Comics

Scarlet Spider #13

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Scarlet Spider #13This is a comic about a deranged faulty clone of Peter Parker given a second chance as a hero in Houston by using the moniker of the man he spent the better part of his life hunting and torturing. But Scarlet Spider #13 is where things get a little weird.

The comic returns to the story of Aracely, the telepathic young woman Kaine saved at the beginning of the series. As Kaine systematically works through destroying the human trafficking ring that brought the young woman to Houston those in charge of the operation, Carlos and Esmeralda Lobo, show up to retrieve their property.

Between Kaine taking out the smuggling lowlifes and fighting off the werewolves who have come to collect Aracely (yeah, this one has werewolves) we get a bizarre dream sequences of the telepathic young woman full of Mayan imagery and predestination. But we’ll have to wait at least a month to figure out what it all means and just how a bloodied and beaten Scarlet Spider survives being eaten alive by werewolves. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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Fairest #11

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Fairest #11The dark past of Rapunzel‘s past is revealed as the latest issue of “The Hidden Kingdom” focuses on Rapunzel’s failed attempt to retributive Tomoko’s soulfire from Ryogan and the fate worse than death that befalls her.

By far the darkest issue of the series so far, Rapunzel is thrown to the bottom of the well with the bodies of the shogun’s enemies. Rapunzel stays alive on hate and by ingesting and coughing up her own hair which become the intelligent bezoars to help her escape the well and take her revenge.

With two more issues left in the arc, Rapunzel must now face her past the awful “children” she gave life to in her deepest despair. The bezoars are still “alive” and have been waiting all this time for the return of their mother. As to the mystery of her real children and the reasons for leading Rapunzel back to the well, we’ll just have to wait and see what else Lauren Beukes has in store for us and our heroine. Worth a look.

[Verigo, $2.99]

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Star Wars #1

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Set immediately following the Battle of Yavin, Dark Horse’s new ongoing series features the Rebellion struggling after their biggest success – destroying the Death Star. With limited resources Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and Wedge Antilles search for a new home base for the Rebellion on the edges of the galaxy.

As first issues go Star Wars #1 isn’t bad, but I was confused by the puzzling choice of making Leia a fighter pilot. The Princess has plenty of skills, but I can’t ever remember this being one of them (and I’ve read a boatload of Star Wars novels and comics).

After our heroic triumvirate barely survive and Imperial ambush, Mon Mothma gives Leia her own command cut-off from the rest of the Rebellion with two objectives. First, to find a new base. And second, to discover if the Empire has a spy within the Fleet.

We also get an appearance by Darth Vader, haunted by his failure at Yavin. Reassigned by the Emperor, the Dark Lord of the Sith should have plenty of opportunities to try and make up for his mistakes and begin his search for young Skyalker. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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Supreme #68

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Writer/artist Erik Larsen’s run on Supreme ends here with Mean Supreme‘s final battle with Khromium and the former Supremes making plans to regain their powers with the help of Darius Duck.

Although the issue is fun, the art, particularly the scenes involving Original Supereme‘s attempts at a normal life, attempting to get a job, and his relationship with Sister Supreme, look rushed. This is mainly due the fact that Larsen is taking on double duty on this final issue without the assistance of artist Cory Hamscher. The result is several panels of rough sketches which appear to have been inked whether or not they were ready to be. That said, Squeak the Supremouse still looks cool.

The art is a little distracting and may not send Larsen out with the bang I was hoping for, but there’s certainly enough here for fans of the character inducing foreshadowing of the possible return of the Supremacy and the arrival of a new baby Supreme in the not too distant future. For fans.

[Image, $3.99]

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #17

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Buffy Summers‘ world gets even more complicated by the arrival of Illyria who uses her mostly restored powers to rip the Slayer from her battle with zompires (forcing Billy and Detective Dowling to make do on their own) and transporting Buffy to a gathering of magical beings.

As Buffy meets with a council of magically-imbued creatures trapped in this dimension (including D’Hoffryn), Billy’s faith in his new profession is shaken, Dowling is almost killed, and back at home Xander‘s anger is out of control and Dawn is felled by some unseen force.

Unaware of what is happening with her friends, Buffy agrees to help the council stop Severin whose power continues to grow. She even accepts the help of Illyria and Koh, neither of whom Buffy is sure she can trust as the powerful threesome walk right into Severin’s trap.

A good issue and I’m happy to see Illyria, although her account of her recent activities does seem to contradict Angel After the Fall. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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