Captain America: Patriot No. 1
When super heroes fight alongside average citizens, those lacking superhuman powers are forced to compensate by dressing up in a unique costume.
Essentially, that's how The Patriot is born.
When Captain America was called abroad to fight the Nazi menace known as Red Skull, America needed a defender to stay back and thwart the German threat infringing on the homeland.
The Daily Bugle journalist Jeff Mace steps up to the plate after an evening rumble alongside the star spangled hero. In a passing phrase Captain America mentions that Mace is more than an average citizen, he is a true patriot.
Unknown to Captain America, this small gesture of approval would give rise to Mace's masked alter ego.
While the Patriot isn't a super-soldier like his idol, Mace manages to fight crime the good ol' American way, with some Brooklyn rage. In a bittersweet turn of events, Mace is called to duty at the end of this issue, but without spoiling this epic conclusion, it can be said that The Patriot will be getting a promotion.
While this comic doesn't necessarily blow anyone away by its plot, it certainly is a breath of fresh ink in the Captain America story arc. Though Patriot No. 1 isn't anything special, in a week of severe ink draught, this is one series that stands out.
Brightest Day No. 10: Aqualad
The biggest threat to the fabric of the universe isn't some intergalactic super-villain, or even Lex Luthor's latest plot to kill the Man of Steel.
It's two adolescent boys.
Yes, the entire universe is dependent on two teenagers just beginning to understand the complexities of appropriate male-female interactions.
The comic's main villain, Firestorm, is, for a lack of a better word, a walking freak accident. Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch, two boys molecularly fused together, compose the most dangerous being in the universe. An intense emotional experience for the boys could rupture the fabric of the universe, essentially pressing a giant restart button, destroying everything in existence.
While the super villain Black Manta's cursed offspring, Aqualad, should take center stage in this issue, the limelight is shared with Firestorm throughout, with no clear connection drawn between the two. The only certain plot point is that Black Manta is back to reclaim his son from the surface world and is willing to kill any one in his way.
What makes Brightest Day No. 10 worth the pickup is its last five engrossing pages.
As the lord of Atlantis confronts one of his greatest foes, a new and deadly threat emerges. Coupled with a unique twist on Firestorm's origin, the Brightest Day plot line marches on and fans will have to wait in anticipation for the next issue to see how it is all resolved.
RED Prequel Special No. 1
Bruce Willis (Cop Out) and Morgan Freeman (The People Speak) star in the upcoming action movie, RED.
The story follows a group of retired CIA agents that know too much and are, therefore, seen fit to have executed. Paul Moses, portrayed by Willis in the movie, refuses to let that happen.
Weaponry, explosives and walking canes collide when this movie hits theaters on Oct. 15. Until then, the prequel mini-series offers insight into the lives of the agents. The first issue of the series delves into the story of Freeman's character, Joe Matheson.
Matheson was heavily involved in the gathering of information on the Soviets during the Cold War. Through what seems to be a stroke of bad luck, a failed espionage mission causes him to lose two of his best agents to a KGB mastermind.
Though everything in the turbulent times of the 1980s is not as it seems, while American Intelligence dukes it out with its Russian counterpart.
Issue No. 1 is incredibly short, making it a very fast read. While its art is graphically stunning and its story, complete with a surprise twist ending, is quite compelling, this issue's plot seems to have no real implications on the movie's story line.
