BOOKS OF MAGIC #9/ Script by KAT HOWARD/ Art by TOM FOWLER & BRIAN CHURILLA/ Colors by JORDAN BOYD/ Letters by TODD KLEIN/ Published by VERTIGO COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

Tim Hunter has searched the far realms for his kidnapped friend Ellie, not knowing she was much closer to home. This one-shot story details how and where Ellie was imprisoned and how she made her own way back to reality.

Kat Howard does a masterful job of expanding Ellie’s character beyond “hero’s crush” in this issue, proving her to be a resourceful and clever heroine. She also introduces a stunning twist and one of the most enchanting supporting characters (no pun intended) in recent memory. The artwork by Tom Fowler, Brian Churilla and Jordan Boyd is equally fantastic. And what can I say about Todd Klein’s lettering that a number of Eisner Awards can’t?  I enjoy a good subversion of the standard fairy tale tropes and Books of Magic #9 is a great one.

THE FLASH #73/ Script by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON/ Art by HOWARD PORTER/ Colors by HI-FI/ Letters by STEVE WANDS/ Published by DC COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

Left fatally wounded following his latest adventure as The Flash, Barry Allen is in a literal race for his life. Even if he survives, his chances for a romantic relationship with Iris West may be just as dead.

Joshua Williamson packs a lot into these 20 pages, presenting a tense scene of Barry learning how to use his powers under pressure, a new origin for The Turtle and perhaps the first real attempt at depicting the Barry Allen/Iris West romance as a romance and not an inevitability in decades.

The artwork by Howard Porter and Hi-Fi proves equally impressive. Porter’s style has evolved considerably since his run on JLA with Grant Morrison, ditching the jagged 1990’s aesthetic but losing none of its power or ability to dominate a panel. The colors by Hi-Fi are vivid and electric. This is everything a Flash comic should be and precisely the kind of origin story we should have gotten when the New 52 reboot started.

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #8/ Script by TOM TAYLOR/ Art by KEN LASHLEY & SCOTT HANNA/ Colors by NOLAN WOODARD/ Letters by VC’S TRAVIS LANHAM/ Published by MARVEL COMICS

Review by MATT MORRISON

With the new FEAST center wrecked by a fire the day after it opened, Spider-Man is on the hunt for those responsible. The problem is Peter saw his old frienemy The Prowler on the scene before the fire started. But arson for hire isn’t Hobie Brown’s game and there’s no money in robbing a homeless shelter. Has The Prowler returned to his wicked ways or has Hobie Brown donned his costume again for a noble cause?

It spoils little to reveal that this issue evolves into a multi-hero mystery, with Spidey organizing a small team, including Taylor’s new creation, The Rumor. Given that this is a Tom Taylor story, there’s a lot of laughs and a solid handle on the interactions between the characters, with smooth exposition of just who The Prowler is for those who might not know him or his history with Spidey. Ken Lashley (with an assist by Scott Hanna on one page) continues to be a solid artistic partner for Taylor, perfectly capturing and conveying the essence of his story, with Nolan Woodard continuing to rock the colors. This is easily the strongest Spider-Man comic on the shelves right now.

THE WEATHERMAN VOL. 2 #1/ Script by JODY LEHEUP/ Art by NATHAN FOX/ Colors by MORENO DISINIO/ Letters by STEVE WANDS/ Published by IMAGE COMICS

Review by ROY BUCKINGHAM

You may recall that last year I went ga-ga for a comic book series called The Weatherman. The storytelling from Jody Leheup and art from Nathan Fox was just mind-blowing. Filled with excitement and gorgeous art, it was easily my favorite comic book in 2018. After a brief respite, Lehup and Fox (with Moreno Disinio on colors and Steve Wands on letters) are back to take us on another wild ride.

The good news is that this first issue does not disappoint. Picking up where the first volume left off, we see our ragtag group of protagonists going to the ruins of Earth, searching for the original memories of Nathan the Weatherman before another terrorist attack destroys Mars. By the issue’s end, we get an intriguing flashback, an eyebrow-raising side-story and a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting the next issue right now. The bad news is we have to wait until next month.  Based on this first issue, The Weatherman Vol. 2, much like the first volume, is going to be a fun ride.