In light of how many comics I've got, I'm going to try out a new format for this week, and if it seems satisfactory I'll carry it on in the future. From this point on, if I've not got a lot to say about a release, or if I've got too many other issues to do, I'll be including it at the bottom under the horrendously paindul subheading of "Flick-Through Review". No cover, no fancy formatting, no in-depth discussion, but hopefully some slight insight, just for the record. It should ensure that I find a way to comment on everything I buy from now on. More reviews, no extra charge, No reason to complain at all.

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DMZ #10

Publisher Vertigo • Writer Brian Wood • Art Ricardo Burchielli

DMZ is now officially the book that doesn't know the meaning of the word "status quo." This approach was almost confusing to me at first, but I've finally caught on to it. The constantly-evolving nature of the situation is keeping the book fresh. More than that though, it means that when elements from previous stories turn up, such as Wilson's grandchildren, it always feels organic. It sometimes feels as though the character of Matty is still a bit loosely defined, but the world he lives in is most definitely forming rapidly and complicatedly around him.

For now, the only thing we can count on is that Matty's a Photojournalist. Besides that, all bets are off, and to be honest I'm not even sure that'll last for the duration of the series. In this issue, he takes on the system with his new friends, and by god, he actually seems to win. It's never certain in the world of DMZ, but for now it feels like victory is on Matty's side for a change. Freed from his contract with Liberty News and having averted a major airstrike on Manhattan, you can almost be certain that something very bad is about to counter all of his good luck.

Of course, it won't happen too soon, because the next two issues are special one-offs, the first is a Zee solo issue drawn by Wood's collaborator on Supermarket, Kristian Donaldson, and the second is (I can barely contain myself saying it) a rare case of a comic with Brian Wood writing AND art. The man's an excellent writer, but there's quite no other artist like him in comics, and he's been away from the page far too long. I'm pimping it now so that you're primed to buy it come October. In the meantime, you've just about missed the Body of a Journalist arc, but the trade is sure to be coming soon. DMZ is proving once again that Wood is one of the most talented craftsmen in the industry, and you should be reading it.
A+

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Marvel Milestones: Uncanny X-Men #275

Publisher Marvel • Writer Chris Claremont • Art Jim Lee

I'm often surprised by Marvel's reprint series. Pleasantly, I mean. I also wonder why they don't do more with it, as the vast majority of their back catalogue hasn't seen a proper, full-colour collection in decades. Usually the Milestones title has a loosely themed collection of stories with only tenuous links to one another. When I saw this issue solicited, containing Uncanny X-Men #275 (and relevant material from #274) I knew I had to own it. It's possibly the first time a reprint issue has had me more excited than a new one.

This is, more or less, one of the first X-Men stories I ever read. In retrospect I was incredibly lucky to start off with something this good. It's Claremont and Jim Lee at the absolute top of their game, telling the story that at the conclusion, sets the stage directly for the era-defining, record-shattering X-Men #1. The Shi'ar Saga, as it came to be known, will be reprinted over the next few months as Marvel Milestone issues. I'm utterly relishing the chance to re-read this and get decent copies at the same time. For the first time ever, you'll see the fan-favourites acting as a proper team, as characters like Gambit and Jubilee get welcomed into the X-Men, and all of this in the classic Yellow and Gold costumes. The Rogue subplot is also excellent enough in itself, though unfortunately (if understandably) the start of it is well truncated here.

I admit there's a certain nostalgia colouring my opinion of this, and it's unclear why they didn't just put out the whole story as a TPB, but given the low price for the material it's hard to hate. An excellent move for Marvel, so let's hope it sells well enough that they follow it up with other classic stories.
A

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Daredevil #88

Publisher Marvel • Writer Ed Brubaker • Art David Aja

Brubaker does the near-impossible and turns in a character piece for Foggy Nelson that somehow makes the character's cowardice seem almost braver than Matt's heroism - Foggy Nelson isn't the Man without Fear. He's got fear in spades. What Makes Foggy special is that he doesn't succumb to it. He is, essentially, the everyman of the title. Every day he lives the answer to the question "What if my best friend was a superhero?" Sometimes that means he wins, sometimes that means he loses, and sometimes losing means getting a shiv in the gut and being put in witness protection for your own good.

Brubaker has, by now, strolled far beyonf Bendis' shadow on the title. While it's no criticism of Bendis, this type of issue would never have happened under his run which was far more focussed on intricately plotted noir and the downward spiral of Murdock himself. I admit, the "Secret Life" part of the title made me believe that we'd be seeing some shady dealings from Foggy's past, and that concerned me because if would've been out of character, but it seems my concerns were not realised and that the secret life of the title is actually his current stint in witness relocation, as a virtual prisoner of both the FBI and the Elektra-run organisation of Ninja, the Hand.

All in all, it's a brilliant issue, the best of Brubaker's run so far. Astonishing, given that it doesn't even really have Daredevil in it. Art from David Aja, soon to be of Iron Fist fame, is of a suitably appropriate tone, such that I didn't even realise it wasn't Lark for a few pages. The flashback sequences use a particularly excellent device. It's certainly a good place to get into Daredevil, as if there haven't been enough of those recently. If you're not reading it now, you probably never will.
A

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Heroes for Hire #1

Publisher Marvel • Writer Jimmy Palmiotti • Art Billy Tucci

It's one of the more tenuous Civil War tie-ins, but Heroes for Hire has quite a lot going for it. For a start, it's got Billy Tucci doing his first non-creator owned work for Marvel. Secondly, it's full of obscure Marvel characters that showcase the richness of the universe by being unknown without being actively crap. Finally, it's got the name, which promises that sooner or later, we're going to see Luke Cage turn up.

Palmiotti, most often seen inking, has turned his hand to solo writing in recent years. In this issue, he demonstrates that he's not afraid to fill the page with speech if he;s got a lot to say, and god damn, he's one wordy guy. Luckily for him, besides one scene a necessary evil where Misty Knight is introducing the cast and their abilities, it never feels stilted or particularly verbose.

Tucci's art has to be the real attraction to the book at the moment, though. His work has more style than almost any other artist at Marvel. It's utterly beautiful to look at, and given that the cast is something like 80% female, you can probably imagine that doesn't hurt. The action is brilliantly done, and the character designs particularly impressive. Tucci has landed just the right side of 90s Image to tell an excellent story without getting too gratuitous with the breasts at his disposal

For a new launch, it's working pretty well, especially as the sequel to a recent mini (Daughters of the Dragon). that contains fan-favourite characters (The Black Cat and, er, Shang Chi), and has the backing of the Civil War crossover. With that kind of launch, if Tucci and Palmiotti can't keep the title afloat, well, no-one could.
B

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Ultimate Spider-Man #99

Publisher Marvel • Writer Brian Bendis • Art Mark Bagley

As if the multiple shocks of the last issue weren't enough, this issue casually discards them for later collection and instead comes at you with a new set of revelations guaranteed to blow your tiny mind. Prepare for some spoilers, because if there's any way to convince you that Ultimate Spider-Man is back at the top of its game, this is how.

Firstly, Gwen is back and she does *seem* to be the real Gwen, though certain flashback scenes make it look like Carnage is involved somehow. Secondly, Peter tells May that he's Spider-Man, her reaction to which is to kick him out while screaming "You are not my son!" at him. Even before that scene is over, the third major revelation occurs as Richard Parker shows up alive. Alive and well. That's Peter's father, alive and well. I know.

It's a nonstop slew of twists and mind-boggling developments, and best of all EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG. Speculation in your own mind should be rampant, based on which of these characters are real, which are clones, and how any of it ties in to the rest of it. After a few years of getting things slightly wrong, Bendis has finally recaptured the sense of danger and excitement that made Ultimate Spider-Man good in the first place. Ironic, almost, that it took a Clone Saga to do so.
A+

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New Avengers #23

Publisher Marvel • Writer Brian Bendis • Art Oliver Coipel

Following the variable (if high) quality of the last couple of issues, Bendis follows up his pet characters Cage and Jones, with his other pet character, Jessica Drew. What results is a decent Spider-Woman solo piece that hints towards the direction that her character might take in the forthcoming solo series, and draws on the groundwork laid in Spider-Woman: Origin.

Coipel's art, on the other hand, isn't really standing out for me. His House of M work was excellent, and I say that as someone who's not much of a fan of him, but by his own standards this issue feels a little flat. There's some nice experimentation going on with panel arrangement, but while it looks nice from a design perspective it makes the story confusing as hell at times.

This arc, such that it is, currently seems more concerned with showing how certain characters end up in Cap's band of renegades. Presumably we'll see the other side of the fence soon enough. It's not overly convincing that Iron Man would sell her out so quickly, and once again serves only to discredit the "fair" portrayal of the pro-reg side. Those misfires, though, are more than outweighed by the two adjacent scenes where Jessica blows up a Hydra base, then arrives on Captain America's doorstep, confused and alone. That's character definition done well, and makes me look forward to seeing more of her when her own title launches next year.
A-

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Flick-Through Reviews

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ULTIMATES ANNUAL #2 - Huston/Sook/Deodato
I read through this issue on the tube and was just left...confused, at first. All you need to know about this issue is that it was written by Charlie Huston, the guy doing a decidedly radical take on Moon Knight. If you like that, you'll like this. If not...well, don't get your hopes up, because he's no Millar. Having the issue take place after the current storyline is one thing, but then following that, it also layers somethung like 4 different narratives and christ knows who's saying what sometimes. At least the art is excellent, coming from Mike Deodato and Ryan Sook it's almost worth buying just for that. Ultimate Arnim Zola isn't exactly a character draw either, though it does bring us one step closer to Ultimate Shamrock. Huston does write a decent enough Ultimate Cap, though. It's nowhere near as good as the previous annual, and certainly not on a par with the parent series. If you like events like Ultimate Nightmare, then you'll like this, though conventional wisdom tells you to hang onto your money.
B-

WOLVERINE #45 - Guggenheim/Ramos
For the first time since the arc began, I'm seeing the ugliness in Ramos' art. Generally I quite enjoy it, but that opening splash with Namor having an overly-angular head is extreme even compared to the Kirby take on the character. This issue, Wolverine duels with a bunch of Atlanteans and even takes a turn towards total lunacy by fighting Namor in Atlantis, while wearing one of Iron Man's underwater armours. It's hilarious and brilliant at the same time, especially the moment when he pops his claws THROUGH the suit. Wolverine hasn't been this much fun in years, and it's quite probably one of the few titles to significantly improve as a result of the Civil War tie-in.
B+

BATMAN #656 - Morrison/Kubert
The use of pop art as metatext throughout the book makes the entire issue, really. It's a gimmick, but it's a damn fun one that took some skill for bother writer and artist to pull off properly. Better than last issue, certainly, though the actual plot seems surprisingly straight. Next issue promises some decent character/comedy though, as Batman is united with his aristocratic young son. Not too sure about the idea of ninja man-bats from this issue, but the action was mainly a foil for the internal monologue and sight-gags, so while it was uninteresting, it didn't really matter. I'm still not sold on Batman, though. I recognise the craftsmanship, but the character's not really drawing me in at all.
A

ASTONISHING X-MEN #16 - Whedon/Cassaday
It's a damning time to be an Astonishing X-Men fan. The bi-monthly schedule, combined with Whedon's use of the increasingly controversial pace-for-the-trade method of storytelling is leaving this as one of the most glacial X-Men yarns in recent times. However, it's also one of the most brilliant. Whedon manages to tread water, plot wise, and somehow does it while piling on the revelations. It all feels like set up, followed by yet more setup, and while that promises an explosive ending, the problem is that for a bi-monthly book, setup isn't satisfying enough in itself. Great character moments throughout, and some of Cassaday's best artwork to date, but an increasingly weak plot structure. It's back to monthly soon, though, so that might improve things.
A-