Broken Frontier

Black Harvest #5

Both Daniel and Zaya come closer to learning the truth about the town of Jericho in penultimate chapter of Black Harvest. For Daniel, answers come in the form of a century-old diary, while Zaya’s journey takes her down a far more destructive path…

Howard does exactly what he should do with this next-to-last issue, letting the protagonists achieve a few goals, albeit ones where every answer or success leads to more questions and trials. Drawing together the various threads of his convention defying tale, Howard leaves readers with the dread sense that something truly momentous, horrific and apocalyptic is about to happen. The last page cliffhanger may not be a nail-biter, but everything Howard has laid out prior to it certainly whets the reader’s appetite for more. Howard’s art has the same appeal as the likes of a Bruce Timm or even Tim Sale – creating bold, strong characters, as well as maintaining deep foreboding mood with his coloring.

With an intriguing mix of sci-fi, conspiracy and biblical allusions, as well as a strong, unique art style, Josh Howard’s Black Harvest is a healthy bounty that makes judgment day something to look forward to.

- Fletch Adams

Daredevil #86

The pot at Ryker’s has finally boiled over. Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk team up (with a little help from their “friends”) to survive a murderous riot that has been planned since their arrival at the maximum security prison.

Over the course of his first arc Brubaker has been ratcheting up the tension slowly but surely. No doubt he’s taken some grief for apparently killing off a certain character, but there is no denying that the story has unfolded as an epic crime thriller. Michael Lark has been just as impressive; using exhaustive panel/page layouts to tell the story in the most effective manner, ironically without making it seem too crowded at all.

Though the Brubaker and Lark era has yet to reach the half-year mark, it’s already some of the best Daredevil I’ve ever read. If the conclusion to this six-parter is anywhere near as brilliant as the first five parts, this will officially be my favorite book currently being published.

- Kert McAfee

Fantastic Four #538

As the Civil War begins to pick up steam, the Fantastic Four have to deal with Johnny Storm remaining in a coma, and tensions within the family begin to heat up. Meanwhile, the Thing heads down to Yancy Street to see what the commotion is all about.

This comic comes off a bit disappointing. While Straczynski’s writing makes the surplus of conversation in this issue interesting, the whole thing is still just a build-up for the actual effects of Civil War on Marvel’s first family. The one thing that is accomplished well by this issue is seeing what effect the war is having on the normal citizen. And the sides that these people take might not be the most obvious, but the dialogue does a great job of explaining their viewpoint. However, advancing the FF’s personal story takes a hit.

Overall, this issue is simply OK, but does allude to the fact that there is going to be a major family feud over the next few issues. Sadly, in the meantime, this issue seems out of place as a Fantastic Four issue, a fact driven home by the ending sequence.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

Invincible #33

In this issue of Invincible, we finally get the explanation of what Mark Grayson was doing in the Marvel Universe during Marvel Team-Up #14, as Angstrom Levy holds Mark’s family hostage while throwing around multiple dimensions.

Kirkman has accomplished a feat that eludes most writers, as he made a crossover which does not require reading both of the parts. Should you have not read Team-Up, or Invincible, you still get a complete story. However, read both, and the larger picture is seen. That feat, by itself, shows how talented Kirkman is. The fact that the story and dialogue are engaging and interesting is no surprise at all. On the art side, Ottley’s pencils remain spot-on and emotional, conveying the story without relying on the words. And the colors, as is usual for this title, are something special.

Though Kirkman has had more and more work piled on top of him since the series began, he keeps Invincible a required read every month. As it states right there on the cover, this probably is the best superhero comic published right now.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #19

Chameleon has been framed for murder by the Science Police, and must explain his story to clear his case. Elsewhere, Supergirl searches for the missing Seiss.

Waid weaves a mystery tale, and in the process explores the character of Chameleon. While the outcome of the mystery is pretty predictable, uncovering the murderer is an enjoyable read, and really helps to flesh out the future world of the Legion. The exploration of the underground tech world really opens this series up to all kinds of possibilities in the future. It’s also a welcome sight to see regular artist Kitson complete an entire issue. His artwork has worked extremely well for the series so far, and he’s been missed over the past few issues.

Waid is really in his element with the Legion of Super-Heroes, and an issue like this shows it. Even though this is more of a stand-alone issue, enough details are presented to keep the overall flow of the title moving forward. As such, Waid and Kitson continue to weave a premier superhero tale set in the far distant future.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

Moon Knight #3

The inevitable return of Moon Knight continues as surprising revelations and miscalculations force Marc’s hand to don the whites once more.

Three chapters run through this issue as with the first taking readers to a somewhat retconned origin of Moon Knight. The second involves the more interesting part of the book where Frenchie, Moon Knight’s closest ally, reveals an unexpected secret which leaves Marc reeling. The third involves the movements of a shadowy group keeping tabs on Spector’s whereabouts. From this issue, it can be seen that Charlie Huston is in no rush to bring back Moon Knight for the sake of bringing him back. Fans of decompressed storytelling will appreciate Huston’s meticulous style which builds up suspense while slowly laying down foundations.

David Finch’s artwork is in fine form which continues to solidify his reputation as one of the premier artists in the industry today. Not only is Finch a master of the action sequence, he also displays his ability to convey events without dialogue as evidenced in the events outside Frenchie’s restaurant.

While the book seems slow in development at times, I do appreciate the set-up to Moon Knight’s return. A little patience would go a long way in liking this book.

- Jose Clemente

Villains #2

Cobb has been training Nick in the Hardliner suit and now Nick is ready for his first heist. Nick’s girlfriend, Sam, receives a visit from an FBI agent who tells her Nick’s former boss was murdered.... Meanwhile, Cobb and Nick’s twisted relationship is developing a new kink.

This second issue begins paying off on the promise shown in the first. The main character, Nick, becomes more human here and it is a nice touch how writer Adam Cogan and artist Ryan Cody show Nick becoming more relaxed and happier as he works his way toward villainy. The relationship between Cobb and Nick also gets more development as readers see a kind of grudging respect amid the animosity. The one off-tune note in the story is still Sam, who remains a bit emotionally weak. Cody’s art also improves here, particularly among the facial expressions. There is a wiser range of expressions seen here and it helps the story immensely.

Villains continues to explore the darker corners of humanity. What happens when someone seems naturally inclined to villainy? More to the point – what happens if two villains turn on one another?

- Tonya Crawford

X-Factor #8

The team splits up to accomplish several goals. Madrox and Strong Guy take DNA samples to a lab to get the lowdown on Tryp and his son, Siryn seeks out a popular superhero to get some answers about M-day, and Layla Miller continues to sit on the steps outside.

This book is a bit of a head-scratcher. If it weren’t for David’s amazing and immensely enjoyable writing, this issue would seem to be going nowhere. In the long term, it may turn out that a lot of the details shown here are important, but right now it’s hard to tell what is essential. And that just may be why this comic works. We know Peter David, and we know he’s taking us somewhere. On the way, he is turning out some spectacular dialogue that is both engaging and humorous. The fact that X-Factor is such a good time is almost lost in the dark and dreary pencils of Calero. While I am not a fan of the art, it Calero’s style somehow mixes well with the tone David has set for the series.

After reading this issue, I may not be looking forward more to any other book next month than the next installment of this mutant title. David has created a compelling read that doesn’t tip its hand as to what lies at the bottom of the mysteries surrounding his motley crew.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer