Ye Olde Iowa
02-21-2008, 02:19 PM
Each week when Diamond releases the week’s shipping list, I make note of each book I need to pick up and then pre-rank them based upon how I feel they will turn out, taking into consideration the creative team, the previous issues, preview pages, and solicits. Then, after I’ve read through them all, I re-rank them based upon how I feel after actually reading them.
Below are the books I picked up this week, counting down from worst to best, creating my “power rankings” for this week. The numbers in parentheses represent where the book was pre-ranked. Let me know what you all think and feel free to post your own list. I attempt to keep everything as spoiler free as possible, but keep in mind that there may be the occasional minor spoiler that I overlook.
If you have any questions about the Rankings or just want to drop me a line, you can email me at ryanreviews@gmail.com (ryanreviews@gmail.com)or you can always PM me through the message boards. I have been asked recently if I accept review copies; I most certainly will. Any book sent to me will be reviewed. Just drop me a line if you want me to check out your book. I’d be glad to give it a look.
-Ryan “the Iowan”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Runaways #29 (11)
Written by Joss Whedon
Art by Michael Ryan (pencils), Rick Ketcham (inks), Andrew Hennessy (inks), and Christina Strain (colors)
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Jo Chen
Books like Runaways #29 are my least favorite issues to review. I really want to like books like this and I do my best to see all of the base positive qualities (Joss Whedon is ridiculously talented, Michael Ryan is a very competent artist, the Runaways are some of my favorite Marvel characters, etc), but I still can’t get over the negative qualities of the execution. That being said, I’m once again very disappointed with the Whedon/Ryan team-up on Runaways. First and foremost, all of the momentum that this book had going for it was completely killed by the delays. Were this a simpler storyline with a smaller, more established cast, I don’t think that the delays would have mattered as much. However, as it stands, there is simply too much going on in this issue and there are too many characters to remember and keep straight for us to go several months between issues. This is the type of story that shouldn’t be solicited until the issues are in the can. Even beyond the delays, after digging into some back issues for some help, I still found the plot a little hard to follow, as it really seems to be conflict with little motivation. Whedon doesn’t help the situation much with the dialogue, as most of the characters speak with similar personalities or seem to break character at a moment’s notice (I felt that Molly’s “ho bag” comment was especially out of place—Whedon is trying to replicate BKV’s ability to have Molly throw in surprising one-liners, but ultimately fails). Michael Ryan’s art, though lively and energetic, is a poor fit for this story, as his character designs are often too similar, making things even hard to follow. In the end, while this may read better in a trade format, it’s a dud as a single issue and a huge disappointment. I’m sure that Whedon’s presence will cause the book to sell more issues, but if issues like this were my introduction to the characters, I don’t think I would want to hunt down the previous storylines (which were infinitely better). I’m hoping the conclusion will save this storyline, but as it stands, I’m ready for the Terry Moore-era of Runaways to begin.
11. Hulk #2 (12)
Written by Jeph Loeb
Art by Ed McGuinness (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), and Jason Keith (colors)
Letters by Comicraft
Cover by Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines, and Jason Keith
It’s not very often that you hear this, but I think I was more impressed by the lettering in this issue than I was anything else. Comicraft does such an impressive job with their lettering (both in terms of dialogue and credit pages) that they are really the only letterers that ever standout to me; I think that says a lot of the quality that they bring. Kudos to them. Moving past that, Hulk #2 isn’t exactly a bad book, but its really not a good book either. Much of the issue is used for absolutely mindless, high-impact action; as with all books he writers, Jeph Loeb is clearly writing around his artist here—this is definitely the type of book that Ed McGuinness must love drawing. Unfortunately, the issue is so action-oriented that the plot is paper thin (despite Loeb’s attempts at building mystery by having Stark confused through most of the issue) and the dialogue is fairly inconsequential. If you are into that sort of comic, then you will love this one, as McGuinness draws big action well. If you are looking for a little more meat (or consistently proportioned characters), you’ll want to avoid this issue. As much as I love the Hulk, this will probably be my last issue with this series; the Hulk is and always should be about action and smashing, but as Greg Pak showed us in his expansive Hulk epic, it can be about a lot more. I liked that and until this series goes back to that, I’m going to find something else to read.
10. Grendel: Behold the Devil #4 (10)
Written by Matt Wagner
Art by Matt Wagner
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Matt Wagner
After starting off with an incredibly impressive first issue, Grendel: Behold the Devil has been floundering lately and this issue is no exception. The story, in which Hunter Rose does his usual dastardly deeds while being tracked by a mysterious presence, isn’t the strongest Grendel story to start with, has been spinning its wheels over the last few issues, but seems to come to a complete halt with this week’s issue #4. This issue is almost entirely filler, with little movement in the main plot and only minor movements in the subplots. All of the momentum of the previous issues ends abruptly as Hunter seems to do things we’ve already seen him do in this miniseries. The end result is an issue that is almost completely lifeless, especially in comparison to the complicated and action-packed stories that have preceded this miniseries. As to be expected, however, the book is filled with fantastic design work and great art by Wagner (who is truly one of the best artists of the last 25 years), but it lacks the subtlety and playful details of the first few issues. This miniseries has a long way to go before in concludes later this year, but its issues like this that make me question whether or not its worth it to stick around for the whole ride.
