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COMIC REVIEWS FOR THE MONTH OF: APRIL 2002
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AMERICAN CENTURY #14 |
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Writers: Howard
Chaykin, David Tischman
Artist: Luke Ross |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
DC/Vertigo
Comics,
Shipped On: 042402 |
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MSRP:
.$2.50 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC/VERTIGO'S SYNOPSIS:
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A new storyline begins with "An American in Paris,"
Part 1 of 3. Still stinging from Lorelei's betrayal, Harry Kraft's traded the
backwoods of North Carolina for the bistros of Paris. Drinking le wine, reading
le book, and cutting le cheese, Harry's in ex-pat heaven until he meets up with
an old army buddy named Buddy who needs a favor. |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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One of the best series DC produces is the morality
tale known as American Century. It's not a book for everyone, however, due to
the lack of action and the emphasis of kinky sex (and the non-kinky kind). This
is a book created by adults for only adults.
Howard Chaykin has shocked us before with the twisted Black Kiss and the
unconventional American Flagg so this is no different. He co-writes this with
former Cable writer David Tischman but the concept is all his. Their 'hero'
Harry Kraft is a war hero who decides to chuck it all and tour the world. He's
lost interest in heroism but each place he visits makes him to the right thing
even though he would rather walk away.
In the first installment of "An American In Paris" Harry is reunited with an old
friend while sitting in a café drinking wine. This chance meeting gets Harry
involved with forged masterpieces, a dominatrix, a willing bed partner and a
pastry chef with homicidal tendencies.
Marc Laming normally draws this series but he's working on the next arc so
former X-Man artist Luke Ross visits through #16. |
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DAREDEVIL #33 |
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Writer: Brian
Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics,
Shipped On: 041702 |
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MSRP:
.$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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After the recent devastating events in Daredevil's
life, the FBI turns its attention towards his pal Matt Murdock! Meanwhile, Foggy
Nelson comes to a startling conclusion! |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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Bendis asked Previews catalog writer Bill Rosemann
(writer of the ultra cool Deadline) not to mention anything about the events of
last month's issue in the catalog. Just say the book was coming and that
something huge was going to happen inside it, that's it. The last time Bendis
had Marvel do this Peter told MJ he was Spider-Man in the Ultimate book so be
warned.
The current storyline introduced Sammy Silke (from Chicago), a mobster who
wanted to challenge the rule of the Kingpin. Bendis reintroduced Richard Fisk
(last seen as the Rose) to fandom but returned him to the screw up roots he once
had. The two (along with the other crime bosses) ganged up on Wilson Fisk and
tried to stab him to death ala Julius Caesar but failed. They also put out an
open contract out on Matt Murdock because Richard blabbed he was Daredevil. All
of these threads led into last issue where Vanessa Fisk commissioned a Corleone
family special and had everyone (including her son) whacked. Silke escaped and
went to the feds, which leads us to this issue.
Silke told the Feds that Matt is Daredevil, which caused some frantic phone
calls. A 3:00 AM talk with a supervisor runs down the pieces of the puzzle and
connects everything. But what do you do with such knowledge and is it worth the
trouble it will bring? The matter is supposedly closed but the cover of the
issue shows you that leaks happen.
Matt's in this issue in flashbacks and Bendis has Foggy find the story in the
paper. This decision allows penciller Alex Maleev to go to town by having his
reaction be non-verbal makes the pain in his face more effective than any
dialogue.
Now before people start bringing up the fact that the Bob Gale arc that preceded
the Bendis/Maleev run on this title covered the same ground that's true. It did
cover the same subject but the styles are totally different and Marvel's not
that rigid on continuity these days so it doesn't matter. |
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STARTLING STORIES THE MEGALOMANIACAL
SPIDER-MAN |
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Writer/Artist: Peter Bagge |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics,
Shipped On: 041702 |
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MSRP:
.$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Shortly after he was bitten by a radioactive spider
that gave him his strange powers, Peter Parker failed to stop a burglar fleeing
from police. When that man went on to murder Peter's beloved Uncle Ben, Peter
took it upon himself to atone for his sin of inaction - adopting a mantra
instilled in him by his Uncle: "With great power must also come great
responsibility." But what if Uncle Ben wasn't all he was cracked up to be? What
if he was nothing more than a lout and a con artist? What road might Peter
travel if his life had been guided by a different mantra: "Look out for number
one"? |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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With the addition to Marvel editorial of former
Vertigo editor Axel Alonzo & the Jemas/Quesada reign there are creators coming
to Marvel that previously wouldn't have even walked down the streets near their
offices. Hate creator Peter Bagge is one of those creators. Bagge made a name
for himself on the independent front but in the back of his mind he always
wanted a shot at a major character so Marvel took a chance. What Bagge does is
he takes the basics of the Spidey mythos and turns it on its head. Gwen's a
campus radical, Uncle Ben had a gambling jones, fighting crime bores the crap
out of Pete. After another battle with another villain he decides to hang it up
and become a businessman cashing in on the Spider-Man name. This book is so
offbeat that it may annoy regular Spider-fans but will get folks who never read
mainstream comics to take a shot at it. Bagge's pencil style is sort of Steve
Ditko on crack. His characters are built like interconnected water balloons that
gravity beats the crap out of. |
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MARVEL MANGAVERSE #1 |
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Writer/Artist: Ben Dunn |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics,
Shipped On: 041002 |
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MSRP:
.$2.25 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Meet Marvin Elwood, timid teenager... and
possible savior of Earth! Heir to alien Kree technology and the awesome Nega
Bands, Marvin must face his legacy as - Captain Marvel! But can even this cosmic
crusader save the world from the gigantic threat of Galactus? Guest-starring the
Megascale Metatalent Response Team Fantastic Four! |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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Since Marvel doesn't really do 5th week events like
DC does it was a bit weird when they announced in January the "Mangaverse"
event. Sales numbers were weirder; customers who never bought Manga or even
looked at the bottom of the rack it was on gobbled up the one shots like candy
and so Marvel decided to make a regular series out of it.
Ben Dunn (who did the bookend versions of the event) in this first issue takes
on Galactus, the FF, the Watcher and a kid who turns out to be the latest
version of Captain Marvel. Manga Galactus looks completely different than the
regular Marvel version (in fact, he looks like Ego) but it heads for Earth to
feed just like the regular one.
Dunn drops in cameo appearances by some comics legends and one almost legend.
His art is quirky enough to appeal to most fans and won't turn you away from the
page.
This series is more or less another tweaking of the Marvel Universe in the same
manner as the Ultimate line. Sales should be steady but this series probably
won't get any non-Manga fans into Manga nor have any hardcore Manga fans picking
this up. |
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TRANSFORMERS GENERATION ONE #1 |
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Writer: Chris
Sarracini
Artist: Pat Lee |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Dreamwave
Comics,
Shipped On: 040302 |
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MSRP:
.$2.95 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DREAMWAVE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Dreamwave presents the triumphant return of The
Transformers! Long thought dead by the inhabitants of Earth, we discover that
the classic metal warriors of Generation 1 are far from gone. But where have
they been for so long, and why only now have they chosen to return? And who is
the mysterious man called Lazarus and what is his plan? Issue #1 promises all of
the intrigue, action and excitement Transformers fans have waited so long to
see! Transformers: Generation 1 #1 is the first issue of a 6-issue mini-series
that marks their victorious return to comic books. The fun and mayhem begin
here. |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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The massive success of the GI Joe re-launch led the
Dreamwave team to purchase the rights for a new Transformers series right from
under Marvel. The Darkminds folks also picked up the rights to the Micronauts.
Now most fans didn't think that there was enough interest in putting GI Joe back
but sales proved them wrong. The Dreamwave folks took a major chance by
purchasing the rights and an even bigger chance walking away from the friendly
confines of Image. After reading this initial offering I think they may have
made the right decision.
Considering only die-hard fans would remember how the previous series ended the
boys made the right decision to make this an entry-level series. During this
issue we meet some folks who last encountered the Transformers during a mythical
event in 1999 when the big machines arrived on Earth. The army has one survivor
and two others are scattered around the US; one of them could be trouble and the
others will end up fighting it.
The premise is about as limited as the premise for the original series, which
could show itself in fluctuating sales figures. The art is clean (with that
casual coloring style Dreamwave loves to use) and the story by Chris Sarracini
doesn't insult you or challenge you in any way. |
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2002 by their respective owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2009 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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OTHER REVIEWS...
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RASSLIN' REVIEW
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Pay Per Views and House Shows, we
layeth the Smaketh- Down on both!
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KIDS REVIEWS
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Dozen's of kid friendly titles arrive every week and we review the ones that
stand out.
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AT THE MOVIES
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Every week we give you our opinion on what's playing at the cinema.
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