Wildcats #27

“Bad Medicine 1 of 4: The Broken Heart of the World” (No Spoilers)

Well, it’s no secret that I write this review within a day of hearing about the demise of the Wildstorm imprint. So needless to say, it made reading this bitter-sweet. It was a really good issue but now more than before do I really feel like I’m reading about the end of the world.

The reveal of who Aeon may seem to most that it came out of left field. But one thing about World’s End is that it definitely has catered to long-time fans. Even after hearing the villain’s true name, it was a little insert a few panels later that solidified for me who it really was. Since we already got to see many of the major Wildstorm villains appear in World’s End I had no idea who this might be. I was a little underwhelmed but I think it’s cool that Beechen took something left over from a past Wildstorm book and decided to use it here.

Ides of Blood #2

“Beware the Ides of March” (No Spoilers)

Stuart C. Paul and Christian Duce deliver another beautiful issue in this intriguing mini-series. Paul’s writing is flawless and Duce’s art continues to be amazing as we get arguably one of the most unique takes on one of the most infamous assassinations in history.

Paul’s skills as a writer shine here as the pacing is excellent. He is able to pack so much story into these issues so far that I really feel like I’m getting my money’s worth reading this comic. In a 32-page comic that only has 22-pages of actual story (standard because of the ads) you feel like you get twice as much story. I’d liken it to what Adam Beechen is doing over in Wildcats.

Wildcats #26

“Desert Storms” (No Spoilers)

Wow! If you are a long time Wildstorm fan like me there are a ton of references and appearances in here that will make you giddy! Much like Christos Gage did in his run, Adam Beechen is finding great ways to incorporate old characters we haven’t seen in years.

Beechen is still juggling several stories but for the most part we get two stories here with two distinct themes. One is the more epic story involving the mysterious character Aeon and the majority of the other heroes. But the second is a more personal story as Warblade takes the nurse who helped him when he was wounded and they go to Earth to find her family. In the midst of all the grandness of the Aeon story, the Warblade story is more down to Earth and very human. I hope your heart is prepared for the outcome.

Ides of Blood #1

“Rome Of Shadow, Rome Of Light” (No Spoilers)

Here we’ve got a fresh offering from two new creators. As far as I understand, this is both Stuart C. Paul and Christian Duce’s first foyer into comics. I have to say, they’re beginning their comics career with a bang with this series.

I’m going to start with Christian Duce’s art. It is gorgeous! Combine that with Carlos Badilla’s moody coloring and you’ve got the perfect setting for this dark tale. Duce’s art is incredibly detailed, even when he’s drawing the city of ancient Rome. Duce also has a realistic style so it fits the story well, almost like a movie. Each shot is well chosen and believably conveys each scene as we progress through the story. He even does a good job of giving each character some defining facial features which makes it easier to distinguish them in an issue that is heavy on characters.