Bit of a mixed bag, this week. Also rather delayed – sorry about that, but I was moving and packing up all my stuff in NYC, so things got a little delayed and pushed back. This week’s there’s a massive (though predictable) disappointment, but also a couple of interesting and well-done comics. Also, one of my favourite series comes to an end.
Reviewed: Action Comics #10, Batman: Detective Comics #10, Cobra #14, Incorruptible #30, Star Wars: Knight Errant – Escape #1, Valen the Outcast #7
A very good, diverse week of comics: spies, twisted fairy tales, undead kings, real American heroes, superheroes, and also zombies. Covers most of the bases.
Reviewed Herein: Danger Girl: Revolver #3, Fanboys vs. Zombies #1, G.I.Joe #12, Grimm Fairy Tales #71, Grimm Fairy Tales: April Fool’s Special 2012, Grimm Fairy Tales: The Library #5, Incorruptible #28, Infestation 2: 30 Days of Night, Supurbia #2, Valen the Outcast #5, The Waking: Dreams End #1, Wolverine & the X-Men #7
[Supurbia #2 review delayed until later in the week]
Another varied, bumper comics round-up this week. Early on, it seemed to be leaning a bit Wolverine-heavy, but as Wednesday rolled around, I realised there was plenty of other stuff available that was of interest. This round-up manages to tick off most of the comic genres: sci-fi, superheroes, fantasy, action heroes and villains, humorous espionage, and even a geek-fantasy. So, without further ado, let us move right on to the reviews…
Reviewed Herein: Brilliant #1-2, Danger Girl: Revolver #2, GIJoe: Cobra #10, Incorruptible #27, Infestation: Dungeons & Dragons #2, The Ray #2-3, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – War #1-2, Witchblade/Red Sonja #1, Wolverine #20 & #300, Wolverine & The X-Men #5, X-Club #2-3, X-Sanction #3
Another varied selection, with a couple of continuing series as well as the starts of a few more. I must admit that I’m really starting to miss my DC and Marvel fixes every week. I’ll make sure to do a couple of catch-up reviews when I get back to New York, but in lieu of being able to review any DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image and Dynamite titles that might have caught my eye, this week also sees a new section to these Comics Round-Ups, and that’s a simple addendum that’s going to appear at the end, “Also Released This Week”.
Reviewed Herein: Incorruptible #26, Incorruptible Volume 5 (TPB), Infestation: G.I.Joe #1.1-2, Infestation #2.1, Cobra Volume 1, Key of Z #4, Witchblade #1
Writer: Mark Waid | Artist: Marcio Takara
The Plutonian has been defeated, leaving the world’s most notorious supervillain-turned-superhero, Max Damage, adrift. But Max's work is never done, and being a superhero in a post-Plutonian world is far more difficult than he imagined... especially with a mentally unstable new sidekick and a new team of reluctant allies... the superhero team the Paradigm!
Tying in with the events of Irredeemable Volume Six, these Chapters in Max Damage’s story take a look at how the former villain takes the news of the Plutonian’s incarceration, and where he’ll go and what he’ll do next.
In quick summary, I’m enjoying Incorruptible almost as much as Irredeemable, and I really think people should read them both. Waid shows us how comics can be at their absolute best: enjoyable, entertaining, brilliantly written, and thought-provoking.
[Be warned: Minor Spoilers after the break…]
Max & Jailbait search for the Plutonian’s ex-girlfriend
Writer: Mark Waid | Artist: Horatio Domingues & Marcio Takara
Reformed supervillain Max Damage, and his sidekick Jailbait, travel to the ruins of Sky City. A vicious gang of Plutonian-worshipping white supremacists are wreaking havoc on the survivors and ruling with no mercy. But there’s one thing they didn't count on... Max Damage. The key to victory may lie in the hands of Alana Patel, Plutonian’s ex-girlfriend. But how will Max ally himself with Alana when she hasn’t come close to forgetting about Max kidnapping and torturing her in his days as a villain?
This collection delves a little more into Max’s past as a villain, and some of the evil stuff he did in his fight against the Plutonian. In this story, that past comes back to bite him, as his action unintentionally revealed his weaknesses, which have made their way into the wrong hands. Another great book in the series, I can’t recommend it – or anything by Mark Waid, actually – enough.
[NB: A few minor spoilers feature after the break, but if you want to know more about the book, then keep reading.]
Max Damage’s journey towards redemption continues
Writer: Mark Waid | Artist: Horatio Domingues
Meet Max Damage, the world’s most notorious super-powered criminal and enemy #1 on the FBI’s most-wanted list. Known for everything from manslaughter to terrorism, no one could match Max’s appetite for chaos. But that was before the Plutonian, the world’s most beloved superhero, turned his back on humanity and slaughtered millions in front of Max’s eyes, leaving Max a changed man. Now, as the world spirals into chaos, Max continues his inflexible quest toward enforcing absolute law. But when so many need him, can he be there to protect the few who depend on him… or will he be forced to learn the deadly cost of justice?
In the second volume of this series, Max Damage continues to prove to others that he’s reformed – he must convince those he saves that he’s not working some other angle; he must convince the cops that he’s working for the greater good. He is not, however, above taking advantage of his bad reputation, and in the chaos that has followed in the wake of the Plutonian’s personality flip, works towards shutting down some of the city’s worst criminal operations. This series is a perfect companion to Irredeemable, and is a great series in its own right, and one that keeps getting better.
[NB: Some spoilers follow, as it’s sadly unavoidable.]
Despite the Christmas holidays, there are still a few comics released today to sate the voracious appetites of comic addicts. And they’re pretty good titles, too – some more of DC’s New 52 get their fourth issue, for example (I’ll be reviewing them when I get back to New York late January) and far more besides. Here’s just a small selection of the comics published today that I could get my hands on in time for a review.
Reviewed Herein: The Cape #1-3, Irredeemable #32, & Incorruptible #25
This week’s comics brought to you in the themes of Reformation and Reanimation!
This week I bring you reformed supervillains, a zombie apocalypse in New York City, a deadly movie theatre, and a fairy tale Christmas like no other… A nice eclectic mix, I think you’ll agree?
Reviewed herein: Incorruptible Vol.01, Key of Z #1-3, The Theater #1-3, Grimm Fairy Tales Holiday Special 2011
