(SPOILERS, this one was too hard to write without them) I went back and forth whether or not to pick this up when I first saw it announced. The only exposure I ever had to writer John Arcudi was his run on Gen 13 Volume 1, and I just thought it was ok. The premise was intriguing but it wasn’t something I hadn’t read in other forms before. All of this coupled with the fact it was an original graphic novel with a $24.99 cover price, made me very hesitant to invest in it. I’m happy to say it was well worth the risk.
Tag: wes abbott
Wildcats #23
“The Protectorate 1 of 3: Groundwork”
This is the most solid I’ve seen Wildcats in a long time. We are five issues into this creative teams’ run and they continue to deliver each month. I have not walked away from a Wildcats issue of theirs yet and felt disappointed.
What are the strengths here? Well, first off, the debut arc was an all out three-issue battle. This left very little time for character moments and character development which is what some complained about. However, last issue gave us nothing BUT character moments with absolutely no action. It was a great “breather” issue. Here Beechen and Seeley start revving the engines to prepare us for more craziness.
Sparta U.S.A. #3
“Various Cancers” (No Spoilers)
The novelty of wondering what is really going on in this story is staring to run out for me. We do have some interesting moments but I don’t find myself attaching to any of the characters. I’m not sure I like the main character, Godfrey McLaine, because even though he’s trying to help these people, it’s hard for me to root for a guy who’s got a harem of women following him AND a wife and three kids. Of course, the morals in Sparta are definitely different than most people’s so who am I to judge?
The Authority #22
“Infestation” (No Spoilers)
This is a really solid first issue by the new creative team of writer Tom Taylor and artist Mike S. Miller. As much as I hated to see the previous creative team go, I can tell already that the title is in good hands.
Taylor’s arc picks up with last issue’s cliffhanger. There’s a group of old Wildstorm enemies on The Carrier and Grifter, Flint, and Deathblow have to deal with them. I would’ve never thought this trio would work but they’ve got some great exchanges during the opening scene. Also, wait until you see how Flint takes out one of the bad guys. It’s awesome!