Broken Frontier

Checkmate #10

Checkmate’s attempts to infiltrate the terrorist organization Kobra have been severely compromised by government agency infighting. With the aid of the Shadowpact can they salvage something from the operation and, if they do, what price will their undercover agent have to pay?

This final part to the Pawn 502 story arc also sees the conclusion of the Checkmate/Shadowpact team-up begun last issue. It was surprising to see the use of more fantastic, mystical characters in a book that has so far been grounded in gritty spy tales, but Greg Rucka pulls it off without it ever seeming out of place or overly contrived. As a prelude to an apparently longer-term storyline involving Kobra it’s an intriguing setup although, with the original Kobra long since dead, the question of just who is running the show these days really needs answering. Adding to the tone, the realism of Saiz and Blanco’s art is well-suited to a book more rooted in topical concerns.

Greg Rucka continues to deliver tense, taut espionage thrillers in Checkmate, a book where, despite its chess-based allusions, nothing is ever just black and white.

- Andy Oliver

Noble Causes #26

After the bizarre events of the big 25th issue spectacular, Liz Donnelly-Noble is left an amnesiac as the pieces of the future she can’t remember she saw begin to come fit themselves together. More family drama, more relationship melodrama, and one big ol’ slam-bang fisticuff, this one’s got everything we’ve come to love about the series, including more of it’s utterly unpredictable pacing!

Over the holidays, I read Noble Causes #1-25 in one sitting, and can’t even begin to dissect this title’s original aspects vs. it’s more honorific ones; in many ways, its takes from genres that have come before, though what writer Jay Faerber then includes in addition are so inextricably meshed with the former, that what comes out of the wash is a book wholly unique. It’s a little bit small press 80’s team book, a little mob movie, a little Sweet Valley High, and even a dash of mainstream four-color spandex. It won’t be for everyone, and often its oddball execution can be disconcerting when waiting the one to two months for the next installment, but for the patient and persistent, this is a comic book that pays off in spades. Issue #26 is one of the more instantly accessible and self-contained (not entirely, but it ranks high for this convoluted series!), and could possibly even be new-reader friendly (though I’ve read too much, too quickly to have any trustworthy perspective on this).

Guest artist Tim Kane hops on board for an issue, and his work is much blotchier than what this title is used to; much more Mignola and old-school Joe Bennet, though Kane still retains the rough edges of Tom Grindberg or Nate Piekos to be quite at the level of those aforementioned others. Still, a great single issue that offers somewhat of a break and breather from the sheer mass of entangled plot threads of the past year!

- Dave Baxter

Shadowpact #9

The Shadowpact has decided to get their act together as a team and announce themselves to the world as well. Too bad it may all come to naught as Blue Devil gets pulled into a feud between a denizen of hell and the demon Etrigan! Before the day is out will one Shadowpact member fall?

With an unusual style, writer Bill Willingham has chosen to take a team of magic based characters and ground them with down-to-earth attitudes. Under his guiding hand, the Shadowpact team becomes one of those rare groups of heroes who are shown actively working at improving on being a team. This real world attitude makes this title like a breath of fresh air. Artist Tom Derenick’s style, meanwhile, picks up the slack by emphasizing the horror and supernatural aspects of the story. Derenick’s work is particularly nice on Detective Chimp.

The Shadowpact may chronicle the adventures of DC’s only all-magic based superhero team but the focus remains on the characters rather than the powers they wield. There is humor, action, drama, and a talking chimpanzee with a talent for sarcasm. Come on, how can you say “no” to a talking chimpanzee?!

- Tonya Crawford

Sensational Spider-Man #34

In a Spider-Man Unmasked issue, Peter lies severely injured after a savage beating from the Rhino. It’s left to the Black Cat to take down a drunkenly rampaging Rhino and come to terms with her relationship with the wall-crawler at the same time.

Long-time fans of Spider-Man, especially those who remember Bill Mantlo and Peter David’s Spectacular Spider-Man runs, will have a field day with this issue. Full of flashback references to past stories (that cry out for footnotes!), it’s an examination of the often bizarre romance between Felicia and her “Spider”. Newer readers will not be lost though as Aguirre-Sacasa’s writing never excludes the more casual audience. Visually, however, Sensational Spider-Man needs a settled team on the art chores. The wildly differing art styles on this title of late have felt somewhat jarring, particularly when they’ve occurred mid-story arc.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is one of Marvel’s most underappreciated writers at the moment. His writing on Marvel Knights: 4, Nightcrawler and this book has been full of insightful characterization and a strong sense of continuity. It’s about time that he got the critical acclaim he also deserves.

- Andy Oliver

Wetworks #5

The origin of new villain Simon Vascar is concluded, as the Major and Mother One wrap up their visit to Meurtos Angeles in the Bleed. The tension is rising, the pieces are falling into place, and Wildstorm’s best new title looks poised to climax soon!

The most epic of rock ballads couldn’t contain the number of verses necessary to sing the every praise of the new Wetworks, especially in comparison to the other, indelibly lackluster World Storm debuts. Mike Carey can ofttimes finish up a book with ambivalent, anti-climactic finales, but in his inimitable style he’s opened what was once – at best – a mediocre concept and planted it firmly in the WSU hierarchy with a plot and execution that can’t help but garner interest and excitement. The latest two-part origin of the first storyline’s big baddie is more of this quality, though there are a few plot points about his prison break that seem oddly glossed over, inappropriately ignored, though such may be calculated bits of information that will be revealed at a later time. Overall, if you’ve enjoyed the first few issues, this is a great capper to what’s come so far; if you haven’t picked this series up yet – don’t start here (it’ll be confusing as nuts!). Go buy all the issues! This baby is worth it!

Whilce Portacio is one the greats of the 90’s, and he hasn’t lost an ounce of his shine; his pages are expressionistic, gritty, visceral, and dynamic, and he’s kept up an honest-to-god monthly grind for five issues straight, which is a sight more than can be said for most other 90’s ex-superstars.. Along with Avalon Studios (who provide digital inks), Wetworks is looking brilliant. This is the best WS title out there today, fellow readers, without a single doubt.

- Dave Baxter