Batman Incorporated #11 – Review

By: Chris Burnham (story), Jorge Lucas (art), Ian Hannin (colors)

The Story: Who will save Tokyo from the rampage of Power Rangers on motorcycles?

The Review: This title is certainly no stranger to scheduling weirdness.  Instead of getting to join the other 52 titles that became part of DC’s relaunch, it released a giant-sized one-shot that made its place in current continuity even more questionable.  Months later, it finally returned to the stands as part of DC’s “Second Wave” of titles, only to be delayed early on out of respect to the allegedly Joker-inspired shootings in Aurora, Colorado.

You’d think that three-month delay would’ve given Grant Morrison and the rest of the creative team plenty of time to fully develop the series to its intended finish.  And yet, with the finale of Batman Inc. just a few months away, we get this bizarre filler issue written not by Morrison, but his artistic partner Burnham and interrupting what should be the climax of this entire series for an interlude with Jiro Osamu, the Batman of Japan, and the Super Young Team’s Shy Crazy Lolita Canary.  In the words of Liz Lemon, “What the what?”

Harbinger #11 – Review

By: Joshua Dysart (Writer), Khari Evans, Trevor Hairsine (Artists), Ian Hannin (Colorist)

The Story: We get to know a little bit more about the ties between Project Rising Spirit and the Hayada Corporation, while we get some more exploration of the renegades and their plans for the future.

The Review: Harbinger has been a kind of weird title in the renewed Valiant universe. With most titles already having a direction of some kind, with X-O Manowar and the fight against the Vine, Bloodshot with Project Rising Spirits and so forth, they had a pretty strong direction providing us with a great plot and some very neat concepts for their part in the Valiant universe. However, Harbinger has been the odd duck in the row, with the antagonist being set up, albeit in an ambiguous way, as well as with its protagonists, giving us a book that evolved very slowly through its first year.

This may sound like an insult to the title, but it’s the contrary in fact, as this weird direction has been one of its greatest strength. By giving us an ambiguous villain in Toyo Harada and more human and definitely flawed characters with Peter Stanchek and the others, Joshua Dysart has given us a title that lets its readers get information while the story focuses a lot more on the characters. By making us much more aware of who these characters are Dysart makes the story more about them, making us care about what they go through and what they want as they experience and show us the world of the Harbingers and their weird power.

Batman #707 – Review

By: Tony Daniel (writer and penciller), Tony Daniel, Sandu Florea and Ryan Winn (inkers), Ian Hannin (colors)

The Story: Batman and I-Ching race against time to get to the Mask of the Beholder before Sensei gets there. Too late!

What’s Good: I enjoy Tony Daniel’s Gotham art. He draws a powerful Batman (check him fighting on the pier sans cape), dynamic action (like Sensei’s kick in the archives), and general weirdness (look at the spiritual madness coming out of Sensei when he gets his mitts on the beholder). The inks team made Gotham dark and brooding, from the bottom of a dirty river, to the hidden hideaway of the Riddler’s new employer. And Hannin’s colors were awesome in the cloudy effects of battle and the mystical forces coming out of the beholder. And speaking of the Riddler (and his twisted daughter Enigma), they look awesome. Riddler is genuinely ugly, with greasy, dirty hair, a textured, wrinkled face and some whacked out facial expressions. I also enjoyed the Chinese-motifs in the masks of Sensei henchmen. Très cool.

Batman #706 – Review

By: Tony Daniel (story and pencils), Sandy Florea and Ryan Winn (inks), Ian Hannin (colors)

The Story: Eye of the Beholder, Part Three: Speak No Evil: Lucius Fox is getting his ass kicked in interrogation by Sensei. Batman (Dick Grayson) is getting his ass kicked for the fun and profit of the Riddler. Robin pulls Batman’s chestnuts out of the fire, but that doesn’t help catch Sensei.

