Another week rolls passed and brings us more new titles, continuing titles and movie/TV trailers to taunt us until we get the chance to see them.  There’s also a new competition started on the good ship Comics Anonymous

A new Dark Horse thriller kicks off in Dream Thief #1

The penultimate issue of Lance Henrikson’s To Hell You Ride #4

DC’s latest on-going Eternia release hits with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #2

DC’s New52 titles hit the issue #20 mark in Batgirl, Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Catwoman, Legion of Superheroes,
Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Supergirl & Wonder Woman

Battlestar Galactica #1 marks the start of the TV tie-in from Dynamite Entertainment

There’s more sci-fi magic form John Byrne in IDW’s Doomsday.1 #1

Dream Merchant #1 kicks off Image’s latest sci-fi title with a double-sized issue

Legend of Luthor Strode #5 sees the latest volume of this title reach it’s penultimate (and probably bone-crunching) issue.

Non-Humans #3 should hopefully hit this week after some delays

There’s more science-fact shenanigans in Think Tank #7

Avengers Enemy Within #1 starts the Captain Marvel/Avengers crossover

Marvels latest event continues in Age of Ultron #8

Captain America #7 brings us more Z-Dimension action

There’s more Marvel Now action in Cable and the X-Force #8, FF #7, Iron Man #10, Nova #4 & Thunderbolts #9

Mark Millar brings us the final chapter of his modern-day crime-fighting title in Kick-Ass 3 #1

After a slow start this title has improved but we’ll see if that continues in Wolverine MAX #7

Find more new stuff at PREVIEWS.

Last week’s stack

Iron Man 3 failed to impress (the G-Man anyway) as it kicked off Phase 2 of Marvel’s Movie releases.

We caught up on the complete run of Halcyon & Tendefoot

We got prepped for Volume 3 of Afterlife from Jon Lock due out later this year

We added another date to our diary thanks to The Lakes International Comic Art Festival which happens later this year (October).  Tickets on-sale NOW!

Ten Grand #1 from Image Comics wowed us with another top-notch creative team

Boom Studios released Suicide Risk #1 – an OK start but this DOES show alot of potential

The latest Comics Anonymous Competition kicked off with more free signed comics up for grabs – and all in return for a few likes on Facebook and a comment on the Blog post itself – SIMPLES!

Favourite Cover

I’m drawn to IDW’s Doomsday.1 #1 cover this week – it’s a sci-fi title which seem to be on the increase recently but the silhouettes caught in a burning world seem quite stark and symbolic from John Byrne.

Where we’re at

With new comics and reading piles to clear – we’ll be hibernating away from the wind/rain combo to catch up and get more reviews up soon.

G-Man

It’s that time again over at Comics Anonymous HQ – we’ve got more signed comics to giveaway and it’s just as easy as ever to give yourself a chance at these signed issues.

Up for grabs first is Kabuki: Reflections #5 – a collection of previously unpublished stories and art from David Mack who has impressed recently in Daredevil: End Of Days.

Next up we have Mark Millar’s Superior: Kapow! Guinness World Records #1 from Kapow Comic Con in 2011 – signed by some of the 60 contributors to the one off special – signed by Frank Quitely, Sean Phillips, David Hine, Duncan Fegredo, Ian Churchill and more.

Add a comment below telling us what you like about the blog and what you’d like to see more of and that’s your name into the mix for a chance to win these signed issues…….plus we’ll add in some indies/self-published or some FCBD issues

Competition winners will be picked as soon as we reach 400 likes (Kabuki) and 500 likes (Superior)

Spread the word and get your name in the hat.

G-Man

Boom Studios is another publisher outside of the big two that I tend to keep an eye on with my monthly previews scan and the latest from Mike Carey caught my eye thanks to that pretty sharp cover from Tommy Lee Edwards…..I added it to my list (along with the next few issues) and thought I’d give it a go.

First off, it’s not exactly a new premise with a world overrun with more superheroes/super villains than it knows what to do with but then that’s not unusual for the world of comics.  The difference comes down to the human element being introduced as that’s the real anchor in any story for us, the reader.  In the case of this release its cop, Leo Winters who acts as that anchor – caught in the middle of what seems like an unwinnable war against the city’s supervillains.  Dealing with action from the opening of the issue it’s a fairly hectic pace that whisks us along from page one.  The aftermath of the latest incident sees the full-on action contrasting against the family life, police reports and recovery of our average, everyday cop.

