She-Hulk #25 ~ It's no ordinary writer who can revisit a concept as goofy as the Man-Elephant and make it compelling. Peter David does just that, in one of the two backup stories in this oversize issue. No, I'm not kidding - the Man-Elephant. And it's cool. I bet no-one saw that coming. The other backup is a laugh-out-loud fourth-wall-breaker in which She-Hulk smashes her way into the Marvel Comics offices and busts some heads over her portrayals, running through various grievances from all her incarnations and poking fun at their authors - it's witty and hilarious, and Peter David doesn't mind poking fun at himself as well as everyone else who's written Shulkie over the years (as well as being funny, the affectionate jokes also show a very good knowledge of She-Hulk from start to present). The main story kicks off a new arc, as Shulkie and Jazinta are intercepted by an alien on the run while driving cross-country to investigate the guy who blew up a bar previously, and as before it's quality storytelling. She-Hulk's attitude is striking, and if we're being honest a bit troubling in how far it veers away from her portrayal in Dan Slott's run, but David obviously has a good reason for her change, which is alluded to here (and which solicits for future issues confirm we'll be learning soon). The alien plotline is deftly handled, with David's customary humour well-used, and not detracting from the serious drama of the situation.
Shawn Moll continues to do great work as penciller - one thing that stands out is how he's varied She-Hulk's look, with different outfits and hairstyles, from casual to dressed up to business and so on. Rather than sticking to one visual template, a single costume and look, Moll is versatile in presenting her, which adds a lot of realism (impressive for a six-foot-something bright green woman). Also, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund gets what must be one of its best shout-outs ever. All in all, it's another great issue from a creative team on top of its game, and anyone interested in the character should most definitely be buying this.
The Order #7 ~ News came through this week that The Order has been cancelled, with #10 the final issue - and that's a damned shame, because this issue here shows just what a terrific title it is. There's a lot going on, with several of the Order (those not currently on the run from giant insects in the desert from last issue) aiding in the protection and evacuation of San Francisco, and the use of heroes as emergency workers is satisfying, and perfect for this team in particular. But it's two guys in a room talking who stand out - Namor and Henry Hellrung sit across a table from each other and engage in a battle of wits that's got to rank as one of the best two-person scenes in recent comics. Running through the issue, the sequence is smart, engaging, tense, well-drawn - and don't think it's a talk-fest either, the confrontation between the two is easily as exciting as any fight scene, despite no-one throwing a punch. Anyone can fight, but both characters come across as smarter and gutsier simply by arguing hands-off, and the conclusion is more satisfying than the final blow in any battle I can recall reading of late. It's a real shame more readers didn't give The Order a go - an uneven first issue, and lack of well-known characters, have held it back (plus Marvel didn't go out of their way to hype it) and resulted in one of the best comics Marvel publishes going under. Ah well, c'est la vie - three more issues to go, and based on this one you'd be crazy not to check them out. Once you have, I'd wager that like me you'll be praying for a resurrection somewhere down the line.
Clockwork Girl #2 ~ It's been a while since issue one, but this steampunk children's tale is still enjoyable despite the wait. Huxley the mutant boy goes to meet the clockwork girl - who's dubbed herself Tesla, after the name on the equipment that brought her to life - and arranges a tentative meeting. Meanwhile we get more development of the feud between Wilhelm the Tinkerer and Dendrus the Grafter, including its origin, which is not especially novel but entertainingly told. My only complaint is that Wilhelm comes across as perhaps a bit too unsympathetic, in his aloofness and lack of warmth towards his 'daughter' Tesla - it's broad-strokes storytelling to be sure, and gives the story solid definition, but she's so sweet that Wilhelm comes across as a bit harsher than I think he's meant to. The art continues to impress, especially Grant & Bond's pervasive use of textures, which really set this apart visually from other comics, and also the various cartoons and so on doing the rounds in the children's storytelling field at present.
Wonder Woman #16 ~ Wonder Woman's not just another superhero, some ordinary girl who strayed too close to some cosmic rays or got bitten by a genetically engineered gamma radiation spider super-soldier serum thingy. Made from clay, brought to life by the gods, on an island of Amazons - for all that she didn't turn up until the 1930s, she's mythic, from the same storytelling tradition as Odysseus and Hercules, the old stories when true myth and legends and kick-ass entertainment were the same thing. Gail Simone, thank all that's holy, gets it - her Diana is a legendary figure, larger than life, full of emotion and heart and courage and matchless spirit. This issue she gets to rumble it up with an army of super-Nazis, and god damn it's good to see - I couldn't keep myself from grinning at the sheer joy of seeing such a bold, vivid heroine doing her thing on a grand scale. She's awe-inspiring, no other word for it. At the same time, Hippolyta - much maligned by the mess that was Amazons Attack - shrugs that off to be genuinely awesome, and the ongoing subplot about Alkyone and the birth of Diana is moved forward with a deft mix of subtlety and legend-like grandeur.
As usual, the only flaw is the Department of Metahuman Affairs angle, which is thankfully kept to a couple of pages - at least it's not wasting time going somewhere, with Etta losing no time in going snooping about 'Agent Prince's' apartment, and encountering... some guy with glowing eyes, I'm not sure if I should recognise him or not. No matter - the real story is Wonder Woman, and twenty of the twenty-two pages are enough that I'm not left wanting, except in the good way of anticipating the next issue. In fact, this issue demonstrates the basic flaw in the whole DMA idea - Wonder Woman doesn't need some other identity to be human. She's a daughter who, knowing her mother is in danger, goes to her side no matter what gets in her way, no matter that they've fought each other recently. That's human - that's what myths and legends are, after all, they're stories about humans, but written big and bold to captivate and excite even the most jaded audience.
Hack/Slash #8 ~ I really admire the writing in this book. The art's good as well - and very sexy - but it's the way the story builds on what's gone before without being obvious about it that's really impressive. There's a point in this issue that's "Oh, that's what's going on!" that's really fun when you realise it - it's not often you get a genuinely elegant surprise like this, one that upends what you think is going on, but makes perfect sense once you see it. The main story and running character subplots are juggled effortlessly, along with the previously established escaped revenant plot being picked up on, that you're not aware of how the story is manoeuvring - you just take it as it is and enjoy it, rather than seeing the machinations for what they are and trying to predict how it'll play out. I'm not sure how well this would work for someone picking it up for the first time, but it really rewards established readers - if you are new, my advice is to get the back issues and get up to speed, because reading this book each month is a real pleasure.
Crime Bible: The Five Lessons of Blood #4 ~ Renee Montoya pays a visit to her predecessor (literally) and mentor Vic Sage's old stomping ground of Hub City, where Brother Flay is continuing his campaign to manipulate her into succumbing to the truth of the dark faith. It's a good issue, a mix of crime noir and follow-up to 52 - for the first time really, we get to see Renee as Vic's friend and successor, as well as the Question in her own right. Prior to 52 I'd never even heard of the Question, so Hub City is terra incognita for me, but Rucka does a good job in sketching out the essentials, so you get a feel for the place even if it's new to you - a dash of Gotham, a bit of Sin City, some regular big-city-gone-dirty, the ingredients are there in a way that's easy to recognise and get on board with. From that basis, the plotline develops with some fun twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion that furthers the ongoing theme of Flay's conviction that everything Renee does is, in spite of what she wants, in accordance with his faith's beliefs. Next issue's showdown between the two is shaping up to be a great battle of wits and beliefs, and Rucka's already demonstrated, in 52 and in this miniseries, the talent necessary to pull it off with style.
I also got Gotham Underground #4, which has Batwoman on the cover - and that's all. I know it's a combine-the-pieces poster cover thing, but is it really that much to ask that if a character appears so prominently on the cover, that they be in the issue itself somewhere? I'd have bought the issue anyway, since the cover makes it a Batwoman appearance and I'm collecting all of those I can (Batwoman, Squirrel Girl, Bulleteer, Phyla-Vell and Cyclone are my obsessive collect-them-all characters at present) but I honestly feel a bit cheated.
