Review: "Daredevil" #12

The cover of Daredevil #12 proclaims, quite luridly, that our blind hero is up "against the Inhumans" this time. There's undeniably some ironic boldness in that, even though we get a pretty decent (and entertaining) fight between Daredevil and an Inhuman. 

However, what writer Charles Soule tries to convey more than anything else is that this is not a struggle against something, but for something. In an unusually diplomatic approach, the Man Without Fear tries to build bridges rather than unnecessarily burn them in what is ultimately one of the more clever treatments of the relationship between Humans and Inhumans in a while. The hunt for the wonderfully haunting serial killer/artist named Muse serves here as the perfect platform to show where both sides may find common ground, but also where they ultimately still differ.  

And yes, I've mentioned it before, but I'll happily to it again. Ron Garney's art and Matt Milla's colors combine to what is probably the best looking comic of 2016.


9/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Superman" #7 / "Wonder Woman" #6 & #7

"Superman" #7: Another proof how well Superman can work on a small scale. A very down-to-earth story with a very down-to-earth Superman, who changes space and Doomsday for a country fair and petty thieves. A welcome change.

7/10

"Wonder Woman" #6: There'll never need to be another Wonder Woman origin story, because it can't really get any better than this. Scott's art wonderfully matches the grace and beauty of Rucka's story.

9/10

"Wonder Woman" #7: A rather confusing finale to what used to be a thrilling and captivating storyline so far. There was potential for a far better ending, but this feels like a rushed affair.

6/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "The Punisher" #5 / "Justice League" #5 / "Deadpool v Gambit" #5

"The Punisher" #5: This is one big slaughter-fest, and it absolutely convinces with its pacing, grit and dialogue. Even Dillon's execution of blood and gore is more spot-on than in earlier issues. The best one so far!?

9/10

"Justice League" #5: That's it? A story that never felt comfortable with itself and never could produce a convincing premise, story, or set of antagonists, ends as you'd imagine: uninspired and overhasty. It's all not doom and gloom though, as the members of the Justice League have generally been portrayed very well by Hitch and Daniel throughout.

5/10

"Deadpool v Gambit" #5: It's over. Finally. This last issue perfectly exemplified what was wrong with the series all along: story, characters and references that constantly think themselves more clever than they really are. Ugh!

4/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "The Fix" #5 / "Cyborg" #1 / "Batman" #7

"The Fix" #5: Aside from having two lead protagonists that are among the best in comics in 2016, the true strength of The Fix is writer Nick Spencer's ability to create supporting characters (the mayor of LA it is here) that are so wonderfully unique and over-the-top, you just can't stop laughing. 

9/10

"Cyborg" #1: A rather surprising issue that predominantly deals with Victor's "soul search" and the emotions it entails. Writer John Semper jr. proves here that he can well handle that emotional side of Cyborg, without ever being in danger of making it kitsch.

8/10

"Batman" #7: Coming from the heights of the "Gotham and Gotham Girl" story arc, this Halloween crossover looks like the first major bump in Batman's "Rebirth" run. It all seems half-baked, with a story that is neither very scary nor thrilling nor even entertaining. And who needs a ripped Hugo Strange?

5/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Doom Patrol" #1 / "Detective Comics" #940 / "Action Comics" #963

"Doom Patrol" #1: What's going on? What is this about? Meat? Gyros? But it doesn't matter, and trying to make sense of it is probably useless. Read it, it's simply brilliant. 

9/10

"Detective Comics" #940: The most dramatic and defining scene in the whole run yet here is, strangely, only alluded to. Furthermore, one cannot help but feel that Detective Comics already missed the point to conclude this story arc properly.

6/10

"Action Comics" #963: Finally the series tackles the "Two Clark Kent" issue. It's been lingering a while, you know. Luckily, it looks like they're doing it in quite a spectacular way. Good stuff.

7/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Daredevil" #11 / "Supergirl" #1 / "Blue Beetle: Rebirth" #1

"Daredevil" #11: Soule, Garney and Milla do such an outstanding job with Daredevil right now, it's hard not to almost expect excellence from this series month after month by now. If you haven't started reading it, do it now!

