Comics

Daredevil Annual #1

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daredevil-annual-1-coverHonestly, I never read much of writer Alan Davis’ 1990’s series ClanDestine nor am I clear on why Marvel is giving Davis the opportunity to write the characters into a series of annuals including Daredevil Annual #1. All that said, even not really understanding the reasons and motivations for what is going on, Davis delivers an action-packed story.

Daredevil stumbles on some magical goings-on and starts tracking an escaped Plastoid haunted by the spirit of one of the members of ClanDestine. While on the hunt he comes across two other members of the clan (Cuckoo, Hex), each after the android for their own purposes, as well as Dr. Strange who gives the man without fear a helping hand with the level of mysticism Daredevil isn’t used to dealing with.

I’m not sure it’s worth $5 (in fact I’m pretty sure it’s not), but given the struggle of the last couple of issues of Daredevil it’s nice to see a different take on the character by a new writer. The highlight of the issue, at least for me, is the art of Mark Farmer who knows exactly how to draw the hero in action. For fans.

[Marvel, $4.99]

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Batman #12

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batman-new-52-12-coverBefore the DC reboot writer Scott Snyder was focused on telling an extremely good multi-issue arc in Detective Comics about Commisioner Gordon and his son James Jr. that only peripherally involved the Batman. With Night of the Owls officially done Snyder returns to this style of story giving us a Batman comic with very little of the Caped Crusader.

The protagonist for Batman #12 is a young woman named Harper Row and her brother Cullen who is constantly picked on and beaten up by local thugs for being gay. Harper works as a city electric engineer, through her job and winning a chance to attend a lavish Wayne Foundation event, finds her paths crossing with Bruce Wayne and Batman.

It may not be as good as Snyder’s pre-New 52 work, and it certainly drags in places with the sheer amount of Harper’s narration, but it’s refreshing to read something new after the prolonged Court of Owls arc. Whether meaning to or not Harper certainly reminds me of Carrie Kelly and from the final panels, despite Batman’s orders for her to stop trying to help him, I have a feeling we may see her again. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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It Girl and the Atomics #1

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it-girl-and-the-atomics-1-coverWith Madman and two of the Atomics off on an intergalactic music tour with Red Rocket 7, the safety of Snap City falls to an extremely bored It Girl who spends most of her time playing the video game “Dark Streets,” complaining about the lack of real criminals on the streets, and even allowing Dr. Flem to test out his latest experiment on her involving Electrical Transference.

The story also includes a plot thread showcasing a former villain (the Skunk) trying to go straight but having trouble convincing both It Girl and his old crew that he’s done with a life of crime following his recent parole.

I’ve never be an avid reader of writer Mike Allred’s Madman universe, but the first issue of this new series intrigued me and I decided to give it a shot. I’m glad I did.

The story isn’t as weird as some of the Madman arcs get. In fact, at least for the first issue it’s pretty straightforward, although what the exactly the fallout from Flem’s experiment is may well determine where the comic goes from here. Worth a look.

[Image, $2.99]

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The Lone Ranger #8

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The Lone Ranger #8As the Lone Ranger rides into Ute territory seeking help for his dying companion we see more of Tonto‘s past including the slaughter of tribe including his wife and child and the first steps on a journey that would lead him to abandon the life he knew and eventually ride alongside the Lone Ranger.

I’m not going to lie, this issue (even with the massacre) feels a little like filler as writer Ande Parks takes his time showcasing Tonto’s happy life before the massacre (which will no doubt be in drastic contrast to the Tonto we see in next issue).

Fans who have always wanted to see more Tonto are certainly getting their wish as the Ranger and Tonto’s current condition are barely mentioned in favor of more panels about the Indian’s past. But by next issue I’d expect to see more of the current storyline woven in involving more on the severity of Tonto’s injuries (otherwise why not simply release the story as a Tonto mini-series and forget the need to make it fit inside the ongoing title?). For fans.

[Dynamite, $3.99]

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Worlds’ Finest #4

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worlds-finest-new-52-4-coverThe latest issue of Worlds’ Finest picks up where last month’s left off as Power Girl and the Huntress continue to fight the nuclear energy monster, the Irradiated Man, off the coast of Tokyo. The pair manage to get the monster out of the city and into the harbor where all the have to worry about a jumbo oil-liner and hundreds of sailors.

Worlds’ Finest #4 isn’t a great end to the arc, but it moves pretty well and Kara and Helena do come up with an interesting way to finally stop the monster. Once again we get more flashbacks from the pair’s early days on the new Earth, but once again they seem to be mostly random, relatively unimportant daily events, without any real effort made to tie them into the main story.

In one of the running jokes of the character having her costume constantly torn (that somehow managed to survive the transition into the New 52) Power Girl, after getting lathered in oil, gets a ripped boob window, momentarily helping out that hideous costume. For fans.

[DC, $2.99]

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