| #10 | 7/20/05 | #4 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
HOUSE OF M #4
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642
DEFENDERS #1
THE AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #10
JSA CLASSIFIED #1
ASTONISHING X-MEN #11
THE COMICS JOURNAL #269
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #67
DAREDEVIL #75
EX MACHINA #13
MUTATION #1
MANHUNTER #12
NORTHWEST PASSAGE Vol. 1
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #80
JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION
ULTIMATES #7
Indie Jones presents DEVIL CHILD #1-3
CHEAP SHOTS!
HOUSE OF M #4 (of 8)
Brian Michael Bendis: Writer
Olivier Coipel: Artist
Marvel Comics: Publisher
Vroom Socko: Behind the Woodshed of M
Back when us @$$holes did our Roundtable of the first issue of this miniseries, I took the stance that it was too early to get a real feel for the book, and that I would reserve judgment until issue #4 was released. Well, now that it’s here I’m afraid I’ve been forced to reserve judgment until the final issue. Why, you ask? Because I still have no clear idea of where this story is going to go.
What does it say about a book, when there are four issues out and only one of them is any good? The first issue has heroes acting out of character, debating killing an out of control Scarlet Witch when there’s more than one way to simply remove her powers. (And wouldn’t THAT be a more interesting ethical dilemma.) The second issue shows every single member of the X-Men and Avengers, just to illustrate that nobody knows the world has changed except Wolverine. Boring. The third issue… Ah, that’s where the fun was had. This issue rocked, not just because the best damn Avenger in history returned, (HAWKEYE LIVES, MOTHERFUCKER!) but because we were shown the ramifications of the change through Logan’s interactions with his new surroundings. That was fun.
This issue was back to boring, with everyone standing around talking and not much actually happening. I know, I know, we’re always complaining that “nothing happened.” Let me qualify that statement a bit: nothing happened to advance the plot. We meet a little girl who remembers the world as it should be, and she helps a certain someone remember as well, and that’s it. The rest of the book is Wolverine sitting in a la-z-boy telling us stuff we already know. Now, I don’t mind the talky-talk as much as some of the other @$$holes. *Cough*Ambush Bug*Cough* But only if all that talk is leading somewhere, advancing the plot, giving us new insights. A page of Wolverine telling Hawkeye that “Wanda killed you last year” does none of those things.
There’s also another concern, one that has to do with the numbers. This issue is the halfway point of the series, yet story-wise we’ve only just started the second act. This, coupled with a similar structural situation in SECRET WAR, has me concerned that the ending will feel rushed and sloppy. Still, I get the feeling I’ll be sticking this one out. Not because I’m a Marvel Zombie, or because I’m a Bendis fan. No, it’s because I’m Hawkeye’s bitch. Hell, I bought Fabian Nicieza’s Hawkeye book, and loved every second! You think I’m going to not buy this?
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642
Writer: Greg Rucka
Penciller: Karl Kerschl
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Finally, three parts into the month long “Sacrifice” crossover with all the Supes titles and WONDER WOMAN, we finally know where we stand. The last two parts of this crossover took us on a trip through Superman’s blatantly manipulated mind as he fought “Brainiac” and “Darkseid.” Apparently what has really happened though is that, under the control of one Maxwell Lord, Superman has been manipulated into seeing the previously mentioned villains, plus one Ruin, and while he thought he was fighting them, he was really tearing apart the JLA Watchtower and crippling his best friend Batman.
To give credit where credit is due, this is a storyline with a lot of potential (hopefully so since it seems to be the cornerstone for the actual INFINITE CRISIS mini-series). And a lot of the Crisis tie-in plot threads are coming to a head here as now the JLA knows exactly who is behind the commandeering of Batman’s Brother I satellite and the death of ex-JLAer Blue Beetle, the “insidious” Maxwell Lord.
But even with all these plot threads starting to come together to make an interesting read, there were some consistency issues that took me right out of this issue. The first problem I had was simply the action that started it all, that being Max’s ability to even control Superman. In the past Max has had problems controlling even just his common foot soldiers with his mind when they get out of line. And now all of a sudden he’s not only controlling one of the most powerful beings on the planet, but doing it so expertly that he’s not only able to make him critically injure his best friend, but he’s able to pit him against the entire JLA, even after the Martian Manhunter has made him see exactly what’s wrong with him? Also, as much as I love Batman, quite frankly as soon as Supes initiated the attack on him, he should have been a smear on the wall. Even though Supes only got a hit or two in before Batman was able to implement some security measures, he still got a hit or two in. I’m all for suspension of disbelief, but we’re blatantly shown Batman taking a heat vision blast to the chest. If that can melt steel then I’m sure it could just punch right through the Bat’s torso… End rant.
Like I said, the story has become better with this issue. The aforementioned problems still stand, but everything is moving on to something bigger and hopefully better. With three more months until INFINITE CRISIS, I’m sure we can expect more of these “mad dash” plotline build ups to come.
DEFENDERS # 1
Written by Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
Art by Kevin Maguire
Published by Marvel
A Non-Team Up Review by Ambush Bug
& Buzz Maverik
BUZZ: Let's see. I've got 14 cases of Dos Equis on ice. Two cases Herradura. Two cases Patron. I've made ten gallons of Bubbe Maverik's Famous Guacamole (the secret ingredient is Illegal!) and there's half a bag of restaurant style chips.
BUG: Bad news, Buzz. The others aren't showing up.
BUZZ: Others? Oh, yeah, the others. Why the hell not? Didn't you light up the @$$ Signal for a Roundtable Review?
BUG: I did, but the other @$$holes backed out because our last roundtable wasn't received so well in the Talkbacks. Neither was your roundtable spoof.
BUZZ: Uh, yeah...spoof. But I stomped all these damned avocados! I got green feet and those humps back out! That's not team spirit! What kind of non-team do we have here?
BUG: Speaking of non-teams, how 'bout we dive right in with this DEFENDERS review? In my opinion, it's been a damn long time since Marvel had a successful DEFENDERS series. Busiek and Larsen tried to do one. Dud. And let's not even mention THE SECRET DEFENDERS. When I first heard that the team behind the classic JLI and the current FORMERLY KNOWN AS JUSTICE LEAGUE series would be taking the reigns of the most famous non-team ever, I was excited.
BUZZ: You're our resident Giffen/DeMatteis fan. I'm our DEFENDERS freak, so I think we're qualified to review this book. For me, it was a very mixed bag. I liked a lot of the humor. Most comic books are taken way too seriously. I think the Giffen/DeMatteis treatment could be given to almost any Marvel team. These Defenders aren't losers like the Ultimate Defenders were. Even with the comedy, they are still four of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe and I liked that they were treated that way.
BUG: As a whole, this book is better than the FORMERLY KNOWN AS JUSTICE LEAGUE miniseries by leaps and bounds. As much as I love characters like Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire, and the rest, Giffen/Dematteis’ take on the characters just didn't seem fresh. These writers take into consideration the established personalities of these powerful Marvel characters and then throw them together and watch the fur fly.
BUZZ: This book follows my favorite DEFENDERS formula. There is no set Defenders team. But whenever Dr. Strange requires aid from superheroes (or vice versa) that team-up constitutes the Defenders, to me. So really, HOUSE O' M is a DEFENDERS story with the team consisting of Doc, the New Avengers and the X-Men. Here, we have the classic line up of Doc, Hulk, Sub-Mariner and the Silver Surfer, all underused and often mishandled Marvel characters. They are menaced by Doc's traditional big money foes: flame-faced demon Dormammu and his humanoid sister Umar.
BUG: One of the things that stood out to me in this issue was how well the "everyone argues" method of writing that Giffen/DeMatteis perfected in the JLI fit with this cast of characters. These guys always argued like that, but not everyone can write dialog like Giffen/DeMatteis. It's good that Marvel had the balls to go to the best when it comes to stories in which heroes who dislike each other are forced to band together under extreme circumstances.
BUZZ: What I liked: most of the artwork and the tone. The new Nightmare was cool and the update to the character made sense. Doc put on the politically correct spot for how he treats Wong. Every line Namor uttered; this is one of the best portrayals of the Avenging Son I've ever read. Umar's dialogue. And was this a send-up of dialogue heavy comics or was it a dialogue heavy comic?
BUG: I was less than thrilled with the dialog between Umar and Dormammu. I'm not a big fan of the trend of making the villains laughable these days. We're already laughing at our heroes not getting along. Seeing these two major villains bickering like children didn't appeal to me. It would be a stronger story if the actions of the villains didn't reflect those of the heroes and the heroes were forced to get along to fight this serious threat.
BUZZ: What I didn't like: Bruce Banner sounding too much like the new Nightmare. Since when is Banner a tough guy or a smart ass? I can't exactly buy Banner in a rank-out with Namor. We see the Hulk but we don't hear from him.
BUG: Yeah, I didn't like that at all either. I'd have loved to see Namor bully Banner around. Banner, as usual, would bottle all of the frustration up and when the Hulk pops out, that's when the sparks should fly. Having Banner and Namor argue more than Namor and Hulk takes away from the charm that these guys don’t really like each other, but have to work together. I guess too many arguments can be a bad thing.
BUZZ: While I liked the spoof of the Silver Surfer's personality, I hate the way he's now being drawn. Ever since that last, awful as hell SILVER SURFER series, he's been made to resemble those butt-probing gray aliens. I prefer the Kirby cosmic wonder.
BUG: This is the part of the book that I loved. It hasn't happened yet, but I think the angle the writers are taking with the Silver Surfer is going to be a fun reboot of the character. As good as his run was in the 80's and 90's, Silver Surfer has always been a bland character to me. Having him become fascinated and identify with the current surfing culture shines a new light on this character. And given how bad the Surfer's last series was, this guy is in desperate need of a reboot.
BUZZ: My final take: a worthy DEFENDERS series. It's five issues but I'd like to see it last longer. Maybe this is the best way to present the non-team, though. Also, should warn a lot of the latter-day Defenders fans (all four of you, which is half the full number of my fellow DEFENDERS fans), this is the original non-line up. No Hellcat. No Devil Slayer (whoever that was). Not even a Valkyrie or Nighthawk. Which is fine with me because they put in the characters I like.
BUG: At the end of the book, the editor promises that as long as he is on the title, it'll just be these characters. I hope he's wrong because I am one of those four you mentioned that has an affinity for the Defenders who actually DID want to be on the team like Hellcat, Hellstorm, Valkyrie, and Gargoyle. Hell, Cloud and Manslaughter were pretty cool too. Maybe we'll see them later on. But right now, I'm hoping this series will continue too. In one week, I had a chance to read GLA, NEW WARRIORS, and DEFENDERS. I'm not saying this tone should be applied to every title, but these books at Marvel make comics fun to read again. DEFENDERS is another worthy addition to Marvel's roster of titles. It shines a new light on them while treating its characters' histories with respect.
BUZZ: Guacamole?
BUG: Sure...mmm. Wait a minute…is that a toe hair?
THE AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #10
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Penciller: Dustin Nguyen
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Oh wow! Continuity! I’ll tell you, that Brubaker guy sure can weave a tale. See, what we’ve got going on here is an AUTHORITY story that is also a STORMWATCH story in a way. This issue and the last one have pretty much all been about Henry Bendix and his machinations. Last issue we got a full on “James Bond villain” explanation as to how Bendix was able to eliminate the Doctor and his successor all in one fell swoop. And now with this issue we move on to the rest of the team.
In this issue, we get Bendix in his full on glory. This entire issue is dedicated Bendix’s physical dismantling of the team. Watching him prey on the actual weaknesses of the team is a bit “Tower of Babel”-like, but more if Batman were a total sadist bent on controlling not only the world but the whole of the multiverse as well. And as Bendix does more of his “evil villain” ramblings we find that his story in relation to the AUTHORITY was much bigger than just his involvement with the Black Ops team he set them up as back when he was Weatherman for STORMWATCH. No, it’s all much bigger than that and I’ll be damned if it isn’t a very well done interlocking tale with those classic Ellis stories.
Ever since this maxi-series started to hit its stride it hasn’t let up. And this issue is definitely more of the same. Like I said, it’s a very well thought out story, and just like you expect from the AUTHORITY it’s got plenty of fast-paced and brutal action. Brubaker has definitely done a job well done in returning the AUTHORITY to being the “grown-up” JLA. It’s a shame it’s ending soon.
JSA CLASSIFIED #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Amanda Conner/Jimmy Palmiotti
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Prof. Challenger
"Those are very large breasts, boys." -- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & ClayPower Girl's prominent pulchritudinous protuberances were on proud display once again as the new JSA sister-book JSA CLASSIFIED landed on comic book shelves all across America last week. And all the boys sighed sweet satisfaction about those snuggle pups. Did you know PG has one of my top-five favorite costumes of all time? (In case you're interested, the other 4 are: Green Lantern/Alan Scott, Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Kid Flash, and Taskmaster).
Cover: PG looks youthful, tough, and sexy pushing up her sleeve to punch the reader in the face for looking at her bazookas. I like how the rest of the JSA are dancing little jigs behind her. Conner draws a cute PG with a round little nose, mischievous grin, and overdone eyeliner framing icy-blue eyes.
Grade: 4 out of 5 Hoohas.
Pgs. 1-4: The story begins with PG as a baby flying in her spaceship. The voices she hears call her "Kara" and we can tell she's coming to Earth from "somewhere" far away. However, her ship gets bounced off course by some kryptonite asteroids hurtling through space. The streaks of color as her ship kicks into gear on page 3 indicate she went zipping through time. Those streaks of color are what DC time travel's looked like ever since Waverider arrived on the scene. Also, when her ship kicks into gear it leaves a big "Boooom" that may indicate a connection with the New Gods.
Grade: 0 out of 5 Tatas.
Pg. 5: Homage to the first appearance of Supergirl. But with major bongos.
Grade: 2 out of 5 Honeydews
Pg. 6: Turns out that in post-Crisis history, PG made the rounds as Superman's cousin and everybody was super-happy for ol' Supes -- that is, until Killjoy Batman "ran some tests" to prove she wasn't Kryptonian. Big jerk. What'd it hurt anybody to have PG's boobies bouncing around all happy and stuff? No. Batman had to kill that papaya party. So, now she's in her underwear getting tested by the quite unfortunately blind Dr. Midnite.
Grade: 2 out of 5 Hooters.
Pg. 7: The frustrated Doc can't figure out what's up with PG. Sometimes she's got the powers and weaknesses of Superman and sometimes she doesn't. Sometimes she has heat vision and sometimes her eyes are normal. And that ain't normal. While Doc monologues for us, Conner treats us to lots of fun art stuff in the backgrounds For example, PG's strength has basically destroyed Doc's testing equipment and he doesn't even realize it. We also glimpse PG's various costume changes throughout the years, including Joe Staton's modified version of Wally Wood's original design. Ah, memories. That's what PG wore back when she had her first solo run in SHOWCASE PRESENTS. But, back to the billibongs. Doc may not be able to see 'em, but Hootie the owl is sure taking a gander as PG starts removing her oh-so-tight sports bra.
Grade: 3 out of 5 Kazongers.
Pg. 8: This is the page where Doc lets all of us know that PG's also not the long lost granddaughter of Arion of Atlantis. *Thank Bessie* But the real treats are all the lavishly detailed shots of PG changing into her new slightly modified costume. Now, I don't know what this Conner girl is built like, but that first panel where PG's trying to fit her mambos into that skin-tight bodysuit, makes me think she's either had that awkward experience or observed it once or twice in her lifetime. Hubba-hubba.
Grade: 4 out of 5 Yabbos.
Pg. 9: The money page. Conner gifts us readers with the finest pinup shot of PG since Wally Wood first introduced her nubbies to the world.
Grade: 5 out of 5 Headlights.
Pgs. 10-12: Depressing few pages of PG feeling sorry for herself because she doesn't know her past. Funny gag about PG inadvertently yanking the door knob off her apartment door then tossing the knob in a box full of similarly broken knobs. To me, that indicates that her strength levels also wax and wane similar to her heatvision.
Grade: 1 out of 5 Knobs.
Pg. 13: The other money page. Full panel gazongas shot: "Green Lantern used to ask me why I never wore a mask. It's because most of the time...they ain't lookin' at my face." You got that right.
Grade: 5 out of 5 Dueling Banjos.
Pgs. 14-19: PG and her milk wagons get into a dustup with Garn Daanuth, Arion's evil dead brother. The battle escalates until her heat vision comes bursting out again in a full-page masterpiece. Problem is, Daanuth wasn't really there. And now PG's just as confused as the JSA and all the people standing around who were nearly killed by PG's one-woman freakout session.
Grade: 3 out of 5 Rib Cushions.
Pg. 20: The truth about PG is that she doesn't want to really find out her past because no matter what the truth is it could never be better than when she believed she was Superman's cousin. Again, thank you very much for THAT one, Batjerk. And so, PG and her fun bags take off feeling very sorry for themselves.
Grade: 4 out of 5 Bangles.
Pgs. 21-22: Shadow guy appears. Shadowy profile without a nose talking about emotions and PG's history folding in over itself makes me think it's the Psycho-Pirate. Last panel introduces time-traveling surprise guests Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and Cosmic Boy.
Grade: 0 out of 5 Chimichongas.
OK. Power Girl has gi-normous knockers. Check. She's not a Kryptonian. Check. She's not Arion's granddaughter. Check. She appears to be from a different time. Check. She may be from a different place. Check. Possible Fourth-World connection. Check. Legion's involved. Check. Anger control issues. Check. Different histories folding in over themselves. Check. Got it so far?
My original gut feeling about this story arc, back when I first heard it announced, was that she turns out to be the cousin or daughter of the Crime Syndicate's Ultraman sent to our Earth by Alexander Luthor to keep her from becoming corrupted by Ultraman. Now, this could account for much of what we've known as Power Girl's various histories. See, that asteroid hit could have sent her tumbling through time and space allowing for her to experience encounters with ancient Atlantis, New Genesis, and the Legion before finally winding up on Earth. The hypothetical equation goes as follows: baby when asteroid hits + adult when Superman finds her = many years of untold potential history. Which could mean that she wasn't even Kryptonian back during the pre-Crisis days on Earth II. She just didn't have a meddling Batjerk back then running tests to disprove her claims.
Man, I love super-hero comics like this. They feed my nostalgia, my nearly forgotten adolescent hormones, and treat me to an earnest effort to take a really great character and make her relevant to a modern audience. Amanda Conner's art was a knockout as well. I loved her stylized cartoony, yet sensual, take on PG that kept her looking like a young, curvy woman rather than that overdone rock-hard stick flying around in belly shirts that passes for Supergirl these days. Keep this Power Girl publishing, and I'll keep shelling out my hard-earned money to support the effort. Fun stuff.
ASTONISHING X-MEN #11
Writer: Joss Whedon
Penciller: John Cassaday
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
I’ll tell you what, between this issue here, and some of Grant Morrison’s finest moments on NEW X-MEN, one Mr. Charles Xavier has been shown to be quite the bad ass.
Following up on Danger’s (I believe that’s what we’re calling her anyway) thrashing of the AXM line up last issue, here we see her, it, whatever, going after the Professor, who she sees as her “Father” and her “Oppressor.” But old Charlie is a scrapper, as Danger finds out first hand when upon landing on Charlie’s new home of Genosha she’s greeted first hand with the grill of a Mack Truck and Chuck at the helm. He may be a cripple, but he ain’t going down without a fight.
Okay, so this whole arc is blatantly a Next Generation Star Trek episode done with the X-Men and the Danger Room. But it is still pretty fun. The “fight” between Xavier and Danger is innovative to say the least, though obviously it is a bit redundant seeing as how Magneto could have just torn her apart for Charlie in a matter of a thought. But as Xavier says right from the get-go, this is his fight. I’m not sure why, but we can only assume he sees this as a chance to help a new life form come to grips with its existence. Hopefully his true motives in this become clearer as this arc concludes next issue.
And as for the actual X-Men? Well, unfortunately not much is going on with them. Like I said earlier, this is pretty much an all-action issue. Really the X-Men are doing nothing but recovering from their initial fight with Danger and making preparations to chase after her and save the Prof. There is one great character moment in this issue though as we have a nice two-page-plus conversation piece between Colossus and Kitty Pryde where we find out a tragic piece of news about Kitty relating to the Genosha incident that kicked off NEW X-MEN and we get a nudge towards what one can only hope is a rekindling of Peter and hers’ relationship.
So yea, okay, this book has lost a step since the initial arc. Honestly, it was probably expected since that first arc and the parties involved just set such a high mark to aim for. But it’s still a fun read. It still has some great action, everything looks absolutely gorgeous through Cassaday’s art, and even though plot development has unfortunately taken a bit of a backseat to the action the last two issues, we’re still occasionally catching great little bits thrown out here and there. Here’s to hoping the last issue of this arc can turn these little mishaps around a bit.
THE COMICS JOURNAL #269
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
Reviewed by Dave Farabee
The first reason the average non-COMICS JOURNAL reader might want to pick up this latest issue is that you get to watch the notoriously snooty JOURNAL eat some crow. Granted, the intro editorial from JOURNAL managing editor Dirk Deppey starts as an incendiary scolding of the North American comic industry for getting so utterly schooled by manga’s ability to connect to female readers. But stick around for the second half. That’s where Deppey finally fesses up:
It must be confessed, though: We're in the same boat. Really, I've got no right to talk.Like a dishonored samurai, Deppey hangs his had in shame, acknowledging that the snobs of the JOURNAL have been just as close-minded as the mainstream slobs in opening up to the manga explosion. With surprising sincerity, he promises this current issue – a spotlight on shoujo (girls) manga – to be the first major effort in redressing the error:
Consider these baby steps an attempt to correct a grievous oversight on our part, and an apology to our readers for our obvious failure of imagination. We promise to do better in the future.I know it’s petty, but it’s nice to see a little contrition from the JOURNAL. You can tell they’re just as scared as everyone else of those big manga eyes and their pursuant fandom, but unlike many in the industry who seem to want manga to go away (little realizing manga has all but given us one of the holy grails of the industry – chicks who’re into comics, dammit!), the JOURNAL is making genuine effort to figure out how this stealth revolution has come to pass.
But there’s a second reason you might want to tune in for this issue: THE COMICS JOURNAL #269 is the single most important comics-related periodical you’ll read all year. No B.S. hyperbole here, no empty hype. For those who read UNDERSTANDING COMICS and went “wow”, those who’re genuinely mystified, maybe even off-put, by the sheer alienness of manga, those who want to know where this crazy-ass industry is headed in the next decade…you could not ask for a better guide.
First thing that caught my eye was the mighty handy glossary of terms early in the issue. Features definitions ranging from cram school (the Japanese analog to a grueling SAT prep course and a recurring element of school-themed manga) to manga-ka (meaning simply “a cartoonist”, or the artist at the top of the heap in the studio system under which many manga are produced) to shounen-ai (the popular subgenre of relationship manga featuring romantic guy/guy love, as distinct from yaoi, where the sex scenes are often explicit).
Very handy. Nothing tells you you’re stepping out of the familiar world of American comics faster than a dictionary that distinguishes titles by gender, age, sex, and degree of sexual explicitness!
[At this point I should confess: I skipped all of the few non-manga articles ‘cept the comics piracy one. Was really good, and the others all looked to be up to the JOURNAL’s standards, but I wasn’t interested in losing the issue’s focus.]
Before and after the massive and encompassing reviews section, there are some pretty swanky features on various manga themes. One looks at manga from the comic shop’s perspective, including the battle for manga readers with big chain bookstores. Another is a vastly insightful look at the popularity of gay themes in manga – why girls tend to like them while gays themselves may not; how they allow girls to be entertained by sex in an unthreatening way (no passive females, no threat of pregnancy); and why they sometimes skew uncomfortably young for American readers. I was also taken with “The Magnificent Forty-Niners”, an article spotlighting the group of women who revolutionized manga in the early 70s, shattering conventions, establishing new themes and idioms, and all but creating the girls’ comics industry overnight. One article did throw me a bit: an almost comically worshipful write-up for manga-influenced American artist Chynna Clugston (comparisons to Miles Davis can’t help but sound pretentious), but the author rings true on one count: Clugston’s work seems a major factor in her publisher Oni converting nearly exclusively to manga-sized and manga-styled trades.
One of the most prominent of the aforementioned “Forty-Niners”, Moto Hagio, is the subject of the JOURNAL’s interview of the month. The JOURNAL’s known for its in-depth interviews, and this whopper’s no exception. Profusely illustrated, it fits into the issue’s color section and also reprints one of Hagio’s most famous short stories in its entirety. Hagio herself is disarmingly candid and intelligent. When she speaks about her mother, at first it’s almost humorous – her mother seems incapable of understanding that her daughter’s one of Japan’s most famous cartoonists, convincing herself she’s an “art teacher” – but as the interview continues it becomes clear that her mother’s disapproval is a prime motivating factor in Hagio’s writing. It’s honestly heartbreaking.
Situated in the middle of the issue are the interviews, and they probably told me more about shoujo manga in an hour or two of reading than anything I’ve read since Frederick Schodt’s seminal MANGA! MANGA! (a book in serious need of a new printing). The reviews cover dozens of titles, from ‘70s ballet melodramas to fizzy, all-ages fantasies to modern fashion-themed jaunts with a surprisingly realistic approach to casual sex. These reviews are almost uniformly insightful and unafraid to critique as well as praise, only a handful veering slightly into snooty dismissals of American comics in favor of manga. Here’s an instance of the latter from a review of a fantasy manga for young girls:
There’s a character named Miss Nakime, who mysteriously appears, instructs the kids on what to do next, then fades away because “she’s an alien from a planet far, far away, who came here to work toward world peace. She can only be here for three minutes. There’s a huge timing light in her head that flashes red whenever it gets close to three minutes.” Now isn’t that more imaginative than being bombarded by gamma rays or bitten by a radioactive spider?Uh…no. No, it isn’t. In fact I’d say it’s about exactly as preposterous (and fun) as Stan Lee’s ‘60s stuff, but by no means objectively “more imaginative.” Thankfully, such comments are the exception. In particular, online reviewer Johanna Draper Carlson has some sharp stuff to say about the iconoclastic romance manga of Erica Sakurazawa and comic writer Rob Vollmar delves deep into the avant-garde sci-fi of interview subject Moto Hagio. I was also struck by Dirk Deppey’s review of two ostensibly boys’ manga – CHOBITS and LOVE HINA – which have found such readership among girls that Deppey goes mining for the possibility that these titles are actually shoujo works in disguise. During the course of the analysis, he actually made me want to read LOVE HINA, even having dropped a scathing review of my own on the creator’s follow-up effort, NEGIMA, a year or so back.
So I’m telling you guys you should pick this issue of the JOURNAL up. The themes and conventions of manga that seem so utterly bizarre to Western sensibilities…well, they might still seem utterly bizarre after reading it, but you’ll have the context for understanding ‘em and why they’re beloved to so many. Even at $9.95, the issue’s worth it. This thing’s squarebound, packing 200 pages of content with plenty of illustrations, and so dense with info that you’re essentially getting a book.
Think of it as the Rosetta Stone for the manga illiterate.
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #67
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Getting sick of me yet? No, well, good. We’ve still got a while.
I’ll admit that I had almost had it with this title. Between the continual drawing out of this game of “Who is Hush?” and last issues horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE “tie-in” with VILLAINS UNITED I was ready to leave this for dead. But I figured I should at least give this book one more shot to get back on track. And I’ll tell you what; it’s starting to win me over again.
At first I was skeptical with this issue. Everything about it felt like it was just going to be some sort of filler, complete with a guest artist (the admittedly very capable Rick Burchett). The basic premise of the book is this: A young videographer known as Riley is at his breaking point. His life and career are going nowhere fast except to the constant barrage of weddings and porno-shoots he does for money. But then all of a sudden he gets his break. During one nights’ random shooting he catches a bit of extra footage he doesn’t expect as his camera is aimed at the window: a full on fight between the man known as Hush and one Bruce Wayne. A little research comparing some existing Batman footage to what he’s got on his tape and he knows his fortune is made. Bruce Wayne is Batman and it’s blackmail time.
And with a premise like that I think it’s easy to see why this could be mistaken for filler at first. You set up this throwaway character, you have Batman do his thing and be cunning and dirty and make this guys chances of ever getting away with his caper disappear forever, and there you have it. You’ve told a little character driven tale and you’ve added to the Batman mythos a bit and you call it a day. But Lieberman goes a bit further. This Riley of his may be a two-time loser, but he’s not a total idiot. He’s eliminated any “friends” of his that may cause some problems and he’s covered his tracks. All he wants is some money and he’ll go away.
The focus then shifts to Alfred, still recovering from his bit of amnesia after escaping from Hush a couple of arcs ago. Batman decides that the best thing might be to try and just give the kid his money and see what he does from there. He decides to take the “less intimidating” approach and send Alfred in his stead. Alfred does indeed do his job and delivers the cash, or at least part of it, and takes the time to also plead with the would-be blackmailer to not do what he has planned, for Batman’s cause is a just one and it would be a terrible thing to do indeed to him for all he’s done for Gotham. And that takes us to our cliffhanger. Is it shocking? A bit. Is it believable? Well, therein lies the mystery and the appeal. Is it going to keep me on the book a while longer? You bet. Clever boy.
DAREDEVIL #75
Brian Michael Bendis: Writer
Alex Maleev: Artist
Marvel Comics: Publisher
Vroom Socko: Not a Ninja
If the latest HOUSE OF M is Bendis at his worst, this arc of DAREDEVIL is him at his best.
This concluding issue to “Decalogue” has everything, up to and including the kitchen sink, and it works to perfection. It begins with an all-out crazy fight between Daredevil and The Jester, with just the right amount of Crash, Smack, and Smash, followed up by one of the most disturbing visuals I’ve ever come across in a Marvel book. I’m talking seriously fucked up, here.
This leads into more of the talky-talk, of the kind that actually works on several levels. There’s a page of Matt Murdock delivering a fair bit of exposition that manages to not only put the past issues into context, but also is haunting to the extreme. Add in Alex Maleev’s visuals, a series of horizontal panels closing in on the eyes and flop sweat of the villain of the piece, and you’ve got a taunt, suspenseful moment. All that just from a couple of guys talking in a basement.
Of course, that’s not all the talky-talk in this issue, but I’d hate to give away the second half. Let’s just say that the moment works, not just because it illustrates more clearly the motives behind his declaration of Kingpinhood, but it brings to life the world which this character inhabits. More to the point, it clarifies what I think is the defining question behind Bendis’ plot: why? Everything, from Silke to the trial of White Tiger to Matt’s marriage has been all about that question. Why? The only question worth asking, really.
I’m the first to admit that Bendis has had a few ups and downs on DAREDEVIL, but in spite of that (or perhaps even because of it) it has become his flagship book at Marvel. With this penultimate arc, he and Maleev have come as close to storytelling perfection as I’ve seen from a genre comic in at least a decade. This is the best work these two have done together, and it may very well be the best story Bendis has written ever. These two start their final arc on DAREDEVIL next issue, and I honestly don’t know how they’re going to top what they’ve done here. I have a feeling they may not. Fine by me if it doesn’t. That only means that “Decalogue” will go down in history as the finest work of Brian Michael Bendis’ career.
EX MACHINA #13
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciller: Tony Harris
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Man, has this book kicked it up a notch. Who knew a comic about jury duty could be so riveting? Well, okay, so the jury duty thing is just a ploy to set up a big cliffhanger at the end of the book… but I digress.
This issue we see several plot threads running along side each other. First is that we have another “Great Machine” running about trying to take after his “father” as he takes down random druggies, criminals, etc. But also we see that he’s already caught the attention of the NYPD and is now set in their sights as they try to take him down before he is found out. And once this new Machine is brought to the attention of Kremlin and Bradbury (two former “partners” of our Protagonist) they also go hot on the trail to find this “pretender to the throne”, as Kremlin puts it. All the while our “hero” is stuck in one of the more classic of superhero devices…… jury duty?
Ah yes, the dreaded jury duty… predator of the innocent, devourer of worlds, and so on. But like I said before, the whole concept of our Mitchell Hundred going on this inane little quest of his is to set up a much bigger point. We find ourselves being introduced to a man with a problem and an idea. One Mr. Easy Benson is sick and needs help. And when one day he sees the world’s only superhero applying for jury duty he gets a notion. The way he sees it, the body is just one very complex machine, and controlling/fixing machine’s is what our protagonist does. So in order to try and get some help from The Great Machine, he makes sure he gets in on the same jury as the Mayor in order to get close to him… and then things just get worse and the situation degenerates when Mr. Benson and Mayor Hundred have a slight “disagreement” on what exactly the powers of the Great Machine can manage.
If there’s anything about this book that I love it’s how big Vaughan thinks. From the context of the political hot-topics he throws in, to such huge scientific and even philosophical notions introduced through the events that transpire in this issue. Could Mitchell Hundred be that powerful? Is the body just a machine, and thereby prone to his abilities? It’s just excellent and riveting material. Plus we get a mystery too with the events surrounding the new Great Machine that Kremlin and Bradbury are stalking, and through flashbacks that have become a staple of this book we get to find out so much more about our main character and what makes him so truly unique, and yet totally identifiable. Combined with one of the best artists in the business and you’ll see why I keep touting this as the best book on the stands today.
MUTATION # 1
Written by: George T. Singley
Art by: Ethen Beavers
Published by: Speakeasy Comics
Reviewed by: superhero
OK, comic book publishers realize that they’re charging us almost three dollars per book nowadays, right?
I mean, they do realize that three dollars is pretty expensive for a publication that only gives us something like twenty-two to twenty-three pages of story, right?
Do they understand that the only reason a lot of them are selling as much as they’re able to is because of the fact that certain comic shops give their regular customers up to twenty to forty percent off new books every week just so they can keep selling this stuff, right?
No?
You mean they don’t realize any of that?
Well, at least the owners of Speakeasy Comics don’t.
I mean, this is the first issue of a comic book, right? It’s the issue that should suck me in, the one that should captivate me with stories of fantastic characterization or tales of cosmic adventure. It’s the introductory issue which should make me fall in love with the characters, the settings, and the plot. It’s the comic that should make me want more at the end. It should make me crave with childlike anticipation the passing of the next thirty days so I can see where this bold new adventure will take me, see what daring deeds this fantastic new hero or group of heroes is likely to perform.
Does MUTATION offer any of this?
Nope.
For the price of $2.99 ($2.26 after discount and adding tax), I hardly get any of that.
What I do get is about twenty-two pages of slugfest and that’s it. Oh, and the best Jack Kirby/Bruce Timm/Michael Avon Oeming style art that I’ve seen in a long time.
What do I know after twenty-two or so pages of the first issue of MUTATION? Mutation is a superhero that fights bad guys. Mutation is famous. Mutation has a hot girlfriend whom he uses his shape shifting powers with to try and get sexually kinky. Mutation is blonde and has muscles. The MUTATION comic uses sixteen of its twenty-two pages to depict fights that should have taken less than half that space. The MUTATION comic has a great art team. The MUTATION comic has great paper stock and is held together with staples.
That’s pretty much it.
How did Mutation become Mutation? I don’t know. Why does Mutation fight crime? I don’t know. How did Mutation and his girlfriend meet? I don’t know. What does the insignia on Mutation’s chest mean? I don’t know. Why do I give a damn about MUTATION? I don’t know.
Look, I don’t want any kind of origin story here. I’m not looking for a paint-by-numbers origin story. I’d just like some sort of insight into why I should care about these characters and I don’t get any at all. It’s like someone just thought that comic fans just wanted twenty-two pages of fighting with no characterization, no plot, no nothing. It’s the complete flipside of what people criticize Brian Michael Bendis for. It’s practically a twenty-two page book of fights.
For $2.99, I expect more.
The thing that kills me is I’m a pretty open minded comic fan. I love seeing new and different books in the shop and, for the most part, I try and give them a shot. I want to like new books. I mean, honestly, how many times can I read about how Spider-Man can beat up Doctor Octopus? So when I saw MUTATION in my shop, I thought I’d get something new and interesting with an old school flavor. What I got was a book with great art, but not much else.
If Speakeasy Comics wants to attract business, heck if any new comic company wants to attract business, they’ve got to come out of the gate strong. Offer comic fans the whole package like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby did in FANTASTIC FOUR issue number one. Or at least give us something different! With MUTATION I get the same old, same old. Nothing new, nothing inventive, nothing intriguing…just the same old thing that I’ve read about before.
If the publishers of Speakeasy Comics are reading out there I’d suggest that if you’re going to debut new books you should have gone with some of the ones that are advertised in the back of MUTATION. At least those look like interesting ideas. Or, if you were going to unleash a comic like SLUGFEST # 1 upon the world, you should have lowered the price to grab attention and offered new readers an incentive to come back to a book that offered such a lackluster introductory story. Hey, I know publishing comics is an expensive enterprise these days but maybe you could lower the quality of the paper stock to lower costs a bit. Because the story for this issue didn’t justify the wonderful paper stock used even if the quality of the artwork may have.
Oh, and my advice for the writer of MUTATION? Go out and pick up an issue of the Image Comics book JACK STAFF to see an actually intriguing independent superhero story done right. As it is, MUTATION is pretty flat except for the artwork and quite honestly, as much as I root for independent publishers, even that may not be enough to make me give the second issue a look at the comic shop.
MANHUNTER #12
Writer: Marc Andreyko
Penciller: Javier Pina
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
The more and more I read of this book the more I become enthralled with it. Admittedly, at first I wasn’t too impressed with the book, and more importantly, the main character. I gave the title about an arcs worth of issues, and decided it wasn’t worth it. The main character, Kate, just seemed too one-dimensional for me to care. She just came off as arrogant, and a bit high-powered, and oh look!! She kills!! But then a very wise man told me to give it another shot and I would find there’s really much more than that and she’s actually a very complex character. And I’ll be damned if he wasn’t right on the dot.
What we have here is a character who, yeah, she is a bit of a bitch, but a very determined one. And while at first she threw on the costume to just get her own little brand of justice, damn the consequences, she now seems more enthralled to the job and we actually see how strongly she’s come to want to do it in little bits like her trying to quit smoking so she’s better productive and so on. It’s her flaws that make her interesting, and my does she have quite a few.
Add to all that this latest “Manhunted” story arc which is becoming quite the read. It’s a very nice little action packed tale that, while it does deal with a bit of continuity, it’s nothing that requires massive amounts of back reading or research to jump into. The former Manhunter interludes alone have proven to be a nice little mystery and to provide some good bits of action, let alone what Kate herself gets into. Throw in a little plot line involving Kate’s “father” and the emergence of long-time DEO agent Cameron Chase as what I hope to be a continuing supporting character, and you’ve got yourself a riveting and highly underrated little title here.
NORTHWEST PASSAGE Vol. 1 (of 3)
Writer/Artist: Scott Chantler
Publisher: Oni Press
Reviewed by Dave Farabee
Man, I need to check out some of the earlier work of writer/artist Scott Chantler – maybe DAYS LIKE THIS, which he didn’t write, but which has his art and a very snazzy premise (the rise of a ‘60s group of R&B divas). The point is, I just need to see more of this guy’s art! His work on NORTHWEST PASSAGE has blown me away! For a relative newbie to comics, his stuff’s polished as anything and the quickest way I can describe his style is “Jeff Smith with halftones.” It’s not fair to pigeonhole him through another artist, but I want to convey the quality of his cartooning (which also suggests Disney animation and the art of Canadian cartoonist Seth).
Let’s take a gander at a few images (all you really need to know is that the book’s a piece of historical fiction set in the Canadian wilderness, circa 1755):
Establishing shot of the fictional Fort Newcastle.
Our hero, Charles Lord, former explorer and overseas governor for the Hudson’s Bay Company.
Action! French mercenaries pursue an old Indian friend of Lord’s.
Hey, I’m impressed! It’s not often we get frontier adventure in comics, and Chantler (who writes as well as draws NORTHWEST PASSAGE) brings the forgotten genre to life with picturesque frontiersmen and beautiful landscapes that are practically their own character. After a suspenseful opening action sequence, Chantler sets his sights on establishing Charles Lord during the course of the man’s retirement party. It doesn’t take long. Lord is a man’s man, boisterous and friendly with the folk of the English trading fort he presides over, and if his hair’s gone white, he’s still got the barrel-chest of the explorer he once was and still feels the fire he once did. When the local Reverend asks him if he’s looking forward to finally going home to England, Lord’s face turns melancholy:
“Home? Reverend, I’ve not seen England in over twenty years. Nearly half my lifetime. I’m not sure I’ll even recognize it.”In fact, Lord’s not planning to return to England at all. During an evocative late night stroll between the shadowed cabins of the fort, he confides in his old exploring pal that he wants to set his sights on the fabled Northwest Passage. Complicating matters is the sudden appearance of an old Indian friend (“Eagle Eye”) with word of French mercenaries on Lord’s trail and a vision of grim tidings to come. I liked Chantler’s portrayal of the easy friendship between Lord and Eagle Eye, perhaps unrealistically idealized, but certainly enjoyable. More troubled is Lord’s relationship with his own half-Indian son, sure to be followed up on in subsequent volumes.
With this set-up and a sub-plot involving Lord’s nebbish-but-earnest nephew taken captive by the French, NORTHWEST PASSAGE is primed for historical adventure that straddles the line between escapism and realism. For many – me, at least – it’ll also have a solid novelty value because we’ve all spent so much time making cheap Canadian jokes that we’re clueless about the country’s actual history and heroes. Lord himself is fictional, but Chantler’s done plenty of labor-of-love research and has created in him an amalgamation of notable explorers of the era. I did get to wondering if Lord himself might be as idealized as his friendship with Eagle Eye (certainly his physique casts him as an almost Bruce Timm-style mega-hero), but hopefully Chantler will carve out some depth with follow-up volumes. And even if he doesn’t, well, a little legend-making can be fun (and no one who’s ever enjoyed a movie like TOMBSTONE can say any different).
In a recent interview with PopImage, Chantler outlined his goals with the series:
…the genesis of the story was an attempt to give Canadian history the kind of proper romantic mythology that it deserves. I started with the question that if Europe romanticizes its history with knights and castles, and the US romanticizes its history with six-guns and saloons, what would the Canadian version be?I think he’s off to a cracking good start.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #80
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Mark Bagley
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Continuing from the events of last issue we find our Ultimatized version of Marvel’s favorite character in conflict with Moon Knight. I’ll admit right now that this really does give me a bit of a geekgasm (ie: geekiness filled orgasm) as I’m a bit of a mark for 70’s Marvel characters. In fact, there’s an interlude to start this issue that features Daniel Rand (aka Iron Fist, one of my favorite B list and below characters) and between him and Moon Knight I just have to say this issue can do no wrong…. Well, okay, that’s a lie, but it’s going to make it hard for me to not take it easy on this particular issue.
So anyway (forgive the fanboy ramblings) the whole reason for the conflict between these two heroes is, like always, just a big misunderstanding. You see, to fill the crime lord void left in the Ultimate Universe by the Kingpin’s “vacation,” one little criminal known as Hammerhead has decided to start claiming turf. During a deal turned double cross by Hammerhead and his men at a warehouse, there is a resulting fire which is what draws Spidey’s attention, as well as one Moon Knight hiding in the shadows of an adjoining building. Now we have some mistaken identity and the hijinks ensue!
But seriously, this is a pretty decent issue that gives us a somewhat good nudge towards how the rest of the story arc is going to run. Upon overhearing Ben Urich’s theory this may be a result of something Kingpin involved Spidey decides to pay him a visit. It’s there that Kingpin lets Spidey know exactly where things stand: due to all the heat on him he has no choice but to lay low while bids for his turf are being made by guys like Hammerhead, leaving Spidey out in the cold as, in a way, he now has to help the Kingpin by eliminating his potential usurpers for him.
Not the strongest of premises by any means, but a solid one. Combine that with some pretty good action at the start of this book, some good funny bits spread around, and some down-to-earth moments stemming from a conversation with (who else) Aunt May, this book has a bit of all of what a good comic should have. If there’s any real complaint I have it’s that Spidey is written as so unbelievably obnoxious (well more than usual) in this issue that, after half his interjections and jokes during his encounter with the Kingpin, even I wanted to strangle him. Think of the snarkiest thing you’ve ever heard, and multiply it by ten… yes, it gets that bad. But other than that this is yet another solid performance by Bendis and Bagley.
Viva la IRON FIST!!!
JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION
Writer: Michael Eury
Artists: Various
Publisher: TwoMorrows
Reviewer: Prof. Challenger
TwoMorrows has carved out quite a niche for themselves as producers of the slickest looking fan publications out there - whether it's their regular magazines, dvds, or their squarebound paperbacks like this JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION. Billing itself as the "ultimate guide to the Silver Age Justice League of America," it succeeds quite comfortably.
Let me share a few of the gems that lie behind the painted cover reproduction of JLA #48 by Bruce Timm including the unexplainable blue gloves worn by J'onn J'onnz on that particular cover. For the obsessive-compulsive in all of us, there's a detailed chronological issue-by-issue index of every JLA story from BRAVE AND THE BOLD #28 (Feb. 1960) to JLA #99 (Jun. 1972). The cover reproductions alone are enough to keep you flipping through the index.
There are interviews throughout. The JLA FAQs section and interviews with Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Jerry Bails present the readers with a thorough introduction to the circumstances that led to the introduction of the Justice League of America at the time they did it and with the characters they included. A lot of the information is well-known in fandom, but some of it may not be widely known. So, this section becomes a primer for those who are interested in behind-the-scenes info on the early years of the JLA.
The creator interviews are enlightening. The interviews include Murphy Anderson and Joe Giella representing the artists and Denny O'Neil and Mike Friedrich representing the post-Gardner Fox writers. These two writers contributed so much to the JLA in terms of characterization that it is highly unlikely the comic book would even still be around in as recognizable form as it is today without them. What this companion book does well is show the readers, through sample pages and actual copies of scripts, how lacking in individual characterization the Fox era was. But with the advent of Denny and Mike, the emphasis on plot was supplanted by a free-love era desire to imbue these characters with real personality and dimension. Hence, we get the practically overnight transformation of, say, Green Arrow from the bland personality-free Batman rip-off to the angry bearded liberal that still rules today.
The COMPANION shares a lot of behind-the-scenes info on the oddball coincidental and intentional criss-cross relationship between the Silver Age JLA and the Avengers. For example, the section detailing the inadvertent and almost simultaneous publication by both titles of an issue featuring the return of an obscure 40s hero who happens to be a red-skinned android who will later join their respective teams. Then there's the planned in secret by a couple of drunk writers at a party one weekend, unofficial team-ups between the two series. The AVENGERS title featured an encounter with the SQUADRON SUPREME - near-direct analogs of the JLA characters. That same month, the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA title featured an appearance by the Heroes of Angorr, who were similarly analogous to some of the Avengers characters. Of course, since the Editors of both companies were too busy to be read
