Bizarro: Year None #2 – Kevin Smith, Eric Carrasco, Writers; Nick Pittara, Artist; Michael Garland, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: We return to Bizarro World for another strange tale in this offbeat miniseries, as the first Bizarro has absconded with Jimmy and Perry and taken them to his upside-down world. There, he’s made Jimmy the new Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet and turned Perry into the coffee boy against his will. The strange thing is, though, he doesn’t seem to be enjoying this. He’s almost compelled to do these weird things, and a tense interview with this world’s Lois Lane shows just how scary he can become in a hurry. There are some genuinely funny scenes in this issue, but there’s also always a deeply unsettling tone under the surface as Perry tries to investigate the world around them when Bizarro’s not watching. Pittara’s cartoony art is great, but its depiction of Bizarro is also incredibly creepy at times, and the end of the issue drags us right back to the horror tone in the strongest way possible.
The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #5 – Chris Condon, Artist; Jacob Phillips, Artist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: It’s the penultimate issue of the first Ezra Cain mystery, and if the first four issues were deliberately paced, this one is basically the complete opposite. It’s a no-holds-barred action adventure as Ezra finally finds his way to the Nazi headquarters – which happens to be on a zeppelin making its way above the New York skyline. Ezra encounters Huber, the mastermind who is in control of the anvil and an army of Nazi robots, as well as more than one traitor to the United States, and a high-speed chase and battle ensues as Ezra tries to stay alive long enough to save the city. It’s channeling classic pulp mysteries combined with the high-intensity Nazi-punching aesthetic of Indiana Jones, which are two great tastes that go great together. With only one issue to go in this mini, there’s still a lot of ground to cover, but I can see how this could become an ongoing series with new cases with ease.
Harley Quinn #63 – Elliott Kalan, Writer; Carlos Olivares, Artist; Marissa Louise, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Things go from bad to worse for Harley this issue, as her disastrous TV appearance has placed her in the sights of the Monochromatic Man, a hard-bitten detective transformed by depression-era chemicals. He manages to infect Harley with his own affliction, which only accelerates her transformation into Bat-Quinn – a ruthless vigilante who has no mercy even from her friends. And that seems to have turned many against her as well, as her toxic coping mechanisms lead her criminal buddies to see her as a threat, and for Althea Klang to view her as a loose cannon she has no time for. Her brainy side doesn’t have any appearances this issue, which allows us to go deep into Bat-Quinn’s mind as she unravels due to her messy breakup with Ivy (who seems to be going down an even worse path), and the threats she’s built over the last year come home to roost.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
