Comix This Week 1/22/2020

This week we will cover 1/15 and 1/22, both were light weeks for me. I also picked up a title I missed back in December. We’ll start with that one.

Issue Zero 12/18/2020

Star Trek Picard: Countdown No 2 Written by Mike Johnson and Kirsten Beyer. Art by Angel Hernandez. Cover by Sara Pitre-Durocher |IDW Comics

This 2nd issue, which I missed last month, continues the tale of how Jean-Luc Picard ends up a retired and possibly disgraced Admiral at the start of “Star Trek Picard”. In issue one, we learn that Picard is leading the armada to rescue Romulans from the supernova of their star (Star Trek 2009 reboot film). He arrives on a Romulan Colony world and the Romulans only want actual Romulans to be rescued, not the indigenous population. Picard and his first officer refuse and are thrown in prison. This issue details the fallout, as the natives rise up against their Romulan masters and rescue Picard and his officer. Picard then meets two Romulan members of the Tal’Shiar, Romulan secret police, who want to save the people of the planet. As they try to figure out a way to do this, the Romulans beam aboard Picard’s ship and take control. This was a decent issue. I know there are some Romulan characters on the new show, and that his first officer, Raffi, is a crewmember on the show as well. It looks like we are meeting all the players and setting up the main action for the series. Well done so far. Next week is the finale, and TONIGHT is the first episode of the show, so I have lots of Trek to enjoy this week.

Issue Three 1/15/2020

Bettie Page Unbound No 9 Written by David Avallone, Art by Julius Ohta, Cover by Scott Chantler |Dynamite Comics

Invasion of the Bettie Snatchers continues as Bettie continues her fight against the bumblebee aliens set on taking over the earth! She begins to fight back this issue, shooting her doppleganger in the head and planning to stop the threat. The killing of the evil Bettie was interesting as Avallone took a moment to show Bettie’s internal dialogue over shooting “herself” in the head. This issue also used hypnosis as a tool for Bettie to look into her mind, find her “mindmeld” with the alien queen, and discover out how to stop them. When they go into hypnosis, they are surprised to see all the alternate universe “Betties” from the first story arc, which saw Bettie travel to alternate dimensions as she fought the old gods, floating around in her mind. Knowing that real life Bettie Page suffered later in life from some sort of Schizophrenia, I can’t help but wonder if this is setting the stage for that sad future. Great comic.

Issue four 1/22/2020

Angela Della Morte No 3 Written/Art by Salvador Sanz | Red 5 Comics

The first two issues of Sanz’s new comic were set on the moon. This grey goo, essentially the devil, is being stored there. Angela falls into it and is being corrupted by it. This issue picks up with her back on Earth, captured by the Fluo Government. I thought this series might have been set in the future, but I now actually think its a current story based on the earth machinery and discussions of the 1970’s moon landing. Her compatriots try to break her out, but their helicopter is shot down by a Fluo robot, seen on the cover art. They are lost in the jungle and Angela deserts her friends, compelled forward. She then arrives at, what looks to be, a haunted mansion style deal in the jungle. No idea what’s going on there, but I like it. This comic is a lot more than I was expecting. I was considering dropping it, but they’ve given enough of a hook for me to stick around a little longer. The art is also gorgeous, which always helps.

Once and Future No 6 Written by Kieron Gillen Art by Dan Mora | Boom! Studios

Once and Future wraps up with a skirmish against the resurrected King Arthur. Duncan accepts his fate and tries to save his Grandmother using Arthur’s magic scabbard. Wielding Excalibur, he faces off against Arthur as his mother finds herself at odds with the undead king. Arthur finding out his wife was banged by a Frank was the highlight for me. The story ends with Duncan saving his Granny, but realizing that she is kinda toxic. He walks away from her but accepts his role as a “Knight”. His mom is lost in hell but comes across Merlin in the final pages. This is the final issue, but I hope there is a series 2, or at least a continuation. Gillen has crafted something fairly original here and I’d like more.

That’s it for this week my 3 readers. Next week we get some cool stuff and the finale of several series/arc! Criminal 12 (arc finale, I think), Weatherman Vol2 #6 (finale), Picard #3 (finale), Green Lantern: Blackstars #3 (finale), Bettie Page Unbound #10 (arc finale), and Star Wars #2! Quite a week!