09. Robin #171 (05)
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Chris Batista (pencils), Cam Smith (inks), Rick Ketcham (inks), and Guy Major (colors)
Letters by Sal Cipriano
Cover by Freddie E. Williams II
This week’s issue of Robin is a strange mix of great ideas and bafflingly poor ones. On one hand, I really like where Dixon is going with the Violet/Spoiler story and he writes Robin’s intrigue and confusion well. It’s interesting to see Violet as a Robin Hood style character, especially through the eyes of Robin, whose vigilantism is considerably more police-like; she makes a good foil for him and I look forward to hear continued involvement in the series. Beyond that, things breakdown and breakdown quickly. The opening villain, Zoanne’s actions, and the badass “b-ballers” are completely out of place with the otherwise serious storyline that Dixon is putting together. They are also oddly paced scenes that cause a very disjointed read. Additionally, the dialogue lacks the strong sense of unique voices that Dixon is normally known for. The art by Chris Batista is a good fit, as he draws Tim as a teenager, but it lacks the grit that certain parts of this storyline demand. In the end, this isn’t the weakest issue of Robin in recent memory, but its not one that I’m quick to recommend.
08. Justice League of America #18 (08)
Lead story written by Alan Burnett
Lead story art by Ed Benes (pencils and inks), Sandra Hope (inks), and Peter Pantazis (colors)
Lead story letters by Rob Leigh
Backup story written by Dwayne McDuffie
Backup story art by Jon Boy Meyers (pencils), Mark Irwin (inks), and Peter Pantazis (inks)
Backup story letters by Rob Leigh
Cover by Ed Benes and Alex Sinclair
This week’s issue of Justice League of America featured two stories, the first being firmly implanted in the Salvation Run storyline and the backup focusing on Red Tornado’s attempts to replace his broken android body. The first, written by Alan Burnett, is a bit of a flop. I’ve made it no secret that I have no interest in the Salvation Run storyline, so its no surprise that I was disinterested from the start, but it didn’t help that Burnett’s Suicide Squad seemed to be completely disposable, with none of the characters showing any personality at all, plus he (like everyone else who has taken on the character) can’t seem to find a workable place for Vixen and the “love triangle” with Red Arrow feels completely forced and one-dimensional. Ed Benes doesn’t make things any more palatable with his “one ass shot per page” approach to the art (he’s a dynamic artist, but he relies way too heavily on the cheesecake). Were the lead the only story in this week’s issue, it would have been Ranked considerably lower; however, Dwayne McDuffie saves the day with a really great backup story (were the backup the only story in this week’s issue, it would have been a Top 5 book). McDuffie’s tragic, but heartfelt backup hits all of the right notes, with great dialogue, a nice balance with narration, and a very intriguing story. The pain of Red Tornado is conveyed well, but also shown in strong contrast with his robotic nature as well. The art by Jon Boy Meyers is fantastic and I demand that we see more of him on this title in the future (though his take on Zatanna’s costume was not so good). In the end, I’d definitely recommend this issue for the backup, but prepare to be disappointed with the lead (and seriously, Dwayne McDuffie, please take back full writing duties on this title as soon as you can!!!).
07. Birds of Prey #115 (07)
Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Nicola Scott (pencils), Doug Hazlewood (inks), and Hi-Fi (colors)
Letters by Swands
Cover by Stephane Roux
I was really looking forward to this week’s issue of Birds of Prey, being a huge fan of the spotlighted characters, Black Alice and Misfit. While I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed per se, I will say that this issue was not nearly as strong as McKeever’s last few issues on the title. I like the idea of using Black Alice as a foil for Misfit and it works well, with Alice’s edginess and angst paralleling Misfit’s eagerness and naïveté. McKeever does a good job of not shoehorning Alice’s involvement in—it makes sense for her to be part of the team for this mission, which follows with the Birds concept that Gail Simone developed in her final issues on the title. While the exchanges between Misfit, Black Alice, and Oracle are well written and well paced, there are times when the cattiness of the arguments between the younger characters gets to be too much (though, truthfully, it is pretty realistic to how such different teen girls would react). I will say that I felt that Alice came across as much more of a pure stereotype of “goth” teens here than she did under Bill Willingham and Simone (though some of these stereotypical characters—such as her being medicated for depression—works well in the context of story). The subplot, featuring Zinda’s search for a villain from her past was telegraphed entirely too much, which really killed the surprise. The big problem is that McKeever has a tendency to overwrite in this issue, using too much dialogue or too many narration boxes to explain what the reader is already seeing, which can really bring the story down. The art is exactly what you’d expect from Nicola Scott and Doug Hazlewood—consistent, expressive, and controlled. There is little variety in panel layouts or in style, but when you’ve got a good thing going, why try to reinvent the wheel? Overall, it’s the weakest issue in McKeever’s run thus far, but has enough that it should keep Birds fans happy.
06. The Amazing Spider-Man #551 (06)
Written by Marc Guggenheim
Art by Salvador Larroca (art) and Stephane Peru (colors)
Letters by Cory Petit
Cover by Salvador Larroca
I really feel that “Brand New Day” would be a considerably more successful venture if Spider-Man was given better villains to work with; we wouldn’t even need new villains, as his Rogue’s Gallery is more than capable enough of carrying stories for years to come and the ending to “One More Day” would allow for Marvel to make any number of changes to the villains to keep them fresh enough to be integrated into these new storylines. As it stands, however, villains like this issue’s Menace really bring down the stories as a whole, especially when the issue, like this week’s issue, centers so much on said villain. However, Guggenheim does his best with what he has and writes a very fun issue, with the dialogue between Spidey and the very likable Jackpot providing enough classic Spider-Man banter and entertainment to overcome even the shortcomings of the villain they face. Their interactions are easily the best part of the issue, with the twists of Jackpot’s identity being the most interesting dilemma that the titular hero is facing (again, the villain isn’t doing it for me and I’m still not completely warmed up to the changes at the Bugle). While the writing was definitely solid, I was disappointed in the art this issue. Larroca’s art lacked depth and perspective in this issue, looking very flat and unfinished in places, contrasting sharply with the considerably more polished panels, sometimes within the same page. Overall, however, its an enjoyable enough issue that Spider-Man fans shouldn’t miss and shows enough promise that I’ll be very disappointed when Guggenheim and Larroca are replaced by the next creative team in the ASM rotation.
05. Batman and the Outsiders #4 (09)
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Julian Lopez (pencils), Bit (inks), and Marta Martinez (colors)
Letters by Nick J. Napolitano
Cover by Doug Braithwaite and Alex Sinclair
First and foremost, this issue has a great cover by Doug Braithwaite and Alex Sinclair—very simple, but very well executed; I would absolutely love to see Braithwaite tack the interiors on this book rather than just the covers, especially if this is the style he is going to use. That’s not to say that Julian Lopez isn’t doing a fine job on the art, because he is. He brings a lot of energy to this issue and seems to have fun playing around with the designs (like Katana’s camo outfit), but he isn’t the most consistent of artists. His designs slip a bit and he doesn’t use the same amount of detail on every page (the Thunder/Grace/OMAC scenes are the best examples of this). The story itself is a vast improvement over the first few issues, as Dixon seems to have a much better understanding of where he is going; he builds a lot of great mysteries here, leaving a lot of events open to interpretations and making the most of each page. He also seems to be easing into some of the characters better than he had, especially Grace (though he still doesn’t seem to know what to do with Thunder—I say drop her from the book, I know I wouldn’t miss her and it would allow him more freedom in writing Grace). The Green Arrow/Batgirl dynamic is going to be pretty interesting in the end, but Dixon builds and then kills the tension too quickly, which makes me feel like their interaction wasn’t even necessary; I just hope that Dixon doesn’t leave it as is when there is a lot of story potential there. The best part of the issue, interestingly enough, is the possible newest Outsider, a being who is a spinoff of some characters that I had previously hated (sorry, no spoilers here). I think that this character could take the book into a completely new direction and, if written well, could be a very exciting twist. Overall, I’ll consider this one a win for Dixon and Lopez, despite some problems. They have some great things going here and I think, given a few more issues, could have a really fun book on their hands.
04. The Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death (04)
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Nick Dragotta, Mike Allred, Laura Allred, Russ Heath, Lewis LaRosa, Stefano Gaudiano, Matt Hollingsworth, and Mitch Breitweiser
Letters by Artmonkeys Studios
Cover by Kaare Andrews
This week’s Immortal Iron First special is a fun send-up and tribute to classic pulp stories, as Matt Fraction tells of the interactions between Iron Fist Orson Randall and the Prince of Orphans, John Aman with the help of several artists. The multiple writing and art stiles make for an interesting mix, but come together under various themes and plots to tell a coherent story. Fraction does a great job of subtly changing his writing to suit each new vignette, but still maintaining strong characterization and great dialogue. Each new scene feels like a new story, but never so much that you feel lost while reading it. The artists, on the other hand, cover a wide range of styles, with the most extreme being Nick Dragotta and the Allred’s aping a classic, simple lines pulp style that fits well with their individual art style. Personally, I’m not a very big fan of their work, so this section did not appeal to me as much as some of the other art styles shown. The most impressive to me was Mitch Breitweiser, whose dense, semi-realistic style was a great fit for the darker tones of his section of the story. I’d absolutely love to see more of Breitweiser tackling Iron Fist after this issue. The artists in between all do some really great work with relatively few gaffes or exceptional moments. Given the methodical pacing of the issue, the twist ending almost happens too fast, but is still very effective thanks to the considerable build that precedes it. In the end, fans of Iron First or of pulp style comics in general should not miss this issue. It is issues like this that show exactly how good Matt Fraction is; he has future legend written all over him and it is books like this that will take him there.
