Moon Knight [2021] #23 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 23, July 2023

Brazenly declaring that this twenty-page periodical depicts “Moon Knight and Venom fighting side by side”, Jed MacKay’s script for “Panic Room” certainly seems to live up to the comic’s pre-publication promise. Indeed, the story’s opening, featuring the unlikely duo battling together against the likes of Tangle, Eel, Blitz, and Thermite within the mind-bending Midnight Mansion is arguably as good a methodical lesson in collaborative crime-fighting tactics as any perusing bibliophile could want.

Disappointingly though, what then follows the defeat of the Enforcers isn’t debatably anywhere near as good, with Dylan Brock’s alter-ego seemingly all-too easily directing Marc Spector straight to the secret headquarters of Sidney Sarnak. Admittedly, the Fist of Khonshu was going to need to locate the super-villain’s hideout at some point. But the sheer serendipity involved in the alien symbiote innocuously complaining about not being up to full-strength on account of the city being plagued with a series of weird sonic frequencies, at the same time as Doug Moench’s co-creation is looking for just such a noise-based source, sadly smacks a bit too much of lethargic longhand.

Ultimately however, the greatest displeasure must surely come with this book’s conclusion, where the Canadian author distressingly decides to have “The Ghost In The Telephone” simply surrender himself to the authorities rather than provide any sort of defence against the titular character whatsoever. This infuriating finale is anti-climactic at best, especially when many a reader will doubtless have been anticipating a colossal punch-up involving Moon Knight and (an adolescent) Venom as they fight ‘tooth and claw’ throughout the mysterious criminal’s heavily-fortified centre of operations; “The Police were called as soon as you crossed the perimeter. I’m going to turn myself in. For all my crimes.”

Quite possibly also underwhelmed by MacKay’s sudden ending is Alessandro Cappuccio, whose layouts debatably becomes less measured as the action decreases, and the protagonists flee the imminent arrival of the authorities back onto the night time streets. This situation is particularly irritating as the Italian illustrator’s handling of the aforementioned fight with the Enforcers is first-rate and packed full of pulse-pounding pugilism. Yet, by the time Khonshu’s avatar has reached his final destination, the reader’s viewpoint is reduced to repeatedly looking through the darkness at a porthole into Sarnak’s safe room.

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

Dungeons & Dragons: Fortune Finder #3 - IDW Publishing

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: FORTUNE FINDER No. 3, January 2024

Despite debatably still befuddling many within this mini-series’ audience with yet another ‘deep-dive’ into the “new Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse”, Jim Zub’s narrative for “Dead To Rights” probably still pleased a fair few fans of Gary Gygax’s fantasy tabletop role-playing game on account of the beguiling duo of Bran and Gris. In fact, the unstoppable investigators are by far the most entertaining element of this twenty-page periodical’s plot, and doubtless caused many a reader to wonder why the Canadian author hadn’t simply focused his storytelling around their tongue-in-cheek exploits to track down a mystic murderer, rather than rely upon something seemingly straight out of an episode or two of the 1989 science fiction television programme “Quantum Leap”.

Furthermore, the two hunters provide the Animex Honorary Award-winner with plenty of opportunities to tell a genuinely intriguing tale packed full of murder, mystery, and humorous altercations without him having to resort to the persistent amnesiac, Finder, once again aimlessly pottering around the “floating city in the centre of the Outlands” in a desperate effort to regain their lost memory once more. This penmanship should genuinely draw in even the most disinterested of bibliophiles, as the amateur detectives bribe, barter and utilise every lucky break in the book, to track down the magical energy which they fear will soon tear “the fabric of reality itself”, and become inadvertently embroiled in Maddyknack the Hag’s desperate desire to own an enigmatic shard of power.

Helping to add plenty of exasperation to Bran’s face whenever he's dealing with the political red tape of Sigil and its corrupt officials, as well as imbue the mortician with all the ponderous, sloth-like movement one might expect of a creature inhabiting the partially-shelled body of a Tortle, is Jose Jaro. The artist appears equally as adapt at portraying emotion as he is at sketching the action-packed antics of this comic’s quite considerable cast once they all simultaneously realise just who the latest physical incarnation of the living crystal is. Whilst, alongside colorist Adam Guzowski, they also do a good job in depicting all the previously slain shard personalities, as the blue-hued spirits run as one towards the next hapless being selected to be their host; “Wait a sec, I’m juggling? That must mean I’m a … Juggler. Trying to keep it all in the air so nothing bad will happen.”

