Reviews for books shipping Jan. 18, 2017, including:
• AQUAMAN #15
• ARCHIE #16
• BATMAN #15
• BLACK HAMMER GIANT-SIZED ANNUAL #1
• CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE #4
• COUGAR AND CUB #1
• CURSE WORDS #1
• DIVINITY III: ARIC, SON OF THE REVOLUTION #1
• DOLLFACE #1
• THE FEW #1
• GREEN LANTERNS #15
• JUSTICE LEAGUE #13
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RAY #1
• JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #5
• LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS VOL. 2: SURVIVING MEGALOPOLIS
• PEEPLAND #3
• REVOLUTIONARIES #1
Some 
involved. You are warned!
AQUAMAN #15
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by PHILIPPE BRIONES
Cover by BRAD WALKER and ANDREW HENNESSY
Variant cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON
This issues will ship with two covers.
“THE DELUGE” conclusion! It’s all been leading to this: Aquaman and his Atlantean army vs. Black Manta and the forces of N.E.M.O. in a final fight for supremacy over the seven seas. Whoever wins, one thing is certain: only one man will swim out alive!
32 pg • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
This issue ends a long storyline, which was nicely done. That gives me the opportunity to give the creators credit here, for both this storyline and the series as a whole so far.
Writer Dan Abnett has aggressively tackled some of the things that have kept Aquaman less than A-list -- and, in some circles, a joke. Here are some of the complaints, and how Abnett has addressed them:
"All he does is swim fast and talk to fish."
Well, yes, he does those things. But Abnett has upped the Sea King's power level far beyond what others have dared to do (and I have long advocated). He is bullet-proof (well, they sting). He is immensely strong -- maybe in Superman's range, certainly Wonder Woman's. His "talk to fish" power is a low-grade telepathy with more than one use. These are welcome developments, because not only was his previous power level a joke, but they made him far inferior in combat to his wife. Speaking of which:
"His wife is more powerful than he is."
True. So much so that writer after writer has tried to write her out of the series. But that's never really worked.
Once they had her kidnapped (sh-yeah, that's plausible).
Usually they have Arthur and Mera have some sort of falling out. And that doesn't work, because of all the couples in comic-dom, this is not only one that should work, fans want it to work.
Mera adds not only sex appeal and raw power to the strip, but she is an interesting and dazzling character in her own right, and the strip suffers when she is not present. Plus, she is an equal for the Sea King, not a sidekick, which makes them a heckuva team. Finally, she serves a story purpose in just giving Arthur someone to babble expositional dialogue to.
But she can still overshadow her husband, whose name is at the top of the book. So what to do?
Well, Abnett has managed to sideline her just a bit -- but only so that she neither takes the top spot nor goes away entirely. She's still a major part of the strip, but for now can't fight by Arthur's side. That's a delicate dance -- do this too long and it damages the character -- but for now it's working.
"Aquaman doesn't belong in the JLA."
He didn't always. This is connected to the "swims fast and talks to fish" complaint, in that the Waterlogged Wonder used to seem woefully outclassed and out of place in the League.
But this storyline pitted Aquaman more or less against his teammates (actually a bit too much -- they were kinda acting like jerks) and he held his own. And by emphasizing Aquaman's head-of-state status and non-superhero responsibilities -- much like Marvel has successfully done with the Black Panther -- Aquaman really seems like he's on equal footing with pseudo-gods of the League. Also, he beat the Shaggy Man by himself. (Seriously!)
"Aquaman has no supporting cast."
Fixed. Abnett has worked in department heads for various departments a king would need, with more or less enough personality to tell them apart. Tula -- the SIlver Age Aquagirl -- makes a welcome appearance here, all grown-up and responsible and stuff.
"Aquaman's arch-enemy is Black Manta, who is a stupid villain."
Agreed. But for the first time, I was actually convinced that Black Manta was a threat. That's not easy, because he looks ridiculous with that flying saucer on his head, his personality is one-dimensional and his super-powers are non-existent. But Abnett has moved him past his personal enmity with Aquaman and made him the head of a vast organization.
That's the writing. Meantime, the art is A-list. I'm not all that famliar with Briones or the other sundry hands who have pitched in, but they follow the Jim Lee-esque house style well enough to make the book look awful purty. And I can clearly tell the supporting cast apart.
