Kapow Comic-Con 2012

On Saturday 19th May my pal Simon and I travelled up to London for Kapow 2012, our first ever comic convention. And it was amazing. This post is a little review of the day and includes all the books I got signed as well as all the extra books I bought whilst there. I spent way too much money but it was worth it. A truly epic day. So here's a look at some of the goodies I came home with.

The first book of mine I got signed was by Frank Quitely, whose queue was pretty large but not insurmountable. I was in the line before about 45-50 minutes I reckon, which was nothing in comparison to Mark Millar's queue. Simon was waiting for at least a good hour and a half for Millar's signature; I took one look at that line and ran away. I figured getting Quitely's autograph would be a lot easier than Millar's, which turned out to be true. Frank was a really nice guy and signed my first volume of Batman & Robin on the cover and inside as well. The only thing I regret about this signing is the fact I didn't take my Absolute All Star Superman with me because I would have loved Frank to have signed that, but it was too damn heavy (not to mention precious) to lug around Kapow all day. After getting the signature in the bag I left Simon in the Millar queue for a little longer and decided to shop around a while. That's when I bought these:

Diamond Distribution had a small stall and were selling hardbacks and paperbacks for just £5. I had to ask to make sure, such was my level of disbelief. £5 for a hardback!? I'd had all three volumes of Spider-Man: Brand New Day on my Amazon wishlist for a while so I couldn't believe my luck when I saw these. Each volume was £5 each and in hardback too (I'm a sucker for hardbacks). £15 for all three books, which worked out being less than just one of the books on their own RRP. After Simon had given up on getting Millar he came and joined me at the Diamond stall and picked up a couple of cheap hardbacks for himself.

With a bag full of heavy hardbacks weighing us down, Simon and I moved on and attacked the wealth of long boxes Kapow had to offer. There were loads of shops and Ebay stores who had stalls at the show and they were selling off hundreds of old back issues. I've recently been on a bit of a Spider-Man binge of late so I was looking to add some old yet inexpensive issues of Amazing Spider-Man to my collection. These two jumped out at me (any thing Daredevil related is getting bought by me these days) and didn't cost too much so I grabbed them quickly.

It was when I found the "All Comics for £1" boxes that all hell broke loose. I got issues 58-67 of Bendis and Maleev's Dardevil run (above) for £10 total. Each comic was only a £1 so I just kept adding them up; I think I bought six in a row, then a couple more, then I thought "Hey, why not just two more?". I ended up with ten delightful issues of my favourite Marvel character and then called it a day on the single issues.

By now we'd browsed the convention for some time and each of us had bought a fair few books so we decided to turn our attention to the writer and artist signings once more. 

Both Simon and I both had a few books to get signed by Andy Diggle, whose queue was pretty reasonable. He was really nice and signed two of the first Daredevil issues I ever bought. I love that Daredevil #506 cover on the right, beautifully done by Paulo Rivera; Diggle's signature looks pretty good there too.

We decided to take a little break, get some food and a sitdown for a bit before hitting the shopfloor again. There was plenty more still to buy:

I spotted this (above) and bought it instantly. It's volume 2 of Brian Azzarello and Jim Lee's Superman: For Tomorrow. I bought and read the first volume years and years ago, before I was seriously into comics and I really enjoyed it. I've been trying to get my hands on the second volume for a while now but its been out of print for some time. I've heard volume 2 isn't very good and Azzarello goes a bit off track but I didn't care, Lee's artwork is worth the price of admission alone. I was so surprised to see this at Kapow that this was one of my favourite purchases of the day. 

Civil War: Spider-Man was one of the books I spotted right at the start of the show but held off of buying straight away because I didn't want to spend all my money just yet (I wanted to browse a bit more). But I had to come back and get this and I'm so glad I did. This book is almost an omnibus because its roughly the correct size (contains over 20 issues). It's out of print now too and goes for £30+ on Ebay and even more than that on Amazon, so to get it for £23 was a bargain in my eyes. It's a beautiful edition and I can't wait to read it.

By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, both of us were beginning to tire. We'd been up since 5.30am and had travelled quite a bit. But it was around this time we noticed that the queues for Scott Snyder and Joe Quesada had considerably shrunk in length. So much so that we joined on the end of Snyder's line and were meeting the man himself within 25 minutes.

