(Click title to go directly to the review)
SWORDS OF SORROW: MASQUERADE & KATO #1 One-shot
BATTLEWORLD: OLD MAN LOGAN #1
THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #3
ULTRON FOREVER: UNCANNY AVENGERS SPECIAL #1
SONIC UNIVERSE #76
ALL-NEW HAWKEYE #3
RAGNAROK #5
SECRET WAR BATTLEWORLD TRAVEL GUIDE
SWORDS OF SORROW: MASQUERADE & KATO #1 (One-shot)
Writer: G. Willow Wilson and Erica SchultzArt: Noah Salonga
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Reviewer: DrSumac
I avoid event books by Marvel and DC, but somehow, I find event stories published by independent companies more compelling. Swords of Sorrow feels like an extension of the Legends of Red Sonja series; which Gail Simone organized to showcase her favorite female writers. Now, instead of a miniseries featuring short stories, collectively authored by a handful of guest-writers, we as readers have the privilege of enjoying a miniseries by Gail alone, with other writers handling the tie-ins. The funny thing is: I've seen many people ask Gail if she would ever want to run an event like this. She’s always responded that it wasn't for her. Yet, here we are, and it's pretty damn cool.
For those that don't know, Swords of Sorrow is an event that brings all of the women of Dynamite together to team up against a greater menace. All of the women are given a sword of sorrow, made for them and forged for precisely this danger. They receive no guidance, assistance, or even information about who else is involved. The onus of winning the day is completely on them.
I chose to pick up the Masquerade and Kato volumes, due in no small part to G. Willow Wilson, who has earned my trust with her fantastic work on Ms Marvel. Additionally, Kato is one of the few characters in this event that I'm familiar with -- even though this character seems to be the daughter of the famous Kato from the Green Hornet. That said; I was pleased with what I found. This issue flowed seamlessly from Swords of Sorrow #1, as if Gail herself wrote it.
I fully believe that this is what an ideal event tie-in should be like. Rather than telling an irrelevant story with the feel of a blatant money-grab, this is a direct part of the story which happens to focus on a select few characters.
This comic features plenty of Kato and Black Beauty, but it also does a great job of showing off how cool Masquerade is. Wilson and Schultz seem to have taken this on with the understanding that the average member of their audience is probably somewhat unfamiliar with the characters. Wilson took the same approach with Marvel's A-Force, and it works just as well here. As this is a one-shot that chronologically occurs between the first and second issue, my hope is that Masquerade and Kato will play even more of a role in the main title, while the other characters are having other side adventures.
Masquerade and Kato does what tie-in comics should. The story is expanded-on in a meaningful way, while the audience is also familiarized with the characters involved. That in turn makes me more interested and excited to see what will come next. Ultimately, you can’t substitute any gimmick for good writing and characterization when it comes to drawing in loyal readers. Marvel and DC can learn a lot from this.
If you haven't picked up Swords of Sorrow because you aren't familiar with the characters involved, I would urge you to give it a shot. Their individual backgrounds and stories aren't as important to the story as their interactions with one another are. Check it out.
BATTLEWORLD: OLD MAN LOGAN #1
Writer: Brian Michael BendisArtist: Andrea Sorrentino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: The Kid Marvel
You’d think after the success of Mark Millar on the original title, that the SECRET WARS tie-in of OLD MAN LOGAN would pale in comparison to its predecessor. Well, it’s just so happens that this is far from the case and with the team of Bendis and Sorrentino, it’s possibly the best SECRET WARS tie-in thus far and one of the better books I’ve read for a while. The combination of Bendis and Sorrentino is spectacular and they mesh perfectly. I actual really, really hope these two team up again after the whole SECRET WARS event is over, because these two are an excellent team.
OLD MAN LOGAN 1 follows as basically a direct sequel from Millar’s original story, while still sticking to the structure and guidelines of SECRET WARS as a whole, streamlining the two smoothly and seamlessly. In this issue, it opens up with Logan in the process of freeing some slaves, which covers about half the book, with Bendis’ script being beautifully portrayed by Sarrentino’s trademark artwork. After the slaves have been freed, Logan returns home to find the skull or helmet of Ultron, or an Ultron 5 brushed up by a dust storm. This piece of Ultron peaks his curiosity and sets him off on a journey, eventually meeting Emma Frost and leading Logan to explore the rest of Battleworld.
Honestly, I can’t express how much I love the team of Bendis and Sarrentino. For the most part, I like the majority of Bendis’ work on titles, minus a few here and there. And every book with Sarrentino as the artist is a wonderful expression of art and storytelling, breaking up the monotony and generic structure or style, used on most comic series. Bendis doesn’t deviate from the tired, ronin Wolverine of Millar’s run, Bendis embraces it. He portrays the Logan most love and adore. The tired warrior, weighed down by a guilty past and weary of life, looking for redemption and trudging on like the solider he is. It’s a perfect homage to the spaghetti western and samurai tropes, without straying from the original structure of this particular character, but instead expanding upon it. Wolverine is a pacifist, who must unfortunately resort to the violence he left behind, in order not only to survive himself in this harsh world, but in order to keep true to the hero he was and still wishes to be. OLD MAN LOGAN helps the reader to really feel the characters struggle and become lost in the world, really in thanks to Sarrentino’s art which I should get into more detail.
For anyone who has read a book with Sarrentino as the artist, you know the uniqueness and the power his work brings to the table. If not, I highly recommend doing so right away. This guy’s art moves a story like no other. Sarrentino helps bring stories to life, mixing art with written special effects, while making each action scene more eventful than the last. The way he focuses on specific moments and angles, makes the issue feel like it’s an animated feature. This goes a long with the dark and violent elements of OLD MAN LOGAN, really diving into the grit and unforgiving atmosphere of the story. Sarrentino emphasis the animal Logan is, in ways that are rarely able to be portrayed by others. He does a wonderful job of turning the script of Bendis, into something wild. This is definitely a case of right writer, right artist and the right story, making OLD MAN LOGAN live up to its potential and then some.
Overall, this is by far one of my favorite books from SECRET WARS next to MASTER OF KUNG FU, with both series beautifully capturing the genres they explore. OLD MAN LOGAN is the perfect sequel to its predecessor and doesn’t deviate from the original run, only expanding and building upon it. Between the artwork and the way Logan’s character is embraced, it’s an amazing mix of a spaghetti western and comic hero. I’m extremely excited to see how the rest of the issues are handled and if it’s possible for them to get better. This is a must read from SECRET WARS.
THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #3
Writer: Roberto Aguirre-SacasaArtist: Robert Hack
Publisher: Archie Comics
Reviewer: Lyzard
Archie Comics has slowly been shedding its goody-two shoes, squeaky clean image for years. The Archie Horror off-shoot took that momentum, put it into overdrive, and has taken the Archie universe in directions I never thought possible. Wickedness has been seeping its way through CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, but it is with issue #3 that the darkness overflows.
As Sabrina’s sixteenth birthday approaches, on the most auspicious and witchy day fathomable, the blonde teen must prepare for her rite of passage. During the lunar eclipse of a blood moon on Samhain, Sabrina will undergo several trials before being welcomed by the Devil himself as a full-blown witch… you know, your typical sweet sixteen celebration. Puberty is scary enough, but Sabrina also has to deal with this creepy party (including the requisite weirdo relatives), a witch straight out of hell (redundantly named Madam Satan) beset on destroying Sabrina’s life, and a romance that truly is to die for.
Somehow writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is able to create such horror and yet still maintain a bit of that bubblegum charm associated with Sabrina. Aw, isn’t that sweet how she doesn’t wanna murder that poor, defenseless goat? This series is a bubblegum that’s got pop and full flavor. Even Harvey is more complexly characterized than the typical airhead, pushy jock stereotype with Sabrina’s cousin admitting that “he’s sweet and nice especially for a football player.” It is borderline parodic.
It would be parody, if it wasn’t for the wonderful art of Robert Hack, particularly his coloring. There is no need for magical happenstance in order to ruin what would otherwise be a perfectly innocent conversation between two love-sick teens. The orange hued background is just enough to create a mood of foreboding. The precisely timed use of a witch’s eyes turning red constantly reminds the reader that even an ordinary picnic is anything but. It is hard to laugh when an overwhelming sense of doom and gloom tighten the knots in your stomach.
The CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #3 is what happens when Sabrina meets Dario Argento. This is what I want from the ill-advised remake of THE CRAFT. This is how you scar someone’s childhood and yet leave them begging for more.
Lyzard is Lyz Reblin, a graduate student at the University of Texas pursuing a master's degree in Media Studies... which is just a fancy way of saying she plays a lot video games, watches far too many horror films, and then tries to pass it all off as "research."
ULTRON FOREVER: UNCANNY AVENGERS Special #1
Writer: Al EwingArtist: Alan Davis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Masked Man
Marvel's pre-summer of Ultron comes to a close now with the final issue of ULTRON FOREVER. Which also gave us another chance to see Alan Davis (and his long time inker partner Mark Farmer) draw the Avengers. That alone is almost worth the cover price.
If I have one complaint about this three issue mini-series, it's on Marvel's marketing department. For not haven't this published as ULTRON FOREVER #1-3, instead doing ULTRON FOREVER: AVENGERS #1, ULTRON FOREVER: NEW AVENGERS #1 and ULTRON FOREVER: UNCANNY AVENGERS #1, seriously, wtf?! It's like how they published NO END IN SIGHT last summer, titling each issue UNCANNY X-MEN SPECIAL #1, NOVA SPECIAL #1, IRON MAN SPECIAL #1. I really hope this hurt sales, if not- can you see where is going? There will no longer ever be an issue #2 of anything! Each month comic book shops will have 150 brand new #1 issues! Now if this does happen, it's the customer's fault- so try buying a few #2 issues people! Stop creating crappy treads for marketing departments to try and exploit!
Ok, back to the comic itself. As I reviewed earlier, this story is almost a riff on Brian Michael Bendis' The Heroic Age THE AVENGERS #1-6 (guess which one is loaded with decompression writing). BMB had Kang ask the Avengers' help, to save the future from Ultron- only to double cross them. Here, Ewing uses Dr. Doom (asking the Avengers' help, to save the future from Ultron- only to double cross them). Crazy right. Well to mix it up, Ewing pulls in different Avengers, from different timelines- and our Dr. Doom has a big secret as well.
To get into the spoilers, in this final issue, Ultron has been defeated and Dr. Doom lays claim to the Earth. Sending an army of ultron/doombots to finish off the Avengers. Luckily James Rhodes does his best Tony Stark (making me think Ewing forgot who was in the suit) to free the host of imprisoned Asgardians (and more). As the ensuing battle of epic proportions takes place, the Vision reveals why he trusted Dr. Doom in the first place (skip if you don't want to know), turns out Dr. Doom is dead and the Doombot for AVENGERS A.I. has taken his place. Armed with this knowledge and the belief and trust, that once an Avenger, always an Avenger, the day is saved.
So a rather satisfying romp into the future with Doom, the Avengers and Ultron. There were times when I wondered how Ewing was going to wrap this up in one final issue. Which usually means the writer can't and it ends in a mess- but not here. Ewing managed great action (totally helped by Alan Davis' great art) and great character in this final issue. Using the humanity of the characters in a convincing way to bring the story to a conclusion. And I for one hate the is the android a human or not stories, but this one was done so succinctly (with no B$ hand wringing) that I enjoyed it.
So for some solid superhero fun ULTRON FOREVER delivers. It scores a high GOOD, on the Masked Man's scale of Crap, Poor, Decent, Good and Great scale.
SONIC UNIVERSE #76
Writer: Ian Flynn and Bill FreibergerArt: Dan Schloening and Jonathon H Gray
Publisher: Archie Comics
Reviewer: DrSumac
Here is where I admit that I am a big fan of classic video games, with Megaman and other Capcom games amongst the list of my favorites. Sonic the Hedgehog is pretty cool too. That said such comics seem to obviously appeal to children rather than someone like myself that actually played the games they reference. It must be a difficult thing to balance as far as who to market them to since many of the characters haven't been featured in a video game for years.
However Archie roped me into finally checking them out with none other than the very part of the comics industry that I hate the most; event comics. Yes Archie had promised not just a cross over with Sonic the Hedgehog, Megaman, and Megaman X, but also with many other beloved video games from both Sega and Capcom. Street Fighter, Breath of fire, Viewtiful Joe, Golden Axe, Ghost 'n Goblins, Okami, Skies of Arcadia, Panzer Dragoon, Monster Hunter, and more are all promised to be included eventually. I have to admit that such an event is pretty ballsy, although there are less issues in this event than there are games represented. That makes me wonder how much the characters from these other games will actually impact the story, particularly since Sonic and Megaman are clearly still the stars of the show here. Then again there is a slim chance that if this works for Archie some of those other characters may get their own comic as well and that could be very cool.
While I've never read one of these comics before it's clear that a lot of work has been put into them. It may be popular to make children's media fun and episodic, but Sonic and Megaman clearly have an ongoing story that have touched on some dark themes. For instance Sonic's world has literally been blown to bits that the hedgehog hopes to piece back together. Meanwhile Megaman's nemesis Dr Wily has supposedly died. This comic actually made me interested in checking out those other stories, but Archie's constant ads for them that felt like they appeared on just about every other page put a bad taste in my mouth.
For those that are curious; the living computer virus Sigma has gained control over the genesis portals, which allow him to traverse time and space at will. He used this power to escape capture from Megaman X and possess one of the robotic henchmen of Dr Eggman, who was hiding from Sonic. Sigma then made Eggman build him a new body as well as equipment for his minions. Eggman complained and Sigma responded by pulling Dr Wily through a Genesis Portal to help. Wily and Eggman then teamed up to make a plan that would help them overcome both Sigma and their classic foes. Megaman and Sonic were subsequently captured in order to be transformed into their new minions.
My guess is that Megaman and Sonic's friends will be unable to rescue them on their own, which will prompt them to seek allies through the Genesis portals. It's a story that could be very cool, but it's honestly too soon to tell at this point. I'm curious enough to check out the next issue and may read others if characters from my favorite games appear, but I'm not completely sold yet. However if you're a fan of any of the games represented in these comics I would say that it's worth checking this out to see if it's for you.
ALL-NEW HAWKEYE #3
Writer: Jeff LemireArtist: Ramon Perez
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Humphrey Lee
I’ve come here before and somewhat lamented the “death of the stand alone run,” or basically the idea of characters that, whether it be their “popularity tier” or the creative team actually (and rarely) having enough pull for their run to be left untouched by the rest of the publishing line happenings. Mainly the concern is that all the interference that can insert itself just infringes on the creative process and what a team is trying to do what that particular character or team of them. They just lack room to breathe is the worry. And it is not even limited to just “Event” interference but a lack of extended runs in general these days for whatever reason beyond this; incessant editorial issues or the property being hijacked for movie or television show alignment or whatever. Regardless, it’s these long, sustained drives that make a character what they are and can really advance them beyond certain preconceptions about the characters and what they may have been forty years ago when they were conceived or what their limited screen time as second tier team member may have relegated them to role wise.
Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, is simultaneously a character that has extremely benefitted from his share of the limelight in team books and then got an even better bump recently when – thanks to movie hype getting everyone books – he got his own solo book that wasn’t just a mini/maxi-series (or shortly cancelled) in his history. And it was/is a great run, full of high-end stylistic action and redefining the Archer’s attitude and grit. It is also still running because, seriously, what the fuck??? How is that last issue not out yet??? But, anyway, we’re here with an “All-New” rendition of a character that got somewhat of a new lease on life after being brought back to life after one of the most unceremonious deaths in comic books.
The heart is still there, that is the main item and biggest compliment I can pay toward this new Lemire/Perez run. That is what truly defined what Matt Fraction and his cohorts were doing with the most accurate of Avengers the past couple of years. What we’ve really come to see out of Clint Barton in that span is that he really is kind of just a doofy guy who does doofy things but has a big heart and just wants to help and protect people and doesn’t care if he takes a severe beating in the process. He’ll just get back up and do it again. That was the key to those two-dozen issues and it mostly remains here in these three issues so far. But there’s a little trepidatious-ness to his actions now, most likely from the fallout of his last series where his always willing help ended up with him deaf, his brother dead (?) and who know what else since, well, y’know (seriously, how this long?!?) The backup key – y’know the one you hide in the same fake rock that everyone else does thinking you’re clever and safe - to that and this book is generous helpings of Kate Bishop, a.k.a. “That Young Girl Hawkeye.”
As much as the now much referenced HAWKEYE book was a new view for the first Hawkeye, it was a coming out party for his “legacy” version. She’s a spitfire ball of cockiness, sarcasm, and insecurity, and she is every much the star of this book as Hawkguy is and, like that previous volume, it is to the book’s benefit. Clint worked so well over the years as an Avenger – Old to New to West Coast and back - and then leader of the Thunderbolts because of how much he imbued heart into those teams and titles. He was the criminal trying to make right and then live up to Captain America’s expectations. Now you have Kate filling in that role because you can tell those events with his brother and whatever is yet to revealed in that series finale have taken a little bit of a toll on good old Clint and it rears its head a couple of times so far in this new volume.
That’s where we are with this current incarnation of this dynamic yet slightly dysfunctional duo, and it works. Clint, the once brash and headstrong hero is not quite either of those anymore and it’s up to some youth power to drag him out of it, especially now that there are some young’uns in the mix. There are two main threads at play now in this run and the main one are some mutated children that Clint and Kate rescued from Hydra but will apparently receive the same fate with SHIELD – that of being weapons when their latent abilities are developed – as they would have if they stayed captured. This is where you can see how semi-broken Clint is because the break out that happens in this issue to get them away from SHIELD would have been a no brainer charge for Clint in the past, but here it actually takes a little bit of nudging from Kate to get him to bear responsibility for them. This is all a part of the psychological fallout that seems to be part of the new tone, especially since about a third of these issues so far have been flashbacks to when Clint and his brother, Barney, ran away from home and joined themselves a circus. These flashbacks though, while serving a proper purpose to emphasize Clint’s inner turmoil, are also kind of holding the book back.
What I mean by that is that there is definitely still an almost fidgety energy in play here as in the previous volume, which combined with Clint’s general aloofness to the events surrounding him, makes for an amusing dichotomy. Fraction then took this to the next level in the last volume by having his main antagonists be the most ridiculous of gangs possible in basically being viciously dimwitted Dudebros. But that energy basically gets cut off at the knees here every fifth panel as it becomes a run down memory lane that does somewhat interferes with the pacing or ends up being superfluous because Lemire and Perez are already doing a good job in the main story cueing up Clint’s kind of sad sackness just from visual nods like his constant frowning or the occasional slumped shoulders and then dialogue catches like the hesitation in his word balloons. Basically, I don’t feel enough of the main plot is developing in order to have these flashback moments that, while understood in their existence, could probably have been better served being their own stand-alone issue. Things would pace out better just letting these emotions play out in the present more with those cues while also letting the kids become more of a focused storyline and saving all this “Remembering Barney” stuff for its own dedicated issue, like an oversized Annual or what have you.
Regardless, this new creative run definitely has a firm grasp on what was making the previous book such a hit so far, but it could also use a little ramping up. The essence of what makes Clint and Kate such an interesting set of characters both together in action and separately in their own heads is definitely present. It does not quite have that manic energy though that just crackled through the last volume. The banter is there and there’s just enough attitude, but it does not have those breakneck action sequences or overall ridiculousness that was hallmark to that HAWKEYE book and that kind of diminishes it a bit. I know Clint is himself a little diminished right now and that’s fine – it’s great even because it plays an emotional level you’d never really expect out of a character that has mostly been a “second fiddle” team character combined with a special power of “shoots really well” – but you’ve got to do a little better on the adrenaline side beyond punching henchmen really well. Overall, there’s a lot to like here in this All-New incarnation of HAWKEYE(S) but there’s still levels of action and emotional content to reach for and elevated to, which may or may not be fair considering the standards set by its predecessor. Hopefully, though, it continues to live down to the standards of timeliness set by its forebear.
Humphrey Lee has been an avid comic book reader going on fifteen years now and a contributor to Ain't It Cool comics for quite a few as well. In fact, reading comics is about all he does in his free time and where all the money from his day job wages goes to - funding his comic book habit so he can talk about them to you, our loyal readers (lucky you). He's a bit of a social networking whore, so you can find him all over the Interwebs on sites like Twitter, Facebookand a blog where he also mostly talks about comics with his free time because he hasn't the slightest semblance of a life. Sad but true, and he gladly encourages you to add, read, and comment as you will.
RAGNAROK #5
Writer/Artist: Walter SimonsonPublisher: IDW Publishing
Reviewer: Masked Man
Other-wise known as the further adventures of The Mighty Thor. You just know some clever bloke at IDW called up Walter Simonson and said, “You know, you don't have to work for Marvel to write stories about Thor.”
Simonson's drawing pen is such an awesome tool for epic storytelling. On some level I'd like to see him work with Grant Morrison. The cosmic, supergod, bad@$$ry they could create together would be awesome to see indeed- but I digress. This series and this issue, just continues to be a superior comic book adventure.
To go over the story, Ragnarok has taken place- devastating the world and the greater Norse universe. Amidst the ruin, Thor (or what's left of him) has come back to life. And so begins his quest to figure out what the hell happened, and is there any way to fix it. This issue, (spoilers)Thor gets a better grip on what has happened, visiting what's left of Mimir's Well and Mimir himself. Plus the evil fire giant Surtr (just introduced) gets an inkling that after centuries something seems to be a foot in this dead universe. Meanwhile, the husband and daughter of the dark elf killed by Thor, mirrors his quest, as they continue to search for their missing wife/mother.
For the most part you can't go wrong with this book- especially if you are a Thor and/or mythology fan. As always Simonson is bring the goods- in writing and drawing. Laura Martin does a fine job of coloring as well. Though, as in my earlier review, the one problem with the story is the dreaded- decompression! Simonson just takes sooo loooong to have things happen. I imagine, it will read much better in trade back. Still, the decompression gets the story mighty close to boring, since the plot itself is just a simple quest from A to B. Mind you, when Simonson gets to the moments of importance, they are quite good. The interesting wrinkle in the story is the dark elves. So far this is the one element that can save RAGNAROK from being just a simple quest tale. But so far Simonson just isn't doing anything with 'em- which is odd since the first issue was devoted to 'em.
I'm inclined to believe IDW gave Walter Simonson too much of a blank check- to do want he wants. Where a good editor could have helped him make the story tighter and get him to beef up interesting plot devises, like the dark elves. Which would make the story flow better and prevent it from being too basic. So as I like to say, RAGNAROK isn't on its way to win an Eisner Award, but that not stopping it from being a worthwhile book either.
THE BATTLEWORLD TRAVEL GUIDE
OrA GANGSTER PARADISE, SURPRISINGLY
Tour guide: Henry Higgins is My Homeboy
Previously, on Secret Wars... way too much shit to explain in a recap paragraph.
WHERE MONSTERS DWELL #1 (Garth Ennis & Russ Braun)Captain Karl Kaufman (who is a talented asshat) and Clementine Franklin-Cox (who is adorable and also good with a machine gun) were last sighted entering the Valley of Flame in a goddamn WW1 fighter. Valley of Flame is just full of dinosaurs, by the way. That's why we know how good Clementine is with a gun. In related news, this book is delightful.
INFERNO #1 (Dennis Hopeless & Javier Garron)In the late 80's world of INFERNO, everything is so goddamn late 80's. So, Colossus got one of his arms magicked into a gnarled root thing, and when he goes on cop patrol, beating up Omega Reds and shit, he wears a spiked mace over it. This world is so metal, Wiccan has a fucking beard. This world also features the first reappearance of the floating yellow wheelchair from the X-Men cartoon, and I know how hard everyone's been missing that. Plus, I think Hopeless is trying to make us think Arnold Schwarzenegger is playing Colossus in this.
INHUMANS: ATTILAN RISING #1 (Charles Soule & John Timms)As we venture into the world of Attilan, we find another attempt to make the Inhumans even remotely interesting. This one opens on 1920's gangster Ghost Rider leading a branch of the resistance into Greenland, which is a step in the right direction. In this world that's also sort of 616 but also sort of Ultimate universe but also sort of confusing, Medussa is Queen of NYC and Black Bolt runs a speakeasy. This book is not what I was expecting. Also, turns out Black Bolt looks amazing in a suit. I was also not expecting that.
INFINITY GAUNTLET #1 (Gerry Duggan & Dustin Weaver)So, it turns out living through the Annihilation Wave is a lot like Last of Us, but with giant space bugs instead of mushroom zombies. If bugs are a problem for you, stay out of Infinity Gauntlet world, seriously, you would hate it. It is dark as shit. Like, Nova corpses full of baby spiders, like a little terror piñata. But our precocious teen protagonist Anwen is fun, and the new Nova looks awesome.
2099 #1 (Peter David & Will Sliney)In a world where the 90's never ended, we're introduced to a tweaked version of 2099, Marvel's most hysterical attempts. They even say "Shock" still. Hercules is a creeper, which I'm not comfortable with, but Peter David makes it up to us by having Peter Dinklage play 2099 Iron Man. if Punisher 2099 shows up with his torture basement, I will buy eighteen copies of this series out of abject joy.
OLD MAN LOGAN #1 (Brian Michael Bendis & Andrea Sorrentio)This world is preeeeeeetty. I mean, it's absolutely brutal and opens with Clint Eastwood Wolverine ripping a couple of gangsters to pieces, and the world is in ruins and built on the bones of all your childhood heroes, but seriously though. This book is pretty. It makes all the scenes where the crazy Punisher army shows up and murders a city so artistic. Brutal, but pretty. Also, I think I spotted the Venom T-Rex, and I would just love it if he showed back up.
SECRET WARS JOURNAL #1 (Pru Shen & Ramon Bachs/Matthew Rosenberg & Pizzari)It's two short stories, so I'll try to be concise.
In 1602 world, Kate Bishop is Hawkeye and she steals stuff from the Cathedral of Doom but gets caught by Sheriff Punisher and sent to The Wall. Also, I love that they just straight call it The Wall.
In Egyptia, the X-Men are slaves and on the run but then they run into Moon Knight and then werewolves happen because Khonshu the God of the night is fucking hardcore.
THIS WEEK'S BATLEWORLD TRAVEL TIP!
Did you know, roughly 18% of Battleworld's population is composed of nameless mooks and insignificant gangsters? Always be on the lookout - you might just be sitting on an infestation right now and not even know it! It is, however, much, much much much much much much more preferable to Annihilation bugs, who will use your still beating heart as a condom.
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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