DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #5 - DC Comics

DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS No. 5, February 2023

Ordinarily depicted as something of a fun-loving figure whose formidable abilities are predominantly used to either pester Superman or at least make the Kryptonian’s life a little more difficult, Tom Taylor’s “infected” incarnation of Mister Mxyzptlk in Issue Five of “DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods” will probably have “DC Comics” fans never seeing the Fifth Dimensional imp in the same light-hearted way again. Indeed, once the nigh-omnipotent alien gazes upon a “corrupted Mother Box” and becomes overwhelmed by the Anti-Life Equation, the Australian author turns Jerome Siegel’s co-creation into a truly terrifying creature who genuinely threatens the entire cosmos; “Erebos cannot be stopped. The Quintessence should focus our energy on the next universe.”

Furthermore, having established a mighty meta-human force for good on Oa which is led by Superman and supported by a veritable army of Green Lanterns, the sudden sense-shattering shift in favour of Darkseid’s zombie-like villains isn’t debatably seen until the very last minute, when the overly confident trickster fatally pauses in using his reality-warping powers to transform the New God “into a tasteful flower arrangement”. This ‘sleight of hand’ penmanship leads to a genuinely shocking moment, as the likes of Kilowog and John Stewart suddenly realise their mission to save Bolovax Vik is unachievable and get treacherously crushed to death by a being whom they thought was actually going to aid them in their quest.

Similarly as sensational is Superman’s fate at the hands of Kara Zor-El, who having been poisoned by the Anti-Life Equation on New Genesis, is depicted as an utterly vindictive and deranged “Last Daughter of Krypton” who mercilessly toasts some Bolovaxians stood cowering beside the Man of Steel without a moment’s hesitation. Admittedly, this particular twenty-two-page periodical disappointingly doesn’t provide the two combatants with much actual ‘screen time’ together, courtesy of Darkseid’s aforementioned move against Mister Mxyzptlk. But the ghastly manner in which Supergirl fries three innocent lives within mere seconds of Clark Kent assuring them of their safety is bound to have ramifications in a future face-off.

Ably assisting Taylor in his terrific storytelling are pencillers Trevor Hairsine and Neil Edwards, who both add plenty of gritty realism to the cataclysm events occurring on “one of the most populated planets in the universe.” The pair appear to be particularly proficient at imbuing “Mxy” with all the visible hallmarks of an enigmatic entity who has been driven homicidally insane, as well as plenty of jaw-breaking clout to any punches thrown.

The regular cover art of "DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS" #5 by Howard Porter & Rain Beredo

Simon N. Kirby, The Agent #4 - G-Man Comics

SIMON N. KIRBY, THE AGENT No. 4, December 2021

Initially presenting itself as a sort of ‘buddy cop’ comic book, courtesy of some tongue-in-cheek humour as the overly familiar “Sergeant Flag convinces Agent Kirby to go on a fishing trip” with him, this twenty-page periodical probably wrong-footed a fair few of its audience when writer Rik Offenberger suddenly ramps up its seriousness a third of the way through his narrative. Indeed, the moment its titular character is shot through the side with a particularly medieval-looking crossbow bolt the entire mood of this tale palpably changes to an enthrallingly grave and tense battle to save Simon’s fast-fading life; “G-Men are on the way for extraction. I just need to keep you alive ‘til they get here.”

Of course, that isn’t to say that most bibliophiles won’t enjoy this yarn’s preamble as alongside a drunk Rob McFarlane’s shocking shenanigans inside his best friend’s home, and an insane battle against a Tyrannosaurus Rex at Logan International Airport, the American author also pens an absorbing backstory to the cold-hearted Canadian criminal Metis. However, once the murderous “private caped security” arrives at Northern Pike and start blazing away at their targets with a boat-busting bazooka, it soon becomes clear that this comic’s central protagonists are genuinely in deadly danger.

This almost palpable sense of menace is furthered by Offenberger’s ability to quickly add another couple of extra layers to Flag, swiftly moving the gun-toting, smart-mouthed stereotype into a tactically aware combatant, who not only cares for his comrade-in-arms, but also has a history with the maniac trying to blow them to itsy-bitsy pieces. The notion that Dark Warrior personally wants to end McFarlane makes their woodland-based conflict even edgier, especially when its revealed that the masked killer will probably walk free from whatever happens anyway on account of him having a Central Intelligence Agency contract.

Similarly as scintillating as this book’s plot is Alan Faria’s artwork, which does a terrific job in depicting both the physical humour of its aforementioned opening sequences and its subsequent pulse-pounding action. The Brazilian appears particularly prodigious at pencilling the persistent agony etched across Kirby’s face as he bravely soldiers on despite his side wound causing him excruciating pain, and certainly takes centre-stage with his large panels portraying the likes of Bandolier, Critter Queen, Martial, Sidereal, Woolgatherer and Wukong - The Monkey Prince arriving en mass.

The regular cover art of "SIMON N. KIRBY, THE AGENT" #4 by Alan Faria

Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1 - DC Comics

UNSTOPPABLE DOOM PATROL No. 1, May 2023

Unashamedly tying into Jeremy Carver Productions’ Primetime Emmy Award-nominated television series, as well as Dennis Culver’s desire to make Doom Patrol “its own pillar in the DC Universe”, this opening instalment to a six-issue limited series surely must have successfully landed with any comic book collectors familiar or not with Arnold Drake and Bob Haney’s Silver Age creation. True, the brazenly bizarre super-team’s roster is somewhat different from that which made its first appearance way back within the pages of “My Greatest Adventure” in June 1963. But part of this enchanting publication’s success arguably lies in its intriguing introduction to new members such as Beast Girl, Crazy Jane’s incarnation of the Chief and Subject 99.

Furthermore, the sheer pace achieved via the American author’s penmanship is absolutely top-notch, with the inevitably grumpy Robotman driving his comrades-in-arms straight into the action via a poorly parked bus. This rather tongue-in-cheek attempt to enter Gotham City keeping “a low profile” immediately establishes a genuinely palpable sense of apprehensive with the storytelling, and coupled with the gun-toting insanity on show with Monsieur Mallah and the Brain battling decaying cadavers on Monc Blanc in Switzerland, sets the rest of the narrative up for a series of shocking surprises.

One such revelation undoubtedly arrives in the guise of the Caped Crusaders, who swoop down from the skyline to add even more mayhem to Metagen Incorporated’s messed up machinations. Doubtless some bibliophiles won’t be too startled to see Batman and Robin make an appearance in a tale set within the confines of their celebrated conurbation. However, their presence comes unfashionably late considering the wanton devastation already caused by a writhing mass of squishy, pink-hued insectoids, and at a time when the Doom Patrol are actually handling things pretty well considering that their new Chief originally underestimated the size of the threat they faced; “I don’t care who you are. This is my city. He’ll be taken care of. Arkham Tower is preparing a special holding cell until --”

Definitely demonstrating that this is exactly the “type of comic I love drawing” is Chris Burnham, whose layouts, competently coloured by Brian Reber, are unconditionally crammed full of dynamic action and mass-destruction. Of particular note is the Connecticut-born artist’s ability to pencil the Dark Knight and Kay Challis with all the barely repressed frostiness that might be expected from two protagonists fighting alongside one another against numerous foes. Yet coming at the problem of tackling a super-powerful, meta-human threat from polar opposite positions.

The regular cover of "UNSTOPPABLE DOOM PATROL" #1 by Chris Burnham & Nick Filardi

Thor [2020] #30 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 30, March 2023

Featuring a seriously sense-shattering battle against a veritable horde of Viking undead across a rickety-rackety wooden bridge, as well as a fascinating flashback to a time when Thor’s long-dead grandfather successfully outfought Thanos, this ‘continuation of Torunn Gronbekk’s journey into mysterious waters’ positively provides its audience with plenty of pulse-pounding plot-threads. In fact, many a perusing bibliophile will find this twenty-page periodical unputdownable once they pluck it from the spinner-rack and immerse themselves in its captivating mix of Middle Earth-like mass-battles at the very foot of an erupting volcano and Richard Fleischer’s 1966 American science fiction film “Fantastic Voyage”.

Foremost of these ‘hooks’ is arguably the Norwegian writer’s well-penned characterisation of Bor Burison, who absolutely dominates every panel in which the towering warrior appears – even when going toe-to-toe with the titanic Worshipper of Death. As arrogant as the former Asgardian King is disconcertingly merciless regarding his own subjects’ loyalty, the long-bearded deity proves to be a captivating catalyst for the chaos Odinson faces, and genuinely helps set up an incredibly intriguing finale for this publication; “Please… do not do this… make it stop. Make it stop! Please, son. I beg you… Leave this place.”

Of course, for those action-loving readers Issue Thirty of “Thor” also contains a superb confrontation against the stinking Draugr, who quite literally drag themselves up out of an underground river to feast upon both the Valkyrie Runa and the Thunder God, as well as a shoal of enchanting memory fish. This contest is mesmerizingly intense as the walking cadavers repeatedly appear likely to overwhelm their potential next meals through sheer of weight of numbers. In addition, it’s soon made clear that the “All-Father” and his axe-wielding companion could chop their enemies all day long, and still face an insurmountable horde of putrid bodies, so at best they are only buying themselves time to thwart Corvus Glaive’s nefarious plan to unlock the “bloody secrets of Asgard’s past.”

Ramping up this comic’s level of horror is undoubtedly Nic Klein, who provides all this book’s action sequences with an incredibly engrossing level of dynamism and dreadfulness. The aforementioned flying fish are incredibly eye-catching, courtesy of a magma-based palette by colorist Matt Wilson, as are the Scandinavian ghouls who relentlessly hurl themselves at the two heroes in their unthinking desire to scavenge “the carcasses of the soul”.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #30 by Nic Klein

Planet Of The Apes [2023] #1 - Marvel Comics

PLANET OF THE APES No. 1, June 2023

For those long enough in the tooth to be hoping “Marvel’s highly anticipated new Planet Of The Apes comic series” was going to return readers back to the days when the New York City-based publisher was printing books centred upon Franklin J. Schaffner’s “iconic” 1968 science fiction film, this thirty-page periodical is probably going to prove something of a major disappointment. Yet for those within the audience who are much more familiar with the franchise since its modern-day reboot just over a decade ago, David F. Walker’s narrative for “Devolution” should prove much more palatable.

In fact, the vast majority of the Eisner-winning writer’s script is dedicated to reminding the reader as to the silver screen exploits of the primates following the Golden Gate Ape Uprising in 2016 and the deadly effect upon Humanity by the ALZ-113 virus. These flashbacks are certainly well-penned, and nicely intermingled with the World Health Organisation’s desperate attempt to maintain a thriving simian population, as well as combat the military machinations of the Exercitus Viri – an “army of men” who appear to seek salvation in the total extermination of monkeykind and any “misguided souls who have chosen beasts over their fellow humans.”

However, the author’s insistence on persistently placing so many multiple plot-threads in disconnected time zones all over the planet arguably makes navigating them in any semblance of understandable order rather frustrating. True, this zig-zagging technique through history certainly provides the publication with a suitably chaotic atmosphere as different people are depicted attempting to do either right or wrong by the apes in San Francisco, Florida, Switzerland and even across the Atlantic Ocean. But by the time the spotlight refocuses upon peacekeeper Juliana Tobon, only the most strong-minded bibliophile won't have flipped back to a previous point in the story so as to reorientate themselves.

Similarly as spotty as Schaffner’s script is debatably Dave Wachter’s layouts, which seemingly veer from awe-inspiring double splashes featuring hordes of angry primates savagely battering those people foolish enough to confront them, to some quite stiff-looking facial profiles. Indeed, the “Aliens: Aftermath” artist’s style appears far more suited to pencilling soldiers blazing away with their firearms or simians bounding about an International Research Centre in Ghana, than it does drawing anything somewhat sedentary in nature.

The regular cover art of "PLANET OF THE APES" #1 by Joshua Cassara & Dean White

Thor [2020] #29 - Marvel Comics

THOR No. 29, February 2023

Despite only containing a glimmer of action in the guise of the Thunder God and Runa briefly battling a catacomb crawling with their all-too tangible shadows, Torunn Gronbekk’s narrative for Issue Twenty Nine of “Thor” still should have beguiled the vast majority of its audience. Indeed, straight from its opening salvo, which depicts the odious Corvus Glaive abducting an infant Laussa Odinsdottir, this twenty-page periodical weaves a bewitching spell which promises to take the reader on a disconcertingly dark journey back to the early days of Asgardian lore and Bor Burison.

Furthermore, this comic contains an intriguing flashback to ‘the War to end all Wars”, when Odinson’s grandfather attempted to make himself “God-King of the realms of life and death”, but instead contaminated the battlefield with a magical explosion so devastatingly powerful that it could only be contained “behind a wall of enchantments and spells.” So deadly an environment really helps the Norwegian author quickly establish the noxiousness of the landscape which the titular character must traverse, and also excitingly adds the very real possibility that at least one of the adventurers searching for Borson’s young daughter may not actually survive the ordeal; “I never went farther than this, but my sisters did. The few who came back were not… right.”

Impressively, this impending sense of doom is further heightened by the “guest writer” once the founding Avenger enters Niffleheim and witnesses first-hand the slowly decaying corpses of those whose broken bodies fell aeons ago or became horrifyingly trapped in some volcanic-like substance as if they were a hapless insect immersed in amber. Coupled with a brief appearance by Runa’s wraithlike Disir – “The cursed demons who once were her fellow original Valkyries” – on a night-time rooftop in Cleveland, Ohio and the stench of death is almost palpable throughout this entire publication.

Ably adding a considerable amount of grittiness to this comic’s atmosphere are Nic Klein’s pencils, which arguably imbue Thor with a somewhat tragic world-weariness just as soon as the Asgardian is seen pouring over a map of “the lowest level of the universe.” The “Marvel Stormbreaker” is particularly good at aiding Gronbekk in her depiction of the haunting territory “beneath the third root of Yggdrasil”, and gives all the motionless cadavers on show there a genuinely sad demeanour as their rotting flesh slowly erodes to the bone in the chill, wintry wind.

The regular cover art of "THOR" #29 by Nic Klein

Predator [2023] #1 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 1, May 2023

Described by “Marvel Worldwide” in their solicitation synopsis as “an explosive new series”, Ed Brisson’s storyline for Issue One of “Predator” certainly lives up to the New York City-based publisher's promise. In fact, fans of Twentieth Century Studios’ science-fiction franchise will probably have to wrack their brains to recall a comic book set upon “a planet far from Earth” which portrays quite so many Yautja-flavoured detonations, decapitations and disembowelments; “Looked like the jungle came alive and gutted another soldier right in front of me.”

Much of these mutilating massacres are due in large to the thirty-page-periodical’s plot replicating the insane action shown upon the silver screen in Nimród Antal’s 2010 film “Predators”. But unlike the $127 million worldwide grossing movie, “The Preserve” doesn’t allow any time for its audience to build-up much of a connection with its opening cast of eight strangers, preferring instead to repeatedly surprise the reader by having each and every one of them pitilessly obliterated by the Predators whenever the script suggests a character is actually going to become the central protagonist.

This literal meat-grinder, which is repeatedly fed fresh victims whenever the group’s number starts to dwindle, can potentially become a bit tiresome after the umpteenth evisceration. However, the pace of the slaughter taking place within the tropical game park is so intense that most bibliophiles probably won’t have time to be phased by the narrative’s somewhat repetitive nature, and instead just hope that their favourite survivor will actually make it through their first day in the extra-terrestrial jungle without being carved into pieces by their insanely deadly abductors or the odd, multi-tentacled monstrosity which they just happen to inadvertently blunder into.

Disconcertingly helping the Joe Shuster Award-nominee depict such utter slaughter is Netho Diaz, who truly helps establish an incredibly intense and terrifying atmosphere straight from the comic’s opening sequence. Able to pencil as many human internal organs spilling out across a flora-filled floor as a panel will allow, the Brazilian illustrator is as merciless with his no-holds barred artwork as the publication’s titular characters are at remorselessly gutting their hapless prey whenever one is foolish enough to try to make a futile last stand.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Penciler: Netho Diaz, and Inkers: Belardino Bradbo with Victor Nava