Simon N. Kirby, The Agent #3 - G-Man Comics

SIMON N. KIRBY, THE AGENT No. 3, May 2021

Arguably featuring two of the most utterly bizarre super-villains in comic book history, Rik Offenberger’s plot for Issue Three of “Simon N. Kirby, The Agent” certainly must have well-pleased the hundred and eighteen backers who brought the publication to life via Kickstarter in March 2021. True, its readers definitely need a strong willing suspension of disbelief to accommodate Doctor Stephen Rottman’s explosively insane origin story. But the notion of a heavily-moustached skeleton resizing his hapless assistant to that of a pesky insect is precisely the sort of Stan Lee silliness which made the Silver Age of Comics such a sensational success.

Equally as unlikely is tiny Ariel’s ability to pilot a teeny flying saucer straight into Simon Kirby’s bedroom, courtesy of a partially-open window, and then drag a diminutive, dangerous-looking brain analysing machine through the fast asleep Agent’s inner ear canal. On the face of it such a scene is rather ludicrous, however, combined with a little tongue-in-cheek humour as the green-skinned intruder smugly gives his emaciated master a satisfying thumbs up, and it’s hard to think of a better way of subsequently informing this publication’s audience as to just how its titular character eventually became an FBI operative.

Of course, possibly the most memorable moment of this twenty-page periodical is the G-Men’s battle against a brain nightmarishly crammed full of zombies. Completely surrounded by the hungry Undead and already savagely bitten on the arm, things look desperate indeed for Lynx's team member Maya during this colossal bout of fisticuffs as the grisly ghouls’ large numbers threaten to completely overwhelm the Agent’s “Dream Team”; “Gamester King. You take the hundred on the left. I got the right! Scarlet Shield, keep us protected.”

Packing each prodigiously pencilled panel with plenty of ‘bang for your buck’ is Alan Faria, whose eye-catching series of splash pages towards the very end of this book contain an incredible amount of flesh-chomping detail. In addition, the Brazilian artist makes Ariel’s penetration of Kirby’s brain all the more squeamish with a disconcertingly well-drawn criminal interloper literally punching his way into the protagonist’s grey matter with a gleeful smile all over his face.

Writer: Rik Offenberger, Artist: Alan Faria, and Letters: Eric N. Bennett

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #4 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD No. 4, October 2022

Whereas many readers probably agreed with “Marvel Worldwide” that this thirty-page periodical was the title's “final, hallucinatory issue”, it was more likely due to the befuddling nature of the anthology’s three perplexing plots rather than any of them actually enjoying an entertaining sensory experience. Indeed, it’s difficult to imagine a more disconcerting trio of narratives than those presented within this comic book as Marc Spector’s alter-ego repeatedly kills both himself, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Captain America on a regular basis, whilst a heavily-traumatised woman perturbingly gives birth to a giant, talking ‘Clifford-like’ red cat; “Stand aside. You have no purpose. I am destined to cleanse the world. The world is full of sin and sickness. I am the cure!”

For openers Christopher Cantwell and Alex Lins’ suggestion in “Good Morning” that Moon Knight has to mentally murder his numerous fractured personas alongside several of the world’s mightiest super-heroes every night is unsettling to say the least. Sure, it’s perfectly understandable that the “nocturnal avenger” has some truly horrific nightmares, not least because of his dissociative identity disorder. But the notion that the protagonist psychologically batters to death the likes of Marlene Alraune and Peter Parker with his bare hands suggests the sleeping pattern of an utterly unstable homicidal maniac, not a ‘Hero for Hire’.

Debatably far more intriguing is “The Scent Of Blood” by Nadia Shammas, Dante Bastianoni and Chris Sotomayor, which concerns the notion of another god wanting to utilise the ex-mercenary for their own spiritual mission. Packed full of pulse-pounding pugilism as the “Crescent Crusader” dispatches a coven of ruby-robed cultists with a combination of kicks and hard-hitting punches, this yarn is possibly only slightly spoilt by its implausible inference that Spector would willingly slit his own throat with a broken glass bottle rather than become the vessel of a rival deity.

