More Amazing Spider-Man already? You bet! Sometimes the double-shipping efforts of a comic book publisher can be appreciated. Nick Spencer and Ryan Ottley’s second issue keeps the good vibes going in Amazing Spider-Man #2.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Following the extra-sized introductory issue, this week’s Spidey adventure takes the time to scale back and push forward with our new, exciting era of web-swinging. Spencer and Ottley are already heroes on the web-head front, Amazing Spider-Man #2 subtly shows us why.
A lot of this issue is conversation, and it’s damn good entertainment. The opening, with Pete and MJ in bed (reassuring readers that they are really back together), is filled with such real and relatable dialogue. It’s very satisfying to see the greatest couple in comic book history back together and in capable hands.
Nick Spencer proves with this issue that his voice for Peter Parker is so fitting, that he could literally sit there and read his science column to us and we’d eat it up. His quipping and joke misfires are clever in both their execution and fallout.
We’re back to a place with Amazing Spider-Man where we don’t need gigantic, epic story setups to get involved. All we need is Peter Parker and the city of New York. Spencer may have been miscast on a few titles in his time at Marvel, but Spider-Man is clearly the perfect fit we were all waiting for.
We should have known after his Superior Foes of Spider-Man that this would be a great fit. The success of that series is also likely to be a big part of this run going forward. We don’t need big-time villains every arc. Spencer has and will be able to utilize lower-tier villains and make them into superstars.
Ryan Ottley really has a flair for highlighting the humanity in characters. Whether it’s in their eyes, expressions or posture, he’s makes each person’s motives clear to the reader at all times. This becomes extremely apparent with that of Dr. Curtis Connors. There’s a pain and shame in his eyes but also that of determination.
The way Ottley frames things is also crucial to the fluidity of this issue’s narrative. Things like the Spidey outfit peaking out of the closet in a panel where Peter and MJ talk about what obstacles they had in the past.
His web lines are also notable in that you can spend the entire issue paying attention to how they leave and enter frame–it’s accurate every time. There are no webs being spun for the sake of webs being spun.
I know we’re only two issues in, but this is the real deal. We’ve been through enough good and bad Spider-Man runs to know when to spot something special. Spencer and Ottley’s Amazing Spider-Man is going to be at the top of essential Spidey reading lists forever.
Shadowman #5 from Valiant adds another layer to a rich supernatural cake baked by writer Andy Diggleand the creative team that further sets the stage for a war that will dwarf all human wars that came before.
Shadowman is more than just a single character. The protagonist of the book is Jack Boniface and, to some degree, Alyssa Myles. However, the story being set forth in this new run of the supernatural force of nature is much more layered than the usual “superhero” story. In issue five, Jack and Alyssa are nowhere to be found. The story here revolves around one of the previous holders of the Shadowman mantle.
Writing: Andy Diggle
Art: Doug Braithwaite
Colors: Jose Villarrubia
Letters: Simon Bowland
Editor: Karl Bowllers
“All I got is hearts.“ – Marius Boniface
WRITING
The new Shadowman series is handled with methodical care by writer Andy Diggle. Reading the series now feels like you’re sitting at a chess table with a supervillain. Diggle — the villain in my weird analogy — is carefully setting up his side of the board while telling a story. There’s a sense that he’s already won, the impending feeling of doom is in the air, pushed forth by the each of the villain’s words. Diggle is taking time to set up a story that is bursting at the seams with tension from issue to issue.
Shadowman #5 further showcases the patience of this book and what Diggle is doing. Our Shadowman, Jack Boniface is lost in a void that’s taking him on a trip through time. Without any ham-fisted exposition, we’re taken back to sometime after the American Civil War has ended. Marius Boniface, the Shadowman of his time, is a war hero but also just wants to be left alone. He’s “tired of savin’ the world.” Marius wants nothing to do with his Deadside alter ego. What he wants is to reunite with a lost love — Sandria. However, Sandria has other plans and so do some locals who don’t like Marius much. But the actions that occur at the end of issue two, nearly two centuries prior, will have consequences in the already unstable present-day world of Shadowman.
ART
The pacing of Shadowman never allows for a complete lack of dynamic visuals. As the story sets a new layer, the beats are accentuated with ferocious action. Artist Stephen Segovia sets the stage for Ulises Arreloa’s colors to create a complex visual world for Shadowman. There is a definite cinematic sense to the book, particularly here in a story set in an old world. The colors reflect a somewhat dated look, like a filter on a camera. The work done by the visual team is consistently fantastic. Shadowman also boasts the coolest and most macabre covers coming out of Valiant. And the unsung hero here is letterer Simon Bowland whose work blends with the art to provide that final layer of immersion.
CONCLUSION
Why aren’t you reading Shadowman? Any fan of the superhero genre, particularly readers who like the darker heroes, will enjoy what Valiant is offering here. There’s excellent world-building, visceral visuals, interesting characters, and wild supernatural chaos at every turn. The ominous ending of issue five is yet another cliffhanger that makes it feel like issue six will never come soon enough.
Chip Zdarsky kicks off Marvel Two-In-One #8 by giving Ben Grimm almost everything he’s ever wanted, except Ben, is on an alternative universe lead by an evil Spider-Man. Are Ben and Johnny stuck there forever? The “THING” is, that’s not even the most significant questions of the issue. Let’s jump in and see!
WRITTEN BY: Chip Zdarsky
ART BY: Ramon K. Perez
COLORS: Federico Blee
LETTERS: Joe Caramagna
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #8 SPOILERS TOO!
Summary
Ben and Johnny have been trapped in this universe for a long time now. How long? Long enough that both of their powers are gone entirely. So, these two knuckleheads set up jobs, a house, and a life while they wait for Amadeus Cho to send out their message for help across the Multiverse.
Ben finally comes clean and tells Johnny that he lied about Reed and Sue being alive. So, the two of them duke it out. While fighting, they accidentally burn down their house and are left with nothing; sounds fun, right.
However, the issue ends with “a” Fantastic Four showing up to help Ben and Johnny. It turns out; this Fantastic Four is run by the Mad Thinker!
The Goods
Ben needed to tell Johnny the truth. It’s great for readers to see Ben come clean, especially since it’s been a theme since issue one. Zdarsky also does a great job of showing readers the love Ben has for Johnny. Ben indeed sees Johnny as a brother. I also left the issue interested in the Mad Thinker’s Fantastic Four. But that’s it; I was very underwhelmed with the issue.
The Art was meh
Perez’ heavy, dark, and thick outlines of characters makes the pages seem rushed and lacking detail. He overuses shadows and cuts panels frequently so that we can’t see characters full faces or simply their faces at all. Why? Is it a style choice that I don’t understand? Sometimes, the shadows are so dark readers can’t tell if characters have mustaches or if it’s their mouth.
When I read a comic, I want to know which character is talking. I want to see his or her face. The faces seemed misproportioned and didn’t resemble the characters very well. Heck, on page 3, one of the panels is all orange.
Should you buy this issue?
This hurts me to say it, but no. The series began with so much promise. However, the past two issues have been let downs. Zdarsky‘s story is fine but it’s lacking the crazy, out of this world storytelling the first six issues had that drew readers in, as well as the fantastic art! For Pete’s Peppers, we had Doom Galactus!
Ultimately, it was boring. Johnny finds out Reed and Sue are dead and they don’t have their powers anymore. I summarized it for you. Plus, Perez’ art lacks detail, Blee’s colors are drab, and nothing pops off the page. Perez draws with thick, huge outlines and I couldn’t tell who was Ben and who was Johnny half the time.
Should you add this to your pull list?
Again, I want to say yes but I can’t. I read this to get my Fantastic Four fix. But, this issue didn’t even give readers that! They weren’t in it at all. And, if readers are looking at these last two issues as a snapshot of the direction of this book, Zdarsky just seems done. The art has gradually become worse, and I genuinely don’t know if this series will end or if it will just go away when the Fantastic Four come back. This is just so disappointing for a book that has been so amazing in the past.
What did you guys think of MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #8? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu
Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman use their symbiotic relationship to creatively intertwine story and art together giving readers an epic new creation story for these alien symbiotes. You’ll never guess how deep and dark this rabbit hole goes. Let’s dive in!
WRITTEN BY: Donny Cates
PENCILS BY: Ryan Stegman
INKS: JP Mayer
COLORS: Frank Martin
LETTERS: Clayton Cowles
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
VENOM #4 SPOILERS TOO!
Summary
Knull has been around since the early Celestials, and something pulled him from the Void and into the Light. Then, seeing these huge beings, he used his Necrosword to slaughter a Celestial and was banished back to the Void. After escaping his banishment, Knull went out to conquer the cosmos until he was confronted by Gorr the God Butcher. Finally, he was beaten and left for dead after Gorr took his Necrosword.
