3.5 Razors

House of Lies – Soldiers

  • Title: House of Lies – Soldiers
  • tv.com: link

House of Lies - Soldiers

The constant merry-go-round of the show’s Third Season continues as Monica (Dawn Olivieri) is fired for creating the hostile work environment that got her stabbed and Clyde (Ben Schwartz), trying to get in back in Marty’s (Don Cheadle) good graces and back with the old gang, looks to land a potentially huge client (Eliza Coupe) in a sexually promiscuous and potentially crazy former owner of huge website empire who also may just be his soul mate.

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Ms. Marvel #1

Ms. Marvel #1Ms. Marvel #1 introduces the character who will taking over the name for Marvel’s new Marvel NOW! campaign (not to be confused with Marvel’s old Marvel NOW! campaign also currently still happening). The first issue from writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona does a good job at introducing us to Muslim teenager Kamala Khan and her close circle of dysfunctional friends and family.

The comic also gives us the origins of Kamala’s new powers with the magic fog and hallucinatory visions which leave her with super-powers and Carol Danvers‘ old costume. Neither the fog nor her vision is remotely explained leaving the reasoning behind the gift a mystery. Since we don’t see the character in costume until the final panel it’s also unclear what power set the new Ms. Marvel has at her disposal.

As an introduction to Kamala Ms. Marvel #1 works but as an introction to the new Ms. Marvel it feels incomplete. Although we do Kamala in Danvers’ old costume (which she rightly prefers) given the promotional materials (and comic’s variant cover) we know it’s not the costume she keeps. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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Atlantis – Touched by the Gods (Part 1)

  • Title: Atlantis – Touched by the Gods (Part 1)
  • wiki: link

Atlantis - Touched by the Gods (Part 1)

The First Season comes to a close with the first-half of the season finale that finds King Minos (Alexander Siddig) near death, full power within Pasiphae‘s (Sarah Parish) grasp, and Jason‘s (Jack Donnelly) debt to Circe (Lucy Cohu) comes due. Struggling with killing the Queen of Atlantis, despite what he knows about her, Jason sneaks into the palace with the help of Pythagoras (Robert Emms) and Hercules (Mark Addy) but at the last moment is unable to go through with the assassination.

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Batman: Black and White #6

Batman: Black and White #6The final issue of the latest volume of Batman: Black and White is neither the strongest nor weakest of the six-issue mini-series. Although it lacks a stand-out story, three of the tales present Batman adventures from perspectives other than those of the Dark Knight Detective himself.

Cliff Chiang’s Clayface tale is presented from Dick Grayson‘s perspective in his early days as Robin before he had won over the GCPD. Olly Moss and Becky Cloonan take a look at Bruce Wayne out of the Batsuit from the perspective of former and current flings, and Dave Johnson offers a tale of a four-time loser’s various run-ins with the law and Batman.

The final two stories also have something in common as they present rather mean-spirited versions of beloved characters. Dave Taylor’s tale of robots and conspiracies isn’t half as fun as it sounds and features an extremely unlikable Alfred. Adam Hughes offers us a Catwoman tale that while somewhat plausable makes Catwoman to be one hell of a manipulative bitch whose actions definitely cross a line. Worth a look.

[DC, $4.99]

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Dead Boy Detectives #2

Dead Boy Detectives #2The second issue of the new series picks up with Crystal already beginning to regret her decision to attend St. Hilarions while being tortured by some of her classmates and continuing to investigate the two ghosts which led her here. And, despite her personal experiences that have taught her to remain isolated, Crystal manages to make a new friend.

Along with following Crystal’s early days in the twisted boarding school with the regular issues of trying to fit in, the second issue begins to fill in her backstory by revealing that the Dead Boy Detectives weren’t the first ghosts the young woman has seen and how a traumatic event from her past, as much as the mystery of the two boys, is driving her for answers.

Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine also are surprised to see how good Crystal is at snooping already uncovering more about their deaths in a few days than they two have found in years. Does this mean a proper team-up is in order? And just what hell will be unleashed once others discover their snooping? Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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