Uber: Invasion #12 - Avatar Press

UBER: INVASION No. 12, February 2018

Ploddingly-paced and packed full of the detritus of a long, drawn-out world war, the plot to Issue Twelve of “Uber: Invasion” could easily have come across to its readers as a Deutschland-based ‘filler’ edition, intended to simply ‘pad out’ Kieron Gillen’s narrative and provide the former computer games journalist with a little breathing room before he penned the next scintillating story-arc to his militaristic magnum opus. But such a disparaging summary of this twenty-two page periodical’s plot really doesn’t do the British writer’s disturbingly engaging work justice, and would simply shroud some truly disquieting moments within its text.

For starters, the late repugnantly vile German Battleship Siegfried is shockingly divulged to have been just a fourteen-year old boy by his mother, Fraulein Jung. This revelation by the proud parent, created by the woman removing her hand from the plaque of her child’s commemorative bust, comes completely out of the blue and yet makes perfect sense when one considers that the arguably homicidal Nazi, who seemed to relish killing and mutilation more than anything else, was in reality just a child who “always loved his toy soldiers” and wrongly thought “he took after his [war-hero] father.”

Equally as disturbing is Steele’s destiny at the very end of this publication, with a cowardly calm Albert Speer quietly informing Sankt’s former adjutant that she will have her tongue removed “and your hands” simply because she was overheard discussing with Klaudia what would happen if the facially-disfigured Sieglinde did “what Siemund did. [And] just surrendered…” to the Allies.Exactly like Markus’ adolescent age, this horrifying fate to the “emotionally-conflicted panzermensch secretary” comes from ‘out of no-where’ and is addressed so matter-of-factly that it must have sent a serious shudder down the spines of any perusing bibliophiles; “That we need your halo effect means you keep your eyes… But you don’t need your hands any more. Do not think too harshly of me. Remember, I’m the good one.” 

Adding to this comic’s sense of all-pervading doom and despair is Daniel Gete’s marvellous story-boarding, which provides the entire publication’s tale with a persisting aura of hopeless listlessness. Each panel is crammed with detail by the “Logan’s Run: Last Day” penciller, whether it be the visible grain in every single wooden board or the stitching on Steele’s overcoat, but also appears to have been drawn in such a way as to additionally elevate the incredible inconsolable lethargy everyone is experiencing during these trying times…

The regular cover art of "UBER: INVASION" No. 12 by Daniel Gete

Star Trek: Countdown #4 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN No. 4, April 2009

Despite “Imagine Games Network” supposedly “positively” reviewing Issue Four of “Star Trek: Countdown”, it seems doubtful that many of this comic’s ever-mounting 14,544 readers would have agreed with the “IDW Publishing” pre-release boast that the mini-series’ final instalment brings “the Romulan villain Nero’s vengeful crusade against the Federation... to a stunning conclusion!” In fact, it’s arguable as to whether Mike Johnson and Tim Jones’ narrative even satisfactorily “serves as both a lead up to the film” or “as a continuation of the Star Trek: The Next Generation franchise.”

The writing partnership's main problem is probably their portrayal of the Narada as such a seemingly invincible vessel that it can now take on the entire Klingon Defence Force’s fleet single-handedly, and still maintain “their shields… at full strength.” Plus the enormous spacecraft can both conceal itself and “fire while they’re cloaked” without any apparent energy-loss or engine distribution difficulties whatsoever. Considering that such technology has been fitted to just a simple mining ship, one has to wonder why the Romulan ruling council never saw fit to apply this technology to their D'deridex-class warbirds and give the antagonistic Star Empire a truly formidable edge over their neighbours at the conference table? Or how the U.S.S. Kelvin later lasted anywhere near as long as it did against the Borg-enhanced craft considering that its technology was already inferior by a couple of hundred years? If some of General Worf’s “late 24th century” Birds Of Prey couldn’t last five seconds against the Narada, how did the Federation Kelvin-type starship temporarily survive long enough to actually damage the superior vessel..? 

Disappointingly, there also appears little logic to Nero’s decision to want the son of Mogh to both “board a shuttle and come to me”, as well as “surrender on behalf of the Klingon Empire”. The heavily-tattooed miner would surely know that his aggressive foe would never yield to such demands, especially to such hated race rivals, and therefore smacks of the creative team rather indolently contriving to arrange a set of circumstances which allows the U.S.S. Enterprise’s former Strategic Operations Officer to kill a few of Vulcan’s “biological cousins” in hand-to-hand combat and subsequently be ‘gutted’ in a gratuitously overly-bloody scene pencilled by David Messina, which appears far more appropriate to a narrative set within the “Alien” franchise than Gene Roddenberry’s universe; “You fight well, Romulan! But not well enough! Tell me where your coward captain hides!”

Story: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, and Writers: Mike Johnson & Tim Jones

Rough Riders #3 - AfterShock Comics

ROUGH RIDERS No. 3, June 2016

Whilst “Aftershock Comics” probably did enjoy “an explosive first year of publications with series featuring compelling new concepts and excellent comics talent”, Issue Three of “Rough Riders” arguably wasn’t one of the company’s finest products during this period due to Adam Glass’ somewhat disappointing decision to reveal the menace behind the U.S.S. Maine’s destruction as having a distinctly extra-terrestrial element to it. Admittedly, there’s little realism to a narrative based upon “a young Theodore Roosevelt” teaming up with Harry Houdini, Annie Oakley, Jack Johnson and Thomas Edison to begin with, and the title had already potentially ‘suggested’ an alien threat is at hand with the top-secret photograph portraying the American naval vessel’s demise uncannily imitating a scene from H.G. Wells’ novel “War Of The Worlds”. But that still doesn’t mean the graphic novelist’s portrayal of “Little Miss Sure Shot” being overpowered by a military delegate inhabited by an oversized multi-tentacled Martian earwig is the most palatable explanation behind Spain’s supposed new weapon…

Indeed, all the good non-fantasy-based ground work the author achieves during this twenty-page periodical’s earlier plot concerning Houdini and Johnson identifying “that something is happening up in those hills” by talking to the local prostitutes, as well as Edison’s evident non-acceptance that the aging scientist is going deaf, is debatably completely undermined by the purple-coloured wriggling monstrosity, which seems far more suited to the 1982 science fiction motion picture “Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan” than a western yarn where “things take a turn for the deadly.” Certainly, it must have been hard for this comic’s 5,440 readers to correlate the outlandish creepy-crawly squirrelling out from inside a Spaniard's ear with the magazine’s surprising cliff-hanger featuring the mad Russian monk Rasputin; “You are mistaken, comrade. I am not your friend… I am Rasputin… And you will bow to me!”

Fortunately, what “Give Them Hell” does contain is the excellent pencilling of Patrick Olliffe, whose opening sequence of the future United States President donning his Brooks Brothers-made Colonel’s uniform is alone worth the cover price of this tome. In fact, the “veteran comic book illustrator with over twenty-five years of experience”, whose dynamically-story-boarded race through a trap-infested jungle trail does a superb job of capturing a headlong flight from danger, is likely to have been the main reason behind why there was such “building interest in the book” in June 2016...

Creator & Writer: Adam Glass, Artist: Patrick Olliffe, and Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb

All-Star Batman #12 - DC Comics

ALL-STAR BATMAN No. 12, September 2017

Battered, bloody, as well as badly beaten beneath the waves, Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s Batman has arguably never looked finer than in the opening act of this twenty-two page periodical as Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego relies entirely upon his brains and brawn, as opposed to insane technological gadgetry, in order to overcome what at first appears insurmountable odds. In fact Scott Snyder’s sequence depicting a grim-faced Dark Knight, knee-deep in salt water, physically attaching some tow cables to a pair of torpedoes whilst huffing and puffing with exertion must have absolutely delighted this comic’s 60,569 readers in July 2017, and momentarily made them recall just why this title was supposedly “considered the crown jewel of DC Rebirth.” 

Regrettably however, the New Yorker’s narrative soon dramatically descends into the dark depths as swiftly as Tiger Shark’s sinking submarine, once Captain Batman’s plan succeeds and the unconscious super-hero is saved from a watery grave by a quartet of mermaids. Admittedly, these aquatic females aren’t actually the mythical creatures of folklore, but rather respirator-wearing beauties hired by Gotham City’s murderous pirate to entertain his gambling guests. Yet their dramatic appearance does coincide with the American author’s preposterous plot that Alfred Pennyworth was actually himself mentored in a training programme which “was hundreds of years old” and resultantly became “a single soldier, an errant knight” for MI5…

This disappointing premise even goes so far as to suggest that the sharp-sworded Nemesis-programmed armoured knight who so readily ‘dispatched’ the titular character in the previous instalment of “The First Ally” is in reality one of the aide-de-camp’s successors. A troubling revelation with regards to the background of “Bruce Wayne's loyal and tireless butler” which is arguably only just less absurd than Snyder’s concluding shocker that Hush and the “Black And Whites” had been “in it together from the start” as part of “a ploy to get you to acquire us the [Genesis] engine, Batman.”

