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: "The Hunt" #1 & #2 / "Black Widow" #6

"The Hunt" #1 & #2: It certainly looks the part, but even for someone who gets startled rather easily, this didn't do much in terms of scares or convincing atmosphere. Well established tropes en masse, and the decision to actually write out the Irish accent proves to be a doubtful one.

5/10

"Black Widow" #6: Even though the hinted at showdown with Iron Man did not really happen, and the revelation of the Weeping Lion is slightly disappointing, this still fully convinces with its spectacularly paced storytelling and breathtaking art style. 

7/10

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

Keepin' It 360: "The Fix" #3

This is somewhat of a surprise, as it hardly advances the comic's main story, but instead devotes itself completely to a new character, Elaina. The Miley Cyrus allusions are obvious, and Spencer's narrator is too patronizing at times, but it still makes for an entertaining read, as Lieber's art and Hill's colors perfectly match the urban madness of The Fix.

8/10

Further Links:

The Fix #1

The Fix #2

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

Comic of the Day 18/4: "The Fix" #1

The Fix #1 is very much like its two anti-heroes: perfectly aware of the time and zeitgeist they are in, but deciding they couldn't give a shit. It's two corrupt policemen disgusted by the state of modern-day crime who want to make it big the old-fashioned way (ski masks and retirement home robberies included). 

Drawing heavily from TV shows and movies from the 80's and 90's, Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber create a story that is always light in tone, but never shy of going all in for bad taste. So, The Fix is first and foremost what you'd probably least expect it to be: a comedy masterpiece with one great punchline after the other. 

And it's not even the two main characters who shine the most here. It's the superb cast of supporting characters (the completely over-the-top Donovan is a guilty pleasure, Josh the kind of villainous crime boss that you won't have seen in any comic before, and Pretzels...well, I won't tell you). 

It's hilarious, violent, witty, and defying expectations on all levels. A definite must-read.