03. Checkmate #23 (02)
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann
Art by Joe Bennett (pencils), Jack Jadson (inks), and Santiago Arcas (colors)
Letters by Travis Lanham
Cover by Kalman Andrasovfsky
This week’s issue of Checkmate marks the beginning of the end for Greg Rucka’s run on the title (as well as his cohorts Eric Trautmann and Joe Bennett), as he will be replaced starting in May by Bruce Jones. Needless to say, as this has been one of my favorite titles at DC, I’m very disappointed that such a talented team will be leaving the title only to be replaced by one of my least favorite writers. Thankfully, however, it looks like the Checkmate Crew will be leaving the title on a high note, as this issue looks to be the start of an exciting finale storyline for the team. Rucka and Trautmann doe a great job of building from earlier stories, picking bits and pieces of plots from previous arcs to construct this issue, which centers around Kobra’s biggest assault on Checkmate yet. The story covers a lot of ground and a lot characters, but the writing is very focused, with very efficient dialogue (and spot on characterization to boot). Superman makes a surprising appearance, which was very well handled by the writers, who use his appearance to showcase his commitment to justice and how his methods differ from those of Checkmate. The art by Joe Bennett is a bit looser than his previous issue, as he is using a more traditional “superhero” style, but this fits the issue, as there are some very surreal moments that his more realistic style simply wouldn’t have worked well with. In the end, I really hate to see Rucka and Company leave this title, but it looks like their final arc will be another can’t miss storyline. As with all issues of Checkmate, this one comes highly recommended.
02. The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite #6 (01)
Written by Gerard Way
Art by Gabriel Ba (art) and Dave Steward (colors)
Letters by Nate Piekos
Cover by James Jean
The finale of the ridiculously awesome Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite miniseries dropped this week and the miniseries ends just as it began: well crafted, beautifully drawn, and overflowing with creativity. The end, which finds the Umbrella Academy “siblings” squaring off against their “sister,” the White Violin, over the fate of the world creates more questions than in answers—which follows suit with the rest of the series—but is still ultimately satisfying in its end. Gerard Way leaves more than enough unsaid, giving him ample material to return to for the next Umbrella Academy miniseries. Some of the more shocking twists will allow him to take the book into unpredictable directions, which should make for more excellent reads. This issue is surprisingly grim and violent, but not excessively grisly thanks to the cartoonishly stylized art by Gabriel Ba (think Chuck Jones meets Mike Mignola). And yet, with all of the surprises, all of the action, and all of the violence, the issue is still more denouement than it is climax. Its an interesting (i.e. Morrisonian) approach to a final issue; it wouldn’t work for every series, but it’s a perfectly natural way to end the series. For those that have followed the series, this issue is the perfect payoff. My only real complaint is that, as of May, Dark Horse has not solicited anymore Umbrella Academy stories. This issue, as with the five previous, get my highest of recommendations. There is a reason why I tagged this series as the best miniseries of 2007. Seriously, stop whatever you are doing and hunt this book down. You will not be disappointed.
01. Drafted #5 (03)
Written by Mark Powers
Art by Chris Lie (art) and Joseph Baker (colors)
Letters by Crank!
Cover by Chris Lie
Without a doubt, Drafted is the best currently-running small press book that I’ve been picking up and this issue really captures all of the reasons why. Mark Powers is a master at juggling large cast books and he excels tremendously here as the “drafted” characters find themselves finally facing their trials firsthand; the soldiers face the first of the invaders and the clergy are given their first task, while one character has clearly been placed in the position of leader. Powers utilizing dialogue and interactions effectively, never wasting a word balloon or a conversation as he builds characterization and pushes the plot forward. Artist Chris Lie works equally as tight, taking a minimalist approach to his linework, but doing so near-perfectly as he shows a tremendous amount of detail and expression with relatively open designs. Interestingly enough, as we see more aliens in this issue than we had in the previous issues, he still maintains a strong sense of realism without having to resort to heavily rendering his art to achieve it. It’s the great mix of sci-fi conventions, great characterization, surprising twists, relatable characters, and thought-provoking themes filtered through a kick-a** action story that makes this title and, especially, this issue so successful, making it my choice for Book of the Week.
Below are the books I picked up this week, counting down from worst to best, creating my “power rankings” for this week. The numbers in parentheses represent where the book was pre-ranked. Let me know what you all think and feel free to post your own list. I attempt to keep everything as spoiler free as possible, but keep in mind that there may be the occasional minor spoiler that I overlook.
If you have any questions about the Rankings or just want to drop me a line, you can email me at ryanreviews@gmail.com (ryanreviews@gmail.com)or you can always PM me through the message boards. I have been asked recently if I accept review copies; I most certainly will. Any book sent to me will be reviewed. Just drop me a line if you want me to check out your book. I’d be glad to give it a look.
-Ryan “the Iowan”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Runaways #29 (11)
Written by Joss Whedon
Art by Michael Ryan (pencils), Rick Ketcham (inks), Andrew Hennessy (inks), and Christina Strain (colors)
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Jo Chen
Books like Runaways #29 are my least favorite issues to review. I really want to like books like this and I do my best to see all of the base positive qualities (Joss Whedon is ridiculously talented, Michael Ryan is a very competent artist, the Runaways are some of my favorite Marvel characters, etc), but I still can’t get over the negative qualities of the execution. That being said, I’m once again very disappointed with the Whedon/Ryan team-up on Runaways. First and foremost, all of the momentum that this book had going for it was completely killed by the delays. Were this a simpler storyline with a smaller, more established cast, I don’t think that the delays would have mattered as much. However, as it stands, there is simply too much going on in this issue and there are too many characters to remember and keep straight for us to go several months between issues. This is the type of story that shouldn’t be solicited until the issues are in the can. Even beyond the delays, after digging into some back issues for some help, I still found the plot a little hard to follow, as it really seems to be conflict with little motivation. Whedon doesn’t help the situation much with the dialogue, as most of the characters speak with similar personalities or seem to break character at a moment’s notice (I felt that Molly’s “ho bag” comment was especially out of place—Whedon is trying to replicate BKV’s ability to have Molly throw in surprising one-liners, but ultimately fails). Michael Ryan’s art, though lively and energetic, is a poor fit for this story, as his character designs are often too similar, making things even hard to follow. In the end, while this may read better in a trade format, it’s a dud as a single issue and a huge disappointment. I’m sure that Whedon’s presence will cause the book to sell more issues, but if issues like this were my introduction to the characters, I don’t think I would want to hunt down the previous storylines (which were infinitely better). I’m hoping the conclusion will save this storyline, but as it stands, I’m ready for the Terry Moore-era of Runaways to begin.
11. Hulk #2 (12)
Written by Jeph Loeb
Art by Ed McGuinness (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), and Jason Keith (colors)
Letters by Comicraft
Cover by Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines, and Jason Keith
It’s not very often that you hear this, but I think I was more impressed by the lettering in this issue than I was anything else. Comicraft does such an impressive job with their lettering (both in terms of dialogue and credit pages) that they are really the only letterers that ever standout to me; I think that says a lot of the quality that they bring. Kudos to them. Moving past that, Hulk #2 isn’t exactly a bad book, but its really not a good book either. Much of the issue is used for absolutely mindless, high-impact action; as with all books he writers, Jeph Loeb is clearly writing around his artist here—this is definitely the type of book that Ed McGuinness must love drawing. Unfortunately, the issue is so action-oriented that the plot is paper thin (despite Loeb’s attempts at building mystery by having Stark confused through most of the issue) and the dialogue is fairly inconsequential. If you are into that sort of comic, then you will love this one, as McGuinness draws big action well. If you are looking for a little more meat (or consistently proportioned characters), you’ll want to avoid this issue. As much as I love the Hulk, this will probably be my last issue with this series; the Hulk is and always should be about action and smashing, but as Greg Pak showed us in his expansive Hulk epic, it can be about a lot more. I liked that and until this series goes back to that, I’m going to find something else to read.
10. Grendel: Behold the Devil #4 (10)
Written by Matt Wagner
Art by Matt Wagner
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Matt Wagner
After starting off with an incredibly impressive first issue, Grendel: Behold the Devil has been floundering lately and this issue is no exception. The story, in which Hunter Rose does his usual dastardly deeds while being tracked by a mysterious presence, isn’t the strongest Grendel story to start with, has been spinning its wheels over the last few issues, but seems to come to a complete halt with this week’s issue #4. This issue is almost entirely filler, with little movement in the main plot and only minor movements in the subplots. All of the momentum of the previous issues ends abruptly as Hunter seems to do things we’ve already seen him do in this miniseries. The end result is an issue that is almost completely lifeless, especially in comparison to the complicated and action-packed stories that have preceded this miniseries. As to be expected, however, the book is filled with fantastic design work and great art by Wagner (who is truly one of the best artists of the last 25 years), but it lacks the subtlety and playful details of the first few issues. This miniseries has a long way to go before in concludes later this year, but its issues like this that make me question whether or not its worth it to stick around for the whole ride.
09. Robin #171 (05)
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Chris Batista (pencils), Cam Smith (inks), Rick Ketcham (inks), and Guy Major (colors)
Letters by Sal Cipriano
Cover by Freddie E. Williams II
This week’s issue of Robin is a strange mix of great ideas and bafflingly poor ones. On one hand, I really like where Dixon is going with the Violet/Spoiler story and he writes Robin’s intrigue and confusion well. It’s interesting to see Violet as a Robin Hood style character, especially through the eyes of Robin, whose vigilantism is considerably more police-like; she makes a good foil for him and I look forward to hear continued involvement in the series. Beyond that, things breakdown and breakdown quickly. The opening villain, Zoanne’s actions, and the badass “b-ballers” are completely out of place with the otherwise serious storyline that Dixon is putting together. They are also oddly paced scenes that cause a very disjointed read. Additionally, the dialogue lacks the strong sense of unique voices that Dixon is normally known for. The art by Chris Batista is a good fit, as he draws Tim as a teenager, but it lacks the grit that certain parts of this storyline demand. In the end, this isn’t the weakest issue of Robin in recent memory, but its not one that I’m quick to recommend.
08. Justice League of America #18 (08)
Lead story written by Alan Burnett
Lead story art by Ed Benes (pencils and inks), Sandra Hope (inks), and Peter Pantazis (colors)
Lead story letters by Rob Leigh
Backup story written by Dwayne McDuffie
Backup story art by Jon Boy Meyers (pencils), Mark Irwin (inks), and Peter Pantazis (inks)
Backup story letters by Rob Leigh
Cover by Ed Benes and Alex Sinclair
This week’s issue of Justice League of America featured two stories, the first being firmly implanted in the Salvation Run storyline and the backup focusing on Red Tornado’s attempts to replace his broken android body. The first, written by Alan Burnett, is a bit of a flop. I’ve made it no secret that I have no interest in the Salvation Run storyline, so its no surprise that I was disinterested from the start, but it didn’t help that Burnett’s Suicide Squad seemed to be completely disposable, with none of the characters showing any personality at all, plus he (like everyone else who has taken on the character) can’t seem to find a workable place for Vixen and the “love triangle” with Red Arrow feels completely forced and one-dimensional. Ed Benes doesn’t make things any more palatable with his “one ass shot per page” approach to the art (he’s a dynamic artist, but he relies way too heavily on the cheesecake). Were the lead the only story in this week’s issue, it would have been Ranked considerably lower; however, Dwayne McDuffie saves the day with a really great backup story (were the backup the only story in this week’s issue, it would have been a Top 5 book). McDuffie’s tragic, but heartfelt backup hits all of the right notes, with great dialogue, a nice balance with narration, and a very intriguing story. The pain of Red Tornado is conveyed well, but also shown in strong contrast with his robotic nature as well. The art by Jon Boy Meyers is fantastic and I demand that we see more of him on this title in the future (though his take on Zatanna’s costume was not so good). In the end, I’d definitely recommend this issue for the backup, but prepare to be disappointed with the lead (and seriously, Dwayne McDuffie, please take back full writing duties on this title as soon as you can!!!).
07. Birds of Prey #115 (07)
Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Nicola Scott (pencils), Doug Hazlewood (inks), and Hi-Fi (colors)
Letters by Swands
Cover by Stephane Roux
I was really looking forward to this week’s issue of Birds of Prey, being a huge fan of the spotlighted characters, Black Alice and Misfit. While I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed per se, I will say that this issue was not nearly as strong as McKeever’s last few issues on the title. I like the idea of using Black Alice as a foil for Misfit and it works well, with Alice’s edginess and angst paralleling Misfit’s eagerness and naïveté. McKeever does a good job of not shoehorning Alice’s involvement in—it makes sense for her to be part of the team for this mission, which follows with the Birds concept that Gail Simone developed in her final issues on the title. While the exchanges between Misfit, Black Alice, and Oracle are well written and well paced, there are times when the cattiness of the arguments between the younger characters gets to be too much (though, truthfully, it is pretty realistic to how such different teen girls would react). I will say that I felt that Alice came across as much more of a pure stereotype of “goth” teens here than she did under Bill Willingham and Simone (though some of these stereotypical characters—such as her being medicated for depression—works well in the context of story). The subplot, featuring Zinda’s search for a villain from her past was telegraphed entirely too much, which really killed the surprise. The big problem is that McKeever has a tendency to overwrite in this issue, using too much dialogue or too many narration boxes to explain what the reader is already seeing, which can really bring the story down. The art is exactly what you’d expect from Nicola Scott and Doug Hazlewood—consistent, expressive, and controlled. There is little variety in panel layouts or in style, but when you’ve got a good thing going, why try to reinvent the wheel? Overall, it’s the weakest issue in McKeever’s run thus far, but has enough that it should keep Birds fans happy.
06. The Amazing Spider-Man #551 (06)
Written by Marc Guggenheim
Art by Salvador Larroca (art) and Stephane Peru (colors)
Letters by Cory Petit
Cover by Salvador Larroca
I really feel that “Brand New Day” would be a considerably more successful venture if Spider-Man was given better villains to work with; we wouldn’t even need new villains, as his Rogue’s Gallery is more than capable enough of carrying stories for years to come and the ending to “One More Day” would allow for Marvel to make any number of changes to the villains to keep them fresh enough to be integrated into these new storylines. As it stands, however, villains like this issue’s Menace really bring down the stories as a whole, especially when the issue, like this week’s issue, centers so much on said villain. However, Guggenheim does his best with what he has and writes a very fun issue, with the dialogue between Spidey and the very likable Jackpot providing enough classic Spider-Man banter and entertainment to overcome even the shortcomings of the villain they face. Their interactions are easily the best part of the issue, with the twists of Jackpot’s identity being the most interesting dilemma that the titular hero is facing (again, the villain isn’t doing it for me and I’m still not completely warmed up to the changes at the Bugle). While the writing was definitely solid, I was disappointed in the art this issue. Larroca’s art lacked depth and perspective in this issue, looking very flat and unfinished in places, contrasting sharply with the considerably more polished panels, sometimes within the same page. Overall, however, its an enjoyable enough issue that Spider-Man fans shouldn’t miss and shows enough promise that I’ll be very disappointed when Guggenheim and Larroca are replaced by the next creative team in the ASM rotation.
05. Batman and the Outsiders #4 (09)
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Julian Lopez (pencils), Bit (inks), and Marta Martinez (colors)
Letters by Nick J. Napolitano
Cover by Doug Braithwaite and Alex Sinclair
First and foremost, this issue has a great cover by Doug Braithwaite and Alex Sinclair—very simple, but very well executed; I would absolutely love to see Braithwaite tack the interiors on this book rather than just the covers, especially if this is the style he is going to use. That’s not to say that Julian Lopez isn’t doing a fine job on the art, because he is. He brings a lot of energy to this issue and seems to have fun playing around with the designs (like Katana’s camo outfit), but he isn’t the most consistent of artists. His designs slip a bit and he doesn’t use the same amount of detail on every page (the Thunder/Grace/OMAC scenes are the best examples of this). The story itself is a vast improvement over the first few issues, as Dixon seems to have a much better understanding of where he is going; he builds a lot of great mysteries here, leaving a lot of events open to interpretations and making the most of each page. He also seems to be easing into some of the characters better than he had, especially Grace (though he still doesn’t seem to know what to do with Thunder—I say drop her from the book, I know I wouldn’t miss her and it would allow him more freedom in writing Grace). The Green Arrow/Batgirl dynamic is going to be pretty interesting in the end, but Dixon builds and then kills the tension too quickly, which makes me feel like their interaction wasn’t even necessary; I just hope that Dixon doesn’t leave it as is when there is a lot of story potential there. The best part of the issue, interestingly enough, is the possible newest Outsider, a being who is a spinoff of some characters that I had previously hated (sorry, no spoilers here). I think that this character could take the book into a completely new direction and, if written well, could be a very exciting twist. Overall, I’ll consider this one a win for Dixon and Lopez, despite some problems. They have some great things going here and I think, given a few more issues, could have a really fun book on their hands.
04. The Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death (04)
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Nick Dragotta, Mike Allred, Laura Allred, Russ Heath, Lewis LaRosa, Stefano Gaudiano, Matt Hollingsworth, and Mitch Breitweiser
Letters by Artmonkeys Studios
Cover by Kaare Andrews
This week’s Immortal Iron First special is a fun send-up and tribute to classic pulp stories, as Matt Fraction tells of the interactions between Iron Fist Orson Randall and the Prince of Orphans, John Aman with the help of several artists. The multiple writing and art stiles make for an interesting mix, but come together under various themes and plots to tell a coherent story. Fraction does a great job of subtly changing his writing to suit each new vignette, but still maintaining strong characterization and great dialogue. Each new scene feels like a new story, but never so much that you feel lost while reading it. The artists, on the other hand, cover a wide range of styles, with the most extreme being Nick Dragotta and the Allred’s aping a classic, simple lines pulp style that fits well with their individual art style. Personally, I’m not a very big fan of their work, so this section did not appeal to me as much as some of the other art styles shown. The most impressive to me was Mitch Breitweiser, whose dense, semi-realistic style was a great fit for the darker tones of his section of the story. I’d absolutely love to see more of Breitweiser tackling Iron Fist after this issue. The artists in between all do some really great work with relatively few gaffes or exceptional moments. Given the methodical pacing of the issue, the twist ending almost happens too fast, but is still very effective thanks to the considerable build that precedes it. In the end, fans of Iron First or of pulp style comics in general should not miss this issue. It is issues like this that show exactly how good Matt Fraction is; he has future legend written all over him and it is books like this that will take him there.
03. Checkmate #23 (02)
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann
Art by Joe Bennett (pencils), Jack Jadson (inks), and Santiago Arcas (colors)
Letters by Travis Lanham
Cover by Kalman Andrasovfsky
This week’s issue of Checkmate marks the beginning of the end for Greg Rucka’s run on the title (as well as his cohorts Eric Trautmann and Joe Bennett), as he will be replaced starting in May by Bruce Jones. Needless to say, as this has been one of my favorite titles at DC, I’m very disappointed that such a talented team will be leaving the title only to be replaced by one of my least favorite writers. Thankfully, however, it looks like the Checkmate Crew will be leaving the title on a high note, as this issue looks to be the start of an exciting finale storyline for the team. Rucka and Trautmann doe a great job of building from earlier stories, picking bits and pieces of plots from previous arcs to construct this issue, which centers around Kobra’s biggest assault on Checkmate yet. The story covers a lot of ground and a lot characters, but the writing is very focused, with very efficient dialogue (and spot on characterization to boot). Superman makes a surprising appearance, which was very well handled by the writers, who use his appearance to showcase his commitment to justice and how his methods differ from those of Checkmate. The art by Joe Bennett is a bit looser than his previous issue, as he is using a more traditional “superhero” style, but this fits the issue, as there are some very surreal moments that his more realistic style simply wouldn’t have worked well with. In the end, I really hate to see Rucka and Company leave this title, but it looks like their final arc will be another can’t miss storyline. As with all issues of Checkmate, this one comes highly recommended.
02. The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite #6 (01)
Written by Gerard Way
Art by Gabriel Ba (art) and Dave Steward (colors)
Letters by Nate Piekos
Cover by James Jean
The finale of the ridiculously awesome Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite miniseries dropped this week and the miniseries ends just as it began: well crafted, beautifully drawn, and overflowing with creativity. The end, which finds the Umbrella Academy “siblings” squaring off against their “sister,” the White Violin, over the fate of the world creates more questions than in answers—which follows suit with the rest of the series—but is still ultimately satisfying in its end. Gerard Way leaves more than enough unsaid, giving him ample material to return to for the next Umbrella Academy miniseries. Some of the more shocking twists will allow him to take the book into unpredictable directions, which should make for more excellent reads. This issue is surprisingly grim and violent, but not excessively grisly thanks to the cartoonishly stylized art by Gabriel Ba (think Chuck Jones meets Mike Mignola). And yet, with all of the surprises, all of the action, and all of the violence, the issue is still more denouement than it is climax. Its an interesting (i.e. Morrisonian) approach to a final issue; it wouldn’t work for every series, but it’s a perfectly natural way to end the series. For those that have followed the series, this issue is the perfect payoff. My only real complaint is that, as of May, Dark Horse has not solicited anymore Umbrella Academy stories. This issue, as with the five previous, get my highest of recommendations. There is a reason why I tagged this series as the best miniseries of 2007. Seriously, stop whatever you are doing and hunt this book down. You will not be disappointed.
01. Drafted #5 (03)
Written by Mark Powers
Art by Chris Lie (art) and Joseph Baker (colors)
Letters by Crank!
Cover by Chris Lie
Without a doubt, Drafted is the best currently-running small press book that I’ve been picking up and this issue really captures all of the reasons why. Mark Powers is a master at juggling large cast books and he excels tremendously here as the “drafted” characters find themselves finally facing their trials firsthand; the soldiers face the first of the invaders and the clergy are given their first task, while one character has clearly been placed in the position of leader. Powers utilizing dialogue and interactions effectively, never wasting a word balloon or a conversation as he builds characterization and pushes the plot forward. Artist Chris Lie works equally as tight, taking a minimalist approach to his linework, but doing so near-perfectly as he shows a tremendous amount of detail and expression with relatively open designs. Interestingly enough, as we see more aliens in this issue than we had in the previous issues, he still maintains a strong sense of realism without having to resort to heavily rendering his art to achieve it. It’s the great mix of sci-fi conventions, great characterization, surprising twists, relatable characters, and thought-provoking themes filtered through a kick-a** action story that makes this title and, especially, this issue so successful, making it my choice for Book of the Week.