Adventure Comics #9
James Robinson, Sterling Gates, Eric Trautmann (w), Travis Moore, Eduardo Pansica, Pier Gallo (p), Julio Ferreira, Eber Ferreira, Pier Gallo (i), Pete Pantazis, Blond (c). DC Comics.
Travis Moore is fantastic — I don’t know that I’ve ever seen his stuff before, but it’s great, very reminiscent of Francis Manapul’s work on the last Legion of Superheroes comic. All of the stories contained here have a great advantage over the previous conglomerate that was Adventure Comics #8 — these stories aren’t a “Prelude” to the coming attraction. The idea of a prelude has become drawn out and increasingly pointless, exhibit ‘A’ being the previous issue. This comic just drops us directly into the action. There’s even an editor’s note that I should read Superman #698 before reading this book — nope! Just jumping right in, thanks. This was a fun book, with some cool moments from some of my favourite characters. I’ve even got to tip my hat to Supergirl for not letting Superboy get bashed embarrassingly in the back of the head by a Brainiac robot. Would have been even better if he was just paying attention to his surroundings, but I’ll take what I can get. — Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
The Amazing Spider-Man # 627
Roger Stern (w), Lee Weeks (a), Dean White (c). Marvel Comics
I had a real debate with myself about this issue. On the one hand, Stern brings an old-fashioned sensibility to this issue that is really incongruous with Amazing Spider-Man these days; on the other hand, Stern writes a really fun issue and I don’t care. Spider-Man taking a page to stop a random mugging on his way to solve the big mystery is really endearing, especially when he thinks “Okay, back to work. Think, Parker…” as he swings away. It’s so awesome and heroic. I love Parker’s references to all the different times he’s met or fought the Juggernaut, and the recent events in his life. It’s nice to pretend that Parker’s life makes any kind of cohesive sense. Plus Lee Weeks is a great artist and I love to see his work. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 3.5 out of 5
Blackest Night #8
Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis (p), Oclair Albert, Joe Prado (i), Alex Sinclair (c). DC Comics.
Ah, the joy of finishing a long-running event book, accompanied with the erroneous hope that maybe we’ll get a month break before some other big event happens. No one can deny that there are some really cool Johns-moments to like in this book, but to be honest I’m pretty underwhelmed with the Blackest Night story. Part of it has to do with how spoiled Johns is working with an artist as fantastic as Reis. It’s similar to how the Empire Strikes Back was better before it got additional scenes of the Wampa ice creature — now that the technology to show EVERYTHING is possible (i.e. Reis can just draw anything) there’s no artistry or focus behind it. Is Blackest Night really about huge crowd scenes? A more impressionistic style would have been better to achieve the desired “overwhelming horror” emotion for the reader. — Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 4 out of 5. Crossover rating: Essential (it’s the end of the thing after all!)
Blackest Night #8
A quick second opinion
He did it. He stuck the landing. Geoff Johns has without a doubt created the ultimate crossover for this DC fan. Sure, the issue had its problems. Using Deadman in the resolution was poorly set up, and the Sinestro thing ultimately didn’t seem all that necessary, but I had a blast reading this comic. Johns delivered a great balance of resolving this story while still setting up some stuff for the future in a way that no other crossovers I’ve read in recent years have. There’s very little left to say about Ivan Reis’ work, but I will once more say that it’s phenomenal. Every bit as pretty and dynamic as crossover art should be. It’s hard to think of the little annoying things when I had such a big smile on my face while reading this. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 5 out of 5. Crossover rating: Essential
Detective Comics #863
Greg Rucka (w), Jock & Scott Kolins (a), David Baron (c). DC Comics.
I have never, ever seen a worse artist transition in comics. Following Jock with Kolins is perhaps one of the worst decisions you could ever make. Kolins is a fine artist, but his style is so disparate from Jocks that dovetailing them to the same narrative is a disservice to everyone. Everyone in the world. And… jeez, really Rucka? That’s how you’re going to end this run? On a “that’s premature?” I am so very disappointed. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 1 out of 5
Fantastic Four #577
Jonathan Hickman (w), Dale Eaglesham (a), Paul Mounts (c), Marvel Comics
This story will be stunning in a collected edition. The images or gorgeous, the expository dialogue is beautiful and the whole issue is… well… it’s not exciting. So, as I said, in a collected edition this issue will be a beautiful middle chapter but on its own it feels rather unfinished. I’ve been pushing this comic pretty hard, but I would say that the issues are only for the most patient of readers. Everyone should definitely check out the trades, though. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
Justice League of America #43
James Robinson (w), Mark Bagley (p), Rob Hunter & Norm Rapmund (i), Pete Pantazis (c), DC Comics
Robinson is still finding his legs on this title. It’s definitely improved and is at its best since… when was it last good again? Despite that there is still much room for improvement. The multiple narrators isn’t as charming as it’s meant to be and Bagley’s artwork seems rushed. I dig that Robinson is a long-form writer who is telling a long-term story rather than quick, forgettable arcs. This is not to imply that the title is great. It’s not. However, for the first time in a long time I’m seeing glimpses of a potentially good Justice League comic. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 3 out of 5
New Mutants #11
Kieron Gillen (w), Niko Henrichon (a). Marvel Comics.
I totally forgot I was ordering this! I had Siege fever, apparently. Well I’m glad I did because Gillen does something really impressive in this issue. He takes a small piece the Utopia crossover (Dani Moonstar borrowing an Asgardian’s power), connects it directly to the Siege crossover (Dani making good on the loan) and helps set up a character for the Second Coming crossover (how Dani feels being used by Cyclops in Utopia). And he does it really naturally. Almost like it was the plan all along. And maybe it was but either way that’s impressive. It’s definitely completely unnecessary for Siege, but it serves as a great character piece for Dani Moonstar. Well done, guys. — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5. Crossover rating: Completely unnecessary.
Punisher #15
Rick Remender (w), Roland Boschi (a), Dan Brown & Lee Loughridge (c), Marvel Comics
Poor, poor Roland Boschi. This is twice now that I’ve been disappointed to see his artwork. Not through any fault of his own, but because he is following Tony Moore. I see a big improvement here over the work in Ghost Riders: Heaven’s On Fire, especially on the part of colourists Brown and Loughbridge. The colours really pop, emphasizing key elements of each scene: Hellsgaard’s head-tank or the soldiers’ blood. There are even some neat panels silhouetted in red that work really well. The story is great, too. If you hate the idea of Frankencastle then stay clear, but if you enjoy fun then you should be reading this. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5
Rasl #7
Jeff Smith (w), Jeff Smith (a), Cartoon Books
This is not a book to read tired. Not only that, but unlike the awesome Tesla-issue this one is tough to read without properly remembering past issues. I had a hard time making sense of it, but that isn’t the book’s fault. So, rather than fret about that (I look forward to a proper re-read of this issue in better conditions) I want to talk about the art. Jeff Smith is without a doubt part of the sequential storytelling elite and this book is fascinating to read, tired or not. — Owen Craig
Owen’s rating: 4 out of 5 (but I could see re-reads bumping it up to a 5)
Sonic the Hedgehog #211
Ian Flynn (w), Steven Butler (p), Terry Austin (i), Matt Herms (c). Archie Comics.
I love how the evil Iron Queen has absolute control over technology except for when she doesn’t. Oh, wait, that’s one of those things I don’t love, because it seems completely arbitrary. When Sonic arrives to save the day (it’s his book after all) he asks if Amy Rose missed him- being the eternal fan girl she hugs him and says of course she missed him. Sonic replies “I know. I was being ironically cliché.” That’s hilarious, I think it’s been a while since any words or ideas have been thrown at us that a kid would actually have to look up in the dictionary. It stands out and I appreciate it. The rest of the issue, to me, feels like everyone is waiting for their respective enemies to finish their battle speech/ powering up their attack which is always a silly thing to do. Just hit them. OR jump in a Dragonzord. – Isaac Mills
Isaac’s rating: 2 out of 5
X-Men: Second Coming # 1
Craig Kyle & Chris Yost (w), David Finch (p), Matt Banning (i), Peter Steigerwald (c). Marvel Comics.
X-Men: Second Coming represents the third chapter in a crossover trilogy, Messiah Complex and Messiah War being the first and second chapters, respectively. I was very impressed with Messiah Complex for its high-level excitement and pacing. I was very disappointed with Messiah War because of its low-level of excitement and lazy pacing. So I was going into this with low expectations and was very impressed with this chapter. Kyle and Yost pace the story well, offer some nice little bits of character motivation, and delivers on some exciting action. They properly establish tension and keep building on it in unique ways. Things feel bleak and I don’t think any of that was cheap (well, except for Hope’s opening speech. That was a little weak). Finch’s art is uneven at best. He acquitted himself well in the action scenes, but seems to have forgotten what women’s faces look like as he drawn them all as Greys. So, here is hoping that this is a rare case of the third one being better than the second. I don’t think that’s ever happened. Maybe Resident Evil 3? But that’s debatable (I mean the movies. Man, it got nerdy in here.) — Miles Baker
Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5
“It’s fun to believe that Parker’s life makes any kind of cohesive sense.” I heard that.
Now then, Blackest Night, which I just read: I have to admit giggling gleefully like a little girl in springtime when I discovered that Johns was bringing back to life literally every DC character that I liked who had died in the past five years.
(side note: especially martian manhunter. YEEEEEAAAAAHHHH BOYYYEEEEE!! I FUCKIN’ LOVE THAT GUY!!)
I am also stoked that Shayera is back for realsies, that’s a cool development, and I am interested in the resurrection of some of the villains, like Boomerang and Maxwell Lord. Zoom can suck it, because I’m pretty sure he already came back in Flash: Rebirth and God help anyone who tries to make sense of that fucking series. It reads like what I imagine a brain aneurysm would read like if you could put one to paper.
My overall opinion of the mini is that the setup for future stories is rich and fantastic, but the series itself was sort of tepid and ‘meh’, sprinkled with moments of Total Awesome here and there. Most of that Total Awesome didn’t actually DO anything though — they were just these big “whoa” moments that ultimately were pointless and irrelevant.
Like the population of Xanshi coming back to life and invading Earth. Literally billions of Black Lanterns coming to kill us all, and I don’t think they managed anything more than to playfully tousle the hair of the, what, two hundred or so Lanterns that ended up wiping them all out? Or the planet of Xanshi itself somehow being resurrected and ultimately affecting the story not at all.
And then when the Lantern Corps reinforcements show up to join the fight on Earth, why should I care? Nobody on the ground seemed to have been doing anything for the past two issues except harmlessly wrestle with each other in between long bits of exposition. Remember when Superman and the other ‘resurrected’ heroes got turned into Black Lanterns? This was another big ‘whoa’ moment that ultimately went nowhere, as most of those heroes were freed from the black rings in other series, and the ones who weren’t didn’t show up again until the story was over. Case in point: what the hell has BL Superman been doing all this time? He’s still a BL in issue 8, so he didn’t get ‘cured’ like Superboy or Kid Flash or Wonder Woman. He literally did not do a single thing, during the middle of a pitched battle, for like two (or three?) issues.
I also thought Sinestro was going to do more — or have a bigger part to play than being snooty and putting on a pair of white pajamas for five minutes. He seemed to have some inside information earlier on in this saga, he seemed to be important to the story, but in the end he could have been any random tosser with a yellow ring and performed the same function.
Miles, regarding Detective: following Jock with Kolins on Detective IS a disservice to everyone, but only because we had to read half an issue drawn by Jock, and then got to see what GOOD art actually looks like. The biggest disservice is that Kolins didn’t start on page 1. And three issues ago.
God that’s terrible art.
And yeah, the story ended weak (what the hell was that, tennis-fu?) but I thought the entire run was pretty weak. Definitely less that I expect from Rucka.
Oh, Caesar, add me to the list of people who disagree with you about Jock. He’s awesome.
What?? I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but I honestly don’t understand how anyone can like his art. I mean it. I’m struggling right now to think of any redeeming qualities. He’s one of those artists who I don’t understand how they have an actual job that pays them to be an artist.
His art is plain and boring. He can’t sell a fight scene very well; his interpretation of motion is sorely lacking. His art is 2D and flat; nothing looks like it has any weight or substance. It lacks detail or finesse, fine points of attention are more or less ignored. For example, when they listed Cutter’s age at 22 or so in the Batman story, I had no idea from looking at Jock’s art that the man was actually a YOUNG man. I just assumed he was in his 30’s because he draws everyone like they’re in their 30’s. And am I to assume that past Cutter and present Cutter were the same guy? The story was bollocks so I didn’t pay very close attention, but you can’t tell me that there’s anything in past Cutter’s face that reminds you of anything in present Cutter’s face. Jock’s art doesn’t seem sophisticated enough to handle things like aging or facial similarities, like drawing sisters who look like each other, but remain distinct from each other.
I didn’t realize that modern day Cutter had blades actually implanted into his body until I looked at the much better cover artist’s work, where you can see not only scar tissue around the blades, but an actual edge to each blade, and the reflective properties of metal. With Jock you could justifiably assume they were pieces of gray cardboard glued to his skin because there was no visual evidence to the contrary.
If you agree with most or even some of that, you cannot possibly refer to him as ‘awesome.’ An awesome artist does the opposite of everything I described above and more.
Okay, I just re-read Detective and I might have gone off a little on Jock. His art isn’t TERRIBLE. You can tell what’s going on fairly well and he composes pictures all right enough. Maybe I thought his art was worse because it was followed by Kolins, who I feel is much much better. I still stand behind most of what I said though, except I guess I understand why Jock has a job.
I dunno, Caesar, I mean… everyone has their own opinion and that’s cool. But I like Jock’s art, Miles likes it, my fiancee who is studying illustration in school and certainly knows her stuff likes it… I should point out here that neither she nor I have read the Detective Comics issue in question, but thought Jock’s work in Green Arrow Year One and Faker was excellent.
Sometimes it just comes down to “clearly I’m in the minority, but it doesn’t work for me”. Like me with much of Warren Ellis’ stuff (except Fell, that was awesome).
Yeah, everyone has their own criteria for that sort of thing. One of my big things is that I like ‘clean’ art. Stuff that doesn’t have a lot of wasted or extra lines, stuff that is easy to interpret. I don’t like art that looks ’sloppy’ or rushed. I feel Jock’s art looks that way.
I also need my art to be practical and more or less realistic. Like, when an artist starts to get interpretive he/she instantly loses me. For example, if some artist were to draw Wolverine to look as tall or taller than most people he stands next to in an attempt to make him look more menacing or intimidating, I hate it. Wolverine is short. If you want to make him intimidating, use shadows or something. Know what you’re drawing.
Action scenes are a big thing for me too. More generally, an easily followable sequence of panels. Panel 1 leads to panel 2, then to 3, etc etc. This is most noticeable in action or fight scenes. When artists do things like draw two people in close combat, and then the next panel they’re like, fifteen feet away and facing the wrong direction for no reason, that bothers me immensely.
You know one other thing I hate? This isn’t Jock’s fault, but I hate the whole ‘one colour represents one time/place and another colour represents another’ trick. Like how everything in Batman’s story was blue and everything in Batwoman’s was red. Fuck that’s annoying. It’s like the movie Traffic, where everything was yellow in Mexico and blue in the US. What is the point of that? If you’re afraid I won’t be able to tell what country the film is taking place in, don’t, I can tell you’re in Mexico because of ALL THE MEXICANS.
Anyhoo. Excelsior!
Just read X-Men and I liked it a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. You’re right about Finch, his strength has never been in differentiation. Most characters have similar bodies and faces. I tell you what though, I loved that splash page where the X-Men drop and/or teleport onto those three vans and fuck shit up.