Rat Queens #1
Writer: Kurtis J. Wiebe
Artist/Colorist: Roc Upchurch
Letterer: Ed Brisson
22 pages, $3.50
I enjoyed Rat Queens #1, but I’m not completely hooked… Yet.
I find this happens with almost every book created by writer Kurtis J Wiebe. The scribe has produced one of my favourite comics ever (Green Wake) and he’s revived my interest in Peter Pan with his innovative Peter Panzerfaust. Every series starts off with enough to keep my interest– even if each New #1 always seems to slightly lack something I can’t quite quantify. But I can say this: Out of all of Wiebe’s Number One Issues, Rat Queens #1 has peaked my interest the most.
The writer has mentioned Rat Queens spawned from his love of table top games like Dungeons and Dragons. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to play the popular RPG, but I did play a variation– and I’ve remained fascinated with the long-form method of these games. I have watched some of the D&D Penny Arcade videos made for PAX, and I enjoy them immensely… Even if I do think these adventures take too long to start their first quest. Thankfully, Wiebe decides to forgo the long set-up that plagues most of these games and jumps right into the action.
Usually, I like a bit of set up– these characters figuring things out on the fly works extremely well here… Making me immediately feel like I’m part of the story. Speaking of story, there’s very little so far. But what Rat Queens lacks in plot, Wiebe makes up for in character moments. They are all very subtle, but helped me understand the good qualities and quirks of the four Rat Queens– Hannah, Dee, Violet and Betty. My favourite thing in almost any story? Learning about the characters and how they differentiate from one another– and Wiebe excels here. (If I want bland characters, I’ll just indiscriminately lurch back into my collection and pick up any Bendis Avengers comic.)
And while I didn’t get a good sense of Dee or Violet in this inaugural issue, I did get a very good idea of who Hannah and Betty are. Betty is an instant favourite of mine– so open, sexual and not fazed by the opinions of others. Plus she is easily the funniest of the group, whether she means to be or not.
I mustn’t forget to emphasize the amazing artwork from Roc Upchurch. This is my first experience with his art and it’s so lively and colourful, I can’t wait for the next issue to enjoy more of his fantastic art. His pencils are expressive and he uses an array of colours. Upchurch has a perfect style suited for fantasy.
The ending came out of nowhere. Given the series’ inspiration, it makes sense… But it was still completely unexpected. I should also note this is the proper way to fashion an effective, suspenseful cliff hanger. I can’t wait to see what the hell is going to happen next. The surprise sets a precedent for what to expect– or not to expect– as the series moves forward. This is a comic to pay serious attention to. Whether you read it monthly or wait for the trade… If the quality remains, Rat Queens has the potential to be one of Kurtis Wiebe’s best Shadowline series yet. – Nick Furi
Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #3
Writer: Robert Rodi
Artist: Michael del Mundo
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
20 pages, $2.99
I think lack of sleep may be addling my memory or something– because I was sure someone here recommended this title… So I figured it would be a safe enough bet to review. But reading this comic was like ordering a BLT, only to find you’ve been served a shit sandwich.
It seems like this thing is part of this Infinity Crossover. (That’s the “Thanos Thing” right?… I’m starting to get confused between this and all the Inhumans stuff being pimped lately.) As per fucking usual, Earth is being invaded… Blah blah fucking blah. Seems you can set your watch by the regularity of alien invasions rampaging through the concrete canyons of Marvel’s Manhattan. Since most Marvel Fanboys are continuity freaks these days, every single second of the timeline must be documented. This means all the detritus from the major crossovers gets shoved into the ancillary titles– which then become slaves of the central monolith. What you end up getting is a pale reflection of the major event and a complete abrogation of the need for a comic to find its own voice.
I don’t really know a great deal about writer Robert Rodi, but it looks like he’s been given an editorial mandate and is valiantly trying to shoehorn some of his own ideas onto it. Doc Ock (aka “Superior” Spider-Man) is the central character here (naturally) and Rodi does seem to understand the voice of the character pretty well… Although “Supercilious Intelligent Buffoon” is not exactly the most difficult character-type to nail down. One of Rodi’s own ideas is a new character who seems like a cross between Monica “Captain Marvel” Rambeau, Electro and Living Lightning– but the whole setup for her character just bores the shit out of me. It just isn’t very compelling, and aside from one or two pages of Luke Cage… There’s no fucking team-up in this goddamn “team up” book. (I’m sorry but I do take a rather literal view on the book’s title.)
The art by Michael del Mundo is so wrong for this pamphlet that I wonder if the Editor had a stroke and chose him at random. In the few quiet scenes, his art reminds me of great French artist Francois Boucq (who had a lot of stories translated and reprinted in Heavy Metal Magazine back in the Nineties). The action scenes get fairly psychedelic and everything rushes by in a manic fugue of pastel shades– which would look more appropriate in a fantasy Vertigo-type book. Let me stress, del Mundo’s art isn’t bad– it just isn’t what this comic needs.
I’m giving the book the following rating because I feel like del Mundo is a promising artist who will do well– once he’s given work that suits him better. At least it didn’t look boring, but really this is probably the least necessary comic you could read this month. - Locusmortis
Action Comics #23.4
Full Metal Jacket
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Artist: Steve Pugh
Colorists: Barbara Ciardo, David Curiel
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
20 pages, $3.99
This last week of Villains Month books has been better than the previous ones. It still doesn’t justify DC’s stunt as a whole, but comics like this make up for it (a little). For three weeks DC’s books happily rehashed old origin tales in a dull fashion. But this last wave is more about setting what’s coming next.
Take Action Comics #23.4: Writer Sholly Fisch focuses on John Corben (a.k.a. Metallo) who we last met early on in Grant Morrison’s Action Comics run. There is no need to introduce this character again– as his origin is still a freshly baked one… So this issue is rather a matter of contextualization. What’s Corben’s new status quo? He’s slipped into a comfy coma and we quickly get to witness his reawakening– thanks to some handy kryptonite. Logical questions arise. How can he start a life again? What desires define and mold him now?
In the end, it’s really all a matter of moving Metallo from point A to B– from dead to deadly… From Grant Morrison’s first plot points to Forever Evil. This necessity ends up delivering a serviceable tale, and it does serve the sacrosanct Continuity Cops… But you can live without it too (unless you’re a hard-ass nerd).
Artist Steve Pugh’s craft is intriguing. His style feels old somehow, as if the art could have been drawn in the 80s… But this is no reprimand at all. Some panels are powerful and rich with imagination. You truly experience Corben’s paranoia and loneliness thanks to the art, not only the words. This is a big compliment in itself. The coloring by Barbara Ciardo and David Curiel is a sympathetic partner in crime to the whole and helps deepen Pugh’s intentions.
I enjoyed Action Comics #23.4 for what it is: A tale cautious with continuity issues. DC wants to spell everything out, and I guess I’ve got nothing against that. But this comic is not groundbreaking. These kind of stories are what’s killing the medium one cowardice at a time. Today’s comics are plagued with a constant fear of innovation. Instead of producing fresh narratives, they focus on continuity details and boring facts. At least Fisch did great work with what little he had. I deeply respect his efforts, which made this read an entertaining tale in spite of everything stacked against it. - Simon J. O’Connor
Wonder Woman #23.2
First Born
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: ACO
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
20 pages, $2.99
I have been really lucky with the two DC Villain Month comics I chose to review. Both were actually quite good. However, Wonder Woman #23.2 differs from the norm because it actually feels like essential reading. Ultimately it’s more of a companion piece– adding to the WW experience for readers who’ve been around from the beginning.
Just like Detective Comics #23.2 (the Harley Quinn issue), this is an origin story for some new Wonder Woman villains. I appreciate how writer Brian Azzarello decides to give us (and Apollo) more info about the mysterious past of these Oracles. They aren’t a new concept, but how Azzarello uses them in this comic certainly is. Almost every time I see Seers in comics, they use some stultifying “old speech”– slightly shrouded in mystery, ominous, ancient sounding and wise. Forget all of that here– as Azzarello uses current lack of grammatical structure and an overuse of slang. This bold lingo choice could’ve easily backfired and been tremendously annoying… But it fits nicely within the structure for the comic.
Regular series artist Cliff Chiang provides an artistic excellence that demands an equally compelling story. For me, one of the worst comic “no-nos” happens whenever a fill-in artist disorients the reader with a radically different artistic style. Even if the story is compelling, the art change can be very jarring. The artistic team of ACO and Matthew Wilson does a great job of keeping a consistent look and feel to this book.
I’m glad I decided to review Wonder Woman #23.2. Otherwise I probably would’ve just left it off of my pull list. I subscribe to Wonder Woman, but my normal reading habits usually keep me from participating in stunts like Villains Month. Because of this, I would have missed an interesting story featuring a future plot point– giving the reader a good tease into what’s to come. In the end, a good story is a good story… And it’s great to know there are still a couple of books that are consistently awesome in the crap-pile that is DC’s New 52.
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to discover this issue was already in Azzarello’s overarching plan. If it wasn’t for the gimmicky Villains Month, this story probably would have simply been titled Wonder Woman #24. As an added bonus, at least I didn’t have to pay the extra dollar for the 3D Lenticular cover. Otherwise, I really would have had something to rant about. Instead, I happily enjoyed a good old-fashioned comic book. – Nick Furi
Mars Attacks Judge Dredd # 1
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: John McCrea
Colorist: Jay Fotos
Letterer: Tom B. Long
20 pages, $3.99
“Fun, but not without flaws.”
Another Judge Dredd miniseries from IDW– and again, like Year One– it has a British writer. This time, it’s Al Ewing and again his work shows hiring Duane Swierczynski for the main IDW Dredd title was a mistake.
Al Ewing has been one of John Wagner’s protégés on the Judge Dredd strip (in 2000AD) for the last few years– and it shows. Ewing’s at ease with the world of Mega-City One and has a decent understanding of it. He knows that, along with the grim brutality of the fascist justice system, there’s a streak of black humour a mile wide running through the Big Meg… Which he plays on throughout Mars Attacks Judge Dredd #1.
A brief plot summary: One of the big mafia families in Mega-City One has allied with a mysterious benefactor (the Martians) and is taking over Sector 301– with Dredd dispatched to stomp out the menace. For the most part Ewing does his best impersonation of John Wagner’s style, but I can’t help thinking that Dredd’s creator still shows better comedic timing and wit. Still, for a blatant crossover of licensed characters– this isn’t a bad attempt.
The art by John McCrea is the main reason I’ve docked points from this comic. I’ve never liked his style (from 20+ years ago in 2000AD and other publications) and nothing has changed my opinion since then. The penciling is too loose and lacking in detail. For the most part, the backgrounds are sparse and bare. It looks like these 20 pages were bashed out in as little time as possible. The coloring by Jay Fotos is decent enough without really adding much to the party. It’s still better than the coloring in DC’s books though. (Sorry, I just couldn’t resist a dig at DC– even though I’m thankfully not reviewing any of their titles this month.)
So what did I get? An issue that reads well, but is hampered by poor art. If you’re a Dredd fan and you can make allowances for the visuals, you should enjoy this romp. - Locusmortis
Superman #23.4
Writer/Artist: Aaron Kuder
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Rob Leigh
20 pages, $3.99
This is a keeper. Seriously.
Aaron Kuder is a wonderful artist (good to know, considering he is on art duty for Action Comics starting with Issue #25). But he’s also a skillful and slick writer. His truly modern, sincerely new approach on an old villain is fantastic. Parasite’s characterization is perfect, and feels extremely natural and organic. Nothing looks forced or over-the-top. This is the flawless example of a character’s origin retelling done well. It is both original and respectful– and succeeds in being innovative without being provocative, obnoxious or just plain stupid.
The absolute wonder here: Kuder’s marvelous tale is finely complimented by his art. Each panel and sequence is admirably adequate to what’s being told. This is not one of these comics where an artist is bothered by the writing– or the writer’s work is hindered by the art. Kuder is fully committed to both jobs. Judgments are called by this bicephalous creator– both words and images are wholly respected here.
This is probably the only Must-Buy coming out of DC’s Villain Month stunt. Don’t miss it! You can take my word to the bank, people: Go sell your stinking copy of The Joker’s Daughter for $80 bucks and get 25 copies of Superman #23.4 instead. Creatively, it’ll be a more satisfying deal for sure. - Simon J. O’Connor
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #27
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Dave Marquez
Colorists: Paul Mounts, Justin Ponsor
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
20 pages, $3.99
Here I am, once again wondering why this story is not part of the current Spider-Man universe. Was Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #27 the best Wall Crawler story I’ve read lately? Heck no, but it is a decently fun tale exceeding my expectations– which is more than I can ever say for anything Dan Slott’s dreamed up.
The comic is energetic, well-paced and COULD easily be a great read for the younger set. There isn’t much making it overly adult, except for the unnecessary swearing (even if it is censored). The verbiage simply didn’t fit the tone set by the rest of the comic. It was more enjoyable seeing Spider-Woman say, “You selfish swear word!” than it was seeing a blanket of censored profanity. Clearly she has the capability to control how she speaks– so you might think Brian Michael Bendis would give the other characters the same inner censor.
I’m not harping on explicit content in comics– if it fits the story I don’t care. However, it feels like a younger demographic would naturally gravitate towards this particular book. (Which is something I feel Marvel should be striving to achieve with Ultimate Spider-Man.) But the use of these “non-swear/swear words” felt like a lazy way to circumvent thinking up some interesting dialogue. The characters of Miles Morales (Spider-Man) and Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman aka a Peter Parker clone) are clearly smart and witty people. Having the characters be this clever compounds my point about Bendis’ dialogue choices– it’s a clear cop-out.
Minus this tiff, I did enjoy myself.
Not only did I like this new Spidey, I enjoyed the new take on Cloak and Dagger. I’m not a fan of the 616 version of this duo, but I instantly enjoyed the Ultimate version. Also, it is very refreshing to see characters not fully understand their powers and how to deal with villains. The heroes almost always seem to instinctively know exactly how to take down the villains in the prime Marvel Universe. However 3 different sets of supers make the same mistake while fighting Taskmaster here– and that was interesting.
The artistic team added a very nice “Web-Head” feel through the entire comic. Page after page reminded me of the clean and crisp 90s Spider-Man Animated Show. (If you haven’t noticed by now, animation is how I got my start with superheroes… I watched a lot of cartoons back in the day.) The cartoon look fits very well with the vibe of our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.
I’m really getting tired of reading all these supposed secondary Spider-Man titles, only to find out they’re better than the atrocious Superior Spider-Man. (Every time I pick up that book I’m disappointed.) It’s like Slott has lowered the bar so much, even mediocre Spider-Man comics seem amazing in comparison.
– Nick Furi
Batman/Superman #3.1
Tales of Doom
Writer: Greg Pak
Artists: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
20 pages, $3.99
There had to be a stinker among this week’s books. I was having too good a time to go “three for three”. Out of the trio of comics I read this week, this one stands alone as the shit stain. I had doubts about Greg Pak competently writing Batman/Superman– and now I can confidently say he’s a bad writer. I have no shame in admitting I didn’t “get” Batman/Superman #3.1. I’m not sure what’s being told or what even happens in here. The comic is that badly written.
Starting off, the story is really dumb and uninteresting. It’s basically just a bunch of Kryptonians talking in their living-room. And by “a bunch of Kryptonians” I mean Jor-El, his wife Lara, his brother and his brother’s wife. There, right there, is already a very boring plot fact: Why in hell does every single story about Krypton include Jor-El? It’s like this planet was only inhabited by four people! Actually, maybe it was. And maybe Kal-El wasn’t sent to Earth because Krypton exploded, but simply because the four adults living on the planet wanted to be left alone?
Wow. My head’s spinning since I thought of this awesome plot twist. I’m a genius, I know… And I happily give this idea to DC. Who knows? With Scott Lobdell writing Superman, they might just use my stupid concept. (God knows they need something.) Anyway, Jor-El and his peeps are talking about Doomsday, and here’s what we learn:
- Lara is a bad-ass warmongering warrior who fought Doomsday (because you know, FUCK YOU, fans)
- I didn’t understand any of the shit that happens next.
Maybe Doomsday died at the hands of Zod on Krypton. Or maybe the thing was sent into the Phantom Zone. Or maybe an ancestor of the House of El fought Doomsday in the past and died– just like Superman would centuries later. (Yeah, Greg Pak is that subtle.) Superman fought the big monster and died– so another of his ancestors just had to do the same thing before him. That’s some heavy load of philosophy (on drugs) if you ask me. Or maybe it’s just a plain shitty idea… Can’t tell anymore.
Then we learn young Kara sleeps with a portal to the Phantom Zone in her bedroom… With Zod coming out of it at night! Here’s another putrid plot point from Pak. It’s just so lazy to have the bad guy whispering insanities in the dark to a frail child. It’s also simply a cheap way of linking Zod to the narrative. Plus Kara should be taken by Social Services– since her moronic father allows a gate to the most dangerous jail in the universe to link to his young daughter’s bedroom. Talk about bad parenting!
Finally, I must admit I’ve always hated Brett Booth’s art… So it comes as no surprise I despise his work in this comic. It’s not like Booth is the worst penciler in the world– he clearly isn’t. But he always produces the most generic, serviceable, boring stuff. Somehow his craft grinds my gears… I can’t help but find it ugly and irritating. The faces he draws always have the stupidest looks. His penciled smiles are especially the worst… As if Booth’s grinning characters are all descendants of some intergalactic Justin Bieber. (Yeah, they look that fucking god-awful!)
Let me stop there, call this a crappy comic and move on to something else. I’ve lost enough time, respect and neurons by reading this dumb eyesore already.
- Simon J. O’Connor
Powers Bureau # 7
Writer: Brian Michael Mamet
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
24 pages, $3.95
“A Bendis comic that isn’t shit!”
I’m sure many of you are familiar with what typically happens when I review a comic written by Brian Michael Bendis… I start chewing the scenery and frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog. But here’s the thing– there was a time when I actually really liked Bendis and enjoyed his stuff a lot… Then he started writing New Avengers.
I’m not sure why I wanted to revisit Powers. I guess it was nostalgia and a desire to see if it still has the quality it used to. I was with the series from its beginning with Image, through its transfer to Marvel’s vanity Icon brand– and stuck with it until Volume 3 Issue #2… When I felt it was spinning its wheels and Bendis was just phoning it in. At the time, he was writing a lot of regular series and crossovers for Marvel and obviously not paying attention to Powers… Which begs the following question: He continues to write a lot of conventional superheroes for Marvel, so is Powers still suffering from the same lack of attention?
“Yes and No” is my decisive, not at all sitting on the fence answer. Powers Bureau #7 is like a mid-season episode of television’s CSI or Without a Trace. The story is a well constructed, quality, done-in-one episode that doesn’t do anything new (and is quite derivative) but leaves a positive feeling nonetheless. The basic plot: Walker and Pilgrim are called out to a crime scene where a woman has been shot dead. It’s revealed the woman had powers (she was one incarnation of a multiple person) and there are other versions of this woman who may also be under threat. The story does feel rather like it’s been ripped off from a Jamie Madrox subplot, which is why I’ve docked points from the comic’s rating. But the execution of the tale (as it were) is really quite good.
In terms of dialogue, it’s typical Bendis territory– with its rat-a-tat quick-fire exchanges. Despite whenever Spider-Man and Wolverine (or any of the other interchangeable characters in The Avengers) talked like that it was fucking irritating beyond belief, it’s actually acceptable when Walker and Pilgrim do it… As that’s the way it’s always been in Powers. (Even with accepting the character interchanges are going to be this way going in, it can still get quite wearing after a while.)
The art by Michael Avon Oeming is top-notch, but then I’ve never seen him turn in a substandard art job. His art is a bit rougher and jagged than I remember it from a few years ago, but I don’t mind that at all. It just adds some power to the action sequences. (I sometimes feel Oeming doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he somehow makes it all look so easy.) He makes the story flow so well, perhaps people don’t always notice how great the art is. Speaking of great, Nick Filardi’s colors are excellent as ever and Chris Eliopoulos deals with Bendis’ voluminous dialogue with aplomb.
I was relatively pleased with Powers Bureau #7 and wish Bendis would do more well-plotted comics like this– rather than the convoluted garbage he does for Marvel like Age of Ultron. - Locusmortis
Action Comics #23.3
Up, Up and Away!
Writer: Charles Soule
Artists: Raymund Bermudez, Dan Green
Colorist: Ulises Arreola
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
20 pages, $3.99
If there is one proof comics are a mature medium– it’s the fact it has its own exercises in style. With Action Comics #23.3, writer Charles Soule revels in a classic stylistic composition by telling a story solely centered on a villain– and by describing just how wicked the foe is. Such a common formula cannot surprise nor amaze anymore… But Soule’s tale is still told very well and enjoyable nonetheless.
What makes this narrative rise in quality? The book’s clear goal and its dedication to it. The story revolves around a normal day in Lex Luthor’s life and never loses sight of that simple thread. There’s no stupid flashback to the tycoon’s childhood and there’s barely even a nod to the crappy crossover that started the Villains Month “event”– Forever Evil. Being absolutely self-contained benefits the story greatly– and spares us a lot of the bullshit currently displayed in other VM titles.
But I must also confess it’s a slightly dull story, leaving me with an annoying “been there, done that” feeling. Despite obviously caring about the character and trying his best, Soule fails at delivering a fresh take on Luthor. To be fair, no creator could have truly turned this book around… Since it grows from DC’s inorganic Marketing Stunt of the Year– so there’s really no reason to expect the story to be any good to begin with. At least this comic steers clear of being a sucky one– and I’m thankful for that.
The art by Raymund Bermudez is serviceable. It’s professional work alright– but fails to move, scare, enthuse or stir anything in me. It just lies there– exactly how I imagine Bob Harras conducts editorial meetings in DC’s Editor-in-Chief office.
Let’s give Charles Soule a big thumbs up for trying his best to tell a compelling and interesting story. It still wasn’t worth $3.99, but I didn’t feel cheap after reading it either. The writer’s dedication is appreciable and requires I support the creator’s work… Yes, even his upcoming– already infamous– Superman/Wonder Woman comic. With scoundrels like Scott Lobdell or Geoff Johns continually flogging the dead horse that is DC Comics every single month, it’s nice to see someone still cares enough to try to write a decent comic book over there.
- Simon J. O’Connor
Mighty Avengers #1
Writer: Al Ewing
Artists: Greg Tracer, Jay Leisten
Colorist: Frank D’Armata
Letterer: Cory Petit
20 pages, $3.99
“Another day, another fucking Avengers comic.”
I take some vacation time and what happens when I come back? There’s yet another goddamn Avengers comic. These things are like bacteria or something… They’ve found a way of fucking self-replicating at this stage. This comic gathers together all the left-over characters who have been expunged from other teams in a rag-bag of street-level characters. (Wait! Doesn’t Marvel already have the New Avengers comic for this?)
I’ve lost track of how many different Avengers titles there are, and honestly I don’t give a flying fuck at this stage. The first page of this thing starts off with Thanos opining, “Behold, an Earth without Avengers!” So where the fuck are the Avengers then? Who fucking knows– because nothing in this fucking comic tells you. I presume all this has something to do with the latest crossover Infinity and something, something, something. Would it kill them to add an Editor’s Note to give us a fucking hint as to why it’s an Earth without Avengers… Or do they presume that any schmuck dumb enough to buy this comic is buying every other piece of shit Marvel is putting out this month?
So, I’m one sentence into my review and I already hate this. (For those counting, this is probably a record.) Do things improve from there? Seriously, what do you fucking think? Apparently Luke Cage has re-formed the Heroes for Hire and is guarding a bunch of crates from some moronic villain I’ve never heard of– when Superior Spider-Man shows up to help out in his typical arrogant way. Some other things happen, then Monica Rambeau turns up. (She’s called Spectrum for some reason now, don’t ask me why.) Then on the back page Cage declares this is the Mighty Avengers– just as Thanos’ hordes begin their attack. (I’m sure the purple villain is quaking in his titanium boots.)
This is a poorly plotted, badly scripted mess. The thing is, I know writer Al Ewing is better than this. He seems to be climbing the ranks at Marvel, but nothing I’ve read of his work for the publisher so far is anywhere near as good as the tales he’s written for 2000AD. It’s completely inexplicable, and it seems like he’s a completely different creator. I can only presume that Marvel Editorial has a heavy hand in this… Otherwise Ewing’s suffering from the same malady that’s afflicted Nick Spencer ever since he first landed a Marvel job.
Then we get to the art… Whoa, boy… The art. I could just say it’s by Greg Land and stop right there– and most people would understand why I was so abrupt. In fairness to the guy, he doesn’t start tracing till he gets to Page 2. The first page is actually not bad (that’s like me saying the puddle of vomit I just stepped in is not as bad as the puddle of vomit I stepped in yesterday) but I am trying to be fair to the guy… He DID draw one page that wasn’t hacked before he went into his usual bag of shortcuts. Another pet peeve of mine that anyone who’s read my reviews will recognise… The use of diagonal panels to try inject some pace into action scenes– which is what we get on Page 3.
I’m not going to analyse every single page… Because even I have limits, you know. Suffice to say, we get way more tracing, way more diagonal panels and a fair mingling of blur effects for good measure. The one good thing that Land did do: He drew Spider-Ock with a really thick neck and a fat head, which is a nice nod to the fact that it’s Otto (not Peter) inhabiting Spider-Man’s body… Even though I have to wonder if I’m crediting Land for doing something completely unintentional? Don’t worry, Land soon fucks up again. His Monica Rambeau no longer looks like she has for the last 30 years or so… Now she looks like a white porn model who’s purchased a bad all-over spray tan.
There is no reason to buy this worthless piece of shit. If you do, I can only assume you’re suffering from some kind of disastrous mental illness. - Locusmortis
Savage Wolverine #8
Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Joe Madureira
Colorist: Peter Steigerwald
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
20 pages, $3.99
Sometime I feel as if I don’t have the strength to review comics.
Let me get this clear: Taxes in France have hit an all-time high. The Baker at the end of my street still never gives me my change. Hell, the streets are already cold in Paris too– with Fall’s reach creeping further into Summer’s waning carefree nature. As the trees slowly undress themselves and the women pile on more and more garments, I couldn’t find any lemon-flavored shampoo at the store either– having to forgo my favorite for the apple flavored one. My heart hasn’t been broken for years… And there’s still almost two months to wait for the next Doctor Who installment.
In a nutshell… My life is a WRECK!
I’m starved for love, butterflies in the air, natural warmth and good TV shows! I need positive things in my life. I do NOT need Savage Wolverine #8. Too bad for me I guess… As this heavy heap of shite is all I have, making me more desperate than ever. C’est la vie.
For the incredulous readers who don’t want to take my word at face value (yet), please believe me… I’m not exaggerating. This is an awful comic. Half of the dialogue consists of “grraargk’s” and “wwrjmdk’s”. The story is dumb as hell, as it consists of one nonsensical fight sequence after another. Logan spares some monster’s life and gets released from a villain’s jail for it… Kingpin kills his zombified wife– and that’s it. In the middle of all this crap, I get assailed with some putrid moralistic bullshit from undead villains.
As for the art, there’s just no word to describe this travesty. I honestly believe it was drawn out of excrement, decomposed rats’ bowels and dead children’s foul blood. I gagged when I started digesting this monstrous poop. After this horrible mess (I almost couldn’t finish reading it, by the way), I’m off. I’m going to buy more Xanax and get drunk at some Polish pub. I need to forget this comic– at all cost.
For those looking for more commentary on this “comic”, I am sorry to disappoint. It’s all I can do to type my name and deliver a rating. - Simon J. O’Connor
Superior Spider-Man #18
Writer: Dan Slott
Artists: Ryan Stegman, John Livesay
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
20 pages, $3.99
Today I’m going to take a positive outlook on Superior Spider-Man. Don’t get me wrong, though… I still loathe the book’s main conceit and it deserves all the “Zero Star” ratings in the world. My new rating approach can best be described as such: When something has been certified to be crap forevermore, you now must assess it using the Shitty Comics Scale™ if you’re even going to attempt to review it. (I can’t possibly use the Well-Crafted Comic Scale™– aka the IMJ Scale of Truth™.)
Hence what follows in my very opinionated review…
The redeeming quality of this book– once you’ve accepted its glaring and permanent flaws– is that it can be entertaining. I didn’t catch myself yawning or looking at my watch while reading this issue, and that’s rare enough to be noted. The story is engaging and promises a big payoff. There seems to be many surprises along the way, and I find my attention is definitely engaged.
Dan Slott’s “writing” and “pacing” are still among the worst I’ve encountered… With the characters often hesitating and wavering between different options. I don’t see this as a creative choice by Slott, but rather a sign he doesn’t know how to inject any type of decent rhythm into his stories.
Every single line in this comic is mean-spirited, bitchy and kind of childish… As if Slott seems to possess little or no discernible maturity in his public life. (That can’t be true, can it?) I came to my opinions after reading his many public interviews and such… And I will never forget that moment in December 2010 when he told a CBR poster to, “Go fuck yourself” just because the person questioned his motives behind why he was writing Spider-Man. This belligerent attitude seems to infect every aspect of Slott’s stories too– from his shallow characterizations to his shabby, immature dialogue. In short, the creator seems to approach the writing of Superior Spider-Man defensively, rather than creatively.
You’ve also got to despise the lack of depth and overall one-dimensional take on Slott’s execrable main character, SpOck. It’s been 18 issues, but Spider-Man still addresses Mary Jane as “woman” and acts like the biggest jerk– even getting himself fired for it. If Doc Ock has such a “superior” mind, wouldn’t he be smart enough to eventually understand that the key to successfully manipulating people comes with adopting a pleasant and likeable attitude? All successful politicians learned this trick a long time ago, but somehow Octopus can’t? Come on now…
With those opinions off my chest, I really enjoyed Ryan Stegman’s art. It’s kinetic, extremely detailed, clever and enticing. It’s been a long time since I had fun looking at a Spider-Man comic… So I’m grateful to Stegman for making this book a visual treat. All in all, this is still a heavily “Zero Star” comic. But using the Shitty Comics Scale™ (also known as IGN/CBR Method of Brown Nose Reviewing) here comes some mercy, ratings-wise.
You’re welcome Dan. - Simon J. O’Connor
Detective Comics #23.2
Harley Lives
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Neil Googe
Colorist: Wil Quintana
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
20 pages, $2.99
I recently reviewed Matt Kindt’s amazingly wonderful Mind MGMT– which deals with the idea of powers, the mind and memories. With Detective Comics #23.2, I get more of the same… Well, it might not be exactly the same, but fairly similar. Lucky for me, it is a relatively good look into Harley Quinn.
I was, and still am, against this whole Villain Month nonsense. It was nice to only have to pay the $2.99 for my digital copy instead of getting roped into the stupid 3D garbage DC is trying to force on fans. Even with an asinine gimmick like this, it’s good to see some good comics come out of this Forever Evil crossover crap. But even though I enjoyed Kindt’s interesting take on Quinn, I’m glad it’s only for one issue. I don’t think I would enjoy something like this month after month.
There is a lot of inner dialogue throughout this pamphlet. The pages are littered with caption box after caption box. The interesting part comes with how Kindt breaks down Harley’s thoughts and actions as she becomes the character we all know… Making Detective Comics #23.2 another Harley Quinn origin story.
I really enjoy the way Kindt delves into his characters’ minds. He doesn’t make the exploration overly heavy, but he will make you think. In this case, he essentially lifts Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan’s take on the Joker and shows how well it also works with the mind of Harleen (before she becomes Harley). There’s a very interesting sequence where Harley questions whether she was actually a doctor at Arkham Asylum, or if all that was just part of some convoluted reality her brain made up to cope with her being a patient. Like I said– very intriguing!
