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GHOST PROJEKT #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Joe Harris
Artist:
Steve Rolston
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Oni Press
Shipped On:
031010 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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ONI PRESS' SYNOPSIS:
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U.S. Weapons Inspector Will Haley has seen his share
of scary stuff. When your job routinely involves donning a hazmat suit, grabbing
your Geiger counter and jetting into sometimes-hostile territory, "scary" feels
almost normal. But when the alarm sounds at an abandoned Soviet facility, Haley,
along with Russian "operativnik" Anya Romanova, must track a stolen weapon
unlike any they've encountered before. What is the "Dosvidanya" project... and
are they too late to stop it? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is both a bit of a surprise and a bit of a let down. I almost always
associate Oni Press with Manga, but found myself more than a bit relieved when
it stood revealed that that was not actually the case with “Ghost Projekt”. This
wasn’t just another Manga translation brought over for American mangaphiles, and
that calmed my nerves a bit, as I was seemingly incapable of sitting through
another dull and under-illustrated Manga serial. What I got instead was a
complex story with fantastic illustration, but at a pace that left me with too
many ‘Wha, huh?’ moments to really get me INTO the story.
What’s the deal with the freaking cat?! Huh?! That’s all I want to know! But
seriously, I thought the horror story, set in Western Siberia, plays well off my
naïve American knowledge of the area and the people, who may as well be from the
dark side of the Moon, so if ever there was a way to transform my intense fear
of the unknown into an intense fear of Siberian People, THIS would be it!
Mission accomplished, comrades.
Super-secret biological weapons testing facilities abound in the former Soviet
Union, apparently, and some people like to break in and plunder anything they
can that might earn them a buck. This is where the story opens, and quickly
shifts gears, following, instead, a pair of ecological investigators inspecting
the site, post-break-in, only to be derailed rather quickly, again, by the cold
Anya Romanova, and the Russian Militsiya. Everybody’s looking for something
known as “Dos Vidanya”, while no one seems to know exactly what it is,
especially the readers.
There are a couple of confusing scenes in which a child witnesses a strange man
bringing a suspicious-looking container to a neighbor’s apartment. She utters
the words “…it’s so pretty”, which, I guess, is meant to insinuate the child/pet
connection with the spirit-world, or some such creepyness. Then the neighbor
winds up dead, and he has some scary skin condition that looks an awful lot like
a hand print. Then one of the guys from the opening scene comes down with the
same thing, only it might be from a ghost.
See, it’s cool, but it’s convoluted, and while I have questions, they’re not the
kind that I’m dying to read the next issue in order to answer. The book is
so-so; it’s nothing to write home about, but it’s also nothing to rag on either.
It will work for some, and it won’t for others. I’m straddling the middle
ground, only because I’m a sucker for an indy book, but I’m not trying to look
like a sucker, if you’re picking up what I’m laying down. |
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NEMESIS #1
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Writer:
Mark Millar
Artist:
Steve McNiven
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel/Icon Comics
Shipped On:
032410 |
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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/ICON'S SYNOPSIS:
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CIVIL WAR? Nothing. KICK-ASS? A warmup. What if the
smartest, toughest costumed bad ass in the world was totally evil? Meet Nemesis.
He's systematically been destroying the lives of every police chief in Asia, and
he's now set his sights on Washington, DC. Between you and me, the police don't
have a chance. Do not miss the book that EVERYONE will be talking about by the
creative team that made CIVIL WAR the biggest book of the decade. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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“What if Batman was the Joker?” That’s how I originally heard this series
pitched, and I kinda just shrugged my shoulders, said something along the lines
of “That’d suck,” and went about my business. “What if Batman was the Joker?” It
sounds like a pitch for a B-Movie, and given Millar’s latest brushes with
Hollywood (two of his creator-owned series have been given the Big-Screen
treatment) I wasn’t surprised to hear him describing his latest project in the
Hollywood tradition of
single-sentence-story-pitches-for-those-with-attention-deficit-disorder. I’ve
loved, no, LOVED, a majority of Millar’s work, and when his ideas are rendered
by the beyond-believable skills of Steve McNiven, well, it’s like having a giant
bowl of ‘Awesome’, sprinkled with ‘Super-Duper’ and ‘Sweet’, and eating it all
without getting a tummy ache.
