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Exploring never ending wars, and the warriors who fight them is nothing new to Greg Rucka. In fact, this territory is so well covered in Rucka’s previous works that one has to wonder if Old Guard #1 is nothing more than a lot of travel with very little movement.

But I kind of doubt it.

Here’s the official word from @imagecomics

Eisner-winning writer GREG RUCKA and critically acclaimed artist LEANDRO FERNÁNDEZ team up together to introduce THE OLD GUARD, the story of old soldiers who never die…and yet cannot seem to fade away. Trapped in an immortality without explanation, Andromache of Scythia—“Andy”—and her comrades ply their trade for those who can find—and afford—their services. But in the 21st century, immortality is a hard secret to keep, and when you live long enough, you learn that there are many fates worse than death.

There are a lot of things that Greg Rucka does very well, but for the sake of this review, let's just focus on two: crafting kick ass female characters (yes, think Tara Chace from Queen and Country) and building complex worlds that are somehow delightfully accessible (Lazarus is probably his most ambitious example to date). These dual gifts have served Rucka -- and his readers -- well, and delivered some of the most memorable series of the last twenty years. To say that Rucka has set a high bar for himself would be an understatement -- Rucka’s talents have made him a giant in the medium, and he creates a buzz every time he pitches a script.

It’s against this backdrop that Rucka launches Old Guard this week, a title that seemingly takes some inspiration from the old Highlander movies, where millennium-old warriors are blessed (or cursed) with eternal life, all the while being engaged in some ancient yet-to-be-examined struggle. The difference with the Old Guard warriors is that even when wounded they can’t die -- they seem impervious to any kind of injury, even a gunshot to the head. Afforded this rare gift, the Old Guard warriors have become mercenaries for hire, and artist Leandro Fernandez offers us some beautiful flashbacks of the Old Guard fighting (and being wounded) as soldiers in ancient Rome and feudal Japan. Those familiar with Fernandez will be pleased to see him in top form here; his images are fluid, rich, and enchanting.

As one would expect, immortality breeds loneliness, boredom, and more than just a little contempt for those of us who get to buy the farm after eighty or ninety years. The Old Guard is cranky and composed of four warriors (only one a woman) who spend most of their days debating the merits of various missions where their rare talents can be put to the best use.

Alternating with this front story, Rucka interjects the narrative of a newbie marine dispatched to Afghanistan whose approach to battle is strikingly humanitarian compared to the Old Guard’s kill-for-cash methodology. The fact these two narratives will eventually intertwine is, of course, inevitable.

Overall, Old Guard offers a solid and enjoyable start. And I can’t wait for issue two.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

With Lord Henry Baltimore missing (but presumed alive), a band of renegade survivors must convince a sequestered Judge Rigo to join them in the battle for humanity again. But lucky us, in order to convince him, the team must first recap all the bloody backstory Rigo’s missed while hiding in a monastery.

(Wink, wink, nudge, nudge: Dark Horse is trying to make it *really* easy for new readers jump into this long standing series).

Here’s the official word from @darkhorsecomics :  

Lord Baltimore is missing. The Red King - evil incarnate - is taking over the world. Baltimore's team has been driven apart, with some of them dying on the frontlines while others are in hiding.  Since the day he set out for revenge on the vampire who killed his family, Baltimore's fight has gotten bigger than he'd ever imagined, but what role will he take as evil finally threatens to consume the world?

Let’s be honest: Lord Henry Baltimore has been battling vampires for a hell of a long time. Co-created by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden have followed Lord Baltimore’s exploits primarily through comics, but have also put out a novel that hardcore fans have generally applauded. And while much of Baltimore’s ongoing battle with The Red King has taken place in discrete mini-runs, the story has consistently followed an escalating arc that now places all of humanity at war with the demonic Red King, a villain whose land-grabbing ambitions are reminiscent of Hitler, and whose allies are both witches and vampires.

In many ways, the first issue of Baltimore: The Red Kingdom has the feel of an inaugural team book, but without all the flashy origin stories that make you fall in love with the new heroes (mainly because the heroes are already well established). But there is a gathering of forces here, where all of Baltimore’s old friends -- long forgotten, embattled, or dispersed -- are suddenly brought together to try and stop The Red King’s final push for world domination. While Rigo’s recruitment back into the fold is most prominent, there are other surprises (most notably at the end of the issue) that will delight longtime fans and (at minimum) intrigue new readers.

The art, by Peter Bergting, is pitch-perfect for this book -- especially his uncanny ability to toggle back and forth between large fight scenes and smaller, intimate conversations. It’s tough to depict a major battle sequence with hundreds of players, while still hyper-focusing on just a few select characters, but Bergting shifts from macro to micro almost effortlessly.

Overall, Baltimore: The Red Kingdom is a solid continuation of this fan favorite. (And yes, a nice place to start if you’ve never picked this series up.)

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Beautifully paced and masterfully drawn, Loose Ends is hoping to be that four issue mini-series that you just can’t live without. And except for a few blemishes, it’s coming pretty damn close.

Here’s the official word from @imagecomics :

No one seemed to notice Sonny Gibson as he stepped back into “The Hideaway,” a dusty little honky-tonk nestled off the Carolina highway. But before the night was over, Sonny would be on the run—from the law, from the criminals, even from himself. LOOSE ENDS is a gritty, slow-cooked, Southern crime romance that follows a winding trail down Tobacco Road, through the war-torn streets of Baghdad, and into the bright lights and bloody gutters of South Florida.

As the co-creator of Southern Bastards, it’s safe to say that Jason Latour’s love of the South is well documented -- and celebrated. His gritty take on fictional Craw County Alabama did, after all, win him an Eisner Award, and proved he’s not afraid to depict the South in ways that are both romanticized and hyper-critical. As a native of North Carolina, most readers -- myself included -- are willing to assume that his explorations of Southern culture and both informed, and sincere, even when the characters are ripe with Grindhouse exaggeration. This is all to say that when Latour takes you down South, you feel in good hands, and issue #1 of Loose Ends is no exception.

Opening at a seedy bar, Latour’s inaugural script introduces us to Sonny Gibson, a man with pockets full of cash and a debt he feels he must pay. Latour’s script is careful to present Gibson as a man who feels hard-nosed, but emotionally vulnerable, as though he’s better at being a tough guy than a reliable friend or lover. While Gibson’s attempt to win back an old girlfriend is the story that takes center stage (and in true Latour fashion turns exceptionally violent), this narrative is spliced with scenes of a character named Rej, a vet who’s trying to convince Gibson to make opium runs for him. While it’s sometimes tough to discern what’s flashback and what’s not, both alternating storylines feel generally satisfying and are only occasionally marked by moments of exaggeration that feel marginally cliche. But still, these moments are short-lived and forgivable.

The true artistry of Loose Ends comes from the jaw-droppingly elegant collaboration of artists Chris Brunner and Rico Renzi, each of whom adopts and illustrate discrete threads of Gibson’s wayward story. The way these artists weave in and out of each other’s pages feels flawless, and the panel work, which is leveraged perfectly as a tool for pacing the story, brings life to issue #1 in ways that will surprise even veteran comic readers. Make no mistake: while Latour’s script is enjoyable, and his characters intriguing, the work of Brunner and Renzi is the reasons I’ll be snagging issue #2.

Overall, Loose Ends #1 offers an engaging (and visually stunning) start. And while the promise of a good story might pull you in, it’s the art that will make you want to stay.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Proving that it’s possible to stay upbeat while delivering a beatdown, Marvel’s newest superhero, Nadia Pym, kicks-off her solo career with The Unstoppable Wasp #1 this week. Who knew destroying Hydra could be done with so much sweetness and light?

Here’s the official word from @marvelentertainment :

Girl. Genius. Hero. Unstoppable. Nadia spent the entire first half of her life a captive of The Red Room, but now this teenage super-scientist is on her own for the first time, and she's ready to spread her wings! Hank Pym's daughter has a lot of time to make up for and she's determined to change the world. You know, if she can get her U.S. citizenship first. Guest-starring Ms. Marvel and Mockingbird!

As any light inventory of the superhero canon will prove, Marvel loves it’s teenage orphan underdogs. And it also loves when giant monsters (and sometimes robots) trash some densely populated street in New York City. Put these two passions together and have you the template for this countlessly repeated story arc: a spunky teenager, just getting used to his powers, must face his fears, man-up, and defeat an oversized threat before it destroys the city.

Sound familiar? If so, that’s because you’ve already read it. More than once.

And if you pick-up The Unstoppable Wasp #1 this week, you’ll read it again, but with some major alterations and tweaking of expectations that make Jeremy Whitley’s script a joy to read.

The first change? That teenage superhero orphan ain’t a guy.

Yes, since it’s launch in 2012 Marvel NOW has been taking major steps to diversify its cast of characters, and Nadia Pym, the long-forgotten daughter of the late Hank Pym, takes her turn this week after a succession of strong female protagonists have successfully gotten their own series in the last few years (think Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, and Hellcat). And while it’s true that the basic plot of this inaugural issue is pretty damn familiar (see the paragraph above), Whitley’s magic is that he takes an old template and makes it fresh again. So yes, do you get to see a new teenage superhero bring a giant robot to its knees *but* Whitley spends just as much time trumpeting Nadia’s scientific prowess and unflappable positivity as he does her quirky ability to shrink down to the size of a pea.