Given the first few pages, I was not a fan of the work by artist Neil Googe and colorist Wil Quintana… It took about 5 pages until I started to see how well their styles worked with the story. The artwork represents the clean line of simplicity that runs through Harley Quinn’s story, now that she’s connected to criminal masterminds like The Joker.
Weirdly, I did not enjoy the last page. Two things threw me here: 1) Harley ends her story with one line about Love… And there sits Deadshot. Seems like a weird coupling if this is to be taken as foreshadowing. The last page also states the story will be continued in Suicide Squad #24. I thought these Villain Month titles were supposed to be extra little stories for the fans– not preludes to other stories continuing in the regular titles.
Now I’m left wondering what surprises lay in store for regular Suicide Squad readers in Issue #24. Will the writer of Suicide Squad recap what happened in this comic… Or will fans who skipped this have no clue what’s going on in the coming book? Also, why is Harley featured as a villain in Detective Comics– when the book tells me the story will continue in Suicide Squad? As usual with DC’s New 52, there seems to be little rhyme nor reason to the Editorial choices made here. - Nick Furi
Captain America #11
A Fire in the Rain
Writer: Rick Remender
Artists: Carlos Pachecho, Klaus Janson
Colorist: Dean White
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
20 pages, $3.99
I get that a title called Captain America has the right to express its love for the good ol’ U.S. of A., but going all patriotic shouldn’t give writer Rick Remender license to dump a huge load of boring clichés on comic fans just for the heck of it.
Here’s something you’ve “never” read on Inveterate Media Junkies: Nothing happens in this book. It is quintessential filler, a way to wrap up the ten previous issues which formed the completed Dimension Z story arc. Remender mostly uses his lack of storyline to make some cultural points. It’s not a sound idea to begin with, but failing to provide anything smart or subtle while doing it certainly doesn’t do this comic any favors.
Steve Rogers’ symbolic gesture of burning his earthly possessions (mostly souvenirs from WWII) is trusted to embody the imperishable optimism of the United States. What an old tune. Don’t get me wrong– despite being European, I believe it… I strongly believe the American people are a beacon of hope that can overcome any disaster Nature or History can throw at them. But that doesn’t mean Remender can harp on this for pages and pages and still deliver a smart comic book. The undying spirit of the New World is a definite truth for this reviewer, but it’s also a tired cliché. I can’t forgive it– especially when Remender unloads the obnoxious flashback to Rogers’ dying mother and her spirited speech about how he must go on despite everything. Drawing parallels this dull should be forbidden by International Law.
Unfortunately, something even more painful comes up. We’re shown, somewhere in Eastern Europe, a G.I.-looking asshole addressing distraught citizens this way, “They call what happened here a defeat for the U.S. But America doesn’t lose. We finish what we start. We clean our own dishes. And we don’t lose wars.” Then the G.I. opens fire on the unarmed civilians and kills them all. Should I really comment on this? (I think we’re past that now.)
Lately President Obama seems to be trying his best to start an awful, unjustified war in Syria… And France’s current President– François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande– is backing him up like the little motherfucking warmonger this useless wanna-be dictator is. (I promise to get back to the subject of President Hollande one day). I hate that two great countries are defiling their ideals and their people with such contemptible endeavors. It makes me sad and physically ill. Well, guess what? I don’t want to read the same kind of shit in my comics either… Especially with the lack of care and subtlety Remender displays here. He spells out his themes as if his readers are idiots, and I creatively despise him for that.
The art by Carlos Pachecho and Klaus Janson is neat and detailed– immersing us in a lively, inhabited world. The colors are also tremendously vibrant and engaging. Depending on the era or the place, Dean White changes his palette and tries out different color techniques. It’s very tactful and smart. This comic is profoundly gorgeous and mellow to look at, and I would be highly interested in seeing what this artistic team could do on a well-written story.
I love “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”. I’ve lived there. I might even come back and settle there one day. Fortunately, reading Remender’s patriotic bullshit isn’t a civic requirement. - Simon J. O’Connor
Avengers #19
Building Towards Collapse
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
21 pages, $3.99
Let me be straight with you: I have no idea why anything in Avengers #19 is happening. Not that this particular issue’s contents were unusually difficult to understand or follow. It’s just this new intergalactic crisis doesn’t fully make sense.
The story recap page was not the least bit helpful. If anything, I was more confused by the recap then anything else in the entire book. And I honestly couldn’t tell if the recap images were newly drawn or if