Adam Whitmer Comic Reviews

If there is any character that should be objectively awesome and kickass, it's Ghost Rider. All-New Ghost Rider is anything but awesome and in fact is one of the most bottom of the barrel comics on the shelf. This is a failing experiment in reintroducing a character that turns out didn't need anything but a chopper and art that lies in the scale somewhere above pedestrian.

Probably the most head scratching inclusion in the story is a subplot about Bruce Wayne facing the enemy of aging. From the use of hair dye to the frequent discussion of his age keeping his body from being at top form, it gets in the way of the story because again two issues wasn't enough for what they wanted to do. A term often used in the military is "Good Initiative, Bad Judgement" and that fits this attempt perfectly.

Detective Comic has been flying under the radar for a while, mostly because of Scott Snyder's incredible run on the main Bat-Book, but Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are grinding out a consistently beautiful and interesting book in their own right. Manapul and Buccellato aren't trying to do anything to redefine the character, they are carving out a piece of the Bat-verse for themselves and it's quite a ride along the way.

In the hands of a better writer, Ghost Racers might actually say something about sports and its place in the culture. This story contains none of that. Instead readers are treated to messy art with characters inspired by anime and action scenes inspired by abstract paintings. Where does the half Carter Slade/half horse start and the souped up charger end? It's not entirely clear. What is clear is that this is a swing and a miss, especially when compared to the amazing Old Man Logan and Masters of Kung-Fu. To anyone wondering which Secret Wars tie-ins are not essential to the overall story enjoyment, consider this one on the top of the pass list.

Outcast is not for the faint of heart, pulses rise when as the pages turn. In this world, anything can happen at the turn of a page. Delving further and further into Kyle's back story tease some craziness to come in the near future. This issue is the calm before the storm, and the storm is going to be one hell of a ride.

Elizabeth Breitweiser continues to be the best colorist in the game. The coloring is as important as anything else in to the success of Outcast. The noir inspired exorcism is full of shadows and splashes of orange with the bright red blood shocking in its contrast. The final scene, taking place outside under the waning sun, is painted in a way to suggest the demonic presence is always swirling around them with the red-eyed crow looking on. While Wytches uses color in a hyper kinetic manner to throw the reader off of solid ground, the stillness of Outcast creates a slow creeping dread to get it's horrific point across.

Fraction is arguably one of the best writers in comics today, and Sex Criminals is the best example of why that may very well be the case. He, with the ever consistent Chip Zdarsky, have crafted the single greatest representation of modern relationships in our increasingly sex positive culture. Weaving sexual health facts pulled directly from Planned Parenthood, drama and laugh out loud humor in the perfect respective amounts equates to the most personal and realistic, outside of the time spent in Cumworld, book on the shelves today. It's one that not only can, but should be read with a partner.

With only one more issue in this volume to go, the next issue better be a barnburner. So far Volume 2 has been much like the second season of a television show. The rules are set up and the story begins, and while the story has moved forward a bit the characters themselves haven't. With Ana and Robert Rainbow, at least there are more people to drive the story forward and the possibilities are endless now that Jon and Suzie are trying to put together a team of those who can reach The Quiet. A professor of Horology should give them a good start in their war against the Sex Police. In this war the possibilities are endless and if anyone can pull it off it's Fraction and Zdarsky.

Baal was the name of a supreme god worshipped in Ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The worship of Baal was carried over into Jewish practices during the time of the Judges and became widespread in Judah. The word "baal" means "Lord" and was generally seen to be a fertility god who enabled the growing of crops and the fertility of people who prayed to him. The etymology of "Baal" can be linked to one of the names for Satan, "Beelzebub" or "Baal-Zebub." In the Old Testament, the "Baalim" (Plural of Baal) were seen as demons masquerading as gods, leading people astray as idolatry is breaking the very first Commandment.

Derived from the Greek words for force, constraint and necessity and in Greek mythology is the personification of those. She is considered the mother of the fates, who holds control over their decisions. To the poet Simonides, "Even the gods don't fight against Ananke."