turning Japanese

drive-by readings

Daredevil #505 (Marvel) "Left Hand Path" Andy Diggle Antony Johnston Marco Checchetto Matt Hollingsworth Joe Caramagna Paolo Rivera (cover) who wants to be the new Wolverine? well, who else but our newest Hand Puppet Master, Matt Murdock. in his quest to turn The Hand into a force of justice (easier said than done), Matt is building bigger prisons and doing networking stuff to get them to follow his lead. whereas Wolverine pretty much chased skirts, drank beer and brawled like a drunken sailor, Matt wants to effect change. i'm just not sure how long this'll last and then we get the next writer having Matt ruminating on his past life as an 'enlightened organized crime boss' and admits to biting off more than he can chew. especially when these Japs find out he really didn't whack Master Izo. despite Matt's noble intentions, he's not going blindly (we hope), as we see other sinister plans are afoot and not just with the obvious antagonist in front of him, the South American daimyo named Bakuto. its one thing to have Danny Rand walking around K'un L'un because he practically grew up there; white guy Matt addressing all these ninjas and samurais right in their own turf seems a little off. good thing they're more or less subservient to tradition, until of course, that opportune moment when they can stick a knife in your back. its fun to explore this new territory left behind by Ed Brubaker, although i can't wait for Matt to get back Stateside and deal with the aftermath of Siege and the re-ascension of his superhero friends.

go, photomonkey, go!

drive-by readings

Amazing Spider-Man #617 (Marvel) "Rage of the Rhino" Joe Kelly Max Fiumara Javier Pulido Fabio D'Auria Matt Hollingsworth Joe Caramagna Paolo Rivera (cover) you can thank Joe Kelly for the title. continuing the Gauntlet storyline, we have the Rhino gunning for ... the Rhino! someone wearing an armored Rhino suit wants to dance with the real deal (who's now living the straight and narrow) for the chance to take over the mantle. Peter pounces on a big opportunity when he realizes Aleksei Sytsevich has found true love and doesn't want to go back to his old life, and thanks to the Spidey brain trust, this one ends beautifully. there's still that issue of "Kraven the Huntress" throwing every classic Spider villain down Peter's way. where's Mysterio? oh, he's up next issue? the backup story (Javier Pulido on art duties) on the Rhino's turnaround was excellent. now that's extra value, not those previews that came out for Siege.

and now for some snaps!

yes, especially since they canceled Spider-Man 4 and now you're going back to high school!!


Kelly's Pizza, delivering through fire and rain and snow and terrorists.


somebody messed up in giving Wilson Fisk's address.


sexy Latina roommate with shotgun. awesome.


what are the chances that Norah is a supervillain who knows Peter's secret id and just gave him a case of power-sapping nanites? #preposterouscomicbookplots

the ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine

drive-by readings

Giant Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Marvel) "Old Man Logan: Conclusion" Mark Millar Steve McNiven Dexter Vines Mark Morales Morry Hollowell Cory Petit Paolo Rivera/Ed McGuinness/Chris Sotomayor (variant covers)

so it ends. i thought this would come out in 2010. providing a much more satisfying conclusion than the rightfully-maligned Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk, Mark Millar pulls out all the stops (ass jokes about the cover aside, heh) with his Civil War cohorts and bangs out the final confrontation between a not-really-old Wolverine and the surprisingly redneck (greennecks?) and inbred Banner Gang (who live in RVs. huh.).

actually, am not totally blown away with Millar writes anymore (after Kick-Ass, everything gets bloody anyway) - which is why am waiting to be really knocked off my feet by Ultimate Avengers. Steve McNiven, obviously drawing from a cinematic script, is his usual gorgeous self, albeit simplistic generally yet detailed in close ups.

having done his patriotic duty, Logan goes home to settle personal debts, as his family has been wiped out by the Banner Gang. the theme of Western style justice is prevalent here, crossed with those hillbillies from Deliverance. there is a twist of course, plus another which really isn't. i mean, destroying one from within isn't a new trick in the book, and the Hulk could've bitten Logan's head off first (there, i spoiled it for you. sue me.). lesson: do not be greedy, just like those people my friend Matt rants about.

so is this the end? judging by the way Logan rides off into the sunset ... you'd think it is. but maybe it isn't. especially if its gonna sell (2007-09 House of M spinoffs, anyone?)