Comics

Winter Soldier #3

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winter-soldier-3-coverThe latest issue of Winter Soldier might not feature a machine gun totting gorilla with a jetpack, but after spending the first two issues with a lot of set-up we’re finally starting to get to the good stuff.

The pacing of this issue is much better as Bucky and the Black Widow try to hunt down the Soviet soldiers he helped train during his brainwashed dash as the Winter Soldier. They also have to try and and convince a super-villain that he’s about to be framed and he needs their help. That’s not the easiest thing to do when his name is Victor von Doom.

There’s quite a bit of humor here to go along with the action including Lucia Von Bardas playing with her Doombot and Bucky learning that breaking into the Latverian embassy might not have been the best way to convince Doctor Doom that he’s there to help.

It looks like three issues in things are finally starting to pick up. Let’s hope it continues. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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The Lone Ranger #3

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lone-ranger-vol-2-3-coverWhere the first two issues had focused primarily on Westerners in need of the Lone Ranger’s help, issue #3 puts the masked man and his Indian companion center stage.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are approached by the United States Government to help track down a vicious gang of railroad robbers. The Ranger reluctantly takes the job, and he and Tonto are able to find the gang with relative ease.

However, their victory is short lived as they discover the thieves have the protection of a local sheriff and an entire town. The comic ends with Tonto gut-shot and bleeding out in the desert and our hero about to have a noose placed around his neck.

The pacing here is much better than in the first couple of issues and, despite the unnecessary use of flashbacks, it works very well by delivering the series’ best issue to date. I’ve also got to throw a shout out to Francesco Francavilla for a very cool cover. Worth a look.

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Fairest #1

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fairest-1-cover

The new series from writer Bill Willingham, artist Phil Jimenez, and with covers by Adam Hughes, explores the secret histories of Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, the Snow Queen, Thumbelina, Snow White, Rose Red and others. The first issue centers around Ali Baba and a bottle imp named Jonah Panghammer (think genie, without the wishes).

We see the meeting of Ali Baba and his over-talkative imaginary friend and then quite a bit of running as the thief tries not to be mauled to death by a monster while his new friend prattles on about himself. Once safe, the imp tells him of a way for the thief to find the riches he so deserves. His new master jumps at the chance, even if that means sneaking through a goblin camp to kiss a sleeping princess and win himself a kingdom.

Fans of the Fables series should enjoy themselves here. The writing is quick-witted and Jimenez’s art looks terrific. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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Justice League International #7

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jli-new-52-7-coverJust moments after being announced as the United Nations official super-hero task force everything goes to hell when the ceremony is shocked by an explosion that leaves several of the JLI injured, and one member dead.

The Joss Whedon-esque move to pull the rug right out from under the team in its first moment of glory, not to mention killing off a main character, isn’t a bad one although pieces of the story don’t work as well as I’d like. Neither the dialogue of a mournful father not the reaction of the U.N. Security Chief feel natural.

The team’s response to the attack, the severe injuries to Ice and Vixen, and the death of Gavril Ivanovich (a character I had grown to like during Justice League: Generation Lost and who deserved a far better fate than he receives here) aren’t nearly as hamfisted.

We also get a surprise appearance by Batwing. Although I think he fits well with the make-up of the team, I am a little saddened by the prospect of him as a replacement for Batman. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Moon Knight #10

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moon-knight-10-coverWith only a couple issues left before the cancellation of the series (Moon Knight #12 will be final issue) writer Brian Michael Bendis doesn’t hold back in giving us the death of a supporting character (and perhaps the death of any happiness Marc Spector might find out of his costume) and Moon Knight locked up in a hospital ward trying to make sense of the fallout with his battle with Count Nefaria.

Although Echo might be gone, a decision I’m decidedly against, Bendis does introduce a new character into the equation as Nefaria’s daughter Madame Masque is brought in to retrieve the Ultron head.

Given recent events, the humor regularly associated with this comic is placed on hold. Instead we get a couple of graphic panels including Madame Masque blowing people away and Echo’s dead body on a coroner’s slab during her autopsy.

This isn’t the best issue of the series by any means, but it’s definitely still worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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