Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.1 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE THIRTEENTH DOCTOR No. 2.1, February 2020

Following on from the supposed “success of the first season” and apparently “created by the stellar sci-fi team of Eisner-nominated writer Jody Houser and Shades of Magic artist Roberta Ingranata", this opening instalment to “Titan Comics” second series of “Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor” probably had many fans of ‘Nu-Who’ frothing at the mouths in anticipation, when it was first announced at the New York Comic-Con that it would depict the Tenth and Thirteenth Doctor joining “forces against the Weeping Angels in a new comic series!” Yet whilst this twenty-two page periodical’s plot certainly contains plenty of ‘screen time’ for actor David Tennant’s incarnation of the Time Lord, absolutely nothing of any particular interest occurs within the America author’s script due to the TARDIS crew simply following him around Sixties London at “a safe distance.”

Disappointingly, the same can also be said for this publication’s secondary story involving Martha Jones working “as a shop-girl” at the Face Fashion clothes store. Admittedly, the sequences involving the twenty-three year-old medical student and “the first woman to play” the series’ titular character reaffirms the Gallifreyan’s blatant rudeness, when she completely blanks Martha’s ginger-haired co-worker Janice after the poor woman has offered to help her. But apart from the Thirteenth Doctor’s poor manners, nothing happens until this comic’s conclusion when Jones returns to an eerily-deserted shop having forgotten her jacket.

In the meantime all this book’s presumably frustrated audience have to enjoy are a few flashbacks to “not so long ago” when “the Tenth Doctor and companion Martha were attacked by the menacing Weeping Angels” and stranded in the past as per the June 2007 television adventure “Blink”. Unfortunately, this over reliance upon the nostalgia of a highly popular broadcast episode wears thin really quickly, especially when Houser takes an opportunity to have a dig at her male predecessor because the time traveller “was really thick back then…”

Luckily, one thing “A Little Help From My Friends” doesn’t suffer with is poor pencilling, with Roberta Ingranata desperately trying to pull out all the stops to make this dreary, dialogue-driven sequel contain at least a modicum of pace. The Italian artist does a great job of capturing the look and feel of England’s capital city in 1969, and also manages to imbue the Tenth Doctor with the infectious, highly energised “happy-go-lucky guise” his somewhat zany persona is so well-remembered for.

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE THIRTEENTH DOCTOR" No. 2.1 by Paulina Ganucheau

Black Terror #3 - Dynamite Entertainment

BLACK TERROR No. 3, December 2019

Readers expecting Max Bemis to continue adding to the mythology of this series' “semi-tortured brutal vigilante” were probably a bit surprised with his narrative for Issue Three of “Black Terror”, considering it almost exclusively focuses upon the titular character’s “trusted sidekick Tim” rather than Bob Benton's alter-ego. But having gotten over that initial surprise, and the somewhat ludicrous premise that owing to a magical urn, the boy was “born with the memories of a life” he hadn’t actually lived yet, many bibliophiles probably gleaned a fair amount of enjoyment from the gratuitous violence on show within its twenty-one pages.

Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a more grisly-looking series of set-pieces than those pencilled by Ruairi Coleman in this book, thanks to the Northern Irishman’s ability to depict a group of non-powered kids being horribly mutilated by the Young Deadlies, and a pride of flesh-hungry lions later being let loose upon the villain’s secret hideout in an “exotic, creepy locale!” Such scenes really do ‘spell out’ the sheer sadism of the “original” sidekick’s ultra-violent surroundings, where the former “Nazi scum” basher now seemingly spends his time betting on illegal dice games in dingy alleyways or supplying informants with a “big bag of marijuana” in exchange for them “supplying us with information.”

Sadly however, what the “primary lyricist of the band Say Anything” also depicts with his writing is how unlikeable Tim Roland can be, especially once he lives beyond the point where “Pandora’s Urn should have shown up… and rebooted everything.” Now aged thirty-five, “but still looks like a Nineties-era Culkin”, the younger half of the “Terror Twins” genuinely seems to enjoy the decadent savagery of the world around him, and could arguably even be held indirectly responsible for Moonboy having his throat slit and Ms. Mystery being disembowelled by the likes of Princess Murder, Hollow Tip, Spell Slinger, Sapling and the weird-smelling Kid Tricklin’.

Mercifully, Bemis has been “blessed” to have the aforementioned Coleman illustrate this periodical, and as a result the vast majority of its macabre contents are a treat for the eyes of the non-squeamish. In fact, in many ways it is a pity that the comic’s narrative doesn’t feature more flashbacks to Tim’s origin and subsequent battles with the Third Reich, as its clear the artist has a real penchant for panels populated with jaw-breaking punches; “I love it! Powers! Again! Finally!”

The regular cover art of "BLACK TERROR" No. 3 by Rahzzah

The Immortal Hulk #19 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 19, August 2019

Absolutely chock full of some of the most harrowing death scenes and grisly demises arguably ever witnessed inside a “Marvel Worldwide” comic book, Al Ewing’s script for Issue Nineteen of “The Immortal Hulk” must have ‘blown away’ many of this ongoing series’ 88,100 fans in June 2019, and certainly shows just why the British author would “keep mentioning in interviews” the inspiration he took from John Carpenter’s 1982 science fiction horror film “The Thing” when penning this title. Indeed, such is the level of grotesque mutilation which occurs within this twenty-page periodical, chiefly the Hulk’s arm being painfully melted away by the Abomination’s digestive juices, that it is hard not to imagine the American filmmaker quietly whispering in the ear of artist Joe Bennett as each gore-soaked panel was being pencilled.

Surprisingly however, it isn’t just the buckets of intestines and internal organs being on show, which makes this publication so (pleasantly) horrific, but also the cold-hearted manner in which the likes of poor innocent Marge are straightforwardly dispatched, just as the hotel worker would appear to be safe and sound in the hands of her government’s agents. The woman’s heartless murder at the hands of General Reginald Fortean’s clean-up team is truly chilling, and resultantly makes the ruthless mercenaries’ subsequent deaths at the bird-like talons of the Harpy disconcertingly satisfying; “You -- You didn’t have to. I could have -- I don’t know, questioned them, exposed them --”

Similarly as shocking is the state of Bruce Banner’s alter-ego towards the end of this comic. Ewing rather cleverly takes all the attention away from the Hulk’s battle against the Abomination for the vast majority of this book, by predominantly focusing upon Jackie McGee’s investigation into Betty Ross’s fully-feathered transformation, and it is therefore not until the Harpy herself actually stumbles upon the green goliath’s disturbingly limbless husk that it becomes clear just how highly acidic Subject B’s projectile vomit actually is.

Impressively though, the former “2000 A.D.” writer leaves his best surprise for last, by having Ross turn upon her hapless ex-husband’s much maligned body to the utter astonishment of all who witness it. There’s almost a pathetic, child-like quality to the Hulk just before he is disembowelled, as the blind brute hears his former love’s voice and believes help is on the way, and this makes the savagery of the Harpy’s attack all the more jaw-dropping, as she literally carves him open and feasts upon his bloody flesh.

First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

The variant cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 19 by Greg Smallwood

Black Terror #2 - Dynamite Entertainment

BLACK TERROR No. 2, November 2019

It’s a real shame that Issue Two of “Black Terror” was only the three hundred and twenty-seventh best-selling comic of November 2019, for as an examination into just “how Golden Age ideals came up against such a morally ambiguous, crazy time” such as the Seventies goes, Max Bemis’ narrative involving “a young woman… in the midst of a cult” proves a rather surprisingly compelling read. In fact, considering the blockbuster ending to this series’ previous instalment, which saw the titular character busting out of a diner so as to face a squad of heavily-armed goons, a somewhat sedentary story set in the wilderness and crammed full of super-powered “Hippies” was probably the last thing many of this book’s 3,329 bibliophiles thought they’d be perusing.

Happily though, this seemingly ‘standalone’ script soon scoops up any doubts with the intriguing premise that the rather portly Father Kind can somehow harness Bob Benton’s tremendous abilities and project them upon his long-haired companions. In addition, this magical feat, which at times seems a little similar to the final harrowing scene of Robin Hardy’s 1973 British horror film “The Wicker Man”, is witnessed through the eyes of non-believer Christina, whose douche of a (new) boyfriend only manages to convince her of their newly-acquired traits by punching the woman into a nearby solid-looking tree; “Now, are you gonna just lie there like a lump, or sweat out those emotional toxins with me?”

The “primary lyricist of the band Say Anything” also does a splendid job of making this tale’s lead antagonist quite believable, courtesy of the self-confessed crook providing his ‘family’ with a little background during his opening eulogy, and then later revealing his significantly darker side when he threatens Christina for going near the Black Terror’s cell. These scenes really imbue the rotund, white-bearded Santa Claus-like figure with plenty of hidden menace, and as a result it comes as no great shock when the true, despicable source of his siphoning power is unveiled in a side tent.

Ruairi Coleman’s visually impressive contribution to this twenty-two page periodical cannot debatably be understated either, with the Northern Irish artist’s wonderfully clean-lined storyboards giving the action a rather jolly, bouncy feel which is both energetic and attractive to the eye. This pencilling style works especially well for Father Kind’s scenes, as well as those of the numerous hippies taking full advantage of the superhuman powers with which they have been temporarily blessed, and it’s a pity the book ends before we get to see what revenge Benton is going to bestow upon his former captor…

The regular cover art of "BLACK TERROR" No. 2 by Rahzzah

Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor Holiday Special #2 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE THIRTEENTH DOCTOR HOLIDAY SPECIAL No. 2, January 2020

Whilst Jody Houser may well have fallen “in love with New Who when it started airing in the US”, it is difficult to imagine that her narrative for Issue Two of “Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor Holiday Special” would cause such ‘an intense feeling of deep affection’ for the BBC Television Series from its dwindling 5,611 readers. Indeed, despite the American author apparently believing that “there’s always something new and exciting around the corner, and that a mad alien in a box can be such a force for good throughout the universe”, this particular thirty-six page periodical disappointingly contains so very little in the way of excitement, drama or even a modicum of action, that many within its audience may well have felt that the female writer was actually trying to turn people away from the long-running programme in their droves… 

For starters, this two hundred and eighty third best-selling comic of December 2019 resolves its previous instalment’s so-called cliff-hanger, by having the TARDIS crew simply be freed from their cell by an Elf turned Safety Officer called Baxter and his large sugar cane. This ludicrously dissatisfying resolution is far from innovative for a Christmas-based tale, and Houser is quick to gloss over any explanation as to just who the Doctor’s pointy-eared rescuer is, how he knew where they were, and why his large peppermint stick somehow smashes a hole in a laser-powered force-field with a simple “Jeff sent me.”

Equally as unenthralling is Jody’s misguided belief that a seemingly endless series of sequences set within some air-ducts, and intermittently populated with a disconcerting discourse as to whether the mysterious Jeff is Santa Claus or not, would somehow be a good idea for this publication’s already overly-protracted plot. These snoozefest sequences, doubtless patiently pencilled by Roberta Ingranata and uncomplainingly coloured by Enrica Eren Angiolini, could easily have been significantly reduced in length, if not omitted in their entirety, and presumably were only composed to lull any perusing bibliophile into a semi-delirious state before this book’s big reveal that the villain of the piece is “the cantankerous Krampus!”

To make matters worse, the final third of this Holiday Special then attempts to desperately explain that the Doctor and her “fam” have unsuccessfully attempted to defeat the “sort of anti-Santa” before when she first kidnapped some aliens to build a teleportation device, and resultantly it now looks like the being who "feeds on fear" is about to “terrify the love of Christmas out of the children of Earth.” Incredibly however, so convoluted and ludicrous a storyline still doesn’t result in any notable action occurring, apart from a fez-wearing Time Lord watching the villain escape with her minions through a dimensional doorway after the Gallifreyan rewired her foe’s energy collecting contraption; “This isn’t over, Doctor!”

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE THIRTEENTH DOCTOR HOLIDAY SPECIAL" No. 2 by Blair Shedd

Conan The Barbarian #6 - Marvel Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN No. 6, July 2019

Whilst it’s probably clear from this comic’s attention to Hyborian Age lore that Jason Aaron has both “wanted to write Conan for a long time” and demonstrates “so much respect and reverence for those original [Robert E. Howard] stories”, there must still have been many of this twenty-page periodical’s 32,108 readers who wondered just what the point to this particular book’s narrative actually was. True, Issue Five of “Conan The Barbarian” more than amply depicts the titular character’s ferocious instinct for survival by having the adventurer apparently cull at least one Stygian raiding party through his savage swordsmanship alone; “A man makes his own luck. And I made mine here.”

But considering that “King Yezdigerd never implements Conan’s plan for invading Stygia” and instead simply continues “the bloody Turanian Border Wars… for many years” to come, it's hard to see just what the point of this publication’s plot actually was in having the “fictional sword and sorcery hero” come to the attention of “the mightiest monarch in the world” in the first place. Indeed, this entire book’s purpose seems to be to depict the Cimmerian rising to prominence in the ruler’s army to the point where he can personally advise Yidiz’s son to “use elephants to drag your warships from the Vilayet Sea across the Red Waste”, only to then have that selfsame regent ignore the barbarian’s words..?

Fortunately, the build-up to this dissatisfying diatribe contains plenty of action-packed sequences and opportunities for the Inkpot Award-winner to exhibit the mercenary’s near miraculous ability to outthink his enemies, with Great Commander Bahram’s foolish decision to close ranks atop a dune “covered with Stygian oils” being one such highlight. This flurry of outrageous ambushes really does provide “The Sole Survivor” with plenty of pulse-pounding pace, and in some ways actually makes it a shame that the Alabama-born author didn’t spend a few more instalments expanding upon Conan’s time amongst the men of the sprawling desert kingdom.

Similarly as successful in imparting the violence of the Sunrise Empire across to this comic’s audience is Mahmoud Asrar’s artwork, which quite wonderfully captures the “rising in barbaric splendour on the south-western shore” whilst simultaneously providing any perusing gore-fan with buckets of blood for good measure. The Turkish-born illustrator seems to particularly shine when pencilling battle scenes, and resultantly one can almost hear the horses snorting in terror when their panicked riders keep wheeling the animals into deadly danger.

Writer: Jason Aaron, Artist: Mahmud Asrar, and Colorist: Matthew Wilson

The Immortal Hulk #18 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 18, July 2019

Despite cramming most of this comic’s action into its final third, and arguably relying upon a mass of character (re)introductions with which to populate the rest of this twenty-page periodical, it is still reasonably clear just why Al Ewing believed at the time of its publication that “Hulk fans have… been really supportive of this run, even though we’re putting their hero through some incredible contortions and convolutions.” For whilst the former “Future Shocks” writer’s script to Issue Eighteen of “The Immortal Hulk” seems to spend a significant amount of time depicting Mister Bancroft’s sedentary taxi journey back to the Friedrich Inn and Doctor Leonard Samson’s dialogue-heavy debate with Gamma Flight, these conversational pieces still provide plenty of fascinating insights into the turbulent world of Bruce Banner and his monstrous alter ego; “Look at the damage he’s done over the years -- billions of dollars. Trillions. And yet civilians never die in these rampages.”

In addition, the intermittent glimpses of General Fortean’s face-fingered Subject B slowly stalking its oblivious prey, and horribly murdering any hapless bystander who stands in the scaly-skinned abomination’s way, generates an increasingly tense atmosphere which may well have tempted the odd Hulk-Head to sneak an early peek at this comic’s cataclysmic conclusion. Luckily, for those within this books’ 75,983 strong audience who ‘stayed the course’ though, the ensuing confrontation between the Green Goliath and his visually-disturbing, sharp-clawed opponent is worth the wait, due in large to the revelation that a semi-conscious Rick Jones is somehow partially buried deep within the ghastly creature’s horribly-malformed maw…

Significantly ramping up this horror show an extra notch or three, has to be Joe Bennett’s pencilling, which seems to successfully heap muscle upon muscle over the Hulk’s broad shoulders whether he be appearing as little more than a reflection in the mirror, or as a ‘last minute saviour’ to protect Marge from the same grisly demise which has befallen her co-worker Anna. The Brazilian artist really seems to have a fine grasp for creating highly memorable new foes for this ongoing series too, with Ewing demonstrating just how much faith he had in his creative collaborator’s design skills by placing Emil Blonsky’s ‘heir presumptive’ into the plot simply because the illustrator “said he’d quite like to draw the Abomination.”

First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" No. 18 by Alex Ross