Also this week...

CRIMINAL #6 - Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' creator-owned title returns for its second arc.  Any links with the previous storyline would seem to be merely background elements at this stage.  That's a bold approach - it's really a completely separate noir story.  But then, the selling point of this book was always the creators rather than a specific character, and the genre brings out the best in writer and artist alike.  This is a beautifully structured opening issue which uses circularity to create a sense of inevitability.  The new lead character isn't as obviously sympathetic as the previous one, and it's less clear why we might want to root for him, but the momentum of the book carries it anyway.  A-

HELLBLAZER #232 - Andy Diggle completes the task of hitting the reset button on John Constantine and putting him back on his feet again.  He's been written as a ground-down borderline derelict for so long that it's actually a pleasant change to see the character going back to his roots, although I'm a little less happy that the story appears to be promising a lengthy sequel to some early Hellblazer continuity.  I'm intrigued by the production schedule of this story, as well - it's set in a casino which is presented as the "first of Tony Blair's new government-licensed super-casinos."  Er, except that policy was voted down by Parliament two months ago.  Oops.  Still, it's a good back-to-basics story for this series.  B+

There's more from me at If Destroyed, and if you're desperate for more Article 10 columns, you can always hunt through the archives on Ninth Art.

Next week, X-23: Target X #6 completes the miniseries.  Wolverine #54 will probably have more pretty-yet-baffling fight scenes.  And Chris Claremont continues Albion's story in New Excalibur #20.

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