Starting with Daredevil spillover from last week, there's still not much that I picked up. Brubaker's arrival on Uncanny was the real big event for the week, but after the pretty uninspiring Deadly Genesis (how many times can the second X-Men team's Krakoa origin story be retread anyway?) I'm not actually all that excited at the prospect. Beyond that, there's the first issue of, er, Beyond, and the latest stop on Planet Hulk. Next week is another huge one, so let's enjoy the down time while we can...

Daredevil #86

Publisher Marvel • Writer Ed Brubaker • Artists Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano

Brubaker's run had, until this issue, continued the darker turn on Daredevil established by Bendis and extended it onwards and onwards. For the first time in years, Brubaker uses this issue to have Matt take stock of things and finally realise that it's gone far enough. Between his alliance with the Kingpin and the prison riot caused in his name, Matt sees (er...senses) just how bad it's become for him when Bullseye shows up, on his side. In his time of need, turns to the one friend he's got at Ryker's - Marvel's vigilante-that-sounds-like-a-porn-star, The Punisher.

There's very little else that can be said about this issue. If you enjoyed Bendis' run, if you enjoyed Brubaker's previous issues, if you enjoy a pulpy take on a spandex superhero, then there should be no reason not to get this. No part of it is not excellent. The only criticism I can find is that where Bendis would return to the classic Daredevil mythos in small doses, Brubaker has chucked it all in there. It's hard to imagine how he'll top this, though as ever the myster of who is under the new Daredevil mask interests me far more than anything else in the title right now...
A-

Uncanny X-Men #475

Publisher Marvel • Writer Ed Brubaker • Artist Billy Tan

Brubakers arrival has left me torn. On the one hand, his first issue follows on very directly from his uneven Deadly Genesis miniseries which heralded the incredibly underwhelming return of a now-powerless Xavier and the continuity bomb of Vulcan, the near-mythical Third Summers Brother (god help us) - on the other hand, it's a really excellent introduction that has actually gotten me excited about the X-Men again, as Xavier gathers up a team of those still loyal to him for some covert ops - in space!

The core titles (Uncanny and Adjectiveless) have been lacking some top writing talent for a while now. The Post-Morrison era has been less than kind, with writers who are ill-suited at best, and arguably past-it at worst. Brubaker promises a Planet Hulk-style 12-part epic that'll take the X-Men right back into the heart of the Shi'ar empire. Some people aren't too fond of the way space opera has somehow become a staple genre of the X-Men, but personally, I enjoy it.

Incoming artist Billy Tan has, in any estimation, surpassed himself. I enjoyed his art even before he raised his game, but with this issue alone he's proving that he's got the mettle to be teamed up with such an acclaimed writer as Brubaker. It's a promising start to what seems very likely to be an enjoyable run, despite some shaky foundations.
A-

Beyond! #1

Publisher Marvel • Writer Dwayne McDuffie • Artist Scott Kolins

This is slightly less like it. I don't think anyone's wanted a direct sequel to Secret Wars since Secret Wars 2 arrived to less than positive reaction. The premise of Secret Wars was relatively simple - a cosmic being known as the Beyonder grouped together Marvel's most popular heroes and villains and made them fight so that Marvel could market an action figure line under a unified name. This series seems to be suggesting that following the conclusion of that series, the Beyonder (or someone in his place) continued doing this sort of thing - kidnapping people and making them fight, I mean, not marketing action figure lines. Now, for some reason, he's come back to collect people from Earth again.

One of Marvel's newer heroes, Gravity, finds himself caught up in this mess when, in a scene echoing the original, he is transported to battle world. Waiting when he arrives are a bunch of tedious D-Listers, as well as Venom and Spider-Man. The shock ending can't possibly stick, and the very execution of this points the series squarely at readers who are too young or new to be jaded, and in doing so, dissipated what little interest I had in the series at all. Had it been a stronger week, I'd have left it on the shelf, but I was hungry for new material. Unfortunately, this didn't justify itself with the chance I gave it.

Kolins' art really saves this from true mediocrity. He has a Romita Jr. style quality to his work, and it's decidedly old-school. It's enjoyable, solid, and you can insert your own favourite euphemism for "mediocre but decent enough" here. nothing to write home about but he does the best with what he's got.
C+

Incredble Hulk #96

Publisher Marvel • Writer Greg Pak• Artist Aaron Lopresti

Planet Hulk really ploughs back into the centre stage after the guest-o-rama of the previous issues, with the first part of Planet Hulk's second story arc, the ominously-titled "Anarchy". It starts off with a simple premise. Following his escape from his captors, Hulk and his band of warriors roam the planet finding trouble, and then smashing it. The latest batch of trouble has connections to one of Hulk's friends (the term is to be used loosely) and that's enough amusement for him to stick around.

Aaron Lopresti picks up the art on this issue, and he's pleasingly similar to what's come before, though one expects Sotomayor's wonderful colouring has a big hand in that. With an eye on the foregone conclusion of a Planet Hulk collected edition, the transition from arc to arc will appear seamless, and it's worth remembering, in this age of superstar artists, that in many ways you shouldn't even notice the best art, because of how well it's doing its job. Lopresti gets the job done cleanly without trying to remind you that this is a Lopresti piece of work, like some artists can do.

It's been going on for a while now, but it's worth reiterating that Planet Hulk is, essentially, a Conan-style fantasy epic, set on an alien world with Hulk as the lead. After god knows how many years of Banner and Hulk aimlessly wandering America, getting into misunderstanding after misunderstanding, fighting the army and then escaping again, we're finally seeing something new done with the character. It's a take so insane that it works utterly brilliantly. You probably know by now whether Planet Hulk is for you or not, but if you can accept it, then you're in for an absolute treat.
B+