Also this week...

BLACK PANTHER #53 - The original Panther continues to manipulate the new one, in ways which suggest he's not quite right in the head.  We've now got a rather odd series which is simultaneously continuing with its crime stories while tying back into the themes of the original story, but it's still somehow hanging together.  B+

DAREDEVIL #41 - This is the other freebie issue of the week.  Well, it's 25 cents, but that's near enough for me.  It's the beginning of a new storyline, and with the Kingpin out of the way, the Owl has moved in to fill the void.  Meanwhile, most of Daredevil's rogue's gallery have finally given up in despair at the incredible insanity of the plot.  Somewhat more friendly to traditional fans than some of Bendis' Daredevil stories, since this one has actual villains in it and moves at a reasonable pace.  Just as good as usual, of couse.  A

DOOM PATROL #16 - Ted tries to see further into the future than his usual sixty seconds, and ends up going completely nuts.  Meanwhile, John Arcudi introduces the Purple Purposeless, the first ever sub-hero who recommends inaction at all costs.  Nicely strange, and it's good to see a bit more of the spotlight being given to the newer characters.  B-

ELEKTRA #19 - Ye gods, what have they done to the art?  It's actually not bad, but it just doesn't work as a style change halfway through a storyline.  Mind you, we're apparently hitting the reset button at the end of this storyline so that we can go back to murder and tits with the new creative team, so what the hell.  Anyhow, it's basically Drake's origin story, which fleshes out what we were told last issue.  Nothing extraordinary, but it does the job.  B

FABLES #9 - End of the "Animal Farm" storyline, which has perhaps skirted the verge of being a bit too silly for its own good, but more or less got away with it.  The ending doesn't really work for me - uh, why are the fables who are forced to remain asleep loyal to Snow White?  Don't they want to wake up?  It doesn't quite make sense.  Great cliffhanger, though, and Mark Buckingham art is always good.  B

INCREDIBLE HULK #49 - At long last, the end of the storyline with Agent Pratt, as Bruce Jones goes sailing over the top in Pratt's ridiculous villainy.  Perhaps a little too far over the top, actually, as this is getting seriously melodramatic.  Anyhow, it's the long-awaited debut of Jones' version of the Hulk, which seems to be some sort of gestalt communal mind (talks sense, refers to himself in the first person plural, you know).  Bit underwhelming as an end to the storyline, to be honest, given that it still hasn't resolved all that much beyond removing Pratt from the storyline.  B

POWERS #27 - Christian and Deena continue investigating the murder of the Red Hawk, which gives Bendis the chance to do a gloriously silly opening flashback to the Unity team in action.  The whole idea of retired superheroes, in a continuity where they haven't been protected against the progress of time, hawking their wares around the convention circuit is inherently hilarious, and Bendis gets a great story out of it to boot.  A

STORMWATCH: TEAM ACHILLES #7 - It's left-wing fantasy time, as StormWatch pop round to visit a right-wing Senator and sort a few things out.  I really shouldn't like this, but it's so shamelessly absurd that I can't help it.  In an additional boon, no Whilce Portacio this month - instead, it's fill-in art from the vastly superior Mark Texeira.  A-

ULTIMATE DAREDEVIL & ELEKTRA #4 - End of the miniseries, and it faces the obvious problem that it can't really resolve a great deal.  I get the impression this is intended to serve as some sort of prequel to loosely couple up with the Daredevil film, and taken in that vein, it's fair enough.  As a miniseries in its own right, it's rather anticlimactic - if Marvel was actually planning an Ultimate Daredevil or Ultimate Elektra series, the ending would feel a little more natural, but it leaves a little too many things hanging to work as the ending for a miniseries.  B

VERTIGO POP: LONDON #3 - Sean Cody is packed off to a mental hospital due to his unaccountable delusions of being Sean Cody.  Meanwhile, Rocky sets about his new career, only to find that he hasn't actually got any new ideas.  Not that that seems to be a prerequisite for success, mind you.  An excellent miniseries from Peter Milligan and Peter Bond, appallingly underordered.  Hunt it down, it's great.  A+

WAR STORY: CONDORS - An Englishman, an Irishman, a German and a Spaniard walk into a crater and take refuge from the Battle of the Ebro.  It's the Spanish Civil War, and a rather contrived set-up for a great extended conversation between a German pilot, an English socialist, a member of the IRA, and a pissed off Spaniard who wishes they'd all fuck off back home and stop using his country as a battleground for the big ideas of the twentieth century.  Fabulous stuff, the best thing out this week - funny, intelligent, and with some great points about the various philosophies.  You should buy this.  A+

Last week's Article 10, on the subject of price rises, is still up over at Ninth Art.

Next week, New X-Men #136 continues the Riot at Xavier's storyline; Soldier X #7 rounds off Darko Macan and Igor Kordey's run as the creative team; and Wolverine #185 continues the mob storyline.

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