Finishing off “this hard-hitting series [which] explores Moon Knight’s psyche in haunting black, white and red” is “Born To Be”. Written and drawn by Paul Azaceta this tale of the Egyptian god Bastet physically manifesting herself in New York City as an enormous pet cat is arguably just utterly bizarre, especially when the furry fiend’s throat is immediately sliced fatally open by the Fist of Khonshu. Just why the bringer of good health would forewarn Marc of her arrival through his dreams so he is ready to thwart her grand scheme is never explained, nor is the willingness of the goddess’ numerous priests to simply “forget what you’ve done here” and leave their mistress’ executioner entirely unmolested.

The regular cover art of "MOON KNIGHT: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD" #4 by Rod Reis

DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods #1 - DC Comics

DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS  No. 1, October 2022

Lauded by its Burbank-based publishers “as the epic final chapter in the massive DCeased franchise”, Tom Taylor’s narrative for Issue One of “DCeased: War Of The Undead Gods” certainly should have satisfied the majority of its audience with its well-written resolution as to just how the likes of Superman ultimately defeated the corrupted version of the Anti-Life Equation which had so disastrously infected most of the Earth's inhabitants with a zombie-like virus. In fact, in many ways this twenty-two page periodical almost acts as a standalone aftermath for the mini-series’ previous storylines considering that both the planet and Kal-El are dramatically brought back from the abyss of madness by a youthful new incarnation of “the DC Trinity”.

Unsurprisingly however, the survivors don’t have long to enjoy the fruits of their five-year labour, courtesy of Braniac making an unwelcome visit to Earth-2 and attacking the settlement with a spearhead of his humanoid-shaped drones. This unsuccessful assault initially indicates that “The Collector of Worlds” will be this title’s central antagonist, until the book’s wily Australian author reveals the emaciated super-villain to shocking be on an errand of mercy so as to warn humanity that “the dead gods will end everything.”

Equally as engrossing as this comic’s conclusion is arguably its opening, which cleverly follows Kara-Zor-El’s horrific escape from the City of Kandor on Krypton to the equally as deadly New Genesis. Supposedly selected to be a safe haven for Supergirl, the world quickly turns in a zombie-infested hellhole where the young woman’s special abilities are inconsequential when compared to Galactica’s deity-filled denizens; “Get away from me! Get away! Hrraaaagh!”

Tying all these plot threads together are penciller Trevor Hairsine, inker Andy Lanning and Colorist Rain Beredo, who immediately somehow manage to project the sheer planetary pounding Braniac provides Jor-El’s homeworld with all the intense savagery a reader would expect from the Anti-Justice Leaguer. In addition, the trio do a fantastic job in depicting both the scorching heat and brutality of Superman’s battle with his homicidal father in the Sun’s core once the one-armed Man of Steel is lured out from where he has been patiently recuperating for a lustrum.

The regular cover art of "DCEASED: WAR OF THE UNDEAD GODS" #1 by Trevor Hairsine & Rain Beredo

DC Vs. Vampires #9 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES No. 9, November 2022

Quite beautifully interweaving three separate storylines together into a genuinely riveting read, James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg’s narrative for “A Stillness and a Storm” must surely have had it audience sitting on the edge of their seats at times. Indeed, the arrival of some of the traitorous Justice League’s most powerful vampiric members, coupled with the startling revelation as to just who the new Black Manta actually is, disconcertingly suggests that more than a few of this comic’s considerably-sized cast are about to be brutally slain; “You take the form of water to attack me? I am the Lord of all Water, child. It is mine to command. Goodbye, Twin.”

Foremost of these potential fatalities has to be Oliver Queen, who opens this book single-handedly tackling both a heavily-fanged Tobias Whale and B'Wana Beast in a dilapidated Smallville farmstead. Long-bearded and freely utilising the deadly concoction of “three parts gasoline and one part holy water”, Green Arrow seems destined to die a horrific death under an overwhelming body of his blood-drinking assailants - especially when he later decides to attack Hawkman’s heavily-guarded Camp Hiawatha head on.

