Justice League #18 - A Review

It is an odd thing that Justice League #18's greatest strength is also its' greatest weakness.  The early scenes where the core members of the Justice League are discussing recent events and their need to expand the team in the wake of some extensive disasters are well-paced character-building moments.  Yet the later scenes - where the potential recruits are brought in to mix and mingle with the team - seem rushed and forced in comparison.  There are too many players on the stage in this moment and it proves beyond even Geoff Johns' ability to balance a large ensemble to manage these moments. 


The back-up story involving the origin of Shazam continues to limp along.  I'm still not fond of this revamp of the classic Captain Marvel concept but there are some good moments here - chief among them the scene where Billy's foster brothers and sisters go searching for him to offer an encouraging word.  I wish Johns would decided on a tone for the series at large, as the opening scenes with the villainous rich man Mr. Bryer are far too melodramatic to be taken seriously in anything other than a classic Captain Marvel comic yet the general tone of the series has been darker and grittier. 


While I may grouse about the stories, I cannot complain about the artwork.  Everything here looks gorgeous.  Gary Frank makes Shazam appear far better than it has any right to.  And Jesus Saiz, who illustrates the Justice League section of the book, deserves to be assigned to one title rather than doing fill-in jobs on a variety of books.

Sword Of Sorcery #1-3 - A Review

I've somehow managed to go three months without reviewing what is easily the best original anthology comic released in recent memory.  I thought I had reviewed the first issue, but hadn't.  I just recently bought a copy of the second issue.  And the third issue came out this past week.  Know then that I only review these books together as a means of catching myself up and not because each issue isn't worthy of individual attention.

The main focus of Sword of Sorcery continues to be Christy Marx's revival of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld.  Over the past three issues, Marx has slowly given us glimpses of The Gemworld. it's people and its' politics.  There are a number of houses, all with their own functions and magical powers.  There's allegiances, treachery and all manner of drama to equal anything one might find in the Game of Thrones series.  Imagine Tamora Pierce writing She-Ra and you might have some idea of what this book is like.


We've seen this sort of thing before in countless books, comics and cartoons aimed at young adults.  The hero raised in seclusion by one parent or a foster parent.  They discover the power that is their birthright as a teenager.  They learn of the villain seeking their destruction, because they are destined to overthrow them or take their power.  It's all very Joseph Campbell but Marx infuses this title with enough humor and personality to keep it fresh, though some of the fish-out-of-water humor as Amy adjusts to life in a fantasy world is equally familiar.

Thankfully, the artwork by Aaron Lopresti and Claude St. Aubin is always fresh and exciting.  Most recently seen on Justice League International and Green Lantern Corps respectively, both artists make use of thin pencils and light inks to give this book an open, hopeful appearance. Coupled with the vibrant palette utilized by Hi-Fi, this remains one of the best looking series on the shelves.



Less impressive is the back-up series Beowulf by Tony Bedard.  While the concept of re-imagining Beowulf as a genetically-engineered super-soldier in a post-apocalyptic future is a novel one, the novelty of the concept quickly wore off.  This story might have been serviceable as a one-shot but as a serial, it drags for anyone who knows the original story and can see this is all going even before the monster Grendel's "mother" appears to explain it all for everyone who hasn't read the original epic.  The gorgeous artwork of Jesus Saiz is wasted here.


Despite the back-up being a bit boring, the revival of Amethyst makes interesting reading and thus makes this book worth the buying.  The whole series is available for digital download if your local comic shop doesn't have any back issues.  It's well worth the tracking down and catching-up - believe me!

Sword Of Sorcery #0 - A Review

Nearly 10 years ago, I suggested that DC Comics should look into reviving the much beloved Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld series.

It took them a while but someone is finally listening to me. ;)



All kidding aside, I could hardly have asked for a better comic than this had it been custom-made to my specifications. I'm a life-long fan of the sword-and-sorcery genre and my favorite original series out of all the New 52 books has been Demon Knights. But even ignoring my own bias, this is a great book that has a lot to offer a variety of readers.



The greater portion of this issue is devoted toward the aforementioned revival of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. We see little of the titular Gemworld but we do get a strong introduction to our heroine - Amy Winston a.k.a. Princess Amaya. Hidden away on Earth from her evil aunt, Amy has been raised on the run and trained as a warrior by her mother. This has made it difficult for young Amy to make friends but left her a good sense of who can be trusted and made her more than capable of defending herself from bullies and worse. As the hour of her 17th birthday approaches, Amy and her mother make the journey back to their homeworld - the other-dimensional planet known as Gemworld. The homecoming is not a smooth once, however, and Amy finds herself pressed into battle far sooner than her mother had hoped.

Writer Christy Marx breathes new life into this classic concept and I'm hard pressed to think of another writer who could have done so grand a job. Best known for her work as a writer on a number of cartoons and computer games, Marx is no stranger when it comes to writing strong-willed young women with a connection to a gem. And if you think I'm about to make a comment about this book being "truly outrageous"... well, you've been reading my reviews too long. Punning and referential humor aside, Marx establishes Amy as a sympathetic, no-nonsense heroine fairly quickly while still infusing the book with her trademark humor.


Aaron Lopresti, most recently of Justice League International, does a fine job of depicting both the mundane and the mystical elements of Marx's script. It is unclear at present if this new series will stick to the classic idea of Amy living a double-life, half on Earth and half in Gemworld. If it does stick to the old ways, it is nice to know it will be in the hands of an artist who can draw a brawl behind the bleachers as well as a battle with a horde of armored knights. Surprisingly few artists are able to show that kind of diversity but Lopresti proves successful in that regard.

The second story in this issue presents a post-apocalyptic take upon a classic character who - while depicted in the pages of his own DC Comics - existed for quite some time before comic books or even the printing press! I speak of Bewoulf, whom Tony Bedard has reimagined as some sort of super-soldier in cryogenic suspension in a dark future where man has reverted to barbarism and monsters walk the earth!





The story here seems to follow the original Beowulf bard's tale - where Beowulf is summoned to the home of a distant king in order to slay the beast called Grendel. There's not a lot of character development to be had here, most of the story being told through the eyes of a young warrior sent to summon forth Beowulf from the home he is pledged to defend - i.e. an abandoned military base. Bedard's script is less dependent on character than it is concept but the idea of Beowulf as a superhuman soldier who only leaves his post after being told the King who summons him is also a general is a nice nod to the original myths, where Beowulf only answers the summons because of the king's reputation as a warrior. The artwork by Jesus Saiz, most recently of Resurrection Man and Birds of Prey, does a fine job of depicting the action with all the blood and gore one would expect in a story based on Beowulf.

This book is a must-read for all comic book readers. Lovers of comics centered around strong female protagonists will find Amethyst to be an entrancing heroine. Fans of the Conan comics will get a kick out of Beowulf. And fantasy fans of all stripes will enjoy the whole package. This book has made my pull list. Make it part of your subscription too.

Resurrection Man #0 - A Review

It is ironic that Resurrection Man should come to a close on a month when so many other new titles are beginning or looking back to their beginnings. It's funny because this comic itself was largely a look back to a classic comic ignored by the mainstream. Also, its' entire plot centered upon one man trying to figure out who he was and start a new life.



It spoils little at this point to reveal the big surprise from last issue - that the man we know as Mitch Shelley is a clone, accidentally regenerated out of the original Mitch Shelley. The real Mitch proves to be very much alive, very evil and very pissed off that there's another him walking around trying to help people with the power he was trying to steal for himself.

One wonders while reading this issue just how much longer Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett would have kept the central mystery going had they been given a chance. Suffice it to say that while the book does resolve most of it's on-going plots (particularly the battle between Heaven and Hell over the clone Mitch's soul) , it leaves the door wide open for Mitch to appear in other books. Indeed, the final page seems more appropriate to a comic book's opening arc than it does a final issue and the entire effect of the 13-issue arc is to bring both Mitch and his frequent rivals The Body Doubles back to a state not completely dissimilar to where they were in the old DC Universe.



The artwork by Ramon Bachs and Jesus Saiz serves but is not spectacular. The artists' styles prove to be complementary, for what little that matters when Saiz only drew the last page of the book. Hopefully the two of them will find a regular gig elsewhere on another book.

Will Mitch Shelley rise again elsewhere in The New 52? He'd be a natural fit for Justice League Dark. And his particular brand of weird-science would not be out of place in Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Wherever he shows up, Mitch Shelley and this book shall always live on in my memories.

Fast Thoughts For The Week Of July 11, 2012

I didn't get much chance for reviewing comics this past week, what with all the San Diego Comic Con news and there's not a lot I can say about most of what I read. So here are my thoughts, in brief, on everything I didn't feel up to a full review of.


BATMAN #11 - This issue is the final chapter of The Court of Owls event that has dominated the Batman books over the last year and the final fight between Batman and one of the assassins known as The Talons is everything we could have hoped for.





If you aren't reading this book yet, I can't help but wonder about you. Sadly, unlike previous issues, there's not a lot I can say and very few scans I can show that will not give away some major spoilers. Suffice it to say Scott Snyder is writing the best Batman story in years and Greg Capullo's artwork is amazing.



DEMON KNIGHTS #11 - The plot thickens as The Demon Knights journey deeper into the heart of an corrupted Avalon. Here, most of them nearly give into the darkness and have their bodies and minds warped. Thankfully, they find an unexpected ally - the Once and Future King Arthur!



Paul Cornell and Diogenes Neves have created something truly magical with this book. It is a must-read for all fans of fantasy literature in general, sword and sorcery in particular and quirky comics in specific.



RESURRECTION MAN #11 - I wish I could say I was surprised by the news that this book had been canceled. Like Mister Terrific before it, it was unique, well-written and far too strange for the common clay of the New 52. It's too late for me to save it. It's too soon for me to mourn it. All I can do is say that I enjoyed this issue - and every issue before it - because of how Abnett and Lanning made every single issue accessible to new readers, laying the concept bare, simply and subtly.




Mitch Shelly will live on, we are told, somewhere in the DCU. We can only hope that we can get all of his story told in the time left and that his amnesia will not be a persistent thing.

Resurrection Man #10 - A Review

Resurrection Man #10 is an excellent jumping-on point for those who have yet to discover one of the DCnU's quirkiest - and best - new titles. Told from the viewpoint of the titular Resurrection Man's new companion - a clairvoyant detective named Kim Rebecki - the opening of this issue sets up the base concept beautifully.


Mitch Shelley is an amnesiac who has somehow become immortal. More, every time Mitch dies he is reborn with a new superpower - usually something to counter his most recent demise. All Mitch wants is to find out who he was.  But a lot of powerful groups have a vested interest in stopping Mitch from doing that or bringing him over to their side.  This issue brings us back to two of the groups after Mitch who have been ignored in recent issues - Heaven and Hell themselves, each of whom has reasons for wanting to stop Mitch's using the Pearly Gates as a revolving door.

 It's a unique concept but writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning make it work. Mitch is a genuinely sympathetic character. He doesn't particularly want to be a hero but he doesn't shy away from helping people when he can. All Mitch wants is to know who he was and - based on what little he knows of his past so far - make up for his misdeeds.



The artwork by Jesus Saiz (most recently of Birds of Prey) is top-notch. Siaz is probably best known for his ability to drawn beautiful women and the forces of Heaven (all attractive women in business attire) give him ample opportunity to indulge in his particular specialty. Despite this, the artwork is not explotive or sexist. And unlike many artists known for their pin-ups, Siaz is equally capable of drawing a good action scene.

Long story short, this series is an over-looked treasure and you should give it a shot.

Resurrection Man #7-9 - A Review

As I noted before, the original Resurrection Man title was one of the great lost treasures of late 90s DC Comics and the current series, through the first six issues at least, was proving to be a worthy successor to that legacy.  No small surprise given that the new series was written by the same creative duo as before - authors Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.  Have the issues since then continued the trend of excellence?  For the most part, yes.




 Issue #7, much like Issue #6, is a perfect jumping on point for new readers.  The opening pages not only establish the setting but also explain Mitch Shelley's circumstances and powers. In brief, Shelley is amnesic and remembers very little of his life.  What little he has started to remember suggests he wasn't a very nice person. In addition to his inability to die permanently and his ability to be reborn with a new superpower every time he does die,  Mitch Shelley has also developed a sixth-sense that seems to be guiding him to places where a hero is needed .  In this case, the sense has guided him to Metropolis, where he quickly finds himself stuck in a fire-fight between a MPD SWAT team and Intergang - an organized criminal group who use advanced technology in their crimes.


You couldn't ask for a better one-shot superhero story than this issue.  Abnett and Lanning quickly establish Mitch as a likeable protagonist and a man of principle. Despite his confusion over his past and his desire to get back his life, Mitch is equally determined to be a good man in his new life no matter what he might have been in the past. 

The artwork by Fernando Dagnino matches the story thematically.  Mitch's world is a dark one and the artwork reflects this.  Dagnino's pencils offer many fine details that are brought into sharp relief by the shadowy inks, while still being somewhat obscured in darkness, like Mitch Shelley's memories.



Issue #8 is another good jumping-on issue, with the opening once again reiterating Mitch's amnesia, his powers and his desire to find out who he was and how he became what he is.  The action centers upon two new players - a necromancer/bounty hunter called The Butcher and a clairvoyant detective named Kim Rebecki.  Both of them seek Mitch Shelley, having been apparently hired by separate parties for differing ends.  By issue's end, Mitch has almost formed an uneasy alliance with Rebecki, who seems to know more of Mitch's past than he does.and has come to the conclusion that he isn't the man he once was.



The quality dips a little bit with Issue #9, in which the Body Doubles catch up with Mitch shortly after he is brought down by The Suicide Squad and hilarity ensues.  While Abnett and Lanning's script is strong as ever, the narrative flow is ultimately ruined by the artwork provided by two pencilers and three inkers.- all of whom have completely different and conflicting styles.  Of the two guest artists, Jesus Saiz is by far the least offensive.  His pencils aren't bad but the heavy inks used on his pages do not do his particular style any justice.


More problematic is Andres Guinaldo's pencils, which are under-inked to the point of sketchiness at times.  What is more maddening is that the colorist (surprisingly, there is only one) seems unable to decide on a consistent skin-tone for Kim Rebecki from page to page.  What is worse, he's elected to depict Amanda Waller with a shade of skin that is more orange than brown.  Perhaps, not having read the new Suicide Squad book since the first issue, I have missed out on something?  Did Amanda Waller have some sort of accident with a Cheeto-bomb?  Or was she perhaps bitten by a vampire carrot?   I want to know!

 

In the end, Resurrection Man is still one of the best books DC Comics has to offer.  It is much better when it is depicted a single artist but even the worst issue of this series has proven to be better than most.  Highly recommended.  Pick up Issue #7 or #8 if you want a good place to jump in.

52 Pick-Up - Week Three, Part One

BATMAN #2 - There's something very surreal about reading this comic, which opens with Bruce Wayne falling off of a tower, after playing Arkham City - which has a lot of the same landmarks and maybe a few people falling out of towers. Regardless, Scott Snyder tells a solid story centering around a secret society called the Court of Owls that has apparently been hiding out in Gotham and running things behind the scenes for years. While I share Bruce's skepticism about such a group existing without him knowing about it, Snyder's story is compelling enough that I trust him to explain this eventually. Capullo's art is still visually perfect for depicting the world of Gotham City, though his visual storytelling is a bit spotty at times, like on the page when we see how Bruce survived his fall thanks to a particular gargoyle. Still, this one is going on the pull list.


BIRDS OF PREY #2 - The logic train hit me hard with this issue. As of last issue, Dinah Lance is reportedly an outlaw framed for a murder she didn't commit. This is, apparently, a problem for her personally. Explain then why she recruits Katana - a known killer - for her team? It doesn't do much for your reputation to be seen with a known killer. While I can swing with the idea of this team being much a darker shade of grey than most hero groups (Indeed, I think of the original Birds of Prey the only person who hadn't killed someone before was Oracle and even she came damn close to killing The Joker herself on a few occasions.), I don't understand why, if you're part of a team that is willing to kill in the name of justice, it's really that big of a deal to be wanted to a crime you didn't commit. This pales, however, to the continuity issues in the art and how Dinah Lance is magically able to appear on a getaway airport trolley next to Starling, despite having been behind the security guards that were chasing after Starling earlier. Much as it pains me, I'll be passing on this until such time as Gail Simone returns.


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #2 - Trust Peter Tomasi to find a way to take the plot of Spaceballs and make it into a serious intergalactic drama! Picking up where last issue left-off, a group of Green Lanterns investigates a crime scene - an entire planet that died with two Green Lanterns present, their ring fingers cut off. The culprits turn out to be a group of aliens who have begun stealing resources from other planets in order to make up for their own lack of water and forests. Fernando Pasarin's art is a great as ever. A must read for any Green Lantern fans or lovers of cop dramas ...IN SPACE!

Birds of Prey #1 - A Review

Birds of Prey #1 was a book I simultaneously looked forward to and dreaded. I dreaded it because – as a devout fan of Gail Simone – I was sad to see her leaving the book that she is probably the most famous for writing, especially after having returned to writing it just barely over a year ago. But as a Black Canary fan, who was intensely curious as to what the status quo of her background would be post-Revamp, I was still looking forward to it and hoping that DC Comics newcomer and experienced mystery writer Duane Swierczynski would do the character justice.

We start in the thick of it, with two of the titular “Birds” – Black Canary and Starling - acting to protect an investigative reporter who has been spying on the pair of them. It seems he was brought in to expose The Birds but was reluctant to publish without hard evidence – an attitude that his source responded to with ninjas in chameleon armor. A flashback reveals that Black Canary is wanted for a murder she didn’t commit and that she’s out to form a covert team of crime-fighters. Rejected by a newly mobile Barbara Gordon, Babs does see fit to give Dinah a list of potential candidates, including the swordswoman Katana. But before Dinah can investigate that, she’ll have to get herself, Starling and the reporter out of the fire.

Previous readers of Birds of Prey will no doubt be disappointed at how little there is regarding the team history… or if indeed they still have a history! The flashback indicates that Barbara Gordon and Dinah Lance clearly have some kind of previous working relationship but there is nothing to suggest that Babs was ever Oracle or the depth of friendship the characters shared previously. The news that Dinah Lance is a wanted murderer is somewhat less surprising (she was framed for murder and a wanted fugitive in Gail Simone’s BoP last year) but again – no details of just who she is supposed to have killed and why are forthcoming.

Thankfully, Black Canary is as tough as ever. Whatever else may have changed in her background, Dinah Lance is still a lady who can kick your ass and look good doing it. Starling is a little more of a cipher, her only character traits thus far being an apparent Catholic girl and of good enough character to worry about destroying a church while having no trouble gunning down ninjas. She’s no Huntress but it’s an interesting hook.

Jesus Saiz calmed my other fears about this book and what it might become. In a week where debate over the sexualization of superheroines has taken front and center in the reviews of many a comics-reading pundit, Diaz has gone unmentioned and unpraised. He draws beautiful women but he does not ever sacrifice action or story for the sake of a poster pose.

Should you read this book? If you’re a fan of good stories about truly strong women, you’ll like it. Should fans of the old Birds of Prey series read it? Provided you are patient about receiving answers to your questions and can hold your tongue about how much better it was a year ago, yes. I miss Huntress. I miss Misfit. I especially miss Zinda! But it isn’t fair to judge this book for being what it isn’t. Taken for what it is, it’s a damn fine read.