| #6 | 5/31/07 | #6 |
Hey folks, Ambush Bug here from AICN Comics with another dose of @$$y goodness. This week we have another set of reviews for your perusal, but first I wanted to run a quick correction in regards to a review I wrote last week. In my review of the excellent anthology book, POSTCARDS: TRUE STORIES THAT NEVER HAPPENED, I mistakenly forgot to mention that Harvey Pekar’s installment “The History of a Marriage” was actually co-written by his wife Joyce Brabner. So now that that’s all cleared up, y’all will rush right out on July 17th and pick up this little indie gem, right? Good.
Now on with the reviews!
RETURN TO WONDERLAND #1 Plus 7-Page Preview
Writer: Raven Gregory
Art: Rich Bonk
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
Click on thumbnails for larger image.
Upon first glance, one may dismiss RETURN TO WONDERLAND #1 while perusing the racks as T&A fodder. I almost did. The cover certainly indicates that this is a far cry from Disney’s rendition of Wonderland. I myself found myself somewhat taken aback by the abundance of “boobs n’ butts” while reading this book. I know there is a market for this sort of thing and lord knows, the comics market is full of guys who like to see the focus on the bathing suit area, but when I see a cover that somehow manages to highlight an @$$shot AND a cleavage shot of the same girl in the same picture, I found myself setting the bar low when it came to my expectations of this book.Surprisingly, though, this book supplies more than just scantily clad babes. Oh, there’s plenty of that, but there’s also quite a bit of good writing and some really clever pacing when it comes to conveying a sense of dread and fear. Writer Raven Gregory is no stranger to scary comics. He’s supplied some chilling stories in his THE GIFT series, as well as the first issue of the SE7EN miniseries from Zenescope Entertainment. Here, he gives us a wicked looking bunny, a trippy drug-induced sequence that spirals into a nightmare, and some modern and inventive (and don’t forget naughty) takes on an age old story.
Now, I know a nightmarish version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an oxymoronic statement. The source material is rife with images and words of the bizarre and downright wicked. And yes, with the recent LOST GIRLS book that caused a bunch of brouhaha last year, this book isn’t exactly blazing new trails with treating a classical kiddie story in a more R rated manner. But what this book does bring to the table is that it is solidly written and doesn’t hold back on the scares.
And the artwork is pretty darn solid as well. I understand that T&A is a major part of the artwork of this book, but despite that, Rich Bonk (and with a name like that, are you surprised he focuses on the female nibblies?) provides some truly solid panel work. He really makes the scary scenes effective with clever panel placement. To top it all off, he draws a pretty ferocious rabbit. Yes, I was distracted by the sheer amount of T&A, but the way Bonk maintained the bizarre tone of the book made up for all of that. Bonk should try to shift the focus from the obvious ass shots a bit. He doesn’t need to do this to make a striking panel. He seems to have talent to spare when it comes to his power over the pencils. The sheer amount of cleavage and cracks in this one shouldn’t distract one from the fact that Bonk is a talented artist.
In the end, I found myself liking RETURN TO WONDERLAND more than I thought I would. ALICE IN WONDERLAND is one of those classic stories that can be told over and over. It’s one of those stories that is so bat-shit crazy that it inspires us all with a mere mention. Much like zombie comics, Wonderland books may be a dime a dozen out there these days. RETURN TO WONDERLAND, though, is one of the good ones.
SILENT WAR #5
Writer: David Hine Artist: Frazer Irving Publisher: Marvel Reviewer: Sergeant Rock-Me
Okay, picture this: an enemy force has managed to parachute onto the front lawn of the White House. Political persuasions aside, I think most of us can agree that it would NOT look good if the upper tiers of our country’s politicians were captured or killed. Bad precedent, at least. But as luck would have it, you and your military squad are in the right place at the right time, and are able to take a stand right outside the White House. You ARE the last line of defense, and not only is your country counting on you, but also your brothers and sisters in arms.And as the enemy forces attack, one of your numbers with one of the biggest guns stands aside, IN THE MIDDLE OF COMBAT, and simply PONDERS the rights and wrongs of the situation. WTF?
Welcome to the Sentry’s role in SILENT WAR #5. This is not just bad timing on Sentry’s part, like asking to go to the bathroom minutes after your parents pull away from a rest stop. This isn’t awkward. It’s a costly, potentially deadly, potentially treasonous misstep. That is what Sentry has done in this issue. And I hope it’s treated that way in the next.
