Comics Round-Up (January 7th)

Back in the swing, but I'm going to have to drop some stuff to save money. Slimmer update than previously.

Agents of SHIELD #1 (Marvel)

Phil Coulson has already been assimilated into the mainstream Marvel universe, but now the SHIELD TV series has been absorbed and retooled for the comics. This raises some questions concerning what happens if Skye becomes a character, seeing that she already has a counterpart in the comics. For now though, this is all Coulson, with a little material for Fitz, Simmons and May, who are just recognisable as their TV characters. Effective TV characters don't always translate well to the page and vice versa, but Phil comes off well. He's basically the world's greatest comics nerd, now in charge of all his heroes. This is an opportunity to have Coulson rub shoulders with all the Marvel heroes without rights issues getting in the way, and it really goes for it, chucking everything in.

Star Trek/Planet of the Apes #1 (IDW)

So this is the third crossover for IDW's Star Trek series? Fourth if you count the Deep Space Nine storyline running in the main range. We might have hoped for something a little more interesting than another use of a separate franchise as a parallel reality, but still, this is pretty fun. Apes and Trek make a better match than previous crossovers, and it's a nice take that the Klingons are getting round the peace treaty with the Federation by invading Earth in another timeline. Is this just an excuse to use the subtitle "The Primate Directive?" Why didn't they call it "A Primate Little War?"

The Amazing Spider-Man #12 (Marvel)

It's all kicking off now, with prime Spidey leading the mission to recruit as many Spiders from the Multiverse as possible, Big Bad Solus, daddy of the Inheritors comes for the team and storms their safehouse dimension, but Pete turns up with a bunch of guys from multiple Japans. Including Toei TV series Spidey, and his giant robot Leopardon! It's the big smackdown issue, with raised stakes, unexpected deaths and a great twist on the final page. However, the continual habit of starting plotlines and then dropping them with a note to go pick up another title is getting irritating.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 (Marvel)

Ryan North's new comic brings one of Marvel's least celebrated characters to the masses. You know what? Squirrel Girl is fantastic. She's one hell of an underappreciated character. This title is joyous, poking fun at the genre, and celebrating one of the most inventive and weird superhuman powers in the range. And with people actually arguing about the size of Spider-Woman's breasts, it's refreshing to have a superheroine who doesn't look like either a supermodel or a porn star. Plus, it made me enjoy a story about Kraven the Hunter, and he's rubbish. I'm sorry, but he is.