The Incredible Hulk [2023] #6 - Marvel Comics

THE INCREDIBLE HULK No. 6, January 2024

There’s a lot of relatively straightforward storytelling to be found in Issue Six of “Incredible Hulk” which arguably harks back to the simpler days of comic books when the author would set the scene with a murderous assault upon some helpless innocents and then pen the titular character inadvertently appearing on the horizon to save the day. However, despite Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s script for “Spirits Of Vengeance” following much of this tried and tested formula, its twenty-page plot also introduces the intriguing presence of “a one-hundred-year-old Ghost Rider” who appears determined “to ride down the Hulk!”

This fiery zombie mercilessly wielding a submachine-gun is easily the star of the show, appearing as a combination between Johnny Blaze’s skull-faced alter-ego and Captain America’s early days fighting Nazi Germany during World War Two. Furthermore, despite the heroic nature of the flame-covered cadaver, this publication’s author quite cleverly sets the motorcyclist up against the Jade Giant, rather than the savage monstrosity who has already slaughtered one of the settlement’s inhabitants; “He’s coming. Sal only comes when something bad is close… When the monsters are close.”

Similarly as well-penned is the believable build-up behind the Spanish-speaking settlers seeking work in Texas. True, the residents aren’t given too much ‘screen time’ before their number is brutally thinned by a blood-curdling killer. But in the time they’re given the poor labourers arguably quickly win over the audience with their love for one another, generosity towards similarly luckless strangers, and determination to ‘eke out a living’ in spite of the grotesque death fate appears to have in store for them.

Adding plenty of empathy to these penniless people’s plight is Nic Klein, whose pencilling imbues the likes of family man Jaime and young Leo, with plenty of genuinely likeable personality. Furthermore, the German illustrator does a first-rate job in sketching Bruce Banner’s painfully prolonged transformation into the Hulk. This double-splash skin-shedding is as gruesome-looking as the furious flesh-ripping is disconcerting, and alongside the excellent drawings of the “undead Spirit of Vengeance” fruitlessly attempting to gun down the founding Avenger, is well worth the cover price of this comic.

The regular cover art of "THE INCREDIBLE HULK" #6 by Nic Klein

Doctor Who: Once Upon A Time Lord [Part Two] - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: ONCE UPON A TIME LORD, November 2023

Perhaps rather unsurprisingly concluding his “incredible Doctor Who comics debut” with the Tenth Doctor confronting all of the dead souls he’s created throughout his numerous adventures, Dan Slott’s conclusion to the celebratory “Firelight” is debatably rather dissatisfactory. True, the American author does inject a few noteworthy moments within this crescendo of cameos, such as the Cybermen once again battling a handful of Daleks as John Lumic unemotionally looks on. But all these scenes are so stiflingly short-lived, that there’s rarely an appearance that maintains a reader’s attention for any significant length of time.

Indeed, considering that the Gallifreyian simply gallops past all these people without any problem, courtesy of the alien werewolf from “Tooth And Claw”, this entire yarn appears to have been penned simply to provide Matthew Dow Smith the opportunity to pencil as many of the Doctor’s numerous enemies as he can. However, the narrative’s conclusion is wonderfully written, with the all-powerful Pyromeths finding themselves utterly helpless before the stern-faced time traveller once they discover to their utter horror that the fairytale Martha Jones has carefully been telling them was actually the truth; “Suddenly they could hear it. The wheezing, groaning sound of the TARDIS…”

Far more disappointing is this graphic novel’s much smaller, “special bonus” script, which features the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler perturbingly battling the Terileptil whilst orbiting the Earth at the start of the Twenty-First Century. Based upon the popular pairing spouting nonsense as they tie the “space-faring reptilian species” up in knots with plenty of tongue-twisters, Slott lamentably just repeats this particular incarnation’s penchant for de-evolving his foes back to when they were a much less dangerous species of extra-terrestrials.

Much more successful than the writing for “Rhyme Or Reason” are arguably Mike Collins’ clean-lined illustrations, with the West Bromwich-born artist rather pleasingly capturing the physical likeliness of both Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper as they joyfully outwit the supposedly highly sophisticated, technologically advanced fish-like humanoids. In addition, there’s a real stiffness to the movement of the Terileptils in “Doctor Who: Once Upon A Timelord” which nostalgically mimics the creatures’ awkwardness when seen on the small screen during the 1982 televised show “The Visitation”.

Writer: Dan Slott, and Artists: Christopher Jones & Matthew Dow Smith, and Mike Collins

Titans #5 - DC Comics

TITANS No. 5, January 2024

Very much living up to “DC Comics” pre-publication promise of “The Titans are going green” in this twenty-page-periodical, Tom Taylor’s plot for “Out Of The Shadows” still probably dissatisfied a number of its readers with its super-wordy narrative. Indeed, even the titular super-group’s battle against “the new and improved Demolition Team” is resolved via Beast Boy angrily giving one of the villains a considerable tongue-lashing, as opposed to transforming into one of his famously flamboyant animal forms; “Gar. They’re subdued. The town and the people are safe. It’s done.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean for a second that this book’s “New York Times bestselling author” doesn’t later depict Changeling in a multitude of guises as Logan impressively transmutes into a mass of butterflies, dung beetles and then ladybirds in order “to heal the Borneo rainforest”. But these marvellous, multi-bug makeovers are included simply to show the extent of the former Doom Patrol member’s special powers, as opposed to exciting the audience during the aging sidekicks’ stand-off against numerous criminals “with a construction motif”.

Arguably much more involving, though just as dialogue driven, is Nightwing’s last minute deduction that the Flash’s future murderer is actually Wally West’s alien-possessed wife. This well-penned revelation is already known to any bibliophile familiar with the ongoing series. Yet the shock generated by the investigative journalist nonchalantly attempting to detonate a Qwardian Doomsday Weapon inside the Titan trophy room on Mars is still somewhat palpable, due to the reactions of both Dick Grayson and the Scarlet Speedster as Linda impotently taps the neutralised device’s activation button repeatedly.

Perhaps slightly discombobulated by this comic’s inaction is Nicola Scott, whose sketches of Swamp Thing seemingly make the Avatar of the Green appear disconcertingly thin and utterly unimposing. In fact, the protector of plant life is regrettably difficult to spot in many a panel, due to the peaceful yet supposedly powerful giant’s lack-lustre stature, and some of colourist Annette Kwok’s dark-hued palette choices. Happily however, the Australian artist doesn’t disappoint when it comes to Beast Boy’s aforementioned insect-based transformation sequence, with the depiction of the protagonist willingly losing a tiny part of himself whenever one of his green-hued creepy crawlies dies probably being the highlight of the book.

Writer: Tom Taylor, Artist: Nicola Scott, and Colorist: Annette Kwok

Doctor Who: Once Upon A Time Lord [Part One] - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: ONCE UPON A TIME LORD, November 2023

Whilst it’s rather unlikely that many of this hard-back graphic novel’s readers will actually “be on the edge of your Tardis as Martha recounts three unbelievable tales of The Doctor facing off against his deadliest foes”, many should still enjoy Dan Slott’s penmanship for the book’s opening adventure “Firelight”. Indeed, a fair few Whovians probably felt that it was something of a shame the “Eisner Award-winning Spider-Man writer” wasn't asked to use his forty-page plus plot as the basis for the science fiction television programme’s Sixtieth Anniversary celebrations; “So all of those incredible ludicrous things I said you did… You actually did all of that?!”

For starters it is arguably all too easy to imagine actor David Tennant thoroughly captivating a small screen audience with the Tenth Doctor’s antics as he desperately attempts to have his time machine get swallowed whole by an enormous killer space salmon. The entire build-up to this ‘Jonah and the whale’ moment is wonderfully entertaining and rather pleasingly adds an extra element of interest to the superstitious Sycorax, courtesy of the vicious intergalactic plunderer Admiral Scarrr and his ‘Moby Dick’ like obsession with the mighty Troutanicus.

However, probably this comic’s best yarn concerns the Time Lord’s decision to match wits with both the Third Reich and the alien Osiran Horus during the Second World War. Absolutely crammed with all the Egyptian puzzles and mummeries a fan would expect from a narrative clearly inspired by Robert Holmes’ “Pyramids Of Mars”, this pillaging of the extra-terrestrial's treasure beneath the sands of North Africa contains a mesmerising mixture of shocks and tongue-in-cheek humour - most notably when the obnoxious and utterly arrogant Colonel Heinrich Munsterhausen demands that the 'god' send him straight to the Realm of the Dead, and is promptly executed by a robot mummy.

Disappointingly though, this book’s artwork does occasionally prove something of an obstacle due to Christopher Jones’ splendid layouts quickly being replaced with the much rawer pencils of Matthew Dow Smith as the action moves from the peaceful planet Bibalabinko to the stormy Plasma Seas of Sirenia Seven. Admittedly, Smith’s proficient panels still help with the storytelling. But when compared to the prodigious artwork of the “Young Justice” illustrator, the stark contrast in quality is disconcerting to say the least.

Writer: Dan Slott, and Artists: Christopher Jones & Matthew Dow Smith

Creepshow [2023] #3 - Image Comics

CREEPSHOW No. 3, November 2023

Disconcertingly delivered like something out of “Tharg's Future Shocks” than the American comedy horror anthology franchise, Zoe Thorogood’s space-age saga “Eternity, Eternity, Eternity” probably caused a fair bit of consternation to those anticipating a ghoulish tale from beyond the grave. Indeed, arguably the ten-page tale’s sole connection with George A. Romero’s popular series is the obligatory brief inclusion of the Creep as narrator, and several buckets worth of gruesome bodily dismemberment; “With nothing left, I began to deconstruct. Life had won. I lay on the ash covered wasteland I once called home.”

To make matters worse though, the comic creator’s pencilling doesn’t arguably add all that much dynamic life to her adventure about an immortal woman getting thoroughly bored with living forever either, courtesy of some rather flat-looking panels with empty backgrounds. This artistic style does admittedly have its moments, most notably at the story’s start when scientist loses her pet cat and husband through unhappy circumstances. But by the time the illustrator’s main protagonist has injected herself with “only one viable dose of serum” and plucked out an eye in frustration at its singular effect, the sole purpose of many a subsequent picture appears to simply be to shock the audience with another gawdy show of self-mutilation.

Much more mesmerising is “Sacrifices” by Joel Farrelly, which does a cracking job in combining a modern-day crime thriller with a Cthulhu-like deep sea deity. Persistently twisting and turning, the ‘subversive comedian’ repeatedly keeps his audience on the edge of their seats, even when the narrative’s major mobster sniffs out his wife’s treachery and unsurprisingly intercepts professional thief Eddie before the light-fingered rogue can escape off his luxurious ocean-liner with a highly-valuable red diamond.

Admirably helping to sell this tentacle-filled yarn is Goran Sudzuka, whose design for the giant crab creature Ag’Biknoir appears to have been delightfully snatched straight out of the pages of either a H. P. Lovecraft or Jules Vern novel. Furthermore, the Croatian does an excellent job in quickly shifting Berkman’s facial fury in not getting his jewel “by midnight tonight” over to sheer insanity, once the crook realises his god has already come for its sacrifice and he has nothing more to look forward to in life than a brain-splattering thump from a gigantic antsy appendage.

Writers: Zoe Thorogood and Joel Farrelly, and Artists: Zoe Thorogood and Goran Sudzuka

Planet Of The Apes [2023] #5 - Marvel Comics

PLANET OF THE APES No. 5, October 2023

Those readers who stuck around for Issue Five of “Planet Of The Apes” in August 2023 were probably rather perplexed by the comic’s disappointingly palpable, apathetic atmosphere as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention mission to save mankind supposedly hits another “speed bump”. Indeed, it’s hard to recollect a title where the writer’s narrative arguably smacks so much of them just wanting their story to be finished, and resultantly penning some stunningly underwhelming set-pieces simply to make it happen; “I’d hoped… I’d hoped we were better than them.”

For openers, the desperate struggle for American democracy and the imminent fall of Washington DC., which saw Sergeant Tobon bring her apes halfway across the world from the International Simian Research Centre in Ghana, actually consists of just a dozen or so poorly-equipped terrorists who quickly retreat in the face of a swarm of simians running amok across Duke Ellington Bridge. This highly-anticipated battle is genuinely over before it’s even started, and any suggestion of a nation-wide struggle for survival is quickly scythed down by David F. Walker’s unsatisfactory focus upon a single nearby street being held by four ill-armed combatants.

Of course, the American author does try to imbue some sense of danger and urgency in his (significantly shortened) fifteen-page piece, by having the United Nations Peacekeeper suddenly marry park ranger Omatete, for fear that they might not ever be together again. However, considering that the pair debatably have never before displayed such an inclination, this supposedly emotionally moment sadly smacks of being an ill-thought-out, empty contrivance to just keep the tale going for a few more painful panels.

Unforgivably though, even Juliana’s swift decision to walk out on the victorious United States military and somehow conclude her own adventures by safely trekking all the way to Atlanta without incident, doesn’t come across quite as abruptly as Walker’s conclusion to this publication’s secondary yarn “Pug’s Tale”. The “award-winning comic book writer” doesn’t even bother with a title or explanatory paragraph for this chronicle, and disconcertingly just states that the French gorilla somehow crossed the English Channel into Dorset at the head of a huge Ape army, and defeated all the Exercitus Viri camped there – who were inexplicably holding the land’s inhabitants and children captive for some nefarious purpose..!?!

Writer: David F. Walker, and Artists: Dave Wachter & Andy MacDonald

Blade #5 - Marvel Comics

BLADE No. 5, January 2024

Disconcertingly skipping the much-hyped fight between the titular character and the Adana, this twenty-page periodical’s plot probably had many within its audience surreptitiously double-checking to make sure they hadn’t missed an instalment of Bryan Hill’s lengthy “Mother Of Evil” narrative within mere moments of starting it. True, Issue Five of “Blade” does contain a confrontation between the Daywalker and his supernatural nemesis. But it’s disappointingly set in the aftermath of the pair’s highly anticipated ‘off-screen’ skirmish, and rather disagreeably ends with an utterly impotent Eric Brooks being cast back to our present reality with his tail well and truly tucked between his legs; “Our business is done. This is goodbye.”

To make matters worse though, Marv Wolfman’s co-creation has apparently learnt absolutely nothing from the hell-creature easily breaking his wrist and seizing Lucifer’s Sword – apart from perhaps an ability to behave in an incredibly dislikeable manner towards the Sorcerer Supreme. Everything bad which happens in this book has been as a result of Dhampir’s arrogance and unwillingness to listen to the advice of Doctor Strange. Yet just as soon as the half-vampire can stand again he is threatening to unheroically scythe down the Master of the Mystic Arts because he arrogantly still believes he knows how to defeat the “indescribable, overwhelming power” of his foe.

Perhaps this comic's biggest headscratcher though comes at its confounding conclusion, when Blade willingly kneels in supplication at the feet of Count Dracula, and offers the blood-drinking fiend Lucifer’s Sword if the Transylvanian nobleman will help him better understand himself. This bizarre scene was presumably penned by the American author so as to tap into the old proverb of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. However, whilst Hill has clearly conjured up a formidable rival for Brooks to battle in the Adana, a partnership with the vampire-killer’s biggest adversary, Vlad the Impaler, is arguably pushing this ongoing series’ logic a little too far..?

Disappointingly, this script’s unwillingness to portray the savage carnage of Eric’s ferocious struggle against werewolf, cultist and demon-spawned creature also means that Elena Casagrande has little to do except pencil him getting madder as he talks with either Stephen Strange or the Adana. This genuinely feels like a real waste of the Eisner Award-winning artist’s talent, which is debatably only given room to manoeuvre when it comes to pencilling the incredibly painful internal struggle taking place between Tulip and the devil now physically residing inside her body.

The regular cover art to "BLADE" #5 by Elena Casagrande & Romulo Fajardo Jr.