In this corner of the Millarverse (which is the incredibly creative name the man
gave to the world in which his creator-owned stuff takes place) there is no such
thing as super heroes, or super villains, just cops and criminals, that is,
until Nemesis shows up. It’s the idea that Batman, Iron Man, Iron Fist, Green
Arrow, or any other one of the multitude of self-made super heroes, could just
have easily taken the road less traveled, and become a very rich, very mean
person, very, very quickly. Original, maybe not, but it does come across as one
of those ideas that are so painfully obvious, and still not yet exploited, that
one has to wonder, why hasn’t a book like this been done yet? I don’t know. I
don’t have all the answers, but I can say that the first issue of “Nemesis” is
proof that Millar still has the same great handle on BIG action that he’s always
had, and while the titular character, as a concept, will remind you of many that
have preceded him, it’s still refreshing to read something NEW.
The book opens in Tokyo, at the end of a game of cat-and-mouse (not to be
confused with ‘moose-and-squirrel’) between the big-bad, Nemesis, and the Chief
of Police, some guy tied to a chair. The scene is fast-paced, and really
establishes the main character’s ability to plan out his capers to a ‘T’. It
culminates with the best depiction of Man VS Moving Vehicle since John Ritter VS
Semi Truck in “Bride of Chucky”, and then, it culminates even more, with a
devastating train derailment, and subsequent carnage ensues. By this point you
should be about nine pages into the story, and you’ve got to be wondering,
“Where the hell is all this going?”
Cut to Washington D.C. and another Chief of Police, who doesn’t seem to mind
getting his hands dirty on the job. In a move that would surely draw fire from
any Officer Involved Shooting review-board, he effortlessly executes five armed
gunman holed up in a convenience store robbery-gone-wrong, then reprimands a
subordinate on the use of foul language, seeing as how they’re police and
therefore are “supposed to be an example”. Cue the Feds….NOW! A couple of stiffs
in suits show up to let the Chief, Blake Morrow (one of two winners of Millar’s
charity auction), there’s been a threat on his life, and that he might want to
consider finding a cave, and hiding in it for the foreseeable future. Of course,
there wouldn’t be much of a story if that’s what happened, so that’s not what
happens (duh), and readers are treated to another HUGE action scene before the
end of the book, but I won’t give this one away.
I thought this was slated to be a six-issue mini, but now I’ve seen it listed as
only being a four-parter. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with McNiven
penciling, and then inking the entire book (GOD DAMN IT!), but I suspect that it
does. This is where I mention, again, that Steve McNiven has opted to ink his
own pencils, which, in my opinion, causes his work to suffer. Don’t get me
wrong, it’s STILL STEVE MCNIVEN, so it’s still phenomenal art, but his work
seems a lot less clean than when Dexter Vines gets his hands on it. I don’t know
if that has anything to do with this being a labor-of-love (which only means it
costs the creators beforehand, after it’s published, and flipped for a movie
deal, they make out like bandits), and not having room in the budget for a
quality inker, but I doubt it.
Anyway, this book is awesome, and if you’re a fan of Millar, McNiven, BIG action
sequences, curse words, graphic depictions of violence and gunplay, or America
then you should be reading this RIGHT NOW! As much as it’ll get riffed on for
being Batman-as-a-bad-guy, it’s still great to know that creators are out there
making their OWN, brand-new characters, and that’s why I’ll continue to support
this book and others like it. It’s not that the golden-oldies ain’t good enough,
but sometimes I want something that doesn’t come with 70 years of baggage
attached to it.. |
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X-23 #1
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Writer:
Marjorie Liu
Artists:
Filipe Andrade and Nuno Alves
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
031710 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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X-23 has spent her short life being used by those in
power, from the military to the X-Men. But when she is forced to confront a
being who can control her life with nothing but a thought, will X-23 finally
learn how to fight -- not for others, but herself? Guest-starring NYX! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is a prime example of why I avoid Marvel’s over-priced, under-storied
one-shots like they were aching to rape me with a rusty Garden-Weasel. From the
deceptive cover, which invokes the idea that co-creator Josh Middleton might
have something to do at the House of Ideas (which he doesn’t, the cover was
actually illustrated by Alina Urusov), to the “Seinfeld”-inspired
story-about-nothing, I was ready to stab myself in an eye, just to have a valid
excuse not to read any more of this blatant fan-fic.
The Marvel Comics superhero known as Wolverine might be popular enough to claim
a seat on every team this side of the JLA, but his life pretty much sucks. You
can ask him, and he’ll say the same thing. So, a pretty obvious conclusion one
might draw from the previous statement is that any CLONE of Wolverine’s is bound
to have a life that pretty much sucks just as hard (maybe even a little bit
more, but just a little) and as such, any clones of Wolverines shouldn’t be
allowed to go traipsing through the city of New York unattended.
Fans of “NYX”, all eight of you, rejoice, as there is a brief reunion between
Laura and the small gathering of mutants, all of whom made it out of M-Day with
their powers intact, apparently. Whether this reunion holds any sort of purpose,
other than paying lip service to the people who remember the series and can’t
seem to understand why a story about homeless mutants who don’t fight crime is
incapable of selling, is unlikely.
There’s a brewing internal conflict between someone calling himself “The
Gamesmaster” and X-23, and the artists chose to illustrate it in a very
stylized, abstract way that I found very annoying to look at. I’m not trying to
rag on them for going against the grain, but it looks like something that you’d
find hanging on the fridge of a family with a mentally-challenged grade schooler.
By the end of the book the Gamesmaster has either, disappeared, never to be
heard from again, or he’s hiding away in the fragile psyche of a clone of
Wolverine, which COULD mean trouble. That is, if anyone other than me read this
tripe, AND decided to follow up on the dangling thread. Personally, I’m okay if
I never have to reference this particular story again. |
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GREEN HORNET YEAR ONE #1
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Writer:
Matt Wagner
Artist:
Aaron Campbell |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dynamite Comics
Shipped On:
031710 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DYNAMITE'S SYNOPSIS:
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The Green Hornet expansion continues as Dynamite
presents the original tales of comics most iconic hero! And Matt Wagner, one of
the most creative creators in comics takes the reins, bringing the characters to
their basic roots a la All-Star Superman, and Matt Wagner is the man to do it!
Rooted in the pulp tradition, the original tales of Britt Reid, and Kato being
here! Joining Wagner is artist Aaron "Sherlock Holmes" Campbell, whose stunning
recreation of the industrial world of 30s Chicago is sure to wow fans across the
globe! Plus, covers by Wagner, Ross, Cassaday and Segovia! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Here’s an interesting little tidbit for those of you who think I’m too tough
on the classics, I thought that this latest take on The Green Hornet was
infinitely superior to the failed-film-script-turned-next-best-thing (“Oh, um, a
comic would be cool. I guess.”) by Hollywood director, Kevin Smith. While Smith
attempted, and failed, to capture what he thought was so cool about the original
concept and transfer it into a younger package for a younger audience, Matt
“Grendel” Wagner takes readers, old and new alike, into the formative years of
one of pulp’s most renowned crime-fighters.
I’m not that much of a traditionalist. In fact, I tend to buck tradition
whenever possible, but that’s not what Matt Wagner did here. Instead of trying
to ‘Ultimatize’ the Green Hornet, Wagner celebrated everything that made the
character classic, and timeless. While developing the character(s) for new
readers, Wagner simultaneously delves into the pasts of both Britt and Kato,
offering insight as to what motivated these two men toward the paths their lives
have taken.
Britt worked to please his father, as did Kato, but for entirely different
reasons. At a young age Britt’s father instilled in him a strong sense of right
and wrong, and as editor of a small newspaper he would trumpet the
responsibility a man had for his own community. Kato’s father was also strict,
and attentive toward the boy’s educational development. He trained his son in
the way of the samurai, and the ninja, and taught him about public service; when
the time came for Kato to be drafted into the nation’s armed service, the man
hid his son, seemingly contradicting a great deal of his teachings.
While readers are treated to the background info, much of which I’d never been
privy to, and all of which already has me eagerly awaiting more, we’re also
given our first glances of Hornet and Kato in action, against surly
Mafioso-types no less, and that’s really when the illustrations of Aaron
Campbell really begin to shine. Don’t get me wrong, Campbell illustrates the
crap out of the rest of this book, but the furious flow of Kato’s kicks, or the
bullet-dodging, dart-dispensing dynamic of the Hornet in action is really
impressive.
