I just re-read, for the first time in decades, Power Man and Iron Fist #118. When it first came out, this was my first exposure to the book. What was not to love? Solid artwork- with just a problem here and there which would be ironed out by the creative team, under the ever-improving hands of Mark “Doc” Bright and Jerry Acerno. The panels of supporting character Colleen Wing were the ones that grabbed me most effectively; she looks SO cool with her samurai sword. The martial arts combat with Chiatang versus Luke Cage and Colleen- his temporary partner-had me reading and re-reading the pages, following the blocking carefully. The long vertical panel where Cage speaks with steel about this “force” that’s warning them away, according to Danny, in K’un L’un’s secret language is one of the best in the series, much less this issue. Story? Engaging, mysterious, suspenseful, and wonderful characterizations by Jim Owsley, soon to be known as Christopher Priest. What I didn’t know is...

Drawn & Quarterly Presents: Guy Delisle Hostage Sometimes a simple cartoon, when there’s a single character, can convey your story perfectly. How you feel about one desperate person chained to a radiator, held hostage, will equate to how much you’d enjoy this comic. It’s a well-done attempt to evoke empathy. In fact, it’s quite the opposite of the usual escapist fare that dominates American comics. The monochromatic palette demonstrates the hazy, monotonous feeling of two days, after an entire month previously, of being a hostage in an apartment in Chechnya. You know the little the hostage knows; you appreciate the things you do with your freedom, especially your free time. Delisle’s work even in so brief a sample does leave an impression on which to linger. The situation he wishes to convey is not very detail-intensive. I recognize the craft, but I think I’d be more attracted to some of the other real-world-inspired offereings from D & Q more. 3 ½ stars of 5. P...