Where has the summer gone? I can’t believe we’ve already come to the end of another summer, but hey this summer was filled with thrilling comics! We’re going to take a look at the comics that really stood out during the month of August. Once again, we’ll be talking spoilers as well so if you haven’t read these comics yet, please beware of those potential spoilers. So let’s get going!
Invaders #8
Once again, Chip Zdarsky knocks it out of the park with another excellent issue of Invaders. The world is still reeling from the Atlantean attacks that turned numerous humans into water-breathing Atlanteans. We get a really intriguing TV segment at the beginning of the issue as the world tries to examine who is to blame and where they go from here. Zdarsky does a magnificent job setting up the fear people are experiencing with the attacks, but the real heart of the issue takes place in France in a meeting between two former teammates. Bucky Barnes secretly meets with Namor in France at his invitation. Here, Namor confides in Bucky the truth of what’s been happening with him. He explains how he used to be in control of his actions but now under the guidance of Tommy, who has been made…Namor is no longer in control. This entire scene is beautifully explained and portrayed and you can’t help but feel a bit sorry for Namor..that is until the end of the issue. Guice and Magno do exceptional work on art duties. Guice’s style has a fit classic feel to it, while Magno does excellent work on making the book feel big, bold, and cinematic. Invaders is a series that continues to thrill and we’re at the point where things may be too late for Namor…
Batman #77
Is Gotham the city of Batman? Not anymore! Gotham City is now, the City of Bane. Beaten, broken, and driven out of Gotham, Batman is nowhere to be found as the villains have seized control of the city. Bane has replaced the public servants of Gotham with some of Batman’s most notorious villains including Scarecrow, Zsasz, Hugo Strange, and now Gotham Girl and the Flashpoint Batman. The star of this issue turns out to be none other than Damian Wayne. After learning about the take over of Gotham and seeing how Captain Atom was beaten by Gotham Girl, they’re running out of allies and time to break Gotham free from the grips of Bane. Damian seeks to stop one of Bane’s closest allies: Thomas Wayne. Meanwhile, in Paris, Bruce has woken up after being cared for by Selina Kyle. While still too weak to take back Gotham yet, he and Selina reconnect and realize that they need each other if they want to save Gotham. Tony Daniel and Mikel Janin’s artwork really shine in this issue. Janin’s action and fight sequences are energetic and dynamic and with the haunting colors from Bellaire and Morey, they’re able to craft a daunting sequence that leads to a shocking ending! City of Bane has been an excellent story arc so far and now that we’re through the first act, I can’t wait to see where things go from here as Batman and Catwoman are together once again. It will be thrilling to see how Tom King ends his fascinating run on Batman.
Aquaman #51
The long-awaited team-up has finally arrived! Aquaman and Aqualad back together again. In this continuity, Arthur Curry has never interacted with the current Aqualad, Jackson Hyde, the son of his arch-nemesis: Black Manta. So Aquaman fans are hyped to see one of the best duos in comics return together. Things haven’t been easy for the former king of Atlantis. After restoring his memories, he learned he was accidentally killed by his true love, Mera after she lost control of her powers when she revealed her pregnancy to him. Neither of them has had the courage to see each other yet, leaving Aquaman to help settle his new sea god allies in Amnesty Bay. With the help of Jackson, they’re able to help get them settled in their new home after leaving Unspoken Water behind after their fierce battle with Namma. In Atlantis, the Widowhood is busy trying to get Mera married off to Vulko, who Mera chose. Though the Widowhood believe she is stalling in order to marry Arthur, Mera is quick to put them in their place. Art-wise, this is one of the most visually stunning books out there. Rocha’s detailed and dynamic art style makes this book cinematic and grand. With colors by Sunny Gho and inks by Daniel Henriques, this art team clicks on every level, no matter if they’re working on large scale action scenes or simple conversations between characters. Kelly Sue DeConnick has done a remarkable job making Arthur into an engaging character, giving him a playful and serious personality. Meanwhile, she slowly builds up the new threat that will face Aquaman…one that will bring Black Manta back into the fold. Check it out!
Powers of X #2
The Hickman era of the X-Men is underway and if you’ve been reading either of the books, you’ll see just how much Jonathan Hickman has been doing to create a brand new and exciting era for the X-Men. It’s almost impossible to clearly explain what a single issue of this series entails as Hickman has masterfully woven a narrative between both books that redefines how we look at the X-Men, mutants, evolution, and even machines. Each issue, Hickman rocks the X-Men world to its core with significant retcons such as making Moira a mutant who can be resurrected. She convinces Xavier and Magneto about the need to join together if they wish to survive the rise of the machines. Hickman splits Powers of X between four time periods: Year 1, 10, 100, and 1000 and shows us the story of mutants fight for survival as the rise of machines nearly exterminates them. Hickman’s grand storytelling makes Powers of X and House of X the most exciting books of the week and with beautiful artwork from Pepe Larraz and RB Silva, Marvel has once again made X-Men a must-read book.
Daredevil #10
I don’t know how many times I’ve said this but Daredevil is one of the BEST books being published right now. Chip Zdarsky is absolutely crushing it on this book and each week it comes out, it’s one of my most anticipated titles of the day. With Daredevil #10, Chip Zdarsky wraps up his second arc of the book, “No Devils, Only God.” Can Matt live a normal life without Daredevil? That’s the question that Chip has been asking throughout this story arc and even though Matt wants to live a normal life, he keeps finding himself failing to resist temptations. Whether it’s getting into an affair with Mindy, whose family is a powerful crime family in the city, or protecting Detective North from corrupt cops who wish to kill him, Matt is drawn back into the world of Daredevil, even with his attempts at resisting it. Jorge Fornes joins the book as a guest artist for this issue and his style coupled with Jordie Bellaire’s color really fit this book. The art is gritty, real, and tense and I appreciated the unique ways Fornes played with elements such as the heart monitor of North’s partner or Matt’s radar sense. The end of the issue really raises the stakes for Matt and he seems to be even more lost than ever before and when a figure from his past comes back, the fall back into the life of Daredevil seems inevitable.
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