Mark Millar has lately been concerned with getting old. Starlight followed a Buck Rogers-esque hero who came back to Earth, led a quiet life, and found himself alone with his memories, for example. And Reborn #1 (Image Comics) continues the trend with a heroine you don’t often see in comics: A woman in her seventies, living in a nursing home, and terrified of death.
While the cover of the book looks like a Lensman-esque high fantasy, and in the second half of the story, it indeed delves into that, the first half of the book is focused instead Bonnie’s last days on Earth. It’s unexpected, but what’s fascinating is how unvarnished it is, and the challenges it gives Greg Capullo, best known to this point for his grim superheroes. Capullo is more than up to it, filling the pages with warm panels and carefully illustrated people, and in the details, it might be some of his best work. Similarly, Millar handles the idea of a lonely woman filled with minor regrets and longing to be with the people she loves with a rare sensitivity.
Then, of course, there’s the fantasy aspect, which is a bit more familiar, but superbly executed as well. Apparently, when you die on Earth, you’re reincarnated to fight a war somewhere else, and Bonnie is, naturally, the Chosen One. Still, the real promise of this book will be how it riffs on that idea of a life led, and the unexpected second act, and it promises to be a compelling one.
Doom Patrol #2, DC Comics
Gerard Way and Nick Derington show a little more focus in their second issue as classic character Negative Man returns and, well, things haven’t been going well for ol’ Larry Trainor, who is now more nesting doll than person, psychologically speaking. Also, Cliff Steele, aka Robotman, is back and not really in the mood for the weirdness around him, offering a pretty funny grounding for the otherwise wacky goings-on the book needed. Derington in particular enjoys himself here, layering in detail and cinematic angles, and the book has a stronger flow thanks to that. The Doom Patrol are always welcome back, and this book is shaping up to be an excellent return.
Kill or Be Killed #3, Image
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ mix of modern horror and vigilante action story continues with a breather issue of sorts as our anti-hero tries to work out his issues with his closest friend, and discovers in the process that maybe he is, worryingly, a little more okay with killing people than he wants to admit. Phillips in particular stretches his muscles on art here, as most of the issue requires him to capture a lovesick young man and a somewhat oblivious woman trying to work out their feelings, and he nails it. But he and Brubaker also cleverly keep the balance going: Is our protagonist losing his mind? Or is he really working for a demon?
Peepland #1, Titan
Christa Faust is an interesting writer for Hard Case to bring to comics. Faust is a cult figure best known for her Angel Dare series, featuring a porn star who winds up in the kind of situations you usually expect to find a private eye in. Despite what may sound like sleaze, though, Faust’s work is notable for taking a sympathetic eye to sex work, and that carries over to Peepland.
The basic plot is simple: A woman stumbles over a video that mobsters would rather not find. It’s Faust’s characterization, especially our heroine working at a peep show, and Times Square in the ’80s setting that makes it stand out from the noir comics on the stands. Gary Phillips takes an interesting strategy on art, deemphasizing the sleaze in favor of a New York that seems grimy and exhausted. It’s an interesting take on a classic noir trope, and we’ll be curious to see where Faust and Phillips take it.
Great Lakes Avengers #1, Marvel
After an extended absence, the goofiest superteam Marvel has ever created is back in business with Zac Gorman on script and Will Robson on art. Believe it or not, they have a genuinely tough act to follow: Dan Slott gave the GLA a surprising amount of dimension for a bunch of joke characters, and it’s something Gorman and Robson pick up on a bit. The team is back thanks to a legal mistake and newly relocated to Detroit, but not everybody, well, most of the team, in fact, is entirely sure what they’re doing here. What makes it work is that, well, it’s funny, first of all, and secondly, while Robson’s art may be bright and cartoony, he does a lot with the smaller moments as well. This has potential to be Marvel’s next great comedy series, and we’ll look forward to it.
James Bond: Hammerhead #1, Dynamite: If the main Bond series from Dynamite is a bit of Connery meets a bit of Craig, then this miniseries adds a little bit of Roger Moore to the mix with Andy Diggle’s tight script and Luca Casalanguida’s stylish, kinetic art.
Howard the Duck #11, Marvel: Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones end their run on Howard with a meta-comedic take on just why his life is insane: Namely, two aliens named Chipp and Jho. It’s a fitting wrap-up to a great series, and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for Howard to return.
Resident Alien: The Man with No Name #2, Dark Horse: Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse continue their considered look at a space alien trapped in a small town making the best of it, and solving mysteries on the side, and it’s quietly one of the most refreshing stories on the stands.
Warlords of Appalachia #1, BOOM! Studios: Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Jonas Scharf transplant Iraq to Kentucky in a book set after a second civil war ends in America. It’s a fun action book, but hopefully future issues are a little more subtle, especially with the characterization of its villains.
Britannia #2, Valiant: Peter Milligan and Juan Jose Ryp continue their unusual mashup of Lovecraftian horror, historical fiction, and Sherlock Holmes in what’s becoming compelling proof Valiant is more than just superheroes.
This Week’s Best Collections
The Marvel Universe According to Hembeck, Marvel (Softcover, $35): Fred Hembeck has been roasting Marvel in its own pages for years, but tracking down every spoof and gag strip can be tough. So Marvel put them all in one place, a treat for Marvel nerds and those who fondly remember Hembeck’s inimitable style.
Another Chance to Get It Right, Dark Horse (Hardcover, $25): A collection of short stories, poems, and real-life recall from Andrew Vachss, child protection advocate and crime writer, gets new material and a 25th anniversary reissue. This book can be both scary and genuinely touching, and a reminder of what comics can be.
Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1, DC Comics (Hardcover, $75): Wonder Woman had some rather strange stories when she was first introduced, and this collection gathers a bunch of them. Hey, what’s a little bondage among Amazons, right?
