More Reviews

This latest haul was a pretty good one:

Astro City: The Dark Age, Book Two #4 - Wildstorm (2007)

I've really enjoyed following the story of Royal and Charles, two brothers living in Astro City in the 1970s. Kurt Busiek really captures the feel of the period and Brent Anderson does a great job with the visuals. He's not going for a reproduction of '70s art which is good. What he's done is made Astro City look different while maintaining the feel that previous artists have given it.

The two main characters don't get to do much in this finale but that's not really a problem. The whole thing has more of a Marvels feel to it in that we see how normal people react to Big Events. Unlike, Marvels, however, the main characters both got to be truly involved in the fallout from the Big Events. I have a couple of quibbles with the amount of stuff that was revealed in this issue just to bring the story to a close but that sort of thing just drives home the difference between the "Capes" and the rest of us. Nice ending to a good story. There's an overarching mystery that may be wrapped up with Book Three. I'll be there for it.

Un-Men #3 - Vertigo (2007)

The first two issues just barrelled through the story at breakneck speed. In fact at least one neck was broken. The third issue ramps up the weirdness along with the pace. Everybody in this story is messed up and I don't just mean physically. I mean, how well-adjusted do you think a town full of freaks and run by Anton Arcane's original Un-Men is going to be? If you can be creeped out, there's something in this issue that'll do the trick.

John Whalen is writing the hell out of this thing and Mike Hawthorne's art fits well with the story. Some of the faces Hawthorne drew for this issue look too much alike which made some of the closeups confusing but other than that, it's all good. Whalen and Hawthorne are completely in synch on Cranius which is good when you're depicting a super-genius head attached to a hand.

Simon Dark #1 - DC (2007)

When I heard about this a while back, I thought, "Oh, yawn. Another creepy-ass dude running around Gotham City who's crazy and kills bad people." Well, that's pretty much what you've got, here, but Scott Hampton's art combined with Steve Niles's writing make it more interesting than that. Not a lot more interesting but interesting enough. The first page of the comic hooked me. It's dark and creepy and beautiful. I figured that even if the story sucked the book would be nice to look at. Good news: The story doesn't suck. There are few surprises, here, but it's a nice character study and it leaves enough open for future issues to reveal.

It's like a cross between Profit and Batman Begins. I'll stick with it.

X-Factor #24 - Marvel (2007)

This issue marks the conclusion of the "Isolationist" storyline. It started off strong but kind of lost focus near the end. The bad guy who shares a name with the story looked like he was going to be awesome and ended up being merely less lame than a lot of villains. I wish his motivations had been different because Peter David really invested him with a lot of depth.

Still, there were some very cool (no pun intended - see cover) things that happened. David does something a lot of writers who aren't Warren Ellis don't do. He comes up with innovative uses for superheroes' powers. Given that he's writing about a bunch of people who have lost their powers, as well, he has the chance to come up with innovative things they can still do. I'm not disappointed in this story but it had a potential that wasn't realized.

Stormwatch: PHD #12 - Wildstorm (2007)

This was the week for endings. In this case, #12 is the last issue of the entire series. Christos Gage and Andy Smith teamed up to tell a hell of a story. If you haven't been buying the individual issues, pick up the first trade. The second should be out soon.

I'm a sucker for stories where non-powered people fight supervillains. Of course, on this team a few of the members are "reformed" villains. Gage did a masterful job of developing the relationships between the characters while telling exciting action stories each month. There was only one small speedbump along the way involving Christine Trelane but they managed to smooth it out fairly well. This is a great story, well-told and very well drawn.

Super-Villain Team-Up: Modok's 11 #4 (of 5) - Marvel (2007)

This issue has the best cover yet. The story is less coherent than earlier issues which is weird considering that there's only one issue left. However, it's still as much fun as you'd expect a story about M.O.D.O.K., Armadillo, Nightshade, S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra and nearly every other weirdo in the Marvel Universe to be.

Fred Van Lente is one of the funniest writers in comics today and Francis Portella's art is spot on. Portella has a clean style, a great sense of composition and a Giffenesque flair for facial expressions. Also, the colors by GURU-EFX - E (whatever the hell that means) are outstanding. See the sample page below.

So, if you're interested in a kick-ass story which features crazy superpowers, crazier antagonists, double-crossing, and bizarre technology all while not taking itself too seriously, check this one out.

A few comics reviews, A bunch of pictures

The last three weeks have been really heavy as far as Comics I Want. Here's what I've read most recently. Click images to embiggen.

The Un-Men #1 - Vertigo (2007)
This is actually a review of Un-Men #1 and #2 because this thing is on a release schedule to rival 52! #3 is in my house now but I haven't read it yet. The fact that I bought the third issue should tell you that I like the series. 'Cause, y'know, I do.

