Monthly Comic Reviews - July 2016

Return after a hiatus. Monthly now. Ratings out of 5 stars.

The Vision Vol 1: Little Worse Than A Man

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Marvel

Tom King is one hell of a writer these days. He likes to pull the rug underneath your feet, sort of overturning conventions and expectations. Just read the first issue of Omega Men he wrote in 2015 – it opens with the execution of the White Lantern Kyle Rayner. The Omega Men is portrayed as jihadists, fighting against the Man and the System. A pushback and critique of neoliberalism? Perhaps.

The Vision is no different. This is American Gothic dressed up as a Marvel superhero comic. Nothing is worse than a good man becoming the devil when he tries to do good. That is the tragedy of The Vision. He truly believes what he is doing is the right thing – to do everything to protect the family he has created (a wife and 2 kids). This leads him into conflict with the Avengers and the end of the world. The stuff of superheroics. The stuff of nightmares for the suburbanites.

This volume collects #1-7. The Vision has been bad before but never this good to be so bad. And so wrong.

Comic of the month.

(5 stars)

Bloodshot Reborn #14

Story: Jeff Lemire

Art: Mico Suayan

Valiant

So the word is that Jeff Lemire had enough of DC’s nonsense. That’s DC’s loss and Valiant’s gain as Lemire is having a winning run with Bloodshot. Bloodshot is a former soldier with powers of regeneration made possible through nanites injected into his blood. He’s part of a secret government super soldier project, so that makes him a cross between Captain America and Frankenstein’s monster.

Since the character’s return as part of Valiant’s revival a few years ago, Bloodshot has been to hell and back. He lost his powers at the start of this new series, Bloodshot Reborn. He is still getting crap from his former evil bosses at Project Rising Spirit. He finally found love in Magic, only to lose her to a group of marauders in a post-apocalyptic wasteland that is Los Angeles. Now he is trapped on Bloodshot Island, populated with other Bloodshots being hunted by Deathmate.

Mico Suayan returns to the series. He drew the first story arc and his hyper realistic artwork fits the Bloodshot characters to a T.

One of the best mainstream titles around.

(4 stars)