Best yet, Whitley turns the classic teen-fights-giant trope on its head by wrapping up this typically defining moment in just seven pages. While these fights are generally used as a way for the hero to activate his latent superpowers, for Nadia the goal is wholly different: she gets to meet --and fight alongside-- her hero, Mockingbird. And why does Nadia love Mockingbird? Because of her brains (and a research paper she wrote on the Super Soldier Serum). For a genre that has typically rewarded female heroes for their bodies, or ability to break the bodies of others, Whitley’s focus in smarts is refreshing and delightful.

The art, by Elsa Charretier, is fun, sharp, rich and commanding. Visually stunning, and creatively composed, it makes The Unstoppable Wasp #1 a breeze to read. Of special note are the facial features of her characters -- Charretier’s ability capture mood and emotion are sublime.

Overall, The Unstoppable Wasp #1 offers a gorgeous and promising start. Go grab this thing today.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Shadows on the Grave -- Richard Corben’s new eight issue run -- promises not only to deliver another round of compelling stories from one of the medium's greatest master but also (fingers crossed) revisit one of his most enduring talents: scaring the shit out of his readers.

Here’s the official word from @darkhorsecomics :

The master of supernatural horror is back with bizarre tales of terror in his signature black-and-white style. Running through the entire series is the continuing story of Corben’s new warrior character, Denaeus, reminiscent of his best-loved creation, Den from the classic Heavy Metal series.

No doubt, Richard Corben is selective about when he goes mainstream. Long regarded as a granddaddy of underground comix scene, he’s only kicked his way to the surface a few times in his career, generally opting to spend most of his time beneath the forth and between the pages of independent publishers, most notably his own Fantagor Press. But he has occasionally made it to more conventional publishers and does so again with this week with Shadows on the Grave. Hopefully, you’ve already been lucky enough stumble-upon his Marvel MAX’s Cage, his Bigfoot arc at IDW, or his Startling Stories: Banner mini-trade. And if so, you know his careful rendering of worlds and characters is breathtaking -- and his images are so thick you could eat them with a spoon.

But if you’re like me, you didn’t discover Corben via superhero fare, but through fantasy, and hopefully through Heavy Metal, one of the few magazines Corben has consistently called home. It was in HM, in fact, that Corben launched one of his most enduring characters, a geek who transforms into a reluctant hero simply known as Den.

To be fair, Shadows on the Grave, which launches this week is *not* about Den, although the last story in this collection of short narratives is dedicated to a hero with many of the same traits. Denaeus, a God-like hero from the land of Knoxonia, is buff, beloved, and has a secret that could threaten the entire kingdom. His introduction here, however, is crazy brief -- just eight pages -- and of all the stories that Corben presents is the only one which promises “to be continued.” It’s also, generally, the least freaky and in this sense feels almost out of place.

And what a place it is.

Despite Denaeus’ title story -- which feels more like fantasy than horror -- Shadows on the Grave is primarily formatted as a throwback to the grand old days of EC’s Tales From The Crypt or The Vault of Horror. And like that old-school morality tales, Corben’s stories are brief, disturbing, and terrifying delightful. His strongest work, Strung Along, opens this inaugural issue and features a pair of deformed children who masquerade as puppets for the pleasure and profit of a sadistic marionette. The angst these enslaved children feel is palpable thanks to Corben’s gorgeous art -- their giant tearful eyes will keep you up at night. Issue #1 also features a story of a two castaways who become engulfed by mother nature, and of a woman who finally fights back against her barbaric husband in a way that’ll make your skin crawl.

Overall, Corben’s stories hit that perfect balance of short but impactful. Yes, I’d love more than just a few tiny nibbles of spookiness, but Corben's commitment to brevity has to be applauded. The range of emotions he can trigger in fifty panels is nothing short of extraordinary.

I’m so grateful there’s still seven issues left. I want to savor every one.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Best known for re-imaging Batgirl as a spunky millennial, the creative trio of Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr introduce the world to a new heroine this week: Domino Swift. Those familiar with the stellar work of this creative team will find that Motor Crush #1 hits notes both familiar and new -- it’s the classic coming-of-age drama that so beautifully suited Barbara Gordon, but also an homage to the chase films that she never got to star in.