There are so many ways this story could have gone wrong and John Whalen avoided all of them. Revamps of old, weird comic characters are always hit-or-miss propositions but this one brings the right stuff together in the proper way. Getting Mike Hawthorne to draw the thing doesn't hurt, either.

The premise is that Anton Arcane's original Un-Men are at the center of an entire town of freaks. It's like that episode of the X-Files times the Jim Rose Show plus the cast of Deliverance. The characters are interesting and (no pun intended) well fleshed out. There's a murder mystery along with a few freak-related subplots and an albino DOE agent who is becoming my favorite new DC character. Whalen even managed to work reality shows into the plot in way that doesn't suck! Now, that's writing.

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #1 - DC (2007)
From the first time I encountered Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters I have hated the characters. It's an irrational hatred but it's seeds are in the way Uncle Sam talks. I know it's supposed to be folksy or something but I can't stand the bastard. The Freedom Fighters have always seemed to be a square peg that DC keeps trying to pound into a round hole.

When I read that Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray were writing a miniseries about them, my hatred flagged a bit. Palmiotti and Gray are in my top ten list of comics writers and they are putting out some excellent stuff, lately. Well, they can't all be gold. Even without characters I loathe, this is not a very good story. It's disjointed and seems to be going in too many directions for a mere eight issues to cover.

The big event in this issue is that there's a split among the members of the team who are willing to become leg-breakers for the government and the ones who aren't. It's like some kind of Civil War! Not even Palmiotti and Gray can make me interested in this kind of tale. Also, the ones who stay get press agents. I am well past the point where I think superheroes as real-world-type celebrities are interesting. Needless to say, I won't pick up issue #2.

Action Comics #856 - DC (2007)
Do you like Bizarro? Buy this issue and #855 and you won't be disappointed. Do you like Eric Powell's art? See above. I always enjoy seeing Powell's cover work but I really like it when he does an entire book. See also: The Goon.

This storyline is tailor-made for Powell's style. This is a dark, creepy Bizarro story which is only made darker and creepier by all of the weird-ass stuff that happens on Bizarro world. Powell is the go-to guy for creepy, dark, and silly. Also, Geoff Johns and Richard Donner are writing it so it's in good hands. Bizarro has kidnapped Pa Kent and trapped him on Bizarro world. Wacky hijinks ensue but there is this terrible sense of danger and impending violent death throught out the story. I'll stick with Action as long as this storyline continues and I may keep up with it after that.

Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1 - Marvel (2007)
First I need to make it clear that Immortal Iron Fist #9 is awesome. The series still kicks ass and you should go out and buy all of the issues.

You should also buy the Annual. It's too bad that you can't just buy half of it, though, because some of the art is awful. I hate to say that because Howard Chaykin is one of my favorite artists but his work on this issue is terrible. Not only does it not fit with the tone of the issue, it's just bad.

Now, on to the positive stuff which is everything else. The story begins a few minutes after issue #9 and leads directly into #10. Iron Fist takes a break from the Tournament of Awesomeness in order to research stuff about his predecessor so he can level up and learn how to shoot flaming skulls out of his hands. This means that the issue is really about Orson Randall and his adventures during the early twentieth century. There's tons of pulpy goodness and the art in those sections by Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic is spot on! Everybody looks like they jumped off the cover of a lurid pulp novel. There's nothing essential to enjoying the main series but there are some very entertaining bits with Randall and his fellow Confederates of the Curious.

See below for examples of the jarring differences in artistic styles. The first one is Chaykin's work, followed by Djurdjevic's. Click to enlarge.

New Comics!

I'm a bit behind on my comic-book reading right now so these are not the freshest of reviews. Although, I've got to say that as problems go, having a surplus of comics to read is one I will gladly accept. Click on the cover images to see bigger versions. Especially the Scarlet Witch cover. That thing is beautiful.


Immortal Iron Fist #8 - Marvel (2007)

If you've read my previous reviews of this title you know that I like it as much as it is possible for a human to like a comic book. Issue #8 is an excellent place to begin reading this series if you haven't seen any of the earlier issues. If you like martial arts, good writing, excellent art, cool characters, and, y'know, fun you will like Immortal Iron Fist. Fraction and Brubaker have further expanded the Iron Fist mythology by making K'un L'un one of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven. Each city appears in the mortal plane on a different schedule but once every eighty-eight years the appearances converge and they celebrate with a kickass martial-arts tournament! Oh. My. God. That is the most awesome idea ever. The first fight (which will, of course, feature our hero) happens next issue while this one sets up the tournament beautifully.

