| #52 | 4/26/06 | #4 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
MARVEL MILESTONES: FEATURING THE BEAST & KITTY PRYDE
ION: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE #1
SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE # 5
STAR WARS TAG & BINK EPISODE I: REVENGE OF THE CLONE MENACE
THE THING #6
Big Eyes for the Cape Guy presents DEATH NOTE
Big Eyes for the Cape Guy presents EDEN: IT'S AN ENDLESS WORLD!
Indie Jones presents FREE SCOTT PILGRIM
Indie Jones presents SCOTT PILGRIM VOL. 1 & 2
Indie Jones presents…
CHEAP SHOTS!
MARVEL MILESTONES: FEATURING THE BEAST & KITTY PRYDE
Written by Gerry Conway & Chris Claremont
Art by Tom Sutton & Dave Cockrum
Published by Marvel
Reviewed by @$$hole @$$stones featuring Buzz Maverik
Yep, there's an X-MEN movie coming out this summer. You can tell because Marvel is putting out books like this. The Beast and Kitty Pryde, of course, will be featured prominently in X3: THE LAST X-MAN STANDING. I'll tell ya, I'm excited. I can't wait. When they open the doors for that first midnight show, I hope to God I have something better to do.
I finally got around to seeing part of X2: X-MEN UNTITLED on FX a few weeks ago. You see, I was so disappointed in the lack of ambition, style, originality and courage in the first X-MEN movie, that I did the one thing most fanboys can't bear to do: I stayed away from the sequel. You know how somebody will inevitably say, "If you don't like it don't read/see/watch/listen to it"? Well, for once, I did that. This is old news. I talk about it all the time here. I've been told that I have no credibility as a comic book reviewer because I didn't see X2, which is interesting because I'm pretty sure X2 was a movie, not a comic book, but I'll do whatever it takes to not have credibility.
What'd I think of X2? It reminded me of this PLAYBOY movie that I bought through pay-per-view once. I thought I was going to see naked Playmates and Bunnies. Instead, I got this black and white documentary about Hugh Hefner that he produced himself in the '60s. It kept featuring scenes of him flying around in his jumbo jet with the Bunny logo on the tail fin. This was cool in a kitschy, retro way but that wasn't why I ordered it. A bunch of Austin Powers extras (only these were real) came on the plane and go-go danced when a disco ball dropped from the ceiling. They had a blonde chick with long, straight hippie hair and a chick with an Afro but neither of them got naked.
X2 seemed to be about Marvel Girl and Storm flying around in the Blackbird. Neither of them got naked either, at least not on the edited for basic cable version. There was a cool sequence in which Storm used her weather powers against some fighter jets and Rogue fell out of the plane and Nightcrawler bamfed down through the clouds and bamfed her back aboard. To tell you the truth, though, it seemed a little dumb until I realized I was looking at it like a movie. Look at it like a comic! I told myself, and it was suddenly cool again.
Oddly, I'm fairly stoked about SUPERMAN RETURNS. If Singer could do reasonably well copying RESERVOIR DOGS and THE MATRIX, I think he'll do great copying SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN II. And it looks like a movie for the whole fuckin' family.
We've got Kelsey Grammer as the Beast. FRASIER, I can get past, but I'll tell ya, when he starts talkin', if I DO see it in theater, I'm gonna be that obnoxious prick who yells "Auuugh! Sideshow Bob!" Of course, that won't measure up in Obnoxious Prickness to fired @$$hole Jon Quixote, whom, upon seeing the climatic battle in EPISODE 3, where Anakin was burnt up after getting his arms and legs lightsabred off, yelled, "Okay, let's call it a draw!" Now, that's Obnoxious Prick Hall O' Fame, bay-bee.
But frankly, for some reason, whenever I read X-MEN comics, Hank McCoy always sounded like Jeff Bridges in my mind. Here, we have a reprint of the first issue of the Beast's run in AMAZING ADVENTURES. Gerry Conway wrote this issue, but Steve Engelhart would soon take over, leading to the Beast in Engelhart's AVENGERS line up. I love the mystery here, the use of flashbacks, the silence in many of Tom Sutton's panels. The Beast has black fur and is more bestial, almost a fluffy Hulk, here, but there's a restraint that modern comics lack. Mostly, this is about a young guy leaving home for his first real job out of college...and mutating himself beyond recognition.
The Kitty Pryde story from UNCANNY X-MEN # 163? Dave Cockrum's art is awesome, of course, but this is from an era where there was a lot of exposition, trying to bring new readers up to date by telling them things instead of showing them :"The X-Men's leader, Storm, who controls the weather, has weird white hair and..." The worst thing about this story is that it is about Kitty Pryde making up a fairy tale for five year old Illyana Rasputin. I had to dislike a story like this simply on the grounds that I'm a guy.
ION: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE #1
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Greg Tocchini
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
The everyman, underdog hero is an oft-used template for today’s comic book heroes. People don’t seem to want perfect icons anymore or they only want stories that shine a light on those icons’ flaws. Seems people like to read (and writers like to write) about the everyman hero and I must admit, they are more relatable than some squeaky-cleaner. I guess that’s why there are so many of them out there today. Take Kyle Rayner, for instance. He’s one of those bumbling, good-hearted heroes that follow the whole Peter Parker tradition of tumbling through life and somehow ending up on their feet. One of the things that made Kyle so likable is the fact that he was an artist. In a genre where so much emphasis is placed on art, it was a nice and pretty original way to get an audience to become interested in the character. On top of that, Kyle has had no luck whatsoever with the ladies. His last three girlfriends have died on him. Only Daredevil has had worse luck with chicks. All of these thingsmade me really empathize with this character. He really is one of my favorites in today’s comics.
But now that original GL Hal Jordan is back in the picture, Kyle was one of those characters (like GREEN ARROW’s Connor Hawke) that had developed a fan base, but really had no place to go. It was cool that Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons seemed to try to give Kyle a role in their recent GREEN LANTERN CORPS miniseries, but by the end of that series, another Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, seemed to be shoehorned into the headlining role of that book and its upcoming spin-off monthly. So what’s a semi-popular character to do?
Well, it looks like one of the guys who wrote the bulk of Kyle’s stories, Ron Marz, has some more stories to tell. I wasn’t a fan of Kyle getting his face all starry in the pages of the RANN THANAGAR WAR CRISIS SPECIAL. Not only does it look weird, alien-izing a character that has always been personable and relatable, but given the fact that former girlfriend Donna Troy’s costume is similarly starry, it makes you wonder where Kyle has been sticking his nose.
I can’t say I’m a big fan of this whole power change that Kyle experienced after INFINITE CRISIS either. I appreciate the fact that the powers-that-be didn’t off him like they did so many others in the last year, but the fact that Judd Winick wrote a similarly themed story involving an amped-up Kyle makes me wonder why I’m buying this story again. Plus if the title of this book is any indication, Kyle may now have Guardian-like powers, but didn’t GL John Stewart have those powers for a while?
The extent of Kyle’s power change has been so vague that I really don’t know what the hell he’s become. The Guardians spit out some kind of non-explanation of him being a Keanu-like “The One” and some GL Corps members call him the “Torch Bearer” in this issue, but what the hell that means, I sure don’t know. Because the haze surrounding just what exactly is different about Kyle is so thick, I found myself reading this entire issue with a furrowed brow. As far as I can see, Kyle just had a costume change. He seems to still have the GL powers. So far, nothing else is very different.
Ambiguity aside, Marz does do one thing right in this issue and that’s deliver a fleshed-out performance from Kyle. One of my favorite issues of Marz’ first run on the GL series was the Donna Troy break-up issue. It was handled with so much depth and emotion and really highlighted the character of Kyle and how special he really is. Kyle the character is as succinct and three-dimensional as Kyle’s power change is abstract and fleeting to understand.
I did like Greg Tocchini’s art in this issue. His work is very much like Gene Colan’s. Loosely drawn, almost ethereal. I guess at the heart of this book is the question: what has Kyle become? It’s a mystery and these questions are highlighted by this almost surrealistic art. This is a step away from the more straightforward art style that much of DC’s sci fi stories have sported in the last year. It is a perfect example of how the artwork can convey mood in a story. A more classical approach to the art would not have sparked this sense of mystery.
Kyle is on a sort of soul search in this issue. He’s trying to understand what has led him to where he is now and what he has become. He’s still the same Kyle we’ve been reading for years. And if you squint and forget a panel or two, you can read it just as that. If you’re a fan of the character, you’ll want to pick this up. I understand the reason for trying to make Kyle distinct and appreciate the fact that the higher-ups have attempted to have the best of both worlds with the return of Hal as the GL of the DCU while not getting rid of Kyle in the process. But this is familiar territory and the big differences that are being referenced aren’t clear. Marz has his job cut out for him to try to make this book worthwhile for those who still have a bad taste in their mouths from Winick’s story. So far, he’s nailed Kyle’s character, but it’s what’s so different about him as a hero that needs some clarification.
SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE # 5
Written by: Sean McKeever
Pencilled by: Takeshi Miyazawa
Published by: Marvel Comics
Reviewed by: superhero
McKeever and Miyazawa nail this one outta the park. And I don’t mean any old home run. I’m talkin’ a Babe Ruth points to the outfield, dramatically misses the first two pitches and just nails the third one right over the boards. Yep, that’s how great this issue of SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE is.
In this issue MJ finally gets to go out on her date with Spidey and it’s an eye opener for her in more ways than one. Not only does she get that building a relationship with a masked super hero would be more complicated than she thought she also discovers some interesting things about herself on the way. Like the one guy who she’s been seeing as just a friend is actually the one guy she should probably be with. Does it matter that said individual is Spider-Man’s secret identity? Well, what MJ doesn’t know (but we do) won’t hurt her but the problem is that in true soap opera fashion her realization may have come too little too late. See, our boy Peter Parker’s been chosen to show the new girl in school around on her first day and when it was revealed who this new character in the SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE universe was, well, let’s just say that this reader was as psyched as could be. Hint: she’s blonde and she’s destined to become Spidey’s first true love.
OK, fine, I’ll tell you.
(SPOILERS)
It’s Gwen Stacy.
And while the fact that we’ve got another sort of out-of-continuity Spider book reintroducing old school characters shouldn’t be exciting, McKeever and Miyazawa are able to make it seem brand new and refreshing. I remember being slightly disappointed when Bendis re-introduced Gwen Stacy in the pages of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN as a sort of bitter Goth-Rocker chick. I mean, it was an original choice but it didn’t seem to ring true to the original character, especially visually. While ULTIMATE SPIDEY is a great book I think that Bendis’ re-imagining of Gwen was a misstep and when she got offed in the pages of that comic it just didn’t really resonate with me.
With this issue of SPIDEY LOVES MARY JANE McKeever seems to show once again how much he gets what made the Spidey world work so well all those years ago. He and Miyazawa cast Gwen as more of a Paris Hilton look-alike and the choice is a perfectly inspired fit of old school character mixed with a modern sensibility. Of course as of this issue we haven’t really seen how this new Gwen’s personality will develop. but it seems like the creators of this book are determined to maintain her pure as the driven snow status that so many other comic creators have been happy to plow all over these past couple of years. Yes, J. Michael Straczynski, I’m talking to you.
That’s what makes this book so great. While the book isn’t really even about Spider-Man at all it brings a fresh new perspective to characters that have been around in the Spidey universe forever while maintaining a respect for what came before. Not only does it respect it but it emulates part of what made a lot of the old Spidey books entertaining in the first place. It’s re-introduced that warm and silly soap-opera aspect of early Marvel comics that’s been lost in recent years. C’mon, let’s admit it. As much as we all loved Spider-Man beating the crap out of the Green Goblin it was also the high drama of Peter’s personal life that really sucked us into comics all those years ago. Even though this book deals pretty much with Mary Jane’s personal life we still get to see aspects of Peter Parker’s world but from a different and just as sweetly dramatic viewpoint.
This book is the perfect antidote to all the sadly miswritten events that have plagued the mainstream Spidey books in recent years even if the book isn’t absolutely about everyone’s favorite wall-crawler. As a matter of fact I’d even be so bold to say that McKeever’s actually been able to make Mary Jane Watson a more interesting character than Peter Parker’s been in the past couple of years. This is a great book and I can’t wait to see how things develop down the line.
STAR WARS TAG & BINK EPISODE I: REVENGE OF THE CLONE MENACE
Kevin Rubio: Writer
Lucas Marangon: Artist
Dark Horse Comics: Publisher
Vroom Socko: More powerful than you can possibly imagine
Kevin Rubio is my kind of nuts. The man crams more jokes into a single panel than some writers put in a whole comic. Not only that, his love for the material he’s mocking is clear. Reading the misadventures of Tag and Bink makes you want to head over to your DVD player and put in a Star Wars movie. Even the prequels. Yes, I said the prequels.
This installment shows the early years of these two rebels, right in the thick of the main plotline of Attack of the Clones. It turns out that our two title troublemakers were actually Jedi younglings; obviously, they were the two worst younglings in the history of the Jedi order. It’s here that Rubio has one of the best jokes in the book, where two younglings are playing with Star Wars action figures of the members of the Banking Guild, pretending to impose trade regulations and raising tariffs on uncooperative systems. It even manages to equal the best joke from the last issue, where Tag and Bink meet up with rebel spy Manuel Both-Hanz, Manny to his friends.
Think about it.
Things really heat up for our heroes when they accidentally erase the location of the planet Kamino. When Obi-Wan interrupts their lightsaber class to ask Yoda about the missing system, the two boys decide it’s time to hightail it out of there. More insanity follows, first when the waitress at Dex’s Diner calls out the wrong order, and later when we learn just why Anakin’s pick-up lines on Naboo sound like they were written by a ten year old.
What really makes this book fun, just like the issues that preceded it, are all the little cameos and gags crammed into the corners of the panels. The customers at Dex’s Diner, for example, include Gort, Buzz Lightyear, and the ‘Bots from Mystery Science Theater 3000. My favorite, however, is the glimpse we get of Sean Connery, dressed as Brother William from THE NAME OF THE ROSE fleeing the Jedi temple. It’s such a “what the fucking HELL!” moment I can’t help but love it.
This book is the perfect remedy for all you lapsed Star Wars fans. It makes the prequels fun! Really, it’s about time, too.
THE THING #6
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Kieron Dwyer
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
OK, folks. I understand that decompressed storytelling is the “in” things these days. I’ve almost come to accept the fact that those who make today’s comics are no longer that concerned about filling a comic, rather they look at an issue as a chapter in a larger story, not a complete product in and of itself. And you guys, the readers, have spoken, as you keep buying parts of a story, faithfully counting on a big payoff somewhere in the future instead of just enjoying the issue you have in your hands as a whole. And Marvel has responded by making this the in-house blueprint for telling most of their stories. But I’m here to tell you all that there is an alternative.
Some call it “Old School,” but I’d rather call it compressed, tightly-packaged, shrink-wrapped goodness. Like a fat girl squeezed into pink lycra stretch pants, these comics are overflowing with so much fun, adventure, and stuff between the covers that you end up spending the time it takes you to read three decompressed stories to finish it. Marvel big name in the making Dan Slott is at the forefront of this type of storytelling and his series THE THING is the perfect example of what I’m talking about.
In this single issue of THE THING you get:
A slugfest between the Thing, the Sandman, the Trapster, and Spider-Man.
Cameos by the Sub-Mariner, She-Hulk, the FF, Blastarr, Dragon Man, the Wizard, Hercules, Damage Patrol, and Beyonce Knowles.
A story filled with action and heart.
A tug at the heartstrings as the Thing longs for his lost love Alicia.
The Yancy Street Gang.
A LOST reference.
At least one laugh per page (that’s 22, folks!)
The Thing pushing a broom and wearing an apron.
The Thing’s thoughts on Spider-Man’s new costume.
The Thing’s thoughts on the New Avengers.
Solid artwork by Kieron Dwyer.
Sandman puking in the Thing’s face.
A bomb.
A statue.
An almost-tossed brick.
The Fantastic Four signal blazing high above Manhattan.
And a zonked out and drooling Lockheed.
That’s all in one issue sporting one of the coolest covers I’ve seen in quite a while.
Plus, since you’re all so keen on multi-part stories, you’ll be happy to hear that this is actually the second half of a two-part story, but you don’t even have to buy the last issue to enjoy this one. That’s how well-told and solid this one is.
Listen, folks. It’s all well and good that stories can be told in a decompressed way, but that ain’t all there is out there. There are other ways to enjoy comics and THE THING is a perfect example of this. Give this series a chance. It’s well known that THE THING is in danger of cancellation and it’d be a shame if this happens. There’s room on the racks for all types of storytelling and a much needed space on it for a great book like THE THING.
DEATH NOTE
Writer: Tsugumi Ohba
Artist: Takeshi Obata
Publisher: Viz
Reviewer: Dan Grendell
If you could murder criminals with impunity, would you do it?
An overview of Volumes 1-5
In an interesting test of human morality, DEATH NOTE centers around death gods known as Shinigami, who watch Earth from their own realm. When one gets bored, he leaves his Death Note notebook for a human being to find on Earth - and any person whose name is written in that notebook and whose face is pictured clearly will die. The manner and details of the death can be specified, so time of death and even some of the victim's behavior leading up to the death can be controlled. If not, a simple heart attack will result. The question is, will the finder use the Death Note?
Taking the death penalty to the next level, in DEATH NOTE a teenager named Light Yagami finds the notebook and decides to use it to rid the world of evil. No fool, he covers his tracks well, and when criminals begin to die, it turns into an incredible chase as a mysterious detective named "L" is called in to find Light, known to the world as the mystery killer Kira, and his own father assists "L". Things take even stranger turns as people begin to support Kira's actions, Light joins the hunt for Kira, and a second Kira appears. Smart, intriguing, and cool, this manga asks a hard philosophical question in an entertaining way. If you had the power, what would you do? Here's an overview of the volumes that have been released so far:
Volume One: Light receives the Death Note, and becomes Kira. "L" is called in and the hunt begins.
Volume Two: Kira kills off the FBI agents hunting him, 'L" reveals himself to a select few people including Light's father, Light becomes a suspect, and cameras and microphones are placed in Light's house.
Volume Three: "L" reveals himself to Light, and a new Kira appears.
Volume Four: Light meets Misa, Misa is captured as the second Kira, Light gives himself over as a possible Kira.
Volume Five: Light and Misa cleared, and a third Kira begins attacks on businesses.
Obata's art has changed style since he worked on HIKARU NO GO. For DEATH NOTE, the lines are much sharper and more angular, characters are more drawn and thinner, and things have an overall creepier vibe that fits the tone of the book quite well. It's so different that I'm actually hard-pressed to tell it's the same artist. His character designs, especially for "L", Ryuk, and Misa, are wonderful, and those characters own the page whenever they are on them. I'm quite impressed with Obata's art growth here.
DEATH NOTE isn't a happy-go-lucky book, but it's an intellectual score and a philosophical puzzler. Oh yeah, and one hell of an interesting read. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
EDEN: IT'S AN ENDLESS WORLD!
Creator: Hiroki Endo
Publisher: Dark Horse
Reviewer: Dan Grendell
"You actually think it would be better if mankind became extinct, don't you?"
"I guess so. If that happened... there'd be no one left to ruin the earth."
An overview of Volumes 1-2
Well, once again manga had brought us a look at a post-apocalyptic future, and this one is even more depressing than most. What's depressing about it, really, is how accurate the statements it makes are. In EDEN, the apocalypse comes when a virus in an American bio-weapons lab escapes and mutates into something that causes skin to harden and internal organs to liquefy. Nice, eh? I wish I couldn't see that actually happening. In the years of chaos that ensue, a paramilitary group named Propater topples the UN and starts taking control. That one's a little harder to buy, but greedy people taking advantage of the chaos of a disease? Oh yeah, I'll buy it.
Hidden in their own Eden, with genes that fought off the virus, a boy and a girl survive together and later have children. The boy becomes a powerful drug lord, and his wife and daughter are taken as hostages against him. His son, Elijah, travels with only an artificially intelligent combat robot, trying to stay free in the wilderness and seeing the face of the Earth as it has become. Killing and desolation everywhere, damaged people full of hate, everyone fighting just to survive, jealously guarding what love they have found - it's a horrible place humanity makes for itself, and Elijah is right in the middle of it, taken captive by a group of soldiers.
Endo's art is realistic and dirty for the most part, which fits this manga perfectly. Everything is rendered in great detail, and weapons and vehicles are a strong point. Cybernetics are cool and innovative, as is some of the weaponry. He tends to use enough panels and artwork that the pages have a dense feel but not an over-full one, though sometimes it gets close. Endo really seems to meet his stride when the military enters the manga.
This is an interesting and worthwhile look at a possible future, but a very depressing one. Check it out, but be ready for a low mood.
FREE SCOTT PILGRIM
Bryan Lee O’Malley: Creator
Oni Press : Publisher
Vroom Socko: Giving it away
It’s that time of year again. That time when comic book shops have to explain over and over that “I’m sorry, but if you want that signed copy of SANDMAN #1, you have to pay for it.” This Saturday marks the fifth year of Free Comic Book Day, that special day when the comic book industry takes a lesson from dope dealers and offers a free taste. There’s plenty of variety this year, with Marvel offering an X-MEN/RUNAWAYS flip book, with Dark Horse countering with one featuring STAR WARS/CONAN. DC has another issue starring the JLU, while Top Shelf features the absolutely adorable OWLY.
But it’s Oni that put their contribution to the day in my hands a week early, so it’s their book that I can recommend the highest. And how can I not: it features the first story to be seen in months featuring that lovable fighter/musician/loser known as Scott Pilgrim. I have been assured by the sort of people who know these things that Volume Three of this incredible, indescribably fun comic will be out in stores by the end of the month. Until then, this sampler issue provides a welcome refresher of the world our hero inhabits.
While the story shown here is rather brief, it hits most if not all of the touches that make the regular books so enjoyable. While on their way to a movie, Scott and his friends are confronted by warriors sent by one of the evil ex-boyfriends of his current girlfriend Ramona. The action is just as fun, funny, and frantic as it is in the regular series, and there are plenty of the silly yet fitting touches that run through the whole of the SCOTT PILGRIM world. Take a look at the nutrition labels on the soda Scott is buying at the beginning without having a chuckle, I dare you.
There’s also a second story in this book: FEARLESS GRIGGS by Andy Helms. This is my first encounter with this particular character, and all I can say is that it’s what I would imagine Doc Savage would be like if it was illustrated by Mike Mignola and written by Monty Python. Apparently there’s a graphic novel featuring Griggs coming out this summer, and I for one can’t wait to see it.
In any case, picking up this book shouldn’t be that hard a sell. Just stop by your local comic shop this Saturday, May 6th. They’ll be giving it away!
SCOTT PILGRIM VOL. 1 & 2
Writer/Artist: Bryan Lee O'Malley
Publisher: Oni Press
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Once in a while, a comic book comes along that is so awesome, you just don't know what to do. You get so excited about it you don't know whether to shout it out to everyone just how much amazing it is and that they should read it, or if you should keep it on the down-low and keep it for yourself as your own special little treat. Why should everyone else get to enjoy the comic at your say-so? If they really liked good comics, they'd hunt this down themselves gosh darnit! Well, lucky for all of you, I'm not a selfish prick. And just as word comes out that volume three of SCOTT PILGRIM is finally off to the printers, I'm here to spread more love to the uninitiated and to remind those of you who have felt said love just what it was like when Scotty boy first entered your life.
The premise is simple. Scott Pilgrim is 23, a slacker in a rock band, and totally dating a high school girl. Every once and a while someone shows up and challenges him to a duel, but whatever, Scott is a totally awesome fighter to boot. But things are starting to get a little complicated in his normally simple life. While it seems great to be dating a hot 17 year old girl named Knives, Scott meets another girl at a party named Ramona that really gets to him. And that's what these first two volumes of SCOTT PILGRIM are about. Showing us the life of Scott Pilgrim through his messed up relationships, his totally awesome rock band, and his off-the-wall duels with all his girlfriend's ex-boyfriends as they show up to challenge him one by one.
Admittedly, when I first saw all the raves these books were getting, I wasn't sure what the hype was about. I flipped through a copy or two while at my favorite Barnes & Noble, and it just looked way too cutesy to me. Like, Cartoon Network weekday cartoon cutesy. But it's all terribly deceptive. Once I sat down and actually read the bloody thing I was taken on one of the most fun rides I've had while reading a comic book. The humor just hits you from all over the place. Sometimes subtle, but oft times in your face, and whenever you think you've got it figured out, it comes at you again in a way you didn't expect. And sometimes it does indeed get overly silly, but at the same time it also holds the same deceptive maturity that makes this book so special.
And watching the drama unfold in this tale of our lazy protagonist is a treat as well. Watching Scott's almost creepy relationship with seventeen year old Knives Chau turn into the train wreck you would expect it to become is both somewhat saddening, and of course, littered with some hilarity. But it's also intriguing to watch as he finally meets a girl, Ramona, that he thinks could be the one to make him *gasp* grow up a little and settle down. There's some very nice quiet moments in it all as Scott becomes enthralled by Ramona, but nervous and paranoid around her, and then grows into a comfort zone with her. It's just a reflection on one of those things that makes life what it is......and then Knives comes back all angry and Kung-Fu'ed out and tries to fight Ramona to the death while at the same time Scott is dealing with his own problems with Ramona's exes doing the same. Trust me, it's like River City Ransom on crack, and it totally works.
And lastly, the whole package is tied together by a very entertaining supporting cast including Scott's sister, his band mates, and his gay roommate Wallace. Every great slacker film needs a posse in order to emphasize the many faults of its main character, and the supporting group of SCOTT PILGRIM does a wonderful job with all their heaped-on ridicule and jabs at the hero of the story. It fleshes out the scope of the book and the background very nicely. And yes, while the art is itself very "cutesy" as I put it earlier, I don't see how this book could work any other way. It's a shame that the artwork alone seems to detract people from trying this. I'm upset at myself for almost letting it happen to me, but if you can see past the "pseudo-anime" style and look at it for what it is, you'll see that it really does wonders to help out all the emotional and comedic content contained within.
SCOTT PILGRIM truly is a special little book. It dares to be different, and revels in its distinction. With its digest format and black and white pages it's nowhere near as flashy as most other comics, but that's why it's so special. It's like it's just daring people to give it a try instead of the Infinite Crisis and Civil War hoopla out there, and is proud of the fact that it’s more unique than these dime a dozen books could ever hope to be. If you're sick of the same-old-same-old and want a book that has some genuine feeling to it, this is the place to be. Read it, love it, and read it again in rabid anticipation of the third volume. It's an amazing little place in the world of comics that everyone should try to enjoy.
WAR OF THE WORLDS: SECOND WAVE #2
BOOM! Studios
Color me impressed. Although I found the first issue of this series to be entertaining and filled with some really great art by Chee, the fact that the entire issue was basically a recap of what happened in the WAR OF THE WORLDS film told from a different perspective made me wary. I wasn’t sure what to expect. In this issue, the action kicks into full gear. The pods have landed for a second strike, but survivor Miles has a theory that this second wave is different from the first. I got a nice WALKING DEAD vibe as I read through this issue. There’s that same foreboding sense of danger and menace. Society is in shambles and only the strong and the lucky have survived. There’s a feeling of hopelessness in those who survived the first attack, and now that the second wave is coming, that hopelessness has increased exponentially. There are some really intense scenes depicting this despair as these survivors drive through what’s left of town. The black and white book suits the mood of the story. There is an attention to character that you don’t often find in horror books. You can tell that writer Michael Alan Nelson is taking these characters seriously and allowing the reader time to get to know these characters and become invested in them. I also appreciate the hook in this issue, tying a therapy session the main character had in the past to the real terrors he faces in the present. Miles’ fears seem to be coming true and it is a strong way of conveying danger on many levels. Give this book a try. So far it’s started out strong and conveys a sense of danger and terror that the movie only touched upon. - Ambush Bug
POLLY AND THE PIRATES # 5
Oni Press
The penultimate issue of this absolutely delightful series features young Polly engaging in vicious swordfights, forging alliances between the various pirate factions, evading naval destroyers, and finally discovering just what her mother the Pirate Queen's kept in the vault that holds the worlds greatest treasure. There is no other book out there as charming as the past five issues of this book, and I absolutely cannot wait to see the conclusion. -- Vroom Socko
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Remember, if you have an Indie book you’d like one of the @$$holes to take a look at, click on your favorite reviewer’s link and drop us an email.
ASTONISHING X-MEN #14
Marvel Comics
I honestly don’t know why I am not as into this series as I should. Could it be that I just don’t care about mutants anymore? Have they finally run their course? And why is it that even though there are only supposedly 198 mutants left on the earth, there’s roughly three times that many X-titles on the shelves? This issue has some good enough moments. The White Queen seems to be leaning towards the dark side again, or is she being manipulated by Cassandra Nova? The mutant who will destroy a world is discussed again in this issue. It’s a plot point that has been brewing since this series began, but because of the lull between issues, I really don’t care. There’s a riff on the Mystique/Logan interaction from X2 in this issue except this time it takes place between Emma and Scott. Cyclops basically gets mind-fucked without lube in this one. It’s pretty disturbing, but I’m kind of sick of seeing writers highlight how much of a loser Cyclops is. Writer Joss Whedon should write a Colossus and Kitty series and call it a night. The two or three pages with them in it were the best parts of this issue and their relationship is the best part of the series. - Bug
VILLAINS UNITED INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL #1
DC Comics
Gail Simone knocks one out of the park in an issue as chock-filled as any INFINITE CRISIS issue. If anything, I wanted this book to never end and for Gail to elaborate on all of the cool things she touches upon in this issue. The prison escape of every felon on the planet. The last stand of the heroes against the villains. And the Secret Six with aching taints as they sit on the fence trying to decide which side to fight for. I loved the real sense of building tension as this story reached its final pages. Can’t wait for THE SECRET SIX miniseries coming soon and Simone makes for a great build-up into the final issue of INFINITE CRISIS. Her deft handling of so many characters makes me wish she had more of a part in that series as well. - Bug
FANTASTIC FOUR #537
Marvel Comics
Although the the final shockeroo panel of last issue was actually depicted on the cover, shattering any and all chances of surprise, I found this to be a pretty strong issue as Doom and an army of Doombots battle furiously with the FF to gain access to Thor’s hammer which has fallen from the heavens and landed in Oklahoma. There’s some great old-school dialog voiced by Doom as he remembers how he got out of the hell he was placed in when we last saw him. There’s also a great fight between the Thing and Doom depicted with highly-detailed and classical ease by Mike McKone. This was an all-out slug fest issue with hints at a possible return of the Thunder God. I liked it. Thor has been gone from the Marvel U for too long. These snippets of hope are proving to be cool, but I can’t wait till the Thunder God finally returns. - Bug
CHECKMATE #1
DC Comics
I really dug this revamp of CHECKMATE as writer Greg Rucka deftly makes like BOBBY FISCHER and maneuvers knights, bishops, and kings to introduce you to the way the newly formed (and after this issue, possibly newly disbanded) Metahuman Monitoring Task Force. Fans of the old SUICIDE SQUAD series will love appearances by Amanda Waller and Count Vertigo. Fire shows up and uncharacteristically is murdering Kobra troops (a detail that I’m not totally comfortable with). And Sasha Bordeaux is still kicking it and looking more and more like X-FORCE’s Domino. Still the biggest question regarding this entire OYL thing is why the hell is Green Lantern Alan Scott wearing an eyepatch?!?? This is a nice, fast-paced read with limitless possibilities and a cast of cool characters. - Bug
