Secret Invasion #7

So remember in my review of Secret Invasion #6 when I said that was my favorite of the series? Yeah, that’s history now. The latest issue in this eight part saga is by far the most action packed comic I’ve ever read. Hell, when The Watcher shows up, you know it’s gotta be big. The entire book takes place during the fight in Central Park (I assume it’s Central Park) and almost everyone in the Marvel Universe is involved. Which brings me to my first point about this book and Yu’s work.

Yu is a talented artist, there’s no denying that, but the sheer scale of the things going on in Secret Invasion has just blown my mind. Last month, he gave us a breath taking image of Manhattan in flames, but this month we get three full page spreads, with the first battle scene including well over fifty characters duking it out.

If you’re a fan of big fights, than this issue is just for you. In fact, the only flaw I could come up with for this issue is that it’s all fights. But really, isn’t that what you want to see when you read a Marvel comic book? Epic battles filled with snappy zingers, while drama ensues between punches? We’re not given a lot of reveals and I’m still interested to see how they tie the main plot together at the end, but minor story lines come together nicely in #7.

New Avengers #46

New Avengers readily fills in the gaps that Secret Invasion leaves behind, both in story and format. Where Secret Invasion has been an action packed brawl since it’s release, New Avengers explains the small, intricate details of the Skrull’s plans. Since Bendis really focuses on the Avengers and their pals in Secret Invasion, it’s left him room to expand into other perspectives, and, in this issue, he let’s us know what The Hood was up to when the Skrulls landed.

I for one have enjoyed the last couple of New Avengers immensely and this one is no different. The Hood is currently my favorite super-villain and we’ve never really gotten much insight into his character, except for the graphic novel written by Brian K. Vaughn. Bendis keeps the portrayal of Hood fair and balanced, depicting him as a cunning and ruthless leader, but one who also cares about his men and is just as human and unnerved as anyone else affected by the Invasion.

Since Yu also does Secret Invasion, I’ll just say that the art is just as good as it is in Secret Invasion. It’d be hard not to recommend either of these series to fans of Marvel comics. The only person I could see not enjoying these two books would be someone who’s never read a comic book before, though there’s a good chance that these would just rope them right in.

Green Lantern Corps #29 Cover

Having previously read a bit of Green Lantern (specifically Green Lantern: Rebirth, a bit of Sinestro Corps War and most recently Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns) I decided to catch up with the Corps by starting with issue #29, part one of Sins of the Star Sapphire.

Peter Tomasi’s series serves as a perfect compliment to the Green Lantern proper, and is arguably better than the latter.  Combined with Patrick Gleason’s expressive artwork, Green Lantern Corps is a must read for any Green Lantern reader, and #29 is a perfect place to start.

This issues’ theme is love, and documents the rise of the Star Sapphire Corps (or Violet Lantern Corps) of the planet Zamaron: those powered by Love.  Tomasi does a flawless job at introducing the first recruit of the Star Sapphire Corps, and her motivations in doing so.  In the midst of it all, Tomasi juggles various other characters, elements and plots deftly.   One such scene explores the relationship between Guy Gardner and Tora, a.k.a. Ice, his former Justice League colleague and love interest.  Ice has come to Oa to visit Gardner, but after he asks Ice to move in together, things take a turn for the worse.  Tomasi’s ear for dialogue makes these few panels as believable as ever, demonstrating that communication and patience are the keys to any good relationship.  Tomasi also manages to hint that love is as powerful a force as any emotion, and makes this issue less of a joke and more of an esteemed piece of work.

What makes this issue even more appealing is Patrick Gleason’s artwork.  Always meaningful, Gleason conveys a wide spectrum of emotions while complimenting Tomasi’s expert storytelling.  Though not subtle in his emotive representations, his frankness is a strength rather than a shortcoming.

Regarded as one of DC’s best superhero comics, Green Lantern Corps is a must read for anyone interested in Green Lantern. And with this month’s issue conveying less of a rudimentary plot, it is unlike much of what is out right now.  Building toward The Blackest Night event, issue #29 is a must read for those looking to get into the series.

Stay tuned for a review of Green Lantern Corps #30!

The Mighty #1 Cover

Here we are, mid-November and things here in West Michigan are just now starting to turn towards the bitter cold of winter. But in the forever-looking-ahead world of comics, we are already starting to think about February, when we start breaking out of the dead of winter and spring is just around the corner.

I was hoping that by February solicitations, all those cryptic Dark Reign comics would be revealed for all the world to bask in their glory. Unfortunately, with Secret Invasion not ending for a couple of weeks, we are once again left with several Marvel books without proper solicitations. Despite this, there’s still a ton of comics to look at in February, including a bunch of Marvel stuff, a few DC books and maybe even an indie thrown in for good measure.

Agents of Atlas #1 Cover

The Mighty #1

I honestly have no idea what the DC book is about and if it has roots somewhere in the nether regions of the DCU, but it sounded interesting and I’m always willing to give a #1 issue of a new on-going a shot. It appears to take place in a universe with only 1 super hero and he is part of the government.

Agents of Atlas #1

Another one of those secret solicitations from Marvel, so expect this series to somehow be tied to the outcome of Secret Invasion. Looks, based on the cover, to be a cosmic team book, but who knows. Not sure if it is on-going or not. It just intrigued me for some reason. Like I said, I’m a sucker for a #1 issue.

Astonishing Tales #1

Apparently this is the month of #1s, cause here is another one from Marvel. This time, it’s a collection of tales to expand the Marvel universe. If you can’t get enough of some of your favorite heroes, check this out to get more one-off stories.

Black Panther #1 Cover

Black Panther #1

Oh look, another #1. Also, another secret solicitation. But, look at that, Black Panther is a woman! This was revealed last month, but here it is, a reboot of the series with a female Black Panther. What happened to T’challa?

Secret Warriors #1

Last #1, I swear. Spinning directly out of Secret Invasion comes Nick Fury’s new superhero team. If you read Secret Invasion, you know these guys are going to be badass. Storyline is unknown, but it’s written by up-and-comer Jonathan Hickman, so expect great things. Oh yeah, and it is under the guidance of Brian Michael Bendis. Yeah, it’ll be good.

Batman #686

Batman #686 and Detective Comics #853

I bunched these two together because they are part one and part two of the same story by none other than the great author Neil Gaiman. Seriously, you slap his name on there and I am going to buy it. These issues feature a retrospective on the life and times of Bruce Wayne as Batman. Did I mention Neil Gaiman?

Bad Dog #1

Sorry for no link for this one, but Image has a problem putting
their comics on their website more than a few weeks in advance. And
it’s not a very Google-able name. Nevertheless, I want to point this
comic out mainly because it is written by Joe Kelly (of Deadpool
fame), so it should be a great dark comedy. About an unlikely pair of
anti-heroes, one a werewolf who won’t turn back to human and the other
a trigger-happy ex-preacher, who hunt down the bad guys and drink a
lot. Sounds brilliant to me.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #60 and Ultimate X-Men #100

They are ending. Both of them! The solitications say that these are the last issues for these 2 headlining Ultimate universe titles. Will they be relaunched post-Ultimatum? And if so, will the both be? Scary stuff for us Ultimate fans.

And then, 4 months later, suddenly, our passion for this event, this amazing, life-changing book that will forever alter the comic world forever, dies and we are left wondering when this epic story will end and we can get back to loving our comics again. This, my friends, is what we call event fatigue and it can happen to the best of us.

I wanted to write a little about this issue because I am feeling event fatigue with Secret Invasion right now. It is strange, as this is my first major event since starting to read comics on a weekly basis. I didn’t expect to feel this much disdain for the event, especially since this is my first. I read Civil War in about a month (which is how I started in comics) and loved it. I then read World War Hulk in about a month as well and loved that, too. I expected Secret Invasion to be no different. So now, I begin to wonder if maybe major events like this read better when you take them all at once, without having to wait a month in between the main story.

There is also the issue of the tie-in. I wonder if I would feel the fatigue less if I wasn’t blogging about comics. But nevertheless, it feels like I can’t go a week without mentioning Secret Invasion. Now that things are winding down, this is not quite as bad, but at the peak of Secret Invasion, around July or August, I’d say, at least half of my weekly books involved Secret Invasion. Sure, it is great that these big crossover events involve the whole universe, but at a point, we, as the readers, need a break from this story. We can’t be expected to maintain interest in one story for long. This is why the story arc works so perfectly. After about 6 issues of a story, we get a change. But this is worse when it is a major event, because 6 issues of every comic you read means that you are getting the same story, over and over, every week. And this gets tiresome.

I’m not saying that comic book publishers should not do events. In fact, I think they just about have to. Take a look at Marvel. Without the big crossover events, the universe would not be nearly as interesting as it is. Without Civil War, we wouldn’t have a dead Captain America, the Initiative, and Spidey’s Brand New Day. These events are game changers. They keep the universe from getting stale and boring. The end of Secret Invasion is set to bring in Dark Reign, which, if the ominous title says anything, is going to be a big paradigm shift for the Marvel U. The complaint really comes down to how much time do we really need to spend on an event. Those of us deep into comics have been preparing for Secret Invasion for at least all of this year. And by this point, with Secret invasion wrapping up in a few weeks, we are sick of thinking about it. It seems that the publishers could throw the tie-ins into a 2 or 3 month period, at the peak of the event, to keep things exciting at the turn, but at the start and end, just make it all about the main story.

Maybe I’m alone on this complaint and maybe others love having one big story to get deep into for months. If so, write a comment and let me know about your feelings on event fatigue. Regardless of your view, post a response and give us your opinions. I’ll ask the question: Are you feeling Event Fatigue?

Vixen went back to her home country as soon as she found out that the man who killed her parents is free. She confronts him, only to discover he has super powers of his own. She suffers a nasty stomach wound and has a gun pointed to her head.

But the real review is after the break.

Insert Duran Duran joke here...

There are many good things going for this series. It’s good to see DC giving a black super heroine a trial miniseries. It’s good to see a more authentic depiction of Africa than is traditionally seen in comics. It’s good to see that a member of Justice League Detroit can be rehabilitated in the public eye and be considered a character worthy of induction into the real League (Dwayne McDuffie’s efforts have not been in vain). Mostly, it’s good to see fresh faces and different voices in the industry (the fact that newcomer G. Willow Wilson is a woman is novel enough in the industry; the fact that she is a practicing Muslim makes her a pioneer). All that said, let’s talk about the series itself.

Wilson tells a simple story thus far, not far removed from Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Her strength is in showing the audience how beautifully different Africa really is compared to the West, and how even a native can experience culture shock after having been gone for a while. She depicts a village that has been scarred by meddling missionaries and civil wars. Christianity, traditional beliefs, and “black magic” give the sense of spiritual unrest to go along with political unrest and personal conflict. Plus, she strikes a delicate balance when depicting Superman during his requisite cameo. Yes, he comes across as a bit folksy, but not preachy or naive. Also, when his judgment is questioned in the second issue, it’s done so without completely invalidating his point of view. Some writers *cough*FrankMiller*cough* could take a lesson from this.

I absolutely love the work that the artist Cafu is doing on the series. The women are realistically proportioned, the men (and Supermen) look super without being overly muscled. Different ethnicities do not have “whitewashed” facial features, but also don’t look like caricatures. The backgrounds provide an appropriate sense of scale (warehouse offices looked appropriately cramped; African plains seem vast and daunting). Action is not sacrificed for the sake of photo realism, though. Fight scenes are still fluid, dynamic and easy to follow. In a just world, Cafu will be getting a lot of high-profile work in the near future. Colorist Santiago Arcas enhances the naturalism of the art by muting the usually garish superhero colors in favor of warmer earth tones.

