Comics

Astro City #11

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Astro City #11The latest single-issue tale of the new Astro City offers a glimpse into the daily life of the assistant to the most powerful magic user in the realm of Astro City – the Silver Adept (a powerful sorceress with a bit of both Dr. Fate and Doctor Strange thrown in).

Although the Adept makes appearances throughout the issue, Astro City #11 focuses almost entirely on the sorceress’ assistant who keeps the mystic warrior’s house in order, tries to rearrange an impossible schedule allowing the Adept to appear when needed, and, when called upon (as she is here) step up for the missing Silver Adept to reconcile issues for very powerful other-wordly creatures.

Writer Kurt Busiek and artist Brent Anderson have a flair for telling this kind of story focused on those on the periphery of the super-powerful individuals and eventful moments in the world of Astro City while continuing to deliver one of the best monthly comics available. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $3.99]

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Star Wars #16

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Star Wars #16With a grounded and disgruntled Luke heading off with some of the locals to change a fuel cell on a mountain outpost the latest issue of Star Wars shows us the farm boy from Tatooine and his friends are hardly the only ones with serious doubts about Leia‘s impending wedding and the new alliance between the Rebels and Arrochar.

As Leia fights pressure to act in a manner more befitting a princess from both her fiance and the aristocracy of the rich world which will make a powerful ally for the Rebellion, Luke spends time with the locals who are far less convinced that Arrochar should shed its isolation and get involved in a conflict which hasn’t concerned them until now.

Continuing to foreshadow the betrayal of Leia’s betrothed and Arrochar, the latest issue also gives us a glimpse at an Imperial Probe Droid making it a good bet that the Empire knows exactly where the leaders of the Rebel Alliance are to be found. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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Rocky and Bullwinkle #2

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Rocky and Bullwinkle #2Rocky and Bullwinkle‘s attempts to help a washed-up magician get back on his feet only make Boris and Natasha aware of the man who just happens to have the necessary skills to help the Pottsylvanian spies steal a secret new bomb.

The two-part story, complete with a cliffhanger of the moose being sent to his death in a tank filled with man-eating (but not moose-eating) piranha, is fun (even if it does rely on an unnecessary deus ex machina with the intervention of the Moon Men).

The intermission delivers another adventure of Dudley Do-Right who struggles with Inspector Fenwick’s orders to get his man. Snidley Whiplash‘s maneuvering to cause the mountie’s arrest of an insurance salesman (whose personality and salemanship drives both prisoners and mounties crazy) gives the villain temporary free run of the town but also comes back to bite the villain when he’s later forced to share a cell with the salesman. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Daredevil #1.50

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Daredevil #1.50Feeling more than a little unnecessary and out of place for a comic that just relaunched with a brand new issue last month, and feeling more like an annual or special than part of the ongoing continuity, the over-sized Daredevil #1.50 is 50th Anniversary celebration of the character which takes a look forward rather than back with what Mark Waid has in mind for the character going forward.

Split into three separate tales, each of which take place years in Matt Murdock’s future introduces us to Matt Murdock‘s son Jack and the villain Jubula Pride who turns most of the city of San Francisco in order to push Daredevil out of retirement to confront a villain who he, but not the reader, knows all too well.

Featuring back-up stories of Murdock’s wife by Brian Michael Bendis by and artist Alex Maleev and wacky fake twin storyline in homage to the character’s goofier period by writer/artist Karl Kesel, Daredevil #1.50 is a curiosity more than anything else offering a glimpse of what Waid might do with the character given no constraints and several decades. Hit-and-Miss.

[Marvel, $4.99]

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Powerpuff Girls #8

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Powerpuff Girls #8The second-half of the “Monster Day” begins with the Powerpuff Girls defeated and dejected in their room and Steve‘s monster swarm destroying the city of Townsville and preparing for the night’s final festivities: eating the Mayor! Getting the kick in the butt they need from Professor Utonium, Bubbles comes up with a plan to even the odds by taking control of the remaining Mojobots and leading them into battle against the monster horde.

Although the Girls suffered momentary defeat at the end of last issue, Powerpuff Girls #8 allows the threesome to return with a force thanks to a little fatherly push and a brainstorm by my favorite member of the group. Once again the day is saved by the Powerpuff Girls, but despite the monsters eventual defeat Steve’s reign continues as his subjects admit that this has been the best day ever (meaning, if the comic stays around long enough, we may get another Monster Day somewhere down the line). The lastest issue delivers on action, wackiness, and a nice message about never giving up no matter the odds. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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