Western Comics: Capsule Reviews
Marvel
Daredevil #26
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artists: Marco Checchetto & Mike Hawthorne
To everyone reading this column: please don’t sleep on Chip Zdarsky’s Daredevil run. It is, in my opinion, one of the best things Marvel’s publishing right now — yet as far as I can tell, hardly anyone is talking about it.
Way back In Zdarsky’s first issue, Matt accidently killed a guy. Since then, he’s been working through a fascinating existential/religious crisis in which he’s questioned the morality of his actions as a masked vigilante and struggled to atone for his mistakes. That’s why issue #26 opens with Matt sitting in a prison cell: at the end of the last mini-arc, he ultimately decided to turn himself in and, over the objections of allies, plead guilty to manslaughter. Meanwhile, Elektra has donned the Daredevil costume and is doing her best to live up to Matt’s example — despite her own personal preferences.
It’s a dicey thing to call out your protagonist’s privileged position vis-a-vis law enforcement. It’s also a dicey thing to replace the hero readers have come to love with someone else. But in his most recent contribution to Daredevil’s canon, Zdarsky manages to do both without pissing off the reader. His secret? He allows everything to unfold organically within the context of the story he’s telling. It’s logical, for example, for a fellow inmate to complain that Matt’s mask provides him with protection other convicts don’t enjoy. And Elektra’s role here has been properly built up — and is properly humble. She doesn’t claim to be the all-new, all-different, always-superior Daredevil. Instead, the narration reminds us that, temperamentally, Elektra is not quite prepared for the job she’s taken on.
Oh, and finally: did I mention that Zdarksy, while doing all of the above, also seamlessly ties his ongoing story into the King in Black event? Because yes: he does that too. I will have more to say about the King in Black elements of this comic when said event finally draws to a close. For the time being, however, just know that the “interruption” is handled with praise-worthy competence and should not be missed. ★★★★ 1/2
Avengers #41
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Javier Garron
The Phoenix Force is a world-destroying entity so powerful and so dangerous that, back in the 80’s, Jean Gray had to sacrifice her very life to expunge it and save the world. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to reduce it to a magical MacGuffin in a WWE style tournament.
Hopefully, you detected the sarcasm in that last sentence. Avengers #41 is, in fact, an absolute mess of a comic. The Phoenix Tournament is a dumb idea at its base; worse, it’s executed in a manner that’s deeply boring and scattershot. The internet chatter has focused on one page in particular on which T’Challa gets into a bizarre CNN-style debate with an adversary, but honestly, nothing in this issue is good. No insights into character are provided, and there appear to be no stakes. Aaron, in short, fails to persuade the reader to care about the outcome of this supposedly epic contest, rendering this book a hard miss. ★
DC
A Quick Note on the Lack of DC Reviews This Month:
I have been keeping up with Future State. However, I would like to hold my full commentary until the rest of the books have been released and I can definitively share my personal high- and lowlights. This month, however, I will offer this preliminary impression: the event is not a cluster. Some of the books are worth reading, particularly in the Bat line. Go check them out if you’re so inclined (and can absorb the pain of the higher price point).
Independent/Crowdfunded Comics
The Kill Lock
Writer/Artist: Livio Ramondelli
(IDW; Science Fiction)
The setting of this miniseries is an interstellar civilization in which capital crimes are punished in a novel way: four convicts are linked via a “kill lock” that terminates the other three if one should die. This, says one character, is designed to rehabilitate criminals by forcing them to care about someone other than themselves. And in fact, as the story proceeds, something like this does happen for two of Ramondelli’s four principals, for it turns out the starring quartet includes an innocent: an “unfinished” robot with the mind of a small, slow child.
All of Ramondelli’s leads are robots with distinctly non-human features, which adds an extra level of challenge when it comes to characterization and acting in the art. Nonetheless, Ramondelli leaps over this hurdle with no problems at all. Indeed, the way he gracefully - and economically - establishes his characters’ unique personalities and backstories through both the art and the writing is genuinely impressive. I fell in love with the alcoholic laborer bot, was properly creeped out by the sociopathic engineer bot, and definitely wanted to know more about the crusader.
The only downside? This series ends far too soon — with certain promises of redemption left unfulfilled. I only hope Ramondelli returns to this concept for a much-needed sequel. ★★★★
Huck
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
(Image; Superhero)
The title character of this miniseries (which, for me, is a late discovery) is a simple gas station attendant who was born with incredible strength and the uncanny ability to find anything (or anyone) that’s missing — superpowers he uses to perform at least one kind deed each day for the people in his hometown. Huck lives in obscurity, protected by neighbors who adore him and appreciate his holy foolishness — until a newcomer blows Huck’s cover and consequently makes the man’s life infinitely more complicated.
After reading the trade for this series, I definitely wanted more. Huck is a refreshingly innocent character whose acts of charity are performed for no other reason than advancing the good. It’s rare to encounter something like that in a modern comic — and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t lead to uninteresting storytelling. Put this in your “to read” list if you’re looking for something that celebrates old-fashioned purity and selflessness. ★★★★★
Reader Requests
Yes, I take requests! If there’s a particular review you’d like to see, please contact me at hobsonphile@gmail.com and tell me the title, creators, and - most importantly - point of sale. Assuming the comic in question is available for immediate purchase, I will respond in the following issue!
Jinny Hex Special #1
Writer: Magdalene Visaggio
Artist: Gleb Melnikov
(DC; Weird West)
Around the turn of the new year, this one-shot was generating some surprisingly positive buzz on YouTube; thus, when our fearless editor requested that I take a look, I was happy to oblige. My verdict? Notwithstanding the online excitement, I don’t think this book is good enough to cure cancer — but it is a solidly enjoyable read. Jinny comes off as a likeable protagonist who reacts to events with genuine human emotion, and the design of the villain here is legitimately compelling (and disturbing!). True: given her experience in the superhero world, Jinny probably should’ve reacted to the arrival of her supposed long-lost “father” with a bit more skepticism. Still, her resulting conflict with Three-Eyed Jack fits pretty well with the weird west aesthetic readers associate with the Hex family name. I don’t love it — but I don’t regret reading it either. ★★★
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