| #5 | 6/15/05 | #4 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
BATMAN BEGINS MOVIE ADAPTATION
GIANT SIZE X-MEN #3
BIRDS OF PREY #83
DAREDEVIL #74
DAY OF VENGEANCE #3
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 4
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #66
NEVERWHERE #1
Indie Jones Presents: THE MIDDLEMAN #1
CHEAP SHOTS!
Greetings, Faithful Talkbackers, I am the Moderator, the omniscient and lonely voice of reason haunting the halls of @$$hole HQ. Usually, the @$$holes utilize my talents to host special feature columns such as The Roundtable Review or The @$$ies. But on this grand occasion, the Holes at AICN Comics have recognized my superior intellect and gifted vocabulary and allowed me the honor of reviewing the OFFICIAL MOVIE ADAPTATION of the summer blockbuster BATMAN BEGINS. The comic book follows the exploits of a young Bruce Way—
Buh-naners, every-buddy!Schleppy, I’m in the middle of a review of comic book adaptation of the new BATMAN BEGINS film. I have no time to converse with the @$$hole Mascot/smelly monkey at the moment.
Hold horse. Schleppy no understand. Dere’s a new Batman moobie? Schleppy thinks Schleppy ‘members something about Batman moobie. It directed by dat guy who did da Mentos commercial, right?Schleppy, I believe you are confused. BATMAN BEGINS was directed by Christopher Nolan, the director of MEMENTO.
Yeah, dat’s right. Schleppy liked it when dat guy went backwards and forgot stuff. Like when dat pretty lady’s car was stuck and dose painters lifted dat car so she could get out. Den guy wrote it all down on his hand and when he looked at it, he gave a thumbs up and went “Da Freshmaker!”*sigh* Schleppy, I have a review to do.
Schleppy love to review moobies! Schleppy can help!No Schleppy, this isn’t a movie review. I’m reviewing the comic book adaptation of a movie.
You review a comic book ‘bout a moobie ‘bout a comic book?Well…yes.
Schleppy confused. Isn’t dat kind of like when Schleppy Xerox his butt on da photo copier and den Schleppy Xerox da Xerox?I’m not sure that I follow you, Schlep.
Schleppy mean dat da Butt Xerox of da first Butt Xerox is never as good as da first Butt Xerox. And first Butt Xerox is never as good as original butt.So…you’re saying that comic book adaptations of comic book movies are never as good as the movie itself and that the movies are never as good as the original comic book material? Wow…that’s…pretty astute of you to notice that, Schleppy. In truth, you are correct. The adaptation of BATMAN BEGINS wasn’t as good as the movie—
Dere’s a new BATMAN moobie out?Yes, Schlep, we were just talking about it. Did you forget?
No, Schleppy didn’t forget. Schleppy wrote it on hand right here. Read it.Schleppy, you wrote “Mentos” on your hand.
Da Freshmaker!
GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 3
Written by Joss Whedon, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas
Art by Neal Adams, Jack Kirby, Wener Roth
Published by Marvel
Reviewed by Buzz Maverik
Buzz Maverik's Blog
6/15/05
Music: The Clash's version of "I Fought The Law"
Mood: Horny
After boring you all with last night's version of how I escaped the cops and news media in a high-speed car chase (alternate vehicles, cover, and disguises help!), I thought I'd get back to talking about comics.
GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 3 was on the list today. Back in the Bronze Age, Marvel published bi-monthly Giant Size comic series, most of the time featuring new material. The X-Men, of course, were re-launched as a new team in GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 1, which has been reprinted 100 zillion times. As a kid new to comics at the time, hanging out with other kids new to comics, we couldn't understand why GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 2 didn't feature all of the same cast. It was almost like it took place before GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 1.
The fact is, GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 2 reprinted the Sentinel stories by artist Neal Adams. Mr. Adams has had a very odd impact on comics. He came onto the scene in the 1960s, became well known for BATMAN, GREEN LANTERN & GREEN ARROW, DEAD MAN and a number of things at DC. Over at Marvel, he enjoyed the freedom of the Marvel style in which he essentially was allowed to draw whatever he wanted, making up whatever story he wanted, which Roy Thomas would write later. I can't figure out how in the hell anybody could write anything like that. I've read interviews with Alex Toth in which he's said that writers would come over to DC from Marvel, hand in a flimsy plot for the artist to draw and Mr. Toth would tell them to knock it off and write a script!
But Marvel style had to be great for the artist. Mr. Adams took X-MEN because it was Marvel's worst selling book at the time and slated for cancellation. He came in on the second half of a story in which the Living Pharaoh had kidnapped Scott Summers’ younger brother. Get this, the Pharaoh was supposed to take Alex to a fake Egyptian setting, probably somewhere in Jersey. Mr. Adams probably laughed in their faces and said, "Hey, I can draw Egypt, so the story can be in Egypt."
Anything the artist can draw can be in a comic. That's the superiority of comics as a medium. No budget, logic or laws of physics restrictions.
Great as the whole Living Pharaoh/Living Monolith tale was, it paled compared the Sentinel stories. When I read GIANT SIZE # 2, I'd never seen anything like that in comic. The art had realism and drama, feeling and motion. It almost came off the pages, like you were going to get your ass clocked by the Beast or burnt to crisp by Havok!
These stories have been reprinted both in a volume featuring the X-Men's greatest battles and X-MEN VISIONARIES: NEAL ADAMS, in addition to GIANT SIZE # 2. The funny thing about Neal Adams’ art is that it didn't have more influence at the time. Now, you see a lot more art that has the look and the depth ... it's just that the guys writing the full scripts aren't giving these Adamites anything interesting to do with the interesting looking characters that others have created.
In this issue, we have the new X-Men meeting in the Danger Room for a clandestine session. It looks great, like many a modern comic. The problem is that writer Joss Whedon gets the All New/All Different ones All Wrong. I have to wonder if he read the book at the time, or ever. It's a problem with reprints so easy to get. People know what these characters were like, ya know?
,BR> Wolverine wouldn't have called the meeting. He was loner. You can go into the comic shop, pick up an ESSENTIAL and you'll see that. Nightcrawler wasn't afraid of Wolverine or much of anyone. He was a swashbuckler. Colossus may have had a crush on Ororo or viewed her as an older sister, but he would not have demeaned her abilities because of her gender. Even Claremont would not have had Ororo make an obvious feminist statement; she would have reacted with a more cutting, regal coldness. Sunfire wanted even less to do with these guys than Wolverine did. Thunderbird was secretly plagued by self doubt and was intimidated by Wolverine.
You have art by the master, which is now a widely imitated style so it's not as awe inspiring. And story by someone who should have done his homework.
6/16/06
Music "Ding, Dong The Witch Is Dead" by the Munchkins
Mood: Stoned
The rest of GIANT SIZE X-MEN # 3 features reprints from the Lee/Kirby days and just beyond. You'll see the mutants first meetings with the Avengers, Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. Always fun.
BIRDS OF PREY #83
Writer: Gail Simone
Penciller: Joe Bennett
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Now right here what I’m supposed to be doing is attempting to grab your attention. The opening paragraph of any written work, an essay, a book, or even a comic book review is supposed to be the time where I do some sort of build and hook you into reading the rest of whatever it is I’m doing. I could maybe joke around a bit and use humor, or I can tell some sort of humorous or poignant anecdote, or I can even lead in with some sort of significant quote to try and grab you where it counts. But instead right here I’m going to try something a little bit different with a bit of spontaneous and crazy mixed right in: I’m going to propose a question.
,br> *Ahem*
Gail Simone, if you are reading this, will you marry me?
Now, I know this a little bit sudden and you have no clue who the hell I am, but hear me out. I’ve been told by many people other than my mother that I’m cute, I’m clean, I work out regularly, and I know and love good writing when I see it.
