Zombicide: Day One #4 - Source Point Press

ZOMBICIDE: DAY ONE No. 4, May 2023

Despite the survivors finally reaching the relative safety of Ned’s underground shelter at the very start of this twenty-four-page periodical, Luca Enoch and Stefano Vietti’s storyline still manages to contain plenty of exhilarating, flesh-chomping action. Indeed, the inclusion of a nearly unstoppable Abomination towards the comic’s end, genuinely ramps up the narrative’s already nail-biting intensity by several more notches, as well as provides fans of “Guillotine Games” collaborative board game with an appreciative nod; “There’s a big one coming from my side!”

Frustratingly however, the logic behind just why the handful of humans are still vulnerably out in the open to be brutally battered is a little lacking, especially when this mini-series’ readers look back at just how increasingly savvy the weapon-wielding quintet have become since first encountering the city-wide zombie menace. Many a bibliophile will doubtless accept the fact that the bunker’s armoured gate may well malfunction due to being bought second-hand. But, just why the heavily bearded vagrant decides to simply leave the jammed doorway wide open to any passing walking cadaver whilst he takes his comrades-in-arms on an extended tour of the facility is arguably anyone’s guess...?

Such a questionable quibble is reasonably easy to forgive though, considering that the pulse-pounding fight which resultants from so contrived an oversight once again shockingly reminds this book’s audience that none of the lead cast are actually safe from the ravages of the undead. Albeit rather disappointingly, Hobo’s bloody demise at the hands of “the Survivors’ worst nightmare” as a ravenous horde of ghouls lay siege to Ned’s rubbish dump, is blatantly telegraphed by this publication’s first few splash pages which are apparently dedicated to the character’s memory before his brutal death is even hinted at.

Illustrators Alessio Moroni and Marco Itri are also well worth a mention, in light of their prodigious pencilling throughout Issue Four of “Zomibicide: Day One”. Once the attack upon the ‘safe haven’ begins, the panels energetically flow thick and fast, with all the characters impressively contributing to their group’s last stand. Furthermore, the artists once again manage to tap directly into the murderous brain of the unliving by providing the audience with some insights into the upside-down world as seen from the viewpoint of an Abomination.

The regular cover art of "ZOMBICIDE: DAY ONE" #4 by Alfio Buscaglia & Simon Tessuto

The Amazing Spider-Man [2022] #26 - Marvel Comics

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 26, July 2023

Touted by “Marvel Worldwide” as far back as February 2023 as being “a heartbreaking issue that will have fans everywhere talking”, this thirty-one-page periodical definitely throws its audience straight into the deep end with a sense-shattering opening which features Spider-Man squaring off against the seemingly all-powerful Doctor Benjamin Rabin. True, those unfamiliar with the “monumental story unfolding” during Zeb Wells’ current run on this title might momentarily be scratching their heads in confusion at Norman Osborn’s Gold Goblin alter-ego, and Mary Jane Watson’s surprisingly intimate long-term relationship with “the mysterious Paul”. But a quick perusal of this book’s introductory synopsis arguably provides enough plot threads for the vast majority of this comic’s readers to hold onto as they’re pulled through a narrative packed full of super-heroes, maniacal monsters and edge-of-the-seat chases down debris-filled alleyways. 

Furthermore, the “Annie Award-winning writer” does a sound job of further filling in some gaps for the ‘uninformed’ via a series of flashback sequences featuring Kamala Khan’s job interview at Oscorp Tower, as well as an understandably tense confrontation between Peter Parker and his former wife when she reveals the new love of her life is actually the murderous Emissary’s son. These insights genuinely help explain some of the characters’ motivations during this publication’s climatic battle and coupled with the somewhat antagonistic exchanges between Web-head and the Fantastic Four, suggest just how much of an arduous journey the Wall-crawler has been on during his efforts to rescue Watson; “Maybe a thank you is more appropriate. Reed whipped together a flying car just to come help you.”

Debatably this comic’s greatest asset though, alongside Wells’ thoroughly engrossing penmanship, is John Romita Junior’s pulse-pounding pencilling, which marvellously captures all the ferocity of the battle taking place in New York City. Whether it be the fast-paced flurry of fists smacking into the Scribble-man from a variety of super-powered sources, or the incredibly well-drawn giant Xibalba dragon summoned to aid Rabin in his deadly death march, the artwork is a veritable feast for any bibliophiles’ eyes. Indeed, it’s arguably difficult not to actually feel the heat emanating from an incredibly angry Spider-man as he desperately batters his evil foe within an inch of his life with a parking meter or hear Ms. Marvel’s final, choking breaths as she ultimately sacrifices herself to save both the world and Mary Jane.

The regular cover art of "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN" #26 by John Romita JR

Terrorwar #2 - Image Comics

TERRORWAR No. 2, May 2023

If Saladin Ahmed’s intention with his script for Issue Two of “Terrorwar” was to create a truly dislikeable villain as quickly as possible, then he certainly succeeds with the utterly repellent Paulo. In fact, it’s arguably hard to approve of any of the blonde-haired bully’s “homicidal” crew, even after the squad of thieving Terrorfighters later save a world-weary Muhammad Cho and his cash-strapped team from “a Terror made of living fire” at a local nightclub.

Much of this animosity stems from a superbly penned opening which shows the arrogant oppressor muscling in upon the central character’s claim to a lucrative reward by threatening to cut poor Dmitry’s throat if the bounty beacon isn’t immediately handed over to him. The sheer sense of injustice emanating from this detestable act of cowardice is genuinely palpable, and coupled with Mena’s mean-spirited belief that she is entitled to simply take whatever her boss wants from others, probably had the odd bibliophile actually wringing this twenty-two-page periodical in frustration at the protagonists’ unfair predicament; “Call it what you want to. That money’s ours.”

To add salt to the wound though, the “Eisner winner” actually later doubles down on Paulo’s twisted viewpoint of the world by having the crook blame Muhammad for the death of Whisper, even though the heavily muscled, masked monstrosity was actually partially incinerated by a Terror. This unjust ‘might is right’ attitude by Cho’s rival demonstrates just how unwilling the sabre-wielding psychopath is to accept the consequences of his own actions, especially when the entire chain of events depicted within this comic is debatably caused by him criminally robbing his competitors of their rightful prize money.

Quite possibly this book’s sole weakness, besides containing an unhealthy amount of unnecessary expletives, therefore regrettably lies with some of Dave Acosta’s pencilling, where the American artist’s ordinarily solid line work appears slightly off target and rushed. Admittedly, these ‘lapses’ mostly manifest themselves during this publication’s opening, where several figures’ facial features, most notably those of Paulo and Mirabelle, appear rather inconsistently drawn. But they also appear later during the conclusion’s titanic team-up against a horde of multiplying "mind-bending monsters", with the contours of poor Doctor Paz and Mena’s heads appearing a little misshapen.

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

Avengers: War Across Time #5 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 5, July 2023

Despite undeniably supplying this twenty-page periodical’s audience with an exhilarating “showdown in the future”, it is difficult to imagine that many of this comic’s older fans will be quite so filled with nostalgia as some were with the mini-series’ previous instalments. Indeed, some bibliophiles may well feel that Paul Levitz’s plot rather disappointingly runs out of steam halfway through the book and resultantly has to purely rely upon the prodigious pencilling of Alan Davis to help pad it out to the required length; “Focus -- I think to get out of this timestream, we have to stay together -- stay in touch with our own reality.”

To begin with however, the American author’s narrative proves pretty compelling with an over-confident Kang the Conqueror transporting “the original Avengers” to his formidable headquarters in the Thirty-First Century for a final reckoning. This confrontation smacks of the hubris which has helped make the obnoxious time-traveling entity the second-best Avengers villain of all time according to “Newsarama”, and initially appears to bode ill for the likes of Janet Van Dyne when she is forced to go one-on-one with the technologically advanced descendant of Reed Richards' father.

