The Boys #31
Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s dark and darkly humorous superhero story consistently meets or exceeds all of my expectations and #31 in the series – the first of a new storyline – is no exception. Expect plenty of ass kicking and even a bit of tragedy in this issue. Supes get put in their place and The Boys learn that they, too, can be hurt. A new storyline starts here so this is a great place to jump in with the single issues if you’ve only been reading the trades up till now.
Dead Irons #4
While I feel that this series lost its stride somewhere in the second issue, it does a fair job of picking it back up for the conclusion to the series. The story suffered most from not explaining its own mythology. It’s a mish-mash of monster traditions rolled into one comic miniseries with only the barest of explanations. The gritty art style absolutely lends itself to the western motif but is often found wanting when it comes to fine anatomical details like eyes. Having roundly criticized the comic I have to finish by saying that this conclusion was deftly executed and I would absolutely read a follow up series were the team of James Kuhoric and Jason Shawn Alexander to make one.
G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra: Official Movie Prequel #4 Snake Eyes
These G.I.Joe movie prequels don’t have the best art I’ve ever seen nor does it tell the deepest, most compelling story, but man are they fun. I think everyone knows how awesome Snake Eyes is but it’s always fun to watch him in action as he single handedly takes out a gang of Russian eco-terrorists. I recommend this series for any comic fan who plans on seeing the movie this August.
Irredeemable #3
I love the dark superhero stories. For years I stayed away from comics because I thought men running around in their underwear with capes on was kind of silly but then a friend lent me his copy of Mark Millar’s Red Son and my opinion instantly changed. Mark Waid and Peter Krause’s Irredeemable is in the same class as Red Son. The plot just keeps twisting so I have absolutely no idea where this story is going next and I love it. If you don’t get in on this series now you may miss your chance or simply have to wait for the trade to come out. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Universal War #3
No one is ever allowed to attack the artistic integrity of the French again. The Soleil line of comics is far superior to anything in the science fiction genre I’ve seen from this side of the Atlantic. The conclusion to Universal War is a tour de force of politics, physics, intrigue and love that has few equals today. From the destruction of Earth to the salvation of humanity, story telling doesn’t get much better than this. I’m looking forward to reading this one straight through again so I can see all the dots connected. This title is worth the $6.