Secret Avengers #1: This is the book that Avengers #1 should have been. Strong character voices, intriguing situations, and excellent pacing make this not only one of the best books of the week, but a strong candidate for best book of the Avengers franchise. It is only one issue but I'm tremendously impressed with how Brubaker structured this book. Popular characters are left only to their introductions while characters that may be more unfamiliar to new readers. Figures people may not know like Moon Knight or Ant-Man are the subject of short yet poignant flashbacks that both explore their motivations for joining the team and relating to their actions in the present day, subtlety illustrating why Steve would want them on his team and Ed would want them in his book. Mike Deodato is providing stellar work, hot off of Dark Avengers and he continues to deliver. His action scenes are paced well, his layouts and storytelling remains top-notch and while his normally shadow-heavy and darker style of art is perfectly suited for the book, the brief taste of Mars we got with his pencils were satisfactory as well. If you are buying one Avengers book, it needs to be this one. A
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2: Grant Morrison's masterpiece Batman run continues here and I don't use the word lightly. Grant is the absolute king of comics writing right now and no one comes close. No one else matches his imagination, his scope, his plotting and his eye for details. Casual readers will certainly enjoy this issue of a Puritan Bruce Wayne battling the narrow minding zealots of the Salem era Witch Hunters but for fans of G-Mo and stronger readers there is a deeper end to this pool. No longer limiting himself to the story threads of his Batman and Final Crisis works, there are a number of references to older Morrison works including Animal Man, 52, Seven Soldiers and potentially All-Star Superman as well. Grant is both an absolute genius and totally nuts, elaborating on space, the multiverse and laying out intense concepts about the construction of time. The Puritan story is solid as well, it was fantastic to see Bruce's detective skills on serious display after a long time away and while it remains fairly predictable, it still manages to generate some further questions as we move towards Wayne's inevitable return to the present. Irving's art is solid, fantastic in some areas and questionable in others. I'm not the biggest fan in the world, but I can certainly understand why people like it and try not to let it affect my perception of the comic negatively. Another strong issue and I'm looking forward to Batman and Robin in a few weeks. A
Amazing Spider-Man #632: In all honesty, I was VERY, VERY tempted to simply place a page here and let that stand as my review, but at the end of all things, I do try hard to avoid spoilers and this particular piece is just so absolutely bonkers and key to the whole Shed arc that to do so would ruin a lot for anyone looking to check it out. That said, I ranted about this arc before it began, I continue to do so week after week. This is the best Spider-Man story in the middle of the best Spider-Man long-story in forever. If you have a vague interest in Amazing Spider-Man, please, please, please, pick up this arc. A+++++
Secret Warriors #16: Hickman kills on this book but it should be a sin that it only comes out once a month. There is so much going on sixteen issues in that you almost HAVE to re-read the previous parts of the arc just to stay on your toes. This is going to be a guaranteed omnibus when it finally finishes, an absolute tome of espionage, intrigue, and action that is filled with crosses, double crosses and crosses that you've never even heard of. Keeping up with the BKV tradition of always closing on a cliff-hanger, Secret Warriors does everything in its power to keep you interested, guessing and reaching for old issues. Jonathan has a hold on these characters, Nick Fury especially that no one else will likely ever be able to match and it will be very interesting to see what project he moves on to next. If the book has one weakness however, it is in the art. Until this point, Vitti and Caselli have been the only pencillers to have worked on the title but it looks like time has caught up with them as this month's issue features fill-in work by Gianluca Gugliotta who was selected for a style that matches the other two and while he gets the story told, it is not visually impressive by any means. Next month concludes "Wake the Beast" and it is going to be huge for sure. B
X-Force #27: Funny what a difference a week can make. 7 days ago I was terribly down on Second Coming, the story was slowing a bit, Greg Land was on art and things were fairly boring. Then I popped open X-Force this week and was quite impressed. Mike Choi and Sonia Oback handle the story telling for the first ten or so pages to the point that I almost wondered if there was a printing error. There are no words and there is no real need for them either. The art team is by far the best of the crossover and they've handled the strongest bits powerfully. Given that the story has really been the brain child of Yost & Kyle, I expected them to bring no less than their A game and they did not disappoint. The plot has begun moving again, the characters are interacting well, the mood is as grim as expected and the mandatory amount of Young X-Men were properly harmed. All is well in the Mutant World again. B+
Green Lantern #54: It is an absolutely insane week when Green Lantern is like the fifth or sixth book getting reviewed by me. That isn't an indication of its quality just that it somehow got lost in the stack. Continuing the Spirit Animals arc of the new Brightest Day status quo, the book continues on as wonderfully as always. Things are progressing at a satisfactory rate as Sinestro continues his task to gather the New Guardians while the original Guardian continues hunting down energy beasts. I have a few qualms with the writing, particularly some of the Johnsian Literalism (copyright David Uzumeri 2010) found throughout and the last page left me scratching my head but I'm curious to see where it goes for sure. Doug Mahnke continues to shine with his absolutely awesome art, capturing both human and alien flawlessly and is perfectly suited in every way for this book. One thing that has stood out to me is that the Green Lantern franchise is really turning into just that as some threads from Green Lantern Corps are picked up here and some of the characters will no doubt be featured in the other books as Johns, Bedard and Tomasi expand the Lantern Line into something that may potentially rival the Bat books. All in all, another solid outing. A-
Ultimate Enemy #4: This book has frustrated me beyond belief. I understand that it is part of a trilogy of minis, but the last page has The End. on it. With a period. Then right underneath it, it says "TO BE CONTINUED!" how does that work? How do you put "The End." on a cliffhanger? If you consider this to be just another issue in an event book, it is a lot of fun. Populated by plenty of great character moments and dialogue it carries on the standard quality of a Bendis book, but in the end it has been four issues and the heroes only have the vaguest idea of what they're dealing with. Rafa Sandoval continues to dominate artistically, visually solid, Sandoval continues to prove himself as an excellent storyteller and it is quite clear why Bendis would enjoy working with him. Frustrations aside, I have been enjoying this series to a degree, maybe not a 3.99 degree, but to a degree. A finished trilogy will no doubt cast some better light on this story, so I'll definitely anticipate re-reading it in the coming months. B+ as en event issue. C+ as a miniseries.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Is Jeph Loeb Responsible for ASM's Gauntlet Storyline?
A few days ago, I was in my local comic book shop and came across a bundle of single issues for Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Spider-Man: Blue for $6.99. I had heard the story was excellent and as trades usually run in the price range of twice that, I had no qualms about throwing it into my pile and heading home. I had the opportunity to sit down and read the story and while I thought it was a very fun and solid story, something about it and its relationship to the current ASM storyline was bothering me. A day or so later in the shower I realized that the reason Blue felt so familiar to me, was because of how similar they two storylines are. Everyone has heard the phrase “there are no more original ideas” at least once in their life and as I began to count the coincidences, I have to on some degree acknowledge that Jeph Loeb may in some ways be responsible for ASM’s “The Gauntlet” storyline. Spider-Man: Blue is the re-telling and re-purposing of some older issues of Amazing Spider-Man and the Silver Age love story of Gwen Stacey and Peter Parker. The project has all the features of an enjoyable Loeb tale, emotion, solid dialogue and both a diverse cast and a multitude of situations for the lead character to participate in as the story evolves. These situations are rarely developed in a significant way, and in the case of Blue, are primarily action sequences to give Spidey some monologue time. It was a quick six issues that told a great story and was over with.
The Gauntlet: Beginning with Amazing Spider-Man #600 and running into June of 2010, Spider-Man’s gallery of villains have been returning, one after another, re-tooled and deadlier than ever to make Peter Parker’s life a living hell. The stories themselves have been fantastic, original, deep and have made the book probably the best it has ever been.
SPOILERS FOR BOTH SPIDER-MAN:BLUE AND THE LAST 40 OR SO ISSUES OF AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN BELOW
In summary, Spider-Man: Blue IS the story of how Gwen Stacey and Peter Parker fell in love, but against the back drop of a larger story. Across six issues, Spider-Man is forced to face several of his villains, who either receive help during the battle, or are set free by a mysterious figure who is revealed to be Kraven the Hunter. Kraven has been studying Spider-Man’s battles to prepare himself to eventually hunt and kill Peter Parker, fulfilling a contract given to him by the Green Goblin. It should be noted that Blue’s timeline has been liberally re-arranged and Kraven’s role in the story modified for Loeb’s goal.
The Gauntlet is the story of Kraven’s family, desperate for revenge against Spider-Man and his allies, preparing themselves for Kraven’s potential return in The Grim Hunt story that is set to occur shortly. Like Spider-Man: Blue, Spidey is fighting these battles one after the other with very little time to rest. He is also unknowingly dealing with the Kravinoff family who has abducted Madam Webb and is using her foresight to ensure Peter is constantly losing battles or experiencing pyrrhic victories. In a sense, The Gauntlet is all about taking the story in the opposite direction than what audiences have been trained to expect from their plotlines.
What kicks off both stories, are encounters with Norman Osborn. Blue hits a story point early in Amazing Spider-Man, around issue thirty-three or so, when Osborn briefly loses his memory and forgets that he in fact is the Green Goblin and that Peter is Spider-Man. The Gauntlet was preceded by the Goblin story, “American Son” where Norman wanted Harry to join his Dark Avengers, and Spider-Man was forced to go undercover to try and help Harry. Both stories get Osborn off the grid for a time, freeing up Harry to be part of the cast and develop his friendship with Peter.
The first villain to appear in Spider-Man: Blue is the Rhino. Set free by Kraven, the Rhino goes on a rampage in downtown New York, looking to get revenge against Spider-Man. During the battle, Spidey manages to break a piece of the Rhino’s hide free and with the help of Curt Connors, creates a modified webbing that allows him to remove the Rhino’s costume and ultimately defeat him.
The Gauntlet’s two-issue take on the Rhino is a similar but very different fashion. More in-depth and focusing primarily on skin/hide as identity rather than power, Joe Kelly introduces a second Rhino that is being funded and trained by the Kravinoffs. In order to prove himself, he is convinced he must defeat the original Rhino and take his “skin” in order to ascend and earn the right to be called the Rhino. Despite Spidey’s best efforts to keep Aleksei Sytsevich out of costume and away from this new Rhino, tragedy wins out and the two Rhinos die in a final battle.
This panel stands out nicely, especially when contrasted with this one from Spider-Man: Blue:
Although featuring Vultures instead of Rhinos, Blue also features a take on legacy villainsn with the inclusion of Blackie Drago’s origin as the Vulture. Poisoning Adrian Toomes in order to find out where he has hidden his wings and armor, Drago escapes from prison and while nearly defeating Spider-Man, fails to kill him, which prompts Kraven to save Toomes and allow the two to battle for the right to be The Vulture, eventually involving Spider-Man.
With Curt Connors’s appearance in the story, it was almost guaranteed that the Lizard would appear in Blue. Maintaining the formulaic story of a one armed doctor trying to re-grow the limb, keep his family together and find scientific success turning into a monster, Blue keeps the story lighthearted. With Spidey’s help, Connors returns to human form in the nick of time, preventing his family from seeing him as a reptile.
The Gauntlet specifically avoids that story by acknowledging the formula exists:
With Madam Webb in their possession, the Kravinoffs are able to obtain knowledge of the future and take action to turn events towards their favor. A story that should have ended normally, if not happily, instead takes a terrible turn that ends with the actual consumption of Billy Connors.
Even some of the minor story beats feel familiar. During Spider-Man’s first battle with Drago, he passes out in the snow and winds up sick, having to go into battle ill a few days later:
The Grim Hunt looks like it will feature a similar moment, as some leaked preview art shows an unhealthy Peter Parker answering a knock at the door:
In the end, my implications here may just be coincidence. It is certainly hard to compare 6 issues versus 36 issues and not expect any overlap. But given the thematic similarities and the involvement of many of the same characters, it is certainly worth taking a look at the two series side by side and mulling it over. Many consider Loeb to be a hack these days, but it is certainly curious to wonder if he unknowingly laid the ground work for one of the best years of Spider-Man ever.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Trade Review: Jamie McKelvie's Suburban Glamour
Like so many others, I was introduced to Jamie McKelvie via his collaboration with writer Kieron Gillen on their Image published project, Phonogram. I had heard the hype, read the praise and was finally ready to take the plunge and see what this duo was up to and I was not disappointed. The story sang, the visuals rocked and the comic wormed its way into my heart, infecting me with some type of incurable fever. In my first outing with their Singles Club trade, I read cover to cover five times in twenty-four hours, a feat yet that I have yet to repeat with any other piece of entertainment. Months later, not a week goes by where I don’t pick up my copy of The Singles Club and at least page through it a few times, discovering some new detail in McKelvie’s panels or making some new connection to a band I’ve just exposed myself to. To say I’m a fan is putting it lightly and having consumed their current works, my hunger led me to an Amazon search where I quickly came across a copy of Suburban Glamour, both written and illustrated by McKelvie.
For fans of Phonogram, Suburban Glamour doesn’t stray too far from the path. A coming of age story about a young woman named Astrid; human and magic intertwine as she lives out her teenage years amongst her friends and family, trying to understand her place in the world. The plot of course evolves from there as one might imagine and while the end results are predictable, there are a number of twists and turns along the way that help keep things fresh.
For his first real outing as a writer, McKelvie doesn’t get ahead of himself, keeping the script fairly light and trusting his pencils to carry most of the weight. The world of Suburban Glamour feels incredibly human, with realistic situations, believable dialogue and strong personalities. Even with a limited four issues of space, and minimal world building, the level of detail and planning that has gone into the story emanates from the page. Each character is quick to establish him or herself, staying memorable without being obnoxious. One of the biggest credits I can give to the book is how natural the dialogue feels. You would think it easy to write a seventeen year old accurately but that rarely seems to be the case anymore.
Where Suburban Glamour really shines however, is with its visuals. One of the things I especially love about Jamie’s art is its flexibility. While building a reputation for figures that are fairly grounded in realism, his style allows for the inclusion of all types of magical and fantastical creatures that possess their own unique look and yet never feel out of place in the world they’re interacting with. As mentioned, McKelvie’s artistic talent allows him to use the script as an outline, rather than a guide. With a masterful use of space, the panels and page layouts guide the eyes much easier than the words do, controlling the pace of the story. A master of perspective, Jamie’s panels are most often narrowly focused on the subject, but that doesn’t stop him from occasionally pulling the camera outwards and reminding us just how skilled he is at using his art to subtlety feed us emotional cues. My favorite use and one that has definitely stood out to me has been the use of size or vastness to evoke frustration from the characters. Compare these two panels, one from Marvel’s Siege: Loki one-shot, and one from Suburban Glamour:
The size and vastness of the cities overwhelm our protagonists, objects of rage for them and reminders for us that while these characters may be the focus of the story we are reading, they are but a tiny piece of a much larger system, an organism that will continue to exist long after they are gone. Major credit also goes out to long-time McKelvie colorist Matthew Wilson who does a fantastic job bringing the pencils and environment to life.
This isn’t a book that is going to reinvent comics for you, move mountains or change your world, but it is cheap, fun and a fairly quick read. If you’re a fan of Phonogram, or even just fantasy stories in general, there is plenty to enjoy and loads to love. I’ll definitely be coming back to this story fairly soon. B+
For fans of Phonogram, Suburban Glamour doesn’t stray too far from the path. A coming of age story about a young woman named Astrid; human and magic intertwine as she lives out her teenage years amongst her friends and family, trying to understand her place in the world. The plot of course evolves from there as one might imagine and while the end results are predictable, there are a number of twists and turns along the way that help keep things fresh.For his first real outing as a writer, McKelvie doesn’t get ahead of himself, keeping the script fairly light and trusting his pencils to carry most of the weight. The world of Suburban Glamour feels incredibly human, with realistic situations, believable dialogue and strong personalities. Even with a limited four issues of space, and minimal world building, the level of detail and planning that has gone into the story emanates from the page. Each character is quick to establish him or herself, staying memorable without being obnoxious. One of the biggest credits I can give to the book is how natural the dialogue feels. You would think it easy to write a seventeen year old accurately but that rarely seems to be the case anymore.
Where Suburban Glamour really shines however, is with its visuals. One of the things I especially love about Jamie’s art is its flexibility. While building a reputation for figures that are fairly grounded in realism, his style allows for the inclusion of all types of magical and fantastical creatures that possess their own unique look and yet never feel out of place in the world they’re interacting with. As mentioned, McKelvie’s artistic talent allows him to use the script as an outline, rather than a guide. With a masterful use of space, the panels and page layouts guide the eyes much easier than the words do, controlling the pace of the story. A master of perspective, Jamie’s panels are most often narrowly focused on the subject, but that doesn’t stop him from occasionally pulling the camera outwards and reminding us just how skilled he is at using his art to subtlety feed us emotional cues. My favorite use and one that has definitely stood out to me has been the use of size or vastness to evoke frustration from the characters. Compare these two panels, one from Marvel’s Siege: Loki one-shot, and one from Suburban Glamour:
The size and vastness of the cities overwhelm our protagonists, objects of rage for them and reminders for us that while these characters may be the focus of the story we are reading, they are but a tiny piece of a much larger system, an organism that will continue to exist long after they are gone. Major credit also goes out to long-time McKelvie colorist Matthew Wilson who does a fantastic job bringing the pencils and environment to life.
This isn’t a book that is going to reinvent comics for you, move mountains or change your world, but it is cheap, fun and a fairly quick read. If you’re a fan of Phonogram, or even just fantasy stories in general, there is plenty to enjoy and loads to love. I’ll definitely be coming back to this story fairly soon. B+
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Entering the Heroic Age: Reviews for 05/19/2010
Age of Heroes #1: The first of Marvel's four issue anthology focusing on a number of character across in the world as the Heroic Age begins. The first thing that caught my attention was the talent on hand: Kurt Busiek, Rick Remender, Chris Samnee, Paul Cornell, Leonard Kirk, Dan Slott and Blog-Favorite Marko Djurdjevic all feature in this issue, putting together four stories featuring J. Jonah Jameson, Doctor Voodoo, Captain Britain and Spider-Man. The second thing that came to mind was how underwhelming this issue is. The biggest story is the most uneventful but also provides an interesting perspective into the conclusion of Dark Reign. JJJ strolls through the city, internally complaining to himself that heroes are really terrorists and failing to see why the common people cannot grip that. While this isn't unusual behavior for JJJ, Busiek handles the dialogue realistically enough that it is easy for the reader to understand why and how people may have turned to Norman Osborn and what lies they are willing to tell themselves in the face of his outing. The real surprise of the story is Marko D on art and how mediocre it looked. I personally thought that Marko absolutely killed on Dark Reign: The List, and it may be the coloring and lack of inking here but his art just looks ugly and undetailed, I found it be to very disappointing. The Doctor Voodoo story could have potentially been something good with some more room, instead Remender is forced to cut down the conflict to illustrate how Jericho Drumm is forced to navigate his real life and the duties of Sorcerer Supreme. A nice little snippet and I'm always glad to see Remender on Voodoo again, but this story doesn't do much to celebrate "The Heroic Age." Dan Slott's Spider-Man feature made for an ok-one and done page comic, but I'm so tired of "x state of mind" riffs. The Captain Britain story is the biggest victim here, the team has been missing in action for almost a year now, and was definitely one of the major draws for picking this issue up. While the two pages of Steve Rogers and the Mi3 cast interacting is fun, it only serves as little more than a painful reminder the book probably isn't coming back any time soon and to remind you to go back and read the run again. At 2.99, Age of Heroes may have been a worthwhile pick up, but at 3.99 I cannot justify picking up another issue. C
Enter the Heroic Age: Where Age of Heroes is about telling stories that aren't worth a full issue, Enter the Heroic Age is the equivalent of watching four or five versions of the bank robbery trailer from The Dark Knight. The big promo issue for the new Heroic Age titles, I must admit it served its purpose well. Each one of these stories was entertaining but tantalizing on its own and may actually inspire me to pick up a few of the titles. The big draw for me was the Kelly Sue Deconnick / Jamie McKelvie Black Widow joint, I love Jamie's art and have two more Deconnick penned issues on my stack so I was very excited to see what they'd come up with and I was not disappointed. Natasha is perfectly characterized, strong, in control and possessing that flexible spy mentality that seems to make James Bond so appealing. I must admit that I was also drawn in by the Hawkeye & Mockingbird story, I'm not a fan of either character, but the pages were entertaining enough that I'll at least pick up the first issue. Overall, I think Marvel learned its lesson from the Dark Reign: New Nation one-shot where they quickly re-printed all the stories in the appropriate #1s so there may be some small appeal in collecting material they may not be available elsewhere. I recommend this if you're on the fence about Atlas, Black Widow, Thunderbolts, Hawkeye & Mockingbird or Avengers Academy, but if you're certain you'll buy them, you can more than likely skip these. B+
Avengers #1: So here it is, everything the Heroic Age is all about, in one consolidated form, today is Avengers day and the new Avengers book is.. alright. Like Siege #4, I don't think there was a way this title was going to live up to the hype, it certainly tries hard, but just doesn't get there. The biggest reason is that the current Marvel status quo needs a lot more world building than it has received so far. Steve Rogers is still referred to in title as "Top Cop," with no real explanation yet as to what kind of institution he is putting together or what his plans for the future are. Instead, he basically re-assembles the New Avengers, swapping Ms. Marvel and Luke Cage for Thor and Iron Man, tells them they're all great guys and the adventure begins. What should have been an introduction to the new world order and a relaxed issue full of character moments, something Bendis is normally excellent at, is instead quickly pushed through to begin the latest Avengers Adventure. The always great art team of JRjr, White and Jansen does what it does and puts together some fantastic panels, some alright panels and some downright ugly panels but in all turns in a great issue. In the end I don't think there are or should have been any surprises with this issue. It is Bendis writing the Avengers as he has been writing the Avengers for years now, some parts of it are great, some parts of it fall flat. It sacrifices some quality for accessibility but that is to be anticipated for a new number one issue. B-
X-Men Legacy #236: Continuing my trend of reviewing each chapter of Second Coming each week, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. For a story that started off fairly quickly with huge potential, it has quickly degenerated into a formula where one big thing happens each issue and the characters respond to it. Things still appear to be dire for the X-Men, although they don't feel that way. Bastion has degenerated from a calculating mastermind to a standard mustache twirling, "our finest hour," type of villain and much of the threat has left with it. Greg Land again finds the fortitude to at least the art decent while Mike Carey does a suitable job with the script. At eight chapters in however, a lot more needs to be going on than what is. This is a story that has been in the works for a long, long time now, so why does it feel like it is dragging? I wish I had an answer. C+
Brightest Day #2: One thing is for certain, this book will definitely not be the next 52. I almost didn't want to review this book because while I find it entertaining, I have to agree with a large number of people that it is mindlessly so. Each week continues to be a spectacle of murders, revenge, and poorly written characters that seem pasted together by an occasionally solid character moment. All I can really say is that at one point, a hero threatens to transmute a vault door into jello shots and then asks his floating head companion, what flavor he likes. At least Peter Tomasi wrote a nice Manhunter moment compared to the absolutely bizarre Thor moment that Paul Jenkins wrote last week in Fallen Sun. D
Legion of Super-Heroes #1: I almost didn't buy this book because quite frankly, the Legion terrifies me. There are like 9000 of these dudes across multiple iterations and I got about three different nosebleeds trying to read Johns/Perez's Legion of 3 Worlds. I gambled however, and I'm really glad I did. Paul Levitz launches this series with a story that is both incredibly accessible but also appears to be fairly respectful to recent Legion stories. With excellent pace control and the incredibly solid pencils of Yildray Cinar, each character becomes quickly recognizable and memorable. Exposition is carefully planned to be both informative and sound realistic and the plot flows quite fluidly. Levitz's dialogue needs a bit of work, but I'm confident that will return with time. The Legion is definitely one of the most continuity heavy franchises I have ever encountered, if not in comics, but this issue is a fantastic jumping on point and I highly recommend it, potentially my issue of the week. A
Enter the Heroic Age: Where Age of Heroes is about telling stories that aren't worth a full issue, Enter the Heroic Age is the equivalent of watching four or five versions of the bank robbery trailer from The Dark Knight. The big promo issue for the new Heroic Age titles, I must admit it served its purpose well. Each one of these stories was entertaining but tantalizing on its own and may actually inspire me to pick up a few of the titles. The big draw for me was the Kelly Sue Deconnick / Jamie McKelvie Black Widow joint, I love Jamie's art and have two more Deconnick penned issues on my stack so I was very excited to see what they'd come up with and I was not disappointed. Natasha is perfectly characterized, strong, in control and possessing that flexible spy mentality that seems to make James Bond so appealing. I must admit that I was also drawn in by the Hawkeye & Mockingbird story, I'm not a fan of either character, but the pages were entertaining enough that I'll at least pick up the first issue. Overall, I think Marvel learned its lesson from the Dark Reign: New Nation one-shot where they quickly re-printed all the stories in the appropriate #1s so there may be some small appeal in collecting material they may not be available elsewhere. I recommend this if you're on the fence about Atlas, Black Widow, Thunderbolts, Hawkeye & Mockingbird or Avengers Academy, but if you're certain you'll buy them, you can more than likely skip these. B+
Avengers #1: So here it is, everything the Heroic Age is all about, in one consolidated form, today is Avengers day and the new Avengers book is.. alright. Like Siege #4, I don't think there was a way this title was going to live up to the hype, it certainly tries hard, but just doesn't get there. The biggest reason is that the current Marvel status quo needs a lot more world building than it has received so far. Steve Rogers is still referred to in title as "Top Cop," with no real explanation yet as to what kind of institution he is putting together or what his plans for the future are. Instead, he basically re-assembles the New Avengers, swapping Ms. Marvel and Luke Cage for Thor and Iron Man, tells them they're all great guys and the adventure begins. What should have been an introduction to the new world order and a relaxed issue full of character moments, something Bendis is normally excellent at, is instead quickly pushed through to begin the latest Avengers Adventure. The always great art team of JRjr, White and Jansen does what it does and puts together some fantastic panels, some alright panels and some downright ugly panels but in all turns in a great issue. In the end I don't think there are or should have been any surprises with this issue. It is Bendis writing the Avengers as he has been writing the Avengers for years now, some parts of it are great, some parts of it fall flat. It sacrifices some quality for accessibility but that is to be anticipated for a new number one issue. B-
X-Men Legacy #236: Continuing my trend of reviewing each chapter of Second Coming each week, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. For a story that started off fairly quickly with huge potential, it has quickly degenerated into a formula where one big thing happens each issue and the characters respond to it. Things still appear to be dire for the X-Men, although they don't feel that way. Bastion has degenerated from a calculating mastermind to a standard mustache twirling, "our finest hour," type of villain and much of the threat has left with it. Greg Land again finds the fortitude to at least the art decent while Mike Carey does a suitable job with the script. At eight chapters in however, a lot more needs to be going on than what is. This is a story that has been in the works for a long, long time now, so why does it feel like it is dragging? I wish I had an answer. C+
Brightest Day #2: One thing is for certain, this book will definitely not be the next 52. I almost didn't want to review this book because while I find it entertaining, I have to agree with a large number of people that it is mindlessly so. Each week continues to be a spectacle of murders, revenge, and poorly written characters that seem pasted together by an occasionally solid character moment. All I can really say is that at one point, a hero threatens to transmute a vault door into jello shots and then asks his floating head companion, what flavor he likes. At least Peter Tomasi wrote a nice Manhunter moment compared to the absolutely bizarre Thor moment that Paul Jenkins wrote last week in Fallen Sun. D
Legion of Super-Heroes #1: I almost didn't buy this book because quite frankly, the Legion terrifies me. There are like 9000 of these dudes across multiple iterations and I got about three different nosebleeds trying to read Johns/Perez's Legion of 3 Worlds. I gambled however, and I'm really glad I did. Paul Levitz launches this series with a story that is both incredibly accessible but also appears to be fairly respectful to recent Legion stories. With excellent pace control and the incredibly solid pencils of Yildray Cinar, each character becomes quickly recognizable and memorable. Exposition is carefully planned to be both informative and sound realistic and the plot flows quite fluidly. Levitz's dialogue needs a bit of work, but I'm confident that will return with time. The Legion is definitely one of the most continuity heavy franchises I have ever encountered, if not in comics, but this issue is a fantastic jumping on point and I highly recommend it, potentially my issue of the week. A
Ramblings: The Effect of the Internet on Comics
I’m prefacing the following by saying that my editing and reviewing of the following is fairly non-existent, but I jotted this stuff down randomly and figured I’d better throw it up before I forgot about it and lost it.
This last week was huge for Marvel’s Avengers franchise. After more than five years of stories, Brian Bendis got to wrap up the long running epic he had begun with Avengers Disassembled, resolve the threads and story arcs that had been in the works for years and bring a conclusion to the Dark Reign status quo that occupied all of 2009. With Siege #4, Dark Avengers #16 and the New Avengers Finale, he did everything that he set out to do and in true comic fan fashion, the Internet was not impressed. The primary complaint: predictability. “The Void died, Osborn was removed from power, Steve Rogers is king again,” and while it was solidly written, it was everything that people had been anticipating and yet they still felt let down.
Which leads me to ask: is being a comics fan on the Internet a good thing? It use to be that every week you would go down to your store, pick up your titles, race home and really experience the stories for what they were, the next chapter in your favorite character’s life, events were something significant and every cliffhanger was something to be discussed for days. Now, fans exist in an entirely different world.
We now have access to everything vendors do: order forms, promotions and solicitations, tools that those of us who read and debate often usually have no problem utilizing, hypothesizing, dissecting and unraveling these snippets, turning six lines into an educated guess that more often than not proves accurate.
Message boards and Twitter also give fans the opportunity to interact with creators, following their favorite writers or artists and learning about their day to day activities. Occasionally though, things slip and the Internet descends to feast on the error.
Back in the fall, artist Billy Tan mentioned that he would be working a “street level comic” called Shadowlands. Given that Tan at the time had just finished work with Andy Diggle on “The List – Daredevil,” it didn’t take much to put two and two together and begin hypothesizing about future Daredevil storylines. Sure enough, a few weeks into the New Year, Daredevil began holding corrupt cops prisoner beneath New York City and ordered the construction of a prison, called Shadowlands, seemingly confirming the future arc.
A few months back, unintentionally via Twitter, Andy Diggle, the current writer on Daredevil, mentioned in a tweet that he had just wrapped up the script for Shadowlands #1, accidentally confirming that not only would Daredevil continue to run, but there would also be a companion mini. With the knowledge that a mini was pending, I went ahead and put together some predictions for companion issues that would come out along side it.
And sure enough, the Shadowlands announcements dropped this last week and while I did predict the Power Man and Iron Fist, Thunderbolts and Spider-Man tie-ins, I did fail to guess that Dan Slott would only be writing a Spidey one-shot, I was almost positive it would be Brian Reed handling a 3 or 4 issue mini. I also failed to predict a Moon Knight story and some additional tie-ins that will no doubt fluff up the series a bit while increasing visibility for other characters.
But if it is so easy to predict these stories, why bother buying the comics? While I hate to be cliché, at least from my own perspective, it really is about the journey more so than just knowing the plots. While I do occasionally feel underwhelmed, I love these characters, enjoy the writers that I follow and certainly enjoy the friends in the community that I do debate and discuss with, which may be the biggest benefit that the Internet can give.
Comics are my primary hobby and while I’m absolutely rabid about them, I don’t know a single person in my proximity who shares my passion. With the Internet, I’m able to surround myself with interesting and intelligent people who not only love the genre, but may also know more about different aspects or characters than I do.
Message boards and Twitter allow me to get recommendations, debate, discuss, learn, re-consider and re-think my views on a variety of comic topics. Jonathan Hickman, who is one of my favorite writers at the moment, was passed onto me via a recommendation for his book “Red Mass for Mars,” which while not finished, has led me to his other fantastic works like “Pax Romana” and “The Nightly News,” as well as his work for Marvel.
Similarly, comic journalism does a fantastic job of working with companies, especially the Big Two, to keep press flowing on new and important books. It isn’t unusual to see an important issue get a number of articles of coverage: usually a cover preview, then some pencils or unfinished art and then an official preview a few days before the actual book is released. These articles help bring attention to books that may not ordinarily get it, and companies are really learning how to tap into this and use it effectively to boost a title. These sites help keep me informed and organized, making sure I know exactly what I want to buy and allow me to spend my money effectively.
In the end, the pros of the Internet definitely outweigh the cons. The interaction, community and increased promotional materials all outweigh the brief disappointing that may come from an issue, a disappointment that quickly fades as it is replaced by excitement for the next big story.
This last week was huge for Marvel’s Avengers franchise. After more than five years of stories, Brian Bendis got to wrap up the long running epic he had begun with Avengers Disassembled, resolve the threads and story arcs that had been in the works for years and bring a conclusion to the Dark Reign status quo that occupied all of 2009. With Siege #4, Dark Avengers #16 and the New Avengers Finale, he did everything that he set out to do and in true comic fan fashion, the Internet was not impressed. The primary complaint: predictability. “The Void died, Osborn was removed from power, Steve Rogers is king again,” and while it was solidly written, it was everything that people had been anticipating and yet they still felt let down.
Which leads me to ask: is being a comics fan on the Internet a good thing? It use to be that every week you would go down to your store, pick up your titles, race home and really experience the stories for what they were, the next chapter in your favorite character’s life, events were something significant and every cliffhanger was something to be discussed for days. Now, fans exist in an entirely different world.
We now have access to everything vendors do: order forms, promotions and solicitations, tools that those of us who read and debate often usually have no problem utilizing, hypothesizing, dissecting and unraveling these snippets, turning six lines into an educated guess that more often than not proves accurate.
Message boards and Twitter also give fans the opportunity to interact with creators, following their favorite writers or artists and learning about their day to day activities. Occasionally though, things slip and the Internet descends to feast on the error.
Back in the fall, artist Billy Tan mentioned that he would be working a “street level comic” called Shadowlands. Given that Tan at the time had just finished work with Andy Diggle on “The List – Daredevil,” it didn’t take much to put two and two together and begin hypothesizing about future Daredevil storylines. Sure enough, a few weeks into the New Year, Daredevil began holding corrupt cops prisoner beneath New York City and ordered the construction of a prison, called Shadowlands, seemingly confirming the future arc.
A few months back, unintentionally via Twitter, Andy Diggle, the current writer on Daredevil, mentioned in a tweet that he had just wrapped up the script for Shadowlands #1, accidentally confirming that not only would Daredevil continue to run, but there would also be a companion mini. With the knowledge that a mini was pending, I went ahead and put together some predictions for companion issues that would come out along side it.
And sure enough, the Shadowlands announcements dropped this last week and while I did predict the Power Man and Iron Fist, Thunderbolts and Spider-Man tie-ins, I did fail to guess that Dan Slott would only be writing a Spidey one-shot, I was almost positive it would be Brian Reed handling a 3 or 4 issue mini. I also failed to predict a Moon Knight story and some additional tie-ins that will no doubt fluff up the series a bit while increasing visibility for other characters.
But if it is so easy to predict these stories, why bother buying the comics? While I hate to be cliché, at least from my own perspective, it really is about the journey more so than just knowing the plots. While I do occasionally feel underwhelmed, I love these characters, enjoy the writers that I follow and certainly enjoy the friends in the community that I do debate and discuss with, which may be the biggest benefit that the Internet can give.
Comics are my primary hobby and while I’m absolutely rabid about them, I don’t know a single person in my proximity who shares my passion. With the Internet, I’m able to surround myself with interesting and intelligent people who not only love the genre, but may also know more about different aspects or characters than I do.
Message boards and Twitter allow me to get recommendations, debate, discuss, learn, re-consider and re-think my views on a variety of comic topics. Jonathan Hickman, who is one of my favorite writers at the moment, was passed onto me via a recommendation for his book “Red Mass for Mars,” which while not finished, has led me to his other fantastic works like “Pax Romana” and “The Nightly News,” as well as his work for Marvel.
Similarly, comic journalism does a fantastic job of working with companies, especially the Big Two, to keep press flowing on new and important books. It isn’t unusual to see an important issue get a number of articles of coverage: usually a cover preview, then some pencils or unfinished art and then an official preview a few days before the actual book is released. These articles help bring attention to books that may not ordinarily get it, and companies are really learning how to tap into this and use it effectively to boost a title. These sites help keep me informed and organized, making sure I know exactly what I want to buy and allow me to spend my money effectively.
In the end, the pros of the Internet definitely outweigh the cons. The interaction, community and increased promotional materials all outweigh the brief disappointing that may come from an issue, a disappointment that quickly fades as it is replaced by excitement for the next big story.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Further Reviews for the Week of 05/12/10
Prince of Power #1: The Incredible Hercules saga continues as this Amadeus Cho focused mini launches for the Heroic Age and for all intensive purposes, is another spectacular issue of the long running story. Pak and Van Lente are a well oiled machine at this point: the standard comedic catch up page and then launching right into the story. The team earns my consistent praise week after week with the fresh styles of narration, excellent control of voice, effective collaboration with other Marvel storylines and of course, keeping the narrative moving and the reader guessing. One of the few gripes I have with the series is that the art team is changing constantly. I don't know if that is because the team writes so far ahead, but until now, I don't think an art team has yet to do more than one arc at a time. Reilly Brown steps back into the world of Herc to pencil this issue and with it having been awhile since I'd encountered his work, I was impressed. Brown has fantastic control of the page, capable of packing it with panels without losing clarity while also able to place a spread that conveys the needed material perfectly. His characters also look fabulous, both human and myth alike. The cliffhanger feels a bit inconsistent, but I'm sure things will pan out in the next issue. A
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #10: As I may have mentioned during the last review for this series, I am finally a believer in Lafuente. Without sacrificing the original appeal of his art, he has tweaked his style to get a better handle on how round everything felt previously, giving it a sharper image while still maintaining it's flair. Bendis pens yet another solid issue and continues to embrace the status quo changes brought about by Ultimatum. Given how opposite everything is in the Ultimate World in terms of tone and plot, Bendis's writing is doing a stellar job of really making those differences feel poignant and important and his grasp on all of these characters is top notch. What is disappointing is that his USM issues are much better written than the 616 comics where he is the primary architect of Marvel's world. USM is consistently good and while seemingly not building towards any giant event or big moment, each issue can be savored and enjoyed as just another piece of the brilliant tapestry that has been Ultimate Spider-Man. B+
Web of Spider-Man #8: Van Lente week continues and I need to lead off by saying that it is a real shame this book wasn't advertised better. Web of Spider-Man has been a mishmash of Villain origins and Spider-Girl stories since they re-launched the title, but with this issue, FvL takes over telling fresh stories in Spidey's universe. Given that van Lente has already told some fantastic stories in Amazing, it is no surprise that the script here is equally good. A story about a brand new villain, van Lente uses the opportunity to take some light hearted jabs at the "event stories" of the past few years and goof on the concept of the Heroic Age a bit. The issue feels a bit longer but I attribute that to FvL's excellent use of Peter's supporting cast and even manages to work in Flash and his recent disability plotline without making it "inspirational" like it has been treated in the past. Joining Fred is Javier Rodriguez who is absolutely brilliant. I actually had to look him up, he is a colorist/artist whose art is very similar to Marcos Martin and Javier Pulido's and for being as far as I know, fairly knew to the Big Two, his work is top notch. Rodriguez does it all from big spreads to style swaps and while the story doesn't call for too much Spider-Man yet, his characters are evocative and his Peter Parker, perfectly goofy. 3.99 also nets you a Ben Reilly back up story, which is alright, the type of story you can expect when the Spider-Clone is the focus, but I would be thrilled if they cut that and let this book run free at 2.99. If you're looking for the more traditional and light hearted Spidey stories, this is your place. B+
Batman #699: Pssst, hey. Hey guys, it's me! It's me, Bruce! Dick needed the night off, so I told him I'd step in and solve this crime! Man, how the hell does he back flip so much? I think Tony forgot he was writing Bruce in this issue. At least March killed it. C+
Justice League International - Generation Lost #1: I had some qualms about picking this up as I currently have four JLI trades stacked up on my bookshelf ready to be pursued and was concerned I may need to get familiar with the story before I dove in here but that is not the case. Giffen and Winick make the story easily accessible for anyone who may pick up the issue, filling in the origin story of the JLI as well as why Max Lord is now considered one of the most dangerous men on the planet. There are still somethings that need to be clarified in the back story, specifically what has happened with Ice since her resurrection and experience during Blackest Night but everything proceeds along nicely and does a great job of fleshing out the scene that Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi put together in Brightest Day #0. Aaron Lopresti mans the pencils here and while the last time I encountered his art was Planet Hulk, his work here is solid, limited primarily to tights and flights with a healthy amount of realistic looking people. The method used to get the four characters who can remember Lord together is a bit contrived and the fallout of this issue certainly conflicts with the "one and done" nature that Winick was promoing for the series, but it is certainly interesting enough to warrant the purchase of the next issue. B+
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #10: As I may have mentioned during the last review for this series, I am finally a believer in Lafuente. Without sacrificing the original appeal of his art, he has tweaked his style to get a better handle on how round everything felt previously, giving it a sharper image while still maintaining it's flair. Bendis pens yet another solid issue and continues to embrace the status quo changes brought about by Ultimatum. Given how opposite everything is in the Ultimate World in terms of tone and plot, Bendis's writing is doing a stellar job of really making those differences feel poignant and important and his grasp on all of these characters is top notch. What is disappointing is that his USM issues are much better written than the 616 comics where he is the primary architect of Marvel's world. USM is consistently good and while seemingly not building towards any giant event or big moment, each issue can be savored and enjoyed as just another piece of the brilliant tapestry that has been Ultimate Spider-Man. B+
Web of Spider-Man #8: Van Lente week continues and I need to lead off by saying that it is a real shame this book wasn't advertised better. Web of Spider-Man has been a mishmash of Villain origins and Spider-Girl stories since they re-launched the title, but with this issue, FvL takes over telling fresh stories in Spidey's universe. Given that van Lente has already told some fantastic stories in Amazing, it is no surprise that the script here is equally good. A story about a brand new villain, van Lente uses the opportunity to take some light hearted jabs at the "event stories" of the past few years and goof on the concept of the Heroic Age a bit. The issue feels a bit longer but I attribute that to FvL's excellent use of Peter's supporting cast and even manages to work in Flash and his recent disability plotline without making it "inspirational" like it has been treated in the past. Joining Fred is Javier Rodriguez who is absolutely brilliant. I actually had to look him up, he is a colorist/artist whose art is very similar to Marcos Martin and Javier Pulido's and for being as far as I know, fairly knew to the Big Two, his work is top notch. Rodriguez does it all from big spreads to style swaps and while the story doesn't call for too much Spider-Man yet, his characters are evocative and his Peter Parker, perfectly goofy. 3.99 also nets you a Ben Reilly back up story, which is alright, the type of story you can expect when the Spider-Clone is the focus, but I would be thrilled if they cut that and let this book run free at 2.99. If you're looking for the more traditional and light hearted Spidey stories, this is your place. B+
Batman #699: Pssst, hey. Hey guys, it's me! It's me, Bruce! Dick needed the night off, so I told him I'd step in and solve this crime! Man, how the hell does he back flip so much? I think Tony forgot he was writing Bruce in this issue. At least March killed it. C+
Justice League International - Generation Lost #1: I had some qualms about picking this up as I currently have four JLI trades stacked up on my bookshelf ready to be pursued and was concerned I may need to get familiar with the story before I dove in here but that is not the case. Giffen and Winick make the story easily accessible for anyone who may pick up the issue, filling in the origin story of the JLI as well as why Max Lord is now considered one of the most dangerous men on the planet. There are still somethings that need to be clarified in the back story, specifically what has happened with Ice since her resurrection and experience during Blackest Night but everything proceeds along nicely and does a great job of fleshing out the scene that Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi put together in Brightest Day #0. Aaron Lopresti mans the pencils here and while the last time I encountered his art was Planet Hulk, his work here is solid, limited primarily to tights and flights with a healthy amount of realistic looking people. The method used to get the four characters who can remember Lord together is a bit contrived and the fallout of this issue certainly conflicts with the "one and done" nature that Winick was promoing for the series, but it is certainly interesting enough to warrant the purchase of the next issue. B+
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Closing the Doors on the Avengers: Reviews for 05/12/2010
Amazing Spider-Man #631: Shed continues here in an absolutely spectacular fashion. The Lizard is back in a big way and Wells keeps the pedal to the floor with a very surprising cliffhanger that leaves you one-parts sick, one-parts mortified and one parts stunned. I feel a bit bad for Emma Rios, she is a developing talent getting some significant attention via her collaborations with Mark Waid, but it must have been killer being paired up with Bachalo. Her pages are consistent and solid but they're really just a salad before the main course. Chris absolutely kills for the second week in a row, blowing the script away and absolutely nailing the finale. I still maintain that last's week's finale three pages are unbeatable but the vision here is superb. I don't know what it is about these slim, face only panels like this one:
but Bachalo is doing a fantastic job at making the Lizard feel both so incredibly alien and yet conveying all kinds of emotion. We still have two more issues to go and I'm 1000% confident that Shed is going to live up to my promise as the best story from The Gauntlet. A+
The Return of Bruce Wayne #1: Bruce's trek back to his time kicks off this week and Caveman Batman does not disappoint. A fairly straight forward adventure, the standard Batman symbols are all there: a proto-Robin, the ever familiar pearl necklace and even a character named Joker appears. Grant ties in several of the plot threads from the end of Final Crisis and wastes no time keeping the story moving. My only criticism is a personal one, I spent the whole winter defending accusations of "Quantum Leap Batman," positive that there would be a logical method for Bruce's time travel but that does not seem to be the case. It is a minor complaint, however, so I'm not too concerned. The big surprise for me here was Chris Sprouse on the pencils, I've never encountered his work before but it was quite solid, I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for him in the future. In all, a good start to what will no doubt become a fantastic story. B+
PunisherMAX #7: Every issue that goes by of this book is another month that I'm convinced that hell is being trapped in Jason Aaron's imagination. Continuing the Bullseye storyline, Aaron moves forward with his "reality based" take on the character spending much of the issue focusing on the various methods Bulls uses to "get in touch" with his victims, and just when I think it has mellowed out for a moment, the next depraved action begins. I give Aaron a lot of credit though, in a time where some comics are choosing to be excessive in their violence, PunisherMAX seems to walk the line of being horrifying but not graphically, it is often the idea of the act that disturbs much more than the imagery. That said, Steve Dillon is as great as ever and I'm dying to finally see the Punisher and Bullseye have it out. A-
Siege #4: A mediocre but necessary end to Marvel's last big storyline for awhile. I wish there was really more to say, but everything that you expected to happen to get things ready for the Heroic Age, did. Everyone saw both pieces of the ending coming miles away and I think this was a perfect example of a skip month absolutely destroying all of the momentum the storyline built since January. Copiel has upped his game to one of the highest levels however, so at least everything looks beautiful. The panels flow well and his use of border breaking characters are attractive to the eye but not destructively so. A lot of explosions, a lot of grimaces and dramatic faces, but also a lot of gorgeous stuff. Depending on the price, I may consider double dipping for Siege if it gets released in the over-size format. B-
Siege Epilogue: Fallen Sun I saw someone use the word masturbatory to describe this book and I really cannot disagree. The creator of the title character has returned once more to tell us about a number of adventures that were never actually written and for the most part have not jived with how the character has been presented over the last five or so years. Combined with some very awkward scenes and a generic playout, this issue was anything but satisfactory for anything but the most easily pleased fan. Please let the record also indicate that I am absolutely tired of The Wrecking Crew. At least it looks good I guess. D+
Dark Avengers #16: It is going to be tough letting go of this book. For sixteen issues it has been one of my favorite Marvel comics, with Mike Deodato absolutely killing on the art as well as being the recipient of Brian Bendis's love and affection since it was the most important Marvel book for the last year or so. Wrapping up the tale of Osborn and his handpicked Avengers, each member of the team takes the stage for a moment to either resolve their tale or plant the seeds for their role in the new status quo. After the review I did of the Secret Warriors tie-in for Siege, I was pleased to see Bendis give Ares's moment to Phobos in a much more controlled and logical fallout. I don't know what else I could say about Mike's art, he is one of the industry's best right now and he is going to continue to produce absolutely amazing content for Secret Avengers. This book is over, but it's importance will still be felt for a long time. B+
Birds of Prey #1: I wasn't impressed with this book. A lot of people have been squeeing and squealing about Gail's return to the series alongside Ed Benes and I just didn't feel it. It may be that because I've never read an issue of Birds before that I wasn't feeling the energy but nothing about this book felt fresh to me. After the opening sequence, Canary's monologue only served to take me out of the book. Benes artwork is serviceable but tame, nothing spectacular but not too bad. This is a book that really fell by the wayside for me, I didn't love it but I guess I didn't hate it either. C+, if you're potentially interested, I do recommend maybe giving it a shot.
but Bachalo is doing a fantastic job at making the Lizard feel both so incredibly alien and yet conveying all kinds of emotion. We still have two more issues to go and I'm 1000% confident that Shed is going to live up to my promise as the best story from The Gauntlet. A+
The Return of Bruce Wayne #1: Bruce's trek back to his time kicks off this week and Caveman Batman does not disappoint. A fairly straight forward adventure, the standard Batman symbols are all there: a proto-Robin, the ever familiar pearl necklace and even a character named Joker appears. Grant ties in several of the plot threads from the end of Final Crisis and wastes no time keeping the story moving. My only criticism is a personal one, I spent the whole winter defending accusations of "Quantum Leap Batman," positive that there would be a logical method for Bruce's time travel but that does not seem to be the case. It is a minor complaint, however, so I'm not too concerned. The big surprise for me here was Chris Sprouse on the pencils, I've never encountered his work before but it was quite solid, I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for him in the future. In all, a good start to what will no doubt become a fantastic story. B+
PunisherMAX #7: Every issue that goes by of this book is another month that I'm convinced that hell is being trapped in Jason Aaron's imagination. Continuing the Bullseye storyline, Aaron moves forward with his "reality based" take on the character spending much of the issue focusing on the various methods Bulls uses to "get in touch" with his victims, and just when I think it has mellowed out for a moment, the next depraved action begins. I give Aaron a lot of credit though, in a time where some comics are choosing to be excessive in their violence, PunisherMAX seems to walk the line of being horrifying but not graphically, it is often the idea of the act that disturbs much more than the imagery. That said, Steve Dillon is as great as ever and I'm dying to finally see the Punisher and Bullseye have it out. A-
Siege #4: A mediocre but necessary end to Marvel's last big storyline for awhile. I wish there was really more to say, but everything that you expected to happen to get things ready for the Heroic Age, did. Everyone saw both pieces of the ending coming miles away and I think this was a perfect example of a skip month absolutely destroying all of the momentum the storyline built since January. Copiel has upped his game to one of the highest levels however, so at least everything looks beautiful. The panels flow well and his use of border breaking characters are attractive to the eye but not destructively so. A lot of explosions, a lot of grimaces and dramatic faces, but also a lot of gorgeous stuff. Depending on the price, I may consider double dipping for Siege if it gets released in the over-size format. B-
Siege Epilogue: Fallen Sun I saw someone use the word masturbatory to describe this book and I really cannot disagree. The creator of the title character has returned once more to tell us about a number of adventures that were never actually written and for the most part have not jived with how the character has been presented over the last five or so years. Combined with some very awkward scenes and a generic playout, this issue was anything but satisfactory for anything but the most easily pleased fan. Please let the record also indicate that I am absolutely tired of The Wrecking Crew. At least it looks good I guess. D+
Dark Avengers #16: It is going to be tough letting go of this book. For sixteen issues it has been one of my favorite Marvel comics, with Mike Deodato absolutely killing on the art as well as being the recipient of Brian Bendis's love and affection since it was the most important Marvel book for the last year or so. Wrapping up the tale of Osborn and his handpicked Avengers, each member of the team takes the stage for a moment to either resolve their tale or plant the seeds for their role in the new status quo. After the review I did of the Secret Warriors tie-in for Siege, I was pleased to see Bendis give Ares's moment to Phobos in a much more controlled and logical fallout. I don't know what else I could say about Mike's art, he is one of the industry's best right now and he is going to continue to produce absolutely amazing content for Secret Avengers. This book is over, but it's importance will still be felt for a long time. B+
Birds of Prey #1: I wasn't impressed with this book. A lot of people have been squeeing and squealing about Gail's return to the series alongside Ed Benes and I just didn't feel it. It may be that because I've never read an issue of Birds before that I wasn't feeling the energy but nothing about this book felt fresh to me. After the opening sequence, Canary's monologue only served to take me out of the book. Benes artwork is serviceable but tame, nothing spectacular but not too bad. This is a book that really fell by the wayside for me, I didn't love it but I guess I didn't hate it either. C+, if you're potentially interested, I do recommend maybe giving it a shot.
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Best Things You Haven't Read: Matt Fraction's The Order
In the fallout of the Civil War event, Marvel used the new status quo to launch and re-purpose a number of new books under “The Initiative” banner. With every state needing a super hero team, Brian Bendis launched The Mighty Avengers, Dan Slott headlined the official Avengers: the Initiative title, Warren Ellis took over the villain turned hero Thunderbolts and Matt Fraction spawned a new take on The Order.
Of the four titles, The Order was the best in quality, but somehow fared the worst in sales. With a superstar art team of Barry Kitson, Mark Morales and Dean White, Fraction scribed the adventures of title-team The Order, assigned by Iron Man to be California’s hero designate slash public relations expo. In a time where other writers were exploring the transformation from hero to soldier in the Marvel landscape, The Order went in another direction. Armed with a single recognizable character, Tony Stark’s assistant Pepper Potts, the title focused on normal people who sought to give back to their community, exchanging a year of their life for a year of super powers in government service.
With a diverse and brand new cast, popcultureophile Fraction immediately established a solid narrative formula for each issue, a mixture of reality television confessional and Lost-esque flashbacking, with character commentary mingled with past events depending on what was occurring in the present. Also aped was the structure of Warren Ellis title Nextwave, with miniature arcs running two issues at a time while weaving longer running plot threads and mysteries throughout.
Although the art team changed periodically during the run, Barry Kitson turns in some of the best visual storytelling of his career, using consistent and well structured layouts to help readers navigate the constantly shifting elements. The pencillers shine in the creation and execution of these brand new figures, making them recognizable just pages after their initial debut and turning Fraction’s bizarre villains into memorable monsters. Combined with a fantastic control of action and stellar work from Morales, White, and a team of others, the artistic elements enhance the story well beyond what one expects from an average comic.
The highlight of The Order’s ten issues however, is the characters. If there is one thing Matt is good at, it is inventing crazy new properties and one can only hope that being able to build a team of super heroes from scratch must have been at least half as fun for him as it is to read. It is easy to dissect the team down into familiar archetypes, for instance, matching up former Teen of the Year, Aralune to the Hulk/Thing/muscle type, Fraction’s ability to provide simple, quirky and endearing characterization easily helps her break away from the generic and establish herself as a unique character.
The efforts go both ways, as the villains receive just as much attention as the heroes. Taking further cues from Nextwave, The Order is populated by off the wall enemies who seem more likely to appear in cheap science fiction novels than the Marvel proper. Zobos (Zombie Hobos), giant radiation enhanced animals, shadowy men in black, and fan favorite, Jetpack Bear make appearances in the ten issue run and provide a light hearted energy to the more serious drama that occurs throughout.
While billed as a series about team super-heroics, The Order is really a comic that focuses on humanity, and exploring what it means to be thrown into a world full of mutants, villains and aliens. Going beyond the notions of power and responsibility, The Order is a study on why not everyone can be Spider-Man, the power of celebrity and how being able to fly changes everything. While not a dark and gritty look at people as heroes, The Order does try to take a rational look at how real people might respond to a higher calling, asks questions like “How could a sex-tape affect the Invisible Woman? What makes a team a family? and Is revenge truly worth it?” In the end, The Order is an exploration of people, and how they would respond to the chance to make a difference in the world.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
What Does the Return of Steve Rogers Mean for Bruce Wayne?
Over the last few years Marvel and DC have put their most iconic heroes through the ringer. With different methods and different reasons, Grant Morrison and Ed Brubaker have forced Captain America and Batman through difficult journeys, battling powerful foes with the ultimate goal of conquering death itself. But while these two characters have walked similar paths over the last few years, their futures could not be more different. With Steve Rogers having already returned for Siege and Marvel’s Avengers plans set for the new status quo, the plans for Bruce Wayne remain unclear as he begins his journey home this week. However, by examining the plans for Rogers and exploring the editorial visions of the two companies, it may be possible to generate some potentially accurate predictions about the future of the Bat-Family.
In the two year duration between Steve Rogers’s death and resurrection, the landscape of Marvel’s universe has changed considerably. Cap’s passing marked a sharp decline into a period of bureaucratic heroism where the government and law constantly interfered with justice. Meanwhile, a race of shape shifting aliens invaded and splintered the community of heroes further, ultimately allowing for a collective of villains to step in and become the ultimate authority in the land.
In Captain America’s main book, what was supposed to be a brief absence for Rogers turned into a 25 issue break, as Ed Brubaker’s commitment to the title and the creative flexibility of Marvel’s editorial team and fan support allowed Bucky Barnes, former Captain America sidekick, to don both the costume and the shield, taking up his friend’s cause and place in the Avengers.
Now, with the Avengers set to re-unite officially and bring the status quo into a brighter, more “Heroic Age,” the question “What role does Steve Rogers play in the future?” really becomes important. The answer is surprisingly simple, Rogers will continue to do what he has always done, lead the Avengers going forward, simply in a different costume.
With the franchise stronger than ever, Rogers will be pulling double duty as both an important member in Brian Bendis’s Avengers flagship title, while also leading his own team in Ed Brubaker’s Secret Avengers. Through death, Steve will have actually increased his exposure, to three monthly books and will no doubt feature in more as he continues to act as the chairman of whatever agency will replace H.A.M.M.E.R./S.H.I.E.L.D.
It is a huge win for Marvel, whose commitment to laissez-faire writing has allowed authors to produce both quality books and organic stories, as they are now pushing the character into the spotlight, right as anticipation for the Captain America movie begins to spike.
Though the plans for Rogers, once announced seemed kind of obvious, the results of Bruce Wayne’s journey through time are anything but. Grant Morrison’s run has been the ultimate love letter to Batman, exploring every facet of the character by forcing him through a gauntlet of nightmares, mysteries, villains and even ethical violations that led to Bruce’s “death” and catapulting through time.
Even in a book featuring a Batman, Wayne’s presence continues to haunt the series as former Robin-turned Nightwing, Dick Grayson has donned the mantle of his adopted brother and works to keep Gotham safe.
As with Bucky Barnes, fan reaction to Dick as Batman has been fairly positive, although his time under cowl seems finite. In some recent interviews, Morrison announced that he has one more chapter in mind for what he considers his definitive Batman story, although he gave no hint about how long that chapter would be. He does mention two very important things however, the first is that what he has planned for post-Wayne’s return is something he considers a brand new, never been done before in the Batman franchise. The second is a grim reminder that he understands when he writes for the big franchises, at the end of everything, Bruce Wayne will need to be Batman.
It is no secret that DC is constantly editorially involved in the work of their authors, and as they are currently clinging to the Bat-franchise like a life preserver, it seems unlikely that anything drastic will happen. There are still at least three issues of Batman and Robin and six issues of The Return of Bruce Wayne to get through before a new status quo can be established, so equipped with the knowledge that Bruce Wayne will inevitably be Batman again, the only real questions left are surrounding the Bat-Family. Of the 9 or so Bat-books currently on the market, a Batman factors into at least four of them and often cameos in the others, so yet another mantle change would shake-up that line-up as well.
Bruce Wayne has given up being Batman before during the Knightfall days when Azrael took over for a time as Gotham’s prime defender, so the idea of leaving Dick Grayson under the cowl for a longer period is an option. Another outcome is to revisit something Tony Daniel touched on during his Battle for the Cowl mini: Multiple Batmen. The potential for artistic confusion seems infinite, but Bruce and Dick in differing costumes, prowling the city, if executed well could be a lot of fun. The Steve Rogers option also remains a possibility, Bruce Wayne becomes an Oracle-esque figure, running all of the different aspects of the Bat-Family in some capacity, but this seems unlikely. The most obvious occurrence simply seems to be Bruce as Batman, and Dick returning to his solo role, reviving the Nightwing title.
With the return of the mantle to Bruce, his pairing with Damian Wayne, his son via Talia Al Ghoul, seems likely. The character has become a favorite to some, a pest to others but a staple of the Bat titles nonetheless. A Wayne/Wayne dynamic duo would allow writers to experiment with Bruce in a paternal role, rather than big brotherly and could lead to some fun holiday specials. Damian looks to be set as Robin for some period, as Tim Drake, after having defeated one of Batman’s arch-nemeses is now too grown for the sidekick role, and will continue on as Red Robin.
The ripples of Bruce’s return will probably reach Batgirl in some small way, perhaps resulting in a move out of the Batcave for Stephanie and Barbara, but given how loosely associated Batwoman is with the family already, I anticipate barely any change for that title. Likewise, Gotham City Sirens will probably remain untouched.
It is disappointing, as Dick Grayson’s time as Batman represented an opportunity for DC Comics to take a serious chance on something fresh and it just doesn’t seem like that will stick. Their constantly narrow vision will no doubt have the Bat franchise in a state of stagnation or chaos mere moments after Grant Morrison steps away from the title. It is on-going with their 42+ issue crossover in the Superman family, and the Wonder Woman title continues to flounder without direction. Combined with a failure to obtain quality talent in the writing and artistic departments, the future for the Bat titles seems quite dim.
In the two year duration between Steve Rogers’s death and resurrection, the landscape of Marvel’s universe has changed considerably. Cap’s passing marked a sharp decline into a period of bureaucratic heroism where the government and law constantly interfered with justice. Meanwhile, a race of shape shifting aliens invaded and splintered the community of heroes further, ultimately allowing for a collective of villains to step in and become the ultimate authority in the land.
In Captain America’s main book, what was supposed to be a brief absence for Rogers turned into a 25 issue break, as Ed Brubaker’s commitment to the title and the creative flexibility of Marvel’s editorial team and fan support allowed Bucky Barnes, former Captain America sidekick, to don both the costume and the shield, taking up his friend’s cause and place in the Avengers.
Now, with the Avengers set to re-unite officially and bring the status quo into a brighter, more “Heroic Age,” the question “What role does Steve Rogers play in the future?” really becomes important. The answer is surprisingly simple, Rogers will continue to do what he has always done, lead the Avengers going forward, simply in a different costume.
With the franchise stronger than ever, Rogers will be pulling double duty as both an important member in Brian Bendis’s Avengers flagship title, while also leading his own team in Ed Brubaker’s Secret Avengers. Through death, Steve will have actually increased his exposure, to three monthly books and will no doubt feature in more as he continues to act as the chairman of whatever agency will replace H.A.M.M.E.R./S.H.I.E.L.D.
It is a huge win for Marvel, whose commitment to laissez-faire writing has allowed authors to produce both quality books and organic stories, as they are now pushing the character into the spotlight, right as anticipation for the Captain America movie begins to spike.
Though the plans for Rogers, once announced seemed kind of obvious, the results of Bruce Wayne’s journey through time are anything but. Grant Morrison’s run has been the ultimate love letter to Batman, exploring every facet of the character by forcing him through a gauntlet of nightmares, mysteries, villains and even ethical violations that led to Bruce’s “death” and catapulting through time.
Even in a book featuring a Batman, Wayne’s presence continues to haunt the series as former Robin-turned Nightwing, Dick Grayson has donned the mantle of his adopted brother and works to keep Gotham safe.
As with Bucky Barnes, fan reaction to Dick as Batman has been fairly positive, although his time under cowl seems finite. In some recent interviews, Morrison announced that he has one more chapter in mind for what he considers his definitive Batman story, although he gave no hint about how long that chapter would be. He does mention two very important things however, the first is that what he has planned for post-Wayne’s return is something he considers a brand new, never been done before in the Batman franchise. The second is a grim reminder that he understands when he writes for the big franchises, at the end of everything, Bruce Wayne will need to be Batman.
It is no secret that DC is constantly editorially involved in the work of their authors, and as they are currently clinging to the Bat-franchise like a life preserver, it seems unlikely that anything drastic will happen. There are still at least three issues of Batman and Robin and six issues of The Return of Bruce Wayne to get through before a new status quo can be established, so equipped with the knowledge that Bruce Wayne will inevitably be Batman again, the only real questions left are surrounding the Bat-Family. Of the 9 or so Bat-books currently on the market, a Batman factors into at least four of them and often cameos in the others, so yet another mantle change would shake-up that line-up as well.
Bruce Wayne has given up being Batman before during the Knightfall days when Azrael took over for a time as Gotham’s prime defender, so the idea of leaving Dick Grayson under the cowl for a longer period is an option. Another outcome is to revisit something Tony Daniel touched on during his Battle for the Cowl mini: Multiple Batmen. The potential for artistic confusion seems infinite, but Bruce and Dick in differing costumes, prowling the city, if executed well could be a lot of fun. The Steve Rogers option also remains a possibility, Bruce Wayne becomes an Oracle-esque figure, running all of the different aspects of the Bat-Family in some capacity, but this seems unlikely. The most obvious occurrence simply seems to be Bruce as Batman, and Dick returning to his solo role, reviving the Nightwing title.
With the return of the mantle to Bruce, his pairing with Damian Wayne, his son via Talia Al Ghoul, seems likely. The character has become a favorite to some, a pest to others but a staple of the Bat titles nonetheless. A Wayne/Wayne dynamic duo would allow writers to experiment with Bruce in a paternal role, rather than big brotherly and could lead to some fun holiday specials. Damian looks to be set as Robin for some period, as Tim Drake, after having defeated one of Batman’s arch-nemeses is now too grown for the sidekick role, and will continue on as Red Robin.
The ripples of Bruce’s return will probably reach Batgirl in some small way, perhaps resulting in a move out of the Batcave for Stephanie and Barbara, but given how loosely associated Batwoman is with the family already, I anticipate barely any change for that title. Likewise, Gotham City Sirens will probably remain untouched.
It is disappointing, as Dick Grayson’s time as Batman represented an opportunity for DC Comics to take a serious chance on something fresh and it just doesn’t seem like that will stick. Their constantly narrow vision will no doubt have the Bat franchise in a state of stagnation or chaos mere moments after Grant Morrison steps away from the title. It is on-going with their 42+ issue crossover in the Superman family, and the Wonder Woman title continues to flounder without direction. Combined with a failure to obtain quality talent in the writing and artistic departments, the future for the Bat titles seems quite dim.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Small Week, Small List
Red Robin #12: Chris Yost’s year on Red Robin comes to a close this week and the end is surprisingly solid. With arguably the most difficult character to deal with in the fallout of the Battle for the Cowl, a few months of rockiness and a new artist were all it took to smooth out the feathers. In a final showdown with Ra’s al Ghul, Tim Drake completes his journey from sidekick to hero demonstrating all of the planning and mental power of his mentor with some fundamental differences. Marcus To also continues to shine as the ongoing artist. While still developing his style, To does the characters justice and you can tell he is really beginning to get comfortable with the book. His combat scenes are a bit stiff but I imagine that is something that will come with time and experience. Overall my time spent with Red Robin has been enjoyable and I look forward to the next year of comics. B-
Batman and Robin #12: Grant Morrison continues to prove why he is a master of his craft as the last page of this issue dictates a re-read of at least two arcs of this series. Continuing to move all the pieces into place for Bruce Wayne’s return this summer, Grant still finds ways to develop his characters and move the plot forward even in an issue without an excessive amount of action. The issue is filled with lots of great moments for the whole Bat-team and some nice callbacks to stories that still require some resolution. The downside of the issue is Andy Clarke’s art of which the best I can probably say is that it is consistent. Everything is serviceable but there is barely any imagination in the storytelling, thankfully everything is straight forward. B+
Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #1: This may be the Spider-Man/X-Men book that gets overlooked this week. Launching Marvel’s new Astonishing line-up that is supposed to be reader friendly and billing top talent, and it does not disappoint. Jason Aaron is quickly becoming the master of team-ups and his Peter and Logan looks to be his best to date. With a mixture of strong dialogue both spoke and internal, Aaron starts the issue with a fresh hook and does not let up until the end. With Aaron delivering some of his strongest writing, Adam Kubert is equally up to the task. His pencils are beautiful, detailed and well thought out with story telling that conveys Jason’s scripts perfectly. The layouts are quite standard but when Adam does break away from the norm, he absolutely beams. With five issues to go, I cannot wait to see where this leads. A+
Amazing Spider-Man #630: It was almost unfair having to read Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine after this because Shed did not fail to deliver. I’ve spent weeks ranting and raving, writing and pleading with people to pick this up if they weren’t reading ASM and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Zeb was absolutely top notch, the characters spot on and the Lizard/Connors dialogues were even better than I could have ever hoped for. On top of that, Chris Bachalo, good lord did he kill it. He just absolutely owned this issue from the opening page, his goofy cartoon Spider-Man next to a stylish, super cool Black Cat conveys their relationship perfectly and his last three pages with the emergence of the Lizard are just absolutely masterful. It may be too early to say but this is shaping up to not only be one the best Gauntlet story, but also one of the best Spider-Man stories in at least the last two years. If you are reading this and not reading ASM, I’m begging you to pick it up. A++
Batman and Robin #12: Grant Morrison continues to prove why he is a master of his craft as the last page of this issue dictates a re-read of at least two arcs of this series. Continuing to move all the pieces into place for Bruce Wayne’s return this summer, Grant still finds ways to develop his characters and move the plot forward even in an issue without an excessive amount of action. The issue is filled with lots of great moments for the whole Bat-team and some nice callbacks to stories that still require some resolution. The downside of the issue is Andy Clarke’s art of which the best I can probably say is that it is consistent. Everything is serviceable but there is barely any imagination in the storytelling, thankfully everything is straight forward. B+
Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine #1: This may be the Spider-Man/X-Men book that gets overlooked this week. Launching Marvel’s new Astonishing line-up that is supposed to be reader friendly and billing top talent, and it does not disappoint. Jason Aaron is quickly becoming the master of team-ups and his Peter and Logan looks to be his best to date. With a mixture of strong dialogue both spoke and internal, Aaron starts the issue with a fresh hook and does not let up until the end. With Aaron delivering some of his strongest writing, Adam Kubert is equally up to the task. His pencils are beautiful, detailed and well thought out with story telling that conveys Jason’s scripts perfectly. The layouts are quite standard but when Adam does break away from the norm, he absolutely beams. With five issues to go, I cannot wait to see where this leads. A+
Amazing Spider-Man #630: It was almost unfair having to read Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine after this because Shed did not fail to deliver. I’ve spent weeks ranting and raving, writing and pleading with people to pick this up if they weren’t reading ASM and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Zeb was absolutely top notch, the characters spot on and the Lizard/Connors dialogues were even better than I could have ever hoped for. On top of that, Chris Bachalo, good lord did he kill it. He just absolutely owned this issue from the opening page, his goofy cartoon Spider-Man next to a stylish, super cool Black Cat conveys their relationship perfectly and his last three pages with the emergence of the Lizard are just absolutely masterful. It may be too early to say but this is shaping up to not only be one the best Gauntlet story, but also one of the best Spider-Man stories in at least the last two years. If you are reading this and not reading ASM, I’m begging you to pick it up. A++
Monday, May 3, 2010
Get Ready to "Shed" With Spider-Man
It is finally time for the Amazing Spider-Man story that I have been drooling over for months now, the return of the Lizard, penned by Zeb Wells and penciled by Chris Bachalo. “Shed,” the arc's title, is a four-parter taking us into the month of June. Here are five reasons why you need to be more than excited for this Wednesday:
5. This is the final finger of The Gauntlet: For 29 issues now, Spider-Man has been running through wave after wave of his villains, revamped, stronger and deadlier than ever. Without a break, Spidey has gone through Doctor Octopus, the Chameleon, Electro, the Sandman, Mysterio, two Rhinos, the Juggernaut, a number of encounters with Mister Negative, Morbius, and a brand new Vulture in succession. But while he has survived each one, the list of causalities are vast, including his job with the Mayor's Office, the destruction of Aunt May's home and even her own yet to be resolved corruption by Mister Negative. With Shed as the final lap before the Grim Hunt can begin, expect no punch to be pulled as everything than can be done to run Spidey through the grinder.
4. Zeb Wells: No stranger to the webs, Zeb has been the brains behind a number of Spider-Man stories about a number of characters over the years, Wells will bring his filmmaking vision, sense of humor, bizarre mindset and incredible talent to put the finishing touches on what has been one of the best Spider-Man mega-arcs in recent memory, if not ever. His experience writing Venom and the symbiote will also come into play here as the prologue pages in last week's ASM gave us a look into both the rational and scientific voice of Dr. Connors and his monstrously creepy alter ego.
3. The Lizard: 90s symbiotes aside, The Lizard is perhaps my favorite Spider-Man villain. Curt Connors, Parker's occasional mentor and friend is also experiencing his own Gauntlet, reduced to working for Phelcorp in order to make ends meet and maintain visitation for his son. Look for the events of Shed to push him towards desperate measures. Unlike the other villains whose animal resemblances come from the outfits they don to gain their powers, Curt Connors, like Peter Parker, is the closest in tune with his "animalistic totem" in that he will always be The Lizard, it is part of his genetics and when he transforms and The Lizard battles The Spider, the encounters are primal, intense, close combat fights that push both participants to their limits. Given that these stories have been all about making Spider-Man's foes deadlier than ever, expect Wells to utilize all of the Lizard's abilities, including his control over reptiles and to put him in situations that will allow for some creative storytelling.
2. Chris Bachalo: If Mark Millar is the Michael Bay of Marvel, Chris Bachalo is the Tim Burton. With a gorgeous exaggerated and quirky manga-ish style that is perfectly suited for the cartoony but occasionally dark world of Spider-Man, Bachalo does it all: phenomenal and inventive layouts, detailed backgrounds, kinetic action, fantastic character designs (as the initial previews of Bachalo's Lizard take reveal) and flawless interpretation of the script. Bachalo is a master storyteller, as comfortable with a multi panel page as he is with a spread. Shed will be his fourth stint in the post-Brand New World day of Spider-Man, with his latest work being Brian Reed's Sinister Spider-Man. Expect him to translate the strange and intensely alien work he put into Venom towards Connor's Lizard.
1. The Chemistry: The last time Wells and Bachalo partnered, the team managed to stop the bleeding and give pause to the feeding frenzy of Spider-haters who were loathing the flagship title's new direction. The mixture of action, dialogue and plot helped stem the tide of doubt and gave the Webheads a chance to re-focus, leading the vanguard towards the New Ways to Die event that righted the ship for the brand. It has been a year and a half since the duo has worked together last, and they have both come a long way, with Bachalo even going on record with how impressed he was with the advancement Zeb has made in his writing. This is a story that has been in the works for a number of months now, with plenty of time allocated so there will be no delays or need for fill-in artists. The longest arc since last spring's American Son, Shed is set to kick off the Spider-Summer and will do so in tremendous fashion. You can anticipate fun, action, excitement, and no doubt a terrarium full of horror.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
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