Batman: The Ankh

 Writer: Chuck Dixon

Artist: John van Fleet

Rating: 7 of 8

Batman

The Ankh

Everybody dies. No matter how much we might wish it wasn't true and that we could just keep on holding onto what we know, we can't. Eventually, we all have to get off this merry go round called life and move on, no matter what comes next.

But what if you couldn't? It's a conundrum faced by Egyptian Princess Khatera who, thanks to her father, can never die. No matter how many years go by, no matter what is thrown at her, she will survive - and it's driving her mad. 

The idea of living to see everyone you love die is it's own kind of horror. No matter how many times she loses those she loves, she can never move on. It'd only make sense if she lost herself to madness and evil and in some ways, she does - but is she truly lost?

Written by Chuck Dixon, one of the most prolific Batman writers there is, it's layered with some of the best writing I've ever seen from the writer. Before we even get to Gotham or Batman, Dixon brings us on a beautiful journey that begins with a father's love, then a startling discovery, until it finally moves onto just what that means.

Thanks to the Egyptian trappings, the story's filled with a wonderfully mystical quality that, surprisingly, fits rather well. Usually, Batman works best when he's kept close to the ground, facing uniquely twisted serial killers and sinister plots, but Dixon tells it in such a way that never betrays Batman's detective sensibilities, or it's mystical qualities.

Van Fleet also brings it to remarkable life, filling Dr. Katar's office with a stirring beauty, while an underwater battle has a strange kind of gloom. The only problem I have with it is how a certain Batman villain looks, at least in the face. With how Van Fleet draws him, he looks a lot more stupid than he should. Other than that, it all looks very good.

Overall, a very good tale, one that's well worth looking into.

Batman: Kings of Fear

 Writer: Scott Peterson

Artist: Kelley Jones

Rating: 6 of 8

Batman

Kings of Fear

Would the world be better off without me? It's a question a lot of us will ask at some point, with a number of different answers. Of course, Kings of Fear isn't about if the world would be better off without you, but whether it would be better off without you as you are.

It's a very different question to the above, but one that's definitely worth asking. In Kings of Fear, Scarecrow, the self-proclaimed Master of Fear, escapes the Asylum and wreaks havoc on Batman's mind, causing him to question his very existence. The Crusader is thrown through a torrid of turmoil, as he's forced to ask: would Gotham be better off without the Batman?

Through the annals of his own troubled mind, Wayne is presented with a world where he never became the hero we know. But instead of the city and, indeed, the world falling apart because of it, it's much better off. It's not overwhelmed by crime, chaos, or corruption, but instead much safer because of what he chose to do instead.

In this scenario, most of his enemies either went down far less violent paths, or met decidedly bloody ends before they could do any meaningful damage. Was this ever a real possibility, or is it all just a dark fantasy, conjured up by some deadly chemicals and lingering self-doubt? Well, that's up to you to decide.

For me, I struggle to see a world where Batman, or someone like him, wasn't necessary to take on the teeming crime and corruption of his city. He definitely didn't do it alone, but if it had just been a steadfast Jim Gordon taking it on, I'm not sure how he could have succeeded.

Though this is a very compelling exploration of Batman's psyche, I'm not sure if it makes sense for a more seasoned Dark Knight to have such heavy self-doubt. It might make more sense when he was just starting out, but I'm more used to seeing him be resolute in his beliefs.

Though Jones creates some incredible imagery, particularly when it comes to it's lead, it's antagonist and the nightmarish imagery he conjures up, there are some problems with it. At times, it can be hard to understand what's going on and I feel like if some of it was better laid out, it would be easier to follow. 

Other than that, though, this is both a rather compelling exploration of a hero's psyche and of the impact one man can have on the world.

 

Skyline #1

Writer: Chris Resnick

Artist: Chris Resnick

Rating: 6 of 8

Skyline #1

There are few stories quite as relatable as those about coming of age. Whether it's films like Spirited Away, Stand by Me, or Eighth Grade, it's not hard to find something to relate to. Sure, most people don't go looking for dead bodies, or have to work in a bathhouse because their parents have turned into pigs, but there's still plenty of relatable elements.

Whether you're a boy or a girl, most of us have to overcome significant challenges. Making our parents proud, standing up to bullies, or just asking your crush out on a date. They're everyday things, but they're still challenges that need to be overcome - and sometimes the hardest thing is just putting one leg in front of the other and trying.

Chris Resnick's Skyline is one such story, where a young Chris has to deal with a number of issues. Some are ones you'd expect a young fella to have to deal with, like bullying, while others are a lot more complicated, as sometimes you'll find the solution to a problem is a lot worse than the problem itself.

There's really a great ease to Resnick's storytelling and though there are four stories, it never feels like it's too much, or that it's just done to fill up space. The weakest story was definitely the last, which was centred around a prank phone call. I just didn't find it that funny and because of that, it just really didn't work.

The first works well enough, though it definitely isn't as strong as the second. It does end on a rather ominous note, with some younger, crueller neighbours moving in, while the older, friendlier ones move out. It leaves me curious whether things will get worse before they get any better, as it certainly seems that way.

The third has a wonderfully dreamlike quality and really evokes the feeling of wonder you got from a childhood summer in years gone by. In it, Chris and a group of friends head out on a lengthy excursion, never knowing what they'll find. But when they get there, they experience a day that they'll never forget. 

The only thing I'd criticize about the issue is the art, which really lets the issue down. Though the stories simplicity works in their favour, the art is overly simplistic and could just look a lot better. Other than that, it's a pretty good issue, which does a rather good job at exploring the various wonders and woes of childhood.

  

Magic Powder #1

Writer: Jeffrey Louis Schiller

Artist: Daniele Aquilini

Rating: 6 of 8

Magic Powder #1

 

Though there are multiple genres of fiction, there are few quite as storied or as old as fantasy. With epics like the Twelve Labors of Hercules, Homer's Odyssey and The Lord of the Rings, it can be hard to feel like anything you write could ever match up. And with such an active genre, it's important to make sure your work stands out. But with so much out there, how do you do that?

Do you tell the old hero's journey, set amidst a fantastical land? Or do you go for something a little more different? Ultimately, Schiller goes for the latter, telling a story of one shrewd villain using a sudden shift in power to his own twisted ends. It could well prove to be a very shrewd move for the author, as just as it's rather compelling to follow a hero's journey, it's perhaps just as compelling to see a villain's.

Magic Powder delivers a far more urbanized take on chaos and crime than you might expect from a fantasy comic, though if you're tired of the usual swords and sorcery, this could be just the thing for you. Instead of telling a tale of all these magical creatures getting to grips with an unfamiliar world, it's a world to which they already belong.

It's a world much like our own, though instead of being filled with mankind, it teems with all kind of magical creatures. It's also a pretty fast paced tale, that never really drags and once the first major event kicks off, it really kicks into high gear and never slows down.

So far, one of Schiller's gifts is brevity. There's such an ease to his storytelling, with him establishing a sense of mystery, tension and excitement by simply telling the story. He doesn't drag it down with unnecessary exposition and it's ultimately all the stronger for it.

Aquilini's art really matches both the spirit and speed of the comic and it's all the better for it. If there was just one thing I'd criticize, it's that I feel the text boxes would be easier to read in a different font. Thankfully, it isn't that bad and there aren't too many of them. I also think the name Dwarvfather would be better without the 'v'.

Overall, a very strong debut and if Schiller and his team manage to keep it up, you're really in for a treat. 

Turning Trix #2

 

Writer and

artist: Mike Aston

Rating: 4 of 8

Turning Trix #2

There's nothing quite as frustrating as a boring story. One that angers you for all the wrong reasons, while still bad, at least ignites a passion in you, even if it is a negative one. With those, you can rage for hours about just how bad they are, but just how much can you really say about a boring one?

Sadly, for me at least, this is one of those stories. Throughout, the issue really drags, with very little to make you want to keep reading. It almost feels kind of aimless, but even if it does have a goal in mind, I'm not sure if it was worth the journey. Most of the issue is spent on Roxy recounting a tale about her friend Trixi to Mike, a fella experiencing a little engine trouble.

It's not clear whether she does this to sate his growing curiosity, or just to fill up the time. Nevertheless, she still tells it, a tale centred around her sex crazed friend, a near death experience and the true cost of friendship. Though these are all pretty good ingredients, they never come together to make a satisfying whole.

The mix of prose, speech bubbles and art just doesn't work for me. Ultimately, how a comic book's story is meant to be told is mainly through speech bubbles and a lot of art. Prose doesn't even need to be added into the mix, but if it is, it has to be done well and it just wasn't here.

The art is alright and, as above, there's a certain vibrancy found there that just isn't present in the writing. But it just isn't there often enough to make the issue worthwhile. Like the last issue, there's a certain tongue-in-cheek quality to the writing, like the name of one of the ships, which is very sexual, much like a fair bit of the comic.

Ultimately, I just don't recommend the issue.

Down, Not Out

 

Robbie Rowe

Down, But Not Out

You think 'cause I'm down

That it means that I'm out

But that, my friend

Is where you're sorely mistaken

No, I can't fake the pain

Nor the hate, or the rage

But I won't make it easy

And stay alone in my cage

Yeah, that last blow you gave

It sure left me reeling

But you're sorely mistaken 

If you think pain's all

That I'm feeling!

You think that it's over

I'm telling you

It's not

'Cause sooner or later

Tempers will flare

I'll tell you the truth

No word of a lie

There's far more of us

That can see through your lies!

No, tell you the truth

I don't know who you're foolin'

But it'll surely be cool when

You admit that you've lost!

'Cause you can't win forever

That one thing's for sure

And I'm gonna smile wide

When you run through that door

Yes, you thought you had us beaten

You thought that you'd won

But when you're finally beaten

And when you're simply done

I'll at last have a reason

To smile with my son

The Dark Within

 

The Dark Within

You cannot run

And you cannot hide

From who you truly are inside

It's becoming much harder to deny

But nevertheless, I have to try

For there is this dark that rests beneath my skin

That screams with hate from deep within

It's a thing. a feeling, that you must ignore

But despite it all,

It keeps on banging at every door

It will shout 

And it will scream

To at last break free

But if it ever did

Would mean the end

For you 

And for me

I want to hurt them

And so do you

To say any different

Would just be untrue

But to give into this dark

I just will not do

No matter what

It will not break through

It will scream

It will shriek

And it will claw

At every bar of it's dark cage

But I will never again 

Give into this thing called rage