BEST SHOTS: BOOSTER GOLD, FLASH, PASSIONELLA & MORE

[MattBrady]

by The Best Shots Team, courtesy of ShotgunReviews.com
Your Host: Troy Brownfield

Here’s the layout for this week: very soon, Mr. Brady will be posting a piece by our own lovely Janelle Siegel, who reviewed a number of books that she acquired in Chicago. I’ll also have a Best Shots Extra of Mice Templar. Beyond that, it’s a lighter week for us as various team members have been dealing with a lot of heavy stuff. We’ve had multiple illnesses on the team, multiple family illnesses, the restart of teaching semesters (urgh), and more. Let’s keep it friendly. And with that . . .

Booster Gold #1
From: DC Comics
Written By: Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz
Drawn By: Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
Reviewed By: Kevin Huxford

This might have been the biggest book of the week. I feel a bit hypocritical heaping praise on it, yet I can’t stop myself from it.

If you’ve read many of my past reviews, you’ll often find me lamenting how so many issues out there seem to get by with perpetually setting up the next great huge/spectacular/mega/hyper/amazing story. I, also, speak of the difficulty in judging a single issue when it is primarily just set up for what is coming in the future: doesn’t its merit hinge on how well it delivers on what it has set up?

Despite all of those things, there is a kind of energy to this book that really grabbed a hold of me and wouldn’t let anything stand in its way.

There’s a strong similarity between this debut issue and maybe the series premiere of Quantum Leap. While Booster won’t likely be jumping into different bodies, he will be traveling into the past to fix problems…and not always with much forewarning or choice in the matter. Similar to that show, we’re teased with seeing how he will be tossed into a major moment in history that he’ll want to change the outcome of (as I believe Quantum Leap may have teased their JFK assassination episode).

One of the things that most impresses me about this issue is how much it delivers on exactly what the creative team had been promising. Through this series, we will see that Booster Gold might just be the greatest hero to have ever lived without anyone knowing it but him. That’s a hard job to pull off effectively, yet with one simple moment in the Hall of Justice, Katz and Johns convinced me that it can be done in an entertaining and persuasive manner. Rather than expecting to have wave after wave of universe-threatening event that no one ever heard about or will ever know about, the writers show us there are much less straight forward ways of demonstrating the importance of Booster’s heroics.

Jurgens and Rapmund turn in some inspired work as well. It seems clear to me that they’ve approached this with a lot of love and care. I’d have to say that I was a little wary of Jurgens working on the title, regardless of his having created the character. Much of the work he has done over the last year or two just hasn’t wowed me. The work just didn’t wow me; backgrounds weren’t as detailed as I’d like and the layout wasn’t as dynamic as I’m used to. In this issue, though, the work is probably the best I’ve seen from this team. It restores my faith in the art team to really try to exceed expectations on each and every issue.

This issue (and series) seems to have all of the elements that are most important for a book taking place in a shared universe: talented & enthused creators, a sense of importance within the shared universe, and filling a void in the product line by providing a unique angle that fans just might have been starved for without even knowing it.

The Flash #231
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Daniel Acuña
Published by DC Comics
Review by Rev. O.J. Flow

Infinite Crisis. 52. Countdown. Amazon War ("Attack," "War," same diff). Civil War. World War Hulk. You'll excuse me, I'm just getting out of the way all of the mega-events that have kept me away from The Flash for a good three years or so -- I just figured I'd cover all of my bases before getting into why I am really thrilled to be picking up this book again. I took it as a sign that on the cover of issue #231, where it proudly read "The Beginning," that it's best to not dwell on the negatives of the past and just celebrate what an entertaining and luminous comic book we have right now. As I suggested before, I have not bought a Flash book prior to last month's All-Flash (a clever way to use a title in the mothballs for many a decade, I thought) since Howard Porter was illustrating Geoff Johns' stories, but when DC's big guns were being revived with high-profile talents, this is what I wanted for the Scarlet Speedster from Day One. Better late than never, ironic for the book starring the Fastest Man Alive. Readers, to your starting blocks... Go!!!

As anyone following things in DCLand knows, Wally West, THE Flash of this generation, has been brought back to the present day after a mysterious disappearance in Infinite Crisis (I know, I tried not to rehash the past). His return was the big surprise, not to mention end result, that came from the recent JLA/JSA crossover that had the two superteams on a wild goose chase thanks to the more mysterious appearance of a classic version of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Wally's return, with wife and two kids in tow, was solidified in the above-mentioned All-Flash, and it served to allow Wally to reconcile the tragic failings of his young cousin, Bart Allen. What's found in The Flash #231 is the fresh start that I was personally looking for, and I think I'm not alone in that sentiment.

As pleased as I was to see Mark Waid get the assignment of restoring Wally West to his dormant glory, it was Daniel Acuña that really brought me to this dance. Acuña has been wowing me for the last year or so with his superlative work on Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters, and more recently in a 3-parter on Green Lantern, and this guy is clearly bringing fresh visuals to the DC Universe and some of its more A-list cast. In no way is this meant to be a negative indictment on the writer or story, but it is most certainly the art that makes this issue stand out, ifnot the entire series. Despite a tenured number like #231, it may as well be debut issue number one, it's so introductory. The jury is still out as to whether or not Waid has done the return of Wally West right, but he is off to a good start. It's all about the setup as Keystone City has a savior again after going a good year without, but the Flash has company now and that's predominantly what the reader has to take in this time around. Expositionally, you don't get better than a scribe like Waid (with Geoff Johns a close second, if not tied) in getting the reader, um, up to speed in filling us in how the West family got to where they are now. This was another example of Acuña's visuals selling it all the more, too.

A new version of the Tornado Twins, perhaps? We shall see. Since The Flash #231 previewed recently, I've heard frequent comparisons to The Incredibles, and I suppose you could do worse than be compared to a superhero family behind an insanely popular motion picture. But the only noticeable similarity I've picked up on so far is a definite feeling of fun and optimism to this new run of the book.

Wally's kids, daughter Iris West II and son Jai, have powers independent but derivative of their superspeedy father, but what they lack in experience (not to mention years actually being alive -- they're literally only no more than a year or two old, but they've physically and mentally aged at accelerated pace due to their genetics) they make up for in enthusiasm and add to a lighthearted tone that this saga was sorely lacking for too long. Putting on my armchair analyst cap on for a sec, if I could say one thing that doomed Bart Allen's time as Flash from the get-go, it was the writers and editors approving a creative direction that was anything but fun. So Wally's kids are onboard now for some Keystone-Central City heroics, and it's all with the blessing of their father and mother, Linda (what she lacks in powers, she more than makes up for in patience, love and understanding, though I was as taken back as Wally in a scene where she swats away a family photo).

So has this reader been sufficiently swayed that the Flash status quo has been restored? Somewhat. I'll certainly ride out this creative team, but there's already been hints that it'll be brief. So long as the folks at DC give this book the attention and diligence it deserves, this issue may very well mark the beginning of something special.

Passionella and Other Stories
Written & Illustrated by Jules Feiffer
Published by Fantagraphics
Reviewed by Michael C Lorah

Jules Feiffer is the smartest man to ever work comics. I no longer accept arguments to the contrary.

Passionella and Other Stories collects some of Feiffer’s finest satire comics and scripts from the mid-1960s, including the satirist-deflating The Cutting Edgists, the lovingly teasing Superman, and the revelatory The Lonely Machine, which exposes more truth about human interaction than any other comic artist has ever dared to show.

Hell, before the reader can even reach the introduction, he or she is already in the palm of Feiffer’s hand with a deliberately self-satirizing ad for his own strip! After some introductory material giving historical context to the original publication of this volume’s cutting jabs, which is copiously accompanied by Feiffer’s superbly self-deflating self-promotions (“It is fair to have only mediocrity in television? No!” one page asks, before replying “Let’s have some mediocrity in newspapers as well! Publish FEIFFER!”), Feiffer launches into the one and only story that shows a hint of age. It’s also completely timeless. If the introduction hadn’t alerted me that each of the characters in The Cutting Edgists is based on a leading 60s social commentator, I would’ve just as easily assumed that the characters were based on current political pundits, talking heads and comedy types. In the form of a play that was never meant to be performed (and if it is, I demand a seat as close to the exit as possible!), the script has five satirists come together to discuss the function of satire in society, and in doing so, completely undermine everything that they’re each saying. They also offer their own theory on what makes satire so important. Feiffer’s at the top of his game, and even if you’re too young to recognize who the five satirists are based on, you can probably imagine Stephen Colbert in one or two of the roles and not miss a beat. The topic remains as valid today as forty years ago.

Excalibur and Rose contrasts the “superficiality” of frivolity against the “depth” of suffering, bringing two halves together to create a balanced, whole being, and The Lonely Machine, perhaps the book’s highest point, is Walter Fay’s story of finding a place to belong, and how belonging to a group opens doors to new groups, spurring the leaving behind of “lesser” social groups. It’s the ultimate commentary on the hows and whys of social climbing. Feiffer expertly contrasts the classic beauty of Walter Fay and his Lonely Machine together, under the panoply of a star-filled sky, against Fay’s plaintive cry to the machine to stop nagging him (and to stop drinking too!). It’s a classic dissolution of a relationship, made ludicrous by the presence of a machine that looks like a dressmaker’s dummy.

Feiffer’s comedy of accomplishment is titled Harld Swerg. As the world’s greatest athlete, Harold finds sports completely unchallenging. He’d rather work as a file clerk, where the simple processes and tedium provide obstacles for him to overcome. When he’s pressured into competing in the Olympics, Swerg finds his own way to make the games competitive and engaging. When hitting a baseball or kicking a football presents no difficulties, will the world ever understand the hardships that Harold Swerg faces?

And I haven’t even touched on the comic gold of the celebrity lifestyle exhibited in the title strip! “Plunk!” indeed.

Every strip is just incredibly witty. It’s smart humor. You have to think about it, but Feiffer is breaking down the follies of the human condition, revealing the hypocrisies, and laughing at the unavoidable ties that bind. Feiffer learned at the feet of the master when he assisted Will Eisner on The Spirit, he explained the importance of superhero comics in The Great Comic Book Heroes, and he spent four decades examining the ups and downs of the human creature in his weekly strip Feiffer. Passionella and Other Stories is just one example of the man’s brilliance. It doesn’t matter if you choose this book or another one, but you owe it to yourself to see what Jules Feiffer is saying. You’ll be a better human being for it, and how many comics can make that claim?

Teddy Scares Volume 1
Writer: Jim Hankins
Artists: Ben Roman, Christine Larsen, Rolando Mallada, Drew Rausch
Ape Comics
Review By: Jeff Marsick

Horror comics these days are hit and miss. The ones that miss are over-the-top splatterfests buoyed by anorexic-thin plots egregiously derivative and cliché. These are the worst of breed, the stories so shallow, inane, and inept that they have to achieve their purpose through blunt head trauma. The ones that hit, though, are written in such a way that they shove us like invisible hands, perturbing our inner sense of calm and comfort, so that for the time we’re spent lost at sea in their pages, we are uneasy or even frightened. These are the tales so well told that even though they involve monsters or zombies or strangers who bump into you and say innocuously enough, “Tag!”, we believe that the creatures and the situations may actually exist or could actually happen. These are the best of breed, where the writers and the artists take a page from the Hitchcock playbook, knowing that it’s not what you CAN see that is truly disturbing, but what you CANNOT.

When I first looked at Teddy Scares, billed as stories about “your one time loyal stuffed friends returning from their graves to exact bloody revenge”, I did not hold much hope. The artwork is a little too cartoony for my liking, and the characters, teddy bears who live in a junkyard, are an eclectic mix of excessives: Abnormal Cyrus, a Cyclops with a negative IQ blundering about like a bull in a china shop; Rita, the perma-frowned hater of everyone and everything; Hester, the resident genius with his missing eye and cockroach infested insides; Edwin, the eloquent poet; and Redmond, the axe-wielding psychopath with the hanged man—or bear—mask. I figured it was going to yet another explosion of ultra-violence and gore, and since Chucky was booked elsewhere, his more cuddly peers would fill the slots. Sure, there’s the flattering intro by Dee Snyder, but so what, right?

So much for first impressions. The first story (there are four in this volume of fifty pages), I admit, intrigued me. Abnormal Cyrus, the aforementioned single-eyed simpleton, wanders about the junkyard trying to find out why everyone seems to hate him, and embarks upon a quest to find out how he can ‘fit in’. Cyrus takes his lumps (including an axe to the occiput) along his journey, but in the end he discovers he’s gone full circle, and that resident idiot (or, as he proudly proclaims: “Residential idiot”) is the necessary niche that he fills for the group. Not bad, I thought, giving a nod to Jim Hankins’s ability to weave a nice moral tale.

On to the second one, then, about a little girl, Zoe, who trolls the junkyard looking for teddy bears to take home (she’s apparently bored bored bored with dolls). So each of the teddy crew schemes and scams their way into getting a shot at going home with Zoe. Hester seems like the sure-thing, given that he’s the smartest and the most devious of the group. At the last moment, his gross looks sabotage him and he loses out to Rita the Rancorous. What happened next, I am surprised to report, actually danced a little on my heartstrings. But Jim Hankins didn’t want a sad tale, no. He saves it with the last two pages, returning us to the status quo in acceptable and believable fashion.

The best of the book has to be the final one, titled “It Never Goes Away”. Not only does it have the sharpest artwork, but the plot is carefully thought out and it really makes the reader think, on a spiritual level, about the ramifications and ultimate effects of the cycle of emotional trauma. In this tale, psychotic and perpetually silent Redmond goes on a violent rampage, one that is a little out of character even for him. Through flashbacks seen through the splinter of his mind’s eye, we are with Redmond in another lifetime, back when he was fresh and new in a child’s arms. That child suffered torment from his parents, and continued the cycle by lashing out at the only thing he could: Redmond. What the poor bear suffered he now suffers upon his peers and his surroundings. The impetus for his current lashing out is revealed at the end so it all makes sense and it’s hard to believe that the one with the axe and the murderous tendency is the one I really wanted to hug.

And what about that cartoony artwork I didn’t think I would like? Well, it works. It softens the otherwise hard characters, helping the reader to keep in mind that there is a fundamental cuteness and whimsy about teddy bears, even though they have been around the block a few times and have become something dark and twisted. Had a Jim Lee or an Ivan Reis drawn these issues, it would have been too much, too intense, and the connection with the characters would never have been made.

Teddy Scares isn’t horror as I think of it. There’s nothing frightening or terrifying between the covers. Teddy bears wielding weapons or decapitating their friends is slightly disturbing, sure, but it’s not going to keep me awake at night. It is, however, psychologically intrusive and does make you think, especially after reading the line “You should’ve been nicer to your toys.” In that regard, it fits the bill for genre, indeed.

Either way, Teddy Scares Volume 1 is great reading, even after the second and third time. This is definitely worth hunting down and adding to your collection, as well as looking for more coming soon from Ape Comics.

Image Comics: The Road to Independence
By George Khoury
From: TwoMorrows Publishing
Review by Troy Brownfield

It’s always a funny thing when you can recall with perfect clarity things that are now regarded as “history”. In terms of comics history, few things in the ‘90s (hell, few things ever) possessed the seismic impact that the arrival of Image did. I remember the arrival of the company, the first glimpses of the titles, the fan reaction . . . so it’s interesting to get a deeper look into the motivations and business moves that fed those formative years.

Cast mainly in interviews, The Road to Independence strives to include all of the major players and many of the minor ones. The notable absence in terms of interview is Rob Liefeld (Khoury tells me that he declined to be interviewed, ironically before his recent return to the Image fold), but his presence is certainly felt in the recollection of others. Among the interviews with the founders, I actually got the most out of the sit-downs with Erik Larsen, Jim Valentino, and Marc Silvestri; I learned more about them in terms of their work history and as individuals. Larsen, for his part, is a great, entertaining interview, and it’s pretty obvious that the guy loves comics.

Quite possibly the most interesting interview is that with Larry Stroman and Todd Johnson. Part of the fascination is frustration; you probably won’t leave understanding why they didn’t do more to sustain Tribe than I do. I also had a bit of a head shake at Dale Keown, who just doesn’t want to put the effort into collecting PITT. Things like that just strike me as odd, and I wish that Khoury had been to dig at those spots a little bit more.

That said, Khoury did a champion job with assembling such a massive field of interview material. If there’s a weak element, it’s that the creators don’t spend much time talking about the actual processes of their creation processes. I would love to see what drives a guy like Larsen in terms of his work day; perhaps that could be the basis for another volume. In terms of timeline though, Road does a strong job and is a great read for those interested in the history of the field.


Pellet Reviews!

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #55 (DC; by Caleb): I know I should probably feel bad about this book being cancelled, as Tad Williams has been turning in the best scripts this volume of the series has had yet, and I love artist Shawn McManus’ designs, but I’m
actually enjoying the book more and more the closer to cancellation it gets. That’s because Williams now seems to be visibly rushing, cramming as much as possible into the stories in order to tie up his own storylines (and those of every previous writer since
San Diego sank). I mean, this is the second to last issue, and he’s still introducing new villains and bringing guest-stars in out of left field. The sense of rushed urgency has lead to a really wild and unpredictable narrative, in which literally anything could happen on the next page. It’s also massively entertaining (Particularly after the dreadfully slowly-paced previous few years of the title). This issue features Kordax’s son, Vandal Savage, The Human Flying Fish, the guy who sunk San Diego (a relative to an old Titans supporting cast member), Aquaman II, Tempest, Aquagirl II, Topo II, the two-fisted mayor of Sub Diego, the introduction of a villain I assume is going to be called Clownfish, Cyborg, and sundry other characters Williams and McManus have introduced.

Action Comics #854 (DC; by Caleb): Writer Kurt Busiek finally fumbles a bit in this last chapter of “3-2-1-Action!,” a three-part Countdown tie-in. While the story arc has been perfectly self-contained until now, this issue kicks off by spoiling the same week’s Countdown, with Jimmy announcing to Clark Kent that he knows he’s really Superman. This is a pretty huge deal, as he’s never known this secret before, and it raises an interesting issue about the Olsen storyline in the current DCU. He’s been exhibiting superpowers and knowledge that his pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths self had, but since he’s never known Superman’s secret ID, then that would seem to break the established pattern of modern day Jimmy channeling pre-Crisis Jimmy (And it breaks the pattern in the way that a clue might, not the way that a mistake might, if that makes sense). The thing is that this is such a big deal, that it seems entirely out of place taking up two-pages of this story; certainly it’s more important than a fight against the Kryptonite Man, which is where the rest of the issue focuses (And, structurally, it interrupts last issue’s cliffhanger and this issues story). And it’s a pretty great stuff, full of Silver Age goodness without seeming overly retro or nostalgic. We’ve got Superman,
Krypto and Mr. Action vs. The Kryptonite Man, followed by Krypto and Mr. Action vs. The Kryptonite Monkey, and a neat new status quo for Krypto.

Shadowpact #16 (DC; by Caleb): This month’s issue of DC’s supernatural superhero team featured a really neat visual riff on the logo. The font remained the same, but the title was spelled backwards, and put in a bubble being spoken buy guest-star Zatanna. Unfortunately, it was pretty much all down hill from there. The rest of the cover’s not so hot, with pencil artist Tom Derenick giving Zatanna at least one extra set of knees, and the interiors much worse. Derenick’s a skilled penciler, but still seems to be getting the characters down, and is having special trouble making Detective Chimp look like a chimp. His main failing, however, is he’s simply not good enough to carry the whole book by himself, and given the weakness of the story end of things, I’d be hard-pressed to think of many artist who are. Writer Bill Willingham serves up a completely generic A-plot, in which six members of the Shadowpact all come across as the same generic superhero, which becomes even more obvious when five other superheroes join them in their battle against Dr. Gotham, who is vanquished but escapes to fight another day, old school after school cartoon style. The B-plot, involving Blue Devil’s lawyer suing Hell itself for failing to deliver the goods when the big blue guy sold his soul and a Catholic priest setting up 13 Herculean tasks for Blue Devil, is much more interesting and well-written. Any chance of DC canceling this book and spinning off a Blue Devil series for Willingham and Derenick?

Super-Villain Team-Up/MODOK’s 11 #2 (Marvel; by Caleb): Writer Fred Van Lente continues to unfold this miniseries like a heist flick. Now that we’ve met the players in the first issue, we get to the part where the mastermind unveils his big plan and the part each of his crew are meant to play in it. It’s a big, crazy ambitious one, one that seems a little too big, crazy and ambitious for the likes of these villains to pull off, but the apparent reason behind it, teased in last issue’s opening, is down-to-earth. Van Lente does a perfect job of playing these ridiculous characters straight, with the comedy elements occurring naturally, so that we’re laughing with, rather than at them. And with the likes of Armadillo, Spot, Rocket Racer and MODOK, that’s quite a feat. It helps that
Francis Portela’s art is so representational and detailed, evoking an air of reality and dignity about a story that’s full of some of Marvel’s most inherently ridiculous.

Monster Attack Network Graphic Novel (AiT PlanetLar Reviewed by Tim Janson): Ever wonder who gets to clean up all the damage crated by the giant monsters in those Japanese monster films? Who rebuilds the cities and infrastructure? Well, it’s the Monster Attack Network. This new graphic novel from AiT Planet Lar shows just how the men and women of the Monster Attack Network deal with giant monster attacks. The setting is the South Pacific island of Lapuatu. Nate Klinger is the group’s leader and we first see Nate coming to the aid of residents who are trapped in their building during one of those attacks. All buildings are built to have special escape chutes to be used when some great beast rises out of the pacific to attack the island. For the residents, it’s as if they live in tornado alley…giant monster attacks are just something they live with. The Team gets a new employee, Lana Barnes who Nate suspects has some secrets in her past that she is trying to hide. Funny thing is, ever since Lana, and an unscrupulous land developer have shown up on the island, the monster attacks have increased in their frequency as well as their intensity. Nate smells something bad and it’s not the stench of rotting monster bodies. For fans of Godzilla films and the like, Monster Attack Network is a blast. Loaded with action and sarcastic humor, this is a wildly entertaining book. The dialog is razor sharp and the black and white art by Sorat is lush and expressive. Giant Monsters have not been this fun in a long time!

Justice League of America #12 (DC Comics; By Hux): This is an issue that I certainly had mixed feelings about. I think that the angle Meltzer chose to take with the issue was brilliant, but the developments he chose to place deserved more fleshing out in the issue or in the issue immediately after (which we know we won’t be getting). It may be the unfortunate effect of not being able to filter out real world information, but the development of the Roy/Kendra subplot felt like a rushed “better get this in before I leave rather than trusting future writers to follow through” move. I thought that Meltzer’s use of two characters as the viewpoint of the reader was a great idea that appears to be spoiled by yet another continuity/shared-universe flub. With a few tweaks, this issue could have been a beautiful way to wrap up Meltzer’s run, rather than possibly reminding some readers of squandered potential from a talented team on a flagship title.

The Boys #9 (Dynamite Entertainment; by Hux): This issue felt like a bit of a lull. The story felt like it mostly was spinning its wheels with little real movement and with the gags not resonating nearly as well as Ennis or Robertson probably hoped for. It felt like the art, in some way, failed the gag when The Female tussles with Tek Knight. The problem felt like it was largely from the coloring: the whole page had the same dreary look in each panel, with no apparent little touches to really play up the recurring gag with The Female being brutal. Yes, the damage is shown, but there is the distinct feeling that the scene doesn’t have the full effect that Ennis or Robertson likely wanted. The next issue seems like it should wrap up the arc, but doesn’t give off any hints to having more potential to thrill than this issue.

The Un-Men #1 (Vertigo; By Hux): Whalen and Hawthorne have delivered a pretty interesting first issue, spinning an old Swamp Thing series concept out into its own ongoing. A reservation full of freaks (both in the carnival sense and in the created in an Anton Arcane petri dish sense) that feels like a throwback to pre-1950s America, in some of the ways the brazen corruption is portrayed. Our protagonist seems a bit like an unassuming G-man…the Elliot Ness to Aberrance’s Chicago underworld. It takes a freak show reservation and plays it as almost straight crime noir. It builds a bit slowly, true to that style, which has the unfortunate side effect of not having had the chance to sell me on the series as much in the first issue as it might have with a little more crammed into the issue. Of course, then it just wouldn’t be the same story. For apparently holding true to artistic desires, I’ll give this intriguing tale at least one more issue to sink its hooks into me completely.



Trade Releations

Living with Zombies TPB
From: Self-Published
Written by: Matthew Billman & Christopher Herndon
Art: Matthew Billman & Christopher Herndon
Reviewed by Tim Janson

Ok, we’ve got a pair of video game and comic book addicted slackers, living in the ‘burbs, who are now confronted with a world gone zombie…Heard it before? Shaun of the Dead, right? Only Living With Zombies by Matthew Billman and Christopher Herndon, was started in 2003 and Shaun did not come out until 2004. Great coincidence but really there’s not a whole helluva lot of similarities between the two anyway. This 192 page trade paperback collects the first seven issues of the hilarious and irreverent zombie romp, courtesy of Billman and Herndon who split duties as both artist and writer.

First, you have to love a story where one of the main characters walks around naked from the waste down for the entire story. Billman and Herndon didn’t just write and draw the book, they’re also the main characters. Is that what they call multi-tasking? Anyway, Matt shows up at Chris’ house terrified due to the hordes of zombies shambling through the streets. Chris hasn’t noticed as he’s too preoccupied with killing zombies…in a video game. He does notice the odor that Matt has brought in…seems he had a little accident in his pants when he saw the zombies. Chris, being somewhat of a germophobe, refuses to give his buddy a clean pair of pants, or even underwear for that matter, hence Matt has only a shirt on throughout the story.

What realization do the guys come to when they realize their city is overrun by the undead? Free stuff! Thus begins an epic quest to get to their favorite comic book store, Comics Unlimited in Evansville, IN, to get free comics! You have to admire the boys for having their priorities in order. It’s a smash up ride through the streets as they plow through the zombies, first in their car (which they smash up on one particularly fat zombie) and then aboard a school bus they…procure. Only when they reach their destination, they find the owner of the store still alive, and fending off the ghouls with a Boba Fett standee! Classic!

Throughout the book, Billman and Herndon manage to skewer suburban life, the Catholic church, comic dorks, the military, and just about anyone else they come into contact with. The art reminds me somewhat of Vince Locke’s early work on Deadworld with his sketchy, caricature style. With so many grim zombie comics out on the market, it’s nice to have a comedic change of pace. Adding to the book’s wackiness is the running creator commentary notes running along the bottom of the pages, filling the reader in on interesting notes about the story. Living with Zombies is truly the epitome of a small press comic success. Find this one and buy it…now!

Long-Range Advanced Shot

Abyss #1
From: Red 5 Comics
Written by: Kevin Rubio
Art: Lucas Marangon & Nick Schley
Reviewed by Tim Janson

Last week I had the opportunity to review Atomic Robo#1, the first of three upcoming titles from Red 5 Comics that will debut in October. This week I have the next title, a comedic superhero frolic known as Abyss #1. You need only look at the cover to know that you’re in for a good ol’ lampooning with this book. Eric Hoffman is the sixteen year-old son of billionaire weapons contractor Raifer Hoffman. Eric’s always been given everything he could ask for in life…even if he didn’t ask for it. Now Eric is faced with the prospect of running the global conglomerate known as Hoffman Industries when is father passes away. He listens with terminal boredom as the board of directors tells him about the houses he owns around the world, the baseball team, motel chain…Their chemical division is the one supplying a certain baseball player referred to as “B.B.” with his performance enhancing drugs…gee, who could that be?

While exploring HIS new mansion, Eric finds a secret button hidden NOT in the antique bust that looks like it was stolen from Wayne Manor, but in the Cookie Monster urn that is suppose to hold his father’s ashes. The button reveals an elevator that takes Eric down into the underground lair that he joked about finding only minutes earlier. Could it be that his father was actually a superhero? Could he have been the mysterious avenging BatKnight? Or could be possibly be The Arrow? Nope…nope…Eric should be so lucky. No Eric’s father just happens to be the world’s most evil super villain, The Abyss! And it seems that pops, who has merely faked his death wants his son to join the family business and intends to detonate a chemical weapon in the city during a ceremony to honor the hero who finally ended Abyss’ reign of terror! Wll…will Eric join dad, the leader of the League of Evil? Or will he try and save the day…turn in next month fans…same Abyss channel!

Well the sacred cows are not going to like this book as writer Kevin Rubio lampoons his way through a story that had me clamoring for more as soon as I finished it. Superman, Batman, Spiderman…not to mention those who write their stories, get it and get it good by Rubio’s witty superhero story. And I really have to give him credit for catching me off guard. This appeared to be nothing more than a straight-forward, serious comic for the first half of the book. I was completely and pleasantly fooled by the events in the second half. The art by Lucas Marangon and Nick Schley is very clean and polished. I especially loved Marangon’s facial expressions on Eric and his father. Dad is the perfect megalomaniac villain when he makes his big reveal to his flabbergasted son. Red 5 Comics appears ready to make a big splash with these titles when they premiere in October.



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[darrenmdr]

Booster Gold really really suprised me. Great fun and possibly the comic of the week, can't decide between it and FNSpiderman.

[JamesJesse]

I was looking forward to Booster Gold but I never expected to like it as much as I do now.
I've re-read it several times already and I've only had the book for two days.

It's suddenly my favorite book out there.

[Comic_Doctor]

I too was surprised by how good Booster Gold was. I plan on picking it up for the foreseeable future.

[SyVyN11]

Just as a aside, you mentioned how Sam tried to change the JFK assasanation in Quantam Leap, well, he did. At the end of that episode, Al told Sam that in the orginal history, Jackie died with JFK. It was Sam's actions (having leaped into a Secret Service agent) that changed that timeline.


I know I'm nitpicking. I can't stand nitpicking.



And that's another thing.....

[Time Master]

BOOSTER GOLD #1 was easily the book of the week. Unlike most comics these days, this issue was packed with a considerable amount of plot and sets things up for several interesting storylines over the coming year.

My only gripe? That redheaded bearded imposter claiming to be Rip Hunter...

[jim_twilley]

I've loved Booster Gold since his first appearance way back when, but this issue solidified itself as the best of the week when Rip Hunter uttered my favorite line of the year:

"Punching history? Please."

Comedy Gold (no pun intended).

[RocketeerZ]

Great review Kevin. As a HUGE Booster Gold fan, I've been looking VERY forward to this book... and for the most part, it exceeded my expectations.

My only nit-picking complaint is that there is absolutely NO respect from the other DCU heroes at all... the "coward" label thrown around... if nothing else... is really unwarranted. I mean, if they want to portray a chunk (if not majority) of DCU characters as thinking that Booster is a shameless huckster and self promoter, ok fine... but coward? C'mon.

I do like the fact that Batman sees and knows that something much deeper is going on, and I did like the fact that Superman had Booster's back ("He got between me and Doomsday.") despite being a character that has greatly disliked Booster in the past. To a certain degree I would have expected a little more understanding from Hal (having once been portrayed as vapish and having recently had to return as a hero that many did not trust after his rampaging as Parrallax would give Hal an understanding that all is not always as it seems) and Diana (having worked with and claimed to understand Booster in Omac Project). Also, you'd think that the heros in general would have learned from the fact they all seemed to have held no regard at all for Ted Kord, who turned out to not only have been right in the things that the snooty DCU heroes ignored, but died, for a large part, because they were all too high and mighty in their assertations to look beyond their short sighted view and assumptions of him.

Obviously only Batman seems to have learned from that time.

While I do understand the need for Booster to stay under the radar and protect himeself... it does rankle me the same way that for years Spider-Man was hated or hunted by the public/Police and we never saw the public and government popular Marvel Heroes (Capt America, The Fantastic Four, etc) who knew what a hero he was step up and publicly praise and support him. The situations is tailor made for the character and helps shape who he is. Ah well.

I also was concerned with Jurgens on the title.. but he hit this one out of the park. Everything about the book was fun and intriguing and that last page... oh that last page.

If only the last panel of that last page comes true... I'd be such a happy boy.

We'll see.

I hope Johns sticks to this title as long as possible. I Know there are rumors he's out as a writer after the first arc... but I hope that is not true. This had John's fingerprints all over it and I want that to continue.

Great, great book.

[POWRSURG]

Can someone explain to me why Wally's reporter wife was one semester short of a MD? Who drops out of a degree in the medical profession one semester short and then takes up journalism? That bit really through me in the Flash.

Calling it now, Rip Hunter = future Booster.

[Duke Jupiter]

Waid and Acuna's debut on THE FLASH proves why Mark Waid is the best writer working in the comics industry today. Oh, and Daniel Acuna does some mighty fine visuals, too!

But it's Waid that brought me to the party and it's off to a cracking good start. Long as he's here, so am I.

- DJ

[math]

Originally Posted by POWRSURG

Can someone explain to me why Wally's reporter wife was one semester short of a MD? Who drops out of a degree in the medical profession one semester short and then takes up journalism? That bit really through me in the Flash.

Calling it now, Rip Hunter = future Booster.

on Linda's medical training......Superboy's punch fixes everything!
oh when was it announced that Aquaman is cancelled?

[Kevin T. Brown]

Originally Posted by POWRSURG

Can someone explain to me why Wally's reporter wife was one semester short of a MD? Who drops out of a degree in the medical profession one semester short and then takes up journalism? That bit really through me in the Flash.

Calling it now, Rip Hunter = future Booster.

I took it to meant she was one semester away when they got pulled away from that alt-Earth and "rode the lightning" back to New Earth....

[whitemarkd]

Originally Posted by math

oh when was it announced that Aquaman is cancelled?

No announcement as such - just stated in solicits...

[0bsessions]

I was actually incredibly disappointed with Flash. Other than the actual death, I find the transition from Bart back to Wally has been just as much of a disaster as the initial transition from Wally to Bart. There was very little real resolution to Bart's death in All Flash (Outside of Inertia, really) and Bart's not even mentioned once in this issue (Which surprises the Hell out of me considering Waid helped create him). Considering Piper and Wally are supposed to be good friends, I find it completely ridiculous that Wally's been back for two months now and nobody's touched on this and if I want any real resolution to the conclusion of Fastest Man Alive (Which I absolutely loved Guggenheim's issues of), I have to read Countdown and some random spinoff coming in November.

Beyond all that annoyance, I don't much care for Acuna's art and the dialogue came off as very stale to me (I hated the kids, they came off the same way that Claremont writes younger folks these days: like middle aged guys trying to blend in with teenagers). I also found it pretty disappointing in that there was really little "Flash" to be found, as it focused so heavily on the twins. I recall someone referring to DC's initiative with giving Flash two kids and having them stick around was entirely progressive and proof to Quesada that it can be done. So far, though, this issue only proves to me that Quesada has a point. The twins really did nothing for me but take away face time from the titular character. That's not even to mention the whole sloppy "hyperaging" angle of completely skipping the childhood. If they're going to pull that utter BS, why even bother aging Bart to begin with? Just move him in with Wally if you need the "Wally and Linda dealing with teenagers" angle instead of creating two more Flashes to keep track of.

[Nate28]

Booster Gold is prob one of the best books DC has put out since 52.


On the other hand, Flash has gone to chit in a hand basket.

[aukevin]

I agree with all that said Booster Gold was the book of the week. I really enjoyed it and it will be on my pull list now. I read All Flash #1 and this week's Flash. After All Flash I thought I might get into the series, but after #231 I doubt it now. I'm not interested in the family angle with the Flash title.

[newfoundma]

While I enjoyed the Flash, I am worried that the tale of Wally West's time missing is overcomplicated. It turns out he was on some planet that worships Flashes and is inhabited by Chinchillas? This, coupled with the giant machine in the basement needed for the children seem to complicate the kids' origins and backgrounds. I don't know why they couldn't have just been in the Speed Force for a year or two. Hopefully Waid has a story planned that will pay off on this overcomplication and chinchilla-filled time.

[sniperboy65]

I can't get past the artwork on the Flash. I didn't pick it up.

[Innercaine]

Originally Posted by Caleb

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #55 (DC; by Caleb): I know I should probably feel bad about this book being cancelled, as Tad Williams has been turning in the best scripts this volume of the series has had yet, and I love artist Shawn McManus’ designs, but I’m
actually enjoying the book more and more the closer to cancellation it gets. That’s because Williams now seems to be visibly rushing, cramming as much as possible into the stories in order to tie up his own storylines (and those of every previous writer since
San Diego sank). I mean, this is the second to last issue, and he’s still introducing new villains and bringing guest-stars in out of left field. The sense of rushed urgency has lead to a really wild and unpredictable narrative, in which literally anything could happen on the next page. It’s also massively entertaining (Particularly after the dreadfully
slowly-paced previous few years of the title). This issue features Kordax’s son, Vandal Savage, The Human Flying Fish, the guy who sunk San Diego (a relative to an old Titans supporting cast member), Aquaman II, Tempest, Aquagirl II, Topo II, the two-fisted mayor of Sub Diego, the introduction of a villain I assume is going to be called Clownfish, Cyborg, and sundry other characters Williams and McManus have introduced.

I hadn't realized it had been cancelled, though I can't say it shocks me. I say this as someone who bought and read the series.

I'm not a big fan of McManus, but these guys won me over. This book was really different than a lot of other mainstream DC titles. I can't quite describe it other than that.. it definitely did not have that reconstituted feel that a lot of superhero books get.. There was a certain freshness to it.

The art took me a long time to appreciate. It's not traditional (and I've even susbtituted 'good' for traditional in that sentence), but after a while it started working for me.

And yeah, it does have a rushed 'gangbusters; feel to it, but so did Babylon Five in it's final seasons, and I loved that. There was no 'filler' to it.

Well this is a shame.. this title became pretty underrated at the end.

[gwangung]

Originally Posted by POWRSURG

Can someone explain to me why Wally's reporter wife was one semester short of a MD? Who drops out of a degree in the medical profession one semester short and then takes up journalism? That bit really through me in the Flash.

Calling it now, Rip Hunter = future Booster.

You have it backwards.

She was a reporter who stepped away from her job to pursue an MD. She then dropped out of med school and took back her reporting gig.

Not unheard of for on-the-air reporters to step away from the camera. And not unheard of for them to come back (locally, there was Mona Locke, who was gone from the scene for 8 years [she happened to become First Lady of Washington State when her husband was elected governor] and then came back to be an on-air reporter].

[Of course, on the other hand, Linda may have been "eased on out the door" by station management, if she was hitting her mid 30s...that's old by TV standards....]

[dmarvp]

Booster gold was simply great !

I must say that I'm not really a fan of Jurgens art tough, but nonetheless it was the best book of last week, I'm confident that Geoffs can make this book as great as Green Lantern is now...

[JohnLynch]

I was initially put off by Flash having TWO kid sidekicks (what is this Flash or Kids Flash?), however I think they add an interesting and unique, element to Flash. The only other modern comics I can think of that has sidekicks is Green Arrow (with the sidekicks having become pretty much slightly below equals at this point) and Batmans comics (again, Robin only slightly below equal). So I think having completely green sidekicks for Flash is a new element for todays readers (new for me anyway ). It will have to improve dramatically for me to read it in the long haul, but its got my interest for now.

Although I did find the monster at the end a very big and unnerving feel compared with the rest of the comic. If you're going to have the kids featured so prominantly, having the first monster be a vagina dentata creature is truly not a good idea. Besides the disturbing monster at the end, an average comic but one that shows promise.

[tbumpkins]

Originally Posted by sniperboy65

I can't get past the artwork on the Flash. I didn't pick it up.

My biggest problem too. Acuna's art seems so...static, which is the absolute last thing you want a Flash comic to be. And it's just highlighted more so coming off Karl Kerschl and Howard Porter(when I last picked up the book regularly). Sure, it looks nice, but for this specific book it just doesn't fit IMHO.

[newfoundma]

Originally Posted by 0bsessions

If they're going to pull that utter BS, why even bother aging Bart to begin with? Just move him in with Wally if you need the "Wally and Linda dealing with teenagers" angle instead of creating two more Flashes to keep track of.

Good point. I hadn't thought of that. That could have been really interesting.

[Innercaine]

I liked a lot of the Flash art.. but not the kids themselves. They acted goofy like kids, and that's fine, but they themselves looked weird. As in Acuna's art doesn't translate very well to children.

I think he draws fine adults however. I enjoyed the heck out of Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighers.

And the background of the boat, in the Flash, for example, was pretty striking.

The book was overall enjoyable, I'm willing to give it a few issues before considering whether not to get it.