Disconcertingly, the back-up story to Issue Twelve of “All-Star Batman” is equally as discouraging in its depiction as to the noticeable naivety of “the world’s greatest detective” by portraying the Caped Crusader mistiming a seemingly simple ambush upon three armed guards “somewhere on the outskirts of Moscow.” Neatly written by Rafael Albuquerque and Rafael Scavone overall, this ‘short’ does however dishearteningly focus almost entirely upon the Dark Knight bungling an attempt to destroy a munitions cargo at a time when his undercover disguise as a Russian street-fighter has also been compromised.

Script: Scott Snyder, and Pencils, Inks & Cover: Rafael Albuquerque

Star Trek: Boldly Go #14 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: BOLDLY GO No. 14, November 2017

Shifting 6,658 copies in November 2017, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors, Issue Fourteen of “Star Trek: Boldly Go” focuses upon the intriguing possibility that the U.S.S. Enterprise’s captain was actually born a girl rather than a boy, and made "it to Starfleet Academy” only after her “dad did his best to raise me on his own.” Unfortunately however, rather than flesh out Jane Tiberius Kirk in the same way as he did the commanding officer’s Klingon incarnation within this story-arc’s previous instalment, Mike Johnson instead disappointingly leaves the fact that the space explorer is simply a female doppelganger of the Kelvin timeline’s character at that…

Indeed, considering that this twenty-page periodical’s Tony Shasteen illustrated cover predominantly features the long-haired brunette, there seems to be a disconcerting lack of background offered regarding the woman’s past or that of her similarly-sexed crew, including the immediately likeable Pavela Chekov, who delightfully stuns the increasingly annoying Simon Grayson in the back whilst making her impressive entry; “Sorry for the surprise, Keptin. But I did not like the look of things… And despite our different realities, you remain my Keptin.” In her place, the “highly imaginative and engaging writer” seemingly prefers to provide an additional example of just how obsessed the one-eyed, Kronos-raised “Orphan” is regarding the destruction of Christopher Pike’s constitution-class starship, and then almost randomly throws in a handful more alternative reality cast members just to add to the confusion.

Debatably so diverse a ‘multiverse’ would ordinarily prove a rather attractive proposition, especially for a science fiction franchise whose own ‘Mirror Universe’ has become so very well established within its canon. But Johnson’s relentless deluge of different personifications, whether they be Commanding Unit JTK-1701, a seemingly pure-born Vulcan Spock, or another of the countless other chronotronic event induced beings, quickly becomes overwhelming and befuddling. In fact, by the time ‘Kelvin’ Kirk, Helm-Unit Sulu-1701 and Pavela begin exploring the outskirts of Queen Khan’s palatial grounds, it is hard to recall what’s occurring to all the other numerous crew-members, or even care…

Just as disconcerting as this comic’s complicated plot though is the publisher’s decision to have Megan Levens pencil this particular part of “Infinite Diversity In Infinite Combinations”, rather than Josh Hood. Having previously familiarized themselves to this adventure’s enormous ensemble via the American illustrator’s more realistic art-style, it must arguably have taken this book’s readership a fair few panels/pages to re-adjust to the “Buffyverse” artist’s contrasting, clean-lined cartoonish caricatures, and this acclimatisation process unhappily only adds to the tale’s story-telling turmoil.

Writer: Mike Johnson, Art: Megan Levens, and Colors: Marissa Louise & Triona Farrell

Micronauts [2016] #5 - IDW Publishing

MICRONAUTS No. 5, August 2016

Filled full of close-combat confrontations as Oziron Rael and his team-mates battle the chief interrogator for the Ministry of Science, Membros, and then immediately afterwards “a specialized strike team” lead by Commander Raith, Cullen Bunn’s chronicle for Issue Five of “Micronauts” probably provided the publication’s 7,667 strong audience with a pleasing, pulse-pounding read in August 2016. Indeed, almost as soon as Baron Hraal Karza ‘enerchanges’ his “gadget-laden suit of shape-shifting armour” into his centauroid battle form in order to lead his army against Daegon’s forces, this twenty-page periodical simply doesn’t stop depicting violent altercations, with even the pacifist Pharoid slugging his torturer; “If I wasn’t a pacifist, I would have used the sword.”

Fortunately, such sense-shattering sequences aren’t seemingly scripted simply to pad out an ailing narrative either, and genuinely help push the plot along, whilst supplying the utterly bizarre-looking Membros with a far more detailed (and disturbing) backstory than the “Mego” red action figure “with an exposed glow-in-the-dark brain” ever had as a toy in 1979. It’s certainly hard not to draw a comparison with the bright pink, sadistic-speaking interrogator whose “body [is] a testament to the dangers of careless Enerchanging”, with that of someone willingly working for Heinrich Himmler’s paramilitary during the Second World War.

In addition, these scintillating scenes also provide the Micronauts with plenty of opportunity to demonstrate why they’ve become such a thorn in the Ministry of Defence’s side, and just how formidable a fighter the team’s “genetically engineered super-warrior” Acroyear can be, even when he’s facing a corridor crammed full of “more advanced models” than himself. Albeit, even the unparalleled combatant’s extraordinary ability to summon “a powerful sword from subspace” doesn’t manage to create the slack-jawed surprise Bunn creates in this comic’s cliff-hanger when Raith’s weapon manages to cleanly cut through Biotron’s shield and cleave the crew’s startled captain asunder…

Such terrific penmanship however, would not have had half the impact if it wasn’t for this comic’s wonderful artwork by Max Dunbar, whose sketches of a centauroid-shaped Kazar impressively rearing up upon his hind legs, or Membros lashing the air with a vicious vibro-whip, are simply stunning. In fact, the Canadian’s pencilling appears so dynamically alive that it appears to have been snatched from the celluloid of an animated cartoon series, and both imbues the characters with emotionally-charged facial features, as well as tonnes of ‘oomph’ behind their body-blows.

The regular cover art of "MICRONAUTS" No. 5 by Max Dunbar

Star Trek: Countdown #3 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN No. 3, March 2009

Apparently “the first comic to be released in stores and on the iPhone on the same day”, this third instalment to Mike Johnson and Tim Jones’ “official prequel to the upcoming motion picture” almost exclusively focuses upon Nero’s descendent into barbaric madness and additionally provides a somewhat contrived explanation as to how the mining captain’s space-craft would prove so incredibly formidable once it had travelled back in time to the 23rd century, and encountered the U.S.S. Kelvin. Indeed, in many ways it’s hard to imagine a swifter descent into homicidal mania for the “particularly troubled Romulan”, and a more fortuitous encounter in order to better arm one of the Star Empire’s light drilling vessels…

Admittedly, this comic’s narrative starts with actor Eric Bana’s emotionally distraught character brimming with tears at the sight of his wife and unborn child’s death, yet in the very next panel the authors would have their increasing 12,486-strong audience believe the grieving widower is “suddenly, strangely… calm” and capable of instantly forming a stratagem which will persuade the nearby Federation planetary evacuation fleet into dropping their shields so he can teleport massively destructive explosive charges aboard the vessels; “I have several injured refugees in need of medical attention. Can I beam them to your ships now?” To make matters worse, the driller doesn’t even rationalise his appallingly merciless behaviour as revenge, but rather states, presumably in some advanced case of prompt paranoia, that Starfleet is only there “to claim Romulan space for their own”?

Just as arguably grating is Nero’s incredible good luck at being “hailed by the ruling council” from their senate shuttle and, having butchered the ever-egotistical praetor, subsequent attainment of the encrypted code required to enter the Vault; a station which “is the last hope of the Romulan Empire.” Not only does this amazing coincidence place the captain in contact with the commander of “an advanced military facility whose existence is known only to the Romulan High Command” and who seemingly doesn’t care whether he’s lied to her just as long as he obtains “vengeance for all of the survivors of Romulus”. But also provides his “simple mining vessel” with “the most advanced weapons system in the galaxy” courtesy of the Borg…

All of these “Trials and Tribble-ations” are pencilled by David Messina competently enough, with his imagery of Nero receiving his “ancient symbols of love and loss” upon his forehead proving a particularly impressive illustration. However, the Scuola Internazionale di Comics graduate does seem to struggle with the likenesses of some of this comic’s other more recognisable cast members, such as Ambassador Spock and Jean-Luc Picard, and resultantly these sequences can prove a little troubling to the eye.

Story: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, and Writers: Mike Johnson & Tim Jones