Beware The Planet Of The Apes #1 - Marvel Comics

BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES No. 1, March 2024

Whilst attempting to take “readers back to the ground-breaking original film saga” certainly appears to have been a dream job for writer Marc Guggenheim, who has “been entertained and intrigued by Planet of the Apes ever since I got a Mego Doctor Zaius doll as a birthday present”, it does arguably cause this four-part mini-series’ opening instalment to be rather dialogue driven. Indeed, apart from a brief flurry of activity at its very start when General Ursus launches a raid against Nova’s tribe, the thirty-page periodical doesn’t contain much in the way of adrenalin-fuelled action.

Happily however, that matters not a jot, as the Television Producer pens both a fascinating insight into the lives of Cornelius and Zira in the East Coast Ape City just before astronaut George Taylor’s spaceship catastrophically crash-lands in the Forbidden Zone, as well as an intriguing mystery concerning the disappearance of their young nephew Lucius. These ‘hooks’ do a nice job of allowing the audience to ‘bump into’ the likes of Doctor Zaius and the aforementioned ape military commander, in addition to exploring the surrounding countryside for archaeological artefacts – such as a Twentieth Century underground sanitation outflow system.

In fact, debatably one of the highlights of this publication is how the American author introduces various remnants of our current civilisation into novelist Pierre Boulle’s post-apocalyptic world. Much of this groundwork is probably established with a stunning double-splash map of the Earth as the science-fiction franchise’s fans know it. Yet this story soon begins to add to it as well, courtesy of New York City’s (luckily) empty drainage tunnels and a glimpse at the derelict, Bronx-based Yankee Stadium.

Equally as enticing though is the inclusion of Doug Moench, George Tuska, and Alfredo Alcala’s original artwork on the Seventies “Marvel Comics” title “Adventures On The Planet Of The Apes”. These classic layouts do admittedly jar somewhat in style with the much more detailed panels of artists Alvaro Lopez and Alex Guimaraes. But the ‘flashbacks into the future’ also help pull any perusing bibliophile right back to the source of Guggenheim’s latest escapade, and serve as a welcome reminder as to just what lies around the corner for all this comic’s considerable cast members; “Yeah,,, Me Tarzan, you Jane.”

The regular cover art of "BEWARE THE PLANET OF THE APES" #1 by Taurin Clarke

Creepshow [2023] #5 - Image Comics

CREEPSHOW No. 5, January 2024

Described by its Portland-based publisher as “the freaky finale of Creepshow, Volume Two”, this terrifying tome certainly seems to get off to a strong start, courtesy of Saladin Ahmed tapping into the increasing public concern of America during the early Fifties, over the gratuitous violence and artwork depicted in comics. Of course, in “Burning Ambition”, the Hugo Award-nominee brings the wave of political hysteria bang up-to-date in the guise of modern-day Governor Hurley. But essentially the hard-nosed statesman is a caricature of infamous Los Angeles councilman Ernest Debs, whose no-nonsense criticisms and concerns swiftly lead to the creation of the Comics Code Authority in 1954. 

Cleverly however, this ten-page tale soon steers away from grand speeches in front of the cheering masses, and uses Artyom Topilin’s layouts to quite chillingly show the obsessive elected official just how deadly a gutter or three can be, when an upset librarian transports him inside an actual book. Indeed, the lion’s share of this “hair-raising” yarn’s success rests upon the illustrator’s shoulders as he mercilessly pencils the poor politician being physically dissected panel by panel via various breaks in his artwork and numerous onomatopoeia; “Those White lines! They’re razor sharp!”

Sticking with the theme of comics is the equally enjoyable “Keep It Fed!” by DB Andry and Tim Daniel. Essentially a reworking of every eight-year-old’s belief that there’s an ever-hungry monster living under their bed who will mercilessly eat them alive as soon as their parents turn off the light, this reasonably straightforward story quite heavily leans into the trope of the boy’s overbearing father being the true antagonist, rather than the ferociously fanged creature stalking poor Ernest and gobbling up the kid's favourite titles.

Phenomenally pencilled by “murderous Matthew Roberts”, the child’s initial sadness at giving up his beloved best issues to the always-hungry fiend in his bedroom is genuinely touching, and later only overshadowed by the fast-growing teenager’s evident distress at his dad totally destroying his remaining collection by burning them all in a large garden fire. Like all successful conclusions though, this tale has a good twist at the end, which sees the adolescent intriguingly following in the actual footsteps of his grotesque “friend” rather than being consumed himself.

Writers: Saladin Ahmed, and David Andry & Tim Daniel, and Artists: Artyom Topilin and Matthew Roberts

Blade #7 - Marvel Comics

BLADE No. 7, March 2024

On paper Blade teaming “up with the Hulk to tame the anger within” probably seemed like a good idea to Bryan Hill, especially as the American author sets the intriguing pair up against a town filled full of horned demons. But once it becomes clear that neither super-hero actually has the ability to successfully batter or slash their numerous opponents into defeat, the twenty-page plot arguably takes an unconvincing turn with Eric Brooks willingly allowing himself to be possessed by the central satanic antagonist; “Don’t look at me like that, Banner.”

Up until this point though, Issue Seven of “Blade” appears to contain everything a fright-fest fan would need to enjoy so cataclysmic a confrontation between the forces of good and evil, including it being set in a deserted backwater town in the Pacific Northwest. Indeed, at the book’s start, it genuinely appears that the Daywalker will spend a good portion of his time gallantly helping the settlement’s cursed population stay safe from the horde of fanged Hellish horrors roaming just outside the boundary of its municipal church.

This premise though disappointingly soon shifts once Brooks confesses to a desperate Bruce Banner that the emaciated scientist needs the help of Doctor Strange to deal with young Ronny’s bedevilment by a foul fiend from the woodlands, not his. This admission results in a new change of plan which sees an entirely unmolested Eric somehow just walk up to where the boy’s haunted form is being held and convince the foul entity to enter his undead body instead. So sedentary a resolution debatably comes as a major anti-climax considering this publication’s previous build-up, especially when the half-human vampire hunter simply coughs the demon out later on so it can be pulverised by the Hulk.

Sadly, Valentina Pinti’s pencilling becomes similarly dissatisfying once the comic gets going, despite a strong start which sees the Italian illustrator sensationally sketch Banner’s monstrous alter-ego getting outnumbered by a forest full of horned nightmares. However, once Blade enters the fray the artist appears to disconcertingly struggle to stop making his head appear oddly angular, as if it isn’t quite connected to his neck and shoulders as it should be.

The regular cover art to "BLADE" #7 by Elena Casagrande & Romulo Fajardo Junior

Predator [2023] #5 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 5, September 2023

Packed with a series of disconcertingly satisfying deaths and a cluster of soul-shattering murders, Ed Brisson’s narrative for Issue Five of “Predator” certainly should have firmly placed anyone perusing this comic on a rollercoaster of emotion. Sure, the entirety of this twenty-page periodical’s plot is confined to just a couple of corridors set inside the belly of the Sandpiper. But this claustrophobic backdrop simply adds to the sense of the survivors’ desperation, as well as the Yautja’s deadliness, when there’s no room for poor Allen to even swing the razor-sharp axe he enthusiastically selected from Sandy’s armoury at the fast-moving extra-terrestrial trying to gut him.

Quite possibly this book’s chief success is the way the writer pens the well-deserved demises of his considerable cast’s least likeable members. Of particular note is the whiney Isla, who despite being confronted with the plain truth that she caused all the mass mutilation on board Theta Berwick’s spacecraft, still attempts to defend her treachery by suddenly employing the old “we have a daughter” ploy, before the Other Worldly Lifeforms Program (O.W.L.F.) trooper’s head is shockingly blown asunder. This killing genuinely smacks of poetic justice, and is only overshadowed by the subsequent sorrowful slaying of this tale’s roguish bouncer a split second later.

Indeed, many a bibliophile will probably put down this “final showdown” afterwards with a truly heavy heart, as poor Omar and Allen are cut to pieces by the Predator. These characters demonstrated such significant loyalty to the woman who scooped them off the Yautja’s game preserve planet, that it seems such a shame neither were able to reach the temporary safety of the control deck and “stick with you and Paolo” for some future adventures; “Sure. We could always use another set of hands around here.”

Pencilling some incredible pulse-pounding panels is Netho Diaz, who manages to convey both the stark terror permeating the vessel’s population and the savage suddenness of their grisly downfalls. In fact the staggeringly good splash page of the psyched-up alien leaping upon Berwick’s band with its wrist-blades ready for a fatal slash looks as if the creature has quite literally stepped from a celluloid film frame straight into the comic book.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Pencilier: Netho Diaz, Inker: Belardino Brabo, Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #5 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE No. 5, September 2023

Despite the odd member of this science-fiction franchise’s fanbase possibly being somewhat critical as to how simply James Tiberius Kirk solves all the competing conundrums facing him and his crew by its conclusion, Marc Guggenheim’s script for this “finale of Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes” definitely should still have thoroughly entertained them. Indeed, the sheer scope of the American author’s storyline alone is utterly breath-taking, as he conveys the reader on a non-stop merry-go-round through a state-of-art Romulan vessel, towards the start of a galactic war between the Federation and Star Empire, and into a frantic phaser-fight on the planet Gallus Three which appears certain to wipe out its entire population.

Intriguingly however, the “co-showrunner on Arrow” doesn’t stop there either, as he somehow manages to cram in an incredible number of characterful moments for the vast majority of the U.S.S. Enterprise’s Bridge Crew too - including a haunting penultimate panel which depicts the Constitution-Class starship’s Admiral anticipating losing “the life of someone close to you” as per Nicholas Meyer’s 1982 movie “The Wrath Of Khan”. These touches genuinely help instil the sense of both melodrama and dark humour to the twenty-two-page periodical’s plot which was so typical of the Sixties original television series, and in the case of the writer’s superb handling of Mister Spock and Leonard McCoy’s banter with one another, is arguably well worth this book’s cover price alone.  

True, the narrative does occasionally appear a little unlikely, such as when the Enterprise’s commanding officer willingly permits Lieutenant Uhura to blatantly disregard his direct orders and assist her disagreeable, alternative version to escape Starfleet custody in Akris’ spacecraft. But Guggenheim debatably throws several spectacular curveballs throughout this publication, so it’s probably not too surprising that perhaps the odd one falls a little short of where he was hoping it would land; “That’s the convenient thing about having a captain who puts his conscience before rules and regulations. He doesn’t mind so much when his officers do the same.”

Just as successful as this comic’s prodigious penmanship are Oleg Chudakov’s layouts, which add plenty of pulse-pounding pace to both the script’s space battles and frequent punch-ups. Of particular note is the artist’s ability to imbue Kirk with a vicious left hook. Whilst Sulu’s tense firefight against a phalanx of Centurion guards for ownership of “the devastating Nightbringer weapon” surely had many a bibliophile involuntarily ducking for cover as they witnessed the exchange of deadly energy bolts.

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

Predator [2023] #4 - Marvel Comics

PREDATOR No. 4, August 2023

Gorily depicting the traitorous Lucas receiving his just reward for betraying Theta Berwick on board the Sandpiper, courtesy of a Predator savagely skewering him straight through the chest with one of its razor-sharp claws, Ed Brisson’s script for Issue Four of “Predator” quite possibly caused many of the comic’s readers to momentarily cheer the cold-blooded Yautja on. In fact, it’s arguably not until the alien killing machine appears about to swoop upon a hapless Paolo Silva that this book’s audience will probably stop rooting for it; “The comms are down. Someone’s trying to keep us in the dark.”

Much of this disconcerting desire to see the extra-terrestrial tear into the likes of Isla and Kiyoshi Yaksubo stems from the pair’s utter contempt for the one person who both actually knows precisely what the technologically-advanced extra-terrestrials are capable of, and has beaten them in close combat a staggering amount of times. This incredibly misplaced hubris on the two soldiers’ part really makes them dislikeable, and this loathing only increases when the female Other Worldly Lifeforms Program (O.W.L.F.) trooper immediately blames her badly maimed rescuer for her husband’s aforementioned murder, even though it is her arrogance and ignorance which caused his ghastly demise in the first place.

Setting aside this almost palpable seething hatred for the would-be-hijackers, this publication’s multiple Joe Shuster Award-nominee is also good at quickly establishing the sense of trust any perusing bibliophile should have with the remaining survivors, as they repeatedly put their faith in Berwick's decision-making once she regains consciousness (and a new cybernetic right arm). This confidence is probably all the easier to bestow upon Allen, Omar, and Awja in light of the other humans’ shocking disloyalty. But it still helps establish a genuine sense of fear for these characters once it becomes clear a Predator is roaming Sandy’s corridors, and appears intent on massacring all the craft's passengers.

Likewise the artwork of Netho Diaz does a first-rate job of imbuing all the considerable cast with plenty of emotional energy and personality. Yaksubo appears particularly well-drawn, with the Japanese Defence Forces soldier repeatedly demonstrating his selfish, self-centred streak with canine-like snarls, and boorish, physical outbursts when his plans are questioned by the man’s two co-conspirators.

Writer: Ed Brisson, Pencilier: Netho Diaz, Inker: Belardino Brabo, Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Moon Knight [2021] #22 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 22, June 2023

Quite bravely putting the focus upon Greer Nelson rather than this comic’s titular character, Jed McKay certainly provides Issue Twenty Two of “Moon Knight” with a storyline which should have landed reasonably well with its audience in April 2023. True, the twenty-page plot lacks much in the way of pulse-pounding action. But in following the ex-West Coast Avenger’s instinctive investigation into the mysterious reappearance of the Midnight Man, the Canadian creator certainly seems to weave an intriguing tale about theft, puzzling calling cards, heart-breaking deceit and even unrecognised love; “And you lie to me? Make me feel like an idiot for trusting you?”

In addition, the author’s spotlight upon “the Were-Woman” and her adorable son, William Grant Nelson, provides the audience with an opportunity to actually see how the super-heroine is coping day-to-day having “flipped on the Avengers” for Marc Spector. This insight is genuinely well-penned, with such little details as the fur-covered pair’s claws ruining any chance of them ever getting their apartment deposit back making “the prominent member of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes” appear as credible as can arguably be expected for a humanoid cat.

Just as well written though has to be the momentary shift of the Fist of Khonshu as this book’s antagonist. Desperate for dosh following Zodiak stealing all his funds, the face-mask wearing vigilante’s initial plan to simply take money from the city’s various criminal organisations seems a reasonably acceptable vice – especially when the money is being used to “pay Reese, pay Soldier, pay for everything.” However, Moon Knight’s desire to keep this a secret from Tigra is clearly a betrayal of trust, and once again demonstrates just how good he is at hurting the people he cares deeply about.

Prodigiously pencilling so dialogue-driven a narrative is Alessandro Cappuccio, who somehow manages to make young William an incredibly cute little rascal. The Italian Illustrator is also extremely good at capturing the emotional pain running through Greer when she discovers just what her ‘new boyfriend’ has been hiding from her. This intensity really helps sell the woman’s strong thoughts and feelings to the reader, dynamically charging each panel she subsequently appears in whilst raging against Spector’s dishonesty.

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