Comics

Powerpuff Girls: Super Smash-Up! #1

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Powerpuff Girls: Super Smash-Up!Spinning out of events from Super Secret Crisis War the first issue of the new Powerpuff Girls series introduces the idea of Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttecup jumping realities to have unusual team-ups throughout the various Cartoon Network interconnected worlds. Opening with the girls defeating Fuzzy Lumpkins‘ attempt to kidnap Miss Bellum (by showcasing a bizarre new power) and a visit to Dexter’s Laboratory that ends in a mutated DeeDee jumping through a portal, the first episode is largely a set-up for the premise (while allowing Professor Utonium to geek out over someone else’s lab for a change).

Personally I’d prefer a solo Powerpuff Girls series but it seems IDW is more interested in growing the comic brand of the various Cartoon Network characters. Team-up books are a bit iffy as some of the various rotating guest-stars are likely to interest some readers more than others. I also have to wonder with the Powerpuff Girls traveling through other dimension whether we’ll get to see much of the various Townsville villains in the series? For fans.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #11

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #11Love is in the air in the latest issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten leading to several characters falling flat on their face. Against her better judgement Buffy tries speed dating (where she discovers her fetish for vampires has become common knowledge among the undead). Willow has a transdimensional ecounter. Xander and Dawn continue to fail to make things work. And Giles gets shot down by an old flame who can’t quite come to terms with his current situation.

Although the main crux of the story focuses on just how hopeless the characters collectively are about love the issue does make a couple of big breakthroughs. First, Andrew makes a discovery everyone else was clear about many, many season ago. He also gets a power boost which could lead for an entirely different path for the character going forward. Oh, and remember kitten poker? Yeah, it’s back.

Andrew’s transformation will certainly have consequences, but the big news is the final panel which finally puts Spike and Buffy together again romantically. It will be interesting to see how the comic explores their relationship going forward. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #42

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #42The split within the Turtles is finally explained as Leonardo reveals his plan to Splinter in the latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Realizing that both the Shredder and the Technodrome offer very real threats to both themselves and the city Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #42 reveals Leo and Donatello‘s plan to insert Donnie as a double-agent and lure the Foot into a trap allowing the Turtles to pit their two enemies against each other while leaving the Technodrome largely unguarded.

As plans go it’s pretty darn good and makes for a nice twist, although it still leaves plenty of room for something to go wrong and the leaves the door open to either one of the Turtles’ enemies realizing how the Turtles have used them. Of course if it works the Turtles will be able to destroy the war machine as their enemies destroy each other. But if things went down that easily where would that leave the series as the heroes would be left with no enemies to fight tomorrow? Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Snake Eyes: Agent of Cobra #1

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Snake Eyes: Agent of Cobra #1Not seen nor heard from in two years since his fall from grace with G.I. JOE and his apparent death at the hands of Storm Shadow way back in Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow #20 Snake Eyes finally returns. IDW relaunched (and eventually cancelled) an entire slate of G.I. JOE titles (including some issues written by Mike Costa) without one of the franchise’s favorite characters over the past couple of years so I’m excited to see the character finally be brought back into play, although I never expected it to be as an agent for Cobra.

The comic itself is vague about how long Snake Eyes has been missing or how long it has been since he signed on with Cobra. What is clear is his current mission which includes rescuing Destro from custody. The mini-series is set to run for five-issues suggesting that Snake Eyes’ time with Destro and Cobra may be limited (and one has to ask is that even Snake Eyes under the mask?). The promise of Storm Shadow’s appearance in the series and yet another confrontation between the two should answer several questions about Snake Eyes’ short and long term future. But for now we can just be happy he’s back in action once more. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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