This week: a mini from Boom! Studios, another superb Renee French weird-out, a grand adventure yarn, and maybe, just maybe!, the best Wolverine story in the history of all time forever.

Talent #1 (of 4)
Writers: Christopher Golden & Tom Sniegorski
Artist: Paul Azaceta
$3.99

Nicholas Dane has no idea how he survived the fiery plane crash into the Atlantic…but even besides that, how did he stay alive for 12 hours underwater? Who is the mysterious woman warning him about danger? And why are there people out to kill him? Is it safe to say that Mysterious Plane Crash is a genre all its own at this point…?

Despite some clunky Hollywood Action Movie Dialogue in a couple places and an opportunistic It’s Lost meets Da Vinci Code ! sense, TALENT’s first issue is sturdy, well-plotted Hitchcock-ian, Twilight Zone-y escapism. The book zips along and sticks to its guns, and Azaceta’s art — from the Michael Lark/Daniel Zezelj/Paul Lee school of stiff, thick linework — is appropriately moody.

Yeah, that price point kind of smarts, but this might be worth checking out in a trade.

KFR Rating: B

The Ticking
By Renee French
$19.95

Told through careful pencil renderings and sparse, precise dialogue, French’s delicate and eloquent story of a strangely deformed young boy and his father is an undeniablyy engaging, beautifully drawn book unlike any other. Subtly humorous, odd but never obscure, melancholy but never pathetic or self-loathing, THE TICKING closely resembles one of those classic tales that on the surface seems very simple, but underneath reveals fascinating, wonderful truths. This one will stick with you.

KFR Rating: A

Wolverine and Rocketo after the jump!

Wolverine: Enemy of the State Vol. 1
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: John Romita Jr.
$14.99

A few weeks ago in a review of the tepid first issue of Wolverine: Origins I wondered why Marvel had never done anything with their most popular character that was really all that good. Well, they have, and it’s called ENEMY OF THE STATE, people.

Brief plot briefing: while in Japan, Wolverine is (apparently) killed by those sprightly little supernatural ninjas The Hand, and brainwashed into working for Hydra, who are implementing an absurd and awesome plot to take over the world.

But the real story here is Millar lets loose like a maniac and delivers the kind of crazed, addictive, silly, loose fun that’s far too rare in superhero comics these days. Also, JRJr accomplishes some of the best art of his already laudable career. An effortless, quality slugfest.

KFR Rating: A-

Rocketo Vol.1: Journey to the Hidden Sea
By Frank Espinosa
$19.99

In the 2000 years since a giant space alien caused a near apocalypse, a dangerous new Earth of warring continents, dangerous monsters, and mysterious unknown lands has arisen. Rocketo Garrison is a Mapper, a supernaturally powered explorer of this very new, very weird world. In Journey to the Hidden Sea, the first trade collection of the continuing series, we get a lot of backstory on Rocketo, and join him on a hazardous trip to the titular location.

A throwback to the grand illustrated adventure of Alex Raymond, Hal Foster, et al, Espinoza’s epic and surprisingly dense pulp exists in one of the most original and fully realized worlds to come down the pipe in a long, long time…the only slight problem being that world is the most interesting aspect of ROCKETO. Don’t get me wrong — this is an intelligent book and Espinoza has an impressive imagination and is a sensational (although at times a bit confusing) artist. But predictable characterization and a tendency for elaborate backstory and exposition weigh down the book in spots.

Still, this two-fisted extravaganza is one of the more distinctive comics out there and well worth a look.

KFR Rating: B+

General, Comic Reviews, Comics