Comics

Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #2

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Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #2Traveling to Terra Obscura with his son-in-law Val Var Gram for magic elixir that may save his daughter from dying during childbirth, Tom Strong finds an entire world under the threat of a dreaded plague that has taken 60% of the planet’s inhabitants.

Although he is able to reconnect with a pair of old friends, the Fighting Spirit and The Terror (or what’s left of him as brain is now encased in an android body), Strong doesn’t find the one man he’s traveled across dimensions to talk to. More troubling is the fact that just by landing on the planet both he and Gram may have become plague carriers who would doom their own Earth if they were ever to return.

Of course threats like this aren’t enough to get the science hero down and he remarks the pair will simply have to stamp out the plague and save an entire world before heading home with the formula needed to save the life of both Strong’s daughter and unborn grandchild. Another strong (pun intended) issue setting up a herculean heroic undertaking for Strong before he can make his way home. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $3.99]

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Super Dinosaur #20

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Super Dinosaur #20After a three-month hiatus Super Dinosaur returns with new toys for Derek Dynamo and his best bud Super Dinosaur and a new mission to find the right isotope needed from Max Maximus‘ former confederates which is the only possible cure for his mother’s coma.

With no word on the series for months I had wondered if it had been cancelled. Thankfully Derek and SD live to fight on another day as the latest issue dresses the pair as both ninja gear and spies – because if you’ve never seen a talking Tyrannosaurus Rex in a tux try to talk his way into an exclusive party you haven’t really lived.

While working diligently on finding a cure for his mother both Derek and his father let other problems slide as the issue’s B-story sets up the next arc when Tyrannosaurus-X liberates the Dino Men from Earthcore Headquarters and begins to set in motion his new villainous scheme. I’ve missed you Super Dinosaur, welcome back. Worth a look.

[Image, $2.99]

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Uncanny X-Men #11

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Uncanny X-Men #11The good feelings caused by Cyclops and his X-Men showing up a a pro-mutant rally soon fade with the appearance of a next generation Sentinel sent to kill each of the “terrorist” mutants. After showing us glimpses of the team’s training since returning from Limbo, Uncanny X-Men #11 gives us a good look at how far the team has come. Hell, even Gold Balls proves to be effective.

The late arrival of Magneto (busy maybe selling out Cyclops, or maybe not) helps save the day. We are also given a glimpse into more of Mystique‘s behind-the-scenes maneuverings including causing chaos in Madripoor for purposes unknown.

Although I enjoyed this issue, I’m not exactly pleased with the launching of a new X-Men event requiring me to read other X-titles (none of which I’m currently reading) to keep up with “Battle of the Atom” or try to parse the large sections of the story which I’m missing by not reading those issues. The other choice is to set aside this comic and pick it up in a few months after the crossover finishes. None of these options are ideal, but I won’t hold it against this issue which is definitely worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Green Hornet #5

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Green Hornet #5Rather than wallow in the public failure of both himself and his green-clad alter ego caused by The Voice, Britt Reid decides to pick-up the pieces of his shattered ego and begin to fight back. His first step is to find and reconcile with Kato, which, as first steps go, turns out to be harder than he planned.

After the events of last issue where Reid was publicly disgraced by his former partner, his mayoral campaign left in the dust, and the with the real possibility of his newspaper being taken away from him, I had serious concerns about where the comic was heading. Thankfully, writer Mark Waid decides to go in an entirely different direction and by the end of the issue has found a way to put the team of the Green Hornet and Kato back together.

Rather than become a broken man the Hornet becomes one possessed with finding the truth. Although he’s been humbled this doesn’t mean the man’s massive ego has been put in check, as Reid still believes on shadowy streets the Green Hornet is infallible. Worth a look.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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G.I. JOE #7

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G.I. JOE #7Although the cover teases the reappearance of Snake Eyes (who apparently died in the final issue of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow before IDW’s New 52-ish soft reboot of all the G.I. JOE properties) everyone’s favorite JOE sadly doesn’t return (unless you count Quick Kick dressed up as Snake Eyes as part of a covert test of new JOE stealth technology – which I don’t).

The real story here is the Mad Monk, the man Cobra Commander has entrusted with control of Cobra’s actions in New York, to the mutual displeasure of both the Baroness and Destro, who decide to pool their resources, as well as Duke who discovers the man has kidnapped the JOE’s comatose wife to blackmail Duke into doing his bidding.

I like the series bringing Destro and Baroness together (for apparently the first time?), and given Destro’s reasoning for distrusting the man and the kidnapping of Duke’s wife G.I. JOE #7 does what is needed to showcase the character as a legitimate threat to both friend and foe. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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