Milestone Monday is upon us again my friends; let’s take a look at Blood Syndicate #6!

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Last issue ended with the Syndicate inside an exploding crack house, victims of a trap set by John Wing & the criminal organization known as “The Demon Fox Tong”. How will they survive (because remember this is an ongoing series)?

They survive via the powers of Flashback, as she keeps going 3 seconds backwards in time while her flesh and friends burn. She eventually gets enough time back to warn Brickhouse and Third Rail to protect everybody as the house is going to explode. Luckily enough, the Syndicate finally manages to escape the exploding building. Their escape is not without incident, as they need to take down the punks that The Tong hired to eliminate the survivors. Guns and grenades prove to be no match for the Syndicate, and Mr. Wing is left standing alone at the end of the battle. Masquerade brings Wing to face Wise Son, who begins to shake him down for information. Wing refuses to buckle, and tells Wise to just kill him “There’s no dishonor in death at the hands of my enemy.” Wise Son replies:

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Yeah, that’s really the first time I have ever seen someone “dishonor” a person like that in a comic book. The Syndicate take their leave of the now urine soaked Mr. Wing, and head back to their factory home.

Meanwhile, we are treated once again to the exploits of Nina Lam (she was the teenage oriental girl with the freaky nightmares from the last issue). She is on a van to school, when her head starts to explode with pain. She screams out something in a foreign language, and passes out. She is brought to the Medina University Hospital, where her parents arrive to find out what happened. The doctors seem unsure what could have caused the pain, and want to run a few tests on her brain to see if there is any evidence of an epileptic seizure. However, the doctors are also concerned about Nina’s welfare and safety. Nina’s parents seem astonished by this accusation. The doctor ignores their pleas and says, “There are laws that prohibit any disfiguring of the body. Ornamental or otherwise.” Nina’s Father reacts to this statement, as if he knows what is happening to his daughter. Nina’s mother on the other hand pushes the doctor aside, and bursts into her daughter’s hospital room to find:

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Kwai is coming?!?! Nina’s Father seemed to have been expecting this, but what exactly does that mean, and what will it mean for the Syndicate? Is there a connection between the Demon Fox Tong and the Lam’s. We will find out the answer soon enough, but first the story weaves it’s way back to the Syndicate.

It is pretty clear from the Syndicate’s interactions that they are all pretty worried about being led by Wise Son, but they do not collectively voice their opinions as they head back to the factory to regroup. They go their separate ways to rest and Boogeyman goes to hang out with his rat buddies because it is safe for the time being as he thinks, “They all need professional help.” Flashback and Fade both continue to mourn Tech-9, and wonder about DMZ and his past.

Masquerade flies off to peak in on his mother and younger brother. He does not interact with them, but only assumes the form of a cat to peer into their window. He leaves lamenting, “Mama, let US go.” Hmmm…. US huh? Does Masquerade mean the Syndicate as a whole? There must be more to that statement, perhaps we will get answers in another issue!

Third Rail decides to voice his displeasure with Wise Son by confronting him as he sits by a pier known as the Dead Zone:

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Is that apparently sentient spanish-speaking spout of water friend or foe to the members of the Syndicate? We will not find out this issue, as we now move on to the villainous John Wing.

John is sitting in his home in Prospect Hills, hiding from the other members of The Demon Fox Tong who are trying to reach him via phone, alone in the dark. He laments about the fact that he built the Tong up as a master criminal organization, but that his position in that organization is now gone due to failure. He has lost face in the eyes of the other members of the Tong, and fears his only way to get it back is to kill himself. However another option might still remain as he weighs some unknown option in his mind. Wing thinks, “I need to get back my face, by any means necessary, and if it means the end of me… at least I end with some dignity. SHUT UP AND GET THE BOX!”

Our issue ends as the dawn rises in the Wing household, and John’s wife awakes alone in their bedroom. She begins to search the house for her husband, and finally finds him in the basement of their home. What she sees astonishes her, as she discovers her husband standing amongst a pile of dirt in their basement:

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Wow, this guy is ruthless and will stop at nothing. Here we have the explanation from the ending of the previous issue, as the box in the basement’s true purpose is revealed. This must be the Demon Fox that the Tong named themselves after, and coincidentally is the same beast that Nina Lam pictured fighting in her dreams from last issue.

This issue raises so many questions. The connection between the Lam’s and Wing’s seems to be building, but to where? Is Nina Lam becoming this Kwai to battle the Demon Fox? And if so, where does the Syndicate fit into all of this? Who was that watery woman? Will the Syndicate ever stop squabbling about leadership? We’ll have to wait for the next issue to find out some answers!

This issue, in terms of both art and story, was very well done. Chriscross shows a giant leap in terms of art quality and storytelling. He has begun to develop an excellent grasp of facial expressions, reminding me a little of Kevin Maguire, and does a lot to give each member of the Syndicate a distinct look. In previous recaps, my only complaint about this book was the rotating artists were giving the book a feeling of “poor quality”. Chriscross’ second issue as penciller has squashed that complaint.

Ivan Velez script was quite good, as we got both action and a look into our heroes’ and villain’s emotions. His use of foreshadowing (questions about DMZ, the water woman, hints about a relationship between Fade and the now dead Tech-9, and Masquerade’s family visit) will undoubtedly pay off in the future. I always appreciate a writer that can juggle current and future storylines well, and Velez shows in this issue he is capable of doing just that.

That wraps up this week’s column, be sure to check back next week for more Milestone goodness as we recap the next issues of Icon and Hardware! Until then my Milestone Minions, have a great week!

Oh yeah! It’s back, the column of the hour, the tower of power – The Triple M! Welcome to you all and I hope the Super-Bowl was good for all of you (as this is done in advance I have no idea how it was for me yet…… but I got a feeling Indianapolis pulled it out). Let’s get down with some Milestone Madness as we take a look at Static #4

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Static #4 picks up in the aftermath of the Static/ Tarmack fight from last issue. Holocaust has shown up, and takes credit for sending Tarmack after Static. He tells Static that he sent Tarmack to test him, and that he didn’t think he would bug out and hurt people. Holocaust promises Static he will make good on repairs to Akkad’s and take care of anyone who was hurt. He offers Static two things, a ride in a nice stretch limo and a banana berry cola, as he gives Static a sales pitch on what it would be like to roll with Holocaust. He gives him the “Life According to Holocaust” speech as he compliments him on his brains getting him past Tarmack. He tells Static that for all the good work he does, he is missing the big picture. Holocaust’s worldview involves money & status, and he clues Static in on this. “Look at ‘em.” He tells Static “Can they fly? You risk your life every day for them? You gonna get something for it or give it away? These rich SOB’s, what they got that we don’t? Brains? Talent? It’s LUCK! It’s CONNECTIONS! Who you know. Who your Daddy know. It’s Birthright. Well WE got their Birthright beat all to hell.”

Holocaust brings Static to an abandoned theatre that he has obviously fixed up, filled with cars and TV’s and of course women:

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Holocaust has started Static on the road to “if you want it, take it” land, and their first pit stop is at Don Cornelius’ house. Holocaust takes his limo (which honestly looks like “Pimp My Ride” got their hands on it) and takes on the Don’s guards in a quest to talk to him. Static begins to see that Holocaust does not exactly use his power in a “responsible manner”. Holocaust heats up the guns in the guard’s hands, and Static has to yank them out of their grasps before someone is badly hurt. Holocaust takes that action as Static just watching his back like he asked him to, and he thanks him for saving him the effort in disarming the thugs. Static is floating near the limo thinking that things are moving way too fast, when guard dogs go on the attack!

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Holocaust is clearly a mean bastard, and is not afraid to use force to get his point across. Static just doesn’t know what to do at this point, he is obviously conflicted between Holocaust’s words and actions and his own conscience. He does agree to meet Holocaust back at the Don’s the next night where Holocaust promises to deliver his message for the Don personally. He needs to talk to someone though, so Static takes off for Frieda’s house for a quick chat to help him decide what to do. What he finds there is proof of Holocaust’s mission statement of “Like I always say, If you don’t take it someone else WILL.” He views his friend Larry and his erstwhile crush Frieda kissing on her front porch, and in a true “after school special” moment begins to freak out on the both of them. He can’t believe that after all he has told Frieda about his double life, and after taking Larry’s advice to shoot a gang member who was messing with him, that they would not be honest with him. He blasts Larry with a static shove (which Larry mistakes for a punch…. Thankfully it was a dark night to cover Virgil’s slip yup with his powers) and stalks away mad, Holocausts words ringing in his head as he proclaims that he cannot trust either one of this friends.

The next morning he is faced with the prospects of explaining his lack of employment to his Mother. Mama Hawkins is clearly ticked off at Virgil for losing yet another job, and yells at him for being worthless. She is ticked because Virgil knows they need the extra money, yet he can’t be responsible enough to keep any sort of employment. When Virgil protests that he worked hard, his mom fires back “Not lately from what I hear. I don’t know what it is you DO work hard on anymore”. Holocaust’s words “If you ain’t Takin’, you’re getting’ TOOK” ring in Virgil’s head again as his mother is letting him have it.

Holocaust’s words also hit Virgil hard when he hangs out with some of his friends, and the subject of Larry and Freida comes up. Apparently Virgil really was the last one to know about the two being a couple, as all of his friends knew about them already. Virgil is disgusted as he learns this and leaves the arcade, clearly at a crossroads in his life. He goes home and does some research on Don Cornelius. He discovers that his “new friend” was right, and feels he was right about a lot more than the Don’s criminal behavior. “SO my friends can’t be straight with me and Mom needs cash?” Virgil thinks as he gathers up his Static gear, “ I’ll just help my NEW friend bust a nut on some creep, get the creep’s cash, walk that home to moms, and I’m straight!”

Static and Holocaust then take on the Don once again. Static is ready to do some property damage to teach the Don that he can’t use his people and their money and get away with it. He trashes the Don’s living room, smashing some expensive pieces of art in the process. Holocaust feels that it’s a nice start, but decides to ramp it up a notch. The duo finds the Don and his family, and Holocaust starts to let his temper get the best of him. Holocaust tells the don that he insulted him by having one of his “mooks” tell him that “The Don got no time for Moolies”, that means that the Don has to suffer.

“I couldn’t kill your little girl, that’d be cruel” he tells the frightened Don, “I could kill your woman, but you wouldn’t hardly give a $&*#%. Now your Boy, y’now boys almost always grow up to be trouble. I’d practically be doin’ you a favor!” Holocaust then asks Static whether or not he should kill the frightened young boy, and Static has now idea how to respond or what to do at this point. Sweat is gathering under his mask and all he manages to do is sound nervous about the next move. Holocaust takes this response under advisement as he says “How ‘bout I just do his clothes ..”

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FINALLY, Static realizes this Holocaust guy is a big chump, and he does the right thing. Holocaust yells at Static that HE needs to do this, and he needs Static to just follow orders, show unity, and not ask any questions! Static tells him that he needs to get a grip, and Holocaust responds by telling him that he is clearly no longer worth his time and tells him to leave with what he came with. Static leaves, after seeing that the Don and his family will be safe, as he realizes that Holocaust is just a big loser/ bully playing a dangerous game with a different set of rules than him.

Virgil realizes, as the issue closes, that he was a little too hard on Larry and Frieda and decides to forgive them both. His mom asks him about the “job” he left for the previous night and whether it was a hoodlum kind of job. He of course tells her no, and she replies “Good. We raised you better than that.” Virgil, through his dealings with Holocaust, realizes the truth in that statement. He has shown this good upbringing by being the hero and not becoming “’lil Holocaust”.

This issue of Static showed our hero facing a huge moral dilemma both in his personal life and in his super-hero identity. He ends up doing the right thing, and learns the big lesson that friends are fallible and that there is no easy way to get by in life (despite Holocaust promising otherwise). Robert Washington and Dwayne McDuffie crafted an entertaining story, and the art by J.P. Leon was top notch as usual. All in all another great issue in my favorite (and obviously Bahlactus’ as well) of the Milestone books.

That’s it for today; check back next week for more Milestone action!

Welcome my friends, to another fun filled installment of the column that has managed to bring peace and love to the Internet….. Munson’s Milestone Mondays! Now up until now I have enjoyed all the Milestone books I have been recapping for you. I have been showering them with heaps of praise, with nary a negative phrase escaping from my keyboard. I am sad to say that that ends right now, as I cover Hardware #’s 5 & 6.

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Well, just take a look at the cover folks, and you can see the beginnings of why these two comics (which represent the first two parts of a 3 part storyline) are frighteningly disappointing. Let’s set the scene shall we? The year is 1993 – we are the height of the grim and gritty superhero phase, and we have a Punisher wannabe / rip-off on the cover fighting with Hardware. He has a big huge gun, which appears to have some sort of knife attachment on the side (Rob Liefeld… white courtesy phone please, Rob Liefeld… white courtesy phone), and bullets strapped around his chest as a fashion accessory. Now, as a reader, you may think, “Nah, this guy can’t just be another grim ‘n’ gritty anti-hero. Maybe there’s something more to him than his gun and poor clothing choices.” Well you’d be a little right, but when you get through this recap, or even dare to pick up and read the issues, you will see that this character still represents the epitome of the vigilante anti-hero….. and it ain’t pretty.

In issue #5 we are introduced to one of Hardware’s contacts – Deacon “Phreaky Deak” Stuart, computer hacker extraordinaire. He is a large black man that apparently enjoys the company of a hooker once a week. However, on one of his weekly visits to his favorite lady of the night, he finds her murdered in her apartment. It just so happens that a serial killer of hookers has been striking in Dakota, and Deacon’s hooker is their latest victim. And much like any clichéd murder scene, the cops just happen to be show up just in time to pin the crime on Deacon.

Deacon, innocent of course, contacts Hardware to help him out by getting him out of jail and investigating who is actually killing the hookers. Hardware agrees to do this, and picks up Deacon at the police station in the only interesting scene from this issue as he uses an on –board imager in a car to assume the guise of an old lady as he picks up his friend. Hardware tells Deacon, that he wants him to dig into the police database and get everything he can about the case. While he does this, Hardware plans to look over the scene of the crime because as he says to Deacon “I can’t solve a puzzle if I don’t have a feel for it.”

Then, it is time to meet our vigilante. Here it is folks, the two pages you have been waiting for:

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Well, you really don’t get much more cliché than that huh? Turns out Mitch is a former rapist, and this guy in the make-up (who has some sort of Mime fetish I’m assuming) apparently has it bad for him:

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Wow…. Did you guys see that…. He was actually foaming at the mouth. Seriously, he was foaming like a rabid wolverine had bitten him in the ass. “You haven’t BEGUN to pay.” Oh god, I am so impressed with this guy’s dialogue. I would not be surprised if they consulted Charles Bronson to help with the script.

So, obviously from the last sentence on the page there, you can assume that Mitch tried to kill the ever so violent Marcel Marceau fan club member because we next see him leaving the apartment. He thinks “I punished him a long time before I let him die. I’ve waste too much time on little fish like Mitch. Time to get back on the trail of the prostitute killer.” He jumps into the Punisher-Van, oops I’m sorry I meant his own means of transportation (it is still a van though) and thinks, “I’ll need to take a closer look at the latest crime scene.” Oh-ho, an interesting plot device to get our main character, and this chump together! Let’s see what happens next!

Hardware arrives at the dead hooker’s apartment, and is looking over the place to try and find some sort of clue. “Who am I kidding?” he thinks “I’m no detective. I don’t even know what I’m looking for.” Suddenly, a voice from behind him speaks, “Returning to the scene of the crime? Saved me a lot of trouble.”

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At least Hardware has one thing going for him as this issue closes…. He’s not drooling like a mad-dog (yet). But at least we have a name for this guy… DEATHWISH. See what I mean about being the epitome of all stereotypes? This guy is magically craptastic, and he has such a way with words!

Issue 6 opens up where #5 left off. The face of between Deathwish and Hardware begins, with a whimper as Hardware responds to Deathwish’s “You heard me blow your brains out, or try to blow out mine” with “Alternately we could talk about this.” Deathwish’s response is with a large knife, more foaming at the mouth and this little retort “Talk to God, and try to put in a good word for me I’ll expect I’ll need it.” Hardware takes one look at this guy’s drool and knows he is in too deep with a completely crazy bastard. He tells him to calm down (like that’s going to work) and puts down the gun. Deathwish tells Hardware “Fair is fair, I’ll drop the knife.” Hardware starts to open his mouth and says “Good. Now let’s…” and that’s all he gets out.

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See he’s still drooling, someone get this guy a bib! Deathwish then tries to strangle Hardware with some wire. Silly vigilante, you can’t cut a guys throat through armor! Hardware pulls out some moves and flips him over his back. Deathwish rises to his feet, and delivers the same line that he delivered to Mitch in the previous issue like he’s Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction: “There’s this movie. It’s about this guy who gets pushed too far. So he decides to push back.” (So flippin’ cheesy!)

We are then treated to no less than three pages of fisticuffs before Hardware remembers “Hey this is just some guy with a gun and I have all of this high tech stuff and I am in armor so I can just whip out some techno crap and kick his ass with stuff he doesn’t even understand!” (I am paraphrasing here… although if he did say that I would have more respect for this issue.)

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Then, HARDWARE KNOCKS HIM THE F*$% OUT!!!! ( I apologize to Chris Tucker…. I just couldn’t resist) Hardware then takes a page out of the Batman handbook for interrogating and/or getting a potential ally to bond with you and ties Deathwish to a steel girder high up on a construction site in downtown Dakota. Check out this little exchange:

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Welcome to the Dakota MENSA meeting folks, try the veal and don’t forget to tip your waitress! Hardware ends up leaving Deathwish to get down by himself, since he works so well alone he should have no problem. He decides to go to work at Alva Industries, where his co-workers tell him he looks like garbage. He complains about not being able to sleep lately and gives up and heads home for some shut-eye. As he arrives at home he finds a message on a phone line that Deacon had set up to contact Hardware. Deacon tells him that he has all the police files on the murders, and he also has a warning for Hardware. Deacon tells him, Deathwish is interested in the case, to which Hardware replies sarcastically “Oh Really?” Deacon tells him that the cops are trying to keep him out of it, but that he as some uncanny ability to track down “this particular brand of SCUM, and every time he beats the police to the offender, they are stuck arresting a corpse.” Hardware takes this is stride and tells Deacon to MODEM the stuff over,(ahh the days of dial-up) and that if he can’t figure out anything from it, maybe he’ll give it to Deathwish. Deacon is impressed and asks him how he knows how to find him.

We get our answer as Hardware takes off in his hovercraft tracking Deathwish with the transmitter he inserted into the lining of his coat while he hung from the building. All Hardware has to hope is that Deathwish hasn’t changed clothes yet, but judging from the way he smells, he thinks that is a pretty safe bet. Hardware is correct, as Deathwish hasn’t changed into new clothes, he has just removed them as he is in a seedy hotel with a woman. The woman says to him “Don’t worry about it, Baby. It happens to everybody…..”

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Okay, who saw that one coming? Raise your hand if you did. I am judging by the sea of imaginary hands I see before me that no one was fooled. The guy is a drooler, and apparently has sex with hookers with his mime make-up still on. Will Hardware be able to stop Deathwish from killing him and continuing on his hooker-killing spree? Will I even care when I recap the next issue? We will see in a future column.

Let’s sum these two issues up shall we? In all honesty, it represents the worst of 90’s comics. Here we have a crazy gun-toting killer with a saliva control problem. He is a total rip-off of the Punisher, for god sake he even wears bullets as a belt! Now, I realize that looking back on a book like this is hard to do, mainly because guys like Deathwish sold tons of comics back in the day. The Punisher had three monthly books at this point for god’s sake! This doesn’t change the fact that Hardware is an armored hero who could take this guy out with any sort of high tech device and just call it a day. However he decides to trade punches with the guy, and doesn’t use his brain at all! So much for brilliant scientist guy! Do you all want to know the worst part? It took me about 10 minutes to read through both issues, there was practically no “weight” to these two comics. This three-part story probably could have been a good done in one issue, but they have to show Deathwish as a badass so they waste pages and the reader’s time with a 15-page fight scene between the two. I was not impressed at all, but still retain some hope that the next issue will at least get back to Hardware’s plot of taking down Alva industries. That plotline is much more interesting than this derivative crap. That wraps up this week’s column, next week we will cover the next issues of Static and Blood Syndicate so be sure to join us then!

This is a sad day for your friendly neighborhood columnist… the Patriots lost Sunday night to the evil Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts!!!!!!!! I would like you all to observe a moment of silence in honor of the team of the decade’s loss, but before you do that we have a Milestone comic to review.

This week we cover Icon #4

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Well, this is the book I have been waiting to review because it has something that doesn’t really show up too much on your average comic book cover, a super hero using a home pregnancy test. This was pretty daring stuff back in 1993, and it’s a story line that could have caused a fledgling comic book company some serious trouble if handled badly. Fortunately, as you will see in this and in future columns, Milestone did not drop the ball!

This issue opens up with Rocket in denial over her pregnant condition. She takes on two muggers knocking them around with her force belt’s power supplying her with all the juice she will need, all the while thinking “how can I be pregnant when I can do this?” She is later in her apartment on Paris Island, telling a friend that she thinks she may be pregnant. What follows is some very funny dialogue that is just what you think two friends would say to each other when one of them just blurts out “ I think I might be pregnant”. For example, Raquel’s friend thinks she is a still a virgin, her response to this was “ I am. Once removed”. Her friend’s response:

Raquel’s concern is that she cannot have this baby right now. While she admits it would be cool to have a child, she would have no money to take care of it or even be able to finish school. Of course the two friends agree that Raquel needs to find out for sure if she is pregnant, and to do this they take the time honored trip to the Pharmacy to purchase a pregnancy test. What happens next is what a teenager who is trying to buy an embarrassing item in any store would truly dread:

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Meanwhile, Icon is breaking up a car jacking in downtown Dakota, all the while thinking about his young partner. “The very IDEA of her having a child! She’s little more than a child HERSELF”, He thinks as he flies to his office for a two o’clock meeting he has in his alter ego of Augustus Freeman. Clearly, Icon truly needs to get a little more in touch with the real world because if he did he would not be too shocked by Raquel’s pregnancy. His meeting is with his law partner, Saul, about the case that they took on to defend Kevin Franklin (A.K.A. Payback, the man who held the Mayor hostage in the first three issues of Icon). They discuss the fact that defending Payback will be a very hard case to win, and Augustus wants Saul’s opinion on their client’s rant about a conspiracy theory involving the Big Bang, the Mayor, and the experimental gas used on the gang-bangers. Now here in the real world the Milestone readers know that there is some connection, and in comic book land Saul thinks that it is very plausible that the city did exactly what Payback said they did. With the knowledge that even his law partner believes Payback’s story, Icon vows to do what he promised his new client he would do: Find out the truth about the Big Bang. He starts by doing some conventional research, reading news articles and looking at pictures of the devastation left by the Big Bang. He comes to the conclusion that the rise of super powered gang members so soon after the Big Bang is too much of a coincidence and decides to focus on the Blood Syndicate. However there is really no information about the gang members other than one news article from the Dakota Chronicle. Concluding that he has exhausted all of the avenues his life as a lawyer gives him, Icon takes flight to discuss the Syndicate with people who may have come into contact with them.

He first stops at the offices of the Dakota Chronicle to speak with Rob Chaplik, the reporter who wrote about the Syndicate back in the first issues of their title. (Isn’t continuity grand?) Miss Chaplik is excited about Icon showing up at the Chronicle at first, as every reporter would love to interview the city’s newest and grandest hero. Her excitement changes to nervousness; however, when he asks her for details about what the Syndicate said happened on the night of the Big Bang. Rob remembers her taxi ride back to the city of Dakota, where her life was threatened if she ever revealed that information. She begins to break down, telling Icon that she doesn’t know what he means. Icon presses the matter, and Rob begins sobbing, “I did what you told me to, I haven’t told anybody I swear! This is a TEST, isn’t it? You’re one of them! Why are you DOING this to me? I swear I didn’t tell anybody, please don’t kill me!” Icon convinces Rob that he is not one of the mysterious “THEY”, and she calms down. She still doesn’t tell Icon anything however, and Icon moves on to his next potential contact.

Icon flies to police headquarters to speak with Josh Thompson, the head of G.R.I.N.D. – the police departments gang task force. Thompson tells Icon that he is in over his head by checking into the Blood Syndicate:

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Meanwhile, Raquel has taken her Pregnancy test, and the results are positive – she is pregnant! She does not know what step to take next, her friend however has only one piece of advice: “you better not let your mother find out!” And wouldn’t you know it, the front door to the apartment opens up just as those words tumble out of their mouths as Raquel’s Grandmother asks “Don’t let your Mother find out what? Are you girls up to something?” This would be the point at which the dramatic music would be queued up to play us into the next scene, as we leave Raquel to rejoin Icon in his search for the Blood Syndicate.

Icon is flying around Paris Island looking for answers and what he finds is the following:

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Looks like Wise Son has given Icon his first nickname – Oreo. (Black on the outside, White on the inside for those who need a translation of the cookie analogy) Wise Son simply takes Icon’s blows as he tells him “You can’t hurt me. NOTHING can hurt me.” Icon takes these words to heart as he tosses Wise Son high into the air, letting land on the pavement beside him. Icon gives his hand to Wise Son to help him up and says to him “Now if you’re quite finished acting out, perhaps we can talk.” His answer comes from behind, as the rest of the Blood Syndicate has arrived on the scene and the Boogeyman tells Icon “Time for talk is OVER… You hurt one of the Blood Syndicate. Now it’s time for WAR!”. The most powerful man in Dakota faces off with the most dangerous gang on Paris Island as our issue comes to a close.

Will Icon resort to violence in his quest for the truth about the Big Bang? Will Raquel keep her baby, and tell her Mom and Grandmother the truth about her condition? You’ll all just have to look for answers in the next issue of Icon my Milestone Minions!

I found this issue of Icon to be a great read, mainly due to the characterization of Icon and Rocket. We really begin to delve into both of our heroes’ lives, as we see Raquel’s home life and her dealing with her pregnancy and Icon working out of his law offices. As entertaining as a super-hero fight can be; if you don’t care about who’s duking it out, it’s just a group of people in tights throwing punches and ruining property. Dwayne McDuffie and Marc Bright are accomplishing this and managing to interweave various pieces of the Big Bang conspiracy to further the development of the Dakotaverse. One letter writer actually sums up my view of this book rather nicely in this issue’s letter column. The letter is as follows:

“Dear Dwayne & CO.,

Just had to drop you a note to let you know how much I’m enjoying ICON. Only two issues into it, and it’s one of the few titles I look forward to avidly.

I know you’re tired of hearing about the “Black Superman” thing, but Icon has more in common with Supes than not – and that one difference, his skin color, makes a WORLD of difference to how he’s perceived. Skillful, elegant ironies.

I think that’s what appeals most to me about the book. It’s first and foremost a character book. The plots come out of the characters’ reactions to the world around them. Knowing that ICON won’t be the same book a year down the line adds weight to everything that happens and makes the anticipation of what is to come all the sweeter.”

The identity of this letter writer you ask? His name is Kurt Busiek, of Astro City and Avengers fame. How about that, your humble columnist and Kurt Busiek share a common opinion about a comic; I guess it is true what they say about great minds thinking alike! On that note I leave you until next week where we will cover the next issue of Hardware!

Is it Monday already? It must be so, because here’s another Triple M column for all of you to digest and enjoy! This week we cover Blood Syndicate #5!

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The cover says it all, as the Syndicate buries their leader Tech-9 in this issue. Our story opens during the funeral as the Syndicate toss their leader’s guns into his grave and salute him by drinking & reminiscing about their fallen friend. While the group is mourning, two people that will figure into the Syndicate’s future are introduced: John Wing and Nina Lam.

We first meet John Wing as he is leaving his suburban home to go to work. He hops into a limo where his driver tells him his agenda for the day. He tells the driver to cancel his morning meeting and postpone a meeting with the mayor until the afternoon. “The Coalition’s meeting now, it is time we deal with the Paris Island problem!” He tells his driver. The Coalition meets later in the morning, and it appears that they are almost like the Mafia in Dakota. They complain to Wing that they are seeing no profits due to the Syndicate’s actions on Paris Island. Their “business” used to pull in a million a week, and now they barely make a hundred thousand. The group clearly wants to remove the Syndicate permanently, and Mr. Wing tells the gentleman not to worry that there is no such thing as a problem without a solution. One member of the group speaks up telling Wing that he sounds scared of the Syndicate, and in a scene reminiscent of the Untouchables he is dealt with rather quickly. Wing smacks him upside his head and as he falls face first into his food, Wing tells him:

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This guy seems pretty hard-core, and seems to have already developed a plan to dispose of his enemies. Meanwhile, Nina Lam is a teenager who attends the St. Anne’s School for Young Women in Dakota. She hates her school, and especially hates her classmates that make fun of her ethnicity. However her sleep seems to be haunted by strange dreams, almost nightmares.

(Click the scan for a larger version!)

It looks like Nina’s father is hoping that her nightmares really are from the pizza, as he seems to be dreading what they could really mean. What they mean will be saved for another day, as we rejoin the Syndicate who are discussing two things – Brickhouse’s bowel movements (It probably comes out like rocks, or clay if she ain’t feeling too well are their thoughts), and their money running out. Wise Son decides they should hit a crack house that night to solve their money problem, and the Syndicate hits the subways for their latest raid.

As they approach their latest target. John Wing’s plans are set into motion. Lookouts see the Syndicate approaching, and communicate this to the Coalition. Wing wants to see his plan up close and tells his driver to head for “sector 2”. The Syndicate head for the crack house, but Fade tells the group to hold up before they go in. He feels something weird, he says to Wise Son, he has a bad feeling. Wise, who is apparently stepping up to be group leader, tells Fade to forget it and just go in to the building. Despite the protests, Fade goes into the building with the Syndicate close behind. They find the crack house pretty much deserted, and the group thinks they may have made a mistake. They were correct as the building explodes, with them still in it! Mr. Wing appears to have made his move and taken out the Syndicate!

Who will survive this explosion, and what else does the Coalition have up their sleeves? What is hidden in John Wing’s basement that will spell doom for Dakota? What do Nina Lam’s Dreams mean? What does Brickhouse’s bowel movements look like anyway? We will find out the answers (well maybe not to the bowel movement one) in Blood Syndicate #6!

This issue was not as action packed as the first 4 issues of this series, which was a good thing. The group bonds over their grief, and we are treated to some character traits unknown until now such as Tech’s suggestion that Brickhouse tie knots in rope to help her adjust to her large hands. The exchange in which Fade, Masquerade, Third Rail and Wise Son discuss Brick’s use of a toilet had me rolling. All of these moments show that these guys are not just a gang, but also a family. Despite the fact that they have lost someone important to them, they will move on.

This issue also marked the debut of the books regular penciller, ChrisCross, and while it was shaky at times it was a marked improvement over the first four issues. Ivan Velez used this issue to introduce some subplots for future issues, particularly in the case of Nina Lam. She is dreaming of a female warrior fighting a demon, and time will tell what this all means. There is also the introduction of the Coalition, who will hopefully prove to be a thorn in the side of the Syndicate for some time to come (that is if they survived the explosion….. wink-wink, nudge-nudge). Overall, Blood Syndicate #5 may not have been a barnburner in terms of action, but it was a fun read and a cliffhanger ending leaves the reader wanting more.

Next week we will tackle the next issues of Hardware and Icon, so be sure to join us then!