You cross one ocean, you face them all…

It’s “X-Men meets Ocean’s Eleven” (although it’s probably more similar to Ocean’s Twelve).

When it comes to Mark Millar, I am a man divided. I’ve read some of his work at DC and loved it (for example Superman: Red Son) and the same stands for the work I’ve read of his at Marvel (such as Wolverine: Enemy of the State). But, when it comes to his creator owned work, I’m not always as convinced. Millar’s creator-owned work is known for its over-the-top action, violence, seedy suggestions, and strong language. The problem for me is that comic books and graphic novels are often viewed by those on the outside as childish and immature, and when reading Millar’s own creations I often feel that the extreme nature of his style and writing actually reinforces this instead of alleviating it. It’s too over the top, too violent and the f-bomb is dropped so often that it’s no longer “mature” and “adult” but has in fact brought the genre full circle back to immaturity. It just feels a bit too much like it’s aimed at stupid teenagers at times.

Millar’s creator-owned work is known for its over-the-top action, violence, seedy suggestions, and strong language.

Supercrooks, however, doesn’t suffer from this. It’s “X-Men meets Ocean’s Eleven” (although it’s probably more similar to Ocean’s Twelve), as a group of super-powered criminals decide to do one last job to help a friend out of financial trouble. Thinking outside the box, they head away from the superhero-centric United States and go to the superhero-light Spain instead. Here they plan to steal from a retired and brutal super-villain known as The Bastard.

Here they plan to steal from a retired and brutal super-villain known as The Bastard.

It’s a fun story and Millar’s writing here shies away from his excessive tendencies instead creating a fairly mainstream and relatively tame tale (compared to Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2 or Wanted for example). There’s still plenty of violence, action and bad language (the bad guy is called The Bastard after all), but it’s tuned to a level that stops Supercrooks from feeling overly immature and over-the-top. The influence from the Ocean’s film series is clear here, and whilst not necessarily a bad thing, it does mean that Supercrooks feels less original than some of Millar’s other works. And with only 4 issues, Supercrooks feels too brief. It would have been much better if Millar had expanded more on the back-story of Supercrooks. The history of the main characters and their relationships with the superheroes and each other is explored far too briefly in favour of a quick, snappy story that wraps everything up neatly without much hope of a sequel. In fact, Supercrooks feels like it’s written with an easy film adaptation in mind.

Credit, however, must go to Leinil Yu, the artist on Supercrooks, who does a brilliant job. The artwork looks superb, with bright vibrant colours, detailed facial expressions, and accentuations that play to the strengths of Millar’s more mainstream and less teen-extreme work on show here. Rest assured though that when the action and violence does break out, Yu is more than capable of providing artwork to match. Millar and Yu worked together on Superior, arguably one of Millar’s other less extreme books, and there’s something about this pairing that just works.

Rest assured though that when the action and violence does break out, Yu is more than capable of providing artwork to match.

Supercrooks, like my general feelings on Millar’s work, leaves me divided. I like the story and the artwork a lot, but there’s not enough depth and daring on show here. I like that it doesn’t rely on Millar’s over-the-top violence, swearing and sex, but at the same time I know Millar is capable of creating darker, grittier, stories that involve more mature themes, and it feels like Supercrooks could have benefitted from this. It’s so clearly influenced by the Ocean’s film series that the feeling that Supercrooks was written just to be easily adapted into a film is inescapable.

Supercrooks: The Heist (which collects Supercrooks issues #1-4) is a decent comic book if you’re looking for a casual read that doesn’t ask you to think too much. Beyond that, it’s unlikely to make much of an impact on the world of comic books. It’s enjoyable and fun, but mostly forgettable.

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment. You can follow me on Twitter (@Orr_Man) and Tumblr (www.dresslikethehulk.tumblr.com).

Holy cow…

All Star Batman & Robin makes for an interesting read, but be prepared for a different kind of Batman; one that you might not like.

Written by Frank Miller, and with art by Jim Lee, All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder (Volume 1) is an out of continuity re-imaging of The Dark Knight’s early career and first encounter with The Boy Wonder. Collecting issues 1-9 of the never finished series, Volume 1 was released in 2008, to mixed reviews. Despite some awful lines, All Star Batman & Robin makes for an interesting read, but be prepared for a different kind of Batman; one that you might not like.

All Star Batman & Robin Vol. 1 examines Batman’s early career and quickly introduces a young, bereaved Dick Grayson.

All Star Batman & Robin Vol. 1 examines Batman’s early career and quickly introduces a young, bereaved Dick Grayson. After being seemingly kidnapped by Batman, Dick Grayson begins to learn about the Batman’s secrets, his war on crime, and how The Dark Knight plans to recruit him into this war. The story continues to follow Batman as he wages his war on Gotham’s criminals trying to discover who murdered Dick’s parents, whilst Dick is left in the cave to fend for himself and invent a costumed persona.

The story continues to follow Batman as he wages his war on Gotham’s criminals, whilst Dick is left in the cave to fend for himself and invent a costumed persona.

As the book progresses we see the introduction of Black Canary, learn that it was the Joker who was behind the murder of Dick’s parents, discover that a teenage Barbara Gordon spends her evenings as Batgirl, and find out that the Justice League feels the need to rally against Batman as they believe that he has finally taken things too far by kidnapping a young boy. This culminates in a fight between Batman and Green Lantern, where Robin nearly kills Hal, leading to a realisation for both Batman and Robin that there must be time to grieve in the war on crime.

The Justice League feels the need to rally against Batman as they believe that he has finally taken things too far by kidnapping a young boy.

Whilst the premise of the story is pretty good, it’s the actual writing and characterisation that will put a lot of people off. The Batman created by Miller here is one who is violent, psychotic, and enjoys what he does. But he enjoys it too much. The Batman portrayed here acts with a reckless abandon, and enjoys the violence with sadistic glee. He’s also incredibly tough on Dick, treating him like a soldier and forcing him through hardship immediately after the death of his parents. It’s not the usual sidekick relationship that readers are used to; not by a long way.

The Batman portrayed here acts with a reckless abandon, and enjoys the violence with sadistic glee. He’s also incredibly tough on Dick, treating him like a soldier and forcing him through hardship immediately after the death of his parents.

The Batman here is unlikeable and hard to reconcile with the Batman that we are used to reading about, or even Miller’s other incarnations of Batman in Year One, and The Dark Knight Returns. Even if you consider this as early in Batman’s career when he could afford to be more reckless and enjoy what he was doing, Miller takes Batman too far, abandoning the key morals and attributes that are the cornerstone of Batman’s character. Even when Batman is shown to be more introspective and questioning of his actions, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Miller has assassinated Batman’s character. For example, Batman shows no remorse for the fact he almost kills Alfred and Vicky Vale early in the book. Add to this some of the worst lines uttered in comic books ever, including the now infamous “What, are you dense? Are you retarded or something? Who the Hell do you think I am? I’m the Goddamn Batman” line, and it’s hard to find a whole lot to like about All Star’s Batman. Batman is no longer the Dark Knight, but instead just another psycho in a cape and cowl. This is something that many people have called Batman in various comics, but it’s never something Batman has actually been.

It’s hard to shake the feeling that Miller has assassinated Batman’s character. Add to this some of the worst lines uttered in comic books ever!

Where All Star Batman & Robin succeeds is in the characterisation of Dick Grayson. All Star’s Boy Wonder is smart, skilled, introspective and quick to question both Batman’s and his own methods and actions. Another area in which All Star Batman & Robin succeeds is in the artwork by Jim Lee. There’s not much to say other than Jim Lee nails the look of the characters Miller introduces; you might not like these characters, but you can’t argue with the artwork. Likewise the writing isn’t always bad; there’s an interesting story underneath all the bad dialogue, and the relationship introduced is intriguingly different to the normal hero/sidekick dynamic. It’s just unfortunate that the majority of the dialogue turns these good factors into farce. Dig a bit deeper, and there are hints that Batman is trying to find himself, and that he may even realise that he’s taking things too far. Unfortunately this is never explored in detail, meaning it’s impossible to see Batman as anything more than a demented psychopath. One thing I really did like, though, was Miller’s juxtaposed portrayal of Batman and the Joker. By having  Batman laughing continuously as he fights Gotham’s criminals and a Joker that doesn’t laugh at all, but instead seems deadly serious, Miller creates a clever paradox with the usual portrayal of these two characters.

One thing I really did like, though, was Miller’s juxtaposed portrayal of Batman and the Joker.

In truth, I did enjoy reading All Star Batman & Robin, but not for the reasons I usually enjoy reading a comic book/graphic novel. I’m not a fan of this version of Miller’s Batman at all, and I’m surprised at the quality of writing on display in places, particularly given how good Year One and The Dark Knight Returns were. Some of the lines (such as the infamous “Goddamn Batman” sequence) have no place in any type of book/comic/graphic novel no matter what the writer is trying to achieve; in this book they lower the tone to the point of absurdity and seem only to have been included for shock value, cheapening the writing as a whole. However, there’s no denying that All Star Batman & Robin is a unique and interesting portrayal of the Batman/Robin relationship dynamic, and a completely new take on Batman’s attitude towards his war on crime. This alone makes it worth a read. Just don’t expect to like the book. Don’t expect to find the Batman you recognise here. And don’t expect many answers as All Star Batman & Robin was never finished. This means that the significance of Batgirl and Catwoman’s appearances are never expanded upon, and the Joker’s motive and endgame is never revealed. Without these points ever expanded on, it makes Miller’s writing appear lazy and lacking depth; All Star Batman & Robin might come across very differently if the story it was trying to tell was ever finished.

There’s no denying that All Star Batman & Robin is a unique and interesting portrayal of the Batman/Robin relationship dynamic, and a completely new take on Batman’s attitude towards his war on crime.

All Star Batman & Robin never lives up to Miller’s other work, in particular Year One or The Dark Knight Returns. The characters are hard to like and the writing is at times terrible and cringe-worthy. The artwork is a high-point and Miller’s treatment of Dick Grayson is much better than that of Bruce Wayne, or the other DC characters that make brief appearances throughout this volume. Nonetheless it’s one of the more interesting interpretations of Batman available, and whether you love it or hate it, it’s worth reading purely for the fact there’s never been a version of Batman quite like this before, or since.

Thanks for reading. Written by Chris Orr, an Inter-Comics contributor. You can follow me on Twitter (@Orr_Man), Tumblr (www.dresslikethehulk.tumblr.com), and check out my back-catalogue of articles at www.dresslikethehulk.com.

This title introduces an exciting new heroine to a series that appears to have a lot of potential going forward.

“With Great Glasses Comes… Great Klutziness…”

Geek Girl #0 is the latest comic book from writer (and creator) Sam Johnson and artist Sally Stone-Thompson. Priced at $2.50 (about £1.50) for this 16-page introductory issue, this title introduces an exciting new heroine to a series that appears to have a lot of potential going forward.

In Geek Girl #0 we’re introduced to Ruby Kaye, a popular teenager who wins a pair of super-tech glasses in a game of strip poker. These glasses grant her several super-powers including flight and super-strength, but come at a price; super-klutziness.

In Geek Girl #0 we’re introduced to Ruby Kaye, a popular teenager who wins a pair of super-tech glasses in a game of strip poker.

Characterisation is a strong area in Geek Girl #0. Ruby is an initially unlikeable, opportunistic, and shallow girl, but her fall from grace makes for an interesting read. Throughout Geek Girl #0 Ruby quickly begins to show signs of coming down to Earth as we (the reader) join Ruby on her journey of self-discovery. Hopefully this journey will continue in-depth in future issues and it is immediately apparent that presenting our heroine this way was done by design. The supporting cast is significantly less developed in this issue with most other characters, such as the glasses inventor, only getting minor introductions. Geek Girl #0 is only a 16-page introduction though, so hopefully these characters will see a lot more development in later issues; issue #0 certainly gives the impression this will be the case. Furthermore there’s a nice introduction to a potential side-kick, or special confident, which looks promising for future issues too. There’s also a brief introduction to a key villain, whose powers and intentions remain a mystery after Geek Girl #0 reaches its conclusion.

Geek Girl #0, as already mentioned, is only 16-pages long and covers a lot of plot in that time. For a super-hero story there’s a lack of action in general (although there is some towards the end), but Geek Girl #0 actually benefits by focusing on nailing down an origin and developing Ruby’s character. There are quite a few unanswered questions in Geek Girl #0, such as why Ruby wants the glasses so bad, how she actually got them, who the mysterious baddie is at the end, and why the inventor chose to create super-powered spectacles in the first place? The aim of Geek Girl #0 is to entice you into this world, and it does this job well by posing these questions early on and suggesting that they will be answered. It’ll also be interesting to see how long it takes Ruby to work out that the glasses have a surprising side-effect, and what she’ll do then. The only criticism is that Geek Girl #0 might have benefitted more by answering just a few of these questions, or posing less of them, in this one issue. There’s just a little too much going on in such a small number of pages.

Characterisation is a strong area in Geek Girl #0. Ruby is an initially unlikeable, opportunistic, and shallow girl, but her fall from grace makes for an interesting read.

Rendered entirely in black and white, the artwork in Geek Girl #0 initially feels quite simplistic, but is actually supremely detailed where it counts; facial expressions are particularly informative. The artwork also benefits greatly from this more simplistic but stylised choice, giving Geek Girl a uniquely, slightly cartoony, appearance.

It’s clear to see that Sam Johnson is growing as a creative force in comics after reading Geek Girl #0. There’s a maturity here that was lacking in The Almighties #1; not so in regards to the humour which was intentionally immature in The Almighties, but generally in the tone and overall presentation of Geek Girl. This is an exciting comic that’s well worth a read. The use of a strong female lead is refreshing in the comic book scene (particularly for independent books), and this issue is exciting, fun, and clever in equal measure. Taking the “Clark Kent wears glasses and Superman doesn’t formula” and flipping it on its head is a very clever move. There’s clearly a lot more to come from this series, and although it poses several unanswered questions there’s no doubt that these will be addressed throughout the series. Sam Johnson says in the Geek Girl press release that the glasses Ruby gets will have a “profound effect on her – altering the very ways she thinks and acts” as she learns that “with great glasses comes great responsibility”. You can also expect plenty more as Ruby meets other super-heroes and faces of against super-villains including Mr. Mash-Up, which the press release suggests is the mysterious villain introduced at the end of issue #0.

Geek Girl #0 is a skilfully created independent comic book that retains the humour found in Sam Johnson’s other work, whilst showing a general maturity to his ventures.

Despite the slightly over-busy first issue, Geek Girl #0 is highly recommended. Geek Girl #0 shrugs off any weaknesses due to a brilliant premise, an interesting main character, and intriguing prospects for the future. The artwork is simplistic, yet hugely informative where it counts. Geek Girl #0 is a skilfully created independent comic book that retains the humour found in Sam Johnson’s other work, whilst showing a general maturity to his ventures. I can’t wait to read more Geek Girl, and to see what happens next.

Geek-Girl #0, written by Sam Johnson, illustrated by Sally Stone-Thompson and published by Actuality Press is available now, priced $2.50 at www.samjohnson-comics.blogspot.com

Written by Chris Orr, an Inter-Comics contributor writing for Project Comics, and a part-time Hulk impersonator. You can follow him on Twitter (@Orr_Man) and check out his back-catalogue of articles at www.dresslikethehulk.com

It may be the devil you know, but this nostalgic look back at the origin of “The Man Without Fear” is a daring ride worth taking.

Daredevil: Yellow is a 6-part Marvel mini-series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale that was originally published in 2001.

Daredevil: Yellow is a 6-part Marvel mini-series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween; Batman: Dark Victory), that was originally published in 2001. The story concerns the origin and early days of Daredevil as told by The Man Without Fear himself through letters to his murdered former lover Karen Page.

Daredevil: Yellow focuses on the early days of Daredevil where he’s having fun being a hero.

The series begins with the death of Matt Murdock’s father, skipping the origin of Daredevil’s powers and blindness, instead focusing on the emotional trauma that led him to his heroic destiny. The story then follows Matt as he witnesses the miscarriage of justice at his father’s killer’s trial, his graduation from college, the starting of his own law firm, and his early adventures and battles as the yellow and red costume wearing Daredevil. The main focus of the story, beyond Matt dealing with the death of his father, are the relationships that develop between Karen Page, Matt Murdock, Franklin Nelson, and Daredevil. Daredevil: Yellow concerns itself with the death of Karen Page, but this is not an event actively explored within this story itself. Whilst there’s still plenty of action, Daredevil: Yellow is deep down a love story; between Karen and Matt, and also Matt and Daredevil. Daredevil: Yellow focuses on the early days of Daredevil where he’s having fun being a hero. Importantly, the whole story is told from Matt’s perspective as he looks back at these early, happier times through rose-tinted glasses.

It’s the emotional structure that underpins the plot that truly makes Daredevil: Yellow superb.

It’s the emotional structure that underpins the plot that truly makes Daredevil: Yellow superb. There’s enough action to keep things interesting, but ultimately these moments take a back-seat to the emotional story being told. It’s more than just a love story, or a re-telling of Daredevil’s beginnings though. Daredevil: Yellow is a story about Matt Murdock coming to terms with his father’s death, and forgiving himself for Karen’s murder. Daredevil: Yellow has to be considered in the wider Marvel Universe context though; the death of Karen is referenced throughout and is the reason for Matt writing the letters through which this story is told, but is never shown in this book. It’s clear as well that the “Yellow” of the books title not only refers to Daredevil’s original costume but also the emotions explored within the book; namely fear. Although Daredevil is The Man Without Fear, it’s clear in this book that Matt has to overcome his own fears, and grief, in order to finally come to terms with what happened to his father, and to Karen. As a whole, Daredevil: Yellow is an emotional ride, that ends on a hopeful note as Daredevil, complete with red costume, finds away to forgive himself for Karen’s death and honour his father.

There are plenty of bright and vibrant colours, and the artwork depicts an age where heroes were heroes, villains were villains, and this distinction was quite clear-cut.

The artwork is similarly superb and supports the emotional content of the book wonderfully. There’s a truly retro feel to the book, both in the love-story innocence, and the artwork. There are plenty of bright and vibrant colours, and the artwork depicts an age where heroes were heroes, villains were villains, and this distinction was quite clear-cut. Despite this, there’s still an element of modern comic book writing and artwork sneaking through with both the writer and artist unafraid to hint at darker things to come for Daredevil, and painting Karen not as the damsel in distress, but as a strong woman who just happens to get kidnapped and captured. Colour is also used cleverly throughout the book. The main characters are always brightly and vibrantly coloured and detailed, but backgrounds are often greyed-out or under-emphasised. This heightens the emotional relationships between characters, whilst also helping create a dream-like quality that congruent with the fact these events are being lived out through Matt Murdock’s memories as he re-tells this story in his letters.

The 2011 collected book also contains a foreword by Daredevil creator, and Marvel mastermind Stan Lee, as well a narrated sketchbook that examines the creation of Daredevil: Yellow’s themes and characters. Both are excellent additions, with Stan Lee’s passion for Daredevil and the Universe he birthed dripping from every word written on the page. Additionally these emotional and introspective examinations of the book cleverly mimic the emotional and introspective nature of the way the story of Daredevil: Yellow is told. Furthermore, Daredevil: Yellow acts as a perfect introduction point for people new to Daredevil or Marvel. There’s a retro feel that mimics the early days of Marvel, whilst not being too old-fashioned and possibly off-putting to younger or newer readers, as well as telling the story of the key emotional moments that made Daredevil into the hero seen in the Marvel Universe today.

Daredevil: Yellow is a brilliantly written, and excellently drawn comic book, that’s a worthy addition to any Marvel collection.

The first in a series of coloured books (followed by Spider-Man: Blue and Hulk: Gray), Daredevil: Yellow offers a brilliantly nostalgic re-telling of Daredevil’s early days, which manages both to feel retro in its innocence and vibrancy and modern in its emotional structure and through the hints at the greater darkness that lies beyond the story Matt Murdock is re-telling here.

Daredevil: Yellow is a brilliantly written, and excellently drawn comic book, that’s a worthy addition to any Marvel collection.

Written by Chris Orr, an Inter-Comics writer and Hulk impersonator. You can follow him on Twitter (@Orr_Man) and check out his back-catalogue of articles at www.dresslikethehulk.wordpress.com.

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to read about the early adventures of Marvel’s greatest heroes as they were published?

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to read about the early adventures of Marvel’s greatest heroes as they were published? Or have you ever read an old Marvel comic and found it a bit dated and hard to get in to? Or have you ever just thought about what it would actually be like to be an ordinary man in a world full of superheroes? If the answer to any of the above questions is yes then Marvel’s Marvels (that’s a mouthful!) is a must read. If you didn’t answer yes to any of the questions above, then you should still read it.

Written by Kurt Busiek, and painted by Alex Ross, this four-issue mini-series (plus the later released fifth “Issue 0″ prologue) was originally published in 1994 and tells the early stories of Marvels greatest heroes (Captain America, The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, Spider-Man), villains (Galactus, The Sentinals, Green Goblin), and events both big and small, through the eyes of everyday newspaper photographer Phil Sheldon.

Marvels revisits many key moments from early Marvel history from Phil Sheldon’s unique perspective.

Marvels revisits many key moments from early Marvel history from Phil Sheldon’s unique perspective and cleverly manages to both republish these early events and chronicle Marvel’s history without ever feeling like a republication or a Marvel history book. The stories are ostensibly familiar, yet the unique perspective used helps them feel fresh and new. The question of what it is like to be an Average Joe, making a living and raising a family in a world full of super-powered heroes and villains, where chaos and uncertainty are forever on the horizon, had rarely been addressed in the world of graphic novels before Marvels, and is still something of a rarity since. However, this perspective provides a beautifully unique and introspective narrative for the re-telling of these stories, whilst also creating a meaningful connection with the reader; for once the centre-piece of the story is a normal person like us, not a super-powered, multi-billion dollar playboy military cyborg.

for once the centre-piece of the story is a normal person like us, not a super-powered, multi-billion dollar playboy military cyborg.

The artwork that comes hand in hand with this clever re-telling of Marvel’s early stories is similarly superb. The lovingly crafted paintwork of Alex Ross feels contemporary, yet manages to capture the essence of Marvels Golden Age of comic books, and is without doubt some of my favourite artwork in any graphic novel/comic book ever. It’s intricate, stylish, vibrant and superb throughout.

The collected edition I read was a part of the Marvel Graphic Novel Collection by Hachette Partworks (Issue 15, Volume 13) and included forewords before each issue; one by Stan Lee, one by Kurt Busiek, one by Alex Ross, and one by Marvel legend John Romita Sr. What’s clear is that not  only are the writer and artist directly involved in creating Marvels incredibly proud of the work they have produced, but both the creator of Marvel himself, and one of Marvels most noted comic book artists hold this mini-series in the highest of regards. The foreword by Kurt Busiek in particular is extremely enlightening highlighting the extent of his research into Marvel’s history to ensure all the events covered matched up with Marvel continuity; the mini-series is littered with hints to things happening in the wider Marvel world, and the level of attention to detail is astonishing.

If you haven’t read Marvels then it’s time you did.

For me, Marvels is one of the best Marvel comic book/graphic novel titles I have read. The beautiful artwork, the unique narrative perspective, and the fact that it revisits those Marvel events that happened long before I was born, but were pivotal in shaping the Universe I read about all time, combine to create something truly special.

If you haven’t read Marvels then it’s time you did.

You can follow Chris on his website www.dresslikethehulk.wordpress.com or on Twitter at @Orr_Man

The Almighties #1

If the Avengers can’t assemble, then at least we have the Almighties to amass.

The tricky thing about parodies is that they often come along at the height of the subject’s popularity, and consequently when they will be least welcomed by the masses and the fans, who might otherwise enjoy them.

The Almighties, however, manages to parody The Avengers at the height of their popularity without over-stepping the line. Although not perfect, when taken as a whole The Almighties #1 marks the beginnings of a promising comic book series parodying everybody’s favourite superhero team of the moment. Written and created by Mike Gagnon and Sam Johnson, illustrated by Eleonara Kortsarz, Pablo Zambrano and D.C. White, and published by Actuality Press, The Almighties #1 is 32-pages of full-colour fun priced at $3.99.

The team are brought together by the offbeat White Out (Nick Fury with a twist), and lead by Maxi-Tron; an Iron-Man wannabe.

As expected, there’s a motley bunch of heroes assembled… er, I mean amassed, for The Almighties. The team are brought together by the offbeat White Out (Nick Fury with a twist), and lead by Maxi-Tron; an Iron-Man wannabe. Joining them are Nite Fang, a British punk who transforms into a hulking werewolf; Ms. F, who has serious anger issues and problems with men alongside her flight and super-strength powers (the Ms. Marvel of the group); Mason, a psychotic mercenary (who although not explicitly a super-soldier certainly looks like he’s packing the “guns” to give Captain America a run for his money); and finally Stefanos, a man with many jobs, who is billed as The Almighties’ Wolverine, but is armed not with claws but a rather pointy kebab skewer.

These main characters are well fleshed-out and instantly likeable, despite their many, many, intentional personality-flaws. All the more, it’s easy to see (for the most part) how they mimic their Avengers counter-parts, making the werewolf rage of Nite Fang’s Hulk and Maxi-Tron’s cocky, armour wearing Iron-Man fun to read about. Despite sharing similarities with their Avenger counter-parts the characters are developed so that they have their own merits without an over-reliance on the source material, and I was left with desire to know more about them; who they are, how they became the “heroes” we see here, and why they’re so messed up! Wanting to know more about these characters is a good indication that the writing in The Almighties #1 hits the spot most of the time. As the reader, you become instantly intrigued by the characters and want to know more about them, even though the characters are already familiar and recognisable due to their Avengers-inspired heritage.

As the reader, you become instantly intrigued by the characters and want to know more about them, even though the characters are already familiar and recognisable due to their Avengers-inspired heritage.

It’s the additional characters outside of the main team that lets The Almighties #1 down in places. It was a bit unclear why White Out’s butler is a dribbling fool, and the portrayal of the “Players”, Barack Obama, and the wannabe cool white-boy “Rep of Prez Obama” rely too heavily on stereotypes that might be better toned down or avoided altogether. It’s not that the aim or the execution is offensive, or intentionally highlighting stereotypes, but the writing of these characters seems to lack the subtlety and careful handling that is required, meaning that the humour of some of these supporting roles gets drowned out by the stereotypes.

There’s plenty of nods to classic Avengers outings here including the cheeky “Almighties Amass”  battle-cry, a shape-shifting alien invasion ruse (Skrull anyone?), inner-team romance and inter-team conflict. The story builds nicely throughout and crescendos in a fight that wouldn’t look out of place in an official Marvel Avengers release. And that is a big achievement. By the end I was routing for The Almighties; I needed to know what was going to happen next.

The artwork is generally crisp and detailed with brilliant and vibrant colouring, whilst the text is well presented and easy to follow. The Almighties #1 is a great looking comic despite a few inconsistencies in its presentation. There are also a few serious messages dotted throughout the script dealing with bullying, racism, and even cancer. These are handled in a light-hearted manner meaning that the comic also manages to express a more serious message underneath the superhero fun. Some of these messages are, however, presented with the subtlety of a train-wreck making the humour a bit forced or uncomfortable. The flirting between two of the Almighties is also a bit cringe-worthy. But, it’s worth noting this is a parody book and so the heavy-handed deliverance of some of the messages is likely intentional; by making the messages, and the flirting, overly obvious the book cleverly parodies the more subtle, but equally transparent, moments like these that occur in mainstream books and films. Finally, there are quite a few successful little nods and gags to modern culture that are quite successful and genuinely made me laugh out loud (for example using Rebecca Black as a torture tactic; I’d cave in seconds).

Like all comic-book greats, The Almighties need a starting place. And this is it.

Like all comic-book greats, The Almighties need a starting place. And this is it. It’s not perfect but it is good and worthy of your attention; the positives far outweigh any negatives that can be levelled at this first issue. Some of the comedy is quite obvious (particularly around the more serious messages delivered) and some of the minor characters are written so that stereotypes take centre stage instead of the humour. This comic is a parody, however, so this may be intentional, but it doesn’t always work all of the time.  However, when it works it truly shines. With future issues the Marvel parodies will hopefully come in thicker and faster and we’ll get to know the characters more and more helping us understand why they are and what similarities and differences they share with their Marvel counter-parts. It’s a testament to how well The Almighties #1 comes across as a whole that by the end of this first issue a seasoned comic book reader like me is so excited to learn about the characters origins and to see what the team gets up to next. Although this comic parodies The Avengers and clearly draws inspiration from them, The Almighties are unique enough to stand on their own two feet without a Marvel crutch.

I look forward to reading the next issue of the Almighties and seeing just what mayhem these oddball heroes get caught up in. Even better I look forward to spotting the similarities and differences these characters and adventures share with Marvel’s Avenger counter-parts.

You can follow Chris on his website www.dresslikethehulk.wordpress.com or on Twitter at @Orr_Man

Wolverine has a one-way ticket to Hell (and back).

Wolverine’s gone to Hell to smoke cigars and kick Satan’s ass. And he’s all out of cigars.

Wolverine Goes To Hell collects Wolverine: The Road to Hell, and Wolverine #1-5 in a story that sees Wolverine facing an eternity paying for the sins he’s committed throughout his long life. Written by Jason Aaron, with art by Renato Guedes, Wolverine Goes To Hell is a deep and thoughtful, if mostly inconsequential, examination of Wolverine, his journey so far, and the legacy he may leave behind him, as long as you can overlook some inconsistencies along the way.

In Wolverine Goes To Hell we learn that the titular X-Man has been tricked by a group known as the Right Red Hand and his soul has been sent to Hell whilst a demon roams the surface in his body with a view to destroying Wolverine’s life and killing his loved ones and friends. This allows for the introduction of several cameo’s from characters from Wolverine’s past (Sabretooth, Silver Samurai, Mariko) as well as current Marvel characters (Mystique, The Ghost Riders, Spider-Man, Colossus), and several big face-offs including fights between Wolverine and Satan, Wolverine and Colossus, and Wolverine and Sabretooth. Ultimately, Wolverine Goes To Hell reveals that the Right Red Hand have bigger plans than just sending Wolverine to Hell.

While Wolverines soul has been sent to Hell a demon roams the surface in his body!

There are a lot of good things to talk about in Wolverine Goes To Hell. Jason Aaron asks several deep and meaningful questions of Wolverine’s character: Has his life always been leading him down a path to Hell? Does he ultimately deserve this fate? Has Wolverine become like his Father? How important to Wolverine is revenge, considering the path it is leading him down? It’s refreshing to see his character being examined at such a deep level, as opposed to the sometimes animalistic and basic portrayal of his character. Whilst this side is still on show in the action sequences, this book really has Wolverine examining himself and asking whether there’s more to his legacy than a trail of blood and shattered lives. This collection should be commended for looking at Wolverine’s character in this way, and for having Wolverine question himself and admit that he always suspected he deserved an eternity in Hell. Despite the focus of the book being about questioning Wolverine’s character and way of life, there are still plenty of action sequences to enjoy, with some spectacular fight scenes both on Earth and in Hell.

The Red Right Hand, a group of seemingly normal people, is an interesting new antagonist in this book. They appear to be people who have been affected by Wolverine in some way, and although not stated directly the implication is that they have more than likely lost important loved ones at the sharp and pointy end of Wolverine’s temper. They remain mysterious throughout the collection, with their overall plan hidden from view, but their goal very clear; they want to make Wolverine’s life a living Hell.

Wolverine Goes To Hell asks plenty of deep and meaningful questions of Wolverine’s character, but still has plenty of action.

The art work is exceptional throughout, although the depictions of Hell in this book are somewhat uninspired with tortured souls, and walls of skulls; a bit more imagination would have been nice. Nonetheless, there’s no denying the strength of the artwork; vibrant colouring and attention to detail make the environments pop and the characters look brilliant.

There are some inconsistencies throughout this collection, as well as some relatively unexplored areas, though. Mystique, an enemy of Wolverine and the X-Men, has a sudden and unexplained allegiance change, whilst Satan seems extremely powerful at one point, but then easily overcome moments later. Similarly, the residents of Hell seem to be set for an existence of eternal damnation and suffering at the hands of the almighty Satan, but are then pictured easily rising up against him, and wondering around unchallenged. Why are some souls not being tortured whilst others are? It doesn’t really make sense. Additionally, some of the supporting characters are treated roughly. The Silver Samurai is introduced and disposed of in under a page and a half, and Sabretooth (arguably one of Wolverine’s greatest enemies) is nothing more than a snivelling, obedient pet for Satan.

Ultimately though, Jason Aaron sets out to challenge and explore Wolverine’s character and soul, and partially succeeds. The book reflects Wolverine’s life; an endless battle against interchangeable enemies, and uses this to question who and what he is. More importantly is the unspoken question of who Wolverine will become that is hinted at throughout this collection but never explicitly asked. If Wolverine Goes To Hell is guilty of one thing, it’s asking all these questions of Wolverine’s character whilst not providing many answers. Wolverine is portrayed as questioning himself, his actions, and his motives, but yet by the end of the story, despite where it has led him so far in life, he still leaves Hell seeking revenge. This conclusion seems somewhat at odds with all the philosophical soul-searching that Wolverine displays throughout the story. Subsequent stories show that Wolverine still seeks revenge and continues in his way of life suggesting that his time in Hell did not do much to deter him, or to encourage him to change his destiny.

The book reflects Wolverine’s life; an endless battle against interchangeable enemies, and uses this to question who and what he is.

Included in the hardcover collection reviewed was the five chapter Scorched Earth. These chapters help expand on some of the unexplored areas within the main collection examining what happened to the Silver Samurai (a tale this character deserves to have told), and the Right Red Hand’s motives and actions. The hardcover collection reviewed also contained several sketches and variant covers (including a really cool “Tron Variant” by Brandon Peterson) and a multi-page recap of Wolverine’s life story and character biography. All of these are great additions to the collection, fleshing out the story further, filling in knowledge gaps, and providing additional artwork and sketches to look over.

Wolverine Goes To Hell is an enjoyable book, despite some unimaginative ideas and under-explored areas. It has one of Marvel’s greatest characters asking deep and meaningful questions of himself, his way of life, and his past, present and future. Ultimately Wolverine Goes To Hell asks a lot of questions, without ever providing the answers or making the consequences of what Wolverine learns stick with him for his future. Despite this, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had reading Wolverine Goes To Hell; there’s some great action sequences (Wolverine versus Colossus in particular), and there’s an introspective side to Wolverine on show that isn’t seen that often. Although it doesn’t rival some other Wolverine titles (e.g. Origins), Wolverine Goes To Hell is certainly worthy of your time.

You can follow Chris on his website www.dresslikethehulk.wordpress.com or on Twitter at @Orr_Man

It starts with a small spot -- a blemish that will spread until he is no more.

Silver Surfer: Requiem was published by Marvel Knights in 2007 as a four-issue miniseries written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art from Esad Ribic. Initially released to coincide with the Surfer’s first cinema appearance in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer the miniseries tells the story of Norrin Radd as he learns that his days are numbered.

In Requiem, the Silver Surfer learns that the silver shell in which  he is encased is beginning to deteriorate and he only has weeks left to live. The Surfer uses this time to visit old friends the Fantastic Four and say goodbye, before seeking to help humanity one last time. This leads to several cameos (some of which are very brief) from other Marvel characters, such as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Finally, the Silver Surfer turns his attention to the heavens as he begins his journey home to Zenn-La, where his story began.

The Silver Surfer visits Spider-Man for the last time...

Requiem is a wonderful comic book. The story and the artwork come together to create a beautiful tale of one of Marvel’s most iconic, yet also generally under-appreciated characters. Esad Ribic uses what I can best describe as a sort of washy pencilling technique; there’s a sketched feel to the artwork and the colours are somewhat muted. It’s beautiful work, and fits the tone of the story wonderfully; the final issue reveals that another Marvel character is remembering the last tale of the Silver Surfer, and the artwork really has a hazy, dream-like quality as if it is being told through the rose-tinted glasses of a friend’s memory.

Esad Ribic's artwork fits the tone of the story wonderfully.

What the story and the artwork manage to convey are a sense of emotion both within the Surfer himself and those around him. Although strictly speaking a non-canon story, Silver Surfer: Requiem paints a beautifully emotional picture about the last few moments of Norrin Radd and his legacy on and off Earth.

Silver Surfer: Requiem is one of the best miniseries I have read about a Marvel character. It’s a simple enough story, but it is told with such emotion that it transcends beyond its simple “end story” premise into a true homage to the Silver Surfer himself. I highly recommend this book to Silver Surfer, Marvel, and general comic book fans alike.

You can follow Chris on his website www.dresslikethehulk.wordpress.com or on twitter at @Orr_Man