Batman: The Adventures Continue #6 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE No. 6, June 2020

Concluding their “Mentors” storyline with a distinctly fiery finale, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett’s narrative for Issue Six of “Batman: The Adventures Continue” must have caught a few of its readers somewhat off-guard when it was first published digitally in June 2020. For whilst the plot strongly tries to suggest that the titular character is haplessly walking into Slade Wilson’s well-devised trap to both kill the Dark Knight and take over the tutorage of the remaining Bat-Family members, it eventually becomes all too clear that it was the one-eyed assassin Deathstroke who was ultimately being played as the fool; “You mean you were playing possum? I thought I was saving you.”

Happily however, this revelation at the comic’s very end doesn’t stop the audience from positively willing the Caped Crusader to piece together the numerous clues beforehand, especially when the super-villain seemingly coerces Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego into blindly following him to Firefly's hideout. Warned about Batman’s destiny by their mysterious stalker, this book’s writers genuinely manage to instil a sense of trepidation concerning the well-being of Bill Finger’s co-creation into the likes of Robin and Batgirl, and resultantly there’s a palpable sense of desire created within the perusing bibliophile for the World’s Greatest Detective to deduct something is not quite right before he's cold-bloodedly murdered.

Enjoyably, the “producers of the original animated series” also perpetuate this pretence of the cowled crime-fighter apparently falling for Wilson’s lies by populating the publication’s concluding pages with plenty of thought balloons in which a supposedly ill-fated Batman finally begins to ‘smell a rat’. The Dark Knight’s assessment of Firefly requiring more explosives than those found “to bring down the dam”, as well as Garfield Lynns behaving more erratically than normal, quite wonderfully illustrates just how the hero’s increasing doubts as to the validity of Slade’s story are firmly taking root.

Responsible for adding even more menace to this comic’s proceedings are Ty Templeton’s awesome-looking pencils and Monica Kubina’s vivid colours. Indeed, the creative team’s layouts during Deathstoke’s confrontation with the Caped Crusader will arguably cause many within this periodical’s audience to actually hear the mercenary’s Hephasetus Sword sizzle as its effortlessly used to slash through concrete pillars, deflect bat-a-rangs and scythe through Batman’s back.

Writers: Alan Burnett & Paul Dini, Artist: Ty Templeton, and Colorist: Monica Kubina

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Too Long A Sacrifice #2 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - TOO LONG A SACRIFICE No. 2, August 2020

Specifically placed “in the sixth season between One Little Ship and Honour Among Thieves”, Scott and David Tipton’s excellent script for Issue Two of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Too Long A Sacrifice” most assuredly must have caused fans of the television franchise to wish the storyline had actually been put in front of the cameras way back in the late Nineties. Indeed, the comic’s dialogue is so authentic sounding, and its characters so accurate to their broadcast counterparts, that it is genuinely difficult not to imagine this four-part mini-series as an actual official adaption of a transmitted two-hour adventure.

To begin with, the collaborative writers’ handling of Constable Odo is absolutely spot on just as soon as the Chief of Security makes an appearance, with actor Rene Auberjonois’ voice clearly emanating from each word balloon during a highly enjoyable interrogation of an outraged Quark. Thoughtful, precise, carefully contemplative, as well as brutally forthright in his opinions as to the dishonesty of his peers, the Changeling easily captures the attention throughout this twenty-page periodical, and even manages to maintain an off-screen presence whenever the focus momentarily moves away from his investigation on to some more action-orientated events, like the successful assassination of an entire Ferengi trade delegation.

The Tipton brothers’ handling of the rest of this book’s cast is equally as well portrayed too, with both Worf and Major Kira getting plenty of attention as they try to support Odo in his frustratingly difficult hunt for the space station’s mysterious killer/s. In fact, the Klingon’s suggestion to adopt a “more aggressive manner of questioning” provides one of the comic’s highlights as the Starfleet officer accompanies the Constable on a satisfying sting operation targeting this title’s duplicitous Nausicaans; “All the contraband traces back to you two. You pointing the finger at Quark was more about covering your own tracks.”

Greg Scott also helps imbue this publication with the slight suggestion its readers are looking at an old “Futura” photo-adventure novel rather than a run-of-a-mill comic book. Admittedly, the former "Gotham Central" artist’s work does arguably look a little rough around the edges in some of the layouts. But that clearly doesn’t stop him capturing a good likeness of the show’s leading cast, nor some of their endearing tell-tale looks at one another when things aren’t going to plan…

Writers: Scott Tipton & David Tipton, Artist: Greg Scott, and Colorist by: Felipe Sobreiro

Batman: The Adventures Continue #5 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE No. 5, June 2020

Fans of Tim Drake’s incarnation of the Boy Wonder would surely have felt well-served by Paul Dini and Alan Burnett’s penmanship throughout Issue Five of “Batman: The Adventures Continue”, as the pair provide Robin with such characterful moments as the “skilled martial artist” being grounded by the Dark Knight for recklessly joining Deathstroke in an apparent attempt to ‘assassinate’ a deranged Garfield Lynns. Indeed, despite the boy’s evident bravery and keen detective skills this particular digital first publication delivers an enjoyable reminder to its audience as to just how much Batman’s protégé has yet to learn about the world of crime-fighting, and how young he actually is; “You have no idea what it’s like when he gets this way. I might as well be talking to a bear.”

Similarly as impressive is the writing duo’s handling of Firefly, who actually appears to be a genuine threat to the well-being of Drake’s costumed alter-ego, rather than ‘just a down-and-out film special effects expert armed with a flamethrower and jet-pack’. Agile in the air, clever enough to have dismantled the museum’s water sprinklers before launching his attack, and decidedly precise as to where his flames should land, this particular version of the felon is every bit the “sociopathic pyromaniac” a bibliophile would expect from a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains.

Admittedly, the later revelation that Robin and Batman weren’t actually fighting Lynns inside the crook’s specialized outfit, but rather Deathstoke’s mysterious female associate, does come as something of a disappointment. However, the replacement makes perfect sense in this narrative’s wider context of ‘The Terminator’ setting Batman up for a lethal fall, and ties-in rather nicely towards the book’s end when it becomes apparent that a vengeful Lex Luthor is behind all of Slade’s shady shenanigans.

Ty Templeton and Monica Kubina also deserve a lot of credit for making this particular instalment to the “Mentors” storyline a visual triumph, particularly during the sequences set within Gotham City’s Entomology Pavilion. The intense heat caused by Firefly’s weaponry is physically palpable, so by the time poor Robin is pencilled literally dripping in sweat from the heat of the vividly orange flames about to engulf him, many suddenly parched readers were probably reaching into their refrigerators for a refreshingly cold drink or two…

Writers: Alan Burnett & Paul Dini, Artist: Ty Templeton, and Colorist: Monica Kubina

Doctor Strange [1968] #183 - Marvel Comics

DOCTOR STRANGE No. 183, November 1969

With hindsight it is perhaps somewhat easy to see just why this title was abruptly cancelled following the publication of “They Walk By Night!”, as Roy Thomas’ bizarre tale about three demonic gargoyles draining the life force out of the man who helped sponsor Stephen Strange through his medical education probably just bemused its audience at best. True, at the time the Missouri-born writer thought the comic featuring the magic-user’s disconcerting fully-masked new look “was [still] actually selling a couple hundred thousand copies” per month, but in the late Sixties a book “needed to sell even more” if “Marvel Comics” were going to ever consider it a sustainable success.

In addition, the three-time Shazam Award-winner’s decision to suddenly change the lead protagonist’s name to Saunders at the very start of this twenty-page periodical, courtesy of the awesome entity called Eternity, must have completely baffled and potentially alienated a number of readers too, as its inclusion appears to simply be a rather clumsy attempt to move the “Master of Black Magic” in line with rest of the publisher’s roster of super-hero alter-egos; “He saw that, in a desperate moment, I had revealed my name to a milling crowd… and he knew how vulnerable I would be if I lived on as Stephen Strange..! Thus he changed my name… My very identity…”

Happily however, despite this notable change to the magic user’s moniker, as well as the book’s odd premise that in order to reveal the location of a mysterious idol the Creatures of the Night would simply keep Kenneth Ward a wheelchair-bound prisoner within his own home, there’s actually quite a bit of enjoyment to be had during Strange’s investigation of the “sombre brownstone” residence. Indeed, the sorcerer’s sleuthing skills prove to be the highlight of the comic, as he stealthily circumnavigates his colleague’s captors in order to elicit an account of Ward’s latest adventure “in a lonely valley between Himalayan Peaks…”

Gene Colan also appears to be at the very top of his game, providing the good Doctor’s spells with some wonderful, eye-catching embellishments, most notably his magical exchange with the Creatures of the Night when they finally reveal their true physical nature. Disappointingly, this battle is all-too quickly brought to an end by Strange subjecting his fast-petrifying foes to sunlight, yet there is still enough time for the American artist to draw a cracking panel populated “with mirror images of the mortal!” before the fantastic fight concludes.

Writer: Roy Thomas, Artist: Gene Colan, and Embellisher: Tom Palmer

Red Sonja: Age Of Chaos #6 - Dynamite Entertainment

RED SONJA: AGE OF CHAOS No.6, June 2020

Essentially consisting of one publication-length pitched battle between Red Sonja and Purgatori, this concluding instalment to Erik Burnham’s marvellous six-issue mini-series must surely have left its readers breathless on account of its sense-shattering shenanigans. Indeed, the “Dynamic Entertainment” pre-print press release for this particular comic declaring it to be a sensational confrontation between a “literal she-devil” and the “She-Devil with a Sword” is absolutely spot on, as the pair savagely batter one another with talons and blade for almost the entirety of the twenty-age periodical.

Enjoyably though, this flurry of supernatural-powered fisticuffs doesn’t lead to a senseless array of blood-soaked set pieces designed to pad out this book to its conclusion. But rather presents a nicely-paced number of opportunities for members of this title’s extensive cast to make one last impact upon the titanic tussle taking place over Kulan Gath's amulet; “Don’t seem to be healing, which means I’m about to go away for a while. But Smiley and I hold a grudge. So before we go, we have a present for you… Take the power and use it to shove that sword into whatever hole you feel like…”

These ‘cameos’ are admittedly somewhat restricted to simple depictions of Jade, Sakkara, Catherine Bell and Chasity relocating back to their proper place in the planet’s timeline. However, the likes of Evil Ernie and Lady Demon make a real contribution to the comic’s narrative, both reminding its audience as to precisely why the Hyrkanian warrior’s victory is so fundamental to the world’s survival, as well as Sonja’s motivation for disconcertingly wishing her sorcerous arch-nemesis to be resurrected from the dead into an already rotting cadaver.

Adding an astonishing amount of palpable energy and dynamism to these pulse-pounding proceedings are Jonathan Lau’s incredibly dramatically-drawn layouts. Barely a panel has been pencilled which doesn’t in some way contain a painful reminder to any perusing bibliophile that a mere mortal is facing off against an extremely powerful vampiric creature of evil, and so by the end of the pair’s fraught fight, all of its observers are probably almost as physically tired from scrutinising the intense action-packed conflict as Roy Thomas’ co-creation clearly is having fought throughout it.

The regular cover art of "RED SONJA: AGE OF CHAOS" No. 6 by Lucio Parrillo

Spacewarp #1 [Part Two] - Millsverse Comics

SPACEWARP #1, July 2020

Providing this anthology comic with both an utterly disconcerting and superbly solid midway point story is Pat Mill’s marvellous tale of a technologically-advanced Earth being infiltrated by repugnant-looking extra-terrestrials entitled “Xecutioners”. Crammed full of gun-play, a veritable host of zinging bullets and mind manipulation, this seven-pager’s greatest asset is arguably not actually its enjoyable violence, but rather the developing relationship between Chaval and his new partner Zola as they attempt their first mission together to reveal the true Machiavellian intentions of Saturn One CEO, Mister Mezeros.

Just as unnerving with its opening ‘Harry Potter at Hogwarts’ vibe is “Fu-Tants”, which initially focuses upon three would-be protectors of the planet whilst undergoing the final stage of their training, and then leaps a decade into the future to the Church of the Apocalypse in Spain where super-powered Koda discovers an alien race trying to steal some valuable dinosaur-related artwork. Featuring Mike Donaldson’s stunningly pencilled bout of fisticuffs between “Drogeda’s top agent” and the Warp Lord’s “top gun”, there’s nothing not to like about such an action-packed yarn; especially when it promises future adventures to come, not least of which might be another fascinating insight into the utterly enthralling Warpstone Academy.

Perhaps penned for those within this book’s audience who enjoy planet wide battlescapes such as those depicted in Robert A. Heinlein's “Starship Troopers” or Gerry Finley-Day’s Nu-Earth, “Special Forces One” definitely doesn’t beat around the bush in setting up its heroes’ seemingly suicidal mission to behead the Junkarrs’ leader Zahar. Populated with all manner of weird-looking giant microbes and mutated single cell bacteria, Mills does a grand job of combining some serious slaughter with as much insight as he can manage into the motivations of the elite combat unit’s colourful members.

Finally bringing this publication full circle, and pleasantly incorporating some of the fluff established in this tome’s preceding narratives, is the brilliantly brutal “Slayer”. Once again featuring Schlock, “the Cosmic Lawman”, this concluding chronicle rounds off the comic with a fascinating supposition that if an “offender escapes justice through death or senility” then a suitable descendent can be punished in their place, even up to seven generations depending upon the crime.

Stories: Pat Mills, and Art: Gareth Sleightholme, Mike Donaldson, Ade Hughes & James Newell 

Batman/Superman [2019] #10 - DC Comics

BATMAN/SUPERMAN No. 10, September 2020

Packed with plenty of pulse-pounding pugilism involving the Man of Steel, a fascinating autopsy of the Atomic Skull’s corpse by the World’s Greatest Detective, and a seriously shocking conclusion which reveals the Ultra-Humanite’s sole motivation is to “be remembered as the mind who killed Batman and Superman”, Joshua Williamson’s script for “Atomic” must surely have thrilled each and every one of the comic’s readers. Indeed, the California-born writer’s combination of a sense-shattering flashback concerning the grisly demise of “the first supervillain faced by Superman”, a seriously sinister exploration of the Gotham Industrial Clean Waste facility, and subsequent capture of the Dark Knight by a horde of cybernetic-zombies is arguably faultlessly penned.

For starters, despite his destructive death in this story-arc’s opening instalment, Albert Michaels’ alter-ego is still very much at the heart of the narrative, with both his desperate attempt to right his many wrongs in Metropolis and a remote detonator found near his heart, leading the Caped Crusader to determine someone within his city “is experimenting with turning people into drones… into bombs.” This gruesome discovery clearly rattles even Kal-El and actually leads to the Kryptonian looking a tad nervous during the titular characters’ grim investigation into a missing “shipment coming in from Metropolis weeks ago.”

Just as enthralling is the pair’s battle against a wave of WayneTech’s deceased employees, which debatably demonstrates both the strengths and weaknesses of the ‘dynamic duo’. The Ultra-Humanite touches a raw nerve with Superman when the white gorilla admits he enjoys watching them work together as “one is the mind and the other is the muscle”, and cleverly ensures the Last Son of Krypton must abandon his friend to a pack of cyborg-cadavers by ordering one of his long-dead minions to self-detonate; “Superman, you need to get that drone out of the city. Now.”

Clayton Henry’s artwork also adds an incredibly amount of energy to this twenty-two page periodical, with his pencilling of Kal-El’s reaction to the mutilation taking place around him proving to be one of this publication’s highlights. There’s a palpable sense of sheer superhuman power in all the panels the Jamaican sketches involving the Man of Tomorrow, especially when he’s desperately trying to keep his anger in check whilst facing either the Ultra-Humanite’s seemingly senseless determination to steal an experimental atomic sequencer or the criminal's antagonising mind-games.

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Clayton Henry, and Colorist: Alejandro Sanchez