New Doctor Who Series 9 Trailer 2

In the aftermath of Endgame, Jim Gordon is now Gotham’s new robo-suited Dark Knight. Batman’s investigation into the deceased criminals with enhanced abilities, who were poisoned by the radioactive implants that gave them super-powers, has now become personal. In Batman #43 a new super-villain begins to make his presence felt in Gotham City, but what can Batman uncover about this mysterious Mr Bloom?

Batman #43 sees Jim Gordon’s life as Gotham’s new corporate funded Batman getting even more challenging, as Scott Snyder’s and Greg Capullo’s new story-arc finds the former marine and Police Commissioner seeking assistance in his investigation from someone with a connection to the Bat-Suit’s technology – Bruce Wayne!

Entwining flash-forwards, flashbacks and the present with superlative ease, Superheavy Part 3 continues to enrich and develop Jim Gordon’s new role as Batman. Following Bruce’s apparent death in Batman #40 while battling the Joker, issue #41 and #42 then went on to reveal that Bruce Wayne had indeed survived, and was now working at a Recreation Center in Gotham. Now in Batman #43 last issues surprise cliff-hanger begins to unfold as Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne meet for the first time since Jim took over as Batman.

Scott Snyder deftly wrong-foots us again with another surprise plot-twist that few could have expected or predicted. Yes, Bruce’s back, well, sort of, but he’s not exactly the same man he used to be either. Bruce is working at the Lucius Fox Center for Gotham Youth, where he has dedicated himself to the charity helping the neighbourhoods badly affected by the chaos unleashed in Endgame. Gordon has gone to Bruce to ask for his opinion on the seed-like implants Mr Bloom has been selling to criminals in the area. But Jim also needs Bruce’s help with the co-opted Waynetec in the Robo-Bat-Suit, so he can work more covertly as Batman without his every move being monitored by Powers Corp and the GCPD. However, this is a very different Bruce Wayne now, one whose been building the foundations of a new life – with goals and ideals which he cares deeply about.

As much as the Superheavy arc has been about Jim stepping into the role of Batman, this issue illustrates how its still very much a story about Bruce Wayne, primarily by address the burning issues of how Bruce Wayne came back, and why he stopped being Batman. As detailed in Alfred’s especially moving account to Clark Kent, the extraordinary circumstances of Bruce’s resurrection means his life is now free of the dark shadow of his parents murder, and in this remarkable issue Scott Snyder provides us with a fascinating insight into what kind of man Bruce would be if the Batman died and only Bruce Wayne came back. While Bruce is not exactly suffering from amnesia, he’s now a man who could no longer be the Batman, certainly not in the way we once knew, and on the flipside, with Jim Gordon becoming the new Batman, it’s also highlighted the enduring power of Batman’s legacy like never before whilst simultaneously re-examining why the Dark Knight matters so much to the people of Gotham, and the world itself.

Characters from Zero Year also return in Batman #43, including young Duke Thomas, and Bruce’s former girlfriend, Julie Madison, is back as Bruce’s new love interest. Julie Madison is also working with the kids at the Rec Center set up by Lucius Fox; which is open to all the neighbourhoods of the Narrows to provide a safe environment for the kids to play and meet up. Julie brings a fascinating dynamic to this storyline, she’s someone who understood Bruce long before he was Batman – and it’s clear she will have a key role to play in this arc. Alfred also makes a welcome return this issue – in perhaps one of Snyder’s best scripted scenes ever – alongside a rather bemused Clark Kent as the circumstances of Bruce’s miraculous return become apparent…

Batman #43 is a glorious fusion of story and art. Greg Capullo’s work on this issue is nothing short of outstanding: from the barbed enticement of a flowers allure on an impressionable young mind, to the everyday setting of the rec center, along with the beautifully dream-like quality of Alfred’s monologue, the unsettling implications of the final invention, and the excitement of the action-packed closing moments all collectively – in my humble opinion – make this one of Capullo’s finest issue to date. Every aspect of this issue is brought to life in vivid detail; each emotional beat of the story resonates perfectly, effortlessly drawing us into the characters lives and their surroundings.

Bruce is also sporting a new look, with slightly longer hair, and with the beard completing the transformation, Lumber-Bruce will certainly be an interesting change of pace for the character. The scenes between Gordon and Bruce were another big highlight of this issue, surpassed only by the interlude with Alfred and Clark, and of course we also get our first look at the new villain of the piece – Mr Bloom – whose gangly distinct look sublimely befits the character in more ways than one. Danny Miki’s inks bring added flourish to enhance Capullo’s art further, making every detail jump from the page, and FCO Plascencia’s wonderful colors are as exquisite as ever.

As you may have guessed from Greg Capullo’s stunning cover for Batman #43, Mr Bloom finally steps from the shadows in this issue. So far, Mr Bloom’s true motives have remained unclear, although Jim has a hunch about links with events that happened in Gotham years ago. Mr Bloom’s plans begin to take shape this issue, as his unique brand of evil – which has taken root in the cracks in society caused by Endgame – begins to flourish in the Narrows of Gotham. Scott Snyder has created a complex and compelling new adversary for Jim Gordon, and it looks like Mr Bloom will certainly be a challenge for the new Batman.

This issue builds to a tense and menacing climax. Stepping out from the Bat-Bot for the evening, Jim takes to his black and yellow-trimmed EVA Bat-Suit to investigate a warehouse – with Julia Pennyworth providing backup via the com-link – and figure out how Mr Bloom has drawn all the gangs to him. Web spinning wisecracks and Robocop references quickly spiral into a mash-up of bullets, sharks, and batarangs that tips Batman out of the frying pan and into the fire while Mr Bloom’s clandestine business dealings proves that he is no mere weed as be begins blossoming in the fertile soil of Gotham’s dark garden of crime…

If any doubts remain about the direction of this current arc, this issue goes a long way to put them to rest. Far from just killing Bruce off in Endgame simply for the sake of it and putting Jim Gordon in the Bat-Suit to shake things up in the Bat-Universe, we can now begin to see the whole picture, and its evident that Scott Snyder is crafting a story here that brings a new aspect to the 75 year mythos of Batman in a way that’s entirely fresh, and exciting.

With Bruce’s return I was expecting this to be a less Gordon-centric issue, fortunately that’s far from the case, if anything, it actually puts Jim and Bruce right at the heart of this storyline, and I’m really enjoying how this arc is developing. Batman #43 is a sensationally good issue, this is a master class in storytelling from Scott Snyder, and Greg Capullo’s art continues to make every issue of Batman a visual epic on every level.

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American Vampire Second Cycle #9 Review

05 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Vertigo

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American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle, American Vampire Second Cycle #9, Area 51, comics, Horror, Pearl Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Skinner Sweet, The Grey Trader, Vampires, Vassals of the Morning Star, Vertigo Comics

American Vampire #9

Review by Paul Bowler

Having snuck into Area 51, Pearl Jones and Felicia Brook must now escape from the top secret facility in American Vampire Second Cycle #9, while Skinner Sweet takes a perilous journey into space with Agent Pool to stop the Grey Traders people acquiring film from a Russian satellite. As Pearl and Felicia confront the terrifying horrors lurking behind the walls of Area 51, they might become test subjects themselves, just as Skinner encounters a deadly new threat in space as his mission reaches a crucial moment…

The critically acclaimed smash hit Vertigo Comics series American Vampire Second Cycle blasts into space as #1 New York Times best-selling writer Scott Snyder and renowned artist Rafael Albuquerque take Pearl’s and Skinner’s missions with Felicia Brook, the director of the Vassals of the Morning Star, to new heights of unparalleled terror that are – quite literally – out of this world. The cold war and the space race are now inexorably entwined with the ancient threat posed by the Grey Trader, and the stakes have never been higher for Pearl and Skinner!

American Vampire Second Cycle #9 is a veritable roller coaster ride of non-stop action. Scott Snyder continues to build the creeping sense of dread and tension that has permeated every corner of this new arc, over the course of this issue the individual strands of Skinner’s and Pearl’s separate missions gradually begin to converge as the pieces start falling into place, and the nail-biting action doesn’t let up for a moment.

A 24 caret blood transfusion may have stemmed Skinner’s infection for now, temporarily holding off his inevitable transformation, but we are soon made all too aware of just how tenuous a reprieve this really is for Skinner. While the mission in space approaches its objective, the bond between Skinner and Agent Pool continues to develop, and Pool’s story about his brother reinforces this arcs social and political backdrop in the most tragic of circumstances. Back on Earth, Pearl and Felicia are now captives inside Area 51, were they face the disquieting horror of a secret chamber that can erase anything; an area which also has far reaching links to the search for The Beast that leave a decidedly aquatic subtext swirling in the historic eddies of its wake…

Scott Snyder crafts some excellent character building moments during this issue of American Vampire, striking key emotional beats, melding humour, and stark, outright terror, which sublimely evolve into the issues most dynamic scenes. Skinner’s and Pool’s mission thoughtfully blends melancholy memories with the awe-inspiring majesty of space, while Pearl’s and Felicia’s experiences in Area 51 see them witnessing grotesque torture as they face a desperate struggle to find a way out and escape in one piece. This is American Vampire at its very best, thought provoking, dark, and unflinchingly graphic, this issue has it all!

Needles to say, Rafael Albuquerque’s phenomenal artwork on this series remains as outstanding as ever. From an apocalyptic Las Vegas lost between somewhere and forever, Albuquerque infuses Skinner’s nightmarish vision into our imagination with some deeply unsettling, and disturbing scenes as the Grey Trader’s influence bubbles away under the surface, festering, and worming its way into Skinner’s consciousness. Likewise, the scenes in space are stunning, and the dawn of a new day is simply breathtaking. Area 51’s interior is chillingly dark and ominous, which serves to heighten the even tension further. The colors by Dave McCaig accentuates the feel of the different environments perfectly: the way the burnt orange glow inside the capsule dissolves into the beautiful golden hues of the dawn is beautiful, cold blue and vivid green tones make Area 51 feel more like a high-tech slaughterhouse of horror, and the inky void of space is a beautifully silent sight accentuated by the faint shimmering glow of the Earth’s atmosphere.

American Vampire Second Cycle #9 rockets towards a thrilling climax when the grim reality of a death trap begins to sink in for Pearl and Felicia just as Skinner and Pool make a shocking discovery in space. Enthralling from cover to cover, with its excellent story by Scott Snyder and terrific art by Rafael Albuquerque, American Vampire Second Cycle #9 excels on every level and is another stand out issue in this remarkable series.

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Reyn #6 Review

03 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Image Comics

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comics, Followers of Teck, Image Comics, Kel Symons, Nate Stockman, Pat Brosseau, Paul Little, Reyn, Reyn #6, Reyn #6 review, Reyn Vol 1, Seph, The Land of Fate, Venn, Warden of Fate

Reyn #6

Review by Paul Bowler

Having braved the depths of the Rift and infiltrated the Venn stronghold, Reyn, Seph, and the Followers of Teck uncovered the startling truth about the Land of Fate. Now in Reyn #6 the secret history of their fabled world is revealed at last. Reyn and Seph must learn to deal with the new reality they now face, but time is a luxury they don’t have, the Venn are readying their forces to attack, and soon tragedy will strike…

Reyn #6 expands the grand scope and scale of the Land of Fate like never before as this Image Comics fantasy series, written by Kel Symons (The Mercenary Sea), with art by Nate Stockman, colors by Paul Little, and lettering and Design by Pat Brosseau, sees Reyn, Seph, and their allies confronting the out-of-this-world revelations that have turned all of their lives upside down and shattered everything they once believed in.

Following on from last issues Swords and Sorcery / Sci-Fi infused game changing cliff-hanger ending, Reyn #6 keeps the shocks and surprises coming for Reyn and Seph as the hidden past of the mysterious Land of Fate becomes inexorably entwined with the present. Kel Symons continues to build the suspense, Seph’s father, Adon, faces some difficult questions which even he cannot fully answer, and even Reyn’s ethereal guide Aurora mistress of Light, is unsure how to explain what the Warden of Fate is actually seeing. However, once everyone calms down and the initial shock of what their true world is subsides, its Reyn’s common sense approach and wry outlook that get things back on track. Soon the full extent of the great cataclysm becomes clear, as the past unlocks the salvation of humanity and a mission tinged with hope, destiny, and fate…

Nate Stockman’s artwork makes this issue an absolute joy to behold. The Sci-Fi and Fantasy elements all fuse seamlessly together with Symons intricate narrative to bring a whole new aspect to Reyn’s world. From the spectacular views into the great beyond past the view-port, to the moments of tension between the characters, it is the spectacular way Stockman illustrates the great cataclysm itself that really earmarks this issue as something very special indeed. The sheer attention to detail and depth of storytelling in these sequences are breathtaking. Paul Little’s colors are excellent as well, bold and vibrant, every beat of the story is captured impeccably, and the lettering and Design by Pat Brosseau is also as exceptional as ever.

This issue concludes as the Venn begin their attack, the battle is furious, and a terrible loss will be suffered. Reyn #6 is another really exciting issue, it gets the new story-arc off to a great start, there are some interesting character and plot developments along the way, and the ending is certainly one of the series’ most shocking so far! Reyn #6 continue to impress with every issue, with its terrific story by Kel Symons and superb art by Nate Stockman, this sci-fi embellished fantasy adventure series is certainly one that I would highly recommended, don‘t miss it! Oh, be sure to check out the superb Reyn Vol 1: Warden of Fate Trade-Paperback (collecting issues 1-5) which is also available now, perfect for fans of the series and for new readers to catch up with Reyn’s adventures.

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