Starfire #5

Writer – Amanda Connor, Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist – Emanuela Lupacchino
Inker – Ray McCarthy
Colours – Hi-Fi

Starfire, though she is continuing to learn about the human race, is still a little awkward at times when it comes to customs or speech. More often than not, she is saying the wrong thing or misunderstanding what she hears, but all of it is incredibly charming if not hilarious thanks to Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti and their witty scripts. This issue finds Starfire out on a date, encountering a new form of life, getting a job and attending a party. Normal things for the most part, though the way that Starfire goes about them is a little different than most might do so and that is one of the main things that makes the book as good as it is. On her date, Starfire meets a mysterious man named Soren, mysterious we soon learn as he can cure other people’s cancers. But Soren is not the same man she met come the end of the issue which is left on a bit of a cliff-hanger as he has cured one too many people and now he himself is beyond help and possibly psychotic because of it. The supporting cast is in fine form this issue as well with Atlee supplying a lot of laughs and it is quite incredible how well this book has come along since its first issue and how well-rounded all of the characters have become. Connor and Palmiotti have done a fantastic job with the title and it is arguably even better than Harley Quinn which they also co-write together. A big draw to the book are the pencils by Emanuela Lupacchino who really outdoes herself with each and every issue. The book is so clean and vibrant that each page really pops and it is one of the best looking books that DC has going for it right now. While you know to expect more humour and action next issue, the joy of it is not knowing what Kori will do next, so though it may seem predictable at times, it is probably the most unpredictable of titles.

4 out of 5

A-Force #5

Writer – Marguerite Bennett, G. Willow Wilson
Artist – Jorge Molina
Colours – Laura Martin

The final battle, the one for it all has arrived and A-Force stands ready to defend Arcadia at all costs from the hordes beyond the wall, not to mention Loki, the woman behind it all. Now that the traitor stands revealed and now that she has endangered them all, there is no holding back for the team and they even manage to get the local Thors on their side as Loki has proven to be more than just a little untrustworthy. But the one person who saves the day is their newest member, the girl who looks like the embodiment of the cosmos, Singularity. The first adventure for A-Force comes to an end though as everyone probably knows, this is not the last we will see of the team, only this incarnation of it. What is also really good to know is that the creative team will remain largely intact with Marguerite Bennett saying goodbye and Kelly Thompson coming on board to help chronicle their new stories and tales. This iteration of the team has been a lot of fun and it was great to see She-Hulk in the role as team leader with a lot of interesting cast members too. Even better was that the team was made up entirely of women, something that you really do not see in the Marvel Universe-proper, and not often at other publishers either, though DC has done a better job than most. At the end of the day though, A-Force was a finely crafted book and it was good to see Marvel do something a little different with their characters, at least these ones specifically. Even though the title did nothing to advance the main storyline in Secret Wars, this was a great book and a great tie-in.

4 out of 5