Am I completely sold on Aquaman? Not entirely. As noted, I thought the Leaguers -- especially Superman -- were written as jerks to make the story work, a writer's fiat which is never welcome. And the new supporting cast occasionally veers into cliche. And Mera isn't going to stay on the bench forever, and what then?
But overall the book is working. And it's a book called Aquaman. That deserves applause.
ARCHIE #16
Script: MARK WAID
Art: JOE EISMA, ANDRE SZYMANOWICZ, JACK MORELLI
Cover: JOE EISMA
Variant Covers: MARGUERITE SAUVAGE, DEAN TRIPPE
32-page • full color comic • $3.99 U.S.
Dilton Doiley, Riverdale's smartest kid, is in the spotlight — but Reggie Mantle has a vested interest in taking him out! Meanwhile, Cheryl Blossom plans her ultimate revenge against Veronica!
Hail, hail, the gang's all here!
This month's story focuses on Dilton, Moose, Reggie and even introduces Nancy Woods, while bringing the Blossom twins to Riverdale to begin their scheme to destroy Veronica. (Why do they want to destroy Veronica? You HAVE been reading, right?) That pretty much establishes the motives, M.O., relationships and personalities of the remaining major players in Riverdale. Mark Waid could walk away now knowing he's done a terrific job of rejuvenating one of the industry's longest-running strips.
But I hope he doesn't. This is just great fun. And there are still a couple more characters left to receive new life, like Chuck Clayton. Looking forward to next month, to see just what Cheryl's cunning scheme is!
The art: As you can see below, it's modern without being cartoony or grim-n-gritty -- somewhere in between, I'd say.
BATMAN #15
Written by TOM KING
Art and cover by MITCH GERADS
Variant cover by TIM SALE
This issue will ship with two covers.
“STREETS AND SWAMPS”! Swamp Thing comes to Gotham City with a mysterious request for Batman—but these longtime allies will have to make up for lost time and work together in order to confront a growing threat that only they can stop!
32 pg • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
I genuinely don't know how I feel about this two-parter (and the "Suicide Bat-Squad" bit before that which also featured Catwoman). It establishes a new dynamic between Batman and Catwoman I'm not sure can work. Also, I don't like that they call each other "Bat" and "Cat." Yuch. Why not "pookie" and "nummy bear"?
On the plus side, this new dynamic (see preview below*) seems to arise more or less organically from previous stories, and is a natural progression. And King makes good use of two previous stories that really can't fit together seamlessly -- Catwoman's first story from Batman #1 (1940) and her reboot as a former dominatrix in "Batman: Year One" (1988). King uses them both cleverly, as a case of mixed memory -- Batman remembers their first meeting one way, Catwoman another. It's not as complicated as it sounds, and, as presented, rather charming.
But part of the fun of Bat/Cat stories was the friction between their obsessions and natural antagonism, offset by their sexual/romantic tension. It meant that one could never be sure what either one was going to do in a given situation, which is, for example, what put the steam in the "Suicide Bat-Squad" story prior to this one. I fear that losing that aspect may neutralize the sparks the two have always had.
But maybe I'm worried over nothing. Maybe this new arrangement will be just as fun. Maybe King has anticipated all of my concerns. I guess we'll have to trust he knows what he's doing. And the whole DCU will probably be rebooted in a few years anyway.
* This is the preview DC sent out. If they didn't want the new dynamic spoiled, they shouldna sent it!
BLACK HAMMER GIANT-SIZED ANNUAL
Writer/Cover: JEFF LEMIRE
Artist: DUSTIN NGUYEN, EMI LENOX, NATE POWELL, MATT KINDT, RAY FAWKES
Colorist: DAVE STEWART
FC • 44 pages • one-shot • $5.99
Illustrated by an all-star slate of guest artists, this oversized anthology issue features five Black Hammer stories from Jeff Lemire, each focusing on one of the stranded heroes. See how Dustin Nguyen, Emi Lenox, Nate Powell, Matt Kindt and Ray Fawkes take on tales about Abraham Slam, Golden Gail, Colonel Weird, Barbalien and Madame Dragonfly.
If you're reading Black Hammer, then pick this book up immediately. If you're not reading Black Hammer, why aren't you?
The structure of this anthology is no surprise -- we've all seen it before, going back to, heck, the Justice Society in 1940s All Star Comics. To wit: Each of the five major characters have an adventure involving a MacGuffin that I'm not going to bother to explain. It doesn't matter what it is; the point is to show us a bit of the lives of these characters when they were in their heyday, before they were trapped in their current circumstance. Each story has its own art style, matching the type of story told.
It's well done. And it's interesting. Not much is really surprising; we've been given enough information about these characters to kinda guess what they were like back in Spiral City's Golden Age. I guess it should be noted that the enmity between Golden Gail and Madame Dragonfly goes back farther than the current series, and that Madame D. only pretends to be a strange, distant mystic -- she has more normal human feelings than she cares to admit.
But really, what am I droning on about? If you like Black Hammer, you'll love this; if you're not reading Black Hammer it won't make a lick of sense.
CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE #4
Written by JON RIVERA
Art and cover by MICHAEL AVON OEMING
Backup story and art by THOMAS SCIOLI
Variant cover by ANDREW MACLEAN
This issue will ship with two covers.
Cave and his team find the underground city of Muldroog, and it’s not what he expected. Plus, Cave has visions of his deceased wife, but are they hallucinations, or is there more to this than meets the cybernetic eye? Also features a Super Powers backup feature by Thomas Scioli (G.I. Joe vs. Transformers)!
32 pg • FC• $3.99 U.S. • MATURE READERS
I absolutely hated Twilight, that story Howard Chaykin did giving DC's Silver Age sci-fi characters the Kingdom Come/The Silver Age treatment. And I'm not crazy about what's been done to Doc Magnus and The Chief in recent years, making them deranged Prof. Ivo types. Seriously, leave my Silver Age heroes alone, please, even if they are dorky!
So I expected to hate this "update" on Cave Carson, about as cliched a B-list Silver Age character as you can imagine. Just like Rip Hunter, Dan Dorrance. Ace Morgan and Reed Richards, Cave was the leader of a four-person team who challenged the unknown. In this case: spelunking. Yeah, pretty dorky.
But, lo, DC didn't make Cave crazy (entirely). Or murderous. Or evil. He is a little depressed. But after the death of his wife, he has a right to be. And they've also shown him at his best, barking out orders, coming up with plans on the fly, fearless in the face of uncontrollable circumstance. Which is also kinda dorky -- his new teammates don't know what to make of that old-school comic book leadership -- but hey, I love it.
So what's new isn't all that bad, and some of it's kinda cool. Yes, yes, we have the standard evil corporation with a hidden agenda-- hey, in this day and age, a corporation that isn't evil seems a stretch -- but we've got those new teammates in Wild Dog (yes, Wild Dog!) and Cave's teenage daughter. They are, surprisingly, really good. Plus, young Johnny Blake is present, but on the wrong team, and in pursuit of Cave ... although not for long, I suspect. We may be back to a four-person team soon enough!
And, oh yeah, there's the eye. Cave seems to be taking it calmly. But too calmly, given what we know about it. Maybe Cave doesn't know what we know ... or maybe the eye controls more than his vision. To be continued!
Meanwhile, the art is spot on. Again, I expected not to like it, because I've grown bored with Michael Avon Oeming's particular style. I liked it well enough on Bulletproof Monks and The Mice Templar, but then he started getting hired for all sorts of things where the style wasn't appropriate, and I began to dread seeing it.
But, like with his earlier work, his style fits this book perfectly. With the story, you're never quite sure whether to accept it as a cartoon fantasy, a tongue-in-cheek parody or a grim adventure. Oeming's style is elastic enough to fit all three categories without excluding any.
Which is fun. There, I said it: Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye is fun!
COUGAR & CUB #1
Writers: NICK MARINO, ROSIE KNIGHT
Art/Cover: DANIEL ARRUDA MASSA
32 pgs.• M • FC • $3.99 (reg.), $4.99 (var.)
The courageous Cougar and the cunning Cub are Megaville's ferocious feline fighters, tussling with an outrageous rogues gallery and prowling the city for crime all the time. But when a slow night on the job turns into a saucy encounter in the sack, the age old question will finally be answered... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A SUPERHERO HAS SEX WITH THEIR SIDEKICK?
Don't miss this sin-tillating new series from the creators of HOLY F*CK, with bombastic backups written by newcomer Rosie Knight!
Plumb the depths of passion with our Love Is Gross variant, or take a trip to the golden age with our Flashback Backup variant cover!
