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Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

Wednesdays 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!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Alex

Top Pick: Britannia #1 (Valiant) – Britain in the Dark Ages as a story setting has always fascinated me (in fact, I just picked up a book set around Ceaser’s first invasion today), so when I found out that Valiant were publishing a comic written by Peter Milligan with Juan Jose Ryp and Jordie Bellaire attached to it, I knew I’d be reading it. I know very little about the story, honestly, other than it features a Roman detective, but I can’t wait to dive in.

Batman #7 (DC Comics) – The best part about the biweekly shipping is that I don’t need to wait a whole month to get into the next issue, and with the way Tom King set up the next arc, that’s a very good thing.

Black Hammer #3 (Dark Horse) – This is a bit of a cheat, because I’ve already read the book, but I don’t hear enough chatter about Jeff Lemire’s story about Golden Age heroes that have been stuck in a purgatory-like town (though some are adapting better than others) for ten years. It’s a gripping tale, and this left me wanting more.

Phantom TP Vol. 01 Danger In The Forbidden City (Hermes) – The Phantom is character that will always have a soft spot in my geekdom – and while there have certainly been some bad comics released featuring the Ghost Who Walks, there have been some great ones a well (Dynamites Last Phantom is one of the best I’ve read recently). So when I found out about this collection, written by Peter David, I got pretty excited.

Vote Loki #4 (Marvel) – Will Loki become President? Will he get punched in the face? Will he tell the truth at any point? I have no idea, but I can’t wait to find out.

Javier

Cyborg # 1 (DC Comics) – We already got a preview of what John Semper Jr. (award-winning writer who previously worked in animation on Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Static Shock), has in store for Cyborg in DC’s latest Rebirth iteration, and I am digging it. It is my top pick this week.

Horizon #3 (Image) – This unique twist on an alien incursion against Earth is impressive.

I Hate Fairyland #9 (Image) – It’s good for laughs, and I could use some.

Seven to Eternity #1 (Image) – Rick Remender has become one of my favorite writers in this new digital golden age of comics (although he can be depressing at times); plus, this new sci-fi fantasy western has echoes of The Magnificent Seven.

The Vision #11 (Marvel) – Forget the latest Batman Crossover event, this is the Tom King book everyone should be reading right now.

Shay

This is another great week for comics. Brik #3 deserves honorable mention since it didn’t make the cut but, my review of it should be up soon. This time around my picks are DC heavy because they’ve come out of the gate swinging.

Top Pick: The Wicked + The Divine 1831 One Shot (Image) – Wic/Div goes back in time to solve a mystery. It’s my top pick because one shots are always fun and Wic/Div is always good. Plus ,it won’t be in volume #4 so there’s no reason to wait.

Raven #1 (DC Comics) – The comic is promising a teen age Raven I’m San Fransisco exploring her human side trying to make it through high school. She gets thrown into a dark side version of a Nancy Drew mystery when a student disappears and she gets to face some true evil.

Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five #18 (DC Comics) – This issue gives us Deathstroke joining the unholy superman and Luthor team up to open portals and end the war that’s been brewing. There’s even a pop up visit by Raven to keep everyone on their toes and watching their backs.

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo & Boomerang #2 (DC Comics) – One of my fave bad guys turned good El Diablo is now working with Checkmate and Boomerang finally gets something interesting to do avoiding even badder guys and trying get out of Latin America alive.

Carnage #12 (Marvel) – My fave baddy, who I know will never have the stand alone movie I want, has the Anti-Carnage squad in his crosshairs. I know it’s about to go down but, I’m on the fence about who to root for.

Brett

Top Pick: Revolution #1 (IDW Publishing) – This is it! All of my favorite childhood properties are coming together as part of one comic universe. Transformers, G.I. Joe, Micronauts, ROM, MASK, yes, yes, yes please! Hasbro has also indicated we’ll be seeing all of this in future movies too, so this will give us an indication as to what to expect there as well. My five year old self is so excited!

Britannia #1 (Valiant) – Peter Milligan with Juan Jose Ryp and Jordie Bellaire take Valiant out of their spandex-ish superhero zone giving us the world’s first detective set in Britain during the Dark Ages.

Invisible Republic #11 (Image Comics) – If you haven’t been reading this series and you’re a fan of sci-fi (and especially politics), you’re missing out. This issue kicks off the third arc as Maia becomes embroiled in the civil war raging on.

Civil War II #5 (Marvel) – Marvel’s event has been very hit and miss, but I’m intrigued to see what happens next.

Seven to Eternity #1 (Image) – The team of Rick Remender and Jerome Opena sold me on this one. I’m not sure how to describe it, but it’s one to check out.

Anthony

Top Pick: Seven to Eternity #1 (Image) – Rick Remender has been writing some of the most fresh and exciting comics on the stands. Seven to Eternity looks to be another intriguing sci-fi/fantasy concept with some absolute gorgeous art from Jerome Opena and Matt Hollingsworth. The plot focuses on Adam, whose crossroad journey is split by a major decision between killing the world’s evil God or accepting the offer being extended by the same deity.

Black Hammer #3 (Dark Horse) – Black Hammer #3 looks to focus on the character of Barbalien, digging into some of his past. Each issue so far has been a treat to read as Jeff Lemire has been providing some poetic, deconstructive conversations around the group of heroes, with an art style from Dean Ormston and Dave Stewart that really provides a parallel of emotions between the warm nostalgia of the past and the cold, hard present reality.Wicked & Divine 1831 One Shot: Looking to step away from the main storyline, this one shot, diving into the past (Victorian Pantheon?) features the wonderful art of Stephanie Hans. There has always been this floating curiosity in the main series in regards to past iterations of the Pantheon so it will be very interesting to get some back story on characters unfamiliar to the present time being focused on.

The Wicked + The Divine 1831 One Shot (Image) – Looking to step away from the main storyline, this one shot, diving into the past (Victorian Pantheon?) features the wonderful art of Stephanie Hans. There has always been this floating curiosity in the main series in regards to past iterations of the Pantheon so it will be very interesting to get some back story on characters unfamiliar to the present time being focused on.

I Hate Fairyland #9 (Image) – I Hate Fairyland is always an entertaining read within a very vibrant, colourful, violent world. It’s continuously fun to see the world being expanded with graceful playfulness and tongue in cheek wit.

Brian Buccellato Talks the End of Injustice: Gods Among Us and Writing Video Game Tie-ins

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Brett

Injustice: Gods Among Us is the hit video game turned comic series that begins to wind down with just a few chapters left. The digital series soon wraps up as we finally get to the moments leading up to the video game (the comic series is a prequel to the game).

With the end on the horizon, I got a chance to talk to writer Brian Buccellato about writing a video game tie-in series and some of the differences between writing for digital first as opposed to print comics.

Also, check out art from chapter 39, the second to last chapter of the series! The final chapter foes on sale September 20th and will be available for download Tuesday via the DC Comics App, Readdcentertainment.com, iBooks, comiXology.com, Google Play, Kindle Store, Nook Store, and iVerse ComicsPlus.

Graphic Policy: Injustice: Gods Among Us started off as a video game. Does writing a tie-in for that form of entertainment differ than a movie or tv tie-in or just a comic in general? I think of video games as much more action oriented and active participation than passive entertainment like television or movies.

Brian Buccellato: I think it’s different for some of those reasons. I think the biggest reason it’s different, especially with the case of Injustice, we know how the comic book ends. So everything builds to that point, so there’s certainly things you can do because the world is wide open. There’s things you can’t do. You can’t kill Superman at the end of the story. Things have to be where they were at the start of the game, so that’s an interesting and fun challenge. I actually kind of like it, to be able to go ahead and try to make a new story and have interesting things you have seen in a story you already know. It’s really fun, but it is a challenge.

As far as the action element. There’s always fighting inside, so I don’t know if it’s different. Because Injustice is a fighting game, I try to have match-ups where we see different people fighting each other, even one’s you wouldn’t expect because you do get that in the game due to it being a fighting game.

GP: With the battles, in the fighting games characters have their special moves and abilities. Is what each character can do in the game on your mind as you’re writing those battles?

BB: I think I did more of that in Year Four where I thought there was more opportunity for that. Aquaman uses his shark maneuver. I also have Batman in Year Five running down someone with the Batmobile. I do try to find moments where I can put in special moves and what characters are known for. But story needs to come first.

GP: We know where the video game begins and so we know where the comic needs to get to. With the series wrapping up, did you know how long you’d have to get to that point?

BB: Yeah, as the book has done well, we’ve gotten a bunch of extra issues. It seems in the past in Year Four and Year Three it was twelve issues and we were able to tell Year Five in twenty issues, which was great. I was able to explore a lot of characters I wouldn’t have had time to explore and see how they feel about the Injustice universe. I knew it was five years and we were done. I didn’t know we’d be able to get twenty issues.

GP: It’s obviously a different world, as a writer, how does it feel being able to do almost anything you want, as opposed to being limited somewhat if you were to write in the main DC Universe?

BB: It’s really liberating actually. Having worked in the main DC Universe with Flash and Detective Comics, what you do find is most of the decisions you have to make sort of have to be run by the bosses because there’s lots of things at play. There’s events, there’s all of the other titles. You sort of have to play in the playground that wasn’t as quite as clear because all these people are working on things simultaneously. Where with Injustice I know how exactly how it ends. I know exactly what can change. So there’s no last minute audible because there isn’t something going in in another book. It is different and in some ways it’s a lot more fun because you get to use all of the characters. There’s also no last minute changes you have to do.

GP: I’d image that makes things easier as the writer.

BB: That’s just part of the business. That’s part of how it works. It’s a good thing we’ve got a million different comics because that means people are buying them.

GP: Did you have to work with the video game designers at all? There’s a sequel to the game coming up.

BB: Jim Chadwick, he’s the editor, he interacted with anything that goes to the game developer and has feedback. That mostly takes place in the outline stage for the year. They don’t chime in much as I write the comics, they just see the beginning and make sure it doesn’t mess with what their plans are. Also what’s cool about them is that they seem to be using our comic book continuity for their game which is kind of cool. It’s a little bit of back and forth with that respect.

GP: The series came out in digital first and then went to print. I always ask this for folks who are working on that sort of book if that impacts your storytelling at all?

BB: I think you can’t help to do that. There’s a very practical reason to do that because digitally the artist draws the comic book page in a printed book. Digitally they draw two pages, so there’s that invisible line in every single page going across the middle. So digitally, even though a chapter is only ten pages long you’re really telling a story in twenty pages. In a lot of ways you’ll see a lot more panels digitally first comic than you will in a regular comic. You can’t do the big splash pages as you could in print. So there’s a lot more condensend story telling and a lot more work for the artist.

GP: There’s a lot you can do artwise with digital such as the transitions. Is that anything you’re thinking about? Or is that more for the artist to decide and come up with?

BB: In print comics you think about the page turn, so you keep that in mind when doing digital. But, at the end of the day the writing’s half the battle and we have really good artists. When you have good artists you trust they will take your words and make them way better.

GP: With the series, a lot of the characters have completely changed. Superman is this fascist overlord. What did you do to make sure that things didn’t go too far with that to make it difficult to recognize or like these characters? It has come to me when reading the series that Superman’s motivations are still understandable after everything he’s done, you get his point of view.

BB: One of the great things about this series in particular is that we have had five years and I don’t know how many issues. Tom did two and a half years and I’ve got two and a half years, so Superman’s transition has been a slow descent into darkness. We know the inciting incident of killing Joker, that’s the thing that changed him. Tom didn’t instantly make him a bad guy, he started through a process. I just picked up where he left off and as the series has gone on, he’s gotten worse and comprimised his ethics more and more. In Year Five he’s an evil despot.

GP: Yeah, but even as a despot, you still see his point of view he’s coming from. He never crosses over that line where he totally goes over the top and is completely unlikeable.

BB: In my opinion that’s sort of a diservice to writing. Even the most heinous villain has to be a hero of their own story, right? They have to think that they’re doing what’s right for their reasons. It’s just their reasons don’t line up to morality, or the government, or laws. So, that’s just writing. I don’t see any difference with Superman. Yes, he’s the villain of this story, but he has his reasons, everyone does. Lex Luthor does. Maybe the Joker does. But, the Joker’s an exception, he’s a wacko. But, most bad guys have reasons and they think those reasons are legit. We may not, but they think that. I think in some ways it’s easier as Superman since he has equity as a hero. So when we see him do things evil or bad, we know what’s behind it is some twisted version of good.

GP: Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing how the series wraps up!

Exclusive Preview: Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter Twenty-Seven

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter Twenty-Seven

Writer: Brian Buccellato
Arty by Tom Derenick
Cover by David Yardin

Flash has to face Superman’s wrath as a result of giving aid to Batman. Is a permanent rift forming in the regime?

The chapter will be available for download Tuesday via the DC Comics App, Readdcentertainment.com, iBooks, comiXology.com, Google Play, Kindle Store, Nook Store, and iVerse ComicsPlus.

Review: Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five – Chapter 20

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Brett

It’s a battle to the death at the Fortress of Solitude between Bizarro and a mind-controlled Doomsday. Only one will walk away from this battle.

Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five – Chapter 20 sees Bizarro’s story arc come to a climatic end. I’ve only read a bit of Injustice: Gods Among Us, so haven’t regularly been following the series and this had me coming into this latest story arc in its last chapter. On its own, the issue won’t be all that interesting to new readers, but for those who have been keeping up, I’d guess the issue has a lot they might find interesting.

It’s hard to completely recommend the issue because it’s just not new reader friendly by it’s an entertaining read for those who enjoy superhero smack downs. Almost the entire story is dedicated towards a two way (and at points three way) dance of a fight between Superman, Doomsday, and Bizarro. Writer Brian Buccellato does give us more than just that though. There’s some subtle actions by characters that make the digital comic have a bit more depth than the usual drag out fights. That’s good enough to get me to want to see what’s come before at least and see how we got to this point. But, on its own it’s not quite enough to sell it for new readers.

There is one issue I have and that’s the writing of Bizarro. I find he’s a character that seems to be rather difficult to write for and here we have a stunted speech pattern as opposed to the opposite of everything we should be getting (if that’s this one’s shtick).

The art by Mike S. Miller is pretty solid with some dynamic moments that play out nicely on digital devices. None of it is game changing but Miller’s Superman and Doomsday both are solid. I’m not quite sold on Bizarro though with his look not consistent enough for me and at times not looking enough like Superman.

The chapter is entertaining in many ways but definitely not new reader friendly. Not too shocking since it’s the last chapter for the latest arc. It’s enough to make me want to go back though and see if the next chapter and arc might be a bit easier spot to start from.

Story: Brian Buccellato Art: Mike S. Miller
Story: 6.7 Art: 6.1 Overall: 6.65 Recommendation: Pass

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 10/1/2016

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Alex K Cossa

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Alex

Heroes Vengeance #3 (Titan Comics) The more I read this series the less I seem to like it, but much like the TV show I just can’t turn away. It might get better! Overall: 6.75 Recommendation: Read…?

Archie #5 (Archie Comics) This is one of those series that’s just fun. There’s no superhero action here what so ever, despite the writer, and it has been a breath of fresh air for me. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

Swamp Thing #1 (DC Comics)* is apparently far more polarizing than I expected. After reading Patricks’ review (you’ll find that a bit further on) I felt compelled to pick this issue up. In a time when comics often have numerous art focused scenes it’s nice to get a comic that has a lot of text within it’s pages, reminding me in many ways of both the earlier Swamp Thing comics and how the page layouts looked when I first started reading comics. There’s a bit of a slow build here, with Len Wein really taking his time in setting the story that has echoes of an early era. You’re either going to like this, or you’re really not. I expected this to be at best average, but I was pleasantly surprised. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read (with caution)

The Last Contract #1 (Boom! Studios) Well holy moly. This is great. Dark, gritty, with the promise of something lying just beneath the surface ready to tear you to pieces. This comic is a tour de force that is absolutely worth your time – which is impressive coming from a guy who usually only reads superhero comics. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Gutter Magic #1 (IDW) A stunning mix of steam punk and magic, coupled with some jaw dropping artwork make this first issue worth picking up, and the series something to add to your pull list. Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Brett

A-Force #1 (Marvel) – I enjoyed the miniseries this spun off from, but this first issue is a stumble. It’s not exciting, nor has enough to get me excited. It fills like a middling Avengers comic. Overall: 6.4 Recommendation: Pass

Bitch Planet #6 (Image Comics) – It’s been a whole since we’ve seen this series and while I anticipated its return, this issue was a bit of a stumble. A stand alone issue that pulls the curtain back, the story feels more like a sci-fi Law & Order: SVU than the smart commentary we’re usually accustomed to. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Pass

Black Science #19 (Image Comics) – Wrapping up the current arc in a way, we learn more about Grant and things begin for the next great adventure. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

The Last Contract #1 (BOOM! Studios) – I liked the first issue of a hit man finding out who wants him dead. There’s a solid homage of the genre that it clearly loves. Overall: 7.2 Recommendation: Read

Letter 44 #22 (Oni Press) – That reveal at the end, holy crap. Loving this mashup of politics and sci-fi. It continues to surprise. Overall: 7.7 Recommendation: Read

Nailbiter #19 (Image Comics) – One of my favorite comics. The search for the George serial killer is fantastic and there’s some great twists here. I seriously have no idea where it’s going. Overall: 7.8 Recommendation: Read

Rocket Racoon and Groot #1 (Marvel) – An interesting debut, but how this fits in to the other comics that are out featuring these characters makes it have little sense. This is an example of overuse of characters. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Pass

Spidey #2 (Marvel) – Much improvement over the first issue. There’s a lot of good, but the comic still is just missing something for me. It feels like a mediocre miniseries rehashing the character’s origin, updating it, but giving us little that’s new. Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Read

Totally Awesome Hulk #2 (Marvel) – I hated the first issue, and this one is an improvement, but not enough to get me to continue reading. The strongest part is it’s mystery of what happened to Bruce. Overall: 6.2 Recommendation: Pass

Patrick

Detective Comics #48 (DC Comics)*: While I’m still not used to Jim Gordon as the Batman, I do enjoy seeing him struggle to fill Bruce Wayne’s shoes. Watching him make mistakes adds something to the book you don’t get to see with Bruce Wayne… a guy in overhead his head trying his best. And the gimmicky nature of the murders he’s investigating harkens back to classic Batman stories, an interesting bit of nostalgia as everything else about Batman is new. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read.

Injustice: Gods Among Us – Year Five #1 (DC Comics)*: The best comic book based on a video game based on a comic book ever written returns! Following Plastic Man inadvertently releasing all of the prisoners held by Superman’s regime, Superman and his cronies are trying to put everyone back while Batman sets out to create another unholy alliance. You might say you can’t expect it to go very far because it’s only the first issue (of its fifth year), but considering the story really started in the Year Four: Annual maybe some sort of plot development would have been fair. And stop making Hal Jordan a “funny man”. If you want a funny Green (or Yellow, in this case) Lantern, you should have picked Kyle Rayner. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read

