Devil’s Reign: X-Men #3 (of 3)
(W) Gerry Duggan (A/CA) Phil Noto
RATED T+
In Shops: Mar 23, 2022
SRP: $3.99
KING TAKES QUEEN!
Emma Frost has taken on many opponents as the White Queen, but this time, she may have bitten off more than she can chew. As Kingpin’s plans unfold, forget Krakoa – can Emma even protect herself?
Devil’s Reign: Villains for Hire #3
(W) Clay McLeod Chapman (A) Manuel Garcia (CA) Skan
22 PGS./RATED T+
In Shops: Mar 23, 2022
SRP: $3.99
As Wilson Fisk’s city descends into all-out chaos, the Thunderbolts are the only law left on the streets! But some of these ‘Bolts are only interested in serving and protecting themselves, and where others see chaos and fear, they see OPPORTUNITY! CASH TO BE MADE! SKULLS TO BE CRACKED!
When I was in the military we ran combat scenarios where we are trained for every possibility. There are times when those scenarios actually play out in real life. We rarely think that what we trained for we would actually use. That is usually the beauty of muscle memory when we actually get to the situation, it all kicks in.
One of those scenarios that we train for is what happens when someone gets you in a “killbox”. That’s the military definition of having your backs against the wall. When you’re surrounded by enemies survival is truly minute to minute. In Devil’s Reign: Moon Knight, we find our titular character jailed by villains and surrounded mostly by the men he put in jail.
Kingpin is Mayor and he has been jailing masked vigilantes which now includes Moon Knight, and is imprisoned in the Myrmidon, the private prison for super criminals. As he begins his tenure, he surveys the jail to see who really is in charge and who is an immediate threat, as he first looks for a fight right away. Eventually, he gets into the illegal jail fights organized by the guards, facing new and old foes, eviscerating each of them effortlessly. As he fights his way to the top competitor, who gives him his toughest match. By the issue’s end, we see that it was Marc’s plan all along, as he was there to right a wrong.
Overall, Devil’s Reign: Moon Knight #1 is an action packed issue that shows why Marc Spector is so terrifying. The story by MacKay is astounding. The art by the creative team is amazing. Altogether, this book will get fans excited for his Disney+ debut.
Story: Jed MacKay Art: Federico Sabbatini
Color: Lee Loughridge Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 10 Art: 9.7 Overall: 9.8 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics
Devil’s Reign has been one of the best Marvel events in some time. The story has kept things rather grounded and an organic continuation of a story that’s been going on for some time as opposed to some random global threatening event. There’s been some action but the series so far has been a bit more low-key. Wilson Fisk has continued his attempt to win re-election through manipulation. The heroes are standing against him. There’s a new law banning heroes, something we’ve seen before. But it’s all worked. Devil’s Reign #5 is a good entry in the story but is a bit bumpier than previous issues.
Written by Chip Zdarsky, the heroes have rallied to confront him and his Thunderbolts. Fisk has capture the Purple Man’s kids and added their abilities to the plan. There’s a ratcheting of things up leading to the expected fisticuffs as well as an action by Fisk that was rather obvious.
Devil’s Reign #5 has sort of been in the news due to a death being spoiled in Daredevil: Woman Without Fear #3. But, is it? What would happen feels a little obvious and plays out as expected. It’s not really something that’s been spoiled in the traditional sense. It feels a bit more soap opera instead. The fallout has one of two paths as well and it’ll be interesting to see which is taken in the end. It’s all rather too predictable and falls a bit too much into the two sides fighting. What has been a solid four issue build up begins to show its faults. It falls into a lot of punching on top of a narrative that feels a bit choppy as well, like a scene or page is missing.
The art by Marco Checchetto continues to be great. With color by Marcio Menyz and lettering by Clayton Cowles, the comic looks fantastic. There’s interesting moments like when the final fight begins, the coloring feels like it shifts like a cloud has been lifted. There’s also a little bit of restraint as well. Fisk’s key scene feels like it should or could have been more brutal.
Devil’s Reign #5 continues an entertaining event series but it falls into some traps like the expected extended fight. I hoped the series would deliver something a little different and with one more issue it might, but, this is an issue that feels like it’s a bit rougher than the others delivering something we’ve seen before far too many times.
Story: Chip Zdarsky Art: Marco Checchetto
Color: Marcio Menyz Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 7.75 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.8 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW
Wednesdays (and Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
Broken Eye #1 (Scout Comics) – A young man can see the past and gets pulled into a conspiracy when he finds a hand floating in the river.
Captain Carter #1 (Marvel) – Captain Carter has always had fans but now so many more after a star making turn in Marvel Studios’ What If…? It’ll be interesting to see what this series delivers and how much of the center stage Marvel plans on putting her.
Devil’s Reign #5 (Marvel) – Was this issue spoiled in Daredevil: Women Without Fear #3? You’ll have to read it and find out! It’s been a solid event so far and here’s hoping it nails it in the landing.
Little Monsters #1 (Image Comics) – Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen telling the story of a group of child vampires? Yeah, we’re in for this one.
Naomi Season Two #1 (DC Comics) – Naomi has blown up with her on show on The CW. The first volume of this series was fantastic and we’re beyond excited to see where this one goes now she’s a member of the Justice League.
Perhapanauts: Triangle #1 (Scout Comics) – It’s a brand-new time traveling adventure!
Punisher #1 (Marvel) – The Punisher has been a bit mixed in direction over the years and the latest has him as a major player in the Hand. Will this one work for the character?
Radiant Red #1 (Image Comics) – The world of Radiant Black expands further with a five-issue miniseries.
Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse #1 (Marvel) – We’ve gotten to see Spider-Man around the multiverse. It’s Spider-Gwen’s turn!
We Live: Age of Palladions Black #1/We Live: Age of Palladions White #1 (AfterShock) – We Live’s first volume was fantastic. It’s six years later and we’re beyond excited to return to this world. It has a high bar to reach but we’re confident both of these issues will be solid entertainment.
Devil’s Reign: Superior Four #3 (of 3)
(W) Zac Thompson (A) Davide Tinto (CA) Ivan Shavrin
In Shops: Mar 09, 2022
SRP: $3.99
THE FANTASTIC FOUR ARE NO MORE… LONG LIVE THE SUPERIOR FOUR! Stranded in the Multiverse, Otto Octavius must swallow his pride and submit to a truly inferior creature in order to be saved. Now only one question remains: Can he regain the trust of the SUPERIOR FOUR and repair the fabric of the Multiverse without erasing himself from existence in the process?
Devil’s Reign: Moon Knight #1
(W) Jed MacKay (A) Frederico Sabbatini (CA) Rod Reis
In Shops: Mar 09, 2022
SRP: $4.99
After being arrested by the Thunderbolts as part of WILSON FISK’S crackdown on costumed heroes, MOON KNIGHT is now a prisoner in the high-tech Myrmidon, surrounded by hostile guards and many of the very criminals he helped put away, Marc Spector must fight for his survival. But Moon Knight’s quest for justice doesn’t end just because of a little light incarceration…
Devil’s Reign #5 (of 6)
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A/CA) Marco Checchetto
RATED T+
In Shops: Mar 09, 2022
SRP: $4.99
As smart and ruthless as Wilson Fisk may be, he’s chosen to enlist the aid of some of the most reprehensible, dangerous and bloodthirsty criminals the Marvel Universe has to offer! He’s been able to keep them on a short leash out of fear for weeks.
IN THIS ISSUE – that fear runs out! Fisk’s lackeys aren’t scared of ANYTHING anymore, even him – and ALL OF NEW YORK is left to pay the price!
When it comes to events, the spin-off comics are often of lesser quality. They tend to feel like cash-ins squeezing in characters or just milking the event. Devil’s Reign feels like the exception with the spin-offs often standing on their own without the event and each adding to their characters in some way. It doesn’t feel like side quests as much as it does fully formed storylines by themselves. Daredevil: Woman Without Fear #3 wraps up Elektra’s journey setting up a lot to come and possibly spoiling Devil’s Reign.
It’s Elektra versus Kraven the Hunter as ghosts of Elektra’s past come to haunt her. Through the action, writer Chip Zdarsky delivers a rather haunting tale of a woman dealing with her past. She had a mission when it came to Matt Murdock, she was a tool of an organization. What is she now? What’s the path forward? There’s an interesting mix of reflection, regret, and acceptance. Zdarsky delivers a comic full of fights and action but also one that feels like its true focus is its main character front and center.
The only knock on the storytelling is it possibly spoils Devil’s Reign which comes out the following week and when you get to the end, it feels a bit like it loses its standalone nature. We’ll have to see about that spoiler but it’s the end that makes the comic feel like a piece of the bigger story arc still to come as opposed to a three issue series that can be read on its own. It almost pulls that off.
The art by Rafael De Latorre is fantastic. The fights feel brutal but have a flow about them. Federico Blee‘s colors add to the atmosphere. Clayton Cowles‘ lettering is the cherry on top. Visually the comic is an interesting one as the battle goes from brute strength to something more subtle and “quiet”. That change in fighting styles is nailed down in the art where punches give way to tactical attacks. It also perfectly fits the sadness that permeates the story Zdarsky has spun.
Daredevil: Woman Without Fear #3 is a solid finale. It continues an event tie-in that has stood out and is one of the best I’ve read in a long time. It also has me wanting to go back and see what I missed in Elektra’s story but also excited about what’s to come.
Story: Chip Zdarsky Art: Rafael De Latorre
Color: Federico Blee Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW
Daredevil: Woman Without Fear #3 (of 3)
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Rafael De Latorre (CA) Chris Bachalo
In Shops: Mar 02, 2022
SRP: $3.99
Elektra is forced to make a fateful decision. She’s sworn a vow to never take a life as long as she wears the DAREDEVIL cowl, but battered, bruised and with her back to the wall, will she be strong enough to keep it? If she is, will she be strong enough to survive the consequences of mercy?
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