Before I travelled to Kapow I'd set Snyder and Quesada's signatures as the two I wanted the most. I am a huge fan of Snyder and had taken my Batman books to get signed by him and I had some of my Daredevil stuff to be signed by Quesada too. Typically they had the longest queues of the day, being the star names of the show, so people had begun queueing for them an hour and a half before they were even supposed to arrive at their signing tables, which was insane. Simon and I both figured there was no way we'd get our books signed by either of them and resigned ourselves to that fact. So you can imagine our joy when we saw the lines were barely ten people long with just under an hour left to go. Snyder and Quesada were scheduled to sign until 5 pm so we had plenty of time left to get our books signed. As you can see from above I got my Batman: Black Mirror signed by Scott (oh yeah, I got it signed by Jock earlier in the day too, who was a top bloke) as well as my Batman #1 and Batman: Gates of Gotham paperback as well (both not pictured), which I bought on the day (another book I had been wanting for a long time but looks like its out of print already). Snyder turned out to be the nicest guy in the building. Despite obviously being rushed because of the huge line of people he had faced all afternoon, he took the time to ask my name and say thanks for buying and supporting the books. Its little moments like that that made it worth going.

After meeting Snyder and getting our books signed (Simon got his copy of Batman #1 signed and the first volume of American Vampire in hardback) I noticed Quesada's queue had been whittled down to only a few people so I immediately joined on the end. In less than 10 minutes I met Marvel's Chief Creative Officer and shook his hand before he signed my Daredevil books, pictured below:

The book on the left is my hardback edition of Daredevil: Guardian Devil that I review back in March. 

By now we were just about ready to head home, but there was one more moment of fun to be had. Sean Phillips, the British artist responsible for Criminal, Sleeper and Incognito, had been sandwiched between Quesada and Snyder since 3pm and his queue was non-existent by 4.45pm. Whilst I'd been queueing and meeting Quesada, Simon had taken advantage of Phillips's rapidly decreasing line and had gotten his beautiful copy of Fatale #1 signed, which included a cheeky sketch inside. Seeing this I decided to spend my last bit of money on a Criminal paperback to make the most of Phillips being there:

I bought Criminal Volume 6, The Last of the Innocent, since the only copies of the first volume Coward I could find had already been pre-signed or were in pretty rough condition. Since Volume 6 is a stand alone book and not really part of the rest of the series I had no problem buying the final volume before I'd read the previous five. Phillips couldn't have been nicer when I met him. We had a chat about his original artwork he had on display at his table, as well as the different colourists he's worked with (I asked him about his preferences since his original black and white work is so amazing.) Phillips was even nice enough to spent a couple of minutes and draw me an awesome sketch:

And that was that. It was past 5pm and we had to get going if we were to get home in time. It was such an incredible day and everybody we met was so insanely nice to talk to. Whether it was the creators at their tables signing or random people we met in the queues, everyone was really friendly and it really helped make the day a great one. I reckon Simon and I will go again next year, it was that much fun.

Thanks for reading.

New Comics - 18th April 2012

Apologies for not posting in such a long time. I've read a tonne of comics since my last post but haven't had much time for writing about them. Anyway we're back on track this week and it couldn't have come at a better time. This was one of my biggest weeks and saw a total of 7 books bought yesterday (Wednesday) including Batman #8, Nightwing #8, Justice League #8, Rocketeer Adventures #2, The Punisher #10, The Amazing Spider-Man #684 and finally Avengers vs X-Men #2. Lets get to the books!

Rocketeer Adventures #2

I'm a big fan of the Rocketeer. I remember watching the Disney movie years ago as a kid and enjoying it but I had no idea at the time it was based on a comic. Last year I stumbled across the The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures thanks to the folks at iFanboy, who'd awarded it the Book of the Month award in April 2012. I purchased it immediately and fell in love with Dave Stevens's iconic character all over again. The timing couldn't have been better either, as around the time I bought that beautiful collection of Stevens's original Rocketeer adventures IDW released a series of Rocketeer issues produced by some of the top names in comics, each writing and illustrating their own short stories based around our hero Cliff Secord. I managed to pick up a couple of those issues last year and enjoyed them a lot. So you can probably guess I was happy to see the series picked up for a second run in 2012 and I loved issue 1 a few weeks ago. 

Issue 2 contains three short stories written by Tom Taylor, Paul Dini and Walter Simonsen with art by Colin Wilson, Bill Morrison and John Paul Leon, plus a gorgeous Cliff and Betty pin-up by J. Scott Campbell. Each story is under 10 pages long but there's enough there to make it worth your while. Out of the three stories featured in this issue my favourite was probably the last one, "Autograph" by Simonsen and John Paul Leon - it had everything a Rocketeer story should have. Overall I adore these Rocketeer Adventures and I can't wait for the Mark Waid mini-series in August. 

Rating: 5/5

The Amazing Spider-Man #684

Dan Slott is knocking it out of the park with every issue of The Amazing Spider-Man and issue 684 is no exception. The previous issue saw Spidey assemble the Avengers against the threat of Doctor Octopus and the Sinister Six but our heroes were soon overwhelmed by Doc Ock and his dastardly tactics, leaving Spider-Man helpless. However all is not lost as issue 684 sees Spidey receive some desperately needed assistance from Silver Sable as he escapes Ock's tentacled-clutches just in time. With the help of Black Widow (who managed to survive the Sinister Six's attack and got rescued by a stealthy Silver Sable), the three heroes team up to track down Ock before its too late. They run into trouble in the shape of Sandman who has the whole Sahara desert to call upon. Thus an epic battle ensues as Peter, with the help of his two lady friends, goes toe to toe with one of his oldest adversaries.

As per usual with Slott's writing, this was a lot of fun. The guy knows how to mix in just the right amount of action and humour to get the best results for his audience. It was also great to see Humberto Ramos back on art duties. The previous issue was pencilled by the talented Stefano Caselli but I'm a big fan of Ramos and his unique style so was pleased to see him return to the character he seems destined to have drawn. Overall I'm really enjoying this "Ends of the Earth" arc Slott has cooked up. It's very rare I read any Avengers stuff so to get that mixed in with my regular Spidey fix is an added bonus. More of the same from Mr Slott which is in no way a bad thing.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #8

Something still isn't quite right with Justice League. I felt issue 7 took a big step forward but issue 8 seems like a step backwards, albeit a small one. I'm enjoying the fact we are now seeing the Justice League operate in "present day" continuity; no longer must we suffer more character introductions that take up entire issues. But Johns still hasn't got this book up to the high level most fans were expecting when DC relaunched their entire universe. This issue sees Green Arrow trying to force his way into contention for a spot on the JL roster. Its fun most of the time and Johns does an excellent job with the witty dialogue between Earth's greatest heroes but I still have issues with this book. To be honest I don't think its living up to my expectations and maybe that's my fault, maybe my expectations are just too high. This is DC's flagship book, the comic that represents their entire company and what they stand for. But for me, its just not hitting the high notes I want it to. It's the little things I'm struggling with. For example I really don't like how Johns writes Batman. One of my favourite characters ever and arguably DC's most popular hero is being written like an old man who can't keep up with the "cool kids" like Green Lantern. I like Hal Jordan and I appreciate a big part of his character is being cocky but I hate how nearly every wisecrack he makes is at Batman's expense and instead of Bruce coming back with a witty remark, he comes off as a grouchy old stick-in-the-mud. Its a running theme with Johns and I noticed it in Green Lantern: Rebirth as well. I agree Batman and Green Lantern should have a friendly rivalry going on, but a rivalry usually means there are two sides, which is not the case when it comes to Johns's Batman who is never given a chance to comeback at Hal.

Its not all negative in Justice League though. The double page spread by Ivan Reis featuring the Martian Manhunter in action against the Justice League was brilliant (see below) and his inclusion looks set to a very interesting story in the near future. The Shazam! backup story by Johns and Gary Frank (one of my favourite artists) was also a high point. I have no history at all with the character and I've enjoyed what I've seen so far. Another thing to look forward to? Jim Lee is back on art for issue 9. There is hope for this book yet...

Rating: 3/5

Nightwing #8

Just when I was beginning to doubt this book and think about ending my time with it, Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows go and produce possibly the best issue of the series. Tied in with the big Night of the Owls event that is affecting all the Bat family books at the moment, Nightwing #8 not only embraces the Owls mini-event but actually benefits enormously from it, which is rare amongst event tie-in books. The best part of this issue was undoubtedly the flashback to 1910 Gotham City where we see Dick Grayson's great grandfather William Cobb and how he wasn't always a blood thirsty Talon sent by the Court of Owls to murder Gotham's leaders. Couple that with Nightwing taking on and defeating one of the Court's assassins, this hit all the right notes with me.

Even if you only read Scott Snyder's Batman and have been hesitant to pick up some of the other Bat family books taken over by the Night of the Owls, I highly recommend getting Nightwing. And with the way issue 8 ended... well lets just say I can't wait for the next issue of Nightwing, and that's something I haven't said too often with this series. Excellent stuff from Higgins and Barrows.

Rating: 4/5

Avengers vs X-Men #2

After promising myself I wasn't going to invest in Marvel's big event of 2012, I naturally went out and purchased issue 1 of Avengers vs X-Men two weeks ago. I was going to wait it out, see if the reviews were generally positive and then pick up in trade format, which would work out cheaper than buying it in single issues. Well I couldn't help myself and the fact John Romita Jr, one of my favourite artists, is behind the pencils on this event was an added bonus, one that turned out to be too hard to resist.

After two issues I can safely say I'm really enjoying this. So far its been a pretty standard action-fest (although a lovely looking action fest) and that was to be expected but its being handled really well. The script is fast paced, like the action on page, and is both witty and direct. I reckon I'll keep going for a little bit longer as I'm intrigued to see how the X-Men, despite being devastatingly outnumbered, will react to this assault from the good-intentioned Avengers. I'll definitely pick up issue 3.

Rating: 4/5

The Punisher #10

I initially had some reservations when Marvel announced their mini crossover event The Omega Effect. I enjoy my monthly fix of Daredevil and I don't want the main story spoiled and interrupted with storylines from other books I don't buy. So when I found out Daredevil #11 would be used to tell the final chapter of the Omega Effect, well, you can understand my trepidation. Thankfully Marvel didn't overextend themselves and after a small amount of research I had no problem with picking up just two extra books, Avenging Spider-Man #6 and this, The Punisher #10. Well last week the Omega Effect kicked off in Avenging Spider-Man and it started out with a bang, a wonderful issue that hooked me into this story right away.

And of course, Punisher #10 keeps the ball rolling in the right direction. I had previously never read an issue of the Punisher. I'm somewhat familiar with the character but haven't ever gotten around to reading any of his own stories. Well that hasn't really changed because this issue, despite saying Punisher on the cover, is very Daredevil-centric and really revolves around Hornhead, and not Frank Castle and Spidey. Which of course makes the Daredevil fan in me very happy. Greg Rucka is the man behind the script and does a fantastic job, so much so that I'm tempted to stay on board with The Punisher and see what Rucka delivers every month. But Mark Waid, who has co-crafted this mini event with Rucka, deserves praise too because the entire story has been masterminded by the two of them. So far the Omega Effect has been a lot of fun to read, which is not what I expected when I picked up The Punisher. Rucka writes Spider-Man beautifully, his interactions with the serious Punisher have been hilarious. And don't forget the art. Oh, the art!

Marco Checchetto has been the artist on both Avenging Spider-Man and The Punisher, and will also wrap up the event in Daredevil #11. He has been in fine form and I love what he's done with these characters. I've seen some of Checchetto's work before in a couple of DD issues I bought last year (during Shadowland) and I came away impressed. But his efforts on The Omega Effect have been outstanding so far and I'm positive Daredevil #11 is going to look equally impressive. I love the way he draws Daredevil; so much detail is applied to his face and costume, like the red facial fuzz on Matt's chin and the sharp cut of his mask. Paulo Rivera is working wonders every month on Daredevil with his understated style but I have to admit I'm enjoying Checchetto's fine work here. Both artists have completely contrasting styles - Checchetto's look is much darker than Rivera's - but I am enjoying see Matt Murdock in this light; it makes a nice change.

Overall this has been a great event so far and the cliffhanger in The Punisher #10 has left me wanting more. Top stuff from everyone involved on the Omega Effect. On an ordinary week this would've been my Pick of the Week, without a doubt. But we're forgetting one more book...

Rating: 5/5

Batman #8

Wow, Bruce Wayne can't catch a break huh? After finally escaping from the Court of Owl's clutches and dragging his near-lifeless body back to Wayne Manor, the Court up their game with a full scale assault on Batman's home and of course, The Batcave. Writer Scott Snyder, whose talent for writing incredible stories seems to know no bounds, has crafted a masterpiece. Since DC initiated the New 52, Batman as consistently been the best comic on the shelves. I'm sorry, I know I don't read every book every month, but for me there is no equal to Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman.

Snyder has done a fantastic job maintaining the fundamentals of Batman as the hero we all know and love whilst also making him vulnerable, a side we rarely see from Gotham's Dark Knight. With the Talons surrounding Bruce and Alfred throughout issue 8, Snyder brings the reader in, making us feel as chased and pursued as the characters on the page. Its truly horrifying stuff and its what Snyder is best at. As the Court's assassins close in for the kill, the feeling of panic rises within the reader yet Bruce remains calm and calculated, on the ball for everything the Talons have to throw at him. After finally coming to terms with the fact that he was wrong, that the Court of Owls have been under his nose the entire time, Bruce no longer seems so vulnerable but instead he is focused on the task at hand. You sense there'll be some serious ass kicking coming up in the near future.

We can't forget about Capullo's art though. As great as Snyder is with words, Capullo can match him with his pencils, which results in comic book perfection for the readers. It feels like he's getting better and better with every issue too. Just gorgeous stuff from the man. An honourable mention must go to American Vampire artist Rafael Albuquerque too, for his sublime work on the backup story in this issue.

Overall if you're not reading Batman at the moment, then what the hell is wrong with you? I implore all comic book fans to read this book. If you're not on board already, make sure you get the trade. It's just so good.

Rating: 5/5 Pick of the Week

Thanks for reading!

New Comics - 15th February 2012

Apologies for the late post. Since picking up my books on Wednesday morning, I then went away for a few days on a mini holiday so I didn't really have time to review them. Nonetheless, there are five books for me this week, and the reviews are better late than never, right? Let's get to them then...

The Amazing Spider-Man 679.1

So apparently Marvel's Point 1 books are all about getting new readers onto their books. A single issue which is supposed to be the perfect jumping on point for somebody who hasn't read the character before. Well I didn't get that feeling with ASM 679.1. The story by Dan Slott and Chris Yost was fine, but I'd hardly say this was a great story for new readers to fall in love with Spidey.

First of all, right from the start there was a huge reference to Spider-Island, the epic story from last summer. Are new readers supposed to know what that is? It's kind of explained here but still, is that really the best way to start an issue aimed at newcomers? In my opinion, no. Second of all I'm not really a fan of Morbius, the big baddie featured in this issue. Finally, why are some of the characters wearing huge hoodies and baggy cargo pants? This isn't the late nineties/ early noughties anymore, so I don't expect Peter Parker to look like my 12 year-old self when I used to hang out at the skatepark. It looked pretty bad and the art suffered as a result.

Overall this was a pretty mediocre issue and failed in it's mission to appeal to new readers. If this was the first issue of ASM I picked up, I wouldn't be jumping on for the long haul. This issue had 'filler' written all over it and I doubt it'll have much effect on the upcoming issues and storyline Dan Slott has cooked up for ASM #680.

Rating: 2/5

Nightwing #6

I've got mixed feelings about issue 6 of Nightwing. Despite the story progressing and Dick finally finding out who Saiko is, it felt like something was missing. I can't exactly put my finger on it but I'm not loving Nightwing anymore. Why is that? Well I'm a little tired of the whole circus thing now. I'm hoping Kyle Higgins can wrap this up pretty soon and move on because I'm getting a little bit bored of Haly's Circus.

I also have some problems with the story in issue 6. When the Haly's Circus team reveal that they're hosting a special anniversary show in Gotham to remember Dick's parent's deaths, Dick protests and rightfully so. But then the team say: "You may "own" Haly's, Dick, but that doesn't mean we're going to let you drive us into the ground. Hire whatever extra security you want, but this tribute is happening -- whether you show up in Gotham or not". So instead of Dick laying down the law and saying 'no means no', the show goes ahead as planned. Nightwing's parents were murdered in Gotham and the idiotic crew want to "remember" them with a show in the same place they died? Not very sensitive to Dick's feelings are they?

There's not much more to say here, apart from I can't wait for this arc to finish up so the Court of Owls crossover can bring a bit more spark into Nightwing's life. Eddy Barrow's pencils are still fantastic but this book needs a bit of a kick in the backside to make it shine.

Rating: 2/5

Daredevil #9

It's becoming increasingly difficult to come up with new ways to praise this book. I'm running out of superlatives and adjectives to describe how amazing the duo of Mark Waid and Paulo Rivera are when it comes to Daredevil. Issue 9 marks the beginning of a new story, where our hero has to delve underneath New York City to find out why coffins are going missing, including the casket of Matt Murdock's father. Matt quickly discovers who's responsible for thieving so many corpses and can't stand back and watch the desecration. Naturally this lands DD in a bit of a pickle...

It's safe to say by now that Mark Waid really gets Daredevil. It didn't take 9 issues either, you could tell Waid was born to write Daredevil from issue 1. He understands the character completely and his script is always a joy to read. It's so much fun to find out how DD turns his blindness into an advantage and how he uses his powers. Coupled with Rivera's unique way of depicting Matt's radar sense, you really get a sense of knowing exactly what Daredevil is going through, bringing you closer to the character. Issue 9 is another fantastic example of the comic-book medium firing on all cylinders. This is Daredevil at his best and long may Waid and Rivera stay on this book. Flawless.

Rating: 5/5

Batman #6

Batman is easily my most anticipated book every month. After the fantastic issue 5 last month, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this month's issue, and Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo definitely didn't disappoint. After issue 5 saw Batman begin to lose his grip on reality, as well as the Talon finally getting to him, things didn't look to good for the Caped Crusader. The first page of issue 6 re-enforced this:

As Batman takes a serious beating and is on the verge of death, we see Bruce finally give up and give in to the pain and suffering. Capullo's art during the first few pages is horrifying, especially when the 'Owls' descend from above to pick apart Batman piece by piece. It isn't until Bruce spots a photo of his great-great-grandfather Alan Wayne, and realises that he went through exactly the same brutal experience, that Batman begins to fight back. And in some style too, as he goes toe to toe with the Talon, unleashing all his fury on the masked assassin. Again, Capullo's art excels here as we see the pent-up rage explode from Bruce. Batman just about escapes from the Owls (but not completely it seems) and it's going to be interesting to see the fallout from this issue. How will Alfred, Nightwing and the rest of the gang react to Bruce's reappearance? Surely Bruce must admit he was wrong before about there being no such thing as 'The Court of Owls'? And what of the final page, where we discover there was more than one Talon - that there is in fact a whole room full of them, ready to be unleashed upon Gotham. Things are about to get really interesting from here...

The highest praise I can give this book is that it always leaves me wanting more. The Court of Owls is about to explode across the entire line of Bat books and I can't wait to see how it unravels. Gotham is in store for some action, that's for sure.

Rating: 5/5 Pick of the Week

There was a bonus book this week too...

Secret Avengers #22

Secret Avengers #22 was a book I wanted last week but unfortunately I wasn't quick-minded enough to contact my local store and get one put by for me. Well I wanted to give it a try anyway and thankfully Nick at American Dream ordered a copy in for me.

Now let me make this clear; I have never read an Avengers book before. To be quite honest, I don't really like the Avengers very much. If somebody asked me to choose between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League or Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Avengers, it's no competition for me. My DC allegiance shines through and I'll take the Justice League every day of the week.  But in the build-up to the Secret Avengers #22 release, I'd heard that this is the book for people who don't really like the Avengers, the anti-Avengers if you will. This interested me and the fact Captain Britain makes an appearance (a character I've wanted to read about for a while) was an added bonus.

Unfortunately, for me, this issue didn't live up to the hype. The story was ok but didn't really get me excited or interested enough to make sure I pick up the next issue (which I probably won't). I really liked the concept of having a covert team of heroes, out to prevent disasters before they happen, but it was all downhill from then on. The first few pages where we see Captain Britain being recruited into the team were decent enough and I didn't even mind the silly moment when Hawkeye shot a sticky arrow into Captain Britain's mouth. What annoyed me most was a major problem I had with Rick Remember's plot. The scene where mini Avengers sprouted from that woman's back was ridiculous and I felt it was unnecessary and stupid. It completely killed any good vibes I was having whilst reading this issue, and the situation wasn't improved by Gabriel Hardman's confusing art.

For the majority of the issue I enjoyed Hardman's artwork, particularly the panels when the team first came together. This is the first time I've ever read anything pencilled by Hardman, and I know he has many fans, but to me his work has the look of a poor man's Michael Lark. The scene I mentioned previously about the mini Avengers was only made worse by Hardman's scrappy pencils, which by that stage in the issue were looking very messy indeed.

To top it off the issue felt like it finished rather abruptly and that was the final nail in the coffin for me. I enjoyed certain parts of Secret Avengers #22 but overall it didn't live up to the hype and I don't think Marvel will be getting my $3.99 when the next issue is released. It's sad because I really wanted to like this book a lot, but it fell short of the mark.

Rating: 2/5

Thanks for reading.

New Comics - 18th January 2012

This is traditionally my biggest Wednesday of the month, what with Batman and Nightwing always shipping at the same time, and normally Daredevil or the bi-monthly Amazing Spider-Man making an appearance too. I would have had even more to read this week if Justice League was released on time (rumour has it issue 5 will be out next Wednesday, the 25th). So let's get to the reviews of this week's purchases (there may be SPOILERS ahead, naturally).

Batman #5

We're 5 issues deep into Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's run on Batman and it has been sublime so far. Every issue has left me wanting more and this week's edition was so no exception. Snyder has crafted one hell of a story here and Capullo's artwork bowls me over every month. This book is haunting, pure and simple. Issue 4 saw Bruce fall into the Court of Owl's lair and this week is the fallout, seeing Batman trapped in their labyrinth. I've read that some readers found this issue frustrating, because we didn't learn anything new and meaningful about Talon and the Court. I can understand their frustration but good things come to those who wait right? I'm certain Mr Snyder will reveal everything at the precise moment to cause maximum effect. This was all about seeing Bruce as a human being, stripped down and vulnerable, a man slowly losing touch with reality. This was a horrifying issue as we had to watch Batman be chipped away mentally, as the Court of Owls tortured and teased until our hero began to break down. Don't get me started on the whole "turning the pages" thing; it really weirded me out and for a second there I thought there was something wrong with my individual issue, like it had been bound wrong. The scene with Damian at the end was pretty touching, and it was nice to see him show some emotion for his father. I just hate how I have to wait another 4 weeks into I can find out what happens next; the suspense is unbearable.

Rating: 5/5

Nightwing #5

After 5 issues I've been enjoying Kyle Higgins' work on Nightwing. It's not knocking my socks off but its solid, entertaining stuff and a good read overall. However this week Nightwing seemed to take a bit a step backwards. The whole fight with a demon thing irked me a bit and I felt it didn't make for a great story. Eddy Barrows' art was the saving grace on this issue, possibly his best work on the book so far. Overall issue 5 wasn't great but the reveal at the end has kept me intrigued and I'm very interested to see where the plot goes from here. Dick Grayson is one of my favourite DC characters so even if this book was awful (which it isn't) I'd no doubt buy this book regardless of it's quality, such is my love for the character. Here's hoping the story heats up a bit from now on.

Rating: 2/5

The Amazing Spider-Man #678

Ever since the enjoyable epic that was Spider-Island came to an end, Amazing Spider-Man seems to have gotten a bit lost. After a couple of filler issues involving the Vulture, the dismal issue 676, and the first part of "Devil and the Details" which concluded in this month's Daredevil (I'll come to that), I was hoping Dan Slott would get the show back on the road and that's largely what we got this month in issue 678. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed this issue didn't mention or remark on the events that occurred in Daredevil #8 but I suppose its not really important in the grand scheme of things. Humberto Ramos returned on art duties and in some style too. A lot of people are a bit "marmite" when it comes to Ramos' style; you either love him or hate him. I am very much loving his take on Spidey and I feel he draws a brilliant Peter Parker, bringing some much-needed fun and humour to every issue. Despite his cartoon-ish ways I really enjoy Ramos' art and coupled with Slott's witty take on the wall-crawler, it all makes for an entertaining read. Keep it up please.

Rating: 3/5

Daredevil #8

Quite possibly Marvel's most celebrated title at the moment and I'm proud to say I've been there since the start. Well, if we consider issue 1 last summer to be the start. Mark Waid is still firing on all cylinders and continues to bring fresh and interesting stories to the life of Matt Murdock and Daredevil. This issue concluded the story that began in Amazing Spider-Man 677 and wrapped it all up beautifully. Waid made sure there was a bit of everything; some humour, lots of action, even some romance. I look forward to this book every month as it never fails to deliver the goods. This panel in particular made me burst out in laughter: 

Filling in for Paolo Rivera this issue was artist Kano, who did a stand-up job in the art department. His pencils were perfect, very Rivera-like and kept with the tone previously set by Rivera and Marcos Martin on the series. I hope Marvel can get Kano to fill in every time Rivera or Martin can't make it. Overall this was a great issue and a lot of fun. I enjoyed it so much that Daredevil narrowly edges out Batman as my pick of the week. It had the perfect blend for me and it seems Waid can't put a foot wrong at the moment. Long may he reign on Daredevil.

Rating: 5/5 Pick of the Week

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'Batman: The Black Mirror' Review

Batman: The Black Mirror contains issues 871-881 of Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla's acclaimed run on Detective Comics last year. It's been hailed by IGN as the "definitive Batman comic of the 21st century" and I can't really argue with that. I'd been looking forward to reading this for a long time. I unfortunately got back into the world of comics at the wrong time, just as Snyder's run on Detective Comics was coming to it's end. In fact I remember standing in my local store the day the final issue was released, after I'd read an article by the folks at iFanboy urging people to pick up that final issue. I had a quick flick through the pages but decided against buying it, since I'd already missed the entire story and didn't want to spoil the ending before I even knew what the beginning was all about. But it stuck in my mind nonetheless and I knew I had to get my hands on the whole run when it was released.

It took a while though. Christmas came and went without The Black Mirror so I turned to the trusty Amazon for a copy. 24 hours after my order their availability status changed to 'Temporarily Out of Stock' (which it still says at this current time). It wasn't looking good and I couldn't stand to wait much longer - everywhere I looked people were raving about it, every review full of praise. Through my workplace I managed to get one transferred from Chelmsford and within a couple of days I finally had The Black Mirror in my hands. And boy am I glad I didn't wait any longer.

I was already somewhat familiar with writer Scott Snyder's work, as his current run on Batman is blowing me away every month (issue 5 came out yesterday and is staring at me right now as I type). And I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed with his skills on The Black Mirror. His script is second to none, a powerful mix between a terrifying horror story and an old fashioned crime/detective narrative. For me, Snyder has supplanted Geoff Johns as the golden boy on DC's writing staff. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Johns' work, especially his Superman stuff, but Snyder's ability to immerse the reader into the gritty world of Batman is incredible. I feel like out of all the Batman stories I've read over the years, only an elite few have ever really got what Batman is all about. You can tell when the author really understands the character and successfully relays Batman's world to the reader: Snyder is up there with those elite few, there's no doubt.

I mentioned earlier about The Black Mirror being part crime, part horror; I wasn't kidding about the horror part. There were moments when I was genuinely shocked, where I had to stop and say out loud "God, that's pretty wrong right there." My girlfriend was not impressed when I showed her one particular page (I won't spoil which one, but it's downright nasty). And this is where the artists have done such a great job. The pages have been shared between British-born artist Jock and the Italian Francesco Francavilla, both of whom help to bring Snyder's epic words to life. Jock handles the majority of the Batman orientated storyline and Francavilla covers the Jim Gordon areas. I wasn't familiar with either artist's work before this and on that day I picked up the last issue in my local shop, I was put off a bit by Jock's unconventional style. His work isn't the traditional realistic look I'm accustomed to but I put any misgivings I had to the back of my head and immersed myself in the work, which quickly won me over. The Black Mirror soon turned me into a big fan of Jock's work and he captured Batman and Gotham City perfectly. Francavilla's art is distinctively different to Jock's but equally effective in it's execution. Francavilla must hear this all the time but the subtlety in his work is very reminiscent of David Mazzucchelli, one of the greatest Batman artists ever. Many of the pages reminded me of Mazzucchelli's haunting work on Batman: Year One and of course that is a very good thing indeed. Combined together, Jock and Francavilla are exactly the type of artists for this kind of story and complement Snyder's script perfectly.

After turning the last page I was sad to see this book end. It truly belongs up there in the pantheon of top Batman stories. It's clear that Snyder can become (if he's not already) one of the master storytellers in the DC universe and I am very tempted to start reading the American Vampire trade paperbacks, Snyder's other renowned work. In fact I might just go and do that now...

Amongst The Panels rating: 5/5

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