Issues by Issue Round-up Review

Weekend Round-up Review

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Damage Control Issue 1:

The first half of the story begins with Bart, that is Head Intern Bart to you, and Gus meeting at a coffee shop to discuss the internship that Gus will be beginning that same morning. The story follows Bart and Gus through their day as interns at Damage Control. Gus is given his first assignment in the mail room and the from there the day is just a boring first day as an intern, well, actually that is what Bart was hoping. Gus nearly ends the world on his first day and is helped by Nightcrawler to stop a major catastrophe he caused and Quicksilver, as well as Head Intern Bart to save the day from planetary annihilation.

The second half of the story is a complete Saturday morning cartoon in comic panel form, and it is amazing. Bart’s mother comes to visit where he is interning at and does what any proud mother does to her son at work. She completely and embarrasses Bart in front of every coworker she meets on a tour of Damage Control. Through a purposeful but perhaps not wise move, she gets the reality stone. The Mad Titan is completely mommed into defeat and sent back to Titan hiliarously.

I cannot recommend this book enough. The art style by Will Robson, in the first half, fits the flow and style of the writing from duo Adam Goldberg and Hans Rodionoff perfectly. There is enough whimsy and light heartedness in the art and dialogue that I could not help but smile and at points even laugh at. The second half written by Charlotte (Fullerton) McDuffie is a joy to read accompanied by the cartoonish style of Jay Fosgitt. The pure whimsy of the second half made me feel like a kid watching cartoons and I could not help but laugh.

Ghost Rider Vengeance Forever Issue 1:

Johnny Blaze begins the issue riding down an empty highway approaching a lone building in the middle of nowhere. He finds Necro the Tattooist, a blind, supernatural tattoo artist whose art brings up the memories of other holders of the Spirit of Vengeance. A vision of Texas in the 1800’s shows how Jimmy Underhill becomes a host for the Rider.

More tattoos bring more memories of the Ghost Rider to the fore of Johnny Blaze’s mind. Danny Ketch, the lost brother of Johnny Blaze arrives in a bar. Everyone here goes silent, and he tells a ghost story and asks where his brother is. Danny Ketch finds his brother is being held by Blackout.

The tattoos finished and Johnny Blaze has ink work form face to waist as he exits the tattoo shop there are more visions of several different Riders. Closing out the issue with a shooting star in the sky as Johnny gets back on his bike. The shooting star is Cosmic Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze starts his bike, becoming Ghost Rider again.

I will give it some credit since this is only the first issue and trying to create a new story from an established character can take multiple issues. With that said, I found Benjamin Percy’s writing for this issue a little shaky. The story needs at least one more issue to take hold and get going. Percy usually starts a little on the slow side building and changing things slightly to fit as he goes. The art from Juan Jose Ryp is solid through the whole book. I look forward to continuing the story and seeing what Percy is setting up.

The Army of Darkness versus Reanimator: Necronomicon Rising Issues 1&2:

Issue 1:

A group of archeologists on a dig site somewhere in Scotland finds something that is whisked away to Miskatonic University for study. At Miskatonic University Herbert West is hard at work in his lab when the find is brough in causing a stir among the staff and interrupting and irritating West. He finds it is a perfectly preserved head hundreds of years old. That night West breaks in and uses his Reanimator serum he injects the head, reviving none other than Bad Ash. He talks to West and convinces him to go after the Necronomicon.

In a diner Ash is sitting with a young woman who is trying to convince him to go after because he is the chosen one. Ash being Ash wants nothing to do with the Necronomicon and only wants to eat his burger. The Deadites however had a different plan, forcing Ash to act once more.

Issue 2:

Mini Bad Ash leads Herbert West to the Necronomicon in the home of the current owner. Bad Ash and West get into an argument over why Bad Ash is pushing West to get the book. They are interrupted by the homeowner who Bad Ash dispatches quick and fast. The argument escalates and Mini Bad Ash grabs more Reanimator serum, injecting it and becoming a muscle-bound Bad Ash attacking West before being pulled into a portal.

Ash is on a train with the woman from the diner named Constance Wyrdie. She reveals she is part of a group that follow the prophecy of the Chosen One, so much so she jibes Ash about mispronouncing the incantation in the thirteenth century. During their conversation the train is attacked by Deadites forcing Ash into the fight again. After the fight a portal opens and pulls Ash and Constance through showing a reanimator-mechanical armed Herbert West.

The series as a whole is pretty good. Erik Burnham has certainly captured the spirit of Evil Dead/Army of Darkness serious campiness and the seriousness of Herbert West as an obsessed researcher. Eman Cassallos’ art helps tie the story in the style that it is portrayed in so far. The story feels a little bit more serious than I initially expected which is a refreshing change to be honest. I think the series is worth picking up so far and have enjoyed reading it.

Wolverine: Patch Issue 5:

Patch is being chased through the jungle by S.H.I.E.L.D. Mandroids trying to keep the Russia mutants safe. They are able to fight off the Mandroids but Patch is wounded heavily and unconscious. The Russian forces deploy their own Mandroid suits into the jungle to counter and attack the Russian mutants. Patch and the three Russian mutants barely survive when the Madripoor forces open fire on Russian Hinds. Patch is severely wounded so one of the Russian mutants heals Patch but causing memory loss as a cost of the healing.

The conclusion to Hama’s Patch felt a little disappointing. The final issue felt like the story from the other four issues got resets part of the way through just to make it end a specific way. Larry Hama’s writing up to this issue was superb in my opinion for Patch and this final issue was shaky for me. I recommend the entire series for sure, but the ending just feels off detracting from what it could have been, I think.

Rogues Books One and Two:

Book One:

Inside of an unknown bar Captain Cold and a group of minor villains are here meeting up for a pre-heist drinking and planning session. At the bar Captain Cold overhears Sam Simeon complaining and bragging that in Gorilla City Gorilla Grodd has a fortune in unmarked and untraceable gold. Years later Len Snart a.k.a. Captain Cold is getting a visit from a probation officer that gives him a rough time. At work Snart is called in to a meeting and promoted, leaving however, he overhears them mocking him and laughing at his situation.

Fed up and with how his life has fallen to shambles he decides to do one more heist. He plans to get his associates and sister back together to rob Grodd of his gold. Some of the Rogues are dead or incarcerated somewhere changing the original group, but all are on parole or probation of some kind. Snart meets with each of the new members using his sister as leverage in some cases to convince them to hear him out. The new Rogues nearly all assembled, hear the plan out and decide to help break Mirror Master out for the final step in preporation.

Upon getting in things are not what they seem, nor do they go as planned. Mister Mirror having a substance abuse issue is currently in a prison like rehabilitation center. They trip the alarms and guards arrive armed and in force. Snart makes a choice that forces the group into a point of no return for the Rogues.

Book Two:

Director Chase of the D.E.O. is informed of the Rogues actions as they make their way to Africa and to Gorilla City. They go undercover for a short time as film crew to discover a false Gorilla City, for those that may search it out, completely abandoned and left in ruin. Finding the real Gorilla City however, they enter cautiously.

Grodd is revealed to be the head of Gorilla City and the head of a mafia type board. Amongst finding out about how Gorilla City is ran it is revealed it is unsafe for humans in Gorilla City for the most part. The Rogues find out the gold just may still be there and be real after acquiring golden coins used as currency through gambling. When they come upon the bank it is extremely heavily guarded forcing the Rogues to adjust the plan again.

The Black Label DC is a mature based printing house of DC and is not recommended for younger readers. The Rogues books so far, are very enjoyable to read. The story comes off as a last ride heist style scenario. Joshua Williamson’s writing is superb in these books giving a look into a possible future and mind set of less explored areas of characters. The depth and live he breaths into the characters is fantastic in my opinion. The art by Leomacs pulls the environments and characters together in a unique pulp style that makes the story more enjoyable to me at least. These books are worth the extra three dollars compared to the normal three ninety-nine personally. If you are looking for a more mature story this just may be for you.

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