The Spider, Vol.1 – “Terror of the Zombie Queen” (Dynamite)

Writer: David Liss | Arist: Colton Worley

One of the most celebrated pulp heroes of all time is back, and re-launched into the 21st century!

Richard Wentworth is a decorated war hero who has sacrificed everything, including the woman he loves, for duty. But the New York City Wentworth returns to is riddled with crime and corruption. With the police overwhelmed and a populace helpless, Wentworth becomes The Spider, a vigilante as ruthless and merciless as the criminals he hunts. But now there’s a new danger on the rise. A deranged woman called Anput has begun a series of attacks that turn ordinary citizens into mindless zombies, bringing New York and the police force to its knees. Wentworth will stop at nothing to save the city he's sworn to protect, but in the process he will risk his family, his friends, and the woman he still loves.

Collects: The Spider #1-6

I caught the first couple of issues of The Spider when the series was re-launched last year. One of the things that jumped out at me, alongside Liss’s great story, was Worley’s superb artwork. With this first collection, readers get the debut story-arc, which is a mixture of vigilante justice and horror, beautifully rendered.

“Batman: Prey” (DC)

Batman vs. Dr Strange

Writer: Doug Moench | Artists: Paul Gulacy, Terry Austin & Jimmy Palmiotti | Colours: Steve Oliff & James Sinclair

Batman must confront the sinister Dr. Hugo Strange, a man with a deadly secret who is determined to kill the Dark Knight. Who is the fearsome Night Scourge, and what is his link to the GCPD? And how does Catwoman fit into all this?

Collecting two storylines from Batman’s early years, this is a pretty good introduction to the character and his relationships with not-yet-Commissioner Gordon and also Catwoman. There are two distinct art-styles used, as the two stories within were first published quite far apart (they were first published as Legends of the Dark Knight #11-15 and #137-141). It’s a very good collection, not to mention substantial in length, and I enjoyed both halves.

“The Punisher” Volume 1 (Marvel)

Writer: Greg Rucka | Artist: Marco Checchetto | Colours: Matt Hollingsworth

For Frank Castle death comes easy... life is where things get complicated.

As New York City’s body counts continue to rise, the city’s streets are teeming with more methodical criminals than ever and a police force doing its best to keep its head above water. The Punisher has returned to serve his own brand of justice with everything he’s got... but can he survive the darkness stored in his own arsenal?

Plus bonus pages exploring some of the new personalities in Frank’s life ... and how closely intertwined living is with dying.

I really enjoyed Rucka’s work on Batwoman: Elegy, so when I saw that he was writing this run on The Punisher, I decided to check it out. This was the first time I’ve ever read any of the series, but I was familiar with the character from the occasional guest appearance in other series as well as the first movie. I must say, it far exceeded my already high expectations – this is an engaging, nuanced story, brought to life with beautiful, atmospheric artwork.