MONDOmagazine

Dark Avengers Annual #1
Brian Michael Bendis (w), Chris Bachalo (p), Tim Townsend with Jaime Mendoza & Al Vey (i), Marvel Comics

This annual does what I feel annuals do best: it tells a one-off story that builds on the mythology of the main title. In this case that story is about Marvel  Boy, the Dark Avenger who realized that he was in over his head. It’s a compelling story, and one that is a great fit for Bachalo’s artwork, which is an acquired taste. I used to dislike his art quite a bit, but after being exposed to it more often I’ve grown to quite like it. It’s especially well-used here, in this story about Marvel Boy feeling confused about his place in the world. It’s a great one-off that I quite liked. It didn’t blow me away, but I certainly enjoyed it. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Deadpool Team-Up #898
Mike Benson (w), Carlo Barberi (p), Juan Vlasco (i), Marte Garcia (c). Marvel Comics.

Talk about obscure. Who the heck are The Zapata Brothers? I’m starting to get this feeling that all these Deadpool team-ups will be a lot of re-surfacing of lesser known characters of Marvel world. I personally don’t have anything against it, but I just hope the gimmick doesn’t run out too quickly. In this issue Deadpool teams up with the brothers to take out Mexican mob boss Pablo Espinosa. I don’t know if the humour was really there for me. Between all the “bros” and weird man-lingo, something was lost. I’m sorry Deadpool, the magic wasn’t there. — Sandra Yao

Sandra’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Donald Duck and Friends #348
Fausto Vitaliano and Marco Bosco (w), Alessandro Freccero and Vitale Mangiatordi (a), Boom Studios

The fun continues! This is a great Donald Duck story. I love the ongoing narrative of Donald becoming a spy, and this issue features two great but also separate stories showing his training. Donald makes for a great unlikely hero (no surprise there) and the writers do a great job of finding ways to make this story exciting while still keeping it whimsical. Plus it looks like the next issue will prominently feature Gladstone Gander, and that is a good thing. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Empowered: The Wench With A Million Sighs (one-shot)
Adam Warren (w), (a). Dark Horse Comics.

Ah, so happy to see this issue on the shelf. Glad to see Adam Warren bringing back one of the most inept, but hilarious comic book heroes in the industry, Empowered. Staying true to the previous trades, Warren delivers a one-shot issue featuring a very self-conscious, heroine that bears a very delicate skin-tight suit. The story is well-written—albeit a little ridiculous—but still very entertaining. The art is a great mix between a more Western comic style and a Manga style. In this issue we decode the many sighs of Empowered the superhero and thus get to know her just a little more. It still one of the most hilarious series I own, even if I blush a little when I pull it out in public. — Sandra Yao

Sandra’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Hack/Slash #20
Tim Seeley (w), Dan Parent & Daniel Leister with Sean K. Dove (a), Devil’s Due Publishing

I picked up this issue because of how much I loved issue 6, which was the last time that Hack/Slash did a sort of riff on Archie comics. I absolutely loved the last one, but this one was disappointing. Unfortunately, I found that this story (in which all of the people of the Riverdale-esque town became monsters) seemed a bit of a waste of the whole Riverdale-meets-horror-movie idea. By having all of the characters but one be transformed by the first page none of the great contrast of innocence and horror really pops. There are moments, sure, and Parent’s art remains great, but the innocence of the town is more talked about than shown. It makes for a dissatisfying follow-up to the first story. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 2 out of 5

Jonah Hex #50
Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti (w), Darwyn Cooke (a), Dave Stewart (c). DC Comics

Here’s a treat, readers — I’m drunk and going to write these reviews in order. So I’m going to keep writing and keep drinking. These opinions are going to get honest beyond normal levels of honesty.

So, I bought this issue because of my undying love for Darwyn Cooke. Darwyn, baby, I still love you, but this issue was not so great. I remember Cooke saying something about how a cartoonist is better than an artist/writer team because there’s a greater clarity of vision — and when it comes to this he’s right. I can’t help but think that this story would have been infinitely better if Cooke had written it too. I’m not going to say that Gray and Palmiotti are bad writers, but they don’t excite me as a reader. Maybe that’s just me. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 2 out of 5

JSA All Stars #1
Matthew Sturges (w), Freddie Williams II (a), DC Comics

This feels more to me than the Justice Society book I’ve been reading for the last few months. Sure, this one is missing Jay Garrick, Ted Grant and Alan Scott, but it’s also more focused on the relationships of the team and gives us more of the character moments that made the book under Johns’ pen so great. There is still a ways to go before I would call this one of my favourite books again, but it’s an improvement. I also like that they’ve brought back one of my favourite villains. Williams’ art if pretty cool, too, despite a bunch of gratuitous cleavage shots. I’m not sure if I’ll check out the sister title, as I wanted to read the book with Stargirl, Damage and Cyclone, but if it also demonstrates this level of improvement it might be worth a look. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Marvels Project #4 (out of 8)
Ed Brubaker (w), Steve Epting (w), Dave Stewart (c). Marvel Comics.

We’ve now reached the halfway point in the series and what really makes it a great one, is the consistency. Every single issue has been captivating, well-written, and well-drawn. Ed Brubaker’s best work shines when he’s able to do what he does best and that is character building. In this issue we start to uncover the motivation behind the actions of the many of the characters during WWII. We learn of Steve Roger’s desperation to serve his country and of Heinz Kruger and his loyalty to his home-country of Germany. To make things more interesting, John Steele, a somewhat obscure Golden Age character is also thrown into the mix. I’m really enjoying this series and look forward to the next four issues. — Sandra Yao

Sandra’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Nova #32
Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (w), Andrea DiVito (a), Bruno Hang, Jay David Ramos (c). Marvel Comics.

Good news everyone, Nova wasn’t killed last issue, just pulled through time and space — which is always cool. It’s a pretty straightforward issue, setting up the rest of the arc, and again DiVito is doing an amazing job on art — but the bad guy looks like one of those all powerful Beyonder types that in the end you have to kind of reason with and the logic is always on the fuzzy side (I’m not a fan of these battles because they suck). Call me crazy, but I just don’t like things that suck. I’m sure it’ll be fine, I trust the creative team, I love Nova, but if you have similar feelings towards Phoenix Forces, Infinity Gauntlets, Beyonders, or Q’s, then this isn’t the jumping on point for Nova you’ve been looking for. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3 out of 5

Siege: The Cabal # 1
Brian Michael Bendis (w), Michael Lark (p), Stefano Gaudian (i), Matt Hollingsworth (c). Marvel Comics.

I never thought that the promotion of Norman Osborn from incarceration to in charge of America’s super spy team made a lick of sense. That said, I’ve liked Dark Reign. If you can ignore the logic behind the story, the actual event has been fun. And the logic behind the downfall of Norman makes a lot more sense. Bendis takes the threads from the Dark Avengers/X-Men crossover and elements of The List and allows Norman Osborn to make an informed, yet crazy, decision that will undoubtedly be his downfall. It does show a remarkable level of event coordination to pull that all off. And Michael Lark draws it all well. That all said, when did Loki become a dude again? Did that happen in Thor? Did I miss something? — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Sonic the Hedgehog #207
Ian Flynn (w), James Fry (p), Terry Austin (i), Matt Herms (c). Archie Comics.

Not a very organic issue, this. Characters get shocked, embarrassed, or proud without adequate reasoning behind it. Those are the beats the writer wants to cover, and they’re going to do them regardless of whatever character traits might get in the way. The best example is: a sentient computer whips together a flying ship with nanites quick as a whip, and Tails’ father is so impressed and proud that the kid can figure out how to fly it. The implication then is that this magic space ship looking thing is unlike any craft out there- and that would be pretty amazing that you could just walk out of the blue and fly that contraption. But that makes no sense, surely it would be based on a design already in use, so is this father impressed that Tails can fly a ship period? I bet there are a lot of people like that. They’re called “pilots”. You know what it’s okay to be amazed by? Your son, just by virtue of having a mutant extra tail, figured out how to fly under his own power! That’s amazing! Now I’m kind of proud of him. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 2 out of 5

Strange # 2
Mark Waid (w), Emma Rios (a), Christina Strain (c). Marvel Comics.

Better! Still not out of the woods, still not enough to make me keep buying this comic. After the last, extremely disappointing issue I decided to stop buying the rest of this miniseries. This issue was a lot better, and maybe I was wrong to judge it so harshly upon first reading — I mean, they got Todd Klein to letter it and he works on only the best comics. But, whatever, I still think this comic has a miss-matched package. Wrong cover, wrong colourist but everyone is talented. Though, I will say that Strain did seem to use a less dramatic pallet in this issue and that it worked a lot better. Still, not won over. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 2.5 out of 5

Sweet Tooth #4
Jeff Lemire (w + a), Jose Villarrubia (c). Vertigo.

Still good! Buy this so that it will keep going. Characters remain interesting — and I got a bad feeling about that Mr. Jepperd. Keep it coming Lemire! — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4.5 out of 5

Uncanny X-Men # 518
Matt Fraction (w), Terry Dodson (p), Rachel Dodson (i), Justin Ponsor (c). Marvel Comics.

This really feels like a completely different comic from last issue. Part of it is the art change — but the bigger part of it is the total swap in pacing. Last issue was all action, this issue is all character, but that’s fair. I’m usually more interested in what happens between the action anyway. And this delivers on that. Especially the speech that Beast gives to Iceman. They both have fair points and it’s a sign of really strong writing. Fraction is a polarizing writer for X-Men fans — but I’m all in. I think he’s doing smart, interesting X-Men stories and all yous haterz iz wrongz. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Crossover Corner

Blackest Night: The Flash #1
Geoff Johns (w), Scott Kolins (a), Michael Atiyeh (c). DC Comics.

The very first thing that needs to be said is that there’s no reason why this has been released before the end of Flash: Rebirth… okay, I just thought of one — if they do something amazing with time travel stuff. But barring that, this is just poor management. I love the Johns out of Kolins duo, especially on The Flash, but I think the down to earth quality Kolins brought to the team worked best when Wally West was the star. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5. Crossover rating: Nice Addition

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1
Greg Rucka (w), Nicola Scott (p), Prentis Rollins, Jonathan Glapion, Walden Wong, Drew Geraci (i), Nei Ruffino (c). DC Comics.

To me, Greg Rucka gets Wonder Woman. I’ve read a couple of his trades on the character, and it’s my favourite take on Wonder Woman. Naturally you’ll have to forget how little Wonder Woman I generally read. This rendition is no different, though I’m a little skeptical about how filled with “love” she’d be here. I’d imagine she’s more of a “compassion” person. Anyways, there’s an awesome Kingdom Hearts type moment — all dramatic and whatnot — that was a great natural reward from the build up of the rest of the book.  Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5. Crossover rating: Doesn’t add much