Wow, this is really not my thing.
What do movie reviewers do when they have to review a genre they don't like, like superheroes? Oh, yeah, they get snotty and say the movies are terrible and a fad and a curse that will destroy the industry, and when will Hollywood make GOOD movies again, where two characters just talk to each other for 90 minutes, like My Dinner with Andre?
Well, I'm not going to be those guys. Yes, I find humor like this puerile. But I'm sure it scratches an itch for some fans out there (especially those who snicker about Batman and Robin). And the artwork supports the effort well.
So it does the job it sets out to do, in a sort of Adult Swim, gross-out, bad-pun style.
It's just not for me. Read the preview below to see if it's for you.
CURSE WORDS #1
Story: CHARLES SOULE
Art: JORDAN BOYD, RYAN BROWNE
Cover: RYAN BROWNE
Variant Cover: SKOTTIE YOUNG
SRP: $3.99
"THE DEVIL'S DEVIL," Part One
The new ongoing series from CHARLES SOULE (Daredevil, Death of Wolverine, Star Wars) and RYAN BROWNE (GOD HATES ASTRONAUTS) is COMING FOR YOU! A wizard has appeared in New York City, and he's casting wonderful spells, getting famous, getting rich-it's great! But it's not. This wizard has everyone fooled. He is actually an EVIL WIZARD, and EVIL THINGS are on the way. CURSE WORDS is a gonzo modern fantasy, full of darkness, light ... and MAGIC.
Here's a first issue from Image I feel bound to review, but I just ran out of time. Here's a preview.
DIVINITY III: ARIC, SON OF THE REVOLUTION #1
Written by JOE HARRIS with MATT KINDT
Art by CAFU with JUAN JOSE RYP
Cover A by CLAYTON CRAIN (NOV161926)
Cover B by DIEGO BERNARD (NOV161927)
Cover C by CAFU (NOV161928)
Character Design Variant by TREVOR HAIRSINE (NOV161929)
Variant Cover by KANO (NOV161930)
Out of DIVINITY III: STALINVERSE, Valiant’s leading legend – the unstoppable X-O MANOWAR – becomes the supreme fighting force of the CCCP in the next essential special ripped from the pages of the winter’s visionary comics events!
From bustling urban centers to the collective farms of the countryside, men, women, and children alike all idolize the same hero of the global Soviet republic: ARIC, SON OF THE REVOLUTION!
Returned to Earth from the stars with the ultimate nuclear deterrent – the indestructible X-O Manowar armor – the champion of socialism has singlehandedly consolidated the state’s military and political superiority at home and abroad. But when a surprise attack from the Deadside shines an untoward light on the modern-day Soviet Union’s darkest secret, will Aric pursue his mission…or justice for the quiet dead of an empire’s oppression?
The Valiant Universe as we now know it continues to reveal itself…as acclaimed writer Joe Harris (Snowfall) and explosive artist CAFU (Ninjak) present a star-shattering tale of sins, secrets and tragedy for the global hero of the worldwide Communist state!
$3.99 U.S. • 32 pgs. • T+ • ONE-SHOT
Three issues into Stalinverse and it's a nail-biter already.
As we saw last month in Divinity III: Stalinverse #1 and Divinity III: Komandar Bloodshot #1, somehow the world has been transformed into a timeline where the Soviet Union won World War II and enslaved the globe. The major heroes are brainwashed or neutralized. Things are really not looking great.
This issue focuses on X-O Manowar, and how he became a Soviet tool. It's a winner, with Valiant's usual blend of solid storytelling and top-flight art. As a bonus, we also get the origin another new character, Kostiy the Deathless (we got Red Legend last month).
Stalinverse is shaping up into a terrific "event," one that lives up to that description. Other publishers please take note.
Anatomy points for the artist drawing female hip bones accurately.
DOLLFACE #1
Writers: DAN MENDOZA & BRYAN SEATON
Art: DAN MENDOZA
Cover A: DAN MENDOZA (unlimited)
Cover B (Pin-up variant cover, limited to 3,000): DAN MENDOZA
Cover C (Variant cover, limited to 3,000): JOSH HOWARD
Cover D (Variant cover, limited to 3,000): VICTORIA HARRIS
Cover E (Variant cover , limited to 3,000): TONY FLEECS
Cover F (Pin-up sketch variant cover, limited to 2,000) DAN MENDOZA
Cover G - Blank sketch variant cover (unlimited)
64 pgs. • M • FC • $4.99
Debuting at Halloween ComicFest, creators Bryan Seaton and Dan Mendoza (Zombie Tramp) unleash the all-new breakout character Dollface in her own ongoing series with issues 1 & 2 combined into this special double-sized issue!
In the town of Boston, a witch-hunter lurks among the shadows, but this witch-hunter is like none you've ever seen. She is Lila, a 17th century soul that has been transported into present time and into the body of a life size, ball jointed doll, created by a couple of MIT students trying to use technology and a 3D printer to create the perfect women. Join in this super-sized debut issue and learn how she came to be known as Dollface, the ball-jointed witch hunter.
I'm not really sure what this is. Parody? Soft-core porn? Adventure? I can't really tell.
But it features the art of the guy who does Zombie Tramp, and ZT herself guest stars in this issue. So I guess it's whatever genre Zombie Tramp is, and if you like that, you'll like this.
THE FEW #1
Story: SEAN LEWIS
Art / Cover: HAYDEN SHERMAN
Critically lauded writer and playwright SEAN LEWIS follows up the cult favorite SAINTS with his newest book THE FEW. Teaming with red-hot artist HAYDEN SHERMAN for a LIMITED MAXI-SERIES, THE FEW combines Mad Max action with a Station Eleven sensibility in this sci-fi series for mature readers. In a dystopian future, two survivalist brothers stumble across an unlikely sight: a woman asleep in the woods holding nothing but a gun and a baby wearing a gas mask. As these boys begin to embark on helping this woman, betrayals, secrets and revolutions abound in the fight for what's left of America.
SRP: $4.99
This is extremely decompressed storytelling, but enough happens in the first issue that I'll be back for the second.
Partly it's because of the story, which is yet another dystopian future, but one I've not seen before and unclear as to cause and ramifications. It may be that this time it's simply the dissolution of human bonds -- the United States is no longer united -- instead of Mother Nature. At any rate, water seems to be the resource most lacking, whereas firearms, gasoline and tech seem plentiful. This issue, though decompressed enough that I could sum it up in two sentences (one of them the description above), gives me enough twists that I want to know more.
Secondly it's due to the art. Which is weird, because it's not really to my taste -- too scritchy-scratchy, not enough detail, ugly faces. But it's gritty enough that it suits the story, even if I can't tell gender without dialogue. I hope the faults will fade as I become more accustomed to it.
GREEN LANTERNS #15
Written by SAM HUMPHRIES
Art by RONAN CLIQUET
Cover by DREW JOHNSON
Variant cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
This issue will ship with two covers.
“GHOSTS OF THE PAST”! Jessica and Simon head to Portland on a case that’s close to the heart: the murder of Jessica Cruz’s friends. And now that she has some ring-slinging experience, Jessica goes back to the one place she’s feared to return—and she won’t stop until she finds the killer.
32 pg • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
How many comic books have you read titled "A Day in the Life"? And how many have you enjoyed?
Well, for a change, I enjoyed this one. It centers on the more interesting of the two rookie Green Lanterns currently walking the Sector 2814 beat. I find Simon Baz boring, but Jessica Cruz is a fascinating oxymoron: A Green Lantern who constantly feels fear.
That comes in the form of anxiety attacks, which this issue does a swell job of depicting. It also does a swell job of showing Jessica dealing with those attacks, and overcoming them (barely) to do the superhero thing. The cruel trick: Jessica says you "don't get better" from anxiety attacks, and this will be her every day in the life until something changes.
I'm guessing Humphries has done his homework, and this depiction is accurate and/or honest. and it makes for a very good issue of Green Lanterns. Especially with Lupacchino's art, which handles both cosmic and pedestrian fairly well.
But I have to wonder: Anxiety attacks never get better? Really? I know a guy who didn't leave his house for 20 years because of agoraphobia, which I assume is similar. He got better, and is now living in a different state. Surely he is no stronger of mind and spirit than a Green Lantern. Can't Jessica "get better"?
Well, maybe she can't. Or maybe she just thinks she can't, and that will be the long-term story. Because as good as this story was, I don't think this condition can work out very well in serialized fiction. This issue was very good, but should the status quo maintain it will damage Jessica Cruz as a character, potentially fatally.
But this is a good issue. Also, Silver Age points for using a monster based on one from, I think, Green Lantern #8 (1961).
JUSTICE LEAGUE #13
Written by TIM SEELEY
Art by CARLOS D’ANDA
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
Variant cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
This issues will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
A “JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD” tie-in! It’s the day no one saw coming when Harley Quinn finds herself the protector of Gotham City, repelling a brutal assault from the super-villain threat of [REDACTED].
32 pg, • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
I was wrong last week about there only being two tie-ins to the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad. Here's a third, and there could be more. But so far the tie-ins have been extremely useful but not necessary for the main story.
Here we see some of what the eclipsed Justice Leaguers are up to that we don't see in Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #5, which follows the main story (with Max Lord and Superman). Again, it's a good issue, and it informs the main book, but it's not mandatory. (I recommend it just the same.)
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RAY REBIRTH #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art by STEPHEN BYRNE
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Variant cover by TBA
This issue will ship with two covers.
SPINNING OUT OF THE PAGES OF JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD! Locked indoors, raised in the dark and told his medical condition could be fatal to himself and anyone he meets, Ray Terrill is dangerous. A freak. Broken. Or is he…? Witness the amazing power of realizing your true self and stepping into the light in this moving rebirth of a long-lost hero for a new generation.
One shot • 32 pg • FC • $2.99 U.S. • RATED T
Just like the Vixen book last week, this issue does little more than regurgitate known information for the benefit of those who don't know anything about The Ray. For those who are already familiar with the character -- the version that ran from 1992 to 2011 -- you only learn two new things:
* There may not have been a previous Ray. Pre-New 52, Ray Terrill was the son of "Happy" Terrill, the Golden Age Ray. This issue doesn't establish it either way, which leads me to believe there will be a story about it down the road.
* The Ray is now gay. In his previous incarnation, Ray Terrill was heterosexual. (He even sexed up the Black Canary, if you can believe that.)
JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #5
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by ROBSON ROCHA
Variant covers by TBA
This issue will ship with three covers.
[REDACTED] has finally obtained that which [REDACTED] has sought all this time—it’s the means to utterly [REDACTED] the Justice League forever. Now, only [REDACTED] and the Suicide Squad stand in [REDACTED] path of total world domination. No pressure!
40 pg • FC • 5 of 6 • $3.99 U.S. • RATED T
This is the first issue that doesn't have a twist ending, but it doesn't need one -- things are pretty dire for the Justice League, the Suicide Squad and the world as a whole. And somehow they've got to wrap this up with only one issue left to go!
LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS VOLUME 2: SURVIVING MEGALOPOLIS (HC)
Writer: GAIL SIMONE
Art/Cover: J. CALAFIORE
Colorist: JASON WRIGHT
FC • 168 pages • HC • 7'' x 10'' • $19.99 • Age range: 14
Gail Simone and J. Calafiore are back!
Fan-favorite creators Gail Simone and J. Calafiore return to the city whose citizens are hunted—not by villains, but by heroes! The survivors of Leaving Megalopolis reluctantly return to the doomed city, still controlled by superheroes turned brutal killers, on a rescue mission straight into the heart of madness! Collects issues #1–6.
The standalone sequel to Gail Simone and J. Calafiore’s hit graphic novel!
“It’s damn good storytelling that immediately engages you and sweeps you along for a helluva ride.”—The Fandom Post
After going this long without knowing what turned Megalopolis' superheroes homicidally crazy, I assume we'd never know -- like the zombie virus in The Walking Dead, it is what it is, and the story is how everyone else copes with it.
But no, we're actually getting an answer, although it's coming in dribs and drabs. And it threatens to turn this small-scale horror into something much, much bigger.
In the meantime, though, that small-scale horror -- the evil-ized superheroes -- comes to a head as the Superman and Wonder Woman analogs go at it for keepsies. That part of the story -- which actually served a purpose in the larger picture -- seems to end here. The next Megalopolis is going to necessarily be something quite different.
As to this one -- well, I love me some Gail Simone, especially when she gets weird (see Secret Six). But sometimes this book got too awful even for me. Or maybe it's the art. Calafiore's art is always kinda ugly to me, so when he draws something intended to be ugly it shoots past my personal threshold for gross.
And yet, I read the book avidly. Must be a masochist!
PEEPLAND #3
Writers: CHRISTA FAUST, GARY PHILLIPS
Artist: ANDREA CAMERINI
FC • 32pp • $3.99
Cover A: STEVE SCOTT
Cover B: BEN OLIVER
Cover C: JULIA FROST
With the Central Park killer still at large, Roxy and Nick try to let some steam off at an impromptu punk show at CBGBs. But across town, it looks like their only piece of evidence is about to fall into the wrong hands…
Do you know the difference between sleazy and sexy? If not, this book will teach you.
Our protagonist works at a peep show on Times Square in the '70s, and despite all the boobage and sex talk it's not remotely erotic (at least to me). And it rings really true -- probably because one of the writers worked in a peep show on Times Square in the '70s.
So this is genuinely authentic life at the bottom of the grease pit. And it's complicated when the son of a wealthy developer/mobster-cum-politician is caught on tape murdering a girl, and that tape finds its way into the hands of our sex worker.
The events of this issue seem to put everything to bed, with the bad guy winning. But our shabby heroine is nothing if not plucky, and I suspect a reversal of fortunes in the near future. And then we'll continue our romp through the sewers of 1970s New York.
Which, believe it or not, is quite engaging. Our leads are bottom-feeders, sure, but that's not by choice for the most part and it's easy to root for these perpetual underdogs. And it's easy to hate the bad guys, who are genuinely bad (as opposed to making a tawdry living others define as "bad") and to want to see them fall.
Especially with the attention given to making this milieu work. This has the feel of the 1970s, and I say that as a guy who lived through them. Plus, there are echoes of the times, such as '70s-era Donald Trump and the Central Park Five. Don't worry, it's not a political soapbox -- these elements are for flavor, not to make a point. And it all gels really well.
REVOLUTIONARIES #1
Writer: JOHN BARBER
Art: FICO OSSIO
Cover; TRADD MOORE
Subscription Variant: TONE RODRIGUEZ
Variant: FICO OSSIO
Blank Sketch Variant
Variant: ANDREW GRIFFITH
FC • 32 pages + mini-comic • $4.99
THE REVOLUTION MAY BE OVER--but the future is just beginning!Ripped from the pages of the hottest crossover of the year, the REVOLUTION team of John Barber and Fico Ossio continue the action! KUP is a CYBERTRONIAN literally older than the universe; ACTION MAN is the ultimate special agent trying to live up to an impossible legacy; MAYDAY is a G.I. JOE leader trying to rescue her first command; and BLACKROCK is a CYBERTRONIAN that thinks he’s a human. It takes the mind-bending clash of ROM versus MAJOR BLUDD and the OKTOBER GUARD to bring this unlikely team together... and the secret they learn threatens to unravel the entire universe.
• Exclusive bound-in Sgt. Savage mini-comic reprinting a lost tale written and drawn by the late, great Joe Kubert himself!
• Written by one part of the powerhouse creative team that brought you the mega-event, Revolution!
• New tales that continue the storyline of the hit Revolution comic-book event and featuring the same amazing creative team!
• Illustrated by Revolution artist, burgeoning superstar Fico Ossio!
• The secrets of the Hasbro universe will be revealed. If you follow one new book this month, make it Revolutionaries!
• Variant covers by Sara Pitre-Durocher, Sonny Liew, and Paul Pope!
It took me three tries to get through this book, and that's not a comment on its quality. It's the result of this book being the result of a crossover I didn't read featuring characters whose books I don't read. It had waaaaaay too many references to people and (made-up) places and events that I knew nothing about, and sometimes there were so many in a row that I just closed the book and read something else.
Well, maybe that is a commentary on the quality. Every book is someone's first, Jim Shooter used to say, and this is one of the few times that axiom has applied to me -- and I didn't like it.
The book opens in "Verenya, Schleteva" (where?). It references the "Schleteva-Galibi War" (the what?). Four new characters are introduced (or are they familiar to others?) who reference the "Nanzhao Conflict" and a previous organization ("Earth Defense Command") that apparently no longer exists (is it relevant somehow?). And that's just the first three pages!
Many more characters are introduced -- Action Man, Garrison Blackrock, Kup, to name a few -- but the only one that impressed me and stuck with me was Rom, Spaceknight. Granted, that's because the "new" Rom is almost identical to the old, and his doomed nobility is just as good hook here as it was for Marvel in the '80s.
Come to think of it, Revolutionaries overall seems like an '80s Marvel book. And while I read a lot of those back in my twenties, I look for a little more depth in my funnybooks now. But if you've got a yen for that sort of flashy, shallow action, this book could be for you. For my part, all I got out of this book was an interest in checking out Rom.
Replies
My copy of the first Aquaman Rebirth trade arrived today - seems I'm in on the ground floor of a good series.
Gonna tack on a few if you don't mind Cap...
Amazing Spider-Man #23 - Clone Gwen and Peter have a conversation where she tries to convince him to support the Jackal's cloning program. He doesn't bite, then later he brawls with all of his revived villains when an alarm goes off and the clones start breaking down.
Not terrible, not great, one continuity detail gotten wrong (although I'm likely the only one it bothers).
Cage! #4 (of 4) - Having won Dr. Soos' contest of champions, Cage gets his reward--a fight with Dr. Soos himself.
This mini was mostly fun and silly. I kind fo felt the ending was a littel disappointing and rushed, but overall enjoyable.
Captain America - Sam Wilson #18 - Rage was arrested last issue while investigating a pawn shop burglary, and Sam has video footage of the Americops brutalizing him. He tries to figure out whether or not to release the footage, as he's worried about the potential ramifications.
I liked this. It's a difficult issue, but I thought it was handled well, with arguments from different sides represented.
Patsy Walker - aka Hellcat #14 - Patsy comes up with an ingenious plan to relieve Black Cat of her mind control claws. The plan succeeds, the claws are destroyed, and everyone goes back to normal.
I generally enjoy this comic, but I'm just unable to buy the idea of Black Cat as a mob boss. Wanting vengeance on Spider-Man, sure, but nothing that she seems to be doing in any comics seems to be leading to any sort of resolution along those lines. Much like I didn't buy the whole 'Batman didn't know anything about the Court of Owls before they showed up" this is enough to take me out of this story. Anyway, it's over and time to move on to something else.
US Avengers #2 - A criminal named the Golden Skull has come to Earth 616 pursued by the Captain America of that time, Danielle Cage. Trying to figure out where he's going to attack, Roberto figures he'll be attracted to people with money, so the team goes undercover at a billionaires meetup.
Pretty much everything Al Ewing writes is great fun, and this is no exception. It's quite fun to see the barely disguised cameos, and the whole thing is just a hoot.
Ultimates 2 #3 - So let's see...Order and Chaos have killed the Living Tribunal and want to force Galactus to be the devourer again but don't possess the power to do so. They decide to combine. Meanwhile, a group of enhanced soldiers is keeping tabs on the Ultimates at the behest of the US government.
I want to like this, I really do, but my brain tends to glaze over when all of the cosmic junk starts. I've always felt like it was someone else's acid trip and that I'll never get it, so suffice to say I was a little bored reading this and may drop it if it continues this way. I'm just not into this stuff.
I've got a review copy, so I'll be reading along with you. (I haven't read issues #4-5.) I caution, though, that while I'm pleasantly surprised by Aquaman, it's because my expectations were so low!
Richard Mantle said:
Thanks, Randy. This works pretty well!
Randy Jackson said:
I read Archie #16 (along with my other new purchases) last night. I agree with you that the art style is “modern without being cartoony or grim-n-gritty” and I think it’s perfectly suited to Archie. I don’t like seeing that style applied to superhero comics, however, and I’ve complained about that recently.
Regarding Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye, I agree with you about Michael Avon Oeming’s style, but that’s not [entirely] what has kept me away from this title. I know this isn’t a particularly good reason (especially since I have heard nothing but good things about this series), but I just can’t get past the silly title. It seems too limiting, like “Terry and the Pirates.”
We don’t seem to have much in common this week, you and I, in what we read (or at least in what you’ve chose to review). Do you take requests? (Seriously, I could get them in in advance.) I know it’s too late for this week (maybe next month?), but I’d like to hear your thoughts on Avengers [“Point One”], Captain America: Sam Wilson, The Clone Conspiracy, Motor Girl and Monsters Unleashed.
Randy is handling the Marvel books. They don't send me review copies of any kind, whereas DC, IDW, Image, Archie, Dark Horse and Dynamite do. That's plenty of books, so I don't need to go out and buy more -- and I've discovered I can live without Marvel, which probably isn't a lesson they wanted me to learn.
Jeff of Earth-J said: