|
This week's digest: DC VERSUS MARVEL/MARVEL VERSUS DC #4 DC VERSUS MARVEL/MARVEL VERSUS DC Writer: Peter David (with thanks to Ron Marz, presumably for making
him work so hard) Here's what I thought... Nice cleanup job. But I didn't doubt Peter would be able to savage this title from the ravages of #3. He starts smartly - the Amalgam universe still exists, and Super-Soldier has teamed up with Dark Claw, in a nice twist on WORLD'S FINEST, to defeat Hyena. We then cut from this and other "meaningless skirmishes" (I love this remark) to Alex-cum-Access and his mentor Morty. Which I like - in order for this to work, it should be Access' story in large part. We see Alex finally gain control of the Access power, the shard of multiversal consciousness that allows him to jump between universes (setting up, naturally, future crossovers and other Access Adventures). We also learn that Morty was wrong about the Transformer-like cosmic brothers (=sigh= it's never "sisters," is it?) causing the Amalgam universe - seems that was the doing of the Cosmic Tribunal and the Spectre, apparently against the brothers' will. Uh-oh. After Alex banishes Hyena away with a wave of his power (also a handy thing to remember in case there ever are Access Adventures), he reveals to the World's Finest that they and the other Amalgamated heroes are the archetypes who carry within them the other reality-shards - which he now plucks to give to CT and the Spectre to power them up in their struggle. When the sparks clear, Captain America and Batman remain. Other heroes are displaced and dispersed, and we start to catch up with some of them. We briefly cut to the Hulk and Superman vanquishing the Mole Men - a definite giggler of a scene all the way through. And a good breather before plunging back into the cosmic to watch the brothers fight. Not bad at all, especially as I don't care much for Castellini. At least he keeps his balloon-women mostly in far-shot in the next couple scenes, as we see the Kingpin dis Jameson and White (very funny panel, with the two grizzled editors looking almost exactly alike) then then get his comeuppance by Superboy and Spidey (who mopes as Lois gives him the female gaze). Then it's one perfect panel of Robin and Jubilee that, for some reason, took five pages for Marz to explain last issue <g>, then we go to various other fights for four more pages, which I mostly tuned out (but at least the heroes are fighting the villains this time). Except for Diana handing Thor's hammer back to him, which was precious. Batman and Cap, who wanted to stop the nonsense most in #3, are taken by Access to the heart of the cosmic storm, as everyone else stops what they're doing to watch "the universe hemorrhage" - nice description (I think most writers would have gone for "sky bleeding" but that's not nearly evocative enough for this level), but would it have killed the editors to use two "r"s? :) The reaction of Thanos to this turn of events is unexpected and spot-on. And Batman and Cap fail. But in their failure, they succeed. Because they allow each brother to see the wonders the other has wrought, instead of jealously sniping for market share-- er, I mean, control. And they "come to the slow realization that they who encompass the whole of reality have become smaller than the smallest of their components." A fitting metaphor for today's state of the industry, where the only sure thing is that the creations will outlast the creators, and maybe even the companies themselves. We even get a couple pages of epilogue, in which we see major characters who actually appear to be thinking and considering their state of existence, rather than merely posing. Again, nicely done by Jurgens, and I hope this particular effect - that each universe is now aware, beyond any doubt, of the existence of the other - lasts indefinitely. This book left me with a very satisfied feeling. David's dialogue is clever and appropriate and concise, and everything that needed to be wrapped up was. So, what did y'all think? STARMAN #18 Writer: James Robinson Here's what I thought... These comparatively quiet little tales are going to give me a lot of background into the Golden Age. My knowledge of DC history is deficient enough that I appreciate having the blanks filled in for me, but solid enough that I realize what Robinson's doing - giving us new background for old characters. Adding to the mythos in order to celebrate it. And I get the feeling this is only the first of many such stories. This issue deals with the first encounter Ted Knight had with the Mist. It sets up their characters, the way Knight deals with the police and Mist with his henchmen, the repurcussions of this initial clash (Starman showing the supporting characters the Mist's lair - the same characters who were killed years later by the Mist's daughter, the new Mist, thereby bringing that plot full circle), and the importance of the Shade in narrating all this (the Shade being, presumably, Robinson's voice). And the Shade is just dispassionate enough, involved in Opal's history yet seeking to set himself above the fray, that he makes a terrific framing device for this kind of story. Although I'm not a fan of detective stories (mostly because I'm too dense to puzzle out the plots), I applaud Robinson's homage to them as pleasant alternatives to cosmic powers and fisticuffs (although we see, ironically, that Ted Knight is indeed possessed of both to some degree). I like his choice of guest artist, as it lurches us out of the present-day feel of Harris' work (compare the inside art with Harris' cover). I like Watkiss' use of angles too. A pleasant read - nothing I'd shout to the rafters about, but a good change of pace. So, what did y'all think? THE POWER OF SHAZAM! #14 Writer: Jerry Ordway Here's what I thought... Hey, it's Gil Kane, go wrong. :) I love Kane's anatomical construction. Figures are idealized, but never really exaggerated; attractive without looking exploitative. And he does a great Uncle Dudley and Tawky Tawny! The story was a little confusing on the first read, though it straightened itself out in my head when I went over it again. Freddy encounters, and saves (a few times), a woman who calls herself Chained Lightning but turns out to be just a crazy-mixed-up metakid (her body "absorbs electrical current through the air" - nice work if you can get it) with a multiple personality to boot. So you're never sure when she's lying, whether she really wants to kill herself, why she's being chased (well, she has a thought balloon about being wanted for murder, so we can surmise one of her personalities isn't very nice) - and nothing is really resolved except that Freddy manages to get her to STAR Labs for help. Let's hope she gets better doctors than Frances Kane. :) And speaking of Kane - lookit. Even when she's nekkid, she's not sleazy-nekkid. I love this. Great costume, too. I want to see more of appearances of this character, and I'm sure Gil Kane's work is a major reason why I'm this interested. Watch a lesser artist turn her into a Badgirl - feh. Manley's inking is too heavy on Freddy's face, I think - makes him look older than he's supposed to be. But this was a hoot to read for the most part, a great stand-alone issue for anyone who wants to get the feel of Ordway's writing on this title (there's a reference to Freddy regretting the fight with CM, which is nice, and a page 22 that will continue the "main" plot, but that's about it for continuity). Recommended. So, what did y'all think? NEW GODS #7 Writer: Rachel Pollack Here's what I thought... I was hoping the artist switch from Ross to Raffaele would help make the New Genesis women look a little less slutty, but I guess that was expecting too much. On panel 4 of the first page, Highfather calls Atinai "daughter." I must imagine this was a somewhat unexpected to many, and since Rachel and I correspond I figured I'd give you some information she passed on after reading my review of last issue: "Your point is well taken about the characters not being introduced properly. I'll try to keep track of that more. My idea is to allow them to be mysterious for awhile and then reveal more about them. Part of the problem, however, is that there always seems to be so much action to get in, leaving little room for character development... I will let you in on some of the stuff that won't get into this series. Atinai (the name derives from the Greek prononciation of Athena, the Goddess of the city) is actually the daughter of Izaya -- and Herrae. She is part of the reason for their ancient falling out. Herrae was Izaya's lover at the beginning of the New Gods, before Izaya married Avia. Atinai was Atinai the Pure, when she walked on the surface with her mother, but then her father urged her to become Atinai the Builder, thereby stealing her allegiance. My longterm plans included Atinai and Orion becoming lovers." This really adds to my understanding of the first couple pages, except I still don't get how Izaya lets Atinai walk around with hardly any clothes on. Then again, every time Mira Sorvino walks up to the podium at one of those awards shows and I just know Paul's in the audience, I mutter the same thing - "you let your father see you wearing that?" But I digress. This issue does much to establish Atinai's credibility (when that cred isn't totally sabotaged by the art) as a formidable goddess as well as a pure-hearted emissary. Astride an owl's wings (great touch), she tries, and fails, to stop a fight between two NG denizens (a gold-armored man and silver- armored woman with =sigh= balloon breasts and huge nipples carved into the breastplate). She sighs (hugely-nippled again, I fear) to Highfather that there must be some other way to stop the madness than by building the asylum-for-gods that he's ordered - he sadly admits there isn't. Of coures, the most poignant of this is that his arrogance, the same arrogance that allows him to continue co-opting Atinai's talents, can't think of another way around the situation. It traps him as surely as the taint of the Source traps the other gods of the Celestial City. Darkseid, meanwhile, is trapped no longer, having sprung full-blown from the side of Orion. A grisly sight to behold (and Raffaele does it well - he only seems to have problems with NG women) - and Darkseid's restoration of Orion on pp. 10-11 is, I think, handled brilliantly. These are very cool concepts with which to play - the father siring the son, the son then dying in "birthing" the father, who in turn revives the son but marks him, sneering, "You will always know that within you lies the monster, the source of the beast." Great stuff. But lest we forget, Darkseid reminds DeSaad (and us) that "I have seen not only the Source, but what lies beyond it... I have fulfilled my goals too well." His initial quest having been accomplished, the knowledge gained puts Darkseid on a new, vastly more unpredictable, level. He Boom-Tubes Orion back to New Genesis, where we see a couple pages of the promised Orion-Lightray battle. He then Booms to NG himself, but it's too late - Highfather, on the advice of the oracle K'Zandr, has sealed himself in Atinai's newly-built asylum. And all Darkseid can do is snarl about truth and lies and cowardice. A very nice set-up preparatory to presenting John Byrne with a clean slate in five issues. And Ross acquits himself well with a pinup of Darkseid and the major Apokaliptian villains - he even draws Granny Goodness well. I could wish for Furies - hell, I could always wish for Furies - but he'd prolly muck 'em up, so I guess it's best he's left well enough alone here. And I find myself really liking this title more and more under Pollack's solo direction. Next issue's guest artist is Dean Zachary - wonder if he'll sabotage the story too. No no, I'm going to be hopeful here. Also next issue, Paul Kupperberg takes over editing, as Wootinie and Rob Simpson move into DC Licensed Publishing, so this should afford a smooth transition to Byrne as well. Of course, given that Kupps will soon be editing and/or half the DC Universe output, from the looks of it, it'll be a wonder he doesn't collapse from exhaustion, but more power to him... So, what did y'all think? HAWKMAN #31 Writer: Christopher Priest Here's what I thought... I didn't get into this title too much under Bill Loebs (although I loved Lieber's pencils), but I like to support Priest's work - after all, he's Da Man as far as I'm concerned. I make no excuses for my bias. I like the way he crafts a story. He makes me interested in the characters, and I know he'll always explain to me what's going on. Plus, he's brought John Jones into this. I like what Priest does with the Martian Manhunter, and I was curious to see what he'd do with the Jones identity. Aside from a "wink" in one panel where Jones explains his sudden appearance as "an old parlor trick," nobody but Katar seems to suspect his true identity (if J'Onn even has such a thing any more). Mostly what Jones does is watch, and we see how keenly aware Katar is that he's being observed, even as he observes back (and we observe him in turn through his first-person narration, which Priest hates but still does well, possibly because it's first-person-plural narration). The reason for this is that there's a serial killer on the loose, cutting out his victims' tongues. Ewww. Also very Thanagarian. And done with, we find out at this issue's end, a Thanagarian weapon. Ain't too many suspects around, and I tend to highly doubt Shayera's involved. A nice, gripping, tense story, good seamless exposition (including the immediate introduction of all three female supporting characters in the second panel of page 9 and a brief synopsis of Hawkman's origin in one panel on page 10), and Porter's work supports the action and mood most of the time. I still can't get over some of his peculiar angles (check out the first panel of page 18, this is becoming so patented Porter), but for the most part I think he does a fine job. What is it with Priest and copters, though? Something you wanna tell us, Jim? (Although, speaking of angles, I really like the "tilt" of the first panel on page 15.) But I think the page that threw me the most, that really blew me away, was page 16, in the church, and Katar's strange explanation for his hesitation on the page following: "We are a legion of screaming souls locked in a life-or-death struggle for control. And, for a moment - for just a moment - we found peace. A balm for our misery." Never having been Christian, and being rather irreligious on the whole, I'm sure I didn't get as much out of this as others, but I thought it was really nicely done. Looking forward to seeing how Katar resolves his inner and outer struggles. Recommended. So, what did y'all think? I usually don't review anthology titles, but I really liked two out of the three stories herein, so I thought I'd give them a mention. Here's what I thought... "The Devil's Own" Writer: Brian Augustyn FIREBRAND's only through three issues, and I have yet to really take that much of a shine to the character, but this tale went a long way towards swaying me in favor of Brian's storytelling. A bit text-heavy on the first page, but I didn't feel all that bogged down, and what's not to like about lines like "He slammed into me like the 8:15 out of Larchmont" (er, unless you're not terribly fond of train wrecks, I suppose)? The "heroes fighting each other before they team up" part is mercifully short, and I think Firebrand and the Guardian make a nice double bill. It's eminently sensible to pair two characters who aver such a strong affinity towards children. And the villain's kept appropriately mysterious and silhouetted until he's revealed to be a teengeek serving "Dark Lords" who "sent me all their secrets over the