Bendis and Maleev Yell Last Call for Alcohol With Latest Issue of “Daredevil”

By Russell Paulette

 There’s a feeling I get—and I don’t know if I’m alone here, but shout out if you all will—whenever I finish something.  Be it a book, or a really engaging movie—hell, some weeks just my contributions to this column prompt it—when you finish something you’ve imbued with a sense of investment, there’s a strange mixture of sadness and accomplishment.  That vibe of having scratched an itch you’ll never quite have in the same way again, combined with actually completing something you set out to do.  Sometimes, it’s life-changing and affirming, and sometimes, it’s just the end of a really good run on a really good comic.

Granted, I didn’t do anything to contribute to Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev’s superlative five-odd year run on Daredevil, but reading the first part of “The Murdock Papers” in this week issue # 76, I’m feeling the stirrings of this sense of life-affirming accomplishment.  Silly, I know, but bear with me—I think I’m going somewhere with it.

“Gee, that’s great, Russ, but what about the book?”  Glad you asked—Bendis serves up the first part of this arc with a doozy of a premise.  In an everything-old-is-new-again flourish, the Kingpin offers Ben Urich the story of a lifetime: a confession everything he knows about the Murdock/Daredevil connection in exchange for a full pardon from the government.  Other wrinkles come into play—such as Murdock’s estranged wife, Mia, returning just as things seem to be settling in his life—but that’s the basic gist of it all and, though it don’t sound like much, it’s a great start and I’m loving every second of it.

With the writing, Bendis serves up his usual flair for interesting set-pieces and engaging conversation, but what also ekes through is his obvious love for the characters and the world he’s built.  He obviously gets a kick out of Daredevil and the sordid, noir world he comes from, and Bendis is writing his heart out as he heads for home.  What’s coming across mostly in the writing—especially in contrast to the last arc which, though I liked it immensely, lacked the gravitas that a few simple sentences lend this issue—is a writer writing the way a runner sprints to the finish line.  He’s got his last wind, and his strides are as sure-footed as they are fleeting.

On the art front, Maleev is as talented and crisp a draftsman as he ever was.  From the quieter talking-heads moments, to the gunplay, action scenes, he never fails to astonish in the clarity of his linework, the intensity of his storytelling, or the honest rendering of the emotional truth of the moment.  Here’s an artist alive in the richness and breadth of his skill, and he’s delivering an exciting, energizing set of pages that mostly consists of dudes talking.  Kudos, there.

If the above paragraphs haven’t made it clear, I’ve an unadulterated love for this book, and I’m going to be sad to see this creative team leave.  And, though the past five years haven’t been perfect, the highs have certainly earned the lows a dozen times over.  This latest arc, however, promises to match—if not beat—the highs and I, for one, am more than excited to have front row seats as they bring the curtain down and call it a day. 

FIVE OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

"The Black Heart Irregulars" #1 Just Goes To Show You That Comics Got Balls

By Rob Glenn

 America and its coalition and their presence in Iraq is a touchy subject.  Of course, you don’t need me to tell you this.  Everyone has their own feelings regarding this issue and few will hold back their opinions when asked.  Strong emotions erupt and conclusions are made about the character of those who express their own when no other evidence is apparent.  It takes a brave creator to use such a volatile subject as a backdrop.  Stephen Bochco has done it with his Iraq War drama Over There that airs on FX.  Bochco is famous for his cop dramas Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue and tries to capture the same kind of "front lines" approach with his Iraq War serial.  The result is mixed and is garnering anger from both sides of the political spectrum.  Neil Hendrick’s comic The Black Heart Irregulars comes at the subject from a much different angle.

