Comics

Detective Comics #15

/ / Comics

detective-comics-new-52-15-coverLike almost all of the Death of the Family crossover issues Detective Comics #15 has almost nothing to do with the Joker or his return to Gotham. In fact, other than the mention of him in a couple panels and the comic’s cover you wouldn’t even know there was a Joker-themed Bat-crossover going on.

The issue centers around the new team of Poison Ivy and an out-of-control Clayface who is ripping apart Gotham City searching for his wife whom the Penguin has buried alive. Using the detective skills Christopher Nolan never chose to give the character, Batman discovers how Ivy is controlling Clayface and frees him from her mind-control.

The story is actually pretty good, and far better than most of the issues of the comic since its New 52 relaunch, even if it does give us yet another ridiculous New 52 villain in “Emperor Penguin.” But for those hoping to see the Death of the Family finally heating up, you’re going to have to wait at least another month. Worth a look.

[Detective Comics, $3.99]

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The Lone Ranger: Snake of Iron #4

/ / Comics

lone-ranger-snake-of-iron-4-coverIn the final issue of The Lone Ranger: Snake of Iron the role of Lassie is played by Tonto‘s faithful horse Scout who leads the Lone Ranger and soldiers to the stalled train which has been seized by not one but two tribes of Indian warriors.

While waiting for the Masked Man, Tonto does what he can to stop the scared travelers on the train from making matters worse. Eventually he ventures out with the young Indian boy one of the tribes has come to collect in an attempt to stop further bloodshed.

Although Tonto is only partially successful in his attempt, it does buy him enough time for reinforcements to arrive including the unusual sighting of the female reporter on her camel that stops all fighting long enough to get the situation sorted out.

Although far from perfect, the mini-series has spotlighted Tonto’s honor and skill set when separated from the Lone Ranger and the final issue manages to wrap-up the various subplots without too much trouble. For fans.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Avengers #1

/ / Comics

avengers-marvel-now-1-coverWith the launch of Marvel Now!, Marvel Comics gives us yet another rebooting of the Avengers (which was last rebooted only two years ago). The initial team apparently was chosen solely for their big screen appearances, although the issue teases a much bigger (but perhaps not really more interesting) roster.

For our opening issue we’re given a team of Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, the Black Widow, Thor, and the Hulk, of which only Cap and old Shellhead really are given much to do. The threat involves a weird group of aliens terraforming the surface of Mars, led by what appears to be a Jack Kirby villain that even Dynamite Entertainment wouldn’t be interested in, who have now turned their attention to Earth.

First, let me say I hate, hate, hate the obvious amount of influence the Marvel Studios films have had on this title from the get-go. Not only are we stuck with the, somewhat limiting, movie team, but the comic even finds a way to put Captain America into something far closer in style to the character’s movie costumes than I’d like.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #16

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tmnt-16-coverPicking up where the last issue left off, our heroes in a half-shell fight off the mutated snapping turtle Slash, who has escaped from Stockton Laboratories and is performing the task which he was trained and programmed to do – hunt down and destroy the Turtles.

There’s plenty of action here as the fight with Slash takes most of the issue, while intercut with other stories involving Krang‘s displeasure with the Neutrinos in Dimension X and a worried Casey and April looking for their long overdue friends.

The conclusion of the issue leaves Leonardo with some heavy soul searching and Michelangelo loosing another friend to the Turtles’ dangerous lifestyle as well as a new team-up that could cause serious trouble for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when an injured Slash is found by their enemy Old Hob. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Masks #1

/ / Comics

masks-dynamite-1-coverDynamite Entertainment’s idea to combine as many of their characters together as possible in the crossover Masks is an interesting, albeit it odd, idea. The Shadow, The Green Hornet and Kato, and The Spider all work together to stop the rise of “The Justice Party,” a group of criminals who have wormed their way into office and are turning New York City into a fascist police state.

Over the course of the comic several other Dynamite properties will be introduced as well including Black Bat, Miss Fury, Black Terror, the Green Lama, and (perhaps most perplexing) Zorro. When you get to the point where you are forcing Zorro into a late 1930’s fascist alternate reality of New York you have to wonder why Dynamite stopped there and didn’t decide to throw in Robocop, Red Sonja, Vampirella, Army of Darkness, and John Carter as well.

Cliff Roberson, whose work I very much enjoyed on his his pair of Fables mini-series centered around Cinderella (Fables are Forever, From Fabletown with Love), makes the bizarre plot work – at least for an issue.

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