It's a landmark week for me, since I'm breaking a decade-old habit of not buying DCU titles and picking up Grant Morisson's Batman issue. However, my focus remains on Marvel and it's probably a good thing that there are so few indie comics out this week because once again, there're more Civil War comics that any reasonable man would bother to pick up. Luckily, I'm no reasonable man...

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Batman #655

Publisher DC • Writer Grant Morrison • Artist Andy Kubert

Grant Morrison may well be one of the greatest writers of this generation. He has an understanding and love of the comics medium that makes him the spiritual successor to Alan Moore, and in a few decades people are going to mention their names alongside one another without a second thought. He's making comics history even as he's writing it. His New X-Men run was so nuanced even the company that put it out struggles to properly realise what they published. His All-Star Superman is unequalled in terms of the genius going into it. When someone like this takes over the DCU in-continuity version of Batman, well, it's enough to get even Marvel Zombies like me to check it out.

So imagine my confusion when what I found myself reading was a relatively unadventurous and by-the-numbers take on Batman. Morrison seems interested in bringing the "Bruce Wayne, Millionaire Playboy" aspect of the character to the forefront, and the bulk of the character material is lightly geared towards the distinction between Bruce and Batman. Bookending that, there's a hilarious opening scene that I won't spoil here, and a pretty big shocker of an ending, that I will spoil here - The final scenes reintroduce us to Talia Al Ghul, and the child that, continuity be damned, is almost certainly Batman's son.

It's bound to cause some confusion, but not without reason. This child was conceived and born in what I'm assured is an out-of-continuity story. Morrison appears to have taken the most recent of DC's continuity rewrites to bring this story into canon. That reveal, combined with the fact that this is being written by Grant Fucking Morrison, is likely to bring me back next month, but to be honest the best way to describe how this issue has left me is "underwhelmed."

One aspect that's certainly left me full of glee, though, is Andy Kubert's artwork. Always my favourite of the Kubert brothers, I've enjoyed Andy's work on everything he's done without exception, this included. Admittedly, I wish he was back on X-Men, but on the other hand I'm grateful he's doing a monthly comic at all. If the writing's leaving me a little cold, at least the art is top-notch.
A-

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Amazing Spider-Man #534

Publisher Marvel • Writer J. Michael Stracyznski • Artist Ron Garney

As the other Spider-titles take on the challenge of making Spider-Man's unmasking work, the flagship title forges ahead with the less nuanced Civil War crossover stories. With the act well and truly in force, Spider-Man has joined Iron Man's team to hunt down renegade heroes. Unfortunately, having given away his greatest secret to the entire world, he's starting to have second thoughts.

It's been very strongly hinted since way back when the new costume debuted that Peter's choice to ally himself with Iron Man may prove problematic in the future. Well, now we're in the future, and Peter's lack of enthusiasm for the government's cause, combined with his growing mistrust of Iron Man nudges him ever further into the self-doubt that all good Spider-Man stories have. Feeling manipulated and tricked, he's nonetheless unable to do anything about it. For now. The smart money is on Peter switching sides well before the end of this (and, thank christ, a return to the classic costiume is bound to accompany that.)

Stracyznski's writing is heavily hit and miss with me, with strong emphasis on the "miss". His characterisation has been miles away from the way I understand the characters, and his dialogue actually causes me pain to read sometimes. That said, for this issue I think his treatment of things is far more in line with my expectations than it has been before - a Spider-Man who's unsure of things, and who can't help but wonder whether he's doing what's right. It's not dead-on the Peter Parker I remember, but it's closer than usual.
B+

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Daredevil #87

Publisher Marvel • Writer Ed Brubaker • Artist Michael Lark

The worst-kept secret in comics is out - the new Daredevil is actually Iron Fist. Always the clear choice for the impersonation, it's almost refreshing to see Brubaker go the obvious route. Almost. If this were the sole payoff to the constantly increasing stakes of the last few issues, then it might seem like one hell of a cop-out. However, there's so much more, and it's all on the last page. The truth about what happened to Foggy Nelson (immediately followed by a mocking and bombastic text piece from Brubaker to which I can only say, well, "Yes, we did.")

Brubaker is clearly showcasing his intentions to bring Matt back from the brink. After spurning the help of the Kingpin and breaking out of jail (bloodlessly) with the help of one Frank Castle, The Punisher, Matt is being taken off the rollercoaster of the Bendis run and placed in the driving seat. Of a different rollercoaster. Yes, that's exactly what I meant to say. In some ways it's concerning to see Brubaker start down a path that could essentially undo Murdock's unmasking, but then that issue no longer makes the character particularly unique, as Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man have all gone public in some way or another.

Nevertheless, Brubaker's not the kind of writer to undo stories for their own sake, and right now he's got plenty of his own brewing, not least of which is the question of just who's been manipulating things. Matt (or rather, in an amusing nod to continuity, Michael) is being taken out of New York for the first time in years to go and find the answer, so one wonders whether Iron Fist will be continuing the charade. It's basically faultless Daredevil as the character has been since the relaunch around 7 years ago, and after looking like he might falter in the last couple of issues, Brubaker has brought the arc to a strong ending.
A-

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New Avengers #22

Publisher Marvel • Writer Brian Bendis • Artist Lenil Francis Yu

To prevent Lenil Yu from twiddling his thumbs in between issues of Ultimate Wolverine Versus Hulk (Lindelof officially becoming the new Kevin Smith, at this point) Marvel have asked him in to draw an issue of New Avengers. Unfortunately, when the story is Bendis putting the spotlight on Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, the art is always going to be the weak point.

It's easily one of the best issues of the Civil War crossover so far, both in terms of how the concept is used and how it affects those involved. It's primarily a Luke Cage character piece, and one gets the feeling Bendis has been itching to write this for some time. It's far beyond the previous issue's Captain America exploration, and even though I find that Yu's art is a bit too scratchy for Bendis' dialogue-based work, he turns in one hell of an action scene towards the end. My biggest gripe is that Jessica Jones doesn't really look like Jessica Jones.

Between House of M and Civil War, Bendis had barely put this team of Avengers together before he started taking them apart. Issues like this make me wonder just what it is that we might be missing as a result of that.
A

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Wolverine #44

Publisher Marvel • Writer Mark Guggenheim • Artist Humberto Ramos

The promising story arc of the last few issues takes a depressing turn this week as the concept of Atlantean sleeper agents starts to weave itself into the Civil War fabric, recently established in the pages of Civil War: Front Line. Guggenheim's far more interesting story about Wolverine tracking down Nitro gives way on the final page to a guest appearance by Marvel's most pissed-off mutant Atlantean, the Submariner.

To be fair, it is in keeping with the themes of the story so far. Even though there's a clear editorial remit at work to get some Atlanteans into the story, the idea of avenging those killed by Nitro stays at the forefront, it just so happens that the Atlanteans are here to avenge one specific death - Namorita, member of the New Warriors and cousin of the Submariner. Wolverine, having had some time to calm down, realises that killing Nitro would also kill his chance to find out just who gave Nitro the kind of power he previously didn't have, that is, the kind that lets him blow up an entire city block. So naturally, he's now in charge of keeping Nitro alive against his natural judgement, and the judgement of those he actually agrees with.

It's Wolverine without pretension, without a twist, and without any attempt at a new take. It's also some the best treatment I've seen of the character in years. As I may have said before, this is the Wolverine that made him into one of the most popular Marvel characters, and he's doing what he does best, fighting first and asking questions later. Guilt-free superheroics, and with brilliant art from Ramos. I never expected to think this much of the Wolverine title again, but another week, another top mark.
A-