The Black Heart Irregulars is set in a near future Baghdad.  The lead character Mr. 50 owns a retro-50s style diner, but his name actually derives from his abilities with a .50 caliber machine gun.  He is the leader of the Irregulars who are all ex-military in some form or another.  They work in secret and whether they are backed by the U.S. or not is yet unknown.  However, a visit from the N.S.A. proves that if they do have connections to black ops then it is kept quiet to even high-ranking officials.  Characters are immediately introduced in one-dimensional reference.  All of your "crack team of outsiders running their own operation" members are represented.  The leader, the demolitionist, the adventurist…  This is so they can push the story along until deeper characterization can be accomplished in a more natural pace.  The story comes off as a slightly more urgent version of Jock and Andy Diggle’s The Losers.  I say more urgent because this series begs you to guess and second-guess its creators’ politics.  For those waiting to find out what they are before throwing down their hard earned money, you’re in for a wait.  I had thought I’d nailed down Hendrick’s feelings on the subject more than once and was given evidence to the contrary each time. 

The art is black and white with emphasis on the black.  There is a mild Frank Miller look to some of the panels, but artist Ulises Carpintero has his own definite style.  Whereas Miller tends to the negative, Carpintero fills his empty spaces.  Hendrick has a perfect counterpart in Carpintero as the artist has a knack for drawing realistic weapons and vehicles that Hendrick needs for this story.  In addition, Carpintero draws magnificent explosions, which is a necessity as Hendrick has promised at least one per issue.  Terrifically drawn, dark humor-laden and exciting.  Politics be damned (whichever way they lean), this is a great start to a spy-actioner.  I dare anyone to read the first issue and not want to see where they’re going.

FOUR AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

4.5

If You’ve Ever Been Curious About “Supernatural Law,” Now’s the Perfect Time to Check it Out

By Sean Fahey

 Supernatural Law. Lawyers and monsters. As both a trial attorney and a fan of the macabre, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to pick up this series. I know that combining monsters with other genres is all the rage right now – monsters and soldiers, monsters and private detectives, monsters and cowboys. But Supernatural Law creator Batton Lash has been doing it since 1987, and as I’ve recently come to learn he’s been doing with style and a wicked sense of humor.

Supernatural Law follows the trials (pun intended) and tribulations of Alanna Wolff and Jeff Byrd, lawyers of the macabre, counsel for all things that go bump in the night.  And while this may sound not unlike Wolfram & Hart, the “big bad” from the television series Angel, these attorneys specialize in protecting the legal rights of monsters and helping them integrate into human society rather than working to provide them the means to control it. Oh yeah, the book is also a comedy.  Think The Addams Family instead of The Omen II.

While it can be intimidating to try a new series that’s been going on (in one form or another) for so long (despite the fact that most of the issues are stand alone stories), Exhibit A Press has recently published a smattering of offerings that provide a perfect introduction to these characters.

Supernatural Law # 1 has been re-mastered and re-released for people that absolutely have to start at the beginning. Here, Wolff and Byrd try and help a family that has gotten itself into trouble with a “Monkey Paw,” wishing for the return of their recently deceased family pet… and getting exactly what they ask for.  Lash pokes fun at the complex legalese attorneys use by having Wolff and Byrd try and draft an ironclad (and complicated) wish without any loopholes to remove the curse. It’s incredibly amusing. And though some of the other jokes are a bit corny, overall the issue is quite funny.

 Supernatural Law 101 details Wolff and Byrd misadventures during law school, and Lash absolutely nails the various law school personalities.  Blowhard professors, rumor mongering students, “gunners” (eager beavers), study groups, who’s got the best outline, obsessions with LSAT scores, the pettiness – Lash captures the real nightmare of 1L! In this one-shot, Wolff and Byrd help their property professor on a case representing a woman who is being sued for selling a haunted house.  Another humorous stab at legalese, initially things turn on whether the woman “knowingly” sold a haunted house.  But Wolff, who has a particular interest in the supernatural, soon becomes more concerned with protecting the rights of the home’s current inhabitants – a delightful pair of ghostly socialites who are, for all intents and purposes, Nick and Nora Charles from The Thin Man films. Aside from being a gas, the issue is quite charming and endearing as well.

