Weekly Comic Reviews - 2 Sept 2015

Ratings out of 5 stars. Comics courtesy of Absolute Comics (Plaza Singapura)

DC Comics Bombshells #2

Story: Marguerite Bennett

Art: Stephen Mooney, Laura Braga, Ted Naifeh

DC Comics

DC Comics return to an excellent idea from the 1990s that they have not revisited for quite some time - the Elseworlds concept which allows writers and artists to tell familiar stories in an offbeat way. We get a retelling of Wonder Woman leaving Paradise Island with Steve Trevor in a WWII setting and Mera from Atlantis came along for the ride. (see cover) What is unique about the book is that the different sections are drawn by different artists. So Laura Braga handled the Paradise Island portion while Stephen Mooney depicted the Soviet Supergirl and Stargirl. Ted Naifeh shows what Posion Ivy and Zatanna are up to in Nazi Germany. There is even a cameo by John Constantine. But this comic is to showcase the DC Bombshells, so it's an all female cast. Looking forward to the next issue of this series, ably written by Marguerite Bennett.

(3.5 stars)

Groot #4

Story: Jeff Loveness

Art: Brian Kesinger

Marvel Comics

Continuing in the vein of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and the Rocket Raccoon series from last year, Groot is Make Mine Marvel crazy all the way. Best pal Rocket Raccoon is captured and Groot sets out to recruit the best and the baddest in the galaxy for this rescue mission. Except you know in the hands of writer Jeff Loveless things never turn out the way they should be. Groot got saddled with a bunch of loser Skrulls, the Mantron (a ROM lookalike character) and a celestial being by the name of Numinus. The art by Brain Kesinger is a fun romp, especially the final page which is a spoof of Wolverine in the sewers image from the early 1980s X-Men. John Byrne would be proud.

(3.5 stars)

Hail Hydra #2

Story: Rick Remender

Art: Roland Boschi

Marvel Comics

More Secret Wars tie-in. This is actually one of the better ones as it continues the 'what if' that writer Rick Remender set up in his first Captain America storyline from a few years ago - Captain America had saved Ian, the biological son of villain, Arnim Zola and raised him as his own in a world turned upside down. In that storyline, Captain America escaped, leaving Ian behind. He grew up and Hail Hydra shows what happened next. The whole Secret Wars premise allows Marvel to explore different concepts. Some work, some don't. 

(3 stars)

Squadron Sinister #3

Story: Marc Guggenheim

Art: Carlos Pacheco

Marvel Comics

The 1980s are well remembered for classics like The Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller) and Watchmen (Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons). Other series like Squadron Supreme and Jim Shooter's New Universe line of comics pale in comparison. But time has been kinder to them in recent years. Squadron Supreme has been revived since the 2000s and incorporated into the Ultimate storyverse. There was also an excellent run of the New Universe by Warren Ellis from some years ago, and characters like Starbrand have been used by Jonathan Hickman in the Avengers. Now in Secret Wars, both sets of heroes/villains have come together to slug it out. This story by Marc Guggenheim is about double crossing and conspiracies. But the star is the crisp and clear art by Carlos Pacheco. Worth investigating if you have not read this.

(3 stars)

Deadpool vs Thanos #1

Story: Tim Seeley

Art: Elmo Bondoc

Marvel Comics

Strictly for Deadpool fans. So this either a 5 star comic to you or it's a 0.5 one. But with the popularity of the Gwenpool cover, you never know...

(5 or 0.5 stars)