Comics

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #16

/ / Comics

btvs-season-nine-16-coverAfter Jane Espenson‘s two-part story Season Nine returns its focus to Buffy Summers taking on Zompires on the streets of San Fransicso, although it looks like the character of Billy will be sticking around for the foreseeable future and may have a larger role this season than I’d like.

Even with the addition of Billy, and the continued absence of Willow, things get back to normal as our slayer gets her love interest for the season, finds out some zompires are more powerful than others, and gets a surprise when a Whedon favorite makes her first appearance in Season Nine.

Honestly, the Billy storyline curtailed my interest in the season by quite a bit. However, flipping through the comic and seeing the introduction of (the still magically-imbued) Illyria into the new arc was enough for me to pick this one up and stick around to see where things go from here. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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Scarlet Spider #12

/ / Comics

Scarlet Spider #12With the events of Minimum Carnage finally done (and best forgotten) Kaine returns to Houston with plans to throw in the towel, stop playing hero, and leave the city for good. His quick getaway is halted by a drunken slumber (which may or may not have been brought on by the telepathic abilities of Aracely) and his hotel being robbed by a gang of machine gun wielding Santas.

I’m glad to see the comic deal with the events of the (again, best forgotten) crossover and move on quickly with Kaine getting some good advice from one of his new friends and then throwing on his costume to kick some serious Santa Claus ass. It’s also nice to see the comic give us a single one-off story rather that jumping directly into a new multi-issue arc.

The comic continues to tease the abilities of Aracely, play on the guilt of our main character, and provide plenty of opportunities to prove to everyone (including himself) that he is indeed a hero. (And the cover’s pretty cool, too.) Merry Christmas. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #17

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tmnt-17-coverAs Splinter tries to bring his refocus his family after their recent loses, the latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brings in our first extended look at Dimension X and the Neutrinos who General Krang is out to destroy.

As you’d expect with any story that features the Neutrinos and Dimension X, this one gets a little weird. For our heroes in half-shell the craziness begins when April reaches out to a fellow Stockton employee who is actually a fugitive Neutrino android in hiding from Krang and his forces. When other Neutrinos show up to take Professor Honeycutt home the Turtles step in to stop what they see as an attack on April and her co-worker.

Although the version of the Neutrinos we see her are far more comfortable with violence than the original characters created for the cartoon, the comic does a good job at dealing with the fallout of the previous issue while spending the proper amount of time introducing the group, without giving too much away too soon, and staring a new arc featuring the Turtles traveling to Dimension X. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Batman #15

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Batman #15In the only comic that has really been focused on the Death of the Family crossover, writer Scott Snyder gives us an awkward standoff between Batman and the Joker and an even more unnecessary rehashing of events with the entire Bat-Family over whether or not the Joker knows who they all really are and why Batman would keep that from them.

The comic picks up from the end of the last issue with Batman trapped by the Joker who keeps flirting with the Dark Knight about knowing all the Bat-Family’s identities without ever proving it. Batman’s escape includes the Dark Knight Detective removing his gloves (off-panel, and for no logical reason shown or discussed in the comic) which allows the Joker to dose Batman with Joker toxin and make his escape.

The New 52 version of the Bat-Universe, in nearly every way from Harley Quinn‘s makeover to the gritty feel of every story, has screamed Arkham Asylum ripoff. I guess it’s fitting then that this is exactly where Snyder was headed all along. The Joker in recent months has taken over the asylum and has been preparing it for a very special party.

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G.I. JOE #20

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G.I. JOE #20Betrayal is the name of the game as the events of “Target: Snake Eyes” begin to wind down and Scarlett and the JOEs head deep into the Cambodian jungles to jump into the battle between the Arashikage Clan and the Coil. By the end of the issue both forces will be bloodied with severe loses on both sides, just as Snake Eyes planned.

Snake Eyes makes it into the temple just in time to save Helix and escape in one piece, despite having issues to settle with both Storm Shadow and Tomo who shows up to kill the JOE for the Soft Master who has been whispering sweet lies into the young man’s ears. Although Tomo doesn’t get the vengeance he sought against the JOE, he does find some retribution in blinding the Soft Master for playing him for a fool.

With his forces depleted, but still better off than the Coil (who lost nearly 2,000 men in their attempt to destroy the Arashikage), Storm Shadow allows his sword brother to leave. Matters are far from settled between them as “Target: Snakes” concludes with a throwdown between the two in the next issue of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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