In a clever marketing ploy (worthy of an attorney I might add), Exhibit A has most recently released Supernatural Law: The Big 1st Amendment Issue (which technically is issue # 41 of the ongoing). While not as humorous as the other two books, this issue does address a number of important free speech issues, as Wolff and Byrd try and help a Warlock who wants to display a book on the “black arts” at a publicly funded alternative arts competition.  And in this arts competition (thanks to a little magic mishap) the works literally “speak” for themselves, resulting in some clever situational comedy.

Overall, Supernatural Law is a witty series that’s humor comes from clever word-puns and making light of bizarre situations. It’s goofy, but not over-the-top, and it should definitely appeal to those that think “creepy” and “spooky” are fun.

If you want to learn more about this series or order it online, check out their website at www.exhibitapress.com.

SUPERNATURAL LAW # 1 
FOUR OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

SUPERNATURAL LAW 101
FOUR AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

4.5

SUPERNATURAL LAW: THE BIG 1st AMENDMENT ISSUE 
THREE OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

3

“Smoke” if You Got ‘em, and if You Don’t Got ‘em You’re Missing Out

By Graig Kent

 I’ve been sitting on reviewing Smoke for about two months now (since Book 2 came out anyway).  Every week I keep mentioning to Captain Sean that I’ll be reviewing a whole bunch of stuff and that I’ll finally be getting to that Smoke review, but up until now I haven’t.  Why?  Because I just don’t know what to say. 

Now Book 3 has just been released, and since it’s a three issue series, it’s sort of now or never time.  I’ve got to do it, and yet, I kept pushing it off, blowing my own deadline, and now I have the Captain anxiously sitting in front of his computer itching to put the column to bed, and yet the words aren’t flowing and I just can’t come up with the critical thinking to review this book or the entire series.  Perhaps I should just wait until the trade comes out and review it then (the trade being solicited in the latest Previews for November arrival).  But no, the review must be done.  Our loyal readers (and dissenters alike) must know… what must they know? 

Basically they need to understand that Smoke is just so damn good I’m at a loss for words.  If you had any sense at all you would just go pick up the books, all three of them and trust in me that I wouldn’t steer you wrong.  But you don’t know me, like Zaphod, I’m just a guy, y’know, so I can’t exactly expect that me saying “go buy it, read it and enjoy it, dammit” will cause a flood to any neighbourhood/on-line comics shop demanding copies of Smoke (which are likely in limited supply anyway), my ego just won’t allow it.

So what is Smoke?  Smoke is an action/drama/character study/government conspiracy/assassins and terrorists kind of book, stuff that fans of Queen and Country or the Bourne movies will appreciate.  It’s set slightly in the future where the British government is relatively broke, and the morals of the officials has withered away.  An albino ex-soldier/insurgent named Cain is working covertly and becomes embroiled in a terrorist/hostage situation, which only serves to bring him further into an extremely dangerous plot involving some extremely dangerous people.  He has allies he can’t trust and a past he can’t let go of, both of which could cost him his life. 


The entire story is richly structured and perfectly paced by writer Alex De Campi over the three forty-eight page books.  So finely written it is that I jumped into the story with Book 2 and didn’t feel left out of anything, but Book 1 served to enrich the entire story so much more.  The art by Igor Kordey is stellar, his pencil shading subtly creeping out from under the inks and Len O’Grady’s subdued but masterful colors.

There, what more do you need?  If you can’t find the three Books of Smoke now, demand that your retailer order a lot of copies of the trade paperback.  Now’s the time to do it because you don’t want to miss out.

FIVE OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

"Spike: Old Times" One-Shot Is Aptly Named For Those Who Miss The "Buffyverse"

By Rob Glenn

 I don’t watch a lot of television.  I’m always late to the party.  Lucky for me we’re having a TV-to-DVD explosion now.  I catch great shows like The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm later than the rest of you folks, but I do get to see them.  Par for the course, I didn’t watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer until after it had already left the air.  Renting and borrowing from friends, I watched the show with my fiancée in solid three and four hour blocks and had a terrific time.  Then, just to prove how dedicated I was, I looked up the original airdates of Angel and Buffy and made sure I watched the spin-off in the proper order.  I interspersed the two shows, flipping back and forth on my tired DVD player.  Ultimately, I found that Buffy went a season too long, Angel a season too short.

