Old Man Logan #16

Old Man Logan #16

Written By: Jeff Lemire

Drawn by Sorrentino

We're back to Old Man Logan once again! In Old Man Logan our hero is transported from a horrific future where his family is dead and he is guilty of butchering the X-Men under the malign influence of Mysterio.

The setting is like Stephen King’s Dark Tower, not just that one of the key settings is The Wasteland, a desolate terrain in a future where the bad guys have won. The hero is the same as well, reluctant, sometimes starved and dehydrated, disoriented. Logan has journeyed from the Wasteland to somehow end up back on Earth as we know it in the Marvel Universe. This is a Logan where the wires are more exposed than ever. The claws are quick problem solvers, like they were in the aftermath of the Weapon X Program. When it’s fighting time he doesn’t talk as much, it’s like he’s decided at this late stage that death is inevitable. For everyone else.

In this issue Logan is back in the Wastelands, somehow transported back from our Earth in events he can’t recall clearly.

The art is incredible. I quit Old Man Logan for a couple of issues when they got Filipe Andrade to pencil some issues (#14-#15) but now Sorrentino is back. He gets a huge amount of emotion from his facial expressions and contrasting scenes, helped by the fact that Logan is one of the most ‘real’ superheroes, despite overexposure to the movie industry and a legion of comic books left the character vulnerable to typecasting and not being relevant any more but Old Man Logan is possibly my favourite rendition of Wolverine since Weapon X.

The colouring of the book is on par with the sketching and evolves over the course of the first 10 issues moving from harsh contrasting colours to pastel shades later on. Jeff Lemire is writing other X-Titles but this seems to be the Marvel title where everything gels just perfectly throughout.

Often switching between worlds (or planes of existence, take your pick) is hard to pull off but Old Man Logan has been doing it for over a dozen issues. The book is consistently good (as long as they don’t go changing artist again…) and I can’t recommend enough. Start with Old Man Logan Vol. 1 - Berserker, out on paperback already. This should give you a good taste. But in my opinion a good comic can only ever stand up to someone being able to get into it based on reading a random issue. If the writing and art speaks to you you’re onto a winner so maybe just grab #16, out this week.

Batman #13 and #14

Batman #13 and #14

In issue #13 of this acclaimed Tom King series the ‘I am Suicide’ story continues (#12 was a corker also).

Bats finally defeats the psycho-pirate and subdues Bane with the help from Catwoman and the Ventriloquist. At the end of the issue Bats tells Bane that he doesn’t have to come and find the monster etc. and that he’s not necessarily a completely bad guy but in typical fashion the issue closes with Bane calling for lots and lots of venom to turn himself into a psycho again. This leads nicely into the next Batman storyline where Bane comes back to kick some Bat-butt, starting in Batman #16 on sale February 1st.

#14 opens with a very sexy make-out scene between the Cat and the Bat. Bats tells her she has to go to prison because she’s killed an awful lot of people (237 to be exact, along with one broken Bat-heart). She won’t get the death penalty but gets life instead and it’s in Blackgate not Arkham so that’s a bonus I guess.

Catwoman wants one last night before being locked away for good and so she and the Bat roam the city rooftops fighting two-bit criminals. The night ends in a romantic farewell between the two and after next issue Catwoman will be locked up.

Batman #14 is out this week.

Superman #14

Superman #14

Superman #14 sees the start of a new story, Multiplicity!

In this story a Russian-speaking Superman appears in front of our Superman driving his truck. He’s bloodied and running from people called the Gatherers who seem all-obsessed with consuming living breathing Supermen. As it turns out these Supermen that they want are all across the Multiverse but our Superman is not on the list, I’m guessing because he is from the events in Convergence and not originally part of this Earth.

Superman is written by Joe Tomasi, a writer who got me into DC in the first place when he wrote some New 52 Detective Comics. I like his storytelling and the character they’ve given him (Dan Jurgens Superman) and will probably always have time for him especially with the upcoming Supersons title in February.

But this issue of Superman ends with a bunny wearing a cape held on by little carrots.

And that’s pretty much all you need to know, give it a miss but definitely pick this title up in future or try to collected editions!

Detective Comics #946

Detective Comics #946

(slightly behind due to New Year hangover)

Easily my favourite of the Rebirth era so far, the story in Detective is gripping and attractive to probably any DC fan new and old.

Over the Christmas/New Year period we had #946 ( God I love the return to old numbering…) and #947. The issues are standalone from Batman/Batgirl, etc. and are an excellent read. Scott Tynion IV has delivered on previous Batman titles like Batman Eternal and he suits the Dark Knight very well. It’s a comic that has not let me down once and will go down as one of the best of Rebirth due to its gritty art, hard story-telling and consistency.

Issue #946 sees the continuation of the Victim Syndicate storyline where Batman’s first ‘victims’ (who are not criminals, see?) take offence at having their lives ruined by the caped crusader. At the start of the issue we see a character who left us after he sacrificed himself to save the rest of the team: Bruce and Tim are in the old Wayne Tower looking forward to the possibilities the new project could bring, the new project is of course Batman and Batwoman’s team that they put together in this run of Detective.

There is an excellent image on the second page showing a throwback to the night Tim died, a vast panorama of broken glass and Gotham, Wayne Tower in ruins, an airship and the sky filled with danger. It looks dystopian with all the lighting and two vigilant capes ready for action.

Tim talks to Batman of another way forward, a way of trusting other people to help him on his quest to make Gotham the city it should be. The juxtaposition is excellent. Tim tore Bruce apart when he died a few months ago but in this scene he is telling him the benefits of opening himself up to trust. One can easily imagine after being hurt so badly Bruce just doesn’t want to trust anything ever again.

The issue ties in nicely with Batman #12 also, part of the ‘I am Suicide’ storyline in which Tom King examines Bruce’s reason for donning the cowl in an excellent issue-long monologue.

As I’ve said any time someone is unlucky enough to ask me about this run of Detective Comics, this is an excellent book, consistently #1 or #2 of DC’s Rebirth line and long may it continue.

If you're not reading it you really should give it a chance, pick up the TPB versions of this run, the first of which is coming out 14th February of this year.

Hulk #1

Hulk #1

Jennifer Walters, formerly She-Hulk...now just Hulk (because Hulk is dead remember) is a female lawyer type recovering from her Civil War II comatose (aren’t we all?!). She just called Hulk now because her cousin, the Hulk, is dead. Clint Barton killed him. Yes that Clint Barton. We start to see the fallout of Civil War II now in these titles. She-Hulk was comatose by Thanos when fighting him and by the time she woke up Bruce Banner had been killed.

Jennifer is going through something we’ve all had to face in our lives. That horribly awkward first day at work. As awkward as it is there is some instant comic relief after she makes it through the gaggle of co-workers.

The issue has Jennifer meeting her new clients at her new law firm and getting on with life after the death of Bruce but it will delve a little deeper into the psyche of recovery and psychology from the looks of it.

The series is written by Mariko Tamaki. Who is Mariko Tamaki I hear you asking, well hang on and let me Google it for you. She is a graphic novelist (thanks Wikipedia) and apart from working on one other project (Supergirl: Being Super) she has not worked in mainstream comics before.

I think it’s really great and definitely not completely hypocritical that Marvel and DC have brought in more female writers in order to write female-only stories.

Definitely great.

Not hypocritical.

Issue #1 was very enjoyable with an absolutely creeper of an ending.

Issue #2 is out on the 25th of January.

Hawkeye #1

Hawkeye #1

How many times can they release a Hawkeye #1 you ask? Well Marvel have another rung to add to that ladder. This time our Hawkeye is the Kate Bishop version. From Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye (aka Hawk-Guy, try to keep up, please) you’ll remember Kate as being the competent one when compared to Clint Barton (and Lucky of course, who could forget Lucky!).

In this first issue (penned by Kelly Thompson[this her first Marvel series from issue #1 I believe], art by Romero) Hawkeye is in beautiful California tailing a hot surfer gentleman by the name of “Brad” when she comes across a bothersome bank robbery. Being a total heroine she foils the robbery with sass (and trick arrows) and goes about her day after losing track of Brad.

In this first issue we’re introduced to Ramone, the not-as-clutsy-as-Hawkeye surf shop owner in Venice Beach. Ramone does what any good friend does upon first meeting, she makes fun of Kate’s crappy drawing the tells her to move her car. I’m 99.95% sure that Ramone will show up again...

Next we meet our first victim, I mean client, of the Kate Bishop. Hawkeye. PI Agency. Thing. Her name is Mikka and she is facing online harassment. Well Mikka, welcome to the internet, a more villainous hive of scum and villainy you will not find in this galaxy. Kate does some investigating and finds the culprit, job well done! But all is not quite as it seems… issue #2 is out this week in your friendly local comic store.

This Week's Comics 4th Jan 2016

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back!

What comics catch my eye this week? Well I'm still catching up on the Christmas reading fest that Marvel and DC have delivered to us (with a sprinkling of Rogue One).

If you're going into Forbidden Planet Dublin (my friendly local comic store) then they will have the releases by Thursday instead of Wednesday due to New Year's scheduling. Other stores may have been effected by the same thing.

IDW CEO Ted Adams explained this week what made 2016 the best year in IDW's history. It's hard to disagree with him, they have a plethora of popular titles (I've been reading IDW's Judge Dredd since their first volume came out last year). The company also had its first taste of tv series in 2016, offering something to a market completely dominated by DC and to a lesser extent Marvel. The current IDW offerings span so many different product licences it can be hard to keep track of. They publish Star Trek, GI Joe, Mickey Mouse, Transformers and Powerpuff Girls as well as others currently. Even though the company's market valuation is nearing 300 million dollars they aren't afraid of using Kickstarter to start projects and gauge interest. 

For now, IDW is still behind the 'Big 3' of comic book publishing (DC, Marvel, Image). Ted Adams views the comic aspect of IDW as the minority part of the company and his focus will likely be devoted to developing their TV offerings further.

Onto the releases, Old Man Logan is up to issue 16 and it will be my last to read. They recently moved Sorrentino off the project and his work coupled perfectly with Lemire's writing. It's a nuisance but maybe Marvel don't see the longevity in the title and don't mind moving him to something else.

USAvengers is out with an absurd amount of variants, thanks for taking the piss Marvel. Unstoppable Wasp could be interesting and I'm sure I'll find another soft spot for a Howard the Duck/Deadpool crossover.

As for DC, they could literally not put a foot wrong in my opinion. Peter J. Tomasi (my favourite writer from the New 52 Detective run) is doing a stellar job on Superman. This new Superman is adjusting the life on Earth again (ties in with Action Comics but is essentially standalone) and focuses on life as a father and Lois' career too. Along with Batman this is my pick of Rebirth titles. As for Batman...Tom King is doing a wonderful job writing the most over-written character in history (maybe Spider-Man deserves that accolade...). The 'I Am Suicide' arc is finishing now with the epilogue this week. The TPB should be out covering these new Rebirth titles around now. Give them a shot to see which writer piques your interest.

That's all for this week, let me know which titles you've enjoyed in 2016 and what you're looking forward to in 2017!

Joe.0's Picks:

Marvel Releases:

Deadpool the Duck #1

Haweye #2

Old Man Logan #16

U.S.Avengers #1

DC Releases:

Aquaman #14

Batman #14

Cyborg #8

Green Lanterns #14

Harley Quinn #11

Nightwing #12

Superman #14

Image:

Sage #41

Wicked + The Devine #25

Walking Dead #162