Dan’s Comic Reviews: Week of July 22nd 2015

The Archie gang have their final battle with the Predator, the Book of Death details Bloodshot’s bleak end, and new issues of “Fight Club 2” and “Rick And Morty” – all in this week’s reviews from Dark Horse, Oni Press, and Valiant Comics.

Fight Club 2 #3

Writer: Chuck Palahniuk
Artist: Cameron Stewart

With his son kidnapped by goons led by his alter ego, Sebastian has no choice but to re-enter the world of Project Mayhem. I’ll admit that the first two installments of this series read like “edgy” fan fiction to me, but this issue held my interest by looking outside of the main cast to the twisted recruits dying to join Fight Club. Palahniuk’s world is filled with maladjusted weirdos who hold on to their own bizarre outlooks and particular brands of lunacy. His writing works best when characters are spouting morbid factoids and perspectives rather than dwelling in the “dark for the sake of dark” territory of the past issues. Stewart’s art is on point as usual, effectively conveying Sebastian’s unhinged reality.

4 out of 7

Rick And Morty #4

Writer: Zac Gorman
Artist: CJ Cannon with Ryan Hill and Marc Ellerby

Rick takes Morty to another world to show him his farm. Well it isn’t so much a farm as it is a slave plantation with the alien field hands ready to put Rick’s head on a stick. Morty is roped in to ease tensions but when he bonds with an alien girl, his “case of weinerbrain” may doom them all. This issue wasn’t as joke laden as I wanted but it was self-contained, creating a thorough adventure cover to cover as opposed to the episodic (and what I felt was chopped up) story of the previous three issues. This one has some laugh out loud lines and even manages to pack in a (mildly depressing) bonus feature with Jerry.

5 out of 7

Archie Vs. Predator #4

Writer: Alex de Campi
Penciller: Fernando Ruiz
Inker: Rich Koslowski
Colorist: Jason Miller

With the Riverdale crew (literally) cut down to 3, they have their final showdown with the extraterrestrial hunter and de Campi doesn’t let off the throttle one bit. For four issues this bizarre crossover has surprisingly respected both properties and while the ending is pretty silly (yeah I know – just a bit sillier than Archie battling an alien) the creative team makes it all work. A few references to the Predator films are packed in as parting gifts and there’s even a nod to the Punisher crossover from years back. This title was such a fun read through and through. Special shout out to the art team for not holding back on the gore (like AT ALL) yet keeping everything visually in tone with the Archie universe.

6 out of 7

Book of Death: The Fall of Bloodshot #1

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Doug Braithwaite
Colorist: Brian Reber

“I always knew things wouldn’t end quietly.”
Undergoing his own personal examination in the pages of Jeff Lemire’s “Bloodshot Reborn”, Lemire takes Bloodshot to his final days and the “years of adventure” that precede them. There’s a Heavy Metal-esque level of epic comic book insanity here, with the chalk white super-soldier fighting pirates, robots, and even dinosaurs. Braithwaite’s art and Reber’s colors take us through time and space, keeping the fantasy elements appropriately grounded for a Bloodshot story. But it just wouldn’t be Lemire’s take on Bloodshot without a meditation on violence. Even Bloodshot’s touching end perfectly encapsulates the character’s “killer with a conscience” motif.  It’s not often you get such unrepentant, balls-out action with equal servings of reflection.

6 out of 7