MONDOmagazine

1 Month 2 Live #1
Rick Remender (w), Andrea Mutti (a), Marvel Comics.

This is a very strong debut for a miniseries that, unfortunately, I’m sure not many people are buying. It’s a cool concept, to have an all-new character in the Marvel Universe that is given superpowers but only has 1 month to (2? Ugh) live. He interacts with the Thing and Spider-Man in this issue, which is neat to see. What’s amazing, though, is how quickly and how well Remender and Mutti develop the main character and his family. I just checked out this issue since it sounded like a cool concept and it was only three bucks, but I will definitely be sticking around. If you’re in the store next week with a small pile of books then I highly recommend you add this onto your stack. Or at least check out the trade when it comes out. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat # 3
Jen Van Meter (w), Javier Rodriquez with Javier Pulido (a), Matt Hollingsworth with Rodriquez (c). Marvel Comics.

Colourist Rodriquez steps out from behind the levels to provide art for most of this issue and he does really, really well. I hope people take notice because he has some serious chops. The rest of the issue is a solid. I don’t know a lot about Black Cat but I’d find her interesting to read about in this. I also like heist stories so that helps. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 3 out of 5

Avengers: Children’s Crusade #2
Allan Heinberg (w), Jim Cheung (p), Mark Morales with Jim Cheung (i), Justin Ponsor (c), Marvel Comics.

Seriously, this book is as great as ever. Heinberg’s characters remain completely engaging and Cheung is a fantastic penciller. The characters are wonderfully written and drawn and the story is compelling. My only serious complaint is with the schedule. Waiting two months for each issue is really killing the momentum. I’m happy to have this book back, but I kinda wish they had waited until it was all finished so it’d be monthly. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4.5 out of 5

Bram Stoker’s Death Ship: The Last Voyage of the Demeter #4
Gary Gerani (w), Stuart Sayger (a), Dom Regan (c), IDW Publishing.

Best issue yet. Gerani really stepped up his storytelling to pull out a killer finish. The real story with this comic, though, was Sayger, who delivered some beautiful artwork. Seriously, give this guy more work! He’s amazing! – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Brightest Day #9
Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi (w), Patrick Gleason, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado (p), Rebecca Buchman, Keith Champagne, Tom Nguyen, Ivan Reis (i), Peter Steigerwald (c). DC Comics.

Suffers from a serious case of Heroes syndrome. The characters are doing a bunch of things because some mysterious voice told them to (which is very literally true when we consider the writer) but is hardly an engaging bit of story telling. It’d be different if the entity that was telling the what-to-do would just make some sense and give linear explanations, but that would be far too easy. Plus, they’d be closing off a whole avenue for mass fan guessing about what each word balloon could mean. It’s like the prose version of those two page splash ad-images that are supposed to keep us postulating about the future. I don’t really like those either. There’s a beautifully illustrated section of the new Aqualad out in the rain, which can be contrasted with the fantastically grotesque transformation the Martian Manhunter undergoes (don’t worry, it was just for a minute). I had a lot of fun with the art; the story is just too wishy-washy. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 2 out of 5

Dynamo 5: Sins of the Father #3
Jay Faerber (w), Julio Brilha (a), Ron Riley (c), Image Comics.

Dynamo 5 is one of superhero comics’ best-kept secrets. It’s always a consistently fun title and this issue is no exception. The action is awesome, the characters are entertaining and the twists just keep coming. If you haven’t checked out this title then you’re missing out. – Owen Craig.

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Gorilla Man # 3
Jeff Parker (w), Giancarlo Caracuzzo (a) Jim Charalampidis (c). Marvel Comics.

The best part of this comic is the page after the story where Gorilla Man answers questions from “Atlas agents in training.” The rest of the issue is fun too, but these questions are pretty funny. And it’s a nice value-added thing that makes Parker books so fun to buy. And, as Gorilla Man says in one answer, let’s get him “in on some of those high-dollar books like Spider-Man or Avengers.” I think he and Spider-Man would make a pretty awesome team or — dare I say — sidekick. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Hawkeye & Mockingbird #4
Jim McCann (w), David Lopez (p), Alvaro Lopez (i), Nathan Fairbairn (c), Marvel Comics.

Something about this comic isn’t quite clicking with me. I suspect that it’s because there’s been more focus on the spy organization and not enough on Hawkeye and Mockingbird for my liking. After all, the scene between them this issue was certainly the high point for me (that was great). This is obviously not a problem with the book, but it seems to be getting in the way of my enjoyment of it. I’m hoping for some sort of Hawkeye and Mockingbird go on vacation issue. I’d like that. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5

I, Zombie #5
Chris Roberson (w), Michael Allred (a), Laura Allred (c). Vertigo.

Just so everyone on the internet knows — this series is actually called I, Zombie. I don’t care what the cover says, I don’t care what the solicitations say, the copyright information on this book says I, Zombie and I’m sticking to it. Anyway, this wraps up the first arc of this series and it’s a lot of set up. There are a lot of characters, there’s a lot to take in, and no real “hook.” Like, compared to “all the men die” or “fairy tale people are real” there isn’t much of a hook. The hook, for me, is Allred’s art and that’s good enough for me. It’s a slow start, but a good one. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Scarlet # 2
Brain Michael Bendis (w), Alex Maleev (a). ICON.

I’m unsure, Brian Michael Bendis. You, I love, Alex Maleev. The art is rocking on this book. Maleev and Bendis have crafted some excellent pages that are really visually interesting and remind me of the best parts of early Powers or Torso or Alias. The writing? The themes? How much will the revolution/crime story come together? I’m not sure. Scarlet is building to something and Bendis has talked a big game about his ambitions for the series — I hope it delivers. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Secret Six #25
Gail Simone (w), J. Calariore (a), Jason Wright (c), DC Comics.

This issue was a bit scattered. It rushed through some plot points rather fast without quite giving its audience time to catch up. I found myself saying “huh” and “when did that happen” a few times. Still, it’s Secret Six, so even the lesser issues are still pretty good.  – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 3 out of 5

Shadowland # 3
Andy Diggle (w), Billy Tan (p), Victor Olazaba with Billy Tan (i), Christina Strain & Guru EFX (c). Marvel Comics.

This is the pits. I try not to review books based on my fandom — I don’t always succeed. I’d like to think that I look at a book for it’s own merits and try to ignore the context as best I can — but I can’t do it in this case. I’m a fan of Daredevil and I think what’s being done to him is awful. And it’s not that he’s taken a “dark turn” it’s that this is a lazy story about what “evil” does to a person. Brubaker set up a really interesting moral problem for Daredevil and this creative team has taken the lowest common denominator with it. Books like this make me want to quit reading superhero comics. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 0.5 out of 5

Shadowland: Elektra # 1
Zeb Wells (w), Emma Rios (a), Fabio D’auria (c). Marvel Comics.

Here’s something I didn’t know about Rios: she draws excellent violence. This issue is worth picking up for the excellent fight choreography. She really conveys how the savage, brutal and efficient fighter that is Elektra. Wells also writes an Elektra that I find compelling — something that’s pretty hard to do. I approve. Too bad it ties into Shadowland. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5

Stumptown #4
Greg Rucka (w), Matthew Southworth (a), Rico Renzi with Southworth (c). Oni Press.

Hey! This finally came out! Four issues in 10 months — getting it in issues was maybe not the best idea but I was so excited about Rucka on a new creator-owned project. The results are good and if you’re a fan of great underdogs than you need to check it out in issue or in trade. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4.5 out of 5

Superman: The Last Family of Krypton #2
Carey Bates (w), Renato Arlem (a), Allen Passalaqua (c). DC Comics.

This book costs $4.99 but I feel I got my moneys worth, and that isn’t something I can say all the time. I’m not sure how I feel about how closely Superman’s life story mirrors that of his regular universe counterpart (still ending up living as an earther with the Kent’s, still going to work at the Daily Planet). I see the advantage in focus, in that you have to change one variable at a time to observe the key differences between settings (in this case the change is +1 super family) but it stretches things the think the history plays out this similarly. Obviously I would buy into the premise if this was an episode of Sliders, but it’s not (obligatory Sliders reference — check). One very different occurrence in the history is that Superman’s mother saves the Wayne family from the gunman, a spectacular ordeal for a young boy to witness: a woman swoops down at super speed to disarm the attacker. If this story runs true to form (keeping most elements the same between settings) then I expect a Batman to show up in issue #3, and he better have been inspired by that night to pursue his strange adventures. That’d really impress me. — Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 4 out of 5

Wolverine #1
Jason Aaron (w), Renato Guedes (p), Jose Wilson Magalhaes (i), Matt Wilson (c), Marvel Comics.

Aaaaand because apparently the only way to stop people from buying a Wolverine book is to make it GREAT, Wolverine: Weapon X has been cancelled and is being relaunched as…Wolverine. Luckily the wonderful Jason Aaron remains on this relaunched version, so PLEASE, Wolverine fans, BUY THIS BOOK. It is, after all, off to a really cool start. Come on, Wolverine is in Hell, but his body is all evily and causing havoc on Earth. That’s cool. Renato Guedes delivers the best art I’ve ever seen from him and Jason Aaron continues to make everything he touches rock. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5