PREVIEW – Red Spike #1 (of 5)

RED SPIKE #1 (OF 5)

story JEFF CAHN,
art SALVADOR NAVARRO & IFANSYAH NOOR,
cover MARK TEXEIRA

‘ADRENALINE’

It’s been over 70 years since the world first began its research into creating a Super Soldier. In 2011, the United States successfully created not one, but two. The latest in US Black Ops, Project Red Spike discovered that through the manipulation and regulation of the adrenal glands the super soldier was one step closer. The first (surviving) successes of the program, two close friends Matt Cutler and Greg Dane, have been proven on the field to be everything that was wanting in the program. But what happens when an adrenaline regulator malfunctions? What happens should one man refuse to follow orders if he finds out the true price they had to pay for these abilities and goes AWOL? How do we stop him? What price becomes too high?

Moon Knight #25 – Review

By Mike Benson (Writer), Mark Texeira (Art), Javier Saltares (Layouts), and Dan Brown (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Probably the best thing that I can say about “The Death of Marc Spector” is that it has turned from being a story I was reading to get a Thunderbolts fix into something I have been more than happy to pick up. As only a casual fan of the character, the latest Moon Knight arc has done a nice job drawing me into his gritty world and interesting relationships. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up sticking around even after I finish reading about Marc Spector’s “death.”

The Story: It’s Bullseye Vs. Moon Knight in a brutal game of cat and mouse as “The Death of Marc Spector” concludes. I don’t want to spoil the fun, so that’s about as much plot detail as you are going to get from me; understandable I hope, considering the nature of the arc.

What’s Good: As far as comic book deaths go, the situation surrounding Marc Spector is surprisingly satisfying. The action-packed fight between Moon Knight and Bullseye that takes up the majority of the issue is one of the better one on one battles in recent memory and the conclusion, thankfully, has some finality to it. In short, Moon Knight #25 delivers quite well considering the story it tells.

What’s Not So Good: While I think Mark Texeira’s art style fits the tone and nature of Moon Knight extremely well, sometimes the overly rough pencils are a distraction. Couple that with a few panels where body proportions seem out of whack and you have a book that is stylish, but, ultimately, pretty uneven. Another thing that is uneven is Mike Benson’s handling of Bullseye. The trash talk from Bullseye is a blast to read for the most part, but every so often it garners a roll of the eyes for being either a bit too much or downright hokey.

Conclusion: While a few of the technical aspects keep the latest issue of Moon Knight from a higher score, I definitely enjoyed my time with it.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

Moon Knight #24 – Review

By Mike Benson (story) Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira (art) Arthur Suydam (cover) Dan Brown (colour art)

The Story: Part four of “The Death of Mark Spector” continues with the Thunderbolts and S.H.I.E.L.D, both trying to bring in Moon Knight. When Moon Knight faces off against the Thunderbolts, he manages to escape once again as the S.h.i.e.l.d agents interfere in the scrap. Later when he discovers that the Thunderbolts have failed again, Norman Osborn releases Bullseye to bring him in.

What’s Good: This has been a pretty solid story overall. I’ve enjoyed reading the Thunderbolts since Warren Ellis resurrected the team, so this story became a must read for me. It will be interesting to see Bullseye and Moon Knight try to out-crazy each other in the conclusion next month.

What’s not so good: First off I have to mention the cover by Arthur Suydam, it’s a real disappointment that comes off as just a blobby mess with no definition, a real shame considering what he’s capable of. I also need to point out the poor colouring job on this title by Dan Brown, it comes across as pretty lifeless and drab, letting this book down in a big way.

Conclusion: Overall this story line has been pretty darn good and it’s going to be interesting to see where Moon Knight ends up when it concludes. Although, considering it’s title is that already a forgone conclusion? Moon Knight has always been a ‘C’ list hero at best, but with the news that artist, Jefte Paulo is joining the title, fresh from his incredible story line in Black Panther, Moon Knight could just be the comic to watch in the coming months.

Grade: B

-Conrad Flanigan

Moon Knight #21 – Review

By Marc Benson (Writer), Mark Texeira (Artist), Javier Saltares (Layouts), and Dan Brown (Colorist)

Moon Knight #21 is the very definition of a jumping on point. The majority of the issue is devoted to getting readers caught up on Marc Spector’s situation from various perspectives and I instantly felt right at home. Long story short, Marc Spector (who has gone missing) has successfully evaded S.H.I.E.L.D. for quite some time now and Tony Stark assigns the Thunderbolts (a personal favorite of mine)  to bring Moon Knight down.

While the storytelling is not particularly compelling in any way, it effectively brings readers up to speed while setting the stage for things to come. Marc Benson clearly has a handle on the characters and the situation so I look forward to what he has in store. As for the artwork, it does a great job reflecting the gritty tone of the story, though I wish the pencils looked a bit more consistent. While the majority of the book looks fantastic, occasionally things look a bit too sketchy (and almost rushed).

Now that I’m caught up on Moon Knight, I find myself looking forward to this arc. I never considered myself to be a fan of the character, but, depending on how things turn out, I just might need to change my mind. I know Moon Knight and the Thunderbolts are pretty low on the Marvel totem pole, but give this one a shot. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny