In the meantime though, I read both of my pick ups from the end of March, the Terrifics and Black Magick. Both of these comics were ones which I've been having trouble with regarding its prior instalments; the first issue of the Terrifics and the entire second volume so far of Black Magick.
Therefore, I thought I'd note down my thoughts on both issues, mainly so I could compare with the prior entries just in case, they gave me the same concerns as their respective series had so far.
Fortunately for both, all I have for these issues are good thoughts (mostly).
So, first up is the Terrifics #2, which sees the heroic quartet attempt to leave the dark multiverse after finding Tom Strong's message. However, a lot of surprises turn out to be in store for the four in both their escape and their subsequent return home.
Now, having thought about it, there is very little that I felt fundamentally changed with this issue from the last and, after the first read through, I was beginning to think this title wasn't for me. However, upon a fresh look at it the second time round, the Terrifics felt like a much more entertaining read. With this issue, I thought that the book gained a focus it was lacking in the first issue thanks to the objectives the team was set. While the book still lacked much in the way of background (with the exception of Phantom Girl), I did seem able to look past it this better than the last issue and found the plot more engaging.
Of course, there were still a few niggles, particularly in the other three characters. Metamorpho and Plastic Man continued to have that Thing/Human Torch dynamic which, while I do enjoy, feels a little too carbon copy of the original team up, to the extent that the former pair sound exactly like the latter in my head. Meanwhile, Mr Terrific comes across as a bit of a jackass, particularly with a final decision he makes in the issue, which makes it a struggle for me to connect to how I've always viewed the character. Of course, it may just be that transition as Lemire gets to grips with the characters, but I do hope all three become a little unique and a lot less 'arrogant' respectively, quickly.
That said, I found myself to really enjoy this second outing of the Terrifics. While it wasn't perfect, I thought that the pros outweighed the cons, with yet more great Ivan Reis art being the cherry on top. After I read the last issue I said that I wanted a terrific comic rather than an ok one and, while issue 2 isn't exactly terrific, is certainly moving in that direction.
So, after that, I read Black Magick #11, which finished the second volume of Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott's series and saw Rowan finally confront her enemy while Alex finds common ground with an old adversary. With this series, I've found issues six through to ten a struggle to be engrossed in, only managing to find them majorly enjoyable when reading them all together. Therefore, the series has been on borrow time, reaching issue eleven in large part due to the enjoyment of the first five issues.
However, with this most recent instalment I found the story to once again be exciting and engaging. It is here that I felt we got not only a clearer picture of who, specifically, the big bad was but the characters seemed to move forward in regards to their ability to fight back. It occurs to me now that his was deliberate by Rucka, to keep us in the dark as much as Rowan and Alex and allow the series to play out (initially) as a supernatural detective story. If this is the case, then I feel I've given this book a bad rap for the last five issues but, either way, I've found myself not only on board fully with the series but eager for the first time since issue 5 about where they go next.
Of course, I think we have been given an idea due to a two page spread which is so incredibly, gorgeous rendered by Nicola Scott. If the story and/or the writing has been a series of ups and downs from issue to issue, then art has been the constant to keep me coming back. Scott's art is truly amazing and, while I loved her art on Earth 2, in Black Magick she makes that series artwork looking etchings in comparison (a bit harsh maybe as Earth 2 looks great, but Black Magick's visuals are really THAT good). That spread, though, is the standout of the standout and has me pondering what we actually are shown; aspects of the past and future or those with a combination of Rowan's own dreams and/or fantasies? I guess only time will tell.
However, this is time I'm now willing to invest as Rucka and Scott have repaired much of my goodwill for this series with this latest issue, giving me a great deal of interest again for how the story will unfold.
And that's March done. A short month but it certainly gave me a lot to think and talk about. But most importantly, what it gave me was the opportunity to see both of these comics in a new light which, for one, reminded me why I was picking it up in the first place and, for the other, offered a hint of the reason I picked it up.
Now, I can prepare for April's comics, amongst which will be Terrifics true D-Day of whether it stays on my pull list. I'm currently in two minds as to which way it'll go, but I'm hopeful it can succeed.
I guess I'll find out in a month.
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