My quibbles with this issue (and the series thus far) are minor. This issue’s ending was a little deus ex machina. Vixen’s self-doubt doesn’t really make sense without having read  the last few issues of Justice League of America. The recent tendency of superheroes to shout out their attacks is starting to get played out. Finally, under no circumstances should Black Canary EVER say “this is how we roll”.

Recommended For: people looking for more diversity among DC’s heroes (and creators); fans of nature documentaries.

Not Recommended For: people who are burned out on “the hero’s journey”.

We’ve got ourselves another very promising writer: Daniel Palacio! Dan is from the San Diego area and has been reading comics since he was 4 and sees no end. His unique end-all-sum-up is a great addition to our staff and I hope you all enjoy his future reviews. All in all, we’re lucky to have him.

Look for his first review of Vixen: Return of the Lion #2, very soon!

a tonfa will mess you right up

These days, a review about Nightwing is really a review about writer Peter Tomasi. Tomasi’s name is one I hadn’t remembered reading before I pounced on his Great Leap arc in Nightwing 147-150, but then I looked the guy up. His work on last year’s Black Adam mini was richly entertaining, but his Nightwing work has really been top notch. With issue 150, Tomasi concludes his Great Leap arc.

Great Leap, loosely part of the Batman RIP event, pits Nightwing against the villain many consider to be his true arch foe, Two-Face.

The twist?  Nightwing starts out the arc with a little help from Harvey Dent.

You heard me.

Tomasi initially plays Dent’s personality battles pretty close to the vest. As the arc progresses, however, you see the dynamic struggle between the fractured halves of Two-Face. This is realized by Harvey recruiting Nightwing to save an unrequited old flame, New York District Attorney Carol Bermingham, as Two-Face is actively trying to kill her. While the dichotomy could have been better emphasized later in the arc using the time-honored Bat-book tradition of jagged fonts and word balloons, an attentive reader can piece it together.

Tomasi’s use of dialogue is a sheer joy to read. The interactions throughout the arc between Nightwing/Grayson and various cast members, such as Alfred and Oracle, are consistently fluid and natural, tones shifting and changing; these are marvelous displays of subtle subtext that deserves to be recognized.

Penciller Don Kramer’s work, specifically in these conversation driven scenes, seems rushed, almost sloppy. Additionally, inkers Jay Leisten and Rodney Ramos (per-page duties, if any, were not credited) appear to have problems properly emphasizing Grayson’s face during some of the more intense emotional moments. However, the verbal character chemistry, provided by the dialogue, makes up for a lot of these foibles.

The plot progresses, like plots do, and we slowly ramp up to a fever pitch of action. Tomasi’s dialogue takes a backseat to this action, which Kramer plays to. Tomasi takes Nightwing through more unique applications of his acrobatic prowess than I’ve seen in years, executed smartly by the art team. Kramer’s main strengths, and clearly his affection for his craft, show in the final fight scene between Nightwing and Two-Face.

In my twenty years of reading comics, I have never had the privelege of experiencing hand-to-hand combat between two super-types on a dirigible (OH THE HUMANITY etc) that ends in an actual authentic grapple. This altercation shows off Nightwing’s versatile fighting style, which starkly contrasts the BIFF POW THOK fisticuffs comic readers are normally subjected to. The entire combat sequence is crisply drawn, well inked (again, can’t say who to give credit to here), and exciting to both read and view.

If you haven’t been reading Nightwing, pick up this week’s issue and the three preceding issues after that. Tomasi’s Nightwing shouldn’t be left to historical footnotes as the one good comic in Batman RIP.

52 Week 23 Cover

Last week in 52: Lex thinks that Supernova’s true identity is Superman; he makes clear that he wants to become a superhero to rival him.  However, after given a blood test he realizes that he is incompatible for the metagene therapy.

Meanwhile, Jon Standing Bear visits Metropolis to attend his father’s funeral.  Afterwards, his grandfather tells Jon of his obligation to follow family tradition and become the new Super-Chief.

On the fifth day of Week 22, Lex Luthor celebrates the grand opening of his Business School. Steel makes an appearance at the opening ceremony, intending to speak with Luthor about his niece and his own newfound powers, but another man who took part in the metagene therapy beats him to it.  After the man is taken away, Steel sympathizes with him.

**Spoilers after the break**

This week in 52, entitled The Island of Professor Morrow, Intergang’s anthropomorphic beasts abduct William Magnus with the help of  B.O.L.T.S. (first appearing Metal Men #15).  They take him to Oolong Island – which first appeared in Wonder Woman #157 as the secret headquarters of Egg Fu.  There, Magnus runs into Professor Morrow who explains to him that the reason why the scientists were going missing was because they were all being transported to Oolong Island.  They (Professor Morrow, Doc Magnus, Ira Quimby a.k.a. I.Q., Dr. Cyclops, Dr. Rigoro Mortis, Dr. Sivana etc.) were sent to the island to help Intergang build doomsday weapons for one purpose - to destroy the Black Marvel Family.

Metal Men #20: B.O.L.T.S. at his most embarrassing moment.

Meanwhile at Intergang’s secret headquarters in Yemen, Renee Montoya and Charlie/The Question find the whereabouts of Adrianna Tomaz/Isis’s younger brother Amon, and they also find out that Intergang’s henchmen (Whisper A’Daire, Kyle Abbott etc) are controlling people with the Crime Bible.  Amon, one of the few who hasn’t already been brainwashed by Intergang is severely tortured by Kyle Abbott and taken to his impending doom, but Charlie and Renee save him just at the brink of time.  Soon after, Black Adam and Isis arrive and destroy Intergang’s headquarters and tend to Amon.  Having been severely tortured and permanently crippled, Black Adam gives him a bit of his power transforming Amon into Osiris, healing his wounds in the process.  If you know your Egyptian Mythology then you know that this means that Amon and his sister, Isis, would eventually become husband and wife…gross.  With Isis reunited with her brother, the three decide to change the world, starting with China.