Internet!" BWAAAAHAHAHA! Wow, it's Elmo! :) Nice touches here and there, more solidification of Firebrand's motivations, good dialogue between the two heroes, and I must say tremendous coloring by Grafe, really vibrant. A fun, satisfying read. "Day & Night, Night & Bright" Writer: James Robinson The Shade meets Dr. Fate in another Robinson tale set in the Golden Age (this seems to be his month for them). I found Smith's vague pencils and heavy inks a bit dark for my tastes, especially considering the paper quality, but I read mainly for story anyway. We learn of Shade's origin, we get a certain feeling of mutual respect between him and Kent Nelson (they both know things concerning the other that seem to engender this respect), and we're knee-deep into an interesting mystery by the time this first part ends. I'm hooked on the title to at least see how the story comes out. "Street of Dreams" Writer: Jim Higgins Don't know that I'd even bother with this, were I you. It's Forced- Rhyming Etrigan - perhaps amusing as an action figure, but not nearly as entertaining in a nine-page story whose main theme appears to be that Jason Blood and the Demon have a relationship similar to a strained marriage. I wasn't impressed. So, what did y'all think? CAPTAIN AMERICA #451 Writer: Mark Waid Here's what I thought... We begin with a nice through-the-years 5-panel summary of Cap in action. I knew the Kirby panel, and my husband guessed the first three right as it turned out, but when I'm in doubt I always go to the source. Here's what Mark had to say about this page: "The first panel is a Kirby shot from AVENGERS #4. The second is a Jim Steranko shot from CAP #113. Third is a Zeck panel from I-don't-know-where. I have no idea where they found the fourth shot. (While I suggested one, two and five, I told the assistant editor to check w/Gruenwald for classic shots to use for three and four.) And the fifth panel is from a Frank Miller story in MARVEL FANFARE." Just for those of you who keep score about such things. :) Thanks, Mark. I found Sharon Carter's internal monologue/exposition on page 2 a bit forced - clever lines that seemed to belong more in third-person narrative than in first-person thought balloons. Not even I would begin a thought to myself with "Would that..." Well, not every day, at any rate. Sharon's words may seem a bit off to this reader, but her heart is sure in the right place. She's gone and bought Steve a replacement costume - awww. Seems right - he's been in uniform so long he must feel naked without one, and she's gotten him some nice tight spandex that looks similar enough to his old duds to afford him a comfort factor. She also brought back a "charged cool-temp plasma field" from some character named the Rat, and I don't think I wanna know. Rogers tries it on, and concludes, "A... shield?" Yep, pretty much. Meanwhile, Machinesmith decides to sic his goons on Rogers. Lovely... On the train to Moldavia, Sharon and Steve come up with a hypothesis on how Machinesmith knows about the Argus weapon. They don't have much time speculate, though, before they're attacked. Steve's knocked off the train and Sharon's hung from the window, heading into a tunnel. Somehow Steve changes into his new uniform real quickly and saves the day. More battling, guys plunging to their apparent deaths as the train crosses a bridge (big month for that scene too), and Rogers and Carter escape to a nearby US Air Force base. Good thing it's still operational what with all these budget cuts. They battle their way through American soldiers (oy) and swipe an F-15. "You sure are a lousy influence," Steve observes to Sharon (I love that line!) as he sets course for Moldavia. His decision - become the Argus' target, thereby ascertaining the weapon's whereabouts. All well and good, except... doesn't this mean they'll get blown up? Uh, yeah. To be continued. I sure hope so. It's like a big ol' James Bond movie. Nice bit of mind candy, nothing to take real seriously. And a female "costar" who holds her own. Fun. So, what did y'all think? CHIAROSCURO: The Private Lives of Leonardo
DaVinci Writers: David Rawson and Pat McGreal Here's what I thought... Co-author Dave Rawson suggests reading this in collected form, all ten issues back-to-back. Would that I, and many others, had the time. I think it's a good idea, though, but for now I'll just concentrate on reviewing the ending to this wondrous saga. You know everyone's gonna die in the end, 'cause hey, they all did. :) But this story isn't about death as much as it is about life and what survives after we're gone. In a way, I got a bit more out of the text synopsis at the end of the book - but please don't read it before you read the story, it's meant to supplement the storytelling, not supplant it. In a way, surviving into the ages, beyond your own lifespan, is similar to flying. The Greek myths are full of stories featuring heroic characters who gained glory and reward from the gods by becoming heavenly constellations. Of course, the Greeks also told of the myth of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun on wings created by his father and wound up plummeting to his death, presumably for daring to co-opt the gods' realm without their permission. On the other hand, the story of Icarus survives to this day, and was certainly the inspiration for Leonardo's contraption, to which we see him hook up Salai in 1506, on the last day the two were together. Salai's letter to Leonardo details the particulars of that flight - and of the fight that preceded it, as Salai rips his maestro apart for thinking of him as nothing more than another unfinished work of art. Brilliant scene; true, yet false at the same time, as much of Salai's words are. Leonardo, for reasons we have seen throughout this series, dreams of giving Salai the life he could never have himself ("you are the life of me" he says to him on one page in this issue). Salai, for whatever reason, could never aspire to Leonardo's vision - not only because he didn't particularly share it (he never seemed to rise above thinking of himself as low-born), but because he wasn't Leonardo, nor should he be, and Leonardo never gave Salai a chance to complete himself. Also, perhaps Salai entrusted Leonardo with too much of himself to be able to take any initiative at self-completion. In fact, he argues here, "Why didn't you finish me?" (I like the double meaning of the word "finish" here - we could take this to mean death as well, and indeed there is indication that Salai was violently "finished" in 1524.) He never quite understood that it wasn't up to Leonardo to finish him. But he did fly using Leonardo's contraption, and (until he lost control and tumbled) he loved it. He didn't give Leonardo the satisfaction of seeing this dream for Salai realized until the maestro was on his deathbed - but the fact that he did write the letter indicates that perhaps Salai found a way to complete himself, to earn his place in heaven (and I love the idea of Leonardo's St. Peter being modeled on Salai too) and his angelic wings after all. Of course, the worst consequence of living as an extension of someone else's dream is that there's no guarantee you'll survive into eternity even if your maestro does. The conjecture that all references to Salai in Leonardo's notes might have been burned in a fit of jealousy is certainly plausible, although I would count it equally possible that certain things may have been suppressed and destroyed by, say, religious institutions considering talk of these matters inappropriate. However, what's left certainly is intriguing enough to serve as a fascinating basis for this great 10-issue series, which I can't recommend enough. So, what did y'all think? HELLBLAZER #100 Writer: Paul Jenkins Here's what I thought... Another solid single-issue story by Jenkins & co. that delves a bit more into John Constantine's personal history. This sort of thing is very appreciated by me, as I haven't been reading HELLBLAZER from the very beginning, and I would imagine that, amongst all the twists and turns this title has taken through various creative teams, a lot of the basics have gotten lost in the confusion. To say that Constantine's upbringing was dysfunctional is to put it mildly. Gah - has no Vertigo character ever had a semblance of a happy childhood? And sometimes I think Jenkins, John Ney Rieber and Marc DeMatteis ought to just get together for a "Vertigo father-son conflict" one-shot and have it over and done with. I've never been a son, I will never be a father, and this particular familial examination seems so done to death in literature throughout the ages that I'm hard-pressed to enjoy it any more. That said, I appreciated (rather than enjoyed) this book for the revelations that it gives us about John, the ambiguities it presents (we never do figure out why John's "nightmare" almost causes him to die, or whether it's more or less real than his waking self - these sorts of unanswered questions are a given in Constantine's world), and the sense of closure and hope it offers. If John's guilt over his mother's death was the only thing keeping John in thrall, then Thomas' admission of having caused the death (from forcing her to undergo a botched second-trimester "back alley" abortion, which killed John's twin in the womb - if I remember any of my Constantine history correctly, he's always believed he strangled his twin while they were both foeti - and led to her death due to childbirth complications) should free John from the devil's thrall, right? At least, that's the way it seems from how John tells the evil one off at the end of his personal journey. He has to go through a lot to regain this measure of personal control - and he cracks a few times during the process, which he knows is dangerous - but he makes it very clear that the devil can't get to him any more in this manner. I think this indicates he's grown tremendously. And the fact that he can stand there and say to his father "I forgive you" - whether he means it or not - then add "It's not my fault you're here-- this is where you belong" - God, that's great. This is so much more courageous than what DeMatteis has done with Irwin in SEEKERS, and much more satisfying literarily - you hurt people, you pay. You don't deserve forgiveness, you have no right to ask it of those you've abused and victimized, and whether they choose to give it or not is their decision. It's not John saying, "I forgive you" that rescues him from hell, it's the realization that he's not at fault for his father's actions, and the devil can't trick him into feeling that guilt any more. The only question I keep asking is, why would the evil one want to put John through this soul-cleansing? Did he truly expect to trap John by showing him revelations that exonerate him? Perhaps John with a purer, guilt-free soul would be a more delicious catch in the end, should he fall back on old habits (as the devil and others seem to think he will)? This is never really explained, nor should it be - God isn't the only one who works in mysterious ways. A nice think-piece, and again, I can't emphasize how pleased I am by Paul's decision to do some one-shots. I look forward to more. So, what did y'all think? NEXUS Preview Issues [Thanks to Jamie Rich for sending me and Steve some of this Nexus preview material! I'm completely unfamiliar with the character, so this should be an interesting review. Jamie, feel free to excerpt as you will for your letters columns.] NEXUS: EXECUTIONER'S SONG #s 1 and 2 Writer: Mike Baron Here's what I thought... Okay, near as I can figure out Nexus' real name is Horatio Hellpop, he's got lots of cool cosmic-type powers which were given to him by a creature called a Merk, and his main mission is to execute serial killers or mass murderers, but he's deviated from that rather unfulfilling lifestyle (I mean, an eye for an eye, even an eye for a million eyes, still winds up leaving people blind) to help folks (presumably the families of the mass murderers' victims?) on a moon named Ylum build a better life for themselves. There he's all but worshipped as a savior and a liberator. It reads a lot like the Legion of Super-Heroes' Valor crossed with Green Lantern or something. In any case, I found it a lot of fun, even when dealing with serious subjects, and I may start looking for collected TPBs of other series on the strength of what I've read here. Much of this sense of fun is due to Steve "The Dude" Rude's wonderfully clean pencils - the preview of issue #2 is pre-inked (not that Gary Martin doesn't do a neat job) and pre-cleaned up, and I still marveled at how much detail Rude can get in there using his deceptively simple approach. Best of all, Sundra Peale, the main female character - yep, hero girlfriend =sigh=, but still - is drawn pleasantly and attractively but isn't exaggerated sexually or given balloon breasts or inappropriate costumes... sometimes I don't even realize what a turnoff that kind of art can be to me until I see pencils like these. They really add to the sense of women being full participants in Baron's universe - and the fact that he writes them with personalities as interesting as the men's doesn't hurt either. Issue #1 deals with a gang of unruly Martian teens who've aroused Nexus' wrath by defiling the cemetary planet whereon his parents are buried. Turns out the teengang is run by Michana Loomis, out to get revenge on Nexus for killing her father - and, not coincidentally, also "once invested with Nexus power by an insane Merk." Don't you hate when that happens? The way he outwits her and saves a bus full of hostages is very neat, and you do wind up feeling sorry for her (as does Nexus) even though her gang offed a Ralph Kramden clone (boo!). Issue #2 gets a bit more into future politics, with the premise that "in 2012 the new Soviet Union rose from the ashes of its squabbling republics" and started consolidating its empire on an interplanetary level. "By 2484, the Gulag stretched across one arm of the Web [a loose federation of planets centered on Earth] like a choke chain." This story deals with the events of 2496 and how Nexus liberates some peoples from Sov control. It's a bit Cold-War without being paranoid - it squarely places blame for the Sovs' excesses on Stalinist-type bureaucrats in the coordinator class. Some of the issue also deals with the interplanetary Olympics, a running plotline throughout EXECUTIONER'S SONG. But the main theme seems to be Horatio avenging his father's name - the father he himself killed, apparently, but who, it turns out, was framed by his fellow Sov generals. Had I more insight into Nexus' origin story I might be able to follow this better, but the point is easy to pick up on even not knowing all the facts. There are great comic and sf touches here and there - a new animal species, consisting of a combination of moose and rhino, is on the verge of extinction, and we get to see the entrance of the Ylum wildlife preserve that bears more than a passing resemblance to Jurassic Park. Devices like mind-transfer are employed as plot devices but not overused, and the characters' personalities, what they discover about each other through dialogue, is always paramount. Writers: Mike Baron and Mike Allred Here's what I thought... Now, see, *this* one, on the other hand, had me totally baffled, because I don't follow MADMAN either. Horatio and Sundra, as little as I know about them from the EC previews, still seem kind of out of character here. There's lots of fourth-wall breaking and in-jokes and 20th century pop culture references and the whole thing reads like a roller coaster ride - which makes the setting rather unnecessary, as much of it takes place in a Ylum amusement park. Rather redundant. Anyway, it's pure eye candy, turn-off-your-brain stuff, and much appreciated on that level. I gather if you like either character, you'll have fun with this one (and yes, Madman fans, Joe appears here too). Very Silver Agey. So, look for all this to be published soon (when, Jamie, when?), and let me know what y'all think! RAGMOP #5 by Rob Walton (published bimonthly by Planet Lucy Press) Here's what I thought... If you're looking for a plot synopsis or analysis, buddy, you've come to the wrong place. How to explain RAGMOP... the husky running from the evil Nord thinking "mustn't let the apples drop"... the evil military/ industrial complex (hsssssss...)... the dinosaurs out of their time but into pop culture references at the drop of a duck... Alice, badgirl gone good with way too much sense to be in her situation, whatever that is... and the evil Cardinal Assassini! Aaaaaaagh! Oh, and the Pope without pants. Did I mention that? Well, I did now. And Alice the dinos are about to crash into the sun - oops. I can't think of any other comic that skewers religious and political megalomaniacs and takes on social mores with better humor than this one. I find it screamingly funny, and giggle uncontrollably while reading it. The only thing I found less than excellent about this issue was Walton's somewhat dry continuing history of Adam Smith, because economics always makes my eyes glaze over, but I think a lot of folks will find it fascinating and informative in any case. Buy this comic. It's friggin' brilliant. So, what did y'all think? WOLFF & BYRD: COUNSELORS OF THE
MACABRE #10 Writer/Artist: Batton Lash Here's what I thought... Batton does a couple interesting things this issue besides advancing the overall plot (Alanna's and Jeff's personal lives) a bit here and there. He rather successfully parodies romance titles, and he manages a nice think piece about abortion, a touchy subject at best. The hypothetical situation set up here is a woman, through no consent nor fault of her own, being impregnated with the seed of Lucifer hisself (basically, her husband made the deal, selling his soul so that she might become pregnant). She's from a God-fearing, staunchly anti-abortion community, she wants a child desperately (I hear ya, Rosemary), but obviously she doesn't want to bear the spawn of Satan. Only in the context of this type of comic (with Batton's deft touch of humor and irony) could this issue be handled with such aplomb. I won't spoil the outcome of the trial - in which the devil is indeed summoned to take the stand - for you, but I will say that Batton certainly takes a definite side on the issue, even while allowing all parties to have their say, and I appreciated the resolution. I don't know that it was even-handed necessarily, but I don't think it was terribly unfair either. Your mileage may vary. In fact, what did y'all think? by M'Oak (Mark Oakley) (Published bimonthly by I Box Publishing) Here's what I thought... Congrats to M'Oak who, like Batton Lash of WOLFF & BYRD fame, has made it into double digits in independent publishing this week! This issue is somewhat of a departure for M'Oak, in that only pages 2 and 3 consist of mostly text surrounded by a single frame (and very funny text, at that), and the rest of captionless art, then quiet dialogue between Rubel and his demon friend, then a couple more pages of art without dialogue or captions... a very interesting pace. And it works well - this is the most plot advanced in awhile. Rubel manages to escape from the palace, more through luck and a few slapstick-type moves than anything else (no no, I concede, it's his skill as a Thief <g>), and takes refuge in an alley, still bleeding from the wound inflicted upon him by the Shadow Lady. He and the demon (gah, I can't remember I've forgotten the li'l fella's name, and pooh on M'Oak for not having Rubel use it even once this issue) discuss how to remove the magic-poisoned arrow, and what to do if the Shadow Lady comes for him. They formulate an admittedly weak plan, half a plan really (but at least Rubel, and through him M'Oak, reminds us that there are three things in the world that can make the Shadow Lady Bleed, and Rubel has one of them - a lock of Princess Katara's hair), and Rubel finally steels himself and pulls the arrow out... ...only to lapse into unconsciousness and find himself in a magical maze/garden, dressed very fancy and face-to-face with-- Well, we don't know. That's where the issue ends. Great cliffhanger. And incredible art, as usual. Really spot-on stuff, lots of movement, lots of plot advancement this time. Feels like things have picked up speed for the better. I hope M'Oak can keep up this pace. So, what did y'all think? by Scott Roberts (published monthly by Permanent Press) Word's finally getting out about PATTY CAKE, one of the bestest books for little girls (and for the rest of us) around! Patty definitely leans towards the Dennis-the-Menace end of things this issue, with the main story, "It's How You Play The Game," examining her green-eyed monster. Seems Patty has a rival, Susie McBee, and for whatever reason (and kids always seem to have good reasons, even when they can't articulate them) the two girls hate each other. They proceed to wreak havoc with Jose's new Sit-n-Spin game, and we're treated to a little of Susie's controlling personality. The last full-page panel of the story is a surprisingly serious one, and I wouldn't be surprised if it contains some foreshadowing in addition to Roberts' fondness for stippling... "The Unkindest Cut" features Patty stepping on broken glass and having to go to the doctor, leaving her sister jealous because she's getting all the attention (and there's a nice Beanworld plug in there). "How to Cheese Off Your Sister" is incredibly mean and hilarious, but I seriously doubt the hand-in-warm-water thing works for girls; I'd never even heard of that trick till my husband explained it to me. And "Under the Blade" displays Patty's usual regard for her toys when her attention span wavers, as well as showing some more warm-hearted moments with Dad. The only problem with PATTY CAKE is that it's too darn short. So, what did y'all think? by Ruben Bolling (published "just this once" by Mansion Comics) Here's what I thought... Ruben's really sick, but in a good kind of way. Not a gross-out kind of way, not a trying-too-hard-for-laughs kind of way. Just... slightly skewed. He sits there at comic conventions with Carol "Story Time" Lay and Ted "Eyes Akimbo" Rall and they all look so normal but you just know there's some serious oddness going on there... And thank goodness. TtDB collects lots of one-page strips featuring Bolling's beloved characters, including Doug, Trix O' The Trade, the daydreaming Louis, Charley the Australopithecine (damn, I want a crossover with Charley and the dinos from RAGMOP!), Sam Roland (The Detective Who Dies =snurk=) and my personal favorite, Harvey Richards: Lawyer for Children. Very fun reading, nice skewering of all the usual sacred cows, and Ruben's able to slip in and out of other art styles well enough to do some dynamite parodies. With the older guard of strip artists retiring at seemingly one a year, it's great to have folks like Ruben around to carry the torch and light a few well-placed fires with it. So, what did y'all think? THE WORLD BANK: A Tale of Power, Plunder and Resistance Writers: Alec Dubro and Mike Konopacki Here's what I thought... First of all, I'm really angry that I lost Mike's E-mail address, and apologize for not being able to include it here, but I will mention that this is funded in part by Public Services International, an international trade union secretariat representing over 20 million public employees worldwide, and you can reach them by clicking here; the comic itself can be had for three bucks U.S. plus a couple more bucks in shipping charges (the prices lower when you order in quantity) from Huck/ Konopacki Labor Cartoons, P.O. Box 1217, Madison, WI 53701. I've been following Huck/Konopacki for awhile in many progressive publications - they do dynamite and cutting labor cartoons, and when I read that Mike had come out with an entire book explaining and condemning the World Bank, I wrote to him right away for a copy so I could publicize it through a review. This book is in no way "objective" - it lays it all on the line from a very specific point of view. The thing of it is, the point of view is the one shared by the majority of the people in the "developing" countries of this world, rather than by the elites who run the institution under scrutiny, and this book is extremely careful to stick to documented facts of what happens when the Bank is allowed to run rampant over the countries it purports to assist. It delves into the history of the World Bank, even giving the founders of the "International Bank for Reconstruction and Development" at Bretton Woods in '44 the benefit of the doubt that they did mean the institution to help and not hinder. But, as with many such things, Dubro and Konopacki show how good intentions can become coopted by bureaucracy and greed and ego, and how in fact Keynes and Morgenthau and the rest actually wound up creating somewhat of a monster. The style is interesting - very cartoony characters contrasted with extremely realistically-drawn historic panels - which creates a nice jarring effect, as well as the sense that you're reading Something Educational. There are, however, glimpses of Konopacki's sarcastic wit, especially when dealing with the dark glasses worn by the Elites and their attitudes towards their underlings and employees. Nice personality caricatures, far closer to the truth than most of us would like to believe. Fehrenbach does an admirable coloring job, but I found the narrative flow a little awkward, which is understandable from someone used to working in strip format. I like the insertion of the flashback as historical background, and of course it's understandable that there's really no resolution to the plot, as we're dealing with an ongoing struggle. But as an educational tool this is highly recommended - nice stuff to consider ordering for libraries or schools. So, order one for yourself and let me know what y'all thought... [These reviews are reprinted, with permission, from the rec.arts.comics Usenet newsgroups and are copyright 1996 Elayne Wechsler-Chaput, who keeps reading great things about the upcoming Motor City Con and wishes she had the money and time to swing it, but what with saving up for Chicago and San Diego... oh heck, wouldn't hurt to call about airfares for Detroit...] |
|||