The constant in both series was that James Marsters was a personal favorite.  That shrunken cheeked actor always looked like he was having a blast and it was infectious.  Episodes featuring his character Spike (or William Pratt aka William the Bloody) were the ones that I looked forward to.  Now that both series are defunct and the actors involved have moved on to other projects, I miss his overenthusiastic cockney accent.  His flat-faced honesty and overblown self-image.  IDW’s one-shot Spike: Old Times was tailor-made for me.  Spike is back, albeit brought to life by other means than the Juilliard-trained actor.  The art by Fernando Goni is obviously fashioned by using still-shots from the shows, it’s so realistic.  The effect is mostly effective, although periodically a face or head will look as though it’s floating; separated from the less-than lifelike bodies.  Still and all, this is a fine looking book.  Peter David, the writer here, has a long list of credits in writing for franchises.  He has a few Star Wars, Star Trek and Babylon 5 credits proving he knows how to take a pre-existing universe and find a niche to explore.  Here David takes the format of a television episode and runs with it.  The issue starts out with a flashback to 1880 London to give us some background before flying us to modern times.  Those who’ve seen more than a few episodes of Angel know that this is a common motif used as a cold opening many times.

This plays like a lost episode of one of the shows.  Or perhaps to a pilot for a Spike show of his own (heaven forbid, as I think it would ruin his second banana style comedy).  David’s dialogue is spot-on.  We get all the "bloody hell"s and "sod a dog”s we could wish for.  The story works very well and I’d rank this as one of the better adaptations from live action entertainment to graphic page.  The dark humor from the best episodes of Angel shines out of this book.  Excellent work.  I don’t really consider myself a Whedon fanatic, but I dare say I’ve derived more pleasure from his creations than I deserve.  Spike: Old Times gives me just a little bit more.

FOUR OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

Ellis’s Latest Tough-Talking Post-Spy is Not Just Angry, He’s “Jack Cross”

By Russell Paulette

 Of Warren Ellis’s many virtues as a writer—from the too-cool patois of his characters, to his inventive, quirky plot elements, to his interest in and flair for unusual or downright inventive storytelling techniques—one is often ignored: that is his ability to develop a really compelling high concept for a series and just plain stick to it.  His books don’t often stray too far from the path he promises to beat, and if the first issue of his latest offering, Jack Cross, is any indication, this won’t be any different.

The premise is this: Jack Cross is the one man willing to cross the extra lines in the name of God and Country, the spy of spies who will do whatever it takes to get the job done.  Only—and here’s the twist—he feels incredibly guilty about the horrors he commits.  Yeah, that’s basically it—he’s the black ops guy with a conscience.  He knows the horrible things he has to do, and he does them, but we also see how it affects him, and that’s a bit of what makes this book different.

To be fair, though, much of the first issue is spent just showing us the horrible things he’s willing to do, with just the tiniest hint at the psychological scars that are left.  The plot concerns a terrorist attack in Chicago, and the one bombing suspect that the NSC and other government officials have in custody isn’t talking.  They put out the call to Cross, who’s living in San Francisco as a political activist, and offer him a deal—a stack of cash and extension on his official status as on the fringe if he breaks the suspect.  He takes the deal and spends the bulk of the issue utilizing his less-than-kosher interrogation methods, and it’s here where the writing just sings.  Ellis gets to show off Cross’s knowledge of suspect psychology and basically serves a scene where we remain confident our hero is in absolute control of his surroundings the entire time.  How Ellis earns this super-cool façade, however, is showing us the chink in the armor on the last page. 

On the art front, Gary Erskine presents the story in an unblemished, straightforward manner.  There’s nothing particularly enervating with the art, for the most part, but there’s also nothing particularly exciting about it, either.  His storytelling and rendering is crisp, clean and clear, he has a pleasant grasp on anatomy and expression, and the characters are all distinct and individual.  But on top of all of that, I guess there’s just not much there there, if you catch my drift.  Erskine is competent and undeniably a good artist, but in the end just ends up looking like Glenn Fabry’s polite young brother.

It’s a very clinical, calculated portrayal of a complicated individual, and if I didn’t have as much faith in Ellis’s abilities as a writer, I wouldn’t believe a book of this nature would be capable of being more than an interesting premise.  As it stands, it’s a compelling premise put together by a more than capable writer, and that’s enough for me. 

FOUR OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

A History Of Violence
(DC/Vertigo) BUY IT HERE!

By Graig Kent

 The Paradox Press imprint DC launched in 1994 ran for a scant few years before being absorbed into the Vertigo line.  The concept of the line was to stray far, far away from superhero books, and instead focus primarily on crime storytelling and the Big Book Of line of ”factoid books”.  The imprint had no ongoing series, and the majority of the crime stories were told in three digest-sized volumes.  In the mid-‘90’s boom-n-bust of gun-totin’ grim-n-gritty chromium-covered bad girls, the market was desperately starved for something different, but apparently this wasn’t it, and it didn’t help that in the days before the Manga explosion, most retailers didn’t know what to do with digest-sized comics.  Although critical reaction was positive overall, the Paradox line was somewhat of a performance failure.  And while it may have seemed at the time like nobody was paying attention, it’s pretty obvious that somebody was, since A History Of Violence is the second film to be based on a Paradox this millennium (the first being The Road To Perdition).

CHUD has been keeping on top of A History Of Violence, which as regular site readers now know is a well-received film starring Viggo Mortensen and directed by David Cronenberg.  The comic (available in a single graphic novel) at first seems a little too cut-and-dry for what we typically know of Cronenberg.   Tom is a seemingly regular man who stops a robbery in his small-town restaurant and becomes the media darling-of-the-day.  This attracts unwanted attention; drawing people from his past he’d hoped to forget back into his life.  His family doesn’t know about his past until the mobsters show up and start harassing them.  But, as has already been established, Tom is a fighter and he’s not going to just bend over and take it, so to speak.

It’s a story about family and mobsters and past lives, but there are indeed some surprise elements and moments of those ugly, twisted human characteristics that make you nod and say “I now get why this became a Cronenberg flick.”  I can’t compare the movie to the book, having not seen the film yet, but the story of A History Of Violence is a cinematic one.  Writer John Wagner does stumble a bit in the pacing of chapter two, which consists mostly of flashbacks of Tom’s life, but he does a fine job of establishing who Tom is and the conflict that he lives with.  The black-and-white art by Vince Locke (Sandman: Brief Lives) is sketchy and rough with shapes formed by scratches of ink, but in this case it fits perfectly with the fractured nature of the story and it’s characters.  It’s an accessible, mature read which makes for a fine addition to any bookshelf.

THREE AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

3 and a half

Solstice TPB
(Active Images)

 By Russell Paullete

Admittedly, I’m predisposed to Steven T. Seagle books.  House of Secrets was a mainstay for me, an oasis in a sea of X-Books that I was, to confess, reading voraciously at the time.  I dug his Superman run; appreciated The Crusades; thought It’s A Bird… was sublime and damn near perfect.  In short, I’m a fan. 

Imagine my surprise, then, to be halfway through his latest graphic novel, Solstice, and find myself not enjoying it.  Sure, I liked the writing—it’s sharp, though a bit unfocused.  There’s a snap to the dialogue, and the narrator’s prose—though purple—is engaging and fun to read.  The artwork, by Justin Norman, held my attention and showed lots of promise.  In the end, though, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was turning me off.

In preparation for this week’s column, one of my fellow Vikings, Graig, pointed out that the book’s central character—the narrator’s father, Russell Waterhouse—belonged on CHUD’s BEST BASTARD list and I couldn’t help but keep that in the back of my mind as I read it.  Indeed, Russell was a bastard of the highest order, hell-bent on his quest to find the Fountain of Youth, willing to sacrifice countless friendships, common sense, his life, and, most importantly, his precarious relationship with his son to gain his goal.  Hugh, his son and the narrator, is by contrast a weak-willed, prevaricating loner too caught up in his head to be the conscience his father seems to so desperately need.  In short, you hate the guy who has the drive to act; and the guy you want to see act does everything he can not to, so you end up frustrated by him, too.  But…

Seagle does something amazing in this book, really, something truly amazing—and that is he turns everything about the book on its head by its closing pages.  Not in a plot sense, and not in any way that changes what I described above—by the end, you’re still convinced that Russell is a heartless dick and Hugh is resigned to his fate—but he manages to change your opinion about the quality of these two character’s standing characteristics, and does so in a deft, concise way.  Not one to do anything simply, Seagle also shows his love of narrative flourish, having Hugh jump around wildly in his telling of the tale, in a manner that at first flush feels random and stream-of-consciousness but is, in fact, calculating and cunning.  In doing so, Seagle provides the means for Russell and Hugh’s ultimate emotional reconciliation with each other and with the audience—again, a feat considering Russell dies on page two.  Sometimes a trick is just a trick, and sometimes it serves a greater narrative purpose, as Seagle demonstrates.

Norman’s art, on the other hand, vacillates wildly between beautifully rendered and wildly ugly and inconsistent.  The end-notes allow that the project bounced between publishers for the better part of the nineties before finally seeing the completed light of day this year, and, though the third chapter is by far the strongest art-wise, Norman has a way to go before he’s on anyone’s top five list.  That said, the beautifully rendered portions sing with a clarity of linework that recalls the better days of Barry Windsor Smith, and the poorly inconsistent pages are, in the least, clear in their storytelling and solidity of form. 

Overall, an enjoyable read, and one that caught me a little off-guard by the ending.  I’m not overwhelmed with delight, but I’m solidly feeling I got my money’s worth. 

THREE AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE VIKINGS

3 and a half

Adventures of Superman # 643 (DC) – Greg Rucka adds a coda to the “Sacrifice” crossover from last month’s Super-books, and does so with a flourish.  Essentially a character piece, he deals with the emotional fallout for Superman following Wonder Woman’s unmerciful dispatch of Maxwell Lord.  Rucka handles it well, having the bulk of the issue operate as a character piece wrapped around several action scenes rendered wonderfully by artists Karl Kerschl and Carlos D’Anda.  Heavy-hitting, to be sure, but deftly written.  Russell

 Black Panther # 7 (Marvel) – As someone who is paying absolutely no attention to the whole House of M thing, I wasn’t expecting to understand nor enjoy this issue, but, damn, this is a fine piece of work. While obviously heavily integrated with the events of HoM, a single-page primer on the crossover event at the start of the book as well as some careful exposition on writer Reginald Hudlin’s part help the casual reader to easily understand what’s happened.  Storm from X-Men is now an African queen helping the land’s people to prosper.  Black Panther is the cocksure non-mutant king of Wakanda courting the Monarch, with Magneto and a love struck Quicksilver conspiring to ensure they don’t unite as, under their rule, Afirca is now a prosperous and powerful land.  Their plan, assassinate the Panther, but the Panther don’t go down easy, and the alliances he forms inspires a certain giddiness.  This is one cool relatively stand-alone book, and the art by Ultimate Nightmare artist Trevor Hairsine (with inker John Dell with gorgeous colors by Dean White) is fabulous.  I don’t really care about the larger HoM picture, but I certainly like what it’s done for the Black Panther. – Graig

Fantastic Four # 530 (Marvel) – J. Michael Straczynski and Mike McKone continue the cosmic shake-ups in this latest issue.  Turns out Mr. Fantastic’s theory about the cosmic rays that granted the Four their powers being born out of intelligent design is correct—go figure—and though the designer proves benevolent, he brings a warning of an even greater cosmic foe.  Essentially, Straczynksi’s running cosmic space opera by-the-numbers, but is doing a yeoman’s job of it.  McKone renders it all beautifully enough that I’ll forgive his character design for resembling the Huntsman from Seven Soldiers.  Russell

 The Walking Dead # 21 (Image Comics) – At one point, The Walking Dead was one of my favorite titles.  Much more than mere zombie fan-fiction, the series was an engaging story about the limitations and hidden strengths of ordinary people suddenly thrust into a post-apocalyptic environment.  But lately this book has been cruising, as if series writer Robert Kirkman isn’t entirely sure what direction he wants to take his cast next – not just from a narrative perspective, but from a thematic one as well.  The past couple of issues (this one included) focused primarily on who’s “dating” whom within the group while they try and make a home out of an abandoned prison.  It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just nothing too exciting, and more of a soap opera than a drama.  Part of me believes that this is the point of the book – that everyday facets of life will go on and relationships will develop even against this apocalyptic backdrop.  I get it.  Life unfolds at a slow pace. Still, it’s wearing thin at this point.  I’m ready for something to happen.  (To be fair, one glance at the cover for November’s issue in this month’s Previews makes me believe that Kirkman has big plans to mix it up.)  Sean

 First Look: Beowulf # 4 (Speakeasy Comics) – Plot points percolating from the first issue begin to take form in this largely expository fourth issue which actually serves as a nice jumping-on point for new readers.  We meet the Q to Beowulf’s James Bond, who gives him a fancy new toy to play with, and patches him up after his brutal battle with a dragon in the previous issue.  The government agents begin to show their cards as they make aggressive moves towards Wulf and his associates, leading to a very Matrix-style action sequence.  New artist Attila Adorjany joins Brian Augustyn for the rest of his run (to issue six), taking on full drawing and coloring duties.   His style is pleasantly reflective of Dave McKean or Bill Seinkiewicz, yet his colors shift awkwardly between excessive red or excessive green hues (the red makes me think they’re flashback sequences for some reason).  Beowulf continues to be a consistently entertaining read. – Graig

Hellblazer # 211 (DC/Vertigo) – Mike Carey and Leonardo Manco are rounding third into the home stretch on Carey’s penultimate storyline on the title.  By all appearances, it looks as if Carey’s going out with a bang, and the joy of this issue (being part 5 of 6) is that we’re at the part in the plot where Constantine is starting to set up his ultimate dick-overy of all the assorted demons who have spent the better part of the plot so far having fun with him over a barrel.  Seeing a more than capable writer having fun letting his lead finally stomp over the bad guys with a laugh and a smile is worth every penny.  Also, Manco draws pretty.  Russell

 Battle Pope # 2 (Image Comics) – Blasphemy, blasphemy, BLASPHEMY!  There.  Somebody had to say it.  It comes as a shock to this reviewer that Battle Pope hasn’t received any major media coverage.  After all, it’s about a cigar-chomping, alcohol-swilling, over-sexed Pope who is turned into a superhero and joins up with a perpetually high (or perhaps just clueless) Son of God to fight the hordes of Hell, all the while admiring his own ass.  This book makes the complaints made about Kevin Smith’s Dogma seem pale.  I brought this up to my local comic retailer and his response was, "well, it’s just a comic book."  There you have it.  In this, the second issue, Battle Pope is seeking out the gate to Hell to retrieve a kidnapped angel and is held up by cyborg zombies with Wonder Twin powers.  If that doesn’t make you laugh, perhaps Satan fixing himself a sandwich might be your thing.  Hell, even if this stuff does offend you; pick it up.  The outcry could do a lot for profits.  It’s a funny read, you heathens.  Rob

 Otherworld # 6  (DC/Vertigo)  – When I reviewed the first issue of writer-artist-creator Phil Jimenez’s Otherworld six months ago (HERE), I was taken with the alternate dimension he had created, where old magic prepared to battle the new techno-wizardry that threatened to consume the l