Best Battles in New Comics: 8/22/14
Hey there, reader, and thanks for checking out our latest edition of Best Battles in New Comics. As the segment's title clearly implies, this is the place to be if you want to witness some of the coolest and most exciting action scenes that went down in the latest round of new comics. We've reviewed a whole bunch of brawls that were in the new issues and we hope you'll enjoy the following three every bit as much as we did. If your favorite one isn't here, go ahead and praise it in the comments section and show the world why it was worthy of your love. That's way more productive than just complaining about its absence, yeah?
DAREDEVIL #7
Our first highlight is from Mark Waid (writer), Javier Rodriguez (artist), and Alvaro Lopez's (inker) latest issue of DAREDEVIL. In this chapter, Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, heads into Wakanda because the high-tech country has kidnapped three nuns from the United States and one just happens to be Matt's mother. Why would such an advanced society capture three nuns, you ask? Great question, but if you want to know the story arc's details, you should buy the issue because we're here to talk about the action! Now, where were we? Oh, right! So, Daredevil uses S.H.I.E.L.D. as a taxi service to get to the foreign nation and it's not long before guards are able to locate the Man Without Fear. We all know Daredevil has crazy good agility and reflexes, but the spears being thrown at him aren't merely just point sticks -- they loop back and electrocute the hero from Hell's Kitchen. DD crashes into the water, but obviously, the fight has only just begun.
Matt Murdock may not be the top hand-to-hand combatant on 616 Earth, but he's way up there and proves it on a steady basis. In this case, he has no issue showing off his technique as he's able to take on a group of warriors and begins to drop them with precise hits. A baton to the chin, a chop to the throat, a kick to the jaw... when it comes to taking down opponents in close quarters combat, Daredevil always has a whole lot of options at his disposal. Unfortunately, they were expecting Daredevil and brought a sonic weapon with them. What a bunch of cheaters.
The Wakandans drag the seemingly defeated masked hero to their ruler: T'Challa's sister, Shuri. Almost immediately, Shuri realizes her forces have given Daredevil exactly what he wanted by bringing him there. Murdock was playing possum and assumed he'd be brought to where the kidnapped nuns are being held. It certainly beats roaming around the county, right? Daredevil effortlessly dispatches the two guards standing next to him and then comes face to face with the main event: Shuri.
Does the agile hero have what it takes to beat Shuri in a scuffle? And even if he does, how will that help him rescue the nuns?! Is he just going to say "thanks for the fight" and then sprint and leap his way out of the advanced country? It's worth adding that the chapter's also an Original Sin and the story adds a compelling twist to Mudock's relationship with his mother.
ELEKTRA #5
Our second highlight is from W. Haden Blackman and Michael Del Mundo's latest issue of ELEKTRA. In this chapter, Elektra finally locates the infamous assassin Cape Crow and they both go on the offensive. The villain was able to take on Bullseye, Taskmaster, Sabretooth, and Scalphunter all by himself, so yeah, this isn't going to be a cakewalk for Elektra.
If Cape Crow could defeat that deadly group of mercenaries all by his lonesome, you can bet Elektra's going to take some major hits. Sure, she's nimble and oh-so-lethal, but Cape Crow eventually drops her and reveals his secret weapon to her: he's a precog. He can see his target's next move a mere millisecond before they throw it. He may be feared by many, but Cape Crow has clearly never read "Being a Villain for Dummies." If he did, he'd know to never reveal his advantage because it almost always leads to a villain's defeat. In this case, Elektra realizes she needs to clear her head and act on instinct. Suddenly it's anyone's game.
Spectacular artwork, isn't it? Del Mundo (and co-colorist Marco D'Alfonso) continue to drop our jaws with every issue in this series. As you can see, the fight is overflowing with intensity and absolutely gorgeous character work. Every page in this book honestly has something to admire and there's so much brilliant artwork that we're leaving out of this highlight (you need an extra incentive to buy it, right?). Anyway, just because Elektra knows to clear her mind and act on instinct doesn't mean the fight is automatically won. She still has a savage fight on her hands and the two continue to trade ferocious strikes.
Does Elektra find an opening and deliver a killing blow or does the writer have another ending in store for us? And was Bloody Lips able to fully recover after that harsh crash or is he bleeding out as Elektra fights for her life? ELEKTRA #5 is full of magnificent looking action, so if this highlight looks appealing to you, we really recommend picking it up.
STORM #2
Last but not least, we thoroughly enjoyed the rematch between Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. Storm, and Callisto in STORM #2. The two had a knife fight way back in THE UNCANNY X-MEN #170, and now, Greg Pak (writer), Victor Ibanez (artist), and Ruth Redmond (colorist) are happily presenting us with round two of Storm vs. Callisto! But we should probably give you a little bit of context first, yeah? Basically, Storm noticed a mission person poster for a girl named Angie and she felt obligated to help. After getting some assistance from Beast, Storm discovered that Angie's underground and with other missing teens. Seeing as she has such a rocky history with Callisto, it's understandable these two decide to fight instead of, you know, talking about the situation when they bump into one another.
In their previous fight, Storm wasn't allowed to use her powers and she won because of Callisto's arrogance. The former leader of the Morlock's was toying with Storm and chatting away, so it caught her off-guard when Storm used her cape to reel the character in and deliver a vicious stab with a knife. Oddly enough, it's now Storm who's feeling cocky even though the location means she can't really unleash. If she lets loose, it could disrupt power in the subway system and, as you more than likely know, a whole lot of New Yorkers use that method of transportation.
Sure, Callisto's staff absorbs lightning, but that hardly protects her from the Mistress of the Elements. Even if her lightning won't work, she's still a skilled fighter and has a whole plethora of other abilities she could dish out. If she really wanted to, she could sucking the air from Callisto's lungs or, well, anything else you can think of with her amazing powers! But Storm seems to be embracing the scuffle and wants answers. What goes around comes around, though. Callisto lost their first fight because she talked too much and now Storm is making the very same mistake and it's going to cost her.
Don't worry, Storm fans, because the blow to the back of her head doesn't knock her out. She's able to recover and pursues Callisto, but what does she find? Is Callisto up to something diabolical or is there something else going on? Even if you have no interest in Storm, you should really give this series a shot. Pak's writing is a delight and Storm's dynamic with Wolverine is legitimately amusing..
What are your top three fights from this latest round of new comics? Support what you love and tell the world below! Also, don't forget to make nominations every week in the official thread or tell us via Twitter. See you next Friday and have a good weekend!
