The Omega Men #5 - DC Comics

THE OMEGA MEN No. 5, December 2015

Misleadingly advertised by “DC Comics” as containing “their most atrocious act to date”, Issue Five of “The Omega Men” doesn’t actually depict “the wretched” titular characters besieging “the holy planet of Changralyn” and taking “hostage its ruler, the wise and benevolent Space Pope Pontifix”. Instead it simply shows the “deadly outlaws” strongest member pummelling away at a sacred rock with his bare hands until, bloody and supposedly close to death, the “apostate” frees “the Key of Alpha” from its blessed resting place; “I am… I am dying. I am being only a Broot... I am being condemned… I am knowing truth. I am knowing Omega.”

Such a somewhat lack-lustre narrative is made all the worse by Tom King’s insistence on populating every single panel with as much dialogue as “the ex-CIA agent” can possibly muster. Something which must have proved especially wearisome to the 10,532 buyers of this twenty-page periodical as its ponderous plot progresses and the supporting cast’s convoluted sacrosanct-sounding conversations increasingly focus upon Broot’s “desire to escape sin”. Indeed by the time the grey-skinned behemoth finally smashes the heavily-chiselled, sanctified stone formation hard enough to release the tiny blue “key to salvation” and it becomes clear that the planet’s ‘Holy Father’ has “arranged” for the so-called terrorists “to be destroyed”, few readers could probably stomach even another small speech bubble solely stating “May it please Omega.”

Admittedly once the intergalactic Pontiff’s trap is sprung and the “people see that the Omega Men are humble before the Gods”, the American author’s storyline does momentarily liven up. Yet even the few scenes of the Citadel soldiers storming the Temple of Omega en masse and encircling Primus, Tigorr and Scrapps is frustratingly interspersed with pictures of “the high Pontifex of Changralyn” worrying his ‘fallen son’ Charis-Nar with even more perplexing ministerial mumbo jumbo.

Fortunately the one saving grace for this “beloved comic in the brand new DC launch line-up” is Barnaby Bagenda’s terrific breakdowns. The Jakarta Institute of Art freelancer is clearly aware that “sometimes you can’t put too much information in one small panel, otherwise it would looked cramped.” But that doesn’t stop him still creating, in collaboration with Romulo Fajardo Junior’s discerning colours, some exquisite-looking, highly-detailed drawings throughout this papal publication.

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Barnaby Bagenda, and Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Junior

Doctor Strange [2015] #3 - Marvel Comics

DOCTOR STRANGE No. 3, February 2016

Initially penned as a seemingly fun, light-hearted romp which goes quite a way to illustrate just how “super thrilled” Jason Aaron was to be writing the series, Issue Three of “Doctor Strange” increasingly turns more serious with each passing scene until it almost inevitably ends with the titular character travelling to Fandazar Foo and discovering that the world and its entire magical population are dead. Indeed, not even the Magister Miracle from the Eighteenth Dimension, Zelatrix Lavey of the Lower Aether or the Lords of Wyrd from Beyond the Purple Veil, “sorcerers supreme” all, have managed to survive whatever mysterious disaster has befallen the "nexus point between dimensions.”  

Such an incredible transition from the farce of an entirely naked Master of the Mystic Arts running through Central Park to a sad-faced Stephen mourning beside the remains of his former supernatural friends as they dangle speared to a group of trees, is tremendously well-written by the Alabama-born author, and few of this book’s 57,135 fans would have perceived the subtle darkening in tone as the twenty-page periodical progressed until it’s depressingly bleak conclusion; “What in all the Cosmos has the power to execute the most powerful sorcerers known to man?” Certainly none would have anticipated such a chilling climax to “Eaters Of Magic” when they first encounter the former “preeminent surgeon” enthusiastically slicing his way through hungry Een’Gawori slugs with the Axe of Angarruumus before both his physical body and Wong have been consumed by the “creatures that aren’t native to this dimension.”

Indeed, apart from “an increasing number of incidents involving rare mystical creatures crossing dimensional borders and an enigmatic interference with his magical abilities”, there’s little suggestion that such a calamitous event has befallen Fandazar Foo until Doctor Strange and his valet (once again) open the door to supposedly “a world overflowing with magic” and instead find it desolately lifeless and looking remarkably similar in appearance to when C.S. Lewis’ Jadis, the White Witch, “froze Narnia in the Hundred Years Winter”.

Just as masterful as Aaron’s script are Chris Bachalo’s wonderful colourful pencils, which stunningly support and dramatically emphasise this storyline’s de-evolution into a somewhat morosely macabre tale. Bright and bouncy despite the primary protector of Earth’s “full front nudity”, the Canadian illustrator’s vibrantly warm palette turns increasingly cold as the comic’s plot thickens until its bold blues and pulsating purples are unreservedly replaced with inert whites and gloomy greys.

The variant cover art of "DOCTOR STRANGE" No. 3 by Tim Sale

The October Faction #5 - IDW Publishing

THE OCTOBER FACTION No. 5, March 2015

Having “got like five different storylines started in just the first issue”, Steve Niles dedicates the better part of this title’s fifth instalment to exploring Robot-Face and his misguided revenge upon Frederick for supposedly murdering the youth’s father. In fact “The King of Horror” spends over a third of the twenty-page periodical’s narrative alone simply portraying a fist-fight between Dante and the elderly Monster Killer’s overconfident son Geoff, after the “Warlock” discovers the grotesquely disfigured adolescent ‘stalking his sister’ in the grounds outside the Allan Family house.

Such a concentrated focus upon two supporting cast characters could potentially have proved rather tiresome to the 4,933 collectors who bought “The October Faction” in March 2015, especially as it soon becomes clear that Deloris' smartly-attired offspring is badly outmatched in the strength stakes by his mechanical opponent; “Maybe the ‘killing’ part was a bit much.” But in truth the rain-soaked brawl actually provides the New Jersey-born screenwriter’s storyline with some much-needed action and adventure, after it becomes a little too ‘bogged down’ in Vivian’s sentimentality towards her white-haired Dad, and the depressing revelation from Lucas that unless he “stay[s] a wolf man forever” he’ll die of “aggressive and inoperable” stomach cancer.

Lamentably however, once Robot Face does best Geoff, courtesy of a swift right uppercut to the jaw, the rather sedentary pace with which this edition began frustratingly returns anew and despite the Scream Awards-attendee providing a macabre insight into “the recently deceased” Merle Cope’s resurrection process, the opportunity to depict Dante violently breaking into Frederick’s home, overpowering the capable maid Saunders and menacing his helpless captive with a double-bladed axe is side-lined in favour of a dialogue-heavy depiction of Vivian collecting her parents from the local hospital... Although admittedly, the final page's cliff-hanger showing the startled family discovering their boy helplessly chair bound does prove to be an impressively appropriate climax to the book.

Providing plenty of atmosphere and colour to the proceedings, Damien Worm’s illustrations are arguably not consistently convincing either. The fight scene between Robot Face and Geoff is extremely-well pencilled, with Dante’s glowing red eyes looking especially menacing amidst an almost exclusively blue palette. Whilst Cope’s painful blood transfusion, carried out by his repugnant ‘sister’ Opal, looks suitably grim and objectionable with all it’s washed out amber hues. Yet the scenes depicting Lucas’ conversation that he needs some “basic blood tests” and Deloris’ collection from the infirmary seem rather lifeless and dispassionate…

The variant cover art of "THE OCTOBER FACTION" No. 5 by Damien Worm

Moon Knight [2016] #1 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 1, June 2016

Whilst many writers have readily captured the fact that “Moon Knight is one of the most terrifying and inspiring heroes in the Marvel Universe” Jeff Lemire’s narrative for this opening instalment to “Welcome To New Egypt” also quite plainly spells out that the man behind the mask, Marc Spector, is also dangerously “mentally ill.” Indeed this entire thirty-page periodical, “which is extra-sized by the way”, focuses upon the incarceration and dubiously brutal treatment of the “American rabbi’s wayward son” in an institution he’s supposedly resided in “since you were twelve years old.”

Admittedly such delusional doubts as to what is real and what isn’t have plagued the schizophrenic Fist of Khonshu before. But in his attempt to pen “one of the very best Moon Knight stories ever”, the Joe Shuster Award-winner must have persuaded some of his 60,938 strong audience that this time the unshaven rough-looking “masked vigilante” genuinely is a total lunatic by depicting the imprisoned inmate stood watching “exclusive [television] footage” of his supposed alter-ego “taking on his old nemesis, the sultry Stained Glass Scarlet” some miles away in Hell’s Kitchen… Or there again, perhaps fellow inmate Bertrand Crawley is quite right when he warns the mystified patient (and doubtless the occasional vacillating reader) not to “look at that rubbish… [as] It will putrefy your brain. And it is all part of the Big Lie anyway. Pure fabrication.”?

Fortunately despite spending the larger portion of his narrative on raising so many questioning doubts as to Spector’s sanity, the Ontario-born author also splendidly satisfies those fans of the crime-fighter who just want to see the former mercenary thump bad people up. In fact the bedsheet-wearing superhero’s brutal beating of the (supposedly) jackal-headed carers Billy and Bobby is something the two interns have had coming their way since the publication’s start when they give their distressed patient a bloody nose and “some extra medicine to help him sleep.”

Greg Smallwood’s pencilling for “the book you’d be insane to miss” is equally as impressive as his colleague’s storytelling, and it’s clearly evident from the outstanding opening panels of the titular character stumbling into an ancient Egyptian tomb during a starry night, just why Lemire thought himself “lucky” to have the “mind-boggling” American artist on board. It certainly seems true that whilst many “readers may have seen Greg Smallwood draw Moon Knight before, they [will] have never seen anything like what he’s doing in this new series.”

The 'Action Figure' variant cover art of "MOON KNIGHT" No. 1 by John Tyler Christopher

Amazing X-Men #8 - Marvel Comics

AMAZING X-MEN No. 8, August 2014

Featuring “the return of fan-favourite writing team Chris Yost and Craig Kyle to the X-Men universe” and containing a “big blockbuster movie” of a narrative that “doesn’t rely on what’s going on in the… vast tapestry of the Marvel Universe”, this opening instalment of the five-part “World War Wendigo!” story-arc must surely have reassured this comic book’s 41,613 readers that the title was firmly in the hands of a creative collaboration who simply “love these characters.” Indeed, with a script that consistently provides some unobtrusive exposition as to just who the characters involved are and what motivates them, Issue Eight of “Amazing X-Men” could arguably be seen as “an evergreen story” for those bibliophiles unfamiliar with the shenanigans of the Jean Grey School mutants; “So! I heard you were a wanted murderer and fugitive! How exciting! Are you still painting, too?”

Such accessibility does however, sadly result in the frequent co-workers’ initial storyline being contrivingly based upon Logan inexplicably taking “a few days” off and co-incidentally visiting Heather McDonald in Ottawa, Canada, just as her husband goes missing whilst “…on a run for Department H.” Roy Thomas’ co-creation even propitiously “brought his [yellow and blue spandex] party dress” with him so the super-powered couple can investigate Guardian’s disappearance together ‘fully suited-up.’     

These manufactured misgivings are though soon forgiven and forgotten once Wolverine and Vindicator uncover “a bare-bones natural disaster” involving a sleepy township infested with Wendigos, and desperately attempt to ensure that Alpha Flight and “the X-Men [are] right in the heat of it.” In fact the duo’s tentative investigation of the Forrest hamlet’s deserted streets and subsequent full-blown panicky flight for their lives through its nearby dense woodland, makes the second half of this twenty-page periodical absolutely fly by.

Adding to this “high profile project['s]” undoubted quality is “talented artist” Ed McGuinness and his “real clean [drawings], tight characters and action.” The Massachusetts-born penciller certainly seems to have been “determined to change” this publication from a “mid-tier” title with his terrific rendering of Heather, Guardian and the white-furred Canadian cannibals. Yet somewhat frustratingly proves slightly off-track with his sketching for Logan, when Weapon X is bare-headed.

Writers: Craig Kyle & Chris Yost, Penciler: Ed McGuinness and Inker: Mark Farmer

Doctor Strange [2015] #2 - Marvel Comics

DOCTOR STRANGE No. 2, January 2016

Those 65,091 readers who bought Issue Two of “Doctor Strange” in November 2015 must surely have been pleased that Jason Aaron had “campaigned for a long time…” to become the writer of the Sorcerer Supreme’s “solo spotlight”. For whilst more than a few of them doubtless got a little lost within the twenty-page periodical’s somewhat overly-cluttered narrative, the Alabama-born author’s general storyline provides plenty of thrills and spills as a suddenly impotent master of the mystic arts tries to clear the Sanctum Sanctorum of Mind Maggots, whilst at the same time keeping his latest ‘patient’ Zelma alive; “If it’s perfectly safe, why do I need a sword? Just how dangerous are those little monsters?”

This comic book’s action-packed plot also demonstrates just how much genuine “interest in the character” the Goodreads Choice Award-nominee has by providing Miss Stanton, and thus the audience, with an enthralling, occasionally humorous, trip through the numerous rooms and floors of 177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, New York. Indeed, having explored a living room complete with talking “snakes on your coffee table”, a bathhouse containing interdimensional viral corpses, a haunted therapy room and the residence’s kitchen. It actually comes as something of a disappointment for the engaging excursion to come to an end in the library, courtesy of the former “preeminent surgeon” trapping the parasites within his psyche and starving them to death.

Admittedly Aaron’s penmanship isn’t perfect, as Zelma’s disorientating expulsion from the Library mid-comic attests. Just why an especially stony-faced Mind Maggot hurling the Grimoire of Watoomb at the “young librarian from the Bronx” seemingly transports her elsewhere within the house is never properly explained and as a result it momentarily appears that the woman has simply been knocked back out of the heavily-populated book-filled room. In fact it’s only when the bespectacled academic stumbles upon a doorway to a world inhabited by cannibal ape-men that the confusion is arguably cleared up and it becomes evident she is in a completely different part of the building.

The success of this comic book also owes a lot to Chris Bachalo’s incredibly detailed, and comically-timed, artwork. Whether it be his wonderfully animated depictions of cyclopean, gangly-limbed interdimensional virus’s running en masse throughout Stephen Strange’s home, or the brief glimpse of a world which is littered with the bleached bones of the dead, the Canadian illustrator imbues it all with vivacious vitality.

The variant cover art of "DOCTOR STRANGE" No. 2 by Alex Ross

Age Of Reptiles: Ancient Egyptians #4 - Dark Horse Comics

AGE OF REPTILES: ANCIENT EGYPTIANS No. 4, September 2015

“Ricardo Delgado’s latest tale of survival and the cycle of life in Cretaceous Africa” begins with an incredibly ruthless confrontation between a bull Paralititan and a “lone, deadly Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus”... Then frankly doesn’t stop in its graphic depiction of Prehistoric savagery and mutilation until towards the end of this twenty-four page periodical, when the series’ victorious protagonist seemingly bids farewell to his nesting mate and stalks off into the treeless wastes beyond the Baharija Formation.

Such unrelenting brutal barbarity genuinely proves an incredibly tiring experience for the reader, especially when each of the production designer’s bloodily animated panels are so overly-packed with all many of details that it frequently becomes necessary to just stop and study each and every drawing for a few minutes. Indeed it is almost as if the Costa Rican author has purposely tried to exhaust his audience in a similar manner to that employed by the plethora of combative carnivores who eventually wear down their colossal-sized prey. It is certainly very easy to understand why the “second largest known creature ever to walk on Earth” ruinously resigns himself to a ghastly fate after being so mercilessly badgered by page after page of vicious bites and clawing attacks…

However those bibliophiles fatally fatigued by such remorseless storytelling have genuinely missed as dramatically atmospheric an Antediluvian conflict as any dinosaur fan could want, courtesy of the Tidal Giant's vicious injuries “drawing the attention of the entire ecosystem” surrounding the combatants. In fact such is the ferocity of the Carcharodontosaurus, Rugops and Deltadromeus’ maw-sized attacks that the meat-eaters actually start to get in one another’s way as they repeatedly launch themselves at the ever-weakening, mortally-wounded Sauropod.

All of this guts and gore, including the odd stomach-turning picture drawn from inside the Titanosaur whilst his intestines are devoured by primeval crocodiles, is both incredibly well pencilled by Delgado and competently coloured by Ryan Hill. Although some may question the necessity to depict the once mighty Paralititan being literally pulled to pieces by swarms of hungry carnivores across the length of several pages before the title’s creator finally ends the ravaged cadaver's woes with a grisly sketch of a Pterosaur plucking out one of the herbivore’s sightless eyes…

Story, Art and Dinosaur Color Concepts: Ricardo Delgado, and Colors: Ryan Hill