9/10

"Supergirl" #1: It's everything you'd expect from it, which is not necessarily a good thing. Kara misses home, clashes with the D.E.O. and has a hard time integrating into her new environment. Solid, but too predicable.

6/10

"Blue Beetle: Rebirth" #1: What's going on? Why do Jaime and Ted have no chemistry whatsoever? Who are these villains? What do they want? Why could no one write a better comic? Who could possibly be interested in #1?

4/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Green Arrow" #5 / "Poe Dameron" #5 / "Daredevil/The Punisher" #4

"Green Arrow" #5: This terrific storyline ends with the blast it deserved, as Benjamin Percy skillfully concludes the conquest of The Inferno and Juan Ferreyra again displays his great artistic talent.

8/10

"Daredevil / The Punisher" #4: Charles Soule is one of the most prolific comic book writers around at this time, but this is easily his most outstanding piece of work right now. From the great chemistry of the two protagonists to an absolutely intriguing story and memorable art by Szymon Kudranski, this has it all.

9/10

"Poe Dameron" #5:  This has sneakily become the best Star Wars series on sale right now. Its mostly careless fun, with a tone that effortlessly fits into that established by The Force Awakens and a protagonist that feels less and less just like a Han Solo copy. 

8/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Supergirl: Rebirth" #1 / "Wonder Woman: Rebirth" #1 / "Batgirl and The Birds of Prey" #1

"Supergirl: Rebirth" #1: It does a good job of introducing Supergirl and what we can expect from the series going forward, but its Kryptonian werewolf story does not have too much to it so far.

6/10

"Wonder Woman: Rebirth" #1: 

If only every one of DC's "Rebirth" issues could have been like this one... Taking into account all the different origin stories and versions of Wonder Woman, this properly sets the stage for the character going forward. 

9/10

"Batgirl and The Birds of Prey" #1: A whole lot of fun with an engaging story and three main characters that really click. It's exactly what you'd want from the Birds of Prey.
8/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Aquaman" #4 / "Batman" #4 / "Daredevil" Annual #1

"Aquaman" #4: It's all pretty much what you'd expect, as the relationship between Atlantis and the USA deteriorates rapidly. It's good, but never really tries to do anything differently.

6/10

Batman #4: An unexpected and bloody twist for the "Gotham" heroes, and Batman teams up with an unlikely ally. Great coloring again, as King seems to find his voice already early as the series' main writer. 

8/10

"Daredevil" Annual #1: It's everything you'd expect from an "Annual". Unusual art, storytelling, the exploration of exciting support characters. An absolute blast.

9/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Black Panther" #4 / "Aquaman" #1 / "Batman" #2

Black Panther #4: With its complex philosophy and politics running so deep, and its characters being wonderfully ambiguous instead of only black and white, the only thing really missing was some kick-ass action. With #5 promising exactly that, "Black Panther" could manifest itself even more as one of 2016's best comic book series.

9/10

"Aquaman" #1: The story plays it relatively safe, as Aquaman is plagued with some well-tested enemies and personal conflicts. However, Walker's light art and Eltaeb's impressive color palette capture the beauty of Atlantean life in great fashion.

7/10

"Batman" #2: The slow pace and art style feel welcomingly retro, and Tom King has a real sense for the kind of dry humor that benefits both Batman himself and Commissioner Gordon. Anybody who was skeptical after Scott Snyder left the main series should now be convinced that Batman is indeed in good hands here.

9/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "The Fix" #4 / "Black Widow" #5 / "Star Wars" #21

I need to catch up with my comics, so here's something new to get up-to-date relatively quickly. Enjoy!

"The Fix" #4: More Mac, more Josh, more Pretzels, more mayhem. Fun, entertaining, hugely disturbing, the surprise series of 2016 keeps impressing.

9/10

"Black Widow" #5: It's pace and relentless action reminds of the fantastic first issue, as Natasha feels the heat on her from everywhere. Still great, even though it lacks some of the magic we were getting used to.

8/10

"Star Wars" #21: Superbly narrated, as its art perfectly matches the comic's sombre atmosphere. Whether you love or hate the Stormtrooper special unit we get to know here, their appeal is unmissable. Marvel's darkest Star Wars comic so far.

8/10

Review: "Daredevil/The Punisher" #3

Did I mention how awesome this comic looks? Probably, but I'll just do it again. Szymon Kudranski and Jim Charalampidis do a thoroughly impressive job in creating a beautifully dark and washed out New York City at night, adding massively to the comic's atmosphere of constant threat. 

But not just the art is AAA here, as writer Charles Soule knows how to build up chemistry, not just between Daredevil and Blindspot, but also between Daredevil and the comics villains, which exceeds mere cheeky combat bon mots. A complete success throughout.  

9/10

Further Links:

Daredevil/The Punisher #1
Daredevil/The Punisher #2

Review (finally): "Black Panther" #1

This one will demand a little dedication and endurance from its readers, as virtually every character motivation and story threat is left in the dark initially. But if you stick around you will eventually be rewarded with one of this year's most skillfully crafted comic stories. 

Highly political, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates constantly explores the difficulties of responsibility for one's own fate and that of a larger society, culture and history, while artist Brian Stelfreeze meticulously captures the majestic nature of Black Panther's characters and surroundings. 

9/10

Keepin' It 360: "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #2

Most fascinating about this comic is just how much it enjoys itself and all the frenzy it has created. "Hail Hydra" is certainly all the literal rage here (just look at the cover), as Spencer meticulously charts just how Rogers became what he had fought all his life, confirming the theory that was most plausible all the time. Comic narration at its best.

9/10

Further Links:

After the Shitstorm: "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #1

Keepin It 360: "The Fix" #2

While not quite as good as #1, The Fix is still comic's guiltiest pleasure right now, and a perfect exercise in how to make your protagonists utterly despicable without ruining the overall experience. Lieber's art and Hill's colors impressively support the light and self-ironic tone of The Fix, as Spencer's dialogues, however, don't always get to the point.

9/10

Further Links:

The Fix #1

Review: "Star Wars" #20

The "Journal's of Old Ben Kenobi" have been among the highlight's of Marvel's Star Wars comics, and this one continues to fill some vital gaps between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, as Obi-Wan is confronted by the deadly Wookie bounty hunter Krssantan. 

Jason Aaron is dead-on when it comes to how one would imagine Obi-Wan to be as a middle-aged Jedi, finding the perfect balance between wisdom and bravery in his depiction. We get to see a slightly different side of Uncle Owen as well, but unfortunately to the expense of Luke Skywalker himself, as you won't see as much of him as you'd probably like.

Artist Mike Mayhew's sometimes naturalistic approach also visually sets this story apart from the series' other entries. It may not be for everybody (and Krssantan definitely looks too much like a gorilla), but his stunning attention to detail, paired with a range of strong colors, particularly manage to shine in the desert environment of Tatooine. 

Star Wars #20 is a treat throughout, whose minor issues never overshadow the sheer quality in both writing and art.

9/10

Further Links:

Star Wars #19

Darth Vader #21

Obi-Wan and Anakin #5

Keepin' It 360: "Daredevil" #8

Matt Murdock goes James Bond, as he goes to Macau to win big in a poker tournament. Sounds stupid, but is actually brilliant stuff, as writer Soule and artist Sudzuka meticulously dramatize the action on the poker table with tense inner dialogues and stunning art. We even get a bit of Daredevil, as he unexpectedly meets an old friend. Casino Royale, indeed.

9/10

Further Links:

Daredevil #7

Daredevil/The Punisher #1

Daredevil #6

10 Things We Learned About "Civil War II" in #1

1. It's absolute high-polish entertainment with first-class standards throughout.
2. Tony Stark's moustache will haunt you in your dreams.
3. The built-up to the comic's main conflict is well-told and superbly interwoven.
4. Think of a Marvel character. They'll be in here. The cast is gigantic.
5. Writer Bendis and artist Marquez know how to stage some strong emotions, especially with Stark and Danvers. 
6. We don't really need any product placement.
7. Marquez' large panels are simply breathtaking. 
8. Luckily, Tony Stark's arrogance never becomes annoying.
9. The action scenes are stunning and among the best in comics this year.
10. Marquez' various art approaches manage to keep the comic fresh at all times. 

    Further Links:

    8 Things We Now Know About "Civil War II"