Full disclosure time: the secret origin of “Rock-Me Amodeo!” I left home and enlisted in the Army in 1982, serving at a time when the world wondered if the Soviet/Afgan war would escalate into World War III. In 1986, I became a Sergeant in the reserves, shortly after Falco became well-known for his one and only musical hit. And at that time, I gained the coolest nickname that this former band-nerd ever had: I became “Sergeant Rock-Me.” Sergeant Rock-Me Amodeo.
My military days are long past, but I walked away with a deep and abiding respect for the military, and even the parts I didn’t like, I at least understood. Like most soldiers, I can grieve the horror of war while still seeing the necessity of standing up for what you believe in, or just making sure that your buddy next to you keeps breathing. So if you wonder whether I have any bias as I review this comic, I would say, “Sure.” Doesn’t everyone?
Reading this issue as a reviewer, I would say that I’m engaged in the story. David Hine has crafted a fine story, even if it does feel a bit (okay, A LOT!!!) outside of continuity. Frazer Irving doesn’t seem like a comic book artist – I would expect to see him more in an issue of HEAVY METAL, or perhaps helping to relaunch Man-Thing – but stylistic musings aside, he’s capable and expressive. I’m enjoying the artwork more each issue. I definitely want to read the next issue, so the comic succeeds in that vein.
I also like the fact that the book explores more Inhuman myth, like the double exposure to the Mists, and the sometimes implausible relationship between Medusa and Black Bolt. I think the Inhumans have always been underused, ever since I and a few other people purchased every issue of Volume I back in the seventies. So I’m delighted that the Inhuman part of this series (the royal family, the intrigue, the foreign nation, the mythos) is being done, and done well.
Ah, but the supporting cast for this issue… reading the issue as a former soldier…I tell you what, if Sentry is not immediately bounced off the Avengers, I’m going to be sorely disappointed, enough to stop reading it until he is. Perhaps Hine doesn’t realize the full ramifications of what he has written Sentry to do. Understand, I’m not disrespecting the actual opinion, not at all. I would have died for a person’s right to disagree with me - I swore an oath.
But you don’t do it in the middle of combat. This is not the sort of thing that that merits a “chewing out.” This is a court-martial type offense, and if they are trying to run the Avengers more like a military operation, this is exactly what should happen, at the very least. I mean, really - would you want him covering YOUR ass as you engage the enemy?
I think not. On missions that go FUBAR, the motto of “mission first” sometimes changes to “My ass first, my buddies’ asses second, mission last.” But you NEVER play philosophical games with the lives of your peers, just to engage in some “I’m so smart that the others probably haven’t considered this” crap. What a selfish and egotistical thing to do.
As for the ending, while it is suspenseful, may I point out that I have NEVER met a marine who actually said “kill, kill, kill” other than perhaps reciting all the lyrics to “Alice’s Restaurant?” Even though I’m ex-Army, I greatly resent the Marines being painted with the sort of broad brush that began with “Full Metal Jacket” and has progressed…absolutely nowhere since that time. Still being painted as the same blood thirsty caricatures. Such a portrayal is beneath the dignity of a corps that has honorably bled for this country hundreds of thousands of times.
Along the same lines, the portrayal of Sentry is beneath the frustrated nobility with which Paul Jenkins created him. The underwhelming reaction of Ms. Marvel is beneath the military training she is supposed to have – I’m thinking her reaction would be much like mine.
I think what has happened is that we have a writer with an agenda, and he is changing the characters’ actions to fit that agenda. Hey, I don’t begrudge him his agenda. But at least keep the characters consistent. If he wanted a sometimes gutless, self-serving over-thinker, maybe he could have drafted Hank Pym, doing a two-steps-forward, one-step-back “road to redemption” thing. But for me, I will never read another story with Sentry the same way, wondering which situation might get his less-brilliant-than-him comrades killed, as he carefully considers every nuance that his peers have missed – in the middle of combat. It’s a shame that Hine let the Sentry ruin this issue. What a pompous jerk.
And Semper-fricking-Fi.
ACTION COMICS #850
Writers: Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza, Geoff Johns Artist: Renato Guedes Publisher: DC Comics Reviewer: Squashua
When a comic has a big event like the 850th issue, they occasionally flash back to the main character's history, and sometimes it's actually relevant to the character's overall storyline. This is one of those issues.And it's very, very, very, very good. Buy on sight.
If you even marginally like Superman, Supergirl and/or the Legion of Super-Heroes, if you've got questions about the contradictory dual Legions, and if you absolutely hate the modern day Supergirl, this issue is for you. Bitch-angst Supergirl is nowhere to be found.
Brainiac 5 invents a time-viewer as a first step to get Supergirl back to her appropriate time, and they use it to take a look at the past history of Superman. But it has flaws as it opens up to different parallel earths before tuning in to the proper storyline. We get a partial look at some of Kal-El's revised history including such gems as a "Krypto" dog living on Krypton, confirmation of Lana Lang as heir to the Weasley bloodline (all Clark Potter needs is a head scar), a couple JUSTICE SOCIETY-style future-flashes, and a newly revised classic villain added to Supergirl's rogues gallery.
The art is beautiful. Renato Guedes renders faces with utmost care and the mouths... THE MOUTHS. I have never before wanted to make out with a drawing of Supergirl. I can't get over the incredible expressions. His pages are fantastic. Of course, there are a couple of falters that only a nitpicker like myself might catch. First, to quote one of Superman's biggest fans, baby Kal-El makes for a very "breathtaking" child. And later, Brainiac-5 directly responds to something Chameleon says, but Chameleon's irrelevant-to-the-story word balloon is missing. Or maybe it's supposed to be and I didn't get the joke. Nonetheless, this fun-to-read issue is one of the best looking books I've read in a long time. If you're lacking something to read and look at, this is an excellent comic to pick up and run with.
DAREDEVIL #97
Writer: Ed Brubaker Penciler: Michael Lark & Stefano Guadiano Publisher: Marvel Comics Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
I was actually starting to get kind of afraid after the past few installments of DAREDEVIL here that this title was hitting a little bit of a lull. Now that Matt Murdock's life has started calming down a bit in the wake of his public outing and the storm and frenzy that has been his life over that period I figured Brubaker and Co. would be taking that little bit of time for reaffirmation and a "where do we go from here?" breather. And I guess that is kind of where we stand. Sure, there's a couple loose ends coming up here; a certain foxy female that was used as a means to an end to DD's eventual confrontation with Vanessa Fisk a few issues back has returned to Murdock's world, but there's nothing "big and overlying" going on right now like there has been for so long in this book. So that brings us to Melvin Potter...Avid DD fans know that Melvin's always been a tortured soul. A bit of mental instability here, some multiple body counts there, and that all leads to one big, confused galoot constantly in the slammer trying to make amends for some horrid crimes he knows he committed but also wasn't wholly responsible for. And now he's back at his old tricks. Now, sure, this time he's "more vicious and bloodthirsty than ever!", but again, something we haven't seen before and that was reinforcing my belief that we were in more of a holding pattern. But just like that, the end of this particular issue shows that we're playing for more stakes than we were led to believe.
Even if this arc really had turned out to be just more Melvin based I probably would have been fine with it. Brubaker and Lark at the very least have gone through great lengths to raise the gore and brutality levels to give us the hint that this might be the character's last hurrah, pushing him to a point of no return. And given the longevity of the character, and how involved he's been at times in Daredevil's world, that alone would have made this arc significant enough. But by bringing the bloodshed into a much more personal area of Matt Murdock's life like was done at the end of this issue, and by implementing that there's a much larger scheme with an honest to god mastermind behind Melvin's newest Gladiator meltdown, I've been drawn right back into the fold like this book never missed a beat.
As always, Michael Lark's art (with an assist from the always reliable Stefano Guadiano) is impeccable. The art really drives home the absolutely chilling brutality that abounds in this book simply by not overindulging in it. The storytelling that comes from his pencils is fantastic. The establishing shots and the angles and zooms are always pitch perfect for every frame, and always help emphasize the rise and fall of the story and anticipation for it. And a lot of credit for Hollingsworth's coloring job too. The separations are fantastic and always leave the figures in each frame with just the perfect amount of shading. And I've been thinking about it, and I know this is kind of an odd compliment, but he does my absolute favorite night-time backdrops in all of comics these days. I honestly wish I knew more about the coloring process to be able to properly describe it in technical terms, but I really can't do much better than say it "feels" like a nighttime scene should.
I actually feel kind of bad that I would suspect Brubaker and crew of doing a more "filler-ish" arc in lieu of the previous year's events, but it looks like they've shown me. The book is rife with tension again, and I'm legitimately scared for what may happen to some of our regular cast, not to mentioned intrigued by the emergence of a new player in the never-ending game of "let's make Daredevil's life hell." I feel a big shakedown coming for this book's Centennial issue under the Marvel Knights banner. At this point it's the least I expect from this crew.
TEEN TITANS #47
Writer: Adam Beechen Artist: Chris Batista Publisher: DC Comics Reviewer: Squashua
Longtime AICN Comics readers know my sordid history with bitching out issues of TEEN TITANS for the lazily decompressed storylines and horribly drawn artwork. Issue #47 has Adam Beechen on board with Chris Batista as artist, and I've got to say that things are looking up. They might just turn it around if they can continue to make this title just a bit more...interesting.As the team flies back from the funeral of Duela Dent a.k.a. The Joker's Daughter (as referenced in this week's COUNTDOWN), they divide up into two groups, one of which will investigate Duela's death further, while the other tries to keep Match (Superboy's clone) in line. Plenty of drama comes from all sides as Nightwing and Robin brotherly bond with Jason Todd, Wonder Girl and Donna Troy make the most of their sisterhood, and Beast Boy has a "yeah, I'm also an only child" bonding time with Kid Devil. There's detective-style investigation, some possible alien intrigue, and a little "clone war" to boot. We're gifted with a couple of multi-page fight scenes that don't manage to take up the entire issue for once, and are treated to a lot of the angst and emotion that's supposed to be expected from Titans.
Essentially, even though absolutely nothing was accomplished in this issue besides plot advancement, Beechen has written a single entertaining issue that brings the Titans completely back to their traditional form and restored my confidence in the title. He writes the Titans with the distinguished personalities they are supposed to have and the meaningfully expressed relationships that have eluded the prior run.
The art in this issue is also top notch. You can literally see the definite age difference between the three Batman protégés, without making any of them look younger or older than they should be. In fact, there's a scene towards the end with both Wonder Girl and Supergirl that literally defines the difference between their head structures. Batista has a way of making everyone look appropriately distinct without losing any detail or adding inappropriate extras. Faces and actions are expressive and properly proportioned, and Ravager is flirtatiously hot in a couple of background/foreground shots, doing her own thing. OK, there are a couple of "Gilmore Girls foreheads" during the Donna/Cassie showdown, but otherwise I can't find any flaws, only praise.
I am just so literally shocked at the 100% turn-around of this issue, in the art, writing and overall content, that I can't recommend it enough.
Earlier I mentioned I'd like my Titans to be a bit more interesting and as this is just his first issue, I can forgive Beechen for doing the proper thing and (appropriately) wrapping up a few loose ends. My problem with the Titans stems from their adventures, or rather their lack thereof. Lately, Titan plots have been quite insular. Sure they claim to be a family self-help hangout group for super-powered teens, but as a super-team, they're quite passive, only reactive when assaulted directly. In fact, I have yet to see them be proactive in their own book, going after trouble when or before it begins. There is the start of that here, with the investigation into Duela, but I'm almost certain that will end up as a hook for COUNTDOWN, to be continued there. I'd rather like to see a more proactive TEEN TITANS, as I have no desire to read THE OUTSIDERS (I get burned every time I pick up a Winick-authored DC issue), which is probably where I'd find such a group.
My personal expectations aside, this is a fantastic start for the new creative team, and I can finally recommend that you kick back with the TEEN TITANS, starting with this very issue, for as long as they can keep it up. Unfortunately, next month ties in directly with AMAZONS ATTACK, which I've already panned in a prior review. This means the next issue will be reactive, but maybe it will be a more interesting tale from Beechen's point of view. I'll definitely give it a try and let you know, but if this issue is a sample of what's to come, you probably won't need to wait around for my review.
NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #3
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis & Brian Reed Penciler: Jim Cheung Inker: Mark Morales Colorist: Justin Ponsor Publisher: Marvel Comics Reviewer: Jinxo
Before I even get into anything serious on this book can I just ask why the hell this book’s title brings up The New Avengers at all? I mean, when there was just The New Avengers it didn’t make sense but wasn’t too weird. But now with multiple Avengers groups running around all hating each other this book just seems disconnected from anything Avengery out there right now.As to the book itself, I really liked this issue even though it sort of violates the rules of how “good drama” is supposed to work. I mean, usually what makes a good story is that your main characters are important to the action, to what is happening. Sounds obvious I know. And the past two Illuminati issues have stuck to that formula, going back and ret-conning The Illuminati into previous unrevealed moments in Marvel history where we learn their hidden actions had some impact we were not aware of. And those stories were…okay.
But now in this issue, The Illuminati really don’t do much. It’s more about them figuring things out and not doing much of anything. That should be dull but for me it was really interesting. This should be the “it was okay” issue. It really isn’t supposed to work this way.
So what is up with the behind the scenes busybody bastards in this issue? Issue #3 shows what the Secret Weasels were up to during the original Secret Wars. There is some surprising ret-conning going on here that really intrigued me. The fly in the ointment is that, really, The Secret Wars and The Beyonder have already been tweaked and ret-conned to within an inch of their lives. The Beyonder was a living pocket galaxy thing, no wait he was a Cosmic Cube, no wait he was a sentient cheese, what you thought happened in X scene isn’t what really happened, no wait… I’m not even sure how the changes introduced in this issue even jive at all with everything previously established. But the new changes are just so weird that they intrigued me. If the Secret Wars and The Beyonder all came out of a giant cosmic level drama, that’s one thing. But these Illuminati changes really flip things in a way that makes me happily uneasy.
It’s like on STAR TREK with the Q. The Q are crazy dangerous but also smart enough not to really dick things up. But that Q power in the hands of someone human, even one as smart as Will Riker, and bad thing start happening. Wesley Crusher is a giant gay bodybuilder, Klingons are banging on the bridge, La Forge stops wearing air filters on his face…it’s anarchy. And, in this case, we’re not necessarily talking about someone of Riker’s caliber. That could be a bad thing for the Marvel universe but a good thing for the readers.
And while we may have seen the end of The Beyonder, it seems possible his story hasn’t actually even started yet.
If only they could have ret-conned away that Beyonder look, like he rolled around in the crap on the eighties, got up and gave himself a white man jeri curled perm. Do you know how bad a look has to be to overshadow the fact you have the powers of a god? Would it be too much to ask for a scene where, as a joke, Professor Xavier plants the idea in The Beyonder’s head that that look was a good idea? “Really guys, it was a goof. I didn’t think it would really work.”
COUNTDOWN #48
Writers: Paul Dini with Adam Beechen Artist: David Lopez Publisher: DC Comics Reviewer: Squashua
"And then there's Maude." – StarmanThis series never claimed to be 52, yet as evidenced by the cover each week, it wears the trappings. It just isn't living up to the hype. Jimmy Olsen keeps getting weird super-powers (I suspect he's being replaced with able versions of himself from parallel Earths), Mary Marvel is moping around without powers, and we keep flashing back to Karate Kid several issues back in JUSTICE LEAGUE where nothing gets done. I guess the title is supposed to feel fun, but the slow going is simply lacking.
We visit the funeral for The Joker's Daughter to catch up with Jason Todd and Donna Troy, which played like editorial asked Beechen to cut two pages from his latest TEEN TITANS issue. I don't understand why Duela Dent was murdered; a Monitor supposedly killed her to stop her interference with a parallel Earth, but wouldn't the simple existence of her dead body, consisting of 100% parallel Earth atoms, continue to maintain conflict? Sure, it's just lying there inactive, but why is that any less dangerous? Why is it that interactions, and not just material transfers, cause parallel Earth imbalances?
Honestly though, I'm not sure I need these questions answered. They're not burning a hole in the space-time continuum for me, and neither is this issue, which is only burning a hole in my wallet. If the snore-fest continues, I know I can find other avenues of entertainment elsewhere.
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #42
Writer: Mike Carey Artist: Pasqual Ferry Publisher: The Merry Marvel Marketing Machine Reviewer: Rock-Me Amodeo
What an amazing coincidence! The plotline for the next few issues of Ultimate F.F. just happen to feature the Silver Surfer! Is that the same Silver Surfer in the F.F. movie? Why yes. Yes it is. What are the odds? And once again, I try to forget that there is a marketing behemoth behind some of my favorite Marvel characters. **Sigh**Fortunately, the art is well done, and Justin Ponsor deserves a pat on the back for adding some excellent colors to Ferry’s art, though I’m not loving it quite as much as the “God War.”
And what startling developments happen this issue? Well, it’s no surprise that the Surfer shows up, and most of this story deals with how he gets here, i.e. all talk, no action. Decompressed storytelling and all that. You know the spiel. Five issue arc = TPB.