The twist here though, is that the powers can be bought on the streets if you know the right dealer and soon enough our main character is face to face with the opportunity to take on his own power…..more frustratingly for us, the issue ends almost as soon as it began and leaves us on a cliff-hanger with questions like “Is Leo Alive?” and “Did he get a power?” flashing around our head.   With action and moments of calm intermingled in this issue, Elena Casagrande on art and colours by Andrew Elder provide a solid backup to Carey’s events.  Lots of detail on characters given the broad range of powers on offer keep things smooth and even thought there are a few moments of colour-filled panels as opposed to the highly detailed ones that have gone before – there is still enough to see the potential this title has.

Carey & Casagrande combine well to build the mood in those different elements and Leo does seem like a likeable guy with all the frailties a human has in a world of powers.  The next few issues will show us if that potential is met and we’ll hopefully see the couple of gripes I have fade away with each issue but I have faith that we’ll get that.

6/10

G-Man

With Image Comics seemingly having the ability to produce some of the most impressive and consistent titles in recent years, it’s no wonder that the pull-list has seen a fair share of their titles being added and the latest of these is Ten Grand.

As if it being an Image Comics release wasn’t enough, there’s the added bonus of featuring two of my favourite people involved in comics – J. Michael Straczynski writing and Ben Templesmith on art.  To say I was psyched and had a pre-order in is an understatement as I’m sure a number of people took the same level of notice when this creative team was announced.  I didn’t care what it was about as I just knew it would impress me…..ok, that sounds a bit fanboy-heavy, but aren’t we all nuts about a title/artist/writer in some way?

The premise is fairly straight-forward and like a lot of comics it centres on one man’s love of a woman but the man in this case is Joe Fitzgerald, an ex-mob enforcer who lost the love of his life and nearly his own on his last job.  In steps an angel to feed on Joe’s plight and the offer he accepts is simple – for every death he suffers as part of a righteous cause will see him gain five minutes with dead with before coming back to the land of the living.  He becomes an agent of god taking on the demons of the world and all for the simple sum of Ten Grand.

There’s an instant link with Joe, there’s something about his struggle, his plight and his outlook on the world that has you on his side.  A strong narrative from Joe almost solidifies that notion from the off as his foul-mouthed, quick-witted quips seep through into his discussions on his job and that ten grand fee.  Everything becomes less black & white when his latest target is someone he’s killed before and his ability to summon his employers (or at least the angel that represents god) wherever he likes, sees him take advantage by heading to a strip joint.

He embraces these conversations almost as much as he embraces his chance to die and savour that five minute reunion with his dead wife.  A fairly poignant thread that’s present throughout and given our tortured main character, it almost seems to be a reasonable arrangement considering the alternative.  The art is a-typical of Templesmith and the busy, horrific images he captures blend in with the angelic encounters and the subtle meetings between Joe and his wife before he comes back to life.

Joe’s tortured soul is captured well by Straczynski’s pacing and subtle hints at the fuller story as the issue progresses and the quality of art shines through in the topsy-turvy world of money, angels, demons and a long lost loved one……..that’s still loved……and not so lost.  The combination with Templesmith’s art style brings us one of the most perfect combinations in a creative team I’ve seen in a long time.  The start of something big I think and another permanent fixture on my pull list from Image.

9/10

G-Man

Another year and another Comic book event to look forward to as the latest festival pulls in some big name guests and will surely see fans old and new flocking to Kendal this October……and tickets go on sale this Monday (13th May 2013) – WOOHOO!!!!  :D

Here’s the official press release:

“Tickets for the first Lakes International Comic Art Festival go on sale on Monday (13th May)

The festival will run from 18-20 October 2013 in Kendal, Cumbria with an exciting line up of more than 50 writers and artists including some of the biggest names in comic art from the United States, Europe, South America and the UK.

The range of guests show the diversity of comics, including biography, political cartoons, comics journalism, satire, superhero comics, comedy, adaptations of historical novels and innovative new story-telling.

There will be more than 35 events including panel discussions, interviews, live drawing events, films and workshops. As well as the ticketed events, there will be a number of free exhibitions, including work by founder patrons Bryan Talbot and Sean Phillips, and free activities in a special Family Zone.

