| #27 | 11/17/04 | #3 |
Everything must have a beginning and an end. That’s the case with most stories (except THE NEVERENDING STORY of course. By the way, didn’t that big flying dog thing creep you the hell out as a child? I mean, those eyes were freaky. I had nightmares for weeks after seeing that flick. But I digress.) In this very special AICN COMICS! column we take a look at some comics that are experiencing their first and last issues. So join me, Ambush Bug, and the rest of the @$$holes as we give a warm welcome to a new crop of comics and bid a heartfelt adieu to those books whose time has come.
Oh yeah, we’ve got Cheap Shots too.
(Click title to go directly to the review)
CATWOMAN #37
THE PULSE #6
H-E-R-O #22
CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
KINETIC #8
MIKE BARON’S THE DETONATOR #1
SPACE GHOST #1
IRON MAN #1/MARVEL TEAM-UP #1
CHEAP SHOTS!
CATWOMAN #37
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Paul Gulacy
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewed by Dave Farabee
Damn, man, so glad I stuck with this book.
CATWOMAN #37 marks the finale to Ed Brubaker’s bold reinvention of this title, a contemplative winner of a story that, like the season finale of BUFFY, made me happy I’d stuck with the series through its more checkered “later years.” We’ll get to specifics in a few paragraphs, but bear with me while I take a few moments to remember the history of Brubaker’s run…
First thing to note is that neither I, nor, I suspect, many of the folks who’d eventually end up following the book, were particular fans of the character. As Ed Brubaker noted of her history in a recent COMICS JOURNAL interview, “…it was kind of disgusting the way she was always portrayed as this real sort of fawning, ‘Oh, I have to make out….’ She couldn’t have a guest appearance in any comic without kissing the main character.”
But that was historically her raison d’etre, all that femme fatale hokum and pin-up art allure. Hey, I drooled over a catsuited Julie Newmar as a kid, too - I won’t discount Catwoman as a sex symbol – but in the end it’s an unfortunate legacy for the superheroine second only to Wonder Woman in her iconic status among the general public.
Enter Ed Brubaker and a host of artists working variations on an “animated noir” style that called to mind both Bruce Timm’s kineticism and the character-centric indie tradition of the Hernandez Brothers. Talk about a line of demarcation! No style could have been a clearer break from Catwoman’s girlie art tradition, and Brubaker’s writing was just as radical a departure. He refocused Catwoman’s world through his crime-writer sensibilities, a fitting evolution given her criminal past. But he also gave her a focus: applying her abilities to try to elevate and protect Gotham’s seedy, forgotten East End.
At the same time she got her own supporting cast, a pack of down-to-earth types that included longtime Batman supporting player, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, but importantly added an obscure gumshoe from DC’s past – Slam Bradley – and a young woman named Holly, previously known as The Whiny Girl Hooker Who Leg-Stabbed Batman in BATMAN: YEAR ONE. They became Catwoman’s two closest friends and brought out the best in Brubaker. Slam was the refreshingly older, complex love interest, Holly her best friend and one of the most well-realized young characters in the biz, period. In fact, the first Holly-centric issue was what totally sold me on the series. I hate to mention the fact that Holly was a lesbian because Brubaker’s portrayal never made it a Big Deal – but damn it, kids, naturalistic depictions of gay relationships are a big deal when they’re done right in superhero comics. It’s a rare thing.
So why was it I mentioned having to “stick with” the comic a few paragraphs back?
Y’know, it’s had its ups and downs like even the best of series. Many more ups than downs, but I did come close to dropping it once or twice – first when Brubaker predicted recent industry trends toward “high stakes” superheroing with a grisly torture sequence, later when the series got a bit directionless and I decided Brubaker’s strengths were being wasted with superheroes.
But in the end CATWOMAN proved itself worthy.
In Brubaker’s final issue, appropriately titled “Character Driven,” he reminds readers of the underlying depth that’s carried this series through its rough spots. This issue also serves as what I can only believe is a meta-contextual farewell from Brubaker himself as he reflects on his mixed experiences with the book. The self-aware title certainly backs this, as does Catwoman’s opening narrative caption:
“Sometimes you really have to wonder if it’s even worth it.”
Here, Catwoman’s wondering at the futility of all her work to better the East End, seemingly undone in an instant by the carnage of the “War Games” crossover that blanketed all the Bat-books. It’s not too great a leap to see how this would parallel Brubaker’s own frustrations with trying to tell character-driven stories with corporate characters susceptible to tidal forces far beyond his control.
“…the whole thing is just a house of cards. A few wrong moves can rip the foundation right out…”
Catwoman’s sentiments over “War Games”…or Brubaker’s? Both, I imagine, but lest one assume Brubaker’s final issue is a wholly masturbatory venture, rest assured that not a single character says something I would consider out-of-character or inappropriate to recent plot turns. Knowing that Brubaker has described working crossovers as “a nightmare,” though, I did appreciate the multiple levels of frustration on the table.
Compellingly, though, Brubaker doesn’t go the obvious, bitter route. An opening action sequence has Catwoman reminding herself of the simple joys of taking down the Gotham scumbags who deserve it – surely an acknowledgment of genre perennials – but it’s an unexpected surprise party for Catwoman that’s pure, classic Brubaker. Slam’s there. Holly and Leslie Thompkins, too. Even Batman gets a brief appearance, a sweet, humanized moment that calls to mind Brubaker’s inspired use of the character a few issues back.
These scenes really brought home the work that Brubaker’s done to make Catwoman and her supporting cast a group worth caring about. Watching them interact, straighten out relationships, and say a few goodbyes – yep, that’s why I stuck around. I was invested in these characters. I want their lives to turn out okay. And as Catwoman takes in the gathering, her thoughts are both touching and, hopefully, an incentive for the next writer to refrain from undoing everything Brubaker’s done:
“This is what it is, Selina… This is what you left out of the equation, what you’d be losing if you went back to just being a thief. This family you’ve created around yourself…”
It’s a satisfying conclusion to Selina’s character arc and a heartfelt acknowledgment of friends as surrogate families – surely one of the book’s core themes. In the meta-context, it’s also (I hope) Brubaker’s recognition that he has managed to accomplish real character evolution in a corporate superhero environment. For me, that scene drove home the fact that spending the last few years with these characters absolutely has been worth it.
To Brubaker and all the talented artists who busted their asses to make CATWOMAN a series that broke the mold and took real chances:
Thanks guys. Ya done good.
A final aside: Credit, too, to DC for its support of CATWOMAN in trade paperbacks. Interested readers can see what all the hubbub was about with CATWOMAN: DARK END OF THE STREET, CATWOMAN: CROOKED LITTLE TOWN, and the pending CATWOMAN: RELENTLESS. Darwyn Cooke, the artist who set the book’s visual tone and designed Catwoman’s mod new costume, also wrote a terrific standalone graphic novel called CATWOMAN: SELINA’S BIG SCORE.BONUS TRIP DOWN CATWOMAN MEMORY LANE!
Alright, this is almost certainly a self-indulgent aside, so skip it if you’re gonna gripe, but as I was reflecting back on Ed Brubaker’s now-completed CATWOMAN run, I found myself digging through my old reviews of the series to take in its highs and lows. Turns out I reviewed it more consistently than just about any other series I follow, and so I thought I’d throw out the links to ‘em for any who’re interested. For a bigger picture of the series, a bit of column nostalgia, or just the middling entertainment of watching a reviewer struggle with a series a bit…click away!
CATWOMAN #6 - My first praise for the series based on the Holly-centric issue. Dates back to what was only our second column!
CATWOMAN: THE DARK END OF THE STREET & CATWOMAN: SELINA’S BIG SCORE - Enthusiastic reviews for the series’ first four issues in collected form and for Darwyn Cooke’s heist-themed graphic novel. Taken from our attempt at a semi-recurring trade paperback feature column. It fizzled after a few attempts – you guys like your monthlies!
CATWOMAN #15 - The dark times. Here’s where I came closest to dropping the series based on the Black Mask torture scene, though at least Brubaker had to the good taste to kill his ass off…or so I thought until DC recently resurrected him, let him torture and kill a major character, and turned him into the kingpin of Gotham. Geez, small wonder Brubaker’s final CATWOMAN is tinged with questions about whether he’s accomplished anything…
CATWOMAN #21 - Official backpedal review and an outpouring of sweet, sweet love for the road trip issue that teamed Catwoman with Flash villain, Captain Cold. Still a series highlight as far as I’m concerned.
CATWOMAN #25 - Controversy again, this time involving the book’s switch from the “animation noir” school of art to Paul Gulacy’s action-flick realism. I ended up defending the new look, though. There’s no doubt the book was at its strongest with the earlier artists, but Gulacy did strong work. Casting Robert Mitchum as Slam Bradley remains inspired.
CATWOMAN #32 - This was a difficult review to write. I loved Brubaker’s characterization so much on the issue in question that I ended up certain he was wasting his skills working the action-oriented superhero genre.
THE PULSE #6
Brian Michael Bendis: Writer
Brent Anderson: Artist
Marvel Comics: Publisher
Vroom Socko: Secret Reviewer
Vroom Socko: Well, it looks like another issue of SECRET WAR is out, so it’s time for me and Dave to give it the old “back-and-forth” treatment.
Dave: Wait a minute, what?
This issue, I have to say, was pretty much a waste. Sure, it details a pretty interesting B-plot of the story, but none of our main heroes make an appearance. Instead, we get scenes from the past three issues rehashed, while Jessica Jones does little more than make a phone call. Even worse, what little action that does occur happens off-panel. What a waste.
Uh, Vroom, I think you should know something.
There’s also a sudden, monumental shift in the artwork. It seems Brent Anderson is now handling the artistic chores on the title. I’m assuming that this is due to Dell’Otto’s lateness on the past issue. Now, Anderson is damn amazing. The thing is, he’s also working on finishing RISING STARS, as well as a new ASTRO CITY mini, so I don’t expect the schedule to get any better. Dave, I know you said last time that this book would be better under a different artist, and you mentioned Anderson specifically. What do you think now?
Brent Anderson kicks ass, of course. I’ve been a fan of his ever since “God Loves, Man Kills,” and – W-wait! You’re missing the point!
You’re right. The point is that we’re talking about the fourth issue of a five issue series, and the story still feels like it hasn’t even started. While this may not be the worst work Bendis has done, it still feels-
Vroom, you fucking IDIOT!
Wha?
This isn’t the latest issue of SECRET WAR, it’s a tie-in storyline in THE PULSE! There are elements from the first three issues of SECRET WAR being repeated here because we’re being shown them from Jessica’s perspective, as a way of telling a parallel story. Comics have been telling stories like this for years! It’s one of the things comics do well!
Oh?
Oh!
Well in that case, this is a pretty damn good story. In fact, it’s better than good. I liked how we see some of the inner workings of the public service community in the Marvel Universe. I love the impact of this story on Jessica. And I especially love how this book is finally starting to feel like ALIAS again. Bendis is taking a character who’s been standing off to the side in the main arc, and showing the impact this “Secret War” is having, even to people who have little to no involvement in whatever it is that happened in Latveria. And so far, this story looks to be pretty kick ass!
H-E-R-O #22
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Art: Dale Eaglesham & Wade Von Grawbadger
Publisher: DC Comics
A post-mortem by: Sleazy G
One of the saddest things about the state of the comic book market today is that it’s really hard to get a new title off the ground. There aren’t enough readers to go around, and we all have only so much money to work with. Any time a new book comes along, we have to ask ourselves whether we can afford to part with another three dollars a month, knowing there may be a few titles a month all year that catch our eye and that before long we’ll be spending another thirty bucks a month to mainline more four-color junk. The only alternative is to cut loose a book we’re already buying—one we may have invested years (and hundreds of dollars) in. It’s not always an easy decision.
Unfortunately, this economic dilemma means that much of the time books with a lot of potential get overlooked. It’s getting harder all the time for new writers to get noticed. When they work on established characters or titles, it’s a little easier. On an unproven property, though, it’s much harder. The writer can turn in some really impressive work that goes unnoticed by the buying public because the title doesn’t start with the letter “X” or the character doesn’t wear a bat on his chest. Such was the case with Will Pfeifer’s run on H-E-R-O.
Pfeifer took the original concept of the device from DIAL H FOR HERO, an old DC title from the mid-60’s, and expanded upon it. We initially met a handful of different people who stumbled across the device and used it. Unlike some of the previous incarnations, though, it wasn’t always a gift. Everyday people finding a device of such power couldn’t always be sure how to use it and they wouldn’t always use it for the right reasons. After a few story arcs, we eventually saw the return of the first character to use the device in the 60’s, Robby Reed. Reed was no longer a happy-go-lucky kid, using the device for wacky adventures. Instead he had discovered the device no longer worked for him and had become obsessed with tracking it down to prevent its misuse by others. He eventually picked up the device’s trail, following it from city to city, and trying to involve others who had used it (and lost it) in his quest. Most were convinced he was bad news and avoided him, at least initially.
Sure enough, a former owner of the device loses his damn mind and goes on a killing spree, and it’s up to Robby and a few inexperienced schmucks to stop him. Along the way, Pfeifer integrated a concept that was originally used in NEW TEEN TITANS whereby people who had used the device began to integrate the power into themselves. The longer they had the device, the more powers were absorbed. This means even though he doesn’t have the device, Robby still has some tricks up his sleeve. The others he convinced to work with him also had internalized some powers, although far less due to their limited exposure. This put them at far greater risk than Reed. In the end, several characters had to make difficult moral choices that cost them their lives. They chose to do so because it was right, no matter the personal consequences. Sure, Robby ended up winning in the end, but only one of his recruits survives, and both of their lives are a complete mess. They seem to feel as if they’ve lived up to their obligations and want nothing more than to put it behind them and move on—and I can’t say I’d feel any differently.
Pfeifer turned in some great work on this series. He introduced a diverse group of characters with lives the readers could relate to and did a helluva job of tying all the different shorter stories from the first year or so into a much larger tale. The book was definitely much darker in tone than past fans of the H-E-R-O concept might have been expecting. Still, that darkness wasn’t the real point of the book. People who only saw the grit were missing what it was really about. This series was about what it means to be a hero in today’s world, whether you have powers or not. This was a book about regular everyday people and how they dealt with sudden and dramatic changes to their lives. It was about how they came to terms with threats to themselves or their families. It was about doing the right thing, no matter how depressing or dangerous that might be. In the end, several characters had to make difficult moral choices that might cost them their lives. They chose to do so because it was right, no matter the personal consequences. In the end, if there’s anything that can make us believe in each other and restore our sense of hope, it’s seeing other people just like ourselves who put themselves on the line to do the right thing and save others. It may not always be pretty, or easy, and a lot can be lost on the way. None of that matters in the end, though. All that matters is whether you did what you knew to be right, and that’s what this book was about.
I’m really disappointed that this book never found its audience, and I’m sad that I won’t get the chance to see where Pfeifer was going to take the title next. The themes and concepts it explored weren’t really being addressed in other mainstream titles--in large part because most books are about preexisting heroes, making it much harder to examine their initial reaction to gaining powers. To me, though, there’s no question this guy’s proved himself by now. H-E-R-O was the first title I read that showed he could bring some fresh ideas and takes to the familiar superhero genre, incorporating the whiz-bang action and costumes we were all looking for as well as exploring the human side of the characters and the choices they were forced to make. It continued on with his work revamping AQUAMAN, establishing a worthwhile new direction that provides a multitude of story possibilities. Next Pfeifer will land over on CATWOMAN after Scott Morse’s three-part story, which goes a long way towards convincing to stick with the title long-term. A lot of people have been worried about what would happen once Ed Brubaker left. I’m sure Pfeifer will bring a slightly different flavor, but I’m glad the title’s in the hands of somebody I feel I can trust.
In the meantime, though, I have to close with a plea that I’ve made before, and that we’ve all heard for years: Try something different, people. I mean, shit—somebody like Lizzybeth or Dave will tell you this stuff isn’t even all *that* different: it’s still a DC superhero book, fer cryin’ out loud. Give stuff a whirl you might not ordinarily try. Give new writers and titles a chance. That book you’re buying out of habit or a sense of obligation? Cut it loose. Spend that two or three bucks on something else that seems like it might be interesting. Buy something small-press or indie or B&W. Buy a humor or a crime comic. Or, at the very least, give a new superhero title a shot. You might end up finding something you really, really dig—just like I had with H-E-R-O every month.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Art: Steve Epting
Publisher: Marvel
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
If not for the fact that the last CAPTAIN AMERICA series was so god-awful, I would object to starting this series over with yet another #1 issue. But I don’t blame Marvel for wanting to wash their hands of that turd of a series and start over fresh. Despite Robert Kirkman’s attempts to drag the book out of the depths with which it sunk in the final four issues, the old CAPTAIN AMERICA series failed miserably. Attempts to thrust Cap into the real world; fighting menaces ripped straight from the headlines, turned out to be a pretty lame idea. I know, I know, that’s where Cap came from. Sure he was used as a propaganda tool throughout WWII, but in this day and age, the public is pretty sharp and sadly, the only type of propaganda people fall for these days are in the pages of WIZARD Magazine and Marvel’s press releases. So what’s left for our hero in red, white, and blue?
Well, howzabout a straight up action, adventure, and intrigue tale which takes place in the Marvel Universe, embraces the rules and history of that universe, and grabs both longtime and brand spankin’ new readers by the balls and never lets go even after the last page of the book has been turned?
That’s what Ed Brubaker’s CAPTAIN AMERICA is all about. This issue starts off with a little mystery set in the past as the Red Skull makes an ominous deal with a Soviet scientist. The scientist says that he has an interest in the Cosmic Cube, but the Skull is too smart to let him get his grubby mitts on the most powerful weapon in the universe, right? Well, you’ll have to read the last page of the book to find out. I’m not about to spoil the shockeroo ending, but it literally made me say “Holy shit!” as I read it, if that is any indication.
Between the beginning and the end, we get some really nice moments between Cap and his ex-girlfriend and agent of SHIELD, Sharon Carter. Seems after the recent AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED fiasco, Cap ain’t right in the head. And who’s to blame him? Anyone who read that mess of an event book is still reeling from how bad it was. There is a nice flashback montage where Cap remembers his fallen comrades while training and a cool sequence where Cap is more than a bit reckless in taking down some terrorists. In both sequences, you see Cap is a little shaken and may not be very mentally stable. Sharon is worried about him, and given the actions of the bad guys in this issue, Cap’s going to have to be in peak condition if he’s going to come out on top this time. Brubaker shows his deft handling of character in a great bit of conversation showing how Cap is in need of someone to talk to and how Sharon isn’t exactly the type of girl who one can sit and talk with. Sharon is all business, despite the fact that she knows Cap more than most people. I like the little conflict Brubaker is building between these two characters.
Steve Epting turns in one of his most beautiful issues to date. His attention to detail and is truly amazing. I love his version of the Red Skull, devious, horrific, and powerful all at once. His choice of camera angles and POV shots had me returning to re-read the book after I finished. Epting is a true craftsman in his field. He knows how to pull a story along in panels, transitioning action from one space to the next with a fluidity that shows he is one of the best in the biz. This book is very dark, but Epting doesn’t let that drown out the detail or overshadow the action taking place. This is a truly beautiful book.
This issue has pretty much everyone thing I would want in a CAPTIAN AMERICA story. It establishes a solid threat involving both real world AND Marvel U dangers. It takes Cap and the world he lives in seriously, and it throws in a cliffhanger that reminds you that comic book reading is supposed to be fun. Part of that fun is teasing you to come back for more next month and Brubaker writes this masterfully. It’s great to have the old Cap back. Action, adventure, espionage, international dangers. It’s all here. This is the Cap I have wanted to read about for years, since Mark Gruenwald stopped writing the book. Fans of those old Cap stories and good comic book writing in general should definitely seek this one out.
KINETIC #8
Writer: Kelley Puckett
Artist: Warren Pleece
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Sleazy G
This issue of KINETIC is another final issue from DC. KINETIC is the third of the four DC FOCUS titles to die on the vine. It’s a shame, too. This tale of a sickly teenaged kid who accidentally finds out he has superpowers, but only some of the time, was a quiet little book, but it was a pleasure to read every month. There were a lot of simple little moments where the poor kid’s feelings were expressed through just a handful of words or a look on his face, but each one of those moments felt pretty dead-on to me. This was really a book about an isolated, melancholy kid who keeps trying to find his way and grasp onto hope, only to have it slip away again. Tom was a character I would’ve been able to relate to even if powers had never come into play, and I was really enjoying getting to know him. Of course, we’ll never hear from him again, but I guess it was a nice (if painfully abbreviated) little side trip.
The book’s greatest shortcoming was surely that it was so subdued, and that it was an incredibly fast read as a result. Still, I often found myself rereading it a few days later and picking out individual lines of dialogue or scenes that really clicked for me. It’s too bad this title didn’t have a better chance. Its exit leaves only HARD TIME, the last man standing of the FOCUS line. Some of the underlying mysteries of that title have begun to be revealed, and my understanding is that the title will wrap up its current run in a couple of issues, to be followed by a relaunch into the mainstream DCU with more publicity. I wish KINETIC could have gotten the same treatment, but in the end it was probably too idiosyncratic a title to survive for long. This one qualifies as a failed but noble experiment in telling a different kind of story in a distinctly non-mainstream manner.
MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR # 1
Written by Mike Baron
Art by Mel Rubi
Published by Image
Reviewed by Buzz Maverik
Ooo, it's MIKE BAR-ON'S THE DETONATOR. Plain old THE DETONATOR isn't good enough. It's gotta be MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR.
I always feel that way when I see a John Carpenter movie, even though I often like John Carpenter movies. John Carpenter's PRINCE O' DARKNESS. John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM CLEVELAND. As opposed to Harold Igby's BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.
But I kid the auteur types. I kid because I love.
Do you read Garth Ennis' PUNISHER. Because if you do, you're reading an interesting spoof on THE PUNISHER and probably yourself.
If you really want to read THE PUNISHER, you could read the '80s stories by Chuck Dixon, Carl Potts, Steven Grant or, best of all, Mike Baron. Talk about reality. For the first time, if you are truly applying reality to superhero comics, you will believe. His Punisher was the perfection blend of brains and vengeance. He usually set up missions and objectives for himself, which is the only way the superhero thing could work in real life. Of course, the fun was that the missions would not quite unfold the way Frank planned.
Baron's Punisher was human, but not in the angsty, cliche way that most comic book characters are when we say they're human. His Frank Castle had the humanity that came from consistency and perspective. He was a killer, and you could get a certain vicarious thrill out of putting yourself in the place of this fictional badass, but it wasn't just a series of black humor and poses.
It's funny. THE PUNISHER was a huge book in the '80s. Now, it's almost forgotten.
But we're in luck because Mike Baron is writing...surprise MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR (I was kinda expecting Garth Ennis to write MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR, but...). We're following another guy named Frank...Frank Grace, this time. He packs heat, knows kung fu, even has a hang glider hidden under his Chow Yun Fat overcoat. He's a mining engineer from Montana (with a Punisher-like string of allies and contacts) who is at war with a Hong Triad for some reason (I really don't even care about the reason; I'm a big fan of director Walter Hill. Walter and I hate motivation). Frank drops out of the sky onto a Chinese junk deal and scores with a babe. He beats up a casino full of gangsters and feeds a boatload of pirates to sharks.
Kung fu. Hidden hang gliders. Hong Kong Triad. Scoring with babes. Pirate-eating sharks. You see what I'm getting at? This, my friends, is a comic book!
Gotta talk about the art, even though this is MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR. It's Mel Rubi's THE DETONATOR too. Rubi is long on range. Everything from Hong Kong to Montana mining country. Although, for a book called THE DETONATOR (excuse me, MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR) the explosions could have been a little more dramatic.
So if you want to read the closest thing to the real PUNISHER being printed, give Marvel the bird and pick up MIKE BARON'S THE DETONATOR.
SPACE GHOST #1
Writer: Joe Kelly
Art: Ariel Olivetti
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
On a lark, I recently purchased William Shatner’s new album, HAS BEEN. It’s a quirky album produced by Ben Folds and featuring performances by Folds, Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, and Brad Paisley. Shatner writes most of the lyrics and pokes fun at himself in this eclectic collection of tunes which range from fun and energetic to somber and personal. I especially recommend Shatner’s version of Pulp’s “Common People.” It was fun listening to Captain Kirk rock and roll with these big names in the music industry. There may be those serious types who think Shatner is making a fool of himself, but I dug the hell out of this new take on a guy who I solely knew as someone I watched on TV as a kid.
To me, SPACE GHOST is kind of like that too. I vaguely remember watching the Hanna Barberra cartoon on Saturday mornings. Space Ghost was a stoic fighter for interstellar justice and a noble father figure to a pair of teens and a monkey. The animation was pretty crappy. SG had about five go-to poses that fit every situation and the stories were your standard Saturday morning level of lameness. But I remember digging the show, even though I never joined the Royal Order of Space Ghost Fans or anything like that. Much later, I discovered a new version of Space Ghost on the Cartoon Network. I was in college at the time and under the influence of both legal and illegal substances, but I have to say that this version of the character entertained the hell out of me. SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST cast SG as a talk show host interviewing offbeat celebrities. The animation was still crappy, but that’s what added to the lunacy of it all. It was a completely insane show which had me rolling on the floor during especially effective bouts of drug-addled hysteria. Those who followed the old SPACE GHOST cartoon religiously may have been offended, but this show, looked at on its own, was pretty damn entertaining.
DC’s new SPACE GHOST series is yet another version of the character. Writer Joe Kelly takes the material seriously and orchestrates an epic space opera filled with romance, betrayal, imagination, and danger on every page. The book takes more inspiration from the old cartoon than the Cartoon Network spoof, casting Eidolon Elite Officer Thaddeus Bach as a hard-edged, take-no-prisoners, interstellar police officer who is on the fast track to being one of the best officers in his unit if he can learn to reel back his emotions and morals and do his job without questions. Of course, he can’t do that and that’s where the drama begins. This is an especially brutal book; reminiscent of such grue-filled space stories as ALIEN LEGION and THE OMEGA MEN, depicting rough violence, dastardly alien characters, and bitter consequences. I enjoyed this book for its hard edge and new take on an old character.
Ariel Olivetti has outdone himself with his line-less artwork. The book looks more like an issue of HEAVY METAL than an adaptation of a Saturday morning hero. Olivetti’s designs for his aliens are both disgusting and beautiful at once. Both the quiet and action-filled moments are handled with the same amount of craftsmanship. It is this type of dedication that shows how truly talented Olivetti is. This guy is a superstar in the waiting and this may be the book that finally gives him the recognition he deserves.
With both ADAM STRANGE and now SPACE GHOST, tearing through the cosmos at a caliber of cool that has not been associated with them before, DC has a firm hold on Sci-Fi comics right now. There will be those die-hards who are going to be offended by this hard PG version of the character. This is not the Space Ghost you watched on Saturday mornings as a kid nor is it the clueless host you guffawed into your bong at on Cartoon Network’s ADULT SWIM. This is a whole new version and I think it’s just as good. DC’s SPACE GHOST, like Shatner’s HAS BEEN, proves that a different take on an old favorite can be pretty damn entertaining.
IRON MAN # 1
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Adi Granov
MARVEL TEAM UP # 1
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art by Scott Kolins
Published by Marvel
Reviews by Buzz Maverik
All of the names and characteristics of panel members of this piece, including Buzz Maverik, are purely fictional. Any resemblance between these characters, and real people are 100% coincidental and should be embarrassing for everyone involved. -- AICN COMICS.
I'm late.
Words to strike fear into the heart of any man. Actually, words most comic geeks will probably never have to worry about.
I was going to review these books last week but I said, "Screw it."
I was going to say, "Screw it" this week, but then I got the idea of recruiting regular posters at some of the top creators' message boards, as well as our own Talkbacks for a rollicking, often heated roundtable discussion.
So, without further bullshit, I give you that roundtable:
BUZZ: Welcome, everybody. Help yourself to the tequila and mescaline. I'm your host, Buzz Maverik. With me is, uh...Bub from the Bendis Board, Todd Van Dorn from MillarWorld, Upyers Mom from the Ain't It Cool News Talkbacks, and, uh...Pickle Lily from Gail Simone's YABS Board at Comic Book Resources. Today, we'll be discussing IRON MAN # 1 and MARVEL TEAM UP # 1. Let's start with IRON MAN # 1. What is all this number one crap, anyway? They never stopped publishing IRON MAN. This isn't number one, because I have several issues of IRON MAN with higher issue numbers. Like # 35. And # 158!
BUB: Mussst eat braaaains...
BUZZ: Good point, Bub, and you were right to call me on it. I was just goofing here. This is fan favorite Warren Ellis' debut on the title and he's doing his top work here. None of Ellis' recent pacing problems on series like ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE are in evidence here. While not a slam bang action extravaganza, we have the groundwork for an intriguing story and some insights and reminders about Tony Stark's character thanks to the device of Stark being interviewed by a Michael Moore-type filmmaker, who actually looks a little more like a young Harlan Ellison. What did you think of the issue, Todd?
TODD: Van Dorn, Todd M. Age: 23. Height: Six feet, one inch. Weight: 170. Hair: Brown. Eyes: Brown. Distinguishing marks: a tattoo of Grumpy from SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS on left buttock--
BUZZ: I think what Todd is saying here is that Ellis and his idea-rich but somewhat cold style are a welcome addition on the title for, say, one story arc but that the book and character could benefit more from the Geoff Johns treatment in the long haul.
Upyers Mom: I just wanna say that Ambush Bug is punk! Sometimes, like when the issue of a comic is good, he says he likes it. But when the issue is bad, he says he doesn't. The guy has a real problem!
BUZZ: Now that you mention it, I was a little put off by the art myself at first. Then, I realized that if the name on the credits was Richard Corben instead of Adi Granov, I'd be digging it. So I reevaluated it, and I've got nothing but good things to say. And while I know nothing of Ellis' work habits, it seems like he's a writer who works very well with his artists and I would guess that Granov may have had a positive influence on the pace of this issue.
PICKLE LILY: I'm starting my own comic. It's called KINNYKINS and I always post links on Gail's Board. Once, it even got a hit. Gail let's me because she's nice. I tried linking on some other creators boards but they banned me and--
BUZZ: No, Lily, I wasn't forgetting the story itself. Punks illegally obtain a sample of a mutantegenic substance from a genetic engineering lab run by a babe who once picked up Tony Stark in a bar. So, we're all agreed: good comic, Ellis back in form. Let's move on to MARVEL TEAM UP #1.
UPYERS MOM: And that Vroom Socko. He sucks! You suck too, Buzz!
BUZZ: I was expecting Bub to bring up that point, Upyers Mom. Our first team up features popular Marvel movie characters Spider-Man and Wolverine, who will be the cornerstones of Bendis' NEW AVENGERS. Is this a preview of things to come, Bub?
BUB: Musssst roooooam the earrrth.....
BUZZ: That's Robert Kirkman, Bub, creator of THE WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE for Image. He's just the writer for this book! The guy was born to write Spider-Man. And he did Wolverine so well because he portrayed him a professional, carrying out a mutantcentric mission, with only an underlying, smoldering fury. Kirkman didn't smash us in the face with a set of badass Wolverine poses.
PICKLE LILY: Once I was walking in a valley. Once I was walking in a valley and I met a shepherd. Once I was walking in a valley and I met a shepherd but he didn't have one of those sticks with a hook on it. The kind of stick shepherd' carry.
BUZZ: You said it! You couldn't find a better artist for MARVEL TEAM UP than Scott "The Flash" Kolins. I'd love to see him on IRON MAN.
TODD: Employer: W.L.D. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Right handed. Also known as "the Todster" and "T" to friend. Known associates: Roger, Lenny, Enrique and Ray. Last sexual contact--
BUZZ: See, that's where you're wrong, dude. The book had the right balance of Peter Parker and Spidey. And the webbed up Wolverine was cool.
UPYERS MOM: Somebody oughta web-up Ambush Bug's ass...
BUZZ: Hey, the rules are no spoilers! Don't try to tell me you were expecting the book's sudden dark turn at the end. Alright, folks, that's all the bandwidth they give me. Final words?
BUB: Sennnd morrre cops!
TODD: Group affliations: Blockbuster Video. New Brethern Reform Church Youth Group. MillarWorld....
PICKLE LILY: War is bad. Bush is bad. Comics are good. Oh, someone is IMing me. Read my blog.
UPYERS MOM: Curse you, Ambush Bug! Curse you!
BUZZ: There you have it! You're ready to make informed consumer decisions on IRON MAN # 1 and MARVEL TEAM UP # 1.
Cheap Shots!
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #59 - Judging by sales, a good number of you Batman fans are into the big crossovers and long-running soap opera angst, but that ain’t me (NO MAN’S LAND excepted). The ‘90s Batman cartoon was pretty close to my ideal with its largely self-contained stories, and with that in mind, this latest GOTHAM KNIGHTS made for a rare Batman-related purchase on my part. It starts with a memorable Jae Lee cover (click the thumbnail) and the ball gets going with Batman and Mr. Freeze trapped inside a hastily-constructed ice sphere that’s the only thing keeping them from roasting inside a collapsing, burning building. Nothing like a good novelty hook, and the rest of the story is unveiled in flashback as the two foes find themselves with little to do but talk as the inferno around them rages.
And, no, they don’t resort to man-love to stay alive.
Very solid story, good artwork from Charlie Adlard (THE WALKING DEAD), and Mr. Freeze has been inherently cool ever since the Dini/Timm makeover. Recommended to casual fans like m’self. - Dave
FANTASTIC FOUR #520 - Mark Waid continues to make this book live up to the tagline “World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.” In this issue, Johnny Storm has been drafted to be Galactus’ latest Herald. The rest of the team is scrambling to rescue him before either Galactus forces him to seek out a planet to engulf or Johnny annoys the big G enough to incinerate him. Through flashbacks scattered throughout the issue, the team remembers why they love Johnny despite his air-headedness. There is an especially effective nod to Cyrano De Bergerac and an appearance that will please old school Marvel readers. Lately, this series has hit a lull, but with this Galactus storyline, Waid and Wieringo are back on top telling stories that will be sure to be looked back on as classics. - Bug
THE WALKING DEAD #13 - Was it just a week ago that issue #12 came out? Yeppers. That's some weird-ass scheduling, but I won't complain 'cause this is my favorite issue of THE WALKING DEAD in many a moon. Features the cast running perilously close to starvation even as they set their sights on taking over…a prison. Sure, there’re zombies to slaughter all over the yard and maybe inside too, but if they can claim the area…possible food supplies, possible medical supplies, and controllable gates to ward off further zombie incursions. Cool! What really drew me in, though, was the spotlight on just a handful of characters rather than the sometimes unwieldy ensemble cast. Lots of great tension, including a search for zombie stragglers through a darkened prison, and then in a surprise reveal on the last page…aw, I can’t blab! - Dave
HAWKMAN #34 I’m recommending this book solely for the fact that it features Hawkman in civilian dress “Conan-ing-the-fuck-out” and smashing an axe into the skull of a monster without remorse. This singular barbaric moment is one of the reason I love the Hawkman character. He’s the one guy you simply do not want to fuck with; especially at a black tie affair with a bunch of medieval weaponry decorating the walls. Apart from that moment of cool, writers Justin Grey and Jimmy Palmiotti are gathering together a cadre of villains to conspire against our winged warrior and they also find the time to throw in some great character moments between Hawkgirl and the big guy. Ryan Sook’s art is top notch too. - Bug
WOLVERINE #22 - I cannot tell a lie. I don’t usually like Mark Millar’s superhero stuff, but this third chapter of his run on WOLVERINE kicked some pretty mighty ass. Simple premise: a mind-controlled Wolverine infiltrating and assaulting the Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building, but just as I was preparing to cringe at the ridiculous threat level Wolverine’s been elevated to in recent years…the FF fucking hands him his ass. Well, okay, it’s not quite so cut-and-dry, but fears that Millar would punk the four heroes who started the Marvel Age were quickly allayed. Wolverine’s on the ropes throughout the encounter leading to satisfying turnaround where, yes, the hunter becomes the hunted, and the FF are consistently portrayed as the imaginative, larger-than-life heroes they are. The honest truth? Based on Millar’s history and the first two chapters of this arc, I don’t think the story as a whole is for me, but this was a chapter I was happy to pick up as a memorable standalone. Takes me back to when I was a kid and I’d just buy cool, random issues, ongoing stories be damned! Kind of liberating. - Dave
EX MACHINA #6 - Politically super-charged and sharp as an adamantium tack, this book never fails to tackle tough topics while filling the word balloons with some of the cleverest dialog in comics. Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris are on top of their game, creating a book that is not only important to read, but fun too. This issue sets up a new mystery which answers may lead to clues behind Mayor Hundred’s powers. Jump on with this issue. You’ll be hooked. It tackles today’s tough issues objectively without making it seem like someone is preaching at you. Highly recommended to those with a sense of humor, a taste for adventure, and a brain. - Bug
SHE-HULK #9 - Yes, Virginia, the one-shot story still exists. In fact, it’s downright thriving in the pages of Dan Slott’s enormously entertaining SHE-HULK, this latest issue a perfect “test read” for those who’ve wavered on picking up the trade in spite of all the praise compelling them to just buy the damn thing! It’s a hoot-and-a-half guest-starring one of Marvel’s most boisterous foils, the demi-god Hercules. See, She-Hulk’s firm is defending him in a trial involving his getting a little too rough in taking down the low-level villain, The Constrictor. And, gee, it’d help if Herc hadn’t been caught on tape at a bar singing his own glorious praises for delivering the ass-whupping! Easily one of my favorite comic scenes of the year. All told, great fun for the Marvel fan, and Herc’s even back wearing the classic Jack Kirby armor. Do the classics stand the test of time or what? Preview of the first four pages here. - Dave
BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #185 - Interesting first chapter featuring Batman trying to solve a crime that may or may not have been committed by the Riddler. I admired this book for going against the norm and telling a tale with panels filled with action instead of drowning every inch of the page with words. The story is still effective due to the clever pacing by writer Shane McCarthy and kinetic art by Tommy Castillo and Rodney Ramos. This often overlooked Bat-title usually doesn’t tie in with current continuity, but this time, the story jumps from the recent back-up story featuring the Riddler and Poison Ivy that ran through the “War Games” crossover and may end up featuring the introduction of an all-new, all-different Riddler. I’m willing to give this 5 part arc a shot. - Bug
CONAN #10 - Solid as ever, but a little light on personality this month as Conan spends most of the issue just kind of...standing there. He's swept up in a murder mystery, an adaptation of Robert E. Howard's "The God in the Bowl," and the problem is that he's little more than the surly suspect in a whodunit he just chanced upon. Might end up being a fine story, but as a standalone chapter in a serial? Ehh, kinda flat. -Dave
MADROX #3 - What more can I say about MADROX? It’s freaking good. Buy it. It successfully melds noir with the Marvel U and Peter David never fails to come up with cool ways to exploit Madrox’s hokey Multiple Man powers in every issue. This issue’s cliffhanger is a doozy. Sure, the book inspires groans when Madrox has to say that everything is so “noir” every five minutes. It’s kind of like explaining or laughing hysterically at your own joke. Annoying, yes, but a minor complaint to a truly original and entertaining book. Drop the rest of the yawn inducing X-Books and read this one. It puts the others to shame with its ingenuity and originality. - Bug