Check out this post to see a couple of preview images Marvel released. The writers are thinking BIG with this story and I can't think of anyone better than David Aja to turn their ideas into pictures. When someone asks me what comics to read I mention this one first.

The Brave and the Bold #6 - DC (2007)

Here's another comic book I recommend to people. Mark Waid and George Pérez are a dream team. Unlike the Iron Fist issue above, this is not a good jumping-on point for this series because it's the last installment of a universe-spanning story arc. Next issue, however, will start a new one so keep your eyes peeled. See what I did, there? There's a dude with a big eye for a head on the cover and I said...

Ahem. Sorry.

I will now talk about the series as a whole rather than this specific issue (which is excellent and wraps up the story very well):

The Brave and the Bold is a fun, well-crafted series created by two guys with planet-sized storehouses of comics knowledge and experience in their heads. My favorite part of the series is the interactions between the characters who are teaming up. For example, the Blue Beetle/Batman meeting was one of the funniest things I've ever read and it showed the differences and similarities between them economically. Waid is one of my favorite writers because he knows when to let the pictures do the talking and when to throw in the awesome dialogue. So, either pick up the trade which should be out soon or grab issue #7. Or, y'know, both.

Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 #1 - Archaia (2007)

Hooray, another Mouse Guard story! This one snuck up on me. I had heard that David Petersen was putting out another limited series but I didn't know what the release date was. So, this was a pleasant surprise. If you missed the first Mouse Guard story, it's a medieval tale of the brave mice who protect rodentkind with their blades and wits. This story involves two teams of mice who are traveling through deep snows and freezing winds to secure food and medicine for their home town. The characters are interesting and the story is full of adventure. Prior knowledge of the Mouse Guard universe is not necessary for enjoyment of this excellent tale. These mice are cool.

The Programme #2 - Wildstorm (2007)

The first issue of this series started off with a bang. The second issue has a couple of points where it drags the story to a screeching halt while it inserts infodumps and pontifications which is a shame because this is a hell of a story. The slow spots don't ruin the series, however. The art fits the writing and once this issue gets back on track it continues to flesh out one of the most interesting ideas I've run across in a long time.

In short: The Allies confiscated a fetus from a NAZI lab near the end of WWII. This fetus was going to be a super soldier for the Axis but the U.S. decided to keep him for their own use. One of the scientists thought that might not be such a good idea so he inadvertently assisted the super soldier in his escape. Now the government has tracked down the super soldier and wants him to fight this foreign badass who is screwing up stuff for them overseas. And there are explosions.

Dynamo 5 #6 - Image (2007)

This one continues to be fun and well done. The story by Jay Faerber about a bunch of people who discover that they are the kids of a philandering Superman-type hero is original and fun but it's Mahmud A. Asrar's art that really makes this book shine. Asrar has a dynamic style which is perfect for a book with this much action.

Speaking of action, this issue reveals yet another of Captain Dynamo's children and we get to see what she can do. We also get to see how Maddie, Capt. Dynamo's widow, handles herself in a crisis. An extreme crisis. It's not what I expected and I love it when a comic book surprises me.

Astonishing X-Men #22 - Marvel (2007)

Nice to see this one on the shelves again. I don't mind production delays as long as the product in question is as good as this. I'm not one of those people who thinks Joss Whedon can do no wrong but I do believe he doesn't do very much wrong. When John Cassaday draws the stuff Whedon writes my little geek heart grows three sizes. Whedon's X-Men are as cool as we'd all like to be and they say the things to the bad guys that we want to come up with when we get our mutant powers. He depicts the camaraderie and the conflicts amongst the X-Men with a skilled hand and he puts them in exciting situations where each of them gets to do what he or she does best. Even if that thing isn't very nice.

And that's all I want from an X-Book. See also: Peter David.

Mystic Arcana: Scarlet Witch #1 - Marvel (2007)

I've enjoyed each of the Mystic Arcana issues. The Black Knight issue was my favorite so far but this story was cool and a lot of fun to read. It's essentially an origin story, telling the tale of the day Wanda Maximoff discovered her powers and was almost invited to join a powerful coven of witches. There are demons, duplicitous fakirs, werewolves, Agatha Harkness and explosions. That's a recipe for a good story if I've ever seen one. As an added bonus, no one kills the Avengers.

Green Lantern Corps #15 - DC (2007)

Mogo is my favorite Green Lantern. Among hardcore GL fans that's probably like saying Peter Criss is your favorite KISS member but if that's how it's gotta be I'll accept it. So, this issue, which is pretty much the Battle For Mogo, is my favorite part of the Sinestro Corps crossover so far. The bad guys send an entire freakin' city after Mogo along with some creepy-ass children and some huge gravity bombs. The rest of the Corps has to deal with the scary, scary Sinestrites and their innovative use of "killing" technology. Weird, wild stuff.

A quick note about this crossover: This is the way it should be done. It's a self-contained story that only affects two titles. I like that. I don't have to chase down a bunch of stuff I wouldn't have bought in the first place and the story is exciting and well told. Good on ya, Sinestro-Corps creators!

Relatively New Comics!

Stuff I bought!
Wrote a post about it.
Like to read it?
Here it goes!

(click cover images to embiggen)

The Programme #1 - Wildstorm (2007)

Wow! This miniseries is off to a hell of a start.

The story and art both remind me of Winter Men. This is an excellent intro issue. Peter Milligan fleshes out the setting as much as it needs to be and he lays out the stakes the characters will be playing for right there on page 6.

This title is crammed full of mystery, intrigue, and massive explosions. The story is cool but it's C.P. Smith's art that really sells it. The layouts are dynamic, the images evoke the right mood, and the colors by Johnny Rench make each panel jump off the page. Also, even though the main action takes place "today", there's a heavy dose of WWII thrown in and that always gets extra points from me.

X-Factor #22 - Marvel (2007)

Last month I said that X-Factor #20 was the best issue yet. It's a good thing I threw that "yet" qualifier in there because this one is even besterer! Peter David really gets these characters and I get the sense that he is having a blast writing about them. We get some great character moments, some more cool stuff is revealed about the Marvel Universe, and Rahne gets laid. What's not to love?

The A-story where Siryn and Monet attempt to rescue a couple of kids who have been brainwashed by their parents into singing truly awful anti-mutant songs is entertaining and creepy and introduces a couple of badass mercenaries to the title. There is no comic which can not be improved by the addition of badass mercs. Yes, even Sugar and Spike.

Pablo Raimondi's art is excellent, especially his facial expressions, but with this title it's the story which shines brightest. The Endandered Species short at the end was even awesome.


World War Hulk #3 - Marvel (2007)

Not much to say about this. You know what to expect. There's lots of Hulk, lots of smashing, and lots of property damage. People who have been able to calm the Hulk down before discover that he's not really in the mood just now and Hulk's Warbound finally get to do some really cool stuff.

I have discovered that unlike the Sinestro Corps event, I don't have to buy all the tie-in issues to keep up with the story. So, I'm only buying this main title and Gamma Corps right now. I said that you know what to expect from this title but that's not entirely true. The final page surprised and amused me. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Blog Positivity Week! Marvel Adventures: Iron Man #3 - Marvel (2007)

Blog Positivity Week is GO!

I know it's cool to be down on superhero comics in general and the Big Two specifically but Marvel and DC are still putting out some good stuff. Sure, the Civil War on Infinite Countdowns has increased the chaff-to-wheat ratio but as long as Fred Van Lente keeps putting out stuff like this there will always be a place for mainstream comics in my hold box.

First off, the title of this issue is "The Creeping Doom". Off to a great start.

The art by Ronan Cliquet and Scott Koblish is fantastic and it sets the proper tone for this comic: Light but not without suspense. I've mentioned it before but the best part of this series is the little readouts from Iron Man's armor which are superimposed on the panels. Printing "INTERNAL AIR SUPPLY AT 0.16%" does a much better job of combining the urgency of the situation with the high-tech coolness of Tony's armor.

The story is a lot of fun. Tony Stark goes to see the inventor of a new agricultural process because Stark International is interested in licensing the technology. Tony didn't bother to tell the guy he was coming because he's Tony Stark! No one doesn't want to meet with The Tony!

So, he surprises the guy who turns out to be just a little too into his plants. In fact, he's literally into his flora because he dons plant armor and does battle with Iron Man as Plantman! Pepper Potts gets more screen time and that's always welcome because she's a great character. She spends a fair amount of this issue in the damsel-in-distress role but she still gets to shine.

I'm not sure if this Iron Man reboot is a direct answer to all the Tony Stark: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. haters but I'm glad it's here.

Blog Positivity Week! Immortal Iron Fist #7 - Marvel (2007)

Man, that's a nice cover! As good as the cover is, the stuff behind it is even better. The best thing that Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction have done during Immortal Iron Fist is their creation of a larger mythology around the legends of the Iron Fist. You know how Joss Whedon would give us a glimpse of slayers of yore every now and then on Buffy? Fraction and Brubaker do the same thing with previous Iron Fists.

This time, instead of a mere glimpse, we get a full issue about the Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay. Danny Rand's fists get all glowy when he summons the Iron Fist. Orson Randall shoots righteous fire from his pistols. The Pirate Queen fires glowing arrows from her bow.

Let's separate that phrase:

GLOWING ARROWS FROM HER BOW

There. Go buy this issue.

The excellent David Aja takes a break since he's been drawing the modern-day stuff and this issue is all about the past. Travel Foreman, Leandro Fernandez, and Khari Evans pick up the drawing chores and all perform beautifully. Literally. The art is stunning and action-filled and fits perfectly with the tale.

Sixty-six men and women have carried the mantle of the Immortal Iron Fist and I get more excited by each one I learn about.

Blog Positivity Week! The Spirit #8 - DC (2007)

Heidi Meeley recently proposed Blog Positivity Day. I think that's such a good idea that I'm declaring Blog Positivity Week on Noetic Concordance.

Darwyn Cooke makes being positive about comics easy. This latest issue can be summed up quickly:

The Spirit
Special Agent Silk Satin
Nuclear Time Bomb

I don't really need to say more than that, do I?

But I will.

Cooke's art and writing are as good as ever. There's a single panel that I want on a T-shirt. It's The Spirit standing in shadow, having just freed himself from handcuffs saying "Come and get it, Psycho". Hee hee! This is the stuff that just makes me clap my hands in glee.

We learn an iota more about the Octopus, Silk Satin gets that sort of amnesia that only happens in fiction, and The Spirit messes with his hat and does a silly accent. Comic-book gold, people.

This comic is freakin' awesome. Flip through a few pages at your local comic shop and see if it's for you.

A few more reviews

The Brave and the Bold #5 - DC (2007)

When I saw Mark Waid at MidSouthCon a few months ago he talked about this issue. When I heard "Batman" and "Legion of Super-Heroes" in the same sentence I said something to the effect of "Woot!". Now that I've read the issue I can say that my woot-age was entirely justified. Batman fights the Legion and there's even a good story reason for it. Also, we get more from Supergirl and Hal Jordan IN SPACE!

The Order #1 - Marvel (2007)



Given the creative team behind this one I should have liked it a lot more than I did. Matt Fraction is an excellent writer who is currently kicking ass over on The Immortal Iron Fist and Barry Kitson is one of my favorite artists. However, I am tired of stories about "what superheroes would be like in the real world". Yes, I understand that heroes would be celebrities with marketing teams and agents but that's not what I read comics for. No one will be seated during the exciting Fragrance-Launch Scene! Not my bag, baby.

This isn't a bad comic. It's a well-done comic about something I don't like. In order to make this sort of thing click for me you've got to do something different with it and this one feels like I've read it a dozen times before. I have to point out that Mark Morales's inks and Dean White's colors look great on Kitson's pencils. Except for a few pages of repetitive talking heads this is one of the most visually interesting comics to come out this month.

Scroll down a bit in this post by Chris Sims for a (mostly) dissenting opinion.

World War Hulk #2 - Marvel (2007)



Speaking of things that have been done before, World War Hulk has fallen into a pattern after only two issues.

1. Hulk breaks some shit.
2. Someone with a history of calming Hulk down talks to him for a few panels.
3. That person gets smashed (and not in the spring-break way).
4. Hulk beats the hell out of another member of the Illuminati.
5. A building falls over.
6. GOTO 1

There is so much more that could be done with this premise and I realize we're early in the event so there's plenty of time to add some depth to the story. I hope it's coming. Hulk's Warbound are cool and now that they're off the ship they might get to do something neat. It looks like the Sentry is going to feature heavily in this story which is not a selling point for me but I'm going to stick with it because the scenes of X-Treme Devastation are fun to read. I knew what I was getting into with WWH. It's like going to a Michael Bay movie with superheroes in it. I'm just hoping to be pleasantly surprised a few times along the way.

Super-Villain Team-Up: M.O.D.O.K.'s 11 #1 (of 5) - Marvel (2007)

The Marvel Universe has more than its share of wacky super villains who were created for one or two issues of Captain America or X-Men and were not heard from again until they were rounded up in the great Scourge event of the late eighties. Well, Scourge was a busy man and he couldn't kill all the C-List bad guys so the survivors ended up in titles like Palmiotti and Gray's Heroes for Hire and this week's M.O.D.O.K.'s 11.

I love heist stories. I love M.O.D.O.K. because he's the craziest villain Marvel ever came up with. I love making fun of the crazy people populating a world with Stilt Man in it. More accurately, I love all of these things when they are done well. This issue is done very well.

M.O.D.O.K. has broken free of A.I.M (again) and he is hiding out in an abandoned warehouse (of course) so he can plot his revenge against all those who have wronged him. He has used his superior intellect to assemble the perfect team of ne'er-do-wells for his Big Plan^TM. The members of this "perfect team" include Rocket Racer, Spot, and Puma so the big guy's intellect may not be as superior as he'd like us to think.

This story has the right mix of wacky fun and cool character moments to make it a real page turner. So far, Mentallo is the only one who has a clue that M.O.D.O.K. is hiding something but even his skepticism is overwhelmed by the promise of a lot of money. It's too easy to go overboard with the characterizations in a story like this but Fred Van Lente does it right. Van Lente is now on my very short list of writers whose work I'll seek out.

The art by Francis Portella and Terry Pallot is solid, action-filled, and dynamic. It's got a nice, clean look that works perfectly with this story. I can't wait for the next four issues.

Mystic Arcana: Black Knight #1 - Marvel (2007)

My first thought on reading the credits for this issue was, "Holy crap! Roy Thomas wrote this!". Yeah, the Defenders and What If? Roy Thomas. This is a good story well told. It features Sir Percy of Scandia who was one of Dane Whitman's predecessors as the Black Knight. It's a tale of bravery, honor, duty and kickass swordfights. It's the old "With Great Power" schtick and it works, mate.

This is the second of four tales of magic in the Marvel Universe. The first featured Illyana Rasputin, number three will be about the Scarlet Witch and the last one will star Sister Grimm from Runaways. There's an overarching storyline featuring Ian McNee who is trying to collect four Items of Power^TM in order to save the Essence of Magic itself. I like McNee and his mini adventures are a lot of fun to read.

Thomas is at the top of his game, here. All the characters are cool and the story they get to play in is top notch. Helping tell that story is the outstanding art by Tom Grummett and Scott Hanna. I could go on and on about the art but I think I'll just let this page speak for itself:

StormWatch: Post Human Division #9 - Wildstorm (2007)

This is the first issue of this comic that I have been disappointed in. The lead-up to this issue was very good but the payoff wasn't there. Issue #8 set up a murder mystery (or, more accurately, an attempted-murder mystery) which is resolved here in issue #9. The previous issue was an excellent look at the differences between the PHD team and Stormwatch Prime. It highlights all of the ways that the (mostly) non-powered PHD people can hold their own against the powerhouses of Prime.

I can't talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the story without blowing the end of #8. I will not reveal the identity of the murderer, however.

So if you don't want to know who the victim is read no further.







Jackson King, Stormwatch's director, has been shot in the head with a high-powered laser. Officer Doran goes into super-investigative mode and interrogates each of the suspects. The problem is, that's all that happens in this issue:

1. Talk about who the next suspect is.
2. Meet with the suspect.
3. Wait while the suspect acts indignant about the questioning.
4. Cross suspect off the list.
5. Lather
6. Rinse
7. Repeat

Each of the questioning scenes is featured in its entirety without adding anything to the story or providing any clues to the reader. We don't learn anything about any of the characters that didn't come up during the previous issue. There was a really cool moment with the new Weatherman but that was the only one that wasn't repetitive. It might have all been worth it if the attacker's motivation had been at all cool but it felt tacked on and out of character. To top it off, the final scene took all the wind out of the story's sails.

Christos Gage's writing and Doug Mahnke's art got this series off to a great start and Andy Smith's pencils on the last couple of issues continue the excellence. Next issue they will go back to doing PHD-only stuff and I think things will be back on track for this excellent series.

Two events I got suckered into buying

I avoided Identity Crisis, Civil War, Infinite Crisis, Amazons Attack and all of the other recent crossover events because I figured they had nothing to offer me. I'm not their target audience. I don't care.

I am the target audience for World War Hulk and Sinestro Corps, however. Hoo boy, am I the guy they wrote these for. Hulk beating the crap out of our entire planet? Sinestro recruiting the evilest, scariest badasses in the universe? Where do I sign up?

Here are my thoughts on the latest installments from these crossovers:

Green Lantern #21 - DC (2007)

What the hell is up with repeating the same thing in every related issue of a crossover? This issue of Green Lantern isn't repeating as much as the first few WW Hulk issues did but it wastes a lot of space and time telling us what we've already read in Sinestro Corps Special #1. Once it's done with that, this issue gets cool but it doesn't tell us anything new or advance the story at all. If you've read the special you don't need to buy this GL issue.

Ivan Reis's art is excellent. He's good with action and it takes a good artist to make the crazy quilt that is the GLC work visually. However, there's no story here. We get a lot of backstory about Hal Jordan but it's nothing we haven't seen a dozen times elsewhere. If you're new to the Green Lantern story this will get you on the right track but for those of us who know about Hal it's just more of the same.