The regular cover art to "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: FORTUNE FINDER" #3 by Max Dunbar

Daredevil: Black Armor #3 - Marvel Comics

DAREDEVIL: BLACK ARMOR No. 3, March 2024

Wasting very little time in setting up this mini-series' central cast “in the battle for their lives beneath the streets of Hell’s Kitchen”, the sheer pace to D.G. Chichester’s twenty-page plot for Issue Three of “Daredevil: Black Armor” is positively palpable. Indeed, by the time Matt Murdock, or rather Jack Batlin, has thrown no more than half a dozen punches against a formidable array of the Marvel Universe’s most prestigious villains, the majority of this book’s bibliophiles will surely be physically gasping for breath; “Stay down, you fool!”

Happily however, the “legendary writer” doesn’t simply pad this publication out with meaningless fist-fights, but instead intermingles some genuinely emotional moments within the adrenalin-stacked morass of bone-breaking, jaw-cracking mash-ups. Foremost of these is probably the less than favourable fate of brave Juan and poor Randi at the horrendous hands of Tekagi. Readers will doubtless be traumatized by the well-meaning pair’s apparently fatal fortune, and this apparent willingness to cull prominent personalities by Ann Nocenti’s successor helps dangle the Sword of Damocles over everyone else’s head too.

Just as convincing is the American author’s ability to make his audience believe, albeit momentarily, that a group of hapless captives possibly might overcome Baron Wolfgang von Strucker’s squad of cold-hearted killers. Nobly led by Daredevil and ‘coached from the corner’ by Doctor Calvin Zabo, the New Yorkers enthrallingly manage to use every trick in the book to ‘eke out’ a slim chance for survival. Albeit ultimately, the group are understandably overwhelmed by the likes of Batroc the Leaper, Tarantula and Lady Deathstrike.

Of course, another of this comic’s triumphs has to sit upon the shoulders of Netho Diaz, whose layouts provide a visual feast for the eyes – whether the illustrator is pencilling the Man without Fear fending off the deadly blows from the leader of Hydra, or simply energising his fellow captives into a final show of solidarity against their murderous opponents in the ring. Furthermore, the artist includes some nice nods to the titular character’s history, such as Murdock unknowingly donning the (reversed) yellow and red colour-scheme of his original costume, or Matt’s late father shadowing his son whenever he adopts his old man’s boxing stance.

The regular cover art to "DAREDEVIL" #3 by Mark Bagley & Romulo Fajardo Junior

What If...? Dark: Moon Knight #1 - Marvel Comics

WHAT IF...? DARK: MOON KNIGHT No. 1, October 2023

Described by its New York City-based publisher as being part of “a new series of stories in the classic Marvel What If? tradition…but with a darker twist”, Erica Schultz’s narrative for Issue One of “What If…? Dark: Moon Knight” probably didn’t strike its audience as being any more morbid or tragic than many of the other publications set in the alternate reality “outside the mainstream Marvel Universe continuity.” Indeed, in many ways the American author’s main premise to simply replace Marc Spector as the avatar of an Egyptian deity with a witness to his brutal demise is arguably pretty standard stuff when it comes to Marvel’s long-running heritage; “I am Khonshu, Every decision has infinite outcomes… and not all outcomes are positive.”

Happily however, that doesn’t mean that what follows the masked mercenary’s death at the hands of Raul Bushman is simply a play by numbers plot, with “the first woman to write a Spawn comic” swapping out both the now deceased schizophrenic titular character and his sinister lunar god for girlfriend Marlene Alraune, and the hawk-headed divinity Ra. This somewhat surprising switch is well-written, and actually allows the ghost of Spector to lurk in the background of everything which the female history graduate later achieves in her role as Luminary – Whether it be battling thugs in dark alleyways or holding expensive events, such as an auction selling Burundan antiquities.

Furthermore, the former art director does a great job in depicting both the small African nation’s murderous General, and his similarly abhorrent subordinates, as the book’s central baddies. Of particular note is arguably the confrontation between Marc’s successor and a lieutenant from the Burunda People's Defense Force, which has all the satisfying hallmarks of a bully getting his just comeuppance at Alraune’s hands when the braggart least expects it.

Equally as entertaining are artist Edgar Salazar and colorist Arif Prianto, who together do a great job in depicting all the high-octane action (and quite considerable heartfelt grief) Schultz’s script requires. In fact, one of the highlights of this thirty-page one-shot is the sheer chaos crafted during its opening, where guns are blazing, numerous bullets whizzing and a helicopter dramatically landing, all whilst an understandably distracted Moon Knight is fending off the colourfully-costumed Bushman.

Writer: Erica Schultz, Artist: Edgar Salazar, and Color Artist: Arif Prianto

Adventures Of Superman #463 - DC Comics

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN No. 463, February 1990

Whilst on the face of it a simple foot race between the Flash and Man of Steel might not seem enough to pad out this comic’s twenty-page plot, Dan Jurgens’ script for Issue Four Hundred and Sixty-Three of “Adventures Of Superman” certainly seems to give its audience plenty to think about as the two competitors complete a lap around the world. In fact, the American author uses the head-to-head contest to pen a genuinely fascinating insight into the heroes’ psyches, and show his readers what really makes the two Justice Leaguers tick; “Even though I have super human powers I’m not trained as a runner, and this is more physical work than flying to the moon!”

Foremost of these well-written ‘hooks’ is arguably the chip on Wally West’s shoulders that he is viewed by all those around him as being “not quite as fast as the original Flash”, Barry Allen. This ‘slight to his speed’ is repeatedly brought up throughout the twenty-five-thousand-mile marathon by a number of fellow onlooking metahumans, and persistently needles the founding member of the Teen Titans to the point where he himself actually begins to doubt whether he can defeat Clark Kent’s alter-ego in a fair sprint for the endpoint back in Metropolis.

Likewise, the Ortonville-born writer does a similarly successful job sowing reservations in Kal-El’s mind, predominantly due to the somewhat over-confident Kryptonian’s opponent somehow keeping up with him despite all the hurdles the winding ‘green carpet’ creates for the runners. This gradual decline in Superman’s ordinarily-high self-assurance makes for some truly hypnotising moments, most notably once Mister Mxyzptlk’s scheme progresses to the Soviet Union stretch, and dramatically takes Newstime magazine’s latest manager to both his physical and mental limits.

Ably assisting Jurgens’ pencils with his own finishes is Art Thibert, who together with this book’s lead storyteller, provides plenty of visual clues as to the increasingly weary condition of the pulse-pounding race’s contestants. These layouts prove especially telling as the competition reaches its conclusion, with both contenders clearly wearing their hearts upon their sleeves, as they desperately search for that final surge of energy to help them cross the goal line first.

Story & Pencils: Dan Jurgens, and Finishes: Art Thibert

Batman #5 - DC Comics [Part Two]

BATMAN (FACSIMILE EDITION) No. 5, February 2024

Starting out the second half of this comic with a truly disturbing tale which actually sees the titular character threaten to cold-bloodedly murder a hapless physician if the man doesn’t save Robin’s life, Bill Finger’s "The Case of the Honest Crook" certainly should have kept its audience on the edge of their seats. True, parts of the thirteen-page plot are a little unbelievable, such as Batman singlehandedly defeating Smiley and the crime lord’s gun-toting gang despite being shot three times during the fight. But just as soon as the Boy Wonder is clobbered close to death, this narrative proves particularly enthralling, and the Dark Knight’s invulnerability to bullets could arguably be written off as simply being a result of his anger-driven adrenalin.

Bob Kane’s artwork is also rather beguiling, due to the artist pencilling plenty of panels depicting Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego aggressively punching and kicking his numerous foes to the floor. Indeed, it’s debatably hard to imagine a more brutal Caped Crusader than the one sketched in this story, as he savagely batters any and all who would stand in his way – including a medical doctor who’s door the cowled crime-fighter just happens to knock upon in his bleeding sidekick’s moment of need; “That’s the first time I ever saw it look like that! It- It was terrible… Like a demon’s!”

Likewise, "Crime Does Not Pay" provides some intriguing insights into Batman’s additional arsenal of crime-fighting tactics, courtesy of the “strange creature of darkness” donning the disguise of an out-of-town mobster in an attempt to infiltrate a murderous team of bank robbers. Furthermore, there’s a genuine notion of teamwork between the Dark Knight and Robin in Finger’s script, which helps better establish them as a legitimate dynamic duo, rather than the Caped Crusader simply sending his colourfully-costumed partner off on various errands.

Perhaps this comic’s best visual moment also appears in this yarn’s opening sequence, as the two super-heroes swing down from a high-storey rooftop so as to fall upon a pair of hoodlums. Kane provides a strong sense of momentum to this action, largely thanks to a well-drawn splash page showing his co-creations’ viewpoint from their great height - which later ends with the antagonists both careening into their fleet-footed opponents on the ground with bone-breaking force.

