In our media-saturated contemporary world, separating the good from the not so good is fast becoming a task too great for each of us to handle individually. In this section Pulp Fiction Comics' growing army of reviewers tell you, straight up and uncensored, what they thought about what they bought -- comics, graphic novels, movies and more.

Fancy your own review? We probably will too. Click here to go to the submission page.

Task Force #1

Writer: Jeff Stevenson
Artist : Carlos Rodriguez
Publisher: Image

Reviewed by Wazsa

I was told if you can't say anything good say nothing.... Mmmm NOTHING. That's what appealed to me about this comic. Absolutely NOTHING. Oh wait, I got it for free that was a plus. The art was uninspiring. I found the story dull. Nothing new in the storyline, very predictable. For Issue #1 of a comic, I say let it be the last. I'm tempted to say buy this comic so that Image can make more money to get decent comics going but then they may use it on more like this......decide yourself, read it in the shop.

Rating: 0 out of 10

Team Zero #1

Writer: Chuck Dixon
Art and Cover: Doug Mankhe & Sandra Hope
Publisher: DC/Wildstorm

Reviewed by Justin Crooks

Team Zero seems to be the story of an American special ops commando set during WW2, but I'm not sure because I forgot most of this book immediately after reading it.

I decided it would be best if I didn't subject myself to a second reading, so I'm sorry if you were hoping to read an in-depth review of the intricacies of this story's plot. Nothing stuck with me. If you would like to get the same experience that I have had without wasting 5 dollars on this title, I would suggest watching a copy of Pearl Harbour about 17 times and then hitting yourself in the forehead with a hammer.

Okay, to be fair the artwork in this book is not bad. Not great, but not bad. However, there really isn't anything else about Team Zero that makes it worth reading. It's completely generic.

I will have to give this one two out of ten, just because I need to leave room at the bottom for anything written by Rob Liefeld.

Rating: 2 out of 10

Teen Titans #20

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Tom Grummett
Published by: DC

Reviewed by Jess

This story ties into DC's biggest hit of 2004, namely the best selling mini-series Identity Crisis, and also explains who was after the Luthor battle armour last seen in Identity Crisis #1. Like some of the other tie-ins that Geoff Johns has written, this one also fails to disappoint. Plenty of action for all you lovers of classic superhero vs supervillain tales.

Tom Grummett contributes very stylish art to this issue; for those who like his work you can catch his artwork on a monthly basis in the pages of Marvels New Thunderbolts series.

In closing this is a great issue and a handy jumping on point for fans of Identity Crisis.

10 out of 10

Teen Titans #34

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Tony Daniel
Publisher: DC

Reviewed by Jess

When you read this book, make sure you've read Infinite Crisis #6, or your reading will be spoiled in a major way!

A disappointing start for Teen Titans 'One Year Later', with a new team that holds no interest at all. Cyborg, Wonder Girl, Robin and new recruits Kid Devil (who is as ridiculous as the name sounds), along with Deathstroke's daughter now known as Ravager make up the team. Very little actually happens in this issue, as it's mostly setting up the situation, but it doesn't feel like Geoff Johns is doing some of his greatest work here.

If you're looking for some great OYL DC titles I'd give this one a miss for now and suggest you check out something else.

5 out of 10

Temporary #1

Writer: Damon Hurd
Artist: Rick Smith
Publisher: Origin Comics

Review by Christopher Franks

Two of the bigger names of small press comics team up for an uncommonly high-profile indie book that presents an equally amusing and cutting satire of office life and corporate politics.

Temporary worker Envy Saint-Claire is dispatched to the offices of Calvin C. Nelson HMO to fill in for Tim, who opens the issue preparing to jump from a window ledge. As she attempts to settle in to her job for the day she discovers an increasingly bizarre office environment in which doing one's job and contributing to the project is paramount, lest one receive the dreaded pink slip or be reassigned to the mysterious sixth floor. The book's comment on the psychology of white-collar work is hardly subtle, but an entertaining and surprisingly dark story is constructed around it. The zany setting also allows for an abundance of genuinely funny characters and set pieces.

The minimalist linework took some effort to adjust to on the part of this spandex action junkie, but provides an appropriately quirky visual rich in subtlety. Envy's streamlined design and graceful movements perfectly complement the casual ennui of her personality, in effective contrast to the more distorted art style applied to her increasingly manic coworkers.

Temporary's hilarious caricature of the office environment is akin to a narrative version of Dilbert focused on situation comedy rather than punchlines. This first issue also hints at more to be said about its protagonist and her impermanent life, and with a second apparently in the works I am interested to read more corporate adventures of Envy Saint-Claire.

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Thing #5

Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Andrea Di Vito
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Jess

Another book which recently has been the subject of publicity to increase it's sales numbers is this title which features solo stories of everybody's favourite ever lovin' blue eyed Thing (that don't necessarily feature members of the Fantastic Four).

Dan Slott has gone on online news sites asking you to 'pull his thing' which basically means getting your retailer to put on hold a copy of this fine book for you each month. Ben Grimm, having recently become a millionaire is forced through a promise to help an elderly shop owner in his childhood neighbourhood of Yancy Street, but two old foes are waiting in the wings ready for a rematch, in this the first of a two part story.

Sadly the beautiful art done by former Thor artist Andrea Di Vito graces the pages of this title for the last time, but next issue sees the return of Kieron Dwyer(Avengers, Captain America) which really has me excited.

If you aren't reading this book then you really should; not because of a publicty campaign, but because it's a really fun and enjoyable title that hopefully, will make you laugh, as it does with me.

9 out of 10

Thunderbolt Jaxon #3

Writer: Dave Gibbons
Artist: John Higgins
Colours: Jonny Rench
Cover Artist: Dave Gibbons
Publisher: Wildstorm

Reviewed by Ben ‘I Want My Own Column’ Marton

One of the first reviews I penned for this page was an evaluation of a little under the radar limited called ‘Albion’. It is doubly a pleasure, then, to be given the opportunity to bend your metaphorical ears for a space about a solid, if somewhat no-frills little title like ‘Thunderbolt Jaxon’, Dave Gibbon’s game little stab at resurrecting possibly the most obscure character to come out of Ol’ Blighty since the halcyon days of Miracleman.

The wonderful thing about knowing next to nothing about the original incarnation of a character is that I have no basis for comparison, so frustrated expectations can never be a part of the equation. Although at this rate TJ’s parent title, the aforementioned ‘Albion’, is starting to look distressingly like ‘Planetary’ or ‘The Moth’ schedule-wise, the ground had already been laid for a British revisionist boots and cape caper in the grand old tradition. You see, there’s something about our soggy, hard-bitten Northern cousins and their Punk Stonehenge aesthetic that sets them apart from the long underwear set across the Atlantic. Now don’t get me wrong; the superhero genre of graphic storytelling, like Jazz and baseball, is first and foremost an American art form, but it can be no coincidence that the Morrisons, the Moores and the Gaimans of the world hail from Albion herself. The collapse of Empire and pre-Christian mysticism make for a pungent broth, and that’s where ‘Thunderbolt Jaxon’ comes in.

The title has, not surprisingly, a pleasant ‘2000 AD’ feel to it; a gaggle of working-class neighbourhood urchins, rough around the edges and hard-bitten by the frayed end of economic rationalism but by and by good kids, go foraging about the blasted heath and discover long-buried Norse artefacts which pulse with barely restrained power. Variously bullied by de-facto parents and kicked around by illness as they are, the newly discovered recuperative powers and magical abilities of said items begin to look very attractive to them indeed. There is just one problem: the original owners, their longships dry-docked for centuries, never left the shores of Albion. The beards are shorter, the hammers are back in the toolshed and they’ve traded chain-mail and wolf pelts for Brit Gangster Couture, but they are still around; the Gods are spoiling for a rumble.

This one will slip under the radar for many and this is a shame, by and large. Plotting and pacing by Mr. Gibbons (once primarily known for his art but increasingly busy at the word processor of late, attached to some infamous high profile projects for DC) are handled with care and ensure that the title brings sufficient bang for your buck each and every issue rather than the obligatory TPB-ready filler material some unscrupulous ‘writers’ try to pass off as building suspense. The real strength of ‘Thunderbolt Jaxon’ is its characterisation; primarily that of the antagonists of the piece. Loki and Thor (‘not that blonde hippie out of comics’, to quote a central character) come across in flashback sequences just as you would expect immortal warriors (read: perennial adolescents) to be, although Mr. Higgins has infused just a little too much Braveheart into their visual design, and in the current issue Odin is something of a revelation; his meeting with Christian Crusaders at the twilight of his peoples’ dominion reveals him to be a wise strategist, parleying with the New Order to co-exist with them as a satellite colony rather than simply hollering thunderous war-cries at the enemy and cracking skulls, as some less able writers might have him do. Mr. Gibbons fleshes out his character with the subtle nuances of a conflicted leader; a vital bear of a man who sees the wisdom in peaceful trade with a superior power yet does not baulk at ordering the torture of a child for information. In their brief cameo the early Crusaders are given no less dimension; where some might have offered up trademark self-righteous martinets, Dave Gibbons prefers to show us the malleable flesh beneath the white tabards. Smart comics for smart people.

John Higgins’ art is arguably the best it has ever been and, despite the aforementioned character designs, which in a bad light fall somewhere between Sláine and Spinal Tap, his winter palette of midnight blacks and electric blues makes for a high-contrast Ragnarok.

I hope to see more of the world of Albion. The irony is that in crafting a tale set in the fading light of the Twilight of the Gods, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins allow us to be present at the birth of a new (sort of) comics mythos with real promise. But please, Mr. Gibbons: No one year gaps, okay?

Rating: 8 out of 10

Tom Strong #36

Writer: Alan Moore
Pencils: Chris Sprouse
Inks: Karl Story
Colours: Jose Villarrubia
Publisher: America’s Best Comics

Reviewed by Ben Marton

And so we bid a fond farewell to another old friend. Tom, the Strongmen of America salute you.

It is significant for a number of reasons that the super-scientist from Attabar Teru first stepped onto our shore in 1999. Foremost among these, in my humble estimation, was that the advent of a well-conceived, virtuous and self-reliant hero well and truly signalled the end of those comic doldrums, the 1990’s. With the notable exception of Starman, the final decade of Century Twenty had given rise to precious little to inspire a new generation of readers and had, by and large, left the ageless icons of comicdom looking, well, aged; a questionable bullpen of caretakers had seen to that. The arrival of Tom Strong, daring, whip-smart and most definitely larger than life, seemed to bode well for the true epicentre of our collective childhood. Adventure and fun would be back on the menu, with a side order of hearty laughs and knowing smiles. While that did not completely come to pass (just ask Phantom Lady), it was widely recognised that Alan Moore, THE Alan Moore of ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’, the man who put the vision in revisionism, wanted to tell tales of raucous derring-do, starring a man who was one part Tarzan, two parts Doc Savage and a liberal dose of Flash Gordon with some Captain Marvel thrown in for good measure. A magnificent pedigree. A good man performing good acts.

The appeal of Tom Strong as a character lay in a simple formula as old as the oldest heroic saga. In a jam, he was, by and large, the strongest, smartest, most caring and charismatic man in the room. The appeal of his stories lay in their sheer scope and inventiveness. Aztec computer virus gods, living modular colonies, invading space ants and a girl who turned the world sideways; all were faced with an arched eyebrow and a jaunty salute. For eighteen issues Alan Moore continued to surprise the four colour intelligentsia with bright, optimistic stories almost totally devoid of irony (but never straying too far from metaficticious musings) and for the next sixteen he alternated with some truly stellar talents (Howard Chaykin, Mark Schultz and renowned science fiction author Michael Moorcock to name a few). Now the book is closed on one of the most likeable, dependable, yet strangely underappreciated heroes of our time, the last word burned onto the myth-wall by his mad, dishevelled sire; one of the few comic creators truly deserving of the title ‘genius’.

And how does it all end? Promethea, the pan-dimensional totality of story, has initiated the death and rebirth of the multiverse for reasons unfathomable. Tom faces Armageddon the only way he can: head on. An old nemesis and ghosts of the past are confronted in a nineteenth century mansion. Revelation follows upon reunion. A final step up to the balcony and a wave of thanks to we, the fickle, often undeserving fans. The Good Man says goodbye.

There may have been times over the past seven years that I read an issue of ‘Tom Strong’ just that little bit too quickly; times when the dependability of a two-fisted science hero storming through a tale well told paled alongside the sturm und drang of older gods at play. I will say this, however: at no point did I ever consider dropping the title from my Chosen Thirty. Tom was always the friend of whom you habitually say “I must make the effort to see him more often”. Alan Moore’s wry, self-assured scripting could not be complemented better than to be illuminated by the rock solid pencils and inks of Chris Sprouse and Karl Story respectively. Not so much flash, but plenty of substance.

Slide any back issue of ‘Tom Strong’ out of the mylar and, for ten minutes at least, you will discover something rare and precious in this day and age: proof positive that heroes of superior wit, will and intellect will remain alive so long as we have minds sufficiently fuelled by hope to conceive of them.

Rating: 10 out of 10

(issue #1 cover shown)

Truth, Justin, And The American Way #2

Writers:Scott Kurtz & Aaron Williams
Artist: Giuseppe Ferrario
Publisher: Image Comics

Reviewed by Jess

The story so fa: Justin is your average bachelor soon to be wed to his beloved girlfriend. In the tradition of many bachelors before their wedding day his friend's arrange a bachelor party for him. But when his costume for the party gets mixed up with an experimental super-suit things get a little tricky for Justin when he's mistaken by an FBI agent for actually stealing the suit. This isn't such a bad book even though the jokes aren't all that funny a lot of the time. It's enough to make you snicker, but not laugh out loud funny sadly. Not having been married myself I can't really understand the whole bachelor party thing and so with me kinda falls on deaf ears. It's a fun story, but not exactly something I'd recommend.

5 out of 10

After saving New York from a rampaging monster and the world from an attempted invasion by shape-shifting aliens, US military superteam the Ultimates are back. The long-awaited sequel to the popular first twelve-issue series continues the winning formula of writer Mark Millar's intelligent 'real world' take on the superhero genre brought to life by artist Bryan Hitch's cinematic action-oriented visuals. This quiet first issue concentrates on establishing the new status quo of the series a year on from the events of the first volume, with enough hints of the past to be accessible to new readers, building to an effectively dramatic climax.

Like every good action movie the issue kicks off with a spectacular opening sequence, with Captain America skydiving into northern Iraq to rescue captive US aid workers. The majority of the script, however, is devoted to reintroducing the core characters of the series and how their lives have changed since their exploits made the Ultimates into global celebrities. In particular, the contrasting perspectives of Captain America as both a confident soldier and military leader and an almost naive man uncomfortable with the twenty-first century and his place in it present a more rounded and realistic take on the character than the regular Marvel universe version. Also impressive is the extensive exposition integrated unobtrusively into the main narrative, summarising the major events of the first volume and the relationships between most of the main characters for the benefit of newcomers to the series, such as myself, attracted by its heavily publicised relaunch.

Penciller Bryan Hitch is generally credited for the frequent delays with the first twelve issues of the title and the lengthy wait for the launch of this second volume. While the artist's meticulous attention to detail may pose problems for a monthly schedule, the stunning results are arguably worth the wait. Perhaps most impressive is the level of energy and movement to be found in the opening action sequence, which with Hitch's realistic style had the potential to become bogged down in its intricacy. The richness of the art also maintains visual interest during less spectacular scenes, and Hitch's design sense is in evidence in the bachelor pad-style interior of Bruce Banner's holding cell.

Millar uses the ongoing conflict in Iraq to continue the series' exploration of the implications of using super-powered 'persons of mass destruction' for political purposes, a prominent theme in his writing since his acclaimed run on The Authority. The internal debate between the Ultimates and their commander Nick Fury over his desired direction for the team, in addition to Thor's growing antagonism towards his former allies, suggests the conflict in this series may arise from less fantastic sources than in the first volume. The script's preoccupation with media scrutiny and public perception of the Ultimates and their activities also reflects the 'selling' of the Iraq war to the American people, and pays off effectively in a textbook dramatic turning point at the end of the issue.

While a little light on plot due to its focus on well-written character pieces and a gentle reintroduction to the core concepts and characters of the title, as an opening installment to the new series Ultimates 2 #1 has this reviewer looking forward to the next issue with interest.

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Ultimates 2 #9

Writer: Mark Millar
Pencils & Cover: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: Marvel

Review by J. Walker

I’m loving Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics. It offers great contrast to the events and characters of the regular Marvel Universe: Iron Man's a playboy; the Hulk is portrayed as a genuine threat to humanity (he killed hundreds of people in his first appearance); Thor is a hippie messiah etc. The fact is by reintroducing these heroes and villains in contemporary times it creates a much needed resurgence for modern day comic book readers.

This latest issue of ‘Ultimates’ is a blockbuster to say the least. False accusations, huge action sequences, Jarvis finally getting what he deserves and a cliff-hanger ending that will have effects on a global scale. ‘Grand Theft America’ starts to have some meaning. Yeah, it’s big. After reading the last page (and catching your breath) you know that this is turning into a climactic story arc, huge in scale – even for an Ultimates book.

Millar’s at the top of his game here. Even with the huge set pieces there’s still that intimate feel when it comes to characterisation. We get to know the Ultimates on a personal level (something Millar has been criticised for not doing enough of with his run on ‘Ultimate X-men’). Hitch, well, let's just say it's worth that extra wait for his artwork. Brilliant.

I doubt many people will disagree when I suggest that ‘Ultimates’ is one of the best ongoing titles on the market right now. This issue’s no different.

Rating: 9/10

 

Ultimate Secret #1

Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Steve McNiven
Publisher: Marvel

Review by Christopher Franks

Prolific output and relentless self-promotion has constructed a marketing image of Warren Ellis as a far better writer than he actually is. As with his other recent work for Marvel the debut issue of Ultimate Secret is characteristic of a talented but lazy scribe focused more on meeting a page count than telling a story.

But first, the positives. Ex-CrossGen artist Steve McNiven has proved a major acquisition for Marvel, and his fast-track promotion from one progressively higher profile project to the next confirms his star is very much on the rise. His fluid art blends the detailed rendering of Travis Charest with the crisp linework of John Romita Jr, along with the latter's masterful layouts, and an impressive design sense can be seen in the realism of the space shuttle and the imagination of a bio-mechanical alien threat. Also outstanding is colourist Morry Hollowell, who takes full advantage of the high quality printing and paper stock of contemporary Marvel titles to deliver an almost photo-realistic array of palettes and textures.

Ellis delivers a great first page, economically establishing the high-security military base setting, but writes the remainder on autopilot. As with far too much of his work the most prominent character is not a protagonist but a mouthpiece for his own voice and nerdy fascination with pop science and technology, in this case several pages
of technobabble about a new space propulsion system. The rest of the issue is padded out with a lengthy action sequence, and while McNiven is up to the task it is at the expense of developing the characters and establishing why we should care that aliens, however visually spectacular, are attacking them.

As a means of getting the story from A to B Ellis' script is adequate, with a good ending, but suggests he is continuing the padded plotting and weak characterisation of snoozefest prequel Ultimate Nightmare in a high-profile project that deserves much more effort.

Rating: 5/10

Ultimate Fantastic Four #21

Writer: Mark Millar
Penciller: Greg Land
Publisher: Marvel

Review by The Notsoeducated

I had been really hoping that this issue was going to be slow and kinda average. I had also hoped that Millar with all his other writing commitments did not have the time to make this one anything special. I hoped all of this because I was hoping to remove this Marvel title from my collection. However, that was a lot of hoping that ended up being quite futile. Damn you Mark Millar.

Millar returns to the title which he helped launch, and what a return it is. If you hadn’t been reading this title but were thinking about jumping on, then this is the time. Millar doesn't fool around by starting off slowly to re-stamp his name on the title, instead he jumps right into it head first. I’ll just say that when a character can hold a 30cm lizard in one hand with the muzzle of a weapon pointing at that lizards head in the other hand, and then use that lizard as a hostage to put the entire human race in jeopardy, with only the FF saving the day, then you know you’re reading a winner. And that’s just the first couple of pages. The crux of this issue was hyped as a crossover of sorts between the Ultimate Universe and the regular Marvel Universe, and I half expected most of this issue to just be drawn out dialogue between the two Reed’s as they discover that the other one is out there. Instead, we see the ‘Reeds’ have been in contact for a while and have arranged to meet. The story has an intriguing climax, making the thirty day wait a frustrating one. [and with news from San Diego Comic Con that Joe Quesada has stated that the two universes will never crossover, I’m even more anxious to see issue #22].

And that brings us to the art. This title doesn’t just have a new creative team, but it has a new FF team. Our heroes are growing up. They’ve had some adventures and now realize that they are future heroes. It’s what they want to be, and Land’s art showcases their new attitude beautifully (in fact, Sue’s never looked so good). Land’s art is very realistic, and while some hate it, others love it. Probably depends on whether you’re an artist yourself or not. So the art compliments a maturing UFF perfectly (and Sue looks better than I’ve ever seen her – did I mention that already?).

Like I said, I wanted to stop collecting this title, but that’s not happening anytime soon if Millar and Land keep this up.

Rating: 9/10

Ultimate Spider-Man #74

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Mark Bagley
Publisher: Marvel

Reviewed by Jess

The key to every great comics story in my opinion is pacing. If the story goes along at a reasonably fast pace, then you're hooked and you have a hit on your hands. Unfortunately, this is not the case with this latest 'Hobgoblin' story in Ultimate Spider-Man.

Obviously designed for the trade paperback market, this story goes along at a shockingly plodding pace which is more likely to send someone to sleep rather than to keep them wanting more. Harry Osborn has returned after learning that his best friend Peter Parker (as Spider-Man) killed his father, and Peter is not at all happy to learn that Harry was dating his girlfriend Mary Jane at almost the same time as himself.

The artwork from Mark Bagley is as always a highlight in this series and the man deserves a medal for being able to keep a regular schedule. This may be a negative review but don't get me wrong: I love this book, only I wish things weren't moving so slow...

Rating: 5 out of 10

Ultimate Spider-man #82

Writer: B.M. Bendis
Artist: Mark Bagley
Published by: Marvel

Reviewed by J. Walker

With so many characters appearing in this latest story arc, one would think that congestion and confusion would ensue while reading this book. Not the case. Bendis has a place and purpose for all of these characters, rather than putting them there for to hell of it. For what is shaping up to be one of the more complex (and very intriguing) storylines of Ultimate Spider-man, its quite astounding the way Bendis is intertwining all these sub-plots to make for a great read.

Black Cat is back, baby! With that outfit she wears it’s hard not to get excited (right lads). To Peter’s surprise Felicia is very keen to start up a relationship with Spiderman, making advances on him as soon as there out of harms way. Things turn complicated though when Black Cat states that she is going to help Hammerhead rise to power (anything to knock off the Kingpin). We also get some snippets of Moon Knight, the affect Spiderman is having on Peter’s school life and Kingpin’s reaction to the mess left in Chinatown.

As usual – great writing. As usual – great art. Its hard to fault Bendis a Bagley and this issue’s no different. This arc has so far been very impressive, with massive conflict undoubtedly on the horizon in the next few issues. I can’t wait.

Rating: 9/10

Umbra #1

Writer: Murphy
Artist: Mike Hawthorne
Publisher: Image

Reviewed by Ben Marton

Umbra (noun): The fully shaded inner region of a shadow, especially the area on the Earth or Moon experiencing totality in an eclipse.

Murphy and Hawthorne’s austere Icelandic mystery certainly fulfils the prime directive of any decent whodunit, because forty sparse monochromatic pages in, I am completely baffled. While I have never been one for ‘I saw it coming’ style self-aggrandizement, I generally pride myself on being able to trace the broad trajectory of a narrative, deriving no small amount of pleasure from noting the instances where my theoretical reading and authorial intention coincide. The indulgent, often maddeningly relaxed progression of ‘Umbra’s unfolding puzzle allows little in the way of intuitive second-guessing, the result being that one feels great sympathy for Askja, the heroine of the piece, because one arrives at the very last panel with the same head full of questions.

Why is a Neanderthal skeleton discovered in an icy cave in 1999 A.D. possessed of some decidedly modern accoutrements? What was the method of her murder and who was her executioner? What connection is implied by Askja’s seemingly prophetic dreams? Why must one half of a lesbian couple always be tall, Nordic and supremely confident? The answers to these and other head scratchers are no more forthcoming after the one too many times Askja lays down the plot exposition to a supporting character.

Our heroine is feisty yet possessed of a disarming fear of enclosed spaces, virtually addicted to sedatives, and too talky by half. While ‘Umbra’s first-person narration is appealingly frank and appropriately procedural, one occasionally feels frustrated by the redundancy of simultaneous text to image double-dipping in the flashback sequences. The dialogue is naturalistic and convincing, however, and mercifully devoid of post-Bendis cuteness or Generation Z brand wit. While the plot may founder at times, it never actually grinds to a halt, and for this reason, ‘Umbra’ satisfies, at least in terms of logical narrative progression.

Mike Hawthorne’s confident, almost cinematic panel composition serves the story admirably, although the white-on-white, toneless aesthetic of his straight-edged inks fall short of actually grabbing the reader by the lapels. To put it another way, the drive is pleasant but hardly scenic; one arrives on time and refreshed, but darned if they can remember any of the sights.

On balance, ‘Umbra’ has the feel of a campfire tale told straight up. Events play themselves out at a satisfying pace and revelation and speculation whirl out of sync like estranged dance partners. There is an absence of lighter, finessed tones in this dark eclipse of a tale, however, and ‘Umbra’ ultimately suffers for it.

Rating: 5 out of 10

Villains United #1

Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Dale Eaglesham
Publisher: DC Comics

Reviewed by Jess

I love Gail Simone, honestly I do.

As a writer she's great and online she's one of the most professional people around so it's no surprise I was highly
looking forward to reading Villains United.

Being a huge fan of villains myself this book was bound to appeal and appeal it did. With a virtual who's who of villains in the DC universe to recruit, the Calculator (seen in Countdown to Infinite Crisis) attempts to recruit as many to Luthor's cause as possible, sending Ra's Al Guhl's daughter Talia and Wonder Woman's foe Dr Psycho to recruit Thomas Blake, aka Catman. Thomas however wishes for none of this and refuses...

Dale Eaglesham just off a guest art job on Hawkman excels on this issue and i believe DC chose the best artist for this book.

One last thing to remember guys and girls, it's now 5 months till Infinite Crisis...you have been warned.

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Walking Dead #25

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard
Grey Tones / cover colourist: Cliff Rathburn
Publisher: Image Comics

Reviewed by Ben Marton

Dear Robert and Charlie,

Please cease and desist right now. How dare you? Everything was perfect. My monthly Chosen Thirty was complete; with the timely removal of your title from my quota of regular issues I had made room for a recent addition and thus had not violated a cut-off point necessitated by personal economic concerns. I had prevaricated, umm-ed and ah-ed and pro-ed and con-ed about it for some time, but had begun to suspect that, like your mortally challenged supporting cast, ‘The Walking Dead’ was dragging its feet. It was time to cut (or rather hack-off) the cord. With the delivery of the appropriately splash-paged titular punch line at the close of issue #24, my association with your post-zompocalyptic survivalist drama would end. Fade out and roll credits. Good luck and goodbye.

Then what do you do (aided by Peter, your dark servant)? With three final words you reveal a glimmer of hope; a sliver of promise which puts the reader on the same footing as the cast, and it works. All seems lost and nothing will change…until it does. How dare you? I had finally convinced my self that the train to Rutsville was making no further stops. Sure, Charlie, your pencils, although initially jarring in their scratchier intensity after the changeover from the exacting detail of Tony Moore, had developed a wonderful quality of rusty, inexorable doggedness about them. Your assimilation of Cliff Rathburn’s edge-of-consciousness washes of grey punctuated panel-drowning reservoirs of flat black (Is there anyone working in comics who doesn’t owe Frank Miller big time?) and created the perfect visual expression of a world cut off at the knees, but still dragging itself along on its stumps. No real complaints there. No, the problem was twofold, and within the purview of the writer: pacing and characterisation.

The fact that, prompted by popular demand, a thumbnailed character roster was now provided at the close of each issue (following the most laboriously long and badly edited letter column in comics history) was a telling point. We had begun with the slightly strung-out but otherwise unremarkable Rick, and he regularly featured on the cover. Tyreese was a physically powerful man of African American extraction, so naturally pro football featured heavily in his backstory (cliché alert!) Axel was an older prisoner the gaggle of survivors had found upon first entering the almost-abandoned prison complex and is easily distinguishable by his Santa beard and receding hairline. Many of the female characters can be easily told apart by their relative hairstyles. Pop quiz, fellow readers (and no fair peeking in the back) – which one is Maggie? Is Patricia alive or dead? Who are Andrew, Arnold, Julie, Carol and Billy? Who is the other Billy? Perhaps the fault lies with the well-trained reader of more spandex-inclined comics; to be fair to you, Robert, few would have trouble distinguishing Rocket Red from B’wana Beast because these are characters that wear their own iconography, rather like fetishists unafraid to do ‘scenes’ in public. Superman has his ‘S’ and Batman has his ears and Green L…sorry, Ion, has whatever Kyle Rayner is wearing this month. However, I have found that, even in the case of comics about just folks, a small cast amounts to less dilution of the drama and identifiable, representational characters. Arbitrary? Yes, but comics are narratives and are therefore constructs. They are first and foremost made with intention, and so cannot represent life circumstantially, only thematically.

The issue with pacing has become twofold. Firstly, 90 minutes in an isolated spaceship or arctic research station while being pursued by a largely unseen threat works. Twelve issues of a monthly comic (and in the case of ‘The Walking Dead’, that amounts to over a year of reading; two years counting the lettercols) staged in the same location may be hammering home the tension and tightening the claustrophobia, but enough is enough. It may be the Modernist in me, but I like my stories to go somewhere. The evocation of a powerful atmosphere, the rendering of a social or political statement, even the manifestation of complex emotion can all be achieved in a single photograph or painting. ‘The Walking Dead’ is a story. In a story, things happen. The second pacing concern serves as a strange counterpoint to the first; although a drive towards verisimilitude seems evident in your plotting and dialogue, Robert, almost every issue ends with a final page cliff-hanger or shock revelation. While your intention for 21 pages seems to be an emphasis upon the believability of the situation, the confusion of small, petty humanity set adrift in a sea of ignorance and chaos, page 22 is, more often than not, the ‘DA DA DUUUHH!’ moment. The series is ongoing. What’s going on?

But, darn it all, you got me. The What Will Happen Next trap. I just can’t bring myself to walk out that door and I’m unpacking my suitcases for another month at least. You’re nothing but teases. All of you. I will say this, though: after ‘Infinite Crisis’ issue four, making a space in my Chosen Thirty proved less difficult after all. You have another chance. I suppose the phrase ‘stay of execution’ has little meaning when the dead can walk.

Just when I think I’m out…they pull me back in!

Kindest regards,
Ben

Rating: 7 out of 10

The Wintermen #1

Writer: Brett Lewis
Artist: John Paul Leon
Publisher: DC Comics

Reviewed by Jess

What became of the U.S.S.R's super soldiers after the collapse of the Soviet Union? That's the question that's being asked in 'The Wintermen', an eight issue mini series written by Brett Lewis,who worked on the film 'Bulletproof Monk' and he is joined on this book by artist John Paul Leon fresh off a recent fill in on Ed Brubaker's Captain America. Lewis introduces us to Kris Kalenov, a war hero who's now become a mobbed-up rent-a-cop. When Kris investigates a seemingly dead-end kidnap case he finds that there are some aspects of one's past that are worth forgetting. I'm not familiar with Brett Lewis but I like his style of writing, and I've been a fan of John Paul Leon's art ever since Earth X. The art isn't the most detailed, but that doesn't matter as this book is so beautifully drawn that for once you can overlook that fact. This book is gonna kick major arse and comes highly recommended for reading when it gets released on August 11.

9 out of 10

Wildsiderz #1 (review #1)

Writers: J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell
Artist: J. Scott Campbell
Publisher: DC Wildstorm

Reviewed by Christopher Frankz

J. Scott Campbell launching a new teen-centred team book after a number of years of minimal output smacks distinctly of an attempt to recapture the glory of his Gen13 days. In the debut of Wildsiderz Campbell and writing partner Andy Hartnell valiantly try to keep a straight face, but the Saturday morning cartoon-level script is almost insulting and the artist's unshakable fixation with T&A discredits the entire exercise.

Opening strongly with a multi-page action sequence, if nothing else this issue highlights Campbell's confident compositions and the often impressive level of detail in his rendering; predictably enough, however, it's the design of the book's numerous female characters that proves its undoing. Scientist Dr Mirra Martin has an absurdly athletic
physique given she is confined to a wheelchair, and while the curves of cheerleader babe Kat are grudgingly acceptable the almost identical figure of bookworm Jess, incongruous with the vibe of her character, is not. With the series' basis in light-hearted all-ages action this overt titillation seems counter-productive, and without purpose other than as a cheap sales grab for the pervert market and to appease whatever remains of Campbell's fan base.

While the art has both positives and negatives, the writing is just bad. A little thought has been put into the lead character of Styler, mixing a skate-punk aesthetic with some internal insecurity, but the other members of the titular team are one-note ciphers so stereotypical they are even classed as such by their introduction captions. The dialogue is atrocious, infested with corny one-liners not even funny at the level of self-parody. Contemporary titles such as Runaways have demonstrated it is possible to write to a young adult audience without mockery or treating them like idiots. In Wildsiderz, however, the bad guy is a mad scientist named Dr Spydre. Draw your own conclusions.

If you are eight years old or have the equivalent critical capacity you may find some entertainment value in this shiny bauble, but if you've grown up along with the comics medium the vacuity of its silliness will be all too obvious.

Rating: 2/10

Wildsiderz #1 (review #2)

Writers: J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell
Artist: J. Scott Campbell
Publisher: DC / WildStorm

Reviewed by Jack

This isn’t what I would call a full fledged review of this new series form J. Scott Campbell, but more of a light hearted rebuttal of Chris Franks’ scathing review you’ll find below. First I’ll say that I almost agree with everything Chris says below. The plot has holes that you could drive a car through, the characters for the most part are boring and typical, and the bad guy is laughable. However, maybe Dr. Mirra Martin is in great shape because she only recently lost the use of her legs and hasn’t had time to develop a Vanstone-esque figure yet. Or maybe those holographic legs allow her to run 10k every morning, hence her curvaceous body. Did you ever think of that Chris?

But seriously, this book is nothing more than eye candy, and I’d like to believe that it’s suitable for those in the thirteen year old age group. After all, all I read on the internet is creators giving interviews and calling for more comics to be written so that they appeal to the teen market. Well, this book definitely does that. It’s brainless and hokey, and sometimes the brain just needs to switch off and drool. And when I say drool, I just don’t mean at the female characters (which are quite gratuitous) but at the art in general. Even though Chris dismissed it as a minor plus of the issue, I think the detail put into each panel was first rate. I really enjoyed spending a minute looking all over each panel at everything Campbell put in there. And I will say that even though the story isn’t very interesting, it’s very well written, not form a plot point of view but from a rhythmical sense (the pages almost turn themselves as the script just glides along). It’s the type of pacing and rhythm that The Necromancer #1 could have really used (especially since it’s a much better story) but unfortunately lacked (see review below).

If you like sitting in front of the television, switching your brain to the ‘OFF’ position and watching shows like “Charmed” and “JAG”, then you’ll enjoy this new series for the same reason. Me personally, there are already a lot of books out there that perform this function for me so I don’t think I’ll be picking up issue #2. But this new series has inspired me to pick up some of Campbell’s previous work which I haven’t read before.

Verdict 6/10

Wilcats: Nemesis #1

Writer: Robbie Morrison
Artists: Talent Caldwell, Matt Banning & Horatio Domingues
Colourist: Carrie Strachan
Publisher: Wildstorm

Reviewed by The NewFrontiersman

Recipe for the Utterly Typical Modern Comic:

You will need:
one (1) flimsy excuse to branch into a limited series;
one (1) completely unlikeable and amoral protagonist;
four (4) inexplicable and arbitrary guest appearances by established characters who, had they a modicum of self-respect, would hang their heads in shame.

The art of the good review, some may say, is built upon a foundation of restraint and objectivity; but Dear Reader, we have known each other far too long for me to lie to you. 'Wildcats: Nemesis' is just about everything that is wrong with funnybooks today. From the ludicrous, almost coquettish 'turn at the end of the catwalk' pose by the title character on the cover (a girl who appears bearly strong enough to lift a katana, let alone clear her jutting mammaries successfully enough to swing it) to the yawn-inducing 'Matrix'-esque leap from the building opening to the unbelievably jarring artist-switch at the halfway point, built on the rickety pretext that we're flashing back to a time thousands of years ago when Nemesis was just as annoying, this is a first chapter destined for the $1 bin; make no mistake.

Here is what you need to know: Nemesis is an assassin, a cold-blooded wetworker who, by her own admission, loves to kill yet ratchets up the righteous indignation when she discovers that the henchmen she has been wading through like a pre-menstrual cuisinart have a child hostage (or human shield or bait; it's all the same wide-eyed stare of horror). This 'dum-dum-DUM!' ad-break moment so readers can go fetch their PSP is followed by the aforementioned arrival of Majestic, Zealot, Savant and Grifter (whom I have never seen cheat anyone at cards), just in time to pose for a double-page spread. Cue fight, to prove another Greatest Warrior The World Has Ever Seen has been grafted retroactively onto a universe crowded with psychotic samurai and then it is time for some reminiscing about the Khera/Daemon War and its ultra-secret history of massive spacecraft and exploding volcanoes, throughout which Nemesis alternately struts her little 'Ralph'-model tushy off and reminds us verbally of how naughty she is. You just know if you could hear her she would sound like Lisa Kudrow.

Do we really need this? Dear Reader, I implore you...Do we really need another sword-wielding slattern with a dark past and everything to prove? And to top it all off, an empath who feels her victims' hate screaming 'like a tidal wave' in her head, yet seems impervious to the blunt Hiroshima of fear and pain she must be causing all the while? Well, sorry Britney, but you can't be reading my mind. If you could you would repent and return to whatever 'Alias'-meets-'Farside' fanfiction perdition it was that spawned you.

A final note on the art: Think Michael Turner if he had quit before art school instead of halfway through, followed by work that makes you pine for those first few pages after all.

(In best Criswell voice) - "I predict that this comic will be a top-seller!"

Rating: 3 out of 10, for each of the minutes I spent on it.

Wildcats: Nemesis #2

Writer: Robbie Morrison
Artists: Talent Caldwell & Horacio Domingues
Publisher: DC Wildstorm

Review by Christopher Franks

Everything old seems new again at Wildstorm, with intelligent post-superhero titles such as Sleeper gradually being phased out for more of the guns-and-boobs hyperactive action nonsense on which the enduring publisher was established. Wildcats: Nemesis seems a textbook example of this trend, with its focus a somewhat implausibly well-proportioned female protagonist and her frequent opportunities to swing a ruddy great sword at various beasties. Despite considerable improvement from the decidedly shaky first issue, this is still a series with fundamental problems.

As noted by another reviewer the titular assassin Nemesis does not make for a sympathetic lead, unless one is particularly fond of 'bad girls' (an assumption this series may well be making). Writer Robbie Morrison makes some attempt to address this in a domestic scene featuring Nemesis and the child hostage she has inherited, which while sitting a little uneasily with the bookending carnage is well-written and quite charming. This present day narrative is illustrated with some verve by Aspen alumnus Talent Caldwell, who has adopted the aesthetic of Michael Turner but not his fixation with skeletal figures -- Nemesis is an adolescent fantasy caricature, sure, but not a grotesque one -- and demonstrates a confident command of visual narrative and frequently cinematic composition. What a pity half the issue is given to a tiresome flashback sequence; while the infodump of Wildcats continuity was perhaps inevitable, the sloppy art by Horacio Domingues inspires little interest with its soft focus and unpleasant brown-tinted palette.

Despite flashes of talent from members of its creative team Wildcats: Nemesis remains derivative and undistinguished, indicative of a worrying reversal in editorial direction at Wildstorm and return to the disposable style-over-substance product of the publisher's commercial, rather than critical, heyday.

Rating: 4/10

WildCATS: Nemesis #5

Writer: Robbie Morrison
Pencils: Talent Caldwell & Horacio Domingues
Publisher: DC/Wildstorm

Review by Tarrant Tolotta

On the run from former comrades, Charis is on a quest for revenge. Betrayed by the Brotherhood and shunned by her fellow warriors, Charis stands alone against the Daemonite onslaught.

In each issue Charis fights both fronts against the Daemonites and her former allies, while the past is also revealed to us by a series of flashbacks in each issue. Her immortality has turned Charis into the stuff of legend as her superior fighting skills enabled her to out do anyone at anything. And so for centuries she has been fighting Daemonites on Earth and slipping out of the grip of her pursuers.

Past and present day are drawn in contrasting art styles, which makes it quite easy to tell the difference between flashback and current events, butI feel that this could have been acheived in some other way. The past is drawn in a very non-serious manner, and the characters look like cheap Cartoon Network cartoons made for the masses. On the other hand, in this issue the events of the past start to become almost comedic so the art style may very well be suited for it.

The use of characters in Wildcats Nemesis has been weak up to issue 5, as the story centres around three or so (Charis, Zealot and Majestros). I guess this comes when half the content is taken up by flashbacks.

In my opinion the story could do without the flashbacks, but I don't know what that would mean for the character building as our understanding of Charis' reason comes from these. However, in issue 5 the flashbacks themselves seemed to have thinned out and now all we might be seeing in future issues is slightly amusing adventures. The main story is still nonetheless thrilling to read, and I will continue to do so until the end.

Rating: 7 out of 10

WE 3 #1-3

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Publisher: DC/Vertigo

Reviewed by Jesse Edwards

For Doctor Trendle of the US Air Force, the wars of tomorrow will be fought with remote-controlled, technologically enhanced animals. WE3 are three such prototypes, designed and trained to work together. Number 1 is a dog whose arsenal includes ground-to-air missiles; 2 is a cat, a “lethal stealth machine”; and 3 is a mine-dispensing rabbit. In this three-part miniseries by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, they escape from the lab upon learning they are to be decommissioned and attempt to find their way home. The people who made them, however, will stop at nothing to destroy them.

Each issue of WE3 is not a book you can sit down and read in ten minutes. Every page is packed with information and the end of the first issue in particular has the images coming thick and fast. The story moves very quickly but at no point does Morrison lose sight of the small details, the (very) brief moments of black humour, and the emotional punch that comes from turning formerly beloved pets into killing machines. Most poignant of all is Number 1, whose doggy nature shines through in his protective instincts towards his team and other humans.

Quitely in particular is stunning. WE3 is largely silent – the first word spoken is on page 14 of #1 – but the images carry plot and characterisation masterfully. There are many instances, especially in issue #2, of innovative panel layout that actually push us into the world of the animal characters, who “experience time and motion differently”. This is disconcerting at first but rewards careful attention. From a double-page spread of a man being blown to pieces to a perfect x-ray view of a very sinister truck to snapshots of time and space and motion (a drop of blood, a bullet piercing a helmet), Quitely is constantly surprising. Jamie Grant’s colouring and inking is excellent, although occasionally a little monochromatic which, with the complex and detailed pencilling, can be confusing.

Beginning with an incredibly creepy sequence and ending not quite happily-ever-after but with at least some justice, this is one of the more original and thematically relevant comics I’ve read recently. WE3 is not totally free of small problems (why, for instance, were WE3 not fitted with failsafes as well?), and those who cannot handle lots of gore and cruelty to animals should probably steer clear, but it is certainly on the whole an excellent read and a feather in the caps of Morrison and Quitely.

Rating: 9 out of 10

What If Karen Page Had Lived?

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Michael Lark
Publisher: Marvel

Review by Christopher Franks

Writer Brian Michael Bendis takes a left turn from his work on the main Daredevil title to detail how the difference of a single centimetre would have seen Matt Murdock's life turn out very differently.

The key to Bendis' stunning tenure on Daredevil has been his masterful understanding of the complex personality and motivations of the title character. As a result this issue is not an inconsequential writing exercise but a valid exploration of an alternative path for Matt Murdock that leads to an unexpected end point. A number of critical events from the main Daredevil continuity reappear here in some form, suggesting Bendis considers them more functions of the character than his own narrative ideas.

This engaging hypothetical tale, vividly brought to life by the appropriately gritty art of Michael Lark, demonstrates that 'what if' stories, if well-written, can be independent and valid takes on familiar characters and worthy of more than just afifth week one-shot.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Wonder Woman #1 - 1st review

Writer: Allan Heinberg
Artist: Terry Dodson
Publisher: DC

Reviewed by Wazsa

*this review contains spoilers - read at one's own peril*

I tried to do this review without spoilers but it just wasn't possible, the powers that be do not allow expletives in reviews.

Allan Heinberg does a brilliant job on this issue.

From the second page we find out that Donna Troy is the new Wonder Woman.

There has been no sign of the "OLD" Wonder Woman and it would appear Donna has been in the title for awhile given the characters recognition of her and the demands of others for the REAL Wonder Woman

I'm a long time Donna fan but I'm not sure I want her as Wonder Woman, I certainly didn't see DC doing this to one of the BIG THREE. I would rather see Diana back.

Page after page of terrific art by Terry Dodson as the action starts from page one and just keeps going and going. My only complaint is that Steve Trevor looks too young but then I'm expecting to find out this is not the Steve Trevor of old.

I recently saw Phil Jimenez in Brisbane and asked about his thoughts on this new WW series and he said he was impressed in the direction Heinberg was taking with it.

With the reintroduction of the 3 Villians in this issue this direction seems to be in with the old and twist it to make it new. He is going a great job, with little twists in them all that just have to be seen to be gobsmackingly believed.

I wont reveal the twist I just didn't see coming at the end of the issue but it's a good one.

I'm looking forward to see how they top this.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Wonder Woman #1 - 2nd review

Writer: Allan Heinberg
Artist: Terry Dodson
Publisher: DC

Reviewed by Chris the titan freak

*this review contains spoilers - read at one's own peril*

Even the DCU isn't safe from the body-conscious society of today with one of its most beloved daughters undergoing a facelift. Wonder Woman revamped for a new era in comics. As with the majority of DC comics being relaunched post-Crisis, Wonder Woman is no exception.

From the very beginning of this comic I was captured with, dare I say it, "Wonder" as to who is Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman that we have become accustomed to is no more, and replaced by Donna Troy. Troy is one of but a few sidekicks to make the transition into their mentor's role. It is an exciting development in the Wonder Woman mythos. As with her predecessors, Donna makes her appearance felt in her own unique yet undoubtedly Amazonian fashion. With a new look and attitude, Donna makes a triumphant entrance as Wonder Woman into the DCU.

Yet Wonder Woman is not the only person to have undergone a metamorphosis. With outstanding writing and artwork and an ending leaving many questions to be answered, Wonder Woman has defiantly hit the bullseye.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Wonder Woman: Gods And Mortals Volume 1 TPB

Plot & Art: George Perez
Script: Len Wein
Publisher: DC

Reviewed by Jess

Recently television writer Allen Heinberg has ventured into writing comic books for the first time, starting with the very successful Young Avengers for Marvel Comics and now he teams up with veteran artist Terry Dodson to chronicle the adventures of the Amazon Princess, Wonder Woman. But that's not what I'm reviewing here...

The year is 1985. Crisis on Infinite Earths was the biggest story of that decade and as a result of the events of that story the whole DC Universe was in effect rebooted, and Wonder Woman (after going for 329 issues beforehand) was to start over with a brand new number one issue. Enter George Perez who was the artist on 'Crisis' and together with the help of writer Len Wein they craft a new set of stories for us all to enjoy.

The first seven issues are reprinted in this collection and along the way we see Wonder Woman encounter many friends and foes. From the handsome pilot Steve Trevor to the dangerous god of war Ares and his two malevolent sons, Phobos and Deimos, as they try and bring Earth to the brink of a third world war. Perez's artwork in this collection is stunning and is a testament to why he is still one of the most sought after artists to this day. As a bonus this collection contains some updated pages from DC's 'Who's Who' containing bios on many of the characters featured in this series so that anyone who picks this up is immediately familiar with the heroes and villains that lie within these pages.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Wonder Woman #214

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Drew Johnson
Publisher: DC Comics

Reviewed by Jess

This story continues from Flash #219 where the Flash's old enemy Professor Zoom has teamed up with Wonder Woman's deadly enmy the Cheetah to finally take down their greatest enemies.

I haven't exactly been enjoying what Rucka has been doing on Wonder Woman. After reading this issue that hasn't really changed much but to Rucka's credit he does slightly improve with this issue. Whether he can continue improving is anyone's guess.

It's an OK story, buy it for the bondage cover if you must!

Rating: 6/10

The Walking Dead #28

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard
Publisher: Image Comics

Reviewed by Ross

I'll come clean immediately and announce that I'm a Walking Dead fan.

This book, while not in anyway perfect, is like a dark-chocolate Ferrero Rocher. While rough on its surface, it has a delicious centre for all of you chocolate/sweetie/zombie lovers to enjoy. It is quite frankly the best zombie serial out there (including IDW's Zombies, which is well done) and would work best in a TV series, should the powers that be decide it needs to be done in another medium. The latest issue is a perfect example of why this ongoing story can't be distilled into a film.

With issue #28, things get nasty. REALLY nasty.

With the ominous ending of #27, we are presented with a set-up that may or may not be real- the "Governor" could just be having a cruel joke with our surviving cast... but for the purposes of this review, I won't be going into such details. Suffice to say, #28 is the single BEST issue of Walking Dead thus far, because it DELVES DEEPLY into what I've been keen for since our Walking Dead began their journey:

The EVIL side of human nature.

What would the NASTIEST individuals do, when presented with a scenario where there is no "need" for moral boundaries? Where they can behave as they like, with (almost) no short-term repercussions to themselves? What if they could occupy a space that allows them to do whatever they like, to anyone?

This issue continues to explore these concepts in-depth, introduces a smart, ego-maniacal, VERY dangerous villain, and sets up the direction that Walking Dead will head for the rest of the year.

We also see a side to Michonne that may hint at who she really is... but given her... ah... position at the end of this issue, I'm not entirely sure whether Michonne will be around long enough to share this with us.

Oh, and Rick loses something valuable.

Ignore the cover when regarding the contents; sure, it IS a great cover, but as is normally the case in this series, the image doesn't occur within the 22 pages of story.... of this particular issue. On the other hand, page 8 is a full page panel YOU WILL NOT SEE COMING.

The Walking Dead #28 (for me) has everything that I could want from this series.

Grade: A+ (An A++ was possible, but the wait between issues 27 & 28 should have been shorter, like five weeks instead of eight)

The Warlord #1

Writer: Bruce Jones
Artist: Bart Sears
Colours: Mike Atiyeh
Publisher: DC

Review by Ben Marton

I remember it like it was yesterday. A fourteen year old prime candidate for Angry Young Man status cracks the covers expecting to find no more than ten minutes of cheap processed wood pulp diversion wrapped in spandex and minimal rendering and instead discovers an icon; a raging juggernaut of muscular fantasy rendered with such decisive power that the lines seem carved into the page by the calloused fist of an ancient skald. A brooding, roaring concoction of Hails and Well Mets, delivered with raised sword arm and thunderous brow. I am, of course, speaking of Walter Simonson’s ‘Thor’ (you thought it was Conan, didn’t you?) and now that feeling has come around again.

Travis Morgan is a test pilot (a true hero’s profession if there ever was one) who finds himself somehow jaunting across the interstices of reality and into a savage realm when the maiden flight of an experimental new craft suffers a near-fatal miss-step. He is found by a boatload of heaving-bosomed painted doxies in chain-mail bikinis (ideal boating wear, it seems) and the tiny vessel is immediately set upon by a giant serpent straight out of Frank Frazetta’s id. Morgan dispatches the offending slitherer in due course with masterful swordsmanship and surprising precision from an individual who was simultaneously drowning and dying of thirst not a dozen panels previously. Cut to meeting with a lonely, disillusioned princess and challenge from a grinning, unbeaten living siege engine gladiator and you have the Warlord’s first howdy from Skataris, a wild, beautiful, harsh and opulent evolutionary off-ramp of a place that sires monsters and heroes in equal measure. The aforementioned delivery of our protagonist centre stage follows a great deal of well-considered character development as the pieces are set atop the board for what promises to be a thrilling game.

Everybody’s favourite Cimmerian is never far from the narrative landscape; from the cover’s wonderful vintage Conan composition (we owe you a debt we can never repay, Mr. Frazetta, sir) to the fact that the King of Shamballah is named Milius, presumably after John Milius, the director of the superb ‘Conan the Barbarian’, this lovingly crafted first issue makes me want to erupt with a hearty ‘huzzah!’ Bruce Jones clearly knows when to ratchet up the Howard and pull back on the Tolkien just enough to hack out a world so marrow-crunchingly alive you can hear the blades singing through the blood-misted air.

And a goblet of mead goes to Bart Sears for channelling Simonson while retaining his own artistic stamp on this opening thrust of an issue. His glorious inking, in particular, seems to run along the sinews of his characters in thick rivulets and stream over the rocky landscape like draining blood that refuses to clot. Although his action sequences can occasionally become muddled, he has obviously learned the fantasy comics trick of composing iconic set-pieces and infusing his visuals with juicy melodramatic posturing. It is clear from the opening vision of our ‘real’ world as a monochrome environment awash with pallid grey tones, soon usurped by the rich sea of vital colour of Skataris, that Travis Morgan, much like Robert Heinlein’s Scar Gordon in ‘Glory Road’ (or Dorothy, although she never admits it onscreen), is going to feel much more at home in his adoptive kingdom; and much like Gordon and Conan, I’ll wish I could visit with him more often.

When I was growing up on my parents’ farm my brother and I used to spend hours in the back paddock whaling away at each other with iron fence posts and shields made out of those heavy round barbeque lids, doing Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonations all the while. You can never really go back, but thanks, Bruce and Bart, all the same. I’m sure I saw an old hockey stick lying around here I can use…

Rating: 9 out of 10

The Warlord #s 1 & 2

Writer: Bruce Jones
Artist: Bart Sears
Publisher: DC

Reviewed by Jess

I first became aware of the character of Travis Morgan (a.k.a the Warlord) around about five years ago when Phil Jiminez used the character in his run on Wonder Woman. I didn't really know much about the character; I knew he had his own series before, but was slightly curious about the character.

Now in 2006 the Warlord is back in a new ongoing series written by Bruce Jones and illustrated by Bart Sears. When a pilot's plane vanishes into thin air, his girlfriend and friend are anxious to find out where he has disappeared to. He has in fact landed in the world of Shamballah.

Bruce Jones is a competant writer- his run on the Hulk around two to three years ago was suspenseful at times, while at others just a little bit annoying, but on Warlord so far he seems comfortable in the fantasy genre. Unfortunately, the art by Bart Sears is a bit of a let down, but it's not so bad that it disrupts the story, fortunately.

I'll be interested to see where this goes, as after having read the first two issues I found myself actually enjoying this more than I thought I would.

8 out of 10

Wolverine #42

Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Publisher: Marvel

Reviewed by Lucas

If this is what Civil War has to offer then I am on board all the way. (Although I did buy every issue of DC’s ‘Joker: Last Laugh’ so that is no indication that the book is good or not. But I digress.) For the last couple of months Wolverine has been bogged down in epic struggles. From the very good (Millar’s run) to the not so good (Way’s run) but this story is back to the simple fun of Wolverine against the villain of the day. Some people may think that this is a step back but it’s good to see a little less Canuck angst and a little bit more shnikaty-shnikaty (I’m doing my impression of Wolverine’s berserker rage as I write.)

Wolverine has just come off battling the villain named the Crusader when he gets the tragic news about Stamford (pick up Civil War #1 for full details) and heads back into the super-hero fray to get the heads up (for a loner he’s in a lot of group, it’s like he’s popular or something) he finds out that a villain by the name of Nitro. Nitro is behind the event, and Wolverine takes it upon himself to track down the scum and put him away. But good! Other people are also interested in Nitro... from a mysterious figure from Latveria to…um…Paul.

Marc Guggenheim is new to the world of comics as far as I know. I think he met Quesada at a convention and gave him a script or some such and he ended up writing Wolverine (see, dreams really do come true). He does a nice job getting Wolverine back into the super-hero biz, he does use the title of his story in his script but other than that he does a nice job. Marc reveals Wolverine's point of view in this whole Civil War affair and his point of view makes perfect sense.

Now, lets get to the art from another relative unknown named Humberto Ramos. Ramos’ art has come along way from his stints in Wildstorm's Gen13 and DV8, as well as DC’s Impulse. Back then his characters were often off model and funky looking (by the way Anthology of Alvin #1 is out now) but over the last ten or so years he has grown into his style and although it’s not to everyone’s taste he gives his art a dynamic richness that puts him on top of the artist heap.

I am very interested in where Marc and Humberto are going to take Wolverine over the coming months and I hope they stick around after the Civil War smoke clears.

Rating: 9 out of 10

X-Men #182

Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Salvador Larocca
Publisher: Marvel

Reviewed by Jess

This is the first issue of this title that I've read since Peter Milligan started his tenure on this book(#166 for those who didn't know)- I've finally become intrigued to pick this up due to the discussion in the comic press about the return of Apocolypse and his Four Horsemen.

This issue serves as an appetiser for what's to come, re-introducing us to a few old X-characters in the process. It's been a while since i've read an X-men title, and this is a nice start to come back to. Those who feel they may have to read a lot of backstory about Apocolypse need not worry as it's really not essential to understand the story. Just sit back and enjoy the monthly rollercoaster ride. I wouldn't say this issue was great, but it interested me enough to want to come back next month.

6 out of 10

Young Avengers #1

Writer: Allan Heinberg
Artist: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel

Review by Christopher Franks

When announced, the concept of Young Avengers had me in two minds. Allan Heinberg is a comics newcomer but a proven character writer from his work on The OC, my current favourite television series if only because it presents the fantasy that comics geeks can be popular during high school. On the other hand a group of teenage analogues of classic Avengers, with cringe-inducing names such as Iron Lad and Hulkling, is one of the lamest ideas in recent memory. This heavily hyped debut issue largely supports my initial feelings, with a clearly talented writer unable to extract much from a simply terrible premise.

The story opens with the Daily Bugle beginning its investigation into reports of a number of new teenage crimefighters, making use of Jessica Jones' connections from her time as a superhero herself (an interesting idea that vanished from The Pulse almost as soon as it was introduced). Heinberg's ear for sharp and amusing dialogue shines in early scenes featuring established characters, but things go awry when the titular heroes arrive. A publisher with Spider-Man as its flagship character should understand that effective and relatable teenage superhero characters cannot be achieved by simply grafting hip dialogue onto a formulaic and uninteresting action sequence. The last page reveal of Iron Lad's identity both assumes familiarity with Avengers continuity, rendering it meaningless to the new readers Marvel is ostensibly targeting with this title, and is also about as daft an idea as making him, I don't know, a teenage version of Tony Stark. (Oh, wait, they did that once...)

Marvel has attempted to generate additional heat for Young Avengers by assigning Jim Cheung, one of the artists in its Young Guns promotion. While not to belittle his talent there is little idiosyncracy or flair in Cheung's linework here -- to borrow from Beavis and Butt-Head, it looks just like everything else -- and his designs for the title characters are unimaginative. As an all-ages title aiming for a younger readership a more caricatured style, as has proved successful with Ultimate Spider-Man, or a manga-influenced artist would perhaps have been more appropriate.

Credit is due to Marvel for valiantly persisting in its attempts to draw young readers away from the slimy tentacles of the manga invasion. Unfortunately a title like Young Avengers, which judging from this first issue will appeal more to basement-dwelling Avengers fanboys than Heinberg's OC audience, is not going to further the cause.

Rating: 3 out of 10

Y:The Last Man #26

Writer: Brian K Vaughan
Artist: Pia Guerra
Publisher: DC/Vertigo

Review by Jess

This flashback tale (of a series where man is virtually extinct, save one) fills in the missing pieces and reveals more personal information about the life of a woman named Hero Brown, sister to the last man on earth, Yorick Brown. We see where Hero was when the plague that killed man hit, to her meeting with the 'Amazons'.

Fans of this series will appreciate it's efforts into continuity while new comers will find this self contained story a perfect jumping on point. I have enjoyed this book for many years now and it remains at the top of my reading list each and every month.

Rating: 10 out of 10