posted
^Whew. You just made my day, Lardy! I thought for sure I missed #2 and my CBS never got it or something. I officially added it to my pull a week ago so I should have it.
Glad to hear you got it and enjoyed it! It's yet another example of what you've been saying for months--hell, years now--that Image is just knocking it out of the park with dense, original independent comics.
I can't recommend this enough to anyone looking for something unique and high quality.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wonder Woman (first series) #228 through #243 World’s Finest #244 through #250 DC Collectors Edition #C-54: Superman vs. Wonder Woman DC Special Series #9: Wonder Woman Spectacular
Cover dates: February 1977 through May 1978
Primary writers: Gerry Conway, Martin Pasko, Jack C. Harris (single issues by Brennert and O’Niel)
Primary artists: Jose Delbo, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and Don Heck (with stories and covers contributed by Ayers, Brown, Buckler, Chan, Ditko, Heath Nasser, Sherman, Staton, Tuska, and Vosburg).
Instead of reviewing a single comic, I am presenting a review of a frequently overlooked “era” for Wonder Woman. It was published in the 1970s. DC Comics featured the adventures of the Earth 2 Wonder Woman, in the 1940’s, to coincide with the World War II setting of the first season of the Wonder Woman television series. The timing of the switch was a bit unfortunate for the comic audience. Wonder Woman had emerged from the mod era of the early 70s, had successfully finished a series of trials to regain her membership to the Justice League of America, and her boyfriend, Steve Trevor, had just been resurrected. He was assuming a new identity as Steve Howard. A number of fans wrote to the letters’ pages expressing disappointment at not being able to see these developments fully explored.
The conventional wisdom of the 1970s DC Universe was that the stories originally published in the 1940s, had been ret conned to become the adventures of the Earth 2 characters. That wisdom did not hold up well with this move. The Earth 2 Wonder Woman, presented here, was quite different from the Wonder Woman who appeared in the early issues of Sensation Comics and her own magazine. Many of the changes reflected the continuity of the television series. Wonder Woman wore a costume that was identical to that of the 1970s character, with short bathing suit type pants instead of a skirt or longer, more modest shorts. Her hair was straight. She transformed from Diana Prince through the use of a magical spinning technique rather than a super fast change of clothing. Steve Trevor now had brown hair, like the actor Lyle Wagoner, instead of his traditional blond. He was also a Navy Major instead of an Army intelligence officer. Diana herself became a Navy yeoman instead of an Army nurse and Lieutenant. Etta Candy was an efficient military clerk instead of a humorous college student. General Darnell was no longer Steve’s boss. He was replaced by the General Blankenship, from the television series.
NBC cancelled the Wonder Woman television series, after the first season, in spite of fairly decent ratings. This decision was made largely as a result of the expense involved with creating the World War II setting. ABC quickly picked up the series and changed the setting to the 1970s in order to avoid those expenses for the second and third seasons. Comic book fans were treated to a comparatively larger volume of WWII era stories because of a lag in production time and some experimentation with comic book formats. Along with the regular monthly series, the Earth 2 Wonder Woman appeared in a back up series in the World’s Finest dollar comic and her very own full-length dollar comic special. She co-starred with the Earth 2 Superman in a tabloid-sized special. A crazy bit of editorial decision-making gave her a defining role in the World’s Finest 250th anniversary issue. The modern day Superman, Batman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow traveled to Earth 2, in the 1940s, to team up with Wonder Woman.
[ July 05, 2010, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: Jerry ]
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Villains: There was a mix. There were new Nazi themed villains like the Red Panzer, Baron Blitzkrieg, Armageddon, and Agent Axis. Plus lots of generic Nazi’s and some appearances by Hitler himself. There were some new non Nazi super villains like Osira and Bouncer. There some new takes on classic Wonder Woman villains like Cheetah, the Duke of Deception, Dr. Psycho, and Paula Von Gunther.
Cameos: There were brief cameo appearances by most members of the Justice Society of America. There were full-fledged team ups with Sandman, Dr. Midnight, and the Flash (Jay Garrick). Most delightful, for me, was the two-part team up with Sgt. Rock and Easy Company in World’s Finest. Historical figures such as FDR, Winston Churchill and General Macarthur also made appearances.
The biggest team up was, of course, with the Earth 2 Superman in the tabloid. The battle scenes between the two heroes, as illustrated by Garcia-Lopez, were iconic. To this day, some of the images from that story define, for me, how Wonder Woman should look. Diana’s motivation in the battle was a defining point for the character, as well. She was adamantly opposed to the United States gaining nuclear weapons.
The run had a bookend team ups between the Wonder Woman of Earth 1 and the Wonder Woman of Earth 2. These team ups served to introduce the transitions and changes in direction for the main book. These two issues were perhaps the most disappointing, because the technical accidents that lead to the Earth I Wonder Woman crossing Earth’s and back in time made little sense. The Wonder Woman of Earth 2 had to have her memory of the meetings wiped on both occasions.
My Thoughts and Opinions: I enjoy reading Wonder Woman stories. Sometimes I feel like a minority of one. It appears to me, that most Wonder Woman fans are disappointed in the stories that are published. Each new writer is vehemently criticized. Each change of direction is dismissed. Part of that disappointment seems to relate to the high expectations fans have for the character. Wonder Woman, as a character, captures the imagination. She is supposed to be the comic’s preeminent female super hero. A lot of baggage comes with that position. It seems that the stories never measure up for many fans. DC editorial is frequently criticized for not giving the character the support she deserves.
The Earth 2 stories have plenty of flaws. Much of a reader’s enjoyment of them will depend on his or her opinion of the writing at DC during the 70s. The formula was pretty well established. These stories are as good (or bad) as anything else DC was publishing at the time. There was strange science, melodrama, and a bit of preachiness. There were frequent quick resolutions to the outlandish threats. There were also creators who seemed to care about the character. They wanted her to be seen as a hero. They wanted her stories to be interesting, and they gave it a great effort. There were a variety of artistic styles, anchored by the consistency of Jose Delbo who returned time and again to the series. Most notably, after relinquishing the art chores to Bob Brown, who died after finishing only one issue. Delbo picked up again with the next issue and remained with Wonder Woman well into her return to Earth 1 adventures. The covers were great, particularly Garcia-Lopez’s cover to the dollar size DC Special.
It’s hard for me to pick a favorite era of Wonder Woman stories. There is something unique to each. This era is certainly no less fun or memorable than most others for the Amazing Amazon. It does speak to the question of whether DC has supported Wonder Woman. They took full advantage of the opportunity to support the television series and to take advantage the marketing opportunities it presented. It may not have been perfect, but nobody can say that the effort wasn’t there.
[ July 05, 2010, 10:10 PM: Message edited by: Jerry ]
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Chief Taylor: From the Roundtable:
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: - You definitely have to review those Ghost Rider trades! I've considered picking them up myself but have not yet. One fresh recommendation from you will tip me that way since you haven't let me down yet!
With the prospect of my CBS having a big back issue sale on FCBD, I felt the time was right to finally read the first Jason Aaron Ghost Rider trade "Hell Bent and Heaven Bound", which I'd snagged last year and was saving for whenever the mood hit. The combo of the recent mention above and the knowledge that my CBS has most of the subsequent issues beyond the first trade made the timing right.
And you know what? Aaron delivers once again! You KNOW the guy can write when he can take one of the Marvel characters I've had the least affinity for over the years (not to mention a lack of any definitive creative run on the character, IMO) and make me enjoy the heck out of it!
Let me qualify this a little. There are two things that may be viewed as hindrances to your enjoyment of this trade: 1) The story itself is incomplete. This is clearly Book One of the longer arc that Aaron is telling and is more like a set-up for what is to come than a story with a beginning, middle and end. 2) The beginning or the impetus for the plot itself occurred before this trade under another writer. I think Aaron catches us up on what we really need to know, however, so the second is probably less a hindrance than the first. Heck, I'll help ya out with the second myself---Read on!
So we begin Aaron's story with our protagonist Johnny Blaze reeling from the revelation that everything he knew about his spirit of vengeance was wrong. He's learned that rather than getting his powers and role from Hell, the source of everything he's gone through is actually an angel from Heaven using Johnny as a tool. This angel, Zadkiel, is actually following in Satan's footsteps and is staging a second coup against God and looks to be closer to pulling it off than Satan ever was. Somehow, in ways that are unknown, Johnny is an unwilling pawn in Zadkiel's plan and always has been.
So that's where Aaron picks up. Johnny is mad as hell <pun intended> and is looking for a way to find a way to get to Zadkiel and exact his vengeance against the entity whom he now knows is resposible for all his misery. Thing is, Johnny has no idea how to get to Heaven and confront him and is grasping at straws. "Hell Bent and Heaven Bound" is basically the story of the first two stops Johnny takes on that quest.
On the surface this comes off as kind of a retread of the overall arc of Garth Ennis's Preacher, and their are some definite similarities on the surface. Aaron's humorous touches and knack for violent moments mirror Ennis's quite a bit. There's a bit with a cannibal that feels very Ennis-esque, for example. But I'd say so far there are enough differences and unique touches to distinguish it enough for me to overlook the similarities.
One thing I really liked about Aaron's work here is that he gives Johnny a voice and an attitude that don't make him feel generic. Johnny's really rough-and-tumble and has really no room for melodrama. I suppose some could argue he's cut from the same badass cloth as other grim-and-gritties like Dirty Harry or the Punisher, but there's a voice to him that feels fresh irregardless. Since Johnny never made any real impression on me before, I'd say that's a definite step up.
This trade is absolutely packed with action! That can sometimes be a bad thing, but here I'd say it serves the character and the nature of the plot very well. It definitely leans toward the horror side but is peppered with plentiful helpings of dark humor. I mean we've got the cannibal character, killer ghosts haunting a stretch of highway, a Christian priest turned Satanist mass murderer, a killer who tries to save his victims' souls and, best of all--a horde of relentless killer nurses! All in one trade!
The art? Not the best I've ever seen, but overall, I liked it. Both artists suit the mood of the story very well. Both are a little scratchy and prone to ugly facial features and body types, but it serves the stories very well. I doubt anyone would want pin-ups of any given page, but it works.
What unifies it all is a pretty cool style of coloring. It's what I'd describe as kind of a water coloring/oil painting hybrid that I have either not seen before or haven't seen much. It's a clever choice as I think more garish traditional colors may have hurt the sketchier drawing styles of the pencillers.
I think the main thing to say about this trade is that it was a fun read. There's a sense of a bigger story which may leave some dissatisfied, but think of it in terms of the title character's vehicle--Aaron is taking us on a ride on a big badass hawg that leaves a big flaming trail in its wake. It's smart, it's cool and it's wicked fun--everything a concept like Ghost Rider should always have been. I will definitely be completing the story ASAP!
Based on Lardy’s above recommendation (and a track record for fine taste in comics) and the strength of Jason Aaron’s writing (because that guy is just phenomenal), I picked up the Ghost Rider TPB Hell Bent and Heaven Bound. Throughout my entire comic book reading life, I’ve never collected Ghost Rider comics; though like many of us I suspect, I love the visual of the character. I actually did buy two issues of Spirit of Vengeance back in the early 90’s when it crossed over with Web of Spider-Man; during that era as many can recall, Ghost Rider was part of Marvel’s most popular four: Punisher, Wolverine, Spidey and he, and they appeared non-stop just about everywhere in the MU. Like the Punisher (but unlike Wolverine or Spider-Man), Ghost Rider has kind of fallen off in the last 15 years. The tendency is to kind of still get a little put-off by having him in my face all those years ago but in all actuality, he’s been a prominent part of the Marvel Universe for 4 decades now. So in a round-about way, I’m saying I like the idea of the character but never enough to buy his series.
That’s why I’m still surprised at just how much I loved this TPB! Everything about it just clicked for me and for the first time ever, I actually felt like I *got* Ghost Rider. The tone and the atmosphere of the series really felt very firm for me, in an establishing the nature of the series kind of way, and I realize I really like the idea of a Spectre-like character that is more badass and street-level.
At this point in time, I’m only 4 issues into the 6 issue TPB because there is an easy break point between the 4-issue Jason Aaron opener and a subsequent two-parter. Each has a different artist as well (I’ll get to that shortly). In a way, it’s too bad that Jason Aaron wasn’t responsible for launching this series (this is like #20 or something) because it’s a perfect opening arc for a comic book as it lays out the characters, builds a heavy momentum from the onset and then makes you curious for the larger mythos while enjoying the story you’re reading now.
What makes the story work is the masterful storytelling of Jason Aaron. This guy is simply just blowing me away these days with Scalped and now his other work that I’m discovering. He is a great storyteller in terms of pacing the story and drawing you in, as well as dialogue. But even more than that, he just has this brash, balls to the wall style that feels incredibly rugged that you can’t help but not only love, but also respect. It reminds me in a way (in terms of rugged nature) of early Frank Miller Daredevil in that respect. But Aaron isn’t about just macho, in your face manliness; rather, he’s all about character and having people make decisions and stick to them—and there is something inherently rugged about that even when that line of thinking is very flawed in certain situations.
Of course, when you’ve got a story this jam-packed with different threats (machine gun-toting nurses, cannibal descendents of other cannibals, a road of flesh-eating ghosts), you know you’ve got a winner. There is no doubt that this is just a fun trade to read whether you’re 13 years old or 63 years old.
The artist on the first arc is Roland Boschi, whose work I admit I’m not familiar with. Long story short: I think this guy is a seriously underrated artist with some real chops! The composition of the entire story makes it feel ripe with energy, popping off the page and moving things along in a very thrilling way. I was thumbing back through after my initial reading and was amazed on how each page just felt and looked so different from the next, making it very pleasing on the eye. More specific, he has a real knack for facial expressions for the smaller panels, while excels at panoramic views or larger scenes that have an epic feel to them. I see some Mike Mignola influence in his style, and almost see him as part of the larger ‘cartoony’ movement of artists making a comeback in comics (Cooke, Sale, Martin, Pulido, etc.) though he has a much sharper look to it; he kind of reminds me a bit of a grittier Frances Manupal too. Whatever the case, he’s good enough where people will be comparing artists to him shortly.
You also mention the coloring and the unique feel to it—I noticed that (perhaps because you clued me in beforehand) and I agree, it added a great little extra ‘oomph’ to the art. I liked it quite a bit. Ghost Rider’s visual allows for such great emphasis on the hellfire and the coloring really used that to its advantage.
The surprise character who came back is actually a pretty big shocker for Ghost Rider fans if I remember correctly. As someone not all that familiar with the character, it isn’t quite that shocking to me, but the sense of something quite larger happening here helps up the tension.
I’m on to the second half of the trade and I suddenly realize that it’s unfortunate that Ghost Rider got cancelled and most people never got to experience a Jason Aaron Ghost Rider run. I know I never would have thought to have bought it—a lot of it is timing and lack of marketing on Marvel’s part and just not enough buzz around Aaron just then. But if I had read this arc and there was currently an Aaron Ghost Rider series, you bet I’d be buying it. As it stands, this was good enough to make me decide to buy Aaron’s Wolverine #1 in the coming months when that comes out and I almost never buy Wolverine comics. But I’m committed to at least checking out the majority of his work no matter what universe or whatever character he’s using.
I’ll do a follow-up post on the second story.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
^And following up on the above, I read the second story arc of the first trade "There is No God on Cell Block D" which was a nice 2-parter that was very complimentary to the first story. I'm actually a big fan of trades that aren't just one big 6 part story--I've always loved how the Preacher trades incorporated one-shot issues in the beginning or end.
My first thought is that the artwork by Tan Eng Huat was okay but not as good as Roland Boschi on the first story; I've liked his artwork before elsewhere but he's not in the 'my favorite' category. He has a very 1990's/Image style with over-exaggerated forms and even though I don't mind that style, it's just not my favorite. Still, it wasn't too distracting.
What I really liked is how this storyline moved the overall plot forward in a big way while also once again providing a solid story. And the antagonist / threat was a very different one from the first story; where the first story had the pure supernatural elements / conspiratorial group going against Ghost Rider, this one had a strait-up 'big bad' for Johnny to battle. I won't say super-villain because Ghost Rider isn't really a superhero, but that's the closest description and it was good to see.
I really enjoyed this trade a lot. I'll buy the second Aaron one sometime soon to at least see where he went with the story. Again, it's a damn shame Lardy and I came to this late (and so many others never looked at it) because if an ongoing Jason Aaron Ghost Rider series was coming out now I would be incredibly excited about it.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm glad you liked it, Des! I always get a little bit of a lift when someone tries something I recommended and really digs it.
Like you, I was never really into Ghost Rider. Every character needs a writer to come along that just really nails what the character should be all about. For my money that was Jason Aaron on Ghost Rider.
I have the three subsequent trades of Aaron's Ghost Rider run. Having read 2 of those 3 (and 3 of the 4 altogether), I can say honestly that his work on the book hasn't disappointed me in delivering on the promise of that great first trade's worth of stories!
The Last Stand (the second Aaron Ghost Rider trade) has a really epic story in it that really delivers a great payoff to the larger story hinted at in the first trade. It's kind of got that Empire strikes back feel to it, if you know what I mean? (No...Johnny Blaze doesn't get frozen in carbonite! ) It expands the story, we finally get to meat Zadkiel and see what he's up to and Blaze gets a supporting cast. There are a lot of jaw-droppingly cool moments. The only thing slightly disappointing was that the dark humor is toned down a little. It's there, but maybe a little less prominent than in the first trade. But the story doesn't disappoint at all. I especially loved the new Ghost Riders we meet in the course of this storyline.
What kind of dragged The Last Stand down at the beginning for me, though, was its reintroduction of characters from the Danny Ketch iteration of the character. I mean, it makes sense since Ketch is involved heavily in the story, but not knowing who Blackout, Caretaker and some of the other characters are took me out of it a little bit. Luckily, that's really just in the first couple issues that comprise the trade. The remaining four issues just barrel on and fit in really well with what is established in the last trade. Those issues really are what this book is all about and knock it out of the park!
The art is by Tan Eng Huat, who I first noticed years ago on one of the numerous Doom Patrol relaunches. He also did the last couple of stories in the first Aaron GR trade. Anyhow, I liked his style wherever I've seen it. It's similar to the style used by Roland Boschi as described by Cobie above. I think I like it a little better than Boschi's style, but that may be because I'm more familiar with Huat's.
The third Aaron Ghost Rider trade Trials and Tribulations is a bit disappointing. Not because aaron loses his touch or anything, but because only three of the five stories within it are his. There are only three Aaron stories to bridge The Last Stand and the final volume Heavens on Fire, so Marvel fills in the trade with an annual that was written by someone else and a reprint of an issue of Johnny Blaze's original Ghost Rider series. Neither extra story sucks exactly, but they are what they are.
The Aaron's stories are three one-offs that kind of bridge the second and fourth trades with standalone stories that give the characters separate adventurers while setting up their frames of mind for the upcoming final act. The scene-stealer among the three is the story with Ketch vs. the Highwayman, literally the trucker from Hell! The dark humor I was missing from Last Stand is definitely back in this story!
I really enjoyed seeing Tony Moore's art on these stories! Tony, I best know from his being the artist on the original 6 issues of The walking Dead. Seeing him draw some more extravagant supernatural stuff here was a real treat. These particular stories really suit Moore's strengths very well, I think. I'd really like to see more of his stuff--where's he hiding these days?!?
Anyway, if you can just snag the three pertinent issues instead of this trade, I'd recommend it. If you get the trade, make sure you get a bargain (like I did) and don't pay the full $12.99 cover price. I suppose you could even skip the Aaron issues contained herein because none are absolutely essential to the larger story, but I'd certainly recommend getting them.
Next up is the last volume Heavens on Fire. I'm sure I'll be reading it fairly soon, but I don't want to rush it. I want to savor it as its the end of a brilliant run, y'know? Des, you'll be pleased to know that Buschi is back for that one!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: Okay, I stopped by my back-up CBS today to get some Lone Ranger back issues and made an impulse buy where I totally succumbed to the nostalgia of my youth. I actually went and picked up Shadowhawk #1 by Image Comics.
I know what you're thinking: Cobie, are you crazy? But hold, faithful, lurker! You may have seen me speak of this before but when I was 12-14, and Image Comics was just starting, Shadowhawk was my favorite! When my father decided we were canceling all Image Comics after like the 3rd or 4th month, I pleaded my case and was able to keep both Shadowhawk and Spawn. I've always had a soft spot for Shadowhawk ever since. It was my gritty comic of my youth.
So, where does that leave me now? Well, the premise is the original Shadowhawk is back, after dying 10 years ago (after having AIDS when that was a serious new thing for comics). The premise itself is enough to excite me.
The execution, on the other hand, was merely "okay". Not bad, mind you, but not anything really spectacular. Putting aside any rose-colored memories of the original series I may have, this new relaunch is by all new comers on the creative team whom I don't know, with Jim Valentino overseeing things. My problem is they basically write Shadowhawk as a Frank Miller Daredevil type in terms of grittiness while the artwork is a bit more superhero-y than I would have liked. They bring the question up right in the comic: is he superhero or vigilante? I'd like them to decide and go with it.
Much too much time was spent with Shadowhawk fighting a super-villain. This is a #1--I need the supporting cast laid out and I need the entire spirit of the series established. That was a negative. How they are going to get this together since he's 'back from the dead' is beyond me but I hope they do.
They also need to remind me and show new readers what makes Shadowhawk different from Daredevil or Batman or other vigilantes. A black superhero isn't that rare anymore and I don't think he has AIDS now, so what makes him different? Let's get into that.
On the plus side, the artwork was very good, and I'm reminded why I like the characters look so much.
I'm also curious on whether they can resolve the back from the dead bit in a cool way. I'd like to see a real restoration of a cast and secret identity--if they can accomplish that, it'd be a big bonus.
Also on the plus side is that this really is the original Shadowhawk who is a no-nonsense badass. I hated when the next Shadowhawk was a young kid who was enthusiastic and naive and it basically made me stop collecting. Invincible already has that covered. The idea of a Daredevil that has crossed the line and keeps crossing it, while knowing he's done so and hating himself for it--that's a bit more intriguing to me. I'm hoping we get more of that.
I'm willing to give this series another 2 issues on nostalgia alone, which is something I wouldn't afford many other comics, even DC and Marvels. They need to win me over, and then I'll make a decision. I *want* to like this series because I have a soft spot for the character. But he's no Spider-Man or Legion, meaning I won't buy his series just 'cuz. I need a solid delivery every issue story-wise and art-wise.
So after reading #2 I can say that this was a definite improvement for Shadowhawk. Like I said, some nostalgia for the character makes me really want to like the title, but the series is going ot have to really earn it every step of the way. #2 was certainly good enough to get me to check out #3.
That being said, I'm hoping for continued improvement as we go and the creative team to find their footing. The art here was very good and the writing better, but I felt like it could have just been a little tighter. The dialogue could have been a hair smoother.
What I really liked was when a superhero who knew the previous second ShadowHawk (there was the original, then a second, now the original again) shows up, ShadowHawk brushes her off in a pretty harsh way. It's a clear separation from the superheroics of the last version, which I felt were very bland, and the gritty, crime-comic oriented first/now version. I hope that continues as this is a title that definitely works better as a vigilante / mystery man rather than a superhero.
I think the chalk-outline serial killer is an interesting subplot and the cat-thief at the close of the issue getting caught at the crime scene is a good twist. After the first issue, I admit I was a bit dissapointed. Now after the second I'm feeling a lot better about it. We'll see what the third brings.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Finishing up my pile of comics (need to get to the CBS for the last four weeks worth), I read Image Comics Shuddertown by Nick Spencer, whose name I've been seeing quite a lot lately and Adam Green, whose name I don't recognize. This has looked like a very cool crime/detective comic that I've seen solicited from Image for a few months so I was anxious to read it, given Image's recent batting average (see mega-quality hits Walking Dead, Mice Templar, Chew, Turf, etc.).
And perhaps it was with higher than usual expectations that I felt slightly let down. This isn't a bad comic by any stretch, and I would call it 'good', but its not really 'great'.
It appears to be a very interesting crime story with some confusing twists and turns and a self-reflecting, semi-mysterious cop protagonist. Not quite noir, but within the gritty crime detective drama (where the detective is a cop, not a P.I.). While that is a great set-up, one complaint I have about the first issue is there is not quite enough bang for my buck there. It's all set-up and no twist at the end; you feel as if nothing quite happened yet. That may end up being a non-point if you're reading the trade but as a monthly, it feels a little like I'm not getting the whole thing.
The writing is pretty good with some great narration and interesting dialogue. Spencer's strength is his wordplay. One problem though is the entire issue is paced in a bit of a clunky way; its very hard to understand exactly what you're seeing. And in the middle, there is a whole sequence that makes no sense, and I'm wondering if that is a flashback or something else. Obviously, there was some miscommunication between writer & artist or something along that line.
Artwise, Adam Green is definitely in the Alex Maleev / Michael Lark school, which is an art style I like quite a bit. I think it works great with crime comics like Daredevil, Alias, Spider-Woman, Gotham Central, etc. But Green's problem is his art is not quite on par with those two great artists, and just a bit static. The images feel a bit like 'snapshots' in the same way other good artists do (Alex Ross for one) and that sometimes feels very static and lacking dynamism. It's forcing you to realize you have to turn the page yourself instead of doing it effortlessly.
Now, Green is doing the pencils, inks and colors all himself so I realize that's quite a lot of workload and perhaps he's still coming along (I only say that b/c I don't recognize his work). In fact, his ink work (I suspect done the same way as his coloring if he's doing it all) is very good and moody and adds a grittier feel to the story. The static art is more of a minor complaint but still noticeable.
I guess at the end of the day, the 'not enough bang for my buck' feeling may end up causing me not to get the second issue; (then again, I may still just grab it out of curiosity to see if things move along). I suspect that problem will disappear with the eventual trade, so TPB-buyers don't base your decision on this review and that complaint (and in fact, I'd be curious to whether someone reading the trade liked the series).
There was a lot of potential here, but also many things I found distracting and not quite right. Compared to many of Image's recent other great series (or even other great current crime comics), Shuddertown doesn't hold up right now. Hopefully it can reach its potential.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
Anyone following the Red Circle characters might want to pick this up. It unites the group, bringing them officially together as a team. The hook in this story is they are a gov't team, overseen by FEMA. With a bit of a LSH reference.
The story is solid super team intro- the team is already formed and announcing itself to the world when they are called upon to stop some rampaging Robotech wannabes. Everyone gets some time in the spotlight, giving us an idea of who they are.
The art is good, typical DC fare these days. Bright colours for superhero costumes, solid line work for facial expressions- it's pretty to look at. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
As for the LSH reference... well it seems oddly coincidental that this book came out the same week as Adventure 516 (detailing R.J. Brande's backstory.)
[ July 16, 2010, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: CJ Taylor ]
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I bought the Might Crusaders special where they came together and was not impressed. They were slapped together too easily and came across as very contrived to me. I also didn't find any of the characters appealing. It'd be a shame if the mini turns out to be a lot better because that one-shot totally turned me off.
SHADOWLAND #1 - Very little seemed to happen except that the heroes are concerned about DD heading up the Hand and using them as his muscle. Then DD uses the Hand as his muscle in a way that's supposed to be shocking to us I guess or make us think he's all dark. I hope the rest of this is better and packs more story because the first issue read like a promo for the actual story.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Moving Pictures, by Stuart and Kathryn Immonen (Top Shelf Productions)
This graphic novel tells the story of Ila, a Canadian girl who is a curator in Paris when the Nazis take over. The French are frantically cataloging and hiding their art and Ila is one of the people who does the triage, prioritizing what is to be hidden where. But the Germans are also in the race, to find and seize this great art before it leaves Paris. Although she could leave France, Ila remains. Why?
Throughout the book, Ila is brought in repeatedly for questioning by Nazi Rolf Hauptmann, who is searching for particular works of art. She is dangerously hostile, and he is unnusually accepting of her hostility. A strange relationship develops... Ila is hiding much more than paintings.
Ila's conversations are very philosophical, about art, about people disappearing like the artwork, about war - whether she's speaking with friends or being interrogated by Rolf. This makes it a book which will benefit from a second reading; there's a lot to think about, as seen through this young woman's experience.
The artwork is generally very stark, black and white; most of the panels have entirely black backgrounds, when Ila is questioned by Rolf, when she is in the museum - very well suited to the mood of the story. There are also some lovely renderings of Parisian streets and actual paintings.
posted
^FC, that sounds fascinating. Yours is the second great review of it I've read as well. I've long been a fan of Stuart Immonen's work and in recent years have come to really admire his wife's storytelling skills.
I recently purchased Strange Science Fantasy published by IDW and by Scott Morse (writing, full artwork including pencils / inks / colors). It just looked freaky-weird and I was in the mood for that. And in that sense, I was not let down!
I actually liked it quite a bit but as a disclaimer, I'd say this is pretty offbeat for anyone looking for something a little more traditional in their storytelling. I see a definite Kyle Baker influence here. I'm not familiar with Scott Morse now but I can say I'm curious to see more of his stuff.
The story is so off the wall different that I can't really summarize it. I can only say it is a surreal story that has cultural and political metaphors but also revels in being offbeat. It begins with a group of 'gearheads' who are all racecar stars who apparently go on a revolutionary rampage (not just against their fans but against the entire world), and after their leader is disfigured and becomes the enigmatic cyborg "The Headlight", they battle the military oppressors of the world, while at the same time rescuing zoo animals to create a new Noah's arc. And then it gets really weird.
The artwork is very Kyle Baker-esque but taken one level further towards the abstract. Morse also blends his coloring skills with his inks creating this very weird, reddish almost "underwater" feeling to the story. Morse also does his own lettering and the way he does it creates this feeling of rawness; the words are large and give the sense that the narrator is yelling, and almost hysterical.
The title implies its in the tradition of the great sci-fi / monster anthologies of comics past and I think thematically that is true.
Anyone looking for something really different, I'd recommend this. I wish I could do a better job describing but I'm actually a bit at a loss for words.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
For Superman: The Last Family of Krypton #1. Some spoilers.
DC has finally revived the comatose Elseworlds imprint, its last foray being, unofficially, Batman: Year 100 (although you could count the Teen Titans Lost Annual, as that was SUPPOSED to be an Elseworlds). It's honestly one of the smartest moves they've made in years, and I'm thankful for it as I am a huge fan of Elseworlds. Of course, it doesn't come close to making up for that unnatural abomination Rise of Arsenal.
The premise here is that Jor-El actually managed to get his family off of Krypton before it self-destructed, settling with Lara and Baby Kal-El on Earth. This isn't necessarily a story of humanity distrusting alien visitors, leading up to the reveal that these so-called benevolent visitors are blood thirsty butchers. It might be, but maybe not, as it is told from the point of view of the El Family.
Jor-El creates JorCorp in an effort to figure out what caused Krypton's destruction and make sure it doesn't happen on Earth, as he is haunted by the fact that he could not save everyone. Lara becomes something of a media figure, and promotes a self-help text based on Kryptonian religion called Raology. However, Kal-El becomes a media child, reaching a point where he can't go outside with his robot-nanny without being hounded by paparazzi. Lara decides the best course of action, to insure Kal-El doesn't get warped, is to live with a surrogate family (some of the choices involve Perry and Alice White, Julius and Jean Schwartz, and the Waynes), but of course, she chooses Jonathan and Martha Kent. That isn't to say Lara is dumping Kal on them, but believes it's the best thing for his welfare to be with two surrogate parents who actually love one another and have strong moral ethics. Kal lives with the Kents for, up to the book's end, six or seven years as Clark Kent, going to school with Lana Lang and Lex Luthor.
No matter what universe, or timeline, it seems that Kal, or Clark, is inevitably linked to Jonathan and Martha Kent, for better or worse. There was one Elseworlds story, "Unforgiven", where Jor-El had managed to evacuate Krypton in time and resettle on Earth. However, it reached the point where the Kryptonians were the ruling class in an almost totalitarian fashion. Rest assured though, the story is not totally one about a stereotypical revolution which leads to the Kryptonian ruling class overthrown at the end. And the circumstances are different. In Unforgiven, it was using the sterile, emotionless Krypton created in John Byrne's "Man of Steel" revamp. In this story, it uses a Jor-El and Lara based on the Silver Age, or maybe even Birthright, versions. I recall another Silver Age Imaginary Story, where Jor-El had only managed to send Lara and Kal-El to Earth, where Lara became Superwoman.
The two DO love one another, but they are not written as a couple whose love will triumph over all. They have some spats, but they can be resolved, as evident by the fact that after arguing, the two embrace and make love... IN THE SUN.
Clark has the benefit of being raised by both his parents, Earthling and Kryptonian, although his relationship with Jor-El is a little strained. That might change next issue, as we are introduced to two new siblings in the El Family by the end. In a Silver Age fashion, Clark uses his abilities to help make a science project that gets him an A, but in a more Modern Age fashion he has to deal with the fact that he can't use his powers on bullies. Jor-El berates Clark on the idea that he would come back to live with himself and Lara if it's only because he doesn't want to deal with bullies, even if Jor-El had some disbelief on Lara doing it in the first place. Jor-El wants him to know about Krypton, whereas Lara wants him to live in the REAL world, Earth, and not in Jor-El's morbid fascination with their dead homeworld.
Of course, what Superman story wouldn't be complete without Lex Luthor, who shows up at Clark and Lara's school as a smart, and snobbish, student who uses his science fair project to embarrass his science teacher. Jor-El and reps from JorCorp show up because Luthor has managed to demonstrate his staggering intellect to Jor-El, and even gloats that he's probably smarter than Kal-El (not aware they're classmates).
I was a bit disappointed this wasn't in prestige format, but who cares? ELSEWORLDS!
-------------------- I want to be hated by lies - Bring Back Lian Harper
posted
So at the beginning of last month, I bought five Marvel #1s. Four of these, I bought because my comic book guy was running a $1 apiece special on them. Of those four, there was only one I had been planning to possibly buy before I knew about the special sale. The fifth (non-sale item) was one I was 90% sure I was going to buy because I'd read an intriguing article on it. So I ended up getting four $1 first issues for the cost of what just one of them would have cost me for the same price as all were $4 comics. The fifth, I paid the regular full price for as planned.
I took all five home with me and finally got around to reading them all tonight, over a month later. My thoughts:
1) Casanova is the one I paid the regular price for based on the article I'd read. It's written by Matt fraction and illustrated by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon and published under Marvel's creator-owned Icon imprint.
This one intrigued me because I'd heard it was spoken highly of, and although Fraction isn't one of my favorite writers, I enjoyed his early issues of Iron Man. From experience I know that many writers really tend to show their passion and talent on creator-owned projects. This one in particular is actually a reprinting and remastering (with new backup stories) of a series previously published by Image.
Another big draw was Ba's involvement. Though I personally found Umbrella Academy disappointing storywise, I did appreciate Ba's work on that book a lot.
I found the book pretty fascinating. It's kind of like a SHIELD vs. Hydra book with the main character being kind of a merc working in between the two. But add in alternate dimensions to the equation, and it becomes something less familiar. Really, it's hard to describe at this point, and I think that's a good thing!
It's kind of sci-fi/futuristic, a little Grant Morrison-esque in high concept and trippiness with a lot of super-spy genre thrown in. It definitely demands a close read but is also entertaining.
Volume One is called "Luxuria" and volumes apparently alternate artists between Ba and his freqent artistic collaborator Fabio Moon. Volumes one and two are the reprints, and thereafter the series will produce all new volumes thereafter with the artists continuing to alternate. Meanwhile, Moon illustrates the all-new backups in Luxuria", while Ba will do the backups in Volume Two.
I saw enough to make me glad I picked up issue 2 last week without having yet read the first issue. I anticipate buying all of "Luxuria" at the very least. A promising start!
2) Scarlet was the dollar issue that I was most likely to buy even before I knew about the special because Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev were the creators, and I enjoyed their work on Daredevil. Like Casanova, this one's creator-owned and published thru Icon.
From the get-go, Maleev's art didn't disappoint. It looks like his style has evolved since his time on Daredevil so that it's even more appealing in its beautiful grittiness. His work here gets incredibly high marks from me.
I'm more ambivalent about Bendis's script. He literally has the eponymous character talking to us and looking at us through the fourth wall. That definitely takes some getting used to, especially in a gritty book like this one. She doesn'yt go so far as to refer to us as "comic book readers" or say anything like "wait'll you see page 12!", but many of the panels show her looking at us and talking to us. Actually, the dialogue boxes for when she does so are shaped differently from the ones where she engages with other characters.
I'm not sure how I feel about that, really. It kind of grew on me as the issue progressed, but I'm not sure how novel it will feel a few issues on. What bugs me more about the technique is it seems to hamper Maleev a bit when he has to constantly have Scarlet facing us so often page after page. Maleev is game for this, but I'd rather he had more of a chance to show action and acting than have so many shots of her looking at "the camera".
Otherwise, it's kind of a ho-hum corrupt cop ruins characters lives origin story with a few inventive scenes to help us get a sense of the character. What's more interesting is that this story is somehow leading to the character eventually starting a revolution somehow in her rebellion against the wrongs done to her. It's hard to see how it goes there in the issue itself, but Bendis makes it clear this is the direction in the letters page and bonus material that completes the book.
It's kind of disappointing to have to get this from the bonus material, but at least it tells you it won't just be your basic revenge story. I think there's a large chance that I'll buy issue 2 to see how the story develops. Doesn't hurt that I love the Maleev art.
3) Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier was a book I was highly unlikely to buy, but the dollar enticed me. I was a big fan of Brubaker's run on Captain America but had become disenchanted with Reborn and the immediate stories that followed and had recently stopped buying it.
Super-Soldier wasn't a bad book at all, but the story didn't exactly grab me. We have here yet ANOTHER attempt to replicate the super-soldier formula that made Cap what he is, this time with the intent to sell it to the highest unfriendly foreign bidder.
It benefits from Dale Eaglesham's polished art and Brubaker's firm grasp of both Steve Rogers and the spy genre. But I didn't see enough to justify dropping 4 bucks a pop on the remaining issues of this mini(?)-series. Maybe I'm just too disenchanted with Brubaker's Cap at this point to really appreciate it? Hard to say with complete lack of partiality.
4) Avengers: The Children's Crusade was a project I was considering but would ultimately have more likely trade-waited on if I ended up getting it at all. I liked what I'd read of the original Young Avengers series by these returning co-creators, Heinberg and Cheung. But having never finished the series and knowing it's kind of been in Purgatory ever since, made me less likely to by the new series as it came out.
Now, however, I'm more likely to continue buying the it off the stands! First, I remember really liking Cheung's style on YA, but DAMN!--it's flat-out gorgeous here! All that detail and clarity reminds me of Art Adam's salad days. It also evokes early Chris Bachalo, Mark Buckingham and even Olivier Coipel at times. I think it has all of those influences but isn't trying to ape any of them particularly. The coloring also works very well with the art to create a gorgeous package.
I also liked the story. Really, it was all set-up with very little happening 'til the last page. But that was probably necessary for lapsed readers like me and to give Heinberg a chance to get a grasp on his characters again before rushing on.
It's also nice that they're finally going to do something about the Scarlet Witch's status after being virtually unseen since House of M. Dare I hope, they might even redeem her? I hope so because I really like Wanda. In any case it looks like our cast might be among the most natural to resolve her story at last.
Anyhow, the characters and situations speak to me and evoke that elusive "Avenger-y" feeling that I've had trouble finding in stories that carry the title. I will most definitely get issue 2 and see if it will continue to persuade me to spend $4 on this comic!
5) Shadowland was very unlikely to be a purchase without the deal (probably the least likely), and this issue didn't make my prejudice feel unjustified. I'd dropped Diggle's Daredevil a couple of months ago as I did Cap. It was pretty much the same situation as Cap where I'd just lost interest in the direction.
This comic just didn't really pull me in at all. The threat was kinda vague, and we see another confrontation DD/Bullseye confrontation. Though the outcome would seem a shocker, I just groaned and wondered how fast it would be reversed or explained away. The art wasn't horrible, but I'd seen better, more evocative artists working on the main title with Diggle before I dropped it. Comparatively, Tan's arc lacked mood or the nuiance of Diggle's other collaborators, which were the only regrets I had when I left DD.
Again, I may be jaded becuase I recently dropped the book, but other reviews I've seen of this issue tend to agree with me to varying degrees. This looks tremendously overblown, and I pity those who decide to pick up every single tie-in to this thing.
Overall, not a bad haul of number 1s in that trip. Three that will definitely get at least another issue of my money, one that was marginal for a possible trade buy and only one that was a definite dud.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Lardy, that’s really cool of your CBS to do that promotion! It certainly is something that would have got me to buy them (I generally *always* buy a comic that is $1.00 just for the hell of it).
Just some random thoughts on your post:
I was able to get Scarlet and just read it, and plan to review the comic in the post after this.
I did not get Casanova though I kind of wish I did. I was picking up 6 weeks worth of comics and then questioned myself when I picked it up and put it back on the rack. Now, after your post, I’m thinking of at least grabbing #1. Fraction is a very hit or miss writer for me; however, Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon are terrific and I’m loving Daytripper quite a bit, and loved Umbrella Academy. (I believe they are brothers). Your post may have convinced me to sample #1.
Even though I’ve been a vocal supporter of the most recent Cap stories by Brubaker, I actually might pass on the Steve Rogers mini. Why? Well, something about it just screams “trickery” to me in that there doesn’t seem like a real reason to have a Cap series with Bucky and a second Cap series with Steve. I can’t explain it. Sometimes I feel the big 2 take advantage of me and I just need to draw the line. I still plan on collecting and reading the real Cap series, but will likely pass on this one. Your review has only confirmed this for me. Meanwhile, I do plan on getting Roger Stern’s Young Allies mini and the Patriot mini.
Young Avengers I already posted in that thread.
Shadowland is another one I’m really on the fence with. I almost feel like if there wasn’t a zillion tie-ins, I would have gotten this. But the fact that the solicits take 20 minutes to get through all the Shadowland tie-ins just kind of makes me cringe. I still plan on collecting and reading Daredevil as I always have, but wonder if I can skip this? I may buy the first issue of Shadowland for the help of it. I may skip it. I certainly am not getting any of the tie-ins with the possible exception of Power Man and only because its written by Fred Van Lente.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic | Subscribe To Topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
There is no doubt that this is just a fun trade to read whether you’re 13 years old or 63 years old.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
) It expands the story, we finally get to meat Zadkiel and see what he's up to and Blaze gets a supporting cast. There are a lot of jaw-droppingly cool moments. The only thing slightly disappointing was that the dark humor is toned down a little. It's there, but maybe a little less prominent than in the first trade. But the story doesn't disappoint at all. I especially loved the new Ghost Riders we meet in the course of this storyline.
