Paradox Comics Group

Graphic Perception: PINOCCHIO: VAMPIRE SLAYER

2009-11-10T22:29:00.005Z

By Matt T

PINOCCHIO: VAMPIRE SLAYER
Writer: Van Jensen
Art: Dustin Higgins
SLG Publishing $10.95

After the relatively highbrow graphic novel offerings reviewed here in recent months, Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer brings things firmly down to tongue-in-cheek level with a hefty thud. If the title wasn't enough of giveaway, the opening few pages will be, as the writer takes it upon himself to apologise to Carlo Collodi for taking a colossal about turn with his beloved fable. In saying that, the initial summarisation of the puppet-who-wanted-to-be-a-real-boy's life up to this point proves just how batshit the Pinocchio concept was. Granted, covering the entirety of the story in two pages, complete with extremely basic illustrations and some hilariously self-aware dialogue, wasn't bound to give the original a decent run at making sense, but having a walking, talking puppet transmute into a donkey after being conned by a fox still doesn't ring true as a classic plot of modern literature.

Still, the twists and turns that follow hit the kind of levels that a reader of something like Helen Killer (i.e. me!) would expect: Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer is mad, action packed and absolutely hilarious in places. The shift away from Collodi's story to that of a vampire slayer isn't dwelt on for too long, instead letting the basic black and white inks set the mood. There isn't a whole lot outside of standard supernatural fare, and the twist can be seen plodding into view from about a mile off, but getting there is so much damn fun I found myself giggling like a schoolgirl more than once. Jiminy Cricket turns up, and is repeatedly 'killed' by Pinocchio, and there are a couple of wisecracking sidekicks to lighten the mood further. The banter is the kind we've come to expect from modern comics, and the source material isn't simply used as a basis to be discarded, as a few of the original characters make an important appearance.

The art is basic, but adding colour would perhaps remove the lighter tone to be in keeping with the vampiric setting, and the action benefits greatly from the reduced detail. You won't be enlightened by the content of this book, nor will you come away from it with a newfound angle on life, love or anything even mildly important. But, if you're anything like me, you'll laugh like a drain and want to read it over and over. 8/10

Mini Reviews 08/11/2009

2009-11-08T21:49:00.017Z

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the continuation of Matt C's Byrne FF project.

STUMPTOWN #1
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Matthew Southworth
Oni Press $3.99

Matt C: Perhaps one day we’ll get a Dakota North series from Greg Rucka, but if that day never comes then I think Stumptown will fill that void very nicely. This is a superb debut issue that plays to all Rucka’s strengths as a writer: compelling plotting, authentic dialogue, fascinating characters and the ability to create the irrepressible urge in the reader to find out what happens next. Private Investigator Dexedrine C. Parios (Dex for short!) is another in a long line of brilliantly conceived female characters from Rucka; he really has positioned himself as the comics guy who can write women better than just about all of his (male) contemporaries. Matthew Southworth acquits himself to the art duties admirably – reminiscent of the likes of Michael Lark and Michael Gaydos, his gritty style is perfectly suited to unfolding storyline. There are a couple of quibbles: Dex’s implied sexual preference does seem like Rucka playing the same card one time too many, and her mentally challenged (is that PC enough?) brother does come across as something of a cliché. Neither of these is enough to overshadow the plentiful positive aspects though – this is pure noir, straight from the tap, and fans of Criminal are guaranteed to love what Ed Brubaker’s former Gotham Central partner-in-crime Rucka is doing here. 8/10

Stewart R: A quick search of the internet tells me that this is a project that Rucka has been working on for a good couple of years and this first issue certainly shows that the wait was worth it. Rucka already has my attention with some captivating work on Detective Comics and this could land itself squarely on my pull-list on a regular basis. Dex is a brilliant lead character: a down-and-out private-eye with a dependant younger brother and a gambling problem in more ways than one, and Rucka’s dialogue work ensures that she’s instantly likeable. It’s brilliantly entertaining as she’s bundled from one uncomfortable situation to the next, each time meeting people who know far more about what’s going on than she does. The neat use of plot chronology, aided fantastically by the perfect delivery of Southworth’s artwork, had me guessing for a while there, turning each page in anticipation of what was going to happen next. Stumptown is going to get good reviews from a lot of people out there and I recommend picking it up! 9/10

CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #4
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Bryan Hitch & Butch Guice
Marvel $3.99

Matt T: So, here we are. Yet another baby step in the long road to Steve Rogers donning the wings once more. There's a fairly hefty twist, although anyone who knows their classic Cap will see it coming a mile off, and the fact that there's far more plot development than most of the other issues combined means this has been one of my favourite issues thus far. In fact - and I can't quite believe I'm going to say this about Reborn - this could easily sit within the main book. Hitch's art is still a bit scratchy in places but certainly not his worst, and the Red Skull is looking his most menacing once more. I just hope there's not an annual waiting somewhere around the corner for the actual conclusion, and that #5 will sew it all up. Finger's crossed people. 7/10

Matt C: I don’t think anyone would argue that this miniseries has delivered on its promise since it’s spent an inordinate amount of time showing us things we’ve seen before, but I still find it hard to resist any comic that has Doctor Doom, the Red Skull and Arnim Zola in a hi-tech lab engaging in dastardly deeds involving the likes of time travel and brain-swapping! The art from Hitch and Guice is generally excellent, although there are occasions where we get shown characters in bizarre (and anatomically impossible) poses. The real question is whether Brubaker can wrap all this up in a satisfying manner in the final issue next month – it’s a shame Reborn hasn’t matched the brilliance of some of his work on the regular Captain America series but I’d like to think he's comfortable enough now with these characters that he can pull something special out of the hat. 8/10

SWEET TOOTH #3
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Jeff Lemire
Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: This comic is not about cramming the pages full of happenings and goings-on, it’s about getting the most that you can out of characterisation and a few brief but important plot events. This time around we get to follow Gus on his first steps of discovery into a world that he was kept safe from his whole life. The dream sequence is rather stark and spooky but then that suits the feel of the book, and it may or may not point at something to come further down the line. Lemire also brings some vulnerability to Jeppard’s cold, ruthless façade, which I think is well timed and makes this partnership a little more multi-dimensional. I really do get the feeling that all hell could break loose at any minute with Sweet Tooth and that’s half the fun. Go on, it’s not too late to pick up the back issues and see what you’ve been missing out on! 8/10

THE TORCH #3
Writers: Mike Carey, Alex Ross & Jim Krueger
Art: Patrick Berkenkotter
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: After not really anticipating anything particularly spectacular I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good this mini has been. There are obvious similarities with Bucky’s reintroduction to the Marvel Universe as the Winter Soldier, but the intelligence Carey brings to the script ensures there’s enough to differentiate this tale of Tom Raymond and Jim Hammond (aka Toro and the original Human Torch). I really think Carey’s the key ingredient here, taking the story he developed with Alex Ross and Jim Krueger and then delivering something that avoids the pomposity that often blights the other two creator’s work. That and some striking, emotionally charged work form artist Patrick Berhenkotter, who’s someone I think I’ll be keeping an eye out for in the future. 8/10

NORTH 40 #5
Writer: Aaron Williams
Art: Fiona Staples
DC/Wildstorm $2.99

Stewart R: I really like this comic, I really do, but with one issue left I am very worried that all we’ve been given in an entertaining five issues will be undone in the final instalment due to pacing. Williams has crafted a decent supernatural indie-horror story and clearly identified who the lead players should be, but we’ve been given no time to really get inside the heads of any of them, such has been the frequency of the emergencies and pulse-racing situations which have placed an emphasis on action rather than deep characterisation. There are some terrific protagonists here and the blatant potential that, given a ten-issue arc, we would get the best out of them and the creative team. Fiona Staples is something of a revelation and her work has become cleaner and more impressive with each instalment. All I can hope is that the breathtakingly bizarre world that this creative team have concocted doesn’t suffer over a hurried and time-strapped finale. 7/10

PSYLOCKE #1
Writer: Chris Yost
Art: Harvey Tolibao & Paul Neary
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Now, this is how I remember my experience of the X-Men to be during the late ‘90s: all dynamic angles, vibrant colours and - pardon the crudity - hot mutant ninja booty! I know that Psylocke is a favourite among many readers for being on the cutting edge of heroism and morality, but the fact that she’s portrayed as something of a bad-ass mutant hottie cannot hurt that one bit. I personally like her because she’s British (yep, keep telling yourself that Stew) and because she still manages to retain an air of the mysterious about her after years of being in these books. Chris Yost is the perfect choice to deal with Betsy’s return to the living – he’s worked marvels with the X-Force title and clearly seems to understand what a Psylocke book should be about. There are ninjas, wrecked funerals and a little Wolverine thrown into the mix, and Mr Tolibao ensures that these elements are delivered to the highest quality – this is a seriously pretty book to look at. My only reservation will be if the artwork falls into a bit of a ‘Greg Land trap’ of generic female characterisation, but I’ll be willing to shell out the money to find out. 9/10

HAUNT #2
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art: Ryan Ottley, Greg Capullo & Todd McFarlane
Image $2.99

Stewart R: We’re given a little more flesh to these ghostly bones this time out but Kirkman really isn’t going to show us too many of his cards at this point. Daniel and Kurt’s ‘bonding’ is the focus of this particular issue as they try to get a better feel for their Haunt persona and the abilities they have. Daniel hates the burden that has been put upon him and Kurt struggles with the frustration of not being in control. It is treading over previously used ideas - it is clichéd - and I suspect it’ll stay that way for a while, but I have to say that it is very enjoyable and handled well by all involved. The Cleaner has a funny introduction and I hope we’ll get to learn more of his history with Kurt, while Cobra (seriously?) will obviously bring about some needed nemesis action down the line. If Kirkman manages to throw us a couple of twists next time out this could be deemed a title worth sticking with. 7/10

Matt T: Did you like the first issue? If the answer is yes, the second will be right up your alley. More goriness, bloody battles and general angst. If you didn't like the entire lack of explanation about how the two brothers, one of which is a ghost, can combine to form a ghostly superhero, then expect more of the same. As frustrating as it is the action rattles along at a breakneck pace so the unanswered questions aren't too annoying, but I do expect issue #3 to at least fill in some of the floating plot holes. 7/10

DOCTOR VOODOO: AVENGER OF THE SUPERNATURAL #2
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Jefte Palo and Gabriel Hardman
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Well isn’t this just a great mystic ride. Remender blatantly realises that this book has to be a true ‘rites of passage’ for Brother Voodoo as he comes to terms with the responsibilities of his new title and the powers that come with it. He’s thrown the new Sorcerer Supreme into a delightfully sinister realm complete with giant cycloptic toads and malevolent forces which seek to gain a foothold in the ‘real world’. Remender has also done well to prevent Voodoo from going off half-cocked all powers blazing, which manages to keep this title rooted in character, especially when using a well placed flashback to explore the childhood of Jericho and Daniel. Jefte Palo’s terrific pencils and Hardman’s subtle inking style guarantee that the bizarre locale is realised perfectly on paper and Marvel have certainly picked a winner on that front. Gah, another title added to the pull list! 8/10

NOVA #31
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art: Andrea Divito
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Hah, a week on and my grumblings/concerns on the latest Nova Corps developments are even addressed by the Corpsmen themselves! Fraktur’s rage and frustration portrayed in this issue probably encapsulates some of the feelings of the readership but I’m steadily getting onboard with the premise. The whole drill sergeant routine has been done a hundred times before but I suspect that DnA will be using this as an opportunity to expand the range of powers and abilities that Nova and co have in the long run. Bringing Darkhawk into the equation allows the limelight to fall back onto Richard Rider somewhat after the writers appeared to let him cruise for an issue or two while other developments progressed. While I believe that Matt C may have said a recent farewell to this comic I’m sticking with it for now. 7/10

THE MIGHTY #10
Writers: Peter J Tomasi & Keith Champagne
Art: Chris Samnee
DC $2.99

Matt T: This book is still a cracking read, even if the pace is slowing once more. It seems like months ago Alpha One's deception was revealed, and although we've now been given his origins it's not exactly surprising when it comes to comic folklore or the character. What is surprising is where Tomasi and Champagne take the ending, which I really didn't envisage, and how the whole thing will conclude. The book has been far too cerebral to end in a huge throwdown, even though it seems to be heading that way, so I'm looking forward to how it all turns out. And Samnee's simple, but powerful artwork is really becoming a highlight for me. 9/10

ASSAULT ON NEW OLYMPUS PROLOGUE #1
Writers: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente & Jeff Parker
Art: Rodney Buchemi & Gabriel Hardman
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Another mid-sized crossover event is not what my wallet particularly needs at the moment considering the damage about to be dealt by Necrosha and the slew of X-titles I will probably have to pick up, not to mention the upcoming World War Hulks event. That said I love the Incredible Hercules title and have really enjoyed everything that Jeff Parker has been doing with the Agents of Atlas; to bring it all to a head and move forward sooner than later probably makes some sense. This first issue is a part Herc, part Amadeus Cho comic with some Spider-Man action thrown in for good measure. In fact the Prince of Power vs Webhead showdown is nothing more than a humorous way of bringing Hebe and the New Avengers into the equation. The destruction brought against small corners of New York is probably a little over the top, not least because it’s two heroes slugging it out, but it does serve to cover the history of Hebe and Herc’s marriage in one fell swoop. The Agents of Atlas backup follows straight on from the Godmarked teaser at the back of X-Men vs AOA #2, and is great for all six pages that we get, but it’s a shame that the team are essentially demoted to backup or cameo material in the first place. 6/10

Matt C: This is one of those cases where you do wonder if this story really needed to sit outside the regular title (Incredible Hercules) but you find yourself having to pick it up anyway to avoid missing out on pertinent information in an ongoing plot. If you’ve been enjoying Incredible Hercules you won’t find anything out of the ordinary here as it contains all the elements that make that series great: action, humour along with a nice mix of Ancient Greek myths and contemporary superheroics. There are plenty of great one-liners on offer but while the art’s okay, I do wish we’d get some visual consistency for this cast of characters at some point. And, just when I decided to knock Agents Of Atlas on the head I find it’s going to be a back-up feature in Incredible Hercules for the next few months at least! Not that I mind too much as the pages here a far superior to the rather pointless X-Men Vs Agents Of Atlas two-parter that ended this week. 7/10

DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #899
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Art: Dalibor Talajic
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: Pricing this at $2.99 was a sensible move by Marvel as the inevitable saturation of Deadpool titles begins, and is even acknowledged by the Merc with a Mouth himself during proceedings here. This is terrifically funny stuff from Van Lente who seems to have a similar feel for the character as Daniel Way does on the main title. We’re given some interesting back and forth between DP’s fractured psyches and, thanks to the inclusions of a certain cerebral villain and a mystical nemesis of the Prince of Power, some nicely realised introspection for both ‘heroes’. The artwork is suitably kooky from Talajic but wouldn’t get me clambering to pick up titles simply for his contribution. As this seems to be a series of one-shots I may have to sample read each one first before handing over the cash. 6/10

FANTASTIC FOUR #279
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Jerry Ordway
Marvel $0.75

Matt C: Reed uses his vast intellect to concoct a plan that utilizes the combined powers of the FF to get them safely home after ‘fake Doom’ Kristoff blows up the Baxter Building in outer space. Byrne writes Reed's dialogue so convincingly you could almost believe the fantastical re-entry into Earth’s orbit and eventual safe landing would be entirely possibly in the real world. Watching She-Hulk holding a child in her hands who’s screaming, “I am Victor Von Doom! I am Doom! I am!” is the highlight of the issue, although the new Hate-Monger’s fairly shocking appearance in the last few pages takes a close second. 8/10

Thought Bubble: Tough Decisons Again

2009-11-05T21:20:00.003Z

By Matt C

In August last year I went through my pull-list and gave it a bit of a prune due to various financial reasons and life-changing events occurring around that time. I think it's about time once again to have a closer look at what I’m picking up on a monthly basis as the cost of raising a child is hitting my wallet hard and there’s a threat of redundancy hanging over my head. Comics are still what I spend a large chunk of my disposable income on, but now a lot more of the books I’m picking up are priced at $3.99 I’m finding the pennies aren’t stretching as far as they used to.

Last year I aimed to whittle it down to 25 ongoing titles (I managed 26) so I’m going to attempt to hit that figure again, maybe even less if it's possible. As before, I’ll start with the Top 10, the one’s that I simply refuse to part with at this moment:

1. Scalped
2. Criminal
3. Captain America
4. Incredible Hercules
5. Detective Comics
6. Green Lantern
7. Invincible Iron Man
8. The Unwritten
9. Doktor Sleepless
10. Thor

Six titles that were in the Top 10 last year, two that have risen from the teens and two new titles to my pull-list. Out of all of them Thor has the potential to plummet down the list (or even come off it completely) due to the incoming new – untested - creative team. We’ll wait and see how that goes. Titles from last year’s Top 10 that are completely off the list: Nova, Action Comics and Fell. Nova is a recent decision, Action Comics because it was only great with Geoff Johns and Gary Frank onboard, Fell because who knows if we’ll ever see that again!

Onto the next 10, the ones I’d prefer not to lose but push comes to shove there may be some casualties:

11. Wolverine: Weapon X
12. Chew
13. Resurrection
14. Sweet Tooth
15. Fantastic Four
16. Guardians OF The Galaxy
17. Proof
18. Batman & Robin
19. Irredeemable
20. Adventure Comics

Out of those, I’m not 100% sold on FF yet, Guardians has the potential to go the same way as Nova, and I’m always waiting for Morrison to go bonkers on Batman & Robin and completely ruin all his good work so far. In fact, there’s a possibility that any of them could head in a direction I’m not too keen on, so if do this kind of article again in the future, the 'teens' will probably look a whole lot different than they do today.

Now the final “five”, the one’s that just may have to get the chop:

21. Agents Of Atlas
22. Jersey Gods
23. Elephantmen
24. Ultimate Avengers
25. Godland
26. Ex Machina

Agents Of Atlas: I’ll see out the current X-Men crossover, but it seems it’s being relegated to back-up feature status for the near future, and in all honesty I’m not sure I’ll stick around if another ongoing appears on the shelf; I like it, but it seems destined to fail unfortunately. Jersey Gods I enjoy, but the excitement of the initial couple of issues hasn’t quite been sustained; I’ll wait until the end of the current story arc before making my decision. Elephantmen hasn’t really ticked the boxes for me on a regular basis since it returned after the excellent War Toys mini – Boo’s covers are just about the only thing keeping me going with it at the moment. Ultimate Avengers – Carlos Pacheco’s art is the real draw for me, but the book's not exciting in the same way Ultimates was, so I probably won’t get past the first arc. Godland – I was under the impression that this was reaching it’s conclusion, but as that no longer seems to be the case I might jump off at the end of the arc; again, I like it, but not as much as I used to. Ex Machina – it’s been disappointing me for a while, nowhere near as classy as Y The Last Man, just waiting for it to conclude really now I’ve come so far with it.

I have managed to jettison a few titles recently alongside the aforementioned Nova. Secret Warriors has been pretty good, but while I’ve liked all the Fury stuff, I haven’t really found the new team that engaging. On top of that I’ve found that I’ve been distancing myself more and more from all the Dark Reign malarkey over the last few months. Conan The Cimmerian: in all honestly I still enjoy this, but I’ve got so much Conan material kicking around my flat waiting to be read (the original Howard stories, the old Marvel series) that I just don’t feel as though I need to add to it at the moment; maybe I’ll pick up the collected editions down the line. Daredevil, a long-standing Top 10-er, is off the list because I’m not interested in where Andy Diggle is taking the character. Incredible Hulk was showing promise, but it was just one title too many and had to go.

So now we’re left with the various mini series I’m picking up:

Crossed (brilliant, but almost over)
Hercules: Kives Of Kush (fun, but I could easily live without these Hercules minis from Radical)
Kick-Ass (one issue to go - will it arrive before the movie??)
The Last Resort (fun zombie series, with Darwyn Cooke covers!)
The Marvels Project (Brubaker and Epting on form, will see this through to the conclusion)
Mouse Guard (nothing on the shelves currently, but I expect a new mini is due soon, so I’ll definitely be getting that)
Secret History (looks like this is almost done, finally!)
Stuff Of Legend (this is great, I will continue with it no matter how erratic the schedule)
Superman: Secret Origins (my fave Superman creators, no chance of dropping this)
The Torch (a real surprise, hoping it sustains the quality over the course of its run)
The Unknown (Boom!’s best series, I’ll pick it up in whatever form it takes - mini, ongoing, whatever)
War Heroes (life’s too short, I’m knocking this on the head!)

That would take my overall pull-list to 37, but taking into account the books I’m planning to drop, that’s about 32 or 33 – a manageable amount I think. There are obviously other titles that could end up on the list (waiting to see what happens with The Anchor and Die Hard: Year One, plus I've got my eye on Stumptown) and I’m probably omitting something glaringly obvious from the current list. There’ll be other minis too, coming and going, and potentially a new series on the horizon I don’t know I’m going to fall in love with yet. And, of course, there could be further causalities from the current list if I need to be more ruthless.

There’s probably between 15 and 20 books that I wouldn’t like to be without, so if the worst comes to the worst I could strip the pull-list down a lot more. But that’s only in an unavoidable situation – I’m still mad for comic books and I have no intention of ever kicking the habit! This exercise is purely to force me to look into my spending habits to ensure that my limited funds are put to use in the most effective fashion. I managed to drop Uncanny X-Men earlier this year after picking it up religiously for almost 20 years and I don’t find myself missing it. Sometimes you just need to brave enough to make those hard decisions!!

As always, I reserve the right to completely change my mind on all the above – you never know, next time Nova may be back in the Top 10!

Mini Reviews 01/11/2009

2009-11-01T20:30:00.018Z

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the continuation of Matt C's Byrne FF project.

BLACKEST NIGHT #4
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
DC $3.99

Stewart R: As this huge story continues I’m steadily realising that I’m looking forward to the associated tiles a little more than the main comic itself, and I’m not entirely sure why that is. It could possibly be because Johns seems to be using the main title to show the larger effect of the Blackest Night descending upon the DC Universe while he elects to deal with the potential forming of a fight back in Green Lantern. With every issue of Blackest Night focusing on the struggle and gradual fall of each earthbound hero, I’m wondering if this isn’t becoming a little one-dimensional as a single title since equally important interweaving happenings are scattered amongst the pages of another $2.99 tie-in. Luckily for me I’ve been picking up three other associated titles so I’m well apprised of what is going on and am enjoying the ride. Ivan Reis continues to prove that he was the right choice for an eight-issue epic of this quality. 7/10

Matt C: There’s a real sense of desperation and hopelessness setting in during this issue as the Black Lantern’s begin their endgame with the appearance of Nekron. Since Hal Jordan's busy elsewhere this is Barry Allen’s chance to shine, and it’s the pure heroism he displays that makes it abundantly clear why he’s such a revered character. When it comes to producing note-perfect characterization for DC’s finest – from the icons to the c-listers – there is no one better equipped than Geoff Johns. That’s not just an opinion anymore, either; with Blackest Night it’s become a fact. The art is stunning – career-best work from Reis – and now it’s hit the halfway mark it’s really looking like Blackest Night might turn out to be that rare thing: and event book that lives up to its promise and potential. 8/10

Matt T: Once again a cracking issue from Johns involving the apparent destruction of all things DC, yet this isn't the dirgefest I thought it would be. The last, Firestorm-centric tale of death and woe didn't exactly capture my imagination, but thankfully there's a few slivers of hope breaking through all the carnage and destruction, even if the last panel reveals the main foe for Flash and friends. How is Johns going to end this? God knows. But with the halfway point reached I’m guessing the heroes will start the fight back soon, setting up a barnstorming finish. 8/10

