Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.

So as far as the whole GrayHaven/League thing goes, I’m still trying to figure out who’s Marvel and who is DC...

Hello boys and girls, Vroom Socko here, with the first of several new features from the TL@. While everyone else is reviewing the latest books to hit the street, I’ll be pointing out some of the quality comics that have slipped through the cracks. Here you’ll find obscure titles, books that I feel need more exposure, or comics I feel like blatantly plugging. There’s only one problem for the time being; I haven’t come up with a title for this thing. The best I could come up with was Vroom Socko’s Comics Vault, but that sucks. You know what this means?

CONTEST!!!

Send your title ideas BY CLICKING HERE, and the TL@ will pick the best one. The winner will receive a copy of the comic that gave me my name, VROOM SOCKO: PAID IN FULL by Evan Dorkin, along with whatever else I might have lying around that I deem prize worthy.

And now, on to the actual content of this post: a review of a comic most of you probably haven’t even heard of. First published fifteen years ago, this two-issue mini is an important benchmark in the validation of comics as a true literary form. Its name? VIC AND BLOOD: THE CHRONICLES OF A BOY AND HIS DOG.

Whuzzat?

A BOY AND HIS DOG, that’s whuzzat; the classic Harlan Ellison short story presented in comic form. Adapted by Ellison and illustrated by Richard Corben, VIC AND BLOOD doesn’t just retell A BOY AND HIS DOG, but also adds both a prologue and epilogue that amount to nearly half the page count. It can be assumed that these portions are an excerpt from BLOOD’S A ROVER, the as yet unpublished novel that A BOY AND HIS DOG is only a part of. I expect to see this book published around the same time as EDGEWORKS vol. 5 and THE LAST DANGEROUS VISIONS, but that’s a subject for another time.

The story should be known to most of you (and if it isn’t, there’s a book called The Essential Ellison you absolutely must read.) If not, here’s a brief description. Vic is a solo, a wanderer in a post apocalyptic Earth whose only companion is a telepathic dog called Blood. The two of them end up running into a girl who has wandered away from an underground colony, and… to say any more would venture into spoiler territory. Richard Corben creates a neat effect by having the art be grimy and gritty while the characters are on the surface, and all clean lined and neat when they are in the colony. Fortunately, there is no attempt to mimic the look of the film version. Corben displays a competent knowledge of how to draw black and white; a skill I find lacking in many artists.

This series is a benchmark, not because of the story, necessarily, but because of the writer. In 1987, it was unheard of for a writer of Harlan Ellison’s caliber to publish a comic. Ellison did this out of love for the medium, not to make a quick buck. Mad Dog Graphics is the publisher, for crying out loud. Has anyone reading this ever even heard of Mad Dog Graphics? Ellison’s love is also apparent in his later comics work, DREAM CORRIDOR from Dark Horse. What other “serious” writer would have even considered writing comics back in the mid-80’s? I know that the writers of 2002 are more than willing to work in the comic industry (just ask Buzz about the possibility of Michael Chabon writing an Escapist comic and watch him laugh with glee), but fifteen years ago the very idea that a serious writer would choose to work in comics was ridiculous. Ellison has always been a writer ahead of his time, and this comic is a prime example of why.

Question for Discussion

What mainstream author (other than the obvious choice of the aforementioned Mr. Chabon) do you think should work in comics?

DEADPOOL #67

Written by Gail Simone

Art by Udon Studios

Published by Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Cormorant

I remember a time when any comic book creation spawned from the mind of Rob Liefeld was to be avoided at all costs. That time was called Forever.

Or so I thought.

But then Alan Moore got his hands on SUPREME and made it his own, David Tischman and Igor Kordey wiped all traces of Liefeldian taint from CABLE, and Peter Milligan and Mike Allred actually replaced every single member of the team in X-FORCE, the title that once rocketed Rob to unfathomable stardom. I can only assume some sort of cosmic karma is trying to balance out Liefeld's “contributions” to the industry in the 90’s, and DEADPOOL, another Rob Liefeld original, is the latest title to be redeemed.

Well, latest title for me, anyway. Friends have informed me that DEADPOOL has had brushes with greatness several times over the years, so just consider me a Johnny-come-lately for waiting until now to give it a shot as the new creative team of Gail Simone and Udon Studios get their groove on. Actually, credit the anime-inspired art of Udon, first, because I’d never have given DEADPOOL even a browse but for the sexy, eye-catching cover guest-starring one of Marvel’s all-time classically embarrassing creations: Dazzler! In recent years, Dazzler has probably become semi-respectable and may have even had her share of non-ridiculous costumes, but Udon casts her in her classic disco look – silver jumpsuit, KISS make-up, roller-skates, and cleavage – oh, the early hormonal urges that once triggered! So dig the scan already AND CLICK HERE!! Nice, huh? I’m ashamed to admit that one of the first comics to introduce me to the Marvel Universe was DAZZLER #2, guest-starring nearly all of Marvel’s big heroes in an attempt to give the doomed series an early push. For better or worse, Dazzler’s role in introducing me to Marvel’s heroes (and of course, the cute heroines) means I’ll always have a soft spot for her.

Okay, so DEADPOOL got my attention with some shameless disco bunny T&A, but it was the writing, kids, the WRITING that really snared me! Gail Simone is relatively new to comics from what I understand, and I only know her from her tongue-in-cheek online columns, but this girl is funny as hell! I knew Deadpool was supposed to be a wise-cracking mercenary, sort of an assassin with Spider-Man’s gift for gab, but I had no idea the jokes were gonna be so endearingly warped and no idea they would come so fast and furious. I mean, we’re talking AIRPLANE levels of gag inundation, and it propels the issue forward with a manic energy. With that many jokes, some of ‘em are sure to miss (there are a few too many pop cultural references for my tastes), but the stuff that hits had me grinnin’ from ear to ear.

The premise of the issue is that Dazzler is making a comeback, riding a wave of retro-70’s nostalgia, and Deadpool is hired to protect her from some psycho who’s been sending her threatening letters.

Deadpool: “Let me guess: he hates mutants, right?”

Manager: “No. He hates disco.”

Now I don’t know how many of you have ever read the insane religious comics of legendary nutball Jack T. Chick, but Simone and Udon offer up a dead-on disco parody of one of his anti-rock ‘n’ roll strips (and here’s a real one to give you an idea how loony tunes this guy is: JUST CLICK HERE!! It’s a hilarious four panel sermon about how young Billy is driven to delinquency by the pounding beat of disco music, and then…oh no…to his death! And that’s just the smallest sample of the sheer madness of the issue. Ironically, Dazzler herself is almost played straight, but Deadpool is wise-cracking a mile-a-minute, all the more so because he’s whacked-out on a man-made virus that can’t quite overcome his mutant healing factor, but sure as hell makes him giddy.

The real star of the issue, though, is the Rhino, that old-school roughneck of a supervillain who’s usually looking to give hell to Spider-Man or the Hulk. For reasons too insane to explain, the Rhino was shrunk down in the previous issue to a few inches tall, and the virus-happy Deadpool actually drilled a hole in his horn and FREAKIN’ ATTACHED RHINO TO HIS KEYCHAIN!!! Holy God, it’s funny as all get-out, and the visual alone is worth the price of the issue! In a fit of enthusiasm I tracked down the previous issue to learn the specifics (as you should too), but it’s the interaction between a humiliated, keychained Rhino and a spaced-out Deadpool that absolutely makes the current issue. Don’t ask, just read it. If you aren’t laughing your ass off for the last several pages, send me your address and I’ll refund your money. Well, not really, because you’re gonna be laughing your ass off.

The art: I’m not the biggest fan of Udon Studios (though I liked what I saw of their work on the recent TASKMASTER miniseries), but their colorful anime style seems well-suited for the cartoony, sometimes black-humor antics of this series. What really impressed me was their knack for funny visuals, especially on the Rhino. Usually when someone gets shrunk down, they just look like a miniature version of themselves, but as if to add to the Rhino’s humiliation, Udon make him look puffy and cute in his shrunken form. Positively inspired.

Final judgment: Recommended to anyone who enjoys a little slapstick with their superheroes on occasion. Ever enjoy THE TICK or John Byrne’s SHE-HULK or JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL? This is a funnybook in the same vein. You don’t need any background on who’s who, and this issue functions just swell as a standalone. It hooked me, and I’m already looking forward to the next issue which will star the aforementioned Taskmaster. Even if you aren’t looking for a new series to read, you must seek out this issue for the Rhino material. I kid you not!

Further reading to expand (or possibly contract) your mind:

For Jack Chick’s unintentionally hilarious comic strip religious tracts: CLICK HERE!!

For Gail Simone’s legitimately hilarious column at ComicBookResources.com: CLICK HERE!!

THE FLASH #186

Geoff Johns – Writer

Scott Collins – Penciler

Doug Hazlewood – Inker

James Sinclair – Colorist

Published by DC Comics

Reviewed by Village Idiot

In the Madonna documentary TRUTH OR DARE, Kevin Costner goes backstage with his family after seeing one of Madonna’s concerts. Madonna asks him how he liked the show and Costner replies with a low-key compliment along the lines of “I thought it was neat.” After Costner leaves, Madonna mocks him for having the gall to use a word like “neat” to describe her genius.

Regardless of whether Costner was intentionally trying to damn her with faint praise, there’s a good chance that she might not have gotten so upset if he’d instead described her concert as “cool.” We live in a world where cool is generally considered to be the superior to adjective to neat in nearly every circumstance. Everybody knows cool: exciting, aloof, maybe even a little dangerous. Everybody likes cool. Think about it: would you rather have someone describe you as cool or neat?

And yet, there is still something to be said for neat. Neat is cool’s friendlier, less self-conscious, goofy little brother. Sure, neat may not be the coolest thing in the world, but it can be a lot of fun.

Which brings us now to THE FLASH #186. The great thing about Geoff John’s THE FLASH is its ability to take the neat and temper it with just the right amount of cool in a well scripted, well paced and uniquely rendered comic book. THE FLASH #186 exhibits these qualities in spades.

THE FLASH #186 is part 3 in the “Crossfire” story arc, where Flash finds himself in the middle of a power play for domination of Central and Keystone City by two separate factions of supervillains. On one side is The Network, a collection of Rogues (generic name for Flash’s villains), who have already set Central City ablaze by the beginning of #186. On the other side is the cyber-consciousness known as The Thinker (kind of a low rent Brainiac), who has turned nearly every human being in Keystone into one of his cyber-zombies.

THE FLASH #186 begins with the Network having just arrived in Keystone and discovering The Flash already assimilated by The Thinker, sitting in Rodin’s classic pose while a host of wires extend from his head. The Network proceeds to battle it out with The Thinker and his new superhero pawn. Meanwhile, two police detectives (friends of the Flash/supporting players) and very special guest villain Captain Cold (!) cross over into the burning Central City to rescue the Cyborg (not the whacked-out Superman villain, but the former Teen Titan) and assorted Central City policemen from one of the Mirror Master’s mirror traps. I don’t want to give away too much more, but suffice to say that by the end of the issue, surprises have been sprung, secrets have been revealed, and asses are poised to be kicked.

The story elements at work here are, in a word, neat. For example, writer Geoff Johns uses many of The Flash’s stable of classic villains from the past, including the Weather Wizard and Captain Cold. Compared to most villains in comics today, these guys are flat-out ludicrous. The Weather Wizard uses a “weather wand” to control the weather; Captain Cold uses a freeze gun and wears a clunky visor with slits in it. These guys are definitely not cool. And yet, for all the ridiculousness, there is still something undeniably appealing about them; an aesthetic that perhaps appeals to the part of our brain that’s still 10 years old; where things can be colorful, crazy, gimmicky, and unabashedly fun. But even beyond the villains, there’s a spirit to the storytelling that takes the neat approach without apology. Good guys are really good, cocky villains gloat with hubris, and Flash still spins his arm in a circle real fast to create a blast of air. Neat stuff.

And yet, the execution of this material is remarkably cool. Johns takes these potentially laughable elements presents them with an emotional and contextual verisimilitude (and without the near-obligatory postmodern irony) to the point where you have to take them seriously. For example, Captain Cold may have all the goofy trappings, but he’s as serious as a heart attack. He has a history to draw from, and Johns lets this give him a more realistic emotional dimension to his behavior. When Cold and the detectives enter the flaming Central City, he puts out only one fire: the statue of the Barry Allen. This small character moment plays on several levels: it’s a sophisticated gesture when one considers the different meanings, especially in light of Cold’s past mercurial relationship with The Flash. Other character dynamics in #186, including the near-final reckoning of Goldface, play out with a similar, more realistic emotional dimension. And although the dialog in THE FLASH #186 often has the flavor of Silver Age hokey (e.g., “It’s time for the wand to control the Wizard.”), John’s pacing and presentation gives it snap. Johns takes all these ridiculous-but-neat elements and character, gives them stakes, makes them human, and makes us care. And that’s pretty cool. Warren Ellis, eat your heart out.

And of course, the art is definitely cool too. Collins, Hazlewood, and Sinclair’s art has a *feel* that is unique among most mainstream superhero comics right now. You really do *feel* this art. The drawings are almost blatantly two-dimensional, but with a sharply enhanced and detailed overall texture that is held in check by muted and often monochromatic color schemes. The effect creates a special world within the comic for the reader to fall into. Take the opening splash page of #186: The Network confronts The Flash and a bevy of cyber-zombies in a room overrun by The Thinker’s technology. Most of the room, including the zombie cops and the mass of wiring, is a muted blue. The details are finely rendered on the page, from the mass of wires in the room to every nook and cranny on the massive supervillain Girder; but these details are so well blended into the overall picture, the image feels dense, full, and rich, but not overly busy. The density of detail and texture allows the reader to *feel* the art in THE FLASH more than in other comics; not just conveying a mood, but creating a world that becomes undeniably compelling.

Finally, I have to mention the cover by Brian Bolland. Bolland has a very realistic, strikingly clean style; so clean, in fact, that when he deals with the fantastic the sharpness adds an extra jarring dimension to image: the prettiness and fun of the art belies the horror of whatever might actually happening in the picture. The Flash sits as Rodin’s sculpture The Thinker (as he does inside the comic as well) with a swarm of wires coming out of his head, while in the background, the Rogues are beset by attacking wires from above. It’s a happy cover, almost silly, if only it weren’t for the fact that The Flash is a grotesque cyber-freak. The only fault is perhaps that amidst all the wires and the title of the book, the image is too busy. Still though, it is a superb cover, and evocative enough to serve as a great introduction to what lies inside the issue.

Often you’ll hear talk about great, legendary runs in comic history, whether it be Chris Claremont’s work on X-MEN, Marv Wolfman’s stint on NEW TEEN TITANS, Denny O’Neil on BATMAN, or even Gardner Fox on JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA. And when you hear about these runs, you might think “Gee, I wish I could have been reading comics when that came out,” or “Wow, I wonder what it must have been like to collecting comics when such classic issues were being made.” Well, let me tell you, you are in the midst of such a series *right now*. Many people are liable to claim that Waid’s work on THE FLASH is the watershed run, but I’m willing to bet the farm that the work that Geoff Johns, Scott Collins, Doug Hazlewood and James Sinclair are doing on THE FLASH *right now* is going to be talked about in the years to come as one of those great runs in comic history. Lucky you, for $2.25 a month, you get to be a part of it. And that in itself is both pretty cool and pretty neat.

My Rating: YOU GO BUY NOW!

HOWARD THE DUCK #5

Writer: Steve Gerber

Artist: Phil Winslade

Publisher: Marvel Comics

A Jon Quixote Review

Steve Gerber is a super writer. Super, super, super! When this super-writing is combined with artist Phil Winslade’s beautiful, beautiful pencils, the result is a wonderful comic book. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! In fact, I’d say it was the bestest darn comic on the market if that didn’t imply that all the other comics out there were in some way inferior. Because all other comics are super-special in their own unique ways; valuable simply because they exist, and deserving of being loved by all!

Whoa. Sorry about that folks, but it seems that I was channeling the spirit of Iprah, the talk-show paragon of positivity who goes mano et mano – or would that be womano et duck/mouso – with our randomly anthropomorphic hero in this month’s issue of HOWARD THE DUCK. Luckily, Buzz Maverik showed up with a bottle of tequila, some Don Siegel DVDs, and a good left hook, and shook me out of my trance before I was overwhelmed with politically correct joyfulness.

But, mind-control in the name of compassion and sensitivity aside, I have good reason to speak well of this issue. HOWARD THE DUCK #5 is a great read, which made me really happy. I’m a Howard fan from way back, but other than the sight of a naked Beverly Switzer reversing my opinion on cartoon pornography, I was starting to get a little disappointed. Howard’s latest series has reminded me a bit of recent episodes of THE SIMPSONS: funny enough to keep me coming back, but its sporadic moments of genius serve as painful reminders of how good the whole damn thing used to be. In returning to the pages of the world’s most acerbic waterfowl, Gerber remembered to bring the laughs, but I missed the biting social satire that made the original HOWARD THE DUCK comic such a vivid and engrossing read. However, the book has been generally well-received, and I didn’t want to be the one who screams, “The Emperor has no clothes!”

Steve Gerber has nothing to fear from my high expectations. He is back in fine form; his cynical shotgun is polished, loaded, and political correctness is in his crosshairs. Here, he mates daytime feminism with PREACHER, and the result is hilariously horrific. Iprah is a man-hating television personality who uses the Word of God to broadcast P.C. maxims like “Negativity breeds judgmentalism! Other people can only disappoint you if you expect something from them!” worldwide, and tries to kill anybody who dares disagree with her message of compassion. Only Howard’s insensitivity can save the world.

Is it any wonder that I loved this book?

While the previous issues spread the humor pretty thin – last month’s “Boarding House of Mystery” consisted of little more than one chuckle-worthy Vertigo caricature after another – this issue is packed with jokes, insight, and relevance. Comic books. Religion. New age literature. Therapy. Television. Gerber’s satirical uppercuts leave few noses unbloodied. Funnier than a Star Wars talkback, this is some of the most brutally honest comedy available for mass consumption today.

Perhaps the best thing about this issue is that it begins to bring the entire run together. The almost random plotting of the original series was one of its most endearing qualities, but there was always a unifying theme that maintained a level of cohesion throughout the bouncing storyline. Howard’s latest outing seemed to lack that thematic unity, but after #5, the big picture is becoming clearer. It would appear that by the time this story wraps up, the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts.

MY RATING: Don’t miss the closest thing to an instant classic I’ve read in a long time. Steve Gerber is my new hero. Why isn’t he yours?

BATMAN #603

Ed Brubaker – Writer

Sean Phillips – Guest Artist

Reviewed by Village Idiot

You know, I wasn’t even planning on reviewing BATMAN #603.

I bought BATMAN #603 because I’m still on board with the “Bruce Wayne: Fugitive” crossover (I know, I know, I’m supporting the dreaded *DC crossover marketing strategy*; so sue me). I truly expected it to be another esoteric Batman story with only the smallest bit of movement in the “Fugitive” storyline. And I suppose, in some respects, that’s what I got. On the other hand, I also got a wonderfully rendered story that left me quite moved; so moved, in fact, that I’m sitting here writing this review you’re reading right now.

At the beginning of BATMAN #603, Bruce Wayne is essentially dead. Gotham City believes that Wayne skipped town after escaping from prison, and Batman has fallen into his mystery man persona full time. The only people who still care about “Bruce” and his status as guilty or innocent are Robin, Nightwing, Oracle, and Alfred. All of them are desperately trying to solve the murder, while Batman is content to simply be Batman.

In #603, Batman is called by Doctor Thompkins, a family friend who knows his secret, to the bedside of a dying police detective. The detective, knowing Batman’s reputation, asks him to solve the detective’s single unsolved case, the proverbial “one that got away.” It’s revealed almost immediately that the detective’s case is the Wayne murder. As the detective tells his story, Batman (and the reader) is given a new perspective on “Bruce Wayne,” his guilt, and what Bruce Wayne ultimately deserves.

What does Bruce Wayne ultimately deserve? To be written off as an ersatz O.J.? Ed Brubaker seems to be suggesting in the story that Bruce Wayne continues to be a victim long after the deaths of his parents, suffering from the relentless scorn of his alter-ego. Now with Wayne dead – no, more than dead, *disgraced* – that aspect of Batman’s self-flagellation has been fulfilled. But through his conversation with the old detective, Batman not only discovers a different perspective on Bruce Wayne, he rediscovers his own perspective on himself. He’s reminded that like it or not, he really is Bruce Wayne; that Bruce Wayne is not a social mask, but a little boy whose parents were murdered, and further, a human being who deserves a life. Brubaker brings these truths to light, weaving the story through flashback and reaction in a very well plotted comic book. It’s not necessarily a tight story: moments hang as Brubaker leaves plenty of space open for reflection and interpretation. However, this looseness is to the story’s credit, and adds to its resonance.

The art? Wow. Guest Artist Sean Phillips provides some very evocative stuff. The art is dark and expressionistic; terrific noir just like you’d expect from a Batman title. Yet what truly distinguishes Phillip’s drawings is the emotional effect of the *faces* of the characters. A flashback shows young Bruce Wayne’s perspective of the police arriving at the scene of the Wayne murder. It’s a wonderfully executed scene that pays off when you *feel* the compassion in the detective’s face as he looks down at little Bruce. Another page shows the face of a man shot in the neck, conveying the shock and fear of the moment as vividly as I could imagine. But overall, it is Batman’s face, with eyes always glowing, that really speaks to us. The reactions vary in subtlety, but we live the issue through the anger, the surprise, and the pensiveness of Batman’s reactions. The only real misfire was a page where we get an extreme close-up – with the white eye fields intact. I tend to appreciate the white pupil look, but only as a trick of perspective. When it’s used too explicitly as simply an element of style, it gives up the game that, oh yeah, I’m reading a comic book.

But Sean Phillips definitely wins the prize for cover of the week. The cover is a very somber affair as a stalwart policeman dressed in a mass of black comforts the young, crying Bruce Wayne. Meanwhile, the ghost of an anguished Batman cries in the background, appearing like an echo of pain. This cover actually reflects what is learned through the issue: not only that the pain of the child becomes the pain of the man, but that Bruce Wayne is real and Batman is actually the illusion. Nice work Mr. Phillips.

I love comics because I love to see moral themes played out on that specific level of comic book fantasy (a level that I call “neat” in another review). But on the other hand, it’s nice to be reminded that comics, mainstream superhero comics, can sometimes be for grown-ups; that they can still work on a more plainly adult level of subtlety and emotional sophistication. BATMAN #603 falls into this category: it’s a mature and very moving read, and a darned fine comic book.

My Rating: Gordon doesn’t have a beer, and he doesn’t cheet [sic] on his wife. In fact, Gordon isn’t even in this issue, but I think you’ll like it anyway. Give it a shot.

ASTRO BOY Volume 1

by Osamu Tezuka

Published by Dark Horse

Reviewed by Buzz Maverik

I hate a love/hate thing with manga and anime. No doubt many of you are hard core fans of both and could point me to some excellent stuff. I am a fan of the more mainstream stuff like GHOST IN THE SHELL, AKIRA, PRINCESS MONONOKE in anime and LONE WOLF & CUB in manga. I grew up on SPEED RACER, GIGANTOR, MARINE BOY, THE AMAZING THREE, the movies JACK & THE WITCH and THE LITTLE NORSE PRINCE, and especially ASTRO BOY!

When Joe Madureira first started doing manga style art in the X-MEN and later BATTLECHASERS, I admired it greatly and thought it was bold for mainstream American comics, even though I didn't buy or read those books (because you can't buy and read everything!). But now that everyone is doing it, I find myself wondering if some of these guys can draw any other way and it makes me flee the comic shop for the sanity of my collection of art by John Cassidy and Chris Sprouse.

But ASTRO BOY is the real thing and you have to love it. Tezuka is one of comic and animations great innovators. This is a pure fix of imagination. Astro is a powerful robot who resembles a 10 year old boy. He actually attends grade school under the tutelage of Professor Mustachio. He's like most kids, except he's super strong, indestructible, can fly, and has powerful guns that pop out of his buttocks. He's often called to leave his studies and battle evil robots.

These black and white comics resemble the storyboards of some great, unproduced special effects spectacular. They read like vintage newspaper strips, with gags and action. Personally, I'm glad I don't speak or read Japanese because I think that the cultural and language differences add a layer of enjoyment, just as it seems the Japanese have a great appreciation of some aspects of our pop culture that seem strange to us. I envy them.

LAB RATS

Story & art by John Byrne

Published by DC

Reviewed by Buzz Maverik.

The first information that attracted me to this series was that the characters would NOT have superpowers. That's enough right there, coming from either of the Big Two, to qualify as worth checking out. Other than that, the book appeared to be a riff on the X-MEN, NEW MUTANTS and maybe Byrne's own creator-owned NEXT MEN. On reading these two issues, I was pleased to find the stories and characters hearkening back to such classics as THE NEWSBOY LEGION and THE BOY COMMANDOS (thanks to my associate Cormorant for pointing that out; he's right!) and especially to THE CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN.

CHALLENGERS was a silver age creation that Jack Kirby did for DC. It featured four exceptional men who survived a near brush with death who decided to team up to seek adventure and take greater risks. In some ways, it was a forerunner to Kirby's FANTASTIC FOUR. But the great thing about it was that it featured four regular (but brilliant, tough and talented guys) in super hero situations. The characters roles were similar to the ones Bart Simpson laid out for his troops when they invaded Shelbyville --"I'm the leader. Milhouse is my sidekick. Nelson is the tough guy. Martin's the smart guy and Todd is the quiet religious guy who goes nuts."

LAB RATS is about a group of regular teenagers who might be runaways or castoffs, living in a science fiction lab where they test virtual reality equipment designed to train combat troops. Their boss, Mr. Quinlan is essentially a non-mutant Charles Xavier out to exploit these kids...even to death. In the last two issues, two team members have died. It's not safe being a lab rat.

The characters: Poe appears to be the cool leader. Trilby is the smart guy...uh, girl. Wu is the imaginative free spirit who has things all figured out. Dana is the small one who's gender I wasn't able to figure out. Isaac is the new guy who hasn't done anything yet. Everyone else is cannon fodder.

In the first issue, we see the Lab Rats in action, up against a lethal Danger Room situation involving dinosaurs. Issue 2 sends the surviving Rats, minus new guy Isaac, on vacation to a new amusement park called Wonderland (which is what amusement parks are always called in pop culture) which features genetically engineered fairy tale characters, some of which are deadly!

What can I say? John Byrne is a great writer and artist. I would prefer that he didn't ink his own work because he indulges his particular faults and quirks too much. Terry Austin's inks over John Byrne's pencils...comics don't get much better. And the writing-- a friend pointed out that the hipsters will bitch that the kids don't talk like real kids, and anyone who has read a Bendis comic will hate the dialogue. Maybe. And this does not detract from Mr. Bendis but from writers less gifted than Mr. Bendis, the non-trendy dialogue has an advantage. It does not date as badly. Read an early '70s SPIDER-MAN story in the ESSENTIALS. It's a safe bet that no college kid ever talked like THAT and if they did, they didn't a year later.

All in all, fun and interesting. Something a little different. It's cool to see non-superheroes facing innovative threats from non-super villains in a DC comic.

DAREDEVIL: YELLOW (hardcover)

Written by Jeff Loeb

Art by Tim Sale

Published by Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Cormorant

Spoiler warning: The following review discusses a few key events from Daredevil’s past history – the Miller years, natch.

You've gotta hand it to Marvel when it comes to their new line of slickly produced hardcovers. I mean, I'm penniless, I rarely buy hardcovers, and yet like a moth to a flame I've been lured into buying two of these damn things so far, with more likely to come. Yes, I’m a sucka, but I just can't resist the oversized art and the extras that make them the comic book equivalent of a special edition DVD. The latest triumph over my pocketbook is DAREDEVIL: YELLOW, a collection which I purchased despite two misgivings.

Misgiving #1 -- I'm not real big on fan-favorite writer, Jeph Loeb, the man behind the prestige-format specials BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN (there was never a more painfully accurate title) and SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS (give me Byrne’s MAN OF STEEL any day). I don't hate him, but I do feel that he’s overrated and too often guilty of diluting drama for the sake of introspection.

Misgiving #2 -- The framework for this story is built around Daredevil reflecting on the death of the love of his life, Karen Page, and her death is one of those rare comic book events that I just can't forgive. I’d compare it to the folly of resurrecting Jean Grey as one of the Great, Colossal, Unforgivable Fuck-Ups of Comicdom. My reasoning is this: anyone who read Frank Miller's masterpiece, DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, should have understood on a fundamental level that Karen Page needs to be untouchable for the rest of her life. For the uninitiated, BORN AGAIN was the famed storyline in which Karen became a heroin junkie and sold out Daredevil's identity to the Kingpin to feed her habit. Kingpin systematically destroyed Daredevil with this information, and the whole "point" of the story was Daredevil and Karen's monumental struggle to redeem themselves - which they did. Years later, Kevin Smith's egotistical first foray into comics killed Karen Page off, a calculated moment of cheap drama that I'd equate with killing off Newt and Hicks from ALIENS in the opening sequence of ALIENS 3. Way to negate the greatness of those who came before, jerko!

Alright, I could rant about Smith’s monumentally bad decision all day, but the point is that it took something away from DAREDEVIL: YELLOW, a damn shame because the quality of writing is generally very good. Loeb deftly delivers a nostalgic look at the early years of Daredevil’s career, covering everything from his friendship with Foggy Nelson, to his first foray into costumed crimefighting, to his unexpected first clients as a lawyer. I found many of these vignettes to be very memorable, notably a cheer-worthy instance of pool hall hustling in which Matt Murdock reels off Helen Keller jokes while making fast work of some loutish frat boys (shades of CYRANO DE BERGERAC).

I didn’t care much for the first-person nostalgia that Loeb worked into SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS, but here, perhaps because Frank Miller so long ago defined the first-person narrative as integral to Daredevil, I thought it worked quite wonderfully. At the story’s core is Daredevil’s unabashed love-at-first-sight (no pun intended) for Karen Page, a sweet and perfect love that contrasts with Murdock’s all-out passion for Elektra. I found it wholly convincing. There’s little in the way of the snappy romantic banter Hollywood has conditioned us to expect, but there’s a warm feeling of destiny to the pair. Some might find it a tad corny, but I was happy to see a writer unafraid of indulging in a little sweetness. This is the point where I have to mention that the sweetness is diluted somewhat when Daredevil refers to Karen in the past tense, reminding us of Smith’s folly in heaping more tragedy on a hero who’s already experienced enough trauma for a score of superheroes. Grrr.

Moving on, let me assure action fans that this trade isn’t completely mired in sentiment for old flames. The love story is central, but Daredevil still whups some bad guy butt, and Tim Sale’s art is so damn good that he even makes Daredevil look cool in his ugly maroon and yellow costume. Loeb shoots for an old-school vibe, with Daredevil’s early bouts with super-baddies coming across more as swashbuckling adventure and less like Frank Miller’s gritty street brawls. It’s a wise choice, and refreshing to see that element of the character reclaimed -- an element all but forgotten since Miller established DARDEVIL as a gritty crime comic in the 80’s. I like the variety of villains, too, which includes the likes of Electro and the Owl. They’re second-stringers or worse, but Loeb makes them credible threats again, all the more so because of Sale’s sharp visuals.

Tim Sale – this guy is good. His layouts are strongly cinematic, his backgrounds detailed and brimming with character, and yes, thank you lord, he’s not afraid to be “cartoony.” His Matt Murdock has an almost absurdly long face, a face that in a more realistic context would be considered “ugly.” Sale’s context, however, strikes a balance between realism and the power of exaggeration, and we can still read that this is supposed to be a handsome guy. The same magic happens with Karen Page, who manages to come across both as secretarial, vivacious, and “Mary Tyler Moore” sexy…without having a flawless model’s face and without baring cleavage or a curvy backside. In fact, she’s all the more memorable for embodying the ideal qualities of the girl-next-door, a notion that’s surprisingly attractive in the fantasy-laden world of superheroes. Note for Adam Hughes and Terry Dodson: this is how you make a woman seem attractive without turning her into a sex kitten.

About my only complaint about Sale’s art is that the sequence of movement is a little unclear when he does those splash pages with multiple images of Daredevil flipping over rooftops. Otherwise, this is about the nicest looking book I’ve seen this year, and the rich, watercolor-esque coloring is a beautiful counterpoint to the computer-colored slickness of most modern comics.

Story complaints? No biggies. Every once in a while the narration feels a little ponderous with meaning or foreshadowing, but it’s generally overcome by Loeb’s obvious sincerity. I suppose my biggest gripe is that Loeb cribs a trick straight out of Miller’s original playbook in having Daredevil climb a building to listen for a single, solitary voice in the entirety of New York City. When Miller had Daredevil pull it off, it was clearly a first-time-ever event, and it feels a little cheap to see Daredevil doing it here in the earliest stages of his career. I have to wonder why Loeb would pull such a blatant swipe, and a swipe that undermines a later story no less. It’s still a well done scene, but he should’ve known better.

Final judgment: Man, I’m still pissed at Kevin Smith, but if one good thing has come from his shortsightedness, it’s this story. Hell, I’d recommend it for the art alone, but Loeb really came through with a compelling yarn, so much so that I’m going to have to pipe down about him being overrated. At least for the next month or two. You cheapskates out there are probably thinking about waiting for the trade paperback on this one, but believe me when I say the hardcover is worth every damn penny once you see how glorious Sale’s art looks in the mighty, oversized format. Live a little and buy it without fear.

GREYSHIRT: INDIGO CITY # 5

writing by Rick Veitch and Dave Gibbons.

art by Rick Veitch and Hilary Barta.

Published by ABC/Wildstorm/DC.

Reviewed by Buzz Maverik

Time Warner and DC charge $50 bucks plus tax for those SPIRIT archives. As much as I would love to delve into Will Eisner's incredible stories and artwork, I'm NOT paying 50 bucks plus tax for the pleasure! Fortunately, our friends at America's Best Comics occasionally bring us tales of a Spirit-like character, Greyshirt, in TOMMOROW STORIES.

Greyshirt is the creation of a writer named Alan Something and an artist named Rick Veitch. Veitch and this Al guy apparently have worked together on a few projects before Greyshirt. SWAMP MAN....1960S...and SUPREMO were the names of a few of them, I think.

Greyshirt is a somewhat shadowy "science hero" in Indigo City. In TOMMOROW STORIES, he is usually on the periphery of his own adventures. We see the perspectives of victims and victimizers, but we know very little about the title character except that he (almost) always shows up in the nick to save the day, and he is impeccably dressed. He has a sidekick named Rocky, and has slept with his beautiful arch-enemy Lapis Lazuli (and recently Cobweb, a science heroine from another TOMMOROW STORIES feature created by Melinda Gebbe and that Alex person).

In this series, Veitch does both the writing and the art. This always brings a nice cohesion to a comic when done well, and Veitch does it very well! The story might be that of the origin of Greyshirt, and since there are two very different characters who bear a resemblance to Greyshirt - at least the features we can make out behind his hat and scarf - I'm not going to spoil the secret identity for the uninitiated (although in the last published TOMMOROW STORIES, Greyshirt and Cobweb got busy and we saw them unmasked).

The series follows the exploits of two young hoods, Frankie Lafayette and Johnny Apollo, punks from Indigo's Bottoms Up district. Frankie is the son of mobster Carmine Carbone and his moll Lips Lafayette. He's a tough kid with a good heart. As a dead comic book writer (don't ask) says in this issue: "I always thought Frankie was just in it for the adventure. Johnny was a real psychopath." As children, Frankie and Johnny are almost victims of a sewer monster called the Lure. In later issues, when Johnny's girl Candi is abducted by a rival mobster, Frankie teams up with high school class president and future Indigo mayor Plato Plutarch to rescue her (Plato had done a report on the Greyshirt armor the hero wears under his clothes, and Frankie borrowed the armor to wear when he invaded the mobster's headquarters. Too bad Candi dug the mobster by this point).

Eventually, Johnny sets out to take over the mobs and that means killing Frankie, the legitimate heir to the crime throne, even though Frankie doesn't even want the power and is just in crime for kicks. This issue treats us to Frankie and Johnny's final showdown, the return of Plato Plutarch, and the Greyshirt armor.

Veitch's art is a kick! With references to old EC crime and horror comics, you feel like you are reading a comic from the fifties with a script from today. Even better, each issue contains an issue of the INDIGO SUNSET, the city paper, complete with stories of Greyshirt's exploits, comic strips and even horoscopes (ARIES: "Beware of strangers dressed in grey. Especially wearing a mask." TAURUS:"You've cleaned up in the rackets in recent weeks but you may be tempted to stop and enjoy your gains..."). This issue features coverage of the Science Hero awards, with various ABC characters picking up their ALAN awards -- Greyshirt attends with Cobweb but she leaves with a woman; Tom Strong sends his talking monkey to accept his award.

There's also a fine back up story written by Dave Gibbons, who did the art for that '80s series THE WATCHERS or whatever with that Alan. Another of Alvin Moore's collaborators, Hilary Barta (who co-created SPLASH BRANNIGAN with Moor) contributes inking (appropriately enough) over Veitch's pencils for this story.

You really don't need a recommendation, do you? Of course not. You're a highly intelligent, discerning individual. If you've gained new information about this series through this review, you will decide for yourself whether you want to buy and read this book or not.

JLA #66

Joe Kelly – Writer

Doug Mahnke – Pencils

Tom Ngyen – Inks

Reviewed by Village Idiot

For some reason, the idea of Batman and Wonder Woman getting together really appeals to me. Sure, Superman and Wonder Woman are the star quarterback and head cheerleader of the DCU, so the natural inclination is to put those two together. But Batman is the cool kid with the bitchin’ car, and if memory serves, those guys never did too shabby in the chicks department either.

Seriously though, the pain in Batman’s soul seems to run so deep that it would take a superhuman love to have the strength to reach in and free him. So where else is he going to turn? Power Girl?

I mention this, because Joe Kelly, the current writer of JLA, is leaving hints right and left that this might be the direction that things are going. And again, I like it. But that’s not the only thing for me to like about JLA right now. I’m already a Joe Kelly fan from some of his work on Action Comics (in my opinion, the best written Superman title right now), and I’m also a fan of Mahnke and Nguyen from their work on Man of Steel (in my opinion, what used to be the best drawn Superman title of a year ago.) This is not to say that I’ve loved everything that this team has done with JLA so far; for example, I found their first story arc “Golden Perfect” to be a bit less than perfect. Kelly is a smart, funny writer, and he expects you to keep up. However, sometimes I can’t: the flow of a story he’s writing can get a little too disjointed, or he can be a little too stingy with the exposition; and as a result, the wheels come off the track and it’s harder than it should be to get back on.

But luckily JLA #66 was a pretty smooth ride. The story begins with morning in Daytona, where it’s raining giant fish, hallelujah, it’s raining giant fish. Flash and the New and Improved Green Lantern (Kyle after GL #150) have been dispatched to deal with the problem, but quickly find more than they bargained for in the form of a strange Incan armor come to life. The armor knocks Kyle out and leaves, but not before he manages to grab a piece of it; a piece the other members of the JLA are later able to date back to ancient times. Meanwhile, the unconscious Kyle finds himself in a bizarre and, of course, rife-with -meaning dream. While Kyle is still out, the rest of the JLA tracks the armor (which turns out to be a child-sacrificing armor to boot) to a Matterhorn-type ride at a Disneyland-type amusement park. Now you’d think that the takedown of this child-stealing Incan armor guy would be pretty easy, but the JLA is suddenly attacked by a mysterious stranger with a veritable ocean of black birds. (For those of you who always wanted to see Superman eat crow, well, here’s your chance.)

I enjoy the way Kelly writes the members of the JLA. Kelly’s writes superheroes seem a bit more human, a bit more snarky than the icons written by former JLA writer Grant Morrison. Morrison’s JLA would confab on the Latest Intergalactic Crisis, and maybe throw in a barb or two; but Kelly’s JLA is not above just shooting the breeze, like Wally and Kyle when first arriving at Daytona. There is a real risk with this kind of deconstruction (i.e., “They’re superheroes, but hey look!, they’re real people!”): Play the irony card too heavy or too often, and you veer into camp; and then there’s no longer a reason to take anything seriously. Moreover, constant self-referential winking can get a little annoying (see: the television show SMALLVILLE). Kelly manages to steer clear of this. The characters are all true to themselves – true to my understanding, at least – but not without fresh nuance (Batman and Wonder Woman: I’m looking at you). And Kelly and Mahnke go crazy with Plastic Man in every frame he’s in: he’s one throwaway sight gag after another, and I guess I’m a sucker for the throwaway sight gag. As far as the actual adventure story goes, Kelly manages to make a good start, giving the team a surprisingly cunning and viable threat, along with a fairly disturbing crow-tastic cliffhanger at the end. (But then again, how dangerous can a bunch of birds actually be in the long run?)

Like I said I’m also a fan of Mahnke’s art. I’ve always considered Mahnke’s work to be less like illustrations and more like iconography, with a bold, almost stamped look to it, like realistic woodcuts. This is an interesting contrast to the more human treatment that Kelly gives the characters. It’s as though the characters get more of their gravitas from Mahnke’s art than anything else. There’s almost a static feel to the work, like you’re looking at great noble statues. This sense is conveyed even when the characters are supposed to be in motion, as when Superman swoops up towards the reader, child in hand after a rescue. These are iconic characters, and I find this approach to be wonderfully classy and appropriate. There were some rough spots: For example, a scene where Superman finds Green Lantern and The Flash seems (unintentionally?) goofy due to the expressions on the faces. The cover seems a bit awkward as well, with Superman taking up most of the picture in a manner that seems to me unnecessary. But on the whole, this was another great Mahnke/Nguyen issue.

Along with FLASH #186 and BATMAN #603, JLA #66 makes for a great week in the DCU. I realize the buzz is with Marvel right now, but if DC keeps this kind of quality up, I think Marvel is going to have a run for its money.

My Rating: If you like your superhero team action with a slight bend towards the cheeky, and bold, near-iconographic artwork, give JLA #66 a spin. And if you don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, give it a spin anyway.