| Issue #52 | Release Date: 3/14/12 | Vol.#10 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
Advance Review: THE JUNGLE BOOK #1
FANTASTIC FOUR #604
MODESTY BLAISE: LIVE BAIT TPBK
Advance Review: SAUCER COUNTRY #1
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE #1
SAGA #1
Advance Review: MONOCYTE #3
GREEN LANTERN #7
THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #6
Advance Review: THE JUNGLE BOOK #1
Advance Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #7
JOHN LENNON #1
THE SHADE #6
Advance Review: HEART #4
VILLAINS #1
PROPHET #23
Advance Review: SAUCER COUNTRY #1
Advance Review: In stores today!GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS THE JUNGLE BOOK #1
Writer: Mark L. MillerArtist: Carlos Granda
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Reviewer: Professor Challenger
“Surely, the ferocious Bagheera has not developed some sort of soft spot or these creatures that interrupt our grand battle. Let us celebrate this respite with a feast, Jungle Brother. The littlest looks most delectable.” – Shere Khan
Before you read any further on this review, I want to let you know up front that this comic book series called THE JUNGLE BOOK is not at all what you expect. Everyone is at least generally familiar with the characters of Kipling's JUNGLE BOOK (even if it's only the Disney cartoon) and the best thing about this comic is that the characters are “familiar”, and yet it is a wonderfully new approach to the story. Dare I call it a “reimagining”?
I am a fan of the original stories by Kipling. As a child, they were stories I read and reread many times. Were I a child today, I probably would have just watched the Disney cartoon on DVD until it melted. Instead I was forced to go to the books, where I got so much more than what was adapted to the Disney cartoon. So I went into this comic with a presumptive expectation that it was going to be a straightforward either adaptation or continuation of the story of Mowgli, the wolf boy and his jungle friends.
Instead, I immediately had my expectations upset in very cool ways. I almost hesitate to tell you and let it all unfold for you as it did for me. Unfortunately, I feel like I need to hit the highlights of Miller's approach so that you can make an informed decision. The first thing you need to know is that Miller is not doing what Kipling did in stringing together disparate stories about the jungle. There is an overarching story here that involves a massive jungle war between the different “tribes” of animals (wolves, tigers, elephants, apes) that comes to a sort of armistice upon the arrival of four shipwrecked little children, the youngest being an infant little girl. Each tribe takes a child with them to raise as their own and carve out their own territories without crossing boundaries and causing the war to start up again. The wolves take the infant girl to raise, and name her Mowglii.
That's right. In this story, Mowglii is a young lady setting out on her own exploring outside the wolf territory and getting in trouble. The causes of the war will surely be a part of the ongoing story and the effect of Mowglii's explorations will surely bring her into contact with the other feral foundlings and threaten the tenuous peace that has marked the jungle in the years since the arrival of Mowglii.
I love the concept of the “feral child”. The theme is one explored over and over by my favorite author, Philip Jose' Farmer, most notably in MY MOTHER WAS A LOVELY BEAST. In that book, a collection of stories both new and old, along with essays on the theme, Farmer delved deeply into the mythology of the feral child. He even reworked his novel THE ADVENTURE OF THE PEERLESS PEER (Holmes and Watson team up with Tarzan) into THE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE MADMEN with an adult Mowgli replacing Tarzan (because of copyright reasons). Mowgli is a great character with great potential to play with in fiction and Miller brilliantly even turned that on its ear by examining what Mowgli would be like as a woman.
The characters of Bagheera and Shere Khan are spot on perfect. The brutality and danger of the jungle as a war for survival but also for dominance is on display throughout. Baloo the bear, Kaa, and even the Tavi mongoose tribe appears as well. There is so much more potential wrapped up in this single issue than usual in a first issue. It is the first of an ongoing story and I felt like I got a full story and intrigue enough to want to stick around and follow Mowglii's story.
Artistically, Carlos Granda did an amazing job. The animals are consistent in look and emote without overly anthropomorphizing them. I like the visual hook of making Shere Khan into a white tiger ruling over the orange tigers. It makes him stand out and makes him more of a contrast to Bagheera, the black panther. I was scrutinizing the art and could not find anything to criticize. Granda even got the elephants right as Asian elephants rather than African. Good show. The grown Mowglii is shapely and sexy. She's a great eye candy to look at but she is also clearly smart, clever, and rebellious.
THE JUNGLE BOOK is a great comic and a real surprise.
Prof. Challenger is Texas artist and writer, Keith Howell. You can read his stuff here and over at profchallenger.com. You can also get in on the ground floor of his new endeavor, "Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned from Comic Books" here.
FANTASTIC FOUR #604
Writer: Jonathan HickmanArt: Steve Epting
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: KletusCasady
Just so you know, I’m drunk. Just letting you know before this even goes any further. OK, FANTASTIC FOUR…shit, I’m not even sure how...I mean Hickman, wow dude…if I ever get to meet him I’m just going to shake his hand and say, “Dude…Dude…dude…” while I shake my head slowly while smiling like Eddie Vedder in that Jeremy video…that’s a good thing. I want to automatically call this one of the best FF runs ever but I don’t think I’m qualified as I’ve only read a hand full of FF comics and even less complete runs but again, wow.
I’m completely fine with not quite understanding every aspect of a FANTASTIC FOUR comic…I understand most of what is going on but (might be cause I missed a few issues) I feel like I don’t quite know as much as I could BUT I feel like that’s how it should be with this comic, Reed’s supposed to be the smartest guy in the room not you…jerk. Wait, where was I…you can tell Hickman’s a pretty smart cookie and his writing is great because it’s outside the box, which is perfect for this comic. He took the not so great Mark Millar run and played with it like it was his bitch, well what I mean is he took some things from that run and kind of ramped them up and made them his own. I’m pretty sure Galactus…well, I won’t say that but something happens with that guy in Millar’s run that was pretty cool…but that was about the only thing I really remember from that run. Anyway, Hickman not only took nearly every part of every FANTASTIC FOUR comic he wrote and wound it in to a huge ball of awesome but the events of this comic really reveal the significance of the FF comic (hmm, I’m gonna have to change those early FF’s so I don’t confuse folks). The comic FF comic is with half of the Power Pack, Franklin & Valeria, and a few weird kids and that big purple dragon android dude…hahaha...if the person sitting next to me read this it would be pretty funny…anywho, the FF comic exists for a reason is what I’m saying and the climax of this story blends perfectly with that title. Man, I AM drunk.
