Comic Book review: Tokyo Ghost, Volume One: The Atomic Garden

Despite cover art that might evoke thoughts of Akira and Mad Max, Tokyo Ghost falls nearer to the themes explored in Ghost in the Shell, with a presentation that teeters towards Tank Girl and Robocop. It is an extremist vision of a future controlled by one corporation, a world run into the ground with pollution and technological addictions. At the center of this story are Debbie, one of the few citizens of mega-city Los Angeles who has remained clean, and her boyfriend, constable Led Dent, a tech junkie who is known as feared as the most effective of enforcers in L.A.

Led Dent frequently tracks down those who have tried to cheat his employer out of money, or those who seek to upset the twisted dystopian order of the city. And Led carries out many of his jobs with extreme prejudice, destroying mechanical and organic obstacles alike. Debbie, meanwhile, does not think so highly of L.A., nor does she care much for Led’s employer, but she sees the jobs as a necessary evil, a means of escape from this world drowning in its own addictions and misery. While Led’s hulking form and beast of a motorbike play into much of the series visual ‘pop’, Debbie’s bright pink and purple color scheme denotes her livelihood, her hopes for a better tomorrow, and the fact that – even in such a rotten city – her soul is still filled with love for Led.

The series explains that, many years prior, Led Dent was a kid named Teddy. Debbie and Teddy fell in love, but as the world went to hell in a hand basket around them, Teddy felt weak, unable to protect Debbie, or himself, for that matter. Teddy subjected himself to a number of implants in order to become the gargantuan and fearsome Led Dent, but in doing so, sacrificed his soul and much of his free will. Seeing Led constantly jacked in to a series of radio and television feeds as he carries out his missions, Debbie is determined to get him clean, to bring back the boy she fell in love with, by escaping to Japan, rumored to be the last country on the planet devoid of technology.

The environments in Tokyo Ghost display and absurd attention to detail. Many signs and company names can be picked out from any single one of Tokyo Ghost’s cityscape panoramas, while the lush greenery, tranquil waterfalls, and feudal buildings of Japan present a stark contrast. It is a series that rides on the wilder side, with the gore and sex often being gratuitous to further drive home the notion that this future is controlled by selfish individuals whose concerns are not with the common folk. For those who grew up during the boom of cyberpunk anime and films, Tokyo Ghost may be worth a look. This first volume ends on a note that may leave readers a tad puzzled, even caught off guard. With that in mind, I feel it is worth stating that this is but the first act of Tokyo Ghost, and there is plentiful opportunity for the story to be elaborated upon in later volumes.

My rating: 8 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Deadpool vs. X-Force

A prequel of sorts to the original meeting of Deadpool and Cable in the mid-1990s, Deadpool vs. X-Force is a bizarre romp through American history, as the X-Force members seek to course-correct all of the problems Deadpool has left in his wake. Deadpool appears to be working for some mysterious benefactor, and has been assigned particular targets, as per his mercenary title. But he doesn’t seem to mind increasing the body count exponentially, shooting up and cutting down any confused soldier from the American Revolutionary or Civil Wars that gets in his way. Armed with an absurdly large arsenal including modern firearms and futuristic laser weaponry, Deadpool has a clear advantage in practically every scenario.

That is, until the X-Force begin pursuing him through time. And while they too have a host of future-tech and incredible powers at their disposal, their lack of familiarity with Deadpool at this point means that their approach is more cautious, with Cable ordering them to flank around Deadpool’s hiding spot in a manor and adopt a tactical strategy. However, the soldiers caught in the middle of this scuffle are nothing shy of confused and terrified, and so they end up firing upon Cable and the other members of X-Force, adding another layer of chaos to the entire ordeal.

The story moves along at a rather brisk pace, and as a result, the humor is sprinkled in at appropriate junctures or breaks in the action. Readers seeking a constant spout of jokes may not find this release as satisfying. But Deadpool vs. X-Force does well to balance the two portrayals of Deadpool most commonly witnessed in his comics – wacky, self-referential, lovable idiot, and borderline-psychotic murderer who gets a rise out of his bloody line of work. The majority of the jokes that are delivered in this collection are at the expense of Cable, his audience (with Deadpool refusing to offer any recaps on events, and suggesting that readers read the previous issues), and his creators (asking if perhaps they could paint black ‘X’s on the eyes of anyone he’s already killed, to make it easier for him to keep track of who is left standing).

Given its nature as a prequel, Deadpool vs. X-Force does not have much wiggle room with regards to its ending. It’s a conclusion that many will see coming, and despite it not being a wondrous finale, it’s acceptable. It would have been nice to see the other X-Force members be more active participants in this collection – Cannonball and Boom Boom take to the fight for a few key moments, while Warpath has a couple panels worth of fighting, and Domino seems to just be along for the ride. Perhaps my feelings toward Deadpool vs. X-Force would have been more positive had the series run another issue or two in length – it could have helped draw out the pacing a bit, and even added another backdrop or two for Deadpool and Cable to bring their duel to. Still, it’s a decent Deadpool story – certainly not the best outing the merc with the mouth has had, but far from the worst.

My rating: 7 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Spider-Man: Anti-Venom

While all-American Flash Thompson was running black ops missions for the U.S. government as the new ‘Agent Venom’, former host of the Venom symbiote Eddie Brock renounced his past life and sought to cleanse hurting individuals of their diseases and addictions. Under the new alias of Anti-Venom, Eddie Brock remains slightly unhinged, seeming to perceive himself and the Anti-Venom as two halves of a whole being. Despite his terrifying and alien visage or his lack of subtlety, Brock hopes to provide aid to those in need, especially when it comes to one young woman named Jenna.

Brock helps to get Jenna clean early on, but then enlists her help in tracking down the local dealers who led her to become a junkie, in the hopes that it will prevent others from heading down the same dangerous path. And while Brock does manage to find some small-time local dealers, he also discovers that the trail leads all the way to another country, where a well-connected drug lord lives. Brock ends up crossing paths with Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, who would similarly like to take down this cartel, but isn’t exactly the most trusting of Brock, being all-to-familiar with his past actions as the former Venom.

In the chaos that erupts between Anti-Venom fighting drug dealers, The Punisher fighting the same thugs, and the two antiheroes fighting one another, young Jenna is taken hostage and transported directly to the head drug lord’s well-guarded estate. Anti-Venom and The Punisher stop their fighting in order to track down this larger target – or at least, Anti-Venom does, as The Punisher still attempts to blast Brock away on a couple of occasions. Anti-Venom is shocked at these attempts on his life by Frank Castle, even frustrated, but he refrains from physically lashing out in anger, which presents some comical back-and-forth interactions between the two.

The pairing of Anti-Venom and The Punisher proves to easily be the highlight of this short-lived series. While Jenna is a central focus throughout, early issues make it seem as though something larger may come of her placing trust in Anti-Venom. Unfortunately, she proves less of a full-fledged character and more of a convenient plot device during the later issues. The pacing is rather slow early on as well, and the thugs lower on the chain prove to be pushovers in the presence of Anti-Venom. Even the final foe is an over-confident fool in the presence of Anti-Venom and The Punisher, which removes any real tension from the conflict, save for the well-being of the antiheroes in the midst of bombastic firefights.

My rating: 6 (out of 10)

Comic Book Review: Captain America: Castaway in Dimension Z

Penned by Rick Remender, Captain America: Castaway in Dimension Z is a two-part storyline that reintroduces Steve Rogers as part of the Marvel NOW! comic run. Dropped into an alien realm ruled by the maniacal Arnim Zola, Captain America must escape a technological fortress and battle horrific alien tribes if he hopes to survive and make an escape home. Neon blues and purples decorate the bizarre backdrop of Cap’s new surroundings, and, in many ways, it feels like the First Avenger has been dropped into Remender’s other dimension-hopping series, Black Science.

Castaway in Dimension Z opens with a bang, and despite Cap’s ability to escape from Zola’s clutches, he ends up furthering the wrath of the Nazi-turned-robot villain by taking Zola’s artificially-created son with him as he escapes from the facility. The two encounter plenty of challenges over the many years they remain in Dimension Z – the monstrous wildlife is plentiful, and the two are nearly killed by a tribe of rock-like beings, only managing to come to peaceful terms with them thanks to a universal communicator that Cap has on him. But Cap did not escape Zola unscathed – he was infected with a technological virus that haunts him more and more as time passes, and Zola attempts to break Rogers’ mind.

Cap’s decision to take the boy (who he names Ian) from Zola, is brought into question as something of a morally grey action. As is later revealed, Ian was not the only child Zola intended to raise, but he did intend to brainwash both of them to do his bidding. Meanwhile, Zola’s virus torments Steve Rogers with questions of the justification of tearing the boy from his home, teaching him his own values and sense of right and wrong. As readers, we certainly know that Cap’s virtues will always trump those of Zola, but in the eyes of a child who has never known anything beyond this tumultuous and bizarre reality, it’s a lot to take in.

Less compelling to this narrative is Steve Rogers’ out-of-nowhere decision to finally attempt an escape plan after many years spent in this hellish domain, and a full beard grown. Certainly, Zola has many scientific monstrosities at his disposal, and storming his technological fortress is no small feat, but there is practically no explanation as to why Cap decides to wait until Zola’s plans for invading Earth are nearly complete before taking any sort of heroic actions. Visually, it’s an interesting setting to have Cap stranded in, and breaks from the familiar Hydra or A.I.M. bases that the First Avenger so frequently storms. Plot-wise, Castaway in Dimension Z is slow-going, and doesn’t offer many satisfying answers.

My rating: 6.25 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Age of Apocalypse, Volume One

Considered by some to be one of the best Marvel event series of the 1990s, X-Men: Age of Apocalypse tells the story of an alternate history where Charles Xavier was killed by his psychotic son Legion decades before his school for gifted children could provide a safe haven for troubled youth, and before the legendary X-Men could become a fighting force for good among mutant and humans alike. Instead, Xavier’s death provides Apocalypse and his loyal horsemen a clear path to launch a campaign against humankind, keeping with the all-powerful mutant’s beliefs in ‘survival of the fittest’. Born of Apocalypse’s conquest is a dire future, where humans are corralled into pens like cattle, where mutants are hunted to either be hired into Apocalypse’s ranks or killed for opposing him, and where one Erik Lensherr champions the causes of his old friend Xavier and forms his own team of X-Men.

What is so captivating about the Age of Apocalypse story is the manner in which it takes familiar characters, partnerships, and rivalries, and turns them on their heads. Magneto is now a hero, an icon among those mutants who would dare to stand against Apocalypse and strike back at his dystopian regime. Rogue is Magneto’s wife, and together they have a child whom they name after the late Charles Xavier. Logan is still survivor of the Weapon X program, but is never referred to as Wolverine, and loses one of his hands in a battle with Cyclops, the latter of whom works for Apocalypse under Sinister as one of their most trusted officers. Nate Grey, the X-Man, is a highly powered telekinetic who travels with a band of misfit performers including Toad, Sauron, and Forge, while Sabretooth, Wild Child, Blink, Iceman, and Morph round out Magento’s team of X-Men.

It’s a dark, gritty vision of the X-Men, but rarely feels like it is pushing an ‘edginess’ simply for the sake of selling to older teenage audience. The dialogue is appropriate to the setting, while remaining overall friendly to readers of a broad age range. Character and environment artwork maintain a consistent direction throughout, though each artist does add their own slight spins on these faces and places with which readers will spend many hours.

What is unusual about this first numbered volume in the Age of Apocalypse series is that it gathers a strangely disjointed collection of issues together. Unlike the later volumes, the span of time that is passing across the issues collected in this first trade paperback is hard to pin down. Likewise, it would appear that certain events from issues placed toward the back of this volume actually occur simultaneous or even before issues that are placed near the front. Some of the storylines in this first volume lend a significant amount to establishing the characters and state of the world in Age of Apocalypse. Others, like Blink’s solo romp through the Negative Zone wherein she loses her memories and is caught up in a power struggle between Blastaar and Annihilus’ loyalists, add very little to the core plot, acting as largely uninteresting (sometimes annoying) distractions.

Still, Age of Apocalypse is a wildly engrossing story, and even with its shortcomings, this first collected volume offers some genuinely enjoyable subplots. Its disorganized nature simply falls a bit short of the quality of the later volumes. For those who enjoyed the Prelude or random issues of the later Age of Apocalypse tale, I can assure you that the series only gets better from here.

My rating: 7.5 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Armor Wars (2015)

Technopolis, as its name implies, is a sprawling hyper-futuristic metro, where all citizens are forces to wear variants of the Iron Man armor to prevent themselves from contracting a lethal virus that was unleashed on the region many years prior. Tony Stark is resident baron, and often clashes with his brother Arno. James Rhodes is Tecnopolis’ designated Thor, wielding a giant hammer and shiny Asgardian-inspired mechanical suit. And young Kiri Oshiro and Lila Rhodes, both resourceful teens who know a thing or two about tinkering with and repurposing the tech of these armored suits, begin unraveling the mysteries surrounding the death of Kiri’s boyfriend Peter Urich, aka Spyder-Man.

James Rhodes, meanwhile, begins his own investigation into the death of Spyder-Man, suspecting that Kingpin Wilson Fisk might have some involvement. Meanwhile, Arno Stark begins sending reconnaissance troops like Stingray to scope out just what his brother Tony, Kiri, Lila, or anyone else who may have interacted with Spyder-Man are up to. These interwoven plot threads make for a decently compelling narrative, while also preventing the story from becoming too convoluted.

Armor Wars is a standout entry among the Secret Wars spinoffs for the manner in which it handles its processes of world-building. The constant threat of being exposed to the natural world paints an eerie world where humans grow to accept rocket-powered machinery as an extension of themselves. Armor Wars also offers a few really strong plot twists, while simultaneously avoiding playing on a scale too grandiose for its own coherence.

The theme of where man ends and machine begins is certainly common to Iron Man-centric tales, but it is fresh to see a large portion of the story through the eyes of youth Kiri and Lila. There are a couple of points where the story slows down more than is perhaps ideal for Armor Wars' overarching plot, pacing which would be better-suited for a series that is not limited to a five issue run. Overall, however, Armor Wars is an enjoyable read, a dark mystery driving toward an action-packed climax. Of all the Secret Wars spinoffs, Armor Wars performs as one of the best at keeping itself within manageable boundaries of narrative pacing and character development.

My rating: 8.25 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: A-Force

The island of Arcadia is nothing short of a paradise, a peaceful city that has largely managed to avoid the chaos of other Battleworld realms like those seen in Age of Apocalypse or Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies. Thanks to the watchful protectors of the all-female A-Force team, the residents of Arcadia have long felt safe, as any threats to their home have quickly been subdued by Medusa, Dazzler, Loki, Captain Marvel, America, Nico, and Baroness She-Hulk.

When a giant shark appears in the waters of Arcadia’s bay and threatens the populous, the A-Force springs into action, but the overly energetic America throws the beast too far beyond the borders of Arcadia, and past the giant wall that divides the monstrosities of the Deadlands from the rest of Battleworld. This act is a direct violation of Doom’s laws, and the Thors descend upon Arcadia to take America away, to have her answer for this crime. She-Hulk attempts to plea with the Thors, but they warn her that any attempt to interfere will be viewed as a movement against Doom. She-Hulk tells America to be strong, but as America is taken away by the Thors, the other members of the A-Force are clearly shaken, and some begin to question She-Hulk’s right to lead as baroness of Arcadia.

A-Force provides a wonderful blend of a few different genres. Of course there is plenty of action from this troupe of butt-kicking ladies, but there is also a vivid sense of adventure and self-exploration for Nico, who has lost her friend America to the technicalities of Doom’s laws, yet just as soon gains a friend in the form a mysterious visitor from the stars. This newcomer to Arcadia will leave a significant impact on all of the A-Force members, and is as much a curious, endearing character as she is pivotal plot device, despite only having a few lines of dialogue for the entirety of this limited series.

The older A-Force members, on the other hand, have vastly differing outlooks on the situation at hand, and some suspect that America’s forcible removal from Arcadia may be the result of foul play from somewhere within Arcadia. She-Hulk may be baroness of the realm, but her comrades are not afraid to challenge her authority if they believe she is not appropriately grasping the situation at hand. The blend of personalities within the A-Force is fresh and makes for some very compelling interactions – Dazzler always has some pep in her step, She-Hulk is the tough-as-nails leader, and though she may butt heads with Medusa on occasion, both present reasonable arguments for their actions, and are equally strong-willed individuals.

The single major setback in A-Force is one that seems to be a common hindrance among many of the other Secret Wars tie-ins, in that it is merely a five-issue run. One particular subplot feels like its endgame is somewhat rushed in the final chapter. That said, the handful of conflicts that the A-Force does face are paced quite well, and the series’ length does allow for the rest of its story to be resolved with reasonable satisfaction by the time the last pages are reached. If anything, A-Force is one such limited series that I wanted to see carry on, as there is plenty of opportunity for more fun, exciting adventures to be had with this female fighting force. And as luck would have it, A-Force is now among the series Marvel has announced will be continuing as part of the post-Secret Wars relaunch.

My rating: 8.5 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Ghost Racers

Within Battleworld, there exists the Killiseum, an arena where all manner of deadly sporting events are held. Notable among them are the lethal, high-speed free-for-alls that pit a half-dozen Ghost Racers against one another. Classic Ghost Rider characters like Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch take to their flaming bikes, dodging environmental hazards that stand between them and the finish line. But the main character, and hero of the day, is Robbie Reyes, the most recent host to have taken up the mantle of the Ghost Rider before the collapse of the multiverse resulted in the formation of Battleworld.

Much like his introduction in the Marvel NOW! series, Robbie Reyes is a caring older sibling to his brother Gabe, their parents absent, and their home located in a neighborhood that is anything but glamorous. Robbie takes to the race in his sporty muscle car, with the spirit Eli guiding him, and is currently the favored racer. But those who lose are subjected to a number of torture devices below the Killiseum. The Ghost Racers are also – to a certain degree – under the control of the sadistic Arcade, and should one of them get out of line, he can easily sick the others on them. All of this makes for a considerable threat when Robbie and Eli hatch a plan to escape Arcade’s perverse sport once and for all.

The art direction and dialogue in this limited series wonderfully match the grungy atmosphere that has often been associated with the Ghost Rider comics, as well as other Marvel tales aimed at teen audiences on up. Character designs do well to present a variety of Ghost Rider styles, while also paying homage to the series’ long history. Ghost Racers is not an overly-complicated story, but it does present a sufficient number of hurdles for Robbie to overcome. As lead protagonist, Robbie is just as likeable a character as in his Marvel NOW! debut. Ghost Racers proves an entertaining read – one that is surprisingly well-paced, given its smaller scope when compared to many of the other Secret Wars tie-ins.

My rating: 8 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Age of Apocalypse (2015)

Set in a similar dystopian future realm as the original 1990s comic run of the same name, the Battleworld warzone of Age of Apocalypse sees the titular mutant overlord attempting to quash any rebels that might rise up against his new world order. Apocalypse’s ideology is that of ‘survival of the fittest’ and believes mutants superior to homo-sapiens in every possible way. Apocalypse relies on his loyal horsemen, as well as twisted and villainous versions of otherwise-iconic heroes like Beast to carry out his will.

The 1990s run of Age of Apocalypse spanned practically every conceivable X-Men series of the era, and to this day remains an epic undertaking of the Marvel brand. Therefore, it was inevitable that this 2015 Secret Wars tie-in was destined to fall short of the original’s magnificence. With only five issues to deliver its own spin on the Age of Apocalypse narrative, this 2015 story does more ‘telling’ than it does ‘showing’, expecting that readers are already familiar with the themes of survival, alliances of necessity, the path of anti-heroes, and fighting for what little hope remains in a bleak future despite overwhelming odds, that were at play in the 1990s run.

Age of Apocalypse significantly shakes up a familiar cast. Iceman, Rogue, Sinister, and Weapon X (aka Wolverine) are all present, but play significantly smaller roles than before. Instead of having a child with Rogue, Magneto is married to Emma Frost, while Captain Marvel, Namor, and other non-mutants are worked into the narrative, but not necessarily in ways that benefit the story. While this new Age of Apocalypse limited series does throw a couple of major curve balls into the mix, the final chapter feels like an afterthought, tacked on as an idea that sounds better in theory than in actual application.

The art style is solid throughout, while the environments are appropriately dark and dreary. However, given that the X-Men and the readers alike are fully aware that Apocalypse’s domain is but one of many that make up Battlworld, the dire atmosphere that permeated throughout the 1990s original is almost entirely lost. Age of Apocalypse is a quick read that serves to deliver its own self-contained narrative well enough, but similarly is a tad generic, and lacks the spark of imagination and intrigue sported by some of the other Secret Wars tie-ins.

My rating: 6.5 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Thanos Rising

A limited five-issue series, Thanos Rising steps back in time to the formative years of the Mad Titan. The story displays his birth, his youth, his teenage years, and the eventual murderous streak that would leave him obsessed with death – both the act and the mystical character of the same name. The art throughout is superb, highlighting bright, metallic surfaces on Thanos’ home moon of Titan, while damp caverns are displayed through rugged inking and the ruins of annihilated worlds convey a haunting air.

Thanos is born into a society that knows no war, no conflict. They are a people of science, and despite Thanos’ unusual purple skin and dark eyes, his father, Mentor, takes to him just as he would his other son, Eros. Thanos’ mother, on the other hand, is immediately horrified by the sight of her child, believing there is something very wrong within him, and attempts to kill him with a knife. She is stopped, and spends many of her years institutionalized. During this time, Thanos grows into a curious, incredibly intelligent child. He seeks to make friends with other students his age, and grows queasy at the idea of dissecting lizards for his studies – a far cry from the cosmic villain he will eventually become.

One girl in particular catches Thanos’ attention, and continues to over the years. She is, in many ways, his enabler, convincing him even at a young age to carry out acts that will result in bloodshed, beginning with a group of lizards who attacked his friends during their exploration of one of Titan’s otherwise-off-limits caves. Thanos Rising has excellent pacing throughout, as each chapter jumps ahead years at a time to the most pivotal moments of the Mad Titan’s rise to infamy. Each section slows down to highlight Thanos as a character – his motives and personality, as well as his gradual embrace of murder, first justifying it as a means to try and discover that which sets beings of higher intelligence apart from animals. But when Thanos receives no answers from his gruesome handiwork, he comes to admit that he finds murder an enjoyable task.

As an adult, Thanos leaves his legacy on many a planet, fathering children with seemingly countless females of varying races. Thanos also makes his mark by joining a crew of space pirates and daring to challenge their leader. For Thanos is not content with mere pillage and plunder – he would see worlds break before him. Thanos Rising presents compelling and appropriate justifications for how would come to earn his reputation and title as ‘The Mad Titan’. His estrangement from his father does not come to pass until the final chapter, but it bears significant weight on the narrative of Thanos Rising, as well as the many conquests Thanos will ultimately carry out. The only oversight in Thanos Rising is the decision to not incorporate Thanos’ brother Eros into his development – he is mentioned once or twice, but never makes a physical appearance, and given how well the late-story clash between Thanos and his father played out, it could have raised the quality of this story even more.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Inhumans: Attilan Rising

The Inhumans have long stood among the strangest of Marvel’s organized costumed supers, living in a secret society which utilizes hyper-advanced technology, and subjecting themselves to the gene-altering Terrigen Mists as a coming-of-age ritual. It is curious, then, that the Battleworld series focused on the Inhumans turns this familiar formula on its head. In this strikingly different version of the Inhumans tale, Black Bolt is host of the Quiet Room, a bar which permits many of Battleworld’s denizens entrance for drinks and company, provided they do not start any quarrels within its walls. In truth, the Quiet Room is a front for Black Bolt’s growing rebellion against Baron Medusa and her Doom loyalists.

Medusa, meanwhile, has access to the highly-advance technologies commonplace in previous Inhumans comics. She is devoutly loyal to Doom’s law – more so than many of Battleworld’s other resident Barons. And she is ever-suspicious of the Quiet Room, believing that it more than what it appears. Sending in one of her most trusted spies, Kamala Khan, Medusa hopes to expose any dissenters and quash their aspirations before they can move against her.

On Black Bolt’s side are his ever-trustworthy compatriots Karnak and the 1602 version of Matt Murdock, as well as a patrol that consists of young Inhumans, a Hulk, and G-Man, a Ghost Rider who appears to hail from the Marvel Noir universe. As luck (or perhaps a lack thereof) would have it, G-Man and company’s activities are what first tip Medusa off to the possibility that Black Bolt may be plotting against her, but there are plenty more twists and turns that come to play throughout the course of this story.

Inhumans: Attilan Rising begins with a style not unlike the Marvel Noir stories. The dangerous game of ‘cat versus mouse’ that Black Bolt and Medusa are playing builds the suspense as the sell one another bold-faced lies. The first two chapters are something of a slow burn, taking additional time to craft this unusual vision of the Inhuman conflict. But by the conclusion of issue three, Inhumans: Attilan Rising picks up its pace and its intensity, and delivers a few key powerful twists that significantly improve the quality of the narrative. Inhumans: Attilan Rising’s slow start should not discourage readers from seeing the five-issue series through to its conclusion, because the explosive series of events that make up its finale are well worth the price of admission.

My rating: 8.5 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: All-New Ghost Rider, Volume One: Engines of Vengeance

Robbie Reyes lives with his younger paraplegic brother Gabe in a crime and violence-ridden part of Los Angeles. Robbie does his best to look after his brother, being his apparent only family in the area, but has to juggle high school, his low-paying job as an auto mechanic, and the dangers of the neighborhood. He hopes to save up enough money to move both himself and his brother to a safer residence, and often has to ask one of the teachers at Gabe’s elementary school if she can babysit while Robbie works extra hours.

Local bullies throw a wrench in Robbie’s plans when they decide to push Gabe out of his wheelchair and steal it, taunting him and calling him names. Robbie, furious over this, tries to fight the bullies and reclaim the wheelchair, but is outnumbered and promptly has his face beaten and bloodied. After returning Gabe home, Robbie hatches a half-baked plan to ‘borrow’ (without asking) a sporty muscle car from a nearby house for the evening, in order to compete in a street race and win some hefty cash. But shortly after the race gets underway, Robbie finds himself being tailed by thugs who work for a criminal drug dealer that owns the very car that Robbie stole. Cornered in alleyway, Robbie steps out of the car, only to be gunned down and killed on the spot.

However, a spirit named Eli revives Robbie, healing his prior wounds, and giving him the powers of a Ghost Rider. Robbie is then able to chase down some of the goons who tried to finish him off, but others still escape. Armed with the ability to phase through structures and teleport to the car he stole, Robbie regains his ride from the thugs, and lets Eli inform him on how to make the most of his newfound Ghost Rider powers.

Robbie is so likeable at an early stage in this series because of how much he sacrifices for his brother. He is a genuinely selfless protagonist, telling his brother not to go outdoors after dark because people play unsafely with firecrackers (guns, in actuality), and not putting up with a pawn shop owner who would like nothing more than to cheat Robbie out of every penny he’s got just to get Gabe a subpar replacement wheelchair. Robbie is one of the only students in his class that puts forth real effort, and his teacher greatly respects Robbie’s maturity and desire to create a better environment for himself and Gabe. All of this makes for a very interesting contrast to the general chaotic, violent, and terrifying visage of the Ghost Rider, though Robbie’s bodiless soul of a companion Eli seems to understand his host’s vindications quite well.

That said, there are a few moments where Eli proposes more violent, cure-all solutions for the problems plaguing Robbie’s neighborhood. While Robbie does well to opt for alternate solutions where few people are hurt, save for gun-toting thugs and armored drug runners, it presents an interesting contrast that could be extrapolated upon in future volumes as an ‘inner demon’ conflict. This first volume of All-New Ghost Rider is smart to paint its conflict on a relatively small scale, and the last page feels like it has given proper closure to Robbie Reyes’ origin story. Come what may, this first volume of All-New Ghost Rider is a brilliant start to a series that has so much more potential, and is among the strongest of the Marvel NOW! relaunches.

My rating: 8.75 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Guardians of Knowhere

While the majority of the Battleworld series spun out of the thread that is Marvel’s 2015 Secret Wars remain largely self-contained narratives, Guardians of Knowhere ranks among the most limited in scale. Given the far-flung cosmic adventures typical of the Guardians of the Galaxy, it is initially a bit jarring for the story to adopt such a format, though understandably necessary, given the four-issue limit. Guardians of Knowhere is a strikingly appropriate title – while there are cosmically-supercharged showdowns afoot, they occur exclusively on the severed head of a Celestial known as Knowhere, which orbits Battleworld, and where the Guardians have made their base of operations. Nothing exists in the star-sprinkled skies beyond Knowhere – something which greatly disturbs Gamora.

Gamora is seemingly the only member of the Guardians that has any recollection of the world as it once was, before God Emperor Doom forged Battleworld from the remains of dozens of shattered realities. But her memories are similarly fragmented, and though she recalls names like ‘Groot’ and ‘Quill’, she has no faces to place with them, no context. Teaming up with Drax, Rocket, and Mantis, Gamora takes on some of Knowhere’s more ruthless scoundrels, adhering to no rules, only her incredible skills as a warrior. The Nova Corps, meanwhile, are a more by-the-books peacekeeping force, consisting of Nova, Captain Marvel, Adam Warlock, Iron Man, and Agent Venom, and often coming onto the scene to clean up after the guardians and take thieves and murderers into custody.

When Gamora’s questioning of the truths everyone else so easily buys into upsets Knowhere’s appointed Thor, Angela, Gamora is warned that what she speaks of goes against all that Doom has created, and is nothing shy of heresy. Still, Gamora insists that this reality around her is a façade, the memories of a time and place gone by haunting her so intensely. Sandwiching these standoffs between Gamora and Angela are two encounters with Guardians of Knowhere’s major villains – Yotat, and a second unnamed female alien. They are presented in strikingly different airs, with Yotat being some thug who ended up on the wrong side of a transaction now desiring revenge and subsequently bulking up, courtesy of spacey drugs and tech. The second alien foe is almost entirely shrouded in mystery – she is never given a name, and despite her stellar aesthetic and intimidating skill set, her motives are not made clear, either.

Of all the Battleworld storylines I’ve been exposed to, Guardians of Knowhere is the one most strangled by its own limited issue count. The series effectively paints two entirely unrelated encounters the Guardians have with threats to their home, but never really gives an indication of what the other Guardians are fighting for. Is it because their lives on Knowhere are all Drax, Rocket, and Mantis have ever known? Quite possibly, but they take a backseat to Gamora so frequently, it’s easy to completely forget their presence at times. Guardians of Knowhere is easily among the most visually-pleasing of all the Battleworld series. It’s just a shame that the narrative is largely nothing-achieving, with the last chapter feeling as though it were the first half of a two-part arc that was never finished.

My rating: 6.25 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: X-Men ’92

The Battleworld that God Emperor Doom forged at the start of Secret Wars is a patchwork of many wildly different realms. Many are based off of classic Marvel storylines, or even some of the more recent comic book arcs. But X-Men ’92 is the only comic among them to be based off a television show that was, itself, based off a comic book. X-Men ’92 sees the bright yellow and dark blue costumes of the 1990s Fox series return in the form of ink and paper, along with all the snappy one-liners and cheesy-yet-endearing character portrayals of everyone’s favorite mutant heroes and heroines.

In the realm of Westchester, Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants have been defeated, and the healing process of the human populous coming to accept the X-Men among them is already underway. The story opens with a friendly game of ‘Extreme Lazer Tag’ inside the local shopping mall, with Jubilee claiming the high score. But the relaxed afternoon is interrupted by one rogue Sentinel, among the last of its kind, and still determined to wipe out mutantkind. Causing a scene as they take down the mechanized giant, the X-Men are sternly greeted by Baron Robert Kelly, who informs them of a place known as the Clear Mountain Institute, a rehabilitation facility for their former mutant foes. Supposedly, former Brotherhood members including Sabretooth, Toad, and Blob have gone to this Clear Mountain Institute willingly, seeking to renounce their villainous ways, but the X-Men are not so sure.

They travel to the Institute, where they are greeted by its head of operations, one Cassandra Nova, who offers to provide the mutants with a tour of the facilities. Despite their run-ins with former foes being entirely peaceful within the facility, both Wolverine and Cyclops get the feeling that something isn’t right. Jubilee is separated from her older teammates, and distracts herself by playing the X-Men arcade game (yes, the one that existed in our own reality of 1992, and featured Colossus, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Dazzler, Wolverine, and Storm). Meanwhile, the X-Men are given an up-close and personal look at Cassandra Nova’s rehabilitation machinery, but not in the way they had hoped, as they are taken to a place known as the Mind Field, where Cassandra Nova is able to manipulate their thoughts, and attempts to break their self-images into more cooperative, obedient individuals.

X-Men ’92 is endearingly self-aware of its setting and the appropriate tone to lend to its narrative. It pokes fun at its roots a number of times, with Jubilee remarking that she finds Dazzler’s costume in the arcade game to be quite tacky. X-Men '92 also breaks the fourth wall, cracking jokes that are, just one panel later, deemed to be too mature for readers, and are subsequently marked out in red ink before receiving a stamp of approval (a jab at the restrictions of using certain words in children’s shows that Marvel and Fox agreed to in 1990s). The dialogue is expertly handled as well, treading a line that allows both younger readers and longtime fans to find equal enjoyment from this superhero action-comedy period-piece.

The second issue is the weakest link in the four-part story, as it suffers from a repetition. By the time readers are nine or so pages in, it shouldn’t be too difficult for them to detect where the rest of the second issue will go. Thankfully, the third issue picks up the slack, bringing the X-Force members onto the scene to rescue their X-Men allies, with Deadpool in tow. And the fourth and final issue provides one explosive finale that is sure to geek out more than a few fans of the X-Men, with its absurd escalation of action, as well as a number of cameos by iconic characters – some of whom previously appeared in the 1990s cartoon, and others who did not (but have nonetheless been adapted into this comic book reimagining). X-Men ’92 is a riot; as much a love letter to the classic cartoon as it is a parody of it. And with Marvel having picked up X-Men ‘92 as one of their new ongoing series in 2016, the potential for future adventures and zippy dialogue holds wealth of potential.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Angela: Asgard’s Assassin, Volume One: Priceless

When Marvel acquired the rights to Angela, formerly a character from Image’s Spawn comics, they chose to place her in the company of the Guardians of the Galaxy. It was a bold move, to be sure, but she felt right at home in that cosmic setting. Angela was hell on legs, able to best most of the Guardians in battle before befriending them, and carrying on a flirtatious rivalry with Gamora. It was a gamble that paid off in spades, as Angela was able to flourish in her own identity, playing off the Guardians wonderfully, while still feeling as though there was plenty of potential for development down the road.

Enter Angela: Asgard’s Assassin, a series wherein Angela is the main character, rediscovering her Asgardian roots, and quickly finding herself on the run from her long-lost brothers Odinson and Loki. Her crime? Stealing her younger sister, eventual heir to the Asgardian throne, and leaping through the nine realms with the baby in tow. Also in Angela’s company is Sera, a former angel who lived not unlike a monk among the few male angels before leaving on her adventures with Angela. At some point before the start of this first volume, Sera was killed, only to be mysteriously resurrected, and Angela’s desire to know why and how Sera returned to the land of the living serves as a secondary mystery.

There is a lot going on in this first trade paperback volume – too much, in fact. While Odinson and Loki are shown as the initial pursuers, some of the forces of Hel also chase after Angela, Sera, and the baby, while the story flashes back every so often to Asgard to explore Odin and his views on this very complicated family reunion. Yet, there is actually quite a limited amount of time spent in Heven. Only during the last couple of chapters do Angela and Sera actually enter the realm of the Angels, a place which boasts more future-tech than myth and magic. Given how significant a change-up to the previously-established nine realms this new tenth one is, Marvel could have easily devoted an entire trade paperback volume solely to Angela’s roots and the history of the angels.

Angela’s portrayal sees an odd reversal from how she was depicted in the Guardians of the Galaxy comics. She’s still willing to cut down anyone who challenges her, but has lost much of the ferocity she was once known and feared for. Instead, she preaches the system of repayment that the angels apparently base all of their actions around – if someone asks her for a favor, Angela will oblige, but only after reminding them that they must eventually offer her something of a similar value (whether said offering is a physical object or action). It’s an interesting concept, but one that wholly contradicts her presentation in the Guardians comics.

Angela: Asgard’s Assassin is quite heavily steeped in the mythos of the Thor comics, and current events from Odinson’s life. The Thor comics have long existed within their own sphere, to a certain degree, separate from the more closely-interwoven storylines of Avengers members, the X-Men, and most of the other Earth-based heroes. The same can be said of cosmic Marvel – much as Nova, Captain Marvel, and the Guardians of the Galaxy might cross paths with one another, Asgardians tend to stick to the realm of might and magic, save for Thor’s frequent team-ups with Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and the other core Avengers members. Nine times out of ten, there is so much lore at play in the Thor comics that it is difficult, even discouraging for newcomers to jump on board, and while Angela: Asgard’s Assassin is not quite as explicit an offender in this regard, there is still a decent portion of backstory that is barely even glossed over, with the assumption that readers are up to speed on recent Asgardian history.

Angela does earn herself a radical new outfit by the end of this trade paperback collection, and the action sequences are plenty exciting to look at. But as a character, Angela performs best when she receives the spotlight for more than just violent actions. Future storylines centered around this fallen angel will prove far better if their narratives are not so restricted to the current events of the Asgardians.

My rating: 6 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Uncanny Avengers, Volume One: The Red Shadow

As part of the Marvel NOW! movement, Uncanny Avengers sees a new Avengers team, dubbed the Avengers Unity Squad, emerge from the recent death of Charles Xavier, a crippling loss to both the superhuman and mutant communities alike. The first issue opens with Wolverine delivering a speech at Xavier’s memorial service, reminiscing on how Xavier saw so much potential in him and every other student that came through his school’s doors, and that despite their efforts, Wolverine does not feel that believers in Charles Xavier’s ideals have managed to properly make it a reality. It’s Wolverine at perhaps his most likeable – a straight-shooter who doesn’t soften his blows, but at the same time does not go out of his way to pick fights with others if they simply disagree with him, and refrains from his once-feral tendencies.

The story then cuts to Havok, who is visiting his brother Cyclops in a S.H.I.E.L.D. maximum security cell, as Cyclops was apparently the one directly responsible for Xavier’s death. While this first volume of Uncanny Avengers does well to set the stage for future conflicts, this scene presents one oversight where new readers are not given enough context to understand the full series of events that led to Cyclops killing Xavier, only that Cyclops doesn’t seem to be all too upset by his actions, while Havok believes the human-mutant relationship is at risk for being further strained. It is not long after that Havok is visited by Captain America and Thor, with the red, white, and blue icon asking Havok if he would like to join the Avengers as the leader of a new team.

The pacing that this first trade paperback of Uncanny Avengers adopts is notably slower than other first entries in the Marvel NOW! lineup. By the time the fifth and final issue in this collection comes to a conclusion, the team has still not fully formed, as certain members are reluctant to get along with one another – more specifically, Rogue and Scarlet Witch, with the former holding a grudge over the later for the ‘No More Mutants’ event. Scarlet Witch, meanwhile, maintains that there are greater things at play than Rogue can perceive, and is even painted as more of an antagonist early on, before she is faced with a greater threat facing the Avengers and the community of Marvel heroes at large. Even Captain America has to be reminded of the fact that Havok is the man in charge on a couple of occasions.

Red Skull is this volume’s primary villain, and his Nazi roots resurface in spades as he attempts to influence the masses of New York into spilling one another’s blood in order to wipe out the 'mutant menace'. With Charles Xavier dead, Red Skull has extracted the psychic brain of the famous X-Men leader, and fused it to his own, granting him incredible powers of persuasion and deception over the Avengers Unity Team. He is able to penetrate Captain America’s mind briefly, leading to an argument in the heat of battle between the star-spangled Avenger and Havok. Perhaps even more threatening are the similarly persuasive abilities of one of Red Skull's henchmen, Honest John, who influences Thor to do battle with his former friends and allies.

The other minor villains that Red Skull employs are considerably less memorable, and appear in a limited number of panels. Almost half of this first volume is devoted to the Avengers’ battle with Red Skull, and the press conference that follows, wherein Havok feels that transparency will be their best option if they hope to convince the public that Charles Xavier’s vision lives on, and that they can put their faith in a mutant-superhuman team like the Avengers Unity Squad. Red Skull is cunning and devious a villain as ever, while the dialogue between all of the major characters in Uncanny Avengers properly reflects the team's growing pains. That said, it would have been nice for this story to cover a little more ground, because even though it has the makings of a strong origin for this new Avengers team, it feels like merely the first half of said origin story. All of which is made doubly odd, considering how much later portions of the story tease events to come, specifically from the events of Marvel’s AXIS crossover event.

My rating: 7.25

Comic Book review: Saga, Volume 5

It’s now been multiple years since Alana and Marko began their life on the run from the many factions that view their hybrid child Hazel as a bargaining chip or threat to galactic stability. As the fourth volume saw Alana, her mother, and Hazel forcibly separated from Marko thanks to the actions of one misguided and extreme janitor, this fifth volume bounces back and forth between the ferocity with which Alana will defend her daughter and the uneasy alliance forged between Marko, the now-exiled Prince Robot IV, coastal rancher Ghus, and thespian/drug addict Yuma. There is a also, a secondary plot concerning The Brand, Sophie, Lying Cat, and Gwendolyn, as they search for a means to revitalize The Will, who is still out of commission.

This fifth volume of Saga does well to focus the spotlight back on Alana and Marko more so than the previous two volumes did, but it does teeter back and forth in uncertainty as to whether or not it wants to redeem these two main protagonists. While they may be worlds apart from each other for the majority of this most recent volume, their thoughts of one another do weigh heavily, as their last interaction before they were torn apart was one of confrontation and hurtful words. And yet, while Alana does appear to bear some degree of regret over her exchange with Marko, her cunning and maternal defensiveness are somewhat undercut by the fact that she doesn’t seem to give a rat’s ass about anyone other than her own family. Marko, meanwhile, decides to turn to the drugs he so abhorred to escape his feelings of guilt over losing track of his family, and even displays a savage nature from seemingly out of nowhere.

While not nearly as overwhelmed in its attempts to juggle multiple story threads as the previous volume, this latest entry still feels a bit thinly stretch as more characters are introduced to the already burgeoning cast. Many of these newcomers see their stage exits by the end of this fifth volume, but it’s still almost too much on the plate when you consider the number of characters who have held minimal importance on the larger plot for the past two volumes. And at the end of this collection, there’s merely more cliffhangers and open-ended threads, with not but a few subplots being resolved by this trade paperback’s conclusion.

While Saga’s adult language and ‘edgier’ presentation factor were amusing early on, they have since become obnoxious elements of its identity. The series tries too hard to jam vulgarities into every other sentence, and the sexual imagery is largely without purpose – it’s perfectly acceptable to explore the relationship Marko and Alana forged during or even prior to Hazel’s conception, but it’s wholly unnecessary to show the act of a dragon fellating itself for a cheap laugh or ‘shock value’. While not as sour an entry as the fourth trade paperback, this fifth volume of Saga only does so much to return the series to the spark of imagination and intrigue, as well as the focused path that were so prominent in its first two collected volumes. As much as I wanted to continue enjoying Saga, I feel these most recent releases have turned me off to the series enough that I can confidently state that this is the end of my investment in Brian K. Vaughan's space opera.

My rating: 5.5 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies

Among the wilder concepts to come of Marvel’s 2015 Secret Wars event is the four-part Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies. On the far edge of Battleworld, a giant wall has been constructed to keep the more problematic creations from Marvel’s comic history quarantined – those problems, of course, being the undead hordes of Marvel Zombies fame and the ever-evolving rage-filled A.I. known as Ultron. The Zombies wish only to devour those individuals who are tossed into their so-called Deadlands as punishment by the Thors for breaking God Emperor Doom’s laws, while Ultron seeks to eradicate the zombies and their impure nature in his quest to perfect this no-man’s land.

While this is certainly a curious pairing, it would prove a tiring conflict very quickly were a third party not introduced. At the start of this limited series, a version of Hank Pym from the wild west town of Timely is banished to the Deadlands. With little to defend himself and limited knowledge of the Battleworld realms beyond Timely, Hank would most certainly be a goner, were it not for the arrival of Vision, Simon Williams, and Jim Hammond. The trio rescues Hank Pym, bringing him to their makeshift fortress/home in the middle of this desolate region, with the hopes that he might be able to create a counter to Ultron and his devious machinations.

This stranger-in-a-strange-land Hank Pym is, naturally, taken aback, having practically zero knowledge of their modern technology. But he did manage to partially construct a clockwork equivalent of Ultron once upon a time, and, after some convincing, agrees to aid these three synthetic men. Vision, Simon Williams, and Jim Hammond, are not the only three whose lives are factored into Pym’s decision, as there are many other survivors living in their shielded community – most notably, the love interests of these three heroes.

What lends Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies to be a more compelling tale than the cover art might let on is the juxtaposition of this bleak environment and its terrifying armies with a focus on classic Marvel heroes, all of whom have previously struggled with the concept of what it means to be a man versus what it means to be a machine, and where they fall in that spectrum. Hank Pym, meanwhile, is more so the tether that binds the story together.

There are some more frequently vocal members of the undead hordes, which lends the zombies some personality beyond shambling, starving husks. And the situation becomes even more so dire when Ultron proposes a plan that could unleash both armies on the rest of Battleworld. At four issues in length, Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies has nearly-perfect pacing. It incorporates daring science projects, golden age heroism, and a nicely varied but appropriately-contained cast. It has fun with its diverse roots, embracing its oddities and weaving an entertaining and well-rounded narrative.

My rating: 7.5 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Prelude

Before Age of Apocalypse’s wildly different vision of the X-Men universe properly came into its own, Charles Xavier’s insane son Legion awoke from his long coma to find he had gained some degree of control over the multiple personalities swimming around in his head – enough control, that is, to formulate a plan to travel back in time to kill Magneto and alter the present day, but enough foresight to consider the ramifications of such a major rewriting of mutant history. The buildup to Legion actually putting his plan into action is something of a slow burn, but an effective one just the same. Seeing all of the major X-Men and a handful of both their allies and enemies as they are most well-known makes the transition to their dystopian Age of Apocalypse counterparts all the more powerful, as the contrasts between these are often drastic. Similarly, it offers better context to readers not as intimately familiar with the X-Men legacy.

There are two prominent points in history that this Prelude volume covers: the ‘present day’ before Legion’s actions cause a rewrite of the history of the X-Men readers once knew, and the past when Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (aka Magneto) shared a newly-forged friendship and were only just becoming familiar with the emergence of mutants around the globe. It is both insightful and amusing to see the relationship these two prominent leaders shared in their younger days, with Charles exhibiting more aggressive and impulsive behavior at times, and Magneto questioning the extent of the power other mutants could possess. While it is clear that these two do not share a perfectly matching view on the world and the struggles that it might one day face, there is a mutual respect that serves to shape Magneto’s ideologies in the later volumes of Age of Apocalypse.

Given how dark and desperate the world has become by the time volumes one through four of Age of Apocalypse roll around, it should come as no surprise that the X-Men, despite their best efforts, fail to stop Legion’s plans. However, these events do not play out in a predictable manner, as Mystique is the first to attempt to kill Legion in his comatose state, only to be thwarted by the members of X-Factor. The fact that different parties of mutants spend enough of their time squaring off against one another as opposed to focusing solely on Legion, as well as the fact that the extent of Legion’s powers are largely unknown until late in this Prelude, are what grant him the upper hand.

The X-Men throw nearly every plan that can scramble together on such short notice once the past becomes threatened by Legion’s intent to kill Magneto and alter the present. Cable and Domino are called upon, and both Charles and Jean attempt to maintain a psychic link with the mutants in the past. When the final hour is upon these heroes, they share a few somber, yet appropriately intimate exchanges with one another, before an awe and terror-inspiring wave wipes over the Earth, erasing the world as it once was and putting the Age of Apocalypse in its place.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

Comic Book review: Black Science, Volume Three: Vanishing Pattern

The final act in the first arc of Rick Remender’s Black Science continues to thrill with wildly inventive hodge-podge realities and a more pinpointed take on the established narrative style than was seen in the previous two volumes. As volume two concluded, we were made privy to the fact that Grant McKay was in fact alive, despite having been led to believe he had perished beneath the crushing weight of clockwork machinery. And smartly, this third volume makes an early objective of explaining just how the scientist, pioneer, and previously deadbeat dad cheated death. The explanation is brief, yet befitting the tale that has been woven through the previous installments, and simultaneously provides some concrete footing for the answers that are revealed before this third volume’s climactic finale.

If there is one theme that rings constant through volume three, dubbed Vanishing Pattern, it is a story of redemption – specifically, the redemption of Grant McKay in the eyes of his children and unlikely comrades. There are still misunderstandings among the exploration team, and selfish actions that lead to physical confrontations. But the emergence of a father who actually cares about his children and the chance to see them reach home safely is a rewarding payoff having understood Grant to have previously been a cheater, a liar, and a workaholic who was absent for the majority of his children’s formative years. It may not a complete hero’s journey, but it is refreshing to see him act the part of a decent human being, not only taking responsibility for his poor judgment in the past, but also taking the role of leader more seriously.

Meanwhile, Grant’s children appear to have a greater stake in the story as a result of their placing faith in their father. While Nate received a healthy amount of time in the spotlight during Black Science’s second volume, his elder sister Pia takes center stage for a couple of chapters in this third volume, standing up to a couple of key characters who would dare to try and tell her to sit back and let the adults make decisions on her behalf. While it is true that the cast has been thinned a decent amount since Black Science’s first chapter, the dynamics played off among the current band of misfits feels the most natural and manageable yet. Grant still does not trust Kadir, and Kadir may not be out to prove himself a hero to anyone, but it is that very uneasiness between the two most action-oriented males of the party that makes their relationship so perfect.

Vanishing Pattern sees the party visit but one lone world, whose situation is worse than ever. In this reality, the counterparts to Grant, Shawn, Rebecca, and the other cast members concocted some form of virus that spread across the planet – a planet where Roman Praetorians make use of jetpacks, wrist-bound flamethrowers, and other space-age tech in their quest to punish those who allied themselves with the scientists who damned their world. As is the case with nearly every encounter made across the various planes of reality the main cast has made, the initial run-in with these royal warriors turns violent quickly, and they slowly but surely begin to unravel the mysteries of what went so horribly wrong in this world, while simultaneously deducing the pattern of events that has led them to this place and time.

As random as the Pillar’s jumps appeared to have been, there is, in fact, a pattern that is revealed, as well as an intended vector. Volume three does not answer all of Black Science’s lingering questions, but it does clear up a few key mysteries prevalent during this first act. The art style is, once again, superb throughout, with terrifyingly gorgeous decayed cityscapes splashed across full pages, and the high-flying action of jetpack chases expressed with incredible intensity. The oranges and reds of blood and fire clash violently against the dull and darkened interior of this world’s facilities, wonderfully symbolic of the death and destruction that has been wrought upon this reality, as well as how starkly out of place the exploration team is as strangers in yet another strange land. The finale is, yet again, a cliffhanger – one that excels in shock and horror, yet feels a very appropriate tail-end to this more intensely-focused portion of Black Science’s grander narrative.

My rating: 9.25 (out of 10)