Each week, CBR has your guide to navigating Wednesday’s new and recent comic releases, specials, collected editions and reissues, and we’re committed to helping you choose those that are worth your hard-earned cash. It’s a little slice of CBR we like to call Major Issues.
If you feel so inclined, you can buy our recommendations directly on comiXology with the links provided. We’ll even supply links to the books we’re not so hot on, just in case you don’t want to take our word for it. Don’t forget to let us know what you think of the books this week in the comments! And as always, SPOILERS AHEAD!
FANTASTIC FOUR #40 (MARVEL)
While Marvel’s “Reckoning War” storyline started earlier this month, Dan Slott, Rachel Stott, Jesus Aburtov and Joe Caramagna kick the cosmic event into high gear with Fantastic Four #40. This issue makes it clear that the “Reckoning War” is the FF’s story at its core, although it’s still an event with a sheer scope that touches the edges of the Marvel Universe. While facing an infinite number of intergalactic crises and burdened by the Watcher’s total knowledge, Mister Fantastic takes center stage as he tries to stop Marvel’s cataclysmic cosmic chaos.
While Reed Richards had taken charge with paternalistic flair plenty of times, Fantastic Four #40 casts that idea in a compelling new light that effectively raises its stakes. This densely-plotted comic covers an impressive amount of ground, ably reducing plot points that could fuel entire issues to single panels. Despite that, Stott and Aburtov keep the pages from feeling crowded and effectively bring some show-stopping moments to life.
G.I. JOE: SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES #1 (IDW)
Before the G.I. Joe license leaves IDW Publishing at the end of the year, Erik Burnham, Dan Schoening, Luis Antonio Delgado and Neil Uyetake are taking the franchise back to its animated roots with G.I. Joe: Saturday Morning Adventures #1. Unlike IDW’s comparatively realistic Larry Hama-penned G.I. Joe title, this comic captures the bloodless military fantasy of the ‘80s G.I. Joe cartoon and leans into its most ridiculous elements.
After a knowingly absurd magic threat makes Cobra a bigger threat than ever, Duke leads a massive roster of Joes in a battle that captures the spirit of the iconic animated series. Schoening and Delgado recreate the look of the cartoon perfectly, with several pages that could be mistaken for animation cels from the series. Outside of the tongue-in-cheek “PSA” that concludes the issue, Saturday Morning Adventures plays its central story straight and primarily serves as a sincere love letter to G.I. Joe’s glory days.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #72 (DC)
After spending the last several months mostly relegated to being a back-up feature in Justice League, the magical heroes of Justice League Dark finally retake center stage in Justice League #72, by Brian Michael Bendis, Szymon Kudranski, Emanuela Lupacchino, Wade Von Grawbadger, Hi-Fi and Josh Reed. After Zatanna and several of DC’s mightiest mystics are plagued by apocalyptic visions, this issue sees the JLD and the Justice League team up as one of DC’s Lords of Chaos force threatens to overtake one of their own.
While these two teams have met plenty of times before now, the first chapter of the “Leagues of Chaos” storyline highlights the differences between these Leagues to great effect. In sharp contrast to the Justice League’s sunny adventures, the JLD’s visions are brilliantly realized in apocalyptic, shadowy art that underscores the otherworldliness of DC’s mystical heroes and villains. Before this era of Justice League ends, this is a solid tip of the cap towards the JLD’s underrated back-up features.
IRON FIST #1 (MARVEL)
With Danny Rand having given up his Iron Fist abilities, another Marvel hero takes up his mantle in Iron Fist #1, by Alyssa Wong, Michael Yg, Jay David Ramos and Travis Lanham. While Danny still has a presence in this issue, the comic is primarily concerned with catching readers up on the new Iron Fist’s history and establishing his powers.
Although this might be a first issue, the recent histories of Danny Rand and the new Iron Fist play meaningful stage-setting roles here, and they’re only passingly explained here. Still, the new Iron Fist has some interesting powers and an instantly compelling dynamic with Danny that gives the series some strong potential central conceits. Yg and Ramos choreograph the comic’s martial arts battles well, but their work really shines with the dragon Shou-Lao and its other supernatural creatures.
NIGHTWING #89 (DC)
Under writer Tom Taylor, Nightwing and Superman: Son of Kal-El have both established themselves as two of comics’ best superhero series with a thoughtful approach to superheroes for the 21st century. Now, Dick Grayson and Jon Kent officially teaming up in Nightwing #89, by Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas and Wes Abbott. After a flashback to their first meeting, Nightwing and DC’s new Superman find themselves working together to solve a mystery that’s leaving ex-Teen Titans dead.
Redondo and Lucas’ art is as strong as ever, with their sleek lines and cool palate giving this book a timeless style with modern sensibilities. While Dick and Jon haven’t worked as closely as their Worlds’ Finest fathers, this issue highlights their similarities and uncovers the thematic links between their current respective adventures. The flashback that sets up their dynamic is charming, and the murders that propel the story forward set up a compelling conclusion in Superman: Son of Kal-El #9.
X LIVES OF WOLVERINE #3 (MARVEL)
While X Lives of Wolverine may ultimately have a ripple effect across the X-Men’s corner of the Marvel Universe, this series is Wolverine’s story first and foremost. In Benjamin Percy, Joshua Cassara, Frank Martin and Cory Petit’s X Lives of Wolverine #3, Logan’s adventures through Marvel history continue as he chases the rampaging, time-tossed spirit of Omega Red.
Much like the X-Force and Wolverine runs that preceded it, X Lives of Wolverine does a solid job of capturing Logan’s harrowing interior life and mixing it with impeccably illustrated, brutal spectacle. With a wide scope of events in non-sequential order, Wolverine’s voice is the strongest thread tying this story and its clever, bloody fight scenes together. While it might not have the massive cast that’s defined the X-Men’s recent events, X Lives of Wolverine is still a suitably bloody showcase for the Marvel icon that feels like a natural extension of his recent adventures.
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