Comics

Daredevil – Dark Nights #1

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Daredevil - Dark Nights #1The eight-issue anthology series Daredevil: Dark Knights begins here with a three-issue arc from writer/artist Lee Weeks featuring a befuddled Daredevil mugged in a snowstorm who wakes up in the hospital with no memory of who he is or explanation for his enhanced senses.

The amnesiac aspect of the story is its weakest point, although it allows for a couple of humorous moments including a doctor and nurse opening their mystery man’s briefcase to learn they have an Avenger in their midst. Even without his full faculties Daredevil dons his costume and goes back into the blizzard to find a crashed helicopter with the heart needed to save a young girl’s life.

The triple-obstacles of Matt Murdock’s injury, the blizzard, and his amnesia (which also effects his acrobatic stunts) is a little much. I prefer Weeks art to the story, but there are enough nice touches here to not let me dismiss it out-of-hand. The first issue doesn’t do enough to sell me on the new limited series, but it doesn’t turn me off either. Depending on what else hits newsstands that week, I would consider picking up issue #2. Hit-and-Miss.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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Astro City #1

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Astro City #1It’s been three years since co-creators Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson have given us a new issue of Astro City, the series that (much like Planetary) focused on re-imagining of several comic characters while examining how normal people coexist and react to them. With the folding of DC’s WildStorm print, the many character from Busiek and Anderson’s universe find themselves a new home at Vertigo with the start of a new series that includes faces both old as new, and Astro City’s first contact with an alien presence who appears through a rather large door hovering over the city.

Although I wasn’t quite sold on the opening pages of Astro City #1 featuring the character of The Broken Man who narrates the new story, the comic quickly takes off with the introduction of the ridiculously cool American Chibi and the alien ambassador Telseth who comes through the door only after the various heroes and military resources have stopped trying to destroy it. Part Galactus, part Celestial, and with a definite Jack Kirby inspired design, Telseth, much like everything in Astro City is not what you would first expect.

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Detective Comics #21

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Detective Comics #21For the past few months Detective Comics has been the strongest of the Batman titles so far, and consistently better than Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo‘s Batman. Sadly, that’s not the case here. Snyder’s regrettable creation of Harper Row, a hipster street kid who DC Editorial seems to be fast-tracking as the next Robin, at least was limited to one Bat-title. That’s not the case anymore as like a virus she has begun to spread to other titles.

Aside from Harper Row’s appearance, the comic also focuses on a odd story about a love from Bruce Wayne’s past who is some kind of shadow assassin named Penumbra. Her introduction is awkward, as is the resolution (or lack of) where she apparently falls to her death a second time only to return home in disgrace. The only part of the story of interest is the suggestion of the person controlling that guild of assassins. It appears the New 52 seems ready to reintroduce Ra’s al Ghul.

The comic also contains a forgettable back-up story involving Kurt Langstrom who believes he may be responsible for a series of grizzly murders. Pass.

[DC, $3.99]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1

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Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1The Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual picks up the recent storyline as a mind-wiped Jason Todd returns home to the secluded island with Starfire and Arsenal only to begin investigating the past he worked so hard to forget. Yeah, nobody saw that coming. Sigh.

The annual gives us a pair of notable guest-stars first being Arsenal’s mentor Green Arrow (who is way too young to have trained someone Roy’s age, making for some incredibly awkward flashbacks). The second is far more interesting as Chesire is introduced as one of many assassins looking to cash in on the bounty on Jason Todd and his friends. Although she’s unsuccessful, she does pave the way for the next wave of killers who include Bronze Tiger. With the title going to such lengths to reintroduce old characters I have to wonder if this is the title where Catman might make his return.

A whiny blank slate Jason Todd is about as bland as it sounds, and although Chesire’s appearance works the issue has a hard time determining just how many powers this new version of the character actually has (she can phase, now?). Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $4.99]

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Morning Glories #27

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Morning Glories #27The second season of Morning Glories begins here with Casey‘s return from the past thanks to Hunter and the older Jade resetting the timeline. If you think that means things are going to be less complicated from here on out, you haven’t been reading this comic. After convincing they younger version of herself and her parents to enroll in Morning Glories Academy, Casey steps out of the cave with the memories, but not the mileage, of those experiences to punch Miss Hodge squarely in the jaw.

As the older Jade explains the new status quo to Hunter, the game pieces have all been reset to the their original places but the rules themselves have been completely out the window. What happens from here on out with Irina, Abraham, and the saving or destruction of the academy will largely depend on what Casey does next.

For a Morning Glories comic issue #27 is pretty straightforward. We also get to interesting features at the back of the comic including summary and supposition from “Professor Meylikhov” and a cute recap of the first season. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.99]

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