Drain 1
Take Marvel’s Blade, make him Japanese instead of a African American, give him a sex change and add a few hundred years to his age and you’ve got ninja vampire Chinatsu, the lead character in Image Comics’ Drain. This opening issue delivers plenty of bloody action and Chinatsu has lots of potential for development, with several centuries of history to explore. Japanese artist Sana Takeda gives the story a manga look and clearly enjoys drawing sexy female vampires. I’ll certainly be coming back for more. Grade: B
Elephantmen 0, 4 & 5
This gets better every issue. In 4 we’re introduced to Tusk an Elephantman driven mad by there creator as an example to the others. It’s a story that shows the Elephantmen to be more human than most humans. Issue 0 is a reprint of the original Elephantmen origin story, Unnatural Selection that leads straight into issue 5 as the bigger story starts to develop. Grade: B+
Fantastic Four 541
The Thing heads to France to avoid the Civil War raging in America and encounters France’s greatest superheroes who have a familiar look to them. Straczynski last issue as writer is a non-stop joke with pastiches of several DC heroes and France’s answer to the Mole Man. It’s a shame he’s leaving as he was really starting to hit his stride, only time will tell if new writer Dwayne McDuffie can fill the void. Grade: B
Fantastic Four: The End 1 & 2
Alan Davis is a fantastic (pardon the pun) artist and this is some of his best work, as a writer however he’s not in the same league. Here he kills both of Reed and Sue’s children in the first few pages but it lacks any real emotional impact and feels rushed. Thankfully things pick up and in a neat switch it's Ben Grimm aka The Thing who's living the perfect family life in this future world. Davis’ seems to be aiming for the fun feel of the old Lee/Kirby years and he’s at least partly successful. Here’s hoping this continues to get better with each issue. Grade: B
Frontline 7 & 8 Paul Jenkins is doing a commendable job on this Civil War series, managing a balancing act with all three stories that keeps the reader hooked without giving too much away. Sleeper cells, assassination attempts and Government sanctioned supervillains it’s all here. Grade: B
Friday The 13th 1
Wildstorm’s first issue of the long running movie series spin off is a less than captivating affair. Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti try hard but spinning a comic series off a movie franchise that had little in the way of story is an almost impossible task. This has much in common with the second film in the series and as such has a “seen if all before” feel to it, the only real addition being that Crystal Lake is cursed and that Jason wasn’t the only kid to drown there. Grade: C
Article comments
1 - Bill Sherman
Gotta admit I'm looking forward to Whedon's comic book continuation of the Buffy saga . . .
2 - Joy
Awesome!! I love comic books! And it's really great to read something from someone who knows so much about them!!! =)
3 - Rohan Venkat
Was surprised to see that your forthcoming list doesn't include Civil War #6, just recently out on the east coast, an issue I'm really looking forward to.
I remember discussing about the fact that Civil War was leaning very much to the anti-registration side, and probably wouldn't change anyone's mind past the first few issues. I now feel that I was wrong, because from this last month's glut of (often filler issues to replace the late Civil War ones) Civil War tie-in issues, I'm quite surprised to say that I'm on the pro-registration side now.
That is to say, I'm on the leave America, but if you stay in the country then register side, because, for one, I don't see Congress ever repealing the law, and also, I have complete confidence in Tony Stark's belief that if the superheroes don't do this now, then the American Government would have done something much worse (a sky full of sentinels watching our every move) to them.
So while I don't agree with the pro's ideology, if the heroes choose to continue staying in the States, then I'd suggest they register. And this change in my ideas comes right after my favorite character switches from pro to anti.
Of course, if I were American I might not have the same belief, since I'd want to stay in my home country, and then I'd be anti.
Sorry for the excessively long comment.
4 - Ian Woolstencroft
Bill,
I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high for the Buffy mini series but it will definitely be interesting to see where Joss takes the story now that there is more than just one slayer (well there was already more than one but now there’s a LOT more than one).
Joy,
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it and I hope you’ll come back next month. :)
Rohan,
Glad you’re still enjoying Civil War, I am too. It wasn’t included in the forthcoming titles section only because I use that section to spotlight new series and major events in regular titles (like Spider-Man this month). If it was a list of the regular titles coming out each month that I'm most looking forward to Civil War would be right at the top (with Desolation Jones).
I agree that in recent months we’ve seen the viewpoint of the opposing sides from a more even perspective. Cap’s side could almost be viewed as terrorists, although the only time they’ve attacked anyone has been either defending themselves or trying to free captured comrades.
From your comment I’d say you'd be off to France with Mr Grimm. ;)
5 - manfred
I have read that JMS will quit Spiderman after this summer leaving only a final story of Mary Jane and Peter Parker , penciled by the big man himself; Joe Quesada. Too bad he has had a magnificent run.
Great review by the way overall , as usual.
By the way will you review: Spiderman: Reign 1 and X-23: Target X ?
6 - Ian Woolstencroft
Thanks Manfred,
I hadn't heard that JMS was to quit Spidey. I seem to remember a few years ago there was a rumour he was to leave, with Kevin Smith set to take over, but that never happened (Smith did a Spidey/Black Cat Limited Series instead) and I hope this turns out to be false as well. I know he is going to be doing the Thor relaunch and he's gone on record as saying that was his reason for leaving the FF.
As for Spider-Man: Reign and X-23: Target X both will be reviewed at some point, although it may be the first few issues or even the complete series. I'm tending to read new titles a few issues at a time in order to get a truer "taste" of what they have to offer.
Next month currently looks likely to include: Justice League of America 0-5, Gen 13 1-3, Immortal Iron Fist 1-2, Impaler 1-2 and Justice Society of America 1-2 plus a few others.
It's nice to know I've got a couple of regular readers in you and Rohan.
7 - manfred
I could accept Kevin Smith as a worthy successor for JMS. I read the Evil men do limited series.
If the rumours are true then Marvel will have a hard time finding a decent replacement for him I think.I just hope it wont be Brian Micheal Bendis, no offense but we get so much of that guy already.
And thank you for writing the reviews :)
-manfred