Conan #8 –
Brian Wood continues to weave his magic as Conan and Belit search Cimmeria for an impostor carving murder in Conan’s name. It’s not an issue with surges of violence but it portrays the tactical search that Conan struggles to perform with Belit by his side. Wood lets the viewer feel the chasm in the romance as stresses and strains encompass Belit in Conan’s native land. Conan has a choice to make to catch his doppelganger a bit faster but it’s sure to come with dire consequences. There’s a nice setup for next issue’s showdown as Wood excels as usual. He brings his A-game although Becky Cloonan was off-duty and allowed Vasilis Lolos on art. Not as good as Cloonan, but it suffices. (10/10)
The Creep #1 –
John Arcudi’s script doesn’t flow as well as the zero-issue but with Oxel investigating a suicide close to home, it’s a nice story that takes its toll on human emotion to the bone…given the topic. There’s a nice sense of empathy that Oxel embeds into the story given his ‘disorder’ personally but through all society’s drivel, there’s a nice tinge of endearment and heart brought to the page by Oxel. The undertone is steeped in depression and Jon Case’s art is just the rough and perfect visual element needed for this story. It continues to intrigue in all the right ways. (9/10)
The Victories #2 –
There’s a lot of Watchmen thrown in here with a contemporary twist. Mike Oeming’s second issue propels itself marvelously in the wake of a pretty daft debut issue. The opener wasn’t that terrible but the follow-up here not only lights itself up on the plot, but Oeming’s art sparkles in every corner. Faustus and his team go on their violent drug-busts, while stitching the usual sexcapades and drunken stupor into their nightly routine, until a psychic called Link, throws a serious wheel in the spanner. Add Link’s cavorting in prison to a sworn enemy called the Jackal…and there’s some brilliance igniting here. Revenge is on the horizon and the hype has finally come abound on this title. (9/10)
Hoax Hunters #3 –
The first couple issues seemed to ramble about in a mediocre fashion, which didn’t set well with me as the premise of a reality TV show disproving the existence of the supernatural element when it in fact, did exist, proved really fun a concept. After sluggishly starting, the pace from Mike Morecci and Steve Seeley picks up well here, with the team, especially it’s brute and leader, Jack, now realizing a common threat exists…in the worst manner. Sensing an impending apocalypse, Lawson’s team comes up against powerful vagabonds and ragtag powers-that-be, which not only traverse Earth…but into other universes as well. There’s quirky yet well-placed lore in the story that traipse around a secret society hellbent on destruction…and Axel Medellin’s art is something that’s nicely acclimated to my eyes by now. This is the epic yet brilliant shock of the week for me… (10/10)
Orchid #9 –
There’s peril facing Orchid’s rebellion as Opal’s death spurs her on to kill the dictator and oppressor, Wolfe. Granted that she’s driven by revenge, it’s a more violent and dark spin on a heroine a la Luke Skywalker. Scott Hepburn’s embellished pages are a sight for sore eyes, and with Morello’s script, as high-octane as ever…it’s a fun ride to see Orchid grow from rabid prostitute to the revolt’s leader. It sets up a nice finale and hopefully, the pay-off’s gonna be major fun. The ride thus far has been nothing short of exhilarating. (9/10)
Manhattan Projects #6 –
As Einstein and Oppenheimer tear through the potentials of dimensional space-bridges, Hickman leaves the reader shuddering with the fear that these men, who become monsters, spill. It’s science, never exact, but totally fear-inducing. It’s terrorism…a subterranean means to an end in the human mind of the scientist. Nazis, rocket science, space threats…and unholy unions are all some of Hickman’s nifty little tools that Nick Pitarra does so well to draw. The book looks good, it’s high-concept and fun in its own evil intellect and intent, and with the possibilities presented, Hickman no doubt loves that spiraling world war feel to his story. There are a lot of arcs that entwine so well here…and it’s typical Hickman…at his best. (10/10)
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