Equally as hopeless is John Henry Irons’ desperate attempt to get an emaciated Super-girl to safety in Australia via the ocean. Prodigiously-pencilled by Otto Schmidt, Steel’s “watery grave” appears absolutely certain once Aquaman appears along with his formidable Royal Guard. True, the Siberian artist sketches the former AmerTek Industries employee leading a stunningly savage assault upon the treacherous “Dweller-in-the-Depths” with his sledgehammer. But it’s obvious just from the horrified look upon the super-hero’s face when he first realises who he is facing, that the sea voyage’s entire expedition are going to be systematically defeated one by one.

Lastly, this comic’s collaborative writing duo depict the Birds of Prey sizing up the terrifying hurdles preventing them from entering the ruins of Gotham City. Faced with the prospect of going “toe-to-toe with Power Girl” it is perhaps unsurprising that Black Canary’s band prefer to talk through their problems as opposed to tackling them with some suicidal shenanigans. Yet despite this lack of dynamic action, the quality of the penmanship still makes these scenes a gripping drama, with the threat of Kara Zor-L suddenly swooping down from her skyline patrol to lethally open up their veins ever present in each tense, well-sketched panel.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES" #9 by Guillem March

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #3 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD No. 3, September 2022

Seemingly starting out strong with Erica Schultz and David Lopez’s rather tongue-in-cheek tale of some truly troubled banks robbers unwisely choosing Jake Lockley’s taxi as a getaway vehicle, this “trio of additional tales of moonlight and madness” surely must have hooked many a perusing bibliophile encountering the mini-series for the first time. Sadly however, the same can’t arguably be said for those readers who reached the end of this thirty page periodical, with many probably scratching their heads in utter bemusement at its final storyline’s bewildering non-terrestrial based plot by Ann Nocenti, Stefano Raffaele and Chris Sotomayor; “Space spaghetti is disgusting. Limp noodles… The red sauce is just… drool.”

To begin with though, “Wrong Turn” smacks of an anecdote which could easily have been fleshed out so as to successfully populate an entire issue of Moon Knight’s regular ongoing title. Initially wasting no time in showing its three antagonists to be cold-blooded killers, courtesy of one of them laughing as he guns down a floored female security guard, the tale suddenly twists into dark humour as the cabbie’s so-called customers become increasingly spooked by Lockley's evident dissociative identity disorder and eagerness to drive them until they quite literally “hit the water.”

Much more serious is Jim Zub and Djibril Morissette-Phan’s “No Empty Sky” which provides an intriguing insight into the Fist of Khonshu’s gradual acceptance of the super-natural powers given to him by his deity. Essentially told as part of one long fistfight between the “silver crusader” and a cult of mask-wearing murderers, this yarn not only shows Marc Spector’s alter-ego survive a bone-crushing nosedive down a spiral staircase, as well as a “nasty god’s” spiritual stabbing through the back. But also explores the suggestion that the costumed crime-fighter’s ancient Egyptian god is always marking people out as his prospective replacement, even when they’re unconscious throughout an entire adventure and about to be carved up as a sacrificial offering.

Debatably bringing this book back to Earth with a befuddling bump is the aforementioned “Astronuts”, which is apparently based upon the premise that Moon Knight would agree to “a quick space jaunt” alongside the utterly loony and immorally-minded Boss Gem simply because his other persona “are scared to go.” Perhaps unsurprisingly this trip soon turns into a mission to prevent the bespectacled, billionaire crime lord from boring the crater-covered natural satellite into Swiss Cheese “with his big drill”, and therefore immediately raises the question as to why the villain would ask “Hero-boy” to accompany him into orbit in the first place..?

The regular cover art of "MOON KNIGHT: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD" #3 by Frank Cho"

Moon Knight [2021] #15 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 15, November 2022

Neglecting any semblance of action, apart from Marc Spector getting a fleeting fat lip from Doctor Badr’s always angry alter-ego, Issue Fifteen of “Moon Knight” may well have struck many of its readers as a disappointing two to three page plot padded out to populate an entire publication. Indeed, by the time Jed MacKay starts depicting the titular character individually visiting every one of this comic’s secondary cast to inform them of his dissociative identity disorder, it’s arguably become pretty clear that this particular periodical isn’t going to shine much more light on the cowled crime-fighter’s ongoing war against the nefarious vampire organisation known as the Structure.

True, some of the Canadian writer’s insights into just how markedly different the former-Avenger's three main personas are from one another provide a modicum of interest from time to time, such as Jake Lockley’s relationship with Naomi, the one-eyed “bartender of a New York slum pub”, and the fake moustache-wearing rogue’s evident beef against Big Claude Peeters. But it’s debatably difficult to get too excited when all these spotlights just feature the lead protagonist having another in a long line of dialogue-heavy conversations, especially when the likes of Steven Grant are just talking about hair conditioning and sixteen-year-old scotches.

Sadly to make matters worse, once the opportunity for a bit of fisticuffs does arise MacKay quickly moves the ‘camera’ away to show Spector discussing his mental illness with someone else. This frustrating technique is particularly prominent after Peeters successfully tracks Lockley down an alleyway in Chinatown, and threatens to beat the bogus Taxi Driver to death with his bare fists. Promising some panels of pulse-pounding pugilism, this scene is suddenly cut shockingly short just as the incognito vigilante regains his footing and ominously peels off his fake facial growth; “Hi. I’m Marc.”

Desperately trying to inject this comic with some semblance of dynamism is Alessandro Cappuccio, who at least pencils a semi-spectacular flashback sequence concerning the Nemean and Grand Mal during Grant’s briefing about Tutor’s two top assassins. Disappointingly though, there isn’t much the Italian illustrator can do with many of the other dialogue-driven set-pieces, apart from try to mix them up a little by sketching Spector wearing a variety of his Moon Knight costumes.

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

Alien [2022] #1 - Marvel Comics

ALIEN No. 1, November 2022

Starting with a truly terrifying insight into the opening hours of a Xenomorph outbreak on the supposedly idyllic planet Tobler-9, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s script for this re-launched “express elevator to Hell” definitely will hold its readers’ attention for the comic’s first few pages. But once the spotlight moves away from “the old Weyland-Yutani red site” and the palpable terror of its residents as they desperately attempt to board the metropolis’ last turbo-train, Issue One of “Alien” arguably becomes a bit too contrived for its own good; “Congress practically begged me to reinstate the Synth teams, starting with you. One last mission.”

Indeed, despite the plot momentarily moving across to a gratuitously-bloody assault upon a party of super-powerful synths hiding out on Europa-5 by a so-called crack team of human governmental operatives, a good deal of the Eisner Award-nominee’s narrative is actually ‘padded out’ with numerous textless panels of the heavenly world’s breath-taking landscapes, or an incredibly word-heavy argument between Lieutenant General George March, Freyja and the rest of the female android’s “family”.

Admittedly, much of what the military officer has to say is absolutely crucial to establishing both the parameters of Steel Team’s final assignment, as well as the renegade robots’ motivations for once again agreeing to work for the duplicitous United Systems. However, it’s debatably a shame the American author couldn’t have relied upon another dynamic flashback sequence depicting the grisly fall of Weyland-Yutani’s covert bioweapons laboratory and its entirely innocent civilian population, rather than simply have the veteran soldier grimly stare down his former comrades-in-arms and mechanically state that they need to retrieve some biotechnology on a hostile planet in order to save humanity.

Cleverly chucking a bucketful of gore over this twenty-page periodical’s penned proceedings is Julius Ohta, whose ability to prodigiously pencil a person or two being horrifically eviscerated by a deadly Xenomorph clearly knows no bounds. The Brazilian illustrator also does a good job of imbuing the various synthetics with some notable individualism, such as Freyja’s evident air of authority over Nora, Seth and Astrid, as well as Eli’s obvious displeasure at having to leave “some of them alive for interrogation.”

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Julius Ohta, and Colorist: Yen Nitro