Patrick:
In the third installment of Dark Horse comic’s “Archie vs. Predator” things take a turn from worse to 
absolutely abysmal for the residents of Riverdale. A teenage predator is on the loose, and hunting and murdering Archie’s gang of pals one by one, or as we saw in the last issue, in a giant group. Series writer Alex De Campi promised some ridiculous over the top moments in this book, and she has delivered so far in spades. This series has not held a lot of punches as characters have been killed left and right, and this issue is no different with another large character death, which brings me to my only gripe with this comic: it happens off panel, and once again it involves ripping out a persons spine with their head attached. I know, I know, that the Predator has a M.O. and it involves spines. In the last issue when this happened to Sabrina on page the shock value was through the roof, but now it has lost some of it’s oomf.
What is there to like about this issue? Really, everything else is just plain amazing. The Predator is hunting the remaining Archie kids, including the perrenially stepped-over (and secret app-store millionaire) Dilton Doiley. A lot of foreboding is given to his character’s line this issue, and I was hoping that there would be a few different plots lines, but what we get is awesome and funny as hell. We get to see some of the first real Predator fighting action, wonderfully brought to life by series artist Fernando Ruiz. One thing about the gore and bloodshed in this series, is that while it is still done in the cartoon style of Archie comics, it feels very dark because it is just not something that you see in these comics regularly. As I mentioned, back in issue 1 when Betty gets a nose bleed it is really quite off-putting. In this issue there is more decapitation and Archie is wounded, and it cranks the importance of these teen’s fight for Survival through the roof.
I don’t know what else I can say about this series that I haven’t already. The writing is crisp, well-researched and so funny that this might be the best Archie comic in years. The art is so perfect for this amalgam series, integrating the light and the dark, it makes me wish that it was not a limited run, and continued on. The many amazing covers have got me hunting through my LCBS’s looking for specific takes on this series. If you haven’t started, don’t wait, pick it up now or on the Dark horse app, and you won’t be mad you did. “Archie vs Predator” #3 is on shelves now!
Drew:
When it comes to Robins every comic fan has their favorite. Dick Grayson was the first, and to some the only one they ever know exists. Many (like Myles) love Tim Drake because he’s the one they grew up with reading comics. I’m sure some people love Jason Todd? Anyway, my favorite just so happens to be Damian Wayne. The son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul raised by the League of Assassins to one day lead the organization. Luckily he ended up in the care of his father and learned how to be a hero. He’s solidified his position in the larger DC universe by getting his own solo book Robin: Son of Batman with writer/artist Patrick Gleason. This book spins off of the recent Batman and Robin series that ended its run back in March, and we’re already seeing references to the early days of that run as we follow Damian’s and his new quest to atone for his Year of Blood. Gleason was actually the artist of the previous B&R book and has taken over writing duties from Peter J. Tomasi. Honesty time: I was very nervous about this. I’ve been burned on artists taking over writing duties to a book they are well known for, specifically for a book starring Damian Wayne. Damian is a tough character to pull off. He’s rude and brash and cocky, but he also does actually care about justice and doing the right thing. There’s a balance that has to be struck and Gleason seems to get that. He’s got that right amount of everything that just screams Damian. He really captures the voice I’ve come to expect from the character.
This book is all about Damian atoning for his past sins while he was under the care of his mother and grandfather. In the first issue we’re already seeing the League of Assassins compound he was raised in as well as a few other exotic locales, and I expect that we’ll see even more of that as the run goes on. Gleason really shines bringing out color and daylight to everything once he gets out of grim Gotham City. Damian takes on a little more flair to his costume as well. He’s got a little more yellow trim to his cape and hood, it honestly feels like like the Middle Eastern style we’ve come to see in the League of Assassins merged with his existing Robin costume, I love it. Damian also gets a sidekick in this run in the form of Goliath, a hulking red winged beast who may or may not be a man-bat. He certainly doesn’t like it when you refer to him as such. It also appears that Damian is going to get a nemesis of his very own with a brand new Nobody. This new Nobody also has a particular relationship to the original that’s going to be a fun mirror to Robin and Batman, can’t wait to see how this plays out.
This issue is a ton of setup for what looks like a fun exciting series. Easter eggs abound all over, and I’m really excited to see all these new locations all over the world of DC’s Earth that we rarely get to see. New characters, new villains, and some big final page reveals that tease what’s to come. “TT.” This book? Go get it.
Myles:
As much as I’ve gone on in the past about how much I prefer to avoid events and their tie-ins, I have to hand it to Marvel: Secret Wars has been handled exceptionally. Not going to lie, when the even first rolled in, I found it feeling very exclusive, and not at all inviting to new readers the way big events are meant to be. However, once the tie-ins really started to come out and I read them, I found them to be the best part of Secret Wars. Each one is it’s own little self contained “What If?” styled story or alteration on a previously told tale. Some are reinventions, others are altogether new experiences. But this has allowed Marvel to play a bit more.
Enter Runaways #1, a name that carries much weight for comic fans. Now, this isn’t Brian K. Vaughn’s Runaways. Or Whedon’s. Or even Moore’s. No, this tale comes from Noelle Stevenson, creator of the immensely popular Lumberjanes comic, and artist Sandford Greene. Though they keep the tradition of grouping a band of mismatched teens and throwing them headfirst into a crazy situation, the mix is decidedly different for Secret Wars.
In Battle World, every realm sends recruits Doom’s School for Gifted Youngsters, to vie for a potential spot amongst Doom’s elite. Though the book is mostly character set-up, Stevenson kills it by introducing this frenetic cast of fan (and Myles) favorite characters. You have popular classic Runaway, Molly Hayes, who looks up to both Jubilee and Pixie of the Night Witches, the girl gang they run (so awesome). There’s Amadeus Cho, who pals around with his best friend and bodyguard, Skaar, son of Hulk. Poor Cloak (of the Cloak and Dagger duo) gets drawn into the madness by virtue of simply being there at the wrong time. There’s plenty of interesting characters to choose to love.
Even if one’s not familiar with specific characters are where they come from, enough context exists so that fresh readers have a good sesne of who everyone is. Greene’s art maintains the youthful energy of the book’s cast and pacing exceptionally. When it comes to what will likely be a limited run for the Secret Wars, Marvel was wise not to tug on the heartstrings of longtime Runaways fans with an attempted continuation of the classic series. Instead, Stevenson and Greene honor the roots of the original series while doing something entirely different and completely fun. Runaways is an absolute blast and joins the likes of A-Force and Carol Corps in completely owning the potential of Marvel’s Secret Wars event.