Spider-Gwen #2

Writer – Jason Latour
Artist – Robbi Rodriguez
Colours – Rico Renzi

Poor Gwen is hallucinating after being dropped by the Vulture from way up in the sky.  And that hallucination?  Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham!  Spider-Ham returns once again, and though he might only be a vision that Gwen is having due to her possibly having suffered a concussion, it is good to see him anyways.  The exploration of Gwen and her world continue courtesy of Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez and the book could simply not be more interesting.  Gwen is a great character and watching her find her way as a hero has been a lot of fun and looks like it is going to be that way for a long time to come.  Her supporting cast is looking to be just as intriguing with her father, Captain Stacy, actually coming around to the idea of her being a costumed hero, but more than anything just worrying that she is all right and hoping that she is safe.  Captain Frank Castle looks to be quite the intimidating man, and if there is one real threat to Gwen, he might be the person to fill that role.  This issue also introduces the Matt Murdock of this universe and the man is completely different to the Daredevil we all know and love.  He might still be a lawyer, but that is as far as the similarities go as his personality is the complete opposite of what we know.  Gwen’s personal life is still in a shambles and things are not looking any better, especially when Mary Jane is still giving her flack about bailing on the band.  There is literally nothing to love about this book, whether it is the sharp and fun-filled writing by Latour or the exciting pencils by Rodriguez.  The story is great and it sucks you in with concepts both familiar and strange and it always leaves you wanting more.  If Spider-Verse did nothing else, it at least gave us a fantastic new title to be enamoured with.

4.5 out of 5

Southern Cross #1

Writer – Becky Cloonan
Artist – Andy Belanger
Colours – Lee Loughridge

With Southern Cross, Becky Cloonan and Andy Belanger introduce us to a brand new science-fiction world where the future is not the nicest of places.  People still live on the Earth, though it is not the place it used to be and more work on the moon called Titan, a place that is supposedly even worse.  For Alex Braith, she simply wants to get to Titan, collect her sister’s remains and maybe find out how she died.  It should be a simple thing, but of course, nothing is ever as simple as it seems.  First off the book looks great with Belanger’s pencils hearkening to Cloonan’s, yet with a very distinct style all of his own.  Even though the book takes place on a giant ship and out in space, it feels claustrophobic which really works for the book as it ups the tension and the suspense and you know that at some point, something is going to happen.  What that might be is hard to say, but you know that it is going to involve our lead character Alex and quite possibly her roommate for the trip of whom we learn has a little secret, one of great importance to Alex.  Cloonan starts to weave her mystery right from the start and she draws you into its web.  There are very few people who do not love a good murder-mystery, and you just know that Alex’s sister would have been murdered, though maybe not, and Cloonan relies on that to keep you hooked – and it works.  The book is full of strange characters like the Captain and you can already tell that this trip Alex is on is going to be more interesting than not.  So far, Southern Cross is off to a strong start.  It has a little bit of an Aliens vibe going for it and while it seems to be going in one direction, it could very well go in another.  The only way to find out is to come back for issue two, which is a guarantee.

3.5 out of 5