Comics

Snake Eyes #8

/ / Comics

snake-eyes-8-coverDeep inside Rodrigo Vargas‘ Albanian compound, Snake Eyes just needs to keep Duke alive long enough for the scientists to find a cure for the Madness Bug. Of course the fact that they’re surrounded by two legions of Cobra Vipers and only back-up Snake Eyes has to rely on is Kwinn and a rapidly deteriorating Duke makes things a little more interesting.

The final issue of Madness Bug storyline leaves us with one less potential Cobra Commander candidate and one hell of a body count. Seriously folks, this one gets bloody. Snake Eyes, Duke, and Kwinn waste neither time nor ammunition in mowing down dozens of Cobra troops whose bodies litter the halls of the underground laboratory.

Eventually too far outnumbered the trio resort to a little trickery to make it out alive, and get Duke back home to recuperate once a cure has been discovered. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #14

/ / Comics

all-new-batman-brave-and-bold-14-coverWell, they can’t all be winners. The latest issue of The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold isn’t horrible, but for a comic that’s been consistently entertaining for months a story centered around Ragman and the true meaning of Chanukah is a bit of a misstep.

After helping Blue Beetle take down Crazy Quilt, the Rainbow Raider and Doctor Spectro, Batman heads further into the rougher part of town and helps Ragman stop a plot by a big real estate conglomerate to scare and force the poor out of their homes and buy the property cheap.

Along the way we get a lesson in the true meaning of Chanukah and Ragman’s heart grows three sizes (wait, that last part may be from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas).

I know the title is geared towards younger readers, and this is a holiday issue, but it has done a pretty good job not talking down to them and spoon feeding them issues (religious or otherwise), which we get more than our fill of here. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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Stormwatch #4

/ / Comics

stormwatch-4-coverThe first story arc for the New 52 version of Stormwatch comes to an end as the Midnighter and Apollo are all that stand in the the way of the giant alien creature who has absorbed their other teammates.

Although there’s plenty of action here, the writing by Paul Cornell struggles at times. We get more of Jack Hawksmoor literally talking to cities, the complete uselessness of Adam One, the lack of appearances of any other DC character with a threat this huge and public, and some very unsubtle stirrings between Midnighter and Apollo.

One of these issues might be taken care of in next month’s issue as the Shadow Cabinet puts the team leader on trial for his failures, but the rest really need to be addressed if the comic is going to ever grow into anything more than a curiosity.

When introduced this Stormwatch appeared to be a group that would take on shadowy threats far more covertly than we’ve seen so far. That might work. Fighting giant aliens very, very publicly (while keeping it hidden from the rest of the DCU) is far more problematic. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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Voltron #1

/ / Comics

voltron-1-coverSave me from re-imagined versions of classic characters. I don’t know what exactly I was hoping from Dynamite Entertainment’s new Voltron, but I guess having it make sense, have at least an once of joy, and not screw up the franchise was simply too much to ask.

In the original cartoon five pilots each fly a giant robot lion. The cartoon is set in undetermined future around the planet Arus which must be defended by evil King Zarkon (from planet Doom). When in dire straits the five lions could be joined to form the universe’s greatest weapon – Voltron.

The new version turns the plucky team into commandos (lacking any of the goofy humor from the cartoon), places them on Earth, in the year 2124, makes Zarkov an Earth scientist who may (or may not) have been involved in the creation of Voltron, and allows Voltron to fight the giant monster of the week without any of the team members actually being inside the robot.

Although Voltron looks pretty cool, the rest of the art by Ariel Padilla is mostly forgettable. The entire project comes off like bad fan fiction with way too much money behind it. Pass.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Moon Knight #8

/ / Comics

moon-knight-8-coverWith Count Nefaria now exposed as the kingpin of Los Angeles, and Snapdragon now in police custody, Moon Knight and Echo continue their partnership by attacking several of Nefaria’s illegal ventures and businesses.

Moon Knight’s team becomes a little more realized here as Echo meets Buck and signs up for more action, and Moon Knight enlists the help of a reluctant Los Angeles police detective who is stymied by his captain when he offers up evidence of Nefaria’s illegal activities on a silver platter.

Moon Knight and Echo’s dialogue is the highlight of the issue, but there are some other moments worth mention including Marc Spector’s surreal conversation with his assistant why the werewolves in his TV-show can’t look more real, and Detective Hall’s immediate reluctance to help a vigilante. Best of the week.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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