Comics

Astro City #17

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Astro City #17The latest issue of Astro City borrows a bit from the Atom and his adventures in the Microverse. Turning the tale on its side, instead of a hero spending his time in a microscopic universe we get the story of a villain who grew from those worlds, growing in power and size with each victory to eventually become one of the Honor Guard’s most powerful enemies.

Tom Grummett steps in for Brent Anderson providing a beautiful issue that fits easily within the already established narrative. To go along with those panels Kurt Busiek offers a story both celebratory and melancholy about a race of pacifists whose actions saved their own world but also led to the death of a hero which all still mourn.

Told as the story by the one who witnessed it, first in dreams and later in reality, Astro City #17 delivers on every level with action, loss, true heroism, and a very Silver Age message about the nature of sacrifice. Best of the Week.

[DC, $3.99]

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Supergirl #36

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Supergirl #36Supergirl goes to Sky High? New writers K. Perkins and Mike Johnson start Kara’s latest adventure with another attempt to live among humans by attempting once again to carve out a normal life. Of course that soon goes to hell when Supergirl is abducted by an exclusive school for super-beings and put through a series of test to determine whether or not she is worthy to join.

The first offering from the new team is a mixed bag. Although I enjoyed the art by Emanuela Lupacchino, choosing to put Kara in armor defeats the purpose of the character and, as I’ve said with the New 52 Superman, is akin to putting Chewbacca in a fur coat. It’s not only completely unnecessary but it looks ridiculous.

Both her short stint as a super-barrista, including another argument with Clark (when will these two be NICE to each other?), and her testing in space continue the trend of an angry young girl whose rage (sadly) may not have burnt out during her stint as a Red Lantern (its only saving grace). I’m far from sold on the book’s new-ish direction which lacks the wit, humor, and style of the new Batgirl. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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The Fade Out #3

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The Fade Out #3The latest issue of The Fade Out turns its attention away from the murder of starlet Valeria Sommers (for the most part) and the troubles of screenwriter Charlie Parish to focus on Valeria’s replacement Maya Silver. Troubled by a scumbag of an agent and a dangerous ex-husband, Maya has finally hit the big time by stepping into the role vacated by Valeria’s death.

Although most of the issue is dedicated to Maya, several pages are presented from the perspective of studio owner Victor Thursby, a somewhat lost soul still seeking the unbridled lust of his youth and obsessed with the dead starlet which leads to an awkward moment between the studio head and the dead woman’s replacement.

Although I’m not enjoying The Fade Out as much as Velvet (or the best issues of the now complete Fatale), writer Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips continue to keep my interest by shining a light into the dark corners of post-WWII Hollywood and continuing to slowly build out the world of Victory Street Pictures. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Batgirl #36

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Batgirl #36While trying to restore her lost data and make amends with the now homeless Black Canary (who coincidentally disappears in time for all the action), Batgirl is targeted by a pair of obscure-anime-obsessed fans who steal a pair of prototype motorcycles and begin causing havoc on the college campus. The new creative team continues the youthful energy of last month’s comic while revealing Batgirl’s latest enemies have a benefactor with wealth and computer skills (Calculator?) pulling strings from the shadows and targeting our plucky heroine with every move.

My only disappoint with Batgirl #36 is the fact that neither the flashbacks to Barbara’s past nor the investigation into the anime lead to Barbara eventually defeating the evil duo as she simply beats them using her usual skill-set. Batgirl #36 is a good example of where the new New 52 series gets into trouble by trying to make Barbara appear younger and inexperienced but still include her lengthy history and experience (which comes and goes as need-be). Despite these issues it’s still pretty darn entertaining. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Atomic Robo: The Knights of the Golden Circle #5

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Atomic Robo: The Knights of the Golden Circle #5Atomic Robo: The Knights of the Golden Circle #5 wraps up the latest Atomic Robo mini-series with the hero’s newest worst plan to stop the invincible cyborg army of Baron Heinrich von Helsingard and his Basilisk war zeppelin. (Sounds awesome, right?!) Although victorious alongside Doc Holliday and U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves our time-displaced science-adventurer doesn’t survive the final battle. Knowing his energy reserves were low, Atomic Robo had a plan in place to return his remains home at the right time, however a little neglect and bureaucracy in the future has left an all-important crate and its contents sitting untouched for more than a hundred years.

It’s not every issue of Atomic Robo in which you get to see our hero die, although the state of his remains keeps the door open for his return to the present (or perhaps near future?) as soon as the crate is discovered. Who exactly opens the crate, now that Tesladyne has been shut down, however, opens up new possibilities for what kind of world Robo will find himself in, and what kind of Robo readers may find, once our hero is brought back to the world of the living. Worth a look.

[Red 5, $3.50]

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