Chris Claremont Anniversary Special #1 - Marvel Comics

CHRIS CLAREMONT ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL No. 1, January 2021

Perhaps best known by comic collectors everywhere for his unprecedented writing spell on “Uncanny X-Men” from 1975–1991, there can surely be little argument that if any “Marvel Comics” contributor deserved a fiftieth anniversary special to celebrate their “enormous impact” on the New York City-based publisher’s long-running success, it is Chris Claremont. But whilst this thirty-two page periodical undeniably contains a plethora of “characters created and defined by the pen of” the British-born American author, the publication’s rather choppy plot makes it debatably easy to see just why such a well-meaning commemorative work was only the eighty-eighth best-selling title in January 2021 - at least according to the Direct Market distributors for that month.

To begin with, Dani Moonstar’s “mission across time and space for an incredible psychic showdown against the Shadow King” isn’t all that obvious until some way through the narrative. Up until this point, the Eagle Award-winner’s storyline seems to just lurch from antagonist to antagonist as Mirage initially appears to face the fiery fury of Dark Phoenix, followed by the utterly bizarre villainous super-team of Mister Fantastic, Doctor Doom and the Sub-Mariner. Admittedly, all of these foes are later shown to have been manipulated by Amahl Farouk, but it isn’t until a watery image of the “multiversal manifestation” is finally pencilled in a panel that is becomes clear this mismatch from various realities is being stage-managed; “I so love it when my victim’s fight. Their souls become much yummier. Wonder who’ll die first?”  

However, Just because any perusing bibliophile now knows that Professor X's nemesis is behind Moonstar's subsequent encounters doesn't help provide them with any particular rhyme or reason for specifically occurring. A thoroughly ferocious fist-fight between Binary and a possessed Rogue is probably the best of the bunch, with Claremont's unusually blood-thirsty incarnation of Anna Marie disconcertingly appearing all-too keen to dispatch Carol Danvers with an energy blast through the chest. Yet, despite being dynamically drawn, even this action-packed sequence becomes head-scratchingly surreal when it appears to have been simply a holodeck simulation concluded by the sudden appearance of Corsair and the rest of his Starjammers.

Perhaps this comic’s biggest let down though comes with its ending, which abruptly follows the lone New Mutants’ ultimately successful fight against an utterly sadistic Gambit. Having been beaten to tears by the Shadow King, and then subsequently saved by ‘Ro Munroe, Dani is depicted triumphantly flying away into the night’s sky on Brightwind only to then be shown aiming an arrow at Hela's head in the very next panel. This jolting transition apparently marks the point where the Goddess of Death becomes convinced Moonstar was good enough to become a Valkyrie, and bemusingly congratulates the understandably angry youth for passing “thy test.”

The regular cover art of "CHRIS CLAREMONT ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL" #1 by Salvador Larroca

Iron Man [2020] #13 - Marvel Comics

IRON MAN No. 13, December 2021

Presented by “Marvel Worldwide” as an “epic showdown between Iron Man and his allies and Korvac and his cohort”, Christopher Cantwell’s narrative for “The Great I-M” must certainly have enthralled the vast majority of its audience due to its sense-shattering series of pulse-pounding punch-ups. Indeed, the American author even manages to pen Frog Man momentarily duking it out against this title’s central antagonist by having Eugene Patilio’s alter-ego literally getting a double-footed drop on the “human cyborg turned deity” before being badly blasted at point-blank range.

Admittedly, such an action-packed assault upon the readers’ senses could ultimately prove a little laborious if an endless chain of jaw-breaking thumps and crackling energy beams was all Issue Thirteen of “Iron Man” had to offer. But rather enjoyably, the television showrunner also uses these frantic skirmishes as a means of illustrating just how close to universal disaster Shell-head’s “Space Friends” actually are, whilst also presenting the odd glimmer of humour to an otherwise deeply dark storyline involving the Power Cosmic; “What’s up, my Little Pony?”

In addition, this twenty-page periodical’s plot provides Patsy Walker with plenty of spotlight to show just why the former Defender is still very much a fighting force to be reckoned with even when facing the formidable potential of “a power-crazed god”. Hellcat’s burgeoning partnership with Isaac Christians is particularly well-written, and really helps establish the super-hero’s fighting savvy when she arranges for the Gargoyle to hurl her into battle after spotting that the original Human Torch is actually being manipulated by one of Basil Sandhurst’s mind control discs.

Helping add loads of dynamism to this comic’s antics is Carlos Alberto Fernandez Urbano (Cafu), whose ability to bring so many ferocious fist-fights to blistering life cannot arguably be over-stated. The Spanish artist’s panels showing Iron Man’s maniacally mad hatred for Michael Korvac really help make Stark’s almost unhinged raw fury highly believable, especially when it becomes clear that despite all the billionaire’s best efforts to physically pummel the sentient machine to dust, it still might not be enough from stopping the utterly insane android from altering the course of human existence forever…

The regular cover art of "IRON MAN" #13 by Alex Ross

Pinpoint: Collected Edition - Second Sight Publishing [Part One]

PINPOINT: COLLECTED EDITION, December 2020

Wall-to-wall with testosterone-filled combat, as well as featuring an enthralling plot containing missing agents, a mysterious island “which emits some sort of nigh-undetectable natural radiation” and a gang of ruthless killers, it’s doubtful many fans of Alfred Paige’s titular creation will be disappointed with Philipp Morgan’s script for this opening third to “Pinpoint: Collected Edition”. Indeed, any initially dubious bibliophile should find themselves instantly hooked by this trade paperback's combination of plain-talking dialogue and explosive action sequences just as soon as they encounter its opening flashback depicting the Black Ops operative’s torrid time serving in Afghanistan.

Admittedly, the arrogant “rough man” himself is arguably somewhat dislikeable as he contemptibly outraces two police patrol vehicles to ensure he arrives at his meeting with Avery Davis on schedule, and subsequently just hands his motorcycle helmet to the well-spoken women waiting in the wings to welcome him. But Washington’s brashness is soon shown to simply be the veteran soldier’s way of surviving the harsh environments he regularly finds himself inhabiting, even when surrounded by a murderous mob of heavily-armed children determined to discover what the man has in his luggage; “What the hell is wrong with you kids!! Tell your boys to put the guns down and you might even live to see puberty.”

Equally as intriguing as Pinpoint’s very personal motivation for accepting such a lethal-looking mission is the way this publication’s storyline is actually plotted. Initially beginning with James’ aforementioned military time inside the landlocked Islamic Emirate, the audience are suddenly brought bang-up-to-date with a chairbound James being horribly tortured by the very criminal he visited Eden to encounter, before being unceremoniously deposited back to the bald-headed agent’s initial briefing by Davis at an undisclosed security facility somewhere within the United States’ capital. This rollercoaster of a ride only really settles down once Washington is aboard a containment vessel heading for the island, and does a sterling job in showing how maniacally murderous a pathway the lone ‘cutthroat’ is travelling along.

Edson Alves is also a pivotal part of the successful storytelling taking place within this graphic novel's first twenty-five pages. The artist imbues Pinpoint with all the muscled mass a reader would arguably expect from an operative who heavily relies upon physical intimidation to see him safely through a dangerous scenario, and undoubtedly pencils one of this comic’s highlights when James angrily stubs out his cigar in the left eye socket of an unwisely belligerent bartender.

Story: Alfred Paige, Plots/Scripts: Philipp Morgan, and Pencils: Edson Alves

What If? #6 - Marvel Comics

WHAT IF? No. 6, December 1977

Initially re-treading the somewhat familiar old ground of the Fantastic Four’s origin story, this thirty-three page periodical certainly seems to take a while to get going with its unusual premise of depicting Marvel’s first family with “different super-powers”. Indeed, Roy Thomas’ script for Issue Six of “What If?” somewhat surprisingly opens with Reed Richards’ famous blue-costumed quartet initially battling a group of ‘every day’ armed robbers for a good dozen panels before the Watcher even steps in to suggest that the cosmic rays which mutated Jack Kirby’s co-creations could have given the heroes other special abilities if their personality traits had been less distinctive on the day of their unsuccessful space mission.