World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #1 - Marvel (2007)



Unlike many of last month's World War Hulk offerings this issue does not rehash the whole "Hulk beats up Black Bolt and Iron Man" thing. This is nice. Unfortunately, the team that the book is named after doesn't show up until page 12. General Ryker's backstory is a vital piece of exposition but it could have been handled in fewer pages thus leaivng more room for the cool Gamma Corps. Check out the cover above. If you know anything about Marvel's gamma-irradiated characters you can figure out what each of the team members does. Even if you don't, there's a nice scene which shows their powers and personalities.

The story is shaping up to be cool and I like the characters. To bad they're going to get their asses handed to them when they go up against the Hulk.

Quick thoughts on some stuff I bought

Dynamo 5 #5- Image (2007)

Another good issue. The bad guys are cool and the plot thickens. The writing and art are solid and this issue would not be a bad one to start with as long as you know that the characters are all the children of a Superman-like guy who screwed around a lot. In fact, Image does a really cool thing that I wish more comics would do. The back cover has a few words which state the premise of the book and tell you what's gonna happen in this issue. You can't judge a book by it's cover but the back cover of this one helps you out.

X-Factor #20 - Marvel (2007)



Best issue yet. I really like what Peter David has done with X-Factor. He gets the characters (especially Madrox, Siryn and Monet) and he can tell the hell out of a story. His run on this title has an excellent combination of "What cool thing can I do with this person's powers" and "What awesome story can I tell with these characters". This book nearly makes the whole House of M thing worth it. I miss Ryan Sook's art but Khoi Pham and Sandu Florea complement David's stories beautifully.

Green Lantern Corps #13 - DC (2007)



Here's another title which has turned in its best issue yet. I am a HUGE Green Lantern Corps fan and I have really enjoyed this book. Dave Gibbons has put a really cool collection of Lanterns together so they can use their various strengths to solve the Big Problem. The big problem this time involves Mogo who is one of my favorite Lanterns. His partner is a little fly dude! How awesome is that?

Sinestro Corps Special #1 - DC (2007)



This one didn't knock my socks off but it's still a really entertaining read. I'm a sucker for "mirror universe" characters. Sinestro has summoned the scariest mofos in the universe to be his new Corps. Seriously. The main criterion for membership in the Yellow Ring Brigade is the ability to instill great fear. Batman was on the list. I'm not going to pick up all of the related titles but I will follow the story because it's a lot of fun.

Faker #1 of 6 - Vertigo (2007)



This is a story about a bunch of college students who have weird stuff happen to them. The story is pretty cool but I don't like any of the main characters. This could be a problem. It's possible that they might do something with all these annoying character flaws. If they do, I'll stick with it.

Jonah Hex #21 - DC (2007)



This is one of those Jonah Hex stories where he's mostly an observer. Those can be as good as the ones where he's just shooting his way through the landscape. In the hands of Gray and Palmiotti it becomes an awesome, chilling tale of vengeance and death. And Jonah metes out bloddy justice all over the place near the end so it's all good.

Runaways #27 - Marvel (2007)



I am seriously digging Joss Whedon's run on this comic. It's fun to read and the stuff that's happening is really neat. The story has taken a turn which allows Whedon to go buck wild with the setting. This issue introduces a bunch of new characters and it sets up a storyline I can't wait to read more of.

The Spirit #7 - DC (2007)

Darwyn Cooke drew the excellent cover but otherwise he took this month off. Fill-in issues are always a crapshoot but when your backup team includes Walt Simonson, Chris Sprouse and Jimmy Palmiotti you're doing something right.

This issue is divided into three stories. The first is by Simonson, Sprouse and Karl Story. It captures the feel of The Spirit in the same manner Cooke does. It features a socialite who reports the theft of a HUGE diamond. The Spirit investigates the crime in his usual manner and it's a blast to read.

Next up are Palmiotti and Jordi Bernet with my favorite story of the three. The Spirit chases a crook into an apartment building which is straight out of Batteries Not Included. As he chases the crook around, our hero inadvertently improves the lives of the residents. It's so much fun I read it twice.

Kyle Baker's story is a mess. Normally, I really like Baker's art and writing but I was turned off by both in this story. I read this one twice, too, in an attempt to figure out what was going on but it's so disjointed that I wonder if the panels were arranged in the right order.

This Summer Special was entertaining and you don't even have to know anything about The Spirit to enjoy it. If you like any of the creators mentioned above, (maybe you'll even like the Baker story) give it a look.

Marvel Adventures: Iron Man #2 - Marvel (2007)

And this one goes in my hold box. It's partly because Iron Man is one of my favorite comic-book characters ever. I'm not one of those people who thinks that Tony Stark's Civil-War/Illuminati characterization as a dickass has ZOMG! ruined the Marvel Universe forever!!!! but it has made me stop reading a character I used to look forward to seeing. As I said last month, Marvel has rebooted the character via their Marvel Adventures line and he's fun to read again.

Marvel Adventures is the anti-Ultimate Universe.

Fred Van Lente's story is simple and well told. Tony discovers that his main facility in China has shut down so he "sends Iron Man" to check it out. He finds out that (Oh, noes!) The Mandarin has stolen his workers to build nefarious devices for his eventual takeover of China.

Hell, yeah! I have loved The Mandarin ever since I read about his rings in the first Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe back in the day. This issue also has James Rhodes and Pepper Potts who mostly provide comic relief which fits well with the tone of the story.

My favorite part of this series is that the alerts that the Iron Man suit sends to Tony are superimposed on the panels. This effect looks cool, makes it feel like a neat techno-comic and allows for a different kind of storytelling.

Once again, James Cordeiro and Scott Koblish do a great job with the art. They've got a sort of Bagley-meets-Immonen vibe going which really jumps off the page.

And there's a cute Mini Marvels tale by Chris Giarruso at the end. All for the industry-mandated price of $2.99! What more could you ask for?

Avengers Classic #1 - Marvel (2007)

First off, check out the Art Adams cover. That is an awesome picture and it brings back many fond memories of my Avengers-reading career.

Now to the actual stories inside: I was disappointed. I've read the Avengers' Origin story many times so that was nothing new to me. It's interesting as a bit of history but as an origin story it's kinda lame. Even taking into account the state of comics writing at the time which had a different tone and aesthetic from what we're used to today, the actual reason for the formation of the team barely makes sense. The Defenders' origin was far more interesting and it's hard to beat the formation of the Fantastic Four.

The most interesting part is seeing the Hulk during his pre-GRAAH days. It's a reminder that a lot of Hulk's mythology came well after the creation of the character. Also, he's dressed as a clown for a few pages. Don't ask.

Jack Kirby's art would normally be worth the price of admission to me but his style hadn't yet been refined to what we think of as "Kirby!".

The two backup stories were the real disappointments. Dwayne McDuffie attempts a toungue-in-cheek tale of how the Avengers decided who their first chairman would be. It's not entertaining and Michael Avon Oeming's art doesn't help. The Hulk picks up the conference table at one point but I had to be told what he was doing two panels later. Oeming's paintings are nice but if the reader can't figure out what's going on maybe it's time to dial back the style and put a little more substance in there.

The next story has no visual problems at all. Kevin Maguire's art is the best thing about this issue. The writing by Stan Lee is OK but nothing to shell out four bucks for. Stan, looking like a Bwah-ha-ha-era Maxwell Lord, tells us the real origin story of the Avengers. It's cute and it's better than McDuffie's story but it still isn't particularly funny.

Summary: If you're already familiar with the Avengers' origin, save your money. Andy Schmidt and Mark Beazley's decision to go with humorous stories for this first issue was a poor one. There's a bit at the end where they talk about more character-driven backups in future issues. There's a great opportunity for some excellent comic-book tales here and I will keep my eyes open for future issues. The nature of the beast makes this title hit-or-miss, though, so I won't put it in my hold box. I'm glad for the reprints and I like the added value of the backup stories but I'm going to judge this one on a case-by-case basis.

Excelsior!

Hellboy: Darkness Calls #3 of 6 - Dark Horse (2007)

This miniseries is halfway done and I can't wait to see what happens next. This issue introduces the main villain and it's all gonna be downhill from here for our big, red protagonist. This is not to say that the first two issues were all boring setup. They were awesome, action-packed setup. But what else would you expect from a Hellboy story?

Mike Mignola is writing the thing and Duncan Fegredo is drawing it. I was several pages into the first issue before I realized that Mignola wasn't doing the art. Fegredo nails the Hellboy style while throwing in a few touches of his own. A Hellboy story drawn in a radically different style would not be as effective. The art tells the story as much as the words do. More so in the case of Hellboy. The final piece of the Hellboy visual puzzle shows up in the form of Dave Stewart's distinctive colors.

So, Hellboy meets up with the minions of Baba Yaga who has agreed to lead a group of witches who really, really hate Hellboy. There are gods and nature spirits and weird mystical landscapes and all the other stuff (minus any other members of the BPRD) which makes a good Hellboy tale. If you like any of Hellboy's other incarnations, check this out. You'll be glad you did.

Speaking of checking things out, look at this page of Fegredo's "I can't believe it's not Mignola" art: