Comics

Avengers #34

Avengers #34 comic reviewAvengers #34 opens with a flashback to explain the recent actions of Moon Knight in targeting allies to draw power from them to feed his god Khonshu in an attempt to prevent something far worse from happening. The powers taken have allowed Khonshu to remake the world, but is it truly for the benefit of mankind or is the god, yet again, playing with Marc Spector’s mind for his own ends?

The latest issue features a memorable appearance by Mephisto who appears, in part, to be behind the danger to come (although it doesn’t look like he’ll be around to savor the fruits of his labor). While most of the Avengers have been beaten, and Black Panther is prisoner to Khonshu’s acolytes (in the comic’s most problematic scene featuring the white-clad minions whipping a black man in chains which is at best ill-conceived), there are still a few heroes left whose powers the god covets.

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Harley Quinn #74

Harley Quinn #74 comic reviewIn the penultimate issue of the series, Harley Quinn finally catches up to Wittleson and solves the murder of her friend Alicia which has been the driving force behind the last several issues of the series. However, the woman behind Wittleson has her own plans for Earth as Harley Quinn comes face-to-face with Granny Goodness.

Harley Quinn #74 wraps up the “California or Death” storyline as Harley uses both psychology and guile to lower Granny’s defenses before taking the knockout punch and saving the world from the Fire Pit she’s been secretly feeding under the city. Not too shabby, Ms. Quinzel.

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Wonder Woman #758

Wonder Woman #758 comic reviewWonder Woman #758 offers a battle of wills between Diana, Princess of the Amazons, and one of the DC Universe’s most mysterious mystical figures as Wonder Woman squares off against the Phantom Stranger in battle for the soul of Paula von Gunther.

The battle of wills between the demi-god and the the fallen angel forced to walk the Earth takes up most of the issue and Diana uses one of her oldest weapons to force the Stranger into a painful admission that appears to have immediate consequences for the mysterious figure in the fedora (making you wonder what may be next for the character).

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 comic reviewBuffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 catches up to Willow Rosenberg following the events of the Hellmouth crossover as she leaves Sunnydale behind. When the overseas stay in London fails to break her out of her malaise, she can’t find it in herself to return to a Sunnydale without Xander and instead hits the road in an attempt to deal with what she has lost and to find herself.

This first issue meanders a bit, but that’s part of the point as writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Natacha Bustos offer a look at a familiar character in unfamiliar surroundings. While Willow isn’t exactly lost, the path in front of her is anything but clear as she searches for some measure of peace.

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Batman & the Outsiders #14

Batman & the Outsiders #14 comic reviewIt’s taken a year, but Batman & the Outsiders #14 finally puts Batman in the field with the team (or at least some of them) as Batman takes the super-powered Black Lightning, Katana, and Sofia Ramos into the field for a sneak attack on one of Ra’s al Ghul‘s base in hopes of both blooding the nose of the Demon’s Head and finding a clue to the location of his doomsday weapon.

Not willing to wait for Batman to catch-up, Lady Shiva takes Orphan and Signal into the field to apply some pressure to see if her team can find the location of Ra’s and his weapon quicker.

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