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03-10-2008, 10:47 AM
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BEST SHOTS: NEW FRONTIER, CABLE, LA PERDIDA, LOGAN #1 AND MORE
 by The Best Shots Team, courtesy of ShotgunReviews.comYour Host: Troy Brownfield I want to start off this week by giving a big tip of the hat to our pal, Jamie Trecker. Jamie assembled a goodly chunk of the column (and was ready to put the whole thing together) as I had a death in my extended family. It turned out that I had just enough of a window to finish out what Jamie had started, so here I am. Again, I want to tell Jamie, Matt, Mike Doran, and the entire team “Thanks”. You may not always agree with what they write, but these are good people. Earlier this week, we had occasion to take a look at The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #1; you can read that here. No vlog this week, as the Siegels are on some sort of secret mission. At least they aren’t trying to sell aluminum siding to Rip Hunter . . . Justice League: The New Frontier Special Written by Darwyn Cooke Art by Cooke, J. Bone & David Bullock with Dave Stewart Published by DC Comics Review by THE Rev. O.J. Flow "WHO CARES WHAT WORLD WE'RE ON?? Just sit back and enjoy these untold stories from the last heroic age." -- Rip Hunter Truer words were not spoken this week by anyone else. Thanks, Rip. In a comic book universe where things have become so epically crossover crazy that a scorecard is required for weekly reading, Justice League: The New Frontier Special is like a welcome breath of fresh air. It's funny, too, because the cynic in me was mildly apprehensive about this book's release, mostly out of concern that it was presumably a rushed cross-promotional tie-in for the original book's recent direct-to-DVD release. I suppose a lot of that can be attributed to those Secret Files and Origins knockoffs that DC can be counted on when they over saturate the market with the "Next Big Thing." Here was one of those instances, though, where I love being wrong. This book is a most welcome companion to the original series that I'm still getting over the fact was first in our hands FIVE YEARS AGO. Has it really been that long?? Of course the better part of this multi-chapter special issue should make all the sense in the world to those who read Darwyn Cooke's original series, but I think there's enough in this one-shot (can we make it annual, please?) to placate some readers out there who are only now familiarizing themselves with New Frontier thanks to the big media push for the DVD. By the way, since I got the pulpit at this time, I may as well throw in that I thought the new animated DVD, Justice League: The New Frontier was outstanding and well worth the purchase. But anyone who appreciated the original graphic novel (Cooke's book definitely an all-too-rare instance where that term does not feel pretentious) has to feel at least a teensy bit shortchanged in that this was an epic enough story that the creators should've been afforded more than 75 minutes. I totally dig that they didn't gloss over the more mature material, this film totally earning it's PG-13 rating, but it's tough to argue against the idea that a 90-minute-plus running time would've allowed for some welcome attention to the likes of the Challengers of the Unknown along with more character development of principals King Faraday, the Centre, and the Suicide Squad. Did someone say "Director's Cut"? As for what we get in this special issue? Simply put, one killer feature story -- a lost chapter of the original miniseries, if you will -- two serviceable backup stories, and some bonus material that deserves to be in the DVD package if it isn't already (I haven't gone through all of those extras yet). Darwyn Cooke, assisted with the same brilliantly rendered colors of Dave Stewart throughout, offers a more detailed account of the now-infamous battle between Superman and the "Bat Man" where the Man of Steel was serving as an emissary for the United States government and bringing in any costumed metahumans who were operating outside their imposed parameters. Some may consider this sacrilege, but I found this fight between the World's Finest team to be as riveting and well told as what we got in the concluding chapter of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, if not better. This story, "Chapter X: The Greater Good," could almost be viewed as the equivalent of a deleted scene finally seeing the light of day in a motion picture's re-release (think Apocalypse Now Redux, or Episode IV: A New Hope, or maybe not), but it is anything but filler worthy of the editing room floor. We find that Superman AND Wonder Woman were recruited by the Feds to bring in Batman motivated by the idea that their most notorious above-the-law costumed vigilante would be the big feather in their cap in terms of getting the most wanted off the street. Nab Batman and the rest will surrender quietly. While Wonder Woman was unwilling to take part in the government's mission, her role in this story is invaluable. The eventual battle between the other two, though, as the hunter becomes the prey is outstanding, and edgier than anything between these two characters originally in the Fifties and Sixties, and is shows how multifaceted they can be when they're in capable creative hands. And it may have been pure coincidence, but like in that one Frank Miller story from way back in 1986, the Man of Steel is regrettably a government yes-man who bows a little too easily to the whims of a Republican president (Eisenhower in New Frontier, Reagan in Dark Knight Returns). I shudder to think of how Kal-El would've functioned against Batman during the Nixon administration. Lord knows "Chapter X" should've found it's way into DC's Absolute edition of the book, but this chapter alone makes it a worthy grab. Accentuating the positive are the other two significantly shorter stories that make up the book's second half. Whereas the first story took place in 1955, we jump ahead a few years ahead for "Dragstrip Riot." Starring a Robin who is old enough to drive, along with Kid Flash, Batman's young ward proves his worth as a detective and crimefighter in a decent story given its allotted seven pages. The art by David Bullock and Michael Cho fits into Cooke's trademark New Frontier universe very well, and it's nice to get the chance to see Cooke (writer of all the stories) work with a couple of characters who were at best merely hinted at in the original series. The concluding six-page story starring Wonder Woman and Black Canary (no real title given, so we'll just call it "The Gender War"), is pretty much just played for laughs, not really a bad thing considering the gravity of most everything else Cooke & Co. have done. Artist J. Bone brings a more comical style to his pages, but the Rubenesque rendition of Wonder Woman he chose to go with borders on distracting. Obviously Cooke played up Diana's Amazonian stature from the get-go, and I appreciate that she's distinctive from Black Canary, but there are a few panels here where she looks like John Belushi is star-spangled drag. Making up for that is a priceless scene where Wondy and BC go undercover at a Gotham City Playboy club and run into a V.I.P. guest who's better known for stalking criminals under the cover of darkness. Umm, awkward? And making the enterprising Hugh Hefner out to be the villain of the story is simply inspired. To paraphrase Robin the Boy Wonder, Justice League: The New Frontier Special is the cat's ass.  Logan #1Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Artists: Eduardo Risso and Dean White Published by Marvel Review by Corey Henson Wolverine travels to Japan, where we flashback to scenes from his past as a soldier in the Canadian army. Logan wakes up in a Japanese WWII POW camp, where he and a captured American soldier escape by killing a lot of enemy soldiers. On the run from the Axis, Wolvie saves a beautiful Japanese woman from being executed by the American, and she thanks him by giving him sanctuary in her home. Naturally, one thing leads to another, and by the end of the issue, the two are making sweet, sweet love down by the fire, as Isaac Hayes would say. Sound familiar? If it does, it’s because we’ve seen it all before. The Japanese setting, the flashbacks to Wolverine’s pre-X-Men past, and even Logan bedding a woman who’s way out of his league are all stock Wolverine story elements. Heck, Marvel even has a monthly series devoted to untold tales of Logan’s history. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. Brian K. Vaughan is too good of a writer to not make the story worth reading, even if it is a bit of a cliche. He mixes genres, creating a plot that’s a little bit of a war story, and a little bit of a love story. It’s a little too obvious the romance won’t have a happy ending--the narration at the beginning of the issue and the last page reveal, which is one of Vaughan’s trademark cliffhanger plot twists, both telegraph where the plot is ultimately heading. Besides, when have Wolverine’s romances ever turned out well? Hooking up with Logan is pretty much a death sentence. Still, the various story elements work together very well, thanks to excellent pacing and a tone that swings from somber to cautiously optimistic without veering too far into melodrama. Eduardo Risso is an interesting choice for the series artist, as his name is generally associated with crime drama, thanks to his work on Vertigo’s 100 Bullets. But Risso is an incredible artist who can draw any type of story, and he turns in some impressive work here. The layouts and storytelling are flawless, and the Japanese landscapes are particularly gorgeous. Dean White’s color work is also stellar, with a washed out, almost watercolored look that enhances the story’s moody atmosphere. Ultimately, because of the $3.99 price tag and overly familiar plot points, Logan will likely appeal primarily to die hard Wolverine fans, or fans of the creative team. It’s not the sort of thing casual fans are going to be especially interested in reading. But for those who decide to pick it up, it’s still a rewarding read.  Cable #1From: Marvel Comics Writer: Duane Swierczynski Artist: Ariel Olivetti Review By: Jeff Marsick Poor Cable. I’m convinced there’s a memo afloat in the Marvel Bullpen: “RE: CABLE…This character is NOT to be left alone in a series with his name on the marquee. He at all times must have a gimmick. Violators will be removed and forced to write an Angarr The Screamer mini-series.” So our time-tripping son of Summers goes from a monthly buddy actioner with Deadpool (that always seemed to me like the comic version of Tango and Cash) to a monthly buddy actioner with an infant. Don’t let the cover fool you; the actual title of this new series should be Cable and the Kid (more about that cover later). Now, I confess to not having read Cable with any regularity since the fat lady sang on “Age of Apocalypse” so I’m blissfully ignorant of the particulars of his history aside from the Cliff Note page at the beginning of the book as a catch up and the three interiors of Cable summarizing how he got into this particular position. Where we stand now, in this reboot, Cable appears to have absconded with the messiah baby, that first mutant born since M-Day, and escaped into the time stream to protect her. Aaaand…ACTION! We’re led to believe this hike along the chronal highway to Jersey of the year 2043 is to keep the baby alive against forces that would have her killed. After reading this issue I disagree. I think he’s in the time stream to avoid the forces of the Department of Social Services for the crime of child endangerment. Sakes alive, with him as a protector, who needs an enemy? First of all, he’s carrying the baby up front, right in middle of his chest. At first blush, on the cover it looks like baby bulls eye is trussed up crucifictoriously a la Wolverine from the cover of Uncanny X-Men #251 (that is, until you look closer and see itty bitty tubers that are supposed to be arms. More on Ariel Olivetti’s artwork in a bit). We’re told twice through Cable’s narrative that he’s a soldier and he’s trained for anything. Some soldier; must’ve gotten his training watching old Van Damme flicks. He puts the package he’s protecting right at center mass of his body? I mean, the way Olivetti draws him, with an MRAP –sized body and an itty-bitty head, his chest is the biggest target a muzzle can aim for. And when he grabs a baddie and pulls him close as a human shield, how does that not make the infant go all bug-meets-windshield squishy? Come on. Even Nomad knew to wear Bucky on his back. With all the bodysliding and safehouses Cable’s got around the world and across the epochs, I find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have stopped off at one, or at least hit a Wal-Mart circa 2030 for a Kevlar-lined Deuter Kangakid. Exhibit two, Your Honor, in the People versus Cable, is that he’s carrying the kid around nearly buck nekkid. We’re supposed to sip the Kool-Aid that Cable is so much of a soldier that he doesn’t carry an ounce of common sense to wrap the baby up, and probably in some nano-techno armor of some sort? Seriously. Nearly nekkid baby. Really? And finally, exhibit three, where our time-weary warhorse decides to change said nekkid infant right there, in the open, just seconds after an OK Corral re-enactment. Every soldier with combat experience knows that gunfire draws attention like paparazzi to a Britney sighting and that you haul your gear clear. Cable must have missed Universal Soldier. I haven’t jonesed for an issue so much since the first issue of The Criminal. I mean, I can’t claim to be novelist Duane Swierczynki’s number one fan (although I think my hobbling technique may be professional grade), but I’m certainly in the top five. His first outing here, however, is disappointing (and I can’t begin to tell you how much it pains me to say that). He misses the mark on making Cable believable as an experienced and hardened soldier, for reasons already explained, as well as the final scene where Cable bumblingly stumbles into the climax. Again, some soldier he is. While the staccato narrative Mr. S. gives the titular hero lends a hard-boiled feel to the book which is fantastic and fitting for Cable, the issue is so decompressed that when you get to the end you wonder why it took twenty-two to accomplish what should have taken twelve. Maybe Mr. S. is testing the waters on his new gig, easing his way in, but I wish he would have just cannonballed right in because the effect (especially with the obligatory “baby-made-dirty-didy” unfunny gag that runs in EVERY story about a soldier tending to an infant) is less Jean Reno in The Professional and a Kinko’ed version of Vin Diesel in The Pacifier. Cable deserves better than that. Ariel Olivetti’s artwork doesn’t help matters. Sure, it’s purty, but his gross maligning of the human form makes the issue comical when it’s not supposed to be (and, conversely, it doesn’t help the “baby-made-dirty-didy” gag to be funny). Cable’s arms are so ridiculously huge that they officially qualify as a sidekick. By the same token, Baby Messiah is so tiny, I’d be surprised if at some point Cable doesn’t mistake her for a grapefruit and eat her. Take a quick look at that cover (probably the least enticing cover I’ve seen since Marvel produce this millennium; it practically shouts “Move along. Nothing to buy here.”), and her head could be mistaken for one of the Comedian’s smiley buttons atop the obligatory X-mark that all veterans of a mutant team must wear as identification of their gang affiliation (there’s probably a memo requiring this). It’s either an early manifestation of the wee girl’s mutant power or a lapse in the artist’s concentration, but in fifteen pages she manages to go from a cirrus layer of hair to a full-blown cumulus development, which is impressive for an infant, if completely improbable. Cable as a character should be treated better than this. He’s been around the block a few times and he’s supposed to be a master tactician, having led one of the greatest teams ever, the Six Pack. Crippling him with the burden of babysitting and all the chaos that hoary plot brings with it is beneath this character. There is so much more that can be done with him (and if anyone can, it’s certainly Duane Swierczynski!) and that should be done with him, that this is a waste of his potential. I know, I know: it’s just the first issue, ya crackpot! And you’re right. It’s just not a very good one.  DC Special: Raven #1Writer: Marv Wolfman Artists: Damion Scott and Robert Campanella From: DC Comics Review by J. Caleb Mozzocco Questions abound. Why is DC releasing a Raven miniseries now, two years after the cartoon show featuring her quit producing new episodes, and over a year since she was last seen in the pages of the then-popular Teen Titans monthly? Why did they brand it with the meaninglessly bland “DC Special:” in the title, particularly since it’s a series? And who thought it would be a good idea to pair Raven-creator Marv Wolfman, who shepherded the Titans franchise through its 1980s zenith, with penciller Damion Scott, whose expressive, flat work incorporates elements of manga storytelling and graffiti-like design into a highly idiosyncratic love it or loathe it style that’s about as 21st century as you can get? Reading the first issue, with its hopefully sarcastic “Finally in her own EMO series!” blurb on the cover, didn’t offer any answers. The strange feeling that this series was meant to be released a few years ago is heavily reinforced, however, both by it picking up on the new status quo the title character was given four years ago—a new teenaged body, the new secret ID of Rachel Roth, the attempts to fit in as a normal girl at a normal high school—and following up on what happened with Psycho-Pirate’s Medusa Mask after Black Adam stuck his fingers in it at the end of Infinite Crisis almost two year ago. With that pile of caveats out of the way, the results aren’t really that bad—the book’s seeming tardiness being it’s only real negative. Wolfman does a decent job with this new take on his old character, having her haunted by dreams of a death at her new school and occasionally being overwhelmed by emotions and/or overwhelming her peers with her own emotions. Is it because her nutty empathy powers are acting up, or because a building full of teenagers has too much emotion for the now-young heroine to handle, or could the Medusa Mask have something to do with it? Wolfman handled the superhero stuff and character set-up just fine, and though he’s a whole generation further away from today’s teens than Mark Millar, he managed to avoid any groaningly embarrassing attempts at teenage-isms of the sort that helped mar Millar’s first issues of Kick-Ass. As for the art stuff, I fall into the “love it” camp with Scott’s work, and find the nervous energy he brings to his angles and lines more appropriate than usual, given the nature of the story he’s telling here. I think he and Wolfman actually compliment each other pretty well here, but I still question the wisdom of the pairing, if only because I doubt their respective fanbases overlap much.  Young Liars #1From: Vertigo Writer: David Lapham Artisti: David Lapham Reviewed by: Richard Renteria Sadie is a young woman without a single care - both literally and figuratively. After surviving a gunshot to the head, Sadie has a bullet lodged in her head. Unfortunately for Sadie, the location of the bullet causes damage to the part of the brain that controls her moral and emotional centers. As the story unfolds we learn that there is far more to Sadie than meets the eyes. First we find out that one of Sadie's own friends may be responsible for her condition, then we also find out that Sadie Dawkins is really Sadie Browning, a runaway of a rich Texas family. As the story concludes, Sadie has managed to create a situation ripe for violence, while her various friends succumb to their inherent personality defects. David Lapham does an excellent job in the first few pages of establishing Sadie and the type of character she will be. From the opening shots with Sadie fighting to the moment when she is ready to party again, after biting off a man's nose, Lapham perfectly lays out the main character of the story. As the issue continues Lapham balances the personalities of our main protagonists eclectic group of friends quite skillfully but relies on some familiar personalities that all play out in predictable manners. Another drawback to the story was the almost cartoonish introduction of Sadie's father, yeah it's funny to see an old man on mushrooms waiting for the Viagra to kick-in, but the over the top wackiness of the scene could have been downplayed a bit. Pulling double duty on the title, Lapham also brings his pencils to the story. Lapham is a very capable artist and his work on this title shows his strengths off perfectly. Capturing a range of emotions from the various personalities Lapham's art really flows. His action scenes are well choreographed and he really captures the craziness of Sadie's emotional ups and downs. A well executed first issue on a title with lots of potential. With a bit more character development and some forward movement on the two simmering sub plots, this book is definitely one to watch.  Penance: Relentless #5 of 5From: Marvel Comics Writer: Paul Jenkins Artist: Paul Gulacy Reviewed by Richard Renteria Now that is a satisfying end to a mini-series. Questions were answered, characters grew and a villain got what he deserved all in one outstanding issue. For the first time since Nitro blew up the school in Stamford, Robbie Baldwin has found a bit of peace and maybe even a bit of hope. This issue features a much anticipated meeting between Penance and Nitro and it is a battle with a decidedly twisted ending. Paul Jenkins brought Penance into this world, so it is only natural that he should be the one to tell the story of Robbie's first steps toward self redemption. Expertly written, the story moves along at a quick pace with Penance and Nitro battling for domination. When Penance finally gets the upper hand, he does not let up and reminds Nitro of the 612 people he killed, by naming them all as each blow is struck. Jenkins does an excellent job of letting the reader really get into the head of Robbie, to get a glimpse of what drives him and why he cannot seem to find any peace of mind. The battle was not the only twist. Jenkins sets up a moments straight out of Hostel as Robbie explains the real reason for the Penance costume, which actually makes some kind of sense. With this issue, Jenkins lets the reader know that the days of Robbie Baldwin ever donning a Speedball costume are over, permanently. Handling the art chores on this issue is the ever talented Paul Gulacy whose art really stands out this issue thanks to the moody coloring of Rain Beredo who employs a subdued pallet that really helps create the pefect atmosphere. Taking advantage of the night time setting of the scene, Gulacy does a great job of interpreting the action from panel to panel, especially powerful is the scene with Penance naming Nitro's victims as he beats on him mercilessly. When the battle ends, the horror in Nitro's eyes when he realizes what is about to happen to him while he is Penance's captive is perfectly captured by Gulacy's expressive pencils. This series did a masterful job of adding a new layer to Robbie Baldwins new mental status quo as well as helping Penance grow as a character. Paired with the talented pencils of Paul Gulacy, Paul Jenkins wove a fascinating story of one man's need for redemption and the lengths he would go to make it happen. An excellent ending to an overlooked mini-series.  La PerdidaWritten & Illustrated by Jessica Abel Published by Pantheon Reviewed by Michael C Lorah The ambition of La Perdida is certainly commendable, and despite some difficulty distinguishing between certain characters (protagonist Carla and short-time roommate Liana), Abel’s loose, lively artwork is very appealing. Unfortunately, this book comes up short on a number of counts. The erstwhile heroine, Carla, a 20-something Chicagoan, moves to Mexico to reconnect with the long-neglected Latina roots that she inherited from her neglectful father. She goes there looking for a purer, less mercenary lifestyle than she sees in capitalist America. Abel does a good job driving home that every culture and every society has positives and negatives. The aspects that drive Carla away from America are exactly what entice most of her Mexican acquaintances, except for the token revolutionary Memo, who disagrees with anything related to or from America. The characters’ relations are often frustrating, but mostly believable for the first two-thirds of the book. The book doesn’t manage to live up to its promise however, particularly when you consider Carla’s devotion to the friends she’s chosen. Shunning fellow American ex-pats, her desperate devotion to the notion of “belonging” drives much of Carla’s actions throughout the book, even when she should clearly know better, and Abel isn’t able to convincingly sell Carla’s blind spots. Memo spits repeatedly on her interests and upbringing, and particularly her ambition to connect with her Mexican heritage, damages her friendships with his selfish actions, and speaks in a series of shallow political and social clichés. Then, Carla defends him and calls him a true friend, because he’s occasionally nice when trying to get into her pants. Even recognizing her own lack of self-respect, it’s hard to understand how she doesn’t see the same self-absorption that she’s come to loathe about America. Of course, then the kidnapping plot comes into play over the book’s finale, and it is – unfortunately – a dreadfully predictable sequence of events. Abel doesn’t get us sufficiently into Carla’s head to understand her blindness to what’s going on around her, nor does she offer any misdirection so that the reader will be similarly surprised when Carla finds out who’s involved in kidnap plot. The result, unfortunately, leaves the heroine looking like a fool, and not in the “well-written flawed heroine” sense. It’s a well-intentioned, ambitious storyline, and it looks mighty good, but La Perdida wields its literary ambitions somewhat clumsily, mixing an awkward affection for William Burroughs with a sophomoric dedication to social cliques. Despite several strong moments in the book’s early goings, it winds up being entirely too obvious and too desperate to achieve something that it can’t quite reach.  Tonoharu vol. 1Written & Illustrated by Lars Martinson Published by Top Shelf/Pliant Press Reviewed by Michael C Lorah Tonoharu is the first, of four planned, volume in which author Lars Martinson unfolds the story of a young American teaching English in rural Japan. With only one previous book on his resume, Martinson has wasted no time establishing himself as a comics voice to watch in the coming years. Unfolding the story, nearly without exception, in methodical four-panel constructions, Martinson takes readers through the daily beats of his protagonist Dan, capturing the unrelenting monotony of being trapped on the wrong side of a foreign language, as well as bringing readers into contact with small glimpses of Japanese life that are overlooked by those who don’t spend every day living in the culture. It’s a somber, quiet book full of clumsy silences, even more awkward conversations, and wistful – or occasionally excited – looks at the surrounding world and people. Despite the outwardly cartoony appearance of the artwork, Martinson’s panels are deceptively detailed. The backgrounds are fully realized and stuffed the nines with ludicrous amounts of setting and mood, all grounding the scenes in the daily toil and splendor of life in an unknown, foreign land. Each of the characters is open and expressive, easy to read, full of life and sadness and longing. The dialogue’s simple, believable cadence moves the story quickly and naturally, capturing the personalities of Dan and his Japanese co-workers and students. The characters are lively enough to convince you or their existence, and Dan’s disconnect from their lives and his surroundings is handled in a thoughtful, mature tone that never fails to engage the reader. If superhero comics are the most dominant form of comics, mopey loner comics are surely the medium’s second most common cliché. Tonoharu could, at times, dive a little deeper into the events of Dan’s inner life, but Martinson’s strong voice, excellent linework and direct storytelling convey the loneliness, solitude and confusion Dan faces in convincing and classy style.  North World Vol. 1By Lars Brown From: Oni Press Review by Troy Brownfield North World comes to Oni Press from Lars Brown and his NorthWorldOnline.com. It’s the story of Conrad, a regular guy trying to make his way as a “fighter” in a world where the conventions of RPG-style fantasy have merged with the real world. You have coffee shops existing alongside giant talking bears, and the overall effect is fun and surprisingly introspective. Long-time gamers of the paper-and-dice variety will get a huge kick out of many of the subtle gags embedded throughout. At one point, as Conrad reports in to his local guild, his manager checks his file; of course, the file lists all of Conrad’s attributes with scores for STR, DEX, and the like. It’s a great bit. Nevertheless, just when you think that things are going to settle into a pleasantly entertaining/somewhat predictable arc, Brown introduces an assignment that echoes Gross Point Blank in that Conrad is forced to deal with elements of his troubled past. It’s a clever twist that allows for a large amount of character development and commentary on the notion of mid-20’s malaise. The narrative becomes something that’s punched up by the occasional action scene, rather than being a fun concept propped up by constant battle. I found the first volume to be very engaging. It’s entertaining and thoughtful, peppered with some solid characters and an upbeat attitude. While D&D/RPG aficionados will undoubtedly get the most out the finer details, readers in general will find a lot to like about North World.  Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga HardcoverFrom: DC Comics Written by: Brad Meltzer & Geoff Johns Art By: Shane Davis, Fernando Pasarin, Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham Reviewed by Tim Janson The Lightning Saga Hardcover collects Justice League #0, #8 – #12, and Justice Society of America #5 – #6. The JLA, the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, all in one volume, what more could you ask for? Well, you could ask for a more coherent and engaging storyline. I’ve really loved what both Johns and Meltzer have done with the JSA and the JLA but this is not one of their better efforts. There’s a good idea here but the execution of the plot was confusing and, dare I say, kind of boring. Members of the Legion have gone back in time on a secret mission that leaves them with no memory of who they are. The two teams first discover Val Armorr, AKA, Karate Kid (save the Ralph Macchio jokes). The new Starman who has been with the JSA recently is also discovered to be member of the Legion. Even Wonder Woman’s magical lasso cannot ring the truth out of Karate Kid. Meltzer and Johns then take a plot device straight out of the 60’s and 70’s (and I say that approvingly) of having the teams split ups in various groups to track down the signal given off by the legion’s flight rings. Why have the members of the Legion come back in time? It all results in a shocking climax that while surprising was excruciating to finally reach. The best part of the story was the interplay between the members of the JLA and the JSA. Batman and Mr. Terrific try to outdo each other…Cyclone tries to summon up the courage to talk to Red Tornado…and there’s a good deal of sexual tension between Red Arrow and Hawkgirl. I could have enjoyed these diverse heroes just sitting around swapping stories without the convoluted plot. The art is very good throughout the book although with each chapter having a different artist there is a lack of consistency, which pretty well goes hand-in-hand with the story. There are a couple of backup stories in the book including “Monitor Duty” from JLA #0. I honestly have to ask, though, why DC felt the need to put this one into hardcover format as opposed to trade paperback. The inclusion of backup stories seems to indicate that even they didn’t think the main storyline was all that special. Pellet Reviews! Grimm Fairy Tales #22 (Zenescope; by Jeff: Writer Joe Tyler and impressive artist Joe Dodd treat us to the origin of the looking glass that I’m assuming is the precursor to the infamous mirror mirror on the wall that someday will give a certain queen filicidal agita. Long thought to have been destroyed, Belinda the Snow Queen has been collecting shards of the mirror (a woman of evil needs a hobby, after all) and using it to manipulate the malleable mind of young Timmy. Of course, with the Snow Queen gussied up like evil as envisioned by Hajime Sorayama, it’s not hard to see how quickly, easily, and willingly li’l Timmy succumbs to her influence and embarks on a mission to throw fellow classmate April into oncoming traffic. Enter Belinda’s uber-hot opposite, Sela, to rescue Timmy and you have the set up for next issue’s girlfight between the two La Perla clad vixens. Mr. Tyler can spin a yarn, for sure, but I was hoping he would have been a bit more creative and fresh as opposed occasionally writing below his means, such as when “those who gazed upon their reflection saw only the bad and evil within”, or “…a hero rose up to save the day, as heroes always do when man’s existence is at stake”. Without solid writing as a foundation, this series is quickly and easily relegated to the ever-expanding cheesecake section of the comic racks. Raven Gregory is a tough act to follow, I’ll give you that, but give me more, Mr. Tyler. Justice League Unlimited #43 (DC; by Caleb): Justice League International fans need know only two things bout this issue: It features Booster Gold and Blue Beetle (Ted Kord flavor), and it’s written by Keith Giffen. Yes, it’s finally here, more Blue and Gold from Giffen, even if this isn’t quite how fans might have wanted to get it. This is the secret origin of the JLUniverse versions of the characters, both of whom have appeared in the comic adaptation’s version of the team before (while Beetle never made it onto the actual cartoon like Booster did). The pair embarks on a superhero career to take advantage of the money, fame and girls they think it will lead to, and Batman, Wonder Woman and John Stewart set them straight between panels of a battle against The Demolition Team. It’s hardly Giffen’s best work on the characters, but it works well enough in its own right, before you even factor in the nostalgia effect. Supergirl #27 (DC; Reviewed by Brian Andersen): Barf! As if last month’s Supergirl wasn’t bad enough, now we have this awfulness to content with. I don’t know why Drew Johnson is even still associated with the book. Since he signed on as “full-time” penciler he’s only managed one entire issue, and with each subsequent issue the number of pages he’s produced has gotten embarrassingly lower and lower. Finally, the inevitable has happened and this issue features one page - one freakin’ entire page - of artwork by Johnson. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. In the olden days of yore a comic book with a single full-page of art would have just called that page a “Pin-Up." As if the lack of artist commitment wasn’t bad enough, the story inside makes little, to no, sense. From what I was able to retain: The Girl of Steel was gonna try to save a terminally ill child when suddenly she gets shot with a Kryptonite bullet by some future assassin who ends up whisking her away to his unhappy future – one that she of course is responsible for - and frankly, it all just gets worst from there. Man alive, do we really need another “prevent-the-future-from-happening-story?” At this point “future stories” are the lazy man’s failed attempt at being exciting and inventive and unless the “future story” is bringing something amazingly new and fresh it’s better to just avoid it entirely. To add insult to injury this issue also finds Superman once again saving Supergirl! Lame! I’m sorry, but I thought I was reading a Supergirl comic where she is the actual star and, gee I dunno, the hero? Can’t we have one female driven comic book star who is the actual hero, someone who stands up to the forces of evil, and prevails all on her own? Despite this wreck of a story I will say that it was surprisingly nice to see art by long-time comic penciler Rick Leonardi and famed comic inker Dan Green. Otherwise, this issue was total and complete barf! Invincible Presents Atom Eve #2 of 2 (Image; by Andersen): Now this is how a thrilling, well-plotted, expertly penciled, thoroughly enjoyable comic book is done! It’s great to see a comic fronted by a powerful, smart, female character who not only saves the day on her own (!) - without some wannabe man hogging in on the book - and stands up to insurmountable odds, but that also is able to rise above a super crappy personal back story. For those long time Invincible readers Atom Eve has been a fan favorite because of her genuine sweetness, chipper demeanor, and ability to hold her own in the densely populated Invincible universe. Now starring in her own two issue limited series it’s great to see this adorable character get some much needed screen time. By all accounts Atom Eve is a hero, plain and simple, and she shows it in this issue. This action packed comic is so well written - by relative newcomer Benito Cereno (who amazingly is able to dive deep into the character’s emotionally rich personal life while highlighting intense, exciting action) and so winningly penciled (and inked) - by the stunningly talented Nate Bellegarde (whose art is enthralling quirky and eye-poppingly dynamic enough to balances rich, small character moments with densely choreographed fight sequences) - that I nominate them to take over the flailing Supergirl title. This is the kind of comic Supergirl should be! Heck this is the kind of comic many of the female-lead comic book series should strive to be. A female hero can be tough, feminine, and thoroughly likeable without having to be a total skank or a total beyotch. A terrific read throughout! Uncanny X-Men #496 (Marvel; by Troy): So, yeah, a big plot point from Astonishing gets revealed herein. That type of thing is frustrating, but inevitable when doing intricately connected comics in the face of lateness. It didn’t really diminish my enjoyment of this particular issue. Mike Choi does an admirable job on art, and Brubaker really got the rhythm of the Wolverine/Colossus/Nightcrawler communication pattern (and he remembered, going back to Uncanny #183 and before, that all of their bar visits end in brawls). The interstitial bits with Scott and Emma making their way to and through San Francisco are good as well, notably because Brubaker makes the pair speak believably as a couple. Buffy the Vampire Slayer #12 (Dark Horse; by Troy): Spoiler Warning! Well, there it is. And people seem to have wildly differing reactions to it. As it is, I buy what Whedon said in his Newsarama interview: this is a portion of Buffy’s larger development and maturation. Given the build-up to this particular event (telegraphed by the “true love kiss” and the conversation between Buffy and Satsu), I wasn’t particularly surprised. The best part was actually the realistically awkward conversation after-the-fact and the subsequent riotous intrusion of most of the cast. Drew Goddard, who wrote the actual issue, has a great feel for the characters from his time spent on the television show (and Angel, for that matter), and Jeanty continues a string of terrific work. Nothing that Whedon has ever done with these characters exists in a vacuum; you can bet that there will be reverberations for many months to come. Green Lantern #28 (DC; by Troy): Hey, an issue where nothing happens! Of course, I’m kidding; a verdict comes in, the Second Law is unveiled, the power of Orange begins to assert itself, and we see our first official Red Lantern. Mike McKone is a GREAT artist, and he handles the locales and aliens with aplomb. The unvarnished truth of Geoff Johns’ run as writer of Green Lantern is that he’s been obviously exerting the maximum effort he can muster to move this book into the upper echelon of the DCU’s best books. I think he’s done it. In Case You Missed It . . . Gravel #1 (Avatar; by Troy) Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer, and Raulo Caceres finally bring the long-running William Gravel character to his own ongoing series, and they begin in strong fashion. Gravel follows up on the mission begun in the zero issue, using his skills as a “combat magician” to track down a very important object. Gravel’s badass combination of guns and magic would probably appeal to a lot of people who don’t normally check out Avatar titles. The art by Caceres is richly detailed and receives superb coloring by Greg Waller. At the offing, it’s a good action title that could appeal to a mainstream audience while existing comfortably outside that very mainstream. Dan Dare #2 (Virgin; by Troy): I thought that the first issue kind of drug in spots, which is understandable in terms of exposition but deadly in terms of a fresh start. However, I enjoyed the second issue a great deal more. Ennis and Erskine juxtapose the character progressions with action in the proper ratio and keep things moving. Erskine’s work is going to be the first thing that most people batten onto, primarily because it’s sharply done. But I think that Ennis is doing an equally good job; he’s so well-known for the more over-the-top elements of his work that it’s strangely refreshing to see him show some restraint and still be wildly creative. Best Shots is brought to you by Newsarama, ShotgunReviews.com and Shots in the Dark, our internet radio show. Check out www.shotgunreviews.com, www.shotgunreviews.com/shots and www.myspace.com/shotgunreviews.com at your leisure. Last edited by Troy Brownfield : 03-11-2008 at 02:13 AM. |
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03-10-2008, 10:59 AM
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#2 |
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loved NEW FRONTIER so good i might buy 2! ( first post)
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03-10-2008, 11:10 AM
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#3 |
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Have to disagree on Cable. This book was a little more than I expected, and what I expected was two future-soldiers gunning for each other. Adding the "great flood of 2012" and the understated future gang/militia was a very nice touch. I will be staying on this book unless the quality deteriorates. Then again, I was never much of a Cable fan growing up. In fact, I thought he was sort of stupid. So perhaps this is a book for readers like me, not Cable fans.
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03-10-2008, 11:14 AM
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#4 |
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I hate to join in mostly negative reviews.. but yeah.. The Supergirl review was accurate on many levels. The "Prevent the Awful Future" plot has been beaten to death by DC lately, and while I accept it as a staple of comic fiction, with so much of the other line doing it...
...and this being done so poorly. The books a mess, and I've been holding on for awile. I'm afraid I need to drop it. The other comments on the book were pretty much on target. |
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03-10-2008, 11:17 AM
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#5 |
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Cable Cover
Note that the cover picture associated with the Cable review is not the same cover as the comic.
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03-10-2008, 11:34 AM
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#6 |
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The Penance series was the most unintentionally hilarious thing I've read in a long time.
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03-10-2008, 11:40 AM
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#7 |
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I agree 100% with the Cable review. I want to like this book because there's potential for a good story, but it just wasn't there this issue. I think the criticism about Olivetti is fair -- although I never been a fan.
But, my main gripe was all the ________ that we had to put up with before Cable walked into that diner. The first page of this book should have been Cable walking into that diner -- I don't care to see Cable changing diapers and I don't care to see Cable take out three scrubs. As a first issue -- this was crap. That said, I think the second issue will be much better -- at least I hope so because I'm fully on for the first arc. |
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03-10-2008, 11:53 AM
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#8 |
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What was Penance's explanation for the costume? I thought it was just that his powers were derived from pain.
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03-10-2008, 12:03 PM
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#9 | |
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Quote:
Not even a trace of sarcasm? Wow. |
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03-10-2008, 12:14 PM
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#10 |
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I agree 100% with the Cable review. Very disappointing, and to make it worse the issue took me less than 5 minutes to read. Not a good start from a writer I don't know, and so I won't be buying any more issues.
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03-10-2008, 12:17 PM
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#11 | |
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Quote:
What are they planning to do with the character? JLA? Nope. Titans? Nope. High school? Nope. Even Raven can seemingly handle more than 1 day of high school. I swear, if Blue Beetle gets the axe and this book continues as it is...okay, all i have is empty threats. But it would still be awful. |
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03-10-2008, 12:27 PM
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#12 | |
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death of supergirl again
Quote:
What this Superman needed was a noble fledgling Supergirl that didn't hate him want to kill him. We don't need a Kara Hilton. Just like we didn't need Blob Proty 2 Supergirl or goth angel supergirl. The true tragedy of Supergirl's death in Crisis was how she was going to keep coming back like bad acid reflux. Oh well, maybe we can just wait One More Day... |
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03-10-2008, 12:31 PM
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#13 | |
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Quote:
There was one particular scene i was very pleased with. I don't know if it has happened before, but FINALLY the giant Celestial in the middle of San Fransisco, a product of Gaiman's Eternals miniseries, is referred to AND shown! I was beginning to wonder if that was just turning into a non-event or if they were really going to do something with it. Now there's a glimmer of hope. |
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03-10-2008, 12:43 PM
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#14 | ||||
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Quote:
Couldn't agree with you more. Kick-ass. I hope if they re-release Absolute New Frontier, they include this chapter. The review is spot on in my opinion. Quote:
Well that's me. I loved this book. Risso is one of my favorite artists (when is Borderline vol 2. coming out?) so much so that i bought both color and black and white editions. Can't wait for this story to continue. Quote:
Again couldn't agree more, Scott is one of the best young artists we have out there. His last work (When Spoiler was Robin IV) was almost 3 years ago! and he's sorely been missed. Hope there is more Scott coming up, in the meantime this is enough to slate my Scott-Art thirst Quote:
Again this review is also dead on point. Love the fact that anytime a mini-series finishes a character is moved forward and more developed (see Secret War). This last issue was just as satisfying as any. The twists and turns along the way were great. Good work by Jenkins. All in all a good week for books (End League 2 was kick-ass). One request though, anyway we can get Northlanders reviewed? That book is too good to go under the radar, even for being a Vertigo book. |
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03-10-2008, 12:59 PM
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#15 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
 When I first read the setup for this series, I actually said to myself, "Wasn't that Nomad's schtick?" Anyways, it's disappointing to hear all the bad press for this issue. I'm not a Cable fan, nor an X-Force fan either, but this scenario did sound pretty interesting; a sort of "stay one step ahead of danger," always on the run situation which I thought might be worthwhile. Oh well, I guess you can't win em all! |
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03-10-2008, 01:11 PM
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#16 |
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Penance was a disappointment to me. This issue could be considered good, but it doesn't make up for the fact the entire series was absolutely terrible, ignores all continuity and makes little to no sense in every conceivable way. Still no explanation for the great pains he went to steal the Zeus.
Why spend months memorizing nuclear launch codes (howd he become an expert hacker and access these codes in the first place?), track down Norman's old buddy and get his help and then go and fakea nuke launch to get the T-bolts to leave the Zeus unguarded just to steal it? He could have just walked down to the hanger bay, blew the door open and took the damn thing in the first place. It wasn't exactly the most heavily guarded item, especially from an official T-Bolt member. When does this story take place? I guess before Namor and the whole Atlantean honour guard took up residence at Castle Doom? How did he track Nitro to Doom's castle anyways, since Namor obviously must have taken Nitro to Doom's place. It's not exactly public knowledge and I doubt anyone even knows he's there to get even a rumour of it. Oh wait, it's before Ellis' run on T-bolts since Bullseye is still up and walking about in issue 1. Oh no, that's wrong, it's after that because in the second T-bolts arc by Ellis, Penance doesn't even have furniture or lights in his room and is a complete wreck. I wonder if he had the furniture, weekly trips to a cafe outside the base and the numbers fixation plus some new time warping powers before Ellis took over the book and this is supposed to be a prequel to that run. Oh wait, Jenkins just writes whatever he wants, just like in every other book or mini, and completely ignores continuity or even common sense. That explains it. So ya, I guess if you want to see Bleedball get blown up over and over and then beat up Nitro while Dr freaking Doom cow tows to the unredeemable emo Speedball character and lets him tear up his castle home and do whatever the hell he wants, something he never lets anyone do, not even gods, then ya, this was probably a great book and series for you. |
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03-10-2008, 01:11 PM
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#17 | ||
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Quote:
That's a typo: the JL of A issues are #0 and #8 -- #12. Quote:
Or it could indicate that they know they should provide a decent page count for the price of a hardcover book. Or, since for whatever reason, they didn't include #0 in the first collection, they figured they better get it in here with the rest of Meltzer's run. Or... |
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03-10-2008, 01:13 PM
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#18 | |
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Quote:
That's curious...there's no baby on that cover. But there is a baby on the printed cover. Was the baby drawn in as an afterthought? That would explain why it's so ridiculously tiny on the cover. |
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03-10-2008, 01:29 PM
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#19 |
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Cable #1
So, they ruined Bishop for this?
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03-10-2008, 02:06 PM
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#20 |
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The New Frontier one-shot and Buffy were indeed top picks of the week, but I also wanted to mention the two others that were stand-outs, IMO: Terry Moore's Echo #1 and Teen Titans Y1 #3. Both of these were great reads with gorgeous art.
Last week was a good week for comics! |
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03-10-2008, 02:37 PM
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#21 |
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The resolution of the Penance miniseries was like a wet dream for the sadistic. It felt very wrong.
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03-10-2008, 02:40 PM
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#22 |
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Is no one going to review the first Gale issue of Amazing Spider-Man? It was all kinds of awful. On another note, Green Lantern is just too good to not buy.
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03-10-2008, 03:01 PM
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#23 |
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Cable #1
I thought Cable #1 was solid. The series is off to a good start, in my opinion.
I have liked Cable (and Bishop) since the day they were introduced. I am glad to see them at the front of the action again. And hopefully one day Bishop will see that his future isn't absolute...and he can become a rational good guy again. I am always a sucker for time travel stories, though...so that is probably why I like these two characters as I do. |
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03-10-2008, 03:31 PM
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#24 |
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As a character, I don't think Bishop can be "fixed" by having him realize that he's wrong. That just makes him an idiot who tried to kill a baby who just happens to be the "mutant messiah" and risked killing the X-Men (including the x-kids) all for nothing. Unless he's temporarily crazy or being mind-controlled, I can't see how he's redeemed without being right about the baby. Whether the baby's future actions are intentional or accidental, it has to be inevitable that this baby will cause the horrors of his future and needs to die to prevent it. Otherwise, I think Bishop is unusable as a hero.
Last edited by iceman06 : 03-10-2008 at 03:55 PM. |
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03-10-2008, 03:31 PM
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#25 |
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I haven't laughed so hard as I did during Buffy 12 in a while. That was brilliant.
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