenty-page periodical’s plot is absolutely packed full of manufactured moments, ranging from the Dark Knight inexplicably appearing at an old-age pensioner’s home in Beach City just as the dear old lady is about to fatally fall down the stairs, through to him suddenly capturing a heavily-disguised Catwoman simply because “no one else could crack the code” to Bruce Wayne’s safe.

Furthermore, the story never explains just how the felonious fortune teller Madame Clare Voyante is able to make her ghostly three-dimensional projections suddenly grasp hold of a rope pulley so as to ensnare the various members of Mystery Incorporated during this book’s finale. The intangibility of the long dead loved ones’ holograms is established straight from the publication’s start and is actually one of the main causes of Missus Richards’ terrifying trip down her bedroom steps. Yet later on, when in the guise of poor Velma Dinkley’s giant pet goldfish, the green-hued light show is both affectionately patted on the head by the turtle-neck sweater-wearing teenager and later depicted tugging away at one of Fred Jones’ infamous traps.

For those readers able to overlook these quibbles though, there are still plenty of laugh-out-loud opportunities to be had with “Goldfish”, predominantly in the form of Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo running around like scared, headless chickens. In fact, one of this comic’s funniest moments debatably comes when the ‘dynamic duo’ are seriously spooked by the spirit of “legendary surfer Kamalii Akana” whilst secretly tucking into a great pile of hot dog snacks; “Like, this is a great idea, Scoob. No one can see us back here.”

Definitely helping to give this book the look and feel of a “Hanna-Barbera Productions” cartoon from the Seventies are Scott Jeralds’ drawings. The “thirty plus year animation industry veteran” does a good job pencilling this publication’s quite considerably sized cast, with a splash-page set inside the clairvoyant’s tent proving especially eye-catching, courtesy of some heavy shadows by colorist Carrie Strachan.

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn by: Scott Jeralds, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

Alien [2022] #5 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 5, March 2023

Enjoyably filled with various characters playing ‘the blame game’ with one another, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s narrative for Issue Five of “Alien” is surely a great example of how to pen some truly catastrophic consequences to a person’s previous ill-advised decision-making. In fact, almost all of this particular comic’s death and destruction, from Steel Team’s shuttlecraft crash landing through to a swarm of deadly Xenos penetrating the survivors’ settlement, can solely be placed upon the human-hating Eli’s prejudicial decision not to warn Lee that she was about to stung by an alien-infected insect.

Intriguingly however, none of this responsibility seemingly occurs to the increasingly deranged robot, who ultimately decides that all his mission’s calamities are as a direct result of his team-leader’s poor decision-making, rather than anything to do with his hatred of Mankind. Such a descent into self-righteous insanity proves incredibly enthralling, and debatably leads to a genuinely shocking cliff-hanger of a conclusion, when the now partially damaged android decides to cold-bloodedly murder the colony’s last-remaining radiation-proof child; “I won’t let you. I won’t let you save a single one. They did this to us, Freyja. They killed our family. And you let them.”

Just as beguiling as the Milkman’s fall from grace, is the way the “Eisner-nominated writer” deals with the eventual demise of Steel Team’s other members. Slowly whittled down one by one through repeated injuries or deadly ambushes, the veteran soldiers’ gruesome deactivations are rather ‘realistically’ depicted, and all intrinsically linked to the actions of “the monstrous Hybrid” created by Eli’s apathy - which once again reminds the reader that the mealy-mouthed killing machine is actually accountable for much of the carnage he’s desperately trying to deflect upon Freyja.    

Ably aiding Johnson in the storytelling is Julius Ohta and colorist Yen Nitro, who together produce some truly pulse-pounding panels throughout this tragic tale. Indeed, one of this twenty-page periodical’s many highlights is the way the creative pair lay out poor Astrid’s traumatic passing, as the artificial life form momentarily lets her guard down whilst ruminating about her home world’s natural beauty, and inadvertently stumbles into a deadly xenomorph trap.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #5 by Bjorn Barends

Rick And Morty Verses Cthulhu #3 - Oni Press

RICK AND MORTY VERSES CTHULHU No. 3, February 2023

For those readers unacquainted with Lovecraftian lore or at least the creator of the Cthulhu Mythos’ 1936 novella “The Shadow Out Of Time”, Jim Zub’s plot for this twenty-two page periodical possibly didn’t land all that well, considering it’s predominantly set inside “the glittering, triumphant city of the Yith.” In fact, Rick Sanchez’s sedentary sojourn at Pnakotus and subsequent slow-time exploration of the metropolis’ Great Archives, communal Nutrition Service Area and Privilege-Deprivation Cell may strike many a bibliophile as a strange way to build-up the anticipation for this mini-series’ upcoming final instalment; “Day Nineteen, I think. Time has no meaning in this f**king place. There’s sunrise and sunset, but most of the time these bobble-headed f**kwits just want to spend all day underground talking philosophy 101…”   

Mercifully though, things do finally start to heat up once one of the “twenty-foot tall, cone-shaped, alien plant-crustacean-librarians” falls in love with the Smartest Man in the Universe and helps him outwit the “Sacred Guards of The Bad-Bad Door!” Sure, the scene is pretty gruesome as Sanchez utilises one of the Buff Yiths’ box-shaped weapons to blow their insectoid heads clean off in a gratuitous display of gore and blood. But the subsequent release of a deadly Flying Polyp from beneath the castle-like conurbation leads to some much-needed adrenalin-fuelled antics for this comic’s finale.

In fact, the sheer chaos caused by the floating extra-terrestrial is arguably as riveting as it is utterly insane, and simultaneously leads into a genuinely touching moment when Rick loses his multi-eyed lover to the grotesque alien despite his best efforts to drag Huey’s mutilated body to safety. The poor love-struck pawn of the deranged scientist’s desire to escape is sympathetically shown to be highly dubious as to his partner’s anarchic actions. So it comes as something of a shock to see the timid bookworm’s fears fully realised as its quite literally torn apart within the polyp’s frighteningly-fanged maw.

Undeniably capturing the flavour of Lovecraft’s imaginary "intellectual utopia" with his proficiently pencilled panels is Troy Little, whose ability to imbue Sanchez’s strange-looking, multi-limbed Yith physique with all the insane inventor’s recognisable mannerisms, is one of the highlights of the publication. Furthermore, the artist does a splendid job in making Huey an incredibly sympathetic character, so when the long-necked curator does die, Rick’s evident remorse is actually made all the more impactful.

The regular cover art of "RICK AND MORTY VERSES CTHULHU" #3 by Troy Little

Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Three #2 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE SEASON THREE No. 2, April 2023

Pairing up the Dark Knight with the hyper-active Harley Quinn, Alan Burnett and Paul Dini’s narrative for Issue Two of “Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Three” probably pleased the vast majority of the comic’s audience. In fact, in many ways the twenty-page periodical’s plot contains the perfect mix of action, adventure and some intriguing insights into the Caped Crusader’s mysterious past when Cassie Kendall almost “changed the course of Bruce’s life when she was his high school sweetheart.”

Of course, as “Old Flames” progresses it becomes abundantly clear that the billionaire’s strong feelings for the blonde-haired socialite were badly misplaced, as the prolific partygoer seemingly had a string of other lovers during the couple’s relationship, including both Harvey Dent and Harleen Quinzel. But it isn’t until near this publication’s end that ‘the macaroni to Harley’s cheese’ is actually shown as being a cold-blooded criminal who will stop at nothing to rid herself of the restraints imposed upon her two hundred-million-dollar Trust Fund; “I hope you understand that I’m really the victim here.”

Perhaps this book’s biggest asset though lies in its numerous laugh-out-loud moments and double-takes, which should genuinely cause many a bibliophile to guffaw. Foremost of these instances is arguably Harley’s reaction to being thrown from a high-flying helicopter only to then indignantly discover her assailants have anticipated her fall into a skyrise swimming pool by dropping a hand grenade after her. This scene is extremely funny and leads into a series of humorous exchanges between the Joker’s ex-girlfriend and Batman, as the former trained psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum unknowingly keeps upsetting the cowled vigilante by telling him all about Kendall’s apparent disdain for Wayne when she ‘strung him along’ at college.

Helping to make such interactions even more amusing is Kevin Altieri, whose ability to pencil the Dark Knight’s increasing agitation and discomfort with just a narrowing eye slit or clenched fist, is breath-taking. Likewise, the American artist is able to imbue the Gotham City Siren with all the dynamic athleticism a zany gymnast should command, sensationally sketching Quinn cartwheeling, somersaulting and freewheeling from one panel to the next with great aplomb.

The regular cover of "BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE SEASON THREE" #2 by Kevin Altieri

DC's Terrors Through Time #1 [Part Three] - DC Comics

DC'S TERROR THROUGH TIME No. 1, December 2022

For those readers who enjoy good old-fashioned Nazi-bashing by some of America’s most memorable super-heroes from the Golden Age of Comic Books, Charles Skaggs’ “The Midnight Hour” will definitely deliver a few minutes of vintage entertainment with its carousel of no-nonsense punches, kicks and ‘in the nick of time’ rescues. But for those bibliophiles who actually like an adventure’s narrative to actually make some sense, the notion of the JSA suddenly disappearing whilst scouring the University of Pennsylvania in 1944 for German agents probably isn’t going to flow all that well; “No, hang back for now. There’s no telling what we might find here or where they’re keeping the Skull of Zosimos.”

To begin with, the entire team are captured ‘off-screen’ by a gaggle of undead goose-stepping goons because Hawkman bemusingly decides that having the Flash “scout ahead” isn’t apparently a good idea. This bizarre evaluation then leads to artist Tom Mandrake having to pencil Carter Hall’s alter-ego suddenly being tied to a sacrificial altar without any explanation being given as to just how the winged protagonist was imprisoned in the first place. To make matters worse, similar befuddling incidents occur for all the other Justice Society’s members, and appear to have been simply manufactured so as to allow Doctor Fate to be the hero of the hour by mind-blasting a luminescent ancient cranium. 

