Comics

Fables #131

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Fables #131The beginning of the Camelot arc is a little deceiving as we don’t get King Arthur or the Knights of the Round Table in the first issue of the new storyline. Instead Fables #131 is mainly concerned with the fallout of the recent Snow White arc involving plans to try and piece Bigby back together again and the autopsy of Prince Brandish (who it turns out is even harder to kill than originally believed).

Other than these nagging storylines, the issue also focuses on both Rose Red‘s humorous reunions with Hope and her niece Therese which lead the directionless Fable to finally accept her role as the Paladin of Hope and begin her plans to reconstitute a new Camelot in Fabletown, beginning with the creation of a new round table.

All geared up for King Arthur, I have to say I was a little dismayed at the bait-and-switch here. That said, I like Rose Red and I’m curious to see how her story unfolds with an attempt to recreate something as grand as Camelot. As for Brandish, the best thing his character did was to die in an agonizing fashion and I’m less happy to see him sticking around. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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Daredevil #28

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Daredevil #28When Matt Murdock is approached for help by his childhood bully, Daredevil has grave reservations about defending the person who made his childhood a living hell, and is responsible for the nickname “Daredevil,” from charges that he belonged to a terrorist organization. Beginning with Matt visiting Foggy in the hospital, the issue certainly focuses more on Matt than his horned alter-ego.

Although he originally turns down the case, Murdock’s conscience gets the better of him and he finally agrees to prep Nate Hackett to defend himself in court (which turns out to be quite entertaining). The emotions of Matt’s struggles to both sit at Foggy’s bedside and help an old enemy each work well (even if I’m not comfortable with yet another retcon of where Daredevil got his name).

The issue ends in bizarre fashion as the Sons of the Serpent make sure Hackett doesn’t give away any privileged information about their society by having the judge shoot the defendant in the middle of the courtroom. I was thrown off a little by these last few panels, but I trust that Waid knows where he’s going. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #23

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #23Season Nine‘s final arc continues to heat up as Buffy and the demon council head into the depths of The Deeper Well to stop Severin from stealing enough power from the sarcophagi of the Old Ones to tear a hole in reality in order to bring his girlfriend back to life. Buffy also searches desperately for the magic which will stop Dawn from disappearing and must stop Simone‘s whose dark plans which involve an army of Slayer Zompires and the demon who created the first vampire – Maloker.

There’s quite a bit of action here balanced by some tough choices for the Slayer as she must abandon her mission to save her sister in order to once again save the world and a tender moment between Dawn and Xander who tries desperately to get the woman he loves to fight against disappearing into nothingness.

Despite some ups and downs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine is looking as if it will end on a high note as well as the possibility that some form of magic will be returned to world helping to set up a new storyline when the characters move on to Season Ten. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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Uncanny X-Men #8

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Uncanny X-Men #8After the fallout from the X-Men’s adventure in Limbo, Fabio decides to return to his family who have all sorts of questions when they discover his mutant ability and concerns about just what the X-Men terrorists did to him. This half of the storyline also picks up the loose thread of Dazzler (started before the Limbo arc) who shows up wanting Fabio’s help to find Cyclops.

The other half of the issue deals mainly with a conversation between Cyclops and Magneto over their recent trust issues (Cyclops killing Professor X, Magneto ratting out the X-Men to S.H.I.E.L.D.) as well as the X-Men rescuing another young mutant (with the power to control mechanical devices with his mind) from a quick-drawing police officer who shoots the young man and decides to ask questions later.

The first issue back from Limbo plays on two classic X-Men themes: a family’s concern and distrust of a new mutant’s abilities and (as Magneto would put it) how homo sapiens react in fear and danger at the presence of homo superior. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Star Wars #7

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Star Wars #7With Leia fully recuperated, she and Luke take a trip back to Tatooine where Luke gives his aunt and uncle the proper burial he was unable to offer when fleeing the planet months earlier. It’s here where Leia also confides in Luke the true mission of their squadron to not only find the Rebellion a new home base but ferret out the traitor in their midst.

Hearing how dire the situation has become, Luke suggests a highly risky plan involving getting Wedge and Luke captured by the Star Destroyer Devastator and planting surveillance to help find the source of the leak. Although concerned Luke hasn’t exactly thought out the entire plan, with limited time Leia okays the mission with Prithi as support (a character I’m glad to see has stuck around despite what her exit in the last issue suggested).

Star Wars #7 also gives us Han and Chewie trying to make it out of Coruscant alive while been tracked by Boba Fett and more of Darth Vader‘s quasi-disciple Birra Seah who the Emperor is not pleased to see in command of the second Death Star during a surprise visit. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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