NOVA #30
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Kevin Sharpe & Nelson Pereira
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: There was a time not so long ago when Nova was right up there as one of my favourite ongoing titles, but it began to steadily slide down the ranks to the point where I’m going to have to knock it on the head. I think the moment it stopped being a really vital and unique series was when the focus shifted more onto the creation of the new Nova Corps and away from the engaging partnership of Richard Rider and Worldmind. There used to be a sense that they were always flying by the seat of their pants, and that feeling’s now no longer present. It still retains a decent amount of entertainment value and if money was no object I’d probably continue with it, put with the increasing amount of $3.99 titles giving my wallet a battering (and ones I’d prefer to keep onboard with) I have to start looking at what I can live without. DnA’s Guardians Of The Galaxy has also lost some of its fizz, but that’s only over the last couple of issues so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and persevere. For now though, me and Nova are going to have to part ways. 6/10

Stewart R: I’ll say it now: DnA have done some creative backtracking on a few of their ideas for Nova and I’m not convinced at this time that they are for the best. The likes of Morrow, Irani and Fraktur were previously portrayed to be decent Nova centurions who could handle themselves in a tight spot and now they’re demoted to rookie status and seem to be a rather incapable bunch. I get why the writers have seen the need to do this but it’s a little frustrating to see it not handled quite as subtly as it could have been. The resolution of the Nova Corps dangerous predicament with the Black Hole Suns and a reawakened Ego is dealt with creatively but the evident shoehorning of a new, old-school drill-sergeant into the current Corps is also a little clichéd. I am willing to accept that these are changes necessary to ensure this remains a consistent and high-quality read in the future and the book is certainly in worthy hands. 6/10

FVZA: FEDERAL VAMPIRE AND ZOMBIE AGENCY #1
Writer: David Hine
Art: Roy Allan Martinez
Radical $4.99

Matt T: You can be sure of two things with this comic: that the art is going to be stunning, and the horror will be well crafted. Martinez has certainly come on in the detail stakes, which was my main criticism of his work on Caliber, and the colouring is superbly moody and atmospheric. There are still some hefty clichés floating around waiting to ruin the narrative, what with a secretive government agency controlling the undead and a family torn apart by vampires, but I'm fully trusting Hine to deliver the goods. 8/10

SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #2
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Gary Frank & Jon Sibal
DC $3.99

Matt C: The appeal of the Legion of Superheroes has always proven to be elusive for me, so after last month’s stellar debut I had a feeling this second instalment wouldn’t be able to match it. Obviously the Legion are integral to the mythos, so I’m not complaining about their inclusion, but to be honest that whole aspect of the story left me cold. Far more interesting is Johns take on Lex Luthor as the arrogant small town genius waiting for his plans to fall into place, and never doubting they’ll reach fruition – absolutely fantastic character work. The art’s generally outstanding, although that cover is a little goofy. 7/10

FANTASTIC FOUR #572
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Dale Eaglesham
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: This first arc on the monthly title sadly hasn’t matched the promise of the Dark Reign: FF mini, and I think the overriding issue here is the pacing. I’ve nothing against a three-issue storyline – far from it – but when you take your time in the first two issues setting up the plot only to rush headlong into the conclusion in the third, things like characterization and subtlety inevitably suffer. There’s still plenty to like about the concept Hickman’s playing with here but it felt like he should have allowed it more breathing space and perhaps not have the entire Council of Reeds turning out to be completely altruistic without a bad seed among them (probabilities, and all that). Eaglesham’s doing a bang up job in the art department and there’s electrifyingly cosmic colouring from Paul Mounts. Overall, I’m keen to continue with this series - I really hope Hickman doesn’t shortchange his ideas because there’s a lot of potential here. 6/10

DYNAMO 5 #25
Writer: Jay Faerber
Art: Mahmud A Asrar
Image $4.99

Matt T: Normally I'd cry gimmick on this title for both pulling out the power-switch storyline and sticking it all in an Annual-sized book, but God bless Faerber if he hasn't made it all good fun. I'm actually looking forward to the next couple of stories as a result, especially as the manner in which each character is using their powers makes the team dynamic all the more interesting. 7/10

X-FORCE #20
Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Art: Mike Choi & Sonia Oback
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: X-23 has been used as a vicious tool of death by these writers for most of this X-Force run, but they have on occasion given us glimpses of Laura’s caring side and delicate psyche while also expanding on Wolverine’s strangely paternal instincts towards her. This has ensured that while X-Force shifts from blood-soaked page to blood-soaked page, it's really all about the loyalty and camaraderie that the team-mates have for each other as they tread their dark paths. X-23’s capture by the Facility and near-successful rescue by Agent Morales has been a captivating read as the one enemy that Laura can’t apparently hurt or kill tries her best to extract an excruciating revenge upon her. The pages where the Trigger Scent fills X-23 with bloodlust are a true triumph of brutal comic storytelling and Choi and Oback should be very proud of the artwork on show here. When you couple such action with the emotionally tinged scenes at the end with Morales and Laura, you can stamp the ‘Success’ mark squarely across the cover. 9/10

IGNITION CITY #5
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: Gianluca Pagliarani & Chris Drier
Avatar Press $3.99

James R: I've already used my reviews to say how much I love this series, and it will come as no surprise to hear that this final issue is every bit as good as the previous four. Last year the Western High Noon was remade as a film called Outlander, which was based on the idea that the world of frontier living could obviously be translated to science fiction conceits. It didn't work too well as a movie, but Warren Ellis shows exactly how to make the idea succeed. This issue is a good ol' fashioned showdown on ‘Main Street’, with Mary Raven finally revealing the truth behind her father's death and establishing a new Sheriff in town. Recently, Ellis has been declaring that his comic output will drop in 2010 due to the demands of Hollywood on his considerable talent, and that's a huge shame - he's been in rare form this year, as well as a terrific source of ideas: no-one blows things up and swears with such aplomb! 9/10

X-FACTOR #50
Writer: Peter David
Art: Valentine De Landro
Marvel $3.99

Matt T: As much as I'm happy this particular arc is over, and the way it ends is at least satisfying, it does feel a bit rushed in places. The future-set end of things reaches its conclusion pretty rapidly, with the old chestnut of the voiceover narration being employed to minimise the amount of panels needed. However, the manner in which Peter David weaves Layla into Marvel lore, and explains her own powers, is absolute genius. Up till this point this has been one of my favourite team books since I began reading comics, and the fact that the next section heads back to New York makes it all the better. If you aren't picking this up, for God's sake grab the collected edition. You won't regret it. 9/10

DIE HARD: YEAR ONE #2
Writer: Howard Chaykin
Art: Stephen Thompson
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: This continues to be surprisingly good series – the sophomore issue has the plot coming further into focus (although there’s still plenty of mystery to it) and it becomes a little clearer how Officer McClane might wind up being in the wrong place at the wrong time again (or for the first time!). The reason why this is succeeding is mostly down to Chaykin mixing some wisecracking dialogue with an authentic feel for the period; this is bolstered by Thompson’s visuals which effectively generate the look of ‘70s NYC. Shit hasn’t really hit the fan yet, but Chaykin is making me want to stick around for when it does. 8/10

X NECROSHA #1
Writers: Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Zeb Wells & Mike Carey
Art: Clayton Crain, Ibraim Robertson and Laurence Campbell
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Oh Marvel, what are you doing to me? Firstly as a reader of DC’s Blackest Night I have to wonder about the timing of a Marvel event where the dead rise to seek revenge against the X-Men; it sounds like a similar situation we had when Armageddon and Deep Impact both came out in the cinema in the same summer and one lost out badly to the other in terms of reception and box office. Secondly, I have to ask why once again the rather marvellous X-Force title is subject to yet another crossover event which may force readers to purchase other titles to keep abreast of what’s going on? This is made worse by the fact that this is actually a high quality read. The Kyle/Yost/Crain combination has been working well for a couple of years now and the main story details Selene’s initial attack on the X-Men’s home with a suitable amount of darkened menace. Well’s second short showing us just how the dead forces invade Utopia is interesting enough but won’t get me picking any unnecessary New Mutants titles anytime soon. Likewise, X-writer supreme Mike Carey’s tale of Destiny attempting to foil Selene’s plans is well handled, particularly when paired with Campbell’s ‘scrappy’ artistic style, but doesn’t make me want to shell out $2.99 for X-Men: Legacy again. I may have to check just how long this event is due to last and make a wallet-based decision. 7/10

GREEN LANTERN #47
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Tom Nguyen and Mark Irwin
DC $2.99

Stewart R: While I personally feel that Johns may just be ‘getting the job done’ in the main title at the moment I really think that he’s revelling in the fight that the various Lantern Corps are putting up against the swarms of fallen comrades vying to rip out their hearts. He clearly knows how to weave all of the necessary characters into an issue despite their relative distance from each other. Developing Atrocitus’ current position is well timed and Johns has obviously thought hard on the little plot points that make this battle with the Black Lanterns more interesting by the minute. I’m also betting that when the coalition of the Lanterns does come together that it won’t be a simple fight of light and dark and that Johns has a couple of surprises up his sleeve. Mahnke is delivering the visceral nature of these battles with some serious style and that first panel of Larfleeze in this issue had me chuckling for a good few minutes. 8/10

James R: Out of all the Paradox reviewers, I'm sad to say that I was the last one on board the Green Lantern bus. Despite my respect for Geoff Johns I had never been a huge fan of the character, and space epics in comics often left me cold. However, it's very nice to say that I was really, really wrong on this one. The last few issues of GL have been exemplary examples of how to write a superhero comic - Johns packs his pages with plot, characterisation and a series of cool sequences. This month, Sinestro & Hal Jordan have to temporarily put aside their differences to start the fight back against the Black Lanterns, and we get the latest on how the other Lantern troops are holding up against the chaos. I've been really impressed with Mahnke's art too - his clean, crisp lines lend themselves well to both the other-worldly quality of the cast and the explosive action. This comic is shot through with a real sense of urgency, and I can't imagine how anyone can say, "Ah, I'll wait for the trade..." after reading an issue like this. 8/10

ULTIMATE AVENGERS #3
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Carlos Pacheco, Danny Miki, Dexter Vines & Allen Martinez
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Pacheco’s really knocking it out of the park here, a more than worthy successor to Bryan Hitch – his actions sequences bristle with kinetic energy. Without him on art duties my focus would switch to spotting even more flaws with the writing. I have this love/hate thing with Millar: he’s fully capable of moments of genius, but also has a tendency for sheer lowest-common-denominator laziness. I’m not quite sure which category Nerd Hulk falls into yet, but it’s a concept worrying close to the abomination that was Clor (the Thor clone from Civil War). And, for a book that’s supposedly about a group of heroes, there’s not really any likeable characters amongst them. This ain’t Dark Avengers (or is it?). 6/10

James R: Well, it all kicks off this month as the newly-assembled Avengers team throws down in a major city to stop one of their number who have run amok - yes, the Hulk is going to cause carnage in Manhat.... what? Oh, sorry, that's what happened in The Ultimates a couple of years back. I know superhero comics are, for the most part, cyclical series, but this is a stretch too far. Millar has done this story before, and whereas it looks very nice, with great work from Pacheco, this feels like the same old, same old. The two new elements of the story - Tony Stark's elder brother Gregory, and the mystery behind the 'new' Spider-Man can't overcome the ennui I felt reading this. With a yawn, this title is dropped; can we have the good and innovative Mark Millar back please? 3/10

BLACKEST NIGHT: TITANS #3
Writer: J.T.Krul
Art: Ed Benes
DC $2.99

Stewart R: Quite an enjoyable BN read all told and I can’t help but feel that there’s an important development in this very comic which will certainly make my further reading of the Blackest Night titles more interesting. J.T. Krul has spun us an entertaining Titans tale ensuring that he dredges up all of the painful memories and haunting events for several of the team, utilising the spectrum of emotional light to enhance his storytelling. While much of the focus falls upon Donna Troy’s loss of husband and child along with Beast Boy’s personal struggle with the memories of Terra, the important plot point falls upon the new Dove who serves as an ‘anomaly’ to the Black Lantern’s plans. Don Hall’s brief appearance here has left me feeling that we might in fact be witnessing some permanent (well, as far as artistic and commercial license allows!) changes to the DC Universe with this whole event. Ed Benes is always good for the money when it comes to a DC scrap but there are just a couple of pages here where it appears that he might have been struggling against the deadline as his inking gets a little heavy-handed. 7/10

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #19
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Wesley Craig
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: These writers certainly know the right moment to pull out the various famous faces of the Space Based Universe (SBU). This time around we get a little Kang the Conqueror (a villain I’m steadily growing to like) for our money, and he’s a superb addition to a really interesting arc which has shaken the foundation of this team and the cosmos as a whole. Abnett and Lanning are obviously aware that you need to stir the emotions in a readership; they’ve made some hard choices here for the near-term future of this comic that definitely pull on the heartstrings and bring some shocked expressions to faces out there. Of course, whenever writers swing that axe you can never be sure just how permanent the effects will be, not least when dealing with space-time phenomena. Wesley Craig’s artwork puzzles me; in some instances I think he rates up there with the great artists who have worked on both this title and Nova in the past couple of years, and then on certain pages I think that his style may be a little too simple for its own good. 8/10

FANTASTIC FOUR #278
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Bynre & Jerry Ordway
Marvel $0.65

Matt C: You can just imagine how Victor Von Doom’s Last Will & Testament might read: “In the unlikely event of my death please ensure a young boy is placed in the care of my Doombots so my mind can be downloaded into his, thus insuring that Doom will live forever. Mmwahahaha!” Kristoff, who first appeared way back in #247 (proving Byrne was always planning for the long haul), is brainwashed into believing he’s the good Doctor, and so sets about perfecting a plan that originally failed to destroy the Fantastic Four: launching the Baxter Building into outer space! Yay! Elsewhere a rather controversial subject rears its ugly head as Byrne plants the seeds for a future plot, but the meat of the tale here is all Doom, and if you like the character as much as I do (and agree that Byrne probably wrote him better than just about anyone else) you won’t be disappointed. 9/10

Mini Reviews 25/10/2009

2009-10-25T17:06:00.020Z

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

This week also sees the continuation of Matt C's Byrne FF project.

COWBOY NINJA VIKING #1
Writer: AJ Lieberrman
Art: Riley Rossmo
Image $3.50

Stewart R: Ok, first point: this comic is not likely to fit in your bags and boards for easy storage due to it’s Golden Age format. Second point: the first point is the only negative thing that I really have to say about this strangely entertaining comic. The artwork and blue-tone colour scheme by Rossmo is captivating and suitably madcap which matches the fantastically bizarre premise - a secret psycho-behavioural programme once trained people with multiple personality disorders to become deadly assassins – to an absolute tee. The jumping from time frame to time frame alongside limited character reveals is a little off-putting to begin with, but a second read through clears everything up nicely. I think I may be drawn to this simply because it loosely reminds me – in artwork and story - of the awesome anime series Cowboy Bebop, but in my eyes that can only be a good thing. 8/10

Matt C: I like the premise – people with multiple personality disorders trained as deadly government assassins – and Riley Rossmo (Proof) has developed a wonderfully distinctive style that’s a joy to look at, but unfortunately this is one of the most unwelcoming debut issues I’ve read in a while. The overall plot isn’t too vague, but once you dig a little deeper, the way the story’s told causes it to become a bit of a head-scratcher. On top of that, you have the titular ‘hero’ with his three supposedly separate personalities that don’t really come across as being that different from each other. There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding this book, so much so that Image have decided to change it’s status from ‘mini’ to ‘ongoing’ but, for me at least, Lieberrman fails deliver the goods in a way that makes me want to stick around. A damn shame, as the art’s really nice. 5/10

SKRULL KILL KREW #5
Writer: Adam Felber
Art: Mark Robinson & Mark Getty
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Ok, the artwork by Mark Robinson has been the standout part of this limited series and I truly hope to see his efforts put to use on other Marvel titles, hopefully where symbiotes or other Skrulls are involved as he has exceptional ability to portray shape-shifting abilities. As for the story itself, well I’m not convinced that my $19.95 has been well spent to be honest with you! It started so well but by the time we get to this finale it’s increasingly difficult to tell one Skrull from another and trying to establish the specific motivations of each Kill Krew member left me feeling rather ambivalent about the whole thing. I guess in that respect it’s actually like a Skrull: it shifted and changed shape during the entire run and ended up being far less than I expected from a pretty decent idea. 5/10

CHEW #5
Writer: John Layman
Art: Rob Guillory
Image $2.99

Stewart R: You know, the more I read of this title the more I understand the mini-whirlwind of hype that surrounded its debut issue and the crazy number of reprints that have been run to date. This is brilliantly delivered storytelling that has characterization at its very heart and a sweet polish on its exterior. This issue focuses squarely on Tony Chu and Mason Savoy and the fall out of their recent experiences, while leaving the future of this comic balanced very nicely indeed with a astutely worked open-ending. The humour infused into every situation where Tony has to use his cibopathic abilities brings a wry smile to my face and Guillory’s expression work once again comes the fore. The five-part Taster’s Choice has been fantastic and I’m really looking forward to where writer and artist decide to take us next time out. 8/10

INCREDIBLE HULK #603
Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Art: Ariel Olivetti, Giuseppe Cammuncoli & Michael Ryan
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: The fact that Olivetti’s work only appears on five pages in total doesn’t do the book any favours because his style just doesn’t gel with Cammuncoli’s. That aside it’s a fairly entertaining issue with Logan and Banner watching their respective sons hook up for a brawl, while not exactly having an violence-free meeting themselves. It’s the first time the main feature has been superior to the back-up Savage She-Hulk tale but, three issues in and with me being conscious over how many titles I’m picking up a month, this is getting dropped from the pull –list. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t really scream out to be purchased at the moment. 7/10

POE #4
Writer: J. Barton Mitchell
Art: Dean Kotz
Boom! Studios $3.99

Matt C: This started off as quite a promising mystery series, heavy on atmosphere and intrigue, but now we’ve reached the final issue it’s all gotten a bit silly with Edgar Allen Poe prancing about like some sort of Victorian action hero. Poe ends up battling a villain named Usher (!) inside the nefarious fellow’s House (!) while, amongst other things, a Raven (!) flaps around in the background. Hmmm. There are some relatively effective (if a little hackneyed) observations on how people cope with grief, and the art does a decent job of evoking the period, but by the end I wasn’t taking it seriously anymore and had pretty much disengaged from the proceedings. 4/10

