Demon Knights #8 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (writer), Diógenes Neves (penciller), Bernard Chang (guest artist), Oclair Albert (inker), Marcelo Maiolo (colorist)

The Story: Except for the demon choking you part, that’s a pretty romantic story, Xanadu.

The Review: Most of the great superhero teams come together by necessity; some disaster strikes, and there’s no one to face it except the heroes who happen to be nearby.  Whether they handle the problem competently or with much mishap, once the whole thing’s over and the dust clears, they have to figure out where they go from there as a group?  Can these (semi) randomly assembled characters find enough common ground to stick with each other beyond a crisis?

The Demon Knights may not be the best of buddies, to grossly understate things, but they did just go through hell together—some of them literally—and as the old maxim goes, you can’t experience such perils with others and not form some kind of bond, however tenuous.  This is the first chance we get to see how they interact without impending doom hanging over them, and how they behave at rest might surprise you.  For example, Horsewoman is of surprisingly good humor, thought that might be her multiple head injuries talking.  Overall, suspicion has been replaced with curiosity and perhaps resignation that they must endure each other for a while.

The focus of this curiosity quite naturally lands on Xanadu, who clearly has the juiciest story to tell, what with her two-timing both her human and demonic lovers.  The explanation requires a bit of telling and takes up practically the whole issue, and while it’s all very interesting, you don’t come away feeling like you’ve learned more about the inscrutable witch than before—and not just because of Etrigan’s highly outlandish side of the story (“I now pronounce you demon and wife!”).  The madam’s motives have never been clear, and though seemingly well-intentioned, she also has an ends-means streak that often undermines her trustworthiness.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Wolverine and the X-Men #88 – I do love Chris Bachalo and even though he had a few story-telling stumbles in this issue where I thought, “Huh?  What’s going on?” the combination of Bachalo’s energetic art and Jason Aaron’s fast-paced and fun script are just dynamite.  I really hope that Avengers vs. X-Men doesn’t screw up this title….

Most Anticipated: Northlanders #50 – What a STACKED week!  I’m actually a little giddy at this week’s prospects because I doubt these titles will let us down.  But, even with some of the potentially cool #1s or second issues of series that got off to very strong beginnings last month, I’m most excited to see how Brian Wood ends Northlanders.  Let’s think about how amazing this is: Wood and Vertigo gave us 50 issue of a series about Vikings!  50 issues!  Not some measly 6 issue miniseries, but 4+ years of really good comics.  This most recent arc about the history of Iceland has been wonderful, featuring art by the uber-talented Danijel Zezelj, and I have a feeling that the end will be bloody and touching.

Other Picks: Saucer Country #2, The Unwritten #36, Haunt #23, Saga #2, America’s Got Powers #1, Secret #1, Fantastic Four #605, Secret Service #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Fatale #4 – A creepy read that manages to feel both different and comfortably familiar from Brubaker/Phillips’ previous offerings, Fatale remains as engrossing as ever.  It’s claustrophobic, unsettling, and mysterious in a way that tantalizes more than it befuddles.

Most Anticipated: Saga #2 – Golly, I have a MASSIVE stack of comics to pick up this week.  You know it’s a good week when the first issue of a new Jonathan Hickman book doesn’t even get a “Most Anticipated” merit.  But I can’t resist Saga #2 and seeing how Vaughan and Staples can follow up their landmark first issue.  I have no doubt that they’ll keep up the quality, and that only makes me want this issue all the more.

Other Picks: Secret #1, Batwoman #8, Demon Knights #8, Frankenstein #8, Green Lantern #8, Saucer Country #2, Avenging Spider-Man #6, Fantastic Four #605, Journey into Mystery #636, New Avengers #24, Secret Avengers #25, Uncanny X-Men #10, Winter Soldier #4, Wolverine #304