Sirk TV Comic Review: Dark Horse Advance Previews [10-10-12]

Looking at the progression of this week's advances, the idea of character structure inherently plays into alot of the ideas whether it be Conan or The Creep. However it is the intrinsic and tonally intensive element of "The Massive" that definitely creates a mood and tension within its progression. Beware: SPOILERS Ahead!Buffy Season 9 #14 The evolution of the slayer contingent means the aspect of who slayers are must become evolved in the same way. A boy and a girl watch as airliners fly in close over them. The instance is a great visual indicating a rush of adrenalin as an indicator of life. Billy is an outcast for more than a couple reasons but definitely wants to impress Devon, whom he speaks of on more than one occasion. In the Buffy world, vampire and zombies have combined creating a secondary but less agile subspecies which allows for "slayers in training" to make themselves known. Billy is training but is just at the beginning of his quest and doesn't think he has any special powers. When he is cornered, Devon says him but he must make a choice in terms of how he wants to be perceived.Conan The Barbarian: Border Fury Part III #9 Within the heart of Conan beats a dark soul that feels empathy for only a short while. He makes his way through the harsh lands where his new love Belit, a pirate queen is trying to prove her mettle in his eyes. Her perception, being a former slave girl, is that she has to prove herself worthy of his hand. Unfortunately she finds herself in the middle of a long running feud with Conan's boyhood friend Maudelin whom Conan chided in youth. Conan being from a respected family could get all the girls as he wanted and used this to torture his younger friend. Maudelin eventually deserted the colony. Many years later his former liege is causing destruction throughout the land because of Conan's shortsightedness. This however does not change Conan's resolve as he runs him through just as quickly despite his misgivings. The art in its use ofshadows creates a bleak picture of life told in blacks, browns and grays.The Creep #2 The idea of an investigator not sure of himself goes against the grain of perception but in watching this progression it is what is seen between the lines that counts. Keeping the investigation going is what helps maintain sanity. The case he is investigating revolves around a young man that hanged himself motivated by a woman trying to make sense of his lost potential. A bearded stranger who steals and seems to have a schizophrenic streak within him muddles the intention of the larger story. The characters meander through their lives only quietly and barely keeping their stability together. The art, which has a meandering fluidity to it, reflects the state of mind of the characters quite aptly.The Massive: Black Pacific #5 The idea of a world eating itself alive is the fear of every climate scientist. How though do you create an element of a thriller within this structure. By making the endgame the search for the last fresh water on earth, people will kill especially if what is inferred in the issue about a supposed "fallout" rings true. The aspect of abandoned ice stations built out of advanced technology using hydrothermal energy is quite inspired. The key scene in this issue involves two of the lead female characters being thrown into a borehole (which is a 20 km deep fresh water well) with weights attached to them. The more agile and apparently mutated one of the two is able to save them before they return to the surface. Mary, the American and less experienced of the two, dies and is brought back to life (not unlike "The Abyss") which gives this story especially with its bleak polar backdrop a definitive pulse.Orchid #10 The idea of a dystopian world continues within this continuing influence. The world of "Orchid" works in the essence of a feudal system mixed with the Dark Ages and a little bit of technology. What is interesting is that the animals (including the horses and the monsters) are all robotic (like "Westworld" in many ways), which allows for an interesting classification of what value life has in this world. The feared one is Orchid, an almost ninja of sorts, surrounded by her female protectors who are also whores, undeniably made clear by the tattoo on one labeled "Property". The essence of their redemption lies in a bloody mess which is a redemptive form of magic sealed in a pendant. The overall rules of this world might not be clear but the soot and fire tendencies in the art speak of a society so polluted that the essence of everything skews morally corrupt.Star Wars: Knight Errant - Escape #5 Searching for an anger to end the universe seems like an overwhelming metaphor more than anything else. The structure within this issue rests with a lone Sith called Odion focusing all the horror of a sealed off orphanage filled with terrified younglings to focus subspace energy to make violence overwhelm every sentient being. It seems to be very honestly an archetypal struggle much less than a realistic one (even within this universe). Kerra is a Jedi with her own tainted past who has been taken hostage simply to satisfy Odion's lust for fear. What is unbeknownst to him is Kerra seeing the good in one of his loyal servants: Yulan (who lost his children and believes he has nothing to live for except to help evil). Kerra opens Yulan's eyes and has him "turn on the lights" in the orphanage which allows a relief and joy to spread through the younglings defeating Odion's plan. All Odion wants to do is die. The entire progression seems more one of lost functionality simply to illustrate an idea but does not carry the true weight of the story on its own.Star Wars: Lost Tribe Of The Sith - Spiral #3 The idea of a Sith world lost in generations where the tribes have either lost structure of what the dark side truly is or have been subjugated themselves in what their lives might be create an interesting prelude to other stories. The timeline is uncertain since the inherent Sith who has awakened after 4000 years: Spinner seems to be lost in a reverie of what his true work should be. His creed bellows in the ideas of selfishness which drives his Sith code. This battle begins raging but its ultimate reasoning and endgame seem a bit underwhelming. Because technology seems barren from this land, they have to create their own ships and cloth, However, what is interesting is that they can still make lightsabers, which simply goes against sense. Ultimately, not unlike "Revenge Of The Sith", the battle between the top echelons of the two opposing forces ends up on the cusp of a volcano. The opposing sides seem awfully like Jedi/Sith angles though both are Sith with different moral compasses. The confusion continues with posturing until Spinner decides to summon what he calls "leviathans" like something out of Greek Mythology.