While his recent, though under-utilized, participation in WOLVERINE might have sparked an intrest in Remy, this particular Origins story just falls short.

It has a strong opening, featuring how Bella and Remy first met and their wedding that goes all too awry. But after that, the book basically becomes a series of snapshots into the history that’s been going on for years-on-years. If you’re not exactly sure what the Guilds of the Thieves and Assassins do or why, it’s not explained beyond the fact they exist, and there’s a feud. Remy goes from being chastised for his reckless Robin-Hooding to a cold mercenary in record time (almost as fast as he goes back again).

While the art is pretty darn capable, in the end the story just provides a decidedly uncomplex and unsatisfying view of “Gumbo”. Rather than smooth, mischevious and secretive, Gambit basically comes off looking naive and downright stupid in the macchinations of better (explored) men. The appearance of a classic Sinister is ten times more compelling though he appears in less than a quarter of the panels that Gambit does.

Basically, no relationships are explored past page ten, not even a cheesy one like the “relation-to-self”. It’s a rushed one-shot that looks better than it reads…which is just too bad. But, c’est la vie.

A send-off worthy of the Batman.

The writers and artists of both “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader” books obviously were aware of the who was dying off.

The story is engaging, the art is gorgeous. The ending hits such an emotional chord that it’ll probably require multiple read-thrus. And, best of all, it isn’t simply a re-hashing of everybody-knows Batman trivia, but a great exploration of, yes, the mythos of Bruce Wayne and the Batman. There’s no spoon-feeding of some over-reaching mesage that encompasses Batman’s work, but a real open-endedness that demands thought. Also, while so much in past comics was how great a man Bruce’s father was, we get a truly resonant glimpse into Bruce’s relationship to his mother…besides that fact that he told her to wear pearls.

It’s a death toll, but is it really? Either way, it’s a sound that resonates.

I don’t want to be the only review here, but if you haven’t been reading/heard of “Chew” than you should probably pull up a chair and dig in.

The newest player from Image comics came so far out of left field that the first issue had to be reprinted three times to fill demand. The series is savoringly simple, strangely elegant with a just a hint of disturbing. In a word: Delicious.

If you’re wondering about all the food analogies, “Chew” is the story of Tony Chu (ha-ha-ha) an agent of the FDA in a world where a government ban on most meat products has made fried-chicken speakeasys and Food and Drugs Administrators with liscenses to kill an everyday part of the food-smuggling, criminal underground.

The disturbing element? Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. So, a piece of broccoli brings up images of pesticides and dirt. A hamburger brings up images of cows being shoved, still kicing, into the grinder. And, nibbling on the body of a corpse/killer brings up their memories…the essential ingrediants needed for an investigator to close a case.

For a point of reference, think a more whimsical “Wormwood, Gentlemen Corpse”. The key to the whole thing is Tony Chu, who is as charming a loveable loser as he is a dedicated, by-the-book agent. Intended for mature audiences, it’s a young series. So, hop on the bandwagon and see what other morsels John Lahman (of Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness and PUFFED fame) and urban-style artist Rob Guillory have under under a heat lamp waiting for us.

A collection of tales/anecdotes from the best (?) brightest (?) most meta-comic(al) mercenary in the biz. #900 is “final” issue of the newest ongoing “DEADPOOL” series.

Each story is pretty darn solid – whether it be solidly funny, solidly heartfelt or solidly bloody. Either way, it’s always a solid read. What could be, and opens as, a slash-em-up, puns-galore romp also takes genuine curves into the tragedy of the “Merc”. We get to see Wade at all stages – from on top of the world to his most vulnerable state. Situations to look forward to: Deapool vs. aliens, mimes, CSI stereotypes, therapy, and himself… to say whether literally or figuratively may be a Spoiler…so both.

Every story is told in it’s own artistic style, and, rather then some similar experiments, the art really seems to serve each story – not just different for the sake of the gallery effect.

All in all BAM! ONE FAN DOWN! FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY MORE OF YOU TO GO! DEADPOOL WINZ!!!