After his demise from the God Butcher, Knull realized he could use his abilities to control other beings. Thus, he continued his quest for ending the Light until he reached Earth. While conquering Earth, Thor arrived and used Mjolnir to sever Knull’s connection to his symbiotes. Since the link was broken, these foreign pieces searched for hosts and found the closest things they could find; other life forms.
After all that, the symbiotes revolted and billions of them formed around Knull creating the planet Klyntar. Now finally, Knull has been resurrected and is using the Earth symbiotes as his hosts to free him.
The Goods
How about EVERYTHING? This story was so incredibly creative and connected old continuity from THOR: GOD OF THUNDER with the current AVENGERSorigin. Cates and Stegman took the time to think everything through and make sure they paid tribute to what was already done while morphing it into something fresh and new.
To anyone who has not readTHOR: GOD OF THUNDER; you must. It’s a fantastic read and Cates connects it in so well to this story. It just makes sense. Heck, he even connects Beowulf to his story. That’s awesome! Even though Venom takes a back seat in this story, Cates still delivers with action and suspense that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The Art
As always, Stegman’s art is crisp, clear, and grabs the readers attention. He always adds such amazing detail to his characters, the background, and is great at visualizing scenes and putting the reader right there with the characters. Martin’s color choices are dark and eerie, which totally add fuel to this issue. And lastly, Caramagna’s perfect lettering is placed in specific spots to draw the readers eye to the art without overpowering the page with heavy dialogue.
Keep in mind, and this issue was a backstory and origin of Knull as well as the symbiotes. Typically, stories of this caliber are saturated with words and dialogue. However, Stegman and his art team did a tremendous job spacing the art and words masterfully.
Questions
I left with a few questions. Questions that wouldn’t bring down a score but should get answered before the arc is done. I was led to believe that Knull was around billions of years ago with the First Celestials, especially after seeing the killer Stegman art. Anyway, who came first: Knull or the Celestials? Or, was everything VOID and the Celestials came to fill it? Also, was Knull just always “there?” Readers don’t need the answers to THIS story, but they would be intriguing.
And, how was Knull resurrected? Why now? What happened that triggered his resurrection? Finally, is this the same Void that the Sentry must deal with? I feel these questions are essential to the story and I hope Cates answers them.
Should you buy this issue?
Yes! Cates gives long-time readers the best payoff of all: a deeply interconnected universe. If you’ve been readingAVENGERSorTHOR: GOD OF THUNDER, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Cates continues to find ways to connect horror, space, and Superheroes that’s interesting, clever, and imaginative. This is a must buy this week!
Should you add this to your pull list?
Absolutely! If what I said above about Cates isn’t enough, how about you look back through the art in EVERY issue so far? Stegman and his art team are top notch week in and week out. Cates and Stegman genuinely compliment each other and continue to be one of the best teams in comics right now. Add this series to your pull list and get the back issues 1-3. This team is doing great things that people will be talking about.
What did you guys think of VENOM #4? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu
Film fandom the world over was shocked and saddened by the news that James Gunn has been fired by Disney and won’t be directing Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 after the discovery of controversial and offensive Tweets he made. There is a petition started by fans to rehire Gunn, and Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff have stated their support for the director. But Disney cares about their image and a new director will need to be found.
Gunn was a director who had a distinct voice and put his stamp on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It would be a tough act for any director to follow, but Marvel Studios oiled machine and generally been able to find the right people for their projects.
Gunn came from an indie film background, starting his career at Troma Entertainment before making films like Slither and Super. It would be wise for Marvel to hire a director from a similar background for Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3.
Lenny Abrahamson Kicking off this list is Irishman Lenny Abrahamson. He has recently received a nomination for an Academy Award for best director because of his work on Room, and his next film is going to be a gothic horror. The real reason Abrahamson is on this list is for work on Frank – a quirky dark comedy that has earned a cult following. Abrahamson even got Michael Fassbender to wear a paper-mâché head throughout the film, and he got to work with Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Scoot McNairy. It would be the type of film that Abrahamson could be used as a calling card to Marvel.
Abrahamson has also been successful in his homeland: he has won Best Director for Film prize at the Irish Film & Television Awards three times and once won the Best Director for Television. Room also earned Brie Larson an Academy Award for Best Actress, and she is now part of the MCU.
