Biff Bam Pow Comics

You know what? Before you say it - yes, this is a kid’s book. But you know what else? I really don’t care! When you have artwork as good as Mike Kunkel’s - you’re on to a winner from the start…!

I’m not going to spoil this book too much, as I’m going to make this a mini review, but before giving you my verdict - you should know three main things.

***MINOR SPOILER ALERT***

1. Mary Marvel couldn’t have turned evil if she’d been written and drawn by Mike Kunkel.
2. Captain Marvel feels like a cross between Superman and the Blue Beetle (and it works brilliantly).
3. Black Adam could (potentially) be more evil than ever before…

Pick it up - you’ll end up enjoying it more than you think.

Pete’s Score: 4 out of 5
(buy something for the kid in you, or for a kid around you)

Well, it’s no secret that I’ve been loving this series so far. And happily - this issue hasn’t changed my opinion at all - it’s still a thoroughly good read. But what makes issue four stand out from the others?

***SPOILER ALERT***

Off the back of issue 3’s cliffhanger ending (of sorts), Terry has worked his magic in opening by showing one of the most detailled (and disturbing) crime scenes I can remember. I spent a good 5 minutes just looking at the subtle details within the main page (when you see it - you’ll know which one I mean), completely blown away by just how breathtaking it was.

Those who have been reading Echo will have noticed that Terry has slowly been feeding a few snippets of Dillion into the book over the past few issues. Dillion Murphy appeared to be a seemingly insignificant but interesting character, but in issue four, we learn that he is in fact very much linked to the events unfolding around Julie - being the boyfriend of Annie - who was the person wearing Echo in the first issue…

A lot more goes on in this book - but if I carried on typing - I’d be spoiling it for you. Pick this book up - it’s a good introduction to the series, and a damn good read.

Pete’s Score: 4 out of 5
(buy it - it’ll be worthwhile)

You know you have a good book in your hands, when you’re left completely speechless.

If you haven’t read Garth Ennis’ The Boys before - you’re in for a pretty huge surprise. On the offchance that you don’t know the premise - in a nutshell The Boys are a CIA backed ‘hit squad’, there to clean up the problems when super powered humans go astray. And as you might expect - that happens a little more often than you’d think. More often than the superhero community would like to admit.

***SPOILER ALERT***

This issue is part two of the ‘I tell you no lie, G.I.’ storyline, which usually means a book completely wrapped up in its own storyline and self worth, focusing purely on its core readers. But with issue 20 of The Boys - the fact that this is midway through a multiple part story makes no difference whatsover, as Ennis writes a brilliant book that could easily be a standalone story of its own, or the perfect introduction to the series.

I’m pretty hesitant to go into too much detail about why Garth Ennis and Derick Robertson have such a winner on their hands - not because I can’t do it justice - but rather that something this good just shouldn’t be spoiled.

Pete’s Score: 5 out of 5
(truly - this is a shining example of a full marks comic - great from start to finish, leaving you wanting more)

So here was a nice surprise.

I’m a pretty hefty Green Lantern fan. I used to read my brother’s Hal Jordan comics, and when I was old enough to get my own, I was picking up the post-Emerald Twilight stories, which meant that…

Kyle Rayner was, and always will be, my GL.

Sadly, the recent Ion mini-series left more than a little to be desired, and coupled with Countdown to Final Crisis - Kyle fans have pretty much been swearing at the DC offices for some time. But how does Peter J Tomasi deal with Kyle, and the multiple other GLs within Green Lantern Corps?

***SPOILER ALERT***

Brilliantly.

Peter J Tomasi’s words and Patrick Gleason’s artwork truly give me hope for the DCU. Right from the opening sequence (multiple GLs attacking the mother Black Mercy), to the closing cliffhanger confrontation with Mongul, you’re in for a wild ride. Each character is executed to the fullest, staying true to stories and plots that have gone before (such as Ion recounting a story from his childhood of xenophobia) while still creating wonderous new depths.

Truly - a diamond within the rough. It begs the question though - why isn’t DC pushing this book more?