Writer: Bill Finger, Penciler: Bob Kane, and Inkers: Jerry Robinson & George Roussos

Batman #5 - DC Comics [Part One]

BATMAN (FACSIMILE EDITION) No. 5, February 2024

Pitching the Dark Knight against arguably his greatest adversary, the Joker, Issue Five of “Batman” certainly must have started well for its audience way back in March 1941. Indeed, Bill Finger’s plot for “The Riddle Of The Missing Card?” is arguably fairly intriguing as the Clown Prince of Crime surprisingly teams up with Queenie, Diamond Jack Deegan and the oafish Clubsy, so as to commit a series of burglaries against Gotham City’s wealthiest gamblers; “My – My… Look at all the people anxious to lose their money.”

Of course, the fact the titular character's co-creator rather boldly announces early on in the tale that Bruce Wayne’s shaving cut will inadvertently later save the cowled crime-fighter’s life, does debatably ruin the shocking notion that “one person other than Robin [now] knows the true identity of Batman.” But this premature revelation doesn’t detract too much from an adrenalin-packed narrative which requires Bob Kane to sketch both “the first appearance of Batmobile with a bat-shaped ornament and also the first boat owned by Batman”, simply so the reader can visually keep up with the comic’s fast paced chase sequences.

Unhappily, "Book of Enchantment" is debatably far from as entertaining, largely due to it relying upon the Dynamic Duo facing off against an increasingly silly line-up of personalities taken from various nursery rhymes and folk tales. Furthermore, the preposterous suggestion that the masked vigilantes just happen to have thwarted a crime on the doorstop of a scientist who can somehow physically whisk them away to a dragon-infested Land of Fantasy is surely a step too far for even the most imaginatively willing of Bat-fans to reconcile with.

Kane’s layouts are also something of a mess with this story, requiring any perusing bibliophile to follow the odd pointed panel arrow and numerous corner numbers so as to actually understand which disappointingly pencilled picture is next. The artist’s firedrake does admittedly look pretty good. However, its appearance is disconcertingly brief, so simply gets swallowed up by Bob’s seemingly never-ending merry-go-round featuring a one-eyed Cyclops, Jack’s long-bearded giant, Humpty Dumpty, Simple Simon, and numerous other man-eating minions locked within the Wicked Witch’s bizarrely populated “torture dungeon”.

Writer: Bill Finger, Penciler: Bob Kane, and Inkers: Jerry Robinson & George Roussos

Ghost Rider/Wolverine: Weapons Of Vengeance Omega #1 - Marvel Comics

GHOST RIDER/WOLVERINE: WEAPONS OF VENGEANCE OMEGA No. 1, November 2023

Opening up with as bloodthirsty a welcome as any one new to this “brutal team-up” could want, Benjamin Percy’s script for Issue One of “Ghost Rider/Wolverine: Weapons Of Vengeance Omega” also arguably does a good job of bringing such oblivious bibliophiles bang up to speed with what’s occurred in this mini-series’ previous instalments. Admittedly, much of this context is established via a significantly wordy summary at the comic’s start. However, this initial ‘info dump’ is then enthrallingly built upon by Talia Warroad, when she decides to enlighten the hapless Jeff Bannister as to the birth of Bagra-Ghul, and the demon’s subsequent grafting onto baby Bram’s body.

Such ‘straight to the point’ penmanship easily allows the audience to subsequently experience Hellverine’s internal battle when it comes to the hellfire-flamed killer being ordered to murder an infant mutant, whose parents have just ruthlessly incinerated an innocent family simply for the crime of owning the “biggest house on the neighbourhood”. This diabolical dilemma really lies at the very heart of the thirty-page plot’s resolution, establishing a line in the sand that even a heavily mind controlled Logan won’t easily cross, and one that enables the X-Man to mentally fight back for command of his adamantium-laced body; “I got your pitchfork right here.”

Likewise, the American author delivers when it comes to pitching the two titular characters against one another in an exhilarating, dynamically drawn action sequence by artist Geoff Shaw. Indeed, this ‘white knuckle ride’ repeatedly ‘wrong-foots’ the reader by persistently suggesting that perhaps one of the finale’s onlookers is about to die during the conflict - Whether that be Bram, Father Pike, or the gun-toting C.I.A. agent who “really preferred my life before I met you and Johnny”.

Lastly, Percy should be congratulated for providing both the aforementioned Warroad and Bannister with plenty of beguiling personality throughout the sense-shattering shenanigans on show. It would have been all-too easy for the writer to solely focus upon just the Ghost Rider and Wolverine for this book. But instead, both the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and her slightly reluctant partner-in-crime prove integral to infiltrating Weapon Plus’ Headquarters, and bringing the programme administrator’s deadly plans to a fiery end.

The regular cover of "GHOST RIDER/WOLVERINE: WEAPONS OF VENGEANCE OMEGA" #1 by Ryan Stegman

Conan The Barbarian #8 - Titan Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN No. 8, March 2024

There surely can be little doubt that Jim Zub’s narrative for Issue Eight of “Conan The Barbarian” depicts the titular character at his most merciless, brutally hacking to death any hapless wannabe hero who foolishly stands between the possessed Cimmerian and his quest to recover an ancient sword. But for those followers of Crom who were expecting this sword and sorcery adventure to resemble something penned by Robert E. Howard himself, “Sacrifice” is arguably bound to have fallen significantly short of its mark. 

To begin with the Canadian art instructor pens Belit as a disconcertingly resentful captain of the Tigress, who actually attempts to throw her beloved’s blade into the ocean for fear that it continues to remind him of “a lost lover”. Such aggressive mistrust on behalf of the Queen of the Black Coast genuinely seems to jar with the Hyborian Age pirate’s personality as portrayed way back within the pages of “Weird Tales” in 1934, and even causes the future King of Aquilonia to angrily comment that “petty jealously is beneath you.”

Making the twenty-two-page plot even more unconvincing though, is the author’s attempt to assure his audience that Conan has carried the exact same hand-weapon for years, during many of his earliest exploits. This notion simply doesn’t ring true, and debatably takes something away from Howard’s subsequent short stories, such as (the unfinished) "The Snout in the Dark" and "The Slithering Shadow" - Neither of which understandably make no mention of the black-haired barbarian continuously wielding a supernatural sword capable of killing a Dark God; “After Belit’s death, the Cimmerian carried the ancient Pict blade as he trekked through the Jungles of Kush.”

Lastly, for those fans of Zub who are familiar with his writing, the notion of the warrior once again becoming possessed by a demonic spirit and carrying a mythical hand-weapon is very similar to Jim’s multi-part storyline concerning the Tooth of the Nightstar, which he produced for “Marvel Worldwide” just three short years ago. Indeed, the similarities between the two tales are irritatingly quite striking, with the supposedly strong-willed thief simply being turned into a one-man killing machine, who savagely slaughters all before him in a gory bloodlust due to the evil powers controlling his mind.

The regular cover art of "CONAN THE BARBARIAN" #8 by Ashleigh Izienicki

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #3 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 3, May 2024

For those Bat-fans who enjoy seeing the Dark Knight team up with the ever-seductive Catwoman and explore the duo’s complicated love–hate relationship, Ivan Cohen’s script for “Shiny” certainly should have been quite the hit. True, Selina Kyle’s anti-heroic alter-ego is once again “blamed for another string of robberies in Gotham” which she did not commit. But this fairly familiar plot still allows the “media-development executive at DC Comics” to pen a few surprises to catch his audience off-guard - most notably the true identity of the book’s lead antagonist stemming way back to the mid-Eighties and John Byrne’s run on “The Man Of Steel”.

Sadly however, the former editor doesn’t do quite as well writing for Mystery Incorporated. Disappointingly both Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo are practically non-existent. Whilst Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley are incredibly irritating as they repeatedly question the Caped Crusader’s decision-making when it comes to the cat burglar's motivations. Indeed, the two female amateur investigators arguably come across as a right arrogant pair of holier-than-thou do-gooders, who apparently know far more about criminal catching than the Justice Leaguer ever will; “No offense, Batman.”

Commissioner Gordon also appears to fall under the two teenagers’ implausible spell far too willingly, unconvincingly preferring to believe them over the Dark Knight when it comes to Catwoman’s innocence and even relying upon the ‘meddling kids’ to keep Kyle incarcerated overnight rather than ‘one of the greatest comic book superheroes ever created.’ This contrivance genuinely grates upon the senses considering the trust which has built up between the two men since Batman first saved the police officer’s city single-handedly, and subsequently sits rather uncomfortably in the subconscious as the storytelling unsatisfactorily progresses.

Delightfully, what this twenty-page publication lacks in credible drama, it somewhat makes up for with the wonderful layouts of Dario Brizuela. In fact, the Argentinian illustrator’s ability to seamlessly combine aspects of the classic “Hanna-Barbera” cartoons and the “Batman: The Animated Series” together, alongside his own take on the Caped Crusader, debatably makes Issue Three of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” worth the cover price alone. Furthermore, his pencilling of the Penguin is so spot on that many a bibliophile will find it impossible not to hear actor Paul Williams’ voice reading out Oswald Cobblepot’s dialogue.

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

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #2 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 2, April 2024

Despite the relative simplicity of Joseph Torres’ script for Issue Two of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries”, this comic’s visit to Slaughter Swamp probably still proved something of a hit with fans of the famous media franchise. Indeed, if someone were to swap out the supposed presence of undead villain Solomon Grundy for a much more generic, rancid revenant, then this twenty-page-periodical’s basic plot would probably not have looked too out of place as part of the “Hanna-Barbera” American animated television series’ initial run in 1969; “Well, I would’ve gotten away with it if it wasn’t for these meddling kids…”

Sadly however, as a super-hero book supposedly based upon Batman trying “to save some Gothamites from a zombie disaster”, the publication is debatably far less successful. For starters its narrative divulges far too early on that Cyrus Gold’s alter-ego cannot possibly be stalking the quicksand-infested marshlands because he’s currently incarcerated inside Blackgate Penitentiary. Such a revelation genuinely ruins any build-up of the Caped Crusader eventually encountering Alfred Bester’s co-creation in a fist-fight, and also frustratingly ruins the usual criminal ‘unmasking’ at the tale’s end, by pointing the finger squarely towards the sole character in this story who could be capable of impersonating Grundy.

Likewise, there isn’t an awful lot for the Dark Knight to achieve within this adventure, apart from rescue Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo from a sticky mud bath. Without the threat of Solomon genuinely showing up, Velma Dinkley definitely takes centre-stage, challenging Cyril Gold’s paranormal tourism scam and deducing the con-artist’s motivation for making Slaughter Swamp far from worthless land. In fact, the brainy young woman even manages to instantly guess exactly where some underground tunnels lead whilst exploring the surrounding countryside.  

Easily this comic’s most bemusing aspect though has to be Scott Jeralds’ inconsistent layouts, which at times, most notably when sketching the selfie-obsessed campers, appear to have been pencilled by an entirely different illustrator. There’s no doubt the artist can do a first-rate job of depicting Mystery Incorporated. But his Solomon Grundy repeatedly appears to have been clumsily resized in some panels. Whilst occasionally, a scene’s cast appear so disconnected with their location as to be highly reminiscent of the old Seventies “Super Friends” all-action transfer sets by “Letraset”.

Written by: J. Torres, Drawn by: Scott Jeralds, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

The Incredible Hulk [2023] #9 - Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 9, April 2024

Even the hardest to please Hulk-head must surely have enjoyed Philip Kennedy Johnson’s “latest spine-chilling tale” for Issue Nine of “The Incredible Hulk”, due to the American author arguably creating one of the most disturbing homicidal octogenarians depicted in a comic book. Sure, a fair portion of this twenty-page periodical’s plot actually focuses upon Bruce Banner’s rather dialogue-driven melodrama with the Mother of Horror’s incarnation of Betty Ross. But whenever this word-heavy argument is replaced by the elderly supernatural serial killer, the wrinkled Antique shop owner becomes as utterly bewitching as the subsequent mutilations are graphically gratuitous.

In addition, this publication contains some nicely-penned moments for Charlie Tidwell, which highlights the young murder suspect's ability to be both quite fierce and vulnerable in precisely the same moment. This intriguing characteristic is particularly well demonstrated during the girl’s exploration of a run-down second-hand store, whilst its owner calmly covers for her to the ever-circling police upstairs. Many a bibliophile will doubtless be shouting at the book for the runaway to stop walking down into a disturbing cellar which she’s already been warned by her travelling companion shouldn’t actually exist below the water-table. However, the girl manages to control her fear and courageously discovers the fate of one who has previously crossed paths with New Orleans’ “Angel of Death”.

Likewise, this story’s hapless law enforcement officer makes for an interesting cast member, even if his life is cut brutally short once he ill-advisedly decides to verbally threaten a certain “cool, old lady.” The somewhat bullish cop is clearly just doing his duty, having accidentally bumped into Tidwell earlier that evening. So to later witness his severed head being grotesquely carried by Frozen Charlotte in one hand genuinely makes for a truly shocking moment within this magazine; “They who forget their manners… The difference shown to one’s elders… The perils of discourtesy.” 

Regrettably however, the layouts of “guest artist” Danny Earls might well prove something of a barrier to those bibliophiles anticipating another visual feast for the eyes by regular contributor Nic Klein. The “retired professional soccer player” arguably does a solid job pencilling most of this book’s contents, with his version of the Hulk’s eye-wateringly painful transformation proving particularly gruesome. Yet there's also probably little doubt that his raw, cartoon-like style doesn't always work that well, such as when the Harpy makes a surprise appearance.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #9 by Nic Klein

Titans #8 - DC Comics

TITANS No. 8, April 2024

Debatably penning the titular characters as the actual antagonists in Issue Eight of “Titans”, at least in the eyes of “newly established Bureau of Sovereignty” member Sergeant Steel and an utterly ungrateful nameless member of the American public, Tom Taylor’s narrative should most definitely raise the blood pressure of the super-team’s fans. In fact, for some bibliophiles it’s probably difficult to imagine a more enraging tone to a comic as the anti-hero hysteria which permeates this twenty-page-periodical’s plot; “Yeah. I watch the news. We know exactly who you are, and we know exactly what he is. Get the hell away from my kids, Beast!”

Equally as engrossing as this palpable ingratitude towards the group who literally saved the world from the Necrostar’s attack, is the Australian author’s sub-thread depicting Raven as a covert thrall of her utterly evil patriarch, Trigon. This treacherous subterfuge does not bode well for a band of crime-fighting champions already struggling with their public image following the “Beast World” multi-title event, and also hints at some mouth-watering demonically-flavoured fights yet to come should Rachel Roth somehow manage to escape the soul gem within which her horned parent holds her.

Perhaps therefore this book’s sole frustration probably lies in the creation of “the new T-Jet”, which sadly smacks of elements taken from both the Avenger’s Quinjet and the X-Men’s famous Blackbird. Of course the Teen Titans have always been “widely thought of” as DC Comics' “answer to the increasingly popular Uncanny X-Men from Marvel Comics”. But it’s arguably still a little ‘right on the nose’ to see Nightwing piloting so similar a stealth fighter, even if this version can instantaneously travel to its destination via Cyborg’s Boom Box technology.

Ably adding to this publication’s storytelling is Stephen Segovia, whose pencilling of Trigon the Terrible and his dark-hearted daughter is simply ‘spot on’. Sure, the Filipino artist’s somewhat doe-eyed depiction of Sergeant Steel, Melinda Grayson-Lin and their television host somewhat jar the senses. However, such a minor quibble doesn’t long break the book’s overall visual spell, especially once matters move on to Tempest stopping a large flotilla of sea-going vessels from an almighty rogue wave, and the unfounded open hostility etched upon an ungrateful father’s face when a gorilla-shaped Garfield Logan attempts to save his frightened children from a deadly flood.

The regular cover art of "TITANS" #8 by Dan Mora

Blowtorch: Bad Roads #2 - Page1 Comics

BLOWTORCH: BAD ROADS No. 2, February 2024

It’s hard to imagine many readers perusing their local comic book store’s spinner racks and encountering a more downright brutal plot as the one Alfred Paige and Alex De-Gruchy collaboratively pen for Issue Two of “Blowtorch: Bad Roads”. Indeed, this twenty-two-page periodical arguably just picks its audience up by the scruff of the neck with it’s opening scene of a chairbound Richard Kinkaid being battered about the head, and simply never lets go until its blood-soaked bibliophiles are eventually brought back to the relative peacefulness of C.H.E.S.S. Headquarters in Colorado at its very end; “How was Bluegrass Country.? That good, huh…?”

Happily however, this excessive violence isn’t just gratuitous padding to help populate the publication. But actually shows how mercilessly murderous the Crime Cartel are who have abducted Blowtorch, and the sheer deadliness of the ex-Army Ranger they’ve foolishly decided to keep alive for questioning. Furthermore, the sense-shattering shenanigans employed by both sides of this contest to try and eliminate one another makes for some utterly compelling, high-octane action that results in this magazine being impossible to put down until the desperate gun battle is finally finished.

Perhaps this comic’s most compelling feature though, is that its titular character isn’t quite portrayed as an unstoppable, one-man killing machine, and instead actually requires the help of an undercover Drugs Enforcement Agent (DEA) for assistance. Admittedly, Will initially appears to free Kinkaid from a local barn simply to improve his own chances of escape now the investigator is convinced he’s “gonna end up at the bottom of a goddamn quarry.” Yet this basic show of compassion quickly blossoms into the man becoming Richard’s unlikely gun-toting comrade-in-arms – something which helps add to the increasing concern as to whether both government operatives are going to successfully survive the blazing firefight around them.

Likewise, Igor Kurilin’s marvellous black and white layouts do a first-rate job in capturing all the claustrophobic horror of a savage night-time shoot-out in and around a house. In fact, once Blowtorch has finally donned his famous flame-throwers, each prodigiously-pencilled panel provides a terrifying insight into just how dreadful it must be for anyone, even a heartless hoodlum, to be backed into a tiny room, crammed full of everyday furniture, and facing so inhumanly painful a fiery demise.

Creator: Alfred Paige, Script: Alex De-Gruchy, and Art: Igor Kurilin

Terrorwar #8 - Image Comics

TERRORWAR No. 8, December 2023

Just what Saladin Ahmed’s actual intention was for this particular comic’s narrative is arguably up for some debate, due to its storyline seemingly spiralling all over the place before it finally returns to show Muhammad Cho’s team once again facing down Safehaven’s security troopers. In fact, in many ways the “Eisner-winning writer” appears to frustratingly imbue as little strategy into this book’s puzzling plot as the Terrorfighter’s chief does for storming the Upper Levels of Blue City; “I suppose I’m not surprised that you apparently charged in here with no plan. But I do wonder what in the name of the all-merciful you hoped to achieve?”

Leading this bemusing assault upon the reader’s sense of logic is probably the bizarre realisation that having somehow managed to finally confront the “morally bankrupt” Ronali at the very top of the government official’s heavily-armed metropolis, the storyline’s battle-weary central protagonists simply try to scold her into submission. So naïve a scheme genuinely seems laughable with hindsight, but at the time is so unexpected that it probably fooled half the audience into believing the empty-handed contractors were planning some sort of table-turning deception which just never materialises.

What happens next though is debatably even worse, as all of Cho’s comrades-in-arms individually undergo some sort of cerebral attack from the Terrors they’re now trying to protect. This incredibly convoluted scene, which supposedly depicts the sentient creatures eventually merging with their would-be saviours like a certain "sentient alien symbiote" co-created by Todd McFarlane, takes up the vast majority of the twenty-four-page periodical, and probably to the more cynically-minded bibliophile was only penned/pencilled to pad the series out for just one more issue.

Slightly more convincing is Dave Acosta’s pencilling, at least until the battered crew undergo the aforementioned mind games by their eventual psychic partners-in-crime. The “superstar horror artist” does a grand job in imbuing Muhammad’s attempt to out-fly some attack drones in a conveniently stolen jet-car, with all the pomp and pace a person might expect from an adrenalin-packed action sequence. Yet once the likes of Rosie start being assailed by imaginary giant numbers, the sketches disappointingly seem a little lack-lustre – almost as if the illustrator (or perhaps Inker Jay Leisten) needed to get the panels finished within a certain time limit.

Written by: Saladin Ahmed, Pencils by: Dave Acosta, Inks by: Jay Leisten, and Colors by: Walter Pereyra

Daredevil: Black Armor #2 - Marvel Comics

DAREDEVIL: BLACK ARMOR No. 2, February 2024

Barely allowing any member of its audience to pause for breath, this return to Hell’s Kitchen by D.G. Chichester certainly seems to carry the reader along for one exhilarating roller-coaster of a ride, courtesy of its opening potentially promising the adventure to come will tap into the popularity of the Amazing Spider-Man and the web-spinner’s super-popular Seventies’ series “Marvel Team-Up”. Sadly for some though, Peter Parker’s colourfully costumed appearance is simply a short-lived cameo. Yet no sooner has the wall-crawler departed than the American author hurls Daredevil into a vicious fist-fight against both the Hobgoblin and Sabretooth.

This somewhat one-sided battle is particularly well-penned, as alongside the antagonists’ deadly attacks, Matt Murdock must also desperately try to save a train-load of kidnap victims who appear destined to die deep below ground at the whim of “a mysterious foe whose powers trump them all!” Indeed, many a bibliophile’s brain may soon start spinning in bemusement during this action-packed sequence as the blind human mutate juggles all these distractions simultaneously as he continues to investigate just where beneath the Big Apple the fast-paced metro is taking its “scores of vulnerable New Yorkers.”

Equally as enthralling however, is this twenty-page periodical’s momentary pause to focus upon the imprisoned plight of the Fantastic Four’s famous arch-nemesis, Harvey Elder. Intriguingly written as a victim of his own grand designs and his poorly-judged alliance with “one of the leaders of the Hydra terrorist organization”, the muzzled Mole Man’s predicament as a captive may not initially garner all that much sympathy. But it’s clear from Daredevil’s reaction that the super-villain’s sway over the Moloids may well prove to be the solution to the hero’s deadly dilemma in the long run.

Likewise, Netho Diaz’s dynamic layouts ensure that all Chichester’s sense-shattering shenanigans are wonderfully brought to life. The aforementioned scrap between the titular character and the Hobgoblin is a particular highlight of this comic, with the “mainstay at Marvel Comics” beautifully pencilling the strain upon Murdock’s face as he dutifully attempts to save the innocent, whilst batting away numerous pumpkin bombs with his batons; “That ride of yours seems dangerously unbalanced.”

The regular cover art to "DAREDEVIL" #2 by Mark Bagley & Romulo Fajardo Junior