Comics

Samurai Jack #19

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Samurai Jack #19In another single-issue adventure, and one of the goofier adventures of Jack in his current IDW comic series, Samurai Jack is hired by the Canine Archaeologists who need the samurai’s help with the haunted tomb of the world’s first talking dog.

It’s fun to see the comic bring back Sir Drifus Alexander, Sir Angus Mcduffy, and Sir Colin Bartholomew Montgomery Rothchild III and pair the intrepid archaeologists with our hero for a adventure involving an unearthed tomb and a ghost who, like all dogs, just needed a bit of love and attention to stop acting out and driving all of his descendants crazy.

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Convergence: Harley Quinn #2

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Convergence: Harley Quinn #2 (of 2)In the most bizarre Convergence tie-in issue yet Convergence: Harley Quinn #2 pits the pre-New version of the Joker’s sidekick against the leader of the Zoo Crew. That’s right, it’s Harley Quinn vs. Captain Carrot. And it’s kind of brilliant.

Sadly the rest of the Zoo Crew is marginalized to little more than cameos, and those unfamiliar with the pre-New 52 storyline centering around Harley’s attempt at a normal relationship may feel a bit lost with the issue’s B-story, but what Steve Pugh and artist Phil Winslade deliver here feels like a bizarre Warner Bros. cartoon with the homicidal Harley pulling out all the stops to take down a rascally rabbit (including lying to the hero about her super-powers, destroying most of an amusement park, and faking the death of a member of the Zoo Crew).

Convergence: Harley Quinn #2 teases a dangerosly dark New 52-ish twist, but thankfully Pugh and Winslade know their audience and allow the issue not to end on a dark note but with Harley and the Captain sharing a moment of camaraderie together that’s as strange as every other piece of this issue. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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The Trial of Atomic Robo

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The Trial of Atomic RoboEver since his first appearance in Atomic Robo’s Free Comic Book Day issue back in 2012 Dr. Dinosaur has been my favorite character in Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener’s insane (with genius!) comic book universe. Released as a free digital one-shot, The Trial of Atomic Robo pits Atomic Robo against the pain in his ass once again when the dinosaur attempts to sue in court for the same legal rights Robo has been granted.

Of course with his limited attention span, and the fact that he’s completely insane, it doesn’t take long for Dr. Dinosaur’s case to be thrown out leading the villain to declare Jungle Law and introduce his Omnisaur into the proceedings causing destruction and mass panic. Luckily a heroic science-adventurer is on the scene.

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Morning Glories #45

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Morning Glories #45Teased in an earlier issue, Morning Glories #45 offers Jade‘s resurrection of her mother following a traffic accident and the fallout that event which haunts her to this day. Much like “After Life” from the Sixth Season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer the latest issue centers around the double-edged sword of returning someone to life who doesn’t wish to be taken from their eternal rest and reinserted unnaturally into the world.

Discussion of these ideas is brought about by Guillaume who lets Jade in on a bit of Jun’s (really Hisao) plan and her unfortunate role in it. Despite his pleas to bring Hisao (really Jun) back from the dead, Jade is forced to decline understanding all too well how such a “gift” would be received based on her mother’s reaction.

Since we’ve already seen multiple sightings of an older Jade helping to usher various characters onto the right path we can be confident she’s not going to be Jun’s sacrifice. Nor does she appear willing to bring back Hisao on her own, but if bringing back a loved one turns them into an enemy I have to wonder what bringing back an enemy might result in. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Red One #2

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Red One #2The second issue of the translated French political super-hero story arms Vera Yelnikov and sends her into action as her super-hero alter-ego for the first time. We also get more examples of Vera struggling to fit in to her new life in America and face difficult choices between being a super-hero and following orders to track down the Carpenter (which is the true end goal of her mission for Mother Russia).

Terry Dodson’s art continues to be the highlight of the series while Xavier Dorison writes himself into corners at times getting too political but continues to deliver fun moments of Vera, both in and out of costume, enjoying her life in America. Because the conservative and fascist themes are so integral to the story Dorison wants to tell (however unsubtly expressed) Red One will likely continue to be a mixed success at best as the character (I’m already completely sold on Vera and the hard choices concering her true allegiances which should dominate later storylines of this series) often gets drowned out by the message. I don’t have much interest in Red One versus the Carpenter, but I would like to stick around to see Vera continue to evolve as a hero. For fans.

[Image, $3.50]

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