Brightest Day No. 20
The Brightest Day story arc marches forward with a regular turf war, as the Atlantean king's crew will square off against Black Manta and the Xebel soldiers in a rumble that will rock Earth's oceans.
Thankfully for the sea-dwelling community, Aquaman's four-man squad has enough power to force the invaders back to their extra-dimensional portal located in the Bermuda Triangle. Even the young Jackson Hyde has finally come into his own, as his powers provide the coup de grace of his malevolent father, Black Manta.
"Brightest Day No. 20" is just another addition to the series that is just overflowing with love and care from its creators. Artists Ivan Reis and Joe Prado collaborate to create incredible images throughout the issue's fantastic panels, while the splash pages that the team puts together solidify the feeling that the war between Atlantis and Xebel is a truly greater conflict than that of a mere squabble.
Writer Geoff Johns finds an astounding way to pierce every reader's heart, as one of comics' true love affairs, Aquaman and his once-significant other Mera, comes to a touching finale.
With only four issues left in this incredible arc, the story still has a lot of ground to cover to produce a fulfilling ending.
The Amazing Spider-Man No. 654.1
Venom's ghoulish, symbiotic face is getting a makeover in Marvel's attempt to reboot a classic Spidey villain, and for all intents and purposes, mission successful.
Corporal Eugene "Flash" Thompson served his country overseas, but his great dedication to the protection of the United States costed him the use of his legs. A secret U.S. operation, code-named "Project Rebirth," will give a soldier another chance to fight using the incredible power of the alien monstrosity known as Venom.
Venom's vast power is utilized in a unique way, as the U.S. government has found a way to even exploit extraterrestrials to wage covert wars, and this issue has Thompson doing a bit of globetrotting to do some good-old-fashioned reconnaissance.
Dan Slott's magic touch on this issue makes this Solid Snake-style Venom just as terrifying as its predecessor, though in a different way. Slott also has an unparalleled way to write cryptic foreshadowing naturally into his work without making any part of the story too apparent.
While some of Marvel's offshoots fall flat, "The Amazing Spider-Man No. 654.1" weaves a web of intrigue that can capture even the most skittish of comic book readers.
G.I. Joe Cobra No. 13
IDW's exploration of the G.I. Joe universe concludes in an exhilarating way, as one of the team's finest has successfully infiltrated Cobra, and in the ultimate "what-if" scenario has managed to eliminate the master of all evil, Cobra Commander.
The following of G.I. Joe operative Chuckles began in 2009, when writer Mike Costa laid the groundwork for one of the best one-shots of the year. Costa wrote an instant classic for the series, taking a deeper look at Cobra's Crimson Twins, Xamot and Tomax. Events began to unfold throughout last year, and in this issue's explosive conclusion, Costa has proven that anything is possible for the real American hero.
Artist Christos Gage illustrates a fight steeped in anxiety as the covert agent fights a vastly superior foe, while Costa's writing creates a near-perfect ebb and flow to the brawl.
Retrospectively, this series has broken new ground for the franchise, as Gage's more graphic artwork and Costa's extremely compelling story provide the push from children's action figure to legitimate, adult-oriented comic.
This issue deserves a salute for those familiar with names like Snake Eyes and Shipwreck, but is best avoided for those who never had an imaginary war of plastic proportions.
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