Batman and Robin No. 3
Being a kid can be tough. Being a 10-year-old killing-machine turned vigilante is even tougher.
Damian Wayne's transition from aggressive assassin to the Bat's tight-wearing companion has been a difficult one, and principal writer Peter Tomasi pulls out every weapon in his literary arsenal to ideally illustrate Wayne's inner turmoil.
Tomasi has a connection to Damian like few other writers have, seamlessly capturing the rage and confusion of a child raised by Batman, and opposed to pushing the character to the background of the series, places the Son of the Bat front-page and center.
As more light is shed on "Nobody," Gotham's newest wretched rogue, a story-arch emerges from the depths that will shake Batman, Incorporated to its core. Plus, book-ending the issue is one of the most bat-claw biting cliffhangers the DC team has produced in the first few "New 52" issues.
With artist Patrick Gleason and Tomasi's synergy reaching an all-time high, Batman and Robin has a defined direction, developed characters and Damian's ever-present fear of failure that few stories on shelves can compete with.
With five ongoing Dark Knight series that barrage reader's wallets every month, there's understandably only so much room in reader's longboxes for the character's caped crusades, but undoubtedly the unrivaled Batman and Robin deserves its place among the polyethylene-encased titans.
Avenging Spider-Man No. 1
While competing with Brian Michael Bendis and Dan Slott is like having to out-run Usain Bolt in the 100m Dash, Avenging Spider-Man writer Zeb Wells manages to keep up the pace.
The premise for Marvel's latest wall-crawling masterwork is simple: have New York's most humorous hero team-up every issue with one of his Avengers counterparts, evoking a relationship that was previously unexplored territory in the comic book kingdom.
Wells does well to keep the essential webbed-heartbeat of Spidey beating; each and every one of the Wall-Crawlers quips are hysterical, while his internal dialogue is rife with fatigue and doubt. This issue's team-up with Red Hulk provides the reader with a plethora of opportunities to observe the stark contrast between Peter Parker's incredibly over-caring personality and Thunderbolt Ross' residual contempt for living organisms, and like a simmering ink-filled kettle, is coming to a boil.
The issue faces a few relatively major problems however, most of which fall under Marvel's decision to financially cripple its readers. At the issue's near-extortion $3.99 price-tag, you'd expect a full-blown elaborate adventure, instead the reader is given a short glimpse at a universe in the making. While Avenging Spider-Man represents one of the first Marvel properties to come packaged with a free digital copy of the comic a la iOS Marvel app, the code expired not two days after AvSM hit store shelves. With its stunning artwork, brilliant character crafting and witty hero banter, Avenging Spider-Man should have been a must-buy, but as with any over-priced, half-cooked meal, AvSM needs to be sent back to the kitchen.
The Occultist No. 1
Stemming from Dark Horse's mid-summer trial issue, The Occultist finally brings its brand of quirky, weird heroics into a three-issue series.
Writer Tim Seeley and Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson collaborate to write an issue that, besides having a relatively bland premise of being "the chosen one," actually makes for a thrilling indie take on the world of the arcane arts.
For those that missed the issue's absolutely incredible one-shot earlier this year, the story follows collegiate book-worm Rob Bailey. Bailey's life works much the same as any other his age: school, work, putting in over-time with the under-explored, but overly endowed girlfriend, but unlike the rest of post-adolescence America, has the added responsibility of fighting the world's unspeakable evil.
Artwork by Victor Drujiniu mostly aids the issue, as he creates scenes of intense drama, intimate action and outstanding camaraderie, all with unparalleled ease. Though all drawn in a semi-realistic nature, the character's expressions range from a beautifully composed confusion and discord to slightly deranged and unintentionally inhuman physiques, the likes of which would have even the Crypt Keeper cowering from the issue's poorly rendered human form.
For those who still have not had their post-Hallow's Eve paranormal impulse fulfilled, The Occultist embodies the perfect supernatural supplement.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