Steve Epting…this guy…could draw any comic and it’s going to look good. Seriously though…ANY COMIC, he is perfect for. I love really deep shadows in comics because I feel like it’s such a great way to create mood, either the absence of it or a large use of it. In a way, I feel like his style adds another layer of depth to what you get out of a comic; it’s similar to using negative space to reinforce an idea or highlight a theme. Just flipping through the comic again, I did the same thing I did the first time I read it…shaking my head and saying “Daaaaamn…” I know that I’m gushing (gimme a break, dude, I said I was drunk) but I really liked these last two issues; like I said earlier I stopped picking up a few issues because the art changed and you know how I am about art but I was reading FF for a minute… then went back to FANTASTIC FOUR and I really don’t feel lost, I even feel like even if you started reading from #600 this comic would still be recording, heh…I mean, rewarding for anyone even if they only read the last four issues and nothing else but if you happen to have the pleasure ofreading from when Hickman started his run…wow…Brian Hickman…thanks, man……yeah, I am drunk, but you’ve put together a hell of a run and I appreciate it. And Steve Epting rules!
[Me not drunk the next day] Ok, so basically what I was trying to say was that Hickman’s FANTASTIC FOUR run is great, it has awesome ideas, great pacing, great art and a hell of an execution. His run had me saying “wow” to myself many times during the last couple years. What happened during this comic in the last few issues is what I would consider an event. I’m glad that MARVEL didn’t taint it by making it so, but for event level ideas, MARVEL needs to be looking at Hickman. Steve Epting is awesome as always and his art just continues to get better with every book I see him in…he was perfect for this story. Anyone looking for a really great FANTASTIC FOUR run should definitely check this out.
MODESTY BLAISE: LIVE BAIT TPB
Writer: Peter O’DonnellIllustrator: Enric Badia Romero
Publisher: Titan Books
Reviewed by: superhero
From Titan Books comes another great little collection of MODESTY BLAISE tales. Included are the stories Samantha and the Cherub, Milord and Live Bait (which provides the title for this particular book).
The strangest entry in the compilation would be Samantha and the Cherub in which Modesty and her companion Willie Garvin (what is the deal with those two, anyway?) team up with a gang of kids on bicycles to track down a mobster who’s kidnapped the wife of their friend. If anyone out there thought the idea of Robin in the Batman comics was silly they’d be bowled over by a sequence in this tale where a little girl quite literally kicks the crap out of her older biker brother in order to extort information out of him. Cherub is one of the sillier stories in the three Modesty Blaise books I’ve read so far. Despite its inherent kookiness it’s still able to entertain in a James Bond-Roger Moore era kind of way.
The last two sections of the book return Modesty back to her edgier roots by engaging in accounts of an illegal snuff film ring as well as delving a bit into Modesty’s past. Both stories are much more straightforward adventures than the previous entry and are more serious in attitude when it comes to their subject matter. Milord in and of itself deals with some pretty adult subject matter and I was surprised to find a tale about illicit porn films in the pages of what was originally a daily newspaper strip. I’m pretty sure subject matter like that was never present in any American newspaper comics. Just the existence of something like Milord shows that the Modesty Blaise comics are something pretty different than the stuff that many of us grew up with here in the U.S. and are worth taking seriously.
All three stories are illustrated by Enric Badia Romero, and he does a fantastic job of constructing compelling action stories while displaying a mastery of anatomy and environmental illustration. Each panel is expertly put together and is its own little work of fantastic comic book art. Many may find Romero’s style to be a bit too old school, but to me it is a perfect example of comic book artistry done right. In a modern comic book market where so many female characters are rendered with improbable balloon anatomy it’s great to see an artist who can draw the female figure with sensuality without resorting to outlandish figure construction.
LIVE BAIT is another fun MODESTY BLAISE collection. I’m so glad I was able to discover these comic strips through Titan Books’ re-issuing of them. I look forward to upcoming collections and at some point I’ve really got to sit down and read an actual MODESTY BLAISE novel. If the books are as good as the comics then I’ve got a very special treat waiting for me when I do find the time to read them.
Discovered as a babe in an abandoned comic book storage box and bitten by a radioactive comic fan when he was a teenager, superhero is actually not-so mild mannered sometime designer & cartoonist, Kristian Horn of Los Angeles, California. Some of his work can be seen at www.kristianhorn.com and check out his blog at www.parttimefanboy.com. You can check also out his webcomics at www.babybadass.com and thediplomatics.com, which is currently in development.
Advance Review: In stores this week!SAUCER COUNTRY #1
Writer: Paul CornellArtist: Ryan Kelly
Publisher: DC Vertigo
Reviewer: Optimous Douche
For those who bemoan comics today are exercises in racism, sexism…and while we’re on a roll…ageism, allow me to introduce you to Acadia Alvarado, the heroine of SAUCER COUNTRY. Acadia is a Mexican-American, thirty-something woman who serves as the current Governor of New Mexico. She’s like Palin South (and yes, she is a Republican) without all of the annoying catch phrases and smugness. Now, before this starts to feel like “Bluewater: Female Force” circa 2020, I should mention Acadia has also been abducted by aliens.
Like most alien abductions, SAUCER COUNTRY begins with a dusty road, forgotten memories and a rude awakening. Where Cornell’s brain child veers from a derivative knock-off, though, is not belaboring the abduction itself. We also learn that Alvarado is all woman, and I don’t mean in the tits, hips and cutesy quips sense that most male writers rely on. When Alvarado is awoken by her boy Friday, a dark mysterious man named Fausto, her first concern is not for her political career, but rather her passenger. Alvarado, like Palin, has her Bristol. Alvarado’s skeleton is an ex-husband who drinks too much and harbors some deep resentment for Alvarado’s meteoric rise in politics. Where a man would try to bury a skeleton like this and perhaps throw the bag of bones under the proverbial bus to deflect any speed bumps moving forward, Alvarado embraces this relationship and even pines for a possible redemption. It’s a plain and simple formula that has plagued the sexes for generations: women simply care more about relationships and tend to nurture over simply moving on and continuing the hunt. Some may call me sexist for this statement, and of course I would not be obtuse enough to attribute this trait to all women, but a million sociological studies can’t be wrong. I’m talking about the norm, not the exception.
It’s been awhile since DC sub-brands played politics, with the most recent being WildStorm’s last gasp, EX MACHINA. Like Mitchell Hundred, Alvarado is a sign of the times. Hundred was a radical Leftist in office during the ultra-conservative days of the new millennium. Alvarado is a New Republican, a fiscal conservative and social moderate trying desperately to show that Republican ideals can be based in rational pragmatism instead of steeped in Machiavellian agendas. Oh, and also like Hundred, her next step is the White House. To help her on this journey is her right hand man, who Kelly keeps drawing with a sneer, which leads me to believe that Machiavellian agendas haven’t been completely erased from politics in Cornell’s world. She also has a sassy strategist, dressed to the nines and ready to tell Alvarado at every turn the mistakes she’s making in her bid for bigger aspirations.
But what about the aliens? All of the aforementioned is fine for an episode of “The West Wing”, but these are comics, damn it, and we demand the fantastical to elevate the mundane real world into something interesting. Well, unfortunately we don’t know a hell of a lot yet about our green friends. Like Cylons they have a plan, and I’m sure like “Battlestar Galactica” that plan will not be evident for issues to come. However, what we do know is that they want to take over the Earth, as Alvarado learns during a speech announcing her presidency when they take over her subconscious. There’s also another character plagued by the little green guys, Mr. Kidd, a grad student studying alien contact. Kidd’s aliens are different than Alvarado’s, looking more like a tiny naked Adam and Eve with a whole lot of sass and half the consideration of Alvarado’s alien friends. Kidd’s aliens interact directly with him, making most people think he’s talking to his dick instead of his new lap pals.
I’ve been in love with Kelly’s artwork since NEW YORK FIVE for two reasons. In my opinion it takes a hell of a lot more imagination to outfit someone in appropriate real-world garb over inventing yet another superhero unitard. No two people dress alike; the first time I saw Alvarado’s smart and proper attire juxtaposed against her strategist’s big city flashier style, I knew Kelly was once again home. This isn’t to say his aliens aren’t fun, but with a book this real the art needs to be in complete lock step. Kelly delivers.
SAUCER COUNTRY is a salvation of realistic and tense story-telling. Cornell and Vertigo were smart enough to know that there are a million books out there touting high concepts. At the end of the day the drama and connection between humans is what truly separates a good concept from a great comic.
Optimous has successfully blackmailed fellow @$$Hole BottleImp into being his artist on Average Joe. Look for Imp's forced labor on Optimous brain child in mid-2012 from COM.X. Friend Optimous on FaceBook to get Average Joe updates and because ceiling cat says it's the right thing to do.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE #1
Writer: Chad LambertArt: Patricio Carbajal
Publisher: Bluewater Comics
Reviewer: The Writing Rambler
I would have liked nothing more than to rip into Blue Water’s SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE comic as I loathe the type of celebrity comic books the company is known for, but for some reason I found this book an oddly nostalgic look back at the history of SNL. Let me be clear: this is not a great (or even good) book but for someone like myself who has grown up watching SNL it was a nice reminder of just how much an institution this show is. The best way I can describe the book is that it’s like a slideshow of moments (some behind the scenes and controversial) you watch while Lorne Michaels narrates/recollects the history of the show. The art in the book captures some memorable moments but doesn’t always flow with the narration it should be following. It’s like looking back at an old high school yearbook, and unless the thought of that absolutely repulses you (as SNL does for many) it’s hard to say that the book is that bad. It’s not something I’d recommend people buy, but if you’re a fan of SNL and you happen to come across it I’d say at least give it a read; you’ll probably enjoy it for the nostalgia alone.
You can follow The Writing Rambler on his blog here and follow on Twitter @Writing_Rambler !
SAGA #1
Writer: Brian K. VaughanArtist: Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: Humphrey Lee
When the world of comics found itself with this Brian K. Vaughan-shaped hole cut out of it a few years ago, I will fess up to being pretty well saddened by the news. There’s always so much going on in the comic book industry with new titles and new writers (particularly from Image Comics here) that it’s a little silly to lament the loss of one talented mind, but there it was. I found his work to be incredibly consistent and always with a premise or subject matter you just never either saw approached or pursued the way BKV did. So now we have a triumphant return after a few lost years (HurhurTVshowpunhur) and a big, bold project title to go with a big bold project and, well, it’s not only nice to have him back because of everything I have said previously, but because SAGA is simply pretty great.
Boiling this book down, if you were one of those folks who were to do such things, the premise is definitely made up of elements we’ve seen before. Star-crossed lovers, interspecies war in a fantasy backdrop, etc. A lot of my enjoyment of this debut issue has a lot more to do with what I alluded to up above in that it’s the execution that makes a BKV book a BKV book, and execution is the name of the game with SAGA. And a lot of that recognition, despite the hype around Brian K. Vaughan’s return, goes on the outstanding designs and layouts of artistic cohort Fiona Staples.