What’s Good: We’re in Act II, alright: high stakes, high danger, fast-paced action, lots of moving parts. I’m enjoying the frenetic detective chase on for Sensei and the Beholder, and there are enough characters involved for this to be a farce. Lucius Fox is connected to the Beholder through his father. We don’t know how the Riddler is connected. Catgirl is connected because she saw the Reaper staking out a Chinese butcher. Reaper is involved because he’s insane….no, wait…he’s also out to stop Sensei’s plan….but his elevator doesn’t make it even halfway to the top floor. Batman’s after Sensei and the Riddler, because this is his town.

Daniel’s dialogue works well, especially on the subtler character moments and the back-and-forth between the characters. Batman accusing Robin of hitting puberty was funny. Catgirl’s burning need for acceptance and approval was like watching Batman talk to a girl-Damian. I-Ching was cool as a cucumber, and mysterious while going out on his little sortie. All in all, a well-written piece of a fun adventure.

Batman #703 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Cliff Richards (artist), Ian Hannin (colors), Janelle Siegel (assistant editor), Mike Marts (editor)

The Story: The Great Escape: Batman and Robin get an assist from Red Robin to track down a thief called Getaway.

What’s Good: This issue is the light, classic capes and thieves comic story, with a bit of substance to it. This is not the navigation of a disturbing psychological geography that you get in Batman and Robin, but a light-hearted story of three brothers growing up in the shadow of a lost father. While Red Robin is a freshly-minted adult, seeking to prove his potential, and Dick is the young, conflicted family leader slowly emerging from his father’s shadow, and Damian is the hot-headed enfant terrible trying to be taken with the lethal seriousness to which he is accustomed, this story is about Bruce Wayne. Nicieza pays deep homage to Batman’s less accomplished rogues gallery with some nice accompanying clipped art from long ago on the screens, and by having a pretty C-list villain who hasn’t shown his mask for ten years. Why? Nobody knows, but the reveal of the story shows the deep parallels between Dick and Damian in the Robin role, as well as illuminates a part of Bruce that neither I nor Damian have ever seen. Nicieza makes the story bring out a genuine and honest longing for the father among the characters. I also like that this is a self-contained, one-issue story that is worth buying. The Vicky Vale subplot was also fun to watch and the cliffhanger ending with her revelation has me looking forward to the next issue.

Batman #702 – Review

By: Grant Morrison (writer), Tony Daniel (artist), Ian Hannin (colors)

The Story: R.I.P. The Missing Chapter, Part Two: Batman’s Last Case. This story fills in the gaps in the story of Batman and the Justice League prepping to face Darkseid, and what happens when they finally do.

What’s Good: Batman #701 had sub-wowed me, so I came to Batman #702 with mixed feelings. Was I going to be disappointed? Was Morrison losing his luster? Hell, no! The uneven start to this 2-issue arc could not hold back this moody, layered narrative. Batman’s monologue and its undercurrents were so strong that I felt like I was swimming in a river.

The big part of this swept-along feeling comes from Batman’s reactions to the situation. This is not some gadget-driven guy, blithely facing off against Superman-level foes with a smile on his face (as so often happens in the world of superhero teams where one guy can run at the speed of light and another happens to be good at gymnastics). This is a soldier in a war realizing that, man for man, he rates about as high as a stormtrooper in a Jedi fight. This is not the story of Achilles the Strong, but of Odysseus the Crafty, tinged with a fatalism that is new to my experience of Batman. A good writer of science fiction and fantasy will tease out all the implications of an idea or situation rather than continue to try and set us a-wonder under a deluge of ideas and tech. The implication that Morrison explores here is simple: what does an essentially normal guy in tights do when he has to face off against a god or monster? This is not Batman thinking about justice, but Batman thinking about his mortality. Can he face this with bravery? What will this drive him to? Odysseus violated the Greek ethic of guesthood. Here, Batman chooses to go against his own ethic never to use a gun. And Batman’s fatalistic thoughts and the psychological effects of his confusion are skillfully shown in Morrison’s running monologue in Bruce’s voice. This not only drives the story, but pulls us deeper into Bruce’s mind as he too is swept along.

Batman #701 – Review

By: Grant Morrison (writer), Tony Daniel (artist), Ian Hannin (colors)

The Story: R.I.P. The Missing Chapter, Part One: Bruce Wayne survives a helicopter crash. On shore, he waits for Hurt to emerge from the depths of the river, but Hurt doesn’t. When Bruce later checks out the helicopter wreckage in the Bat-sub, he finds it empty. Hurt is gone. So where does this leave Bruce?

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: I’ve never seen Daniel draw Bruce Wayne in costume. It is very different from Dick Grayson under the cowl. Bruce’s stance is more imposing, more ominous, and dark. This is a good thing, but I also found his physique overdone, sometimes grossly so. Bruce walking into Wayne manor is a figure that in no way could be mistaken for Dick Grayson, or anyone else who hasn’t juiced up on steroids all his life. This is a bad thing. Bruce’s facial structure was also craggier and more hawk-like, which is probably a lot closer to the art style of the early 1940s and Kane’s original conception of Batman. This is good. However, the same effect taken head-on (not in profile or on an angle) was done with Superman’s face, which made him look a bit ridiculous. So, on draftsmanship, I think Daniel has the required skill, but it seemed like his discipline slipped once in a while, taking him from effective exaggeration in some panels, into disproportion and ugliness in others. On a side note, Hannin rocked the colors and Daniel did pick effective and dynamic camera angles, within relatively traditional layouts.

Batman #700 – Review

By: Grant Morrison (writer), Tony Daniel, Frank Quitely, Scott Kolins, Andy Kubert, and David Finch (artists), Ian Hannin, Alex Sinclair, Tony Avina, Brad Anderson, and Peter Steigerwald (colorists), Richard Friend (inker)

The Story: Sometime in the past, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson stop the Joker, the Riddler, Catwoman, the Scarecrow and the Mad Hatter from using a time travel device. A weird loose end segues the reader into the story set in the present, with Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin. More weird mysteries are revealed, leading us to the future, where Damian Wayne is full-grown as the new Batman and sees the mystery fully revealed.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Morrison wrote a story that couldn’t have been done without Bruce being gone. He wrote a multigenerational mystery and it was well done. It had the feel of another time travel murder mystery Batman had solved from beyond the grave (America versus the Justice Society). It’s great fun to try to stay a step ahead of the caped crusader as he adds causality to method, motive and means. Morrison also did an excellent job in characterizing the villains and different heroes. Deft touches of dialogue and mood make the characters individuals. For example, Bruce, still captive, threatening a roomful of villains is classic Bruce. The Joker is truly lunatic in this story, with disjointed, jumping thinking that suits a time travel murder. In a funny nod to Batman’s occasionally campy past, he even has Bruce call Dick “pal.” Dick, on the other hand, carries a different mood as Batman. He asks about the health of the policeman’s partner. He shows happiness when he discovers a new weapon. He’s not jaded. He is no less the dark avenger, but he is not jaded and somber. We can relate to him. And Damian of the far future. You can imagine what kind of Batman he becomes. On plot, did this work? Pretty much. There is a mystery and we discover what happened and how things went, but can I really say that “Batman” solved a crime because he was on the hunt for it, or is this more a case of three men who share an identity and intersect with a temporal crime? It’s not less fun, but the sense of satisfaction at the end is not as great as if the Batmen had been running down a quarry with their detective skills.

Gotham City Sirens #11 – Review

By: Paul Dini (writer), Andres Guinaldo (pencils), Raul Fernandez (inks), Ian Hannin (colors) & Steve Wands (letters)

The Story: Harley and Selina look for missing dogs and Ivy starts her new job in this slice-of-life (Gotham-style) story.

