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05-28-2007, 01:49 PM
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BEST SHOTS: THE OTHER SIDE, STORM SHADOW, 2000AD, X-MEN AND MORE
 by The Best Shots Team, courtesy of ShotgunReviews.comYour Host: Troy Brownfield To our U.S. readers, Happy Memorial Day! Thanks for postponing the annual searing of animal flesh to join us for a few minutes. Also, with this week’s edition, you’ll notice that a couple of books are from last week due to delays and tech gaffes. Onward! The Other Side Written by Jason Aaron Art by Cameron Stewart Published by DC/Vertigo Review by Sarah Jaffe The Other Side is not fun to read. It isn’t high-gloss fantasy or allegory or anything less than full-on brutal reality. But the work of Jason Aaron and Cameron Stewart has created a larger-than-life entrée into the horrors of war, and into the psyche of soldiers from both sides of the Vietnam conflict. Vietnam continues to be a touchstone for America. Veterans use their credibility to get elected or to derail the candidacies of others. Those who didn’t go are left to romanticize war, declare it, and argue over the nature of it in an attempt to make up for the fact that they bought their way out of the draft or were otherwise lucky. Those of us who weren’t around then get to be puzzled over the effect that this experience has had on our country’s consciousness. The collective guilt hangs over a nation, and anyone who says “Another Vietnam story?” doesn’t quite understand that we still haven’t exorcised the ghosts of a war that polarized a nation. Especially now, as we are engaged in another divisive, polarizing, bloody and long-lasting war with another enemy we don’t even pretend to understand in the name of fighting some “ism,” we should be looking to Vietnam to teach us. Yet I, born in 1980, never learned about Vietnam in school and from what I learn from my sixteen-year-old employees, they still don’t teach it. I learned more in literature classes that assigned works like Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried and from watching Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket—the author of which, by the way, was The Other Side author Jason Aaron’s cousin. Vietnam is at once common reference and social taboo, the way perhaps the Iraq war will be for future generations. The idea that we will be pegged as the “Iraq generation” scares me, but continued study of the Vietnam generation can give us hope not to repeat the mistakes made then. If we forget history, it was famously said, we are doomed to repeat it. Books like The Other Side dig deep into the psychic wounds caused by Vietnam to explore the minds of a group of young men drafted to fight a war they knew and cared nothing about, against a people that had every reason to fight. The Other Side is particularly important because, as its title suggests, it explores both sides of the story. (Well, two possible sides, really, in a situation where there are endless possible points of view.) Private Everette is a young Marine draftee sent in after a boy from his hometown has been killed. Everette tried his best to avoid going, but even his very real psychological problems don’t stop his trip. Vo Binh Dai is a North Vietnamese soldier on a long march south to join the cause and fight the imperialists. We watch these two young men on a collision course, one terrified, one determined, and it is easy to parallel today’s war. Perhaps America no longer has the draft, but we cannot deny that we lack the determination of those we call enemy. We are still seen as invaders, as imperialists. But Aaron and Stewart do more than just portray the fear of a young soldier. They surround him with archetypes of soldiers and an army of horrifically wounded ghosts, all the more terrifying for the knowledge that this really happened. This is no horror story where the villains are chased away by turning on the light and the reassurance that it was all just a story. It isn’t just a story. It’s a true story. “War is hell,” we hear it said over and over again, often with a knowing shake of the head that says, “You’ll never know, you weren’t there.” We weren’t, that’s true. Neither were the creators of this comic. But it feels real, visceral, gut-wrenching, and every other cliché that of course will never do the reality justice. The ghosts that haunt Private Everette do not speak, perhaps because there is nothing more to say, perhaps because to begin with, they had nothing to say about the war. Dai is different, committed, a volunteer, determined to reach the battle and glory through all obstacles. The narration from his side is beautiful, poetic, speaking of the beauty of war at the same time as its horrors envelope him. The horrors are dictated simply, as if Dai simply accepts them as necessary, while Everette cannot accept even his own rifle, which talks to him in riddles, taunts, and Sex Pistols quotes. Death surrounds these two young men, and there is no pretty life-affirming moral here. So why the hell should you read it, you ask? You should read it because the writing is stunning and the art better, both beautiful and nauseating and extensively researched. You should read it because it will teach you something about the world you live in, and not in a cheery, metaphorical X-Men way. We spend millions of dollars on entertainment that glorifies and romanticizes war, but only rarely does it attempt to understand it, to explore two of the possible reasons to go to war. Actor Ewan MacGregor stated, before the release of the film Black Hawk Down, a post-9/11 urban war movie, that we ought to watch films like that when we were sending soldiers to war, because we damn well ought to know what we are sending them into. The Other Side does a masterful job of conveying not only the immediate experiences of a soldier, but the real damage that the war has done to him. In a world where casualties are carefully hidden, Private Everette and Vo Binh Dai stand in for a host of soldiers, American and otherwise, who go to fight wars they didn’t start.  Storm Shadow #1Written by Larry Hama Illustrated by Mark Robinson Published by Devil’s Due Review by Koben Kelly As I have confessed in previous reviews, my memories and knowledge of G.I. Joe continuity are not what they used to be. Gone are the days of coming home from grade school to plop down in front of the tube for the day’s newest episode. However, America’s Elite was gripping enough that I do desire to keep track of what’s going on in this new and exciting Joe-verse. Storm Shadow is the daunting code-name ninja Thomas Arashikage goes by in the field. He has led a fascinating life, conflicted by his ties to both G.I. Joe and COBRA. Things are a mite less confusing for him nowadays as his duty to either side is non-existant. Thomas is truly on his own. Unfortunately for him, fortunately for us, the life of a soldier gone ninja is less than peaceful. The tale revolves around a group of antagonist united ninjas and their employers hunting for something or someone called Morning Light. No one seems to have any idea who or what the Hell it is… except for Storm Shadow. But, damn, do they want it. The book actually begins with three assailants attacking Thomas, and a female, a Russian/Asian agent named Pale Peony, abducting Shadow’s niece, Tiff. Silly ninjas. By the time our man Storm makes mincemeat out of the attackers, Peony and Tiff are long gone. Shadow spends the rest of the issue collecting info, tracking Tiff down, and busting ass. Hama delivers a solidly fun popcorn comic to put your brain on coast and sink into. Don’t expect any subtext or inspired character development. It is an inspired chop-socky book. Hell, it would make on badass film vehicle for Jet Li. It’s rare that I like pure action so much, but, this issue is just fun. The artwork from Mark Robinson is amazing. His work is like Leinil Yu’s with a smidge of McFarlane tossed in for character. Robinson is a great pick for this story; as the poise, stances, and attitude of his figures all scream anime in the vein of Ninja Scroll or even Golgo 13. Another appealing factor is the roughness of his style. While everything is high quality and professional, there is a rawness to his work that gives off an unmistakable fresh energy. It’s almost like looking at the sketchbook of an unsigned art school student, days before he busts out and takes over the big-time. The Asian and gun-fu influences are unmistakable. My only real problems with this issue lie in the hands of Mr. Larry Hama. Firstly, if you’re not terribly fluent in urban or youth culture, just leave it out of your stories. In one instance, Hama completely mis-uses some urban slang in a conversation between Storm Shadow and a man named Magic Moe. Moe is a bit thugged-out, complete with MM emblazoned on his gold fronts. When Moe is first meeting Arashikage, he requests that Thomas show his empty hands. Shadow replies with, “Peace out,” showing his lack of a weapon. Hunh? As anyone who is familiar with this phrase knows, peace out is used to simply mean goodbye. In another instance, when meeting a teenage hacker for information, the computer genius jokingly tells out hero that he’s going to shoot him, saying, “…I have to smoke your shoes.” What? I understand that the writer was attempting to come up with realistic-sounding slang dialog, but, the effect rang as simply false as Luke Cage’s extremely unauthentic exclamation of sweet Christmas! I actually didn’t understand what the kid meant when I first read it, reading it as a demand to partake of the smoldering fumes of burning kicks. The other gripe I have is that one of the evil heavies’ choice of bowling ball. It has a skull inside of its clear exterior. This would have been a neat idea, had I not seen the same bowling ball years ago in the film Mystery Men, being rolled by Janine Garofalo. Don’t get me wrong. I had a fun time reading this book. I suggest it to any martial arts or G.I. Joe fan out there. There were just certain elements that pulled me out of the story. I look forward to the further adventures of the man without a team. I give Storm Shadow issue one seven out of ten pork chop sandwiches on Maxwell Street.  Criminal #6Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Sean Phillips Marvel/Icon Review by Steve Ekstrom With the popularity of anti-heroic characters like The Shield’s corrupt Vic Mackey and mobster Tony Soprano being at an all time high in popular culture, it’s no wonder that a ‘pure crime’ book like Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal could flourish on concept alone. Criminal is actually doing better than a word like ‘flourish’ can provide with an Eisner nomination this year for Best New Series. How do you determine a complimentary word or remark for a book about the insidious endeavors and bottom feeding behaviors of low caliber criminals and killers? Fine; Brubaker and Phillips’ Criminal is base; it’s brooding—it rubs against a reader’s sensibilities like a chainsaw dripping with hydrochloric acid. Criminal’s newest arc, “Lawless” is detestably rich, with the destructive economy of an ominously lurking iceberg; the new protagonist, a term Brubaker has to defer his character to. Tracy Lawless is an ice cold glass of water practiced in the artistry of killing and tempered by his familial connection to the underbelly of human existence. Having grown up in a military home, much like Brubaker, I have encountered men with the kind of tempered discipline that Tracy Lawless possesses; men like Lawless are similar to black holes—they suck the ‘everything’ out of a room and, at times, you may not even be aware of their actual presence…they are just eerily “there”. ‘Lawless’ begins in medias res as Tracy dispatches a drunken unknown relative to the story’s development—the moment is a cinder block tied to your ankles. Brubaker establishes Lawless’ efficiency within moments of the first page turning—the back story of his pre-existence as an apparent military ‘black Ops’ type only sharpens a reader’s impressions of the character. Via flashback, Lawless learns of the death of his brother while serving out a military court martial—for what? Be afraid to ask. Lawless effortlessly escapes his confinement; ‘boosts’ two criminals working a ‘money exchange’; and contacts a buddy from ‘back when…’ to help him create a new identity for himself in a blur of motion. I think Brubaker’s deft strokes have created a monstrous killer with the speed of lightning—Tracy Lawless is the kind of antithesis that would make weaker men crumble with the rasp of his voice before their cold bodies hit the ground. Not that it matters, Lawless would have already silently dispatched them, two or three ways to Sunday even, and done so in such a fortuitous manner that people wouldn’t notice that they were gone—like thinking you heard a whisper but then second guessing yourself. What makes Criminal that much more of a dazzling beast of a ‘crime book’ is its combination of the economically savvy Brubaker with the sumptuous grime of Sean Phillips’ artwork. I reveled in the texture of this issue—the contrast of thin, fine line work to large brooding shadow coupled with the muted, rich colors by the talented Val Staples shifts the tone of the book from being a trope in the background to a full fledged elephant in the room. What really grabbed me and shook me this issue, like Lawless might as he jars the life out of me, was Phillips’ juxtaposition of the rough entirety of the book with the soft and supple smoothness of the story’s female antagonist—is this emotive foreshadowing unintended by the artist or is it the presence of Lawless’ perceptions of the lady amongst the crew of criminals? I’ve never considered an artist contributing to the unreliability of a narrative voice in a story before and it is a really refreshing concept that could alter the way sequential stories continue to be told. Having enjoyed this series as much as I have thus far—I’m starting to not only question Ed Brubaker’s categorical imperative but my own as well. How can anyone enjoy wanton murder, theft, and any number of sordid detestable acts that go down in one issue of Criminal? Is this book saying more about us as humans—beyond its exposition into the criminal underworld and the mind of any skulking, scuttling bastard? Pick up a copy of Criminal and decide for yourselves. Me? I’m going to continue reading Criminal like my life depended on it—Brubaker might send Tracy Lawless after you next if you don’t.  2000AD #1538Writer: Various Artist: Various Rebellion Review by Steve Ekstrom Having been raised a ‘military brat’, I spent a several of my formative years abroad in Asia and Europe. Living in Heidelberg, Germany and suffering through the Armed Forces bookstore as a supplier of “my habit”—I broke out into the actual German economy to buy imported American comic books. It was a little pricey for me as a 12 to 14 year old but I couldn’t stand waiting for the books to catch up to me via the U.S. government—this was also 1990 if that tells you anything. Well, anyway, I remember 2000AD and how it loomed large in the corner of the German shop (which I never even knew the name of!) where I purchased my books—I was young and in the throes of my “zombification” to Marvel Comics so I shied away from its exotic sci-fi covers and the ominous “Judge Dredd”. Well, a copy of the newest issue of 2000AD fell into my hands by accident over the weekend—in a bizarre twist of fate—at my “day job”. I met a comic book reader from the UK and she happened to have the book on her person! I basically confided that I was completely oblivious about the book other than my knowledge that it was a venerated weekly anthology book that has been a spawning bed for the likes of Alan Moore, Alan Davis, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis for thirty years! Well, she gave me the book—in hopes of sparking my interest—and I gladly accepted it. I cannot explain how cool it is to read a proficient anthology book—there simply aren’t enough of them out there. 2000AD is solid, high octane pulp Sci-Fi mingled with bizarre little moments like Bob Byrne’s Twisted Tales; it sent a short provocative thump to my brain with its sharp twist of ironic revelation. I really enjoyed Sinister Dexter by Dan Abnett and Simon Coleby, whose artwork looked like a mingling of Phil Hester and Joe Quesada—very interesting. Detonator X, by Ian Edginton and Steve Yeowell, was fair but I was a little curious—the giant monster looked an awful lot like the Americanized Godzilla 2000—something I’m embarrassed for us about. I enjoyed the episode of the iconic Judge Dredd—another one of those moments of embarrassment occurred as I reflected on the terrible affliction of the old Sly Stallone incarnation of this character. I thought Robbie Morrison and Richard Elson provided an entertaining, fast paced piece that was episodic and yet capably written to suggest that a larger story was resonating in the background. The piece that made the book for me was Nikolai Dante—also written by Robbie Morrison with artwork by Simon Fraser—this strange mixture of political intrigue and futuristic science fiction was suspenseful and I liked the premise of the story and its characters. Fraser’s artwork reminded me of Darick Robertson mingled with Howard Chaykin—he’s very talented. I’m sure that if you’re a reader in a larger city in the U.S. that 2000AD may be available to you—unlike me—living in southern Georgia. However, I’m sure I can convince my local shop owner to start ordering me copies of 2000AD—this book was a nice change of pace for this Yank.  X-Men First Class Special #1Writer: Jeff Parker Artists: Various From: Marvel Review by J. Caleb Mozzocco After Marvel Adventures Avengers and Agents of Atlas, writer Jeff Parker’s byline is pretty much all it takes for me to plunk down money for a comic book these days, but I somehow missed the X-Men First Class boat. It probably had something to do with the in-continuity X-books being so damn impenetrable to outsiders, and the fact that it was a mini, practically guaranteeing a trade at some point. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the series, which has recently been awarded on-going status, however, and this one-shot special seemed like a good place to finally give it a try. Particularly considering an all-star line-up of some of the best artists Marvel has ever paid to draw their mutants. This issue contains a cover and interior art by Kevin Nowlan, a story set at a coffee shop drawn by Nick Dragotta and Mike Allred, another story drawn by Paul Smith, and three awesome one-page Sunday comic strip-style stories by Colleen Coover (Whose works was recently seen in Oni Press’ charming Banana Sundays). While the artwork was a predictably perfect blend of old school, ‘60s and ‘70s linework with modern production values and aesthetic snap, each of the stories was easily accessible and a lot of fun as well. The title refers not to the X-Men’s preferred air travel arrangements, but to the fact that the stars are Professor Xavier’s first five students, back when they were teenagers and their lives had yet to become sci-fi flavored soap operas. In the Nowlan story, not-yet-furry Beast and Iceman check out a museum of oddities. In the Dragotta/Allred story, the team visits a coffee shop where a beatnik poet’s latent powers bring out the worst of them (And Chuck abuses his powers to strike a blow against spoken word), and the Smith story guest-stars Kitty, Lockheed and Dragon Man. It was nice seeing Allred drawing Marvel’s merry mutants again, as the story gave me welcome flashbacks to his exemplary (x-emplary?) run on X-Force/X-Statix, even if it was a little weird to see Allred’s linework in a story about beatniks in which nobody is busting them in the face with a yo-yo. The real highlight was Coover’s too few and too short pieces though, decidedly unserious gag strips that featured both Magneto and Xavier’s worst plans to advance their agendas ever. Magneto decides to sit around the coffee shop that the X-Men frequent for hours to persuade them to join his Brotherhood, and Xavier utters the lines “Cerebro has calculated that ducklings are 40% more lovable than any other species. If Homo Superior can adopt some of their traits, we could be accepted by all mankind!” (I do hope someone picks up on that story seed elsewhere; we’ve seen human Beast, ape Beast and cat Beast, I think we’re ready for duckling Beast.) This is one X-Men book I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone who doesn’t like the X-Men. Chances are, by the time they get to the page-wasting profile pages, they might find that they do like the X-Men after all. This is pretty much exactly what Ultimate X-Men should be like. Now if you’ll excuse me, it looks like I have to hit the back-issue bins to get caught up…  White Picket Fences #1Writer: Matt Anderson and Eric Hutchins Art: Micah Farritor From: Ape Entertainment Review By: Lucas Siegel This unique offering starts off with cheesy, over-used dialogue between soldiers hunting their enemy. Luckily, there’s a very good reason for this, as the main characters, a few kids playing war, are introduced. This style of intro immediately brought me back to age 10, playing and imagining with friends in the forest near the house I grew up in, and effectively pulled me into the story. Story wise, this first issue offers a lot. I love the way the key story elements are just barely hinted at first, then slowly introduced more and more throughout the book. I almost wish the cover was different and the back cover didn’t give away so much of the story. I hadn’t really paid much attention to the cover, and hadn’t read the back, and thoroughly believe I had a better time reading this because of it. I like the subtle misdirection, and if I knew what to expect, that subtlety would be lost. Regardless, the kids talk and act like kids, and the adults talk and act like adults. The alternate history style is something I don’t feel gets used enough in comics- this really felt like some of Harry Turtledove’s best novels. The alternate takes were just close enough to reality that it could have happened. Micah’s art is best described as Ben Templesmith-esque. He bounces back from the realistic to the surreal on a near constant basis throughout the issue. It fits the story, though. Too realistic, and I would’ve had a harder time bringing the fantastic elements in. The colored pencil style coloring is gorgeous. It gave a real feel that this story was being told from a child’s point of view. There were a couple times when faces were downright rearranged, and that’s a little too surreal for my tastes, but overall he is very consistent. I should note there is a backup story that features the kids’ heroes in action against the fictional threat that is all too real. I’d love to see this glorified version of the enemy (and the heroes) be shattered when reality sets in for Charlie and his friends in future issues. While I suppose this is technically a sci-fi story, I’d class it more as I said before, alternate history. A solid first issue that should not be overlooked by cold war era history buffs and Ellis fans alike. White Picket Fences #1 gets 9 invaders out of 10. A unique story with fitting art- pretty much exactly what you want out of a comic book.  X-Men #199Writer: Mike Carey Art: Chris Bachalo with Tim Townsend From: Marvel Comics Review By: Lucas Siegel Yowza. In my close second favorite x-book of the moment (sorry, X-Factor is still hanging on to the lead), we’ve had a lot go down over the last year. Rogue and Cable are the most developed I’ve seen them, and as two of my favorite characters, that makes me very happy. This issue’s fast pace and erratic story-telling was perfect to display the chaos of the situation. It seems the more fractured our leader (Rogue) gets, the more fractured everything is around her. That’s really a brilliant stroke, and makes her predicament that much more interesting. The battle here brought some new status quos to characters, saw one leave (thank goodness) and definitely felt like it was setting the stage for something bigger. I loved seeing powers used in more unique ways, like Iceman reducing the temperature of a specific object- nice to see him get his due a bit. Chris Bachalo’s art couldn’t be more perfect for this style of story. Again, the fractured chaos plays well in his hands, and he draws one scary, scary looking giant soul and mind eating Shi’ar weapon-monster. Fortunately, the tease for next issue shows that we have MANY more surprises in story for us. Teammates changing sides, old friends and foes returning, and of course some further development for the current cast- I can’t wait. This has already been the best year of X-Men comics in a long while, and it shows no signs of stopping. If you’re excited about Endangered Species, I’d urge you to pick up the last couple arcs of this book. If you want Rogue and Cable to be interesting again, just read this story.  EC Comics Archives Weird Science Vol. 2From: Gemstone Publishing Written by Al Feldstein Art: Wally Wood, Jack Kamen, Joe Orlando Reviewed by Tim Janson The second volume in Gemstone Publishing’s EC Archives Weird Science is out, reprinting issues #7 – #12 of the early 1950’s title. Weird Science has long been one of my favorite EC titles for several reasons. First, the stories were well ahead of their time, and, more importantly, well ahead of their competition’s time. Stan Lee’s Atlas/Marvel Comics were still doing laughable giant monster stories well into the early 1960’s, while EC was tackling hard science a decade earlier. The second thing that Weird Science had going for it was the breathtaking art of Wally Wood. Wood’s art graces nine of the twenty-four stories in this volume and it should come as no surprise that these are some of the best in the book. A great example of the hard science I am referring to comes in the opening story “The Monster from the Fourth Dimension” with art by Al Feldstein. A blob like creature attacks a man’s dairy farm, virtually devouring his cows. Hank’s brother is a scientist who figures out that the creature comes from the fourth dimension and gives readers a quick physics lesson in the meantime. Long before the film Alien came along with their chest-bursting offspring, EC presented “Seeds of Jupiter”, and the tale of an unfortunate sailor who swallowed a dehydrated alien seed…and what grows inside his belly! Jack Kamen’s “Martian Monster” finds an impressionable young boy named Freddy Harmon who swears he’s befriended a Martian in the woods near his home. But when it comes right down to it, this is Wood’s stage and he steals the show with gorgeous sci-fi tales such as “The Gray Cloud of Death,” “The Maidens Cried,” “The Conquerors of the Moon!” and “The Android!” The remastered color truly brings out the best in Wood’s work. The detail of his work was leagues ahead of most of his peers. As with the other volumes in the EC Archives collection you not only get the original stories but also the original letter columns and the short text stories that ran in each issue. Publisher Russ Cochran rounds out the volume with several enticing extras including EC’s search for new artists on Weird Science (that led to the hiring of Joe Orlando) and an essay on the genius of the enigmatic Wally Wood. For any EC Comics or Sci-fi fan, Weird Science should be required reading. The Trouble with Girls Vol. 1 and 2 By Will Jacobs and Gerard Jones (with Tim Hamilton and Dave Garcia, and others) From: Checker Review by Troy Brownfield Lo, let us cast our minds back to that special time . . . the ‘80s. Once upon a time, it was an actual decade, with music and culture as yet untouched by VH-1’s snark merchants in any of their sundry specials. As you either remember or have read, it was a great time for comics, with a number of terrific series surfacing via self-publishing or smaller companies. Among the truly entertaining books was The Trouble with Girls. If you’ve never had the chance to check it out, Checker has done you the service of initiating a sharp looking collection. Steeped in random and absurdist humor, the story of Lester Girls plays out as a rather hilarious inversion of Walter Mitty. The protagonist wants a normal life, but instead finds himself thrust into any number of James Bond scenarios, fraught with danger and willing women. Jacobs and Jones wring miles out of what could easily have been a one-note premise. The art from Tim Hamilton (with primary inker Dave Garcia) is not as accomplished as his later work, but it does what it needs to do in service of the story. It’s cartoony without being a parody of itself, but often dark enough to convey a real sense of danger. This is an extremely fun series that could actually work just as well today if the creators had an avenue for it. The “wish-fulfillment” twist is pretty great, and the running jokes are deftly handled. Here’s hoping that a new generation of readers discovers their own Troubles. Pellet Reviews! Madman's Atomic Comics #2 (Image; by Caleb) Mike Allred is a comic book artist who can seemingly do anything. He inks great pencillers and makes their work seem even greater, he pencils stories that other folks write, and, when it comes to books like Madman and Golden Plates, he acts as a cartoonist, writing and drawing the stories himself. But I think it’s safe to say that while Allred’s a good writer, he’s a better artist (in fact, I think he’s one of the very best). So I looking at his books critically can sometimes be quite difficult for me, because even when I’m not feeling the story, or if it seems somehow deficient, it takes me a while to notice, because I’m too busy drinking in Allred’s line work and admiring his sense of design. Take his relaunched Madman, now going by Madman Atomic Comics. The last issue wasn’t quite what anyone was expecting, a rather wordy, over-stuffed issue telling us that everything we thought we knew about Madman was wrong. This issue picks up with the metaphysical meanderings, only to let us know halfway through that we were wrong when we thought that everything we thought we knew was wrong. Okay, it’s kind of a neat gag, and not a bad way to cram decades worth of Madman history into an issue or so, but that’s an awful lot of time spent on recapping, isn’t it? The effects were something along the lines of a clip show. That said, this issue, just like the last one, was absolutely gorgeous, and it was a pure joy just to read the art. The dialogue not so much, but some of those layouts simply made your eyes dance as they swooped in curlicues around the pages. Also, props to Allred for the single coolest “Previously in…” page in comics history. Birds of Prey #106 (DC; by Caleb) On one level, writer Gail Simone and penciller Nicola Scott’s “Whitewater” story arc, which pits the expanded Birds of Prey line-up against The Secret Six, is big, stupid, crazy fun. That’s the surface level. Just below it, the story doesn’t really seem to make much sense in the context of just about any previous story featuring any of the many characters Simone is flinging around this issue, and the fact that the resurrection of a character with no connection to this particular title and no connection to any of the dozen or so characters appearing in this book is the Maguffin seems like an all-around terrible idea (Although, to be fair, that issue is still unresolved. So far, the character brought back to life sure doesn’t look, sound or act like the one who died). As for the plot, the Birds and the Six fight. And then they fight some more. And then they continue fighting, right up until the cliffhanger ending. There’s a lot of really cool stuff going on, from the Six’s latest addition to the fact that the fight choreography seems to have real stakes and tangible beats to it (compare to the random pantomime of Civil War #7, for example), to the usually extremely irritating Misfit’s battle cry. There’s also some really head-scratching stuff, like Deadshot being the world’s worst shot (in order to make a Deadshot/Spysmasher dust-up seem plausible, Simone writes the former down rather than the latter up), or Oracle giving Huntress the okay to kill if she has to, or Huntress resorting to putting her hand there on Catman to win a fight (Really, does Huntress seems the seduce-her-way-out-of-a-fight type?). Scott, inked by Doug Hazlewood, is absolutely on fire, though, and handles subtle facial expressions and big action with equal aplomb (She’s even restored Barda’s missing breastplate finally!) Ultimate X-Men #82 (Marvel; review by Koben Kelly): First thing first. I enjoy this book. That’s why I review it every time it comes out. Some of you out there don’t. That’s fine. There’s actually one of you in particular I’m referring to. If you decide to contradict my review, come up with something more creative than “That’s why it’s hemorrhaging sales” or “Robert Kirkman just doesn’t get the characters.” Here’s a clue for you. Grant Morrison and Mark Millar’s run on Swamp Thing sold horribly as well. I loved it, and was one of five people at my LCS who picked it up. As far as characters go, it’s the Ultimate U, genius, not the 616. Due to the lack of years of continuity, Kirkman or Vaughan or whoever else the bloody Hell is writing it can portray the characters any way they are inclined to. They’re making up the continuity as each issue comes out. You don’t dig it… fine. Quit buying it, hoping that the characters will be just like they are in the 616, and let those of us who do appreciate it have our fun. In this issue, Nightcrawler, who has been on his own since his freak-out with the X-Men, finally finds his haven in the form of Callisto and her Morlocks. Seems like these outcasts have a pretty sweet set up, and the dark elf wants a new home. Will he join the crusade against homo sapiens? Storm, Bishop, and the new recruit, Pyro, take on some familiar robotic mutant-hunters in their own band of X-Men justice. Scott and Jean look to fill the nearly empty classrooms of the Xavier Academy, while their man in the field does his thing. Lastly, a familiar face is brought back into the rotation after being found on Australian soil. While I much prefer Yanick’s stellar artwork on this series, this issue’s artist does an okay job. His faces are great, something like the work of Kevin Nowlan, but he needs work on body shapes and anatomy. There’s even one panel of Storm with the area from her waist to her boots obscured by a dialog balloon in what seems to be an attempt to hide horrible anatomical disagreement. All in all, a solid issue, but, I want Paquette back soon! X-Factor #19(Marvel; review by Koben): Peter David continues to score homerun after homerun with this book. I honestly feel that it’s the best mutie book Marvel has. I’m completely intrigued by the idea that Jamie’s continued absorbing of his dupes has made him apathetic towards dying. So, is it still his life as a man in line behind someone that can’t use an ATM that’s making Quicksilver such a prick, Mr. David? I love that PAD is using crappy Liefeld-era mutant villains to spice up the cast of this series. I mean, come on! Reaper? Abyss? Only this book could make those morts enjoyable antagonists. And, I hate… repeat, hate Marrow. I would love for M to clean her clock sometime soon. Layla Miller is also a wonderful plot device in that the character has no set power limitations or motivation other than being a tween who “knows stuff.” This allows David to use her as much or as little as he sees fit. It will be nice for her to have another kid to relate to in the recently rescued girl. I hope to God that Rictor doesn’t disappear from the cast after the Quicksilver thing wraps up. Top of my “to read” stack every month. Captain America #26 (Marvel; by Steve Ekstrom): Well, I’m saddened by Cap’s death—but I’m really pleased that the supporting cast can carry the book. I feel like I’m eyeballing my buddy’s girlfriend at his funeral and I’m hoping that even the Beyonder can’t bring him back! Needless to say, Ed Brubaker has set things up to be more than interesting even if Steve Rogers rises from the dead two years from now. I’ve been enjoying this book for several months now and with all hesitation and doubt out of my mind—I am 100% onboard this monthly gem. Further, I cannot honestly tell you who I like better—Mike Perkins or Steve Epting—both of these guys are amazing and with Frank D’armata coloring them both I may just jump out of my skin with the orgiastic amount of “eye-ball pleasure” I’m getting from this series. Anyone got a cigarette? Ed? The Irredeemable Ant-Man # 8 (Marvel; by Steve): If you aren’t reading this book—you’re an idiot. Yes, I called you an idiot and I’m not scared. Ant-Man is easily one of the funniest comic books on the shelves. Eric O’Grady is any one of us given the opportunity to wear a superhero suit—in all of his shower spying, purse fondling ‘Every-Man’con-artistry. This issue marks the last of Cory Walker’s stint as the artist of the book—with Phil Hester returning next month—Walker’s minimal pages are stylish and energetic. Robert Kirkman defies the word “talented” with the sheer range he possesses as a writer. Ant-Man may have the title of “the World’s Most Unlikeable Super Hero” Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man Annual 1 (Marvel; by Lucas): I hate to start a review with a nitpick, but come on- this is just LAZY art/editing. Miss Flint has an engagement ring- which she wears on her middle finger of her right hand? That kind of thing can pull someone right out of a story- I know, cause it did! Argh. Anyway, we get a real origin of Sandman with this comic, showing us how his development as a child led him to where he is now. The story was a bit generic- it didn’t feel any different from the multitude of other sob-story origins of bad guys from movies, tv, and comics before. Honestly, while it humanized ‘ole Flint a little bit, and gave some neat points (like the origin of his alias), I was pretty disappointed. This comes from a HUGE fan of PAD’s work, mind you. The art, aside from the aforementioned flub, was good, very expressive. The short story drawn by Collen Doran, and also written by PAD at the end, however, was beautiful and heartwarming. It again used what could be considered clichés, but the way they were presented in the story made a huge difference. This story was very touching, and brought some realism into Spidey’s world. newuniversal #6 (Marvel; by Lucas): I love this book. It’s a very cool take on superhuman emergence in an age of a glut of those stories. This issue certainly moves things along nicely, and now I believe the book is taking a break to let Sal get ahead on this and his other upcoming projects. One thing though, that I’d have the editors and letterer go back and check- it seems like the word balloons were pointing to the wrong character SEVERAL times, especially in the NSA conversations. It was very confusing, and I had to re-read it a few times to get a good idea of how that conversation was supposed to be playing out. I’m not sure who to by more scared of in this story, Phil Voight or Justice, but both are expertly executed. A truly cool superhuman story is being told here, taking the very basics of characters from a failed experiment, and turning them into a relevant story. Wild Boys #1 (Masterpiece Comics, Reviewed by Tim Janson): Masterpiece Comics is a small company who doesn’t think small. They are a very broad thinking and professional company with great aspirations. Wild Boys #1 is the first of a four-issue mini-series and it’s the most enjoyable Masterpiece title yet! The Wild Boys of the title are a group of genetically engineered soldiers, grown in a test tube and created as unstoppable soldiers, each with their own unique powers. They were tools of the government but when news of their existence leaked out to the public, there was a public backlash against the government playing God and creating life. The Wild Boys were placed into suspended animation until they were accidentally released when Earth was attacked by an alien race called the Jovarn. Now, the Wild Boys are Earth’s last hope to defeat the alien conquers but finding them won’t be easy and convincing them to help will be even more difficult. Wild Boys is filled with great action as writer Ace Masters keeps things moving at a breakneck pace. I also thought the art in Wild Boys, courtesy of Irapuan, was the strongest yet of any Masterpiece title. This is one that is definitely worth checking out! Warning Shots: Advance Looks at This Week’s Books The New Avengers: Illuminati #3 of 5 Writer: Brian Bendis and Brian Reed Artist: Jim Cheung From: Marvel Comics Reviewed by: Richard Renteria “I am from beyond!” Yes, this week marks the return of everyone’s favorite (or not) secret super group, the Illuminati and with this issue the mystery of the Beyonder is revealed and an unexplored aspect of the all-powerful entity is uncovered, but will this new discovery spell doom for our intrepid cabal or hope for humanity? Charles Xavier has a secret and it goes all the way back to his first contact with the Beyonder (way back in Secret Wars #1). Once Xavier reveals his secret to the rest of the members an adventure ensues, which takes them on a direct course to a confrontation with the all-powerful being and just how does the city of Manhattan end up in the middle of an asteroid field. To make matters worse, the Illuminati seem to be doing all they can to destroy themselves from within. Bendis and Reed are doing an extremely thorough job of bringing the history of the Marvel Universe back into the folds of current continuity. Fortunately they don’t do it by forcing the story, but rather they massage what we know to weave a tale of secrets, deception and blunders of cosmic proportions. Bendis and Reed manage to do the unthinkable and … well that would be spoiling the fun, let’s just say sometimes even a hero can be a fool. On art is the ever-talented Jim Cheung, beautifully inked by Mark Morales. Cheung’s first two-page spread is a beautiful action shot of a battle in progress on the original Battleworld, a scene that immediately engages the reader and captivates the audience for the rest of the story. Through the entirety of this issue we are treated to Cheung’s effective action shots as well as the small moments, such as a brief exchange between Namor and Reed, to great effect. The Illuminati, the Beyonder, Hulk, Spider-Man, Power Man and Iron Fist, its all their folks and it’s all there for a reason. Wolverine #54 Writer: Jeph Loeb Artist: Simone Bianchi and Andrea Silvestri From: Marvel Comics Reviewed by: Richard Renteria I had almost given up on this arc; as a matter of fact I was only planning on buying the next issue because I love the black and white variants that showcase Bianchi’s and Silvestri’s gorgeous art. With this issue I have reversed my opinion. In this issue Loeb clarifies certain events that have been bugging readers since the beginning of this arc. The issue of Thornn and Feral are effectively addressed and a more dangerous big bad, one who towers over Sabretooth, is revealed. Let’s be honest though, more than the story I have been picking up this title for Bianchi’s work. I really love his style and even though it really shouldn’t work in the context of a Wolverine story, let alone one with a lot of action, it does. From his rendition of Captain America and Wolverine fighting side-by-side to the seeming evisceration of a key character, Bianchi’s art never rests. With more answers being revealed and a final battle looming on the horizon, this issue does a perfect job of setting-up the finale. Daredevil #97 Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano From: Marvel Comics Reviewed by: Richard Renteria There is never a dull moment in Matt Murdock’s life, and this issue is no exception. Between having to deal with the arrival of Lily Lucca, the women he almost fell for during his European jaunt, to the disappearance of Melvin Potter, and a battle with the Gladiator that leave Matt in a precarious position, Daredevil is not having a good day. Even more shocking though is none of these moments are nothing compared with the final page that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Not to be outdone by the previous creative team, Brubaker and crew tighten the screws on Matt’s life and leave him in a dangerous dilemma by issues end. Brubaker manages to weave multiple storylines throughout the issue in an effective and efficient manner that never slows down the story and makes the reader feel as if they are in for the ride of their lives. With art that perfectly sets the tone for the story unfolding Lark and Gaudiano do a masterful job of engaging the reader from page one to the pulse-pounding cliffhanger ending with their gritty yet distinct art. Lark’s emotion packed panels are full of life and with Matt Hollingsworth’s subdued colors sets the perfect mood for the extremes that Daredevil must endure. Brubaker, Lark and Gaudiano tell a gripping tale that moves at a frenetic pace. From the opening moments with Lily explaining her situation to Matt and what she needs, to the Gladiator’s brutal massacre of innocent civilians, this title is firing on all cylinders. If you’re not already on the bandwagon, jump on now, this ride just gets better and better. A special thanks to the friendliest comic shop in Orange County; Comic Universe located in Fountain Valley, California. Best Shots is brought to you by Newsarama and ShotgunReviews.com. In addition to reviews and articles across the pop culture spectrum, The Shotgun hosts “Shots in the Dark”, a weekly internet radio show. Check out www.shotgunreviews.com, www.shotgunreviews.com/shots and www.myspace.com/shotgunreviews.com at your leisure. |
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05-28-2007, 01:58 PM
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#2 |
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I too have been very impressed by Criminal.
I think that "the other side" is one of the best books of the year. Vertigo continues to pleasantly surprise me with the range and quality of their titles. |
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05-28-2007, 02:35 PM
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#3 |
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NewUniversal is such a great read.
Love the art as well, I hope for the return of this series  |
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05-28-2007, 02:49 PM
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#4 |
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To Koben Kelly: I've been following comics online since 2003, the last time I came back to comics. I've never heard anyone speak at all (let alone fondly) of Morrison/Millar's and then Milar's Swamp Thing. That was a damn good book, delivering on all the potential that Moore and Veitch had set up and taking it as far as anyone could. Hester and Parks were worthy collaborators and the whole 3 years stand with some of the best comics ever.
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05-28-2007, 02:50 PM
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#5 |
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Ant-man is definitely a book people should be reading. Eric O'Grady is an everyman character for the 21st century, someone who, like Peter Parker in the 60's, exemplifies those tendencies that pretty much characterize the majority of guys today. Or at least the majority of male posters on the 'Rama.
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05-28-2007, 02:50 PM
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#6 | |
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Your timeline is a little wonky here -- Marvel/Atlas didn't get into the giant monster books until the end of the 50s after the CCA was established. During the pre-code heyday of EC, Marvel/Atlas (along with nearly every other publisher) was tackling material in the same vein of Weird Science and Tales From the Crypt. EC was the trend-setter. |
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05-28-2007, 02:52 PM
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#7 |
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I really enjoyed the FN Spider-Man Annual and hope Peter David can continue to write them every year even though he's off the monthly series.
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05-28-2007, 02:56 PM
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#8 |
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Oh Koben... The attack on Kirkman is rooted namely in how he doesn't understand the characters as they've been established in the Ultimate Universe. There's also the complaint his story lines are simply regurgitations of things from the MU. We had "HoM" by way of "Magical" and now we're getting a taste of the MU's Gene Nation. Oh and then there's the cheap fake-outs and shock tactics used in every issue -- as well as the unbelievably irreverent move in bringing Beast back to do a job which makes no sense for him to do. Everyone who you see as griping has said as much numerous times. There's also been plenty of explanation of Kirkman's hypocrisy by way of his never-ending ultimatizing of characters when he criticized his predecessors for doing something he's done more of. There's also the glaring fact that NONE of his stories have resolved outside of the "Magical" debacle. (Have I listed enough for you now?) Also, I dropped the book after one issue in "Cable" and follow it hoping it can rebound despite the chances looking more and more dismal. None of my $$$ is going to Kirkman. If anything, I'm a glutton for punishment.
As for your personal problems with people who disagree with your thoughts on the title, namely me, I'd say if you don't like what people have to say about your opinions, don't share them. Your personal attack once again shows no real bolstering the actual stories. Or rather what you actually brought up (in this review) was under-cut by the fact that people not liking the book is getting under your skin and attempting to rail on us (or me) to reassert yourself doesn't do much to convince people the title is worth the read much less the $2.99. It's really not personal and it is ridiculous that you as a reviewer are going to get bent out of shape over a disagreement. Name calling? Come on, man! And I agree with your thoughts on X-Factor whole-heartedly. xoxo - Genius with a Clue --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lucas Siegel, Great review on X-Men #199. I thought a lot of people would be saying it was confusing because of the art and the pace, but I really thought Carey and Bachalo managed to put everything into over-drive, so it worked. Rogue's powers are faster and more deadly, she snapped awake, blasted to the scene, Mystique surprised Bobby, big explosions... It was almost like whip-lash, but somehow it just worked. Last edited by ascloseasme : 05-28-2007 at 05:22 PM. |
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05-28-2007, 02:57 PM
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#9 |
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Ok - X-Men has been incomprehensible to me. From the X-Men becoming seemingly soul less hard asses, to the muddy (and I'm being charitable there) artwork, I want to drop the book.
It remains staggering to me that both Mystique and Sabertooth are on the "team" when both has attempted to kill said X-Men in gory and spectacular ways over the years. I want to understand Bachalo's art but it seems so muddled and expressionistic, that I feel lost staring at the pages trying to make sense of the action. And this is from someone who made it thru Sienkiewicz's artwork on New Mutants back in the day! I don't care about Rogue, I don't care about Cable, I don't care about Mystique and I'm getting to the point that I don't care about this title anymore. newUniversal is absolutely cool. Kinda like "Heroes" but with a cosmic bent to it. X-Factor - love it. |
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05-28-2007, 03:05 PM
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#10 |
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Another great week for comics. I am riding an X-Men high right now. X-Men and X-Factor continue to deliver every month and with Endangered Species coming it looks like it can only get better. Criminal and Ant-man make me glad I took a chance on a couple of new series everytime I read them. Captain America, wow, I am going to enjoy watching all the "nay" sayers back pedddle when they realize how good this book still is.
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05-28-2007, 03:08 PM
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#11 | |
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05-28-2007, 03:21 PM
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#12 |
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i bought 2000AD for years, and loved it mostly, but its too inconsistent, featuring too many "filler" titles that wouldn't fill a normal comic, and- in my opinion- reading a four page story just isnt as satisfying as a 22 page one.
however, some of the stories, like nikolai dante, sinister dexter and the button men are superb- pick up the trades to get the full experience. |
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05-28-2007, 03:21 PM
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#13 | |
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If you still dont understand why Mystique and Sabretooth are in the book and you dont care about any of the main characters you probably should drop it and spend your $2.99 elsewhere. |
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05-28-2007, 03:53 PM
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#14 |
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X-Factor is probably the only interesting Xbook right now and thats because of Quicksilver's unpredictability. They have a good plot device going and hopefully Peter David knows how to capitalize on it.
For me the rest of the X-Books are just fluff and redudancy from the 90s. Collapse all of these titles and only keep Uncanny, XFactor and Astonishing. |
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05-28-2007, 03:57 PM
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#15 | |||
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05-28-2007, 04:00 PM
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#16 | |
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05-28-2007, 04:03 PM
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#17 |
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Are you critics?
No offense, but you liked EVERYTHING.
? |
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05-28-2007, 04:20 PM
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#18 | |
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There's nothing wrong with that. I loooove Ultimate X-Men! |
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05-28-2007, 04:20 PM
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#19 |
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Liefeld era?
Marrow and Abyss first appeared way, way , waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy after Liefeld left Marvel.
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05-28-2007, 04:46 PM
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#20 | |
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05-28-2007, 04:59 PM
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#21 | |
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As far as I'm concerned, Millar's run on Swamp Thing was 1) by far the best Swamp Thing that has been done since Rick Veitch left - almost everything else since Veitch was somewhere between disaster and mediocre (Vaughn's Swamp Thing - which wasn't about Swampy - was probably a bit better than that) and 2) the best work Millar has done in his career. These days, Millar is hit (Ultimates, most of his his other Ultimate universe work) and miss (Spider Man, Civil War (a good crossover but a bad series)) with me.
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05-28-2007, 05:08 PM
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#22 |
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I am unaware of and uninterested in the Koben / ascloseasme rivalry. I agree wholeheartedly with acloseasme, but that is neither here nor there.
What is the actual "review" of Ultimate X-Men #82? The artist does an "okay" job and it is a "solid" issue. I would really like to know why. I do not share Koben's sentiments about missing Paquette, whose work on this book has made him look like a hack. I have never seen poorer plotting and frank laziness on a page. It seems that when Paquette draws a page, as a rule there must be at least one silhouetted character, and 2+ that are either out of frame or have their backs turned to us. I guess it's easier for readers to use their imaginations about who is speaking than for him to actually render faces. But I digress. The script is typical Kirkman fare, reading like a first draft, with repetitive dialogue and zero plot progression. Storm, whose new codename should be "Exposition," details Bishop's powers. The pencils are simply, a mess, making it is impossible to distinguish between supposedly "ugly" Morlocks and poorly rendered X-men. In this regard, I agree with Koben; several characters simply look disfigured. The coloring is similarly disastrous, as the X-Mansion, the Morlock's lair, and Australia all have the same pasty pastels. Honestly, I don't see what was so "solid"; I decided to cancel my subscription because of this issue, and I have been putting up with this Kirkman crap for over a year out of sheer hope that he would stop defiling everything that has come before. This book is an embarrassment to the Ultimate franchise and is becoming increasingly unsalvageable. |
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05-28-2007, 05:21 PM
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#23 | |
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05-28-2007, 05:44 PM
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#24 | |
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2
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Yes there is because critics should be critcal! Otherwise It's 2 easy 4 me as a consumer to choose between a website that: a) likes Ultimate Bas Mallee b) hates Ultimate Bas Mallee I demand a choice worth of my (and your) intellect. I demand hot peppers in these articles! |
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05-28-2007, 05:57 PM
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#25 |
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Nice to see Storm Shadow and 2000AD getting big mentions.
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