Logo by Kristian HornThe Pull List
(Click title to go directly to the review)
A-FORCE #1
Indie Jones presents OPTIC NERVE #14
X-FILES SEASON 10 #24
BATTLEWORLD: PLANET HULK #1
BLOODSHOT REBORN #2
Indie Jones presents THE VAMPIRATE OF MATANZAS INLET OGN

A-FORCE #1

Writers: Marguerite Bennett and G. Willow Wilson
Art: Jorge Molina
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: DrSumac

Shortly before this title was announced I found myself mulling over DC's problem when it comes to the relatively poor way in which they have handled their female characters compared to Marvel. It's true that I've mostly reviewed Marvel titles recently, but my first love with comics came from DC so I always hope the best for them. My thinking was it would be wise if they did an all female Justice League. I figure there are already three or four Justice Leagues out there so they might as well have one to show off the woman that have been either under used, ignored, otherwise wiped out of existence. Unfortunately Marvel beat them to it again with a force called A-Force.

Alright, I couldn't help myself.

A-Force is a title the spins out of the current Secret Wars event and that's where my biggest problems with it start. As usual I try to avoid comic events since they are typically silly and nonsensical, which is no exception here. Dr Doom is now a god and created battle world as a combination of different versions of the Marvel universe, fine. In this case however he apparently put virtually every woman in the previously mainstream 616 universe, plus Spider Gwen, in one sector with She-Hulk in charge because she is a lawyer and is therefore likely to respect the laws of Doom. That's problematic for me. Is there a reason he put all of the women together? Were the women separated from the men because Doom thinks both sides would be less able to attack him this way? There are men in the book, including Namor and some civilians, but this team all women. That leads me to believe they just didn't get any of the land dwelling male heroes. Perhaps this was done so that the guys can take center stage in the main comic and other tie ins? The whole idea just seems so arbitrary to me.

It's not that I like the idea of an all female Avengers any less than I do an all female Justice League. I just find the circumstance of it's inception to be very odd. If the main Avengers decided that they needed a team to back them up and asked She-Hulk or Captain Marvel to form one and they chose all women that's one thing. However this feels like they were all forced together, which doesn't feel right to me. That's no fault of the writers involved per se, I just wish we got a real rational for it besides the fact that they are stuck together. Perhaps Doom underestimates them and that makes them determined to strike back? We'll see, but so far they don't seem interested in opposing Doom since again that is likely being saved for the main Secret Wars title.

The sheer amount of super heroines in A-Force also seems problematic. This issue predominantly features She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Dazzler, Ms America, and Sister Grimm, but the cover and interior show off a plethora of additional characters that even the most hardcore of fans might have trouble naming. The problem is that with so many heroes, many of whom are extremely powerful in their own right, it's difficult for anything to really feel like a threat. For instance, in this issue they fight a giant prehistoric shark, which ends with drastic measures being taken to defeat it that then causes larger repercussions. That story is fine and works well on it's own, but where were Phoenix, Scarlet Witch, Rogue, and Lady Loki in all of this? Any one of them could have made everything work out if they showed up at the last minute. Now again that would have ruined the story they are building towards, but it would make me feel better if they addressed that.

I really hate that I'm coming off as negative on this book so far when I think it has a lot of potential and should be supported. A-Force has the opportunity to show off these great characters that haven't been able to carry their own title and aren't currently on another team. The women in it are depicted well and aside form one panel where Dazzler twists her back to show off her breasts and butt at once they are all drawn in a respectable way. This has the potential to be another shining achievement for representation at Marvel and I hope that it is, I just hate that it started with a silly event. In reality I know on the business end that event books and their tie ins are big sellers, but I have to wonder if the new audience that Marvel has been cultivating might get turned off by them as I have. A new reader that is excited to see so many women on the cover might be confused by the events inside and that could keep them from coming back for issue two. Nearly every time I go to the comic shop I see a kid whose parent says they can only buy one or two comics so while the synergy A-Force has with Secret Wars may be a popular strategy some buyers may not be able to get both and that is something I feel the industry should keep in mind.

It's worth mentioning that as someone who isn't a Marvel expert I'm not very familiar with some of the characters in this issue such as Sister Grimm, Ms America, and their relationship with Lady Loki. That said any initial confusion when it came to them was nicely resolved by the end of the issue. This shows me that Bennett and Wilson are aware that they need to help get new readers up to speed and it's possible that they simply chose to focus on that in this issue. There is only so much space in a comic and none of it is particularly wasted here. Therefore my real problem is that I want more. This creative team has earned my trust and it's because of them that I will continue to support and read this title.

I would now like to end on a series of things that I want. I want an expatiation for why this group was put together, essentially by Doom himself. I want this realistically unstoppable collective of bad ass women to play a real role in Secret Wars as they deserve. I want A-force to continue post Secret Wars as a drastically reduced team so that we can actually keep track of it's members and see how they all interact with one another. I want the fans to support this series as they have titles like Thor, Spider-Gwen, Silk, and Ms Marvel. In short, I want more A-Force!

OPTIC NERVE #14

Writer/Artist: Adrian Tomine
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Reviewer: Morbidlyobesefleshdevouringcat

It’s been almost two years since Adrian Tomine has released anything within his OPTIC NERVE series, but the quintessential creator returns with two heartbreaking narrations about moving on.

“Killing & Dying” and “Intruders” mirror Tomine’s classic, refined visual story telling style; the stories thematic ambiguity and unnerving black comedy humour form self driven plots with contemplative narration.

Focusing on Jesse, a young girl with a speech disorder leaving her in a constant stutter, “Killing & Dying” contemplates the struggles of family relationships. With an all too similar headstrong father and an unfortunate sickly mother, Jesse is encouraged by her mother to join a stand up comedy class. The compact 20 page panels go through the sloughs of a failing father and daughter relationship, as Jesse’s father is unable to be positive about this decision. As time progresses the two, although still not very agreeable are tolerant as the wife’s sickness wears on, but unfortunately, she eventually gives in to her ailments.

There is a slight sympathetic bias towards the father. The short lightly examines his protective nature to ensure that his offspring stays away from activities that may embarrass him, while, believing that his negativity stems from the simple inherent desire to just protect her. He slowly watches as any form of a real relationship falls away while at the same time his wife’s health deteriorates. The struggle to care for a child that believes she does not want or need him only widens his wife’s absence.

It’s a biographical story that many have felt, perhaps not within the same restrictions, but painful nonetheless and by using terse 20 panel pages, Tomine creates slow, powerful rhythmic beats that forces the readers to become embedded within the emotional gravity of the situation.

This is done again with the next story “Intruders”, but breathes a bit easier as it’s played out as a straight internal monologue. Following a single individual who struggles to come to terms with an all but forgotten past, the unnamed man returns to a previous home with whom he used to share with a partner. Evidently he has miraculously reclaimed the original keys, and after determining the schedule of the current tenants lets himself in. The man’s routine of letting himself in and cleaning up afterwards becomes methodic, a feeble attempt to regain any reverence that had cultivated there, prior to his current life.

The whole idea of what the man is doing, logically, is incredibly absurd, but the way the narration plays out, the simple emotions and observations, you’re tricked into the normalcy of it. By opting for standard 9 panel pages, while using a three tone platte the man’s emotions are further highlighted.

This is the magic of Adrian Tomine. As many comments (which I should not have been reading, because we all know what dark hole that leads to) have stated, Tomine isn’t bringing anything new with his latest OPTIC NERVE release, but that’s the thing, his work doesn’t need to be. Tomine’s work explicitly examines the human condition without the obligation to be fresh or exciting. His method and execution is more then enough. Adrian Tomine is essentially just a really good story teller, and OPTIC NERVE #14 is no different. It’s a book bound with really good stories.

THE X FILES: SEASON 10 #24

Writer: Joe Harris
Artist: Matthew Dow Smith
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Reviewer: Masked Man

I have a hard time wrapping my head around this series. Not because of the typical X-Files conspiracy logic, but because it never seems to do anything. Very rarely are the stories inspired, and very rarely do they take you any place you want to go. And here, with it's most inspired story yet, it again fails to go anywhere.

For two years now, Harris, under the eyes of Chris Carter himself (we're told), has been mixing it up in the The X-Files universe. And while I can pin point some cool ideas he's fostered, like a clone bank to bring back dead characters, the real return of the Lone Gunmen (seriously, killing them in the first place was a massive waste), and now the return of Gibson Praise- I can't think of any story that was actually good. As with the last story, about the ye old 'black oil', this one started strong and then Harris just jammed the car in neutral and we coasted to a stop (well he has one more issue here).

To get into the spoilers, Gibson Praise was a boy with alien dna, capable of reading minds and more. Since we last saw him in the show, he's been a 'guest' of the Syndicate (the shadow government guys). Now an adult, Gibson has executed a hostile takeover of the Syndicate. And in ways that make no sense, he's kidnapped Agent Mulder to work with him. As I recall Gibson and Mulder were on good terms so I don't quite get this. But Cigarette Smoking Man tells Agent Scully, Gibson is now basically nuts, and cryptically leads her to Mulder.

Now that's all reasonably cool, but it was all set-up in the first two issue, and for the next two issues, not much has happened at all. Just more, Mulder held by Gibson, Scully looking for Mulder. The plot is in serious slow motion, or as I said stuck in neutral. At some point Harris needs to move the story forward- really move it forward. Now if this is some story Carter doesn't want totally exposed (Gibson is marked on IMDB as appearing in the upcoming X-Files Revival), then A) don't tell it- or B) don't drag it out for five issues. In typical X-Files tradition, I don't expect to get much explained, but I do expect to have the plot more forward in a satisfying way.

Artwork wise, it's all about the same. Smith does a good enough job of the likenesses, does a decent job creating mood- but most panels are very empty and have a rather unfinished feeling to it. And as I've often said about the series, since issue #1, Jodie Bellaire is a great colorist, who is doing some of her worst work on this series. In a nutshell, the art is dull. Now if Harris was crushing these stories, that would be ok, but dull on top of dull, is just dull.

IDW has one final issue of Season 10, before they relaunch with Season 11 in the fall, but I tell ya, if Harris can't seal the deal in issue #25, I'm changing the channel.

BATTLEWORLD: PLANET HULK #1

Writer: Sam Humphries
Art: Marc Laming
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Henry Higgins is My Homeboy

The epitome of comic books (aka Captain America kidnaps Arcade by getting his dinosaur buddy to eat him).

So, this might be the most pure comic book I've ever read. We first meet Captain America as a gladiator, just after he has vanquished the Wolverine Clan in the coliseum alongside his pet/partner, Devil Dinosaur. Who, as the name applies, is a dinosaur. Specifically the Jack Kirby created giant red T-Rex. New GodKing of all existence Dr. Doom orders Cap to go dethrone a problematic Hulk in Greenland, which is a continent composed completely of Hulks. Also, it's officially referred to in-story as "Greenland". If he does so, he will gain a royal pardon for him and his long lost compatriot, Bucky. Who has been captured by said problematic Hulk. Cap agrees, on the condition that he can bring his dinosaur.

Guys, it's amazing.

Humphries has a blast with the concept, incorporating and referencing countless ideas across the issue. This feels like the most "Secret Wars" of all this past week's tie-ins, where the patchwork history of the Marvel Universe and the Hulk franchise in particular is twisted and turned into something we haven't seen before. Sure, the original (and quite good) Planet Hulk centered around a hero stuck being a gladiator, but this book has a secret weapon in the form of Steve Rogers. Even in this twisted universe, he's given a showcase to exhibit those innate qualities of the character. He's loyal, he's willful, and more than anything, he's badASS. Whether it's his dedication to finding a lost Bucky Barnes or the the best line of the comic (which I won't spoil but he does get to say straight to the face of God and it's awesome), Gladiator Cap went from being a fun concept to a compelling character.

And Laming KILLS it this issue, with a surprising range of moments for a book about giant Hulk cockroaches. But no one is going to be surprised to find out that Laming can do a high octane action scene. But what wasn't so obvious coming in, was going to be the craft and skill present in his quieter scenes. Sure, there aren't exactly many scenes that could be described as "quiet" in this book, but it manages to be one of the most interesting scenes in the issue. Seriously, it gets more intense during a conversation scene than it does the big fight scene. That's not to knock the action at all, only to emphasize how good the quiet scene is.

I feel like this is the epitome of the Secret Wars concept, and nothing makes me happier. It's fun, engrossing, immediately memorable and, again, fuuuuuuuun. It's worth picking up, even if you're not reading Secret Wars. Look, it's a comic about gladiator Captain America and his best buddy the giant man eating T. Rex having to go to Conan the Barbarrian world, but everyone is also a Hulk.

BLOODSHOT REBORN #2

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Mico Suyan
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Reviewer: The Kid Marvel

For those who may not have heard, Valiant Comics inked a 5 picture deal with Sony recently and one of the films just happens to be BLOODSHOT. I mention this simply as a friendly FYI since you know, it’s kind of related to this comic.

Anyway, as for this issue itself, Jeff Lemire has done a great job so far in the first two issues. He’s mixed the perfect amount of action based elements, emotionally charged sequences, interesting characters, as well as a solid premise of the story itself, moving forward in the series.

BLOODSHOT REBORN 2 picks up almost directly after 1, following the original Bloodshot, Ray, tracking down the copycat Bloodshot, who’s recently gone on a rampage, murdering innocent people in a movie theatre. This attack has pushed Ray over the edge, involving himself in Project Rising Son once again and attempting to stop the nanites in the copycat and causing another attack. While Ray is tracking down this other Bloodshot, he constantly has to deal with his own insanity. One with a cartoonish character, called Bloodsquirt, who actuals resembles a childish cartoon. And the second, the love of his life Kay, who’s been dead, but has now come “back to life” in his own insane delusions, which he acknowledges. BLOODSHOT 2 also follows the officers involved in the murder case of this copycat Bloodshot and how they’re dealing with the case.

Overall, Lemire did an excellent follow up to the first issue. Having Ray deal with his own insanity, as well as coping with his past and what his future now holds, helps garner weight to the overall issue and the importance of how the character is developing. At certain points Lemire depicts Ray as almost a drug addict, missing the abilities that came with the nanites and hating himself for it. There’s an excellent mixture of purpose from the characters outside of Ray as well, including the police officers Hoyt and Festival, as well motivation for the character’s actions. Besides the action sequences and occasional humor, Lemire is building a story with backbone and that’s character driven, I’m very excited to see how he plays the entire arc out.

As for the artwork, Suyan does a great job capturing the right expressions for each panel scene and smoothly moving the story from page to page. There is also heavy feel of realism in the artwork, helping to better experience the weight of the story. Suyan’s work in BLOODSHOT REBORN works beautifully with the dark tones of the story, but also adds a lighter tone for the almost darker humor, I feel is being created by Lemire. The art works well with the writing and it seems that Suyan and Lemire, are doing extremely well as a team for the series itself.

To conclude, I feel like BLOODSHOT REBORNS is a wonderful new series from Valiant and one I’m excited to follow as it moves forward. From the character driven pieces, to the plot itself, BLOOSHOT REBORN is a perfect mix of action and emotion. This is a series I would definitely check out.

THE VAMPIRATE OF MATANZAS INLET OGN

Writer / Artist: Andre R. Frattino
Inker: Effie Rodriguez
Publisher: Pineapple Press, Inc.
Reviewer: Masked Man

Got an interesting little graphic novel here, which is the third in a series of Andre R. Frattino's FLAGLER'S FEW ADVENTURES. The other books being THE REAPER OF ST. GEORGE STREET and LOST SOULS OF SAVANNAH. These are basically the adventures of 'ghost hunters' who reside at Flagler's College, overseen by Professor Merryweather. The book comes across as a kind of an ADVENTURE TIME meets a more typical Ghost Hunting story. Now while there is some carried over history from the previous books, it's nothing major that should prevent you from enjoying this one by itself.

Frattino, as it turns out, is ghost hunter himself, and has worked as a consultant on SyFy's GHOSTHUNTERS show. So his knowledge of history and the arcane are the meat and potatoes of this graphic novel. But instead of being a straight Gothic tale, it's presented in a more little heart way. In an almost Anime fashion, as the somewhat serious plot is treated as a quick moving fun adventure. His artwork though is very un-Anime inspired, save perhaps for a few flashes. Overall it's more standard cartoony style. Which does add to the light heartedness of the tale.

Getting into the story itself, which revolves around Roger Blimes, a member of Flagler's Few, who fancy's himself a modern day pirate (though more a reformed cut-purse) is related to Rogerick Blimes, an actual pirate captain from days of yore. The fictitious Rogerick is famous for defeating a supernaturally powered pirate, Captain Gaunt, and making off with a curse black skull. In modern day, Roger goes on a quest to discover the whereabouts of the skull, as his current friends, in Flagler's Few clash with his old friends, when he lived on the streets. Tossed in a young vampire woman, who of course has her own secret, personal stake in all this. As the novel moves along with Roger, it flash back and forth to Captain Rogerick, giving us all the details of what happened then.

One of the nicest things about the story is it's consistent tone. Often times when writers blend serious with humor, the story becomes uneven as if they are not sure what type of story they are trying to tell. Thankfully, Frattino is very confident in the story he is telling. Unfortunately, he takes a lot of short cuts, in explaining character motivation and even some of the action. As he fails to dig much deeper than simple cliches. And his story telling, written and drawn, is often choppy. Forcing action and jokes to take place, opposed to letting stuff roll out naturally. I'm also quite disappointed by the black and white printing of the book. As someone who has self-published, I know the cost between color and b/w isn't that much. So it's sad when publishers refuse to pay the extra amount (which often results in killing sales) for color. Frattino does attempts to give his work some b/w weight, adding tones and cross-hatching, but it's not enough to prevent it from looking like a coloring book. Especially with his cartoony style.

So while I don't think THE VAMPIRATE OF MATANZAS INLET is quite 'prime-time' (meaning not up to DC or Marvel's typical standards), I think fans of the genre- fun cartoony adventures will enjoy this book. Especially younger readers, who like pirates and monsters.

Editing, compiling, imaging, coding, logos & cat-wrangling by Ambush Bug
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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