#262 JAMES BOND, AGENT OF SPECTRE #2 (Dynamite, April 2021) It’s been too long for me between Bonds, what with the delay in the release of the next film. In the meantime, this will do nicely to ease my cravings.
There’s a fight scene in this issue that’s very cinematic in its’ depiction, free of dialogue/text. Bond is playing the role of defector, and taking direction from Spectre (while keeping MI6 informed of his moves). He’s trying to get close to Titania Jones, another member of Spectre’s ruling council and a threat to Blofeld’s rule.
James is compromised at the end of the issue, and a valuable ally suffers for it in a shocker twist. Too bad the artist made a critical error in the smoking gun featured in the last panel. Or did he? FOUR STARS.
#263 FANTASTIC FOUR #1 (Marvel, October 2018 - $5.99) Beginning the return of the Fantastic Four and the start of writer Dan Slott’s run on the title. A big set-up issue for the storylines to follow.
Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm are just about ready to give up hope they will ever see Reed, Sue and their family again after a lengthy disappearance when they are surprised by one false sign and then a good one when the famous 4 flare projects across the sky. Ben proposes to Alicia. Doctor Doom returns to Latveria just in time to help rally the citizens against the current dictator. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#264 THE RISE #1 (Heavy Metal Elements, April 2021 - $2.99) Priced right, but a bit skimpy on story (16 pages, plus 4 pages of sparse data files). There’s still another 12 pages to the issue, but all ads for other Heavy Metal titles and podcasts, etc. Looks like the magazine is branching out into both comic-sized titles and magazine-sized offerings (branded as Heavy Metal Elements) plus the upcoming Magma Comix.
THE RISE is penned by George C Romero, son of the famous grandmaster of zombie films. This is a set-up issue for what we can all guess is coming next. The story revolves around research by a brilliant but scoffed at scientist at the U.S. Air & Space Research Facility in 1962 Pennsylvania. Messing around with simian brains and applying the findings to humans. Pain and fear receptors are “turned off”.
Photo-realistic art helps sell the story, with minimal yet subtle coloring (black,white, gray, red, and muted tones). I’ll be checking out the next issue, as I’m expected things to pick up the pace. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#265 THE SILVER COIN #1 (Image, April 2021) Described as a horror comic based around a rock band, that was all I needed to hear to persuade me to check this out. I was surprised to learn at the end of the issue that the story will change next issue.
The plots will center around the mysterious silver coin and what happens to those who find it. First good luck, good fortune, and then . . . oh oh. Kind of like a new take on the classic Monkey’s Paw with a couple spins on the premise to make it appear original.
I’m all for a new horror anthology title with one-shot stories revealing what happens when the silver coin changes ownership.
This opening story really dragged and felt padded. I would have preferred two different stories to this. Not sure I’m coming back although the next issue teaser seems interesting. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#266-#271 BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA trade paperback (Marvel, June 2017)
This works best as a companion piece to the activities and major events occurring in the main Black Panther title. However, it's not essential to read those as those events serve as reference points to the story here rather than a major part of the plot.
The first four issues of WORLD OF WAKANDA is actually a very well-done romance comic in disguise as an action book. FIVE STARS.
#272-#278 BASKETFUL OF HEADS #1-7 (DC/Black Label/Hill House, December 2019-June 2020)
This is my second favorite comics series by Joe Hill, between #1 LOCKE & KEY and #3 PLUNGE. If you’re not a regular reader of horror comics, this is a good one to get your toe in the water. A combination of dark humor and bloody horror, just like the old horror comic it pays tribute to.
More talking heads than a Bendis comic. A longer review appears on my blog for April 17. FOUR STARS.
#279 CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS #3 of 5 (Marvel, 2011)
After watching three episodes of FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER on Disney+ I scratched an itch to read some US Agent stories and fished this one out of my bargain box. In case you haven’t read anything featuring John Walker/US Agent, he’s a narrow-minded jerk of a character but not as nasty as he’s portrayed on Disney+.
In a complicated story (which I could still follow even when picking up the middle book) Marvel vet Roger Stern has an elder of the universe assembling various Captain America heroes from different times to try and alter future history and prevent the authoritarian Americommand team from forming. Fun stuff. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#280-#286 HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES, VOLUME TWO (BOOM! Studios, September 2012)
Reprints of short stories from the EPIC/MARVEL 1990’s Hellraiser series. While these thirteen tales by various creative teams manage to stay true to the amazing eerie world created by Clive Barker, none of them really match the shock and awe of the originals. Those Hellraiser films are classic. THREE STARS.
A longer review appeared on my blog for April 18 . . . . . .
#287-#290 TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE #1-4 (IDW, June-September 2016)
Horror author Joe Hill was paid by the CW network to write scripts for a planned revival of the old Tales From The Darkside series. The project was scrapped, and Hill adapts some of those stories for comics with the able assistance of Locke & Key collaborator Gabriel Rodriguez. Great, quirky stuff - true to the spirit of the show.
FOUR PLUS STARS. There’s a longer write-up on my blog . . . . .
#291-#295 PUMPKINHEAD #1-5 (Dynamite, 2018)
As horror comics fare, there’s nothing earth-shattering here - - just an entertaining and satisfying read, especially if you crave a bit of escapism with no big messages, just subtle undercurrents if you want to reflect longer. For a better example of hillbilly horror with more engaging and disturbing concepts, check out the HARROW COUNTY series (also by Cullen Bunn).
“For each of man’s evils, a special demon exists.” THREE STARS. There’s a longer write-up on this blog for April 19 . . . . .
After decades of reading super-hero comics (and an overabundance of Avengers and X-Men issues) I grew bored and jaded in my opinions. I didn’t stop completely, but quit on those two titles and only read the occasional super-hero fare, mainly trying out a debut issue, hanging around for the first story arc, or picking up a mini-series here and there. The only two books I read regularly (but not month after month) are Batman and Daredevil.
I did read INVINCIBLE #1, but not when it first came out. I read the later Image $1 reprint. It was an affordable way for me to check out for myself if the buzz I was hearing about this book was deserved. It was, and Issue #1 was a good debut, but nothing in it really hooked me enough to seek out more. Years later, I’m still hearing good things and F.O.M.O. creeps into my thoughts. I picked up a couple collections at bargain prices, but still haven’t got to them. (Now my thinking is I need to start at the very beginning - - groan, someday).
My reason for reading these particular issues is that I just sold them. I decided to give them a quick read before shipping them away to a new owner. I really appreciate what Kirkman did to end this series, especially announcing the end so many issues ahead of time. I hope it had the desired affect, getting readers to jump on and increase sales numbers. It worked on me. I paid full price for the bookend issues of “The End Of All Things” and picked up the others in a bargain bin.
There’s some incredible character building and universe creation that occurred all those years of INVINCIBLE. Hail, Kirkman. FOUR STARS.
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