Web 9 and 10

The Web #9
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Roger Robinson
Co-Feature by John Rozum
Art by Tom Derenick

 

In the main feature, we are introduced to the name “Global Concern” which I know from reading the Mighty Crusaders Special that they are the big bad organization behind everything in these Red Circle books. The Web defeats the evil insurance man and figure out that his ex was the one blackmailing him. I did not see that coming. Dead Hand Legendre tries to drain the Hangman’s life force in the back-up and gets killed in the back-up. We also learn that the Hangman derives him powers by a tree filled with his victims? Or perhaps just people who have died by all nooses? I am not sure but it was damn cool.

The Web #10
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Roger Robinson
Co-Feature by John Rozum
Art by Tom Derenick

 

In the final issue of this series, The Web teams up with Fly Girl, one of his web hosts who has modified her costume. I was excited to see her in this issue and this made me really excited for the Mighty Crusaders mini-series. I think DC is dumb for not putting an established hero on this team in order to make it sell and get people interested but whatever. The final scene where Crusaders shows up doesn’t really correspond to the Mighty Crusaders special where they come together unless this was them asking Fly Girl to join and not the Web (who already joined at this point). The Hangman back-up was awesome as we find out there are other avatars of execution like one for the Guillotine and Gassing, and now the Jackal will be representing the Electric Chair. Hahaha awesome it is too bad Rozum won’t be able to explore the concept more.

Covert Team

The Shield #6
Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Marco Rudy
Co-Feature by Brandon Jerwa
Art by Michael Gaydos

 

I have been a big fan of the art on this book, but this was definitely Rudy’s weakest issue. The panel lay-out was like he was evoking J.H. Williams III on Detective Comics except he is not Williams and it doesn’t work at all. I found it to be distracting and confusing as the reader of this issue. For the first time since this book began, I found the co-feature to be a much better experience. I liked the idea of a team of heroes forming under Halliday who are covertly working against him. Is this how the Mighty Crusaders get together? I guess time will tell.

Integration

The Shield #5
Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Marco Rudy
Co-Feature by Brandon Jerwa
Art by Greg Scott

 

The main story introduces two old Archie characters into the DC Universe: The hero The Jaguar and the villain Baron Gestapo. Both of these characters have a lot of potential in my opinion already. Even though I know nothing about the Archie heroes I am loving watching them become integrated into the DC Universe and both this series and the Web. It’s a real shame more people aren’t reading as they are both good books. The Great Ten guest stars but the new characters are the more important parts of the book. The Inferno back-up introduces another new character from the old Archie days, The Comet, and he seems more interesting then Inferno although I am not sure how I feel about his costume just yet. The back-up is definitely still inferior to the main story though.