BEST SHOTS: INFINITE CRISIS #6, MOON KNIGHT #1, TEEN TITANS #34, NEW MOORE/CAMPBELL

[MattBrady]

by the Cast and Crew of ShotgunReviews.com
Your Host: Troy Brownfield

Kicking off this week with another bit of business about the Shotgun Reviews mother site: you can now be our friends (well, as much as stalking legislation and the inherent distance of internet communication allow) via www.myspace.com/shotgunreviews

Presently, I’m essentially using the site to feature local and regional bands (and of course, to network with all of you fine people). On the player right now is Altspeak, a swell Seattle shoegaze outfit that features our own Shawn Delaney on guitar. Other acts to be featured soon include Indianapolis stalwarts The Common and Loretta. There will also be a fair number of small presses discussed, including the fledgling Indy indie that goes by the name of Red Eye Comics. If you’re into hip-hop, take a side journey over to Jonathan’s page; he’s the Lyrical Lounge editor and has a site packed to the gills with up-and-comers. I aim to use every platform available (the regular site, MySpace, the blog, etc.) to further our work and support the work of others. After you’ve read the whole of Newsarama this week, please come check it all out.

But now, comics!

Infinite Crisis #6
From: DC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Phil Jimenez, Jerry Ordway, George Perez, Ivan Reis, Andy Lanning and Norm Rapmund
Review by Troy Brownfield

I’ll go ahead and say “Spoiler Warnings on!”, but the cat’s been out of the bag on a couple of these for a little while. Proceed at your own risk . . .

This is the issue when a good many threads achieve some degree of resolution. We see the throw-down between Batman’s group and Brother Eye. We’re privy to consequences of action across the multiple Earths. We’re witnesses to the largest magical gathering since the Day of Vengeance special. And of course, matters at the tower reach a moment of critical mass that ends in tragedy.

There’s quite a bit that’s good in this issue; I found myself at several character moments that, while small, really delivered. Among the best were the brief exchange between Mr. Terrific and Black Lightning on the importance of identity to African-American heroes; the quick words between Batman and Green Arrow that will be the closest that either gets to ever apologizing for their actions of late; Hal Jordan being Hal Jordan (just ask Matt Brady: the guy’s got nerves of STEEL. Plus: test pilot); and of course, Batman’s whacking of Brother Eye, demonstrating that once he has his head on straight, there’s no better strategist in the DCU.

Even though the art was split among several hands, I really didn’t feel the dissonance. For the most part, the guest artists stuck to specific storylines, and that makes sense in the overall tapestry. It certainly made sense for Perez to do the two-page spread of the multiple Earths in conflict, given his history. (The page is also home to a fantastically elaborate in-joke; Earths 154 and 462 are slammed together into a new Earth where the heroes are waging a . . . wait for it . . . Civil War. Yeah, 154 + 462=616. Funny).

As for the real climax of the issue, the battle at the tower had several fine moments. Black Adam putting Psycho-Pirate DOWN was a great bit, completely in character (and let’s face it [ba-dump-bump], the emotion-manipulating would-be rapist had it coming). And Superboy’s death fulfills a nice arc of interior logic; the previous Crisis concluded with the ostensible sacrifice of a Superboy, and played to several clearly established themes (such as the tacit acknowledgement that mixing a Luthor and a Superman in any capacity always leads to destruction).

With one more issue to go, it’s clear that we’ll the final confrontation with Superboy-Prime, and, at the very least, the beginning of the offensive against the extended version of the Society. I’ve enjoyed this series; I believe that it has hit a number of high notes. As the One Year Later titles continue, the majority of which have been solids reads, I’m given to believe that for all the flash and thunder of this Big Event, DC still made it more about strengthening the overall line for several years, rather that boosting the bottom line for one big one.

Teen Titans #34
From: DC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Tony Daniel w/Kevin Conrad and Art Thibert
Review by The Rev. OJ Flow

Oh, NO you didn't! Geoff Johns may have just done the resurrection job of all time. Spoiler warning kids, 'cuz Wendy & Marvin are in da hizzouse!!! No joke, I was in the shop and flipping through this one, curious to see what "One Year Later" tidbits were sprinkled within before buying it, and I actually said aloud in the crowded shop, "No way," something I didn't even do with Infinite Crisis #6 this week. For those of you who missed out on the Gerald Ford administration, these two new caretakers of Titans Towers were the predecessors to the Wonder Twins in the first-ever season of Super Friends. I thought I'd heard some recent hints about the Wonder Twins making a comeback, but these two? What helps this is that they seem to be serving a practical purpose as new supporting cast for this stretch of Teen Titans.

What makes this "OYL" issue distinctive from the others I've read so far is that it puts a lead character in the position of the reader. In Teen Titans #34, Cyborg awakens after it appears that events during the Crisis have left him fairly incapacitated for a solid year. We are just as in the dark with what's transpired with the Titans as Vic Stone is, and it's an interesting (albeit unoriginal at times) idea. In pages 2 and 3, we get some ideas as to how the team has handled things through the eyes of Vic as he periodically witnesses (without full comprehension) the team's activity when his video functions engage intermittently. Film buffs may recall this narrative trick used a couple of decades ago with the lead character in Paul Verhoeven's Robocop. Again, not entirely original, but plenty effective in setting the scene here in Titans Tower and what's gone on as things were fast-forwarded a year. The status of the Teen Titans over the course of a year fluctuated greatly (Zatara??), and the early pages do a good job in letting us know what's been going on without revealing much in the upcoming 52 weekly. Though it does appear that the team did anything but thrive with cast changes abound, especially with the lack of heavy hitters like Cyborg, Robin, Wonder Girl and Superboy, and I'm relieved that we only had to deal with this as readers for a couple of pages.

Getting back to the present day, when Vic finally wakes up after months of rebuilding efforts, he is at first greeted by a couple of unlikely new additions to the youthful team, and to say that it's awkward is an understatement. Old school Blue Devil sidekick, Kid Devil, is back in action after recent issues suggested as much. This Kid Devil appears to be an upgrade with a genuine demonic appearance and abilities. The other newbie to the Titans is one that's gonna take some time to digest, for Vic, of course, and for me as a fan of this book, and that's Deathstroke's rogue daughter, Rose Wilson the Ravager. I've always had a tough time with well-regarded bad guys making the move to the side of good (does anyone ever serve time in jail anymore??), and Johns has notable history with this with Black Adam in JSA. Believe it or not, it reminds me of another genre that's practiced this all the time, soap operas. Mind you, I haven't watched any since college A LONG TIME AGO, but it amazed me how the main antagonists with mile-long rap sheets one year could somehow be the good guys the next (Luke Spencer, anyone?). Johns made Black Adam's time in the hallowed halls of the Justice Society work in great stories, but I was never ready to add his action figure to my JSA mix. Hopefully Johns has intriguing things in store for the Titans' latest anti-hero. Apparently she's no Terra, guys!

Robin is back leading the team, though, technically, to the reader, he never left. And while he's more than up to the task of captain (next to Cyborg who's finally ready to steer the ship), the lineup is threadbare at best. We get hints about the whereabouts of stalwarts Speedy (on retreat with Connor Hawke), Kid Flash ("kind of retired."), Raven (alas, broke up with Gar), Beast Boy (back with the Doom Patrol) -- and Superboy? Well... The team is lean, and Cyborg doesn't waste much time fixing to get the band back together. That leaves Cassie Sandsmark, Wonder Girl. While she's apparently remained in the game while key members of the Holy Trinity of Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman have taken sabbaticals, Wonder Girl is not in the mood for team dynamics just yet. Did anyone else find it funny that she was apparently in San Francisco while NOT working with the team? All signs point to this being a fleeting thing (the book covers, for one thing), and it better be, because this "New" Teen Titans lineup needs some meat on its bones. Apparently Robin's going to be around awhile, what with him now having his own Batcave nestled below Titans Tower. Only I don't what what good's gonna come from what he's got cooking down there. Hmmm...

The art for Teen Titans is decent enough, but it definitely lacks an intensity found in Mike McKone's time on the series. Hold on to those early issues, folks, 'cuz we really had it good back then. Johns and McKone captured lightning in a bottle. Not to slight Tony Daniel by any means, no. While he his work in a lot of ways hearkens back to an era a decade ago that too many discerning readers view these days with disdain (no coincidence the company was named "Image" when you recall how steeped in style over substance they really used to be), Daniel has done what a certain high-profile Image founder failed miserably to do (in the two issues of this book I skipped), evolve in a positive direction. Daniel can do good actions sequences, not to mention plenty of detail and backgrounds, and he can convey a wide range of emotions in his characters. I think, more than anything, Titans has been in IC-related transition for so long that Daniel might benefit from some scripts that feature a relatively stable team that's feeling good about itself. I know this first post-IC arc is all about restoring the status quo, so I'm accepting the situation with a little less trepidation than Cyborg did when he woke up to find out who was on his team.

Troy’s Note: We’re fine with Marvin and Wendy being around and all, OJ, but I draw the f’n line at Wonder Dog.

A Disease of Language
Published by Knockout/Palmano Bennett
Written & Illustrated by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
Reviewed by Michael C Lorah

This book, for those who are unaware, collects three utterly uncommercial, uncompromisingly personal and totally eclectic bits of Alan Moore’s catalog of writing. Collecting The Birth Caul, Snakes and Ladders, and an interview with Moore that originally ran in Campbell’s Egomania magazine, A Disease of Language is probably the single, purest, more personal work of Alan Moore’s that you can find. Both of the narratives (to call them stories would be a false description) were actually conceived as performance pieces (read aloud by Moore, with accompanying music and sets at various locations), which were later transcribed and visualized on the page by Campbell.

Sounds unlikely to make a compelling book? Sure, but you’ll never get a clearer look inside the mind of a man whom I might call a genius.

The Birth Caul is, essentially, the meditation on Alan Moore’s life (or, more generally, a life) told backwards, from 40th birthday to conception, even back to pre-conception. It’s Moore’s philosophies on life and birth, evolution, family, teenagers, doubt, love, confusion and mortality.

Snakes and Ladders begins, inauspiciously, by discussing the history of Red Lion Square in England, as Moore offers the assertion that places have stories as compelling as any person. He proceeds to tell of some of the people who have spent time in this place, and of their impact on the world. One of the men, Francis Crick, “discovered” DNA, which leads into a greater dialogue about the “magic” of life and cosmos. From comparing the serpent of Eden to the double-helix snake of existence to the “staging” of reality and space, Moore explains the art of reality, offering that all fiction and all reality are impossibly intertwined.

Campbell, for his part, brings a powerful visualization to each piece of Moore’s narration, creating humorous, insightful and multi-faceted observations. Words wrap (snake-like) around the page, against a backdrop of the universe coming into existence. Showing a range that includes child-like scratchings up to complex, multimedia collages, Campbell uses whatever means necessary to pull the reader into the narration, while supporting the ideas put forth.

The final piece of the book (not counting Campbell’s enjoyable sketchbook) is Campbell’s interview of Moore. Dealing mostly with Moore’s belief in magic, as well as his theories of existence, religion and creation, Moore is basically offered an extended platform to expound on life as he sees it. I was particularly taken with Moore’s dissection of where existing religions, including Christianity, fit into his beliefs. He also talks about creating comics, Voice of the Fire, From Hell, Lost Girls and the stage presentations of his performance art pieces.

It may not be for everyone, but it still might be the best comic book published this year. It’s a chance to see comics’ most celebrated (for good reason) visionary in his purest form – humorous, warm, open, compassionate, contemplative and intelligent.

Brownsville
Published by NBM
Written & Illustrated by Neil Kleid & Jake Allen
Reviewed by Michael C Lorah

I had the pleasure of meeting Kleid and Allen at the New York Comicon, where they sold me a copy of Brownsville. I’m glad that I had the chance, because I might otherwise have been unaware that their book is – although fictional in the fine details – based heavily on actual events and historic persons. Not that such information makes or breaks the narrative, but it’s always interesting to know, and I do have a fondness for local histories.

Allie Tannenbaum, street-smart Jewish kid in Depression-era Brooklyn, starts running some errands for local mobsters, before eventually climbing up the ladder to perform a variety of functions for “the family.” Kleid sets the scene nicely, giving us some insight into Allie’s home life and family situation – the struggle to make ends meet, the pressure to live up to his father’s expectations, and the desperate drive to become his own man and find success wherever it could be found.

Without sugarcoating or romanticizing their actions, Kleid shows the different sides of the mafia life, including the familial bond between Allie and the local don, Louis Lepke Buchalter. The relationships and rivalries, particularly the animosity between Allie and hitman Abe Reles, all flow naturally and believably, giving the reader a look at the men behind a period of American history that doesn’t get much coverage these days. Through it all, Tannenbaum remains a vivid protagonist – a poor son to his father, a good son to his boss, a husband, father, colleague and reluctant informant. Kleid never opts for the easy way in portraying Allie as a fully functional human being.

The story did drag in some places, as Kleid took time to explain historical figures and introduce certain players. Verging on a lecture at times, Kleid fills in historical detail in a few dry chunks, but fortunately, the payoff is there, as the alliances, murders, back-stabbings and prosecutor deals all hit hard.

Jake Allen’s art sets the mood for each scene wonderfully, bringing me back to a less manic feel of a less congested, less information-overloaded society. The details are strong, and the storytelling precise. The only artistic real shortcoming is the sameness of many of the characters. I frequently found myself wondering who the characters in any given scene were, which did detract from a few key moments. Kleid often overcomes this by unobtrusively sticking a name into the dialogue, although not quite often enough.

Despite those few concerns, Brownsville is a compelling and gripping tale of an America that has been largely forgotten. Offering a story of fully realized characters and history, it’s one of the better (of far too few) historic comics around. Well worth checking out.

So whatta ya’ think? Mike really angling for the title of “Resident Indie Guy”? I, for one, like it.

Infinite Crisis Special: The OMAC Project #1
From: DC
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Jesus Saiz
Review by J. Caleb Mozzocco
Pay no attention to the big honking “Infinite Crisis” tag above the title of this book; it has next to nothing at all to do with Infinite Crisis . While the two previous one-shot IC tie-ins based on a “Countdown” mini—Rann-Thanagar War and Day of Vengeance —seemed to directly connect to the main story, filling in some pretty sizeable blanks (like why Kyle Rayner changed masks and identities, or how Nightshade ended up in Alex’s machine), this one-shot is actually an epilogue of sorts a minor plot thread.

Had I known that, I probably would have skipped it; it’s certainly the least essential of the three specials to see release so far, and it lacks the sort of big reveals that punctuated Rann-Thanagar , like the knowledge that Superboy-Prime had rearranged the center of the universe by hand, leading to the war in the miniseries. I wasn’t a big fan of the OMAC miniseries, which played so fast and loose with continuity and characterization that the familiar names, agencies and settings seemed confusingly alien to a longtime reader like myself. (And it also contained what was perhaps the most ridiculous moment of Batman’s career since he had danced the Batusi, when he pulled a whole sword out of his utility belt).

Of course, that was before we knew Superboy-Prime’s punches were altering the fabric of the universe to the extent that Jason Todd came back to life, I Still Can’t Believe It’s Not The Justice League never happened and Phil Jimenez’s pencils suddenly looked a lot like Jerry Ordway's. And after that one panel in IC #6, the one declaring the birth of “New Earth,” God knows what’s going on with DCU continuity these days. If Rucka put Batman in a lavender cape in this special, it probably wouldn’t have detracted from the story much.

This issue picks up with Brother Eye falling from the sky during IC #6 and crash-landing in the desert near Saudi Arabia. Because the satellite still contains the identities, powers and weaknesses of every single metahuman on the planet, it’s a pretty hot commodity: the Russians send in the Rocket Reds, the Chinese send in a super soldier, the Israelis send in some plain old Israeli soldiers, and Batman sends in Sasha Bordeaux.

Unfortunately, they all arrive at the same time, and Brother Eye is still alive and kicking enough to send a new, two-man OMAC their way, and to try to hacking into Sasha’s brain to gain control of her.

What’s really important is that the groundwork is laid for the new Checkmate, in which Amanda “The Wall” Waller will be serving as Black King, Midnight is still a Black Knight, and the recently recruited Brazilian bombshell Fire, having stopped by the set of Marvel’s Ultimates 2 to steal a new costume, is Waller’s insurance policy.

It’s no secret Rucka knows how to write engaging, Tom Clancy-style spy stuff (see his excellent Queen & Country ) or strong female leads (see the same, or Whiteout , or Gotham Central , or…), and the spy stuff corner of the DCU has been sadly unexplored since the hey day of John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad (Speaking of which, let’s see some trade collections of that stuff, DC! ). This book, then, was predictably decent, but also exactly what one would expect from Rucka, at this point, and when a writer stops being able to surprise his readers, his work stops being interesting.

The more relevant (to Identity Crisis and the greater DCU, anyway) stories dealing with the OMAC Project—Batman’s creation, launching and apparent usage of a super-spy satellite throughout a decade or so of DCU history; Alex Luthor’s tinkering with it for his own devious purposes; Max Lords’ years worth of secretly subverting the work of the Justice League in service of his own anti-metahuman agenda—remain completely untouched.

Instead, we get what is merely a bridge between The OMAC Project mini and the coming Checkmate ongoing. Sasha Bordeaux fans may be delighted; those checking this out assuming it’s an important chapter of Infinite Crisis will likely wish they would have saved their $4.99 to spend elsewhere.

Caleb was actually a spy once, but we can’t really talk about it.

Young Avengers # 11
From: Marvel
Writer: Allan Heinberg
Art: Jim Cheung
Review by Koben Kelly

What I love most about this book is that while reading it, you can tell that the creators involved are having fun. I'm sure every time they are interviewed, they have to bite their tongues to prevent spoiler spillage.

I haven't read a single issue with this much density in quite some time. So much is happening, as if it were a reaction to the decompression trend, it's a tad hard to process it all at once. I actually got more out of it on the second read (and no, I do not have poor reading comp).

After being carried away by the Super-Skrull in the last issue, Hulkling has now been saved by the Kree forces that have come to Earth to find him. It seems that his birth parents are actually one very famous Kree and one extremely regal Skrull. According to Kree beliefs, this actually makes Hulkling 100% Kree as well as a high-ranking member of the Imperial Guard. When he makes it clear that he isn't down with being escorted off-world, an attempt is made to take him against his own will. At this point, I was pleasantly surprised by the ailing Supa-Skrull's efforts to save our favorite shape-changing love-child. All of Teddy's fellow team members join in the fight, showing off the Young Avengers as capable of holding their own. Even Wiccan's mysterious, speedster twin, Tommy, creates a minor whirlwind.

The Vision is slowly becoming a great addition to the team. While still not his good ol' self, he is developing a personality, and he again proves his worthiness by flying a Kree transport using a direct interface plugged into his head. Such a sweet visual.

We find out the Supa-Skrull had no intention to kill Teddy's "mom," only meaning to help protect him, as Hulkling's Kree parent had protected S-S. Apparently, Teddy is also to become one of the Skrull ruling class, a genetic oddity to the Kree, to be destroyed if not under Kree control. Also, Super-S provides confirmation to what many have already predicted, as Wiccan and Tommy learn the truth about their relation and parentage... creating more questions about the cause and aftermath of House of M

Rocket-packed Kree and winged Skrulls take to the sky to fight when their ships are destroyed. Teddy makes a noble attempt to halt the battle, when the New Avengers arrive on the scene. The first splash page of the issue is simply gorgeous, featuring Hulkling, Wiccan, Iron Man, Spider-Woman, and the Sentry. Due to both sides claiming Teddy is to be taken with them, Captain America is left with the decision-making chore. Because of his decision, one warrior tries to claim Cap's life, but one of the Young Avengers may have lost their life to protect him.

The last two pages of this issue are used for the most chaotic yet amazing splash-spread I've ever seen. Gotta say, I worry about the day Cheung steps down from art-chores. He is as much a part of the equation as Heinberg is. Yes, I'll still buy the book (as long as it doesn't end) even if Cheung is gone, but it won't be the same. His work is just so damn graceful.

I applaud Alan Heinberg for never shying away from the loving relationship of two gay teenagers. He has kept their partnership solidly a part of the story, yet it never feels forced or out-of-place. Some readers may state that homosexuals have no place in the Marvel Universe. Some may say that they are worried about their kids learning about gays from comics. If you think your kids are smart enough to figure out that certain characters might be gay... they're ready for you to explain it to them. The way you want to. But, the reality of the situation is that homosexuality does exist. Heinberg has handled the inclusion of gays in the storyline with class and honesty.

This book goes to the top of the pile every time it comes out.

Koben will probably groan when Troy uses this space to note that he forwarded the Wanda connection well over a year ago, and got nothing but crap for it from a couple of posters. Sorry, Koben. Next time, Troy will use Koben’s sign-off to urge you all to send Mr. Kelly beer money.

Moon Knight #1
From: Marvel
Writer: Charlie Huston
Artist: David Finch
Review by Jeff Marsick

I’m not much of a Moon Knight aficionado, having only read him sporadically over the years, garnering enough passing knowledge of the character to smartly participate in a conversation should he ever be the topic (he never has). As a collector, I had the first two issues of the first series, the first two of the second, and a couple from the swan song of the Platt period, but aside from decent artwork, there was never anything about the character that made me want to come back for more. To me, Moon Knight was a cliché superhero: man with lots of money builds lots of fantastic and physics-defying toys to wage a war on crime. People say he’s the Marvel Batman, but he’s not so much indistinguishable from all the others with unlimited bank accounts: the Punisher, Night Thrasher, et al.

Two things annoyed me most about Moonie (even that truncated nom de guerre I found ridiculous; it conjured up images of Fartman in the service of Khonshu) was that the writers tried to cover his lack of originality by putting him in service to an Egyptian deity, making the butler French, the aircraft moon-shaped, and the costume white. Surely that would be enough camouflage that no one would consider him a sort of Reverse-Batman, right? But like I used to tell blind dates when it became obvious I wouldn’t be taking a base that evening: it’s not what’s on the surface that matters, it’s what lies beneath that intrigues.

If you read the Moon Knight entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe you discover that Marc Spector has serious psychological issues, mostly brought upon himself. However, reading about a mentally unstable man in service to a deity he believes saved his life just wasn’t compelling enough. Hell, I listened to one of those every Sunday at the 8:30 mass. Besides, I’m a born and bred DC-man, and could always get my hit off the quasi-religious and slightly unbalanced hero hookah with The Spectre .

That was then, however, and this one is new. To start, Moon Knight #1 has a darker tone to it than the ones that came before. And it should. After all, Moon Knight is the Fist of Khonshu, not the Group Hug of Khonshu.

The first thirteen pages are the obligatory ass-whupping demonstration beneath a cirrus layer of explanatory monologue, a sort of Cliff note summary of who Moon Knight is, why he does his shtick, and what’s with an all-white costume in the dead of night. After the evening productively spent cleaning town (“The fun stuff,” he calls it), he hops into his Moon Jet with Frenchie (the second-worst named sidekick in all of hero-dom, behind Pieface) at the helm for a post-beatdown booty call with his familiar foil: Marlene.

Except…Spoiler . . .none of that actually happened. No, it’s all a figment of Spector’s memory. The last six pages are a little confusing to the uninitiated: they are filled with flashbacks to significant events in Marc’s past that most likely put him on that first flight to Crazy-Koo-Koo-Bananaville, interspersed with shots to the present where he’s broken and lost and seeking relief from his demons through the marvels of modern pharmaceuticals. Were it not for Khonshu, he would not be the broken man he is now, yet he is equally nothing without his heroic alter ego. A man at the end of his rope has but one last hope: pray that your god has heard your cries.

It’s hard to evaluate Mr. Huston’s writing since the issue is all staccato monolouging. There is a line early on where it’s clear that he had a big scoop of Roget’s for breakfast and tried to impress the reader with a new fancy word: “What’s he gonna do, brachiate from Hell’s Kitchen…” If Moon Knight’s dialogue was filled with sophistication, this would not even ping on the awkward radar. But since it’s the ONLY time in the issue he uses a big-brain word (and incorrectly, as well. Daredevil’s a swinger and a rooftop jumper, not a spider monkey) it looks and sounds ridiculous. Even geeky Reed Richards wouldn’t talk like this.

There’s also a funny typo in a line about how a priest doesn’t change the color of his investments [sic]. I read it and laughed: you mean Father McGonagle won’t switch out of his regular IRA for a church-sponsored and contribution-matched 401k? I recall a spirited debate on Newsarama when the preview pages came out and many claimed that this was intentional and not a typo, based on an archaic and little used definition of investment. Unfortunately, when referring to the ecclesiastical, logophiles, linguists, even William Safire himself would agree, vestments is the correct and proper choice.

Still, hiccups and Marvel’s quality control issues aside, if Mr. Huston can refrain from trying to be cute with his dialogue (or at least raise Marc’s level of refinement), this should be an interesting and entertaining ride. I’m drawn to the heroes who have serious mental issues and walk a fine line between fighting the good fight or taking the Adrian “Vigilante” Chase way out of this reality. For me, the nuttier they are, the more I like them (art imitating life, Dr. Jung?).

And on the subject of drawing, Mr. Finch continues his excellent work conveying the dark and moody nature of this book. That’s the meanest looking Moon Knight that I think has ever walked the Marvel Universe. The back half of this issue, with Marc’s trip down Madness Avenue is well done and climaxes with a powerful final page. Mr. Finch was the perfect choice for this new series.

All in all, I have to give this a solid B+. I believe I’ll be collecting more than just the first two issues this time around.

Oh, and I said there were two things that annoyed me about Moon Knight? Yeah, the second was Punisher Annual #2 (this was back when I wanted to be the Punisher when I grew up). Moon Knight subduing the Punisher? That was about as ridiculous as King Kong putting the hammer down on Godzilla in that farce of a monster movie. Since I’m known to hold a grudge, I’ve had one against Moon Knight’s collaborators (and traitors to the Punisher cause; it was a Punisher issue, fer cryin’ out loud!) ever since. One of these days I may consider letting it go.

Jeff tries to send in his reviews under three different identities, but Troy only wants to correct his grammar once. ZING!!

Pellet Reviews

JSA #84 (DC; by OJ): While I mentioned my reservations earlier about the viability of the current Teen Titans lineup, Geoff Johns doesn't have me concerned in the least with this baby of his. While Hawkgirl (and Hourman & Sand by my count) is missed for sure, there is stability in spades in JSA #84, and Johns ain't even at the wheel. Paul Levitz has been doing a very commendable job with things for this 6-part arc featuring a threat from beyond orchestrated by the Gentleman Ghost. And while I am going to pick up just about anything drawn by Rags Morales (with superb flashback pages by Jonah Hex maestro Luke Ross), things need to pick up a little more to prove that this mystery was worthy of half a dozen issues. And was I the only one wondering why Power Girl mused about not being able to catch the Ghost immediately after she easily delivered a knockout punch to him? All in all, though, good stuff for a Justice Society gang that could use a relative breather after countless universe-shattering sagas prior to this.

Double-Shot Pellet: INFINITE CRISIS #6 (DC; by OJ): With all due respect to Marv Wolfman and what he did on Crisis on Infinite Earths, if there was one thing that separates his work from Geoff Johns on Infinite Crisis, it’s that this book has a lot more dramatic depth, and a sick amount of quality character moments. Issue #6 of this series only solidifies my stance. Where to begin? Well, in the very first page we have Batman in a very comfortable leadership role telling Booster Gold that he has no idea how to talk to kids. Right there you know that all is finally well in the Bat's belfry, and it only gets better from there. On a personal level I loved how "our" Superman offered condolences to his Earth 2 counterpart. Couldn't have said it better myself. Many folks, myself included, felt like #5 of IC was a bit of a letdown, but Johns & Co. more than make up for it here. The naysayers can call me a Kool-Aid drinker all they want, but there is not a page in this book that lacks something interesting, whether it's pointed dialogue, spectacular art, humor, or distinctive characterization. Speaking of the art, most great by far, I think the theory that Jerry Ordway was strictly on Earth 2 detail was diffused in this as his fine work was found elsewhere in the issue (only 18 pages, Phil?). But as is found in the story itself, a solid team effort overrides any shortcomings on any individual's part.

City of Glass (Picador, by Mike) – Adapted by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli, from the novel by Paul Auster, the book is a terrific look at identity and perception. It demands two things of the reader: repeated re-readings and the questioning of why David Mazzucchelli isn’t being given large bags of money to create whatever comics he pleases to create.

The Murder of Abraham Lincoln (NBM, by Mike) – Rick Geary is still at it, telling comic book stories of famous murders and killers. This time, his intensive historical research is trained on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. More textbook than comic book, Geary doesn’t take advantage of the strengths of his chosen medium – the book reads more like a copiously illustrated history book, with tons of descriptive captions, but very few actual scenes. Good information, but it could be presented in a more engaging manner.

Pellet Revisited: Dead West (Gigantic, by Mike) – Zombie Western. If that sounds appealing to you, check it out. If it doesn’t, probably give the book a pass. It’s got crowds of zombies, a protagonist with no name, and a woman who relies heavily on the emotionally aloof “hero.” Rick Spears’ script hits its marks, but doesn’t re-invent anything. Rob G’s art is appropriately gritty and easy to read.

Strange Girl vol. 1: Girl Afraid (Image, by Mike) – Rick Remender strikes again. Trashy, pulpy, comic goodness, about a girl and her pet demon on the run through post-Rapture existence. Chintzy theological debates and flat, excitement-dulling colors aside, it’s a ripping good time. Eric Nguyen’s artwork is loose, exploitive and sloppy, but generally in a good way.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #41 (DC; by Caleb): Given writer Kurt Busiek’s most recent credits, you’ll be forgiven if you were expecting his sword and sorcery relaunch of Aquaman with artist Butch Guice to read like Conan underwater. By this issue, however, it’s become apparent that they’re actually going for more of an underwater King Arthur and Camelot story. There’s the young hero named Arthur who seems to fulfill a prophecy of sorts, his bearded magical advisor, and a land full of warring tribes that only a great king will able to unite into a single nation. While Aquaman’s Arthurian parallels have been mentioned before—by
Steve Vance Back in ADVENTURES IN THE DC UNIVERSE and by Rick Vietch at the start of this volume of Aquaman —Busiek and Guice are seemingly intent on exploring them to their fullest. And devoted Aquaman fans, calm your rage—I’d wager a longbox of my best back issues that Orin is front and center in this issue (though he seems to be suffering from some sort of amnesia), and this particular issue also contains an appearance by Mera and an intriguing clue to how the two Arthur Currys may be connected to one another after all.

Justice League Unlimited #20 (DC; by Caleb): Ted Kord is still alive and well and fighting for justice alongside his friends in one DC title, at least. Paul D. Storrie steps in to handle scripting duties this issue, and Rick Burchett handles art chores. The latter is a knockout talent, and while the job he does here is solid, it’s sort of a shame he’s stuck aping the Bruce Timm style; this book would greatly benefit from allowing it’s artists to draw like themselves. As for the former, he creates one extremely tightly packed done-in-one story, which introduces Mary Marvel into the JLU-iverse. She goes looking for Wonder Woman to get some advice, but ultimately ends up hanging with Supergirl and watching an all-girl team of Leaguers throw down with some villains. Even more fun were the commissary scene, which Storrie and Burchett packed with cameos of pretty much the whole massive JLU line-up (and then some), and the opening scene, which assembles the cast of Formerly Known as the Justice League for one of the many winks and nods that makes this title worth reading for fans older than the target age.

Judge Dredd: Brothers of the Blood (2000 AD/Rebellion; by Caleb): Writer John Wagner provides more police pulp goodness in this heaping helping of reprinted Dredd stories, repackaged in a trade collection perfect for us Yanks. The stories included herein—illustrated by Simon Fraser, Carlos Ezquerra, Charlie Adlard, Colin MacNeil and my personal favorite Dredd artist, Ian Gibson—are bound together by theme, rather than story. The title refers to one of Dredd’s more successful clones, who takes the name Judge Rico to honor Dredd’s late friend-turned-foe, and while most of the stories are focused on Judge Rico, they all have something to do with Dredd’s extended “family” of clones and his estranged niece. Gibson’s short story has the most visual flare, but the highlights are probably “Sector House,” in which Rico’s unswerving devotion to the law rubs his fellow law enforcers the wrong way (hard!), and “The Satanist,” in which Dredd battles a demon to save his niece.

Outsiders # 35 (DC; by Koben): It seems that in this OYL DCU, the makeup of the Outsiders is: Nightwing, Grace, Katana, Metamorpho (not Shift, it seems), Thunder, and Captain Boomerang (Jr.). While the public believes them to be dead, our pro-active special ops super-team has been quite busy. Last issue, Thunder had infiltrated the ruthless government of an African country. This issue, a member of that government is tortured (yep) by Grace and Captain B. (wearing black, leather masks) to ascertain the whereabouts of a storage facility for chemical weapons. All is well when they find the place, until they begin to disappear one-by-one. As far as Winick writing this book goes, I've only been disappointed once out of thirty-five times. Matthew Clark's art is gorgeous to look at, especially when inked by Thibert, with an individual style becoming more evident in each successive issue.

Thunderbolt Jaxon # 3 (Wildstorm; by Koben): Continuing from where the story left off last issue, the kids are attacked by the modern day Loki, when he discovers they have found some enchanted treasure. One of the kids decides to put on the golden belt, as a last resort. Suddenly, Thor Odinson stands where the child was. Only now, the child is in his head, trying to be heard as he wants to protect the other two. Meanwhile, Odin continues with his modern-day mob activity, slaughtering the competition. In a flashback, we witness the Norse Gods allowing for the Christians to take over things. Odin and his crew are simply waiting, as they have been for over 1000 years, for their return to power, while indulging in violence and organized crime. Meanwhile, Saf is kidnapped by Loki, and taken to his father, leaving the boys to find her. A wonderfully original take on religion, mythology, and the mob.

Hard Time: Season Two # 5 (DC; by Koben): Ethan's Khe-Chara form is attempting to find a way to re-enter his body, Cutter is taken to the medical wing. The shanking of last issue has damaged his kidney, though Ethan was the only one to feel the pain. A large portion of the issue is dedicated to the second installment of the origin of Cindy. It seems she was placed in the system due to prostitution and the resulting stabbing of a psycho John. The events are related to us as her cellmate reads Cindy's diary on the can, without her permission. Why has Cutter woken up from his anesthesia for the operation so quickly? And why is he freaking out about painkillers? As always, I'm left with so much curiosity and so many questions, I can't wait for the next issue. Sad that it's almost over without even a full second season.

Detective #818 (DC; by Jeff): I have to say, this whole One Year Later storyline? It’s working for me! At least in the pages of Detective and Batman . In this issue, the spring cleaning of Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery continues as yet another villain bites the dust (cue Queen), and while I was sort of sad to see the KGBeast go (he really hasn’t been a threat since the “Ten Nights of the Beast” story, and I always hoped for a comeback), I could not be happier at the one who gets offed in this issue. Good riddance to one of the more ridiculous characters pimpling Batman’s backside. Who’s doing it? Well, we don’t know, but it sure looks like Two-Face’s handiwork, doesn’t it? Except, he’s cured and normal, right? And it’s way too early here in Part 3 (of 8) for The Powers That Be to tip their hand, right? Even more questions arise about Batman himself, like why don’t we see his face full on and why is he sure to disappear when the dawn breaks? Is it even Bruce Wayne under there? I don’t know, but wherever Mr. Robinson’s going, I’m sitting right there beside him. Word of caution: if you haven’t read Infinite Crisis #6 or don’t know the major development from that issue, page seven drops the spoiler. You’ve been warned.

Civil War: Opening Shot Sketchbook (Marvel; by Troy): There’s really nothing to review in this free teaser for the impending Big Marvel Event of the summer, but it does bear discussion on a few points. The implied event that kicks off the story (New Warriors battle results in dead children) makes a lot of sense as a seed for discussion within the 616. I’m a bit skeptical at this point as to how far the fissures among the heroes will actually be in the end (honestly, do we expect to see heroes killing heroes? That might be a bit hard to swallow). But conceptually, it’s a very interesting take on a theme that’s been brewing in the Marvel Universe for years; I just always expect the overt human/mutant race war first. Also, for those keeping score, the checklist at the back notes 81 different titles that tie in to the story, including the core Civil War mini, three companion minis, and the launch of the new Heroes for Hire.

Troy Brownfield founded ShotgunReviews.com and serves as the Editor-in-Chief. He’s a professor of English, journalism and communication and freelances for a number of print and online sources. Anyone wishing to submit their titles for review can contact Troy at psikotyk@aol.com. If you’re interested in taking a class with Troy via the miracle of Distance Learning, check out the program here http://www.smwc.edu/cgi-bin/site.pl?futureDistance , and specifically mention him or his areas (Journalism, Professional Writing, New Media) when you call.

[User Name]

I'm very behind in my reading so I only skimmed this, which also means this was the first I heard of.....

The Wonder Twins???

wow..... this I have to see!

oh yeah.... first post and all that (and yes, I know right where slashdot is).

[User Name]

oops

[BlueThunderArmy]

Anybody else see the caption for "New Earth" and immediately think "New Coke?"

[Chaddice]

Jeff,


In your review you state that none of the hero stuff actually happened to Spector.

I have to say, I read the text to see that Spector was just reliving his past-life. Some time recently, his legs broke, and stopped him from adventuring. He went into a well of depression, hada lot of his stuff repossessed as he fixates on his past life as a hero, and beat his wife down as she tried to reach out to him.

Hence the first part of the story (up until all the hearts) is him re-living his life through rose-tinted glasses.

Just a heads-up. Maybe I got it wrong.

[xdemon]

Originally posted by BlueThunderArmy
Anybody else see the caption for "New Earth" and immediately think "New Coke?"

I thought the same thing.

[IvCNuB4]

Wendy and Marvin were not the Wonder Twins. That was Zan and Jayna. Wendy and Marvin ( Season 1 of Super-Friends) were apparently non-powered, although Marvin did levitate once in ep #1. The did have a Wonder Dog, though ...

[Troy Brownfield]

Originally posted by BlueThunderArmy
Anybody else see the caption for "New Earth" and immediately think "New Coke?"

That would make the post-Crisis to last-week Earth into Earth Classic, one supposes. I would then guess that the Silver Age would have qualified for Earth Vanilla, while the Golden Age would have been Earth When They Still Actually Made It With Cocaine.

[samnoir]

Originally posted by User Name
I'm very behind in my reading so I only skimmed this, which also means this was the first I heard of.....

The Wonder Twins???

wow..... this I have to see!

oh yeah.... first post and all that (and yes, I know right where slashdot is).

It's not the Wonder Twins, it's Wendy and Marvin sans Wonder Dog.



Wonder Twins have already shown up in the pages of Extreme Justice (and analogues appear in the JLU as well).



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[Ian]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Also, for those keeping score, the checklist at the back notes 81 different titles that tie in to the story, including the core Civil War mini, three companion minis, and the launch of the new Heroes for Hire

[CitC]

I hate to say it, but I'm not getting into Crisis. It is missing something for me. Fortuanately there are enough moments that keep me from being disapointed (the line from Bad Superboy that after he fixed things no one would ever know what he had to do to fix it. Great line. Creepy too. What if our Superman already did that ...?). But overall, I feel it is missing something.

I'm not bashing it. I can't even put my finger on what that missing thing for me is. I'll have to read it all over again when it is finished.

[c_andrew_s]

This is an amazing article... I totally agree on Moon Knight (I really want to love this series)

[SpyGuy]

Originally posted by BlueThunderArmy
Anybody else see the caption for "New Earth" and immediately think "New Coke?"

Actually, I immediately thought of "New Earth," the next upcoming episode of DOCTOR WHO Series Two. I'm honestly surprised it wasn't called "Earth-DCU 2.0"...or "3.0" if you count ZERO HOUR.

[Colossus2420]

Originally posted by Chaddice
Jeff,


In your review you state that none of the hero stuff actually happened to Spector.

I have to say, I read the text to see that Spector was just reliving his past-life. Some time recently, his legs broke, and stopped him from adventuring. He went into a well of depression, hada lot of his stuff repossessed as he fixates on his past life as a hero, and beat his wife down as she tried to reach out to him.

Hence the first part of the story (up until all the hearts) is him re-living his life through rose-tinted glasses.

Just a heads-up. Maybe I got it wrong.

No, you're exactly right and that's what I said. When you read the issue you think, MK's out doing his thing, a night like any other. But then in the middle it gets goofy, like a movie reel jittering, and then you see him as he REALLY is, broken, left only with memories of what was.

[skeletorjr]

Having read a really good interview/converstion between Charlie Huston and Doug Moench recently on a website whose name escapes me, Moench makes it very clear that Moon Knight was never intended as a Batman knockoff, no matter how often readers insist that that's the case. Of course, later writers who got ahold of the character did their darnedst to make him into Marvel-Bats, unfortunately. He was a bad guy in Werewolf by Night, and his outfit was white, to symbolize the moon, and his weapons were silver, to hurt the wolf. However, as the reviewer does mention, the similarities are truly superficial, Moon Knight is infinitely more screwed up and complicated than Batman could ever hope to be. He reminds me the most of the pulp character The Spider (Master of Men!!), who was a pretty bloodthirsty loon.

[beetle1million]

A quick point and a question.

The above review suggest Superboy's time-mucking undid the recent Giffen revisitation to the Justice League. I've yet to see that actually be stated, and while certain events may be 'tweaked' (the Guy stuff for example), most of it should remain in continuity, as Mary's still been observed as part of 'Booster's League', even during the Crisis.

The question is, how long until we find out Teddy's not Mar-Vell's son, but Rick Jones'? In time for Young Avengers vs Runaways, where Rick has been last seen?

[caleb]

--Wow, great job on IC, Troy. I missed some of those Earth jokes and knew I was missing them, but the Marvel one? Completely over my head. Gonna have to go skim the issue again.

--OJ, you're right it's weird to see The Ravager on the Titans now. It's weird though because she was a hero and was sort of a Titan (during MY favorite Titans line-up: Arsenal, Supergirl, Kyle Rayner, Impulse, Damage, Terra II, Mirage, Minion, "Darkstar" and babysitter/buttkicker Rose Wilson...I know, I'm the only one who loved that line up) and a good guy. I thought when she suddenly went totally whack-o in the early issues of this volume it was way sudden and way out of character, but I guess that was a long time ago now. One Year ago, right?

--Wonder Twin fans, don't fret. Not only do shapeshifters Zan and Jayna appear in the pages of EXTREME JUSTICE (back issues likely no more than 5o cents in your local back issue bin!), they also appeared in YOUNG JUSTICE, the issue where Wonder Girl lead all of DC's teen heroes in an all-out assault against Zandia.

--beetle1million,
I was half-kidding about ICBINTJL being retconned out of existence by Superboy's magic punches. It's in a weird place because some of it's quite clearly still continuity (Mary Marvel being part of Booster/Guy's team in OMAC, the cover of FKATJL in Checkmates files in COUNTDOWN, etcetera), but some of it never made sense (Guy's lack of GL or Warrior powers, but yellow ring powers...and no ring) and some HAS been retconned (Max no longer being at all mechanical, as shown in the background of IC SECRET FILES, where we see Lord and Lord Havok among the continuity messes Superboy's punches made) seriously, and some jokingly (DiDio said Gladys is gone during the last Crisis Counseling section here, for example).

[Spaz_Monkey]

With all due respect to Marv Wolfman and what he did on Crisis on Infinite Earths, if there was one thing that separates his work from Geoff Johns on Infinite Crisis, it’s that this book has a lot more dramatic depth, and a sick amount of quality character moments.

In fairness to Wolfman, Johns has just over half the issues that Marv did to make the same sweeping changes and emotional impact that Marv did. We just notice it more because it's all so compressed.

[TCJohnson]

Originally posted by skeletorjr
Having read a really good interview/converstion between Charlie Huston and Doug Moench recently on a website whose name escapes me, Moench makes it very clear that Moon Knight was never intended as a Batman knockoff, no matter how often readers insist that that's the case. Of course, later writers who got ahold of the character did their darnedst to make him into Marvel-Bats, unfortunately. He was a bad guy in Werewolf by Night, and his outfit was white, to symbolize the moon, and his weapons were silver, to hurt the wolf. However, as the reviewer does mention, the similarities are truly superficial, Moon Knight is infinitely more screwed up and complicated than Batman could ever hope to be. He reminds me the most of the pulp character The Spider (Master of Men!!), who was a pretty bloodthirsty loon.

http://www.comicfoundry.com/modules/...?articleid=191

[Jmacq1]

As far as Batman's identity goes: We might not see his face full-on, but Alfred calls him "Bruce". That seems to me it'd be all the confirmation we need. Cause well, Alfred's the one person on Earth that'd know Bruce better than anyone else.

[Chaddice]

Originally posted by Colossus2420
No, you're exactly right and that's what I said. When you read the issue you think, MK's out doing his thing, a night like any other. But then in the middle it gets goofy, like a movie reel jittering, and then you see him as he REALLY is, broken, left only with memories of what was.

Gotcha.

[Ben543250]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Also, for those keeping score, the checklist at the back notes 81 different titles that tie in to the story, including the core Civil War mini, three companion minis, and the launch of the new Heroes for Hire.

Before the whining begins, remember that Marvel has repeatedly stated that you do NOT have to read all 81 comics to understand the story. If you JUST read the 7 issues of Civil War, you will get the entire, completely understandable story.

Only buy more than that if you want to.

[Colossus2420]

Originally posted by Jmacq1
As far as Batman's identity goes: We might not see his face full-on, but Alfred calls him "Bruce". That seems to me it'd be all the confirmation we need. Cause well, Alfred's the one person on Earth that'd know Bruce better than anyone else.

Y'know, I saw that and I realized that as well. But there's just something hinky about this whole "feel" that makes me think the situation isn't what we think it is.

[skeletorjr]

Thank you, TCJohnson

[s*p rules]

I've been reading the excellent Moon Knight essentials book as a little prep work for the new series, so now I'm wondering: has the whole origin of the committee creating the moon knight costume, and mk getting powers at night because of a bite from the Werewolf, been retconned out?