I know this has been mentioned before, but a happy Black Adam sure is creepy.

This week’s cover is in reference to Pieta, a painting (also a sculpture) depicting the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Jesus Christ in her arms.

I’d also like to mention how great this weeks pencils were, courtesy of Drew Johnson – probably one of my favorite artists for his thick lines, stellar shading, facial expressions and detail.

I know this was a short week in 52, but it was a great one.  Stay tuned next week for 52 Week 24 Analysis!

Amazing Spider-Man #575 cover

This week wasn’t too huge for me, but I had one comic I was really looking forward to: Amazing Spider-Man #576. Now, I meant to write a review for #575 but… well, it just didn’t happen. Nevertheless, these last two issues were utterly fantastic and I’ll go and sum things up in a moment.

Writer Joe Kelly entered the Spider-Man brain trust last week beginning his two-part series, “Family Ties.” Focusing around Hammerhead and the aftermath of him being saved by Mr. Negative this mini-arc is building more and more of the sub-plot that is Mr. Negative (yea, I know all ASM is doing lately is building, but bear with me).

But let’s get into things after the jump and I’ll give you the run down.

Amazing Spider-Man #576 cover

ASM #575 started with a slight odd sound coming from our hero, Spidey, but Joe Kelly jumped right into Spider-Man awesomeness as he kicked back into a previously building plot: Hammerhead.

This issue focuses around gang violence in New York. This is a semi-normal topic in comics like Daredevil, but I don’t think I’ve read a Spidey comic in a while that goes into as far as these two issue do. We’re shown a strange light as we see how one of the major gangs (I think we’re dealing with the ‘Bloods’) function around major crime lords like Kingpin and the new and awesome Spidey baddie, Mr. Negative. The rules are simple: Work with the crime boss or die.

In these two issues, the gang decides to not work with Mr. Negative. Enter Hammerhead.

Did I mention there's a crazy hobo in #575? Because there is.

Spider-Man gets into some serious fighting with this guy and I seriously thought he may die. I mean, I know Spider-Man wasn’t going to die, but it was like “Whoa, he’s seriously getting his ass kicked.” And really, Hammerhead lays it on thick to Peter Parker in disguise.

In the end of this mini-arc, we’re given a bit of a happy ending as a minor character learns that violence isn’t the answer after Spidey gives a serious beat down to the gang members as they pulled a fast one on him and end up working for Mr. Negative. It’s kind of sweet.

This issue is all about two things: Beat-em-ups and building more sub-plot behind Mr. Negative. I want more of this stuff to fall together so we can get a seriously massive end all battle that will end with more story (as always), but still give me some kind of major closure on at least one character.

This is what happens when you fight Spider-Man... eventually.

I’m not going to lie, I liked these two issues a lot. Joe Kelly writes a great Spider-Man for never really having written him before (though he’s doing a fantastic job in I Kill Giants and Four Eyes to give him credit as a great writer) and, despite what some may say, the art from Chris Bachalo is gritty and scratchy enough that it works with this specific story. Both the writing and the art complement each other (although, now that I think of it, Spider-Man is drawn a bit too small for my tastes–it reminded me of Ultimate Spider-Man…).

End all, be all: These last two issues were pretty much awesome. Definitely worth the buy.

Madame Xanadu #5 Cover

Previously in Madame Xanadu:

After saving Kublai Khan’s favored consort from assassins, Marco Polo and Nimue are awarded for their bravery. Marco Polo accepts an emerald lantern from the Khan’s grand chest, a descendent of the Green Lantern lamps. Upon receiving the artifact, Phantom Stranger escapes the prison. He reunites with Nimue and they share an emotional moment together, until Khan’s guards find him. Aware that she is now as much a criminal, Nimue and Phantom Stranger flee to the outskirts of town. However, as an agent of fate, Phantom Stranger abandons Nimue in the desert to fend for herself.

**Spoilers after the break**

In the third chapter, entitled In the Cards, Nimue, now known as Le Madame de Xanadu, serves as seer to the powerful monarch, Marie Antoinette. Having been in power for a dozen years, the extravagant lifestyle that she made known to France was still thriving, but not without anger from its citizens. Vowing to never again interfere in matters of state, Madame Xanadu leaves Marie Antoinette, but warns her of a coming revolution – the French Revolution. Although saddened by her departure, Marie expresses her thanks, but pays no heed to her warnings: a vital mistake.

Upon leaving, Madame Xanadu reunites with Phantom Stranger during the brink of the revolution. He warns her not to interfere in these matters, but with Xanadu still bent on his last departure, she causes a scene. Some of the angered townspeople see the two and try to attack them, but Phantom Stranger reveals them to actually be goblins, drawn by the mayhem. Phantom Stranger explains to Madame Xanadu that he is taking his part to curtail these infernal beings and allow history to unfold free of them. As the two defeat the goblins, the revolution looms forward as mobs storm the walls of Le Bastille, ready to overthrow the Bourbon monarchy.

Amidst the ensuing chaos, the beginning of the Reign of Terror, Phantom Stranger makes clear that nothing can be done to alter the fate of the monarchy. Instead, he suggests that, perhaps, a time of peace and unity will come after times of hardships have passed – a time that will not come for another ten years. With that, Phantom Stranger departs and leaves Madame Xanadu alone again.

Freeing herself from the pain and guilt, Madame Xanadu moves to Provence, in the southeastern part of France. Here, she lives a life of harmony, while occasionally peering into future events with her cards. But after finding out that the royal family have been arrested and tried for treason, Madame Xanadu finds her guilt overwhelming. Four years pass, and Madame Xanadu ignores her suppressed emotions until – what seems to be – Robespierre (Maximilien Francois Marie Isidore de Robespierre (1758-94)) declares the execution of Louis XVI. At that moment, Madame Xanadu packs her belongings and leaves for Paris, in search of her friend and patron, Marie Antoinette.

