MONDOmagazine

By Owen K. Craig and Miles Baker

Each week Miles and Owen use random.org’s random interger generator to create two random numbers. They then count down on the release list until they find out their RANDOM COMIC OF THE WEEK! No matter what the publisher, what the issue, what the arc, we will be there reviewing things with little or no context.

Owen’s Book
Creature From The Depths
Written and Drawn by Mark Kidwell
Image Comics, 2007

In this day and age, where superhero comics are the vast majority and stories are usually drawn out into 6 parts to better fit into a trade paperback, a horror one-shot such as Creature From The Depths is a bit of a surprise. I was shocked to see that this was the book selected for me this week, and definitely interested to read it. Enjoying it? Well, kinda… but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The book feels well-researched, adhering to many horror conventions, including tone, setting and excessive violence. There’s even a girl in a bathing suit — a good old-fashioned one-piece which would be slightly scandalous in the time period of the story, I’m sure. Unfortunately though, (and I say this with great reluctance as someone who’s getting really irritated with comics stretching a story out into too many parts) I feel like trying to cram everything into a one-shot hurt this story significantly. The writer (Mark Kidwell, who also did the art) started to use cheats, like making all of the characters horrible people so he can kill them off without grandeur. The problem here is that we’re left with less investment in the cast. Similarily, having a page of exposition to explain the plot, rather than having the story told organically, leaves me feeling less involved in the storytelling.

The art is fun, and serves the book well. I’m a little irked by the colouring, though. I don’t understand why the vast majority of the main characters needed to have the same colour of hair (for maximum confusion?), or why in one panel the girl (yes, there’s only one in the book) was wearing leggings of some sort with her bathing suit. Otherwise, the monsters were suitably gross and creepy and the underwater scenes looked especially great.

It’s a fun book, and I think that if the writer had the chance to do a sequel. (hopefully a series, not another one-shot) Kidwell could really let loose. Certainly the ending, with its lack of closure, leaves an opportunity for more. Here’s hoping that if Kidwell gets to do more he’ll expand on the story and use a more developed cast of characters who we could grow to love and hate and (even more importantly) care about. You know what? I think I’d even check it out.

Miles’ Book
Jonah Hex #21
Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Jordi Bernet
DC Comics, 2007

For being a western, Jonah Hex already gets a few default points from me. If you’ve read Preacher, then you know that comics make a fantastic medium for a western (if you’ve not read Preacher, get on that — it’s phenomenal and I’m going to mention it more). In comics, you have a fluid, reader-defined time. A stand down can last as long as you want it to within the still image. You can also be really gory and violent, another thing a good western should be. There is an incredible amount of violence for 22 pages, so much so that I’m really surprised this book is published under the DC Comics label and not their Vertigo imprint. I wish it were, because then it could be a little more gory and you could have some of that wonderful cursing you know the creators are dying to spit out. That said, it’s still violent: there’s murder, rape, and scalping — fun! One problem I had with this issue is that you don’t see Hex until the one-third point of the book (I actually thought a different character was Hex because he was wearing white and Hex is wearing white on the cover, but that was my fault because the character in white is clearly named). When he does show up, he’s an exciting, cool, and mysterious character that I would like to know more about. I can’t help but feel that this book is somewhat of a missed opportunity; there are interesting characters, but I don’t get to learn anything about them at all. There is a lot of action, but it isn’t as exciting as it could be. Everything it does, Preacher did better (I will point out that I did get to read Preacher in trade paperback, which helps when you’re looking for character development). I like that it’s a self-contained story: most of the plot threads are introduced and resolved (with violence) in these pages. There are a few pieces and mysteries that do pique my interest, but probably not enough to keep buying this book, despite a great closing line. I would read Jonah Hex in trade if lent, but that’s about as much as I’m willing to commit.

Each week Miles and Owen use random.org’s random interger generator to create two random numbers. They then count down on the release list until they find out their RANDOM COMIC OF THE WEEK! No matter what the publisher, what the issue, what the arc we will be there reviewing things with little or no context.

Miles’ Book
Ultimate Fantastic Four #43
Written by Mike Carey
Art by Pasqual Ferry
Marvel Comics, 2007

I’ll admit it, I’ve been following Ultimate Fantastic Four in trades. A certain Videogames and TV editor has been buying them and passing them along to me so I can follow the adventures of the teenage version of Marvel’s first family. It’s been a good ride: they’ve had a string of smart writers who’ve done away with a lot of the campy elements of the Fantastic Four’s villains and updated them appropriately. My only real complaint with the title is that the Four are always too busy dealing with intense action and aliens to become a family, or at least really close. They fight, they bicker, but they need some downtime.

I like that U.S. government, who are funding the Fantastic Four, are pissed at Reed Richards because, while he has saved the world a lot in his 43 issues, he’s caused almost all of those problems. And now he’s doing it again because he found a cosmic surfboard.

As I’ve been following in trades, I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with the team at the beginning of the issue (this being the second part of a five-part story). All I know is that there is a silver board that is attracting a silver man in space, who is also bald and naked, and he is as big as a planet.

But he’s shrinking, so that’s good.

A lot happens in this issue, but I’m not sure why it happens, all I know is that it all links to the surfboard. And while Jonny Storm makes fun of how ridiculous that is it doesn’t change the fact that there is a silver board that surfs the cosmos — precisely the campy elements I was praising the series for doing away with. Also, Mike Carey has added a new, very annoying sister for Reed who apparently has superpowers (I only know this because she mentions it a lot) to add just a little more camp.

The art, however, is really good. I quite like Pasqual Ferry’s very-computer-table style. It works well for the sci-fi stylings of the UFF, but his colourist, Justin Ponsor, elevates his style and steals the show with his realistic textures and shading.

While I’m sure Mike Carey is happy to put his stamp on the Silver Surfer, the story is obviously here to tie into movie that came out a couple of weeks ago and I don’t think it’s working. Warren Ellis already did an Ultimate Galactus story (Gah Lak Tus) and he chose not to include our silver friend, so why do it now? Besides the movie I just mentioned.

Owen’s Book
Amazons Attack #3
Written by Will Pfeifer
Art by Pete Woods
DC Comics, 2007

Amazons Attack #3 will be the first “random book of the week” I’m having to review mid-storyline. In this case, I’m jumping in not knowing anything about it except some characters I recognize and what the title is telling me. Apparently the amazons are attacking. Luckily, despite an absence of a recap page, there is an opening scene in which a tv news reporter catches me up on everything I need to know. I suspect if I had been reading the series such a page would be boring and/or frustrating to me. A recap page can be easily ignored by returning readers (unless it’s one of the hilarious ones from Irredeemable Ant-Man) but when recap dialogue is integrated blandly into the story I personally find myself wanting to skip it but worrying I’ll miss something important. In fact, I wanted to skip it as a new reader, which is not a good sign.

Off to a rocky start, the book picked up as I went on. Hippolyta shows off her new-found crazy and the president reinstates the McCarran Act, which allows or the arrest of anyone who may be consorting with the enemy. The latter event is an interesting idea, as when the enemy is an Amazon nation that leads to the arrest of anyone with a feminist outlook. It’s a chilling idea which I hope the series runs with, rather than tossing aside. Next comes the obligatory gratuitous appearances, which feel out of place to me. Maybe it’s being sold as a cross-over event, but I think this book would benefit from a lack of Batman, Superman and giant monsters (seriously, what were those? I wasn’t clear on that).

On a positive note, I would like to congratulate DC on the use of editorial notes directing readers to tie-in stories. It’s a nice touch that helps me to follow up on story-points I want to read more of (not that I will, but it’s nice to have the option). Sure, it may be irritating that I’m not getting the whole story in this book, but at least it’s not expected that I know, or revealed to me in a paragraph in the letters page. The editorial notes tell me exactly what panel ties into what issue.

On a negative note, I am geting really tired of last pages being revealed by the covers. Here the last page reveal is “oh my God! Supergirl and Wonder Girl might be with the Amazons!” For me, that was pretty much implied by the cover image of Supergirl and Wonder Girl standing with the Amazon army. This is far from the first time it’s happened recently, and it needs to stop. I miss when we used to be surprised by the last-page cliffhangers. Seriously, stop doing this!

A scattered review I admit, but in the end I’d say that’s rather appropriate as that’s pretty much how I feel about Amazons Attack #3. There are bits I liked, but I didn’t feel any sense of build. Nor were there any characterizations I felt that attached to. There were interesting moments that I hope play out, but somehow I doubt I’ll be reading next issue to find out.

Owen’s Book
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #4
Written by Jeph Loeb
Art by David Finch
Marvel Comics, 2007

Using the five stages of grief as the five chapters in a series mourning the passing of Captain America probably seemed like a great idea at the time. Problems arise when you’re stuck writing a book revolving around the theme of “depression”. So what do you do? Jeph Loeb’s answer is to have Spider-Man stand in a graveyard thinking about all the bad things that have happened to him and wonder if it’s all worth it. This might’ve been good, if it weren’t for the narrow focus on the theme. We get Spidey making irrational decisions (Rhino is in a trenchcoat standing by a gravestone! He must be up to no good! I’d better punch him!) and conversations that brush the surface of a lot of interesting ideas but are forced back to the topic of – you guessed it – depression. I would’ve preferred to explore how Spidey screwed up with Rhino rather than have lines like, “Wanna know why it’s called ‘depression’? Because it IS depressing.” Ouch.

The artwork is pretty, although for an issue dealing with Spider-Man’s depression it would’ve been nice to see his face a little more (we only got two panels). After all, it’s not like he has to worry about his secret identity anymore. And while it was neat to see some brighter pages in contrast to the dark graveyard, the flashbacks felt rather unnecessary (did we really have to flash back to Gwen AGAIN? In a death of Cap issue?)

But in the end, this is a rather sub-par mourning issue. For some far superior books dealing with the death of Captain America, I’d recommend the issues in Cap’s own series. Ed Brubaker is dealing with it in an interesting and less forced manner. I suspect that if Loeb hadn’t drawn himself into the corner of “depression” with this issue he would’ve had a lot more room to explore how Spidey was handling Cap’s death and come up with something really special. Too bad that’s not the case.

Miles’ Book
Madame Mirage #1
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Kenneth Rocafort
Top Cow, 2007

When I drew Madame Mirage from the random number generator I was excited because writer Paul Dini was executive producer on the much-loved-by-me animated Batman and Batman Beyond shows of my youth (and mid-teens but let’s not go there). I hadn’t read any of his comic work before, so this was a great excuse, and I’m impressed.

This is a very good first issue: the world is introduced quickly, characters do interesting/awesome things, and at the end I want more. The universe isn’t the most original one I’ve ever read about, but that’s not what this comic is about — it’s about a mysterious woman in a big hat taking down a crime syndicate. What more could you want?

Well, knowing you, the gaping maw of pop culture, you’ll want more.

Luckily, you get more. Namely, some very exciting action sequences courtesy of new-to-me Kenneth Rocafort. His paneling work is compelling and unique, with unusual shapes and a good narrative flow.

However, I think Rocafort’s style isn’t completely suited to this story. He reminds me of a less crazy Leinil Francis Yu, which is good, but I feel that an artist more comfortable with heavy blacks would be better than his thin, textured lines. Maybe Pablo Raimondi, I’m in love with his artwork at the moment. I think Rocafort is good, I just think that when you have a crime story like this, it should look a little more like a crime story.

I’ll return for the second installment of this saga; I’m intrigued by the mysterious Madame Mirage and her associates. So far MM has only been shown in complete control of the situation and the bad guys around her, but I’d like to see what she’s like when she’s pushed around and less sure about what to do.

Plus, that hat is sexy.

Owen’s Book
PVP #34
Written and Drawn by Scott R. Kurtz
Image Comics, 2007

So, let’s start off with a bang, shall we? For my first “random comic of the week” article, I got something that is truly random. PVP is a comic that reprints strips from the website www.pvponline.com. Before reading this comic I had no contact with the characters of PVP, so I am starting completely fresh. With that in mind, my reaction to this comic is pretty much… what’s the point? The characters are cute and some of the nerd-jokes are fairly funny (I liked the strip about Transformers towards the end), however I can’t help but think “why am I paying $3.00 for this when I could read it online for free?” If the goal of releasing PVP in comic book form is to draw in new readers then a monthly series reprinting what’s on a website hardly seems the way to go (were I not forced to by this column I certainly wouldn’t have picked up issue 34) and if the goal is to milk more money from fans then more extras seem necessary to me (as far as I could see the only thing not available on the website seems to be the cover and letters page). So I ask again, what is the point of this book?

Miles’ Book
Sub-Mariner #1
Written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson
Art by Paul Mounts
Marvel Comics, 2007

If you were looking for an introductory book to the Marvel Universe or Namor, the Sub-Mariner, this is the wrong book. I’m someone who knows most of what is going in the Marvel U and this book was still confusing. It requires knowledge not only of the most recent Marvel crossover, Civil War, but intimate knowledge of three different tie-in books. Plus, Namor might be the most confusing character in Marvel’s lineup: if he’s the King of Atlantis why do they call him Prince Namor? Why is he a mutant and Atlantian? If he hates humans why did he fight in World War II? He’s one of Marvel’s oldest characters and, boy, can he never support his own book.

I like the idea of Namor and I think it’s neat that he’s stuck around for such a long time. In recent issues of the Illuminati I’ve been enjoying his interactions with other Marvel heroes, partly because every so often Namor tries to take over the surface world and they won’t let him live that down.

This time around Namor is stuck in a murder mystery/political thriller. Namor must find who blew up a small city in America, while he susses out who in his government he can trust. It all could be very exciting if I cared. This book does little to make me interested in Namor or his problems. Also, with a super-weak final page — he changes outfits — I’m not compelled to come back for the second installment of this limited series.

So I don’t think I’m going to stick around for this limited series. Sorry Names, I like your jerk-ass ways, but I don’t care about your empire or that small city.