The organisers also aim to make the whole of Kendal part of the event, like the popular festivals on the continent in places such as Angouleme, so people can expect to find comic art around every corner.

One of the opening events on the Friday evening will be The Big Comic Draw, with Doug Braithwaite (X-Men and Storm Dogs), Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd), Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy) and Jose Munoz (Alack Sinner).

They will be followed by The Write Comic Stuff, a chance to hear from two hugely popular American writers Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Criminal and Fatale) and Kurt Busiek (Spider-Man, Marvels and Astro City).

Other events over the weekend include 2000AD: An On-Earth Odyssey, a special celebration of the evolution and influence of the ever-popular British comic 2000AD with Judge Dredd creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.

Another event will provide a rare chance to hear Viz creators Simon Thorp and Graham Dury discuss their work.

Festival patron Bryan Talbot will talk about Grandville and the Anthropomorphic Tradition.  Gilbert Shelton (The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers) and Hunt Emerson (Dante’s Inferno) will be talking about their work from the underground comix of the sixties to the present day.  And there will be a discussion on The Art of Crime and Noir with Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Criminal and Fatale), Jose Munoz (Alack Sinner) and David Lloyd (Kickback).

British political cartoonist Steve Bell will be interviewing the ground breaking American comics journalist Joe Sacco.  Steve Bell will also be discussing his own work in a separate event.

Other interviews with guests will provide opportunities to learn more about the work of writers and artists like Ed Brubaker, Kurt Busiek, Posy Simmonds (Tamara Drewe) and Andy Diggle (The Losers and Dr Who).

A key feature of the festival will be the special live Watch them draw events.  Artists featured over the weekend will include Charlie Adlard (Walking Dead), Glyn Dillon (Nao of Brown), Spanish artist Pau and Hunt Emerson.

In Quick Strips, a myriad of comic artists, some famous, others emerging, will talk about and present an aspect of their work-in-progress for a maximum of 6 minutes each.

There will be a chance to see Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s seminal graphic novel V for Vendetta brought thrillingly to life on stage.

Festival patron Mary Talbot will be part of a panel for a discussion on The Art of the Memoir.  A group of innovative new wave comic creators who are published by Jonathan Cape will take part in a discussion on the Caped Crusaders and writers published by Selfmadehero will discuss adaptations in Re-imagining the Classics.

Nobrow writer and artist John McNaught, who won the award for the best newcomer at Angouleme earlier this year, will be interviewed together with Luke Pearson, the creator of the popular Hilda series of books. Both men have been nominated for Eisner awards this year.

Writers and artists will be running workshops including Al Davison (The Spiral Cage), manga artist Inko (Milk The Cat Comix), Karrie Fransman (The House That Groaned) and Hannah Berry (Adamtine).

The Brewery Arts Centre is putting on a special film programme including American Splendour, Tamara Drewe, 300, V for Vendetta, A History of Violence, and manga films My Neighbour the Yamadas, and Oldboy.

The Comics Clock Tower will be the festival’s version of the marketplace.  Based in Kendal Town Hall it will champion breaking talent from all styles and genres. Many of the big name writers and artists visiting the festival will also be appearing in the Comics Clock Tower over the weekend.

A Weekend Pass will cost £25 and provide unlimited access to the Comics Clock Tower plus 4 daytime events (starting before 7pm).

A Day Pass on the Saturday or Sunday will cost £14, providing unlimited access to the Comics Clock Tower plus 2 daytime events.

Tickets for additional events can be bought separately.

Organisers are emphasising that places need to be reserved for most events, including the wide range of talks and discussions. So if people buy passes, they also need to plan which events they would like to attend and some of the events are expected to get booked quite quickly.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.breweryarts.co.uk or by phoning 01539 725133.

Festival patron Bryan Talbot says: “Our aim is to make The Lakes International Comic Art Festival like the European comic art festivals rather than the conventions that many fans will be used to.

“We think there’s something for everyone in the wide range of events the team have put together, both the fans of different genres but also people who may not have read a comic book for many years.

“As well as being able to see artists drawing in our version of the comics marketplace there will be special live draw events, one of the most popular elements of European festivals. There will be interviews with some individual writers and artists as well as discussions on topics like the art of the memoir, horror and adaptations.

“People will be able to book their seats at events rather than having to waste time queuing. We also have a lot of free events including exhibitions and activities for children, so there’s no excuse for not coming to find out what it’s all about.”

Fellow festival patron Sean Phillips says: “I’m really looking forward to this first event. Not only is it on my own doorstep but it’s modelled on events like the Angouleme comic art festival, which is something I’ve long wanted to see in the UK.

“In countries like France and Italy they take comics very seriously and huge numbers of comics are sold every year, most of them to adults.  This event is a great opportunity to find out more about comic art and the writers and artists working in the medium.”

More details about the new event are available at www.comicartfestival.com.  It is also possible to keep up to date with plans for the festival by following @comicartfest on Twitter or by liking the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Facebook page.”

G-Man

Following a successful kickstarter at the end of last year, Jon Lock has been planning and working away on the 3rd volume of his AfterLife creation, titled LIFEBLOOD.

A title I’ve followed through it’s previous two releases (Volume 1 & Volume 2) and a project I felt compelled to support in the Kickstarter itself.  So with a release of that third volume due later in 2013 – you’ve got ample time to take a look over Jon’s teaser talk below and catch-up on those previous volumes if you haven’t already.

Here’s what Jon had to say about that 3rd volume, the Kickstarter and more:

Jack Fortune and Co. return in Afterlife Inc. Volume 3: LIFEBLOOD

A highlight of doing a Blog like Comics Anonymous is that we get to pickup titles from the indy/self-published scene in the UK with ease and Halcyon & Tenderfoot from Daniel Clifford & Lee Robinson is a perfect example of that.

It’s true that we make our way through our fair share of titles but in recent times we’ve seen an all-ages title appear on that reading pile and it impressing us with previous examples like Cow Boy & G-Man slapping us in the face with just how good a title like this can be.  Where a typical splurge of violence & swearing are not missed and they don’t even register as something that is missing because the story and artwork are still the key elements in entertaining us, the reader.

Now Halcyon & Tenderfoot is exactly that – an all-ages superhero story with the ability to take a Pixar-like sensibility (think The Incredibles – obviously) and merge it with an indy comic that manages to embrace it’s lack of boundaries.  No publisher imposing a continuity or a company’s ideas – this is Daniel and Lee’s story being told exactly as they imagined it with a well-rounded and surprising story.

The title opens up as a real homage to the Golden Age of heroes with Halcyon making his mark in the early crime-fighting days before a wave of supervillains rise to match the increase of heroes on the street.  Tired with the fight, he hangs up his cape to settle down and have a family but there is always that nagging doubt in his mind that he was put on this earth to fight the good fight.  Those ideas may well be some we have seen in other titles before but this story takes a much more responsible approach to the themes they’ve captured.  It’s a world where violence and crime have very real consequences.

The fight for good is a common theme as the son becomes a side-kick and then hero in his own right but that’s contrasted well with some poignant deaths that help generate a much deeper sense of caring about the characters than I was originally expecting.  Sure we’ve seen other heroes deal with loss but it’s that relatable element that gets us hooked and for this title that makes us want to read-on with that sense of excitement we usually expect when we reminisce while watching the likes of The Goonies (probably a generation thing ).

Contrasting with our imperfect heroes is the villains – out for their own gains but deeply impacted by the guilt these bring with it…..particularly with the likes of The Halogen Man who’s run-ins with Halcyon in the past resulted in his incarceration but his release would see a troubled character setting out for revenge on Halcyon and his family.  This switch between highs and lows brings with it the realistic element that a story of heroes & villains can sometimes lack and the artwork supports those elements of loss and triumph to embellish that further.

While issue #0 started off looking a bit sketchy in terms of the art, that quickly tightened up and improved across the remaining issues.  Strongly written characters and an ongoing depth to them helped make tackling the varying themes seem effortless.  For an all-ages book the younger readers may be expecting bold-coloured art for the interiors but that’s where the self-published releases sometimes vouch for the strong coloured covers and black & white interiors – something that they have gone for with this title – as an older reader I can appreciate the fine lines and the detail that’s gone into the pages…..as well as the layouts too but that’s not a complaint from me – it is what it is and it doesn’t take away from the quality of the work throughout.

Go check this and the other titles on offer on the webpage and see the other stellar work they do to help the literacy of youngsters in their workshops and more:

Art Heroes

7/10

G-Man

Phase Two of Marvels series of movies kicked off in a similar way to Phase One – with an Iron Man film and after some pretty impressive trailers and glimpses of The Mandarin and Pepper in the latest armour designed by Tony…..I was fairly hyped……enough to book tickets for a midnight showing.

As the first Iron Man marked a significant point in Marvels long-term movie plans it was almost certain that Iron Man had confirmed his place at the forefront of the movies they were releasing.  Unfortunately for Iron Man 3, we’ve seen the likes of Thor and Captain America appear in their own movies in cinemas across the world and reached the pinnacle of those releases with Joss Whedon’s The Avengers – with those in mind and Avengers in particular, my main concern was how a solo film could fair.

As I mentioned, the hype factor was high for me and I have to admit that I even enjoyed Iron Man 2 (which many fans took a dislike to) but Iron Man 3 proved be the first of the let-downs in Marvel’s releases, at least for me.  It’s a very different Tony Stark that appears on the big screen as a much more grown-up and troubled character tries to deal with those sleepless nights and panic attacks in the only way he knows – building some seriously cool sh&%.

Now the tech has always been a big pull and with The Mandarin billed as being a significant match for Tony/Iron Man it was a surprise (not necessarily a good one) that not all was at it seemed with this “villain” figure and even the inclusion of the Extremis plot in the film all seemed a bit forced.  That being said, the characters themselves play a much more significant part in this third instalment – marking a move away from the flashy tech side that brought a consistent amount action in those first two films.

Downey Jr. matches the serious aspect of the character well as he juggles that with his typical smart-mouthed bravado and there are enough laughs and quips to keep the momentum going but the tortured soul that is Tony Stark definitely seems to overshadow that and almost drag the film down to becoming a more sombre affair.  Maybe that’s the narrative from Tony but with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and even James Rhodes (Don Cheedle) playing a more significant part in the whole film  as War Machine/Iron Patriot there is still an element overshadowing their contributions.

To be honest, I still think they should have held with Terrence Stamp as Rhodey – but that’s maybe just me.  There’s then the under-used Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and ultimately disappointing reveal of the truth behind that hyped villain – although that villain side is improved with the addition of the man behind Mandarin, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) who does play the character to his typically high standard.

Iron Man 3 as a whole was OK in my eyes – and that’s mainly down to the films we’ve seen in-between as Thor has been the standout film for me as Kenneth Brannagh delivered a surprising addition to Phase One.  There’s also no doubt that Joss Whedon raised the bar with Avengers and it’s the combination of those two movies that have made the Marvel Universe that the movies are trying to portray much more difficult to make an impact on.  Some new tech and some pretty clever CGI effects can add some shine to the movie but I still think that this is the weakest of the releases so far.

The post-credit scene itself was also not what I’d hoped – I’d hoped for more of a hint at the next release, a real “WTF?” moment but even that fell flat.  Could be I’m being over-critical here but 2012 was a strong year for Comic Book Movies and I had hoped this would truly start the second phase with style……unfortunately for me, that hasn’t happened and it’s actually left me much more concerned over the next releases with Thor 2 out this October and Captain America out in early 2014.  More good than great and it definitely felt that Iron Man’s solo films had come to an end with a whimper, which is such a shame as it got the whole ball rolling.

G-Man

6/10

It’s all go this week with some interesting titles kicking off, some finishing up, some movies on offer AND Free Comic Book Day 2013 to look forward to this Saturday – GOOD TIMES!

Mike Carey kicks off his latest in Boom! Studios Suicide Risk #1

There’s more of the impressive BPRD spin-off Abe Sapien #2: Dark and Terrible Part 2

Mister X: Eviction #1 sees Dean Motter’s acclaimed series kick-off a new 3-part – perfect as a jumping on point.

Action Comics #20 has the new creative team of Andy Diggle & Tony S. Daniel continue from an impressive #19

Dynamite Entertainment brings us Black Bat #1 from Brian Buccellato (The Flash)

Miss Fury #2 continues Dynamites latest pulp  release

The final issue in MMA title Joe Palooka #6 finishes an impressive run

Colonized #2 sees IDW’s latest alien invasion title continue

All ages book G-Man TPB Volume 3: Coming Home is released and will surely impress just as much as Volume 1 and 2

Andy Diggle & Jock’s 4-parter comes to an end in Snapshot #4

Ten Grand #1 marks a new Image release and the impressive creative team of J. Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith

Age of Ultron #7 sees the Marvel event hit the last few issues of it’s 10-issue run.

One of the most consistent titles out now continues in Hawkeye #10

Dan Slott’s shake-up hits a new high with Superior Spider-Man #9 - can’t wait to read this one.

The origin of a tyrant continues with Thanos Rising #2

Find more new stuff at PREVIEWS.

Last week’s stack

We took Tom Cruise & Morgan Freeman in the stunning sci-fi film Oblivion from Radical Studios and we look forward to the Graphic Novel being released (although the contract agreement means we won’t see that until 2014)

Mark Millar & Frank Quitely started off Jupiter’s Legacy with style in issue #1

Favourite Cover

Not for the first time, my favourite cover comes from one of my favourite titles out these days with Matt Fraction and David Aja bringing us the life of Clint Barton outside the Avengers.  Cover by Francesco Francavilla

Where we’re at

The Comics Anonymous gang will be hitting Red Hot Comics this coming Saturday (4th May) for the all important Free Comic Book Day event.  Lots of quality titles on offer to grab your attention and surely get you hooked on another release – check those out here.

G-Man

The much talked about, much-hyped team-up of Mark Millar & Frank Quitely hits with #1 of this latest title from Image.  Millar, Quitely AND Image – sounds like a winner before we open that issue but does the title deliver what we’d expect??

Having teamed-up previously on The Authority, it was almost a matter of time before the pair reunited on a project and it seems fitting that they have landed at Image where a fresh, almost limitless supply of creator-owned titles have broken free from the shackles that a continuity-heavy character can clamp on a creative team.  Millar and Quitely bring us a fresh new superhero-filled world to get lost in at a time when the industry is already bursting at the seams with a flying guy here and a web-swinger there.

Now if you’ve been a follower of Millar’s work (like I have) you may well have a fair idea what to expect from this as his uncanny ability to tap into pop-culture has remained strong throughout his titles.  I’m the first to admit that I haven’t remained a devout fan of his work – be that his comics or his conversions to the big screen but Jupiter’s Legacy does have the feel of a return to the type of form that helped him get his name recognized throughout the comic book world.

The tale is fairly straight-forward as we open with an adventure to find an island seen in the visions of Sheldon Sampson.  An island that shouldn’t exist but the belief of his friends and the conviction of his actions almost will the island into existence and it’s discovery brings with it the first Superheroes to the world in the early 30’s.  Queue a switch to the present day and the celebrity capital of the world – Los Angeles, where the children of those early superheroes try to find meaning in the values handed down to them along with their powers.  All fairly recognizable ideas but it’s the execution here that separates it from other well-known titles.

Developing a clear definition between the days gone past and the modern-day world and the writing and artwork combine their efforts to draw a clear divide between those two elements.  The narrative from Sheldon in the 30’s manages to capture a clear nostalgic feel with a subtlety that I wasn’t expecting from the Millar as the brash and extreme nature of some of his titles had me expecting the worst.  Similarly, the style of the art holds true to that old-time feel – clothing, surroundings and characters all seem steeped in that flashback feel and the muted tones of Peter Doherty’s colour-work help emphasize that.

Flipping to the modern-day and we see the bright, flashy world depicted expertly by Quitely and again that’s been punctuated by Doherty’s stark and garish colour work.  Not a negative aspect in this case as it contrasts so well with those early days.  Modern day living with its “live fast, die young” approach taken up a notch with our modern-day heroes lost in their pursuit of pleasure instead of a quest for the greater good.  The older generation still fight that out and acts as a constant reminder to that new generation of what they could achieve, if they only wanted to.

With writing, artwork & colouring matching each other step for step it’s allowed a strong opener to develop in the course of one issue and if this keeps up in the rest of the title (which I fully expect it to) then I can see this being a far bigger success than it’s been hyped to be.  Add a mix of variant covers from the likes of Bryan Hitch, Dave Johnson & Phil Noto and the title will surely maintain its momentum in pre-sales alone.  A return to form for Millar and even though I thought I knew what to expect, this opener has surpassed my expectations and made me glad I’ve got these pre-ordered.  Writing and art combining perfectly, well suited for those different time periods and well coloured too – the art team have helped bring a world to life that may be one of superheroes & supervillains but somehow realistic with characters to be believed.

9/10

G-Man