Edginton, Ian
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
2.7 out of 5
(3 books)
TOP PICK:
Batman/Aliens Two
Batman/Aliens Two
(Art by Staz Johnson and James Hodgkins)
A research expedition in 1928 manages to bring xenomorph specimens back to Gotham City. In the present day the expedition's secret lab is unearthed and the Aliens escape into the city.
As you would expect, the Aliens fit perfectly into the gothic surroundings of Batman's hometown. The first half of the book features Batman tracking the xenomorphs across the city and, ultimately, to Arkham Asylum. However, the story then develops a twist when Batman discovers a secret government project that is combining the alien DNA with that of Arkham's inmates, in order to create a team of hybrid agents capable of policing America's superheroes. This means that that we are treated to one of the coolest Aliens ever seen, in the form of the xenomorph/Killer Croc hybrid.
There are two main flaws with this book, however, and the first is the entirely anticlimatic scene in Arkham (the Joker is only in one picture, for God's sake!). The other flaw is the plot hole that you could fly the Batwing through. I'm referring, of course, to the hybrid programme. The ridiculous nature of the idea aside, the hybrids it produces are daft. The Two-Face hybrid has a scarred face (which isn't genetic and therefore wouldn't be transferred) and Scarecrow (who is just a man in a costume) produces a big scarecrow-looking monster.
So, I'd suggest you need to engage that faithful old 'willing-suspension-of-disbelief' if you want to enjoy this book.
3 out of 5
Planet Of The Apes: Old Gods
(Art by Paco Medina, Adrian Sibar, Norman Lee and Juan Vlasco)
Picking up many years after the events of 'The Human War', the insurrectionists trying to create an equal society for humans and apes are all but defeated. The surviving leaders, Seneca and Esau, then join retired General Attar on a mission into forbidden territory where they face a mysterious new race of apes.
I liked the idea that the revolution, begun amid the events of the Planet of the Apes movie (the terrible Tim Burton one), has actually stalled after decades of struggle. I gives a realism and believability to a story which, containing talking gorillas, may have otherwise struggled for it.
The problem is that this book, being very short, does nothing to explore the ideas it introduces. The failed revolution is very quickly swept under the rug so the three protagonists can set off on their quest, the purpose of which is still mostly unclear to me even now I've finished the book. We're then introduced to a race of apes whose culture is significantly different to the chimp/gorilla/orang one we've seen previously and the writer proceeds to do absolutely nothing of significance with this new concept. And then the book's over, without any real resolution.
2 out of 5
Planet Of The Apes: The Human War
(Art by Paco Medina, Adrian Sibar, Juan Vlasco, Norman Lee and Christopher Ivy)
Two generations after the end of Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes (adapted by Scott Allie) a civil war rages between the traditionalist apes and an ape/human coalition bent on overthrowing the status quo. The anti-human Senator Shiva then enacts a plan to seize an ancient forbidden technology in order to turn the tide of the war against those who seek human emancipation.
The Tim Burton ...Apes film was terrible and it's odd that it garnered an offshoot comic book franchise, but here we are. The premise of this book is actually fairly good, revealing what the titular planet would look like after the events of the movie, in which the fundaments of ape society were called into question and which showed that humans were more than just a slave people.
Beyond taking the ending of the movie further (and I'm not counting the stupid twist ending), there's nothing here that really stands out. It's not a bad story, just nothing that breaks any new ground or offers any surprises.
3 out of 5