Review: Wednesday Comics #1

Wednesday Comics is here!  While DC often struggles to stay relevant in the fact of a vastly more trendy Marvel Comics, it’s had a few successes in recent years.  One such success was their year-long event, 52, a weekly with an absolute powerhouse of a writing team that managed to gain both critical and fan acclaim – no small feat for an event comic largely lacking Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman.  After that, of course, DC felt the urge to repeat their success story with the watered down Countdown and then again with Busiek’s Trinity.  Still, three years in and the weekly format, once a fresh revival, had begun to seem stale.

That all changed with the announcement of their next weekly, Wednesday Comics, a 12 week long project, packaged as a newspaper, in which superstar creative teams would be given continuity-free reins on a vasty supply of DC characters to tell their stories… one page each week.  There were a lot of risks, obviously, but the announcement of the creative teams was where they had it: Gaiman, Busiek, Allred, Azzarello, Risso, Gibbons, Pope, Baker and many more, all getting involved in the project.

So, with all that expectations, how does the issue stack up?

Very well.  Very well, indeed.

It’s tough to review due to the grab bag nature of the book – Caldwell’s Wonder Woman, for example, is gorgeous and surreal, while Kubert’s Sgt. Rock and Easy Co. on the very next page is about as bland as can be.   I toyed briefly with the idea of reviewing each story, but the simple fact is this: these stories stand together or fall together, but the strength of an Azzarello/Risso Batman doesn’t necessarily offset the slow start of the Berganza/Galloway Teen Titans.  You buy one, you get ‘em all.

And, as a collection, it works.  This, this is traditional super-hero comics done right.  For those yearning for a set of simple, gorgeous stories, Wednesday Comics delivers.  Not every story will be a hit, but #1 offers a number of strong starts and relatively few missteps.  I eagerly await seeing where it will go.

As a note, however, the stand-outs of the issue for me were Batman, Kamandi, Supergirl, Metal Men, and The Demon/Catwoman, with Superman and Wonder Woman having okay starts but gorgeous art.  The only pages I didn’t really appreciate at all were Teen Titans and Sgt. Rock and Easy Co., so the bulk of the issue was, for me, a hit.

To any of our faithful readers who picked it up – what were your favorites?  Least favorites?

Grade: B+

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Review: Superman: World of New Krypton #5

It’s weird to say but the last time I enjoyed the Superman books this much, Superman was dead.  Of them all, I’d have to say that Wolrd’s of New Krypton is my favorite.  This issue in particular was a stand-out for me.

*Spoiler warnings on*

The first half of the issue is Kal-el’s trial for disobeying General Zod’s orders last issue.  Visually, the trial pays tribute to the trial scene at the beginning of Superman: the Movie.  Only this time Zod was in the Jor-el role rather than being the one on trial.  Frankly, the pages could have been text-free and I would have been in fan-boy nirvana.  Superman: the Movie is my own personal superhero crack.

The trial is somewhat surprising.  Kal-el has every opportunity to save himself.  But he refuses to lie.  The court adjourns for the evening and it’s very obvious to everyone that Kal-el has signed his death warrant by telling the truth.

Superman’s friend, Tyr-van, offers him an out.  He gives Kal-el a device that will allow him to escape back to earth.  But being Superman, Kal-el does not use the device.  In truth, the device was given to him by General Zod who seems impressed by Kal-el’s convictions.

The next day in court, Kal-el is found guilty of treason.  Since the Phantom Zone is no longer an option, he is sentenced to death.  But then something truly surprising happens.  General Zod invokes a Kryptonian tradition to have Kal-el spared!  Afterwards, he explains that he has come to realize that the Kryptonian army is stronger with Kal-el in it.

But that surprise is nothing.  The issue ends with a cliff-hanger that obviously sets-up the multi-part Codename: Patriot storyline.  New Krypton is celebrating the removal of the dome that has sealed their city since its creation.  But in the midst of the celebration, an assassination takes place.  I won’t spoil the identity of the victim here.  It’s just too good.

The collaboration of Robinson and Rucka is a successful one.  This book delivers more consistently than either of their individual books (although Robinson’s Superman is also a very good read.)  And Pete Woods does a bang-up job of presenting the fascinating alien world of New Krypton.  I always look forward to this book and it never disappoints me.

Review: Green Lantern 43 – Spoilers

I came to a realization while reading the latest iusse of Green Lantern.  Simply put, I’ve read too many Geoff Johns comics.  Many years ago, I had a similar realization while reading Stephen King’s “It”.  That book contained all of the ingredients of a classic Stephen King book.  And I loved Stephen King.  But it was all starting to feel repetitive.

Some of my favorite Geoff Johns comic books have been the single-issue stories that focused on the villains.  I especially enjoyed the Captain Cold issue of Johns’ Flash run.  This issue provides a similar take on Green Lantern villain, Black Hand.

Before I get any further into the story, let me pause for a minute to lavish praise on Doug Mahnke.  If we ever put together a list of the most under-rated pencilers in comics, I nominate Doug Mahnke for the top three spots.  Thank god Superman Beyond seems to have clued a few people in.  Mahnke delivers the goods.  And he’s a perfect choice to illustrate the creep story of Black Hand.

So, what’s Black Hand’s story?  It’s basically every serial killer cliche you can think of shoe-horned into an existing super villain.  Black Hand gets the typical Johns reinvention here.  I used to love seeing him “revitalize” these old characters with more contemporary backstories.  But lately, it’s grown stale for me.  I’m starting to wish Johns would just create new characters rather than revamping familiar ones.

William Hand started out as a creepy kid.  His first memory is walking in on his father who conveniently worked at a morgue.  Of course William picks up Norman Bates’ favorite hobby.  And I don’t think anyone will be surprised by what happens to the family dog when he goes missing.  It’s like Johns was working from the serial killer checklist.

As an adult, we get a breif summary of Hand’s career as a super-villain.  Mostly it focuses on the stories Johns has told and the retcons he has already worked into previous Green Lantern stories.  This is followed by a (beautifully illustrated) four-page spread reminding us who in the DC Universe is currently dead and who has died and come back to life.

(By the way, Joe Kelley did a JLA story in which all of the Mag 7 plus Plastic Man died and came back to life.  So, technically Kyle, Wally and Plas all belong on that list of people who died and came back.)

The third act is meant to be shocking.  And it probably will be if you haven’t read a lot of Johns’ work.  But I saw it coming a mile away.  *Spoiler warnings on*  Hand goes back to his family’s house and murders them one-by-one.  Then, he kills himself so that he can be resurrected as the first Black Lantern.

This scene is over-the-top graphic.  Johns has made a practice of pushing the limits of violence and gore in super hero comics.  Very few people take him to task for this.  Perhaps it is part of his appeal.  But I am beginning to get very bored with Johns’ splatter porn.  Mahnke’s artwork is amazing.  But I couldn’t help thinking how much more powerful it all would have been if the blood and guts had been kept off panel.

I realize that this review is probably reading as pretty negative.  Knowing how Geoff Johns is received on-line, it’s probably one of the more negative reviews you’ll read.  But the truth is that this issue isn’t bad.  It’s just more of what you expect from Geoff Johns.  If that’s what you want, you’ll be very satisfied.  But if you’re like me, you might come away wishing that Johns would learn a few new tricks.

Review: Greek Street #1

Hey all – hope you enjoyed the holiday weekend, at least, those of you who celebrated it!   I know you were simply bereft without the read/RANT updates, but we’re all back for now, and just in time for some of this week’s highly anticipated releases.  Before then, however, there are a few issues left to cover from last week.

For instance… Peter Milligan’s new Vertigo book, Greek Street.  I have to say, I love Vertigo.  While prices continue to rise to unreasonable levels elsewhere, Vertigo has actually instituted a new policy, one that we first saw a couple months back with Carey’s The Unwritten #1 – the opening issue of Greek Street has 30 pages of story, and only costs  $1.  That alone should suggest that you have little reason not to give it a shot.  So, how does it hold up?

Greek Street appears to be a mash-up of mythology transplanted into modern times as supernatural crime fiction.  The idea is hardly original, but as has been said, it’s not the idea that matters, but the execution.  Milligan’s first issue, despite being extra-large, actually accomplishes very little in and of itself.  That said, it has a great deal of potential – though the first issue is almost entirely set-up, it tosses multiple possible storylines in the air, mixing mythological elements from a variety of stories together with glee and in such a manner to suggest that this book could grow in any number of directions.

Gianfelice does a great job with art, as he generally does.  His art is dark and expressive, suiting Milligan’s story quite well.  It doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from the most common look of recent Vertigo books… but they generally look quite good, so unless you tend to be dissatisfied with the way the art is trending for Vertigo, you’ll find Gianfelice quite adept at illustrating a variety of rather disturbing scenes for the book.

As a single issue, Greek Street #1 failed to wow me.  That said, there’s a lot it does right that suggests a bright future in trade sales.  Rather than simply retelling myths we all know, Milligan & Gianfelice seem content to take the tone and idea, the heart of the story, which makes it feel more dynamic.  Greek Street #1 is a dark book that nonetheless remains a relatively enjoyable read.  Far from the best Vertigo has to offer, it remains a competent horror comic with a well-done mythological slant.

Grade: B-

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Review: Uncanny X-Men #513

Writing: We’re two issues into Marvel’s only mega-crossover of the summer! And both issues are filled with setup? Yes, that’s right. Two issues and eight dollars later, Fraction is still moving the pieces into position. Fraction introduces the Dark X-Men in this issue, and there are two surprises in the lineup. The details of Norman and Emma’s deal occupy most of this issue’s page count, but Fraction does introduce two threats near the end.

Art: Terry Dodson’s art is most welcome after four issues of staring at Land’s models pose. Unfortunately, Dodson’s strongsuit is cheesecake and splash pages, and with all of the material that Fraction crams into this issue, there’s not much room for any of that. Emma Frost and Dagger look pretty though. Everything is drawn fine, but this issue just doesn’t contain the striking visuals that I know Terry Dodson is capable of.

Final Word: Fraction offers plenty of clever twists & turns that still feel realistic, but with so little actual action going on, this issue was a somewhat boring reading experience. I hope that once Fraction finally finishes setting things up, the payoff will be worth it.

Grade: C+

For more comic goodness, go here.

A Cry for Parody

 

Now, I haven’t read James Robinson’s “Justice League: Cry for Justice,” nor do I want to. Hopefully, one of my colleagues will review it soon. Anyway, I have some hilarious remixes of the first issue to share:

Remix #1

Remix #2

Now, weren’t those funny?

Review: Invincible Iron Man #15

Writing: This is part 8 of “World’s Most Wanted,” and it continues to chug along nicely. Though that “part 8″ can be daunting to new readers, this comic is still completely accessible. If you don’t know, Norman Osborn desires the juicy contents of Tony’s brain. No, he’s not Hannibal Lecter; it’s just that Tony’s brain holds sensitive information that could lead to the destruction of all his superhero pals. Tony’s solution? He’s slowly deleting his brain. Since we’re past the halfway mark, Tony is really struggling now, tugging at the heartstrings of everyone, including the fan that chanted for Iron Man’s death during Marvel’s Civil War.

Art: Larroca’s strongsuit is drawing all of the machinery that one usually sees in an Iron Man comic, but this issue doesn’t really have a single bit of that. Fraction continues to focus on the characters, and on this “Flowers for Algernon” reminiscent tearjerker, that means plenty of tender moments, that, frankly, Larroca just can’t handle. However, to my surprise, Larroca’s art didn’t bother me that much here. A backhanded compliment, for sure, but my point is, I hope Larroca can keep up the good work.

Final Word: Fraction continues to highlight the women of Iron Man’s life, while poor Tony is portrayed sympathetically. Could someone like Maria Hill or Pepper Potts ever take the place of Tony Stark? I don’t think Marvel or the fans would allow it, but Fraction is proving that both women are strong, heroic characters, worthy of putting on the suit. Fraction is telling a fantastic story here that’s completely accessible to fans, old and new.

Grade: B

For more comic goodness, go here.

Grant Morrison Speaks!

Your brain will splinter into oblivion!

Listen and Die!!!

Review: The Boys #32

Writing: Ennis continues to split the screen time between The Boys and Annie. The Boys deal with the Female’s injury, and the fact that something may be very wrong, which leads to the goriest fight since the first arc. “The Self-Preservation Society” looks like it’s going to be one of the most action-heavy arcs of the series. While The Boys are kicking the crap out of the supes, Annie is faced with a horrible re-imagining, complete with a new origin and a dreadful new costume. The Annie moments were poignant, and a good commentary on the dark side of today’s superhero comics.

Art: As much as I sometimes hate to admit it, the art in a comic really does hinder the story at times. Though his attempts to keep Robertson’s style is admirable, Carlos Ezquerra is no Darick Robertson. This comic, particularly the action, looks very sloppy. He handles the Annie scenes well enough, but, as I mentioned earlier, this issue has a lot of action.

Final Word: The satire is sharp and thought-provoking, but, sadly, the art does bring the quality down. This is not one of the weaker issues of the series because of Ennis. I hope Ezquerra can move to a project that better suits his talent and I hope that Robertson comes back soon.

Grade: B-

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Secret Six #11

Writing: How Gail Simone manages to discuss human trafficking while making me laugh is beyond me. But that’s the world of the Secret Six. They’re a bunch of horrible murderers that put a smile on your face. Is Simone commenting on the way our society portrays violence as entertaining? Perhaps, but whether she is or not, this issue is enjoyable. Their are a few disturbing moments, but at least they’re brief, and I’m sure the victim of these acts will get some payback soon enough.

Art: Nicola Scott’s art fits this book perfectly. It blends a cartoonish stylewith a realistic one similar to the way Simone blends the violence and humor. Scott is consistently good, and reminds me of an old favorite of mine, Joseph Linsner. Whether she’s drawing a badass Amazon or a polka dot underwear-clad Scandal Savage, Scott never misses a beat.

Final Word: Though there are a few unsettling moments in this issue, it still manages to provide the usual twisted fun. Oh, and fans of Simone’s Wonder Woman should jump with glee because apparently Gail has to feature kickass Amazonians in every comic she writes.

Grade: B+

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Batman and Robin #2

Writing: Morrison delivers another outstanding adventure comic. If any of you were displeased with the symbols, hallucinations, and 50’s Batman references that plagued Morrison’s earlier Batman issues, have no fear! Morrison is just trying to entertain here, while Quitely does his thing. The Dick/Damian relationship is handled particularly well. Morrison has a good handle on both characters, especially Dick, for those of you who were worried, since Dick spent most of “Batman: RIP” drugged. Also, the Circus of Strange is a welcome addition to the Batman rogues gallery. It’s no accident that Dick’s first foes are circus-folk, and Dick even gets to show off his circus slang.

Art: Frank Quitely is arguably the star of the show. He’s already adapted his style to better fit the Batman universe, providing looser and scratchier pencils, as opposed to the cleaner, cinematic style of All Star Superman. This new style works particularly well for the fight scenes. Batman and Robin’s battle with the new villain, Siam, who is basically three men fused together, is especially memorable. I also have to mention the fine coloring of Alex Sinclair, who captures the funhouse vibe perfectly.

Final Word: This is a crowd-pleasing, extremely enjoyable comic that you’re almost sure to like. Though it may not be as deep as Morrison’s earlier Batman work, with all of the crazy villains, and a new, likable Dynamic Duo, you’re sure to find plenty to like here.

Grade: A

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Captain America: Reborn #1

I have a confession to make – I’m not reading Captain America.  At least, not in monthly form.  A combination of factors caused this, but largely it’s because I didn’t hear about how good his run was until it was over 20 issues in… and I didn’t believe it until I managed to pick up that first omnibus (which managed to sell me on his run completely).  I keep relatively up to date on what’s happening, though I try and avoid spoilers.  Still, when the title of the mini is Captain America: Reborn, you face the reality that there are some spoilers you just can’t avoid.

Still, I thoroughly enjoy Brubaker, I enjoy his take on Captain America, and Marvel is marketing this as a mini-series.  By doing so, they are clearly courting a larger audience than merely the one that regularly reads Captain America.  So the question here is, does Captain America: Reborn work for audiences both new and old?  Yes, it does.  And that’s not always a good thing.

This issue is extremely heavy on the exposition.  And I mean, there is exposition, sometimes quite lengthy exposition, on almost every page of the book, sometimes overloading the action going on in the foreground of the panels.  It’s framed in a number of different ways, it’s well-written, and Brubaker makes sure that what’s happening on screen as he infodumps is generally pretty interesting, but it is nonetheless a whole lot of exposition covering the entirety of Brubaker’s run.

Hitch and Guice provide static art that’s always just a little bit darker than it really needs to be.  Which is not to say it’s bad – there’s a great deal they do right. A few of the fight scenes seem to be fairly dynamic, and the more conversational panels are done extraordinarily well.  The panels seem to sweep around the room in a few conversations, making it feel almost like a movie in the way it’s set up.  But Hitch is an artist who’s never quite worked for me.  In struggling to be too realistic, he loses some of the motion, some of the essential humanity of his characters.

I realize that this sounds particularly negative.  I assure you, Captain America: Reborn #1 is not a bad book.  Brubaker clearly knows what he’s doing, and there’s the sense throughout that you’re watching something enormous and unexpected unfold, like a massive Christmas present being unwrapped.  Even if this issue is almost entirely set-up for what is to come, it is still capable, relatively enjoyable set-up that offers a great deal to future issues.

In other words, Reborn #1 does what it needed to do – informed new/returning readers of what’s been going on while still moving the action forward – and that’s definitely to its benefit.  But that’s about as ambitious as it gets.  If this issue is any hint, Reborn will be as excellent as the rest of Brubaker’s run, but the issue doesn’t make me need to read the next one.  I’ll wait for the trade.

Grade: B-

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Review: Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #2

As you may have seen in my last review, the first issue of Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink was a surprise favorite of mine.  Yes, it’s cliche that the new African American superhero has to deal with gang violence in the ghetto, but comics fans have long since learned that there’s nothing new under the sun: what matters is how you tell it.  And Ink #1 was told with style.  You’ll be pleased to know, then, that #2 continues that trend.

After a bumpy opening detailing a little about the origin of Mark Richards – an origin we didn’t particularly need, with too little space to make it interesting – we get back into the meat of things: Mark’s tattoos are operating independent of him.  He doesn’t know why.  He doesn’t know how.  All he knows is, there’s something big going down and he can’t trust his powers to help him deal with it.

Fiorentino and Dimotta still provide slightly muddied, but generally gorgeously painted interior art.  They shine most notably in the book’s generally well-handled action scenes.  The dramatic tension of some scenes doesn’t come out quite as well as it might under a clearer art team, but it rarely impacts the read as a whole.

The book still deals heavily with gang violence and corrupt cops, and I’m completely fine with that.  It’s part of the genre as a whole, and it’s a relatively realistic threat for a character who grew up in a poor neighborhood.  I’m not sure how well, necessarily, Wallace deals with some of the gang members as characters, as they’ve come off as perilously one-note thus far, but the book as a whole is good enough to warrant checking out on a monthly basis despite its frequent, minor flaws.

Grade: B+

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Other FCA Reviews

Final Crisis Aftermath: Run! #1

Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape #1

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #1

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #2

Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #1

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1

The Writing: Fraction puts on his Claremont hat, going back to a theme that has been done to death. “Let’s make the X-Men about intolerance.” A fine message, for sure, but it’s all been done before in the X-Men. That said, Fraction is still writing better-than-the-rest here. He packs this issue full of cleverness. So, you get your money’s worth, but a lot of this stuff feels a bit unnecessary, and it all could’ve fit in a regular issue. But no, these X-Men events have to be oversized and feature Marc Silvestri art.

The Art: Silvestri is Silvestri. I’m not too fond of his work, but he’s a god to some. And, to be fair, he rendered one of the best X-Men tales ever, “Here Comes Tomorrow.” The problem here is that Silvestri needed four additional artists to provide the crowd for Fraction’s script. So, needless to say, all the additional pencilers create a slightly jarring reading experience, and a few continuity mistakes along the way. Also, and this is the problem with nearly every artist Fraction works with, Silvestri renders the action scenes well, but struggles with some of the quieter moments.

Final Word: The last page of this issue is supposed to have a big impact, but it’s already been spoiled. This is Marvel’s only crossover this summer, and, thankfully, it’s completely in Fraction’s hands. As a huge Fraction fan, I couldn’t be happier. However, this special, while good from a technical standpoint, doesn’t provide an interesting enough premise, and, really, isn’t very entertaining.

Grade: C+

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Runaways #11

Confession time: despite being a hardcore Whedon fan and generally enjoying Moore, I haven’t read Runaways since BKV left the title a few years back.  When it premiered, it was one of the cleverest new titles on the shelves, and it hung onto that for a good little while.  I hadn’t heard enough good things about the book to get back on board, and so, for a long time, it lingered, a largely forgotten pop culture relic in the back of my brain.

When I heard that writer Kathryn Immonen was coming on the title… and that it had nothing to do with this Dark Reign nonsense… and that it was one of the few Marvel titles remaining at the crucial $2.99 price tag, I decided to jump back on board.  I miss my Marvel Universe, I’ve found, at least until I read anything that takes place in the mainstream setting.  Besides that, though, Immonen’s recent Patsy Walker: Hellcat was one of the most quirky, charming minis in recent memory, and I wanted to see what she could do with a slightly more high-profile title.

Runaways #11 is not without flaws, especially not to readers who’ve been away for awhile.  Little information is given on the new Runaway, Klara, and little personality, too.  Meanwhile, the death touted on the cover of the issue seems a bit too random, and the return doesn’t actually seem to happen.  And while Pichelli’s art is gorgeous, it is perhaps a little bit too much so – Chase looks like the platonic ideal of a boy band idol, just to give one example.

That said, those are mostly nit-picks.  Pichelli does  fabulous job with 99% of the issue, and her cartoony style is a joy to look at.  Immonen isn’t quite as quick as she was in Hellcat, but she still provides a solid opening issue, and her snappy style works well with Pichelli’s art.  The book is fun, different, and just a little confused, but it definitely makes me curious to see where they’ll go next issue.

Grade: B+

- Cal Cleary

Read/RANT

Advanced Review: Irredeemable #4

Note: Irredeemable #4 arrives in stores Wednesday, July 1.

Writing: “Mark Waid is Evil.” That was the teaser for this series. Of course, I never actually thought of Mark Waid as evil, until now. This issue plays out like the first three have. A flashback here. Some Plutonian hints there. And then there’s the usual, mind-melting massacre! What set this issue’s WTF moment apart from the rest? Because this one is on a much more global scale, and that’s all I’ll say about it.

Art: I don’t think enough has been said about Krause’s art. The man never misses a beat. Alien worlds, people exploding, disintegrating babies, Waid has thrown a lot of crazy stuff at Krause and he’s always captured the right image. Even though Waid is still having fun being cruel, there are plenty of character-driven scenes that require the right pose, facial expression, etc. And Krause renders those well too.

Final Word: Waid, or the Plutonian, (They’re both evil) is still on a rampage. We’re getting to know the characters, but it’s hard to connect because they keep dying. Besides the superhero-caused-carnage, Irredeemable is also at its best when we catch a glimpse of the Plutonian’s motive or the reason behind his newfound evil. Thankfully, both are in this issue.

Grade: B+

For more comic goodness, go here.

SeventhSoldier’s Top Five for June

There were a lot of honorable mentions this month – June 2009 was one of the best months for comics in a good long while.  From Gail Simone’s always fun Secret Six to the sleeper hit of the month for me, Rucka’s Action Comics Annual #12 – and, spoiler alert, tomorrow’s review of Kathryn Immonen rock-solid first issue on Marvel’s Runaways – June made this a pretty damn hard call to make.  I’ve given out a few pretty bad grades this month, but for the most part, the average was high – there were more A-’s than B’s for the first time in my reviewing history on the site!

To my surprise, as someone who doesn’t particularly care for Batman as a character or as a mythos terribly much, three of the best books I read this month were newly-launched Bat-books/arcs.  Also a first?  Two different Marvel books were edging in on the top 5.  Any other month, Runaways #11 or Captain Britain and MI:13 #14 would’ve had a strong shot at prime placement.

Edit: Since I hadn’t put the review up yet, I forgot, but a Marvel title actually did make the Top 5.  Sorry, Paul Dini.

#5 Incognito #4

There hasn’t been a bad issue yet of the Brubaker/Phillips collaboration Incognito.  I don’t yet know if it’ll be able to match Sleeper or Criminal - two absolutely stellar works in a similar vein… and yes, they have one or two other things in common with this book – but this issue kept the story moving along faster than I could believe and with a great deal of style and a sense of pulp adventure.  Incognito is a blast to read, without a doubt.

#4 Batman and Robin #1

Splashy, gorgeous art?  Check.  Interesting new villain?  Check.  Rousing adventure?  Check.  Batman and Robin #1 has all that along with great panelling and the coolest sound effects you can imagine.  Morrison and Quitely make quite a team, as they’ve illustrated numerous times in the past, and this looks to be no exception.

#3 The Unwritten #2

Carey and Gross continue on with a second issue every bit as good as their first in one of the strongest Vertigo launches I’ve seen in awhile.  There are so many small touches that go into making this book great that I can hardly list them, but this is definitely a title to be on the lookout for.  If you aren’t picking it up monthly, be sure to be on the lookout for the trades.

#2: Detective Comics #854

Together, J.H. Williams III and Greg Rucka delivered a stellar opening issue to Batwoman’s stint on Detective Comics… and that’s before you add the talented Cully Hamner into the mix with his and Rucka’s The Question backup.  The book was fast-paced and exciting while still introducing a supporting cast, a new villain, and a personality in the formerly personalitiless Kate Kane.  It did a whole lot in a tiny space, and left me eagerly awaiting more.

#1: Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye #3

God, what a strange, strange book.  Wonderful, though.  As a surreal adventure books, Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye is a satisfying book with a sharp edge of humor and a knack for innovation.  As a meta-commentary on super-hero comics, it was cutting, clever and fun.  As the finale of a three-issue mini that wrapped up the middle-child of Morrison’s planned three-volume Seaguy trilogy, it was pretty nearly perfect.

- Cal Cleary

May

Read/RANT

Top 5 Best Comics of June 2009!

It’s that time again! Boy, June went quick. We’re halfway through 2009? Wow. Anyway, I read 19 comics in June, and these were the best.

5. Invincible #63

I hate putting this at number five, but this comic is hindered in a monthly format. There is no good jumping-on point. You have to read the whole thing, and rating one issue is like judging twenty minutes of a movie. That said, this is an emotional issue. I’m sure it’s no secret by now that a major character dies. Hell, it was already pretty obvious if you looked at the cover of Invincible #64, but even so, this is one of the best Invincible issues. And that’s saying something.

My Review

4. Detective Comics #854

Even if this issue would’ve been terrible, I would’ve forced my brain to like it. Thankfully, to preserve what little respect I have as a comic critic, this actually is a great issue. Greg Rucka finally gets a chance to define his Batwoman, and he doesn’t waste a panel. We’re not going to get the official origin until the next arc, but even after one issue, I know a good deal about what makes Kate tic. But what really makes this comic special is the pure brilliance of Williams’ art. The co-feature is the icing on the cake.

Seventh Soldier’s Review

3. Batman and Robin #1

June was a great month for comics. Want proof? The new Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely comic wasn’t the best of the month. How the hell did that happen? Ok, I do wish this comic had more depth and weight, like Morrison’s earlier Batman work, but other than that, this issue is near-flawless.

Group Review

2. Astonishing X-Men #30

Ellis’ first Astonishing X-Men arc finally concludes. Was it good? You bet your ass it was. I can almost guarantee you I’ll think of it in January, when I post the best stories of the year list. Ellis, in just one arc, has already done a few things. First and foremost, he’s provided possibly the greatest characterization of the X-Men ever. They’re all real characters. They all have their own unique voice. Second, Ellis has taken the X-Men to the perfect genre, sci-fi. I want my X-Men to occupy the realm of science, instead of the done-to-death, political commentary genre. And this first arc was not only sci-fi, it was a mystery too!

DC Lebeau’s Review

1. Uncanny X-Men #512

This issue is a done-in-one. So, yes, it does have an advantage in this format, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t deserve this spot.  This issue is a done-in-one, time-travel adventure, filled with science, mutant history, originality, and humor. It’s also wonderfully rendered by the great Yanick Paquette. Is that not enough? Well, then I’ll also mention that this is one of the few comics that nearly brought me to tears. It’s good readin’.

My Review

So there it is! Agree? Disagree? Please, let me know!

May’s List

April’s List

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Uncanny X-Men #512

The Script: Ah, now this is the Matt Fraction I know and love! Fraction is at his best here. This issue is intelligent, witty, dense, and tragic. It also features the return of steampunk Fraction, the one that fueled the early career success, The Five Fists of Science.

The Storyboard: Why isn’t Yanick Paquette on a monthly? Seriously, he’s awesome. He works his magic here. The setting and emotion are captured perfectly. Hey, Marvel, can Paquette become the new, regular-series artist and replace Greg Land? Please?

Final Word: This is easily Fraction’s best Uncanny X-Men issue. In fact, it’s one of the best issues of the year. Truly remarkable, really. By the end, I was almost in tears. I don’t want to oversell it, just do yourself a favor and pick this issue up. It’s completely self-contained.

Grade: A

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: New Avengers 54

In addition to Dark Avengers, I started picking up New Avengers as a result of my recent
Dark Reignexperience.  I had read New Avengers from time to time prior to Dark Reign, but invariably I would lose interest.  Dark Reign brought me back in spite of the fact that the current story in New Avengers is only tangentially related to the reign of Norman Osborn.

Truthfully, this isn’t really even an Avengers story.  It’s a Dr. Strange story in disguise.  I’ve always liked Dr. Strange more in principle than in practice.  While he has a cool costume and powers, he is generally used either for exposition or as a plot device.  So, I didn’t really have a great deal of interest in who would be chosen to replace him as the Sorcerer Supreme.

*Spoilers*

The fact that the eventual replacement turned out to be Brother Voodoo didn’t really heighten my interest at all.  While I’ve seen a few Brother Voodoo guest spots in my day, I don’t really know anything at all about the character.  However, Bendis did a pretty good job of introducing me to the character and making me like him (and his deceased brother I never knew existed).

The issue turned out to be a fairly by-the-numbers “passing the torch” story with Strange agreeing to serve as Voodoo’s mentor.  But the execution was strong enough to make up for the fact that the predictibility of the story.  Plus, there were cool mystical explosions like this:

That is exactly the sort of thing I want to see in a Dr. Strange story. 

After the battle concludes, Hellstrom gives the Avengers a dire warning which teases at yet another big Marvel event following Dark Reign (uh duh).  Then we get a rather intriguing scene with Loki visiting the defeated Hood.  And finally, we get back to Norman Osborn… which is perhaps the weakest part of the story.

read/RANT