It’s been a busy few weeks here around Crimespree Magazine, but it’s never to busy to read. I finished a number of novels, some really good, and quite a few comics.
I should have another trade round up soon but for now here’s some picks from the latest stacks of comics.
76 issues 2 and 3
Image
This book has two parts, two ongoing stories set in the seventies with fashion to match.
B. Clay Moore is the scribe, and Ed Tadem the artist of Jackie Karma, a Kung Fu action piece that is really cool. It feels really familiar in that really good way and yet fresh at the same time. group of guys who used their martial arts to clean up the neighborhood is back in action taking on a new threat. Smart and fun to read.
The secnd part of this team is Cool, a story of two bounty hunters working a job they don’t really love but seem to be good at. Drug deals gone bad, good girls gone bad and bad guys getting badder. Again, a real seventies vibe on every page, Seth Peck and Tigh Walker nail this.
Booster Gold #9
DC Comics
Booster continues his travels through time with the Blue Beetle. Saving beetle screwed up the time line big time and they are trying to fix it. With the help of Justice League international they take down Max Lord, but things are still wrong. Plus something at the end of this issue shows that things will definitely be getting worse before they get better.
I’s my guess that Beetle will end up sacrificing himself to set things right, I don’t really see another way out of this. Where ever this story goes, I’m in. I’m really enjoying this book and I think Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz are doing a great job. The time twisting stories are always fun as we get to see alternate realities where anything can happen. Booster Gold is definitely a must read.
Captain Britain and MI 13 #1
Marvel
I’ve long been a fan of the Captain from the UK, going back to the Alan Davis days when the art alone was worth the price, great stories were a bonus. Over the years we’ve seen Brian Braddock in various versions of Excalibur and some solo stuff. Some of it great, some of it not so much. If this is the new direction they plan to stick with I’m on board for the whole run.
Cap is part of a secret group made up of powered agents protecting the United Kingdom. This first issue sees action a plenty against the skrulls with some terrific story telling. Pete Wisdom and a bunch of other cameos made this really worth reading.
Darkness #2
Top Cow
A new direction for Jakie Estacado as he has moved to south america and is running a cartel selling drugs made from the Darkness. Mad scientists and crazy mercenaries don’t even seem over the top here. The people who aren’t under the drus thrall want it stopped and they’ve brought in US sponsored help to set thing right. Feels like we’re just warming up! Great art form Micahel Brousard and Phil Hester is doing some really interesting things as he writes this.
Dreamwar #2
DC/Wildstorm
The second of this 6 issue mini series sees the heroes of the Wildstorm universe taking on what appears to be the mid seventies heroes of DC. Not sure why they are fighting yet, but I don’t care! The action is great. Something might be controlling the DC folks, as they are referring to someone named Chimera, and acting a bit indifferent to things they would normally care about. I can’t say to much more with out spoilers, but this is really fun stuff from Keith Giffin with artists Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
Justice League of America #21
DC Comics
This is a lead into the summer event with our bad guy Libra making an appearance and rescuing a d lister villain named the Human Flame. He’s taken to a safe house where there are a whole bunch of bad guys sitting around waiting for something to happen.There is also a nice intro with the big three having a meeting which could be part of a tie into the Trinity series coming. One way or the other, it look like a rough summer for the JLofA.
Locke & Key #4
IDW
Fairly new to being a best selling author, Joe Hill is writing a really creepy and complex ghost story in this title. A family suffers tragedy and relocates to the home that’s been in the family for generations. We see the story through the eyes of the three kids and a wack job obsessed with the house and family. While you might not be able to just pick up any issue and get into the story, it’s worth getting the run of this book. This is stroy telling that should be told around a campfire.
Superman # 676
DC Comics
A retro story of Supes meeting the golden age Green Lantern and fighting Solomon Grundy. Great flashback tale and nice art. Plus an ass kicking cover form Alex Ross.
Superman/Batman #48
DC Comics
Almost the end of the search and quest to rid the Earth of Kryptonite. The boys go up against Amanda Waller’s anti Superman squad and confront the paranoid crazy lady. This piece of the struggle is over but there’s more to come as the weapons made with kryptonite coming from Lexcorp should lead to at least one more confrontation. This issue ends with a nice scene at the Kent’s farmhouse which I enjoyed.
The Twelve #5
Marvel
It seems like there are any umber of comics recently using characters from way back. I’m finding most of them interesting and entertaining. Alan Moore’s Albion was great. The Twelve is actually one of the better ones as we see the heroes of yesterday trying to fit into today’s world, something not even I do all that well at times. It’s a great place to start a story and J. michael Straczynski is making the most of it. I’ll be getting all twelve issues, and then I’ll buy the trade too. This is something I’ll be re-reading.
Wolverine #65
Marvel
Jason Aaron has made this a book I enjoy again. This issue wraps up the story arc with Logan battling Mystique. Great action and a really satisfying ending. There is also some wonderful back story stuff going on that lights up a bit of the dark past for both these characters.
Wonder Woman #20
DC Comics
Gail Simone rocks.
This issue sees Diana meeting up with a bunch of sword and sorcery characters from the seventies. The twelve year old living in my head was jumping up and down upon seeing The Stalker and Beowolf. This is Wonder Woman in fighting prime with a writer who obviously loves what she’s doing. This is such a great book, layers upon layers of story elements and subplots and great action.
I’d love this weekly!
