AQUAMAN: THE BECOMING #1
Even while it becomes clear to readers right away that the opening few pages aren’t what they appear, they do set the stage for Jackson Hyde’s interactions with others around him, one of The Becoming’s strongest points. The encounters he has with the other DC characters in the story (Aquaman, Mera, numerous Titans) are like a kaleidoscope of his personality hues. The scene when he eats with his mother while being the target of flirtations really stands out. The calmer parts of The Becoming, such as the expansive splash pages that savour the scene or the bigger action panels that enhance the language introducing them, are where the book really shines.
CATWOMAN #35
With the “Fear State” incident now appearing in Catwoman, the series’ dynamic, unapologetic sense of style has only grown. With the aid of an astonishing and ever expanding group of heroes and villains, Selina is forced to face the future in the wake of the shocking events of the most recent issue. Ram V’s writing has the difficult challenge of linking into the events of innumerable previous issues while also lingering in exactly the appropriate spots. The series’ aesthetic is brilliantly captured in Nina Vakueva’s artwork, which also adds a necessary sense of frenziedness. Jordie Bellaire’s colours and Tom Napolitano’s lettering further enhance this effect.
THAT TEXAS BLOOD #10
The weirdest thing of That Texas Blood might not be its Southern-fried Satanic rites. This plot has primarily been told in only two sequences throughout the last two or three issues. However, Condon and Phillips consistently succeed in building tension to a sufficient degree. That could be due to the new storyline structure they’ve used, which makes use of Joe Bob’s memories to conveniently jump across time. Or, as Sheriff Sam would have you believe, it may be Joe Bob’s innate drive to do what is right at all costs, which occasionally borders on naivete.
