Breaking away from his usual top-heavy covers, Adam Hughes takes a moment to focus on Catwoman's ass
Miles’ Book
Catwoman #81
Written by Will Pfeifer
Art by David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez
DC Comics, 2008
I’m pretty sure that this is the second last issue of Catwoman, which is a pretty big shame. I’m a big fan of the Ed Brubaker/Darwyn Cooke relaunch: they made Selina a smart hero/anti-hero and the consistent art tone was a delight. After Brubaker’s departure, I more or less dropped Catwoman and now I kind of regret that because this was a good issue.
I read the first storyline that this creative team rolled out during DC’s One Year Later event/disaster and I wasn’t that impressed. In particular, I thought the radical change in art style didn’t suit the book and Pfeifer wasn’t channelling enough Brubaker.
But this issue shows how a team can evolve. The Lopezes have really come together with a nice, clean, consistent style. The writing has also paid off in this wrapping-things-up story arch where you can see all the seeds that Pfeifer planted take root and grow into little tragedies (though, I feel this cancellation will result in a new relaunch in four months). Pfeifer does what few DC writers can do — effectively write an issue in the middle of a story arch that doesn’t require a recap page. He teases, rather than over explains and it makes me want to go back and read what I missed.
In this issue, Catwoman has started a spree of joy crimes. She’s stealing things and then just dumping them in the Gotham River — just because she can. This all results in a couple of really good chase sequences and then a fight with a neo-Nazi named Ubermensch, and you can’t fault any book where the hero fights a Nazi.
Also, Batman shows up in this issue and I think they’re totally going to french kiss in the next one. So stay tuned.
Isaac’s Book
Meanwhile, Greg Horn fills the void left by Hughes with this subway-appropriate cover.
Ms. Marvel #29
Written by Brian Reed
Pencilled by Adriana Melo
Marvel Comics, 2008
I have certain nemeses in this life, as do we all. Hemingway is a favourite enemy of mine, as is Ms. Marvel. I’m sure I can think of others…though they sure aren’t coming to mind right now.
What I’m saying is that I don’t like Ms. Marvel. She was always a jerk to Rogue (even if Rogue did steal her powers), all she wants is to be a big time super hero, and she keeps whining about not really leading the Mighty Avengers team. I really don’t know why Iron Man keeps humouring her about the position — he is clearly the leader. I know ultimate Ms. Marvel is in the military, so she may have the experience to be a field team’s leader, but does the regular universe character have the same background? I could Wikipedia it, but then I may find out that she does, and I’d rather think not. It makes the hate easier.
I know thus far this doesn’t sound like much of a review — more like a fanboy’s ranting. True enough. But I’m having an inordinate amount of trouble objectively approaching this comic. Do I genuinely dislike it, or am I clouded by prejudice? Do I even maybe like the thing? These are questions for the ages.
I’m going to try and trust myself and say that I didn’t like this comic for fair reasons. The beloved recap page at the beginning wasn’t worded properly, making for a confusing reference about a Skrull Ms. Marvel. It doesn’t really affect this issue’s story at all, but beyond mentioning that there had been a Skrull Ms. Marvel at all, they didn’t say any more than that. Now I’m left wondering how turning herself in (and to who) resulted in exposing Skrull Ms. Marvel. Now that I think about it, Ms. Marvel probably turned herself in to S.H.I.E.L.D. and then they all saw the impersonator on CNN or something, and then they just let Ms. Marvel go, because she clearly can’t be in two places at once. Why am I so concerned about this lone paragraph on the recap page? Couldn’t tell you. It just stopped me in my tracks when I first read the thing.
The issue is mostly a bunch of fight scenes that don’t really engage me; nothing seems to be particularly threatening to Ms. Marvel. You know that issue of Amazing Spider-Man where Spidey is trying his best to stop Juggernaut (the unstoppable guy whose powers are magical) and it’s just an impossible task and you couldn’t put the comic down? Well Ms. Marvel wasn’t that.
However, there is an amazing panel where, after Ms. Marvel blasts into a giant Skrull’s eye, there’s just like a fountain of blood coming out of his eye. Usually when a guy gets his eye poked at, he covers it up with his hand, and says “ow” or something. This Skrull just looks up and yells while fluid is gushing from his eye socket. I can’t explain how hilarious this is to me.
Also, there are ads for a new Skrull Kill Krew comic, and a Marvel Apes comic, which we know is a great thing after the cover of Super Friends #5 taught us a thing or two about monkey super heroes, so that’s good.
James’s Book
Pigeons From Hell #4 (Of 4)
Written by Joe R. Lansdale
Art by Nathan Fox and Dave Stewart
Remember in the ‘80s when a lot of writers stopped using thought balloons? This book brings them back in force, and they feel out of place in a book that’s trying to be an atmospheric, scary horror story. Every couple of panels, one of the characters thinks about what’s happening to make sure the reader is on the same page.
The most annoying thing about this approach is that it’s completely necessary. The very, very Paul Pope inspired art can be horribly unclear. So awful exposition like “The heart… hidden in the canned goods,” is actually needed to figure out what’s supposed to be happening.
I actually like the art. It’s just that, within a narrative context, it runs into problems. A bit more clarity in the story telling would have been appreciated, but I guess that’s just not Fox’s style.
The writing feels like Lansdale’s suffering under the strain of adapting this classic Robert E. Howard story. On the one hand, he wants to be faithful to the original, but on the other, he’s trying to make it his own. In the end, it feels like he doesn’t go far enough in either direction, and it just adds to the general confusion that runs through this adaptation.
The highlight of the book is definitely Dave Stewart’s colours. Every choice he makes is appropriate and perfect for what the book needs. He establishes atmosphere and mood well, and to sound like something of an idiot, his colours are just fun to look at.
There’s a nice little comic strip at the end of the book that takes its text from a letter Robert E. Howard wrote to H.P. Lovecraft. It talks about the standard horror trope of the monster you don’t see being much more frightening than the one you do. It’s a nice, clear little cap in a slightly muddled issue.