True, some readers might feel somewhat let-down by the supposedly genius-level intellect unexpectedly allowing Iron Man to suddenly fly off into his domain without giving a moment’s thought as to the damage Shell-head could (and ultimately does) cause to the “rare silicon isotopes” Kang uses to power his solar tower. But others will doubtless chalk up this massive oversight to the aforementioned arrogance which the former Pharaoh Rama-Tut displays throughout this tome. Furthermore, the future-based felon is already depicted as being on ‘the back foot’ by this point, having found himself on the wrong end of the Wasp’s sting.

Much more disappointing is arguably the subsequent sequence of panels showing this book’s titular characters falling through various multiverses. This series of sketches just goes on and on and on for a third of the publication, and even at the end never convincingly explains just how Captain America’s belief in knowing just “who I am” helps the Earth’s mightiest heroes escape “through the swirls of time!” In fact, the more cynical student of the Silver Age may well believe this stage of the story was solely an excuse for the comic’s British artist to once again demonstrate his penchant for reimagining many of Marvel Worldwide's more recognisable creations.

Writer: Paul Levitz, Artist: Alan Davis, and Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #1 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE No. 1, May 2023

For those Trekkies who enjoyed the science fiction franchise’s 1979 motion picture, this twenty-two-page plot should assure them that IDW Publishing and Paramount Global were right to allow Marc Guggenheim “to revisit that time period.” For whilst the rather dialogue driven narrative lacks much in the way of action, apart from a brief clash between extra-terrestrial space vessels at its start, the comic’s somewhat sedentary pace rather beautifully captures the atmospheric tone of the Silver Screen setting its American author was clearly trying to emulate.

Indeed, apart from a couple of arguably jarring moments, such as when James Kirk is scolded for addressing a fellow Starfleet Admiral by their first name instead of their rank and a brief reference to the Bajorans, Issue One of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes” could believably have been adapted from an overlooked manuscript penned by screenwriter Harold Livingston himself; “I knew when Heihachrio Nogura agreed to your proposal of a shakedown cruise, it was only a matter of time before you contrived some reason to stay in the centre seat.”

Foremost of these successes is the way Guggenheim wonderfully captures the complex relationship between the U.S.S. Enterprise’s three senior officers. Kirk, Spock and McCoy all act and sound as if they were once again being portrayed by their respective actors, with perhaps the Constitution-class starship’s doctor proving particularly memorable when his permanent presence aboard is questioned by Christine Chapel after he made such a fuss over being drafted at the start of the “V’Ger Crisis.” However, the dialogue between Pavel Chekov and Hikaru Sulu is delivered just as well, especially when the pair are sat working together on the vessel’s bridge.

Helping this nostalgic yarn remain true to Robert Fletcher’s somewhat controversial look of the movie is Oleg Chudakov’s panels, whose slightly cartoony-looking characters still readily depict all the drama taking place within the "almost totally new" Enterprise’s claustrophobic corridors and meeting rooms. In fact, one of the highlights of this comic is when the Federation vessel suddenly appears alongside General Nyota Uhura’s much smaller-sized fighter as the refitted Class 1 Heavy Cruiser is incredibly well-pencilled, and helps stamp this publication’s determination for attention to detail straight from the start.

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

Unstoppable Doom Patrol #2 - DC Comics

UNSTOPPABLE DOOM PATROL No. 2, June 2023

Whilst most readers of Dennis Culver’s stimulating storyline for Issue Two of “Unstoppable Doom Patrol” might have initially been fooled into thinking they were simply going hand-in-hand with Beast Girl on a tongue-in-cheek tour of the “World’s Strangest Superheroes’ new headquarters”, the author soon transforms his fairly fun tale of Kareli’s infatuation for the adolescent Worm into a deeply dark tale of treachery and cold-blooded murder which is equally as disconcerting as it is diabolically deadly. Indeed, having arguably lulled many a bibliophile in with the cosiness of their brand-new member’s welcome, courtesy of an engaging introduction to the Shelter’s gymnasium and physical therapist Flex Mentallo, the sudden appearance of Peacemaker threatening to blow the teenager’s head clean off comes completely out of the blue, and makes a genuine, ever-lasting impression upon the audience.

Similarly as surprising is the revelation that Doctor Niles Caulder isn’t as happy to play second fiddle to his replacement “Crazy Jane” as was first suggested. The tension between these two strong-willed characters when they confront one another in a corridor is so well-written that their open hostility is truly palpable, and this distrust of White Team’s wannabe onsite executive is made all the more real when it’s shown the wheelchair-bound consultant has secretly ‘rebuilt the Think Tank and is using it to amplify Mento’s powers.’

Impressively however, much of this animosity is actually delivered via a single page of this publication being dedicated to a simple memorandum stipulating that all operatives will fall under the jurisdiction of Caulder whilst on site. The pictureless proposal concerning the roster's hierarchy may well make some logical sense. But it is also a clear message to Kay Challis that the original “Chief” intends to take back control of the team despite his past criminally-inclined transgressions.

Helping to additionally ‘traumatize’ this comic’s ashen-faced audience with his excellent artwork is Chris Burnham, whose pencilling imbues the likes of Robotman and Beast Girl with plenty of earnest emotion. Furthermore, the former “Batman Incorporated” illustrator provides Christopher Smith’s deplorable persona with all the psychopathic zealousness a reader might expect from so loyal a government agent, and somehow manages to tug on many a heartstring when a tearful Worm is suicidally sent rocketing into the night sky just seconds before he fatally detonates; “Let me remind you that you still work for the United States of America. That explosive chip… still works. All it takes is a flip of a switch to set it off.”

The regular cover of "UNSTOPPABLE DOOM PATROL" #2 by Chris Burnham & Brian Reber

Batman: Gotham Knights - Gilded City #4 - DC Comics

BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS - GILDED CITY No. 4, March 2023

Initially somewhat entertaining with its fascinating flashback to the origin of Vandal Savage, and the immortal cave man’s journey through the subsequent ages, Evan Narcisse’s storyline for Issue Four of “Batman: Gotham Knights – Gilded City” still probably disappointed many readers with its frustratingly frequent time jumps and spluttering pace. In fact, just as soon as “Vandar Adg of the Blood Tribe” has illogically agreed to give the mysterious Runaway four nights grace to retrieve the Cro-Magnon's stolen meteorological shard before his army of zealots puts Nineteenth Century Gotham City to the torch, this publication’s audience are mercilessly whisked all across the metropolis’ continuum, as well as taking a sudden, surprising present-day sojourn to Santa Prisca.

Similarly as head scratching as the increasingly frequent flashbacks to Bruce Wayne’s home municipal in 1847 A.D. is Batman’s battle against the manic victims of the Golden Iris Virus, who suddenly descend “upon a car dealership with explosive results.” This action-packed sequence certainly contains some dynamic moments, such as the Dark Knight swooping down to rescue two people who have unwittingly destroyed “millions of dollars in luxury automobiles.” However, it may well strike a fair few bibliophiles as being implausibly odd that the best solution the Caped Crusader can come up with concerning the pair of criminally-inclined miscreants is to eject his fire-proof cape between them and the fast-approaching blaze as a temporary shield and then tie the duo together as the deadly flames approach; “I know you’re the boss but this is why we’re a team, Batman.”

Likewise, the Runaway’s romp through the various headquarters of Gotham’s elite is debatably far from convincing despite artist Abel’s very best efforts. The illustrator does a cracking job pencilling the masked vigilante’s battle against Cameron Kane’s numerous security agents, with the flamboyantly attired castigator disarming his opponents with a number of well-thrown hand-darts and spinning plates. Yet, once the acrobatic “brigand from the posters” has failed to locate Savage’s shard the panels depicting his future exploits are penned to awkwardly flow thick and fast, as do the text boxes containing “Later…”, “The next night…”, “The next morning…”, and “Later that night…”

The regular cover art of "BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS - GILDED CITY #4 by Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion