Halfway through Issue #21 of Batman Eternal, you think that you are reading a filler comic. It isn’t bad, but is one of those issues that this series churns out every now and again, where the story is slowly built upon, but is mainly an excuse to add some character development to proceedings. Good, but not essential. However, when the comic hits the halfway point, it speeds right up to the maximum, hitting us with a terrific scene with Alfred, a brand new villain entering the fray (no spoilers, but he is one of my favourites!), and a twist that will shake the foundations of this story.

If it seemed that I was criticising the slower first half of the comic, I wasn’t. I like that the side characters were developed. We got to see a few tender moments from characters that are often overlooked in the grand scheme of things. Harvey Bullock has been on exposition duties from day one, but this issue, we get to see his take on the events of the last twenty issues. We get a sneak peek into the private life of Bard and Vicki Vale. Falcone turns out to still be a player in the conspiracy (he is much better now he is not centre of attention, but allowed to just show up and be menacing from time to time). These small moments might seem like they are time-wasting, which they might very well be, but it does make Batman Eternal feel like a bigger thing. Everyone is a three-dimensional character and it makes the events that unfold have a much more dramatic read.

Also, how badass was Alfred! Out of all of the supporting cast that never get truly explored in Batman, Alfred is usually the first to be dropped. He serves well for the origin and all of the stories that are closer to home, but for a lot of Batman stories, it’s hard to think up a reason to include him. Today, Alfred gets to show off. He is given an extended scene, where he just screams awesomeness from every angle. He has some great dialogue, handles a weapon impressively and somehow unleashes the Vulcan grip to put someone to sleep. I am glad that now Eternal has a bit of free time to explore new story avenues, Alfred was chosen to be a key part in the next one. I hope we get more moments like this from him.

And that twist at the end! I am still not sure what to think of it. It definitely surprised me, but I might need to go over a few of the previous issues to decide if it makes sense or not. I hope it is a planned twist and not something thrown in to make Eternal more jaw-dropping. The next few issues on this twist be fully handled will be make or break for Eternal. Like last issue with Spoiler’s reveal, it does have the same annoying effect of the civilian characters either becoming superheroes or bad guys, rather than just being ordinary for once. But at least with the latter, it has the promise of doing something genuinely interesting. For now, I am glued to Eternal and unable to guess what this story has in store for us.

Quote of the Issue:

Alfred: You have broken into my home. You are a threat to my family. Master Wayne might have a predilection against firearms… but I’m afraid he isn’t home right now.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Tomb Raider is back, with a brand new story. The series is on shaky ground right now, not winning over any new fans, but partially annoying the current Tomb Raider crowd. A new story could be just the ticket to make Gail Simone’s series feel more best-selling.

While trekking through Snowdon, commemorating a touching childhood moment she had with Roth, Lara is struck with a vision. The vision includes her dead friend, Alex, begging her to save his sister who is in peril from something. Lara makes a few phone calls and discovers that his sister is currently in the Ukraine. Her search leads her to Chernobyl, where it becomes clear she is stumbling upon something big, especially when strange Americans start asking questions about her all over the globe. It is a hit and miss start to the story, touching upon a couple of my pet story-telling peeves. One is the whole adventure kicking off, because of a vision. It is probably meant to tie in with the new Rise of the Tomb Raider trailer, where she visits a psychiatrist, but I felt the scene was too heavy-handed and convenient. I wasn’t sold. Also, we are still mentioning Yamatai and reintroducing us to the game’s characters every few moments. On the bright side, it does seem like Simone is trying to write them off, with Lara making the decision to go out on her own, rather than risking her friends. Yes, this issue has some big problems, but I am going to call this first issue syndrome and hope that its job was to rush through the necessary exposition and set up a good five issues of action.

My opinion of Dark Horse’s Tomb Raider is a weird one. I like it. I really do. It always seems to go off in the wrong direction (Yamatai as a plot point, needless flashbacks), but the core design (pun for the true fans), of this comic always shows promise. The dialogue is sharp, the action is crisp and Simone always finds time for Lara to be Lara (e.g.: the wolves!). There is the sense that this is the Tomb Raider comic we want, but we are just reading a rare, weak story. This is why the next few issues will be very important for the readers: was Gail Simone’s first story merely setting up the real comics she wants to write, or is this a series we could be better off dropping from our monthly costs?

Quote of the Issue:

American Detective: Why don’t you make me one of those delicious wheatgrass teas, pour it in the garbage and bring me a beer?

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Harley Quinn finally goes to Skate Club, where she is allowed to unleash her full Harley carnage on her opponents, without any repercussions. I had dedicated this entire paragraph to explaining the plot, but… that is about it. Um… next paragraph!

There Are No Rules is a pretty weak addition of Harley Quinn. I just don’t like the skating stories I think. They are predictable and don’t hit the mark quite as well as you want them to. I still stand by my point of the jokes being the same, but slightly bigger each time. Yes, the Skate Club format means that the bloody kill for a punchline is more gruesome than before, but it’s still the same format of joke. Harley takes a sport and turns it violent. We have laughed at this before. The banter between the team mates instantly isn’t as funny as it could be too. My biggest problem with this issue is that it feels separate from the rest of the characters, who are much more amusing to spend time with. The skater girls don’t really have their own personalities and just become a tool for the writers to fire jokes off of. If they never showed up again from this issue onwards, I doubt anyone would actually notice or care too much.

However, there is one sequence which is phenomenally funny. Harley gets knocked out and her mind travels to a galaxy far, far away, where we are treated to an extended sequence of an extra-terrestrial space fight. It is so random and out of the blue, (a new art style is used to highlight this), that you find it terrifically funny. The writers manage to tie it into the overall storyline by the end of the comic, but part of you didn’t want them to. I just wanted this four pages of alien nonsense to be a stand-alone gag that served no other purpose than to be wacky and zany. That is the Harley Quinn comedy I like.

I think this kind of issue comes with the territory of this kind of comic. Harley Quinn is a series where you are meant to sit back and just laugh. It doesn’t have the larger story arc or mystery that I get with Batman Eternal, but I accept that. It just means that every now and again, one of the issues doesn’t quite work. That’s OK, because I know that the next issue will probably hit the mark perfectly.

Quote of the Issue:

Isabella: (talking about Jaws) That film was propaganda against sharks. They are very misunderstood creatures.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

We have another double whammy of creators for you this time, with Kevin Joseph and Ludovic Salle co-creators of Tart. Within the lusciously drawn pages of Tart we meet Tart Acid and the world she inhabits, the world of The Toxic Fruit. From investigating the disappearance of a boy in 1950s New York, visiting a demon dimension and arriving at the coldest moment in the history of our planet, Tart is a time twisting adventure for fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and quirky, kick ass women led comics everywhere!

Initially starting off life as a webcomic, Tart has been successfully crowd funded through Kickstarter and is now available in trade paperback format.

Me: Where did the idea/inspiration for Tart come from?

Kevin: From our Co Creator Ludovic Salle’. I’ll let him go into it more specifically as he was playing around with the Toxic Universe long before we were introduced. I simply dove into his toybox and played with the toys I understood best.

Ludo: Tart comes from the universe that I created for my first series Hell Strawberry. Hell Strawberry is inspired by a multitude of references. From comic books to the cinema and television. The list would be too long because it is only a brewing ideas that swirl in my brain. But the most important for me is the Time Travel.

Me: As indie creators, how have you found getting Tart out there to potential readers? Do you guys have any advice for other upcoming creators?

Kevin: It’s absolutely the toughest part of the endeavor. Without a marketing budget (well, without any budget), without industry connections and without a name, what do you have? For us, we have a book we believe in passionately. So we try to turn every stone we can in building a readership.

I’ve found the most success getting the word out on Twitter. And this is where I have to mention a guy well known to Inter-Comics, Jay B. Webb. He was gracious enough to agree to read Tart before almost any other reviewer out there. Through his positive response we’ve been able to get our story in front of many podcasters, reviewers and/or other creators. So I see it all branching out from Jay being nice enough to open our pdf.

There really is an amazing group of indie comic lovers (writers, artists and readers) on twitter. Get into the conversation. They’ll lift you up like you’d never believe possible.

We also try to do as many appearances as we possibly can just to get the cover of the book into people’s minds. Small cons, local comic shops, Gallery shows (ok, this one’s Ludo only). If it’s affordable and we can make it, we go. As far as advice for these shows – don’t go in with the goal of making money. Go in with the goal of meeting comic enthusiasts and letting them know your book exists. You’re playing the long game here. Readers are what you need. If you set out to make money, you’ll quit before you reach the midpoint of the journey, much less the end.

Ludo: We make several conventions each year, allowing us to show our creations to a wider audience, which would not come to us. So it’s always a nice surprise and wonderful when we see the enthusiasm of new readers. But social networks do a big part of the work. Twitter and Facebook can target more widely. But there is nothing better than meeting people and talking with them, face to face.

Me: What sets Tart apart from other female led, demon/hell spawn comics like Buffy or JMS’s recent Apocalypse Al?

Kevin: Well I can answer the Apocalypse Al part of the question with an unequivocal, “I have no idea?” I am completely ignorant of that book. But Buffy… I’ve never shied from the fact that Buffy is, was and always will be a major influence on me as a writer. Whedon and his writing team crafted a show that made me laugh, worry, cry and exalt in The Scooby Gang’s adventures. If we can create any such an experience for Tart readers, I’ll consider the book an enormous success.

What sets us apart? Well I think a major theme of Buffy was being forced to accept the fact that you’ve been chosen for a life you didn’t want. Good, bad or hellish, Tart chose to be doing the job she’s doing.

Ludo I do not know Apocalypse Al, either. Regarding Buffy, I will not lie, it’s one of my biggest reference for this project. But I want to say that there is no marketing ploy from me to choose a female hero. It has always been obvious. I always did female characters. I’m always surprised that we still have to explain when a main character is a woman. We rarely ask a writer why his/her hero is a man, but it’s still a debate for a woman.

Me: If you could sell Tart in one sentence, what would you say?

Kevin: The time-traveling, demon-hunting girl next door.

Me: Who has most influenced yourselves in your work and how?

Kevin: I’ve already mention Joss Whedon, so I’ll reiterate that and throw in Neil Gaiman. Both of these writers are masters at leading the audience into an expectation and then turning the story onto its side. I love stories that surprise me and nobody does that better than the pair of Whedon and Gaiman.

Ludo: Like I said, many references. But like Kevin, Gaiman and Whedon are my favorites. Not only because they are great writers, but mainly because their sci-fi and fantasy universes are often an excuse to develop great characters. With the touch of magic that I like.

As an artist, I am influenced by a lot of painters and illustrators. I like Art Nouveau (Mucha, Klimt), fairy tale illustrations (Gustave Doré, Arthur Rackham). But also the contemporary artwork, the design. I like the works of James Jean (the covers of Fables), he has a perfect proficiency to mix traditional drawings and graphic elements. The art of J.H.Williams III on Batwoman is incredible, too. I try to work in this way.

Me: Do you guys still get time to read comics and if so, which titles are regular appearances on your pull lists?

Kevin: Little by little, I’ve run out of time. I still try, but I’ve honestly fallen off the wagon a bit. I’ve tended to start using my comic budget to support indie kickstarters lately. It’s still $25 to $75 a month on comics, but it makes me feel good in lots of ways. 1) There are some real gems out there. 2) I’m helping a creator put out a book that they probably couldn’t get out there any other way. And 3) With two books Kickstarted, it makes me feel a ton less hypocritical backing other projects I believe in.

Ludo: I try. I read some books of Marvel and DC but I’m lost with all the references that I don’t get. I keep to read Fables, Buffy, Hellboy.

I started Invincible, Empowered, Wizard of Oz.

Me: You’ve mentioned crowd funding as a way and means of getting Tart out there, what was the best aspect of that?

Kevin: Absolutely, positively the relationships it’s created. The goal of Kickstarter is raising money, and then producing and delivering your product. That’s great, don’t get me wrong. But it’s not the best part.

I never, ever assumed I’d make friends out of the process. We had backers raise their pledge at the last second just so we could pass a numeric milestone (even though it didn’t affect us being funded or a stretch goal). Backers from our first project apologize because they were funding us at a lower level in the second campaign. Think of that for a second. They’re giving US money to fund OUR dream, and THEY’RE apologizing for it.

The Kickstarter community as a whole is an amazingly supportive, friendly, fun and engaging group.

Me: What can readers expect in the future for Tart, as you say you have 3 – 4 years worth of story ready for her!?!

Kevin I can hear Ludo’s breath quicken an entire ocean away. Our skeleton of the series runs approximately 40 issues. But with Ludo supplying every bit of art, at the same time that he’s paying the bills with freelance graphic design, we doubt we’ll get those forty issues finished in 3-4 years.

But whenever we finish, our goal is to create a series that engages and surprises our readers throughout our run. When Tart’s story is done, we hope our readers are left with a satisfying and defined ending. We also hope they’ll be able to go back through and reread it finding more in the series than they might have on the first go around.

We won’t know that we’ve accomplished that for a good while, but it’s definitely the goal.

Ludo: Unfortunately, I can not project myself too far in the future, I do not know how fast I could work on the next issues of Tart.

The French way of work is about 48 pages a year (knowing that the artist is both the artist, inker, colorist, and sometimes letterer). I try to do better and provide more but it’s hard.

Me: What’s your favourite aspect of making comics?

Kevin: I’d normally mention the friendships I’ve made doing it, but I’ve already touched on that with the Kickstarter question. So instead I’ll say that right now, comics are the best way to get your work out and into the audience’s hands. I have two screenplays that I worked my tail off on sitting on my hard drive. I know people with novels written, that they can’t get anyone to read.

Comics on the other hand. You can photocopy and hand out a comic for free. You can self-publish a webcomic. You can print 20 or 30 copies through a digital printer and try your hand at selling them at Cons or LCS’s. You can Kickstart a large run of beautiful books. Or you can submit to the big boys and hope the right editor grabs your book.

The options aren’t limitless, but having your work experienced by an audience is easier in comics than in most any other media.

Ludo: That can be really hard, and headlock, and exhausting. But at the end, it’s always satisfying. I can’t live without making comics. It’s in my veins.

Me: Hypothetical now… Tart vs Buffy in a bounty hunting situation… Who’d get the demon first?

Kevin: Oh, God. You can’t do this. You’re asking me to pit my creation against one of my favourite characters ever created. Unfair. UNFAIR!

I can’t do it man. Everything I type seems unfair to one character or the other. I’ll say this. Mano e mano Buffy would beat the tar out of Tart. But Tart would persevere and figure out a way to survive. Buffy’s a fighter. Tart Acid is a survivor.

Ludo: Hmm… I guess Tart has to kill Buffy. Sorry. There can be only one. Oh sorry, It’s Highlander, right?

You can get Tart from Comixology here, check out Kevin and Ludo’s website here and like Tart on Facebook here. Kevin and Ludo are on twitter, so stalk and follow Kevin right here and Ludo here.

Until next time.

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

Wild Animals continues the streak of action-packed fight scenes. I slightly prefer the last issue, but at least Eternal seems to be picking up the pace at a rapid rate. Here, we get the conclusion of three storylines and the birth of another one.

We start off instantly with Batman, Croc and Bard taking on Ten-Eyes and his army of spectres. This storyline is tied up a little too neatly for me, but it does feature some neat set-pieces. I assumed that Ten-Eyes’ abduction of Gotham citizens would tie into Deacon Blackfire’s schemes, seeing as they both having ghostly figures lurking around the sewers as an integral part of their plot. Sadly, it seems that Gotham is just unlucky enough to have two supernatural invasions in one night. (While we are mentioning Blackfire, where has he got to? That imminent threat was a cliffhanger a couple of issues ago that has been shoved onto the back-burner). Essentially, reviewing this entire three issue story, we can chalk this up to a simple distraction from the ongoing story, which does make this finale a little flat. We wanted it to be another part of the conspiracy, yet now this entire side of Eternal is dead in the water. At the very least, it did give us some time with Killer Croc, who is always a fun character, and Bard’s development continues strongly. I can’t say I hated my time with these three heroes.

Gordon’s story comes to an end rather abruptly. It is all good, but I assumed there would be four issues worth of Falcone-fighting to get through. Gordon is apparently too efficient a hero for my liking. That being said, it is nice seeing him take on an army of goons using his wits. He hasn’t got the gadgets that Batman has, so it is rewarding to watch him hold his own in an action sequence. The downside of this story being cut short is that we never really got any more time with Falcone or the Penguin. I was hoping that they would get a few monologues out of their characters being mentioned again, maybe some more rationalisation with the wardens of Blackgate. I felt that would have been an interesting feature to have, but sadly the return of these two villains wasn’t so much of a return, but more of a prolonged cameo. On the plus side, there is a great twist to end this story, that I didn’t see coming. It adds a nice after-thought to the gang war saga that doesn’t bring too much to the plot, but adds a neat little layer of intelligence and development to the series.

Finally, Batgirl catches up with Falsario. This storyline suffers the most, as there is simply no time to do this one justice. I would have relished in Batgirl’s character a little more if I was writing this chapter. She is always threatening to break into her dark side and this fight would have been the ideal time for her to maybe go too far with the vigilante persona. As it stands, the sequence is cut drastically short, although it does add some more questions, which will keep Eternal on the watch list for comic-readers everywhere. I just hope that the ending development doesn’t mean that Batgirl’s arc has come to an end, as she was the most interesting sub-character of the lot.

And then there is one twist to end the comic. I don’t like it. A side character essentially adopts a superhero alter-ego and I didn’t see the point. I loved this character as a civilian, helpless against the corruption of Gotham. It was a new dynamic, yet now this character is yet another Robin knock-off. This storyline is now no different to the rest of Eternal. Not every character needs to be a superhero, yet the writers don’t seem to want to have a civilian develop without donning a costume at some point. I will be watching this side of Eternal with very judgemental eyes.

Quote of the Month:

Row: Go pluck yourself, Cobblepot.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

This time around we have the brilliant duo of John Lees and Iain Laurie, the talented creative team behind Comix Tribe’s new psychological thriller And Then Emily Was Gone. The story  is a dark horror-mystery that tells the story of Greg Hellinger, a man who sees monsters. A former detective driven to the brink of madness by terrifying apparitions, he is tasked with finding a missing girl called Emily. Hellinger’s search takes him to a remote community in the Orkney Islands, where strange and terrible things are happening…

The book itself had been making large waves at conventions throughout the country and is now available worldwide, and has been receiving rave reviews!

Me: Where did the idea/inspiration for And Then Emily Was Gone come from?

JOHN: I’d say that And Then Emily Was Gone is very much borne out of Iain Laurie and I getting together and thinking about what kind of comic we’d love to read.  I think that was very much the starting point: coming up with this idea we were sure no one but us would want to read, but to hell with it, we would love it!  And so it is a hodgepodge of influences taken from our shared loves: Twin Peaks and the work of David Lynch, Kill List, The League of Gentlemen, Hammer Horror, M.R. James, a bunch of other stuff.  And on my end, I was consciously writing what I hoped would be the ultimate Iain Laurie comic, with lots of riffs on some of the classic motifs that recur in his body of work.

Me: Where you both prepared for the level of critical acclaim the book has received, as every review I have read doesn’t drop below 9/10? Did you realise you were onto something special?

JOHN: I realised we were onto something special pretty early, pretty much as soon as Iain Laurie’s pages started popping up in my inbox.  And so, based just on the visuals, I felt the comic certainly deserved the kind of acclaim it’s getting now.  But even so, you never know if a book is going to connect with a wider audience, no matter how much you love it or how proud you are of it, so to see it being so highly praised and for that praise to be so widely circulated… yeah, it’s absolutely breathtaking, and incredibly gratifying.  It means a lot.

IAIN: I’m pretty blown away by it. I’ll be honest, I did this hoping we’d sell 50-60 copies to pals and maybe at some cons so all of this has been unexpected and really appreciated.

Me: Which artists/writers have influenced your creative styles the most and have any particular creators influenced the style/story of ATEWG?

JOHN: When thinking of the writers that have influenced me, the aforementioned David Lynch  and M.R. James immediately jump to mind.  Lynch’s films have this dream-like quality that I hoped to capture with And Then Emily Was Gone, and the ghost stories of M.R. James have this splendid knack for taking the horrific and melding it into the everyday that I hoped to emulate.  Other horror masters Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King certainly loom large too.  Thinking about comics in particular, Grant Morrison is a continued inspiration in how he pushes the boundaries of what comics as a storytelling medium can do.  And I’ll also give a nod to Scott Snyder for being a real maestro when it comes to generating blood-curdling dread on the comics page.

IAIN: So many for me..from comics Frank Quitely, Nick Pitarra, Rafael Grampa, Alan Davis, Ian Bertram, Paul Pope, Shaky Kane, Ken Reid and from other media people like Peter Howson, John Byrne, Edward Gorey, Ralph Steadman, Chris Morris, early Tim Burton. But the number one influence on everything I do is David Lynch. He’s my hero and everything I do is informed by his work.

Me: Just what is that sets And then Emily was gone apart from other psychological thrillers like Bedlam?

IAIN: I think the fact that it’s me and John. Our tastes and influences and way of thinking is what sets it apart I think.

JOHN: Yeah, there’s certainly a lot of me and Iain in this book.  On a similar note, I also feel the Scottish setting, and the fact we’re both Scottish creators, helps give it more of a unique vibe.  But more than that, we wanted to create something that felt different and somehow “off” from your average comic book, not just in the subject matter, but in the very way the book is put together: the aesthetic, the panel layouts, the choice of shots and the scene transitions.

Me: If you had to sum up ATEWG in one sentence, firstly could you and secondly, what would you say?

JOHN: I’ll take this one, since thankfully I’ve had a bit of practice at attempting this on the convention circuit.  Okay, here goes.  And Then Emily Was Gone is the story of a haunted police detective, plagued with horrific visions of monsters wherever he goes, whose search for a missing girl takes him to the Scottish Orkney Islands, where strange and terrifying things are happening!

Me: ATEWG is being released by up and coming publication house Comix Tribe, how did you come about working with them? Do you both have any advice for up and coming creators out there trying to get noticed?

JOHN: I already had a good relationship with ComixTribe through working with them on The Standard, so it felt like a natural choice to approach them with And Then Emily Was Gone.  As for what advice I’d give, like I touched on in the first question, I’d say  make the comics that you’d want to read.  Don’t make something that you think other people might like in hopes that you’ll one day get to tell the story you really want to tell.  That day may never come!  And you’ll have to spend a lot of time at conventions pitching this comic over and over, and if you’re trying to get noticed, you’ll have to sell this to publisher after publisher and editor after editor.  You better love that story.  Because if you don’t love it, and believe in it 100%, how can you expect anyone else to?  Tell the stories that you want to tell, now.

IAIN: The advice I’ll give is something Frank Quitely once said that I stand by- do your own thing that you’re driven to do and if you’re lucky and good, people will be drawn to it. And also be influenced by other people but try and find your own ways of doing things.

Me: What is your favourite aspect about making comics? Why comics over prose or gallery work?

IAIN: I’m really not sure..I was exposed to comics and films at a young age and i was pretty drawn to the idea of both of them, creatively. But film was a far away world whereas comics were accessible and you could make your own with felt pens and a drawing pad so I think that’s what got me started and stayed with me.

JOHN: I really enjoy the structure of writing for comics.  Thinking of how you’re going to shape your narrative into a limited number of panels on a limited number of pages, how you’re going to pace the story, play to the page turns.  I also love the collaborative process of working with an artist.  Where my words are filtered through an artist’s visuals, and the end result is this symbiotic combination of our two creative voices… then the colourist and the letterer bring a part of themselves into the mix as well.

Me: Things must be getting pretty hectic now following the release of #01, do you still get time to read comics and if so, which titles regularly appear on your pull list?

JOHN: I read so many comics.  Image Comics seems to occupy the bulk of my pull list at the moment: The Manhattan Projects, East of West, Saga, Sex Criminals, Chew, The Walking Dead, Five Ghosts, Drumhellar, Stray Bullets, Deadly Class, Southern Bastards, probably some other comics I’m forgetting.  Marvel is also really on a tear right now: Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic is shaping up to be possibly the greatest Thor saga ever told, while Loki: Agent of Asgard fills out the Asgardian end of the Marvel Universe nicely, and I’m really digging Marvel Cosmic at the moment, Guardians of the Galaxy, Legendary Star-Lord, and Rocket Raccoon by Skottie Young.  I’m still reading and enjoying Batman and Swamp Thing from DC, and Boom Studios are currently putting out some really interesting horror titles like The Woods and The Empty Man.

IAIN: My comic reading habits are the same as they were in my childhood so i tend to pick up stuff like Batman and The Avengers. Just comfort food comics. I read pretty much anything Jonathan Hickman or Grant Morrison do so I do love The Manhattan Projects and East Of West. I really like Jason Aaron’s Thor a lot.  Ghosted is good fun. Mostly I wait until stuff is recommended to me. I’m more proactive with films and TV than I am with comics.

Me: Can you let on as to what is still in store for Greg Hellinger and his search for Emily in future issues, and do the pair of you have plans to work on any other titles?

IAIN: Greg’s got some weird stuff coming up. He’s my favourite character so I’ve been concerned by what John’s been putting him through. Poor guy:) After Emily we’ve got quite a few half formed ideas and two really solid ones. But we’ll wait ’til we’re done with this before getting into them.

JOHN: I would happily work with Iain until the end of time, or until Iain gets sick of me!  As Iain says, we’ve talked over a few possible future projects, though there’s one in particular that I’m excited about and have already found myself thinking about quite a bit lately.  As for what lies in store for Hellinger, all I’ll say is that things are going to get a lot darker… and a whole lot weirder!

Me: Finally, a hypothetical question now. Hellinger is called in to investigate the mysterious goings on in Summerisle, as in the Wicker Man film. Would he end up like Edward Woodward or would he manage to escape that fate?

JOHN: I like this question!  Hellinger would fare a lot better than Edward Woodward, I think, as his unusual investigative insight would quickly alert him to the fact that something was up on Summerisle.

IAIN: That’s a great question. I think he’d survive it and I can’t tell you why because it would spoil stuff, but let’s say Greg’s got something up his sleeve that Edward Woodward didn’t. Stay tuned!

You can pick up Issue #1 of And Then Emily was Gone from Comixology here, delve into the minds of Iain and John on their Twitter accounts (Just click their names) and the comic’s own Facebook page here and finally, the guys have their own website for all things Emily here. This book is causing a stir and I highly recommend picking it up, especially if you are a fan of psychological horror stories!

Until Next time…

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

Thank you Gerry Duggan; this is what I’ve wanted to see in my main Batman title.

Batman #34 is a wonderful one issue story called ‘The Meek’ which is a welcome break from reading some really long story arcs. The plot is your standard find the murderer book, but instead of using copy-cat killers or any of the usual big names we get a nameless, disposable villain; which in my opinion does the book a lot of favours.

The book felt very ‘Black Mirror’ to me, especially in terms of tone, which is interesting as Scott Snyder is credited as co-writing the story to this issue. One observation I have made on Snyder’s work before is that he doesn’t write about Batman, he writes about Gotham and features Batman within the book, but I don’t think I can honestly say the same about this story.

I found that the art style of this book was also similar to that of ‘Black Mirror’ and both really fit the narrative of their stories. What I really like about the art in this book (by Matteo Scalera) and Black Mirror (Jock) is both artists can really build tension and atmosphere without making anything feel over the top. I also loved Scalera’s Batmobile, it seemed like a beautiful mixture of the Killing Joke Batmobile, the Tim Burton Batmobile and the Tumbler.

It has to be said that Batman doesn’t get the most ‘screen time’ this issue, but his dialogue and actions make him feel like a benevolent and vengeful guardian of Gotham, which to me makes him closer to the core of the character, rather than the anger filled Batman we’ve seen in the bigger story arcs. I actually found this issues Batman more in line with the Animated Series interpretation.

To focus more on the comparison to the Animated Series; when Batman ultimately apprehends the villain of the story he doesn’t just lock him in Arkham, he adds a twist to the punishment so the villain doesn’t get any ‘reward’ from his actions. Touches like that that made me fall in love with the animated series, and if Snyder can continue to produce good characterisation like this then I’m eagerly awaiting his newer issues.

Even though I am a reader of Batman Eternal, I found the two page spread at the start of the book a brilliant way to recap what had happened in the Batman world before and during the publishing of Zero Year; it wasn’t an overload of exposition and it felt natural to the events of the plot.

For anybody looking to get into the New 52 Batman titles without having to wade through back issues or pick up a bunch of trades I would certainly recommend this to you, and for anybody up to date on their Batman titles I would recommend this as a brilliant story of Batman being Batman.

For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989

Out of all of the upcoming Harley Quinn issues previewed online, this was the one that I was a little unsure about. The brief summary tells us that Harley Quinn will be covering as a burlesque dancer at a bar. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes; I love Harley Quinn, but I really didn’t want to see the writers try and use the comic to act out their Harley Quinn skin suit fantasies.

The first part of this issue plays out exactly like that. Harley is getting ready for a show and we already see her half-nude, essentially becoming the male fantasy for the night. She goes on stage, takes off most of her clothes and kisses another woman. In fact, she nearly rips the clothes off of her co-dancer (who was already pretty scantily-clad), in one frame. It is all a little too voyeuristic for me. It is clear that the male readers are meant to be sitting back and enjoying some Harley skin, but it doesn’t sit right with me. There is nothing wrong with being attracted to Harley Quinn, but there is something degrading about seeing the actual character reduced to some eye candy. This series was doing so well at giving us a strong Harley figure, but this has just taken the ‘sexy’ trait to the character too far. For me, this does not work and is not something I want to see in future issues.

Thankfully, the burlesque club is actually little more than a narrative device to get the real story rolling. Harley, in a punch-up in the burlesque club, gets knocked out and taken hostage by a police officer. Or at least, she thinks he is a police officer. It turns out that he is an obsessive stalker that wants to lock Harley into a cage, until she falls in love with him. Of course, Harley Quinn has a way of making the madcap, even madder, so it isn’t long before she is treating the cage like a throne and having her hostage-taker run errands around town. This was a really funny scene and showed Harley in a position of power. If I was to pick hairs here, I would have to mention that this story still revolves around how hot Harley is. The writers try to cram in as many euphemisms for ‘ass’ that they can. I don’t mind this form of sexual innuendo in the comics, as here it degrades the men in the story, rather than Harley, but seeing as it does closely follow the burlesque scene, it feels like a small improvement, rather than winning me back over.

Thankfully, Harley Quinn is never anything less than laugh out loud. It always has a joke just around the corner to keep me entertained. Sure, the burlesque scene annoyed me, but the hipsters in the crowd were worth a chuckle. The hamster still has a bullet hole taken out of him from a while back. The endless Staten Island jokes. It was hilarious to watch Harley break down the Miranda rights in such a funny fashion. The gags keep hitting the mark so well, how can I truly write this comic off. Harley Quinn is a tough character to write for and no matter how good previous issues have been, we must respect that this is always a tricky challenge. This is one particular issue where the writing lost its way, yet the jokes kept it on a steady enough course to avoid total failure.

And one interesting note: the first page introduces a new over-arching storyline. One of Harley’s tenants has a son in prison and has a plan to spring him out that involves Harley. Just a taste of what’s to come, but it helps keep us riveted.

Quote of the Issue:

Hipster 1: I’m going to titter how dismayed I am to all of my followers.

Hipster 2: Me too! I’ll insta-slam the ass off this place.

First things first: best title ever.

And now onto the rest of the comic. This was quite a jam-packed issue, but in the right way. It cleverly picks up three stories that each have something different to offer. Batman carries on from last issue, tracking down the mysterious kidnappers in the sewers, teamed up with Killer Croc and Bard. It is nice to see these three great characters, even if they do little more than lurk around and look awesome (the artwork for Croc is terrific). Then we have a brand new plot-line with Jim Gordon. Falcone and Penguin are continuing their gang war from inside Blackgate Prison and Gordon finds himself in the position where only he stands between the convicts and the lives of several prison guards, taken as hostages. It is a triumphant return for an important, yet sometimes overlooked character. Finally, all chaos breaks out, when Batgirl, Red Hood and Batwoman take on Falsario, one of the biggest leads we have been given yet.

The pacing works, because we have a beginning of a plot-line, the middle of a plot-line and then, a massive punch-up. We need to get through the opening exposition of Gordon’s new story arc and we also need to progress with Batman’s descent into Arkham, but the writers understand that this should never sacrifice fun. The truth is, none of the readers overly mind the slow exploration of Batman Eternal, but we just need some action to spice things up a bit. Therefore, when we are given a great fight between a brain-washed Batgirl, a slave to her anger, and Red Hood, we don’t mind breaking away occasionally to spend long scenes with little more than exposition. We never hated any of the story-building or scene setting; we just needed something a little more to make picking up a certain issue worth it.

But best of all, I am barely able to wait for the next issue. This Blackgate prison riot is a side of the Batman universe that I love, especially if we don’t have Batman to help save the day, but need to rely on a cop, who has had his hands behind his back from the very start of this series. The cliff-hanger is pretty epic and I hope it promises another great punch-up next time around. One without the supernatural illusion tricks that made the last Batwing finale a little mediocre. And while the action was certainly more hyped than usual, the Batgirl investigation isn’t over. She still has to track Falsario down, who is an interesting figure, as he does have the powers to make Gordon think he saw a gun on that subway station. Despite that arc being up and down, I think that is the advantage it has over every other plot-line: it brings the mystery right back to Issue #1, grounding this massive serial of a Bat-story.

Quote of the Issue:

Red Hood: Me, I only remember what’s important. Like the day I met Batgirl.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

We have writer/artist Zak Simmonds-Hurn in the spotlight this week, he is the sole creator of his own series Monstrosity, which has issues #1 & #2 out already and he is a regular contributor to The Phoenix, an all ages comic which was recently featured in a Guardian article entitled ‘The Phoenix: The best kids’ comic in ages’, where it was proclaimed as “a phenomenon: a beautiful, enjoyably silly story magazine for girls and boys”. Zak does work on the Simon Swift and Sky Drifters segments!

Me: Where did the idea/inspiration for Monstrosity come from?

Zak: To begin with it was inspired by a strong love of action manga and Videogames and wanting to create a really dynamic, action-packed comic full of cool monsters and fighting- something that had the same impact as the battles in God of War or Bayonetta.

It evolved a lot though- Monstrosity still has plenty of action, but the focus in the finished comic is definitely mostly on the characters and story; if you don’t care about what happens to the character then even a great action scene is ultimately meaningless.

Me: What sets Monstrosity apart from other Anime style comics?

Zak: I think that despite there being some design elements that may be familiar to anime and manga fans, my approach to storytelling in Monstrosity is probably more westernised. I grew up reading British and American comics from a very young age, and although I was first exposed to manga when I was about seven I didn’t start reading any myself until Viz released Dragonball in English eight years later.

Monstrosity is a hybrid of many influences from around the world, but I’d like to think that when people read it it just feels like its own unique thing, rather than a weird amalgam.

Me: If you could sell Monstrosity in one sentence, what would it be?

Zak: Monstrosity is an action-adventure comic about a man who is given demonic powers which he will be slain for possessing, unless he can learn to master them for himself.

Me: Which artists and writers have most influenced you in bringing Monstrosity to life?

Zak: For me it all started with Sonic The Comic in the early 90′s. The creators really gave their all to produce a fantastic comic and, aged 7, it made me want to be able to do what they did for a living one day! So that would be Nigel Kitching, Richard Elson, Nigel Dobbyn and Lew Stringer to name just a few.

Since then, other influences include Mike Parobeck and Rick Burchett’s Batman Adventures work, Joe Mad’s Battle Chasers stuff, Juanjo Guarnido, Eiichiro Oda, classic Disney animation and anything by Katsuhiro Otomo!

There are loads more but it would take forever to list them all!

Me: One of your stories, Simon Swift, appears in The Phoenix, a comic which The Guardian recently did a great piece about, calling it the best kids comic around. How did that come about?

Zak: I worked on The Phoenix’s predecessor, The DFC, quite a few years back.

Robin Etherington and I did a series of short tales for it titled The Strange, Strange World of Weird! It was sort of like a kids version of the Twilight Zone, but with a very wacky sense of humour!

When The Phoenix started up they got in touch and asked me if I had any ideas I’d like to pitch to them. After a couple of rejected pitches they accepted my idea ‘Sky Drifters’, a story about a Puffin called Tod who pilots a flying cloud and gets separated from his people. After that, the Editor Will put me in touch with Tom Fickling who had written a fantasy adventure tale called Simon Swift, they asked if it sounded like something I’d be keen on drawing and it absolutely was!

Me: Do you still have time to read comics? And what comics regularly appear on your pull list?

Zak: Whilst time can be pretty tight sometimes, I just can’t resist reading comics.

First off, I’m obsessed with One Piece; when it’s at its best I think it’s the best comic around. I’m also really glad that Berserk seems to have started up again, that is an unbelievably great series, it’s just a shame it comes out so slowly!

Obviously The Phoenix has loads of amazing work every week; I’ve really been enjoying Neill Cameron and Kate Brown’s Tamsin and the Deep.

I started reading Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman run recently and have been blown away- also Tradd Moore on All New Ghost Rider and Stuart Immonen on All New X-Men are ridiculously impressive too.

Image are releasing tons of amazing books at the moment, Saga, Lazarus, Walking Dead- there are so many great series out right now. In fact I think the comics scene is the most vibrant it’s ever been!

Me: What can we expect in the future from Monstrosity and from yourself?

Zak: Well, in issue 3, Daigo will have to find a way out of his current, very tricky, situation; but soon enough he’s going to have to come face to face with the Demon Trolle Vengus, who for some reason believes he has history with Daigo. We’ll also learn much more about the Ninja clan and the history of the city, all things which will change how Daigo sees the world forever!

I’m currently working on both Monstrosity issue 3 and a brand new Sky Drifters tale for The Phoenix- I think it’s Tod’s most exciting adventure yet- lots of twists and turns to look forward to! Also Tom is writing the next series of Simon Swift at the moment, so expect more of that in several months’ time.

I’m also working on sketches for something else that it’s probably too early to talk about at the moment, but I think it’ll be really exciting- watch this space!

Me: What’s your favourite aspect of making comics?

Zak: It always used to be drawing, but now it’s harder to pin down for me. It sounds a bit vague but I think it’s the thrill of creating something.

Inventing characters and worlds and weaving a story that brings them to life on the page is a very potent thrill and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do it every day.

Me: Hypothetical now, who would win in a seaside boxing machine contest: Goku or Daigo Bezalel?

Zak: I think they would both break the machine!

If it came down to an arm-wrestle then Goku would have to win though. Daigo’s demon-powered form is tough, but Goku makes even Superman look weak, so I think there’s no shame conceding defeat to him!

You can catch Zak on twitter here, he has his own website packed chockablock with goodies here and he’ll be selling Monstrosity at the following conventions this year: Comica Comiket (16th August), N.I.C.E. (13th-14th September) and Thought Bubble (15th-16th November), so make sure to head out and say hi!

Until next time…

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

This was a much stronger effort from Batman Eternal, mainly because we finally got to see Batman be Batman for an extended time. The issue is split fairly between Batgirl’s investigations in Brazil, as she teams up with Red Hood and Batwoman (why did Batgirl and Batwoman have to be sent on the same adventure? This is far too confusing for novices like myself!), and then Batman’s pairing with Bard. There is also a nice sprinkling of Jim Gordon, a character we must not forget is at the heart of this entire saga.

It is good to see Bard back in good guy duties. As much as I liked his darker tone in the last few issues, I don’t want him to become a villain. I prefer him as one of the good guys, just someone who is willing to go down a slightly darker route than Batman. Here, he is thrown out of his league, as he takes on one of the more infamous figures in the Batman rogue gallery, the Killer Croc. It is a nice position to have Bard in, because at the end of the day, he is your typical police officer, way out of his league. This issue reflected that nicely, especially when contrasted with Batman’s cool and steady demeanour of going about things. It is great to see Batman get reintroduced to his own story, especially when pitted against Croc. As much as I like discovering less known Batman villains like Deacon Blackfire and the Joker’s Daughter, it is nice to have an issue grounded with a more prominent villain. Killer Croc ticks that box excellently, fantastic in every frame he is in. Croc is interesting throughout the entire arc and as the writers point out in one ghostly frame, he is no longer the scariest thing lurking in the Gotham sewers.

The Batgirl storyline has been dragging its feet for some time. I liked Batgirl’s arc, because unlike a lot of the Robins that have been shoe-horned into the plot, she has a genuine reason to be involved with Eternal. However, despite the interesting premise, the storyline hasn’t really gone anywhere. One issue went for comedy over drama, while there hasn’t been a strong enough villain for Batgirl to face off against. She is paired with two characters that I don’t care much for. Red Hood is intriguing, but hardly someone I am clamouring to find out more about, while Batwoman hasn’t shown any personality as of yet. Her appearance feels like it is referencing her as an ongoing figure in the Batman universe, rather than giving her anything worthwhile to do. However, the issue does make me think twice about condemning this strand of plot. The issue ends with Red Hood reflecting on Batgirl, juxtaposed with frames of her beating up a bunch of goons. It is a terrific sequence and a great read.

Then we have Jim Gordon. His storyline doesn’t really progress, but it does offer up some nice details. We see a glimpse of Falcone, which is a nice touch. I don’t like it when villains are defeated and then written out of the plot. Eternal has been good with that, as evidenced by Professor Pyg. This issue is great with the small touches and I think that is what takes a comic book from good to great.

Quote of the Issue:

Bard (about Batman): Does he always talk to himself like that?

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

This time around we have the double pronged attack of Slorance and Bell or Slorabell! It’s everyone’s favourite Dungeoneers Neil Slorance and Colin Bell, co-creators of the magnificent all ages comic Dungeon Fun, not a self help guide to creating a BDSM lair, but an action/adventure comic in the vein of Zelda! Voted 61st best comic of 2013 by CBR and recently sweeping the board at the Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards, it is a genuinely funny piece of work that everyone can enjoy and should be thrust in front of every school child in the UK!

Neil and Colin’s Dungeon Fun #1 was launched at Thoughtbubble 2013 and #2 is out now! So let’s get down to the nitty gritty!

ME:  First off, congratulations on winning all the SICBA awards (as I am aware you guys wiped the slate!) Also, congratulations on being named the 61st best comic of 2013 and ALL the other accolades you’ve both been garnering! How have things been for the pair of you?

Neil: Great, the attention’s been a bit unbelievable. It’s still sinking in that we won 4 SICBAs and the response from Dungeon Fun 2′s been great.

Colin: Thanks! Things are pretty, pretty good.

Me: So, Dungeon Fun #2 is now out! For new readers, can you explain what sets Dungeon Fun apart from comics like Adventure Time, Regular Show and other all ages comics?

Neil: It’s a different sense of humour for sure. It definitely has a more british feel to it a bit like Monty Python and it’s also one big story as opposed to a one-story-per-episode kind of thing.

Colin: It’s the only comic with that trademark “Slorabell Feeling”, and it comes out far less often.

Me: If you were asked to sell Dungeon Fun in one sentence, what would that sentence be?

Neil: It’s all ages fantasy fun and I think it’s great so you should read it.

Colin: BUY THIS COMIC OR NEIL CAN’T EAT *points to Neil making hungry face*

Me: Where did the inspiration for Dungeon Fun come from, both in writing and art style, and who were the biggest influences on your styles?

Colin: The inspiration really came from the intitial sketch Neil drew, and then it all just spilled from there. Influence wise, I’m going to say Billy the Fish, Bone, Comedy Bang Bang… I’ve been listening to a lot of Welcome To Night Vale lately so I’m keen to see if that affects issue three at all.

Neil: From the art side of things I’ve always been influenced by adventure games like Zelda, anything to do with dungeon crawling, swords and chests is right up my street. Fun’s design was influenced a lot by Wind Waker.

Me: What with all the awards, conventions, interviews and of course making comics, do the pair of you still get time to read comics and if you do, which comics are a regular appearer on your pull lists?

Colin: I’m still hanging in there, barely. Locke and Key’s finished, but it was amazing. I pick up Daredevil because I’ve been picking up Daredevil forever – luckily it’s been pretty great for the past few years now. I’m still getting Invincible because Ryan Ottley, and when it’s in its prime there’s nothing close to it. Also Michel Fiffe’s incredible COPRA. True story: The first print of Dungeon Fun Book One were all hand numbered because I saw Michel Fiffe do it on the first issue of COPRA. It is to date the stupidest and most time-consuming decision I ever made.

Neil: I’ve fallen back a bit with the weekly wednesday comics, the last I got was the new Amazing-Spiderman about 2 weeks ago and I still haven’t read it. I do buy a lot of indie and small press though, it’s a lot easier to keep up with since it’s mostly all self contained and I tend to enjoy the stories more.

Me:  What’s your favourite aspect of making comics? What drives you to keep doing it?

Neil: I just love seeing a page come together, especially at the final stages when the colours are going in it almost feels like it’s coming to life. I also love hearing from kids and stuff, the other day I saw a girl dressed up as Fun and it just made my day to see my work had an impact like that.

Colin: It’s just the little things, you know? Once every so often I get to see a book I made sit on the new release shelf of the comic shop I’ve been going to since I was a lad. Or when the boxes of comics arrive and you take one out, and it’s yours – an idea once in your head has taken form in this tangible wee book. Or any time a kid asks “when’s the next one coming out?”. That’s just the best.

Me:  What do you in store for readers for future issues of Dungeon Fun? Do the pair of you have plans to work on any other projects together? Also, Neil, do you have any plans for sequels to The Amateur Astronomers Journal or any new travelogues in the works?

Neil: We’re going to keep on with Dungeon Fun for sure and hopefully have a pop at more all ages comics. I’m going to finish my 3rd travelogue in the next month or so which will wrap up the whole story then after that I have a few ideas for what I can do next year. A lot of these ideas involve tortoises.

Colin: Yep, plenty more Dungeon Fun. What do we have in store? DUNGEONHAM. I’ve said too much! I think we’d definitely like to do some more comics together, I’ve got a couple of pitches for some other stuff in the works as well.

Me: Tell us about your publishing house Dogooder Comics! What can we expect to see being released in the future?

Colin: Dogooder Comics is a boutique small-press publisher dedicated to bringing entertaining and interesting comics to the wooooooorld! Right now we’re concentrating on Dungeon Fun and Owen Michael Johnson’s fantastic REEL LOVE, but I would be surprised if we didn’t have a couple of new books ready for Thought Bubble. Stay tuned!

Me: Finally, Hypothetical question now. If Finn & Jake from Adventure, the My Little Pony gang, Mordecal & Rigby and Fun had a mudman making contest… who would win?

Neil: Well Jake has those wacky stretchy arms, I think he’d be the best but I’d guess Fun would chop it down just cos.

Colin: The fans! The fans would win. Always the fans.

For all your Dungeon Fun needs, check out dogoodercomics.co.uk to order both issues and also to check out Reel Love. You can follow Colin’s twitter exploits here and Neil’s dungeon crawling adventures here. They also have a Dogooder facebook page which you can check out here and Neil has his own here.

Until next time.

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

This week, Harley Quinn backs away from story-telling and returns to its usual nonsense self. The issue pretty much just has a few sketches of Harley getting up to mischief. While it is a little disheartening that little happens here, it still provides enough laughs to keep us invested in the story.

First Harley takes on some thieves who break into a pawn shop, which she is selling some jewellery stolen from a dead victim in one of the previous issues. This is the best of the bunch, as it features that sort of humour I like from Harley Quinn. She is a deadly killer and this series lets us have a rare glimpse into the funny side of that. The scene where she gives her target a chance of convincing her to show mercy is hilarious and everything I want from this comic. It also features some pretty nifty dialogue. Sometimes Harley’s dialogue is a little poor (hell, later in this very issue, she is given some doozies). She is a bizarre mix of childlike, sexually active and homicidal and occasionally that clash of different personalities does not work. It takes a good writer to blend them well enough to entertain the reader, so when it is managed, it deserves some form of celebration.

Then there is the tying up of the roller-skating club. I like that this strand of plot isn’t forgotten, but I will be glad to see the back of it. The joke is always the same: it is a violent sport, but Harley takes it to the next level. Here, she is given a worthy opponent, Big Bertha, and the two fight on the pitch. It is a fun moment and the madcap style of humour we expect from Harley Quinn. However, the story never progresses in these scenes. At least with the other sketches here, little details build up the bigger picture, but the sport scenes are a simple distraction. Fun, but I don’t need them. The writers give the sports team a good farewell scene and I hope the mysterious ‘skate club’ provides better jokes and more chances for future plot points.

Finally, we get some good old toilet humour. Harley invents a catapult for her block of apartments to deal with all of the animal poop that her large array of pets have built up. I hate toilet humour usually and poop as a joke device seems immature and tired. But god, some frames are gloriously hilarious. It does make sense that Harley would first shirk poop-cleaning duties and when confronted by the other lodgers, she would jump to a childish and immature method of disposing of the faeces. What follows might come across as distasteful, but it suits the tone the previous issues have set and, admittedly, works here. We also get one of the best kills of the series so far, which is always becoming a harder category to top.

Quote of the Issue:

Female Lodger: I am so glad I am on her good side.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Last issue, Deacon Blackfire was revealed to be the master behind the strange going-ons at Arkham and this issue handles his further invasion of Gotham. Jim Corrigan and Batwing try to fend off the first wave of his minions from the deep, but with the Joker’s Daughter and the endless numbers pressing against them, they are really struggling against the odds. Also, in other news, Bluebird and the Red Robin confront the man behind the nano-technology, always pushing closer to discovering if Jim Gordon really did hallucinate the gun in the man’s hand.

This issue is little more than atmosphere-building. Looking back through the pages on a second read confirms that not a lot actually happens here. We are still underneath Arkham, Deacon Blackfire is still bringing his minions together for an attack on Gotham and everyone is still in danger. We could argue that Issue #17 brings little to the table in terms of story. Bizarrely, I didn’t mind this as much as I minded the last few issues of Batman Eternal. Mainly, this is because its goals as a comic were very clear. We were meant to put down this comic, mind blown and wondering how anyone is meant to take on the power of Deacon Blackfire. The comic achieved that goal very well. The last page is eerie and creepy. We have no idea what is going on with the supernatural throwing us all out of our comfort zone. We are lost and this means that we are also part of the nightmare. The supernatural also gives artist of the week, Dustin Nguyen, several opportunities to show off his artistic skills.

I enjoyed breaking away from the story to see Blackfire’s origins. This was clever because of two things. One – I know nothing about Blackfire, but I left this issue moderately up to speed with the man. While we didn’t get to cover how he got his supernatural powers, we left understanding his motives, and for me, that is far more important. Besides, writers have a tough job of getting newcomers, like me, up to date with the canon, without boring the veteran readers with details they have already heard hundreds of times before. Batman Eternal, on this occasion, handled exposition well. The other good thing about Blackfire’s origins was that it gave us some time with the actual Batman rather than his crew. Not enough Batman for me, but he gets a cool moment, it has a pretty neat bit of misdirection and I left this comic, feeling as though I read a Batman comic, rather than a Robin comic. Good job, in my books.

Quote of the Issue

Batwing: I’m supposed to accept the supernatural. I accept it, okay? And now I’m going to kick its ass!

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Click HERE to listen to the Inter-Comics podcast – Episode #051

This week, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Batman!

Jack and Dan are joined by Mathew Wilmot and the Inter-Comics Batman expert, Chris Fenn to discuss the news, reviews and their favourite stories about the Dark Knight.

Stay tuned until the end for some musical treats and clips from our previous guests, all about the Caped Crusader!

Click HERE to listen to the Inter-Comics podcast – Episode #051

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