Here’s the official word from @imagecomics

By day, Domino Swift competes for fame and fortune in a worldwide motorcycle racing league. By night, she cracks heads of rival gangs in brutal bike wars to gain possession of a rare, valuable contraband: an engine-boosting “machine narcotic” known as Crush.

Stuffed with high-speed racing, black-market peddling, and gallons of testosterone, Motor Crush is not the kind of title that has traditionally accepted female protagonists with open arms. Quite the opposite, the world that Fletcher, Stewart, and Tarr offer feels very masculine indeed. Set in the distant future where the dangerous art of motorcycle racing can be both a sanctioned sporting event and illegal enterprise, Domino Swift is one of the few females ballsy enough (please excuse the pun) to engage in a behavior that leads to the death and maiming of countless riders every year. And yes, she’s good at it.

If racing is a coin with two sides, Domino spends her life trying to dominate both.

One one side, she’s a legit racer, trying to make her name as a very public although barely celebrated racer who’s trying to crack the World Grand Prix. Her exploits are documented by a floating drone owned by the World Grand Prix Media Channel, and the savvy reader will be able to quickly detect notes of social commentary as Domino performs for the camera, fabricating drama that might gain her more fans, while hiding those tantalizing aspects of herself that are actually more interesting -- like her penchant for illegal street racing.

Unlike her work for the World Grand Prix, her street racing  -- which feels like the darker side of that aforementioned coin -- is gritty, violent, and generally anonymous. Domino gives special care to keep her true identity under wraps since the prize she’s trying to earn is an illicit boosting substance called “crush” that’s formulated for motorcycles and whose impact still remains unknown. Whatever “crush” does, it’s coveted, and the primary action of issue #1 comes when Domino’s supply, hard-earned through bashing skulls and burning rubber, gets stolen from her. And in perusing her stolen treasure, she awakens what appears to be a larger cartel of hoodlums who now want her dead.

As a character, Domino is spunky and likable, although her motives still feel a bit unclear. For a female character trying to straddle a male-dominated world, Babs Tarr renders Domino in a way that feels wholly appropriate and gender-bending. Domino is sassy, curvy, and fond of pink, but sports a crew cut and swings baseball bats at her opponents instead of purses. Overall, it’s lovely to see her strong visual storytelling back in action here. Chase scenes are hard to depict in a static medium, but Tarr is gifted, balancing small tight panels with larger panoramas. The result is a book that flows -- slows down -- and then speeds up again. Exactly what you’d hope for from this title.

And while I like Domino a lot, given the opportunity to shed the continuity and baggage of a character like Barbara Gordon, it’s curious that this creative team is offering readers a character who shares so many of Batgirl’s characteristics. Domino, after all, is a girl trying to make a name for herself in a male-dominated field, lives under the shadow her father, and seems to lack a mother-figure who might show her how to forge a new identity.

She’s alone. And she knows it.

Overall, however, Motor Crush offers a compelling start to a title with a ton promise. And I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Offering more sizzle than steak, Marvel’s newest Ghost Rider relaunch feels like a missed opportunity. Or at best, a stalled start.

Here’s the official word from @marvelentertainment :

It's hell on wheels as the Spirit of Vengeance makes his roaring return! A mysterious object from space crash-lands in southern California, drawing some of the brightest minds in the Marvel Universe to Ghost Rider's backyard - including Amadeus Cho, the Totally Awesome Hulk!

Somewhere in the world, a geek just won a bet. And the build up to the wager probably went something like this: “how long do you think it’ll take for Marvel to launch a new Ghost Rider comic now that Robbie Reyes has become a fixture on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D?”

My bet? I would’ve said a year. And I would’ve lost.

After all, if the goal is to convert fans of the show to loyal buyers for a fledgling new series, I think it takes a bit of time. And while it’s true that Robbie Reyes is nothing new -- this latest iteration of Ghost Rider was introduced back in 2014 by the creative team of Felipe Smith and Tradd Moore -- he’s still a developing quantity on AoS and I would’ve argued that there’s value in letting Reyes develop a little bit of continuity (and a fanbase) on AoS before trying to exploit his crossover marketing appeal. But what the hell do I know? Because here we are, just a few months later, and old Hothead is hitting the stands with brand new issue #1.

But if Ghost Rider is still a novelty on AoS (and the producers are hoping you’ll say ‘yes’), then writer Felipe Smith is making a mistake by trying to shoehorn the ensemble model of AoS into his debut issue of Robbie Reyes: Ghost Rider #1. Yes, yes, I know Robbie Reyes has already had one respectable run under Smith, but damn, he doesn’t get much airtime in this inaugural issue. While we do have the requisite introduction of Reyes and get to see him dote on his little brother, the bulk of the issue is (strangely) handed over to Amadeus Cho, who spends panel upon panel examining, poking, and ultimately wrestling with a symbiote that’s been discovered on the beaches of Southern California. And when Cho is done, we get teased by Laura Kinney, the All-New Wolverine. Despite owning the title, Reyes feels like just another actor in a larger show.

While Reyes is afforded a slight adventure -- he takes out a crew of gangbangers -- there is absolutely nothing compelling about his portion of the story. His internal conflict with Eli is referenced instead of explored; his origin is scarcely acknowledged. Overall, this feels like the set-up for a team book, and my fear is that in trying to leverage the talent of the larger Marvel Universe, Smith is short-changing his main star.

The art, by Danilo Beyruth, is a treat and shines in large part thanks to his gorgeous rendering of the muscle cars that will undoubtedly be central to this series. While his portrayal of Cho as Hulk reads goofy (as it should), his chase scenes are crisp and scary.

To be fair, there is an attempt to put Reyes at the center of things again, however. It comes in the last pages of issue #1 in which Smith offers readers a bonus story where Reyes engages in some high-speed fighting (and flirting) with a new villain Pyston Nitro, who seems to have the whole femme fatale thing figured out. While the story allows artist Tradd Moore to revisit his creation, Smith’s story is clearly offered as a one-shot without the promise that it will have much, if anything, to do with the primary story we’ve just read. (But I secretly hope that it’ll tie-in next issue.)

Fans of Robbie Reyes will (ironically) find themselves missing their favorite hero in issue #1 of Robbie Reyes: Ghost Rider. But fret not. Writer Felipe Smith has done this character right in the past, and my hope is that he will again. And soon.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Weird shit and Matt Kindt go together like peanut butter and jelly. And as Ether #1 proves, ain’t no one tired of that pairing yet.

Here’s the official word from @darkhorsecomics

Boone Dias is an interdimensional explorer, a scientist from Earth who has stumbled into great responsibility. He’s got an explanation for everything, so of course the Ether’s magical residents turn to him to solve their toughest crimes. But maybe keeping the real and the abstract separate is too big a job for just one man.

There’s an old adage that all stories boil down to basically two plots: exploring new frontiers, or coming home. While the contrarian in me wants to rattle off examples where this adage falls apart, I have to acknowledge, at least in part, that it often fits in unexpected ways. After all, the superhero narrative is nothing more than the exploration of new personal frontiers -- characters suddenly get endowed with powers that expand their experience of life but add bucket loads of complication in exchange. But then, of course, the superhero narrative is often about coming home and characters needing to reconcile the hero they’ve become with the person that they used to be. The later has produced a cottage industry of stock characters who tragically pine for the simpler version of the hero, before their powers took center stage -- yes, I’m thinking of poor old Lana Lang.

Well, now, with Ether #1, Matt Kindt has decided these two contradictory approaches can finally play out simultaneously as he introduces us to Boone Dias, an interdimensional explorer whose day job is to breach “the ether” and bring logic to a land of magic and insanity. While Boone is clearly one of us -- a human trained in the scientific method -- he spends ninety percent of this inaugural issue visiting a land comprised of talking animals, floating jellyfish, and giant slugs before returning home to our dimension. The result is a character not too unlike Alice, from Lewis Carroll's Wonderland, who is constantly exploring new frontiers but always coming home again. As a dimension seemingly devoid of rational calculations, the Ether relies heavily on Boone’s human logic to solve its mysteries -- the mayor of the Ether’s capital city, in fact, calls on Boone to help him figure out who killed The Blaze, the Ether’s main protector.

Much of the joy of Ether #1 comes from watching Boone navigate this strange new world, and Kindt has found a lovely balance between the police procedural and the sci-fi narrative. Yes, Boone is trying to solve a murder mystery, but he’s also dealing with living bullets, magic villains, and mystical creatures. But maybe best of all is watching Boone try to go home again, which he seems to do with regular frequency so he can gather new supplies, and bring back samples for further analysis. For anyone who’s broadened their horizons, going home to your old life is a drag, but for Boone this tension is usually unnerving and immeasurably engaging. And as you’ll see, Kindt has once again found a way to surprise his readers.

The art by David Rubin is a joy -- he captures the goofiness of the Ether effortlessly, but also, when appropriate, brings the reader a grittiness so real that the pages feel dirty. His rendering of Boone is empathetic and authentic; he actually feels like a real person. Of particular note is Rubin’s large panels of the Ether itself -- big and gorgeous, fun and light.

Ether #1 is a page-turner, and a joy to read. Do yourself a favor and grab this thing today.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

It’s true: Alex de Campi has an impressive range. After all, not many writers can earn just as many accolades for penning My Little Pony as they can Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight. But de Campi has, and does. Still, Mayday #1 proves once again that de Campi seems most at home offering readers blood, sex, and rock-and-roll.

Lucky us.

Here’s the official word from @imagecomics :  

A Cold War action-thriller like no other. It's 1971, and two young Soviet operatives are sent to California to kill a defector and recover top-secret information. As the mission falls apart into a mess of good sex, bad drugs, and ugly violence, the young Russians are faced with a dilemma: they need to rely on each other to escape America, but they must betray each other to survive Russia.

One could -- and I certainly have -- accused de Campi of being overly gratuitous at times. Her Grindhouse series (especially) was ripe with killing, sexual assault, revenge, lust, and teeth-shattering violence. To put it bluntly, these were comics you’d read cautiously -- if at all -- while seated next to that old lady on the bus. But, hey, it was called Grindhouse. What the hell did you expect? That said, I do confess that the extreme nature of the Grindhouse genre and de Campi’s religious devotion to following it’s every deviant wrinkle made me worried that she’d lose the gift of restraint eventually. After all, what you don’t see as a reader can be just as fulfilling as what you do. And for a while there, de Campi was saying f-it to restraint and showing *everything* and more.

And then came Mayday #1, de Campi’s newest foray into genre work, and suddenly she’s back to less is more. Well, kind of.

Set in the 1970s, Mayday introduces us to Felix and Rose, two Russian sleeper agents who’ve been assigned to stop a traitor intent on passing along the name of every Soviet agent operating in Vietnam along to the Americans. Now plotwise, the first issue of Mayday #1 should be simple, because Flexi and Rose pretty much do exactly what they’re told. But this is de Campi don’t forget, and so after their mission is accomplished Felix and Rose take an unnecessary detour -- one loaded with sex, drugs, incredible inefficiency. This is all to say, they have the ball then lose it, and the stakes suddenly feel very high as they realize that everything they’ve worked for is on the brink of collapse thanks to the fact they chose to indulge in the excess of that decade.

But if excess is what derails Felix and Rose -- and yes, it does -- de Campi makes a startling turn here by penning a script that shows *some* reasonable restraint, and some of it in ways that's pretty damn unique. First of all, she allows for innuendo once again. Yes, yes, yes, there’s plenty of nudity, but it’s nothing compared what she flashed in Grindhouse. And yes, there’s violence, but de Campi doesn’t have anyone playing with guts and brains the way she has before. Most interesting of all, she depicts the confusion of hearing a foreign dialect by omitting words in dialogue instead of translating them -- a new kind of restraint that might have made her script confusing were it not for the expressive art of Tony Parker.

This later move -- presenting word bubbles filled with garbled characters to show how a character is *not* following the foreign language being spoken -- is the most innovative of all de Campi’s moves, and one that helps capture the aura of confusion her characters are feeling. And sure, as readers, we feel this confusion, too. But it’s worth it because less is more.

As noted earlier, Tony Parker’s expressive lines and vibrant characterizations help make these inaccessible moments in de Campi’s script still work. Parker is excellent at faces, and finding all those twitchy details that bring a static figure to life.

Overall, Mayday #1 is will give you faith in de Campi’s ability to tell a nuanced story again. Although I know many of you may have never lost it.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

The Bat-family tree has had many offshoots, but none have ever been so capable of holding their own as Terry McGinnis, the caped crusader of the future. But for fans who’ve never fallen in love with old “McG,” this newest launch ain’t the cleanest place to start. Tethered in previous continuity, Batman Beyond feels less like a rebirth and more like the newest chapter to an already beloved book. But, hey, at least it’s satisfying.

And if you’re already a fan, it might be golden.

Here’s the official word from @dccomicfans:

Terry McGinnis is back as Batman, much to the delight of his family and friends. But is the original Joker really back as well? Inspired by the possible return of their role model, the Jokerz have taken over an entire section of Gotham City and are determined to wreak havoc in the still-rebuilding city. While Batman battles chaos on the streets, his friend Dana is at the mercy of the new leader of the now-unified gang.

Alright, let’s recap: Bruce Wayne is dead, and a kid named Terry McGinnis inherited the cowl and the awesome responsibility of keeping Neo-Gotham safe from crooks and bandits. Except it’s not a cowl anymore, but body armor with pointy ears and infused with all the technology a crime-fighting geek could ask for. Yup, it’s the future, and even more startling it’s a future that was originally conceived not in the pages of a comic book, but in an animated series that ran from 1999 to 2001. Proving once again that the membrane between the DC Animated Universe and the traditional DCU is porous, Batman Beyond hits the stands this week as a new ongoing series that hopes to blend this animated offshoot into mainstream continuity for good.

This is not to say, of course, that Batman Beyond is new to comics -- not at all. There’ve been several attempts to push this futuristic version of the Dark Knight into the DCU, but what feels different with Batman Beyond: Rebirth #1 is its commitment to placing Terry McGinnis (and presumably his rich animated universe backstory) at the center of the equation. So if you were a fan of the animated series, issue #1 should feel like a homecoming. After all, the Jokerz are the central villains here, and writer Dan Jurgens seems right at home dropping readers into a familiar melee that’s left McGinnis defeated, his girlfriend captured, and his little brother reaching out for reinforcements. (And this is all in the first five pages). Most delicious of all, the leader of the Jokerz, a brute named Terminal, is angling to re-animate the original Joker.

This later plot twist is compelling for several reasons and highlights Jurgens brilliance as a writer. If Batman Beyond is to succeed, it will need to create a tent big enough to welcome both ardent fans of the animated series, and geeks who read their comics instead of streaming them online. The original Joker is the perfect bridge character, and, if brought back, could easily wed these two disparate set of fans -- something I’m sure Jurgens has considered and is aiming for. As though trying to woo fans of the old-school DCU, Jurgens peppers his script with small homages to the Bruce Wayne’s original Batman (there is a Bane look-a-like, slang reminiscent of the Mutants, and even a Joker with a crowbar).

The perk of an inaugural script that leverages previous continuity is that Jurgens covers an extraordinary amount of ground in issue #1. With no interest in set-up, Jurgens spends all his energy pushing forward a story that features a section of Neo-Gotham being occupied by the Jokerz, and which McGinnis seems incapable of winning back. Demonstrating that McGinnis is a new type of hero, he devises a counter-attack so outstanding in its boldness that Wayne would never have dared it. At least not by himself.

The art by Bernard Chang is gritty, rich, and expressive. This issue is stuffed with full page spreads, all lovely, and the last page the most startling as it shows readers exactly what’s in store for issue #2.

Overall, Bat-fans of every stripe should rejoice with issue #1 of Batman Beyond: Rebirth. Go grab this thing today.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Deliciously quirky and wonderfully self-indulgent Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat! is one of those titles that’s so freaking good it probably lives in constant fear of getting canceled. (Yes, this is a swipe at Marvel which seems to have a knack for tossing out books that *only* have a cult following). But fear not, because if issue #11 is any indication, this newest iteration of Marvel’s best known “teen-humor heroine” is getting pulled even deeper into modern continuity.

Here’s the official word from @marvelentertainment:

Who’s ready for a knock-down, drag-out, no-holds-barred CAT-FIGHT? Literally! Okay, it’s kind of figurative because they’re not *actually* cats, but it’s pretty close. Felicia Hardy is on a collision course with Patsy Walker. You know what that means? It’s Hellcat vs. Black Cat y’all! Featuring everyone’s favorite teenage vampire Jubilee! But who’s side is she on? Sharpen your claws because it’s going to be a feline fiasco for the ages!

Like most ironic art, there was a time when Patsy’s goofy, go-get-em’ energy was totally sincere. This was ages ago, back when comics were simpler and Patsy was the star of a booming sub-genre that focused specifically on teenagers dancing, dating, and hanging out on beaches. So yes, Patsy’s been an adolescent for about seventy-two years, but somewhere along the line (thanks to the writer Steve Englehart) she became a superhero, too. But her re-launch as a serious crime-fighter never quite took off, undoubtedly weighed down by her decades-long stint as a kiddie rom-com star. Poor Patsy -- she had all of the muscle of a superhero, but none of the respect. But there’s been an evolution in the last few years, at least in how Marvel approaches Patsy, and it’s one that writer Kate Leth and artist Brittney Williams have exploited beautifully.

Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat!, which launched in 2015, features Patsy as both superhero *and* a single misadventure-prone working gal. Those familiar with the title, and old enough to remember other female-driven comedies with similar set-ups, might see this Hellcat as the newest version of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Sex in the City, except with more super-villains and zero sex. This is all the say that Hellcat is a hybrid of traditional superhero fare, and funny, slapstick situation comedy. What’s been lovely about this run is that social conflicts, making amends with BFFs, and holding part-time jobs, take just as much space as the villain of the week. The response to Hellcat has been positive as a result, and with each issue, Kate Leth takes one step closer to creating a universe that’s rich, diverse, and surprisingly engaging.

In a sign that Marvel might be investing more deeply in Hellcat, recent issues have brought forward outside continuity, indicating that Patsy is finally part of the Marvel Universe and must reckon with and reconcile things that don’t fit neatly into her campy box. Her business partner, and best friend, Jennifer Walters, for instance, is currently in a coma -- a consequence of Civil War II. But issue #11 adds another addition: Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat. Now, one *could* argue that the introduction of a staple star into a newer title is not an indication of health and investment on the part of Marvel. (Think of all the failed the titles that featured Spider-Man for a single issue and you’ll see my point.) But what Leth does nicely here with issue #11, is use Black Cat as leverage to introduce a new gang of female supervillains that fit so neatly into the Hellcat universe, they could stick around for ages. The Blackcats -- as they’re known -- are thieves and vandals that, at least for now, take orders from Felicia Hardy. In a perfect demonstration of how Hellcat mixes superhero plots with teenage drama, one of the Black Cats is the ex-girlfriend of Ian, Patsy’s roommate. As you can expect, this culminates with a fight scene where the Black Cats battle Hellcat not just because that’s what superheroes and supervillains do, but because there’s the feeling that Patsy took someone’s man. Drama!

As I said, a perfect hybrid.

Issue #11 is the start of a new arc, and a nice place to jump on if you’ve missed the Hellcat party so far. There is the advancement of previous storylines -- Jubilee as a vampire, Ian as a heartbroken discontent, and Bailey as a newbie superhero in training -- but really, the story is new enough and light enough that anyone can enter without too much fuss.

Accepting that Leth’s aim is to write a book that’s as unorthodox as it is funny, Brittney Williams is a perfect pairing for her scripts. Williams’ range is impressive, offering panels that can shift from moodiness to lightheartedness in a single beat, depending on what’s called for. Her lines are goofy, serious, sharp and vague -- all of it in a single issue.

Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat! #11 is a treat -- just like all the issues before it.  If you haven’t jumped on the Hellcat bandwagon yet, now’s the time.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Mark Millar ain’t the first person to assert that death is not the end, but his vision of what happens after we shuffle off our mortal coil feels pretty damn unprecedented. Thematically engaging, and visually rich, Reborn #1 tackles one of the biggest mysteries of life by introducing a far more complicated one. And so far, it’s awesome.

Here’s the official word from @imagecomics:

MARK MILLAR & GREG CAPULLO join forces to create the smash hit sci-fi / fantasy story of the year: REBORN. Where do you go when you die? Not heaven or hell; somewhere else. Somewhere you have to fight to survive. Somewhere the people from the past are waiting for you—the good and the bad.

A gifted storyteller, Mark Miller understands the best stories always grow from the ashes of an old one. Even with inaugural issues, readers generally enter a universe midstream -- the characters we meet have existed before our curated entrance, and we’re only ushered in at a pivotal moment when a major (and entertaining) shift is about to occur. This is all to say the story we get to see always comes with ample backstory, and in the case of Reborn #1 that backstory is more ample than usual: the full arc of a human life.

So yes, the hero of Reborn -- a woman named Bonnie -- is actually (spoiler alert) dead before we’re through the first issue. While it’s certainly rare for a writer to present his protagonist's life as preamble, that’s what Reborn is all about. Here, death is where the story starts, and the issue #1 opens with a shooting rampage in Minneapolis that kills Bonnie’s elderly husband fourteen years before her own death. Foreshadowing what Bonnie will someday encounter, her husband awakes in a field more reminiscent of Game of Thrones than a major American city. This new reality -- which the reader can only assume is where folks get reincarnated into -- is chock-full of dragons, ogres, and grizzly battles.

But before Bonnie can be reborn into his new sci-fi realm, she needs to croak, and so the bulk of issue # 1 is dedicated to the slow winding down of her long life. She reminisces on her family, seeks solace from her granddaughter, and tires to come to peace with her own agnosticism. Bonnie’s death actually offers a nice pivot to Greg Capullo, because her demise is captured less in words and more in beautiful visual detail. Capullo’s handling of flashback -- as Bonnie’s life flashes before her eyes -- is startling here, making you feel every poignant moment of her life. That Capullo can make to care about a character we’ve just met is a testament to his emotive style.

While Miller’s concept for Reborn is soaring, he is a character-driven writer, and the closing pages of issue #1 demonstrate that this trend will continue here. Bonnie is special, and we leave knowing that while the premise is big, the focus will be smaller -- a simple hero’s journey.

So far, so good. And I can’t wait to read issue #2.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject