I Have Issues: Week of 8.25.2010
This was a solid week of comic books, and I had a good stack of them to review even though my LCS didn’t order 2 I wanted (Welcome to DCBService.com). It was a solid week of 4-star books (Going by the iFanboy.com rating system) and it was hard to figure out which book I thought was tops. I have been trying to review the 4-star and up books at length, and giving short reviews for this column, but there was only a couple of books I didn’t care for * cough * JLA * cough* .
Justice League Generation Lost #8
Written by JUDD WINICK
Breakdowns by KEITH GIFFEN
Pencils by AARON LOPRESTI
Covers by TONY HARRIS and J.D. METTLER
White Lantern Variant covers by RYAN SOOK, FERNANDO PASARIN and JOEL GOMEZ
If you asked me at the beginning of the summer what I would be looking forward to the most by August, I would have either said Invincible, or The Flash. Not in a million years would I have said Justice League Generation Lost, or any other title by Judd Winick about the JLA that never got good press. I don’t hate the guy, but I just don’t have any stories by him in collected trade, and I haven’t really enjoyed his writing style. It’s not a direct criticism, I just never cared much for his stories. And as far as this JLA is concerned…I never liked them much either. I liked the Bwah ha ha I Can’t Believe Its Justice League stories, but my JLA had the big seven, and was written my Waid or Morrison.
Now, I’m singing a different tune (as I eat my hat).
When Max Lord came back to life at the end of Blackest Night, I was really intrigued on what he was doing. You knew, just knew, it wasn’t good. So I dove into this series for two reasons. 1) I never gave this “league” a shot (As you can tell above). (2) It comes out digitally on Comixology, so I wouldn’t get screwed out of a copy at my LCS. And I have been rewarded for my curiosity ten fold. These characters aren’t a collection of B-Listers who have their own story thanks to an open-ended cross over. These people are heroes who were once the core members of the Justice League.
The skinny (as you may know from reading my previous columns) is this group was mysteriously brought together my Max Lord who has used his powers to erase his existence to everyone but them. Their quest is to stop him, and they are having a hell of a time finding a guy who doesn’t exist. Last issue they broke into Checkmate to find him, but got caught. In this issue they fight their way out and rendezvous at their old embassy in Germany, where Max is waiting.
Not only do the characters shine in their own way in this book, but they have the good balance that a team book needs. They have good moments as solitary characters, but they also gell together well. It’s a trait that made me fall in love with Morrison’s JLA. Beetle is a great character on his own, but fantastic mixed into this group. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the artwork by Lopresti. The Rocket Red designs for everyone are great, but his layouts are fantastic. He is able to construct great panels for static dialog (thanks to the letterer too) but also his panels that are filled with action are explosive and filled with energy. The scene where Captain Atom rescues the captured group is particularly good. The book is really smartly put together and the more this book continues the more I anticipate its release. I’m just happy that it comes out bi-weekly.
Avengers #4
WRITER: BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
PENCILS: John Romita JR.
COLORED BY: DEAN WHITE
LETTERED BY: NEUROTIC CARTOONIST, INC
COVER BY: John Romita JR.
Ahhhhhhhh. This was much better that issue 3. The artwork still isn’t my cup of tea, but the story has some great moments. This is the part of a traditional trade paperback that you wind up racing through, and don’t even notice the breaks between issues. The first team goes through time to the future to stop Kang from breaking the time stream any more than it is. They witness a 2-page-epic-battle-royale and then are brought to Hulk and the Next Avengers. Team B is left in NY to have witty banter and wacky-time-breaking-battles. It was a fun comic book, and I only wish we could discard team A’s storyline so we can just follow team B, they’re more fun. Since Marvel is intent on having 19 Avengers books, let Team A have their own title, and we can follow Team B. Makes sense to me.
I think Bendis has segmented his comfort zones into the book. You can tell that the main story revolving around team A is the one he probably has to take time to write, and remind himself how the characters are voiced. Team B is probably written in 5 minutes, and is just a lot of fun. I can’t help but wish that Jimmy Cheung or Bryan Hitch was handling the art duties on this book though. I really don’t mean to put J.R. JR down because I do appreciate his work, but there are a few spots on this book that would have been theatrically big in another person’s hands. Now JR JR’s framing of the action, the angles, the energy, and ideas were awesome. The battle royale in the future was an incredible, violent landscape, but almost indiscernible due the the amount of open lines JR JR crams in the page. I really had to look hard at the panels to see what was happening to whom, and at one point thought I saw a Rocket Red in there. Despite art confusion, this book felt like it got back on pace, and with the separation of the heroes, it feels like it hit a winning rhythm.
Batman #702
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by TONY DANIEL
I feel like Lincoln writing to Grant near the end of the Civil War “…I see it now…” and this issue is a culmination of the brilliance that is Grant Morrison. Grant is one of those writers that has a polarized audience. He has big ideas that challenge readers, and you either love him, or you just can’t grab what he is saying. He is one of those writers that challenges your thought process, and makes you pay attention. He forces you to engage your brain, and become more involved with the story he is telling. Batman #702 lays the cards about Batman on the table that he has been dealing to us for almost 2 years. Tony Daniel crushes the art here, and the letterer does a brilliant job with the various narrations. I honestly have a hard time writing this review due to the complex nature of the story, so I will say only this: IF you are reading Return of Bruce Wayne, you need to pick this up.
Invincible #74
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art & cover RYAN OTTLEY & FCO PLASCENCIA
It’s funny. Normally I would bitch about deadlines and publication schedules, but I MUST stick by my statement that I would rather have a late good book, than a crappy book on time. Ottley is delivering the clean lines with great framing and energy that make Invincible a fun read. His debris, backgrounds, and use of varied line really embody the term “illustrate” for these battle panels. As always Kirkman supplies a story that logically makes sense, and also twists and turns to create interest and situations that you want to continue reading. It’s almost torture to read this by issue, and waiting for the next issues to come out. I want to read this entire war NOW, and with the story’s pacing it would feel as though 5 minutes has passed by.
Oliver and Nolan have their last bonding-quiet moment before Mark wakes up fully recovered. As they leave the planet to rejoin the fight, the Viltrimites attack the Federation home world, hoping to finish the war. They’re quickly repelled as Mark, Nolan and Oliver arrive to destroy the lead ship, and repel the invasion. We then learn that all of the Viltrimites will be coming home for a last stand/attack. And then the damn book ends! A good sign that book is good is the anger you feel when you see the words “To be continued…”.
Astonishing X-Men #35
WRITER: Warren Ellis
PENCILS: Phil Jimenez
COLORED BY: Chris Arrant
LETTERED BY: Jason Paz
COVER BY: Phil Jimenez
This story line was dismissible for me, but I kept getting the issues since they were infrequent, and I wanted to keep a complete run. Since it has been a while since I read issue 34, I was pretty clueless about the story, but this last issue was good on its own. Basically we get to the big bad guy, Cyclops crashes Cobra’s Nightraven into a ship, and Wolverine punches an old man. The whole issue was pretty dismissible until that moment, which made me burst out laughing. Fantastic character building and dialog kept this book up in the ranks, but I really hope the next storyline is a bit more “epic” to earn a place among the “Astonishing” storylines.
Superman Batman #75
Written by PAUL LEVITZ, JOE KELLY, DAVID FINCH, J.T. KRUL, STEVEN T. SEAGLE and others
Art by JERRY ORDWAY, DAVID FINCH, ADAM HUGHES, FRANCIS MANAPUL, DUNCAN ROULLEAU and others
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
I don’t read this book normally, but since DC threw a party, I thought I’d crash it. I enjoyed Loeb’s run on this book back in the day, and Paul Levitz wrote a cool Legion wrap-in story. I loved Batman’s role in the story, and it answered that question of how Batman would react to the Legion (I haven’t read that before). How would a street-level character like Batman react to a Silverage Time-traveling collection of X-men wannabes like the Legion? Brilliant stuff. Naturally all the back matter was fantastic, and it a great menagerie of ideas from the industry’s finest. One of the stand out stories was Azarello and Bermejo’s Joker and Lex. A great Homage to Bill Waterson’s Calvin and Hobbes with a great summary of the two Archvillian’s motivations. another standout 2-page story was Billy Tucci’s Brothers In Arms which was imaginative and brilliantly drawn.
Thor #613
WRITER: KIERON GILLEN
PENCILS: RICHARD ELSON
INKS: PASQUAL FERRY
COLORED BY: ANDREW J. TROY
LETTERED BY: NEUROTIC CARTOONIST, INC
COVER BY: MICHAEL SUAYAN
Thor is getting better and better, leaving behind the run from Siege, and as Thor travels deeper into Hell, we the readers journey into a better place. The artwork for this run is fantastic. The darkness and reds mixed with fantastic bristling details and imaginative designs help take you on a journey through Hades that challenges Thor on a physical level, and emotionally as he is tempted to save his mother. I’m looking forward to this story’s conclusion, not to get to something better, but to witness the culmination of something better. Thor continues to be mythological and entertaining like a book about a God should be.
Wonder Woman #602
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art and cover by DON KRAMER and MICHAEL BABINSKI
Variant cover by ALEX GARNER
Speaking of mythology and entertainment, Wonder Woman continues to build up from her shattered back stories with a new one that JMS likes. I think Tom Katers put it best on the 11 O’clock Comics Podcast by stating that Wonder Woman has been wronged through the ages by her authors’ inconsistent way of writing her, and failing to embrace her heritage. They are always too quick to “Reinvent” her. I kind of trust JMS and his motivations to help put Wonder Woman into the foreground. I think he is writing her better than Superman. He has always been good at embracing mythology, and bringing heightened and untouchable characters to ground level.
In this issue Wonder Woman beats up a task force, and makes her way into a cluster of besieged Amazons. She has a tussle with the idea of faith, and then beats the living crap out of more war-mongering men. Again, JMS can put Wonder Woman in an environment where she can be a strong warrior and avenge the wronged, embrace and deepen her mythological heritage, and stand for an ideal that means something. Hopefully it will stick this time.
Namor First Mutant #1
WRITER: STUART MOORE
PENCILS: ARIEL OLIVETTI
COVER BY: JAE LEE
Well this was….interesting. Is anyone else concerned about the vampire connection to mutants? Anyways, Namor has decided that they need Dracula’s head so that he can be resurrected, and end this vampire problem. So the coup faction disposed of Dracula’s head by placing it at the bottom of the ocean. With a cloister of other mer-vampires.
Right.
Anyway, Namor journey’s down to the depths of the ocean is fruitful, but also ticks off the underwater vampires who apparently had a treaty with Namor’s people. Pretty interesting to be honest, given the circumstance, and Ariel Olivetti’s art was good, but has a rushed feeling to me. The characters and action are very good, but with empty water backgrounds for 80% of the book, I would have thought there would be a bit more.
Justice League Of America #48
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by MARK BAGLEY, ROB HUNTER and NORM RAPMUND
Cover by MARK BAGLEY and JESUS MERINO
White Lantern Variant cover by RYAN SOOK, FERNANDO PASARIN and JOEL GOMEZ
Oh thank god this is over. I was hoping for an epic event like The Lightning Saga. Alas, this wasn’t that great, or even close to the term “saga”. The one bright spot in all this was seeing Jade fully resurrected, which was a reward for fulfilling her end of the bargain wiht the White Lantern-power-guy, and Jesse Quick will be giving up Liberty Bell to join the JLA. Sorry guys, not enough to bring me back to JLA for a while, but I hope JSA is still good after this…..story.
Peter Schmeiser – Giggaheim Director
Peter is normally answering several questions everyday about continuity of the DC universe, the status of Spider-man, who has been cast in the latest movies, and what counts as canon in Star Wars. Pete enjoys voicing his opinions on the latest comic books, playing video games, and sharing his wealth of useless comic book knowledge with his friends. The Giggaheim was made to share that.
