The Bionic Man vs. The Bionic Woman #1
Written by Keith Champagne
Art by Jose Luis
Colors by Inlight Studio
Letters by Marshall Dillon
Covers by Sean Chen, Adrian Syaf, Jonathan Lau, and Jack Herbert
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 16, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

WHY are you reading this review instead of reading The Bionic Man vs The Bionic Woman #1? Seriously. You might just be thinking “Oh, who cares about another crossover?” Really? Because THIS crossover makes SENSE! That’s why you should care!

I will say this right now: Keith Champagne should be made the regular writer of The Bionic Man monthly series as soon as bionically possible! Good Lord, this issue is incredible! This takes place before the current Bionic Woman series, and is a REALLY great take on both characters. There’s a lot going on, but not too much that you can’t follow or you get confused by too many characters. In fact, that’s one of the book’s strengths, Champagne doesn’t introduce a dozen new characters into the mix, he uses the main characters, their supporting casts, and a villain. Let’s be honest, that’s all you need. There’s some terrific stuff in this issue, including the classic Oscar having to talk Steve into going on the mission debriefing. And treadmill running. The book starts off really intensely, slows down in the middle to develop the story, then revs right back up again at the end to leave you hanging with a breathtaking cliffhanger. Nicely done!

Masks #2
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Dennis Calero
Letters by Simon Bowland
Art direction by Alex Ross
Covers by Alex Ross, Howard Chaykin, Jae Lee, Adrian Syaf
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 19, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Masks #2 is pulp heroes at its best. I only wish DC Comic would’ve handled their pulp line as well as Dynamite does here. They’ve created a shared universe for all their characters that makes sense, is fun, and turns out to be one heck of a good time.

Writer Chris Roberson really goes a fantastic job in this issue. The previous issue introduced the villains and heroes, this is issue is where the team starts to take shape and head into action. A lot of company crossovers seem forced, going to great lengths to bring the heroes together, but here, it’s done in such a natural way, you never even think twice about the believability of the story. Roberson also introduces new characters in this issue and furthers the actions of the villains, forcing the team to get organized and ready to go. This is a REALLY well-written issue, and, so far, the comic reads a lot better in monthlies than it will in trade. Every issue so far has ended on a cliffhanger and when you’re reading a trade, all you do is turn the page, but it really helps that you get a month break to absorb the story and speculate at what might be coming next month.

Evil Ernie #1
Written by Jesse Blaze Snider
Art by Jason Craig
Colors by Marcio Menyz & Adriano Augusto
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Tim Seeley, Adrian Syaf, Nick Bradshaw, Dan Brereton
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 10, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

In 2010, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the rights to Evil Ernie from Chaos! Comics. That acquisition finally bears fruit as writer Jesse Blaze Snider, a long-time fan of Evil Ernie, takes the helm on this character reboot. Dynamite could not, however, nab the rights to Lady Death, who held a significant role in Evil Ernie‘s original storyline. Her absence from Evil Ernie #1‘s story alters Evil Ernie’s origin and motivations, but the look, personality, and Smiley button of the undead psychopath remain.

Evil Ernie #1 briefly covers Ernest Fairchild’s traumatic childhood which directly leads into his demonic transformation. Ernest was born in 1993 during a bizarre car accident where his entire family was killed. His father, possessed by something, taunts his daughter and pregnant wife right before slamming the car into a light pole.

DC’s bi-weekly series Brightest Day is getting close to the end, and so it has come time for them to announce the inevitable follow-up, which will be called The Search.

According to a post on DC’s Source Blog, The Search will be a 3-issue miniseries launching in June, written by Jonathan Vankin with art by Marco Castiello. The story will focus on the new protector of Earth, and another hero trying to convince the Justice League that this new protector may not be the best thing for the world.