Comics

The Shadow #25

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The Shadow #25The end of the Chinatown zombie storyline, and the current run of The Shadow, comes to a close with The Shadow #25. After witnessing more and more of New York City being overrun by an unstoppable zombie horde, The Shadow puts sets his mind to finding a plausible scientific reason behind recent bizarre events which will lead him to call on the assistance of his entire network of spies at once and face down the Zombie Queen of Chinatown.

After discovering the dastardly truth behind the mad woman’s plot, our hero puts his soldiers to work administering antidote to the mind-controlled horde only appearing to have died before rising and beginning their assault on the city. Dispensing swift justice, The Shadow closes his latest case making way for Dynamite’s new ten-issue series set more than a decade later in Lamont Cranston’s crime-fighting career taking The Shadow and Margo Lane to Russia at the beginning of the Cold War. Although short, this bizarre final arc ends the series on a strong note. I’m sorry to see it end. Worth a look.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Justice League United #1

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Justice League United #1Not as strong as the new series’ opening zero issue, Justice League United #1 features the newly constituted Justice League Canadian team taking on a giant monster who is more than a match for Green Arrow, Animal Man, Stargirl, and the Martian Manhunter. While offering the same humor of last month’s issue, and wasting no time to get Adam Strange into a New 52 version of his trademark costume, things get a little bloodier this time around (particularly in the B-story involving Hawkman‘s battle with pseudo-Lobo in space).

While I still think this group of heroes can work, I’m having some doubts about the initial set-up here as it looks like it’s going to take at least a couple more issues to bring the full team together and make sense of things. A more straightforward first story, more centered on establishing the dynamics of the group and how the team works together would probably have worked better rather than throwing us into a pair of separate stories light years apart which are likely only to get more complicated as the Canadian group is transported to Rann. For fans.

[DC, $3.99]

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Fables #140

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Fables #140After burying what they believe is all that’s left of Puss in Boots, Briar Rose leads the rest of the group onward defeating one enemy by less than chivalrous means and to a final battle against the evil witch Baoban Sith and her demon dogs. Wrapping up the two-issue arc, one member of the group will indeed give his life for their cause, however it turns out not to be Puss who keeps finding ways to survive (and even convince unlikely allies to join their cause).

Along with both action and witty dialogue, writer Bill Willingham also reveals the unexpected cause for the end of Fabletown (and for Fables itself as the comic is now down to its final ten issues). Neither old enemy nor new it seems will be the refuge’s undoing, but the mere fact of its populace realizing it’s now same, and time, to return home as Seamus does here.

I’m happy to see Puss and Boots return, and even survive his second death scene, but there’s certainly a tinge of melancholy hear and Willingham begins revealing the end of a comic I may have come late to but have grown to love. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures #11

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures #11For the second issue in a row this month’s main story centers around Michelangelo who befriends a damaged Foot robot, teaching “Sparky” the merits of heroism and even go so far as to don costumes and fight crime together as Captain Karate and Sparky. Of course Mikey isn’t quite as smooth as hiding his new pursuits from Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo as he thinks.

Goofy to be sure, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures #11 turns out to be a lot of fun as Mikey gets to live out his dreams of being a super-hero and having a sidekick – at least until Karai shows up waning to know what the Turtle has done to her robot.

While not quite as entertaining, the episode’s back-up story features the Turtles interrupting the Kraang‘s latest Mutagen experiment transforming a cut little bunny into something for the Turtles to push through a portal (after their done beating up the Kraang). Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Worlds’ Finest #23

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Worlds' Finest #23Discovering with the right hardware she can indeed open up a portal home, the latest issue of Worlds’ Finest centers around Power Girl doing just that. Selling off the rest of her company to make her gateway, revealing her super-powers to her employees, and throwing all caution to he wind, Karen Star starts the machine and… blacks out the entire city.

As Power Girl is busy trying to restore power to the city (even if she has to fight off the U.S. Military to do it), the blackout helps out a trio of robbers intent on stealing dangerous nuclear material from a reactor at M.I.T. which leads the Huntress to swing into the action.

Although I’m against Helena and Kara returning home to Earth-2, and less than thrilled with the return of Desaad teasing what will likely be a larger role in upcoming issues, Worlds’ Finest provides a healthy mix of both humor and action from the pair of kick-ass heroines that fans should enjoy. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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