Much more straightforward in its storytelling is “A New Darkness” by Jeremy Haun, which arguably does a first-rate job in depicting the genuinely touching demise of Kar-Von as the Red Lantern attempts to rescue a group of hapless aliens in the Ethow Sector. Crammed with some intriguing characterisation, such as “the legendary wielder of both green and red rings” having to mentor a female member of the Corps who has previously lost her temper, this ten-pager initially seems to have been penned as a foretaster for a future publication focusing upon the two intergalactic law enforcement officers.

However, this notion is shockingly thrown aside when Juan Doe surprisingly sketches Kar-Von stoically battling a giant tentacled extra-terrestrial to a standstill, so his aghast partner can close a dimensional portal behind him and keep the universe safe. So unexpected an ending proves particularly unsettling, and definitely elicits the desire within the audience to learn more about Jan and her new mission to shut the remaining six monster-infested gateways which her ring detects at the tale’s end.

The regular cover art to "DC'S TERRORS THROUGH TIME" #1 by John McCrea & Mike Spicer

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #4 - DC Comics

DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS  No. 4, January 2023

For those buyers expecting to read about Lobo’s reception following the Czarnian’s decision to join “the greatest heroes in the universe as they gather to fight the galactic armada of the undead”, this twenty-two-page periodical’s plot probably proved something of a disappointing headscratcher. Sure, Tom Taylor’s storyline for Issue Four of “DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods” contains just the sort of ear-ringing explosions and bruising body blows a reader might associate with “the Ultimate Bastich”. Yet despite the Burbank-based publisher’s solicitation promising otherwise, Roger Slifer’s demonic-looking motorcyclist doesn’t actually appear anywhere within the comic.

Instead, its audience is greeted with a somewhat lengthy look at Alfred Pennyworth’s understandable nightmares following him gunning down the anti-living incarnations of Batman, Robin and Nightwing, as well as the former butler’s current cohabitation with girlfriend Leslie Thompkins. Such character development is admittedly touching. However, the incredibly sedentary sequence takes up almost half of the book, so by the time Darkseid threatens both Maxima and her evacuating Almeracians, there isn’t too much room for many pulse-pounding panels.

Intriguingly though, an overwhelming wave of high-octane fisticuffs clearly isn’t the Australian author’s plan for this particular instalment to his mini-series, as arguably this comic’s biggest hook lies in the revelation that the Guardians of Oa are planning to annihilate seven planets and their inhabitants in an effort the thwart the Anti-life Equation, even though “we have a cure.” This horrific genocide even takes the likes of Guy Gardner by surprise and taps directly into the outrageously bloated hubris of the Green Lantern Corps when Ganthet unwisely attempts to incarcerate Superman within a bubble of emerald energy for opposing their appalling plan; “One punch. He knocked out a freaking Guardian with one punch!”

Desperate to liven up all these word-heavy discussions and arguments with their proficient pencilling are artists Trevor Hairsine and Neil Edwards. To be frank, the pair don’t really have much to work with when it comes to Alfred’s emotional farewell to Damian Wayne's cowled alter-ego. But by the time the narrative has moved on to Clark Kent’s aforementioned confrontation the layouts are much more dynamic, with Batgirl’s brutal, doubled-handed uppercut upon a self-righteous Kilowog proving highly memorable.

The regular cover art of "DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS" #4 by Howard Porter & Rain Beredo

Alien [2022] #4 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 4, February 2023

Absolutely packed with cruel close combat, bullet-billowing gunplay and jaw-dropping betrayal, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s storyline for Issue Four of “Alien” must surely have pleased any fan of Twentieth Century Studios’ “science-fiction horror and action media franchise.” But whilst the action is definitely well-penned, some within this twenty-page periodical’s audience might have a few quibbles as to just how Eli justifiably takes the moral high ground when it comes to the treachery of “Steel Team’s human allies [who] have led them into an ambush”.

In fact, the dislikeable android’s ‘holier than thou’ attitude towards Freyja debatably generates such a strong sense of loathing in the reader, that it disconcertingly overshadows any sensation of sadness felt for poor Nora’s suddenly savage demise, or even Seth’s superbly touching realisation that he’d now never finish building the boat they were making together back home. However, such piety by the sanctimonious synthetic only gets worse when his willingness to allow one of the planet’s survivors to become infected by a mutated insect “carrying some kind of Alien protein” results in the mercenaries' shuttlecraft being totally destroyed and a new, highly intelligent Xenomorph being born.

Happily however, this tremendous emotional response arguably only makes the Eisner-nominated writer’s plot even more enthralling, especially when it’s pointed out that Steel Team still need to save Mel’s encampment simply so they can salvage General March’s beacon and be evacuated off Tobler-9. Indeed, by the time “a new kind of monster” arrives at the colonist’s base and gains entry along with a horde of fast-moving alien warrior drones, this publication is almost impossible to put down; “Seal the door! Seal the door! Everybody grab a--Yyyeeaauuuggh!”

Similarly as successful in both capturing and keeping any perusing bibliophile’s attention is Julius Ohta’s proficient pencilling, which manages to make all the pulse-pounding action genuinely leap off the printed page. Furthermore Lee’s traumatically painful transformation into some truly horrific, long-tongued monstrosity is so gratuitously graphic, that the images indelibly stay in the memory long after the creature has lost any notion of being even remotely human and violently massacred its former comrades-in-arms without a hint of compassion.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #4 by Bjorn Barends

DC Vs. Vampires: All Out War #5 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR No. 5, January 2023

Recited as if taken from a veteran soldier’s war journal, Alex Paknadel and Matthew Rosenberg’s scintillating script for Issue Five of “DC Verses Vampires: All Out War” must surely have hooked its audience straight from the start with Deathstroke’s thoughts and actions concerning the mercenary’s past few days. For whilst Slade Wilson’s ruminations as to Azrael’s gratuitous death at the hands of some bloody thirsty vampires eventually gives way to a more straightforward way of storytelling, the flashback sequence definitely delivers a gut-wrenching message as to just why his team’s surviving members are so disheartened despite miraculously reaching the Flash Museum in Central City.

Furthermore, there’s plenty for this twenty-four-page publication’s plot to hold the attention once Marv Wolfman’s co-creation has miserably failed in his plan to resurrect the vampiric Weather Wizard, as everything shifts focus upon “a Marvel Family showdown at the end of the world”. Indeed, perhaps this comic’s biggest draw is the titanic tussle between a deranged Billy Batson and his sister, Mary Bromfield, as the two “gods” go toe-to-toe above the Missouri metropolis; “I don’t recognise you at all. Which is fine, actually… It makes this easier.”

Similarly as sensational are the layouts by Pasquale Qualano, Francesco Mortarino and Nicola Righi, which persistently assault the senses with their ferociously fast fisticuffs and sense-shattering scarlet-hued panels. Together, this creative team genuinely provide Shazam with a mind-blowing entrance worthy of one who wields “the powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight, and other abilities.” In addition, the trio repeatedly remind the reader as to the grisly nature of the planet surrounding the central cast, with even little details like a trail of melting snow or some graffiti scrawled over Barry Allen’s beheaded stone statue giving the impression that they’re actually made out of blood.

Rounding off this periodical in a thoroughly enjoyable way is the sadly short-lived yarn "Dead Cities" by Danny Lore and Haining, which enthrallingly explores what happens to a super-hero who is symbiotically linked with the city he's in – and that municipal has been overrun by the living dead. Half man and half Nosferatu, Jack Hawksmoor’s attempt to assassinate his team’s corrupted leader, Jenny Sparks, provides an intriguing insight into just how The Authority has fared during the dark days of the (new) Vampire King’s reign.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR" #5 by Alan Quah

DC's Terrors Through Time #1 [Part Two] - DC Comics

DC'S TERROR THROUGH TIME No. 1, December 2022

Supposedly depicting “the story of the Gotham City Sirens’ first sorta true meet-up”, Peter V. Nguyen’s "The Pueo Promise" possibly pleased some within this anthology’s audience with its abundance of “Scooby-Doo” flavoured antics and girl-powered high jinks. But considering that the Honolulu-born writer pens a story featuring the “fourth pillar” in “DC Comics” publishing line there arguably isn’t much for Harley Quinn to do except scowl from the side-lines whilst both Poison Ivy and Selina Kyle take the lion’s share of the tale’s limelight; “Pamela, wake up! We need you in this fight -- Catwoman won’t last long out there…”

Furthermore, due in part to the author’s lavish art style, many a bibliophile would debatably have been utterly bemused as to what is actually going on within this yarn’s narrative, especially towards the end of the adventure when there’s the distinct suggestion the three anti-heroines are battling an army of undead ‘somethings’ who are all under the thrall of some Greek-looking deity. Such a scenario probably made a lot of sense to Nguyen considering his background in Hawaiian folklore. But for those unfamiliar with the Owl Prince and just how the god somehow conjures up ghosts from one moment to the next, the premise of Kyle subsequently having to relocate “roughly two million cats” to Gotham City in order to save the day is a real head scratcher.

Similarly as bizarre, though much more followable, is “Half-Life” by Zac Thompson, which follows the exploits of two survivors eking out a living in a post-apocalyptic Washington Exclusion Zone. Wary of eating radioactive berries, the pair inadvertently wander into the lair of a truly-mutated Chimera and are only saved from a gruesome death by the Swamp Thing bravely allowing himself to be eaten instead.

Pencilled by Andy McDonald, this ten-pager’s artwork definitely provides the futuristic fable with some pulse-pounding pace, as the multi-headed crocodilian crashes through a man-made shelter in its eagerness to consume human flesh, and subsequently slices Alec Holland’s alter-ego to pieces using the aeroplane rotor engine it inexplicably has lodged in its chest. The design of so grotesque a creature really is highly memorable, so it’s something of a shame that the grisly brute is finally only laid low by getting old, and having its mechanical maw defeated by one too many entangling vines.

The regular cover art to "DC'S TERRORS THROUGH TIME" #1 by John McCrea & Mike Spicer

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #3 - DC Comics

DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS  No. 3, December 2022

Opening with a genuinely upsetting update as to just how Adam Strange succumbed to the spread of the anti-living, Tom Taylor’s script for Issue Three of “DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods” must surely have disconcerted many fans of the Australian author’s alternate Earth “where a corrupted version of the Anti-Life Equation has infected most of Earth's inhabitants with a zombie-like virus.” For whilst the twenty-two-page periodical subsequently moves on to a slightly more tongue-in-cheek depiction of Lobo literally tearing up a disease-ridden Thanagarian warship, the haunting image of the space adventurer’s young daughter tearfully screaming at the sight of her undead dad permeates the entirety of this publication’s plot.

Indeed, it’s debatably difficult to imagine a more harrowing sequence for this “blockbuster final arc” as a desperate, jet-propelled archaeologist unwisely asks a certain Amazon-Olympian demigoddess for help to intercept the next Zeta-Beam transmission and discovers the Justice Leaguer to be as rabidly unhinged as his home planet has become unrecognisably ruinous; “Computer… Lock rocket pack to co-ordinates. What the hell happened here? Wonder Woman? Hey! Diana! Oh @h--"

Fortunately, for those within this book’s audience who like a little more humour in their comics, the Stan Lee Excelsior Award-winner does off-set this shocking start with an amusing depiction of Keith Giffen’s co-creation initially being overlooked as a worthy warrior to help save the Universe. Enraged by a flock of crazed Hawkmen brutally murdering the extra-terrestrial who poured his drinks in the Rylex System, the Czarnian singlehandedly outfights an entire invasion force with little more than a handful of Thanagarian grenades and his infamous large gutting hook, whilst simultaneously still quipping about him being “the Main Man”.

Just as enjoyable as Taylor’s penmanship is Trevor Hairsine’s artwork, which manages to add both plenty of gravitas to poor Strange’s fate, as well as mirth to Lobo’s interrupted alcoholic libations in equal measure. Furthermore, the former ‘Marvel Young Gun’ somehow manages to maintain the attention when pencilling this publication’s more sedentary scenes concerning Ares sudden materialisation at Princess Diana of Themyscira’s funeral. This sombre, rather word-heavy memorial is made all the more dialogue-driven when the God of War uses it to wax lyrical about the imminent death of the Universe. Yet the cremation ceremony still proves a riveting read courtesy of the physical hostility which the British illustrator manages to imbue all the Amazonians with during their interactions alongside the unpopular deity.

The regular cover art of "DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS" #3 by Howard Porter & Rain Beredo

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #2 - DC Comics

DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS  No. 2, November 2022

Containing one of the most gruesome deaths imaginable for a major antagonist of the “DC Comics” universe, along with a sense-shattering assault upon the planet Korugar, Tom Taylor’s penmanship throughout Issue Two of “DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods” must surely have bewitched many a bibliophile within this book’s audience. Indeed, it’s difficult to imagine a more spell-binding ride than the one which this particular twenty-two-page periodical provides, as super-powered parents grieve for their lost son and Soranik Natu witnesses the cataclysmic fall of the mobile weaponized satellite Warworld.

True, part of this comic does get a little bogged down with a somewhat lengthy conversational piece between Guy Gardner, Superman and Brainiac on Earth-2. But even this sedentary, wordy-heavy moment of exposition arguably proves to be incredibly enthralling, courtesy of the ex-Baltimore policeman turned intergalactic law enforcement officer demonstrating all the conceited, childish personality traits which have supposedly made him “the most despised” of all the Burbank-based publisher’s Green Lanterns; “I’m an eleven on the Guy Gardner greatness scale. And the scale only goes up to six. That’s how good I am.”

Just as arrogant though is Kyle Raynor and his medically trained wife, who together inadvertently thwart Sinestro’s Yellow Lantern Corps from inflicting a devastating opening salvo upon the unliving Darkseid. This utterly unfounded hubris is genuinely infuriating and may well have caused the odd reader to smirk with some misplaced sense of satisfaction when Ganthet’s protégé gets his clock well and truly cleaned by an insanely rabid Supergirl. However, such a feeling was probably fleeting at best, as the horrendous blow subsequently leads to the grisly demise of Korugar’s numerous would-be rescuers.

Helping to instil a palpable sense of threat and fear throughout all these pulse-pounding proceedings are Trevor Hairsine’s layouts, which do a tremendous job of depicting the unsettling ‘Elseworlds’ like environment within which this mini-series’ narrative is set. Whether it’s the heavily damaged Home of the New Gods, complete with death-dealing Boom Tubes, or Natu’s overwhelmed planet, the British artist’s pencilling conjures up all manner of nightmarish events – not least of which is the sticky fate of Hal Jordan’s arch-nemesis.

The regular cover art of "DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS" #2 by Trevor Hairsine & Rain Beredo

Batman: Gotham Knights - Gilded City #2 - DC Comics

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS - GILDED CITY No. 2, January 2023

Opening with an adrenalin-fuelled confrontation concerning the Dark Knight and his former protégé Dick Grayson, as well as closing with artist Abel pencilling a genuinely shocking battle between some Wild West ‘super-heroes’ and a graveyard full of the undead, Evan Narcisse’s storyline for Issue Two of “Batman: Gotham Knights – Gilded City” probably delighted the vast majority of its audience in November 2022. But whilst these aforementioned action-orientated sequences are arguably well-penned, the writing behind the rest of this twenty-two-page periodical’s plot probably left something to be desired; “I’m sure some TV News producer at WGBS thinks they’re so clever.”

To begin with the motivation between the original Dynamic Duo furiously going ‘hell for leather’ at one another isn’t particularly convincing, considering that both combatants essentially want the same thing, and it is only the manner in which their mission is accomplished which the pair disagree upon. Of course, Nightwing’s move to Bludhaven to rid himself of the Caped Crusader’s shadow is certainly shown to give the former Robin a sizeable chip on his shoulder, especially when an incredibly arrogant Batman unapologetically tells the already irate costumed acrobat that he will go wherever he wants when an operation demands it.

But frankly neither character comes away from this fracas in a good light, with both appearing egotistical, self-righteous and unwilling to compromise – at least until Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego supposedly submits to taking “that hit from my Escrima stick so you could figure out what was happening”. Furthermore, the two protagonists settle their differences with such suddenness, that it is debatably difficult to comprehend just what all the fuss was about in the first place. Indeed, within moments of trying to batter the Dark Knight half to death, Grayson is next shown bemusingly telling him how good it is to see his old mentor again.

Much more enthralling is the secondary narrative concerning poor Abraham’s investigation into the disappearance of his brother from a nearby coal mine during the Wild West. Crammed full of shady characters, brain-hungry zombies and some truly sinister shenanigans, these scenes are much more riveting, and definitely provide this comic with a sensational cliff-hanger as the clearly distressed labourer shockingly loses his life just as it appears he’s discovered a clue as to the dreadful demise of his sibling.

The regular cover art of "BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS - GILDED CITY #2 by Greg Capullo

Predator 2 #2 - Dark Horse Comics

PREDATOR 2 No. 1, June 1991

“Created by a different team” to that which drew, coloured, and lettered its opening instalment, this official comic book adaption of “Predator 2” probably pleased the majority of its audience in June 1991, courtesy of “Dark Horse Comics” proud presentation featuring a number of plot clarifications which weren’t shown in the motion picture. Indeed, considering just how much clearer it is that the titular antagonist purposely stalks the different members of Detective Mike Harrigan’s team, this thirty-two-page periodical’s narrative may actually be seen by many a bibliophile as being somewhat superior to the storyline seen on the silver screen.

For starters, there is little doubt “the killer from outer space” is proactively following both Leona and Jerry when they take the Metro to Vernon Station. Admittedly, this journey is a little contrived in Franz Henkel’s script, suggesting that the squad’s veteran policeman orders them to go their separate ways simply to give Special Agent Keyes’ boys the slip should they “be around.” But the move does provide artist Mark Bright with an opportunity to proficiently pencil a couple of splendid-looking panels showing the extra-terrestrial killer watching the pair from afar.

In addition, this publication also strongly suggests that the head of the Other Worldly Life Forms (OWLF) team operating in Los Angeles is actually trying to save the metropolis from being blown up by the Yautja’s devastating self-destruct device, rather than cynically hoping to weaponize both the alien and its highly advanced technology. This change in motivation debatably brings a lot more pathos to Peter Keye’s character than is seen during the movie and adds an extra element of bravado to his death when he stops the Predator from filleting Harrigan in a slaughterhouse; “I’m not through with you, god dammit!”

Perhaps this comic’s most significant difference though, lies with just how much more talkative and personal the “city hunter” becomes once it goes “one-on-one” with Mike. Quite possibly the extra-terrestrial’s taunts are noticeable due to Henkel’s truncation of the pair’s lengthy celloid chase and pulse-pounding bout of pugilism. However, the creature’s persistent use of Danny’s voice recordings to goad his opponent makes their fight much more personal and resultantly bitter.

Script by: Franz Henkel, Pencils by: Mark Bright, and Inks by: Randy Emberlin

Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters #2 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 2, September 2021

Proudly proclaimed by “Marvel Worldwide” as “the biggest comic event" of George Lucas' universe, Charles Soule’s storyline for Issue Two of “Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters” surely must have initially excited its 82,460 strong audience considering it featured a no-holds barred brawl between Boba Fett and his arch-rival Bossk. Indeed, the pair’s battle upon “the remote, frozen world of Jekara” is arguably this twenty-page periodical’s greatest highlight – at least until the Dark Lord of the Sith suddenly makes a surprise entrance at the end of Crimson Dawn’s auction for Han Solo’s carbonite-entombed body.

Unhappily though, the sixteen-panel skirmish is also the only action to be seen as this comic predominantly focuses upon the chit-chat, banter and verbal demands of “the galaxy’s most powerful factions”, including representatives from the Empire and the entire Hutt Council. Admittedly, some of this political intrigue and public posturing is reasonably entertaining, especially when an arrogant Administrator Sly Moore’s much-lauded ability to manipulate the minds of others fails quite miserably when used against the likes of Jabba. But it does require the reader to wade through a seemingly endless series of (light) conversational pieces.

Furthermore, the talking simply doesn’t stop, even after the Milwaukee-born writer introduces Doctor Aphra, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian to his slow-paced proceedings. Considering the sheer enmity between the Rebels and Fett, many a bibliophile was probably expecting all hell to suddenly be let loose at Lady Qi'ra’s auction. However, all that happens is for the entire cast of characters to forget their own personal squabbles with one another so as to stand in awe at Darth Vader’s unanticipated arrival; “Well, well, well. Let’s see where this goes.”

Possibly just as unenthusiastic about this book’s script as some bookworms might have been, Luke Ross’ layouts disappointingly blow a little hot and cold. The artist does a first-rate job pencilling this mini-series’ notorious bounty hunter and Han Solo’s former lover. Yet sadly, the same cannot be said for many of the sale’s extra-terrestrial bidders, who appear much more roughly drawn. In fact, it’s almost as if the Brazilian illustrator didn’t want to waste too much time sketching the tale’s lesser figures, and subsequently focused all his efforts on the bigger named personalities.

The regular cover art for "STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS" #2 by Steve McNiven & Frank D'Armata

DC's Terrors Through Time #1 [Part One] - DC Comics

 DC'S TERROR THROUGH TIME No. 1, December 2022

Considering just how enjoyable this anthology’s opening tales are it is somewhat surprising that neither one is directly referred to in the Burbank-based publisher’s solicitation for Issue One of “DC’s Terrors Through Time”. Indeed, Paul Levitz’s “The Longest Night” sets a suitably dark, engrossingly grim tone for this hefty-sized “terrifying tour across the ages from some of comic’s top talent” by focusing upon the joyless solitude of the Phantom Stranger and his endless vigil guarding the innocent against the sinister desires of the undead; “Why does this night open the gate between life and death, and why give me the responsibility to watch over it..?”

In addition, this ten-pager is well-drawn by Raul Fernandez, who despite the drama's dialogue-driven wordiness, still manages to add plenty of “Blam” to its pulse-pounding proceedings as Carmine Infantino’s co-creation flitters through time during Halloween in an effort to thwart everything from early pilgrims, displaced Native Americans and Chinese demons from feasting upon the souls of the living. Coupled with a suitably sombre palette by colourist Santi Arcas, the illustrator’s panels depicting an attack upon a pair of adolescent brothers by the land’s ferocious-faced indigenous people is highly creditable, with the spooky “righteous spirits” being given an opportunity to air their grievances despite the brevity of the yarn.

Significantly lighter in its tenor, though ultimately just as engaging, is “Trick Or Treat” by Sholly Fisch. Admittedly, there will be some within this publication’s audience who will find this tale’s start somewhat slow, due to its focus upon the Super Sons and their series of unsuccessful visits to a plethora of super-hero’s homes so as to acquire sugar-filled candy bars. However, once Superboy and Robin arrive at the Grand Hall of Justice and inadvertently stumble into their parents’ battle against the formidably magical Demons Three, things definitely start to hot up plot-wise.

Indeed, along with Luciano Vecchio’s prodigious pencils and Wendy Broome’s marvellous purple-hued assault upon the senses, this part of the two boys’ adventure is arguably one of the highlights of the entire comic, as both protagonists employ wits over sheer strength to ultimately defeat the impish-looking Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast. Furthermore, the Argentinian illustrator’s sketches showing the Super Son’s bravely battling their demonic foes are packed full of dynamic action to the point where it is a real pity the fight scene wasn’t extended by at least another page or two.

The regular cover art to "DC'S TERRORS THROUGH TIME" #1 by John McCrea & Mike Spicer

Alien [2022] #3 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 3, January 2023

Considering just how much of this twenty-page periodical is dialogue-heavy discussion and sedentary story-telling, there’s arguably still a tremendous amount of tense, adrenalin-fuelled antics to be enjoyed reading Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s narrative for Issue Three of “Alien”. In fact, the persistently pervading atmosphere of dread and death sticks to this comic throughout, making every panel a potential depiction of someone meeting a truly gruesome demise at the hands of the latest alien strain; “Our time killing humans and gun-bots is done. This is the future of warfare. We escaped it for a while. But it found us in the end.”

Furthermore, the “Eisner-nominated writer” does an excellent job in quickly establishing the personalities of Tobler-9’s surviving colonists and just how well they individually interact with Steel Team. Anger, resentment and distrust of one another debatably prevail in this sudden amalgamation of the living and synthetic. But the author also manages to crowbar in some much more tender interactions, as well as establish a common bond between the two groups when it comes to ‘searching the Xenomorph-infested planet for an alien sample that can save humanity.”

Of course, many within this book’s audience will simply be waiting for the ‘mythical Special Operations team’ to face-off against this publication’s titular antagonists, and when such a confrontation does eventually occur “Icarus” is not found wanting. Indeed, it’s difficult to count the sheer number of bullets blazing across each picture as both “the humans and synths strike an uneasy bargain” so as to lay waste to a fearsome alien queen’s opening salvo of warrior drones.

Helping to sell some of this plot’s sense of desperation and determination to succeed against almost impossible odds, are Julius Ohta’s layouts, which really do a good job in depicting the low-tech level of existence experienced by the colony’s few inhabitants despite all the futuristic equipment surrounding them. Moreover, the Brazilian illustrator’s prodigious pencilling of the various characters’ facial expressions is first-rate, and definitely helps sell each cast member’s emotions as they interact with one another; most notably Eli, whose initial hated of his would-be rescuers turns to something far more sinister when he knowingly neglects to warn Lee that she’s about to be bitten by a poisonous bug.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #3 by Bjorn Barends

Batman: Urban Legends #19 [Part Two] - DC Comics

BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS No. 19, November 2022

Providing Alfred Pennyworth with plenty of pathos and personality, Chris Burnham’s script for “On The Hook” certainly must have pleased anyone with even a passing interest in H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. For whilst the butler’s extremely engaging investigation into the theft of some jade jewellery is easily entertaining in its own right as the manservant desperately attempts to discern some meaning from all the clues he slowly uncovers. The ten-page plot debatably ramps up to another level once his informant Mollie starts talking about immigrant whalers discovering an ancient treasure deep within the belly of a malformed marine mammal, and it’s chilling connection to the aquatic deity Dagon.

In addition, the comic book artist does a first-rate job in permeating his pencilling of “The Pennyworth Files” with all manner of tentacles, nervous glimpses into shadowy corners and mysterious fish-faced stalkers. These side-glances, moments of haunting doubt and resolute bravado genuinely help imbue all this narrative’s cast with plenty of intriguing emotion, and will arguably cause many in the audience to sympathetically sigh with relief at the instalment’s end when Bruce Wayne’s determined employee realises he no longer needs to risk his life by covertly infiltrating “the D’Agostino Murder Manor”. But rather visit the Headless Mummy of Dagon display at the Gotham City Museum instead; “I’ll take an elder god over the mafia any day!”

Equally as mesmerising due to its detailed insight into the World’s Greatest Detective is “Leather Bound” by Brandon Easton, which doubtless provided this anthology’s audience with many a nightmare concerning giant reptiles feasting upon human limbs in unpleasant smelling sewer systems. Initially hinting at perhaps a team-up between Batman and the villainous Killer Croc, the Baltimore-born writer instead rather excitingly establishes a traumatic three-way battle, where the Dark Knight must defeat both Waylon Jones’ super-strong alter-ego, and simultaneously track down a mysterious maniac who is obsessed with skinning his four-legged victims’ scaly hides.

Artist Will Robson should also be given a resonant round of applause for his contribution to this twenty-two page thriller, with his depiction of the Caped Crusader proving particularly memorable. However, it is probably the illustrator’s incredibly detailed drawings of all this terrifying tale’s numerous cold-blooded killers which will linger in any perusing bibliophile’s memory, courtesy of some imaginative panels showing massively-mouthed crocodiles, komodo dragons and snakes all desperately trying to take a chunk out of Bill Finger’s co-creation.

The regular cover art of "BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS" #19 by Dike Ruan

Zombicide: Day One #1 - Source Point Press

ZOMBICIDE: DAY ONE No. 1, January 2023

Considering just how hard it must have been to convert a Ludo Award-winning collaborative board game into the medium of a comic book mini-series, Luca Enoch and Stefano Vietti’s narrative for Issue One of “Zombicide: Day One” can surely only be viewed as an enthralling triumph. Indeed, the oversized thirty-two-page periodical’s plot is arguably faultless in its pulse-pounding presentation of the dead’s sudden return “to life to devour the living” and all the madness which ensues as an ever-growing group of survivors wade their way through chaos-strewn streets and cadaver-packed public places so as to reach the relative safety of Luke’s Garage.

Admittedly, the publication’s script doesn’t dwell upon what precisely caused the “bacteria going around that makes you feel so sick that turn into a raving lunatic”. But its invigorating pace doesn’t allow for such word-heavy exposition as the audience are thrust right in the thick of things by a pair of brain-hungry corpses as they unexpectedly fling themselves through the glass window of Clancy’s diner and start chomping upon the throats of its customers. So adrenalin-charged a moment comes just as the storyline suggests this opening instalment is potentially going to focus upon people simply disbelieving Ned’s mad ravings about an imminent apocalypse rather than anything quite so dynamic, and resultantly may well catch many a perusing bibliophile off-guard with its savage suddenness.

Equally as intriguing is the writing team’s ability to find the time to flesh out a few of this comic’s quite considerable cast, most notably that of paramedic Diana, whose black and white coloured flashback sequence demonstrates just how swiftly the infection takes hold of her hospital despite its hapless staff’s best efforts to organise a quarantine ward. This grisly nightmare genuinely helps establish just why within hours Wanda and her friends are facing “a city full of zombies” and how, whilst desperately searching for ammunition and supplies, even the tiniest of noises could fatally attract an entire horde of sharp-teethed ghouls.

Working incredibly well alongside Enoch and Vietti are artists Alessio Moroni and Marco Itri, as well as colorist Paolo Francescutto. Together this creative team provide some quite stunning eye candy, most notably whenever the undead are either lurking about in the shadows or hurling themselves at the steadfast survivors with wild, blood-thirsty abandonment; “We’re out of choices… They’re closing in behind us and the only way out is through these.”

The regular cover art of "ZOMBICIDE: DAY ONE" #1 by Luca Bulgheroni & Giorgia Lanza