MONDOmagazine

Adventure Comics #12
Paul Levitz (w), Kevin Sharpe (p), Marlo Alquiza and Marc Deering (i), Blond (c), DC Comics.

This comic feels rushed. The concept is one that I can’t imagine would ever be approved if it weren’t trying to fill a recently-vacated title. Come on, if Adventure Comics hadn’t been left by Johns and his Superboy story there’s no way we’d be looking at a second Legion title that tells early Legion stories. I’ll admit that taking a page from Johns’ Superboy and having young Clark Kent make a list just like Conner did was cute (it was an intentional nod, right? Please?) but the story doesn’t feel all that fresh after the recent batch of similar stories we’ve seen Johns do lately. I know I keep bringing up Johns but this whole title seems to live in Johns’ shadow. Lastly, wow does this art feel rushed. Any shot that isn’t a close-up makes the characters look under-detailed and rather silly. There’s an establishing shot of a baseball field where Clark looks… wow. It’s upsetting. (And I’m no expert, but the perspective on that baseball field seems off.) If you’re going to buy one Paul Levitz Legion title that’s coming out now then don’t buy this one. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 2 out of 5

Brightest Day #3
Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi (w), Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Ardian Syaf, Scott Clark, Joe Prado (a), Vicente Cifuentes, David Beaty, Mark Irwin (i), Peter Steigerwald, John Starr, Beth Sotelo (c). DC Comics.

I’m really not pleased with the amount of story we’re getting out of Brightest Day so far. It’s not surprising how disjointed the book is, it being the latest spiritual successor of the 52, but it feels needlessly cluttered to mimic the style. 52 was trying to show the passage of a year in real time, what’s Brightest Day’s excuse? Maybe it’s just favourtism on my part, but the most consistently great parts of Brightest Day are the Aquaman and Martian Manhunter sections — naturally when I flip to the Aquaman part almost the whole page is him epically standing with his fingers to his temple and then BAM a zombie killer whale eats him. It’s basically awesome. That and Martian Manhunter mind melds with a dog — doesn’t it just makes sense to like those sections best? – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5

Demo #5
Brian Wood (w), Becky Cloonan (a). Vertigo.

Demo delves deeper into science fiction than ever before with this month’s installment. It’s neat, and it works with the series as a whole, but it’s still a little off-putting. Plus, the message is a lot more problematic than most issues of Demo. Violence as a way to solve a personal crisis’s is a rare device in Demo, and I really like that about the series. So, when the central crisis is resolved with a brute force of violence I don’t feel like I’m totally getting the Demo experience. Perhaps the essays in the back will explain a bit more. But, as always, art is pretty. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 3.5 out of 5

Franken-Castle #17
Rick Remender (w), Roland Boschi (a), Dan Brown (c), Marvel Comics

In a big fuck you move to Punisher fans who can’t deal with the (awesome) direction this title has gone it is now renamed Franken-Castle. While I miss Tony Moore on the title I’ve got to give credit to Boschi’s art here, which is the best it’s ever looked. The monsters look fantastic, they’re both scary and emotive. Also awesome — this issue is an epilogue to the last story and as such eschews action for character moments. It’s not the most exciting issue but it’s building the relationships in interesting ways. In a demonstration of how much I unexpectedly enjoy this title let me say that I will continue buying it even though Tony Moore is no longer drawing it. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5

Hawkeye & Mockingbird #1
Jim McCann (w), David Lopez (p), Alvaro Lopez (i), Nathan Fairbairn (c), Marvel Comics

In this issue Hawkeye has an arrow that holdings a capsule full of Pym-particle-shrunk arrows. That’s awesome. In fact this whole issue is awesome. I’ll admit, I could have dealt with a little less time spent explaining Hawkeye and Mockingbird’s past for new readers, but that’s not the creators’ fault. It is, after all, a first issue. If you like spy books, relationship books or the Marvel universe then I’d say this is a book you should definitely at least try. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

I, Zombie #2
Chris Roberson (w), Mike Allred (a), Laura Allred (c). Vertigo.

Of the 2010-launched Vertigo series that I have picked up this is by far the best — Great art, fun concept, very well executed. I have some small quibbles about lines of dialogue that I find a little awkward or overly clever, but this series is still in its second issue. Lots of things don’t find their feet until the first 10 issues or so. So, good work. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Red Robin #13
Fabian Nicieza (w), Marcus To (p), Ray McCarthy, Mark McKenna (i), Guy Major (c). DC Comics.

That first issue with Fabian Nicieza back writing the Tim Drake character — so for all my pessimism before, how’d he do? Well, not bad actually. It’s the start of a fun new adventure that deals with just enough fall out from the previous story arc (specifically the faux engagement between Tim Drake and Tam Fox) to trick me into thinking as though Nicieza will keep in mind the past twelve issues and where they would organically lead. The actual story does run more from the plot that Nicieza had started when he wrote Robin but it’s a lot more interesting than it was before, probably because it stars a Tim Drake that is less brooding. The reintroduction of corrupt detectives Cavallo and Wise is extremely annoying — Nicieza is trying to build a consistent world for Gotham, which is laudable, but in practice we’re given these two characters that are so lacking in subtlety to their misdeeds that it’s an insult to have them playing against a super hero. The stuff they’re pulling, Batman would go in, break their legs (or something) and they’d be done. I can’t buy Tim having to deal with these guys again and again. Marcus To and the entire art team are fantastic, by the way. — Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5

Serenity Float Out
Patton Oswalt (w), Patric Reynolds (a), Dave Stewart (c). Dark Horse.

Oh, Serenity comics. You are not all that I want you to be. Ever. It’s not your fault. It’s like that saying, “you make a better door than a window.” Serenity/Firefly makes a better TV show than a comic. (Maybe that’s not such a great analogy.) The comics mostly serve to remind me how good the TV show was. This isn’t a terrible comic, just not that great. But, it would be boring to anyone who hasn’t watched every minute of ‘Verse a few times. And even then… — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 3 out of 5

Sonic the Hedgehog #213
Ian Flynn (w), Steven Butler (p), Terry Austin (i), Matt Herms (c). Archie Comics.

You know what? Pretty good comic. Although the timeframe is a little wonky (the “first part” of the story is told in unnecessary flashback, it would have been better just to tell the thing in chronologically order) it’s not terrible and the use of Big the Cat (from the first Sonic Adventure game) was funny, as opposed to annoying, and that’s no easy trick for that character. A problem I keep running into for the Sonic book is that the author keeps trying to shoehorn the characters into one situation after the next in a very inorganic fashion, but with some unsatisfactory exposition to explain it. Flynn avoided that trap this time- he managed to create a situation where Sonic, the adventurous hot-head, was forced to play diplomat, and Sally, the diplomat, gets to have the tomb raiding adventure. It’s a good reversal done well, with the characters brought to the reversal in a smart manner. Good job. — Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3 out of 5

Superman/Batman Annual #4
Paul Levitz (w), Renato Guedes (p), Jose Wilson (i), Renato Guedes (c), DC Comics

I’m pretty sure that only fans of Batman Beyond should read this. After all, they don’t spend a lot of time explaining that world. Fans of the show, however, might find some cool stuff here. I liked it, even though it starts out a little slow. Guedes’ artwork was a great fit and the story made for a nice one-shot. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 3 out of 5

Sweet Tooth #10
Jeff Lemire (w + a), Jose Villarrubia (c). Vertigo.

Things get trippy in the newest Sweet Tooth — and I like it. Lemire gets to stretch some artistic legs as Gus travels through his memories. Some fun tricks but not over played. So, yeah, buy it.  — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4.5 out of 5