Disappointingly however, such a disconcertingly long wait isn’t arguably worth it either with Uatu’s unimaginatively retconned “New Fantastic Four” from an alternative reality consisting of a giant floating brain, Ben Grimm sprouting wings and Sue Storm pitifully just taking on the plasticity of her future husband from Earth-616. Only Johnny’s transformation is debatably intriguing, with the hot-headed youth changing into a living robot which has an “empathic ability to turn on any kind of machine”, courtesy of his apparent “fascination with and knowledge of [all] things mechanical.” 

Just as head-scratching is Thomas’ central storyline, which follows in the footsteps of Doctor Doom attempting to steal “the priceless treasure of Blackbeard the Pirate” for his own evil ends. Rather than have Invisible Girl abducted though, as per Stan Lee’s narrative for Issue Five of “Fantastic Four”, Latveria’s monarch instead matter-of-factly walks into the Baxter Building unharmed and convinces Reed’s bodiless intellect that he can build him a humanoid body capable of enjoying “the succulence of a superb meal” if he would accompany him back to the Doomstadt.

Of course, the small eastern Kingdom’s supreme leader has absolutely no intention of actually helping his hated rival reignite his romance with Sue through an “anthropomorphic housing”, and soon reveals he merely requires “Big Brain” as a power source for the heavily-armoured dictator’s infamous time machine. This nightmarish scenario, admittedly well-pencilled by Jim Craig and Rick Hoberg, certainly provides the rest of the team with some excellent opportunities to demonstrate their various powers. But ultimately depicts all three protagonists individually failing in their efforts to defeat Victor in hand-to-hand combat, and therefore becoming wholly reliant upon Richards to save the day by permanently sending “my mind into Doom’s body!”

Writer/Editor: Roy Thomas, and Pencilers: Jim Craig and Rick Hoberg

Shang-Chi [2021] #5 - Marvel Comics

SHANG-CHI No. 5, December 2021

Rather intriguingly portraying the “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” as a cadre of treacherous, holier-than-thou bad-guys, Gene Luen Yang’s script for Issue Five of “Shang-Chi” certainly provides the titular character with an opportunity to show just why he is known as the Master of Kung Fu. Indeed, this somewhat frantically-paced twenty-page periodical’s highlight is probably Brother Hand’s highly successful skirmish against a fully-powered Iron Man, who arrogantly believes his advanced technology makes him impervious to any and all harm; “Cutting-edge armour verses human fists! Face it, Shang! You can’t beat me!”

Enjoyably however, watching a wholly dislikeable Tony Stark get his clock cleaned courtesy of “an adamantium-plated three-section staff” isn’t the only utterly mesmerising moment the American author’s narrative has to offer, with the supreme commander’s skirmish against the cybernetically enhanced Mister Red Dot providing plenty of sense-shattering shenanigans too. This scintillating start to the comic really sets the tone for the rest of the publication, and ultimately shows the loathsome lengths the Avengers will apparently stoop to when it is later revealed the murderous gangster was actually hired by Iron Man to help him infiltrate the Five Weapons Society’s intelligence database.

Such a shoddy deception, which at one point actually sees the crook fire a bullet at an unarmed Shang-Chi’s head, strongly suggests that the supposed super-team have lost any sense of lawfulness in their obsession to obtain “definitive proof” that the former ‘Hero-For-Hire’ has been detrimentally changed by his nefarious father’s criminal organisation. In fact, by this book’s end, it is clear that Stark is completely oblivious that it is actually he who has been despicably deceiving his former friend throughout the adventure, and not the Master of Kung Fu who “lied straight to my face!” 

Equally as effective in making this comic a certifiable winner are Dike Ruan’s layouts, which really help project Shang-Chi’s dazzling dynamism whenever confronted by a physical challenge. The warrior’s aforementioned battle against Iron Man is a great example of this, with the Chinese artist showing just how slow the Golden Avenger is when facing an opponent unfettered by a need to solely rely upon his state-of-the-art weaponry in order to win a fight.

Writer: Gene Luen Yang, Artist: Dike Ruan, and Colorist: Triona Farrell

The Immortal Hulk #50 - Marvel Comics

IMMORTAL HULK No. 50, December 2021

Boasting a “giant-sized finale” which would supposedly see the titular character have all of his numerous questions fully answered by the One Below All, this whopping eighty-two-page periodical certainly contains plenty of room for Al Ewing to bring “the last issue of The Immortal Hulk” to a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. But whilst this weighty tome ends with a successfully liberated Bruce Banner confidently making his way out of the Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building, it is arguably not particularly clear just how the Gamma-based boffin’s Joe Fixit persona actually managed to achieve such a euphoric victory over the Leader behind the Green Door.