Swamp Thing #1 (DC Comics)*: This book was admittedly a disappointment. Unless what you have been demanding all this time was to watch Swamp Thing wrestle an alligator. In fact, the most implausible part of this book about a mass of vegetation with human consciousness hanging around a swamp is when two people show up in the swamp to ask said mass for help. As though it were on their list of errands. No, maybe the most implausible was Swamp Thing essentially responding with, “Okay, I have nothing better to do.” Overall: 3 Recommendation: Pass

Spider-Man/Deadpool #1 (Marvel Comics)*: Put two of the funniest characters in their own series and what to do you have? Two people bemoaning their own potty-humor, actually. Things don’t really need to make sense when Deadpool is involved, but a plot device that put the two together would have helped go a long way, rather than Deadpool hiring someone to pretend to be Dormammu for… actually, I’m not sure how that was supposed to aid Deadpool’s plan to get Spider-Man to work with him. Instead, you side with Spider-Man’s reluctance to have anything to do with the laugh-less title. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Star Wars #14 & Star Wars: Darth Vader #15 (Marvel Comics)*: Reviewed together because they came out on the same day, are of the same caliber and conclude the same story, “Vader Down”. The last half of the series really revved up and became increasingly entertaining. These last issues make for the most enjoyable Star Wars you can have, on paper or on the silver screen. If only Hollywood were taking their cues from Marvel. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Buy (but a collection would be better than title-jumping through your back issues)

Squadron Supreme #2 (Marvel Comics)*: Some good moments here and there. Nighthawk stands out as the character to watch, certainly the most intense and interesting of the Squadron. Hopefully the series isn’t suggesting that Hyperion is going to take a job as a truck driver. Squadron Supreme has been looking for its readership for decades and suffering a great many changes and incarnations along the way. Hopefully that balances out and this title holds its own until Marvel decides to cancel all its titles and relaunch everything again. So… give it a year. Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read

Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel Comics)*: What was one of the longest running titles in comic books is relaunched again as a blatant X-Force rip-off. It’s a bit like watching your dad get his ear pierced only to realize, “No… you’ll never be young again”. The cast is interesting, though Sabretooth as a good guy will always be a disappointing sell-out and the presence of the Psylocke/Archangel pairing really highlights the parallels to X-Force. X-Force was great… but Uncanny X-Men is supposed to be a prestigious flagship, not a transparent attempt to recapture the gritty eighties and nineties. Overall: 4 Recommendation: Pass

Four Eyes: Hearts of Fire #1 (Image Comics): Great art, so-so story. Yes, we all agree that dog-fighting is inhumane (most of us do, anyway) and plugging in dragons instead of dogs in a depression-era story… one of these things is not like the others. Someone walking into this without having read the previous work is likely to think it very odd the way dragons are almost a humdrum aspect of the story… and they wouldn’t be wrong. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Bitch Planet #6 (Image Comics): As always, a well-stylized, entertaining book. The one question, though, is if the read would have been as compelling if not for the disclaimer. The book leads with a warning that it features sexual assault, promising that the events of the sexual assault will be limited to this issue and not revisited later. It prepares the reader for the worst and consequently, the reader races through the book in dread anticipation of the horrific inevitable. In the end, not to marginalize sexual assault, I was left wondering if I missed a page. Considering the exploitive nature of Bitch Planet and the state of graphic content in comic books, the warning seems disconnected from the content. Are the editors really afraid of offending readers despite the gratuity of the book or was it a cheap ploy? Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read (and then tell me if I’m just desensitized).

Paul

Ultimates #3 (Marvel) * The team has been successful in further evolving Galactus and has transformed him into a force of giving life..and his first act has been to restore life to the first planet he fed upon. The Shi’ar Imperial Guard discovered this and forwarded the information to Gladiator, who is, surprise surprise, not pleased with Earth for their actions. I wonder why it is the Shi’ar are never happy..I mean Galactus is no longer a devourer of planets, and still Gladiator gets all up in Earths face about it…maybe it’s the mohawk? I digress, now the team want to look into fixing the space/time continuum problem. Yeah, nothing can go wrong there. I do enjoy this team and the banter between them, but I find the scope of their missions a little ‘out there’ traveling through deep space, superflow, neutral zone, blah blah..starting to read like stereo instructions, to paraphrase Beetlejuice. Is this an Avengers team necessary of the time and resources they have been given? That remains to be seen. But the art is beautiful. Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel) * So the mutant population is facing yet another life changing event; the terrigen cloud making its way around the world is slowly killing the mutant population as well as sterilizing those who survive, ensuring that no new mutants will emerge. This leaves those mutants remaining as easy targets, and that threat needs a response just as threatening; enter the Uncanny X-Men. Magneto has gathered a group of X-Men not afraid to get their hands dirty to protect mutants from those who would take advantage of this current situation, but in this first issue, we see they aren’t going to let other mutants take the easy way out either. I really like the team roster in this book, though have a little issue with Archangel being some mindless ‘drone” being controlled by Psylocke (though I’m sure this will come to blow up in their faces in the upcoming Apocalypse story arc). I was a little let down with Magneto, as I enjoyed him more in his solo book then I did in this first outing in this first issue, but it didn’t ruin the book for me. I also enjoyed the blast from the past at the end of this issue. And Greg Land’s art is exactly what I expected, beautiful as ever. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next issue. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Shean
The Death Defying Doctor Mirage: Second Lives #1 (Valiant) The story of Shan Mirage and her husband Hwen, is story of heartbreak , loss, redemption , justice and. Undying love, which the first volume of this ongoing series covered well. In the beginning of this new volume, deals with the reality of their lives since his untimely physical death,while they thrust themselves into new adventures.Van Meter Is seemingly getting more personal the more she writes these characters much to the reader’s benefit as the overall story becomes richer. The art by De La Torre is interesting, abstract and very much George Perez in the best way. Overall:10 Recommendation: BUY NOW

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write.

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Review: Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five #1

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Brett

This is it: the final year of Injustice: Gods Among Us, leading into the storyline of the hit videogame! Having defeated the Green Lantern Corps, the forces of magic, and now the gods themselves, the Regime seems to have eliminated all threats. Yet uneasy lies the crown on the head of Emperor Superman. Still obsessed with the outlaw Batman and worried about having enough troops to police his world, The Man of Steel begins to recruit some of Earth’s deadliest villains to his side. Does the Dark Knight have any chance of ending the Man of Steel’s rule?

I played the game when it first came out, and vaguely know the general story, but I came in to Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five #1 without really knowing what happened in the previous four years, just the basics of the first.

Writer Brian Buccellato has done a decent job of making it so you don’t need to know much going in. Batman is on one side, Superman is a fascist and on the other. That’s basically it, and the story works well as an Elseworlds type tale mixed with the depth of video game narrative. We’re not talking deep things here, but there’s lots of punching as if you can picture the players off page mashing buttons. And, the comic is split in a way with the first half playing catch up for new readers and the latter half getting to the punching.

That latter half has some entertainment to it thanks to the art by Mike S. Miller and Iban Coello. Compared to the video game (from what I remember) the comic doesn’t quite hold up, but the style is decent and I especially like the design of the various costumes, Superman’s especially. There’s a decent mix of quiet moments and action, but there’s some minor quibbles here and there for me. It’s passable art, not great, and as the series is originally a digital one, maybe it works better there.

Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five #1 is a fun, though not deep, first issue that’s worthy picking up if you want to see Batman versus Superman where anything can happen. I wasn’t expecting much depth going in, and it doesn’t try to sell itself as. As far as a video game to comic adaptation, it’s actually good, and the first issue has me wanting to see what comes next at least, if nothing else to just see this take on these characters.

Story: Brian Buccellato Art: Mike S. Miller, Iban Coello
Story: 6.8 Art: 6.8 Overall: 6.8 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review