Comics

Uncanny X-Men #18

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Uncanny X-Men #18Uncanny X-Men #18 feels a little off from the get-go. Because of other storylines the series hasn’t had a chance to reincorporate (or even acknowledge) the rest of the time-displaced X-Men who have joined Cyclops‘ team (other than Angel who joined months ago) and now the entire group is missing the entire issue is an attempt to play catch-up to events that have been going on for a couple of months now.

What Uncanny X-Men #18 delivers is a flashback to Kitty Pryde confronting Cyclops (with the intention of murdering him) and eventually leading the time-displaced X-Men to Cyclops’ new school (before she left with them all to head into space to rescue Jean Grey).

Although awkward (seriously, this issue should have taken place at least two months ago) it does deliver some interesting moments between Cyclops and his younger self and Jean Grey. If you’ve been waiting for the issue that reincorporates the rest of the X-Men this is it… but only kinda because in the present they are all off-world. For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Powerpuff Girls #6

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Powerpuff Girls #6The return of Mojo Jojo! After defeating HIM and all the various Townsville villains who went back to being themselves after HIM relinquished control, the Powerpuff Girls return home to discover Jojo has returned to his crazy, mad-scientist self whose new plan involves not conquering Townsville but destroying it.

Although I’ve enjoyed the series, the lack of my favorite Powerpuff Girls villain (who is back form for the first time since issue #1). Launching himself into safe orbit aboard his own Mojo Jojo rocket (shaped like his head), the villain plans to watch the carnage from a safe distance. And, of course, that’s when the day is saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls!

Along with Mojo’s return (and outlining of his ridiculously complicated plan), the issue also delivers a good deal of action as the girls work together to save the day leaving their archnemesis stranded in space without any victory to gloat over. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Velvet #4

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Velvet #4The Cold War spy story continues as Velvet‘s search for Jefferson Keller’s killer leads her to the Carnival of Fools and a rendezvous with an old enemy. Saving the ex-KGB agent from Russian spies who have been sent to drag him back to Moscow, Velvet and her former adversary come to a quick understanding as Roman provides her with the name of the person Keller was obsessed with in the days leading up to his death. A name she knows all too well.

In the last issue we saw Velvet’s time away from the field cause an issue with an asset she risked much to retrieve. This month we get an old adversary turned new friend and the name Codename: Mockingbird suggesting that whatever happened to Keller, Velvet’s former husband is in the middle of it.

We only get a glimpse of Arc-7’s search for Velvet as the death of Stepanov and his wife and what Velvet is doing (if no clue as to the reason behind her actions). It will be interesting to see if we get more of her pursuit going forward or if the focus stays primarily on Velvet’s search for answers. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Moon Knight #1

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Moon Knight #1Underutilized since the end of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev‘s twelve-issue run which ended in April 2012, Moon Knight has been largely absent from the Marvel Universe popping up in guest-spots here and there. And with good reason as that run is a hard act to follow. Picking up the torch for the new series which returns the hero from the west coast back to New York is writer Warren Ellis and artist Declan Shalvey.

Although strong in several areas, Moon Knight #1 is a little weak in terms of both action and the delusional insanity the character has been known for. In fact Marc Spector seems to be far more sane than in quite some time. And for a comic that focuses on a man with a personality disorder it’s surprisingly absent of thought balloons or any insight into what’s going on in our hero’s head.

Helping on a case involving a slasher, the comic illustrates Spector’s deductive abilities, stealthiness (even while wearing an all-white suit), his near limitless resources, and exceptional fighting skills. If he wasn’t Marvel’s crazy Batman before he is now.

…

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Beware the Batman #5

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Beware the Batman #5When an old enemy decides to get revenge on Katana Batman‘s new partner finds herself public enemy number one. To clear her name and prove that one of Battleaxe’s apprentices is actually impersonating her and committing crimes under Katana’s name, Batman’s partner will have to stick clear of police while tracking down a mirror image of herself.

As with the last issue, Beware the Batman #4 relies on characters that were never introduced in the television show. Given how the character is introduced here, I wonder if there was a script on the show to introduce the character of Battleaxe that simply never got made (or aired).

Katana vs. Katana works well, and gives the police a heightened reason to target Batman and his partner. Of course all this leads up to next month’s premature final issue of the series told completely from the perspective of Alfred. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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