Really, the cover says it all about the baseline plot of the book, to be honest. You see the defining features of the lovers, Marko and Alana, with the former’s horns and the latter’s wings, each with a weapon in hand and, yes, the “OMG! BOOB!” moment. The story, as they say, is in the journey. Well, okay, I’m not sure anyone actually says that, but I just did and it is very much true with SAGA here. At its base it is a story of bringing a child that probably should not be into the world, but that world is pretty tantalizing so far. Marko and his horned brethren are some pretty “backwater”, it would seem, magic-chucking folk while Alana’s people are pretty militant and aligned with some, uh, grey guys with monitors for heads. If that last line doesn’t emphasize why I think Staples’ work on SAGA here might be the real hype point behind this book, I don’t know what would. But the real star of this first issue of the series is more the world it is developing in than the plots BKV is developing in it, with a “so far” thrown in for good measure.
I’m obviously underplaying the BKV side of this, so it has to be said this script is tight. Very tight with lots of that “Snap!” about that I always felt his scripts were good at whipping across your face all of a sudden. Usually it’s a cliffhanger moment, as I think it is pretty well accepted that the man wrote arguably the best in the business when he was cranking out several titles a month. This time around it’s more in the realm of the whimsical. With SAGA it is, so far, more the “Oh god, how did we survive that?!?” or “Oh god, how are we going to survive this?!?” moments that are, again, expertly and beautifully brought to life by Ms. Staples.
So it would seem I am in love with this book by all of the above and, well, I am. I am not going to try and sit here and claim this book is perfect or “redefines the medium” or anything hyperbolic like that. I even have a couple little caveats about the dialogue, which I think is a bit too hip considering this is some far off world we’re talking about, not NYC or wherever. And as much as I think Ms. Staples’ art is perfect from a design and originality standpoint, occasionally there are some awkward expressions. But these things happen and the good this book presents us with - a lush world that obviously has plenty of new life forms and histories to show us, a leading trio whose relationship you are immediately invested with, and sweeping storytelling and artistic style – far outweigh any nits I could pick to put this in “less than perfect” qualification. The story is the journey, and SAGA looks to be an absolutely fantastic one in both regards.
Humphrey Lee has been an avid comic book reader going on fifteen years now and a contributor to Ain't It Cool comics for quite a few as well. In fact, reading comics is about all he does in his free time and where all the money from his day job wages goes to - funding his comic book habit so he can talk about them to you, our loyal readers (lucky you). He's a bit of a social networking whore, so you can find him all over the Interwebs on sites like Twitter, The MySpaces, Facebookand a blog where he also mostly talks about comics with his free time because he hasn't the slightest semblance of a life. Sad but true, and he gladly encourages you to add, read, and comment as you will.
Advance Review: In stores today!MONOCYTE #3
Writers: Menton3 & Kasra GhanbariArt: Menton3
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
With its third issue, MONOCYTE continues to be more than a comic, something more akin to an experience in fear and imagination. Reading my fair share of comics through the ages, specifically horror comics, I have come to the conclusion that absolutely bone-chilling thrills are really tough, if not impossible to achieve in comics. Without music, editing, and movement, the static quality of comics just doesn’t add up. I sincerely believed that, though I have been scared by some comic book stories I have read due to investment in the story itself. In this issue of MONOCYTE, there’s a sequence that is absolutely scrotum-shrivelingly terrifying. And since I’ve already given my whole hearted recommendation for the first two issues of this series (hereand here), I figured I’d take some time to dissect this experience.
The scene occurs mid-issue where a man enters an oddly vacant room. At first there is simply a dark shadow. The next panel contains a bit of form in the shadow. The third a bit more and soon by the fourth panel, a creature from the worst nightmares appears in front of the man. Sure, this effect could be easily accomplished through some fancy lighting and effects on film, but artist Menton3 is able to capture the moment of that revelation and painstakingly slow it down to amp up the page for maximum fright effect.
The rest of this book continues to be of the high caliber in terms of writing (by Menton and Kasra Ghanbari) and art (which is all Menton3). Though the imagery is dark, Moneton is able to capture the beauty of the grotesque with extended arms and legs on leather clad women and creatures made of religious iconography, extended bones, and alien anatomy. The story highlights this gorgeous grotesquery with poetic bible quotes and odes which feel much more like Shakespearian speak than common language but are able to be easily understood and followed.
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/reviewer/co-editor of AICN Comics for over ten years. He has written comics such as MUSCLES & FIGHTS, MUSCLES & FRIGHTS, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS TINGLERS & WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE DEATHSPORT GAMES, WONDERLAND ANNUAL 2010 & NANNY & HANK (soon to be made into a feature film from Uptown 6 Films). He is also a regular writer for FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND & has co-written their first ever comic book LUNA: ORDER OF THE WEREWOLF (to be released in October 2012 as an 100-pg original graphic novel). Mark has just announced his new comic book miniseries GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS THE JUNGLE BOOK from Zenescope Entertainment to be released in March 2012.
GREEN LANTERN #7
Writer: Geoff JohnsArt: Doug Mahnke
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: The Writing Rambler
It’s obvious that week in and week out I express my love for all things GREEN LANTERN, but despite me often defending titles that you have to be a die-hard fan to fully get behind, the flagship book in this series is consistently one of the best books DC has out today. One of the few areas that DC hasn’t rebooted or changed since the New 52 began, GREEN LANTERN continues growing the mythologies that have been set up over the past several years by Geoff Johns and his team. This seventh issue starts us on a new arc further enlightening us about the mysterious Indigo Lanterns, who despite having been a continuous presence in the GL universe have never really been delved into.
Johns’ is at his best when working on GREEN LANTERN, and this issue shows it. From a great opening squabble between Hal and Sinestro, where we get a nice reminder of how vicious Sinestro will be if he feels his time is being wasted, to some setup for this new story arc, this issue delivers a great opening act in what I hope will be another well done chapter. The story does jump around slightly and reminded me more of a good Zero issue that is prepping us for what’s to come, but otherwise I was happy with the finished product. There’s a lot to cover here from repercussions still stemming from the end of Blackest Night to the Guardians’ current nefarious plans, so I can understand the back and forth. I haven’t seen any solicitations saying that this arc will cross over into other GL titles (especially GREEN LANTERN CORPS, which would make the most sense), though I would hope the story would use both titles to flesh itself out.
There’s also a great choice made here to continue having the Indigo Tribe speak in their native tongue (with a few translations). Their tribal language has always been one of the best ways they’ve kept their mystery over the years and I’m glad to see it continuing here. I hope in future issues Johns doesn’t give in to the temptation to just translate the speech and keeps one of their most defining features pure, but I wouldn’t bet on it once the story really gets moving.
The art is once again handled flawlessly by Doug Mahnke. I love everything about the look of this book and issue 7 is no exception. Mahnke brings the GREEN LANTERN universe to life, period.
GREEN LANTERN continues its stellar run with this issue and unless there are some unforeseen bumps in the road for this series, I’d say we have yet another memorable story arc on our hands.
THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #6
Writer: Justin JordanArt: Tradd MoorePublisher: Image ComicsReviewer: Henry Higgins is My Homeboy
Blood Blonde...
One of the most engaging new titles of the year, hands down, has proven to be THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE. It blends effective writing (managing to celebrate and subvert the typical tropes of “High school zero becomes America’s newest hero”) with truly distinctive art. The finale of the story pushes all the right buttons, and delivers on both the running storyline and some very impressive fight sequences.
Writing: (4/5) With very little wasted space. Jordan displays a deft hand for properly moving through the story. The establishing scenes are quick but effective. Jordan manages to set up the climatic fight within seven pages, and it never feels rushed. Big name events don’t have this tight of a pace. Jordan creates a memorable villain, who is at the same time unassuming and maniacal. His motivations are clear and concise. He has a plan--a simple but effective plan. And, to Jordan’s credit, he knows banter. He knows when to show levity, and when to speak volumes with a single sentence. Doing my best to avoid spoilers, this is a dark story. There are no happy endings here, no deus ex machina or last minute reprises. It completely stays within the tone of the story, and never grabs straws at ridiculousness. The ending is definitive and contained, but leaves room to explore. If anything, it’s a perfect ending. It’s something I haven’t seen done to death in super hero comics: the hero, instead of finding the resolve and can do attitude to save the day, despite all of his admittingly good intentions and plans, is still just a boy. His faults break him down, and eventually lead to its logical conclusion. The final panel is situated above all the chaos, showing just how small all of this has been. This isn’t a battle to save the city, this is a young man fighting for his soul, and he fails. It’s wonderfully tragic. If anything, I wish this issue was longer. The story has been building around the conflict between Luther and the Librarian, but it’s featured a surprisingly deep supporting cast. But those characters are almost completely absent from here. While the main plot is settled well, there’s no closure for Luther and Petra’s relationship. It can leave the reader feeling a little cheated. It all works within the confines of the “A” story, at the expense of a wrapped up “B”.
Art: (5/5) Nothing in comics annoys me more than purposeless extravagant gore. I understand that the Blob has killed the Wasp; that’s the beat. Must we then cut to the Blob eating her still-warm corpse? What does that do for the story? How does that push things further? Brutal gore can be (and has been) used very well within a series before, and Luther gleefully falls into the latter. The x-ray of a strung up friend is over the top, but serves to show just how badly this kid has been destroyed. There is no hope for him. And Luther is drenched in their blood--baptized in it. It wasn’t the fights Luther has been in already, it’s this moment that says “You are not Spider-Man. You are not the plucky hero.” Because in this world, that’s not how things work. And none of that would be there if not for the gifted art team. Moore and Sobreiro have been phenomenal in this series, feeling reminiscent of a number of differing styles. You can spot traces of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, KICK ASS, and INVINCIBLE littered throughout the pages. And it never feels cheap. And, to be frank, these guys are creative. I’ve seen countless people just get cut in half in comics in recent years. It’s not every comic that features a man being swung around via his intestines. The gore serves a purpose, and manages to be memorable on its own terms. The climatic fight scene manages to be fluid, while retaining some very clear stylistic choices. Notice that when the brawl first begins, it’s very much a super hero fight. Lots of jumping, throwing, inventive weapons, and barely a single drop of blood. It matches the dialogue perfectly, which keeps the scene climatic, but still clearly a superhero story. It’s when Luther first draws blood that the Librarian makes this an adult, more realistic (and yes, I know how that sounds) fight. Suddenly the colours blend into one another and the surrounding area becomes less defined. The fight becomes the draw, the debate becomes more heated, and the art reflects that. Just fantastic art.
Best Moment: “I can see now.” Oh, Luther…
Worst Moment: I wish we had gotten more time with Petra.
Overall: (5/5) A great read with a brilliant ending. I can’t wait for THE LEGEND OF LUTHER STRODE.
Advance Review: In stores today!JUSTICE LEAGUE #7
Writer: Geoff JohnsArt: Gene Ha (main story) & Gary Frank (backup)
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Johnny Destructo
Granted, I'm quite the impressionable youth, but I was under the impression that the first 6 issues of the DCnU JUSTICE LEAGUE series was going to take place 5 years in the past and that with issue 7, we would see the book Marty McFly it to the present day. It would seem that the adorably fluffy Einstein The Dog may have accidentally humped the controls and caused a malfunction, as I don't think this book has made it to the present just yet (despite the issue starting off with the words Present Day.)The JL is now a (mostly) functional team, and some time has passed, since the Watchtower exists in this issue, but the characters themselves don't align with the current continuity. Hal still says things like "We GOT this." and acts like a teenager, while none of the leaguers act in a way that is congruent with their portrayals in their own titles. This story feels like a jump from the last arc, for sure, but not quite "current".
And when I say jump, that applies to the writing in general as well, and thank Rao! It's no secret that up until this point I have personally found JUSTICE LEAGUE to be the most disappointing series to come out of the DCnU reboot. I believe I may have even hypothesized that years ago, on a dark and stormy night, Geoff Johns had struck a deal with the devil to be DC's best writer, but he started writing this series at 12:01am the day the deal expired. Now that isn't meant as an insult, as I have the utmost respect for Johns and his abilities, but it's my respect for those abilities that made the book such a disappointment. But back to the jump. This issue is finally starting to show some of the quality writing that I've come to expect from Johns. There are actual conversations, not just exclamations. There is actual plot development (for Colonel Steve Trevor.) There is an unrequited love story (for Colonel Steve Trevor). There is a hearing wherein the Justice League are taken to task (through Colonel Steve Trevor.) Hey, Waaaaitaminnut! Why are the Justice League supporting characters in their own book? They are in the issue, of course, but only to fight one bag guy who can make a bunch of lil monster-pest things. Not really a job for the "World's Greatest Heroes", is it? It's more of a take-down for a likes of a Blue Beetle/Booster Gold team-up, wouldn't you say? In fact, the take-down of the baddie is such a non-issue, it's NOT IN THE ISSUE. The team leaps into action in a splash page, but then...cut to the next scene. Now, I don't mind the character development of Trevor, it's very interesting and I'm curious to see where it's going, but why aren't we reading about the quite interactions between the leaguers? Despite this issue being the best of the entire run so far, I'm still confused as to some of the decisions behind it.
As to the art, I wasn't excited when I saw that Gene Ha would be subbing for Jim Lee for a couple of issues, but this was much better looking than I anticipated. Ha does a nice job throughout, with one exception. Superman's new armor costume as drawn by Jim Lee, isn't all that much of a bother, but here, as drawn by Gene Ha, Supes looks a bit too much like RoboCop than I'm comfortable with.
Another thing to mention: for $3.99 this month, you get 22 pages of the Justice League story AND 12 pages of a SHAZAM back-up, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank.
I'm about to type something I never thought I would ever see myself type, but then, Geoff Johns seems to have that effect on me. He did it the first time with me liking Aquaman. He did it a second time with how much I disliked the first 6 issues of JL, and now: "The Shazam back-up story was without a doubt, my favorite thing in this issue." I don't want to say too much about it, but I wish JUSTICE LEAGUE was the back-up for the Shazam story. I really enjoyed the hell out of this, and wish there was more. The writing was the interesting, engaging stuff that I'm used to from Johns and the art was just glorious. I want Gary Frank to draw all of the books! We find that maybe Billy Batson isn't the Wizard's first choice to wield the power, that there may be a selection process of sorts, and we find that Billy isn't quite the Billy we may have been used to up until now, which is GREAT. I never liked Shazam or his annoyingly saccharine alter ego.
This was a great, fun story, and I absolutely can't wait for the second part. Now, if we could only get the Justice League bits under control.
JD can be found hosting the PopTards Podcast, drawing a weekly webcomic, discussing movies, comics and other flimflam over at www.poptardsgo.com, graphically designing/illustrating for a living, and Booking his Face off over here. Follow his twitter @poptardsgo. His talkback name is PopTard_JD. He is also now co-hosting another Comic Book discussion show on Party934.com alongside Bohdi Zen. They discuss comics and play music, check it out live every Saturday from 4-5pm.
Advance Review: In stores today!GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS THE JUNGLE BOOK #1
Writer: Mark L. MillerArt: Carlos Granda
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Reviewer: The Writing Rambler
I really wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book. I had grown up with some vague memories of the Rudyard Kipling stories, but for the most part all of my JUNGLE BOOK knowledge came from the 1967 Disney classic that I remember seeing at some point when it was unleashed from the Disney vault during my childhood. To my enjoyment, what started as me alone in my office humming “The Bare Necessities” ended with me discovering a completely new version of this beloved story.
Mark L. Miller (otherwise known as our very own Ambush Bug) crafts a fantastic retelling of the classic tale. The book opens with a Mowglii (a young woman in this version) being told by her mother wolf the story of how she came to her island home. We get to see how in this world four children who had been sold as infants into slavery arrived at the Island during a great war amongst the animal tribes. The children’s arrival signaled an end to the conflict, and as the babies were separated amongst the different tribes (leaving them now, years later, ignorant of each other’s existence) a new peace began for the islands animal inhabitants. How long this peace will last is a different story, and the book keeps an air of tension about it leaving you waiting to dive into the next issue.
Just as the writing succeeds in pulling you completely into this book, the visuals by Carlos Granda add the perfect depth to Miller’s story. Every panel is full of rich detail and shows the care that went into this. The animals come to life on each page and very quickly remind you of the reality that is the jungle life. There’s one particular moment where Baloo and Mowglii have their first encounter which I just loved. The art there just completely sold the scene and wiped every lyric of “The Bare Necessities” right out of my head.
Set as a 5 issue mini-series, this book looks to be an excellent endeavor for Zenescope. There’s so much potential for this story with the groundwork that has been laid in this first issue. I’m almost giddy thinking about all the fun that can be had here with the different animal tribes and the conflict that will arise by the eventual discovery by the humans of each other’s existence. This first issue is a very strong start for this book and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
JOHN LENNON #1
Writer: Marc ShapiroArtist: Luciano Kars
Publisher: Bluewater Comics
Reviewer: The Dean
I’m not sure who this comic is for. The narration of Lennon’s life, which makes up for 95% of the writing here, reads like a broken up encyclopedia entry, so one could assume that this is meant as an introduction to or short history of John Lennon. It certainly does not shed any new light on Lennon’s life, and the liberty taken in presenting an afterlife John Lennon is interesting, but poorly done, and worthlessly short. Sadly the art comes off just as lazy as the writing, and is really nothing more than collages of stylized or recolored photographs, which can be easily duplicated after a quick Photoshop tutorial. But if it’s an introduction to John Lennon you’re looking for, I doubt comic books will be anywhere near the top your research list, and you can probably get the same general information out of your parents for free (I’ll totally be charging my kids by the question, though. Plus I’ll collect before I tell them I don’t know the answer–-no refunds). So I guess this comic is for no one, then? Yes, that’s it: no one should read this comic.
To be honest, Lennon’s eternity as it’s portrayed in this comic would be depressing, if it weren’t so unintentionally funny. According to writer Marc Shapiro, Lennon is all alone, floating through space, and wishing he would have been a better father. It’s not all bad, though, because they did at least give him his guitar, plus they let him keep his glasses so he can see how alone he is. But did you know that when you’re dead and floating around by yourself, they take your shoes?! That’s right, according to Shapiro Lennon’s floating around through deep space, with no shoes to protect his feet from the near absolute zero temperatures. If this is what they do to a Beatle, I’ve really gotta right this ship before my time is up.
And as cruel a fate as he assumes for Lennon, Shapiro softens the blow considerably for Lennon’s arch-nemesis, ‘Tricky Dick’ Nixon (I call Nixon the arch-nemesis only because Chapman is more the Doomsday to Nixon’s Lex Luthor – debate if you wish). In this comic, political scandals are things that simply befall a person. Poor Nixon simply “ran into a mess called Watergate” the same way Clinton ran into a mess called BJs. Darn their luck!
The art deserves very little comment, because like I said, there’s just no effort here. I think the only truly original artwork comes in when Roy Orbison murders John Denver while some uninterested fat kid watches. Nicely done, Luciano Kars. It’s like I was there! I don’t get the letters floating around Lennon whenever he’s trying to write something, either. With all of the crumpled pages about him, it just looks like he had a hard time spelling. Lennon fans, you really shouldn’t come anywhere near this. You only have so many precious moments in this life before it’s all over and you’re sent off into space without your shoes. Don’t waste them on comics like this one.
THE SHADE #6
Writer: James RobinsonArt: Javier Pulido
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: KletusCasady
I’m not the type of reader who turns his back completely on a particular writer or artist just because they’ve done a few things I don’t like. An example of that would be Bendis; I am completely done with his some of his stuff and am kind of to the point where I don’t even open AVENGERS or NEW AVENGERS anymore, even though both titles have great artists (actually, I did make the mistake of buying AVENGERS ASSEMBLE) but I absolutely love ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN and have since I started reading it about 5 years ago. The point I’m trying make is, James Robinson wasn’t really a writer I was interested in (especially after a meh Superman run and JLA: CRY FOR MY MONEY BACK) but thank god I didn’t avoid this guy because right now he is writing one of the best comics the new 52 has to offer in THE SHADE.
“Who is THE SHADE?”, you say? Well, he’s kind of a D or C-list villain (I think he showed up on the Justice League cartoon a few times) who mostly seemed like a place holder for the heroes to kick the shit out of until a real villain shows up later in the episode. James Robinson has turned this character from a mostly forgotten lame-ish villain into one of the most fun, three dimensional characters in DC’s playground not to mention this comic is a damn good read. I would liken this book to Waid’s DAREDEVIL because both writers seem to have a great hold on each character’s personality; it’s as if both these writers found these characters at the perfect time and are able to write the hell out of them with little to no effort. I don’t mean to say that these guys aren’t putting forth any effort, but it seems like both writers are having such a great time on these characters and are able to write them with ease and you can tell when you read these books. The dialog in this book is awesome and reading the way THE SHADE talks both internally and externally is great fun and I find myself really wanting to see him interact with some of the other characters in the DCU. The supporting characters in this book are great as well: LA SANGRE, a vampire superhero from Barcelona who works with the police to fight crime, is a great character worthy of her own book and many of the people in this comic are interesting in their own right and add a lot to the depth of this book.
Another great benefit to this book is the art. Cully Hamner did the art on the first three issues. I think he’s one of the best in the biz when it comes to action sequences (see The Question back up stories in DETECTIVE COMICS from a few years ago). Issue #4 was done by Darwyn Cooke...doing a story about THE SHADE in the 40s…need I say more? These last two issues were done by extremely talented Javier Pulido who, much like Marcos Martin & Paolo Rivera, was born to draw comics--I mean, all three of these guys draw such a beautiful comic book page that I will buy any comic with them handling the art and will continue to do so until my overseers take Ol’ Kletus behind the shed and put a bullet in his noggin.
James Robinson is killing it on this title and I encourage anyone who is curious as to what to read in the new 52 to pick this up. I almost want to say this book is as good as DAREDEVIL…but won’t go that far; however, I will say that this book is very close in terms of a fun book with excellent art that makes me smile every damn issue. If DAREDEVIL is a 9, THE SHADE is an 8.5.
Advance Review: In stores today!HEART #4
Writer: Blair ButlerArt: Kevin Mellon
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
I plowed though all four issues of HEART the other day, so this review serves as both an overview of the miniseries as well as a review of the final issue. Anyone looking for a comic that is sans capes, zombies, talking monkeys, and any other of the tired tropes of comicbookdom might want to take a look at Blair Butler’s new miniseries HEART. Now some folks may be hesitant to pick up a book from the G4 personality simply because she writes about comics for a living. Attempting to do so myself, I’m sympathetic to her plight and understand how some may snipe about things like favoritism and unfair advantages (though I have no idea if that exists here), but when the comic is released, none of that matters. Either it’s good or not. How it was made isn’t really important; it’s what’s on the page that counts.
And what’s on the page is really good stuff. HEART is a story about a mixed martial arts competitor working his way from nothing to something and finding the top harder than scratching his way there in the first place. It’s a story about setting goals, working hard to achieve them, and then what to do when they are reached. In many ways, the cage matches that are depicted in this story are a perfect allegory for so many things in life, which is probably why boxing/MMA stories are such a popular genre of films and stories in the first place. Here Butler embraces this genre and explores it through the mind of one ambitious fighter.
HEART follows a fighter by who adopts the name Rooster because of his chosen mohawk hairstyle and unique style of kickboxing. What I liked the most was the fact that this story was neither steeped in machismo nor overly melodramatic. This is most definitely a morality tale, with the fighter learning a lot on his journey from scrub fighter to champion-level athlete. I most liked his climb to the top and Butler did this so effectively it makes the final issue all the more heart-wrenching. Though I won’t reveal the ending here, there is a melancholy aspect to the end, but it is still satisfying.
Drawn in a sketchy style by Kevin Mellon, HEART looks as gristly as the fighters within. When punches occur, they resonate off the page and you can almost hear the bones break reading the blood splattered panels.
Relying heavily on narration and very little on word balloons, HEART is a welcome escape from what I normally read in comics. It’s one of the few sports comics that I feel actually work, embracing both the psychological aspects of the sport as well as illustrating it in a kinetic manner. Finishing its run this week, HEART will most likely collected in trade soon. If you missed this series, you should definitely seek out HEART in trade.
VILLAINS #1 One-shot
Writer: Ethan A. SlaytonIllustrator: Ben Ferarri
Publisher: Earthbound Comics
Reviewer: Mr. Pasty
It’s not been uncommon, over the years, to see a more pronounced shift in the genetic make up of good and evil in the graphic novel universe. We’ve always had the good guys, but they were “good” because they always followed an acceptable agenda despite their ulterior motives. And I mean “acceptable” in that as a kid, I could still recognize THE INCREDIBLE HULK as a hero, despite the fact that he was persistently dogged by the United States Army and feared by most of the general public. Heroes or “good guys” today are harder to define, thanks largely in part to the rise of the anti-hero, who does villainous things in the name of what he believes is right. I would have a difficult time identifying Frank Castle, as portrayed in the PUNISHER MAX series, as anything remotely good. But his murderous rampage is also acceptable within the framework of his narrative. Is Jean Valjean the hero and Javert the villain? That all depends on which character you identify with.
Those are some of the moral tightropes writer Ethan A. Slayton has you walking in his well-crafted VILLAINS one shot, beautifully illustrated by Earthbound bigwig Ben Ferarri. This book is starving for inks, but nevertheless is effective in translating the struggles of Maverick, who grew up listening to the hardships of his grandpa, who tried to live a good, honest life and got the shit end of the stick every time. What happens when that young boy, who sees the world through his grandfather’s eyes, grows up and tries to do what he believes is right? That’s part of the fun of VILLAINS, because the hero/villain perspectives are reversed in a genuine and non-gimmicky way. Part William Foster (D-FENS) and part John Wisdom, Maverick is going to get the real enemy of justice exposed, even if he has to mow down a few superheroes (like Goldstar) to do it. And while he’s at it, why not broadcast it to the unwashed, stupid masses on national television?
VILLAINS is a familiar tale told in an unfamiliar way. The writing is sharp and the illustrations tell a gripping story of their own. The absence of color hurts, though it’s hardly a deterrent to picking this one up. I know this book is labeled as a one shot, but I for one wouldn’t mind seeing just how far Maverick would be willing to go or how he would react when the collateral damage inevitably starts piling up. More please.
Web heads who can’t get enough of Mr. Pasty’s word vomit are encouraged to watch him operate as Nostradumbass over at MMaMania.com here. Love, hate and Mafia Wars requests should be directed here.
PROPHET #23
Writer: Brandon GrahamArtist: Simon Roy
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: MajinFu
Since the book’s return earlier this year, PROPHET has excelled at telling an exciting and action-packed story with real consequences for the hero John Prophet, and a continuous momentum that pushes the plot along at an exhilarating pace. In an industry plagued by decompressed storytelling designed for the trade, PROPHET gets right to the nitty gritty and ends its latest story arc with an illuminating finale that sets up the premise for future adventures. If I had any criticism for this book, the alien world and nearly silent protagonist make for a story that feels emotionally cold. Prophet’s only motivation is a voice in his head which compels him to accomplish his objectives, without much regard for any divergences of morality on the part of the hero. Simon Roy captures every horrific detail of the action, including an ascent through the clouds to a mysterious base where JP uncovers some intriguing revelations. Three issues in and the first story arc has finished with the promise of a multitude of dangerous new missions awaiting John Prophet down the line. With the first arc having concluded in a way that entails countless possibilities for the future, I can confirm that PROPHET is a mind-bending thriller of a sci-fi saga with a vision unlike anything else on the stands.
Advance Review: In stores today!SAUCER COUNTRY #1
Writer: Paul CornellArtist: Ryan Kelly
Publisher: DC Vertigo
Guest Reviewer: Pink Apocalypse
Vertigo’s launch of four new titles includes SAUCER COUNTRY. It’s a strange tale that might not have the renowned pedigree of FABLES to vouch for it the way FAIREST does, but is intriguing on its own merit.
To be honest, I was thinking I was getting (actually hoping for) a retro, throw-back sci-fi story set in the 50’s, given the title and font style used. But the story is contemporary, and lays the groundwork for a mythology involving an empowered Latina, naked Pioneer 10 humanoids, evil Republican campaign managers (apologies for repeating myself), and ‘classic’ alien hallucinations (think Area 51).
New Mexican Governor Arcadia Alvarado decides to throw her hairclip in the ring for Presidential nomination, but she’s got an uphill battle. It’s not so much the divorced Hispanic female part as much as the mid-speech realization that she’s been abducted by aliens. Between the excellent use of disjointed paneling for flashback sequences, and waking up with an enormous excess of blood ‘twixt the ‘nethers after an aborted fetus nightmare, the entire thing feels like a fever-dream George Pal’s wife may have had, if he was prone to bringing his work home to her. And that’s not a bad thing.
It feels like an early, first-season X-Files episode in that the groundwork for something truly great is there, and I’m hoping it will fulfill that potential over time. The tone hiccups a bit by jumping back and forth between dark and serious (Governor Alvarado) to comic and nonsensical (Professor Kidd). Ryan Kelly’s art has a very honest quality to it that never panders, and Paul Cornell’s dialogue sinks in and feels natural with each character. With his statement that SAUCER COUNTRY has ‘been on his mind, in one way or another, for literally decades’, Cornell has created a labor of love that has me very curious to see where it goes. Consider me signed up.
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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