So what happens? Well, Reed’s dad is somehow ashamed of his son, an undisputed hero (maybe this Reed and our universe’s Nova can form a support group…). Sue comes to the emotional rescue of her man. And do I detect a love interest for Johnny when current squeeze Donna refuses to be treated like the brainless bimbo she appears to be? Tune in next issue! If it sounds like a soap opera, there’s a reason: it kinda is, for now. And if you like the lull before the (literal) storm, then you’ll eat this up with a spoon.
Gripes: I’m not sure Scott Kolins (last arc’s artist) and Ferry discussed Mrs. Grimm, but since last issue and this one, Benjy’s mom has got it goin’ on (with apologies to Fountains of Wayne). She’s dropped twenty years and thirty pounds since last issue. Eh, that’s a minor gripe, and not even unwelcome.
What really concerns me is that this is at least the second recent arc fueled by Reed’s blundering (the first was the still pending “Supreme Power” series, so that one might not actually be Reed’s fault.) But I hope we’re not seeing a trend. I know he’s not written to be perfect, but I think most people want to see Reed SOLVING problems, not creating them. And is it me, or does it seem like Sue is spending less time in the lab and more time acting like the standard Sue Richards, just wittier and with improved buzzwords?
One last gripe: of all the stars that Sue could wish upon, she picks the Silver Surfer? Again, what are the odds? Well, with a movie release date in less than two weeks, I guess it’s short odds indeed. Let’s hope things pick up next issue.
SPADEFOOT webcomic
Writer/artist: Matt Dembicki
Website: Spadefoot – DrunkDuck.com!
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
Man, what did I get myself into starting this dot.comics thing? I had no idea there were so many of these out there. And I have to say, I’m having a blast reading them.
One such comic I had the chance to take a gander at was SPADEFOOT, a sci-fi epic starring talking alien animals. Even though there are tons of references to sci fi films, this story is original enough to keep me entertained. The main character Spadefoot is an unlikely hero. I caught up with this hapless frog hero as he hops into one adventure after the next. He’s the supposed chosen one, sayeth a mysterious mole, but the sultry one eyed warrior woman Indigo doesn’t believe it. The three argue with themselves, yet seem to be destined to make intergalactic history. I especially like the design of the bad guys--giant flies with spears and rayguns lead by a salamander type monster. Spadefoot and Co. interact in a comfortable and entertaining way. The dialog is never clunky or amateurish. Writer/artist Matt Dembicki seems to have a good handle on dialog and knows how to keep the story flowing with just enough exposition peppered in between the action bits.
My only complaint about this webcomic is the fact that I wasn’t able to access the story from the beginning. Pages 30 through 54 were available to through the Drunk Duck website, but that’s it. After reading the last twenty or so pages in the archive, I found myself wondering how Spadefoot got to the predicament he was in on page 32. But the missing first 30 pages didn’t really hinder me from picking up on the action that was going on and understanding the comic. I found the story to be highly accessible.
Reading these webcomics has become a new sort of addiction for me. I’m going to be accessing SPADEFOOT occasionally to catch up on the story. And as usual, I’m going to stress the major selling point that has become sort of a mantra for dot.comics: It’s free, folks. Free comics, just a click away. So while you are whining about the high price of comics these days, know that there’s a worthwhile alternative out there. SPADEFOOT is just one of them.
COVER GIRL #2
BOOM! Studios
This may be my favorite comic from BOOM! Studios at the moment. Alex Martin is an out of work actor who stumbles into the limelight when he rescues a mysterious damsel in distress from a car wreck. Now he finds his life threatened by the same people involved in the car accident, but because of the “man’s man” image he’s tying to exude to cash in on his newfound stardom, having a big beefy bodyguard would just make him look like a wuss. Enter Rachel Dodd: hottie, tough girl, bodyguard. She poses as Alex’s girlfriend in order to protect him when he’s doing interviews on E! and walking the red carpet. What I like about this book is the comfortable feel of the dialog and the nice action/comedy premise that seems better suited for film than comics. But it still makes for a fun read. Artist Mateus Santolouco doe a great job of keeping things real while stylizing facial expressions and action. This is an all around fun book. - Ambush Bug
KISS 4K: LEGENDS NEVER DIE #1
Platinum Studios
Wow, was this a stinker of a read. I really wanted to give this book a shot. I remember back in the day, my old boss at the comic book store I used to work for loved KISS. Personally, I never really saw the appeal, and maybe if you’re a die hard KISS fan, you may find this read enjoyable. But man, I couldn’t wait to get to the last page of this book and walk away from it. The book starts out with the clichéd age-old evil, unimaginatively called Unholy, as it apparently wants to conquer all that is living. Through the ages, KISS in various incarnations have battled Unholy, but a new threat arises, and the reincarnated warriors (now dressed in KISS’ fetishistic stage garb) are drawn together to battle the evil once again in the present. From the beginning, I felt as if I were walking into the middle of a joke and missed the first part. The book relies on its readers to already know the members of KISS. Their names are hardly mentioned at all. From what I got from this issue, the characters names are Starchild (Paul Stanley as a reincarnated version of Casanova), Demon (Gene Simmons; official banger of Skinamax’s Queen Mother and reincarnated version of *I shit you not* Shaka Zulu), Cat (name never mentioned in the first issue, but I knew enough about KISS to know his name; the character is supposed to be a reincarnated version of an Ancient Japanese warrior who had a way with animals) and…the fourth guy (who’s name slips my mind *maybe it slipped the writer’s mind too since his name is never mentioned* and who is the reincarnated version of Constantine). Since I know next to nothing other than the fact that “Beth” is a pretty sweet song and that Mini-KISS freaks me the fuck out, I wasn’t privy to who these characters were or represented and the story didn’t do a good job of clearing that up with its sporadic flashbacks and confusing panel overlapping. The story seemed like something a high school kid would write on the back of his Trapper Keeper in the late 70’s. It felt disjointed, as if the writer had a tough time conveying the whole story onto the page and the artists didn’t know how to do it either. I just can’t recommend this one. I wanted so much to see the appeal of KISS in this book, but it simply didn’t do a good job of communicating it. - Ambush Bug
THE LEADING MAN V1 TPB
Oni Press
I was lucky enough to happen upon this amazing trade and I’m glad I did. Like BOOM!’s COVER GIRL miniseries, this book is all about Hollywood action, but this time, it’s the Leading Man, Nick Walker, the number one action movie star in the world, who is the secret agent working for the government. Think Tom Cruise, but instead of being all about Scientology, he’s all about real life espionage and that pretty much describes this one to a tee. What I loved about this trade, which collects the first five issues of this series, is that it aims low at first. This is one of those “snowball down a mountainside” style stories, where the action builds upon itself until it forms this massive ball of fun. While on a movie shoot, Nick uncovers an age-old evil organization bent on terrorism and winds up getting himself caught. While his Agent, Stylist, and PA (all government agents themselves) work to find Nick, he ends up having to break himself out. What I love about this story is that it plays the action for real. This is a gritty, hands-on style spy book. The simple goal of this arc is for Nick to escape in one piece. The world threat isn’t really the main problem. It’s Nick getting out in one piece. I like the way this book strays from the norm when it comes to spy stories. The artwork by Jeremy Haun is beyond amazing. He’s got a Cully Hamner/Tony Harris vibe to his style and definitely knows how to design some memorably vicious bad guys. The action is communicated with ease and some of the panels are simply breathtaking by way of design and choice of angle. The best thing I can say about this trade is that it is going to make me hope that more issues of this book will be made. Highly recommended. Check out the entire first issue here to see what I mean. - Ambush Bug
THE SHAOLIN COWBOY #7
Burlyman Entertainment
I know, I know. Burlyman books are later than late. Hell, the ads for DOC FRANKENSTEIN in the back of this one even say “We’re working on it…honest.” As much as I’d like to come down on Burlyman for being so late with their two titles, I can’t because when these books do hit the stands, they are the absolute best in comic book enjoyment the industry has to offer. For that, I will wait for THE SHAOLIN COWBOY and DOC FRANKENSTEIN for as long as it takes. The appeal of THE SHAOLIN COWBOY is, as always, the sheer lunacy and ungodly amount of it between its covers. In this issue, Donkey furiously runs with a baby who is said to be some sort of chosen one in tow as they are followed by two flying demons who never shut up with the nonsensities. The three make chase on the back of a giant dinosaur which is so massive, a city has been built along its spine. Inside the dinosaur’s mouth, the Shaolin Cowboy fights yet another jabbering demon in the temple of the Zombie Queen. The Cowboy’s weapon of choice, a chainsaw on the end of a stick, is poised and ready for some buzzsaw/bad@$$ action. So yeah, there is some madcap shit going on in this issue story-wise, but the real treat is reading and re-reading this book to look closer into the finer details of writer/artist Geof Darrow’s drawings. Little things like the fact that the donkey’s tail has been cut off and continues to spurt blood from its tiny stump throughout the entire chase scene decorate each and every panel. It must take Darrow hours and days to draw it all with such accuracy and detail. The man is a mad genius whose work is only highlighted by the colors of Alex Wald, who never forgets aspects such as shadow, depth, and hue when perfecting one of Darrow’s panels. This is comic book eye crack for the demented brainpan and although it takes a lot of time between fixes, the rush of reading and re-reading it is well worth the wait. – Ambush Bug
BLUE BEETLE #15
DC Comics
I have an on-again, off-again love affair with BLUE BEETLE and I think I'm going to be off-again and forever if this keeps up. Beetle's been dwelling on the Reach invasion for the last few months, yet nothing has come of it and this issue simply adds more navel-gazing to the fire. The story, essentially Blue Beetle trying to figure out if the scarab selected him because he may potentially be a villain, ends up being yet another classic fight-due-to-misunderstanding, and though Superman is on the cover, he's barely in the issue. Even worse, when he is in the issue, he comes off looking like a sap, with his eyes closed and cutesy eyelashes all a-flutter. Some barely interesting theories about the Beetle-suit are bandied about, and a future enemy/ally is made in WB-character-turned-comic-character Livewire, as well as a possible connection with S.T.A.R. Labs, but in the end, this issue is filler that simply wasn't worth the price of admission. - Squashua
SILVER SURFER:REQUIEM #1
Marvel Comics
It’s a little too early to tell if this is going to be one of JMS’ gems or stinkers. All the elements are there for goodness, although some of the drama is a bit forced, especially the way JMS depicts Sue Storm as a grieving hausfrau rather than the strong matriarchal figure she has been since Byrne wrote her. The Silver Surfer has some dire news and if Reed Richards’ scientific calculations are correct (are they ever?), it looks as if the Surfer is about to catch his final wave. The story was strong enough, so I’ll probably be back for issue two. New readers are treated to a retelling of the origin, but it doesn’t linger on long enough to bore those who know the tale. The one problem I had with this issue was with Esad Ribic’s art. Ribic does a mean looking Surfer with his painterly style, making his body all reflective and shiny, but his palette is very muted--almost too muted. There’s not a lot of distinction between the characters and the environment they are in. They all sort of blend together into a cloudy mush. When set against the dark background of outer space this book is pretty breathtaking, but other than those scenes, this book simply shows that Ribic really needs to work on bringing a little variation to his palette. - Ambush Bug
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #6
DC Comics
Okay, I finally made a decision: I like it! In fact, I love it. This is NOT a jumping on point for a new reader. What it is…is a big mushy love letter to all of us grown up fanboys (and fangirls) who went through our older siblings’ comic books and fell in love with the Legion (waaaayyy back in ADVENTURE COMICS), and crossovers between the JLA and the JSA. THEN we fell in love with the Legion all over again, when Dave Cockrum (and later Mike Grell) took over the art chores and made the Legion slick, beautiful and stylish. And all of this – old Legion, newer Legion, classic crossovers - is finally coming to a head in this issue. Be forewarned – if you don’t remember why Triplicate Girl should have an almost instinctive fear of Computo (remember Computo? For crying out loud, remember Proty? Daaaaaaammmnnn…) then you won’t get quite as much glee out of this as older readers. And Dale Eaglesham deserves a big pat on the back. Much of this book felt like he was channeling Curt Swan, but in a powerful, vibrant way. And THAT was a really unexpected treat. I don’t know where this title is eventually heading. But I’ll stick around for a while. Writer Geoff Johns has earned that much. - Rock-Me
FEAR AGENT “My War” Vol. 2 TPB
Dark Horse Comics
I had no idea the second trade was coming out the week after the first, so I shelled out another $15 bucks for yet more gritty sci-fi pulp intrigue and saw a little something on the back cover that I'm inclined to share with the rest of you: "FEAR AGENT is a rare treat in comics these days. Remender has done an amazing job of keeping a high level of good old-fashioned science fiction adventure ... FEAR AGENT has been a wild ride since its inception ... FEAR AGENT is not just great science fiction ... it's also just fun comics." -- Humphrey Lee, Ain't It Cool News. What he said. These compilations are worth every penny. - Squashua
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