In issue #174 of Robin this time last month, Dixon left us readers in a spot brimming with all sorts of potential. Robin was in the middle of tracking down counterfeit money while hunting Violet. He found the loot itself and his target, along with so much more. The Spoiler was there waiting for Robin…that’s right, Stephanie, Tim Drake’s old girlfriend…Tim Drake’s old, dead girlfriend. For those that do not know, Stephanie died during War Games, leaving Robin, Batman and her fans in shambles. Robin has finally moved on with his life when Dixon decides to throw this wrench in the mix.

So that’s where we were; Robin, Violet, Tim’s dead girlfriend and his current, living one. What a mess! #174 opens up by closing the robbery bit, readers are treated to a lot of fighting and a lot of explosions. Dixon is well aware of what he’s doing here: He’s wasting time on the pages. Well, not ‘waste’ per say, but he’s definitely spending heaps of time on action when the readers would probably rather Dixon allowed Drake to get to the bottom of the Stephanie mystery. Drake doesn’t think this Stephanie is for real, and Dixon takes his time getting to that tidbit. Readers do get the information they need, eventually. My favorite moment in the issue is when Dixon seemingly acknowledges the nonsense by showing a panel of Oswald Cobblepot, whom was watching all of the action via camera feed. Cobblepot flips off his TV in disgust and treats the world with this little number, “Typical Hollywood tripe. Lots of explosions and an unsatisfying conclusion.” Nice one Dixon, I laughed out loud.

Addressing the art of Batista, Smith and Ketchan -- this one didn’t feel as well done as the last. The moments of action seem like little more than transition from panel to panel and scene to scene. Clearly, the emotional conflict Robin was dealing with during the physical one took center stage in this book, although it was never heavily addressed. Scenes that seem like they should be dripping with epic force come off a little flat. There’s truly little-to-no emotion within the panels. Don’t get me wrong though, the art isn’t particularly bad. However, if the comic hit stands with a worse set of writing the issue itself wouldn’t be able to stand on its art alone.

So then that leaves us with this: Did the issue live up to its preceding? Yes and no. Sure, questions are answered for the most part. Dixon set readers up for a nice, drama-filled rollercoaster of despair and joy, and we are treated to a bit of emotion throughout this book. But that emotion and excitement lasts maybe 9-ish pages. Everything before that seems to be little more than filler. Nevertheless, with Dixon at the helm on this one, now is a great time to be a fan of Robin. Drake is being forced to deal with a lot of intense situations, and Dixon is handling that pretty well. I am nervous to see the next installment and how it ties in with the Batman R.I.P. run. Until then, this’ll do.

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With Noble Causes, Dynamo 5 and his newest series, Gemini, Jay Faerber is blasting out hits. Three series, each one receiving its own batch of critical praise. I’ve fallen in with that lot as well. I love the flow of each and every one of Faerber’s issues; between the character interactions that make these books feel like soap opera comics and the incredible super power concepts, Faerber is fast becoming my personal favorite author.

Dynamo 5 does nothing but solidify my opinions of Faerber, and issue #13 is no exception. Faerber starts things off right in this one by wrapping up the bit about Myriad that left readers near violent (just me?) at the end of the last issue. Readers are then treated to a great bout of the drama and character interaction that Faerber brings to the table in each of his books. The issue moves a bit slowly, as we are given a glance at Myriad and his personal origins. There are surprises within that I won’t ruin, but this bit of the story is great and introduces a lot of things that the team will be struggling with for some time.

From there, Faerber moves to the brain injuries Maggie received in the last conflict with Brains. Not much is resolved in the issue, but we do get a glimpse at the new Noble family as Maggie goes with them for help. The issue ends on a rather troublesome note in terms of plot, but it’s all there to bring us readers back next time.

Asrar’s art is nothing short of brilliant, as per usual. It seems with each issue, Asrar develops a bigger presence and frame of ability. At the start of the series, the art in moments of dialogue seemed to do little more than stand for the characters. It was almost as if Asrar simply drew them to be there and then left the rest up to Faerber’s writing. With this issue, however, Asrar was given a slate with little action throughout, yet the issue still arrives oozing with a dynamic feel. Never will image lovers be bored with what’s in front of them through issue #13, which is huge for book so packed with dialogue.

Dynamo 5 is a great series; each issue brings with it a new tier of evolution. By #13 in the series, I have found myself engaged and entertained and Faerber shows no signs of slowing down. If you are unfamiliar with any of Faerber’s work, I suggest you become informed. He’s a brilliant writer and deserves your attention.

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The first page of this issue will punch you in the gut. I figure I should give you fair warning to prepare yourself, so you don’t open the cover and almost weep a tear. Absolutely no words, just images, and the message is as sharp as a razor blade.

Man, I love Scalped!

Issue #17 wraps up the “Dead Mothers” arc, and by its conclusion, a lot of progress has been made towards grounding our lead protagonist, Dashiell. By no means a cutout hero, Dashiell finally shows a side of humility lacking from the previous sixteen issues, and I for one am ecstatic. What is even better is these defining pages aren’t littered with dialogue or monologue boxes, telling reader’s Dashiell emotions. Instead R.M. Guera shows his magic and delivers two pages of silent that pack all the emotional weight a single person can bare.

When I first started reading Scalped I was a little put off. This book has no characters that are worth liking. I was raised not to like assholes, so why should I read a series filled to the brim with them? However, I now understand the draw. The fun is in watching the jackasses crumble, showing how weak and frail they actually are once the dust settles. So seeing Jason Aaron write so strongly as to actually make me like the jerks, most impressive. Aaron is turning in fantastic crime fiction each month with Scalped, and it’s a shame a lot of crime novel lovers will be missing this due to it being a “funny book.”

As I mentioned before, R.M. Guera delivers a great looking book this month. Is it just me or have the shadows been toned down a tad? When catching up on the series in trades, I noticed that a lot of pencils were hard to decipher (most noticeable in action sequences) because of how heavy the shadows were. It was fitting for the tone of the book, but since I started picking up the monthlies, I have noticed that Guera’s pencils show a lot more detail instead of being completely drown out by blackness. It has truly made me appreciate Guera’s talent a whole lot more.

Scalped is a series that shouldn’t be missed by anyone. It would take a lot of convincing to prove Scalped isn’t the best series being published at Vertigo, and that’s quite an honor. Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera are delivering month in and out and issue #17 is quite possibly the strongest issue yet. And as for the “epilogue” in the issue, I don’t really know what is going on, but I’m excited to find out. Next month can’t come fast enough.

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This week’s Justice Society of America #15 continues the super-brawl we saw get started in last month’s issue. In fact, the entirety of #15 is sent covering this fight between the JSofA and Magog. Now while I’m all for superhero fights, an entire issue dedicated to them raises two problems for me. One is that the issue is over, boarded, and boxed within three minutes. Two, there is little to no character growth shown. In previous months, Justice Society of America has been one of the best titles to go to for exceptional character development, giving everyone their moment in the sun, while simultaneously building on the family dynamic the Society is known for. Unfortunately, this is thrown out the window for standard superhero fair, anchoring Justice Society of America back down to the bowels of mediocrity.

What is so strange when talking about issue #15 specifically is that my first paragraph seems like everything about this issue was horrendous. But in actuality, all the parts that make up Justice Society of America #15 were fantastic. For instance, the writing is still very good. Geoff Johns knows how to write superhero scripts. And while I nailed this issue for its lack of growth, the minimal amount of dialogue used is still incredibly strong. The banter between characters is spot on with the way they have always acted, so even though it’s an issue dedicated to punching and kicking, it doesn’t seem out of place for a series focused on the human side of super heroics.

On the art side of the coin, let me comment on how much fun it is to look at Dale Eaglesham’s pencils. Even when drawing action sequences, he finds creative ways to show off each individual’s personality. Take for instance Starman saving a horse and puppy in the middle of a fight. Yes, some of the team took to crowd control, but if you have been reading JSofA for some time, you will have noticed Starman is quite insane, also seeming to have a fondness for animals. So it was nice to see these minor touches that add a little personality to an otherwise boring slugfest, things you see everyday in the superhero genre. Alex Ross also supplies a page an a half of art like he has done for other segments of this storyline centering on his DC Magnum Opus, Kingdom Come. Therefore you get two all-star artists working on one twenty two page comic, can’t beat that I say good sir!

The saving grace to the overall package of Justice Society of America #15 comes in the form of Johns, once again, adding a “Coming this year in…” primer to the end of the issue to wet the appetites of JSofA readers. While not as mind-blowing as the primer at the end of issue #1, we do get some tasty nuggets here. I won’t ruin the surprise, but the final image on this page is by far the most intriguing, especially for fans of the previous volume of JSofA and 52. But that is saying something isn’t it? The fact that I closed this book with a smile on my face due solely to the end teaser page shows that the contents that preceded it didn’t deliver like I hoped they would. I guess the standard for Justice Society of America is a pretty high bar, but that is because I know Geoff Johns can deliver. It just looks like I will be waiting another month for the shipment (hopefully).

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The first thirteen pages of the current issue made me worry that writer Andy Diggle had decided to leave the book with a whimper instead of a bang (that was not a “Southland Tales” allusion). I’m glad I was wrong.

In this issue, Diggle picks up the previous issue’s tale of priests and Vatican officials being naughty in a secret room deep in the bowels of the Vatican library. Metaphysically sealed off the consequences of sin by a bad boy Renaissance Pope Alexander VI, this room allegedly became a birthing chamber for a demon made of all the evil committed there. A lowlife priest, Father Grimaldi, found himself the guardian of this monstrosity. Enter Constantine. A fun concept but I worried last issue how Diggle might resolve this beyond having everyone’s favorite dark sorcerer show up and kill the demon.

The opening of this month’s issue seemed to confirm my fears that Diggle was having a bad month. Grimaldo entered the "Black Library” to get a secret book that would lay the beast to rest. The book turns out to be “a lost gospel” that contained with in it some great secret about the very origins of the Catholic Church (Dan Brown called and wants his semi-original idea back). Big nasty demon appears as does Constantine who proceeds to mouth some of the lamest, unConstantine like lines you can imagine (“Do your worst, HellSpawn!”). Is Diggle serious with this stuff?

Well, of course not. But I don’t want to spoil it for you. I’ll just say that we get to see Ellie the Succubus and Diggle ends his run with a little contribution to the John Constantine mythos. The “lost gospel” business ended up being significantly less lame than it sounds.

I’m looking forward to the new creative team coming on board next month as I think this book deserves a bit more than Vertigo has given it lately. Hellblazer’s new crew will feature writing by Jason Aaron (Scalped and Ghost Rider) and art by Sean Murphy. Aaron’s work on Ghost Rider has really energized that title and I hope to see the same kind of carnival-esque fun from his Constantine.

This time around, Giuseppe Camuncoli did do a great job on the page and panel layouts. There is a great splash page with an insert on page three of the book that really captured poor Grimaldi’s plight. The demon for this issue is suitably scary and also fairly icky (Think Man-Bat spliced with Alien and the frumpiest elementary school teacher you can remember). My major criticism in Lee Loughridge’s coloring. He does some interesting things with tonal change to underscore the pace and even the meaning of the narrative but some sections of this issue are pitch black and others washed out with bright yellow. On the other hand, if you like stylish demon women, you’ll love Lee Bermejo’s cover.

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EDITOR's NOTE: The second issue of Hercules will be available on Wednesday, June 25th

I’m going to start off this review by saying that the actual plot of Hercules: The Thracian Wars doesn’t do much for me. Hercules is tested, proves his worth, then begins training a bunch of rag-tag 'warriors' to kill and maim like champions. Of course dignity, humility, and honor are lost on this crew and Hercules begins to see the error in his ways. That is pretty much the entirety of issue #2 of Hercules. By all accounts, the dialogue is written crisply and fits the mood and timeframe of the series. Let me make a comparison to prove my point. Northlanders, a fantastic series over at Vertigo, is set during the age of Vikings but uses contemporary dialogue. Now while I am all for reading contemporary English over ye ol’ speak of yesteryears, at times the slang in Northlanders is so overwhelming that is completely removes me from the story. Hercules, while also spoken in a contemporary tongue, doesn’t falter as badly, staying perfectly consistent with its characters, as well as its time period. Therefore I deem it a success. Kudos Steve Moore.

What interests me more is the art of the book. Drawn by Admira Wijaya and colored by Imaginary Friends Studios and Sixth Creation, Hercules sports a look reminiscent of a water color painting. Every panel walks the perfect line of staying detailed without overcrowding and thusly, becoming a muddy mess. Another problem that is dodged with this style of art is the usual stiffness of individuals. I’m not a wizard, so I don’t necessarily know how they pulled it off, but the characters in Hercules seem to retain a sense of energy in every panel, transcending the two dimensional stiffness most artists achieve when painting their work.

However, not all is well in art town for Hercules #2. Admira Wijaya seems to have a problem with layouts, often times confusing the hell out of me with the flow of panels. This forced me to re-read pages in different patterns to find out which fit best. That is a major flaw for a comic because it completely removes you from the narrative. If you don’t believe me, take a look for yourself with a sample I have provided below.



Notice that to the left of the first panel in the sample you have an overlapping image, usually signifying the flow of the art. However, at the bottom of panel 1 you have a text box that overlaps the panel below it. So the question then becomes; which panel do you move to next? After reading the page, figuring something was off, and going back through, it became clear that the correct flow is panel 1 to the overlapping art panel and moving from there. The mere fact that I have to explain this is reason enough to show concern.

Hercules #2 is a decent comic book. If Wijaya can nail the panel layouts in future issue, making for a better flowing book, the art will truly shine off the page and be reason enough to drop three bucks on the counter each month. However, when it comes to Hercules #2, you can do far worse. So if you have some money to burn, give it a shot. You will be able to jump right into the story without reading the previous issue, and you get to see Hercules wearing a lion’s head as a hat. Score!

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When the solicitations for this book went out, some controversy swirled up as pagans called it intolerant and bigoted. Stephen Colbert on his show reviews movies based solely on the title of the movie and people laugh, saying, “Ha ha, that’s so stupid it’s funny,” but sadly there really are people out there that stupid. That’s the reason Harry Potter books all appear on the list of the most banned books and Monty Python’s Life of Brian was boycotted.

Apparently people that stupid are also reading the solicitations for comic books published by independent companies and feeling compelled to write about the paragraph or two describing the book. They judged it before it was physically possible for them to actually read it -- hell the book probably wasn’t even ready to be printed by the time the solicitations went out.

So they prejudged it, which means they also had prejudice towards it and the creators, even though prejudice is what they were pissed at it for supposedly doing. That sentence might not make sense, but if Colbert were to say it, it’d be funny I assure you.

If you’re one of the people who got all pissy about this book before it came out, I want you to know three things before you prejudge what I’m writing:

You’re so stupid it’s funny, ha ha ha.

My e-mail address is readily available through Comics Bulletin.

I think people like you are what’s wrong with America.

In all actuality, the book is meaner to the Christian churches. The witch in the book is more like a demon from a horror movie then an actual person. Speaking as a church going Christian, I wasn’t at all offended by this book.

One of the interesting parts to me was that in this issue one of the heroes (the term anti-hero might be more accurate), Elias Hooke, is revealed to be a part of a secret organization associated with the church that hunts witches. Hooke learned that the organization knowingly kills innocent people, so he leaves the group and hunts for real witches his own way. Though the group is associated with the church, the book specifically says that they study a variety of religions, but are Christian, so they’re not part of any specific church. It’s kind of like Da Vinci Code, but it doesn’t claim to be factual when it’s mostly fictitious.

My biggest problem is that it’s tagged as issue #1, but if you haven’t read issue zero then you’re not going to know who the characters are or how they got to where they are. It just starts with them in the woods facing a witch. I got to know a lot about Hooke, but the characters Hannah Foster and Deacon Wood I know little about other then they strayed from their church and appear to be in a forest. There is a brief ‘previously’ page after the first scene, but it’s really vague.

The art is pretty good. It’s cartoony but I took the characters seriously, except for the witch who is a tree and looks like a villain from a Disney film. What’s interesting is that in the background of the ‘previously’ page the artist did up a tree that’s very life like and more menacing then the tree depicted as the witch. It’s almost like proving that he can do better work, but having that much detail on the tree throughout the book would take a lot of attention away from the other characters and throw off the cartoon style of the rest of the scenes.

I’m really impressed by this book. Not so impressed that I’ll recommend it to everyone, but I find it interesting and the concept is solid. Since I didn’t get issue zero of it, I’ll buy that as well as issue #2 when I get the chance. Browse it if you see it at the shop.

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EDITOR's NOTE: The second issue of Caliber will be available on Wednesday, June 25th

Radical is a new publisher in the field of comics. They are looking to claim their own spot on the map with everyone else, and they’re trying to do it with two new series already two issues deep. One of those series would be Hercules, and the other is Caliber. Radical gave Comics Bulletin a chance to look at the second issue in this book of five before it hits the stands.

Where to start with this one…Caliber is a tough book to judge. The story is loosely wound around a gun that has some sort of mystical power. It is the Old West, and a Native American tribesman has been charged with finding someone to holster the weapon. Only one person, a person that has within them an ultimate sense of law and what is just, can wield the gun. When fired, and we do get a chance to see this in the second installment, the weapon emits an absurdly high-powered blast capable of tearing massive holes in those who end up on the wrong side of justice. It seems pretty simply, right?

Well, this book starts to falter when it comes time to throw characters at the plot. There is just so much going on page to page and even sometimes panel to panel. The transitions are barely indicated when it comes time to change locales or speakers. Readers will likely find themselves scratching their heads when it comes time to actually try and identify the speaking set of characters. Some have long hair, some have beards, some are women; but there are no telltale signs that separate anyone in the book. Most of the art looks great, more on that in a second, but the costuming for the characters creates little diversity, thus making the reader’s life miserable.

Caliber does bring some truly awesome visuals to the table, so a lot of credit should be heaped up on to Garrie Gastonny and Imaginary Friends Studios. The pencils and inks make the book seem as if it were quickly sketched while the colors make it feel like a painting. The Old West tone that the art creates for the book works very well here, and there is no denying that when a fight breaks out readers are going to hang on to each panel and page. There are moments in dialogue when the imagery seems to lack some depth, but they stand small against the larger backdrop of the entire issue. Perhaps that may be getting nitpicky, but it’s a problem nonetheless.

What semblance of story there seems to be in this book carries with it a lot of potential. Sarkar has room to do wonderful things with this justice seeking weapon, but with two issues under his belt so far, only three left in the mini itself, it seems he has a lot of work to do. That’s the thing with Caliber after the second issue, it feels like work. I don’t mean that in a hugely bad way, but the book seems to read in a very difficult manner. I found myself pulling at the images within panels just to get exactly what was going on, and sometimes I downright failed. There was a turning point in my opinion of the book, I’ve mentioned it above, and that was the firing of the magical weapon. The moment had a brilliant effect on me and I’m excited to see the pistol fired again and the poor sap that catches the blast; but will the juice really be worth the squeeze? Only time will tell with Caliber. The same goes for Radical as a publisher.

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“My father’s family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Phillip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer and more explicit than Pip. So I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.”

So opens Richard Geary’s adaptation of Dickens’s Great Expectations, exactly as the original opens. Published by First Comics back in 1990, this new Papercutz re-issue should be welcomed warmly by every lover of Dickens and the graphic art form.

For those who aren’t familiar with the story, or who find it difficult to separate it from Dickens’s other tales of orphaned boys finding their way in the harsh world, Great Expectations is the story of Pip--who is chosen to be the playmate of Estella, ward of the bitter Miss Havisham. At the bequest of a mysterious benefactor, Pip is later sent to London to become a gentleman; but his heart remains with the heartless Estella. Mysteries abound: who is Pip’s benefactor? Who is following him? Who are Estella’s parents? But the story is really about what makes a person good.

Obviously Geary was forced to cut a great deal of the original--and purists will argue that it’s to the story’s detriment. But I disagree. Geary focuses the story on Pip, Estella, Miss Havisham, and the convict Magwitch. The relationships between these four people are the heart of the story, and by pruning it back to just these four, Geary makes it stronger. It also reads much easier. As much as I love Dickens, he can get caught up in exploring byways--making it difficult to follow his many plots.

Geary is the perfect Dickens’ collaborator; maybe even more so than his original illustrator “Phiz.” Dickens’s characters are broad, almost caricatured, individuals; yet for all their broadness, they remain recognizably human. Geary works in the same style. No one could mistake his work here for photo-realistic or even realistic. He’s capturing the essence of the characters with broad, deceptively simple-looking strokes. It’s a combination of the grotesque and charming--much like the Victorian Age itself.

Take for example the cover. It depicts the first time Pip sees the two most important women in his life: Miss Havisham and Estella. There’s an air of gothic mystery to the scene: the elderly, twisted Miss Havisham greedily eyes the young, proud Estella beside her. Spiderwebs cover the cluttered dressing table beside them. Done in dirty whites, dull grey and brown, and accented with dull red and yellow, the cover captures the book’s theme of youth caught within the shadows of the past.

Miss Havisham is old age concentrated to the nth degree, but there’s still something real and solid about her. As for Estella, except for the corkscrew ringlets and bow, I know a girl who’s a dead ringer for her. This blend of life and art is what makes Dickens so memorable in the first place, and Geary captures that spark with his artwork.

Each page is packed with small, filled panels. It’s not unusual for there to be eight to ten panels per page. In adapting a six hundred and nineteen-page novel into forty-four pages, Geary is forced to use bloated captions, quick scene changes, and tight shots of characters to get it all in. But, again, that works to the story’s advantage. Everything extraneous is gotten rid of. Geary focuses on the glint of an eye, the good-natured smile, the look of scorn.

When Geary does devote a panel to the scenery, it’s as mood-evoking as anyone could hope for. The marshes are grey and dead looking. Miss Havisham’s mansion is bewebbed, dark, and dwarfing of its occupants. London is crowded and threatening with its leaning, towering buildings, and packed streets.

This adaptation of a great classic is a classic in its own right. It’s well worth seeking out.

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Editor's Note: Ghost Rider #23 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"Hell-Bent & Heaven Bound: Part Four (or Four)"

I wasn't sure about Boschi's art when I first saw his take on Ghost Rider, but either it's finally grown on me or he's gotten more comfortable with the character. Regardless, I like the way he makes Ghost Rider a hulking behemoth of a monster. He looks much more like a demonic biker gang member than a demonic stunt rider, and with the balls-to-the-wall, adrenaline-fueled action that Aaron is scripting, I find this look very appropriate.

Of course, now that I like it, he's leaving. But the good news is Tan Eng Huat's taking over the art chores for the next four issue, then it's back to Boschi, and so on and so on. I'm really getting to like the idea of rotating art teams on books, and while Boschi and Huat are really nothing alike, they both have very distinctive styles that work well with the new feel of the series. Anyway, more on that next month.

This month wraps the first of Jason Aaron's (Scalped) Ghost Rider stories and there's so much energy here the book literally vibrates in your hands. Each of the narrative threads (cannibal-ghost cursed stretch of highway; evil gun-toting nurses on motorcycles and jeeps; police officer captured and being eaten by real live cannibals; boy who died, saw that Heaven was no place to be and is now being hunted by the bad guys) all come together in a four-way head-on collision (and that's no metaphor) with extremely violent and destructive repressions.

Aaron writes this book with fearless swagger and his chin out. I cannot praise enough the characterization of both Blaze and Ghost Rider here. These are characters I've never found interesting. Never. I tried to like the first Garth Ennis miniseries, but even that was a bit strained. And nothing about any of the previous runs or this one made me even want to give the character any attention. But then I read Scalped and fell in love with Aaron's style. The man can freaking write. His Blaze and Ghost Rider have definite anger issues and are driven like never before. I just can't get over the energy here.

When I heard Aaron was taking over Ghost Rider, I wasn't sure whether it would be a good match, but holy shit was I wrong to doubt. This is grindhouse motorcycle horror that drips blood and oil. The fantastic elements are gritty and disturbing while the overall feel is one of excitement and danger. It feels like the ink's gonna rub off on your fingers and it will burn and sting. If the stupid movie had shown a fraction of the imagination and guts that this comic does, it might have been worth watching (Note: It didn't and wasn't).

The pairing of Ghost Rider with the boy, Lucas, was one that made me wonder. But I'll be damned if Lucas not only acts as the impetus for this story, he also emphasizes the hopeless nature of Ghost Rider's new mission. You know, the mission to tear open Heaven and hunt down the renegade angel Zadkiel? Zadkiel, who, at the moment, is trying to seize the throne of Heaven.

We're talking high-concept here, folks. High-concept wrapped up in a dusty, Texas-style, drive-in movie extravaganza trappings. If this were a film, Tarantino or Rodriguez would direct (hopefully shooting for a hard R rating). Either that, or it would have been made in the 70s, when people got their hands dirty and made the classics. This feels like if Wes Craven had directed Vanishing Point. I keep half-expecting the comic to have scratches or to stutter on the reel.

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Editor's Note: Captain America #38 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"The Man Who Bought America: Part Two"

It's become difficult to review Captain America every month because I really try not to sound completely redundant. However, I've said it before and I will indeed say it again, Ed Brubaker's run on Captain America features the best long-running storyline in the past ten years. Marvel indeed has a few books that are really on another level compared to everything else put out of the shelves, and Captain America certainly holds a spot at the top of that list. Books like Captain America, Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Moon Knight and the Immortal Iron Fist feature storylines that are primarily self-contained but tap into the general happenings in the Marvel Universe such as "The Initiative." However, events such as "the Initiative" have to mold around what is already happening in these books. These stories are wildly compelling and not only have the capacity to entertain, but to generate thought and discussion as well. I have also made it pretty well known that I am a huge Steve Rogers fan, but the quality and direction of this title has really made me able to deal without having Steve Rogers a little longer. This issue is just another example of the slow-paced, compelling and masterfully crafted story that Brubaker has been building for years now.

This issue is particularly well done by the way that Brubaker is able to condense the origin of the Steve Rogers doppelganger into a few pages. Of course, speaking of the Steve Rogers doppelganger, I just need to take a moment to say "I was right." This may or may not come as a spoiler to readers, but in order to discuss the character, I have to reveal that the "Steve Rogers" who appears in this issue is indeed the Grand Director, a theory I pointed out in my last review. Now you can go to any Marvel character database, access my "Many Faces of Captain America" column, or just wait until tomorrow and read this issue to basically get everything you need to know about the Grand Director. That is actually one of the great successes of this issue: the way in which Brubaker is able to condense all the basics about the Grand Director into about 4 pages without ever losing the pace of the story. He manages to cover everything from the idea that the Grand Director hacked himself up to look just like Steve Rogers, to an administering of a variation of the super-soldier serum to himself and Jack Munroe (Nomad, Grand Director's Bucky) that made them go insane, to the influence of Dr. Faustus, and finally the incident that has left the man's body half charred. Of course, some of the smaller details are left out, but unless you are an absolute "Captain America aficionado" I really don't think a lot of the details are necessary. After all, that's what back issue bins and Marvel's Digital Comics are for. There is even a large panel devoted to Jack Munroe a.k.a. Nomad. On a side note, I really liked that when Sharon calls "Steve" an "abomination," that word is in bold. Considering the ties the Abomination may or may not have to Captain America in the upcoming Incredible Hulk, I thought if there is something to that, it's rather clever, but then again, I'm probably thinking way too much into it.

The writing featured in this issue is superb. Brubaker does an excellent job with both inner narration and dialogue to flow the story from scene to scene. The description of the Grand Director is featured as part of Sharon's narration, but as she describes the character, you can feel the disgust in her voice. She's so in love with the real Steve Rogers and so overcome by guilt that she nearly kills the Grand Director without thinking twice. She says "I'm sorry," but the way that Steve Epting draws her as she hold the gun to the Grand Director's head, it's like there is a sense of hate-filled despair, fueled by anger.

This issue does an excellent job downplaying many of the political themes and ideas that are part of the Red Skull's plans. However, those ideas aren't completely disregarded; they are merely built upon through the newscasts that Brubaker has featured so heavily throughout this story-arc. The "Third Wing Party" is just part of the Red Skull's plan and Brubaker does not waste time trying to explain this. Instead, he utilizes the page time to show a rally with Third Party candidate Senator Gordon Wright and the support he's garnering for his campaign. What works so well about this, for me at least, is that in real life I have become so disillusioned by Democrats and Republicans over the past year that I could only hope someone broke away to run under a "third party flag." Now of course, I would hope it wouldn't be a Nazi sympathizer, but Brubaker is able to strike all the right chords in this issue and series, especially given the horrible political, social and economic landscape of America. Although Wright's poll numbers aren't strong, the Red Skull has faith, and it is very interesting to note that Faustus has to remind Skull that he's not the only one involved in the operation.

Of course, with the political themes downplayed, Brubaker, Epting and Perkins focus their energies on a fantastic team-up with "Bucky Cap" and the Falcon as they go after A.I.M. and Armin Zola. The action is fast-paced and really highlights the strengths of each character. However, once again the true highlight of this battle sequence is the writing. While Epting and Perkins draw up fantastic visuals, Brubaker adds an extra dimension to this team up by including Bucky's inner narration as the fight unfolds. Bucky's really trying to prove himself, trying to be on the same level, or a level similar to Steve Rogers in the eyes of those closest to Steve. The battle also highlights the chemistry between Falcon and Bucky, a chemistry that exists because of the heavy influence Steve Rogers has had over both men. Also, in regards to the confrontation with Armin Zola, I actually found myself laughing pretty hard at the scene. Not because it was funny or ridiculous, it was more a fit of "joyous laughter." The final moments with Zola really played out like a movie where an otherwise ridiculous villain has his "madman" moment before escaping and nearly killing the heroes. It was just very well written and was a great ending that felt cinematic and very "action-movie"-like.

By the end of this issue, Brubaker brings the story ideas with the Grand Director full circle playing off of ideas from the very first issues featuring Bucky as the Winter Soldier. While Sharon mentions earlier in this issue that Jack Munroe is dead, long time readers of this series will remember it was Bucky who killed him. Both the Red Skull and Faustus know this, and Faustus, very much brainwashing the Grand Director, uses it to channel the anger and madness that initially changed "Captain America of the Fifties" into the Grand Director. What works so well about this moment is that early in the issue the Grand Director is weak, confused and is only a fraction of the man he once was. When Faustus tells him that Bucky killed Jack Munroe, the Grand Director becomes angry, uttering the word "Bucky" and no doubt finding his own personal motivations. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out and to see exactly what Faustus does to the Grand Director to get inside Bucky's head. Would it be enough if I just said that Steve Epting's pencils, the inkwork by Epting and Mike Perkins, and the colors by Frank D'Armata are superb and bring an even higher level of quality to this title? Personally, I don't think I've ever seen a cadre of creators, in this case Brubaker, Epting, Perkins, D’Armata and Butch Guice (who is not featured on this particular issue), complement each other so well throughout the entirety of a series. The artwork is phenomenal; there is really no other way to put it. The tone and style not only captures the story brilliantly, but also plays to the strengths and style of Brubaker's writing. This is without a doubt one of the best creative teams in the past ten years.

Captain America is a fantastic series. As a Cap fan, a Marvel fan and a fan of comics in general, I have to say that compelling stories such as this have kept me reading comics into my adult life. Long-running stories like this inspire me to pursue a career in comics and storytelling. Regardless of how much I'd love Steve Rogers to come back, I'll play my broken record and say that as long as Brubaker and co. continue to deliver issues like this and uphold this superb story, I can hold out a little longer for Steve Rogers. This is my Advance Pick of the Week.

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Editor's Note: Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #29 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"With Iron Hands: Part One of Four"

Paul Brian McCoy: 4 Bullets
Erik Norris: 4 Bullets

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Paul Brian McCoy: 4 Bullets

The Knaufs take a break for the next four issues, and Stuart Moore steps up to the plate and performs admirably, crafting a pre-Secret Invasion adventure (which, I guess, is the explanation for the last storyline, as well). He does such a good job, in fact, that the change is hardly noticeable. This may be the biggest plus for new readers, since the tone and voice will remain consistent when the Knaufs return. The biggest difference seems to be with the type of threat that Stark and his elite Alpha team (armored S.H.I.E.L.D. agents) must deal with. Instead of the biotech weapons and nerve agents, the first part of the story deals with a rogue nuclear threat in the former Soviet republic of Krikhstan and an (un)healthy dose of nanotechnology.

Of course, it's not really as simple as that. Moore does a very good job of orchestrating the action leading up to discovery of the nuclear devices, drawing an effective parallel between Stark's addiction to alcohol (and by extension, women) and its sublimated alternative of adrenaline highs (and by extension, saving the world). There's also a very interesting bit of technology involved with the nuclear bomb (nanotech) that "luckily" Stark is prepared to deal with.

This was a bit handy ("Iron Handy," if you will - ha!) but it was incorporated naturally, since part of the sweep the Alphas were making also involved nanocams (whatever those are). I don't really know much about nanotechnology beyond the basic concepts of what might be possible with it (and what I read about in Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age), but it appears to be central to both storylines that Moore is working with here, and according to interviews and his blog, he spent a while researching in order to get the details right, so I'll trust that he knows what he's talking about. And even if he doesn't, it sounds right, and that's good enough for pseudo-science.

The second storyline isn't as successful, as it seems to hinge on too many lax security measures, poorly conceived plans, and a glaringly stereotypical plot twist. On the plus side, Moore brings back a classic S.H.I.E.L.D. weapon, The Overkill Horn, which has the ability to set off all the nuclear weapons around the world all at once. Why this is necessary, I don't know. Why it wasn't dismantled and destroyed piece by piece as soon as they had a chance, I don't know.

But somebody seriously dropped the ball on that one.

We are also introduced to the man behind the old-school S.H.I.E.L.D. tech like flying cars and minisubs, Nicolas Weir (sometimes referred to as "The Other Nick"). If this is an established character, I can't find any trace of him anywhere. If he's invented specifically for this story, he kind of folds into the glaring stereotypical plot twist mentioned earlier. If nothing else, he has a cool briefcase, which brings us back to the emphasis on nanotech in this story arc.

The art is handled by Iron Man regular (as regular as the rotating team of artists is, I guess) Roberto de la Torre on the Tony Stark vs. Nano Nukes pages, and Carlo Pagulayan and Jeffrey Huet on the Overkill Horn pages. There's a distinct difference in the styles, although Pagulayan seems to be doing his best to mirror de la Torre with the layouts and orchestration of movement on the page.

It may just be a question of inking that really makes the two sections distinct. de la Torre's inks are fairly heavy with a dramatic use of shadow without overdoing it. The lighting and shading are naturalistic, given the settings that he's placing the action in. The backgrounds vary between photo-referenced countryside and cityscapes to sparse interiors, with the level of detail fading as tension mounts. It works well to emphasize the focus on Stark and his attempt to defuse the Nano Nuke.

Pagulayan and Huet's pages, on the other hand, bring to mind fill-in issues of both The Order and Avengers: Initiative. It's not bad, but lacks the power and energy of de la Torre's pages. There's also a lack of distinct backgrounds and the tech design is a little murky and hard to distinguish. It's really not that bad, but when compared to de la Torre, the shortcomings stand out more than they would (if they'd even be considered shortcomings) in another title.

But ultimately, this is a pretty good book. If you haven't been reading Iron Man and didn't want to jump on in the middle of the last epic storyline, this is a good place to begin. All you need to know is that Stark is the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which the title of the book makes plain), and he deals with terrorist threats around the world. Granted, that's really nothing like the movie. If you're just thinking of picking this up because you loved the film, prepare for a very different experience. This is all espionage/techno-thriller, rather than drunken, smartass superhero schtick. But it does it well.

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Erik Norris: 4 Bullets

When describing Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., most critics label it as "one of the best comics no one reads," and that's a damn good label. Unfortunately, I fall into the category of people who don't regularly read Iron Man: DoS, but with my first exposure coming from this week's issue #29, color me impressed.

With the recent release of Iron Man in theaters, Marvel has done their best to pimp the property. Recently launched Invincible Iron Man under Matt Fraction is Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s antithesis. Where Invincible is pure super-heroics, DoS has a more espionage aurora. Therefore, everyone can have their cake and eat it too when it comes to ol’ Shell Head.

First off, part one of "With Iron Hands" does a good job of being new reader friendly. I'm sure for most readers who have followed this series since issue #1, this doesn't matter to them nor hurt their enjoyment of the book. However, for people like me, a comic book needs to be easily approachable in order for me to enjoy it. With no prior knowledge of the happenings in DoS, it is comforting to know Stuart Moore has written an issue allowing me to sit back and enjoy the ride.

However, there is one hiccup. The secondary story unfolding with Nicholas Weir, known as the "second Nick of S.H.I.E.L.D.," has me a bit confused. The whole first half of the issue, dealing with Iron Man and his Alpha team heading out to stop a nuclear threat in Kirikhstan, is pretty straight forward, even setting up a terrorist villain with ties to Tony. However, the comic juxtaposes this opening with the introduction of this Nicholas Weir and it loses me. Is this a character introduced in the previous twenty eight issues of the series? And therefore, is what happens in character for Nicholas? I guess this is a mystery that will carry over to next month's issue, though for me I would have liked to know now. I'm an impatient person, Marvel (yet I read comics…oh the irony!).

The art is another facet of issue #29 that I liked a lot, to my surprise. I'm used to seeing Iron Man comics being a lot "flashier." Having Tony's armor glisten as he takes down foes makes him seem like more than just a man in a suit. However, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. blankets its panels in shadows and dull colors to achieve a feeling that perfectly fits the tone of the book. Plain and simple, it completes the package, making me appreciate the art when I otherwise wouldn't.

For an opening chapter, issue #29 is a success. It has me intrigued enough to pick up next month's issue, and that's what comics are all about: the hook. The writing is strong, helped by tonally fitting art that makes for a comic that you can't get anywhere else besides Captain America at the House of Ideas. Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. needs more readers. I hope this review proves how new reader friendly this series is, helping gather the audience this title so rightfully deserves.

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Editor's Note: Incredible Hercules #117 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"Sacred Invasion Part One: The God Squad"

Foist tings foist. Fans of Khoi Pham's pencils need not despair as he's moved over to Mighty Avengers for a spell (sans Paul Neary); Sandoval and Bonet are on board Herc at least through the "Sacred Invasion" arc. Whatever quibbles one might have with Sandoval's style, he does all that's required and more, from the visceral to the mundane. Historic flashbacks and great, big futuristic technology are handled with equal aplomb. Crowd scenes appear to be a specialty which is handy in a book that's wall to wall gods and monsters. He can tell a story, too, of which some of the Multiple Splash Page-oriented illustrators might wish to pause and take notice.

This is in essence the second consecutive chapter of exposition, which might be a show-stopper for some, but it is necessary given the heavy volume of (Marvel and traditional) mythological background and continuity references required to select and establish the characters to share Hercules' quest. And quest it is, in the heroic old-school sense; Pak & Van Lent's Odyssey, if you will, but with a self aware humour that ol' Homer never seemed to have considered. One half anticipates the eventual conclusion boiling down to a contest of: "Skrull season!", "Wabbit Season!"; "Skrull Season!", "Wabbit Season!"; "Wabbit Season!", "Skrull Season, Fire!!!"

Or not.

Describing the four "Champions" selected to accompany Hercules would involve a word for word retelling of the entire book, so we're not going to do that. Suffice to say that every party appears to carry an agendum; some plain, some enigmatic, but each equally determined in the short term to assist with the destruction of the Skrull godhead. Hercules himself is thrust into the unaccustomed and wholly undesired role of leader. When it's suggested that Thor might be a better choice, Athena implies that the Asgardians have sufficient problems of their own, and Hercules retorts with an effective if slightly uninspiring call to arms (as well as a pointed jab at the Asgardians).

On the subject of agenda, the assembled gods have some questions in regard to Athena's, culminating in an (after the fact) observation about the colour of her eyes. As she's "officially" described as black haired and grey eyed (see various Marvel biographies), it's perhaps odd that no one mentions her having gone blonde, too. Still, if you've been paying attention since her return, one must assume that Athena's eyes are green with something other than envy; if she has been compromised, what, exactly will the God Squad find upon sailing out of the Dreamtime? That's assuming they make it to the other side, as the unconscious realm contains monsters of its own, one of whom, not seen since his comic role as Dupe of Dormammu, figures prominently in the next issue.

As their ship sails Into the Mystic (with no apologies whatsoever to Van Morrison), Hercules and company witness the Skrull armada bearing down on Earth but are helpless against it, no doubt inspiring nightmares to come.

In the end this issue will read better as a chapter in the trade volume, but still stands nicely on its own. Among my own biases, one is definitely served with the inclusion of Snowbird/Narya, who has been "temporarily released from the mystic ban against leaving the Northern Dominion" (sic), and included as part of the quest. If you think that Snowbird's just a (dead sexy) superhero who can transform into a seal or cuddly arctic hare, you don't know Snowbird. We're reminded of her power and divinity when she effortlessly blocks blow after blow, passively restraining Hercules as he hath at it with a couple of his new teammates. Once sufficiently ticked, she transforms into a polar bear and takes a not as passive paws-on approach to restoring order. So, leaving all else aside, an arc featuring Snowbird guarantees that my interest will remain, er, aroused.

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Editor's Note: Mighty Avengers #14 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

This issue of Mighty Avengers abandons the Nick Fury-based plot threads that we've seen develop over the course of the last couple of issues, instead shifting its focus to the Sentry and exploring his role in the Skrull invasion. The issue provides a recap of the Sentry's character for those who aren't familiar with his history or his peculiar idiosyncrasies, and effectively creates the impression that he could be one of the most significant "wild cards" in the entire Secret Invasion crossover. However, I can't say that I found it to be a particularly strong story.

What had me most excited about this issue were the art previews that indicated that Bendis would be returning to the flashback scene featuring the Sentry and the Void that we saw in the comic-within-a-comic in New Avengers #8, and again in the time-travelling story in Mighty Avengers #10. Since this scene has been referred to more than once (and was one of the first explicit references to Skrulls in Bendis' Avengers run), I've been eager to see how it fits into the big Secret Invasion plan, and what seeds Bendis may have subtly sown in those early issues before the Skrull plot was revealed to readers. I was disappointed, then, by the fairly straightforward way that the scene plays out in this issue, with no apparent significance to the Secret Invasion beyond showing the Sentry's first encounter with the Skrull race.

Despite this, Bendis does manage to introduce some interesting wrinkles to the Skrull invasion plot that relate to the Sentry. Many readers have bemoaned the fact that we still don't really know the full extent of the Sentry's vaguely-defined powers, and Bendis spins this as an aspect of the character that could also cause problems for the Skrulls, who are wary of getting too close to him in case his powers allow him to detect their presence and expose their threat prematurely. We also see the Skrulls display a little more conniving subtlety than usual in their infiltration plans, with a Skrull impostor posing as Jarvis who plays on Tony Stark's guilt about the Scarlet Witch in order to access confidential files about the Sentry, and the hatching of a canny plan to make Bob suspect that the Void may be responsible for the Skrull invasion (a plot point that's slightly undermined by the fact that we already saw the plan come to fruition in Secret Invasion #2).

Khoi Pham takes over the art duties for this issue, and I found his work to be a bit of a mixed bag. The characters are all recognisable and consistent, and Pham deals with the demands of a big team book well, with no noticeable shortcuts or rushed-looking panels. However, I don't find his work particularly attractive or interesting to look at, and the storytelling is sometimes unclear: a case in point here is a silent sequence of panels that shows the Sentry's journey into outer space, which is fairly difficult to make sense of. That said, there are some occasionally beautiful individual moments (such as the emotive full page shot of the Sentry which immediately follows that sequence in space), and there are times when Pham's storytelling is much stronger - particularly during the exciting earlier scene in which the Sentry chases down a Skrull spaceship on a suicide mission. I can't say that I'd pick up a comic on the strength of Pham's artwork, but I don't think that it would prevent me from enjoying a story either.

Readers of the core Secret Invasion title will be pleased to see this issue intersect with it directly, reprising the action that we saw in Secret Invasion #2, and showing us what happened to the Sentry after that issue's big fight in the Savage Land. The final pages provide a neat and intelligent twist that feels logical yet unpredictable, and add a new dimension to the Sentry's dual-personality disorder that I'll be interested to see explored further. It reminds me a little of the logic of opposites that Grant Morrison used in his JLA Earth 2 graphic novel, and it's nice to see that Bendis has taken the time to fully consider the implications of the Sentry's conflicted personalities and to do something novel and interesting with them.

However, despite my enjoyment of the last few pages, it feels as though this issue has been forced to end at an arbitrary point in the Sentry's story in order to avoid spoiling the events of future issues of Secret Invasion. It doesn't feel as though we get a complete story here, and although I'm sure we'll see elements of this issue returned to later on in the crossover, it makes this particular issue feel abruptly truncated, and unable to provide us with any moments of real revelation or significance beyond some enjoyable secondary details. I'm getting used to the two Avengers titles being used as an avenue for Bendis to explore subplots of Secret Invasion that don't belong in the main book--and in fact, I'm quite enjoying reading these more focused backup stories in conjunction with the main event.

Unfortunately, though, it hasn't been possible to make all of these issues stand alone on their own terms, and this issue feels more like a footnote or appendix to the main event than it does a story in its own right.

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Editor's Note: Fantastic Four #557 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"World's Greatest: Part Four of Four"

The fourth issue of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's Fantastic Four provides a climax of sorts for their first arc on the book, bringing one or two plot strands to a conclusion with a showdown between Mr. Fantastic and "CAP," the malfunctioning robot created by one of Reed's well-intentioned old flames.

Anyone who has been enjoying Bryan Hitch's artwork on Fantastic Four so far will find plenty more to enjoy in this issue. From the strangely elegant opening image of The Thing encased in an underwater force-field to the giant full-page spreads of Mr. Fantastic's anti-Galactus suit (a design that's bound to appeal to any fans of the Gundam or Transformers series), it's difficult to fault the book's visuals. Fantastic Four works best when dealing with big ideas, and there's no doubting the sheer scale and scope of the book under Hitch's pencil. The artist applies realistic details and proportions to Millar's larger-than-life comicbook concepts, and it bridges the gap between fantastical escapism and relatable verisimilitude well.

However, despite the quality of Hitch's artwork during the bigger moments, there's still something about the issue that feels lacking and anti-climactic. The opening buildup works quite well to generate tension for the inevitable showdown between Mr. Fantastic and CAP, but doesn't really show us anything that we haven't seen before. In fact, it doesn't really show us much at all, with Millar again choosing to have characters tell us about how dangerous the robot is rather than showing him doing anything really scary or impressive. And when the big clash between Reed's robo-suit and CAP finally comes, it's over far too quickly, with the twist that enables Reed to defeat his enemy coming off as too simple and obvious to feel satisfying (and making me wonder whether Reed's gigantic "anti-Galactus" exoskeleton was really necessary in the first place). It feels as though this arc has lacked a really strong antagonist to provide some decent drama to underpin the action sequences, and they have felt a little hollow as a result.

However, Millar's writing is far more satisfying during the more character-based scenes (leading me to wonder whether he's being overly reliant on Hitch's great artwork to carry the more action-based sections of the book). I'm still enjoying the silliness of Johnny Storm's relationship with an attractive super-villainess (although I'm convinced that there's more to this subplot than meets the eye--the Human Torch isn't really that amoral, is he?) and there's a delightful scene between Reed and Sue that mixes a couple of neat sci-fi concepts with a more straightforward romantic tone as the pair celebrate their anniversary. Maybe this issue caught me at a weak moment, but I found the scene to be very touching and emotionally weighty without coming off as slushy or overly sentimental, striking the perfect balance between the fantastical world of the FF and the very human personalities and relationships that keep the team grounded in the real world. Millar has succeeded in making Reed and Sue's relationship feel well-balanced and believable in this first arc, and I hope that we'll see him extend this knack for authentic-feeling characterisation to the still fairly cartoonish Johnny and Ben in future arcs.

All things considered, I've enjoyed this first arc of Millar and Hitch's Fantastic Four a little less than I expected. Whilst the big outlandish ideas and great visuals that I had hoped to see have been present, I feel as though these four issues have lacked a sufficiently dramatic and engaging core premise to really make me care about the outcome of the story. I don't want to labour the comparisons to Millar and Hitch's Ultimates too much because their Fantastic Four deserves to stand as a separate piece of work without being constantly compared to the team's previous big success, but the last couple of issues' fight between the FF and the CAP robot just hasn't given readers the same kind of dramatic hook that the personal conflicts and well-developed relationships of that book provided. This issue's final-page teaser for the next storyline has me slightly more excited, promising a far more characterful and enjoyable villainous presence that should give the team someone a little more interesting to spark off, but I'm still yet to be convinced that this is book is going to reach the same heights that Millar and Hitch's previous collaborations did.

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Editor's Note: X-Men: Divided We Stand #2 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

Unlike the first issue, the second issue of this two part anthology--which is part of the new X-Men "Divided We Stand" event--does not have an over arching theme of rebellion.

Instead, there are separate "cleaning house” stories that catch us up with characters like Beast, Havok, and Forge after the events of "Messiah CompleX". Beast goes back to the mansion to destroy now meaningless medical files, CC the cure for the Legacy Virus to trustworthy doctors, and pick up a brain in a jar. Havok, who is fighting the other Summers' brother Vulcan in space, is taunted to quit by news of Xavier's death. Of course he doesn't, but his commitment to hope, vested in the birth of the first mutant since M-day, is genuine and thrilling (but not enough to make me follow his story in X-Men: Emperor Vulcan).

Forge's story is the weirdest and most unsettling. Written by Duane Swierczynski and drawn by Chris Burnham, Forge recovers from being shot by Bishop in "Messiah CompleX" and embarks on returning to his research on time travel. For those who haven't been following the new Cable series, Bishop went back in time and stole a big bionic arm from Forge's lab and tricked it out with time sliding tech. Poor Forge gets the crap kicked out of him again, and he's left now with another concussion, a missing robotic arm, and all his time travel research gone. He concludes to let time (haha, a pun!) takes it course and reveal its secrets of travel, and meanwhile upgrade his security, as he doesn't want to be disturbed again.

What was weird was Swierczynski's obsessive dialogue coupled with Burnham's distressing visage of Forge's neurosis. His eyes bulge as he grasps his scalp, revealing the gruesome metal and burned flesh left from the gunshot wound. As he does this, Forge thinks, "When you're recuperating from a serious injury—-and you're half in, half out of reality-–sometimes a single idea can stay fixed in your brain…and all you can do is turn it over and over and over in your mind. Pick it apart. Obsess over it." That's the opening page of the story, and it just gets creepier. Forge is now a man on an obsessive mission to discover the mystery of time travel and possibly alter the events of "Messiah CompleX." But will this make him a better hero or a villain? Look at what happened to Bishop!

As for the rest of the anthology, the only other notable aspect is David La Fuente's art in Cebulski's tale of Surge and Dani Moonstar. Although the story was good overall, the end fell flat on Dani Moonstar's face. La Fuente's art, however, was really powerful and different than his work in the last issue. Here he captures the character design of Leiji Matsumoto (Captian Harlock & Galaxy Express 999) and Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Black Jack, & Kimba the White Lion) by employing their expressive range of anger and placidity. Dani Moonstar's stoicism against Surge's burning rage is very akin to Maetel's omniscience and faith juxtaposed to Tetsuro's uncertainty and subsequent rage in Galaxy Express. Surge's large anime eyes reflect Matsumoto and Tezuka's design of clear, emotive appearance of the feelings of a character, where sorrow, rage, and joy are all expressed in the eyes. This provides a melodrama that isn't unfamiliar to the X-Men.

X-Men: Divided We Stand #2 is a must read for those X-Men fans that want to stay in the know… of everyone who's not really important. Sad. True. But still a good comic!

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Editor's Note: Wolverine: Origins #25 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"The Deep End Part 5"

As I stated previously in my reviews of issues #22 & #23, Wolverine's humanity and consequential vulnerability is essential to this story because it allows the reader to invest emotion into his plight. Similarly, Deadpool's deranged thought captions foster pity and concern. This has been skillfully carried throughout the five-issue arc and culminated last issue with a big surprise ending.

For anyone who hasn't been following along with this series (which I wasn't until I saw Deadpool on the cover of issue #21), Wolverine: Origins follows the winding journey of Wolverine after he's reclaimed his memories, settling old scores and discovering a mysterious someone has been controlling his entire life. That man, Romulus, has trained Wolverine's son Daken to be a soulless killing machine who has some serious father issues. The two have met numerous times, usually with Logan pleading his son to forgive him to no avail. And it's that bottomless anger and personal vendetta that leaves Wolverine's death in Daken's purview.

So when Deadpool, that merry Merc-with-a-Mouth, reveals his elaborate scheme to actually kill Wolverine, Daken shows up to steal the show.

Now, I know in my last review I gave this book 5 Bullets, and in this one I do not, but that does not mean this book fell in quality at all. Simply, issue #23 had greater semblance of emotion and action in both the art and writing. Everything worked together so well and fluidly that by the end of the issue I craved not only to re-read the issue but also the entire series (which I am doing).

This issue had one weak point: the ending. It wasn't bad, but at the same time it's not completely fulfilling. And since it the spoils the entire issue and much of the mystery behind the series, I'll just say that the surprise was kind of impractical. It's not totally ridiculous, but I felt the reveal of who hired Deadpool would be more directly connected to Romulus. Yet it was still surprising, plausible (though a little impractical), and fulfilling to the relationship between Wolverine and his son. Deadpool's story was left without much ado, even though he does do a lot in this issue while being a couple of hands short.

But this has been a great series overall, and I'm really looking forward to next issue.

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Editor's Note: Ultimate X-Men #94 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

Ultimate X-Men begins a new story arc and a new lease on life in the post Robert Kirkman era with issue #94. The title is now being penned by Aron E. Coleite and Mark Brooks handles the pretty pictures.

The problem I have reading this title is the same one I've always had while following previous incarnations of this comic dealing with a revised history of the team; as a long time X-Men reader, I always feels as though I am reading original stories which are below par some of the classic X-Men comics I've read in the past.

Once you've perused the likes of Chris Claremont and other classic story tellers, it seems as though this new Ultimate universe version of Xavier's children keeps borrowing from classic fare to improve upon or at least equal its 616 counterpart. And it never fully delivers. However, just because you can't equal perfection or as close to it as you can come doesn't mean you can't be good. This is the case with this comic book which is a solid enough effort on a consistent basis.

Some elements of the stories are always intriguing such as this issue's appearance of Alpha Flight whose members are made more powerful by the use of a drug which enhances their mutant powers to God like proportions.

The writer also does a decent job of delving into Colossus' back story. If you haven't been following the Ultimate version of our favorite Russian X-Men, you might be surprised (as I was) that he is gay in this book, unlike his traditional counterpart.

I am not even sure when his romance with another former member of Alpha Flight started, but this opens up interesting story angles dealing with his relationship with Northstar, Marvel's original gay super hero. While it takes some getting used to by those who have followed the character's exploits in the traditional version of this comic, it isn't any more revolutionary than previous changes made to the X mythos in this title.

Coleite goes further by posing a moral question to the students of the X-Mansion: how far should they go to counteract the threat posed by villains using more ruthless methods such as their taking of power enhancing drugs?

Just as the matter gets explored, the requisite cliffhanger occurs, followed by a short preview of Moon Knight #20.

I really enjoy the artwork in this title. Big panels are used throughout but they do not detract from the flow of the story and rarely does it venture into giant sized spread pages which are common in many Marvel titles and which serve little purpose other than as nice mini pin ups. Some of the story elements in this comic have insured me picking it up in the future, if only to see which X-Men characters are given the ultimate treatment next.

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Editor's Note: X-Factor #31 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

This book is still one of the most fun in Marvel's collection right now. Peter David has such a great feel for these characters, and while not every issue is necessarily ground breaking, every one is consistently good, and in the case of this issue, above average. Props to the writer for being able to write each character in the book with a distinctive voice.

The story is pretty straight-forward: a guy with a grudge dies and has a dead-man switch on him that ruins everyone's day. This is a scenario that shows up in some of the best sci-fi. As such, it should feel cliché, but Peter David manages to breathe urgency into the situation. You actually feel for the people trapped in the rapidly de-populating Mutant Town as the bombs begin to go off. I must admit, he also wrote one of the most heartbreaking scenes I have ever seen in a comic where firefighters could not reach burning victims and had to watch them die from only a few feet away. This is made all the more painful by an art crew that pulls off anguish on the face of the firefighters. The book got an extra bullet just for the feeling this scene evoked in me.

David also has managed to consistently show off the powers of each of the members of the X-Factor team. I particularly liked the use of the Multiple Man pyramid in this particular issue for the rescue of a man on a rooftop, and Guido using his strength to shower water on the fires from an open hydrant ripped from the ground. However, the depiction of the remaining depowered member of the team, Rictor, is the most poignant. Rictor is completely helpless in this book. No powers, no direction and even his skills fail him in the end. This is a recurring theme for Rictor, and I am curious where David is going with it.

At the end of the issue it looks like the X-Factor team is in for more changes, I'll be here for the next issue.

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Editor's Note: War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #3 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"3: Oh, We Haven't Got a Hope in the Morning"

I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record (that's an archaic saying that us cavemen used to use--I'm sure you can look it up online to find out what it means, children--maybe there'll be an mp3 of someone explaining it), but this book is excellent. I can understand that it might not be to some readers' tastes, but you're missing out if you haven't given this a look.

Let's see... Garth Ennis' script is funny, tragic, filled with historical detail and insight, etc., etc. Howard Chaykin is doing the best art of his career: the layouts are creative, the storytelling is clear and cinematic, the detail work is exceptional, every character, even those just in the background, has a distinct look and personality, etc., etc.

Look. I've reviewed both of the first two issues, and now the third also gets 4 Bullets. That's 4 Bullets across the board so far. Everything I said about the first issue is still true. Everything I said about the second issue is also still true. Check the review archives. The link is in that little box up there on the right.

If you're the least bit curious about this title, pick it up. I don't know what else to tell you.

How about, this issue Kauffmann's brightly painted Spad finally makes its return to duty. Kauffmann saves the patrol and scores another kill, all while battling a medical condition. Or is that just a hygiene issue? Anyway, there's more high-flying death and mayhem (as well as confusion and guilt) for your reading pleasure. A friend is lost, but he leaves his mark on Kauffmann, and also helps him learn a thing or two about life and war.

How's that? Surely that piques your interest, eh?

Look, you're not going to find a better looking, better written, better colored comic about World War One pilots, anywhere. Okay, okay. There aren't any other books out there about WWI fighter pilots, I know. But this is still the best one.

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Plot: A seriously stirred pot keeps boiling over.

Comments: I've commented before on one particular mode for Warren Ellis is "The Rant." This is where the comic he’s writing becomes a platform for Warren to chatter about whatever is pissing him off that moment. Doctor Sleepless lapses into rant quite often and Transmetropolitian did too during its run. If it was just about any other writer such a mode would easily lapse into tedium. The last thing you want from your entertainment, comics or otherwise, is preaching. Warren Ellis is (in my opinion) the exception to the rule. Warren is at his best when angry. He has a sardonic funny brilliance to his rants which drives whatever point he has home. But usually packages it with twisted hysterical imagery. It’s hard not to enjoy dialogue that uses terms like “Goat Rape” especially when ranting about political process. Simply put, Warren Ellis’ rants are damn entertaining.

So what happens when Warren turns his ranting powers on a character that is demented past the point of sanity and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about anything but wholesale destruction? What if Warren’s rants unhinged themselves from the social concerns, bruised optimism or even a coherent point? You’d get darkly humorous articulate madness given form. You get the return of the Green Goblin! Ellis gleefully unleashes the snarling ID that’s in his head. That form has a green face, hurls bombs the look like jack O’ lanterns, and flies around on a jet board. Finally paying off a slow burn that has been building up on his entire run, the Goblin rampages through Thunderbolt Mountain and it’s the most fun you could possibly imagine. The first five pages are a rant. Osborn, stressed out, consuming placebo meds and most likely psychically manipulated, finally snaps. Its five pages of Norman talking to himself as he moves through the facility to his goblin gear. It’s an internal monologue that is, in turns, hysterical, chilling, and a true glimpse into a seriously sick mind. “Norman will make the girl pregnant and then snap her neck in public. Norman won’t mind. Norman will do what it takes.” You chuckle at his imagery while feeling the pull of his insanity, a deft little move. The character of Norman Osborn, a brilliant, egotistical, megalomaniac is perfectly summed up in this monologue all leading into the personification of that dark drive: A gorgeous reveal of the Green Goblin. The words, pencils, inks, and especially the colors work in tandem to give us the scariest most effective Green Goblin in years.

And Stormin’ Norman is just getting started! He beats the living crap out of the Swordsman (not to say swordsman didn’t have it coming) with pumpkin bombs and funny quips, nothing like a man enjoying his work. He then moves on to killing anybody that gets in his way and some that happen to be in the general vicinity. The powers of the super beings have been used quite effectively in recent issues of Thunderbolts. I never thought the Swordsman could trump Venom but he did and it was believable. Now it looks like the Green Goblin could take down the whole mountain. That’s just good, smart writing. It would be excellent to see him face off against Venom and make some pithy comments relating to their common enemy. I’m sure the Goblin has some constructive criticism to give Mac on his attempts to kill Spiderman as Venom or the Scorpion.

There is plot