Indeed, considering that this ongoing series has apparently been heading for a fateful confrontation between the founding Avenger and Samuel Sterns’ monstrously malformed alter-ego for some considerable time, this punishingly long publication seems to be debatably lacking any pulse-pounding pugilism whatsoever; “Smashing ain’t gonna do it. He’s too big. But I figure this cr*p goes right into his giant brain -- and I figure we’re strong enough to pull it inside out.”

Fortunately though, “Of Hell And Of Death” is blessed with a much more enthralling secondary plot set way back in Ohio 1901. This seemingly unlinked tale of treachery and holier than thou murder focuses upon the Reverend Robert Sterns visiting his brother, Samuel, to purportedly witness his scientifically minded sibling’s discovery of Gamma radiation. Steeped in a positively palpable Edwardian era atmosphere, the prolonged flashback sequence is rivetingly penned and takes on an entirely darker tone once the physically intimidating preacher reveals he knows his close relative has been secretly having an affair with his wife, Beatrice [Banner].

In addition, Joe Bennett is on top form when it comes to pencilling this ongoing series’ super-sized culmination. Along with inkers Ruy Jose and Belardino Brabo, as well as colorist Paul Mounts, the Brazilian really manages to project the increasingly hostile presence of Robert Sterns during the aforementioned altercation with his wretched brother. However, it is probably the artist’s ability to sketch some of the stomach-churning atrocities spilling out of the supreme ruler of the Multiverse which will probably ‘haunt’ this comic’s Hulk-heads the longest, especially the likes of an emaciated Leader, whose mortal shell is torn from out of a gross-looking, egg-shaped brain sack.

The regular cover art of "IMMORTAL HULK" #50 by Alex Ross

Dune: House Atreides #11 - BOOM! Studios

DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES No. 11, October 2021

Arguably feeling more like a modern day courtroom drama rather than a futuristic space romp, Issue Eleven of “Dune: House Atreides” certainly should still delight fans of “the world's best-selling science fiction novel” with its superbly-penned mixture of political intrigue, double-crossing dealings and high-stake games of bold-faced bluff. Indeed, despite this comic’s lack of action-packed adventures, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s storytelling still provides an incredibly enthralling experience of life in the far distant future where Vladimir Harkonnen is absolutely desperate to see Leto Atreides be tortured following the young Duke’s imminent trial by forfeiture.

Foremost of these tantalising hooks is probably the incredible lengths Crown Prince Shaddam undertakes when faced with the possibility that his support for Project Amal will be revealed to the entire Landsraad during Leto’s tribunal. The soon-to-be Emperor’s evident fear at such a revelation is fascinating to watch, especially when he savagely turns upon his most trusted Mentat political tactician, Hasimir Fenring, for daring to suggest the Imperium blackmails the Great Houses into simply acquitting Duke Atreides; “I have not even been crowned, and this could threaten my rule. How ham-handed! And you did this without consulting me?”

Similarly as well-delivered is the duplicity of the Tleilaxu, who for once are seemingly unaware that it is they who are actually being ‘played’ in a much larger game. Determined to seek justice for the apparent unprovoked attack upon their delegation by House Atreides, the treacherous Hidar Fen Ajidica not only somewhat patronisingly manages to defy Shaddam’s order to drop his allegation against Leto with some mere well-placed words. But subsequently arranges for a pair of shape-changing assassins to unsuccessfully attack the defenceless prisoner in his cell, and resultantly causes even more chaos for "the youngest son of the 80th Padishah Emperor Elrood Corrino IX" to somehow quietly contain.

Fortunately, all of these ‘behind closed doors’ dealings are well-illustrated by Dev Pramanik (with Mariano Taibo). The Indian artist does a particularly good job in pencilling the facial expressions of “the newly crowned” Atreides during his incarceration on Kaitain, as both the evidence seems to slowly stack up against his claim of complete innocence, and his shrewd intuition helps him make full use of some surprising support from the Bene Gesserit.

The regular cover art of "DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES" #11 by Evan Cagle