Comics

The Shadow: Year One #2

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The Shadow: Year One #2The Shadow saves Margo Lane from a pair of gangsters who attempt to throw her off the roof of the Cobalt Club by riddling the pair with holes and throwing their bodies off the rooftop for the cops to find. Who says chivalry is dead?

The Shadow’s plans begin to take effect as his attack begins a gang war between the rival families fueled by Massaretti’s paranoia, the death of his men, and a little hypnotic suggestion courtesy of the vigilante. As the mobsters begin killing each other The Shadow just sits back and laughs that creepy laugh of his.

I have mixed feelings about Margo recognizing Lamont Cranston as The Shadow so easily. I know she’s to become his Girl Friday, but the series of events feels a tad rushed for my tastes. There’s also an interesting scene during the party concerning the new Bela Lugosi movie which Cranston overhears and uses to help form the look and theatrics of the vigilante who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men. Worth a look.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Fables #128

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Fables #128An incensed Bigby Wolf returns home to find his wife a prisoner in the castle tower and vile Prince Brandish still claiming Snow White as his own. As one might expect, this leads to disagreement between Snow White’s husbands.

Although we get a couple of pages dealing with the B-story of Beast and the Lady of the Lake, working on the details of Geppeto‘s possible marriage to the Blue Fairy (a subplot that, as yet, has still yet to bear fruit), most of Fables #128 deals with the duel between Brandish and Bigby (who is unaware that any damage he does the infuriating scoundrel falls on his wife).

By the end of the issue Brandish’s many magical defenses prove to much for Bigby who is transformed into a glass statue by the Prince’s magical sword. This leaves a wounded Snow White to stand-up for herself (’bout time) in next month’s final issue of the (somewhat disappointing) arc. For fans.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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Daredevil #25

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Daredevil #25Although the man between Daredevil‘s recent troubles remains in the shadows, Daredevil #25 does introduce a new enemy as the Man Without Fear learns the true purpose of recreating his accident when he faces off against Ikari, a deadly warrior enhanced with the same hyper-senses as our hero.

Most of the comic is one prolonged fight sequence between Daredevil and the mystery assassin who has cloaked himself in the style of Daredevil’s original costume, going so far as to even wear his father’s boxing robe to further get under Murdock’s skin. With the two evenly matched, Daredevil #25 offers a terrific fight that leaves both men bloodied and straining to breathe.

Trying to use his experience to win the fight, Daredevil changes the venue only to discover he and Ikari aren’t as evenly matched as he believed. The assassin has one more ace up his sleeve. The comic ends with Daredevil beaten, but spared (at least for now) leading into the next double-sized issue dealing with Foggy‘s surgery and, hopefully, the man behind the curtain pulling Ikari’s strings. Best of the week.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures #7

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Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures #7The six-issue mini-series continues as Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures returns with a new arc. The Good: The mix of short stories, all drawn by different artists has been replaced with a single ongoing and artist. The Bad: As the storyline focuses on a much younger version of Tesla we don’t even the hint of Atomic Robo.

Atomic Robo Presents Real Science Adventures #7 has a consistent look and feel and gives the reader a closer examination and the pre-Atomic Robo days of Nikola Tesla. In this issue two of Tesla’s inventions are stolen from a demonstration by a shadowy new enemy who plans to use the scientist’s teleautomatic control unit in their effort to overthrow the United States Government.

Even without Atomic Robo, writer Brian Clevinger still delivers a fun (if somewhat unmemorable) adventure. I like Erica Henderson’s art, but at times felt like an odd choice for the tone of the comic. That said, I’m still likely to pick up the next issue. For fans.

[Red 5, $2.75]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #19

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #19Jason Todd gets little more than a cameo here as the story focuses on Arsenal and Starfire tracking down their friend who, after surviving the Joker‘s final attack, left them and headed straight for the All-Caste. By the time the duo track him through the Himalayan mountains and discover the secret entrance to the home of the magical monks who continued to train Todd after he returned from the dead, Todd has already made a rash decision which will effect all three of their futures.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #19 is a mixed bag as we’re given a Red Hood wiped of nearly all his memories (at his own behest). If this was where the New 52 planned on taking the character I’m not sure why they didn’t just allow the Joker’s final attack to do the damage.

The issue also has an odd appearance by Essence who attempts to influence Arsenal through his dreams. The point of this subplot isn’t very clear (or interesting), but it’s arguably better than the beyond bland blank slate of Jason Todd we’re left with as the issue closes. The consequences to this issue might be interesting, but this issue is a mixed bag.

[DC, $2.99]

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