Joe Cornish
English director Joe Cornish became an in-demand director after his break hit Attack the Block – an urban set sci-fi that starred FN-2187 (AKA Finn) and the 13th Doctor. Attack the Block was an entertaining genre film that was funny, action-packed and considering its low budget had impressive special effects. The aliens in the movie had a simple yet effective design. Attack the Block also starred a group of boys started as an unlikeable bunch, especially John Boyega’s character but as the film progressed they became more sympathetic – Cornish could pull off this trick for Guardians of the Galaxy, a franchise that looks at the universe’s criminal underbelly.
Cornish has experience with the comic-book genre; he co-wrote the screenplays for The Adventures of the Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and Ant-Man and after directing Attack the Block he was shortlisted to direct A Good Day to Die Hard and Star Trek: Beyond. His next film is set to be a modernized Arthurian tale.
Eli Craig
Eli Craig was an actor turned writer/director, and he made a real splash back in 2010 with his directorial debut Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil was a fantastic parody and deconstruction of the slasher genre when after a series of misunderstandings lead to a group of college kids trying to kill a couple of hillbillies. It was darkly funny – my favorite moment was when a teen ends up running into a wood chipper, and Alan Tudyk tries to pull him out. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil was a hilarious, smart and violent comedy, similar to Super, Gunn’s last find before directed Guardians of the Galaxy.
Craig’s follow-up film was the Netflix Little Evil described as an ‘offbeat comedy about love, family, and the Antichrist.’ It was well received by critics, but audiences were more divided. But it still shows that Craig has a distinct sense-of-humor, and he can translate it to the MCU. Plus if Craig gets the gig hopefully, he can find a role for Tudyk.
Toby Haynes Toby Haynes is a TV director who has worked predominately in the UK. He has directed episodes of popular shows like Sherlock, Being Human and The Musketeers. Haynes’ work on Doctor Who and Black Mirror are the best examples why he would be a good fit to direct Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3.
Doctor Who is a genre show that is in a similar vein to Guardians of the Galaxy and he has directed some beautiful episodes – he handled the Series 5 finale and Series 6 opener. Haynes directed the “USS Callister” episode of Black Mirror – arguably the best episode of Season 4 – and one of the best in the show’s history. “USS Callister” was made as a satire of the original Star Trek series and its effects could match anything in a blockbuster.
Haynes has experience with special effects and actions because of his work on TV. Many British TV directors have become film directors like Ridley Scott and Tom Hooper. It wouldn’t be a stretch for Haynes to step up to make a blockbuster and considering he has worked on many shows with a comedic edge and characters he would be able to fit into the MCU.
Paul King
Paul King is a writer/director with a quirky sense of humor and managed to find mainstream success. Most audiences will know King for his work on the Paddington films, adapting a beloved series of children books in a popular and well-received film series.
King started his career working on The Mighty Boosh – a surreal comedy show that became a cult hit in the UK – and with his debut film, Bunny and the Bull King deliberately used old-fashioned special effect techniques. When King made the Paddington films, he was able to keep his style and sense-of-humor while still being able to make a mainstream material. Marvel has a knack for hiring directors with distinctive styles like Joss Whedon (The Avengers), Shane Black (Iron Man 3) and Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) and King could easily do the same with a Marvel property.
Dave McCary
Dave McCary is the type of young director that Marvel likes to hire. McCary has made one film in his career, Brigsby Bear, a critically acclaimed comedy-drama about a man, freed from captivity and sets out to remake the only TV show he was allowed to watch as a child. The film was praised for its optimistic tone and has fantasy sequences that allowed McCary to be flashy and creative with his visions. Like the main character in Brigsby Bear Peter Quill, Gamora and Drax suffered from trauma and McCary could explore this for the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel.
Outside of Brigsby Bear McCary has made short films and directed segments for Saturday Night Live.
Robert Rodriguez
Texas-born director Robert Rodriguez is the king of the modern B-Movie. He made his name with the Spanish language action film El Mariachi, an entertaining movie that was made on an ultra-low budget of $7,000. Since that success, Rodriguez has become known for making gleeful violent, witty and at times self-aware films like From Dusk till Dawn, Planet Terror, and Machete – films that homage grindhouse cinema of the ’70s. He would be able to homage the look and feel cinema of the ’70s and ’80s and would be able to reference films that most people don’t know or even have heard of. He is perfectly adept with action.
Rodriguez has also flirted with more mainstream fare. He created his franchise, Spy Kids, that lasted for four films and he is set to make his first big budget film, the James Cameron produced Alita: Battle Angel, an adaptation of a manga series.
Rodriguez also has experience with the comic book films – he made an incredibly loyal adaptation of Frank Miller’s Sin City where he used comic panels as storyboards and back in the ’90s he was shortlisted to directed X-Men.