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #19
Writer: Matt Fraction
Art: Salvador Larroca
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Mr Fraction appears to have been wearing some magic Hat of Writing Excellence for the past two years – either that or he might just have been damn talented from the get-go! I truly suspect it is the latter. This was as perfect an ending to the Most Wanted arc as a reader could ask for and doesn’t cap off the story with a big fat full stop but instead drops in a delicious comma at the end, meaning that you’ll definitely be back to see what happens next. The characterization of Victoria Hand slowly beginning to crack under the pressure of looking after the most psychotic VIP on the planet is terrific and there’s certainly scope for expansion on that plot point. Fraction manages to reach a crescendo that people were anticipating in this title and while the Osborn vs Stark confrontation skirts along clichéd lines for the briefest of times, it fits so well into the giant puzzle of Tony’s plan that it’s instantly forgivable. Larroca, as always, brings his A-game to the table and to be honest I’m struggling to think of a time when the Iron Man armours have been drawn with such brilliant dynamism. Get the Most Wanted arc in trade when available if you’re late to the party and jump onboard next issue. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 10/10

Matt C: There were a couple of points early on where I felt the narrative wasn’t really going anywhere and maybe it was time to jump ship, but Fraction turned things around pretty swiftly and in the final analysis World’s Most Wanted has been a smart, gripping and ultimately audacious story arc. Even though I’m not entirely sure where Fraction’s going to take things from here, the ending provided a real “Yes!” moment, and in amongst the Dark Reign saturation the characterization of Osborn here really sticks out. In fact, it's the characterization in general that helps put this in the top tier of current Marvel titles, and with the superbly rendered action scenes from Larroca ratchetting up the excitement levels, come next summer it will surely be one of the rare occasions when a superhero hits the big screen in style while the character’s book on the racks is equally as good. 8/10

RESURRECTION V2 #4
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Art: Justin Green Wood & Dominike Stanton
Oni Press $3.99

Matt C: I’ve got to tip my hat to Guggenheim here, the introduction of a new – and familiar – character to the mix is a really ballsy move. It’s the kind of thing that, if handled badly, could derail the entire narrative, but on this evidence the writer just might pull it off. Resurrection would make an excellent TV show, certainly a lot better than the above average FlashForward Guggenheim has been working on (although he’s apparently been booted off that) – the characters are compelling and it’s an intriguing spin on the usual clichés trotted out for alien invasion storylines. Having said that, I’m glad Guggenheim’s still pursuing this in the comic book format – there were some inconsistent and wonky facial expressions in the back-up story, but that aside this issue delivered a compulsive reading experience. 8/10

SPIDER-WOMAN #2
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Alex Maleev
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: I have to say that my past experiences with these creators do have me turning every page of this particular comic waiting for everything to fall to pieces into unreadable, unfathomable nonsense, and yet every single one of those pages is terrific. While the rest of Marvel’s Bendis’ titles seem to be stocked to the gills with heroes and villains which leave little room for characterization and occasionally even plot, the Spider-Woman comic is a piece of inspired focus as Jessica Drew continues through her first day as a S.W.O.R.D agent tracking down Skrulls in Madripoor. The few pages that Bendis includes here to give a broader view of her powers are spot on, showing that not all superheroes have full control of their talents and gives a taste of what would happen in a ‘real world’ setting with pheromones and similar chemical-based abilities. When the action cranks up a notch Maleev displays some exceptional talent, especially with his use of shadow and panel layout. If it continues down this path we could have another keeper on our hands ladies and gentlemen. 8/10

THE STUFF OF LEGEND #2
Writer: Mike Raicht & Brian Smith
Art: Charles Paul Wilson III
Th3ird World Studios $4.99

Matt C: I’m pleased to see the words “Volume I” on the cover because there’s plenty more to explore in this wonderful world Raicht, Smith and Wilson have created. This issue isn’t quite as strong as the debut, but the characters are beginning to come into their own a lot more here as they find themselves trapped in the strange town of Hopscotch. It’s pure fairytale, but with a dark edge that broadens its appeal considerably, and the realism that Wilson brings the imagery ensures that it transcends any age-range categorization. The format size The Stuff Of Legend is presented in is the same as Archia’s Mouse Guard; I wonder if that’s intentional because those of you out there who’ve been enthralled by David Petersen’s excellent series would be advised to give this book look if they haven’t done so already. 8/10

DARK AVENGERS #10
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Conti-fecking-nuity! Please? Seriously Mr Bendis; last issue we were left with the Sentry having had his face melted off by his own wife with an alien gun and now he is flying around like nothing’s happened. Even the rather bizarre ‘workshop corridor’ scenes from last time are just left without any explanation here. It’s these little points that really get my back up when reading comics on a regular basis as, even if there’s some great explanation further down the line, the level of aggravation and annoyance is probably not worth the pay off. Norman steadily losing the plot is handled reasonably well but then Mr Bendis has been trumped on that front by Mr Fraction in Invincible Iron Man. Even Deodato isn’t impressing me like he did last issue with some rather pokey panel layouts and the sad Venom face further making me ‘tut’ in disgust. I came back to this title only recently due to tie-ins and might drop it just as quickly. 4/10

FANTASTIC FOUR #277
Writer: John Byrne
Art: John Byrne & Jerry Ordway
Marvel $0.65

Matt C: This issue sees Byrne in experimental mode again, with two stories running concurrently: the first, featuring the Thing’s return to Earth, takes up the top half of the page; the second, with Reed, Sue, Franklin battling Mephisto with a little help from Doc Strange, fills the bottom half. You might think it would get a little bit confusing, constantly jumping back and forth, but surprisingly, due to the strength of storytelling on display, it works brilliantly. Even though I love any appearance of Mephisto when he’s handled right (as he is here), if I had to choose a winner I’d go for the Thing-centric tale - now back from the Secret Wars planet, he’s decided to go tell Alicia that they’re just going to be friends only to completely lose the plot when Johnny opens the door in his pyjama bottoms. Alicia slapping Ben across the face is one of those shocking but memorable panels that has stuck with me for a good 20 odd years. Byrne and Ordway are starting to conjure up some real chemistry on the visual side of things in this near-perfect instalment of Fantastic Four. 10/10