MY WEEK IN COMICS - - - for the two weeks ending on Sunday, March 09
#154 - #155 = BUG WARS #1 by Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar (Image Comics, February 2025) Book One, Lost In The Yard: Chapter One, The House of Playmaker
A family drama that is done very well. Two brothers at odds. A single mom trying to re-group and hold onto the remaining family. A murder mystery involving their father. An elaborate micro-world with interesting non-human characters, even more interesting because it’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot of depth to Aaron’s world-building with various species of warrior ants and barbaric “mytes” (the Beetle Clans). Still to come - - the mysterious Systers of the Spyder (the Web Witches). Some truly dynamic and creative artwork by Asrar. BUG WARS #1 is a debut issue that hits all the marks for me.
Debut issues are more important than ever. The creators have just one shot to attract interest and curiosity enough to prompt readers to keep going beyond Issue #1. Just ask any comic shop about the drop-off in numbers sold after that initial effort, beginning with Issue #2 and declining further with each issue. There’s just too many choices out there to follow everything.
I depend on those pre-release solicitations from various sources to determine which new titles I’m going to check out. When I read about this book, I didn’t think it was unique enough to order it. The summary gave me the impression that it was similar to early Marvel Micronauts issues (mini-heroes versus big humans) as well as Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers (human space army versus giant bugs). Also, that elevator pitch describing Bug Wars as Honey, I Shrunk The Kids meets Game Of Thrones was off-putting (at least to me).
My comics friend (Jeff Mathison at 4th Wall Comics in Millersville, PA.) recommended the book to me. Otherwise, I would have missed this entirely. It turns out that Captain Blue Hen in Newark, DE sold out of their shelf copies (admittedly, they can’t stock up on everything - especially unproven new titles) and Maroon Hornet in Oxford, PA. only brought pre-ordered copies in, concluding that their customer base would not be interested. That should prompt readers to pre-order more tittles that they might be interested in. Otherwise, you could walk into the shop two days after release and not see a single copy.
Am I going to tell you any more about Bug Wars in this review and do all the heavy-lifting for you? Nah, I’m just going to say it’s great and you should check it out. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#156 = BURIED LONG, LONG AGO #1 by Anthony Cleveland and Alex Cormack (Mad Cave Studios, expected release date April 16, 2025)
The story is inspired by a true case of a female serial killer in the last decade of the 19th Century (1884-1908). However, it’s not necessary to be familiar with the history of Belle Gunness to read this story, based on those murders. NOTE: A full review of this title appeared on the blog site for Wednesday, February 26. FIVE STARS.
#157-#162 = ULTIMATES #1-#6 by Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri (Marvel Comics, August 2024-January 2025) This is good, but not great - - - and it takes more than that to get me to follow a super-hero series. Still, I felt that I should check out this recent iteration of Marvel's Ultimate Universe. I was a huge Avengers and X-Men fan back in the late 1970's through the early 1980's. I never missed an issue.
So I felt that ULTIMATES (being a version of the Avengers) and ULTIMATE X-MEN were two titles that I would definitely give a chance. I read ULTIMATES Issue #1 and thought it had a decent premise and seemed promising, so I pre-ordered all six issues in the first arc for a later all-at-once complete reading. If it impressed me enough, I would follow the remaining story arcs in the trade paperbacks. While this volume seemed to be a build-up for more action and resolution to come, I decided to stop.
One of the benefits of alternative universes for standard characters is that it allows the creators to tinker with the make-up and motivations of the licensed property, getting them to do things they might never do in the regular Marvel universe. Also, it gives creators license to kill them off - because they still exist in the regular Marvel U. One of the problems for me is that knowing this I don't worry about these characters and never fully invest in them. It's not all me though - - Camp really doesn't do anything to make me care for any of them.
"A diabolical genius known as The Maker used time travel to create his ideal Earth by systematically preventing anyone from ever becoming a super hero and by establishing a secret council of super villains that rules the world from the shadows."
"But now the Maker is gone, locked away for the next fourteen months by inventor Howard Stark. Howard's teenage son, Tony, has taken on the codename Iron Lad and begun recruiting a network of heroes to fight back against the Maker's Council and prepare for the Maker's return."
That's basically what happens in this first story arc. The Ultimates start out as a quintet with Iron Lad, Doom (Reed Richards), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Thor (god of Thunder), and Sif (warrior goddess). Later, they add Giant-Man (Hank Pym), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), America Chavez (cosmic powerhouse), She-Hulk (Lejori Joena Zaharia), The Human Torch (Jim Hammond), and Hawkeye (Charli Ramsey) before engaging in a giant battle with the Maker's Council led by The Hulk (Bruce Banner).
There are some interesting side stories, especially the origins of an alternative Reed Richards being converted into Doom by The Maker, an alternate failed effort of the Fantastic Four, a native American version of Hawkeye, and native islander versions of Hulk mutations created by a gamma-bombed island that Banner wanted as an experiment.
While the art is consistently good, there are issues with the choppy way that Camp sets things up and seems to leave out the critical incidents that led to the team formation - instead using exposition to just refer to them. Ho hum. THREE STARS.
#163-#166 = BATMAN: THE ULTIMATE EVIL Books #1-#2 of 2 by Neal Barrett, Jr. and Denys Cowan (DC Comics, 1995) This is a comics adaptation of the 1995 novel by writer Andrew Vachss (1942-2021). Vachss was a NYC born, crime fiction writer who also served the federal government as a child protection consultant. He often wrote about child abuse and sex trafficking of children in his novels, based on his work as an attorney for children and youth.
In 1995, DC Comics approached Vachss about writing a print novel featuring Batman. Vachss used the opportunity to create a story about
the child sex tourism industry. While at times the story gets a little preachy, it is disturbing and helped point out an overlooked problem of the 1990’s. With the advent of the internet and the Dark Web, I can only imagine how prevalent this issue still remains.
The adaptation is very faithful to the novel, and features some fine expressive art from Cowan. Batman rescues a social worker from a mugging/robbery and later visits her as Bruce Wayne to learn about her work as a crusader against child abuse. He finds a connection to a cause that was championed by his mother Martha Wayne.
Batman’s investigation of the child sex tourism and human trafficking takes him to Southeast Asia where he breaks up a massive criminal organization. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#167-#168 = BATMAN/HELLBOY/STARMAN Book One of Two by James Robinson and Mike Mignola (DC Comics/Dark Horse Comics, January 1999) You can always count on Robinson to write a decent story. Having Mignola on art for an entire issue is a real treat.
As the story opens, Batman is chasing The Joker across the rooftops of Gotham. He escapes, and Batman’s attention is diverted to a bigger problem as a group of neo-nazis employing what appears to be electrical energy crash a lecture by Ted Knight (the original Starman). Bruce Wayne was in attendance and becomes involved in the investigation.
Commissioner Gordon brings in Hellboy as a consultant. There is some interesting dialogue between Hellboy and Batman as they attempt to work together, combining Batman’s investigative skills and knowledge of Gotham geography with Bellboy’s familiarity with magic (which he suspects the neo-nazis employed.)
Soon, Batman’s attention is divided as the Joker makes his next threatening move. The current Starman (Jack Knight) joins Hellboy as the team needs to split up.
Sorry I never found the second part to this story. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#169-#174 = BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS trade paperback by Ed Brubaker and various artists (DC Comics, 2008)
This trade paperback contains two great examples of the engaging writing of Ed Brubaker. I definitely prefer to read his crime comics but these two Batman stories are good examples of the nourish atmosphere he is so skilled at creating. Brubaker puts his own stamp on Batman here, and it's a cool take on the character. As always, I also appreciate how Brubaker puts readers into the heads of his characters, both heroes and villains, and shows the inner workings and personal side of each (right or wrong).
The opening story Batman: The Man Who Laughs is Brubaker's re-telling of the first encounter between Batman and The Joker. It hints at the Red Hood origins and the Killing Joke storyline. Joker's twisted rationale and maniacal actions are on full display. Batman is a grim, determined foe who takes the Joker's cruel public death displays personally.
The back story reprints Made Of Wood from Detective Comics #784-#786, a team-up of Batman and the original Green Lantern to solve a mystery from the 1940's. Great character reveals, especially Brubaker's version of Alan Scott. An engaging and fun story, with more insights into the criminal mind and motivations. FOUR STARS.
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