So we’ve hit the halfway point with Secret Invasion. But is it still the roller-coaster ride of previous months? Or is it starting to peter out a little?

***HEFTY SPOILER ALERT***

As you might expect after the cliffhanger ending of issue three (Nick Fury’s entrance / Spider-Woman messing with Iron Man’s mind) - the action picks up almost immediately, taking a quick moment out to link in some moments from the tie in books (The Sentry fleeing earth, Ms Marvel leaving a Skrull in space, Agent Brand in earth’s atmosphere, etc), before throwing us into the heat of the battle in Times Square.

Nick’s Commandos start kicking some ass and taking some names, and Phobos helps turn the tide of battle by turning the Skrulls against themselves. Not before Nick Fury blasts Ms Marvel into Skrull territory however.

Back in the Savage Land, Tony is still on the receiving end of Jessica Drew’s mind-games, which are doing their job in making him believe that he could be a Skrull. The Black Widow provides a timely intervention in the shape of an injection of adrenaline, but Spider-Woman appears to escape…

Over in Times Square, a flash of lightening can be seen, and from the heavens the outline of Thor descends - all watched by Captain America from a distance… But which Captain America?

Happily - Bendis and Yu show no signs of letting up with Secret Invasion, once again delivering a golden example of good storytelling and excellent artwork. Every month that goes by is a testament to the sheer brilliance of this double-act, which I hope (perhaps vainly) will continue far beyond this series.

On a slight downer - I couldn’t help but think that maybe it was time for the battle to change location. People are still fighting in Times Square and the Savage Land, and although this is only a few hours (or probably less) for everyone involved - its been nearly four months for us…

Pete’s Score: 4 out of 5
(ongoing battle or no - still an excellent comic - recommended) 

Well, it’s nice to say that issue thirty of She-Hulk continues the pace from book twenty-nine (which fans were crying out for), but has Peter David finally found his feet in telling Jennifer-She-Hulk tales?

Short answer - probably not. Slightly longer answer - good lord I hope not.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Although this book is a fun read (Jennifer ending up in bed with Hercules, then booting him out with his trousers around his ankles did make me smile), it’s still not up to the standard of Dan Slott’s run. Yes, I know I probably should be cutting Peter a little more slack than I am at the moment, yes, I know he did define much of Hulk history, and yes, I know all about how Dan has a different writing style.

And yes - I do know that Dan’s latest work has put him on my ‘kick in the balls’ list.

But you know what - this is a good comic book, but it isn’t Dan Slott She-Hulk good. Peter seems to have forgotten how to write anything above ‘good’ or ‘passable’ Jennifer stories. And although this issue does fall into the ‘good’ box - I’m still not feeling it as a series so far.

So, by the skin of its teeth (because of the ending, and the nice Herc cameo), She-Hulk issue 30 scrapes a score of…

Pete’s Score: 4 out of 5
(pick it up and give it a go - then let me know what you thought)

So I thought I’d give something completely different a go. A style of comic that I wouldn’t normally go for, from a publisher I’ve heard of (Dabel Brothers Publishing) but never picked up before. And so, I began to read Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein issue 2…

And… I really didn’t feel it.

Brett Booth’s artwork reminded me of a grittier time, harking me back to the early days of Top Cow / Image Comics, stirring up happy feelings over Witchblade and numerous other titles. All good stuff - but nothing whatsoever to do with this comic. Skipping though Chuck Dixon’s perfectly adequate adaptation of Dean Koontz and Kevin J. Anderson’s work - I couldn’t help but feel a little Final Crisis-itis coming on.

Yes, that’s right - its mismatched artist / writer combination time again.

Script = good stuff.

Artwork = good stuff.

Two mixed together = mush.

Now if you took Chuck’s script, and added Ben Stenbeck’s artwork - then you’d be getting my cash next month. But as it currently stands… This is probably my first and last issue of Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein.

Pete’s Score: 3 out of 5
(adequate - but not enough to make me come back for more)

Before I start, just so you know, I had to show off the brilliant Charlie Adlard wraparound cover in its entirety, rather than cutting it in half. The chilling picture of Carl surrounded by a horde of oncoming zombies was just crying out to be seen.

But anyway, I digress. On with issue 50…

***SPOILER ALERT***

So at the end of issue 49, Rick had passed out, leaving Carl alone in an abandoned house, having to fend for himself. Issue 50 picks up the beat immediately, and leaves the reader in a place he / she has never been before. Alone with Carl and his thoughts.

As you might expect any young kid to do - Carl goes through a mixture of emotions over being left alone, and having to fend for himself, and protect Rick from the dangers outside…

Initially, this issue was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It lacked the ‘punch’ of issue 48, or the ‘dread’ of issue 49, but was still interesting. I’m not going to lie though - right after reading it, I was a little torn, and swaying towards giving this issue three out of five.

But then I started to think about the issue a little. And I started to remember some of Carl’s words as he was shouting at Rick’s comatose body. Around here, I started to realise that Robert Kirkman had given us a rare insight into a character that most people had probably ‘missed’ or glossed over.

I sat down and began to think a little more about Carl as a character, and my opinion of him.

It became clear to me pretty quickly that I’d only ever seen him as a side-character. A character who I could do without, but a character that would continually be in Rick’s thoughts. The only reason he was ever important to me, was because he was important to Rick.

I hadn’t ever thought about all that Carl had lost, and how it might affect him. I’d only been thinking about how Rick would be affected. Issue 50 has made me do something pretty rare - see something that was underneath my nose all along.

An incredibly strong, but fragile character who is of equal importance to any other within the series.

Pete’s Score: 4 out of 5
(a good issue - not quite the same as issue 48 or issue 49 but still thoroughly recommended)

And just before I sign off on this review - a quick extra for all of you Erik Larsen fans out there (yes - this one is partially for you mrATOMIC) - here’s the alternative cover to issue 50…!

I do my best to only read good comic books. The way I look at it - there’s only a small amount of time I have on this planet, and I can’t get return any of it for a refund (no matter how much I would like to sometimes). So when I read a comic I like, I feel it’s time well spent.

And the latest B.P.R.D. one-shot by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi - is exactly that.

Time extremely well spent.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The comic chronicles the ‘death’ of Johann Kraus, a prominent medium (better known to Hellboy / B.P.R.D. fans as the Ectoplasmic Man).

Johann’s death was sudden and unexpected, painfully taking the souls of others in a ‘mistake’ (of sorts) - leaving him bodyless and distraught at his situation. Unwilling (initially) to join the B.P.R.D. upon Izar Hoffman’s suggestion - he decides instead to help those who have recently passed away move on…

Ben Stenbeck’s artwork is truly beautiful (in an old, creepy sort of way), working wonderfully with Mignola and Arcudi’s script, creating a sense of darkness with flickers of hope / light throughout. A difficult accomplishment.

All in all, it’s been a long time since a book has left me with a “must go find more” thought in my head. Which can only be a good thing…

Pete’s Score: 5 out of 5
(recommended - the perfect introduction to The Ectoplasmic Man and to the concept of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence)

Now here’s one of the more interesting comic books that I’ve recently read. Project: Kalki is one of the most sinister comic books that I’ve read in a very long time.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The back page will tell you that “a determined archeologist has discovered the remains of the ancient Indian god Rama”, and that “the joy of this discovery was short lived as a sinister, mysterious party swiftly steals the remains”. But that’s just the beginning. “Now, in a secret lab in India, an ambitious geneticist, determined to successfully clone a human being, has been charged with reincarnating Rama from his mythic DNA”…

So a pretty good setup for a storyline, you might be thinking. And you’d be completely right.

Arjun Gaind has managed to craft an incredibly eerie tale, with some truly shiver inducing moments showcased by Vivek Shinde’s bleak (but brilliant) artwork.

When I picked this book up, I was expecting it to be much like Fire and Brimstone issue one. A good cover (from Mukesh Singh), but lacking in substance. How wrong was I. The cover completely pales in comparison with the comic itself.

Pete’s Score: 4 out of 5
(recommended for all - a very good read)