Comics

Spawn #209 – Review

That’s right, Spawn
is still around. I know. I was surprised too. Although the attention of
its creator has been elsewhere as of late, the comic that Todd
McFarlane built is still going. With over two hundred issues and nearly
two decades of history, is the indie favorite still relevant or has the
whole thing just gone to Hell?

Spawn
is the story of a decent guy named Al Simmons who died and went to
Hell. Literally. So literally, in fact, that he gained the powers of a
Hellspawn and returned to Earth to kick a little ass, make a little
love, and declare war against Heaven, Hell, and anyone who messes with
the homeless. Except Al Simmons isn’t Spawn anymore. For those who have
not been keeping track, Al has taken on a new role in Hell and has left
his powers and costume to amnesiac Jim Downing. As the new protagonist
Jim struggles to not only fight enemies from above and below, he’s also
trying to learn just what his powers are and why he got them.

Malignant Man #4 – Review

The thrilling conclusion to this four-part sci-fi thriller – written by the mind that created the acclaimed horror film Saw –
has a rocky finished product.  The action is the best you can find in
modern comics, but the dialogue between the characters is flimsy with
Alan’s character seemingly forgetting his established character traits
for a more macho man approach that results in some cool, but
uncharacteristic, moments.  It feels slightly rushed with poor artwork
and uncreative plot points, but still has some spurts of creativity.

Alan
and Sara arrive at Dr. Ezra’s lab only to find everyone dead and
discover Mr. Cancer is responsible.  After sharing a touching moment
while mourning Ezra’s death, Alan and Sara take the fight to Mr.
Cancer’s home base until the final showdown between Alan and Mr. Cancer
begins.

Infestation Outbreak #1 – Review

Vampires,
vampires everywhere, and plenty of blood to drink. It has been said
before, by me, if memory serves, that these days it seems like you can’t
change the channel, browse a comic rack, or download a game without
tripping over a vampire or two. The only undead fantasy monster there
might be more of are zombies. IDW’s Outbreak series has both. In an over-saturated market, are these the monsters you’re looking for?

Doctor Who #7 – Review

Doctor Who #7 is a decent addition to the sci-fi library of comics but is cluttered with problems.  The issue fails to bring the same charm the popular show has with characters lacking an interesting spark.  There are still great intellectual elements and the design of the Tardis and other dimensions are creative, but the overall art is not detailed enough, especially regarding the characters.  Still, the story is solid and the Doctor is fun – and he’s gotten himself into another mess, of course.

The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde #4 – Review

It took a bit for this issue to sink in after reading it the first time. Not because I didn’t like it, but because it just didn’t feel as spectacular as the last issue. Of course part of the problem is that it’s a comic narrative and you can’t have all of your reveals fall to the end like you would typically in film or television. The story’s conclusion is still very rewarding and solidifies the series as one of the best of the year for sure.

Affinity Wars – Captain America vs. The Punisher

Affinity
Wars is a comparison of two superheroes’ relevant-to-the-battle
abilities, weaknesses and weapons followed by a play-by-play fight
between the two to determine the winner. Today we have two war heroes
from the Marvel Universe: the Punisher, Frank Castle, and the original
Captain America, Steve Rogers, facing off in a strategic match-up. Steve
Rogers, originally a scrawny but brave soldier-aspiring youth, took
part in a military procedure that led to him being injected by the
“Super-Soldier Serum” (try saying that ten times fast – I can’t). The
serum made his body double in size, quickly going from scrawny to a
six-pack. The serum did not give Roger’s superhuman strength but had
him reach the highest peak of physical prowess humanly possible. He
will never tire, is immune to poisons, has enhanced senses, increased
healing and rarely gets sick. Rogers also has great leadership skills
attained from leading the Avengers and a unique fighting style mixing
together various fighting skills like judo and karate. He was trained
in espionage and battle tactics.

Undying Love #4 – Review

Undying Love
is the most creative new spin on vampire lore. It has surprisingly
good action coupled with powerful creativity and the relationship
between the two protagonists is starting to feel more natural and real.
The art has some nice touches, but many more mediocre moments. Mei and John are attacked by a horde of shape-shifting vampires in the guise of ravens (like from The Birds
but a thousand times deadlier). With the use of charms the two manage
to evade them for a while but still need help from a strong, familiar
face.
The
way John defends himself in this issue, with charms rather than guns,
is much more interesting than the first three issues where he would just
rashly use a gun. The actions in those issues did not feel like true
vampire action and was not coordinated well. It all seemed like an
attempt to beef up John into the stereotypical macho-man. This issue
shows writers Tomm Coker and Daniel Freedman know how to sculpt John
into a character that is more than the macho-man, a technique fully
realized in this issue. His use of charms in an attempt to avoid a
fight and show more Chinese lore establishes how familiar John has made
himself with the techniques, and that he has skill in his mind as well
as his body. Don’t expect gunplay, but actual thought.