Titans #6 - DC Comics

TITANS No. 6, February 2024

For those fans either unwilling to fork out for the “Titans: Beast World” multi-issue comic book mini-series and the event's numerous crossover titles, or simply just completely oblivious to the notion of “the people of Earth turning into animals after being exposed to the Beast Boy spores” storyline, Tom Taylor’s narrative for Issue Six of “Titans” may well have proved a bit hard going in places. Sure, some early dialogue from the likes of Starfire, Nightwing and Batgirl provides a little background information as to what is currently occurring inside the "DC Comics" universe. But what this twenty-page periodical arguably really needs is some sort of synopsis for any within its audience who haven’t read the six different tie-ins published before this one; “Detective Chimp and Doctor Clancy are examining Wolf-Batman now.”

Luckily, the “New York Times bestselling author” does still manage to pen an enthralling yarn for those bibliophiles ‘in the dark’, courtesy of Tempest and Brother Eternity penetrating the security of Titans Tower, and allowing the titular characters’ headquarters to be quite literally overrun by beasts. Indeed, this moment generates a palpable sense of urgency within the facility’s inhabitants, thanks largely to Clancy’s children innocently watching cartoons in the Lounge Room whilst a horde of bears, alligators and white-furry bunnies are just a whisker away from ensuring their “vital organs [are] gouged out.”

However, just as engaging is probably this comic’s opening, which focuses upon Princess Koriand’r’s final moments in the presence of her ill-fated mother, just minutes before an alien invasion leads to the destruction of her civilisation. This flashback sequence is both well-written and seemingly connects to the publication’s current main antagonist – Xand’r, providing the storytelling with an exciting pair of bookend-like scenes.

Frustratingly, the same praise probably cannot be directed towards Travis Moore’s illustrations though. The visual artist is clearly a proficient penciller, who does a fine job in helping Taylor deliver an exciting adventure. Yet the American’s style debatably lacks a lot of the detail which this title’s regular contributor, Nicola Scott, definitely delivered, and resultantly, every now and then a panel will potentially ‘jolt’ a reader out of the tale, such as when Garth of Atlantis bursts in upon Dick Grayson and flattens a flailing leopard-person with a small tidal wave.

The regular cover art of "TITANS" #6 by Clayton Henry & Marcelo Maiolo

Dune: House Harkonnen #9 - BOOM! Studios

DUNE: HOUSE HARKONNEN No. 9, September 2023

It’s arguably hard not to shake a sense of sloppiness with the storytelling inside Issue Nine of “Dune: House Harkonnen”, as numerous plot-threads appear to be resolved with no obvious impact upon this mini-series’ overarching narrative, and new ones created which seem to lack much in the way of compelling logic. In fact, many a fan of Frank Herbert’s original science fiction novel from the Sixties, may well have been left wondering in just what direction this comic was now heading, considering that it ends with a bizarre mixture of death, treachery, and sheer stupidity; “I tried everything else. Ambassador to the Landsraad, appeals to the Emperor. No one will free Ix. The only message I have left is destruction.”

To begin with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson disconcertingly depict Abulurd Harkonnen simply accepting the kidnapping of his son Feyd by Glossu Rabban, and deciding to live a life “of calm acceptance” alongside the Bifrost Eyrie’s Burgomaster. Such cowardly acquiescence is incredibly hard to accept considering that the man is supposedly the planet’s governor. But is then debatably made all the worse when he irrationally thinks redistributing his brother’s horde of stolen spice “to the poor” won’t attract the Baron’s hideous wrath once again.

Just as poorly penned is probably the tragic death of poor Warrick, who having been skinned alive by a sudden sandstorm, is suddenly pencilled by incoming artist Michael Shelfer attempting to be the first male to ever transform the deadly water of life. Initially, this madness appears to stem from “the blood-brother of Liet Kynes” believing he’s seen the vision of the Lisan Al-Gaib. However, according to his dying declaration it seems clear he knew it would just kill him, and resultantly begs the question just why the Fremen knowingly drank the poisonous blue liquid in the first place..?

Similarly as head-scratching is Dominic Vernius' highly illogical decision to suddenly throw caution to the wind after years of building-up his smuggling empire, and trust the perfidious Rondo Tuek to aid him in a reckless attack upon the second capital of the Corrino Empire with atomics. Considering the inter-planetary scale of the former Earl's covert operations it is difficult to imagine him needing to ask an untrustworthy water merchant for help acquiring a space worthy, unmarked hauler. Yet this uncharacteristic lack of judgement is precisely what he does, and it unsurprisingly costs him his life.

The regular cover art of "DUNE: HOUSE HARKONNEN" #9 by Raymond Swanland

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #1 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 1 February 2024

Arguably taking something of a risk by having this opening issue of the “new ongoing series [which] teams up Gotham’s greatest detectives with Crystal Cove’s teen sleuths” focus upon Nightwing as opposed to the Dark Knight himself, Sholly Fisch’s “The Show Must Go… Away” still should have pleased the vast majority of its readers in January 2024. True, the twenty-page periodical’s plot will initially have quite a few bibliophiles rubbing their foreheads in consternation as the tale appears to portray super-hero Deadman as the villainous antagonist. But once it’s been made clear that the entire criminal operation is a ‘set-up’ to smear the deceased acrobat’s name, readers should settle back down to discover just who the costume-wearing imposter is.

Furthermore, there’s plenty of gags surrounding Mystery Incorporated to keep them entertained as Dick Grayson’s alter-ego decides to headline Haly’s Circus for one night only. Quite possibly one of the funniest of these is poor Fred Jones attempting to fool the customers into believing he’s every bit as good an escapologist as he is setting traps for crooks. Whilst Shaggy Rogers and his Great Dane dressed up as clowns will probably raise a smile or three too, especially as the pair are terrified of white-faced, colourful entertainers; “Didn’t I mention I’m, like, scared of clowns?”

Perhaps therefore the only disappointing element to this tale is Daphne Blake being depicted as a death-defying aerialist who “luckily… took a few trapeze lessons during the case of the haunted high wire.” Such a blatant, fortuitous break sadly smacks of Fisch simply creating a contrivance in order to give poor "Danger-prone Daphne" a pivotal role in his narrative, and would probably at least have been a bit more convincing if he’d tied her lucky special ability to the 1969 televised “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” episode “Bedlam in the Big Top”.

Helping to sell all the chaos of life under the Big Top of a travelling circus is Dario Brizuela, whose pencils quite beautifully match the look of the titular cast’s old “Hanna-Barbera” Saturday morning cartoons. The Argentinian illustrator is also very good at incorporating the likes of Nightwing and Batman into this style of drawing, providing the publication with a seamless blend of the two popular comic book franchises.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco

Dune: House Harkonnen #8 - BOOM! Studios

DUNE: HOUSE HARKONNEN No. 8, August 2023

For those bibliophiles able to navigate this bemusing mass of people, places, and intervals, Issue Eight of “Dune: House Harkonnen” probably provided them with a number of noteworthy moments; not least of which is the sheer outrage felt when Glossu Rabban travels to Tula Fjord on Lankiveil and abducts his baby brother from the very arms of his parents. Indeed, alongside the dramatic facial disfigurement of poor Warrick at the hands of a terrifying, flesh-stripping sandstorm, this scene should genuinely have its readers wringing their hands in frustration at the injustice of the futuristic “feudal interstellar society.”

Sadly however, the ‘set up’ to these harrowing scenes, as well as those depicted on Salusa Secundus, Ix and Ginaz, are debatably far from convincing - especially as authors Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson repeatedly push the narrative on for months at a time simply through someone clumsily stating, “It has been a year!” since they last did something.

Foremost of these ‘leaps of logic’ surely has to be Abulurd’s utterly bizarre decision to suddenly renounce his House’s name before the Landsraad Council and simply be a Sirdar Governor. This resolve supposedly stems from a desire to peacefully live with his wife and newborn son away from his family’s misguided and sinister political ambitions. But unsurprisingly results in a furious Vladimir Harkonnen seeking retribution directly against him as the Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles (CHOAM) demand that the Baron explain to them why his brother has suddenly done this.

Similarly as frustrating though has to be the convenient ability of Ixian resistance fighter C’Tair to cobble together a transmitter which “takes advantage of my mental link” with his sibling-turned-navigator. This technological contrivance is the beginning of an entire domino line of happy happenstances which visual artist Fran Galan is forced to proficiently pencil, as the “artificially super-evolved human” D’Murr fortuitously finds that renegade nobleman Dominic Vernius is incredibly stowed aboard the very interstellar guild heighliner he pilots, and can thus covertly divert the spacefaring vessel back to Ix where “an unmarked, undetectable ship” will take the Earl down to the heavily occupied planet completely unnoticed; “I know a thousand hidden ways to my underground city.”

Written by: Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson, Illustrated by: Fran Galan, and Coloured by: Patricio Delpeche

Beware The Planet Of The Apes #1 - Marvel Comics

BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES No. 1, March 2024

Whilst attempting to take “readers back to the ground-breaking original film saga” certainly appears to have been a dream job for writer Marc Guggenheim, who has “been entertained and intrigued by Planet of the Apes ever since I got a Mego Doctor Zaius doll as a birthday present”, it does arguably cause this four-part mini-series’ opening instalment to be rather dialogue driven. Indeed, apart from a brief flurry of activity at its very start when General Ursus launches a raid against Nova’s tribe, the thirty-page periodical doesn’t contain much in the way of adrenalin-fuelled action.

Happily however, that matters not a jot, as the Television Producer pens both a fascinating insight into the lives of Cornelius and Zira in the East Coast Ape City just before astronaut George Taylor’s spaceship catastrophically crash-lands in the Forbidden Zone, as well as an intriguing mystery concerning the disappearance of their young nephew Lucius. These ‘hooks’ do a nice job of allowing the audience to ‘bump into’ the likes of Doctor Zaius and the aforementioned ape military commander, in addition to exploring the surrounding countryside for archaeological artefacts – such as a Twentieth Century underground sanitation outflow system.

In fact, debatably one of the highlights of this publication is how the American author introduces various remnants of our current civilisation into novelist Pierre Boulle’s post-apocalyptic world. Much of this groundwork is probably established with a stunning double-splash map of the Earth as the science-fiction franchise’s fans know it. Yet this story soon begins to add to it as well, courtesy of New York City’s (luckily) empty drainage tunnels and a glimpse at the derelict, Bronx-based Yankee Stadium.

Equally as enticing though is the inclusion of Doug Moench, George Tuska, and Alfredo Alcala’s original artwork on the Seventies “Marvel Comics” title “Adventures On The Planet Of The Apes”. These classic layouts do admittedly jar somewhat in style with the much more detailed panels of artists Alvaro Lopez and Alex Guimaraes. But the ‘flashbacks into the future’ also help pull any perusing bibliophile right back to the source of Guggenheim’s latest escapade, and serve as a welcome reminder as to just what lies around the corner for all this comic’s considerable cast members; “Yeah,,, Me Tarzan, you Jane.”

The regular cover art of "BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES" #1 by Taurin Clarke

Creepshow [2023] #5 - Image Comics

CREEPSHOW No. 5, January 2024

Described by its Portland-based publisher as “the freaky finale of Creepshow, Volume Two”, this terrifying tome certainly seems to get off to a strong start, courtesy of Saladin Ahmed tapping into the increasing public concern of America during the early Fifties, over the gratuitous violence and artwork depicted in comics. Of course, in “Burning Ambition”, the Hugo Award-nominee brings the wave of political hysteria bang up-to-date in the guise of modern-day Governor Hurley. But essentially the hard-nosed statesman is a caricature of infamous Los Angeles councilman Ernest Debs, whose no-nonsense criticisms and concerns swiftly lead to the creation of the Comics Code Authority in 1954. 

Cleverly however, this ten-page tale soon steers away from grand speeches in front of the cheering masses, and uses Artyom Topilin’s layouts to quite chillingly show the obsessive elected official just how deadly a gutter or three can be, when an upset librarian transports him inside an actual book. Indeed, the lion’s share of this “hair-raising” yarn’s success rests upon the illustrator’s shoulders as he mercilessly pencils the poor politician being physically dissected panel by panel via various breaks in his artwork and numerous onomatopoeia; “Those White lines! They’re razor sharp!”

Sticking with the theme of comics is the equally enjoyable “Keep It Fed!” by DB Andry and Tim Daniel. Essentially a reworking of every eight-year-old’s belief that there’s an ever-hungry monster living under their bed who will mercilessly eat them alive as soon as their parents turn off the light, this reasonably straightforward story quite heavily leans into the trope of the boy’s overbearing father being the true antagonist, rather than the ferociously fanged creature stalking poor Ernest and gobbling up the kid's favourite titles.

Phenomenally pencilled by “murderous Matthew Roberts”, the child’s initial sadness at giving up his beloved best issues to the always-hungry fiend in his bedroom is genuinely touching, and later only overshadowed by the fast-growing teenager’s evident distress at his dad totally destroying his remaining collection by burning them all in a large garden fire. Like all successful conclusions though, this tale has a good twist at the end, which sees the adolescent intriguingly following in the actual footsteps of his grotesque “friend” rather than being consumed himself.

Writers: Saladin Ahmed, and David Andry & Tim Daniel, and Artists: Artyom Topilin and Matthew Roberts

Blade #7 - Marvel Comics

BLADE No. 7, March 2024

On paper Blade teaming “up with the Hulk to tame the anger within” probably seemed like a good idea to Bryan Hill, especially as the American author sets the intriguing pair up against a town filled full of horned demons. But once it becomes clear that neither super-hero actually has the ability to successfully batter or slash their numerous opponents into defeat, the twenty-page plot arguably takes an unconvincing turn with Eric Brooks willingly allowing himself to be possessed by the central satanic antagonist; “Don’t look at me like that, Banner.”

Up until this point though, Issue Seven of “Blade” appears to contain everything a fright-fest fan would need to enjoy so cataclysmic a confrontation between the forces of good and evil, including it being set in a deserted backwater town in the Pacific Northwest. Indeed, at the book’s start, it genuinely appears that the Daywalker will spend a good portion of his time gallantly helping the settlement’s cursed population stay safe from the horde of fanged Hellish horrors roaming just outside the boundary of its municipal church.

This premise though disappointingly soon shifts once Brooks confesses to a desperate Bruce Banner that the emaciated scientist needs the help of Doctor Strange to deal with young Ronny’s bedevilment by a foul fiend from the woodlands, not his. This admission results in a new change of plan which sees an entirely unmolested Eric somehow just walk up to where the boy’s haunted form is being held and convince the foul entity to enter his undead body instead. So sedentary a resolution debatably comes as a major anti-climax considering this publication’s previous build-up, especially when the half-human vampire hunter simply coughs the demon out later on so it can be pulverised by the Hulk.

Sadly, Valentina Pinti’s pencilling becomes similarly dissatisfying once the comic gets going, despite a strong start which sees the Italian illustrator sensationally sketch Banner’s monstrous alter-ego getting outnumbered by a forest full of horned nightmares. However, once Blade enters the fray the artist appears to disconcertingly struggle to stop making his head appear oddly angular, as if it isn’t quite connected to his neck and shoulders as it should be.

The regular cover art to "BLADE" #7 by Elena Casagrande & Romulo Fajardo Junior

Predator [2023] #5 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 5, September 2023

Packed with a series of disconcertingly satisfying deaths and a cluster of soul-shattering murders, Ed Brisson’s narrative for Issue Five of “Predator” certainly should have firmly placed anyone perusing this comic on a rollercoaster of emotion. Sure, the entirety of this twenty-page periodical’s plot is confined to just a couple of corridors set inside the belly of the Sandpiper. But this claustrophobic backdrop simply adds to the sense of the survivors’ desperation, as well as the Yautja’s deadliness, when there’s no room for poor Allen to even swing the razor-sharp axe he enthusiastically selected from Sandy’s armoury at the fast-moving extra-terrestrial trying to gut him.

Quite possibly this book’s chief success is the way the writer pens the well-deserved demises of his considerable cast’s least likeable members. Of particular note is the whiney Isla, who despite being confronted with the plain truth that she caused all the mass mutilation on board Theta Berwick’s spacecraft, still attempts to defend her treachery by suddenly employing the old “we have a daughter” ploy, before the Other Worldly Lifeforms Program (O.W.L.F.) trooper’s head is shockingly blown asunder. This killing genuinely smacks of poetic justice, and is only overshadowed by the subsequent sorrowful slaying of this tale’s roguish bouncer a split second later.

Indeed, many a bibliophile will probably put down this “final showdown” afterwards with a truly heavy heart, as poor Omar and Allen are cut to pieces by the Predator. These characters demonstrated such significant loyalty to the woman who scooped them off the Yautja’s game preserve planet, that it seems such a shame neither were able to reach the temporary safety of the control deck and “stick with you and Paolo” for some future adventures; “Sure. We could always use another set of hands around here.”

Pencilling some incredible pulse-pounding panels is Netho Diaz, who manages to convey both the stark terror permeating the vessel’s population and the savage suddenness of their grisly downfalls. In fact the staggeringly good splash page of the psyched-up alien leaping upon Berwick’s band with its wrist-blades ready for a fatal slash looks as if the creature has quite literally stepped from a celluloid film frame straight into the comic book.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Pencilier: Netho Diaz, Inker: Belardino Brabo, Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #5 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE No. 5, September 2023

Despite the odd member of this science-fiction franchise’s fanbase possibly being somewhat critical as to how simply James Tiberius Kirk solves all the competing conundrums facing him and his crew by its conclusion, Marc Guggenheim’s script for this “finale of Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes” definitely should still have thoroughly entertained them. Indeed, the sheer scope of the American author’s storyline alone is utterly breath-taking, as he conveys the reader on a non-stop merry-go-round through a state-of-art Romulan vessel, towards the start of a galactic war between the Federation and Star Empire, and into a frantic phaser-fight on the planet Gallus Three which appears certain to wipe out its entire population.

Intriguingly however, the “co-showrunner on Arrow” doesn’t stop there either, as he somehow manages to cram in an incredible number of characterful moments for the vast majority of the U.S.S. Enterprise’s Bridge Crew too - including a haunting penultimate panel which depicts the Constitution-Class starship’s Admiral anticipating losing “the life of someone close to you” as per Nicholas Meyer’s 1982 movie “The Wrath Of Khan”. These touches genuinely help instil the sense of both melodrama and dark humour to the twenty-two-page periodical’s plot which was so typical of the Sixties original television series, and in the case of the writer’s superb handling of Mister Spock and Leonard McCoy’s banter with one another, is arguably well worth this book’s cover price alone.  

True, the narrative does occasionally appear a little unlikely, such as when the Enterprise’s commanding officer willingly permits Lieutenant Uhura to blatantly disregard his direct orders and assist her disagreeable, alternative version to escape Starfleet custody in Akris’ spacecraft. But Guggenheim debatably throws several spectacular curveballs throughout this publication, so it’s probably not too surprising that perhaps the odd one falls a little short of where he was hoping it would land; “That’s the convenient thing about having a captain who puts his conscience before rules and regulations. He doesn’t mind so much when his officers do the same.”

Just as successful as this comic’s prodigious penmanship are Oleg Chudakov’s layouts, which add plenty of pulse-pounding pace to both the script’s space battles and frequent punch-ups. Of particular note is the artist’s ability to imbue Kirk with a vicious left hook. Whilst Sulu’s tense firefight against a phalanx of Centurion guards for ownership of “the devastating Nightbringer weapon” surely had many a bibliophile involuntarily ducking for cover as they witnessed the exchange of deadly energy bolts.

Writer: Marc Guggenheim, Artist: Oleg Chudakov, and Colorist: DC Alonso

Predator [2023] #4 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 4, August 2023

Gorily depicting the traitorous Lucas receiving his just reward for betraying Theta Berwick on board the Sandpiper, courtesy of a Predator savagely skewering him straight through the chest with one of its razor-sharp claws, Ed Brisson’s script for Issue Four of “Predator” quite possibly caused many of the comic’s readers to momentarily cheer the cold-blooded Yautja on. In fact, it’s arguably not until the alien killing machine appears about to swoop upon a hapless Paolo Silva that this book’s audience will probably stop rooting for it; “The comms are down. Someone’s trying to keep us in the dark.”

Much of this disconcerting desire to see the extra-terrestrial tear into the likes of Isla and Kiyoshi Yaksubo stems from the pair’s utter contempt for the one person who both actually knows precisely what the technologically-advanced extra-terrestrials are capable of, and has beaten them in close combat a staggering amount of times. This incredibly misplaced hubris on the two soldiers’ part really makes them dislikeable, and this loathing only increases when the female Other Worldly Lifeforms Program (O.W.L.F.) trooper immediately blames her badly maimed rescuer for her husband’s aforementioned murder, even though it is her arrogance and ignorance which caused his ghastly demise in the first place.

Setting aside this almost palpable seething hatred for the would-be-hijackers, this publication’s multiple Joe Shuster Award-nominee is also good at quickly establishing the sense of trust any perusing bibliophile should have with the remaining survivors, as they repeatedly put their faith in Berwick's decision-making once she regains consciousness (and a new cybernetic right arm). This confidence is probably all the easier to bestow upon Allen, Omar, and Awja in light of the other humans’ shocking disloyalty. But it still helps establish a genuine sense of fear for these characters once it becomes clear a Predator is roaming Sandy’s corridors, and appears intent on massacring all the craft's passengers.

Likewise the artwork of Netho Diaz does a first-rate job of imbuing all the considerable cast with plenty of emotional energy and personality. Yaksubo appears particularly well-drawn, with the Japanese Defence Forces soldier repeatedly demonstrating his selfish, self-centred streak with canine-like snarls, and boorish, physical outbursts when his plans are questioned by the man’s two co-conspirators.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Pencilier: Netho Diaz, Inker: Belardino Brabo, Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Moon Knight [2021] #22 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 22, June 2023

Quite bravely putting the focus upon Greer Nelson rather than this comic’s titular character, Jed McKay certainly provides Issue Twenty Two of “Moon Knight” with a storyline which should have landed reasonably well with its audience in April 2023. True, the twenty-page plot lacks much in the way of pulse-pounding action. But in following the ex-West Coast Avenger’s instinctive investigation into the mysterious reappearance of the Midnight Man, the Canadian creator certainly seems to weave an intriguing tale about theft, puzzling calling cards, heart-breaking deceit and even unrecognised love; “And you lie to me? Make me feel like an idiot for trusting you?”

In addition, the author’s spotlight upon “the Were-Woman” and her adorable son, William Grant Nelson, provides the audience with an opportunity to actually see how the super-heroine is coping day-to-day having “flipped on the Avengers” for Marc Spector. This insight is genuinely well-penned, with such little details as the fur-covered pair’s claws ruining any chance of them ever getting their apartment deposit back making “the prominent member of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes” appear as credible as can arguably be expected for a humanoid cat.

Just as well written though has to be the momentary shift of the Fist of Khonshu as this book’s antagonist. Desperate for dosh following Zodiak stealing all his funds, the face-mask wearing vigilante’s initial plan to simply take money from the city’s various criminal organisations seems a reasonably acceptable vice – especially when the money is being used to “pay Reese, pay Soldier, pay for everything.” However, Moon Knight’s desire to keep this a secret from Tigra is clearly a betrayal of trust, and once again demonstrates just how good he is at hurting the people he cares deeply about.

Prodigiously pencilling so dialogue-driven a narrative is Alessandro Cappuccio, who somehow manages to make young William an incredibly cute little rascal. The Italian Illustrator is also extremely good at capturing the emotional pain running through Greer when she discovers just what her ‘new boyfriend’ has been hiding from her. This intensity really helps sell the woman’s strong thoughts and feelings to the reader, dynamically charging each panel she subsequently appears in whilst raging against Spector’s dishonesty.

Writer: Jed MacKay, Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Predator [2023] #3 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 3, July 2023

Predominantly focusing upon the mini-series’ large cast of characters interacting with one another, as opposed to depicting a ton of Predator-lead violence, Ed Brisson’s narrative for Issue Three of “Predator” must surely have had the majority of its audience literally frothing at the mouth with the sheer boorishness of some of the survivors Theta Berwick saves in this comic. Indeed, the atmosphere of treacherous injustice towards the Sandpiper’s badly wounded ‘skipper’ is truly palpable once the likes of Other Worldly Lifeforms Program (O.W.L.F.) trooper Isla becomes progressively resentful that her military organisation haven’t benefitted from the Yautja hunter’s collection of alien artefacts and equipment.

To make this soldier and her husband-in-crime, Lucas, even more dislikeable though, the pair’s pathetic justification to seize Sandy and release the cowardly Kiyoshi Yaksubo from confinement is apparently because they fear the deadly extra-terrestrials are heading for Earth. This concern simply doesn’t stand up to any scrutinization whatsoever, as the fact that the Predators have already kidnapped humans such as club doorman Allen, shows that they have already visited the planet. Instead, the entire argument just comes across a poor excuse for Isla to vent her fear and frustration at being cryogenically frozen for approximately forty years at the person who actually snatched her from the jaws of certain death.

Setting aside all the irrational squabbles and distinct split straight down the middle of the strangers’ loyalty to Berwick, 'A Wolf In Wolf's Clothing' is also notable for its depiction of the “powerful alien animal pack” fleetingly first seen in Nimrod Antal’s 2010 science fiction action film “Predators”. These River Ghosts appear truly savage creatures under Brisson’s penmanship, who despite being completely unarmed are still clearly quite capable of tearing down a fully-armed Yautja if they have enough numbers; “ Let’s get you outta ‘ere while the beasties are busy with one another.”

Masterfully managing to maintain an incredible atmosphere of tension and suspense throughout all this twenty-page-periodical’s dialogue-driven scenes are Netho Diaz’s pulse-pounding pencils. Coupled with Belardino Brabo’s ostentatious inks and Erick Arciniega’s moodily dark colour choices, these layouts do a grand job in showing the Jekyll to Hyde transformation in Isla’s physical demeanour as she plots with his partner to despicably betray their unconscious liberator.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Pencilier: Netho Diaz, Inker: Belardino Brabo, Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Alien [2023] #2 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 2, February 2024

Easily living up to its New York City-based publisher’s promise of “bodies, bodies, bodies”, Declan Shalvey’s script for Issue Two of “Alien” contains more than its fair share of deaths as multiple humans across a couple of different time periods succumb to the horrible demise which awaits any creature who falls foul of a deadly face-hugger. In fact, much of this twenty-page-periodical’s early plot appears to have been penned simply to show how excruciatingly painful it is for a person to be impregnated by one of the Xenomorphs, and subsequently have a merciless chest-burster admirably live up to its name; “Okay, let’s open him up. Fast. See if we can cut this thing out. Oh my god!”

Once this disconcerting death-count ceases however, the Irish author predominantly focuses upon young Zasha Zahn’s desperate search for her synthetic ‘father’, as well as adds some extra mystery behind an adolescent Jun Yutani’s true motivation for visiting the “deserted ice moon LV-695” in person. Coupled with some downright suspicious behaviour by android 122-M some forty years in the past, and this canny concoction proves utterly mesmerising - especially once “Cole” makes her way back to her old, dilapidated home and starts gunning-down the murderous extra-terrestrials in a genuinely scary, running battle.

Indeed, quite possibly the highlight of this comic is Batya’s daughter recklessly entering the old Talbot Engineering Incorporated facility, as the Dublin-born writer avoids penning the protagonist as a highly unlikely, unstoppable killing machine, and instead depicts the woman as being determined but still entirely vulnerable to a whole posse of drones resolved to hunt her down. This characterisation makes the entire action sequence highly entertaining, and adds that extra element of concern for Zahn when she appears to be about to be overwhelmed by numbers.

Ably aiding Shalvey with some dramatically dark drawings and shadowy hues, are artists Andrea Broccardo and Ruth Redmond. Together this pair really help establish a hauntingly bleak tone to the considerable cast’s sombre surroundings, with the likes of the rust-covered hull of the U.S.C.S.S. Boreas clearly showing the time its spent lost beneath the icy waves, as well as its interior being under the ‘rule’ of the Xenomorphs and their resin-like hive webbing.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #2 by Javi Fernandez & Matthew Wilson

Predator [2023] #2 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 2, June 2023

It’s difficult to determine just how many of this comic’s readers were all that delighted with Ed Brisson’s decision to bring Theta Nedra Berwick back for this mini-series’ second instalment, as the technologically-advanced Yautja hunter’s presence alone completely changes the dynamic of the twenty-page periodical’s plot. For whilst the book’s considerable cast of “trained soldiers” are still penned desperately tearing through the tall trees on the Predator’s preserve planet. They’re no longer doing so out of sheer terror as to what is hunting them, but rather in a determined push to reach their saviour’s spacecraft and escape the nightmare world which they’ve found themselves trapped on.

Of course that doesn’t mean for a moment that the author isn’t still able to pack his narrative with some genuinely tense action sequences, or completely stun his audience by having “the daughter of botanists Hugo and Francesca Berwick” shockingly wounded in a duel when her attention is momentarily caught by the Sandpiper surprisingly blasting off-planet. However, much of the focus upon just how the original, outmatched humans were somehow going to avoid adding to the Yautja’s kill count whilst distrusting one another, is somewhat disappointingly replaced by the likes of Doctor Paolo Silva providing plenty of background exposition as to Theta’s plans and prowess; “We’ll bring you to a nearby Astar outpost and drop you off a few miles away so you can hike in.”

Quite possibly this publication’s most interesting character is therefore Kiyoshi Yaksubo, who after constantly complaining about how unfair everything is, cowardly rushes aboard Sandy and steals the vessel when he thinks the “motley crew” are about to die at the hands of a Predator. This utterly spineless act by the Japanese Self-Defence Forces officer will surely have caused many a bibliophile to almost wring the comic in sheer frustration, particularly when the man’s selfish behaviour costs his would-be-rescuer so much.

Managing to imbue all these sense-shattering shenanigans with plenty of pulse-pounding dynamism and pace is Netho Diaz, who does a terrific job of creating the illusion of action, even when a scene is simply showing a large, bald-headed bouncer protesting that he shouldn’t have been ‘time-snatched’ by the Yautja because all he does is deal with “a bunch ‘a slobberin’ drunks swingin’ on one ‘nother.”  The “mainstay at Marvel Comics” is also particularly good at sketching a sudden moment in time, such as poor Ernesto being horrifying fried just as safety was in sight for the Filipino soldier, or Berwick’s aforementioned debilitating injury.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Pencilier: Netho Diaz, and Inkers: Belardino Brabo & Roberto Poggi

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #4 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE No. 4, August 2023

Whilst some readers may well argue that Marc Guggenheim’s storyline for Issue Four of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes” lacks much in the way of dynamic, action-packed excitement. The New Yorker definitely fills his twenty-two-page plot with plenty of political intrigue and tension, as James T. Kirk desperately attempts to swot up on his Romulan equipment so as to secretly transport himself to the undisclosed location of the planet-destroying Nightbringer weapon. 

Foremost of these diplomatic dilemmas undoubtedly stems from this comic’s strained opening between the Federation’s blue-skinned Madame President, Admiral Mohamed, and the duplicitous Ambassador Nanclus – who rather enjoyably bears more than a passing resemblance to the Romulan character's Silver Screen actor Darryl Henriques. This well-written scene really helps establish just how close to a full-scale war the two opposing empires are, and adds loads of weight to Commander Spock’s subsequent decisions, when the Vulcan is forced to contemplate the consequences of Sulu stealing “Akris’ purloined ship” and whether Pavel Chekov’s “dire medical state” is worth risking a galactic conflict over.

Furthermore, it provides the American author with plenty of opportunity to demonstrate just how very well he can handle the science officer’s close relationship with Leonard McCoy. The pair’s banter within this comic is so good that many within its audience should easily be able to hear the voices of actors Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley in their ears, as well as see the character’s facial responses to their verbal sparring and witty repartee in Oleg Chudakov’s pencilling; “Wait. You were messing with me just then weren’t you? I really hate you sometimes.”

Lastly, but by no means least, is Guggenheim’s ability to also give some spotlight to the rest of the U.S.S. Enterprise’s main crew, most notably that of Montgomery Scott and Nurse Christine Chapel. The Chief Engineer’s role within Spock’s plan to locate a pre-warp civilisation upon which the Romulan’s can test their newly-acquired Doomsday weapon is pivotal to this publication’s plot, and additionally provides the Scotsman with an opportunity to exhibit his own biting waggishness once he realises the pointy-eared alien “deemed it an acceptable risk” that he’d be clobbered unconscious by the determined General Uhura so she could escape the Constitution-class vessel in her recently repaired spacecraft.

Writer: Marc Guggenheim, Artist: Oleg Chudakov, and Colorist: DC Alonso

Alien [2023] #1 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 1, January 2024

Publicised by “Marvel Worldwide” as “Declan Shalvey and Andrea Broccardo’s next and greatest Alien story”, this opening instalment to “Descendant” certainly should have pleased any fans of the science-fiction horror franchise, considering that the thirty-page periodical contains a number of its classic tropes. Indeed, the Dublin-born writer arguably ticks almost every recurrent theme imaginable in this comic, including the presence of an adolescent into the mix, despite the fact that the deserted ice moon LV-695 is well-known for harbouring a veritable army of deadly Xenomorphs.

In addition, this book contains some nice nods back to the title’s preceding mini-series, with Zasha Zahn returning to the facility where her family were killed some thirteen years earlier, and in doing so unknowingly passing the frozen corpse of former Weyland-Yutani employee Wendell Theen as she does so. Of course, much of this continuity will be lost on those readers new to the past exploits of Batya’s daughter. Yet for those ‘loyal’ bibliophiles who have followed the green-eyed survivor from the start, these moments of continuity are rather enjoyable; “I know you took the same walk, Dayton. I’m going to find you just like you found me.”

Sadly however, despite all this positivity, there’s debatably still something missing with the Eagle Award-winner’s storyline, courtesy of some slightly head-scratching leaps of logic. For example, if Zasha knew there were still Aliens aboard the derelict U.S.C.S.S. Boreas and purposely left her crew-mates there as “bait”, why did she bother to save two of them from a drone whilst they were busy canoodling in one of the sunken spacecraft’s corridors..? Furthermore, knowing that Jun Yutani III wishes to meet with her, Zahn reaches her appointment’s destination beforehand, only to then bizarrely depart to search for her ‘dead father’ just moments before the young woman’s illustrious employer arrives..?

Adding even more confusion to the narrative though are Shalvey’s persistent flashbacks to Planet HD 202206bk on the Outer Veil, which appear to carry no correlation whatsoever with what’s previously occurred on the aforementioned “world infected by the universe’s greatest killers.” Pencilled by Declan himself, this mining operation is clearly earmarked to go horribly wrong once its synth-hating supervisor discovers a face-hugger and foolishly sticks his nose straight in front of it. But whatever mystery its well-penned plot produces is somewhat diluted by its disconnection with the comic’s main adventure.

Writer: Declan Shalvey, and Artists: Andrea Broccardo and Declan Shalvey

Creepshow [2023] #4 - Image Comics

CREEPSHOW No. 4, December 2023

Arguably capturing both some of the wicked wit and grotesque gruesomeness of the original 1982 horror anthology film “Creepshow”, Nick Dragotta’s opening narrative for Issue Four of this comic book mini-series should certainly catch many a reader off-guard with its rapid decline into savage, physical mutilation. In fact, the “naughty” creator’s “Killer Cart Corral” may well completely wrong-foot the majority of this publication’s audience, courtesy of a storyline which initially suggests that a haunted shopping trolley will be its central antagonist, and then shockingly revealing a far grisly monster to break Billy’s heavily traumatised mother into several pieces.

Sure, some bibliophiles might believe that the thieving, drug-dealing brat’s parent may well have deserved a truly dreadful death at the bottom of her deceased son’s blood-splattered buggy. But this ten-page plot’s writer/artist does such a cracking job in revealing the adolescent’s deceit and his guardian’s unwillingness to accept his fatal flaws, despite closed circuit television footage to the contrary, that when she is still disconcertingly gurgling for mercy, few “Creepsters” will believe she genuinely deserves it; “As for you and your Billy. We simply cannot tolerate such carelessness. Good boy, Dougans.”

Just as intriguing, though not anywhere near as gory, is “The Amulet” by the “abominable Alisa Kwitney”, which explores all the concerns a wheelchair-bound septuagenarian may well experience when she is unlovingly expelled from her home straight into a cruelly-run nursing centre for the elderly. Quick to realise her perilous predicament, “Professor Emeritus of Archaeology and Anthropology at Ogelthorpe College” makes for a remarkably sympathetic heroine, who sadly appears well out of her depth against the Rainbow Rest’s utterly merciless and homicidally murderous manageress.

Proficiently pencilled by Belgian illustrator Mauricet, it’s debatably difficult to see just how the new resident is ever going to survive even a week inside the care home, especially when it’s spelled out to her just how quick a death a tenant can experience should they cross the malignant Miss Amy. But rather cleverly, the New York City-born writer manages to throw a few surprises into the mix at the end, including a truly disturbing scene of the facility’s outfoxed female felon being forced to eat the body parts of one of her previous victims as a staff member unwittingly watches on.

Writers: Nick Dragotta and Alisa Kwitney, and Artists: Nick Dragotta and Mauricet

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #12 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 12 November 2023

As “time-twisting final” issues go, Ivan Cohen’s storyline for “Scooby Beyond” must have landed quite well with its audience, even if Hugo Strange’s “job of predicting the future” à la Warner Brother's 1999 animated television series, is far too spot on to be even slightly believable. Indeed, the fact that the super villain miraculously guesses that Bruce Wayne’s city will be renamed Neo-Gotham, have flying cars, another incarnation of The Royal Flush Gang, the lawless Jokerz, Barbara Gordon as its Police Commissioner, and a protégé Caped Crusader, is surely three or four too many contrivances for most bibliophiles to comfortably stomach.

However, for those readers able to do just that, and accept the Professor’s plan for Mystery Incorporated to inadvertently reveal Batman’s true identity in a virtual reality as silly nonsense, then this comic’s twenty-page plot will probably provide a bit of senseless fun - particularly once Scooby-Doo and Shaggy Rogers accidentally clamber aboard a pair of flying playing cards and start whizzing across the metropolis’ fluorescent blue skyline; “I’m trying Scoob! But I don’t have four feet, you know!”

Perhaps slightly less enjoyable though is the former editor’s determination to depict Fred Jones’ gang as being perfectly happy to stand toe-to-toe against the King and his “multi-generational crime family”, despite the felons clearly being able to lethally “kzzzap” the teenagers with all manner of high-tech weapons. This fearlessness debatably proves particularly incongruous to the “Hanna-Barbera” characters when Daphne Blake pre-emptively attacks Jack and Ten with hot-dog relish from a nearby stall, and then later joins her friends to defeat the “playing card-themed” evil-doers with several blasts from some conveniently-located fire extinguishers.

Arguably far more impressive than this book’s penmanship, are Dario Brizuela’s prodigious pencils, which genuinely do a great job of capturing all the bright lights and glitz of Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and Alan Burnett's programme for "Kids' WB". Admittedly, Terry McGinnis’ heavily muscled physique is a little disconcerting for supposedly a sixteen-year-old boy. But alongside Franco Riesco’s vibrant colours, the “artist of comics, cartoons, and the box art that some of your kid’s toys came in” genuinely gives all the figures an impressive, dynamic physicality.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Art by: Dario Brizuela, and Colours by: Franco Riesco

Alien [2023] #5 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 5, October 2023

Unrelentingly brutal in its sheer savagery, Declan Shalvey’s penmanship throughout Issue Five of “Alien” must have caused even the most hard-hearted of readers to have had nightmares for weeks, as young Zasha has “one last chance to escape the thaw!” True, the Irish illustrator arguably makes it incredibly difficult for any within the comic’s audience to actually like “the runt” due to her utter lack of gratitude towards the synthetic who single-handedly saved her life. But this book’s blood-soaked body count alone should still cause many a bibliophile to momentarily look away in horror once the Xenomorphs close in upon a hapless Wendell Theen or surviving Weyland-Yutani Corporation commandos.

Indeed, with just one notable exception, every character introduced throughout this mini-series meets an incredibly gruesome end during the protagonists’ “last-ditch effort to escape the moon.” Whether it be having their head literally sliced clean off whilst they’re waxing lyrical about how they selfishly just want to escape all the mutilated violence alone in an escape craft, or disconcertingly shot through the brain by one of the last people you’d expect to be able to fire a hand-gun under extreme stress. Perhaps this twenty-page plot’s most haunting demise though, occurs to poor Wendell, who having somehow endured walking upon a partially severed leg, succumbs to a face-hugger once he’s reached the very limit of his endurance; “This was supposed to be a simple… simple assignment.” 

Furthermore, in between all the death and destruction, the author also manages to continue making shocking revelations as to the fast-dwindling cast’s motivations. The foremost of these is possibly the realisation that Talbot Engineering Incorporated’s chief scientist had been hording mutilated alien body parts for years and then using their remains to stabilise her pregnancy. However, Daytona’s admission that he was actually a defective android who the Zahns repaired so as to conduct the “dirty work” is almost as disturbing, especially once he replaced Zasha’s biological father following the man fatally falling off the facility’s platform.

Artist Andrea Broccardo’s prodigiously-pencilled glimpse into Batya’s butcher’s shop should also be lauded, due to the splash page being slightly reminiscent of Ellen Ripley’s discovery of the U.S.M. Auriga’s clone laboratory in the 1997 movie “Alien Resurrection”. The Italian does a good job of providing all the personalities within this comic with plenty of emotion and jaw-dropping moments, even when a razor-sharp tail strikes one of them halfway through their victory speech.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #5 by Dike Ruan & Matthew Wilson

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #11 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 11 October 2023

Unashamedly tapping into both the look and feel of the American cyberpunk media franchise “The Matrix”, Sholly Fisch’s script for “Bark Or Byte?” probably provided its readers with some genuine giggles and guffaws. True, the twenty-page periodical’s premise is rather straightforward in its depiction of Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo donning black overcoats and shades in an effort to spot 'a series of numbers with periods in between them' amongst all the computer code surrounding them. But the tale’s delivered with such a tongue-in-cheek attitude that many a bibliophile would be hard pressed not to at least smirk at the duo’s desperate headlong dash through the ghost-possessed simulated reality.

Foremost of these laughs is probably found with the cowardly pair’s ability to immediately dream up a huge pile of Scooby-snacks and stuffed sandwiches, just as soon as they realise “you can be whatever you want” in the virtual world. This joke is later continued at the end of the comic’s conclusion, when the amateur sleuths are shown to be trying to physically force their way out of the criminal’s computer screens once they’ve somehow seen a pizza delivery guy enter the villain’s secret headquarters in the physical universe; “Could someone, like, get us out of here?”

Furthermore, Batman appears to play a secondary role throughout this book’s narrative, with the superhero spotlight firmly falling upon “the data broker Oracle”. This change of focus is both enjoyable and understandable, as the storyline follows a mysterious ghost somehow manipulating “one of the world's most complex and powerful computer systems” for their own ends. In addition, it provides Barbara Gordon’s alter-ego with an opportunity to educate those readers unfamiliar with Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and how a person’s internet signal can be bounced “through a different country to mask his true location.”

Definitely helping imbue this publication with a Matrix-vibe are the layouts and colours of Erich Owen. The cartoonist’s number-infested, fluorescent green backgrounds and sketch of online hero Oracle’s face genuinely draw the audience into the Ghost in the Machine’s simulated world. Whilst his sketches of Mystery Incorporated make the characters look as if they’ve just stepped across from one of Hanna-Barbera’s classic animations.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn & Coloured by: Erich Owen, and Lettered by: Saida Temofonte

Alien [2023] #4 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 4, September 2023

Incredibly fast-paced and impressively continuing several different plot-threads simultaneously, there was probably plenty for fans of Twentieth Century Studios’ science-fiction franchise to enjoy with Issue Four of “Alien” upon its release in July 2023. Indeed, Declan Shalvey’s twenty-page long narrative must have kept many a bibliophile utterly hooked with some truly gruesome demises, plenty of deadly xenomorphs slowly battering their way into Talbot Engineering Incorporated’s beleaguered base on LV-695, and a seriously surprising conclusion which would have had many a viewer spluttering out their popcorn if this comic’s storyline was being shown upon the silver screen; “You can come out now. It’s safe. Nothing’s going to hurt you. I promise.”

One of this book’s main intriguing elements is arguably scientist Batya Zahn’s revelation that her pregnancy is much more complicated than it ever seemed, with the woman’s unexpected baby emerging as an extra-terrestrial hybrid. Admittedly, this disclosure possibly came as no surprise to those bibliophiles already suspicious of the woman conducting “some covert work on the side.” But for others caught up in the hope that the unlikeable character’s sole saving grace was the Doctor’s love for her family, this plan to sell the “bio sample” to Weyland-Yutani so she could get “off this rock” is as shocking as her duplicity despicable.

Similarly as well-penned though is the handling of this publication’s secondary cast, with the Irish author debatably doing a good job in imbuing the likes of Doc Cleary, Harrison, and their Sergeant some solid moments in the spotlight. The facially-traumatised Harrison is especially electrifying, as he coldly leaves his fellow soldier to die with a face-hugger wrapped around his head, and then savagely states he’ll happily allow young Zasha to “burn or freeze” without a moment’s hesitation.

Possibly, this comic’s sole disappointment therefore comes in the shape of Andrea Broccardo’s pencilling, which at times arguably appears a little too Manga-like to convey the disconcerting darkness of Shalvey’s grim narrative. This ‘art-style’ is particularly irksome during the scenes featuring Zahn and her daughter, where the couple’s doe-shaped eyes jar with everything else – most notably when the panels surrounding them feature either company troopers racing towards the facility’s sole life-pod, or the Xenomorphs tearing towards the icy planet’s survivors.

The regular cover art to "ALIEN" #4 by Dike Ruan & Matthew Wilson