Broken Frontier

All-Star Superman #5

Clark Kent tries to reason with Lex Luthor, who is spending time on Death Row.

While the plot of this issue is interesting and does reveal some of the underlying points for the series so far, Morrison’s take on Lex Luthor sits center stage throughout. The Luthor that Morrison paints here is one that has become unhealthily obsessed with Superman, maybe even more so then has ever been shown before. While it can be fun and interesting, it also feels as if it is undermining the intelligence of the criminal mastermind. Here, Luthor seems out of control of his emotions, not cold and calculating like many other portrayals. Sadly, it feels a little off, and as his conversation with Clark Kent takes up most of the book, makes the whole book feel a little off.

There’s no way to call this a bad book, and a lot of the action and plot puts it well above average, but Luthor’s somewhat unnatural feeling behavior holds this book a little lower than the rest of the series.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

Battlestar Galactica #1

The crew of the Battlestar Galactica tries to deal with the sudden appearance of long-dead Zak Adama.

The first thing to establish about this book, is that if you haven’t been watching the television series – and if you haven’t, you should be – you may find yourself lost. Even if you’re not lost, you’ll be missing out on some inherited sentiment towards these characters. What Pak has done here is take well-established characters and inserted an all-new tale right in the middle of the television series. What the fans of the show get is a completely intriguing look at their favorite characters as the plot of this issue turns what we’ve known on its head. Bringing Zak back makes a great mystery and really lends itself to a wholly original look at the Battlestar mythos. Being able to see many of these characters in the flesh really adds a “behind the scenes” emotion that Pak cultivates for some great jaw-dropping scenes.

If you are a fan of the new Battlestar Galactica show, and if you’ve ever seen it you most likely are, this book from Dynamite looks to really add a whole new level to the emotion and suspense of the TV series.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

Cyberforce #5

The team explores the mysterious aliens that have appeared to threaten the Earth.

Is Cyberforce growing up? Behind the pen of Ron Marz, it certainly looks like it. What’s interesting about this issue is that the action takes a back seat to the development of team chemistry. Not that there isn’t any action, as the team comes face to face with the alien threat, but the action is contained to one big splash page and several panels. Instead, Marz chooses to push the action to the back and keep the plot to the forefront. It’s a welcome change that hasn’t really happened in this book until the current series. While he tries to force team sentiment at the beginning of the book, it doesn’t quite work. Then, several panels later, you feel the team coming together thanks to some natural feeling dialogue.

The series has been looking into the origins of the team, as well as dealing with extraterrestrial opposition, but along the way has become more of a team book. However, after the last panel, it looks like the action may come crashing back into this book in a big way.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

Elephantmen #2

Richard Starkings offers up two more tales from the world of Hip Flask – the first pits naturally enemies Hip and Elijah Delaney in a violent duel above and below LA. In the back-up tale, Elijah makes an exclusive appearance at Dogstar Radio on the Herman Strumm Show.

With this issue, the lead feature of Elephantmen takes a more serialized approach to storytelling. Borrowing the narration from the Book of Job, the confrontation between hippo and crocodile lacks the emotional impact of the first issue. Although an entertaining fight, “Behemoth and Leviathan” didn’t let me connect with Hip Flask in the same way Ebony intrigued me last month. As an opening chapter to a longer story, the tale didn’t instill a need to see what happens next, although the art of Henry Flint created a strong mood to the piece. Although I’m not a fan of “celebrity guest stars”, the back up tale was more engaging, as Herman’s antics showed what type of (elephant)man Elijah really is.

Although Elephantmen #2 fails to connect on the same level that “See the Elephant” did, Starkings, Flint and Moritat offer up a well-executed fight scene and an interesting character study that reminds you that humans don’t always have dominion over all creatures.

- Fletch Adams

X-Factor #10

X-Factor gets a lead on an angle against Singularity Investigations, while Multiple Man… err, multiplies.

Every month, I expect X-Factor to let me down, and every week Peter David has managed to surprise and please. This time, he’s really outdone himself. This issue is a keystone for the future of the book, as there seems to be some new development and plot point on every single page. It sends the mind reeling in the best possible way. The dialogue is enjoyable, the moments that are meant to be humorous will produce a smile, if not a full out laugh, and the parts that are meant to be tense and jaw-dropping are - well, just pick up this book and read it to the end. What’s even more impressive is that David has made X-Factor the one comic that exquisitely juggles all of the current Marvel issues, from dealing with the M-Day aftermath to the Civil War.

Marvel has really been taking steps in the right directions throughout most of their books, but the smartest move of all looks like giving Peter David the keys to his old gig. X-Factor is quickly rising to the top of the heap, with its amazing storytelling. If you haven’t been reading this series, get yourself onboard now. This is one hell of a ride.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer

X-Men #190

The team has to deal with the reappearance of Northstar and Aurora, as well as the unseen danger of the Children of the Vault.

Dense. No word may better describe the current run of X-Men then dense. In both good connotations and bad connotations this run has been just that. Bachalo’s artwork is stunning throughout most of the issue, however a bit too dark, and yes dense, at some points as to confuse the action. On the story side, Carey is keeping things interesting, adding some over-powered villains to the mix and really involving a lot of the team. However, again, some of the plot is too dense as to leave the reader scratching their head at all that is occurring.

While the issue may cause some confusion throughout, the fact that the story is so deep and layered seems to point to the inevitable conclusion that it will all make sense in the end. In the end, it feels like the X-Men are being put back into their proper place, a book full of suspense and danger.

- Adrian f. Zettlemoyer