With the help of her witchcraft, Madame Xanadu makes her way through the chambers until she finds Marie Antoinette, a woman strained of her youth after four years of torment. She vaguely remembers Madame Xanadu, and recounts her hardships, not to mention consumption, probably tuberculosis. Phantom Stranger soon reappears and explains to Madame Xanadu that she should have paid heed to his words and not involved herself in these affairs. Marie Antoinette, unable to see Phantom Stranger, suspects Madame Xanadu of necromancy and calls for the guards to take her away. They attack her, take away all of her belongings and imprison her within the chambers.

Once again, another impressive issue of Madame Xanadu comes and goes, but not without several rereads. Sometimes, it’s hard to imagine so much can be fit into 22 pages. Not only is each issue packed with important moments in history and legends, but also the raw emotion and subtle drama are what make this series unlike most others.

Madame Xanadu #6 is to be released November 26, stay tuned for a review shortly after!

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters #1 Cover

It’s a surprise that the original The Sandman: The Dream Hunters (by Neil Gaiman and Yoshitaka Amano) has been around for ten years now – time passes and this prose begins to build up dust as each year seems to float by, although you’d never know it. The Dream Hunters is another example of Gaiman’s fine work in storytelling. One of which never ages, but instead stares back at the reader with a wistful smile, looking to be broken into and enjoyed again and again. As though the writing itself is lost in time and the reader’s imagination is all that can ignite thoughts and feelings.

Ten years later, those thoughts and feeling have been ignited once more, this time in the form of a comic drawn by P. Craig Russell. Anyone unfamiliar with Russell ought to know that he loves adapting prose into comics. As Gaiman puts it, “His opera comics and his [Joseph Rudyard] Kipling and [Oscar] Wilde adaptations are remarkable and fine”. Russell’s sense of design and flow, are key. The way that he keeps his opposing lines dynamic, not forming symmetries, while keeping his lines fine and nuanced allows him to suggest the volume of the figure with shape alone (note the wave-like curves in his lines). The cartoony elements give his characters warmth and life, and his backgrounds are ornate without being over-rendered. This balance of halves remains the pinnacle of Russell’s art, establishing him to be one of the most admired and original artists today.

Russell's backgrounds are sight to behold.

That said; it is interesting experiencing a familiar story in a new way. Beginning with the Amano influenced cover art by Yuko Shimizu and ending with a scene from earlier in the comic, depicting the fox longingly staring at the crescent moon, The Dream Hunters #1 is as delicate a work as the original The Dream Hunters was. Finding the perfect pieces of text in the original must have been a challenge, but each perfectly illustrates and compliments the accompanying image. Whether using words or pictures, both pieces of work continue to challenge readers with what Gaiman and Russell know best, storytelling.

Unlike most adaptations, which attempt to improve upon the original, The Dream Hunters #1 proves itself to be different in the sense that nothing remains hidden to the reader. Instead, depicting the insecurities that all of Gaiman’s works reveal, always staring back, with that wistful smile.

I’ve always been at least a casual fan of Neil Gaiman’s original Sandman series, but then, who hasn’t? Dream’s intrigues with his family, the crazy art, the way it leaves you often thinking at the end of an arc, the little stories nestled away, just stellar stuff.

Sadly, the original coloring doesn’t live up to the discerning eye of today’s comic reader (at least, not mine); plus, it can be difficult to pickup an old issue for the sake of one-shot enjoyment without having to be intimately familiar with every ounce of backstory that has happened before.

This is part of what makes this comic adaptation of Gaiman’s novel “Sandman: the Dream Hunters” so wonderful. Starting as a simple Japanese fairy tale about a monk, a bold badger, and a wily fox, the tale time-releases mood and energy with fantastic lines, color, and page design by P. Craig Russell.

Gaiman is at his best in this type of story environment. Adopting the beginning of his story from what I’m pretty sure is an old Zen koan (I will have to dig into my hippie book box for references), he adroitly makes it his own without anyone the wiser. The mood he delivers is, per usual in his Dream story nuggets, storybook perfection. He truly captures the essence of a young quiet monk and his two mischievous tormentors while allowing them to be just vulnerable enough to relate to.

Russell melds the simple lines and stark colors of classic Japanese artwork with modern Western sensibilities. You can see the Russell’s chops in action on a page with a photo-referenced Japanese man (the monk) on the top panel, and a cartoony fox (the fox) worthy of a lighter Fables tale. His use of lines and color diversity is economic without being stale, thus allowing him to breathe more life into the storm scenes and dream sequences.

When Dream finally shows up in his usual style (that of a dream, OH GOD SPOILERS!), his dialogue jars the narrative style just enough for the reader to wake slightly from his Zen reverie, which is a new spin on these sorts of Dream-based stories. This could be a simple style evolution on behalf of Gaiman, a distinct narrative choice, a continuity-based choice (based on events at the end of the Sandman series), or some combination, or none of these. Regardless, it serves the story flow incredibly well, foreshadowing this issue’s events and setting us up for the next.

“Sandman: The Dream Hunters” is a fantastic mini-series for Sandman fans, people who have heard of Sandman, people who have heard of Neil Gaiman, or any reader who wants to stop riding the continuity express for thirty-four pages before getting back to continuing their boycott of Brand New Day.

So a few weeks later, I continue with the X-Men spin offs and pick up X-Men: Magneto Testament #2. Will I suffer the wrath of Marvel’s curses again or redeem myself? Find out, after the break!

I was going to say I need to bring your attention to the cover of this book, but I’m already to busy drooling over it myself. While Magneto Testament is a bit more expensive than your average comic book, Carmine Di Giandomenico’s work alone merits the four dollar price tag. The future Magneto looms over the young, sad figure of his past self and the striking red foreshadows the blood that the events to come will bring.

Anyway, enough about the cover, there’s still the plot to gush about. From the past two issues, if someone completely unfamiliar with comic books picked up Magneto Testament, they would have no idea it was about the childhood of a Super Villain. That’s because Greg Pak, the series’s writer, spent a great deal of time not only researching the Holocaust, but speaking to World War II veterans and concentration camp survivors as well. Pak spares no details of Germany’s darkest times and, while some of the scenes are very intense, it does nothing but honor the truth of what occurred during the Holocaust.

Aside from the historical accuracy, the standalone plot itself is one of my favorites, right up there with BKV’s Runaways and the Secret Invasion. Whether or not you know Magneto, you can’t help but feel that he’s destined for greatness. The story never mentions Max’s mutant powers, or even reveals whether or not they’ve developed yet, but subtle hints linger throughout the book. Every time a piece of metal is shown, I expected him to send it through some Nazi’s throat, but each time it’s as if he’s restraining himself. Another interesting little tidbit is how you can begin to see Magneto’s ideals on the mutant’s struggle begin to blossom. Max’s father is a bit like Xavier, telling his son that if they try to rise up against the oppression, they will be crushed. However, he betrays his father’s lessons and begins to see the effectiveness of standing up for one’s self.

The last page of the issue and my personal favorite.

The art in this book is as fun to look at as the story is to read. As I mentioned previously, Giandomenico’s covers are simply beautiful and his penciling does not disappoint either. One of the most striking features of his work is the range of emotion visible on each of the character’s faces. From sadness, to smugness, to anger, and pure joy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen facial features done so realistically.

I recommend this book to ANY fan of comic books, whether you’re a X-Men fan or not. These two issues and next three will be treasured by myself and I hope many others in the upcoming months.

Cory Ringdahl hails from the San Francisco Bay Area where he makes the internet work and also records himself on his computer. Being a ‘Marvel Zombie from way back,’ Cory reads a varying array of comics from Marvel with a touch of DC and some independent comics here and there.

With that said, keep a look out for Cory’s first review of Sandman: The Dream Hunters #1 in the next week!

Coming out of no where, this month we’re thrown a very odd comic from Marvel: Adam: Legend Of The Blue Marvel #1. Written by New Warriors scribe Kevin Grevioux, this comic is coming that I personally felt should have been a Marvel MAX title.

Beginning in present time, the Mighty Avengers are getting their asses handed to them by some unnamed and unknown bad guy. He’s screaming and going crazy before he dissolves into the air. We then flash back to 1962 and our story really begins.

Let me divulge (aka spoil) more after the break… this comic was an interesting one.

As I mentioned, in our current day, the Mighty Avengers were being whooped on by some bad guy they had never seen or fought before. Before we flash back to 1962, this baddie screamed, “Not even The Blue Marvel could stop me!” Which leaves you to wonder, before you turn the page: “Who is the Blue Marvel?” Boom, flash back and we see the bad guy from before (who we find out is named Anti-Man) fighting who we immediately find out is the Blue Marvel.

Look at this bad ass fight scene

Right away, I was thinking, “Are they going to pull another Sentry on us and make some über powerful good guy out of the past who was in some kind of stasis or whatever to bring him to the current 616 universe?” Luckily, this doesn’t seem to be the case.

Now, to break from my usual frame by frame spoiler spam, I just want to sum up the plot here:

The Blue Marvel is a super hero in the 1960s 616 Marvel U. Apparently, before this comic he was a loved super hero… until people found out that he was a black man. Remember 1962 was a very crucial moment in time for the civil rights movement in the US… The comic focuses around JFK and the government trying to figure out what they should do with The Blue Marvel. They explain that now that the Blue Marvel’s race has been exposed, white people hate him and black people hate him for not killing all of the white people. Nevertheless, The Blue Marvel still fights crime and does right.

The government finds out his true identity–former marine during the Korean War and graduate from Cornell–and decides they need to get him to stop being a super hero. They get him to agree to meet JFK and he convinces The Blue Marvel aka Adam Brashear to hang up his cape for the betterment of the US despite the amount of good he’s done protecting people and the world.

Now, what was really odd about this comic is that I felt it should have been more vulgar. I mean, I don’t know what Marvel has going for this character or story in the future, but this comic felt like it belonged as a MAX title along the lines of Squadron Supreme. More free reign with this character and story could have done a bit more for this entire comic.

Overall, the art was very well done (outside of a few odd faces here and there) and I really couldn’t complain about the plot for the portion of the story based in the 1960s, but, as I said, it feels like Marvel is forcing a new character on us. I’m sure we’ll get an origin story in the next issue or two but still, he doesn’t seem like a good character at all. I feel like he has no personality so far, and we already have The Punisher and (had) Cap to be the war torn heroes.

I love frames drawn like this...

I’ll wait for next month’s issue but I don’t have high hopes for this comic.

Ultimatum #1 Cover

Months and months and months of anticipation has lead up to this, finally: Ultimatum. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love the Ultimate Universe. However, in recent issues, the quality of the Ultimate Universe has seriously declined and many readers have been lost. In comes Ultimatum, to wipe out the load of shit that the Ultimate U has become and start things fresh, with or without certain teams.

The first issue of Ultimatum hits and hits pretty hard. Within the first few pages, we get the first major event and a whole lot of destruction. We don’t get a whole lot of story progress in the opening shot, though. There’s a lot of set up and Jeph Loeb makes sure that he gets all the major players on stage and ready for the action that will be Ultimatum.

Check out the rest of my review after the break.

I was real worried about Ultimatum after Ultimates 3. Jeph Loeb really messed that series up and I felt nervous about what he would be bringing us with Ultimatum. Instead, Loeb delivers a pretty nice and tightly written issue to start off this major-arc in the Utlimate U. As I said, not a lot happens in this first issue, but there’s a major disaster and you get to see the fallout from this from the perspective of all the major players. In addition, Loeb sets up the series quite nicely, finishing things off in a way that was probably expected from most Ultimate U fans, but nevertheless very epic and dark. Speaking of dark, I love that this issue is packed full of really dark tones, with lots of death and destruction. This is Ultimate Universe type writing, and I gladly welcome it back. Gone, thankfully, are Loeb’s attempts at scandalous, soap-opera drama, like he did with Ultimates 3. Glad to see that he realizes that this is an important series and needs to be taken very seriously.

The Flood... It Comeith

And then we come to the art. I was blown away. David Finch did some great work in Ultimate X-Men a ways back and it’s great to see him back in the Ultimate U. He was really needed. Again, I am glad to see that Marvel realized this was an important series and didn’t throw shitty artists at it like they have been doing on Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimates lately. Finch has that sketchy style that I have grown to love and it works really well with the dark tone of this book. His landscapes are truly breathtaking and he draws “speed” (if that makes sense) really, really well. My only real complaint with the art is the inconsistency of detail. With the sketchy style, you expect background people and things to be somewhat… well… sketchy, but Finch seems to have a hard time deciding how much detail to put into features of the foreground characters. So, you get inconsistencies between pages, and even within the same panel, of how much detail is put into the characters. But I’m really nitpicking here, cause on a first read-through, you really don’t notice it.

With all the anticipation, I expected to be let down. I’m not. This is not a perfect issue, but I think the direction Ultimatum is taking is positive and I hope it continues to get better. So far, I am liking it a lot better than Secret Invasion, so we’ll see if that keeps up. I say buy this. It might even provide a good entrance to the Ultimate Universe for new fans.

52 Week 22

Last week in 52:

Eliza Harmon/Trajectory is re-recruited to the team, Infinity Inc. But with Lex Luthor able to control both his heroes and enemies, Trajectory meets her untimely end after being killed by Blockbuster III.

Meanwhile, Ralph Dibny and the Helm of Fate travel to The Netherplains in search of the Micltan Gate: the gate to the Underworld.

In Australia, a young mechanic named Johnny Warrawa rebuilds Red Tornado.

**Spoilers after the break**

This week in 52, entitled Burial Ground, Lex Luthor contemplates Supernova’s identity; going so far as to thinking he may be Superman.  It’s a viable guess, but Lex has always been the self-centered one, hasn’t he?

In hopes to become a superhero, Lex is given a blood test and finds out that he is incompatible for the metagene therapy.  For someone who feels as though he is being tested by his nemesis, Lex Luthor is furious.

On Day 5 of Week 22, Lex strokes his ego by opening up the Business School he has been talking about for the past couple of weeks.  Steel makes an appearance at the opening ceremony, intending to speak with Luthor, but another man who took part in the metagene therapy beats him to it.  After the man is taken away, Steel sympathizes with him.

I have also heard talk about Mercy’s line, “Get out of here, Ferry…before I get all Themyscira on your ass”. Sure, it might sound a touch silly, but Mercy is an Amazon.

Elsewhere, Jon Standing Bear visits Metropolis to attend his father’s funeral.  His grandfather, however, is very much alive and tells Jon of his obligation to become Super-Chief – doesn’t that name sound slightly racist?

The story goes as follows – The Manitou Stone, a Native American heirloom passed down for generations, has now fallen into Jon’s hands.  The Stone was created by Manitou, the Great Spirit in things, after a great noble of the Iroquois Nation found himself in trouble.  The spirit threw down a sky stone which would give him ‘the strength of a thousand bears’, ‘the speed of a thousand running deer’, ‘the keen senses of the wolf nation’, and the power in his legs to leap higher than the tallest trees in the forest’.  From then on people called him Saganowahna, the Super-Chief.

For one, there is no such thing as the Manitou spirit in Iroquois folklore.  Instead, the word Manitou can be found in the Algonquian language.  According to Algonquian Indians, Manitou is a good or evil spirit as an object of reverence, similar to what Jon’s grandfather was speaking of.

It should also be noted that Sagonowahna isn’t a word, but it sure fooled me.

Anyways, after declaring Jon Super-Chief, his grandfather asks him for a favor, one that I was not surprised to find out.  Although I have heard speculations as to whether Jon’s grandfather really wanted to die, I found it most appropriate that he would ask his grandson to smother him to death.  One reason being that Jon’s grandfather wanted to rid himself of the heirloom and pass it on to Jon, the other being that he wanted to be taken out of his misery and die with dignity.

Though the image of Jon smothering his grandfather reminded me way too much of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, did anyone else imagine Jon/Super-Chief pulling a water fountain out of the ground and throwing it out the window?

Meantime, Grant Morrison does a stellar job handling Dr. Magnus and co.  Magnus talks to his brother Col. David Magnus about the disappearance of Professor Morrow.  David also goes on to talk about Shade, which is probably S.H.A.D.E. – the Super Human Advanced Defense Executive.  Afterwards, Mercury talks to Doc about how he should reanimate Plutonium Man – this is a reference to the three-part storyline in Metal Men #47.  Doc Magnus is soon attacked by an unknown organization, to which he tries to defend himself against, but is eventually kidnapped.

Did I mention how much I loved this week’s cover?

Stay tuned next week for 52 Week 23!

**Spoilers after the break**

52 Week 21 Cover

This week in 52, entitled Teambuilding Exercises (creative, isn’t it?) Natasha/Starlight speaks to Lex Luthor about re-recruiting Eliza Harmon/Trajectory to the team, Infinity Inc.  Infinity Inc. was originally a team involving the sons and daughters of the JSA.  The new Infinity Inc. is supposed to be recognized as the ‘new age of superheroes’ (aka the genetically enhanced).

Not long after Eliza is re-recruited, the team brawls against the new Blockbuster.  We know he is new because it appears as though Lex and his party has complete control and knowledge over Infinity Inc. and its surroundings (i.e. buildings, enemies, dialogue, powers).  However, Lex does slip when describing Blockbuster as being the only predecessor.  I don’t know anything about the old Blockbusters, but I did find out a bit about each of them.  The first one, Mark Desdmond, first appeared in Detective Comics #345.  His brother Roland subsequently became the new Blockbuster in Starman #9.  The third Blockbuster is one I couldn’t find much information about, so if you know anymore than I do, please let me know.  However, I do think he was a ‘mistake’ in Lex Luthor’s Everyman Project, seeing as how Lex can control him on a whim.

Teen Titans post Infinite Crisis

Anyways, Infinity Inc. – Fury, Nuklon (whom I will get back to later), Sky Man, Everyman, Starlight and Trajectory – fight against Blockbuster and presumably win.  Not long after, the new Teen Titans – consisting of Power Boy, Beastboy, Barda, Zachary Zatara, Raven and Hotspot – move in to clean up the wreckage.  Neither team seems to get along (for obvious reasons), and arguments ensue.  Fearing that the Teen Titans will upstage Infinity Inc., Lex and his party ‘wake up’ Blockbuster.  As he flees, Trajectory goes after him, hoping to become the hero that she had always dreamed of becoming.  Upon attacking Blockbuster, Lex terminates her powers, and she unfortunately gets killed.

Now let’s backtrack to Nuklon.  I had no idea that there was an ‘original’ Nuklon until I found out that he was actually Atom Smasher.  Friends with Black Adam, he was put in jail for killing the president of Kahndaq, giving Black Adam the opportunity to be the new ruler.

On Day 6 of Week 21, three days after Eliza’s death, her funeral is held in her hometown, Manchester, Alabama (same place where Impulse and Daniel Carter grew up).  The Teen Titans attend the service as well, but disband because of their differences, leaving Beastboy, Raven and Zachary Zatara.  Also, Steel tries to speak to Natasha, but fails miserably once again; however, the remaining Teen Titans ask to help him.

In the meantime, Ralph Dibny and the Helm of Fate travel to The Netherplains, where they threaten the demon guard, Xolotl, to let them pass through the Mictlan Gate (short for Mictlantecuhtli, as in the Aztec Lord Mictlantecuhtli).  The Helm of Fate seems to have used a sleeping spell on Xolotl and Ralph used gingold to tie him into a ball.  After Xolotl wakes up, Ralph and him exchange some cruel words and Ralph kicks the demon down some stairs (has Ralph ever been this mean?).  They then pass through the gates into underworld, though I’m not sure how they were able to do that without the guard opening the gate for them…

And over in Australia, a kid mechanic named Johnny Warrawa rebuilds Red Tornado.  Anyone who’s a fan of Futurama should get a kick out of his mask.

I probably should have mentioned this in the beginning considering the cover artwork is the first thing you see when you grab an issue, but I’m settling for the final few sentences.  The cover of Week 21 depicts Infinity Inc. in the blue section, while the Teen Titans are depicted in the golden shards surrounding them.  My question is, who is drawn in the left image, above Power Boy?  I have been trying to figure this out for the passed year and a half, and I still can’t figure it out.

Not much else to say about this issue, stay tuned next week for 52 Week 22!

Ultimatum #1 Cover

Here’s what you can look forward to tomorrow at the comic shop. And for you US readers, get out to the polls and make your voice heard in this very important election.

Ultimatum #1

The beginning of the end (or beginning) for the Ultimate Universe is finally here! How much is Jeph Loeb going to screw up or save the Ultimate Universe? You’ll only find out if you pick up this series and find out what’s coming.

Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #1

New superheroes are always intriguing when they are brought to life. And Blue Marvel is set to be the newest superhero in the Marvel universe. Though I am not a huge fan of Kevin Grevioux, I am interested to see what this series is going to bring. If you’re looking for something new out of the House of Ideas, this is your chance to get in on the bottom floor.

Iron Man: The End #1

I have only read one “The End” story, and that was X-Men: The End, but I was really impressed with how interesting and imaginative it was. Hopefully, this week’s Iron Man: The End will start things off right for this story of an alternate future for old Shellhead.

That’s it for this week, folks. There’s a lot of other really great books coming out this week, but this is all I had time to write about. So make sure you make it down to that local comic shop and check out this week’s releases. And, of course, Happy Reading!

Runaways Volume 4 Cover

Previously in Runaways: After the Runaways finally learn the truth behind The Pride’s actions, the six teenagers find their secret base and stop them from fulfilling the Rite of Blood.  The Rite of Blood was a ceremony in which a young girl must be sacrificed every year for the Gibborim, evil mythical giants.  This had to be done because the Gibborim no longer had the life force necessary to change the world back to its previous state: a utopia.  They ask the Pride to take part in these annual ceremonies to fulfill their needs, but because the Runaways infiltrate their plans, the Gibborim destroy the base and kill the Pride.  The Runaways also find out that Alex was a mole and worked with the Pride.  Not long after revealing his true identity, Alex is killed in action.  Living as orphans, the remaining five teenagers are put into foster care.  However, they soon reunite.

**Spoilers after the break**

In Volume 4 of Runaways, entitled True Believers, the remaining five teenagers – Chase, Gert, Molly, Nico and Karolina – are busier than expected after infiltrating their parent’s, The Pride’s, plans.  Now that The Pride is gone, villains left and right are taking their part in creating havoc in Los Angeles, and the Runaways are the only ones that can help.

Meanwhile, former teenage superheroes turned outreach program Excelsior – consisting of Turbo, Darkhawk, Julie Power, Ricochet, Green Goblin and Chamber – are looking for the Runaways for an anonymous donor.

Back in The Pride’s old hideout, the Runaways meet up with Gert from the future.  Near death, she explains that the Runaways have to get rid of the one who betrayed her,