Reviews - Review - FA Online

Iron Age Alpha 1

I’m not sure if this is heading for a crossover or miniseries or what, but the setup has decent plot potential. A dying mad scientist with a grudge against Tony Stark kidnaps him and makes him watch as he uses one of Doctor Doom’s time machines to somehow pluck Dark Phoenix out of time. He provokes her and Tony gets to see her destroy the Earth – but he also gets thrown back in time, so I assume the rest of the story is Iron Man gathering forces to somehow prevent this.

Ka-Zar 1

I’ve read some first issues and one-shots that were, in craft and technique terms, significantly worse than this, but I don’t recall any that were so unutterably boring. I’m amazed that the first-issue synopsis was approved by editor Tom Brevoort.

Conan: Isle of No Return 1

You know where you are with a Conan comic.

Mystery Men 1

I have my qualms about these retro series (this is set in 1932): I think they can undermine the importance of the first Marvel heroes as currently established, and aren’t always plausible in how they fit in with their world’s history. Nonetheless, this one is rather good, so I’ll put those doubts aside – at least until any of the promised links with the existing Marvel Universe materialise, for better or worse.

Ghost Rider 0.1

Another 0.1! Why do we need a jumping-on point before the first issue? How is a first issue not a perfect jumping-on point? I’m mystified by this, but let’s treat it as a starting point, and see if it does the job.

Simon & Kirby Superheroes

Nearly 500 pages of beautifully reproduced old comics by one of the medium’s key teams.

15 Love 1

Remember Andi Watson? One of the rising stars of the latter twentieth century, who brought us Breakfast After Noon, Slow News Day, Skeleton Key, and other delightful, imaginative, lively stories? Guess what? I just found out he has a counterpart on the Bizarro World!

Supreme Power 1

This feels very much like a comic not designed for those who haven’t read previous series. I know this world is based on the JLA pastiche Marvel introduced decades ago, but I am totally out of touch about recent events.

Reed Gunter 1

This is a lighthearted fantasy cowboy strip, in which Reed and his companion bear have adventures. This issue a female rancher is having problems with a giant snake eating her cattle. It was originally self-published in B&W, but is now in full colour – apparently there are four issues to be reprinted, then it moves on to new material.

Fear Itself: Fearsome Four 1

Fear Itself is the latest Marvel “event”. Cue some world-threatening force that causes heroes to band together and save the day via numerous crossovers and miniseries. Yawn yawn yawn. Maybe Marvel’s saving all its creative efforts for its movie spinoffs, because there’s little sign of any such inspiration in its comics line at the moment.