Comics

Green Hornet #1

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Green Hornet #1Writer Mark Waid launches a new Green Hornet series for Dynamite Entertainment and the first issue is a must-read. Set in November of 1941, Green Hornet #1 reintroduces the characters of the Green Hornet and Kato while providing narration from a far older version of Britt Reid looking back at the heyday of his career as he fought crime both as the owner of the Daily Sentinel and as a masked crime fighter masquerading as a crime lord.

The first issue deals with Britt Reid taking on both a corrupt State Senator and the Governor while the Green Hornet works at night to clean up the streets. Waid works in language of the time while allowing an older Britt to explain the basis of the Hornet and his world. Artist Daniel Indro adds some nice touches of his own by working several Daily Sentinel headlines into the comic to help tell the story.

Waid is a great storyteller and, together with Indro, has found a new character to revitalize. Fans of the character should enjoy this fresh, yet certainly old-school, retelling of the Green Hornet’s adventures. Best of the week.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Guardians of the Galaxy #1

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Guardians of the Galaxy #1The new adventures of Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Groot, and Drax begins with Peter Quill receiving a surprise visit from his estranged father and a warning that Earth has been deemed off-limits to all extra-terrestrials. Realizing such a bold pronouncement would only paint a bullseye on his homeworld, the Guardians of the Galaxy head into the Milky Way where they find Iron Man, in his spiffy new space armor, fighting off an entire battleship of Badoon.

After a pretty good reintroduction to Peter Quill (and his major daddy issues) the comic ramps up the action pretty fast as Iron Man and the Guardians work together to stop whatever the Badoon have planned. The good news is the group is successful. The bad news is the Guardians crash land on Earth, immeadiately violating the treaty his father just signed (which may have been his plan all along).

A strong first issue, even if Quill and (to a lesser extent Iron Man) get the spotlight shone of them far more than the rest of the team.

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Guardians of the Galaxy #1 Read More »

Batman Incorporated #9

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Batman Incorporated #9As Batman, Alfred, Nightwing, and Red Robin lay Damian Wayne to rest Grant Morrison’s craptastic Leviathan storyline continues. Talia, her overgrown clone of a son, and the Leviathan troops are in control of Wayne Enterprises and issue demands for Batman to be banned from Gotham City and all of Batman Incorporated’s operations around the world to cease immediately.

Sure I could sit here and rip apart Grant Morrission’s “plot,” such as how Leviathan could ever make good on their threats, or the near-impossibility of removing all likenesses of Batman from a city in eight hours. Or I could simply point out the writer’s usual brand of mumbo-jumbo that the writer uses in place of actual plot.

Or I might mention how ridiculous the events covered in this storyline appear when (aside from Damian’s death) are completely being ignored in EVERY OTHER BATBOOK. You’d think Gotham under siege of a terrorist organization run by Batman’s former lover might be something that would effect other Batman-related comics.

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A+X #6

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A+X #6Poker is the name of the game in this latest issue of A+X. We’re given two stories, each involving an Avenger and X-Man sitting down for a friendly game of cards.

The first story features Wolverine and Captain Marvel and is primarily of interest for the side conversation (inspired by Joss Whedon‘s Angel TV-series) concerning who would win in a fight between astronauts and cavemen. The fight, intermixed with other topics between the two, goes on through the entire story and doesn’t even stop when a super-villain bursts through the wall looking for a fight. My only real complaint with this first story is the art from Italian artists Giuseppe Camuncoli and Michele Benevento which is passable, but not great.

The second story, although not nearly as entertaining, also features two heroes winding up at a poker game as the Yancy Street friends of Ben Grimm invite Gambit, over for the weekly poker game. There’s some okay back-and-forth between the characters and late twist, but it’s the less interesting of the two stories. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Fables #127

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Fables #127With Bigby and Stinky still off on their dimensional road trip, Fables #127 continues the bizarre situation involving Prince Brandish‘s return and his kidnapping and sequestering of Snow White who, under Fable law, is his wife. As Snow’s friends are kept at bay by the intricate magical protections which transfer any harm done to him to his wife, Snow tries futilely to escape.

Although Snow White’s predicament isn’t really humorous, the sheer nature of it allows for some offbeat jokes (including Snow White doing potty humor?). By the issue’s end Bigby, being finally made aware of what has been transpiring in his absence, returns home to save Snow White and put things right.

Sadly, once again Snow White is cast as the victim of the piece at the complete mercy of the man who wishes to bend her to his will. Not only does the spell cause Snow to give herself a nasty gash on her cheek, but Brandish goes so far as to break his wife’s arm to teach the woman her place. Yeesh.

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Fables #127 Read More »