What’s good: This title is the popcorn of the Gotham comics.  Whereas other Bat-books are dealing with, “Who is the Black Mask? ” and “Will Damien kill Dick?” and “When will Bruce return?” this issue just consistently follows our three ladies as they get into minor troubles.  They are always fun stories and nicely drawn and they never taken themselves too seriously.  The fate of the planet will never be determined in these pages.  It’s kind of a palate cleanser.

One of the things that either works or not in this title, is Harley Quinn’s weirdness.  A lot of times, I don’t like her but the situation that occurs in this issue between her pet hyenas (yes…you read that right) and some stray dogs and the unintentional competition between the hyenas the local dog-fighting ring is kinda funny (in a very dark sort of way, but don’t worry…nothing is shown on page).

On a more serious note, Ivy starts her new job as botanical researcher at STAR Labs.  She’s trying to be somewhat legit, but you just know that it won’t turn out well and she has herself in a pretty pickle by the end of the issue.

Gotham City Sirens #10 – Review

By: Paul Dini (writer), Andres Guinaldo (pencils), Raul Fernandez (inks), Ian Hanin (colors) & Sal Cipriano (letters)

The Story: Doctor Aesop has resurfaced and is trying to frame the Sirens for murder.  Will the girls and Edward Nigma have any luck stopping him?

What’s Good: Well, for starters, Paul Dini wrote this issue.  Since Gotham City Sirens was launched last summer, Dini has missed a few issues on both this and Streets of Gotham.  New series need to establish their story pretty fast, especially when they are a secondary title like GCS.  So, it was nice to have Dini back at the keyboard telling his story.

One of the main story points I’ve enjoyed on GCS has been the tale of the Riddler.  He’s been “good” for awhile now and you just know that he is going to revert to form at some point.  It’s almost like waiting for a character to come back from the dead.  Eddie isn’t too pleased with how the Sirens treat him in this issue and you have to wonder if this is going to make him flip.

The art is a huge positive in this issue.  Guillem March has been the regular artist on this title, but I found I much prefer the less cartoony style of newcomer Guinaldo.  This seems to be his first work for DC and it looks like he went all out to impress the new bosses.

Batman #694 – Review

By Tony Daniel (writer and artist), Sandu Florea (inks), Ian Hannin (color), Mike Marts (editor)

The Story: Life After Death, Part 3: Someone is sparking a gang war in Gotham. The Penguin is taking the brunt of it while Dick Grayson races to stop it from spinning out of control. In the meantime, after the shooting of his informant last issue, the kiss with Huntress and the uneasy fit of Batman’s cowl all make this mission very personal.

What’s Good: Daniels is keeping the pressure up on poor Dick. Not only is Gotham’s underworld splitting at the seams, with Commissioner Gordon, Oracle and the Huntress looking to Batman for guidance, but the serious attitude he gets from his new ward Damian never stops, one of his best friends (Oracle) won’t see him because another one of his best friends (Huntress) kissed him pretty hard “in the line of duty.” When you add to that Dick’s feelings of responsibility for a boy who got shot, stuff going south at Arkham, and an unsettling link between some murders at Gene-Corp and the substitute Bruce Wayne, I don’t know how Dick gets up in the morning. But, that’s why Dick is a hero: he possesses the relentless endurance and character to face overwhelming odds. Nice character work, Mr. Daniels!
Daniels also delivers some great art for this issue. It’s dark and moody, reflecting the world (psychological, geographic and sociological) around Dick. Daniels draws a vile Penguin, an angry, driven Batman, heartless killers, scary sociopaths, a resentful, arrogant sidekick and sympathetic friends (the Huntress and Alfred). In addition to his fine work on mood and emotion, Daniel’s action scenes are clear and evocative. Check out Dick swinging through the rain on panel 3 of page 9 and then the Bladerunner-esque cityscape in the next panel. Or, if you prefer an edgy Batman-style interrogation, look at his “conversation” with the Penguin on pages 2-4.

Batman #690 – Review

By Judd Winick (Writer), Mark Bagley (Pencils), Rob Hunter & Jack Purcell (Inks)

The Story: Batman battles Clayface, while his two rogues continue on with their obsessions. Penguin enlists the help of a mysterious figure to further his crimes, and Two-Face turns to teleportation to discover one of Batman’s secrets.

What’s Good: Absolutely nothing.

What’s Not So Good: Starting from the cover, with Batman falling and duking it out with a Clayface that looks like a naked retarded version of Atrocitus, I knew that this issue wasn’t going help Judd Winick’s arc. Clayface was never really a compelling character in the books, since he was usually used as the hired muscle that only challenged Batman’s gadgets. So why would an issue-long fight scene with him and Batman be a good idea? This fight scene was nothing nonsense filler for an already uninteresting story.

Perhaps, we’re starting to see why Tony Daniel will be replacing Judd Winick. There simply hasn’t been anything memorable in this story. The only thing that will be remembered for sure, is the ridiculous splash page at the end. Which perfectly fits the already ridiculous characters (like the roided-out military musclehead) and ridiculous concepts (like Two-Face and teleportation) Winick have developed.

This first adventure for Dick as Batman should be him being and acting nothing like Bruce Wayne; and Winick has done that. However, the execution is poor, since a lot of time is spent on constantly reminding us how vulnerable and flawed Grayson is, during unexciting situations. The writing gets redundant, with the nagging narration on carelessness and arrogance. And the moments Winick has his Batman in, are not as entertaining nor impafctgul as Morrison’s and Quitely’s Batman.

As for the art… MEH. I think Mark Bagley’s cartoony style doesn’t exactly capture the Dark Knight. He does a good job with the action, especially when Batman’s feet are never on the ground, but that’s about it. Bagley’s style has yet to capture the intangibles and the deep and haunting moments, as he dominates all the scenes with the jump-kicks and jump away from explosion escapes.

Conclusion: Thankfully, there are ways to get your comic books for free. I’m sorry, Judd Winick, but your tale of Dick Grayson’s first adventure as Batman has become forgettable. Ever since Gran Morrison’s Batman and Robin was released, there has only been one Bat-book worth reading.

Grade: D-

-Raymond Hilario

Batman #688 – Review

By Judd Winick (Writer), Mark Bagley (Pencils), Rob Hunter (Inks)

The Story: The days of the new Batman continue. After rightfully assuming the mantle of the Bat, Dick Grayson continues to cement himself as the new Dark Knight; leaving crime scenes clean for the GCPD, winning the press over, mentoring Damian…  Meanwhile, two of Gotham’s biggest criminals– the Penguin and Two-Face, continue to make the necessary moves to further their hold on the city while keeping Batman in check.

What’s Good: The haunting opening pages provide a scene that promises us a crazy story. Batman gets beaten to a pulp, while the unrevealed villain lectures him and reminds him that the Dark Knight is dead. By the third page, we see Grayson defeated at home, before the mantle.

What’s Not So Good: The first chapter to the Long Shadows arc is not off to a good start, simply because the characters and the moments don’t seem to be interesting or unique. In this book, we see repeat scenes of a lame version of a neurotic Dick Grayson (just like in the last issue of Batman and Robin), a nostalgic Gordon, whose rambling lines invoke no sentiment, and bad guys that aren’t in the book long enough. It is becoming unfortunate that this title doesn’t offer you the kind of entertainment and quality character work found in Batman and Robin or Detective Comics.

In addition, although Mark Bagley’s art works well in the action scenes (especially in aerial attacks), he fails to capture everything human about the characters. Everyone seems young– with smooth skin, big innocent-looking eyes…, and each scene seems static and absent of emotion or tension. I’m going to be trying really hard not to look forward to the end of his four-issue stint.

Conclusion: Batman #688 doesn’t really contain anything important. But since we’re only one issue in for a new arc, I suppose Winick and Bagley’s run is still somewhat worth sticking around for another issue. It’s just too bad that this main Bat book doesn’t have fans wishing for the next chapter to come out already.

Grade: C

-Raymond Hilario

Batman #687 – Review

By Judd Winick (Writer), Ed Benes (Pencils), Rob Hunter (Inks), and Ian Hannin & JD Smith (Colors)

The Story: In this epilogue to Battle for the Cowl, Dick Grayson deals with the haunting reminder that Bruce Wayne is dead, as he faces the remaining issues surrounding the absence of Batman. Throughout the grieving process, Grayson is confronted by the anarchy in Gotham City, and the lingering issues with 2/3 of the Trinity.

What’s Good: Unlike Battle for the Cowl, Winick’s Batman story is not rushed and filled with chaos; instead, plot and character study are not compromised. But what is probably the best thing about this book is the fact that Winick slows everything down and doesn’t fast forward the state of the Batman folklore; rather he gives us a very simple story in which a man deals with a loss. In this issue, Winick simply and masterfully concentrates on Batman; through Dick Grayson and his path to taking up the mantle, to the effect on everyone with Batman gone for just a brief period.

There is nothing more you can ask for as you witness the believable heartache and personal growth that Nightwing goes through right before becomes Batman. From isolating himself and dealing with the loss on his own, to really taking a look at his current situation and acting out on his options, you will be sold on the change and the maturation process in the former Boy Wonder.

Furthermore, along with the personal and emotional conflict in hand, the plot moves forward with a secondary story of Gotham City still in shambles with Batman still absent. Winick carefully and subtly shows us how a family deals with the loss that they were never ready for.

What’s Not So Good: In an issue that’s packed with lots of emotion and character development, one must really deliver in selling us the general feel of the situation. Unfortunately, Ed Benes didn’t do that. Instead, he gave us overly beefed up characters with lips pumped with collagen, and jaws classically squared. If it weren’t for the compelling writing, this book could’ve been a disastrous story where ridiculously muscular people pose as they deal with a loss in the family. Benes’ work fails to complement the memorable realism present in Winick’s writing.

Conclusion: Judd Winick successfully cleans up after the chaotic mess of an ending in Battle for the Cowl, as he offers us a truly fresh start. Furthermore, he gives us the logical and believable (and much needed) “before moment” where Dick Grayson chooses to become the new Batman. As this book manages to be pretty new reader friendly, it also provides fans the logical transition and closure to the death of Bruce Wayne. With that, Winick promises us a Batman that’s worth reading.

Grade: B-

-Raymond Hilario

Batman: Battle For The Cowl #3 – Review

By Tony Daniel (writer and pencils), Sandu Florea (inks), Ian Hannin and JD Smith (colors)

The Story: As Gotham reals from the destructive attacks from the Black Mask, Nightwing assembles “The Network,” a band of Gotham heroes, to plot a response to the unprecedented terrorism that has been unleashed on the city. Afterwards, he confronts an unhinged Jason Todd who has attempted to claim the mantle of Batman, while Tim Drake, a.k.a Robin, struggles for his life.

What’s Good: Well, we finally find out who’s the new Batman (hold the exclamation point). Which is a good thing, if not solely for the fact that the series can attempt to move on into some stable arcs and stories. Agood thing to note is Tony Daniel’s art; which is typically effective in capturing the characters and feel of Gotham (although not as good at R.I.P, which helps the story plod along).

Some of the characters and their personalities are also well-done. Jason Todd’s insanity and motivations are pretty interesting and he makes for a strong character in this series. Also, the mystery of who the Black Mask is effective in enriching the overall structure of this mini-series.

What’s Not So Good: My biggest complaint of this issue, and this series, is that nothing, and I mean nothing, exceptional or unpredictable transpires. I was hoping, albeit naively, that Batman wouldn’t end up being who we all thought it would be. It is such an expected move, I wonder why it warrants a whole series (I mean besides DC being able to make dough).

I’m not sure if it was editorial restrictions or not, but Tony Daniel really stumbles in spinning this tale. Besides the overall story being lackluster, there are scenes that are borderline silly. For example, in one panel Nightwing is having a conversation with a scarecrow of sorts, wired with a speaker, constructed by Jason Todd out of Tim Drakes costume. Sounds like a trap, no? Well, not to Nightwing, who for some reason hugs the scarecrow and gets electrocuted. There was also the Bruce Wayne doing an Obi-Wan Kenobi impersonation in the middle of a fight to the death that struck me at particularly ridiculous.

The Conclusion: I wanted to like this book, really, I did. But it wasn’t meant to be. Seriously: is there anyone who is excited about Batman not being Bruce Wayne? Through the unnecessary and unresolved plight of Tim drake; the annoyingness of Damian; the shoddiness of the third-string European Batman club of heroes brought into the DCU; the overly dramatic and heavy handed inner-monolgues of Nightwing, and his journey of personal growth; you have a basically throw away comic in Batman: Battle For The Cowl #3.

Grade: D

-Rob G.

Wolverine: The Amazing Immortal Man & Other Bloody Tales #1 – Review

By David Lapham (Writer), Johnny Timmons (Pencils and Inks), and Jose Villarrubia (Colors), Stefano Guadiano (Illustrator), Matt Milla (Colors), Kelly Goodine (Pencils), Paul Neary (Inks), and Ian Hannin (Colors)

Wow…to be honest, I am not even sure where to begin with this one. Wolverine: The Amazing Immortal Man & Other Bloody Tales is a collection of three, increasingly bizarre, Wolverine stories written by David Lapham. The stories, while solid, vary in quality and the same can be said for the artwork, as each story features a unique art team that tries to capture the “feel” of each tale being told. Taken as a whole, however, this one-shot proves to be quite entertaining if you are looking for something that exists quite a bit outside of the current Wolverine story lines.

Now let me give a quick rundown of each tale before giving my final grade.

The headlining story, The Amazing Immortal Man, is told from the perspective of a thief traveling with a circus freak show that found, employed, and, eventually, betrayed Wolverine. This story serves to show both Wolverine’s humanity, in caring for a fellow circus employee, and how Wolverine’s healing factor appears to the average spectator or, in this case, a traveling ringmaster. The artwork, and even the lettering, gives the story a very retro feel and helps to elevate a fairly basic story quite a bit. It honestly felt as though the book should be tattered and worn on the pages where this story is told – it’s that effective.

The second tale, The Animal Man, is told from the perspective of a man who was saved by Wolverine and, as a result, becomes increasingly convinced that something changed in him after being saved. This is the story of a delusional man obsessed with his savior and David Lapham does an admirable job creating a convincing, if pathetic, vigilante. The artwork, while a bit sloppy, has a gritty feel that fits the dark, violent tone of the story quite well. A nice second story that takes the idea of how being a witness to Wolverine can change someone’s entire life.

The third and final story, Coney Island Baby, is by far the most bizarre and honestly felt like a weird X-Files and Wolverine crossover or something. In this tale, told mostly through Wolverine’s inner monologue, Wolverine is, at first, on the trail of a gangster who killed some innocent people. He quickly discovers that he is actually chasing something much more disturbing and as a result, the three stories are able to come full circle. This story is not for the squeamish as there is a lot of gore and brutality on display. That said, I really enjoyed the dynamic action and character work by the artists. A solid conclusion that helped bring the stories together.

Overall I recommend this one-shot for any Wolverine fan looking for a quick fix. The stories are all solid, the different art styles keep things fresh, and David Lapham shows that he has a nice grasp on both Wolverine and the effect he has on people. (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny