The P.O.W - 05/06/20 - HAWKMAN #23 / GREEN LANTERN: SEASON 2 #3 / STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #1

PICKS OF THE WEEK - May 6, 2020

• HAWKMAN #23: This issue of our favorite winged warrior finds him flying back in time to a past life in Plague ridden Spain. Author Robert Venditti serves up some serious drama in this issue with Carter Hal’s past life facing persecution for trying to help the people of a past pandemic. Fernando Pasarin and Marcio Takara do a great job of dropping you into the period especially with the plague doctor twist on Hawkman’s Costume. Seeing Hawkman and Hawkwoman find each other in different points in time never gets old and is always interesting to find how they get themselves out of trouble depending on the circumstance. This one is no different, and is a timely story for today in an issue soars above the rest.

• GREEN LANTERN: SEASON 2 #3: Grant Morrison continues his second season with this issue pitting Hal in a race against time, with only his will and wits to aid him, as he goes on a rescue mission to another dimension without the safety of the ring. This issue is a great one-off and self-contained sci-fi story. But what sets this tale apart and elevates it is, hands down, the art work of Liam Sharp. He tries some new techniques with the coloring and the result is stunning. This book looks like is a cover to a paperback, sci-fi, smut novel from the 80s and it is all the better because of it. It sets the tone for how ludicrous this issue is and adds a heap of nostalgia for cheesy sci-fi stories ripped from like Inner Space or Dune. If that sort of combo revs your engine then pick up this issue for some sci-fi super heroics on steroids.

• STAR WARS- DOCTOR APHRA #1: Doctor Aphra is back in this new relaunch in Marvel’s Star Wars line. The break out character from ‘Darth Vader’, who spawned her own series, is on the run and at odds with the empire, as she goes hunting for rare and powerful artifacts hidden around the galaxy. This book is a lot of fun and basically combines George Lucas’ two major franchises, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Alyssa Wong delivers the goods in this first issue that does a lot of heavy lifting in setting up the conflict and characters in an action packed, fast paced way. Artist Mariko Cresta shines with visuals that really match the aesthetics of the films with her designs and composition of characters and locations that are unique to the galaxy. If you read the first series or want to jump aboard now’s a great time to get in class with Doctor Aphra.