Ed Brubaker continues the story of secret agent Holden Carver with a leadoff issue that bodes well for this second volume. In the previous acclaimed twelve part arc, Carver infiltrated a criminal organization as a "sleeper". Like Johnny Depp in Donnie Brasco, he got so immersed in his role that the lines between right and wrong became increasingly blurry. As volume two opens, he has switched fully over to the bad guys whose head honcho Tao is playing the lunk like a violin. Brubaker's work is a marvelously dense, espionage thriller that just incidentally happens to feature spies with super powers. Sean Phillips' dark tones are appropriate for the source material emphasizing the tortured psyche of Holden Carver as well. Like Mark Millar's Wanted, Sleeper has the reader rooting for the slimeballs and guiltily loving every moment of it.
Website: www.wildstorm.com

Psychiatrist William Watts thinks he could use a shrink himself. Dreams of an earth populated by (gasp!) super heroes haunt his nights. His confusion continues in the day as people he encounters like Peter Parker and Matt Murdock seem to be more than just "common" people. Powerless is a mini-series that casts Marvel super heroes as mere mortals. Whether or not this is an alternate Marvel universe or the actual one victimized by some Beyonder-sized mass hallucination is unclear, but it does provide for an intriguing read. Michael Gaydos' artwork is as muddled as William Watts' noggin, but writers Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson do a nice spin on the old What If...? formula. Sure, Marvel's heroes have always been incredibly human, but their public identities always act from a position of strength. So whereas Peter Parker could always defend himself using a tad of his spider powers, as a "powerless" kid with a withered, spider bitten arm he's merely a prime target for an ass whupping. My guess is that William Watts himself is a super hero or villain, perhaps even one we know. We'll see folks, we'll see.
Website: www.marvelcomics.com

Recently shown exclusively on the web via a cool Flash yet semi-user friendly interface, the two first issues of Proximity Effect have now been collected together in a graphic novel format. Caleb is a "source" - a conduit who can infuse certain people, "siphons", with incredible powers when near them. Evidently these powerful relationships have occurred throughout history with Jesus, Joan of Arc, and Hitler among the people who have benefited from the phenomenon. Following in these famous footsteps is Lisa Torres, a wannabee rock star who gains the nimble guitar fingertips of Jimi Hendrix when Caleb walks into the club where she performs. Oh, he also imbues her with super strength, Cyclops-like eye blasts, and other powers. Proximity Effect is a good potboiler, but the dialogue by Scott Tucker and Aron Eli Coleite often spirals out of control into Brian Michael Bendis derivative chatter. The comic also unfortunately draws comparison with DC's current series Touch which explores similar territory. Still, the people behind Proximity Effect through their multi-media campaign show a true sense of daring and creativity. It's not 100% successful, but its damn commendable.
Website: www.proximity-effect.com