There. I said it. I want you for your brain.
…
Okay, let’s talk about the book now. Really, I’ll come out now and say I think this is not only the most consistently good mainline DC book out there, but it’s probably just straight up their best one. Over the past couple years, Ms. Simone (or should I say Mrs. Lee?) has made all the femme fatales of this title stand up on their own two feet (and no, that’s not a bad Barbara joke) and grow more than I thought was left for them to do. This current arc has been no exception. We see Black Canary as strong and physical as she has ever been as she has gone up against some exceptional martial artists, taking her skills to the limit. But we’ve also seen a soft side to her in her interactions with good friend and mentor Ted “Wildcat” Grant. Huntress on the other hand, while as determined and as hungry for respect as ever, has shown a more pleasant and jovial side while working with others. And Oracle? Barbara Gordon has shown more grit in these past few issues and arcs than most of the big, bad males in tights ever have.
The kicker of it all is that there’s a great story here too. The past few couple issues have seen each of the ladies, with their “sidekicks”, playing their parts in taking down different organized crime and drug sects in their own ways. Huntress has been preying on Mafiosos with the voracity and smugness you’d expect, Canary has done hers with grace and honor, and like always Barbara has pulled all the strings she can from their newly mobile HQ. This issue finally sets off all the work the ladies have done and we start to see the climax of a Barbara centered plot thread that has been running almost as long as Gail has been writing. We get a good bit of action, we get great character interaction, we get crosses and double-crosses, and we get a bit of a twist and a tie-in, and I’m not talking about the supposed OMAC tie-in hyped up on the cover. If there is anything negative I would say about this book, it is that nasty little stamp on the front of this book. Except for a little exposition on Ted Kord, and the glowing eyes of an undercover OMAC shown in a couple panels, there’s really not a bloody thing about OMAC to be had in this issue, which basically means that it was thrown on there to get some extra attention this month. And while that usually bothers me (and it does here to an extent) I really can’t argue with giving such a great title more attention, underhanded as it may be.
If that giant love-fest hasn’t convinced you that you should be buying this title, then there’s nothing more I can do here. I mean, come on. Look at all that time I just spent talking about how great it read and I didn’t even have time to get to how amazing the art is! Please, instead of buying your umpteenth INFINITE CRISIS or HOUSE OF M whatever, spend your hard earned cash on a book that is at the cusp of becoming one of the best long-term runs of a comic this decade.
Oh, and Gail… did I mention I can cook too?
DAREDEVIL #74
Brian Michael Bendis: Writer
Alex Maleev: Artist
Marvel Comics: Publisher
Vroom Socko: Sinner
More than any other title out there, we’ve given this book our every ounce of ire. The title character doesn’t live up to his name, the characters are all talk, and the whole thing feels like an excerpt from the eventual trade. And on top of that, Bendis seems content to treat his initial foray into the Marvel Universe as an experiment in Mamet-Lite. The thing is, much of the dislike several of us feel on whatever level comes from our longstanding expectations of what the Marvel name means. Putting the name of the book and publisher aside and focusing on the story itself, however, reveals a simple truth.
The current arc, “Decalogue,” is the best damn work of Brian Bendis’ career to date.
What started out as an apparent series of vignettes has turned into one hell of a story; this small group of Hell’s Kitchen denizens, meeting in a church basement to discuss Daredevil, are revealed to have connections not only to DD, but to each other as well. Then there’s the mystery man in the room who seems to know everything about Matt Murdock. Is he a new character, or an old foe in new clothes perhaps? All I know is, he bares a striking resemblance to artist Alex Maleev. (This isn’t exactly a unique ocurence. Bendis himself one showed up as Stilt-Man, and one of the other members of this little group looks a helluva lot like the Bendis Boarder known as Aalgar. You want to become a comic book character? Join the Bendis Board.)
What has really impressed me on this story is not only the strong character work, but the pacing as well. In just four issues, I feel I know these people better than I do Milla, Matt’s ex-wife. Part of what makes it work is that these are ordinary people. Bendis has been spending all of his time at Marvel trying to make its extraordinary populace into ordinary folks, with mixed results. What’s the point, really, of trying to make superheroes seem like they’re exactly like us when by their very nature they’re nothing at all like us? But by applying this mentality onto the average citizens under the protection of Daredevil, Bendis has hit storytelling gold.
The best part, though, the absolute best, has been the closing pages for each issue, especially the last two. It’s as if Bendis took every comment about him “writing for the Trade” so personally, he wrote this storyline as a big fuck you to all the bitchers. These are some of the best cliffhangers I’ve ever seen from Bendis. I actually feel sorry for all of you who have given up on monthlies, because I get the feeling this arc is actually going to be a weaker read when collected.
Bendis is by no means a perfect writer. But that doesn’t mean he can’t come up with a perfect story. “Decalogue” is the closest I’ve seen him come. Don’t wait on this one, go pick up every issue now. Right now.
DAY OF VENGEANCE #3
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artists: Ron Wagner/Dexter Vines
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Prof. Challenger
Hmm…
If I didn't actually read that this issue was drawn by Ron Wagner, I would've sworn it was Tom Mandrake. What's up with that? Ron Wagner draws it, but nothing looks like it was drawn by Ron Wagner. Maybe it's the inker. I don't know. I will say I was kind of happy that it wasn't drawn by Justiniano this time. But I have a really shallow reason for that. I can't stand all these artists lately going by one name – Madonna and Prince style. Drives me crazy.
Anyway, this whole series has sort of confounded me. I kind of like it, but I don't think I'd go so far as to say it's really good. And that's not to say that it's bad. It's just kind of...there.
Bill Willingham has always written comics with a little quirky kind of style (I'm one of those who fondly remembers THE ELEMENTALS) and I wasn't sure how he would do taking on the mystical side of the DCU. And here's the thing, there's a lot of death, destruction, and apocalyptic overtones yet the tone of the series just seems lightweight to me – without coming off "goofy" like Simone's VILLAINS UNITED. And I think that's what I kind of like about it. In the face of such drearily serious and morose comics and mini-series all tying into the upcoming CRISIS, it makes this little series stand out a little bit.
I think I'll just thumb through this issue and just do a ramblin' sort of overview about a few assorted items in this comic. First off, I like that Capt. Marvel is brought in here. I was just a wee lad back when the DCU reintroduced the Fawcett characters into their publishing line. Then, in the wake of the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS the Marvel Family found itself not-so-special anymore flitting around on an Earth where Superman is the grand-daddy of all heroes, not to mention a slew of Green Lanterns who can do anything their minds could imagine and a Manhunter from Mars who had all of Superman's powers PLUS some. In that world, Capt. Marvel became redundant. So, ever since, all these fine writers have attempted to find a way to make Capt. Marvel relevant in the modern DCU – figure out why the character is NOT Superman. Yes, it's true that Cap is a young boy at heart, that's a distinction, but now that they've upped Billy's age to 15 or 16, it's not so true. Now it's Cap with a teenager's angst and confusion. That's not so interesting. How about the fact that he's got a whole "family" of similarly powered heroes? Sure, that was distinctive post-Crisis...at least until DC started introducing new versions of Superboy and Supergirl back into continuity. That made the whole Marvel Family once again somewhat redundant.
However, Jerry Ordway contributed one really interesting new wrinkle to Cap's mythology and it is this wrinkle that has finally germinated long enough that DC may have finally figured out how to make Cap relevant and less redundant. For 50 some odd years, Cap's powers have always been magical in nature but that very nature has rarely, if ever, been explored in the context of the entire mystical side of the DCU. What makes Cap unique in the DCU is that while Superman is the world's preeminent science-based Superhero, Cap is the world's preeminent magic-based Superhero – as opposed to a mystical hero casting spells and all that rot. And as we all know, even Superman is susceptible to magic. But what Ordway added is the concept that Cap shares his power with the others in the Marvel Family – that is, if Mary and Junior are both powered up then Cap loses about 2/3 of his power. Well, in DAY OF VENGEANCE, Willingham shows us that not only is the converse true, given the right conduit, Marvel can take on the combined power of all the magically-powered characters in the DCU. As a result, Cap can swell up with so much mystical empowerment that it’s actually possible for him to defeat an out-of-control angel of God like the Spectre.
This really does set Cap up as the most powerful (in potential) character in the entire DCU. He has none of the physical or mental limitations that a science-fiction-based character like Superman has to face. Cap's physical abilities are magical in nature and, therefore, are not bound by the physics of nature. Likewise, his mind is also magically endowed, which should make the only true limitation of his mind the fear of utter corruption – driven mad by limitless power.
All this is implicit in what occurs in DOV#3 as Cap takes on the Spectre while Enchantress channels mystical power Cap's way. It's the implications of what happens that make it interesting. The execution was not quite so grand, but it was not bad.
One notable bugaboo. I really hate what's happened to Blue Devil in the last few years. Even here, with the lighter tone, I was hoping to see a modicum of a return of BD's light-hearted stuntman personality from before the big demon-darkening thing that happened to him. Hasn't happened. I loved that silly old BLUE DEVIL comic and would love to see the return of that character. I just viscerally hate this newer Ragman character. Somebody make HIM one of those rags and shut him up.
To end on a high positive, I was quite amused by the scenes with Detective Chimp and Nightshade – especially the gag with the dog. Detective Chimp starts questioning a neighborhood dog and starts by asking the dog his name. The dog replies in this classic bit of dialogue: "The family I live with calls me Rover. But my real name is: I Proudly Urinate Everywhere Marking A Wide Expanse Of Territory."
Now that's some fine comics. Hee.
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 4
Written by Stan Lee
Art by Jack Kirby
Published by Marvel
Reviewed by Buzz Maverik
I'm addicted to the Marvel Essentials. If I didn't review comics here, they'd probably be the only comics that I'd buy or read. Except for all the X-MEN and WOLVERINE volumes, I can't pass any of them up.
Just open your copy up to the splash page in the first story, FF # 64. We have the Thing holding up a monstrous piece of Kirbyan weird machinery, Sue in a pout and Reed both pontificating and asking Sue what's wrong. Sure, it'd be even more strangely beautiful in color but who the hell wants to wait for that?
Does it get any more Marvel than THE FANTASTIC FOUR or THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ? Sure, we all have our personal favorites, and a lot of our preferences are time-specific but if we're boiling Marvel comics down to their purest form, it's Spidey and the FF. That's what started it all. Creations by the three fathers of the Marvel Universe. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko creating Spider-Man (and in the rare instance, Stan getting lucky twice by having John Romita Sr. coming aboard after Ditko. Romita Sr. should be considered a creator of Spider-Man. He changed the book and the characters so much) and Stan and Jack Kirby on THE FANTASTIC FOUR.
I'll only talk about the FF here because that's what I'm reviewing (although the same would hold true for Spidey). Lee and Kirby's FANTASTIC FOUR had a cohesion, a consistency of vision that had been lacking in the comic book medium up until then. You had the same two guys making all of it up, writing and drawing every issue of their own creations. They were masters of everything: narrative, character, even humor.
When you read this volume, your mind will enter the Marvel Universe. The creative forces are so powerful here that if you have any sort of sensitivity (and I'm not talking the sissy kind that you have to pretend to have in order to get laid), a vague astral crossing will happen. I'm talking super string theory, silly string theory, all kinds of Reed Richards and Warren Ellis stuff. You have to be open to it, maybe environmental factors have to be right, but the work has that kind of power.
The people lucky enough to read these stories when they were first published met the Kree (Sentry, Supreme Intelligence and Ronan the Accuser) long before the rest of us. The Inhumans are often present and their babe Elemental becomes Johnny Human Torch's girlfriend as well as Sue's replacement in the FF. The Silver Surfer is a regular guest star. You'll also see a lot of Galactus, Psycho-Man and the Negative Zone. Toomazooma the Living Totem also makes his one and only appearance. Thankfully, this volume is light on such great but overused foes as Dr. Doom, the Sub-Mariner, the Mole Man and the Frightful Four.
Believe me, if you have the right sensibilities, at the very least you'll be pleased and be asking, "How did they do that?"
Of course, you'll also wonder at the unintentional humor of the Thing and the Torch waking up in the same bed in the second Kree story. Those were more innocent times...but since these aren't, you get to supply your own dialogue.
"Don't tell Crystal."
"She's gonna wonder why yer walkin' funny. But okay, as long as you don't tell Alicia."
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #66
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Penciller: Al Barrionuevo
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
This… This is how you do a tie-in horribly.
Admittedly, despite not being too enthralled with Jeph Loeb’s and Jim Lee’s HUSH arc in BATMAN almost a couple years ago now, Hush did become a somewhat intriguing character to me. Intriguing enough for me to start buying this title as it was becoming the place to be to see exactly where the fallout around Batman’s newest antagonist was going. And at first I was very glad I did. Hush was turning out to be as much a physical presence as he was a psychological one, which was good because I don’t think there’s enough Batman villains that can do both. Also, the inclusion of Prometheus to the mix to me was a stroke of genius, as that’s a villain that I thought always had so much potential, and seemed to just go away too soon after Morrison’s last use of him in JLA.
But then the book started to loose its steam. Somewhere in the midst of the fiasco that was WAR GAMES (one that has some positive effects, but mostly negative ones) and a plot twist involving a dispute over Hush’s true identity, and now a loooooooong drawing out in revelations over it, this title is starting to just unravel now. And here’s where my opening line comes into play.
On top of all those foils I just listed we now get to add in some big crossover plot threads too. In this issue we find Prometheus and Hush falling into the hands of the terrorist organization Kobra, and their new leader and Secret Society of Super-villains member, Talia Al Ghul. Okay, so one, I don’t even know when and where Talia officially became leader of Kobra. I believe according to the Previews solicits I read it was in BREACH, but I really have no clue. So that’s strike one. Strike two is that the bulk of the book settles around retelling Prometheus’ origin, because it appears the reason Talia is interested in him is the “Cosmic Key” that gives him access to some of his powers and also entry into an entire other dimension. Strike three is that at the end of the trip down memory lane with Prometheus, and Hush’s inevitable/lackluster escape, we find that the whole situation with the Cosmic Key will be resolved in, oh, roughly four months in JSA CLASSIFIED #5, which last I checked, really had nothing to do with BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS.
So there you go. Your VILLAINS UNITED! tie-in is basically the appearance of Talia and Kobra. There’s also a nice bit of continuity inconsistency as, during the capture or Prometheus, we see him and Deathstroke having a gruff exchange of words, when last I checked in VILLAINS UNITED #1 Prometheus was a willing volunteer to join the new Secret Society of Super-Villains anyway… So now I’m not even sure why they had to go through all that trouble to hunt him and capture him anyway when he’s a member of the team and…
Y’know what? This is all just confusing me and giving me a headache now. I think I’m just going to stop this review and end it all with saying that I hope that this randomness stops and that the book gets back on track to the potential it has. That’s really all you can hope for anymore.
NEIL GAIMAN’S NEVERWHERE #1
Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Glenn Fabry
Publisher: Vertigo/DC
Reviewer: Sleazy G
I should probably admit up front that at some point a few years ago I caved in to my inner geek and read Neil Gaiman’s novel “Neverwhere.” I found it a fairly enjoyable read at the time and found some of the characters to be pretty entertaining. The protagonist, Richard Somethingorother, came off as that clueless sort of British doofus getting his eyes opened to a whole new world that is so common in fiction in the UK. You know the guy—the one from the Douglas Adams novels (and, if memory serves, in Gaiman and Pratchett’s “Good Omens”). In film the same archetype turns up as the titular character in last year’s immensely entertaining geekfest SHAUN OF THE DEAD, among others. I tend to find that sort of character fairly likeable, though, and the idea of an alternate city existing right next to/below/around a major metropolis was a good one. It allowed fantasy characters to interact with the modern world without coming off to cornily, and I grew to really like a couple of the characters (the bad guys, naturally).
Naturally, when I heard Mike Carey was going to adapt the novel into comic form I was interested to see what it would turn out like, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it could really stand on its own. Then, a few months later, I wondered if I’d notice if it didn’t hold up, since it had been a few years since I’d read the novel. It turns out I had little to worry about on either account. The first issue does a strong job of introducing half a dozen characters and letting us get the gist of who and what they are in fairly short order, and all of it is pretty much as I remembered it. First we meet Door, an oddly-garbed woman, fleeing for her life through the sewers beneath modern-day London. In pursuit are the petite Mr. Croup and the hulking Mr. Vandemar, the types of characters that make you wonder which one is scarier: the big, violent guy or the little creepy one. A wounded Door ends up teleporting herself out onto the street in front of an alley, where she’s stumbled across by the clueless Richard Whatsisname and his harpy of a fiancée Jessica. For reasons he can’t really explain, Richard feels compelled to blow off the supposed love of his life and instead help the injured stranger, sucking him into a strange world he’s not really prepared for. The issue then ends on a beautiful one-panel splash-page cliffhanger.
The issue moves along at a nice clip, letting each scene linger just long enough for you to start to learn about the characters and situation and then moving along to the next thing. It’s impressively paced, giving you everything you need to know but never dawdling. The way Carey introduces everybody and moves the action along is all the more impressive considering how hard it is to boil down a novel’s worth of information into a few issues of a comic. Glenn Fabry’s role in pulling this feat off is particularly crucial, and he really comes through on this one. The descriptive passages that would take entire paragraphs or pages in Gaiman’s novel are condensed wonderfully by Fabry into the panels of this issue. His work is deceptively simple and clean looking. A quick second look, however, reveals a great deal of detail about the inner workings of the characters. From the clothing and hairstyles of each character to the stupid little troll dolls and stuffed animals Richard has to inflict upon himself around his desktop photo of Jessica, it’s all right there and does a great job of filling in everybody’s backstory. Some of the credit should also go to colorists Tanya and Richard Horie as well. In the past I’ve seen Fabry’s work colored in very muted palettes, and while it looked good there was something lacking. In this issue the colors pop off the page and serve to highlight some of those important details that might otherwise be overlooked, and the end result is impressive.
Going into this issue I had a few minor concerns, but they were quickly put to rest. Mike Carey and Glenn Fabry are off to a strong start here. The series looks to be funny, thrilling, a bit ugly and dangerous…and with a handy little parable about the way we live our lives hidden in the center. NEVERWHERE looks to be an entertaining read, and anybody who’s a fan of Gaiman’s work would be missing out if they overlooked the series.
THE MIDDLEMAN #1
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Artist: Les McClaine
Publisher: Viper Comics
Reviewer: Prof. Challenger
Due to be in the comic stores in July, THE MIDDLEMAN is a quirky little jaunt through MEN IN BLACK-type territory in glorious indie black and white. And I don't mean over-done computer shading, but strong cartooning enhanced by good old-fashioned zip-a-tone shading.
This 4-issue mini-series is written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who has earned a name for himself as one of the writers/supervising producers of the hit ABC-TV drama, LOST. Well, his offbeat sense of humor takes the front seat in the first issue of THE MIDDLEMAN. Check out this gem of an interchange that made me laugh:
MIDDLEMAN: "Ma'am, specificity is the soul of all good communication."
WENDY: "Yes. DUH!"
The first issue is all set-up, introducing the main character, Wendy Watson, who is a secretary temp. She's not the Middleman though. That character appears, but is not the emphasis of the first issue -- Wendy is. The story opens with Wendy temping as a secretary for A.N.D. Laboratories, where their slogan is "Rescrambling Your DNA." Anyway, while she's fielding calls at the desk, we readers witness a horrible experiment go bad on the other side of the big glass wall behind Wendy -- who's oblivious. At the point where the incident going on behind her bursts through the glass and puts Wendy face-to-face with a mutated blobby monster puking nuclear-irradiated vomit, the Middleman shows up on the scene, destroys the nuclear vomit-monster with a super-tazer, and then tells Wendy not to tell anyone what she saw or he'll have to come back and kill her. Middleman disappears from the scene, but not before mumbling something about how well Wendy reacts under pressure.
Well, the story goes on as Wendy goes home, gets another temp call, goes to check out her new assignment and winds up undergoing bizarre testing that ultimately reveals that the Middleman is behind the "new job." Whatever double-secret organization he works for is now recruiting Wendy to join them in their hidden battle against monsters and who-knows-what. End of issue 1.
Maybe it's the fact that Javi's prior writing experience is television-based, but this comic is dialogue-heavy. And the dialogue's clever and snappy. He also sets Wendy up as something of a schlub at first, with her Marcy from PEANUTS look, enduring a depressing parade of endless temp jobs. But he gives her that dialogue spark that shows that she's got more going for her than people would think at first. She sinks to the occasion when it comes to the thankless job of temporary phone-answerer, but put her into an unexpected set of circumstances such as a lab explosion and a nuclear vomit-monster and she rises immediately to the occasion. Rather than run away, she goes after a knife to try and take the monster out. Then later, when she heads home, her roommate's playing one of those video games where you take the plastic gun and shoot zombies. Wendy takes the gun and promptly clears the screen of zombies. Foreshadowing? Yeah.
Now, if you are the type who only wants to read continuity-laden garishly colored super-heroes bopping around the world or if you're the type who only likes to read those bug-eyed spikey-haired manga characters, then I don't know if you're gonna dig THE MIDDLEMAN. However, if you're one of those who appreciated the offbeat humor of BUFFY, the absurdist bureaucratic satire of MEN IN BLACK, and thoroughly enjoy the entire spectrum of the comicbook medium, then you may want to give THE MIDDLEMAN a try. Especially if you like to search out and support independent publishers who offer more than just the same-old same-old.
THE MIDDLEMAN is a fun little summer diversion. The publisher, Viper Comics, has an online trailer you can check out. Also, they already have a preview up for issue #2 if you can't wait to see what happens after you finish your copy of MIDDLEMAN #1.
Remember, if you have an Indie book you’d like one of the @$$holes to take a look at, click on your favorite reviewer’s link and drop us an email.
Remember, if you have an Indie book you’d like one of the @$$holes to take a look at, click on your favorite reviewer’s link and drop us an email.
EX MACHINA #12
A years’ worth of issues and I’ll say this book still continues to be one of the best on the stands. It’s really hard to keep thinking of things to say about something that stays so consistently good, so I’ll just keep it short here for now. This issue is all about progression. We get some more insight into the mindset of our protagonist, Mitchell Hundred, and some more glimpses of his career as “The Great Machine.” We see a bunch of new plot threads pop up as we see Mayor Hundred plotting to use Jury Duty selection as a political tool… and I know how boring that sounds, but like everything along that line of reasoning in this series, it’s all well written and never comes off as boring. And we also get a smattering of new characters, some old friends, and the introduction of a new villain… or is that hero? With all the complaining currently about how it almost feels like you’ve gotten nothing out of the comic you just read, this book is proving that to be nothing but hearsay. Every issue feels like it’s moving towards something bigger and better, even if the subject matter may seem “trite.” One thing that has to be said, though, is that with this arc this book is definitely starting to become more inaccessible to new readers. The story and characters are becoming too solid and I really don’t foresee it letting up anytime soon for some “jumping on” points. – Humphrey