Marjane Satrapi
Born in Iran and based in France Marjane Satrapi is a woman of many talents, working as a writer, director, and artist. Satrapi started her career as working in the comic book industry, working as the writer and artist on Persepolis, a graphic novel based on her childhood in Iran and education in France. Spanning four volumes the graphic novel won numerous awards in France. Her film debut was the animated adaptation of Persepolis which she co-wrote and directed with Vincent Paronnaud and the film was a critical hit. It won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, two Cesar Awards (France’s equivalent of the Oscars) and nominated for the Best Animated Film at the 80th Academy Awards, an award it should have won.
Satrapi first live-action film was the dark-comedy The Voices, featuring Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and a talking cat and dog who act as Reynolds’ conscience. The cat encouraged Reynolds’ character to kill so Satrapi should be able to get a grasp of Rocket Racoon’s character.
Satrapi’s next film is Radioactive, a biographical film about Marie Curie and based on graphic novel by Lauren Redniss. It is a film with a lot of promise, Rosamond Pike stars as the famous scientist, Jack Throne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) wrote the screenplay and Anthony Don Mantle is the cinematographer. Satrapi has the filmmaking ability, a risk taker and Marvel have had success getting indie directors to make their films.
Beside from Satrapi’s filmmaking credentials she was a rock fan when she was a child, being a fan of bands like Iron Maiden and AC/DC, so she would be able to match James Gunn when creating a soundtrack.
Taika Waititi Thor Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has quickly emerged as a fan favorite to replace Gunn as director of Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 and he would be the most logical choice. Like Gunn Waititi came from an indie background – he made a number of comedies in his native New Zealand and his 2014 horror-comedy What We Do in the Shadows is a cult hit. Thor Ragnarok was clearly influenced by Gunn’s work on Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 – both films used Marvel’s cosmic setting, had a similar style of humor and had an ’80s aesthetics. Waititi and Gunn even had muscular lead actors called Chris. When I first saw the trailer for Thor Ragnarok, I thought it looked like Guardians of the Galaxy 3. It would be easy to see Waititi sit in Gunn’s chair, but the big question is would the New Zealander be interested?
Leigh Whannell Best known for writing horror films like the Saw and Insidious franchises Leigh Whannell has recently moved into directing. His first film, Insidious: Chapter 3 was met with modest critical and audience reaction while his follow-up, Upgrade has been praised by audiences and critics. Upgrade won the Midnighter Audience Prize at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival, and the film is on the road to become a cult classic. Upgrade was made on a modest budget, no more than $5 million and it has become known for its humor and fluid action scenes. If Whannell is able to accomplish this with a small sci-fi film from Australia – imagine what he can do with a major Hollywood blockbuster.
Tommy Wirkola
Completing this list is Norwegian writer/director Tommy Wirkola. Wirkola is a B-movie filmmaker who has specialized in the horror and sci-fi genres. He is best known for making the Dead Snow films, comedy-horror that feature Nazi zombies. Gunn started his Hollywood career in the horror genre – he wrote the screenplay for the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead and his debut feature as a director was the horror-comedy. Before making Guardians of the Galaxy Gunn produced the video game Lollipop Chainsaw which starred a scantily clad teenager cutting down zombies – so Disney should be able to overlook a couple of films featuring Nazi zombies.
Wirkola has directed two English-language films – Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and What Happened to Monday. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters was blasted by critics upon its initial release but has earned a cult following because of its violence and tongue-in-cheek humor. What Happened to Monday was a dystopia sci-fi film for Netflix and starred Noomi Rapace and Willem Dafoe. What Happened to Monday has a modest 6.9 rating on IMDB but considering the reaction some of Netflix’s most prominent films have received What Happened to Monday is one of the company’s best.
While Wirkola’s films have received decent if unremarkable critical scores, this hasn’t stopped Marvel from hiring directors if they think they are a good fit. Peyton Reed’s best films have been the Ant-Manfilms, Scott Derrickson has a hit-and-miss reputation before getting the Doctor Strange gig, and Jon Watts only made two low budget films when he was hired to direct Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout makes each setting or jaw-dropping sequence an integral part of the film’s high octane, adrenaline pumping narrative resulting in a final product which is both thrilling and stunning to witness.
There are action movies that other actors either attempt to emulate or page homage (ex. The Rock in Skyscraper). Some action movies are so poorly put together that people cringe when anyone mentions their name. Then films like Mission: Impossible – Fallout are made with the intent of pushing the boundaries of a typical action film ultimately blowing expectations out of the water. McQuarrie’s second stint in the director’s chair will widely be considered his best work to date. Mission: Impossible – Fallout belongs in the same discussion as Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Die Hard which are both widely considered two of the greatest action movies ever made.
Left to right: Henry Cavill as August Walker, Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout’s narrative centers around the morality of IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). Over the duration of his career, he’s had a real issue with just merely killing these dangerous men and women in the interest of justice being served in a court of law. What happens when your morality leads to theft of three plutonium cores and enables one of the worst men ever to enact a plot of revenge against Mr. Hunt? Could his past actions ultimately bring down IMF’s greatest agent?
Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and Henry Cavill as August Walker in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
The success of the latest installment of Mission: Impossible is a direct result of McQuarrie’s direction. He has a deep understanding of what the audiences are craving in this new film. It is no longer acceptable to shoot in the more generic locations around the globe. Mission: Impossible – Fallout needed to be a large-scale upstaging of the previous missions to date. Paris, Rome, and London are just some of the stops on this intense journey. Rob Hardy’s cinematography captures the beauty of these locales while still chronicling the most intense action sequences of the year. Hardy used creativity and ingenuity to pull this off. During the HALO jump, he mounted a camera on one of the jumpers masks to capture the film’s seminal moment. During the chase scene in Paris, Hardy shot the truck getting stuck between two buildings from in the front of the vehicle at a higher angle. Doing this allowed the audience to see the jarring motion of the truck getting stuck and the police who were in high pursuit.
Henry Cavill as August Walker in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Lorne Balfe’s musical prowess is on full display as his melodies are woven deftly through each pivotal moment heightening the audience’s sense of impending danger. Mission: Impossible – Fallout‘s pacing is off the charts which matches the imaginative action sequences. The most memorable scene without question had to be the HALO jump. The level difficulty required for an extensively trained Marine to pull that off is high, having Tom Cruise do it is unreal. The helicopter chase sequence is incredible and makes me wonder if this is the type of action we will see in Top Gun 2: Maverick. It’s worth watching this featurette on the stunt to have an idea of the action in this release.
Overall, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is an assault on your nerves causing you to grow tenser as the unceasing number of action sequences unfold defying all logic and reason. Audiences might be exhausted by the end of the film but they sure as hell will be entertained too. There’s nothing wrong with that at all.
While not much action, the new Action Comics arc intrigues with its new villains and mystery.
The Bendis era of Superman has begun. During the Man of Steel miniseries, a few storylines were laid out for the coming series. One storyline, which will be expanded here in Action Comics involved a mystery of arsons in Metropolis. Superman worked alongside the Fire Department to fight the fires, but the mystery of the cause stumps even the greatest minds. At the end of the miniseries, however, a little boy reveals that it was Superman that was causing these fires. This couldn’t be true, right?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
After another night on patrol, Clark heads to the Daily Planet for the usual news round-up. During the meeting, Ms. Goode, a new reporter, files a story of Superman causing the fires across Metropolis. Taken aback by this claim, Superman heads to the fire station to speak with Deputy Chief Moore. The pair confronts the kid, who admits that he was paid by “some bald guy,” to say it. As Clark begins his investigation into this person, a group of what appears to be gang leaders meet in secret to discuss their plans.
With a name like Action Comics, one would expect a ton of action within the issues. This is not the case, but there is quite a bit to enjoy. Superman’s presence makes the lawbreakers in this issue look like incompetent idiots, which is quite funny. Superman approaches a crook firing a machine gun at him as he catches bullets, all the while he’s asking them about the fires with a smile on his face. It’s hilarious to see moments like this, but still, have severe investigation moments and intrigue. This new threat is intriguing, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes with them. There are, however, two problems with this story. As I mentioned before, there isn’t that much action, with it only being the opening. Then there is the final page that left me frustrated and with questions. Those two nitpicks aside; I had fun with this issue.
Art:
Patrick Gleason hops into illustrating this Action Comics arc and knocks it out of the park. His style has always fit Superman comics by walking a line between being cartoonish but not enough for readers to be distracted from the serious parts. Alejandro Sanchez helps the illustrations with his masterful colorwork, allowing the world to feel warm and welcoming. It looks great and is a perfect match for Action Comics, as well as Superman in general.
Conclusion:
This was a nice first issue for the arc, despite the nitpicks. It’s humorous and intriguing with its characters and story with art to match. I cannot wait to see where the story, as well as the series as a whole, goes from here.
The world of Doomsday Clock continues to grow but at the cost of story focus.
It’s been a strange ride in Doomsday Clock so far. The last issue had us all over the place, following several different characters. The new Rorschach escapes Arkham Asylum with Saturn Girl as his mission points him towards Pittsburgh. There he finds “the light” that will bring out Dr. Manhattan: the Golden Age Green Lantern. Back in Gotham, Ozymandias escapes the hospital he was kept in after his fight with the Comedian and comes face-to-face with Batman. The pair fights each other due to their conflicting morality, which leads to Batman getting captured by Mime and Marionette. Before they could relish their victory, the Joker arrives and captures all three. What will transpire between these three humorous mad folk?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
We follow the story of Mime and Marionette, both in the present and their origin. The origin of the pair follows them as children, growing up across the street from each other. The woman who would become Marionette was once an illegal immigrant named Erika. She grew up in the loving care of her puppet making father, who would continuously pay off the cops. She would befriend Marcos who would grow into Mime and lived her life until tragedy struck in her own home. In the present, the Joker takes the pair and Batman to a gathering of villains far below Gotham. Due to the growing restlessness on Metahumans, several villains believe they should leave for Khandaq, where Black Adam offers political asylum. While Joker tries to show off the identity of Batman, a surprise guest appears: The Comedian.
Anyone who has read Watchmen knows that it had cutaways to build on character pasts. It made the characters more intriguing and lifelike. It’s clear that is what Geoff Johns is hoping to accomplish here, but there’s one major problem. Where Watchmen was kept to a monthly release date, Doomsday Clock is more sporadic. While this origin is interesting, the long periods of waiting just leaves me wanting the core story. Last issue, we had a cliffhanger where Rorschach found a Green Lantern that hasn’t been seen in over seven years! Readers want to learn more about that instead of Mime and Marionette’s tragic tale. Geoff Johns wants this world to grow, but this reviewer just wants to see the core moving forward. Hopefully, these storylines come back together sooner rather than later.
Art:
Despite my issues with this comic, it’s still the best looking comic out there. The art of Gary Frank is so dark and gritty; it fits the world perfectly. There are parts in this story where the level of detail in violence made me physically cringe. Despite the missteps of this issue, it’s obvious the art will make Doomsday Clock iconic.
Conclusion:
While the backstory of our mad couple from the Watchmen universe is interesting, it doesn’t satisfy months of waiting. The art is dark and beautiful, but Doomsday Clock is beginning to grow too big for its own good. We have reached the middle of the series, yet we keep making detours to flesh out the world. There could be no more distractions going forward, but right now, I am worried about this comic.
This epilogue of the recent Flash story arc is an emotional roller coaster for the speedsters.
The Flash War has come and gone, and we’re left to pick up the pieces. Hunter Zolomon, Wally West’s Reverse Flash, summoned new forces alongside the Speed Force to try and alter time in his favor. While both Flashes ran to stop him, Barry knew the only one fast enough was Wally. Wally defeated Hunter, but at a terrible cost to his wellbeing. Not only did Zoom vanish, but he closed off Hypertime, preventing time travel for all speedsters. With no way to get to his family through those means, Wally begins running, hoping his children appeared in this world. Will the Flash Family recover from the war?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
The story takes place a week after the war had finished, with Wally still running across the globe. Barry is left to try and pick up the pieces, but unfortunately isn’t doing a fantastic job with it. While Iris refuses to stop waiting for Wally, Kid Flash denounces his family ties and runs off to join the Teen Titans. Commander Cold, the leader of the Renegades of the 25th century, takes up residence at Barry’s apartment while trying to figure out how to get home. Without much choice and the fact he can’t keep up, Barry decides to wait for Wally with Iris.
This issue doubles as both an epilogue for The Flash War as well as a love letter to Wally West. Throughout this issue, we read Iris’ written history of Wally, and it reminded me of why he is so great. Every positive moment and feeling of the character is brought up here, reminding us that he was indeed The Flash for an entire generation of people. It also does a fantastic job humanizing the character, making him feel more relatable than ever.
The ending of the story is both heartbreaking and a sigh of relief. Wally has gone through more and more heartbreak over the course of the series. It’s very clear, especially by The Flash War, this is weighing down on him and is affecting him. He has been traumatized by it all, and at the end, he is getting help. This means he’ll be gone for a while, but to see him finally stopping and getting help brings a bittersweet smile to my face.
Art:
Scott Holins is the illustrator for this issue and, as it stands, its okay. It fits the story well enough, keeping it grounded, but it doesn’t do the Flash’s powers justice. It’s not terrible by any means, but when you think Flash you see some creative uses or designs for the power. I bet if there were more action scenes, Holins could flex that creative muscles in terms of powers. However, for this more emotional story, it fits just fine as it is.
Conclusion:
I enjoyed this issue. While not action packed, it’s incredibly emotional as it ties up the end of the war. While it will be a while till we see a Flash crossover of this magnitude again, I can’t wait to see where both our scarlet speedsters will go from here. I highly recommend this issue, especially if you are a fan of Wally West.
James Tynion kicks off this magical mystery tour by sending Wonder Woman around recruiting her new Justice League Dark team. But why? It turns out, when our heroes broke the Source Wall, they broke magic too. But, who does she get to join? Who’s the big bad? And, who’s the boss? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not Tony Danza.
As solicits and conversations began about Wonder Woman leading Justice League Dark, curiosity set in. How could Wonder Woman lead the magic community? Well, Tynion makes it work.
The reality is the magic community doesn’t think the Justice League can solve a universal-wide magic problem. So, no one wants to help Wonder Woman. This makes total sense. The League is known for their fists, action, science, and technology. Magic has nothing to do with any of that nor should the magic community trust the individuals that caused the problem initially. Tynion kicks off the series with a perfect reason and direction.
Later in the Oblivion Bar (love this place), Tynion explains magic so eloquently. He says magic is “beauty, horror, and ecstasy” together. He later says, “the world would be a cold, dead place devoid of miracles” if magic didn’t exist. That was one of the most epic explanations of magic I’ve ever heard. With statements like that, Tynion is able to wrap the reader’s feelings around magic and make us sympathize with Wonder Woman and the magical community. Excellent job and a great start on the series!
Magic the Gathering
As Wonder Woman goes on her quest to save magic and gather up a team, we find out some interesting tidbits that were intriguing and should play a huge role in future storylines. Tynion introduces the death of Zatara, Bobo being the protector of Myrra and owner of Nightmasters sword, Man-Bat working for the Government, and Justice League Dark headquarters being located directly beneath the Hall of Justice.
Readers are set up for some crazy stories ahead, and Tynion dangles multiple plot threads out there showing us that this series is here to stay. Will we get Nighmaster and Zatara back? Can Man-Bat work on the side of good? How can the magic community use their abilities to help if they go haywire? Who is the Upside-down Man? How is the Tree of Wonder not connected to the Green? Does anyone else smell crossover events? I’m excited just talking about it!
The Art
Overall Bueno, Fernandez, and Anderson did a fantastic job with the art in the first issue and complimented each other so well. The Tree of Wonder looks gorgeous, AND the Swamp Thing art is drawn with so much detail that readers can tell the stage isn’t too big for this art team.
Bueno, Fernandez, and Anderson don’t lose sight of the minor details on huge fight scenes or splash pages. Look no further than the final splash page for proof and see the intricate branches weaving off of Swamp Thing. Or, look at the panel of Man-Bat taking his classic serum and raging out into a huge bat monster. The detail in his fur and wings is so impressive. I see great things in this teams’ future.
Should you buy this issue?
You bet! Tynion connects the events from DARK NIGHTS: METAL, JUSTICE LEAGUE: NO JUSTICE, and even JUSTICE LEAGUE to make this series fascinating and important. Readers are given nuggets to the magical realm with characters like Jason Blood, Zatanna, Constantine, and even Zatara BUT Tynion and his team still make the comic feel like a Superhero story.
I love interconnected universes, and if this is a snapshot of the future of the comic, as well as the DCU, JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK should play a huge role in the future of the DCU. You need to get this issue and hop on board now, especially after finding out Constantine killed Zatara somehow (jaw-dropping to me) AND that one of the Justice League Dark members will bring the destruction of magic and the world.
Should you add this to your pull list?
Definitely! Tynion does an amazing job making readers feel like they are reading a book about magic, mystery, and the occult BUT giving readers the familiar sensation of characters they know like Wonder Woman and Swamp Thing. Even though parts of the issue were heavy in dialogue, Tynion makes new readers in this realm feel comfortable moving forward while igniting an interest that has had fans clamoring since REBIRTH.
Put this in your pull for at least the first arc and see where it goes!
What did you guys think of JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu
