Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #9
Plot & Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot & Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Ron Adrian
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Alex Ross
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 30, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

In Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #9, things really start to change as far as the dynamic of the story goes. At this point, Ming is defeated and everyone on Mongo is at peace…or so we think. This issue is FULL of twists and turns and cliffhangers. Just like a Flash Gordon comic should be.

Eric Trautmann continues to do a fantastic job of keeping us on the edge of our seats. Just when we think that the next two issues of this series are going to have a nice, quiet wrap-up, he takes us on a WHOLE different adventure for Flash & company. This issue is mostly political in nature, but it’s not without its share of action scenes, which are pretty spectacular. We also check back in with the Mongoan task force that’s fighting the war on Earth. All in all, things are kind of starting to wrap up, and this issue was a great penultimate chapter. VERY strange alliances are made, secrets are discovered, new events are set in motion, and you won’t believe who the new Emperor of Mongo turns out to be. All in all, an issue full of surprises and high adventure!

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #8
Plot and Script by Eric Trautmann
Plot and Art Direction by Alex Ross
Art by Daniel Indro
Colors by Slamet Mujiono
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross and Francesco Francavilla
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 2, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist #8 focuses almost exclusively on one of the most underrated characters in the Flash Gordon mythos – Dr Hans Zarkov. Now, we could argue that Zarkov is the one who’s responsible for the whole situation that Flash and company are in, but that’s besides the point.

Writers Eric Trautmann and Alex Ross take a time out from the nonstop action to give us a pretty cool character study in this issue. Turns out, Hans Zarkov is a pretty interesting guy. Honestly, you only get a couple panels of the other characters, but this issue is about Zarkov trying to outwit Ming’s control that he has over the device that can get them all home. I LOVE the back story that the writers gave the character. It really lets you know how and why he came to be in the circumstances that he’s in in the beginning of the series. Not only that, but it’s really interesting. And a good, solid story. They also manage to sneak in a good amount of action.

Star Wars #1
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Carlos D’anda
Colors by Gabe Eltaeb
Cover Art by Alex Ross
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: January 9, 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

Boldly titling their new Star Wars comic series as just “Star Wars,” Dark Horse has launched a new look into the era of the heroes and villains of the original trilogy, specifically zoning in on these specific characters from the classic saga. Welcome back to Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Wedge, and Darth Vader. It has been a while, you lot. Sit down, stay a while. Fancy a coffee?

The new Star Wars comic series has erroneously been labeled as a reboot by many websites and fans, and yet the results are far from what this misleading label would suggest. In fact, it seems the reboot label was nothing more than a fantasy gone wild from a blogger who obviously finds comprehension challenging. This is not Star Wars Infinities – in fact, it is far from it: The concept behind Star Wars was to picture, in the minds and lives of the characters, that the events of Episode IV: A New Hope has quite literally just transpired, as if (to the characters) the events of the other episodes in the original trilogy haven’t happened yet.

Masks #2
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Dennis Calero
Letters by Simon Bowland
Art direction by Alex Ross
Covers by Alex Ross, Howard Chaykin, Jae Lee, Adrian Syaf
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 19, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Masks #2 is pulp heroes at its best. I only wish DC Comic would’ve handled their pulp line as well as Dynamite does here. They’ve created a shared universe for all their characters that makes sense, is fun, and turns out to be one heck of a good time.

Writer Chris Roberson really goes a fantastic job in this issue. The previous issue introduced the villains and heroes, this is issue is where the team starts to take shape and head into action. A lot of company crossovers seem forced, going to great lengths to bring the heroes together, but here, it’s done in such a natural way, you never even think twice about the believability of the story. Roberson also introduces new characters in this issue and furthers the actions of the villains, forcing the team to get organized and ready to go. This is a REALLY well-written issue, and, so far, the comic reads a lot better in monthlies than it will in trade. Every issue so far has ended on a cliffhanger and when you’re reading a trade, all you do is turn the page, but it really helps that you get a month break to absorb the story and speculate at what might be coming next month.

The Shadow Special #1
Written by Scott Beatty
Art by Ronan Cliquet
Colors by Mat Lopes
Letters by Rob Steen
Cover by Alex Ross
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 26, 2012
Cover Price: $4.99

The Shadow Special #1 is a really fun read. It’s not life-changing or Earth-shattering; it’s just a fun book to read. And what more can you ask for?

Scott Beatty turns in a very entertaining story, that delves into the past of LaMont Cranston and his life before becoming The Shadow. It’s part mystery, all action-adventure, and reminds me of a comic that I would’ve read about 10 years ago, but in a GOOD way. It’s fun from start to finish, and there’s some GREAT period stuff in this issue. It’s also very adult in nature. Now, I don’t mean it’s full of nudity and cursing, but the subject matter is very dark and might not be suitable for younger readers. That being said, this is a great book to check out if you want to start reading The Shadow. It’s a taste of what you get every month in Shadow comics, so rather than pick up an issue of the monthly title, give this a try and see if it’s something that you’d like to read.