The Incredible Hulk [2023] #14 - Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 14, August 2024

Basing an entire twenty-page periodical around Bruce Banner simply running through “the terrifying mindscape in which Hulk keeps him prisoner” is arguably something of a brave move on the part of Phillip Kennedy Johnson; especially as it results in a seemingly endless sequence of panels depicting the good doctor simply talking out loud. But whilst “The Hulkscape” is undeniably word-heavy, and debatably a bit tough-going in places, the narrative also throws up some interesting conundrums for the emaciated scientist which will surely have a major impact on future storylines to come.

For starters, the Green Goliath still appears seriously cross with his ‘puny self’, despite the pair agreeing that they would work together until poor Charlene Tidwell’s soul is once again inhabiting a human body. Such ferocious anger is perhaps a bit shocking at first - not least because it manifests itself as all sorts of physically disturbing monstrosities. However, the American author also utilises the founding Avenger’s frustration, hatred and pain as a good excuse to provide those bibliophiles not in the know as to some of the things Bruce has done to his ‘other self’ in the past so as to weaponize the anti-hero's super-strength; "How long did you lock me away.? How many betrayals? I won't give you that chance again."

These flashbacks should genuinely imbue the audience with a modicum of sympathy for the Hulk, and resultantly make them even more conflicted when Betty Ross appears before her ex-husband to offer him a chance of saving Charlie from the nightmare world the young girl’s spirit currently inhabits. This proposition to give up his gigantic jade-coloured alter-ego to Eldest in order to prevent the adolescent from an eternal “inhuman existence” appears an easy decision on the surface. Yet seeing how hideously Banner has also behaved, such as pigheadedly trying to cure the Harpy despite her not wanting to be free of her transformations, clearly throws a few notable spanners into the works. 

Selflessly picking up any slack from Johnson’s script by way of pencilling the likes of a truly awe-inspiring double-splash depicting some of the Hulkscape’s largest entities trading punches, alongside a number of terrifyingly close chase sequences, is Nic Klein. The German illustrator’s workload is particularly impressive during this comic’s opening as he single-handedly tells the story of Bruce being (purposely?) run over by a large truck whilst hitch-hiking at night without a single word of text being shown for a whopping ten panels.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #14 by Nic Klein

Destro #2 - Image Comics

DESTRO No. 2, July 2024

Essentially comprising of a series of ‘tit-for-tat’ military operations against one another, Dan Watter’s narrative for Issue Two of “Destro” should certainly leave none within the mini-series’ audience in any doubt that the founder of M.A.R.S. Industries and the Corsican Crimson Twins really don’t get along. In fact, the two world-leading weapons manufacturers appear to go to some quite extraordinary lengths to ensure the total destruction of one another'' armament facilities; “Just look at how those beautiful, educated minds splatter on the ground.”

For those readers who enjoy such senseless slaughter, these high octane action sequences are certainly well-presented, most notably Xamot and Tomax Paoli’s attack upon Destro’s primary store of Energon in South Carolina – which results in the chrome-headed despot activating all of the merciless Battle Android Troopers (B.A.T.s) garrisoned there against the encroaching, scarlet-uniformed mercenaries. But after a while, some bibliophiles might find themselves needing to take something of a break from so much unrelenting, mutual death and destruction.

Impressively however, that is precisely what the British writer subsequently offers by suddenly spotlighting a very private meeting between the two warring factions’ leaders at an undisclosed location in the Pacific Ocean. The subsequent tense, somewhat haughty dialogue, threats and interactions on show are easily as captivating as all the mayhem depicted in this twenty-page periodical’s first half, and also establishes just how far Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV is willing to go with his secret stash of retrieved American nuclear warheads to win the day. Furthermore, the conversation definitely suggests that the ever-manipulative Cobra Commander may well have had a hand in causing the entire conflict in the first place.

Perhaps though it is this comic’s final scene showing “the Scottish leader of the Iron Grenadiers” single-handedly traipsing across the snow-covered Highlands to his family’s secret tomb, which is the highlight of this publication. Extremely well pencilled by Andrei Bressan and coloured by Adriano Lucas, any onlookers will feel the biting cold tearing through the titular character as he makes his arduous mountain trek, as well as gain a valuable insight into both the man’s strong superstitiousness and surprising hubris when it comes to outfoxing anyone thinking of following him.

The regular cover art of "DESTRO" #2 by Andrei Bressan and Adriano Lucas

Captain America: Living Legend #4 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 4, February 2014

Managing to shift 20,938 copies in December 2013, Andy Diggle and Eddie Robson’s narrative for Issue Four of “Captain America: Living Legend” probably wrong-footed a fair few of its readers, courtesy of the central alien antagonist surprisingly wanting to actually keep the titular character safe from his deadly mechanical minions so that the Sentinel of Liberty can shockingly kill him. In fact, the entire notion that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s creation would willingly gun down an adversary straight through the head, when his motionless target is simply sat alone in a derelict scientific facility, is pretty much unthinkable until it startlingly occurs; “Nghh -- They -- They say old soldiers never die, Volkov --!”

So disconcerting an action however, genuinely appears to be the only logical step the super-hero can take if he is going to save the entire planet from becoming completely possessed by a dark energy entity, with the build up to the First Avenger regretfully blasting a hole in his adversary’s head being extremely well-penned by this twenty-two page periodical’s partnership. Furthermore, even though the bewitched Soviet astronaut has horribly mutilated and murdered numerous hapless scientists and duty-bound socialist troopers, Steve Rogers repeatedly shows the colossal weight his deadly deed has brought to bear upon his conflicted scruples.

Equally as enthralling to this conundrum of the conscience though are the much more dynamic and action-packed exploits of Colonel Gridenko, who almost single-handedly battles a never-ending army of twisted metal monstrosities. Despite the Russian officer’s evident loyalty to the Kremlin, “the only soldier to escape Volkov’s quarantine alive” definitely provides this comic with some much-needed energy whenever the plot appears to be about to get bogged down in Captain American’s inner ethical dilemma. Indeed, quite possibly one of this book’s best moments comes towards its end, when the military man abruptly clocks his corrupt communist superior on the head with the butt of a welding laser, and seeks political asylum with the star spangled war veteran beside him.

Helping to keep ‘the fate of humanity hanging in the balance’ right up until this publication’s truly satisfying conclusion are the layouts of Agustin Alessio, which do a terrific job of mixing up the heightened drama of Roger’s aforementioned confrontation with the extra-terrestrial intelligence at the centre of the long abandoned Siberian facility, and Doctor Lauren Fox’s high octane exploits to destroy the wreckage of her D.E.U.S. Project.

Script: Andy Diggle & Eddie Robson, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Moon Knight [2021] #29 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 29, January 2024

As penultimate issues go, Jed MacKay’s narrative for “The Final Hours Of Moon Knight” certainly must have had its audience completely hooked from the comic’s blood-splattered opening through to its wonderful reveal at its end. Sure, the twenty-page periodical’s never-ending pulse-pounding pace does debatably prove a tad tiring once Marc Spector has seemingly defeated the latest incarnation of the Black Spectre in a brutal fist-fight. But many a bibliophile should quickly gain a second wind when the Canadian writer savagely shows Ryan Trent to have merely been a diversionary tactic of the real McCoy.

Much of this book’s success is undeniably down to just how well the various sub-plots are all threaded together, with the likes of Hunter's Moon, Tigra and Reese’s diabolical predicaments being perfectly progressed alongside the author’s central storyline. These secondary sequences, with the exception of Greer Nelson’s rescue by Soldier, are just as gory as the Fist of Khonshu’s battle, and all contain more than a modicum of danger for the various protagonists concerned; “Boss said you smelled the bomb. I can’t do that. If it had been me here, I’d have gotten the boss blown up.”

Furthermore, all of the confrontations are apparently resolved at similar times, resulting in the reader fully believing that all of the protagonists are going to come together on the top floor of the Black Spectre’s base of operations for a celebratory conclusion. Disconcertingly though, this euphoric feeling of a well-deserved victory lasts as long as it takes Moon Knight to be riddled with the entire contents of a six-shooter, and the multi-storey building’s dramatic detonation – a terrific twist which comes completely out of the blue.

Likewise, there’s plenty of dynamic, action-packed panels to keep any onlooker well and truly hooked, courtesy of some cracking pencilling by Federico Sabbatini. Working in tandem with colour artist Rachelle Rosenberg, the Italian Illustrator does a first-rate job in depicting just how downright ruthless and unrelenting the close combat is in this comic, with Spector’s very noticeable ‘wear and tear’ increasingly catching the eye as the former West Coast Avenger desperately continues to fight for survival against a plethora of substantial physical injuries.

Writer: Jed MacKay, Artist: Federico Sabbatini, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #3 - Marvel Comics

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: BLOOD HUNT No. 3, September 2024

Entirely focused upon the titular character’s exploits inside Hemoglobin Incorporated’s Headquarters, many a bibliophile will probably feel a considerable amount of time has passed between Issue Three of “Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt” and its previous edition. In fact, the entire twenty-page periodical arguably reads like a couple of insubstantial instalments involving Justina Ireland’s overall narrative simply being smashed together so as to bring the storyline to something akin to a satisfactory conclusion in short order; “Another chance.? That’s closer to happily ever after than most of us get.”

Foremost of these complaints can seemingly be found straight from the comic’s opening, as Peter Parker’s alter-ego and Misty Knight brazenly break straight into the supposed vampire stronghold, and quickly reach both the scientific facility’s security computer room, as well as Doctor Michael Morbius’ laboratory, with barely a hair out of place. This breathtakingly fast momentum then continues with the revelation that Colleen Wing has been completely transformed into a deadly blood-drinking monster (and completely embraced this change), whilst “Morb” has somehow already discovered a cure for Theocritus’ undead vision – presumably due to him having access to “real equipment… for the first time in months.”  

To make matters worse though, the Living Vampire’s moral dilemma to remain working with the villainous corporation for the betterment of all fanged fiends is almost instantly resolved with an unconvincingly sudden change of heart following Spider-man giving him a brief flea in his ear. Such a surprising U-turn really does smack of the American author being desperate to get events in place for this comic’s climatic final confrontation, and subsequently leads directly into Web-head easily covering the coils of the building’s cooling system with an antidote as the so-called central antagonist absent-mindedly waxes lyrical about his grand scheme for citywide conquest.

Also distinctly adding to this publication’s feeling of two incomplete books being compressed into one are Marcelo Ferreira and Chris Campana sharing pencilling duties. This decision is incredibly jarring for the audience as the artists’ illustration styles are rather different to one another, and resultantly makes the publication’s already hasty ending feel even more rushed as the Wall-crawler easily outwits his beefed-up undead foes, Maxine Danger (once again) turns up out of nowhere to ‘save the day’, and despite being a feral force of nature for much of this tale, the Lizard dons a long white coat to become Morbius’ unlikely new lab partner.

The regular cover art to "AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: BLOOD HUNT" #3 by Marcelo Ferreira 

Simon N. Kirby, The Agent #6 - G-Man Comics

SIMON N. KIRBY, THE AGENT No. 6, May 2023

For those bibliophiles unfamiliar with events leading up to the death of Terror Noir, as depicted in Issue One of “Lynx”, this particular twenty-page periodical’s premise of exploring its aftermath and wrapping up “the mole storyline with Michael Infantino” might seem a little daunting. But whilst this “kind of buddy cop movie version” comic initially focuses upon the quite literal demise of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Interim Director. It soon sets this ongoing narrative aside in favour of a genuinely pulse-pounding piece which sees both Agent Kirby and Sgt. Flag battling more rambunctious robots than a reader will find at the Wolfsburg Volkswagen Factory in Germany.

Indeed, having disconcertingly disclosed the treacherous Jameson as Murder Hornet’s latest pawn inside America’s domestic intelligence and security service, Rik Offenberger suddenly completely changes the atmosphere of this book into a far more tongue-in-cheek affair, with Rob McFarlane’s colourfully costumed alter-ego genuinely providing a fair few belly laughs throughout its remaining storyline; “Ha! Are you @#$%£ing me?! General Nuisance?! That has to be the worst @#$%£ing code-name ever!”

Just as clever though, has to be the American author’s ability to surprisingly revert this publication’s tone back to a much more serious one, following the titular character’s somewhat shocking capture by “a massive quantity of androids.” Initially, Simon N. Kirby’s battle inside a Seabucks Coffee house appears to be going so well that his regular comrade-in-arms is shown actively trying to drag the fight out because he's enjoying it so much. However, once a modern-day Nazi officer arrives with an army of mechanical thugs in tow, the ‘sport’ in the superheroes’ predicament is quickly replaced by concern, and a shockingly solemn defeat.

Notably “making the eye candy” for such a roller-coaster of a comic is Alan Faria, who does a tremendous job of pencilling some truly jaw-dropping fight sequences - such as when Sgt. Flag seemingly completely loses it whilst slicing through his robotic attackers with a giant double-handed sword. In addition, the Brazilian artist does a stellar job in illustrating the sheer size of General Nuisance’s base of operations, and the subsequent carnage that ensues when the rest of the G-Men arrive to rescue their incarcerated leader.

Writer: Rik Offenberger, Artist: Alan Faria, and Letterer: Eric N. Bennett

Union Jack The Ripper: Blood Hunt #3 - Marvel Comics

UNION JACK THE RIPPER: BLOOD HUNT No. 3, September 2024

Skewered straight through the torso by an enormous vampire, and then chomped in the neck by the self-same blood-sucker, it’s probably a good bet that many bibliophiles experiencing Cavan Scott’s early plot for Issue Three of “Union Jack The Ripper: Blood Hunt” thought the titular character was well and truly sunk. But whilst Joseph Chapman’s “one man war” momentarily appears to have come to a tragic conclusion, this twenty-page periodical does a terrific job in snatching a costly, bitter-sweet victory from the savage jaws of defeat; “’E felt it. The boss. Every time we got ‘it. My ‘and, ‘Elen and the pretty boy. Even told Eddie ‘bout it. ‘Bout the pain Joe caused ‘im.”

Indeed, poor possessed Bulldog’s horrendous sacrifice is arguably one of the saddest affairs to have occurred during the entire “Blood Hunt” crossover event by “Marvel Worldwide”, and will surely have traumatised this book’s audience as much as it clearly does Union Jack when the surviving super-hero wearily sinks down to his knees in abject grief over his gore-covered team-mate’s mutilated corpse. Such a sad, long-lingering impact is genuinely rare for a secondary cast member, and goes to show just how well-penned the member of the Britannia Project’s story-arc was.

Impressively however, this sense-shattering shenanigan is just one of many to pack a phantastic, pulse-pounding publication, with the startling appearance of the undead lord Hunger, a truly treacherous betrayal by Alan, and Police Constable Mara Syal getting beaten within an inch of her mortal life, being just a few of them. Furthermore, the “New York Times bestselling comic writer” also even manages to provide tiny Judy with a genuinely innocent moment, as the child naively refuses to believe her former friends-turned-vampires will actually hurt her, or that Chapman’s alter-ego will let anyone do the young girl harm. 

Also helping to make such an emotionally-charged tour-de-force occur are Kev Walker, inker Craig Yeung and colourist Java Tartaglia, who combine together to create as much mayhem as a “Parental Advisory” book can allow. In fact, the sheer noisy brutality of the central protagonists’ desperate conflict against a literal cacophony of living corpses and unrelenting evil is debatably what makes this narrative’s more quieter moments, such as Winston’s aforementioned death and Judy’s unwavering belief in Union Jack, so incredibly impactive.

The regular cover art to "UNION JACK THE RIPPER: BLOOD HUNT" #3 by Rod Reis

Star Wars: Ahsoka #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: AHSOKA No. 1, September 2024

Announced in February 2024 as “Ahsoka's first-ever solo Marvel Comics series”, Rodney Barnes’ script for this adaption of the live-action Disney+ show certainly doesn’t seem to attract any new fans to George Lucas’ legendary science fiction franchise. In fact, unless the reader already has a considerable knowledge of “the beloved” Star Wars: Clone Wars animated television programme, as well the “various characters from the Star Wars Rebels animated series”, then this thirty-page periodical’s plot is going to contain all manner of fresh faces, motivations, relationships, missions and allegiances.

Happily however, for those bibliophiles ‘in the know’, or at least willing to withstand the bombardment of new people, places and perplexing backstories thrown at them, the ‘truly honoured’ American author’s book definitely contains plenty of intrigue, high-octane chase sequences and explosive entertainment – most notably “fan-favourite” Tano’s attempt to locate a star map which may lead her to Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn’s last known location; “It was a stronghold for the witches of Dathomir thousands of years ago.” 

Furthermore, there’s plenty of mystery surrounding the despicable Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, who appear as deadly a pair of Force-users as a New Republic captain would ever want to face. Indeed, the female Togruta’s investigation into the origins of this death-dealing duo and the reason for them freeing the unpleasant Morgan Elsbeth is arguably just as gripping as the publication’s aforementioned central plot surrounding Mitth'raw'nuruodo’s whereabouts; especially once the Mark IV architect droid Huyang starts analysing the film footage of their attack upon Hayle's spacecraft and reveals one of the cloaked malcontents to be a survivor of the Great Jedi Purge.

Also well worthy of praise are penciller Steven Cummings, inker Wayne Faucher, and colourist Rachelle Rosenberg, who together rather impressively eek out every little visual nuance their sheet space will allow in an effort to replicate the fifty-four minute storyline’s runtime on the small screen. This effort could easily have bogged down their audience in endless dialogue and stilted action sequences. But for the majority of this comic, the trio appear at the top of their game, and only seem to encounter some pacing problems towards the issue's end when the disagreeably head-strong Sabine Wren quickly bests some of Hati’s robot troopers.

The regular cover art of "STAR WARS: AHSOKA" #1 by David Nakayama

The Incredible Hulk [2023] #13 - Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 13, August 2024

Delivering a truly terrifying trip through the disconcertingly dark mind of Phillip Kennedy Johnson, this particular twenty-page periodical arguably contains so much outrageously grotesque imagery, most notably an upside down Portuguese person being eaten alive at the kneecaps by a gaggle of sightless demons, that many a Hulk-head will probably be surprised the comic isn’t actually part of the New York City-based publisher’s explicit content “Red Band” range, as opposed to simply sporting a “Rated T+” warning on its front cover.

Setting aside all these horrors and physical mutilation though, there’s also a darn good yarn taking place inside Issue Thirteen of “The Incredible Hulk”, largely due to Bruce Banner and his enormously strong alter-ego somehow joining forces inside Doctor Voodoo’s torturous soul cage. As many a bibliophile can probably imagine this relationship doesn’t start off well at first, with the Green Goliath attempting to immediately squash his puny host flat as a pancake. But once the pair have set aside their anger at one another so as to locate Sumungaru the Flesh-weaver and hopefully save Charlie Tidwell’s life, they actually appear to work surprisingly well together.

Furthermore, this book also contains a genuinely moving moment, when the gamma radiologist’s alter-ego suddenly realises that he is actually the one responsible for poor Charlie’s death, and not the emaciated doctor waving a sword at him. This cataclysmic comprehension clearly haunts the founding Avenger for the rest of the adventure, and for once allows the Eisner-nominated writer to show a vulnerability to the titular character which has rarely been explored since the Hulk was first published way back in March 1962; “You were the kid’s hero!!! You were supposed to protect her!!! But all you can do is break things!!!”

Equally as responsible for conjuring up this publication’s plethora of ghoulish, sanity-straining creatures condemned for all eternity is Nic Klein and colour artist Matthew Wilson - who together weave a visual nightmare for the reader which is absolutely packed full of multi-eyed mish-mashes, ferociously-fanged birds, and an evil sorcerer-turned-spider abomination that will truly haunt the younger portion of this comic’s audience in their dreams for weeks, if not months, to come.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #13 by Nic Klein

Blood Hunt: Red Band #4 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 4, August 2024

Arguably crammed full of more surprises than those found inside presents sat around a Christmas Tree, Jed MacKay’s narrative for Issue Four of “Blood Hunt” surely must have caused a few gasps of amazement in its audience – especially from those readers who had been struggling to keep up with the plethora of tie-in publications which separates this edition from its predecessor. Indeed, straight from the comic’s start events have clearly moved on somewhat since Blade miraculously slammed the Temple of the First Blasphemy smack into the middle of New York City, with both Stephen Strange and his wife Cleo shockingly appearing ‘cap-in-hand’ before Doctor Victor Von Doom in Doomstadt, Latveria.

To further confound and befuddle the readers’ senses though, within a handful of panels it is revealed that Eric Brooks is not in fact the traitor this unwholesome event has portrayed the Avenger to be. But has disconcertingly been possessed by Varnae, the first vampire ever to walk the planet. Such an admission is probably not too great a surprise to those bibliophiles more familiar with the Dhampir’s usual preference to stake any blood-drinker in sight. But the notion that “one who has survived the death of continents” intends to use the Daywalker as a vessel so he can merge with “an entire dimension of darkness” is impressively grandiose in design if nothing else.

Likewise the sub-plot of Hunter’s Moon teaming up with Tigra and the super-villainous Wrecker so as to free Khonshu from his prison on Asgard proves to be a real eye-opener. The resultant hordes of mummified “dead fists” pitching themselves headlong against every vampire across the globe is pulse-poundingly penned, and probably the stuff fans of the old Hammer House of Horror movies would die for; especially when the Moon God decides to seemingly also resurrect Marc Spector’s crime-fighting alter-ego simultaneously.

More than helping to sell all these story threads are Pepe Larraz and colour artist Marte Gracia, who together manage to imbue all the lead characters with the solemness or sparks of indignation an onlooker would expect from those living through such cataclysmic times. In fact, one of this comic’s best moments comes when Doctor Doom makes it clear to a truly startled Master Of The Mystic Arts that he had already foreseen the vampire’s planetwide upheaval, and taken plenty of steps to ensure his dictatorship was not affected by it; “Ah, the Darkforce. I have precautions for that as well, of course. It was only a matter of time, after all.”

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #4 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Sgt. Fury #64 - Marvel Comics

SGT. FURY No. 64, March 1969

If Gary Friedrich’s aim for “The Peacemonger” was to make this publication’s audience experience the sheer pointlessness of war, then he succeeded in doing just that with arguably one of the most depressing conclusions penned during the Silver Age of Comics. Indeed, having already been traumatised by the death of Lee Baker from Captain Savage’s Leatherneck Raiders, it’s hard to imagine many a bibliophile’s anguish wasn’t made all the worse when the pacifist scientist at the centre of all the fierce fighting shockingly commits suicide rather than remain living in America at the plot’s end. 

Just as disconcerting though is probably just how Sergeant Fury and his Howling Commandos even manage to reach the aforementioned nuclear expert, when the Japanese guarding Doctor Terry Reiker know they are coming. Instead of simply shooting Nick’s soldiers dead as they slowly climb up the horrendously high stone parapets of the jungle-based castle, the Imperial infantrymen bizarrely decide to hold fire, and only unsuccessfully attack the infiltration force once they have clambered over their defences; “We must let them enter! Alert our elite guard! They will handle the Americans after they have scaled the wall!”

For those readers willing to overlook this contrivance though, the following close combat battle is certainly packed full of pulse-pounding pugilism, with even the likes of Killer Manelli and Gabriel Jones getting a moment in the spotlight as the pair torment their foes with a deadly bugle blast. Furthermore, the fact that the despondent defector shockingly turns out to be a woman gives everyone in the comic’s considerable cast a moment’s pause, and leads to a rare glimpse of Nick Fury being uncomfortably embarrassed by the situation.

Debatably much more convincing than its narrative are Dick Ayers pencils and John Severin’s inks. Together, the creative pair impressively imbue all the action with both the scintillating speed, as well as the savage ferocity, this twenty-page periodical deserves. In fact, Fury and Reiker’s dash through the castle’s claustrophobic corridors and subsequent rescue by Savage is so packed full of nail-biting tension, that it genuinely appears certain another of the ensemble are going to meet a grim demise.

Written by: Gary Friedrich, Pencilled by: Dick Ayers, and Inked by: John Severin

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR No.1, July 2024

Despite being a rather slow-paced affair, due to the Time Lord and his companion carefully reconnoitring the last shopping mall on the planet Earth, Dan Watters’ penmanship for this twenty-two page periodical definitely seems to capture all the nuances of the science-fiction programme’s broadcast adventures. Indeed, in many ways this comic feels as if it’s simply an enthralling adaption of a genuine “Doctor Who” script which sadly just never managed to make it to the small screen; “I’ve never been here before. Thought it might be a bit… creepy.”

Much of this atmosphere is undoubtedly due to the Doctor’s early tentative steps slowly quizzing some of the venue’s lifelong shoppers, and pondering upon just why some people would prefer to live out their existence in a “big machine catering to all human needs and wants” rather than seek out a new reality amongst the stars. These conversations are genuinely thought-provoking, and also enable the British author to imbue the Gallifreyan with all the energy and love of life which actor Ncuti Gatwa portrays on the show.

Likewise artist Kelsey Ramsay does a first-rate job of pencilling the ‘best friends’ during this yarn, with the Time Lord’s child-like joy at sliding down the side of an escalator at speed being one of several highly-memorable, visual moments. Alongside, colorist Valentina Bianconi, the London-born illustrator is also a dab hand at suddenly transforming the location from a brightly-lit, relatively safe-looking environment, into a decidedly dark and dangerous world, crammed full of truly sinister Cybermen and a swarm of spine-chilling, giant-sized insects.  

Perhaps therefore the storyline’s sole disappointment comes at its start, with the motive behind the time travellers’ visit to the Twenty-Ninth Century being confined to a couple of bland lines on the “Previously…” page, as opposed to being covered within the actual comic itself. Admittedly, the reason for the Doctor’s journey is rather well explained in the title’s Free Comic Book Day edition published a month or two earlier. But for those bibliophiles unable to physically acquire a copy, or unwilling to download a digital version simply to better understand this book, it would surely have been worth side-lining a few panels showing Ruby Sunday wearing various futuristic costumes for a well-crafted flashback sequence instead..?

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR" #1 by Artgerm

Blood Hunt: Red Band #3 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 3, August 2024

Disconcertingly containing barely a punch in anger, Jed MacKay’s dialogue-driven and somewhat sedentary storyline for Issue Three of “Blood Hunt” probably didn’t live up to the expectations of an audience whose desire to read more about Blade’s vampire uprising made the title the “top advance-reordered comic book” in early May 2024 (at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”). True, the twenty-one page periodical does contain a savage attack upon the Avengers by a brainwashed Miles Morales inside the supposedly safe Sanctum Sanctorum. But this ferocious ambush is quickly quelled once Clea Strange traps the fanged fiend within the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, and her deceased husband rids Spider-man of his devilish influence via the Eye of Agamotto.

Instead, the reader is subjected to several grand speeches throughout the Canadian writer’s script, with Sam Wilson’s twelve-panel tour-de-force as Captain America being the longest and most memorable of them. This repetitious rhetoric certainly has its place within the narrative, most notably poor Brielle Brooks’ reaction to discovering that her own father is at the heart of the planetary problem and discovering that Count Dracula plans for the young girl to assassinate her parent. However, to simply plonk one word-heavy discussion after another into a single edition completely saps any pace out of this publication’s plot, and quite literally leaves any bibliophile desperately wanting events to considerably move on just so both opposing forces can once again battle one another; “Do not presume to lecture me, Spider-Man, I will not let my one hope of victory just run away --”

Desperately trying to inject some energy into this lack-lustre lethargy is Pepe Larraz, who pencils some excellent shots of the chaos being caused by Blade's minions whilst Wilson waxes lyrical about the Avengers saying “No” to the vampires' demands. These pulse-pounding pictures cover a variety of locations, from Halifax and Manhattan through to the Sahara Desert and Mexico City, so resultantly do a good job of depicting the violence stretching right across the world. Yet, any momentum which they generate is then swiftly scotched by Carol Danvers spending what seems like an eternity singing Sam’s praises, and Eric Brooks unconvincingly having a major hissy fit because he feels the super-group should “lie down and die.”

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #3 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Captain America: Living Legend #3 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 3, January 2014

It probably came as no surprise to editor in chief Axel Alonso that this mini-series' audience only slightly fell to 23,537 readers in November 2013, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”, as Andy Diggle and Eddie Robson’s script for Issue Three of “Captain America: Living Legend” surely provided its audience with an incredibly engrossing experience. Indeed, whilst the comic’s opening simply consists of a hapless bespectacled scientist talking to a seated Soviet cosmonaut, the gripping nature of the scene’s increasingly dramatic dialogue and spine-chilling atmosphere is extremely well-penned, and resolves itself in one of the most traumatic ways imaginable; “I don’t know how to make it stop. But perhaps… Please, I just need more time…”

Equally as enthralling though is the introduction of Colonel Gridenko, who somehow survived the extra-terrestrial based slaughter in Siberia during the early Seventies, and returns to the freezing cold wilderness for an ill-advised rematch. It’s quite clear that the veteran soldier fully understands his orders are little more than a death sentence for him and his troops. Yet somewhat honourably, if not stupidly, the military officer plans to follow them through as best he can - even if it means attempting to arrest the Sentinel of Liberty for “trespassing in a restricted military facility on Russian soil.”

The co-authors also appear perfectly able to provide Captain America with a somewhat disagreeable partner, in the guise of Doctor Fox, who despite repeatedly owing her life to the titular character, continues to question her protector’s patronisation. It’s highly probable that the clearly ‘out-of-her-depth’ astronaut means well. But when compared to even the politely spoken though deadly serious Gridenko, she appears particularly sharp-tongued, and even seems to chide Steve Rogers for throwing his shield at Layland’s mechanically-infused corpse when it results in the Avenger losing his weapon. 

Packing this twenty-two periodical with plenty of prodigiously-pencilled panels is Agustin Alessio, whose ability to turn even a semi-abandoned scientific research facility into a truly disturbing centre-piece of nail-biting terror without resorting to buckets of gore, speaks volumes. In addition, the physical merging of the alien intelligence with both the poor Soviet troopers and their vehicles is incredibly well envisaged, with Cap’s own disconcerting transformation at the book’s conclusion debatably being worth the publication’s cover price alone.

Script: Andy Diggle & Eddie Robson, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Conan The Barbarian #12 - Titan Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN No. 12, July 2024

Heavily publicised by both “Titan Comics” and its author Jim Zub as a “thrilling arc finale”, it’s hard to believe that many of this ongoing series’ readers felt Issue Twelve of “Conan The Barbarian” actually answered all those “dark riddles of the past” which it promised it would. In fact, towards the end of the twenty-three page periodical the narrator even admits that they don’t know how the titular character managed to travel back through time, or even why for that matter; “Through forces I do not yet comprehend, your spirit has been sent spiralling to this moment.”

Instead, the Canadian writer simply seems to hope his audience will completely throw any semblance of logical-thinking to one side, and just allow themselves to be caught up in his utterly unconvincing central plot which sees Conan single-handedly defeat an all-powerful undead Lich King, thanks in part to being invisible.!?! To make things even more unbelievable though, Kull of Atlantis also appears to simply shrug off being almost severed in half by Thulsa Doom’s deadly blade so that “many hours later” the Atlantean ruler is able to climb “forth from a subhuman grave” with Brule and happily return to his distant throne room.

Such moments genuinely test any willingness to suspend disbelief and arguably portray the Cimmerian and his friends as the indomitable defier of unsurmountable odds which so many pieces of amateur fan-fiction fall foul of. Indeed, even at the book’s end, when the barbarian is shown riding away from Shadizar as fast as his stolen horse will let him, there’s no explanation given as to why the adventurer suddenly appears completely unharmed from his previously self-inflicted Seppuku..? Or for that matter, how he came to rid himself of the zombie-like frenzy which had previously turned the thief into a one-man killing machine, and goaded him into brutally hacking many a hapless innocent into bloody pieces in pursuit of his previously-pawned Pictish sword..?

Much more compelling than its script is this publication’s sumptuous layouts by artist Rob De La Torre and colorist Diego Rodriguez, who together weave such a terrific-looking flashback sequence for Doom that it debatably looks as if it's been snatched straight out from a classic edition of “The Savage Sword of Conan”. Furthermore, the pair’s visual depiction of Kathulos’ skeletal form is utterly mesmerising, with the mighty wizard dominating every panel he is found in, regardless of whether he can actually see his massively-muscled opponent or not.

The regular cover art of "CONAN THE BARBARIAN" #12 by Jeffrey Alan Love

The Inhumans #7 - Marvel Comics

THE INHUMANS No. 7, October 1976

Featuring a truly pulse-pounding cover illustration by Comic Book Hall of Famer Gil Kane showing the Inhuman’s royal family about to be squashed by a giant robotic ant, Doug Moench’s narrative for “A Trip To The Doom!” sadly probably didn’t live up to many readers’ subsequent expectations in October 1976. Indeed, despite depicting an intriguing alien dust-ball where its seemingly sole civilisation is housed within a monstrous mechanical insect, the Chicago-born writer’s somewhat erratic pacing arguably causes this seventeen-page periodical’s plot to be a ‘bit of a slog.’

Foremost of these hurdles is debatably the American author’s decision to hurl his audience back to ruined Attilan just as the Black Bolt’s space Ark catastrophically crash-lands on a world which just moments before had blasted it from orbit. This incredibly dialogue-heavy flashback sequence proves as disagreeable to navigate through as Quicksilver’s holier than thou arrogance is to stomach, and resultantly all the momentum gained from the aforementioned spectacular collision is disappointingly lost amidst the numerous text boxes and word balloons; “Yes, Karnak. A weakness which very probably saved their ungrateful lives.”

In addition, once the clouds do finally settle, the speed of the story-telling becomes incredibly fast, with any and all bibliophiles being unceremoniously whisked through an extra-terrestrial court-room hearing, a rebellion from the marvellously named Squalor-Sector, a second surprise assault by the insurrectionist Shreel, and then finally an explosion so large that it completely separates one of the mighty, ever-moving metropolis’ eight limbs. Many of these threads could easily have been more patiently explored if allowed, particularly the suggestion that the behemoth beetle is actually just semi-aimlessly moving in a large circle – from water-hole to water-hole, rather than heading for a specific salvation.

Apparently determined to try and keep up with the script’s hustle are Kane and inker Don Perlin, who together do a solid job in depicting the extra-terrestrials' highly imaginative city, if not its awesome size from the outside. However, it’s probably the pair’s handling of the various fight scenes in this comic which is particularly impressive, as the likes of Medusa, Gorgon and Triton really show just what their super-powers are capable of against any foe.

Fantasy-Makers: Doug Moench & Gil Kane, and Inker: Don Perlin

Captain America: Living Legend #2 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 2, December 2013

Flitting between modern-day events in Siberia and a doomed Soviet space mission to the moon during March 1968, Andy Diggle’s narrative for Issue Two of “Captain America: Living Legend” surely kept the vast majority of its 25,546 readers utterly engrossed. True, the titular character never actually encounters any of the numerous Russian troops sent into the snow-covered secure zone to recover any remaining traces of the downed D.E.U.S. station. But the deeply dark atmosphere which almost relentlessly presses down upon every event within this twenty-two page periodical should have kept even the most causal of bibliophiles absolutely hooked on its Cold War-based contents.

Furthermore, Steve Rogers encounters far more than his fair share of sinister shenanigans in this comic, and whilst his meeting with the sole-surviving Doctor Fox in the middle of a desolate wintry wasteland undeniably proves to be incredibly convenient, there can be no doubt that the super-soldier still demonstrates all the fighting prowess and wisdom which has caused the character to become “the most popular and enduring of the many patriotic American superheroes created during World War Two"; “The fact is we’re hunted and alone in hostile territory and we need to move. Now.”

Indeed, one of this comic’s most interesting aspects is the strong contrast between the courageous Sentinel of Liberty and the far less likeable scientist he’s busy rescuing. Having already saved the disagreeable technologist from freezing to death just outside her escape pod, many in the audience will doubtless look very harshly upon Fox when she then chides the First Avenger for receiving the serum which gave him his powers, rather than it being used for various medical purposes, and dismissing the fact that Captain America’s creation during a global conflict saved numerous lives as just a pitiful excuse.

Also adding plenty of shadows to the dark recesses of this bitingly cold adventure is Agustin Alessio, whose pencilling really helps add plenty of atmosphere to the proceedings. Of particular note is the artist’s ability to suggest just how expansive and bleak the local landscape actually is, as well as imbue comrade Commander Volkov with all the extra-terrestrial menace expected of an astronaut who has become possessed by some diabolical alien killer virus.

Script: Andy Diggle, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Lynx #4 - G-Man Comics

LYNX No. 4, May 2024

Whilst Issue Four of “Lynx” may well carry the name of Mateo Martinez and Maya Santiago’s alter-egos across the top of its cover, Rik Offenberger’s script for “Broken Wing” is most definitely all about the enthralling origin story of Vencejo and Pollita. In fact, in many ways, the titular characters are arguably portrayed as the ‘bad guys’ in this book, due to the super-duo disconcertingly bringing the aforementioned unregistered vigilantes into custody; “Let him go and I’ll go into foster care. Don’t punish him.”

Equally as disturbing though, has to be the decidedly underhand behaviour of Director Jameson, who disagreeably uses the ‘father/daughter’ bond between his two current captives to his advantage. Both Vencejo and Pollita’s backstories are extremely heart-wrenching, and despite the minor becoming a crime-fighter at an incredibly young age, it is difficult not to have great sympathy for their predicament with the Authorities. Resultantly, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s leader forcing Lynx to swear loyalty only to him if he’ll release his prisoners smacks of pure evil, and seemingly does not bode well for anyone concerned with the future of Washington DC's caped agent's programme.

Somewhat surprisingly given all these serious shenanigans, this twenty-page periodical also contains some genuinely laugh-out-moments, most notably the running gag of Mateo needing to get a “cup” after an enraged Pollita kicks him squarely in the nether regions. In addition, there’s some wonderful tongue-in-cheek fun to be found with this comic’s opening action sequence as the quite literal firebug Fuego realises he’s clearly bitten off more than he can chew by confronting Martinez, and weirdly attempts to take some moral high ground over the protagonist’s willingness to risk people’s lives simply to take the villain down.

Visually adding an incredible amount of ‘bang for your buck’ in this publication are Alan Faria’s layouts, which are absolutely crammed full of dynamic action – even when Ricardo Tapia is simply feeding his adolescent protégé at McTasty’s and discovers the homeless girl can’t yet read. The Brazilian illustrator also imbues the luchador Vencejo with all the aggressive angst an audience might expect from a man whose own beloved child was brutally murdered by cold-blooded racketeers, and this helps generate plenty of sympathy for the rogue vigilante when he’s later ambushed by the G-Men.

The regular cover art to "LYNX" #4 by Alan Faria

Captain America: Living Legend #1 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 1, December 2013

Initially pairing up the colourfully-costumed veteran of the Second World War with a group of fanatically-lead Soviet soldiers in the Bavarian Alps during the last days of the Third Reich, many readers of Andy Diggle’s script for Issue One of “Captain America: Living Legend” were probably a bit disappointed that the entire comic didn’t focus on the anxious troops' exploration of a secret German scientific bunker in the snow. Indeed, it’s difficult not to hear a palpable sigh of regret from this book’s 32,495 strong audience when Sergeant Volkov is treacherously shot in the chest by a supposedly surrendering Nazi, and the narrative suddenly leaps forward in time some decades later; “That incident was edited out of your official wartime record…”

Enjoyably though, all the barely contained distrust and politics which made the opening such a spell-binding and atmospheric experience does partially return at this twenty-two page periodical’s conclusion, courtesy of Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter witnessing “a top-secret orbital research station” crash-land in deepest, darkest modern-day Russian. This dialogue-driven sequence is admittedly rather simplistic in setting up the mini-series’ subsequent race against time between the United States’ super-hero and the U.S.S.R. But such a no-nonsense approach does mean that it’s pretty clear just what sort of dangers the Sentinel of Liberty is likely to be facing, and how incredibly high the stakes for success are going to be.

Unfortunately, what debatably does let this comic down is therefore it’s middle segment, which focuses upon the aforementioned space facility’s unwise attempt to tap “right into the Dark Energy Field” for limitless energy. Just how the D.E.U.S. reactor works, or what causes the catastrophic power spike isn’t explained, whilst artist Adi Granov’s disconcertingly sterile environment, all bright white and aqua blue, isn’t arguably all that convincing either – most notably his establishing shot of the station in low Earth orbit with a blurry (possibly photographic) background.

Of course, the same cannot be said of the Bosnian-American illustrator’s work at the start of this story, which immediately grabs any perusing bibliophile and conveys them straight back to 1945. There’s a genuine look of sadness in the dying Russian Captain’s eyes as he realises the futility of their mission, and then a final spark of anger when he realises the over-zealous Volkov sees his fatalism as weakness.

Script: Andy Diggle, Illustration: Adi Granov, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

G-Men United #4 - G-Man Comics

G-MEN UNITED No. 4, May 2024

Definitely providing this anthology comic with a strong opening is Rik Offenberger’s insight into just how well liked a super-hero can actually be by their fellow team-mates, when even Meredith Fremont’s foster parents never dared tell her “no” for fear of the emotionally volatile crime-fighter accidentally killing them! Indeed, despite much of this eight-pager demonstrating just how deadly Atomik Bombshell’s powers can be, especially when facing three highly impotent members of the eco-terrorist group Cilantro, the real story is how difficult the likes of Lynx finds it working alongside someone who can generate, manipulate and absorb deadly radioactive energy without a moment's thought.

Much more stately and majestic is Eric N. Bennett’s “Tales Of Otherworld”, which proves to be a predominantly dialogue-driven visit to the High Court of the Gods of Avalorr. Full of all the ritualistic pomp and ceremony a reader might expect from such a medieval-flavoured gathering, this particular yarn ends on a cracking cliff-hanger as King Nuada Silverhand’s guards are suddenly assailed by an army of flaming Fire Trolls just as the royal household’s formalities are finishing; “To Arms! Avalorr is under siege! Aenyr has returned -- And the walls of the city burn!”

Surprisingly serious for a storyline pencilled by cartoonist Joshua 1:9 Holley, “Adoption” does a good job of mixing up the tongue-in-cheek antics of Pollita and Kid Terror as they struggle to behave whilst on Agent Squires’ watch, with the judiciary drama of Vencejo attempting “to adopt an eight-year-old girl who isn’t a relative.” Well-penned by Offenberger, this light-hearted look at a serious subject matter also shows just how deviously demanding and disconcertingly manipulative the FBI Director, Peter Jameson can actually be too.

Lastly this book contains a good old-fashioned punch-up involving Taranis and the Norse God of War, Tyr. Unlocked as a mini-comic bonus during the publication's successful Kickstarter in February 2024, this no-nonsense adventure is written/drawn by Lee Gaston, and initially pits the two deities against one another, before pairing them together when a giant-sized Jötunn decides to invade Midgard. Filled full of jaw-wrenching fists straight to the head, and an impressive team effort against a colossal-sized foe, most bibliophiles will surely enjoy just sitting back so as to let this formidable bout of fisticuffs take them on an entertaining ride.

The regular cover art to "G-MEN UNITED" #4 by Ron Williams

Midnight Suns: Blood Hunt #1 - Marvel Comics

MIDNIGHT SONS: BLOOD HUNT No. 1, July 2024

It is difficult to imagine that many fans of action and terror were truly satisfied with Bryan Hill’s narrative for Issue One of “Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt”, no matter how hopeful the American Author was during this mini-series’ pre-publication launch interview in February 2024. True, the thirty-page periodical definitely contains some high-octane action sequences, alongside a disconcertingly dark journey into a haunted cave in El Fasha, Iraq. But considering that large chunks of this comic consist of little more than conversational pieces, a lot of the storytelling’s dynamism has arguably already been negated by the time Tulip encounters a warband of vampire mercenaries in the desert.

Indeed, so much of this book appears to simply depict Tamlyn Hamato just nonchalantly talking to the likes of Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze as part of her recruitment drive to tackle an utterly villainous Blade, rather than the tale actually explaining just how the “clairvoyant Japanese arms dealer” knows where to find the former super-team’s members, or that the Daywalker has even turned treacherously rogue. Much of this legwork was presumably obtained ‘off-screen’ and through her numerous contacts in the underworld. However, this unwillingness on the part of the writer to even summarise any of this, and instead simply signpost that Eric Brooks has been empowered by Dracula, debatably smacks of an assumption on Hill’s part that the reader has already consumed the entirety of his run as writer on the recently cancelled 2023 “Blade” series.

Such a shortfall of context also somewhat seems to permeate the Ghost Rider’s subsequent demand that Tulip help him first before the Midnight Sons will help her. Just why the Spirit of Vengeance and his predecessor need the help of a ‘mortal’, no matter how large the bazooka she carries into combat, is never explained, nor the reason behind why Blaze and Ketch needed to specifically destroy a thing from the Darkforce Dimension in the first place..? Unless they simply felt it was too dangerous a living weapon for the vampires to own..?

Ultimately, quite a bit of this comic’s palpable lethargy disappointingly also seems to stem from German Peralta’s layouts, which even when crammed full of explosions, flesh-tearing bullets and deadly sword slashes, seemingly lack the raw energy which so attracted Stan Lee to Jim Steranko’s artwork in the Sixties. Indeed, despite the Argentinian illustrator prodigiously pencilling an incredibly violent splash page showing the Ghost Rider riding straight through the aforementioned tentacled beastie from elsewhere, the picture appears to be devoid of the ‘oomph’ a bibliophile might ordinarily expect from such a sense-shattering shenanigan.

The regular cover art to "MIDNIGHT SONS: BLOOD HUNT" #1 by Ken Lashley & Juan Fernandez