Quick Comics Reviews 6

El Diablo by Brian Azzarello and Danijel Zezelj – Originally published during the early run of 100 Bullets, El Diablo taps into a similar twisted bleakness. Like Johnny Double before it, El Diablo is based on an old DC Comics character. Here, Azzarello gets the chance to give El Diablo a bit of a spitshine by injecting a healthy dose of noir attitude into this western. In this story, El Diablo is more of an unknowable force of nature than a character. The protagonist is a guy named Sheriff Moses Stone, a former bounty hunter with a shady past, who is out to track down one mean hombre of an outlaw. Somehow, El Diablo is tied up into Stone’s dark past.

This is a great read. It’s more complicated than you’d expect from what was originally a four-issue miniseries, but this is Brian Azzarello here. El Diablo certainly warrants multiple readings. It’s a rather dense noir western tale about death and tragedy, so how can you not love that? Zezelj’s art really works. He uses a lot of thick lines and alternates between packing a lot of detail into panels and designing cleaner panels. Sometimes things get murky, but I think this just adds to the denseness of the comic as a whole. Sometimes people don’t like it when art is confusing, and I can certainly agree with that. Still, I do think there’s a difference between lousy storytelling and intentional chaos. Just look at some of Chris Bachalo’s stuff and you can see that he likes the intentional chaos. Zezelj’s art isn’t as wild as Bachalo’s, but I do think it forces you to kind of slow down the pace a bit, which is a pretty cool trick of the trade.

Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli – This book deserves all the acclaim it’s garnered. It is an amazing piece of comics art. The title character is a fifty-year old architect/professor who, due to forces of nature, is forced out of his home and ends up soul-searching and reflecting on his past as he moves to a new town. A good chunk of the story is told through flashbacks as we learn more about Asterios and who he is and how he came to be. Thematically it’s rich. It touches upon Greek tragedy and philosophy, dualism, art, arrogance and pride, life and death, regret and optimism, and so much more. It’s really one of those comics you can read many times and continue to glean something new with each successive reading. I love how layered it is, yet it’s not one of those pretentious comics where the creator’s just out to prove how amazing and intellectual he is. Asterios Polyp has genuine emotion at its core, and the protagonist undergoes a legitimate journey of progress. I love the ending, too. It’s hugely satisfying.

Most people probably know of Mazzucchelli due to his art on two of the most influential superhero comics of all time: Daredevil: Born Again and Batman: Year One, both of which were written by Frank Miller. Those two books are rightful classics, but I also want to point out his indie work in the years since. His adaptation of Paul Auster’s novel City of Glass is one of those comics that someone could claim is one of the ten greatest North American comics ever and I wouldn’t bother trying to debate that. Mazzuchelli’s artwork in Asterios Polyp doesn’t really look anything like his work on Daredevil or Batman, but his level of craft is immaculate, and some of his ideas and his execution here could be considered groundbreaking. This is one of those comics that I think people will study years from now. You can learn so much about the form from it.

Asterios Polyp definitely deserves my highest possible recommendation.

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet v. 2 – Rhino and Mysterio by Dan Slott, Fred Van Lente, Joe Kelly, Max Fiumara, Marcos Martin, Javier Pulido, and Michael Lark – I haven’t been consistently reading Amazing Spider-Man since it One More Day ended and Marvel revamped the series with its thrice-monthly release schedule. I’ve read a handful of trade paperback collections, though not in any particular sort of reading order. I appreciate what Marvel’s been trying to do with this title and if I were still inclined to buy single issues every week, I could see how Amazing could be an addictive experience. Reading these trades, however, makes me feel rather critical because the actual quality of these comics varies wildly from issue to issue, which is never good when reading a single collected edition.

It’s sort of like a football team that doesn’t have a featured running back who gets the bulk of the carries throughout the course of a game. Sometimes a team doesn’t really have one legit starter, so the team just rotates three guys in and out throughout, hoping they stay fresh and that the constant changes keep the opponent’s defense off-balance.

Comic books don’t really work that way. Or if there has been a series that’s pulled that off, I can’t think of it right now.

This Spider-Man-by-committee succeeds in giving readers a steady, consistent dose of Amazing, but I can’t say everyone in their creative stable lives up to the top billing that The Amazing Spider-Man rightfully deserves.

In The Gauntlet volume 2: Rhino and Mysterio, we get some excellent stories written by Joe Kelly featuring the Rhino. We also get some really mediocre comics about Mysterio (with some stuff about Silvermane, the Maggia, and Mr. Negative) written by Dan Slott. Fred Van Lente chips in with a couple of origin stories, each of which feature the aforementioned supervillains.  Max Fiumara’s art in Joe Kelly’s stories is serviceable, but compared to the truly wonderful art of Marcos Martin (and Javier Pulido) in the Mysterio arc, it isn’t as appealing. Michael Lark draws on of Slott’s issues, too. If only the artists had been switched around.

All in all, I wasn’t impressed by this collection. The Joe Kelly issues are ace, though; I really like what he’s done with the Rhino’s character. He gives the Rhino a memorable voice and the heart of the character even feels consistent with Peter Milligan’s indelible “Flowers for Rhino” story back in Tangled Web some years ago.

Slott’s issues are middling. They seem to focus more on the larger, overall plot of the series (which is meaningless to me, as I haven’t read everything to keep up, and this didn’t make me interested enough to start caring). There are some things I don’t like about Slott’s writing. I’m tired of how many times he has Spider-Man tell us that his Spider-Sense is tingling, and I’m just not down with the incessant, melodramatic chatter that goes on during action sequences, or when characters narrate their actions.

He also portrays Spider-Man as a bit of a jerk, as someone who uses his friends to do stuff for him, and who feels okay with playing the field when it comes to women. I get that most people probably wouldn’t think twice about that, but there’s a part of me that just feels like Spidey should be one of the last bastions of the wholesome superhero. It’s disappointing, and while Kelly’s issues are enjoyable, the package as a whole is forgettable.

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet v. 3 – Vulture and Morbius by Fred Van Lente, Greg Weisman, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer, Joe Kelly, and various artists – The third installment of The Gauntlet isn’t a whole lot better than the second. Morbius only shows up for half an issue, which is misleading based on the title. Paul Azaceta does some nice art for a two-parter written by Waid and Peyer featuring the new Vulture. It’s decently-executed, but again, lacks a satisfying resolution. I suppose that’s something more noticeable when reading the trades, as opposed to weekly installments of a serialization. I also thought it was a little overly melodramatic the way J. Jonah Jameson goes out of his way (holding a press conference, no less) in order to humiliate Peter Parker on a professional level, especially when Peter’s intentions were good. I know Jameson is supposed to be a jerk, but I felt that this was some unnecessarily melodramatic overreaction on his part. It’s rather artificial, as though the writers are just trying to pile dogcrap on Spidey just to show us that he’s got it that bad in life.

Tom Peyer does write a fun little Jameson short story about a wannabe villain kidnapping him. It’s a pretty silly story, but fun and true-to-character. Greg Weisman (the Gargoyles guy, I believe) contributes a realistic issue about Flash Thompson dealing with losing his legs from the war in the Middle East. It’s surprisingly heartfelt, and probably one of the more interesting subplots going on in the series. Joe Kelly and Max Fiumara also do a one-off issue with the Rhino that serves as a tragic epilogue to their story from the previous volume. That’s the sort of sad-sack Spider-Man story that really works, (especially compared to how things are handled in the Vulture story) because it all flows so naturally from the characters and situations they face.

Ultimately, the Spider-Man-by-committee approach makes for some rough trades. Not every story is an Adrian Peterson. If I could find all of the Joe Kelly issues in a quarter bin somewhere, I’d pick them up. Otherwise, I can live without owning these books.

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang and Thien Pham – Level Up is a well-done coming of age tale about an Asian-American young man whose addiction to videogames makes it tough for him to live up to the expectations his parents have for him to become a doctor. These are some themes that Yang excels in communicating, as evidenced by his award-winning American Born Chinese comic from a few years back. Don’t think that Level Up is a rehash, though, because this comic has its own soul. It’s realism mixed with a bit of magical realism, as the main character communes with four silly little angels who poke and prod him on his way through life and med school. Pham’s watercolor-style art is attractive and his facial expressions and body language are superb. There’s humor, drama, sincere emotion, and actual character growth throughout Level Up. The ending is brilliant.

Two-Step by Warren Ellis and Amanda Conner – Warren Ellis did a string of three-issue miniseries in the early 2000s, and they all had some really sharp high concepts. Two-Step’s high concept: “A weird romance with guns in three issues. He’s a Zen Gangster. She’s a wirehead camgirl. They don’t fight crime.” That right there tells you all you need to know. Taking place in a madcap, insanely multicultural and sci-fi London, Two-Step is full of rowdy action set pieces and Ellis’ blisteringly pithy witty dialogue. Heartily recommended to anyone who has a pulse.

Quick Comics Reviews 5

Incorruptible volume 1 by Mark Waid and Jean Diaz – I’d heard plenty of good things about this series and Irredeemable. I’ve only read the first issue of Irredeemable, and even though Incorruptible is sort of the sister title to that series, the first volume is a good introduction to the story. Irredeemable is about the Plutonian, a Superman-like being who turns out to be a psychopath, turning on Earth, and just unleashes the full force of his wrath upon the planet. Incorruptible is sort of about the opposite: A supervillain decides to become a superhero so somebody can stand up to the Plutonian. It’s an unusual perspective for a superhero comic, and Mark Waid is a reliably talented superhero writer. He does a good job building the world and setting up the backstory and characters.

It actually feels like Incorruptible isn’t a spin-off series because it stands on its own so well. The artwork, however, is rather bland and inconsistent. One of the characters is supposed to be a sixteen-year old girl named Jailbait, but she doesn’t look like a kid, and sometimes the artist gives her freckles, and sometimes he doesn’t. The character designs aren’t very inspiring, either. Despite all this, Diaz still tells Waid’s story clearly. This is an expensive trade paperback, though. For four issues, this trade costs seventeen bucks. I get that Boom! is a smaller publisher, but I just can’t justify paying retail for this book. I’m interested in seeing where Waid takes this story, but right now it doesn’t feel like an essential must-read.

Empire State: A Love Story (Or Not) by Jason Shiga – This piece of semi-autobiographical fiction is about an Asian-American post-college grad named Jimmy who lives in Oakland. His best friend is a Jewish girl named Sara, but she hates Oakland and moves to New York City to have a life. Jimmy ends going through a bit of a funk before he decides to take a cross-country bus to meet up with Sara and confess his love for her. It’s an earnest comic that never degenerates into any pretentiousness or self-indulgence.

The honesty of Jimmy and Sara’s friendship feels real and the story excels at evoking feelings of nostalgia and logic simultaneously. Shiga effectively conveys the sense of hope that Jimmy feels for Sara, but it’s tempered by a realistic understanding of how to handle disappointments in life, so the story never feels wishy-washy, but grounded. The seemingly simplistic artwork belies rather masterful storytelling craft. Throughout the comic, Shiga uses negative space and layouts that really serve to control the pace of the story. Using negative space can often be difficult to execute properly (a lot of times, this comic book storytelling tool can be used for no real discernible purpose) but Shiga does it well. The duotoned colors impart emotion and mood into the scenes, and his characters’ eyes are particularly expressive. This is a fantastic piece of work, and a great read for anyone interested in straightforward good stories. I highly recommend Empire State.

Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis – Imagine a story about a young, unsure Clark Kent, fresh out of junior college, newly moved to Metropolis, trying to decide what to do with his life. He’s grown up with solid American values but hasn’t decided to become Superman yet. Then an alien armada invades Earth, looking for him, and he ends up putting on the costume and beating them to save the day. Well, you don’t have to imagine that story because JMS and Shane Davis have given it to us.

What’s the point of this? Is there really any purpose for yet another Superman origin story? This comic doesn’t do anything to make me appreciate Superman more. It doesn’t have anything noteworthy to say about Superman or the Superman mythos that we haven’t already read before. Even all that isn’t unforgivable, but this book doesn’t even have an interesting plot. I also don’t like how some of the characters sometimes talk out loud to themselves when no one else is around. Why not use thought balloons or narrative captions instead? Shane Davis’ art is horrible, too. From his uninspired designs (the primary villain looks like The Crow with metal death wings) to his overreliance on thin lines and cross hatching, Davis gives Earth One a really mediocre style. He doesn’t do a good job handling facial expressions or body language, and seems more suited to drawing middling fight scenes. The panel-to-panel storytelling is marginal at worst, merely adequate at best. His work here reminds me of a homeless man’s Jim Lee.

I also feel obligated to point out how badly Davis failed in illustrating a scene where Clark tries out for Metropolis’ pro football team. Not only does he fail in drawing the proportions of the players on the field, he seems to lack a complete understanding of football as a sport. The players are wearing seemingly random numbers (numbers should be assigned based on position) and Davis draws them haphazardly all over the field with no sense of how football is played. It’s the fudging of details like this that really show the lack of serious attention the creators put into making this book. Skip this and read Mark Waid’s and Leinil Yu’s Superman: Birthright instead, if you feel you must read a modern Superman origin story.

Amulet Book Three: The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi – The third volume of the series continues the nice level of quality of the previous books. Heroine Emily and her unlikely band of rebels and misfits go on a journey in search of a fabled lost city that floats in the clouds. She gains some new unruly allies and a dangerous new foe. Kibuishi keeps the story flowing along, striking a nice balance between humor, action, and quiet moments. The artwork, as usual, is breathtaking and I think one of the nicest things I can say about Amulet in general is how well it’s able to kindle that sense of adventure in anyone’s imagination.

Gen 13: I Love New York by John Arcudi and Gary Frank – In this run of stories from the mid-nineties, Arcudi and Frank take the established premise of Gen 13 (a team of superpowered teens on the run from shadowy government agents) at the time and make it readable. I think anyone reasonable can look back on just about any of those early nineties Image books and see how shallow those efforts are. Gen 13, when it was first created, didn’t have a whole lot going for it other than the fact that J. Scott Campbell (whose art I particularly disdain) would draw all these unbelievably big-breasted teenage chicks in varying states of undress. I guess they knew their audience back then.

By the time Arcudi and Frank came aboard, I suppose Image (or WildStorm, at least) started to realize how badly the stories sucked and wanted to improve. Thus, we had Warren Ellis (who also did a couple of giant-sized issues of Gen 13) on Stormwatch and Alan Moore on WildC.A.T.s. Gen 13 never reached the heights of Stormwatch or WildC.A.T.s, but this was definitely a step in the right direction until Adam Warren took over the book. I Love New York takes the kids out of their usual digs in San Diego and brings them to the Big Apple where they continue to elude the people on their trail. It isn’t anything revelatory but it’s a competent superhero comic with nice art, which is all you can ask for sometimes. I don’t think it’s anything you need to go out of your way to look for, but reading it doesn’t feel like a complete waste of time, either.

Avengers Academy volume 1: Permanent Record by Christos Gage and Mike McKone – I’ve enjoyed just about every Christos Gage comic I’ve encountered. Avengers Academy is a fairly straightforward teen superhero comic. It actually reminds me a bit of The Intimates, only far less subversive and more conventional. Avengers Academy is about a team of six teens who are being trained by Hank Pym and a handful of other C-list Marvel heroes to be future Avengers. There’s a nice little twist at the end of the first issue (which is, unfortunately, spoiled on the trade’s back cover synopsis) that adds an interesting element to the teens’ adventures and what being in the academy means. I like McKone’s artwork. His clean style is always appealing when paired up with a good story. Maybe Avengers Academy doesn’t look as good as his art on Teen Titans, but this is still some of his better stuff. All in all, this book is a nice tour through one corner of the Avengers’ section of the Marvel universe. It’s a cool superteen team book with just enough thematic depth and character development to keep me turning the pages. The only misstep was when a guest artist drew one of the issues; it was noticeably mediocre compared to McKone’s issues.

NYX: Wannabe by Joe Quesada, Josh Middleton, and Robert Teranishi – NYX takes place in the New York City of the Marvel Universe and follows a small group of superpowered teens who basically have nowhere to go. It’s a bit darker and more cynical than Gen 13, though. Whereas Gen 13’s characters are generally likeable, and even the uncouth and buffoonish Grunge has a certain charm, I don’t particularly care for any of the characters in NYX. On one hand, I don’t think there’s any intrinsic problem with a story having unlikeable characters. Sometimes, it is to the benefit of the story. However, in NYX, I really don’t see the point of why Quesada chose to portray his characters as insufferable jerks who basically deserve all the cruelty they have to endure. (Or maybe it’s just me, and my own personal biases which taint my view of them.)

NYX is a frustrating book because I think it had so much potential to be something better than it is. If Charles Xavier and Magneto are different sides of the same coin, then the mutant outcasts in NYX are the dirty dollar bills floating in the gutter. These teens are involved in gangs, drugs, prostitution, and all that stuff. It’s interesting that the artwork is so bright and lively because the contents of the story are rather depressing. Quesada’s dialogue can come off as awkward and forced (especially when he writes street lingo), the plot doesn’t really have a satisfying resolution, and, like I said, I didn’t like the characters. Still, NYX might be worth a library read because it’s got an interesting premise and it’s obvious that Quesada was trying to say something with his work. I just don’t think it comes across too clearly, if at all.

Quick Reviews 4

Superman vs. Muhammad Ali (Deluxe Edition) by Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil – For a late ‘70s comic, this is quite readable. The plot and premise are a bit silly, but what do you really expect from the title of the comic? Considering it’s a product of its time, this comic isn’t anything as cringe-worthy as, say, Judd Winick teaming up the Outsiders with John Walsh from America’s Most Wanted. The dialogue is dated and rather melodramatic, but there’s enough sincerity in the story to somehow make it work. It’s a pleasant and uplifting story about two American icons, and any serious analysis of the plot is just kind of unnecessary. Neal Adams’ art is, of course, masterful, and his portrayals of inner city life and extradimensional aliens are each convincing in their own ways. The production values on this hardcover make it a worthy purchase for any old-time fan, and the remastered coloring is mostly well-done. (There are a few spots where the computer effects look out of place.) Your tolerance for absurd plots will likely dictate your enjoyment of this work.

X-Men: Manifest Destiny by Jason Aaron, Stephen Segovia, James Asmus, and various others -  This was a mixed bag. The four-part Wolverine: Manifest Destiny story written by Aaron is great fun and features some clever writing. It’s another story about Logan’s past come back to haunt him, only this time the story takes place in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and Aaron makes what could be a trite exercise in repetition a fresh little chunk of throwback kung-fu action. Segovia’s art looks like a poor man’s Leinil Francis Yu, but I think he’s got plenty of potential to grow and improve. (Yu’s early comics art wasn’t very good, either.) Mike Carey has a character-centric follow-up to some of his earlier X-Men stories, and Asmus writes a couple of fun Nightcrawler stories and a Boom-Boom story (illustrated by Chris Burnham!). Frank Tieri and Ben Oliver turn in a story about Avalanche hiding out in San Francisco that probably won’t mean anything except to the most diehard of Avalanche fans (if they’re actually out there somewhere). All in all this hardcover isn’t worth the price. The Wolverine story would be worth owning on its own, and Carey’s story would be better collected in one of his own X-Men Legacy books. The rest of it just feels like slapdash comics that I could have appreciated more had I found them in a quarter bin.

Superman: The Black Ring by Paul Cornell and Pete Woods – Collecting the first six issues of Cornell’s run on Action Comics, this is a Lex Luthor story where Superman himself isn’t involved. Cornell certainly does an excellent job writing a callously egocentric and cruel Luthor who is also, somehow, an empathetic protagonist. Luthor’s on a quest for ultimate power here, and in Vandal Savage, he has an antagonist who can match up well with him. The story where Luthor meets Neil Gaiman’s Death is tastefully done and develops both characters very well. Pete Woods has got to be one of the finest artists working in DC’s stables, and his work here is among his very best. It’s just a shame the ugly David Finch covers are so misleading.  I really like Woods’ rendition of Mr. Mind –he’s menacing and kinda gross, but also kinda adorable in his own bizarre way. I’d like to read the second half of this story.

Batman: The Widening Gyre by Kevin Smith and Walter Flanagan – Kevin Smith seems to get a lot of hate from comics fans because of his lateness, and I have no idea if these issues were released on a timely basis. (And I don’t care, because I’m all about reading the TRADE, BABY.) He also seems to get a lot of hate for other reasons, as well, like his characterizations of certain established characters. Well, I’ve got no problem with his interpretation of Batman. Here, his Batman is a bit more personable, and less of the unlovable jerk he’s often been portrayed as for the past seven or eight years. Smith’s Batman talks more, jokes around, smiles, falls in love, makes mistakes, and even acts friendly. It still feels like Batman to me. Flanagan’s art has steadily improved from his work on the three-part Cacophony miniseries, as well. As a tour through Batman’s world, from the corners of his JLA adventures to the grimy alleyways of Gotham City, The Widening Gyre is mainly propelled by the notion of Batman finding true love (in Silver St. Cloud, a classic character) and deciding that maybe he doesn’t have to be Batman forever. Of course, as readers, we’re expecting something to go horribly awry, and Smith certainly doesn’t disappoint. The last couple pages of this book are inevitable and really make me want to read the next six issues of this saga. This is a worthy addition to the Batman canon. It’s entirely different from what Grant Morrison’s been building over the past several years, but this is entertaining in its own right.

Wolverine Weapon X volume 2: Insane in the Brain by Jason Aaron, Yanick Paquette, and C.P. Smith – Aaron is rapidly becoming the definitive Wolverine solo writer. (Granted, he doesn’t have much competition, does he?) Still, this is some very good superhero comics. The story starts with Logan being a confused inmate at an insane asylum, and Aaron slowly rolls back the curtain to reveal how he got there. There’s a lot of wicked humor in the story and some absurdity that doesn’t feel out of place at all. We’re just waiting for Logan to rediscover who he is so he can make his tormentor pay. Aaron also follows up on some of the plot threads from his Get Mystique storyarc, as well as the first volume of Wolverine Weapon X. He does a good job balancing balls-out action with quieter, character-driven moments. It all makes for some quality superhero action and drama with some legitimate character development. Yanick Paquette’s expressive artwork is the icing on the cake, and C.P. Smith’s design-oriented art in the epilogue is a wonderful complement to Aaron’s work.

Dark X-Men by Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk – I’ve enjoyed Paul Cornell’s work, but Dark X-Men just felt a bit aimless to me. While there are some good bits in this story, like some clever dialogue and character moments from Mystique, it all ultimately felt like Marvel simply wanted to commission a five-issue story to resurrect and reintroduce Nate Grey, X-Man, to the Marvel Universe. And as a spinoff to the Utopia: Dark Avengers/X-Men crossover, this book really has no relevance to anything beyond it surface. I didn't feel that there’s any real meat to this story other than people in costumes beating up and outmaneuvering other people in costumes. That may all be fine for many readers, and this wasn’t poorly crafted or anything, but it’s ultimately something I’m probably not going to care to read again.

X-Men: S.W.O.R.D.: No Time to Breathe by Kieron Gillen and Steven Sanders – Now here’s something that looks like a throwaway X-Book designed just to cash in on a couple of Joss Whedon’s creations from Astonishing X-Men (with a few John Cassaday covers to boot). But this is actually one gem of a comic. Steven Sanders’ cartoony art is unusual for an X-Book, and he illustrates humor and action with equal aplomb. Gillen’s writing is sharp and witty, and he does a superb job of crafting lighthearted humor with interstellar action to go along with a few zany science fiction ideas here and there (not to mention some friendly shoutouts to the alien characters of the Marvel Universe). Through it all, this character-driven yarn flies at lightspeed. This is comic is very well-executed and worth checking out.

Amulet Book Two: The Stonekeeper’s Curse by Kazu Kibuishi – I’m a few volumes behind on Amulet, but I finally got around to reading the second book. Amulet’s the ideal all-ages comic because its cast of characters appeal to kids, but the story is rich enough that an adult can appreciate it. Amulet’s basically about two kids (and their mom) who get fall into a fantasy world and get involved with talking animals and robots, and they all get caught up in a quest against these dark elven guys. It’s entertaining stuff, and probably one of the nicest fantasy comics I can think of right now. Best of all is Kibuishi’s magnificent artwork; Amulet really does look like an animated film set on paper, but his figure work is emotive and lively. The backgrounds and colors are very impressive, and it’s just a treat to see such an imaginative world brought to life on such a grand scale.

Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics by Various Writers and Artists - An anthology of crime comics published by Dark Horse, this is a pretty decent collection. Like many anthologies, the individual stories themselves can be hit-or-miss. Fortunately, this is a Dark Horse anthology, which means the ratio of hits to misses is pretty favorable. Everything’s in black and white, and that serves the subject matter just fine. Lots of creators contributed to this anthology, but I think in general, the big names were the most successful. My favorite stories are David Lapham’s Stray Bullets story, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal story, and the Brian Azzarello story that ends the collection (which features art by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba). The stories are mostly dark and twisted, as you’d expect, although a few of them have cheap twist endings that I don’t think really work, and there were a couple stories I just didn’t care for. As a package, though, this is a nice book to own for the right price.

Necrosha X by Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost, Clayton Crain, Mike Carey, Zeb Wells, and others – I like Clayton Crain’s art. That’s probably the nicest thing I can say about Kyle and Yost’s X-Crossover. Necrosha X (or is it supposed to be X-Necrosha? I never figured it out. I don’t think I care.) just felt like Marvel’s attempt to pull a Blackest Night-type of story, where a bunch of the X-Men’s greatest dead foes and allies come back to life, and everyone has to fight. Lame. The main story takes place in Kyle and Yost’s X-Force issues, and those aren’t good comics. I’ve never liked their comics and this doesn’t change my mind. Everything centers around the plot, and there’s just nothing more to it beyond a bunch of people fighting and trading banter while they fight. Zeb Well’s three-part New Mutants tie-in is just as bad. Taking place concurrently to the main story in X-Force, the New Mutants story was much too long for something so pointless. It’s hard for me to understand how anyone could sincerely enjoy these comics for what they are, as opposed to feeling compelled to read them just because they’re, y’know, X-MEN COMICS!!!. Mike Carey’s four issues are good stuff, though… He manages to take the constraints of the crossover but continue to build on the character development he’s been working on in X-Men Legacy. I wish his issues got their own trade, because this giant 35 buck book ain’t worth it. This trade is padded with a bunch of other issues that explain the backstory of some of the characters involved in the crossover, but none of them are any good and I don’t think they’re worth discussing. Avoid this comic, but read those Mike Carey issues.

Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan – This is the best comic I’ve read in a while. Elmer is about an alternate Earth where chickens have gained human intelligence and the ability to speak, and they basically end up considering themselves to be a race of humans. Alanguilan (yup, the same dude who is probably best known for being Leinil Francis Yu’s inker) does a masterful job building this alternate world, and he does it in a very economical way. On one level, Elmer is science fiction and alternate history story, as we see how society changes at the outset of the moment chickens gain their sentience. That alone is a gripping tale, and touches on all the themes you’d expect, like racism, bigotry, hatred, terrorism, and death. It’s chilling and there are a number of disturbingly unsettling moments as we see how humans react to the chickens. On another level, Elmer is also the story about a chicken named Jake who must deal with his father’s death. Jake reads his father’s journal and learns about the early days of chicken sentience, but also learns a lot about his father, mother, and his parents’ human friend Ben. With universal as well as personal themes, Elmer succeeds as a piece of fiction that makes you think about the broader world around you and appreciate the mundane relationships in your life. Look, I’m just gonna say it: This is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Elmer gets my highest possible recommendation.

Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson – This Dark Horse hardcover is a very attractive production. It’s also an exceptional comic book (and an Eisner Award winner!). Beasts of Burden is about a group of dogs (and one cat) who are paranormal investigators in an ostensibly peaceful suburb. They end up dealing with black magic, cannibal frogs, demons, zombie roadkill, animal spirits, killer rats, and all sorts of creepy stuff. As a horror comic, it’s better than most because the horror is based on making you care about these characters, and then putting them into perilous situations. As a talking animal comic, it’s better than most because Evan Dorkin writes with a great sense of humor, but also infuses genuine emotion into the characters. Even though the protagonists are all animals, and they can talk, they still think and act like animals. It’s a subtle thing, but this sort of writing probably takes a lot more thought than most people realize. Jill Thompson’s exquisite watercolors give Beasts of Burden a storybook style, and she seamlessly depicts a world that’s inviting even though there are things in this world that are intensely repulsive. And make no mistake, there are some pretty disgusting things that the animals encounter. She does a fantastic job illustrating animals who are expressive and adorable. With tight plotting, clever scripts, and characters with real personality, Beasts of Burden is something that’s worth owning. I give this comic my highest possible recommendation. 

Quick Reviews 3

The TPB also has some elucidating commentary from Mark Evanier about the genesis of this project

 

Boogeyman by Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier – Well, this is certainly one gem of a comic. Aragones is a living legend and Evanier is an underappreciated writer. I know Evanier writes for a lot of TV shows, but all of his comics tend to range from enjoyably entertaining to memorably and sincerely thrilling, and always with a healthy dose of genuine humor and remarkable attention to craft. Boogeyman, published by Dark Horse in the late ‘90s, is a sterling testament to these two friends and collaborators. Essentially a modern day Tales from the Crypt-type of comic featuring a banjo-strumming black dude named Mr. Diggs as the “Cryptkeeper”, Boogeyman is a nice collection of short stories about the things people fear. Though Aragones and Evanier keep things pretty light with their sense of humor, most of the stories ultimately reveal something about the human condition, and how irrational fears can ruin our hearts; that they tell these tales in a way that isn’t heavy handed makes this comic ideal for adults as well as younger readers. Recommended.

Rereading this makes me wish BKV would do some more comics

Wolverine: Logan by Brian K. Vaughan and Eduardo Risso – I reread this one after I had finished 100 Bullets in its entirety and I was still on my Risso kick. Risso’s artwork is certainly suited to this short (three issues) miniseries set in Japan during World War II. Dean White’s colors are splendorous, as well – just look at that majestic final page, which so perfectly encapsulates, in one glorious yet bittersweet image, the essence of Wolverine. In three issues, BKV and Risso tell a story of Logan’s past reaching back from the grave to strike at his heart one more time. It’s a simple enough plot and premise, but it works thanks to the attention to detail and the painstaking care you can see them pour into the craft of what could easily just be another mindless Marvel zombie cash machine. Like the best Wolverine stories, Logan ends with tragedy mixed in with a bit of hope, much like how the character himself struggles to contain his animalistic instincts with his human nature. Recommended.

Lloyd's lush artwork really improves the story

The Territory by Jamie Delano and David Lloyd – This is an unusual comic. I feel like I need to read it again in order to get a better grasp on it, which isn’t a bad thing by any means. Most of my experiences with Delano’s writing makes me feel this way, in fact. I think he’s a good writer who tends to layer his works a bit densely. Lloyd, of course, illustrated that indomitable classic V for Vendetta, and his artwork here looks just as good as you’d expect. The story, as far as I can tell, is a futuristic science fiction tale that follows a man as he struggles to separate fiction from reality. It’s a dizzying descent into madness and the dark corners of human psyche. Unlike some of Delano’s other comics, however, the narrative is straightforward enough to follow easily. It’s the deeper implications below the surface that provide a good amount of meat to munch on.

The Dave Dorman covers, which are obviously in a style reminiscent of Drew Struzan, were misleading to my younger self

Star Wars: Dark Empire by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy – Ah, the challenges of not only rereading, but reviewing a beloved childhood comic… I must have gotten this trade paperback back when I was around 11 years old. I’m now 27. I remember reading this over and over and over as a kid. I grew up loving Star Wars and absolutely devoured every Star Wars novel and comic I could sink my grubby little meathooks into. Dark Empire was definitely, to my young mind, the ultimate Star Wars comic. Over the years, I’d pull this bad boy off the shelf just to take a trip back down memory lane. Even though time has certainly dulled the impact of the story, I still somehow find myself getting lost in the imagination of the comic. 

Here's a sample panel of Cam Kennedy's art (I believe he colored himself)

This is due, in no small part, to the amazing artwork of Cam Kennedy. His pencils are dynamic. His figures are great actors and he draws facial expressions well. Best of all are his action scenes and anything that involves hulking mechanical behemoths. His designs for the World Devastators (supposedly, an Imperial fleet of planet-demolishing leviathans on a threat level on par with the Death Stars) are intricate and creative. His star fighters are satisfyingly detailed and his soldiers’ rifles spit hot fire right off the page. Kennedy perfectly captures the chaos inherent in devastated war zones. As a kid, I used to try and copy his pictures. As an adult, his pictures continue to stimulate my imagination. The initially bizarre secondary color scheme in the series confused me as a child; now I truly appreciate the various hues of pink, green, blue, and brown. It gives the series a unique, dignified look. The story, on the other hand, hasn’t aged well. Tom Veitch appropriates a rather “comic booky” premise with this story, meant to take place years after Return of the Jedi (and a little while after Timothy Zahn’s excellent Thrawn Trilogy): the resurrection of the Emperor. During the course of the story, characters (especially Luke Skywalker) behave in ways that simply don’t feel plausible. It’s as though Veitch forced characters into situations instead of letting them react naturally to the world around them. A few important plot events and character development even happen off-panel, and the ending feels terribly rushed. Nonetheless, I just don’t have it in me to hate on this comic, although as I’ve gotten older I’ve come to realize just how mediocre the vast majority of Expanded Universe novels/comics can be…

I got nothing but respect for First Second

Life Sucks by Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria, and Warren Pleece – I’ve been enjoying First Second’s output. I haven’t been able to read all that many of their releases, but pretty much everything of theirs that I have read, I’ve enjoyed. Life Sucks may not be a world-changing comic book, but it’s an entertaining story. I was familiar with Abel’s work thanks to her superb, critically acclaimed La Perdida, and Pleece has done some pretty excellent work for DC Comics. (He drew Ed Brubaker’s Deadenders series for Vertigo as well as the underrated Kinetic for the short-lived DC Focus imprint.) Life Sucks follows Dave, a vampire living in modern day LA. Dave works a dead-end job at a 24 hour convenience store for his boss, the old-school vampire lord who turned him in the first place. (Dave works the night shift, naturally.) As you can surmise from the title, Dave hates his life. He gets some hope when he meets Rosa, a girl he immediately likes, but of course things get complicated. Life Sucks is light story about feeling stuck in a rut and about what a downtrodden, kind of wimpy guy is willing to do for the sake of love and happiness. I think the best thing about the storytelling is how clear the art is and how compelling the characters are. It makes this a breeze to read.

I would have taken Howard Porter over any of the other jokers who drew the issues in this trade

Captain America and the Falcon volume 2: Brothers and Keepers by Priest and various artists – It’s tough for me to read a Cap story nowadays, because I can’t help but compare everything to Brubaker’s definitive run on the character. Still, I can accept other interpretations of Cap, and Priest’s short run in the middle of the first decade of the 2000s is definitely a flat-out superhero action book, almost in the tradition of the Silver Age in terms of the unbridled, joyous excitement he packs into his stories. It’s a shame the art’s so woefully inconsistent. A variety of pencillers featuring the dull stylings of Dan Jurgens and Andrea Divito mar what should have been an exhilarating superhero romp where Cap and the Falcon race to uncover a conspiracy and do battle with M.O.D.O.K. and the incredible Hulk. The story also ends with an unfinished feeling, because I think Marvel wanted to end this series as Brubaker’s run was warming up. That doesn’t sound very fair, and I’m sure it wasn’t the first time Priest got shafted, but such is life. Still, even though it’s kind of a messy, unfinished work, I find Cap and the Falcon an interesting read… You can sort of see how the real world unravels the comic, as things get rushed towards the end. It’s certainly not a perfect comic, but it’s told with genuine aplomb and, as I’ve said before, I often find myself gravitating toward flawed works when it comes to superheroes.

Here's the cover to the second issue so you can see Harris' interpretations of Uncle Ben, Aunt May, and the Bradbury-esque Flash Thompson

Spider-Man: With Great Power… by David Lapham and Tony Harris – Here’s another Marvel Knights miniseries. Harris did this during his time on Ex Machina and his art, for the first four issues of this collection, looks exactly like the bulk of his run on Ex Machina as inked by Jim Clark. The fifth issue, however, features Stefano Gaudiano on inks, and it’s quite a jarring change. It’s not a bad look, by any means, but it’s so different from the previous four issues that it does take you out of the story a bit. A little consistency would have been appreciated here, especially for the collected edition. With Great Power… takes place between the panels of Amazing Fantasy #15 (the first appearance of Spider-Man) and tells a story of how Peter Parker reveled in his newfound powers in the early days. It’s the beginning of his understanding of power and responsibility. Lapham’s writing is solid but nothing as powerful as his work on Stray Bullets. Harris’ art is the true star here, though I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that hardcore fanboys took umbrage at his interpretations for certain characters. Flash Thompson, for one, looks like Bradbury. Aunt May and Uncle Ben don’t look anything like how they’ve traditionally been portrayed. (Uncle Ben is thin and has a mustache, while Aunt May isn’t the frail old lady we tend to imagine her to be.) Liz Allen looks way too hot to be a high schooler. Crusher Hogan has long black hair. Stuff like that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story, although I felt that the themes of power and responsibility weren’t deeply developed. As a result, the story feels kind of thin. Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of this comic, other than the art, is how Lapham doesn’t end it where you expect it to end. It’s worth a read and would probably make a very fine introduction to Spider-Man to anyone who’s new to comics.