I haven’t been a long-time Green Hornet fan, and that’s okay because the whole
pulp thing was really, really before my time. I don’t, however, mind putting
myself into that style of storytelling for a while, escaping from the endless
shenanigans of the “Big Three”, opting instead to embrace a simpler time, when
the bad guys wore pinstripes, and the good guys just narrowly miss the grave,
but always got the girl. While it seems like Dynamite is really planning to ride
this whole “Green Hornet” license into the ground, what with the Kevin Smith
book, this book, as well as the Kato spin-off mini, and the “Green Hornet:
Beyond”, or whatever the hell the geniuses in marketing decided to call that
derivative rag. |
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X-MEN SECOND COMING #1 (2nd Print)
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Writers:
Craig Kyle & Chris Yost
Artist:
David Finch
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
033110 (2nd Print shipped on 050510) |
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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The climax of four years of X-Men stories is the
X-Event of 2010! What started in House of M with the Decimation of mutantkind
and erupted with the first new mutant birth in Messiah CompleX finishes here. In
the epic crossover Second Coming, Cyclops's faith pays off when Cable returns to
the present with Hope, the girl he believes to be the mutant messiah. But will
she be the savior or destroyer of mutantkind? We may never know, as she is the
target of an initiative for mutant eradication unlike anything the X-Men have
ever experienced. Many will be wounded. Several will die. Is Hope worth it? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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It’s somewhat difficult to witness something that you cared about immensely as a
kid descend into madness. I was a HUGE “X-Men” fan as a kid; I had toys, I had
comics, I watched the show, I played the video games. If there was anything out
there that was even remotely related to the X-Men I had to have it, and I would
hunt it down with little regard for anything else. Fast-forward a number of
years, to a sad, dark time when I wasn’t actually reading comics anymore,
primarily because I wanted a social life, but I digress. Lo and behold, it was
the “X-Men” that managed to bring me back around. Actually it was “X-Treme
X-Men” #9, by Claremont and Larocca, which, in hindsight, wasn’t that good of a
story, but it pulled me back into the world of these characters, these old
friends of mine, whom I hadn’t been acquainted with in quite a while, and I
liked what I saw, for a while at least.
“Second Coming” is the third act in the ‘Messiah Trilogy’ that began with
“X-Men: Messiah Complex”, which was bananas, and set the stage for battle
heading into the “Messiah War”, which also managed to be just as, if not more
bananas as ‘Complex’. Somewhere along the way, after Brubaker rocketed half the
team out into space, but before the whole Matt Fraction takeover of the mythos
in ‘Uncanny’, I lost interest in the primary X-books. In fact, the only X-book
that manages to make it onto my pull list, month in and month out, is Kyle and
Yost’s “X-Force”, so I was a bit more enthusiastic about this little romp when I
found out they were at the helm.
Hope, the only mutant to be born since M-Day, the fateful day Scarlet Witch
rewrote reality expunging a majority of mutants from existence, was sent to the
future, under the protection of Nathan “Cable” Grey, by Scott Summers, leader of
the mutant race. After barely surviving encounter after encounter with the
time-hopping traitor, Bishop, not to mention the conflict between Stryfe and
Apocalypse (told ya, “Messiah War” was the $#!t!), Hope and Cable have returned
to the present, except the X-Men forgot to let them know that they found a new
place to live, on the OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY. This, of course, leaves them
wide open for an ambush which, of course, happens with very swiftly after their
arrival.
There’s a lot to be said for the evolution of Scott Summers, from downtrodden
pupil to fearless leader. This is a guy who lived in the shadow of his mentor
for so long that fans never managed to see his potential because writers had
never given him a chance to shine. It seems, as of late, that recent scribes
have shown a great deal of respect for ol’ One-Eye, and as a result his ability
to lead a race of people, on the verge of extinction, is a spectacle to behold.
The X-Men are, if anything, a paramilitary organization; a militia group with
one purpose, staying alive in order to preserve their species. It’s because of
their intense training and discipline that the team is able to respond in such a
swift and decisive manner; it’s also because of this military-esque upbringing
that some of these X-Men see things in a ‘kill or be killed’ way that doesn’t
sit well with the rest of the team.
Kyle and Yost are great at what they do, and it seems as if this is all coming
from threads they’ve planted in “New X-Men”, “X-Force”, “Messiah Complex” and
“Messiah War”, so if you’ve been following those series you’ll be thoroughly
satisfied with what you find here. David Finch, who I ragged on for some of his
work in “Ultimatum” is in pretty outstanding shape here. I, actually, had no
clue that he’d be doing the interiors for this over-sized special, and to be
honest, he really sold it. I’m not going to say his work has never looked
better, but it definitely hasn’t looked this good in a WHILE.
There’s a check-list on the last page that indicates TWENTY-ONE issues will be
tied into this series. TWENTY-ONE?! Are you f*cking kidding me?! If you’re going
to follow this be prepared to pick up “Uncanny X-Men”, “New Mutants”, “X-Force”,
“X-Factor”, “X-Men: Legacy”, a one-shot called “Blind Science”, and a tie-in
called “X-Men: Second Coming: Revelations: Hellbound” which is a THREE-PARTER
(try saying that three times fast). Oh, and another one shot “Finale”; Joy! I
don’t know what the hell editorial was thinking with this one, but twenty-one
issues for one story seems a bit steep, especially considering that we were
supposed to be ending the ‘event cycle’ that keeps reaching in everyone’s
pockets every month or so. |
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PETER PARKER #1 (of 5)
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Writers:
Bob Gale
Artist:
Patrick Olliffe |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
032410 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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Yes, even with the thrice monthly Amazing
Spider-Man, we've still got more stories to tell in the life of Peter Parker as
Bob Gale and Pat Olliffe's heralded Amazing Spider-Man Digital comics leap off
the screen and into your pull list. With a public opinion dropping day by day,
Mayor Jameson tries to boost his image, sending the aptly named
Anti-Spider-Squad on 24 Hour duty and scheduling appearances with major
celebrities. But will his plans be derailed by the color-bending SPECTRUM? And
also...Who are the SPIDER-GIRLS? And how will they turn Peter Parker's life
upside down? The webs are only part of the story as we delve into the life of
PETER PARKER! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Ah, web-comics, and that’s not a pun of any sort, that’s actually how this book
started out, as a web-comic on Marvel.com (not a plug); like most web-comics
from Marvel, or their distinguished competition, it was inevitably going to find
it’s way to the print medium, and, well, here it is. Brought to you by one-half
of the writing team behind “Back to the Future”, as well as its two sequels, Bob
Gale, along with artist Patrick Olliffe, “Peter Parker” is a fun Spidey story
that finds itself inserted into continuity sometime after Jameson becomes Mayor
of New York, but before the whole “Siege of Asgard” thing.
While the Mayor’s plan to put cameras all over the city, in hopes of catching
the masked vigilante known as Spider-Man, is getting underway, one of the
installers of said cameras finds himself in immediate need of emergency
assistance when his scaffolding suddenly collapses. When it’s Spider-Man that
comes to his rescue, the guy is so grateful for his life that he offers Spidey a
map of all the cameras’ locations, which of course leads to the hilarious
one-man vandalism-spree (as seen in “Amazing Spider-Man”).
In the grand tradition of all things ‘Spidey’, the supporting cast is as
important as the title-character, and this story is no different, featuring not
only long-standing members of Pete’s extended family, but also new faces, in the
form of a group of High School girls who, very much like Spider-Man, are having
‘bully issues’. Of course it’s not the Mayor of New York giving the girls a hard
time, but a very ‘Regina George’-inspired character straight out of the Tina Fey
movie “Mean Girls”, whom the group plans some sort of revenge against, but what
exactly it is they plan on doing is left for the next issue.
There’s a bit of conflict between Spidey and a new villain, named Spectrum,
whose abilities include changing someone’s perception of color, which I can’t
see having any advantages in combat situations, but apparently Gale does, so
whatever. This then leads to an ambush by J.J.J.’s Anti-Spider Squad, and as
opposed to beating the crap out of the idiots unloading their firearms in the
middle of a crowded intersection, Spidey takes the moral high-ground, and uses
the media to his advantage, making an announcement to the whole city denouncing
the Mayor’s use of tax-payer’s money to fund his own personal vendetta.
Patrick Olliffe’s pencils are great, and remind me of more than a few classic
Spidey artists. Whereas “Amazing” has been featuring artists with a more retro
take on the character, harkening back to the days of Ditko and Romita (Sr., not
John Jr.), this is more decidedly new-school. His pencils invoke memories of
Erik Larsen, or even more recently, Ron Garney, and I’d really like to see him
get some work on “Amazing”.
One person whose work Olliffe’s pencils don’t remind me of is Fred Hembeck,
whose cartoony style is featured in a back-up story in which Peter Parker is
just a high-school kid, and he’s being baby-sat by Susan Storm, who happens to
bring along her rambunctious, younger brother, Johnny. If you’re a fan of
Hembeck and his humor, then you probably already know what you’re in for. It’s a
cute, little story, and if that’s your thing, then cool, but I could take or
leave it. |
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GREEN LANTERN #52 |
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Writer:
Geoff Johns
Artist:
Doug Mahnke |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
032410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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BLACKEST NIGHT'S penultimate chapter is here, and
you do not want to miss this issue. Trust us on this one. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I can be recently quoted as saying “Geoff Johns is the F*CKING devil.” So before
anybody accuses me of bias, I’ll lay it all out there for anyone who happens
to give a damn: I’m not a Geoff Johns fan, and while he might not ACTUALLY
be THE devil (of Biblical fame), he’s doing nothing good for comics, as far as
I’m concerned. That’s what perplexes me so, here’s a guy who writes about
super-heroes, effectively undoing everything I’ve known about DC comics since I
was kid, and the whole world (of fandom) stands up and applauds his efforts,
hailing his work as the second-coming of the Comic Book Messiah, and I just don’t
get it.
There is a brief (very brief) explanation of the origin of the avatars of light
that power the rings that have started popping up like so many doomed reality
T.V. shows, and I thought that was kind of cool. In effect, it was the White
Light that created life on Earth, Jesus Christ’s Pops be damned, which led to
the creation of the other avatars, starting with Will, then Fear, then Love, and
so on. The remainder of the issue deals primarily with the invasion of Coast
City by Black Lanterns, and most importantly the invasion of Earth gravitational
field by the Black Lantern-Planet Xanshi (didn’t that happen in “Infinite
Crisis”?!). Anyway, the good guys fight their way through swarms of Black
Lanterns, into the inner workings of the dead planet, and manage to use their
powers to shut down the world’s ‘heart’.
Amidst the chaos of death, resurrection, and re-death that is going on all
around them, Hal and Sinestro attempt to combat the forces of Nekron while
Sinestro, first name Thaal (finally revealed after all these years), gets his
ass CUT IN HALF but, in an amazing display of the White Light’s power, fails to
die. In fact, it’s this very action that manages to invigorate the dormant
avatar of White Light, and leaves Sinestro in the ultimate power-position
heading into the final chapter of this mega-event. Whether or not any of the
changes that have taken place during this series, the deaths (and resurrections)
of multiple heroes and villains, the elevation of Sinestro to Guardian of the
Universe, or the revelation that the Guardians of Oa haven’t been entirely
honest with Hal, will have any longstanding effects other than fueling John’s
latest weekly project, the Yin to the “Blackest Night” Yang, “Brightest Day”, is
yet to be determined.
If there’s anything redeeming about this book at all, and that’s not to say it’s
bad, just not MY thing in particular, it’s got to be the mind-blowing art by
Doug Mahnke. Backed by an army of inkers, three people other than the artist
himself in fact, the book has a consistent feel that manages to play to the
artist’s strengths. I’m impressed with the evolution of Mahnke’s art, which I’ve
loved since his “Batman” run, as well as “Justice League Elite”. The guy just
gets better, and better, and even better with each project.
I was gonna close by spewing some hateful bile about how Johns’ work is the
equivalent of a middle-aged comic reader’s fangasm, playing to a generation of
fans whose time has come and gone, insistent on reminiscing about ‘the good ol’
days’ as opposed to allowing characters to evolve, but that would just makes me
sound like a bitter kid with a chip on my shoulder. I didn’t grow up reading
about Hal Jordan, or Barry Allen, and can’t give a crap less what happens now
that Johns and DiDio have had their way. I’ll just continue to vote with my
dollar, which has proven to be fruitless, but at least I still have money for
beer. Ah, Beer, you’ll help me wash away the stink of DC’s Silver-Age revival,
won’t you? |
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WWE HEROES #1 |
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Writer:
Keith Champagne
Artist:
Andy Smith |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Titan
Comics
Shipped On:
032410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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TITAN'S SYNOPSIS:
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At the sound of the bell, come out fighting! Titan
Publishing unleashes an all-new, all-action, body avalanche of full-on WWE
wrestling comics! Issue #1 reveals an eternal rivalry set against the backdrop
of the history of WWE. Why is the ruthless Shadow King so obsessed with the WWE?
What is the reason for his eternal and supernatural war with the Firstborn? And
could his ancient opponent really be a member of the WWE roster? The series will
take the biggest WWE stars beyond the spotlight of the squared circle and serves
up shocks and surprises that give the wrestlers much more than the dreaded 1-2-3
count to worry about! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Yikes, I don’t mean to be overly rude here or anything like that, but I’m
surprised there’s a market for this kind of a comic. I mean, it’s not like the
AVERAGE wrestling fan can read about a second-grade level, right? Am I right?
Anybody? Anyway, I had to read this so it’s only fair that you, now, have to
hear about it, as I ramble on and on, laying helping after helping of praise
upon this rag. Actually, that’s not true. I hated this crap-bomb with a fiery
passion, deep, deep within my soul,
“Rise of the First Born” is what the story is called, and yes, there is a story,
albeit not a very good one, but nonetheless, I’m off-track. Apparently, since
the dawn of man, or maybe even earlier than that, a pair of brothers, one known
as the First Born, and the other called the King of Shadows, have been stuck in
a never-ending battle for supremacy. Of course, once one of the brothers finally
overpowers the other the whole contest just starts back over in a new time and
place.
Blah, blah, blah, there’s some wrestling guys, yadda, yadda, yadda, and they
fight each other in the most nonsensical of ways, etc. All of this is done with
very little subtlety or nuance, choosing instead to slam readers in the face
with his ‘metaphors’ like so many folding chairs, which only serves to add to
this reader’s confusion. Am I supposed to root for the First Born, or the King
of Shadows? Do I care if Batista and Orton beat the holy hell out of each other
and a follow up, how the hell am I supposed to tell the difference from one big,
hairless, ape in a speedo from the next?
I’m not a wrestling fan, as you can probably tell, but I was a wrestling fan,
one day, a long, long time ago. Even then, as a young man, would I not be swayed
by this mediocre offering? Stacy Kiebler could read this to me, in a
whipped-cream thong, and I wouldn’t be able to give a damn (well, figuratively
speaking, at least; Stacy, call me!). Like I said before, I’m not sure this is
going to reach whatever the target audience is, and I can’t envision it selling
enough copies to prove lucrative for Titan to continue to produce this drek, but
then again, I said that before, about ‘wrasslin’. |
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GOD OF WAR #1 (OF 6) |
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Writer:
Marv Wolfman
Artist:
Andrea Sorrentino |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC/Wildstorm
Comics
Shipped On:
033110
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC/WILDSTORM'S SYNOPSIS:
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The blockbuster Playstation game comes to life at
WildStorm courtesy of writer Marv Wolfman (CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS) and artist
Kevin Sharpe (RESIDENT EVIL)! Dive into the story behind what makes Kratos, the
lead in the video game, a God of War! From his Spartan childhood, to the battles
and tragedies that define him, to the war with the gods he currently wages, GOD
OF WAR delivers the back-story fans have been clamoring for! And beware anyone
who stand in his way! Whether they be god, barbarian, or minotaur matters not to
Kratos - he's prepared to destroy all who oppose him! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Just what the heavens were clamoring for, an on-going series revolving around
the video game “God of War” written by one of the most renowned scribes in the
history of comics; yeah right. In what, more or less, amounts to a filler-piece
that takes place between the first and second installments of the hit video
game, Wolfman gets readers up to speed rather swiftly with regard to just what
happened to get Kratos from happy family man to blood thirsty god-hunter
seemingly overnight.
Apparently Kratos’ wife delivers a baby that is stricken with a plague, or a
pox, or a deformity of some sort, and since the couple resides in the nation of
Sparta, where weakness isn’t tolerated, even from babies, the father sets off on
a quest for the Ambrosia of the Gods, in order to cure his newborn child. This
is set against a game played by the Gods of Mt. Olympus, or Tartarus, or
wherever, in which they each select a chosen warrior to quest for the Ambrosia,
guaranteeing a great deal of problems ahead for our main character.
While the art is tolerable, it does little to help get the point of the story
across. A mix of painting and digital painting, or at least that’s what it looks
like, has never really been my cup of tea, and here it works and it doesn’t
work, depending entirely on what the panel calls for. The farther away from the
action the clearer the image becomes; the closer the illustrator tries to draw
in readers the more imperceptible the panel looks. Combine that with a dark and
dirty tone to the colors and it all comes out looking murky and cluttered.
There just wasn’t anything enjoyable about this book at all, and I have to ask
myself, who did Wolfman piss off to end up punching the clock writing this
drivel? I don’t get how the guy who gave us YEARS UPON YEARS of quality stories
has descended to these ranks, but I’m really hoping that he shakes this off and
bribes Perez to help him finish “Deadly Games”, before his accomplishments are
overshadowed in the minds of the fans. |
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SUPERMAN LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #1 (OF 3) |
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Writer:
James Robinson and Sterling Gates
Artist:
Pete Woods |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
031010
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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Presenting the start of the new Superman event "Brainiac
& The Legion of Super-Heroes"! It's New Krypton's worst nightmare as Brainiac
attacks the planet, determined to recapture the city of Kandor! But General Zod
has been waiting for this moment since Brainiac first attacked Old Krypton - he
has a plan to save his people, but at the cost of Earth and the future as we
know it! So it's up to Superman, Supergirl, Superboy and the Legion of
Super-Heroes to stop the two madmen before they destroy everything! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The epic conclusion to James Robinson’s “New Krypton” saga begins here, in “Last
Stand of New Krypton”. Can Robinson, and “Supergirl” scribe Sterling Gates pull
off a ‘100 Minute War’? Whose side will Earth’s potential allies, Superboy,
Supergirl, Superman, the Legion of Superheroes, etc., stand on? Does ANYBODY
really give a flying fig-newton? Nope? Didn’t think so.
I think Greg Rucka took a lot of wind out of this book’s sails when he took off
to write the insanely awesome “Detective Comics”. I, for one, can vouch for the
fact that I stopped caring, and purchasing the “New Krypton” saga shortly after
it began, nearly TWO YEARS AGO. Here it is, nearly the end of the first quarter
of 2010, and I can still say that I made a good decision…and here’s why: “Last
Stand of New Krypton” is a lame-fest, made complete by Robinson’s signature lack
of any interesting dialogue, action, or plot development. The ‘twist’ at the end
is stale, and if you haven’t seen it done a hundred thousand times before, well,
then I imagine this is your first time reading a comic book, and I warn you to
move on anyway.
As New Krypton succumbs to an attack by Braniac, the same villain who was
responsible for bottling the city of Kandor, General Zod strikes with the full
force of his defensive weapons, leaving nothing but dead Kryptonians in his
wake, all the while doing no damage to the alien craft set on destroying his
world. This elicits the typical response from Commander El, our world’s
Superman, and finally he quits after throwing a pretty heavy tantrum. In one of
the book’s funnier moments, albeit unintentionally, Commander El, having just
left his post as leader of the Red Shard tears off his clothes to reveal to
readers that he’s been wandering around with his Superman suit on underneath his
clothes, CAPE AND ALL!
Pete Woods, Pete Woods, Pete Woods, what the hell happened man? Your pencils
used to be so clean, and so refreshing, and now you’ve gone and joined the ranks
of “Artists who think they’re too good to work with an Inker.” You’re pencils
have never looked this bad, and I can cite all the way back to when you were
illustrating the back ups in “X-Men: Deadly Genesis”, or even “Catwoman”. Get
your head out of your butt, and get your inker back, this looks HORRIBLE!
All in all, I’m of the opinion that this New Krypton thing has been a HUGE
misfire. Rucka brought a certain amount of credibility to the story, but with
him gone there’s little to draw any new readers in to. The emblem on the front
of the book insinuates that this is the 31st part of this train-wreck, and I
can’t honestly see anyone going back and anxiously re-reading all of this drek.
Skip it, if you don’t want to feel the brain cells in your head committing
Seppuku like so many shamed samurai. Absolutely dreadful work, and just another
in a looooooong list of disappointments by Robinson, as of late. |
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AMERICAN VAMPIRE #1
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Writer:
Scott Snyder with Stephen King
Artist:
Rafael Albuquerque |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC/Vertigo
Comics
Shipped On:
031710
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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Witness the birth of a brand new species of vampire
in this new ongoing series that begins with five extra-sized issues featuring
back-to-back stories by exciting new writer Scott Snyder and the master of
horror himself, Stephen King! When notorious outlaw Skinner Sweet is attacked by
an old enemy (who happens to be a member of the undead), the first American
vampire is born... a vampire powered by the sun, stronger, fiercer, and meaner
than anything that came before. Plus... Pearl Jones is a struggling young
actress in 1920s Los Angeles. But when her big break brings her face-to-face
with an ancient evil, her Hollywood dream quickly turns into a brutal, shocking
nightmare. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The reign of VERTIGO’s one-dollar debuts is OVER! BOO! But seriously, I’m not
sure what I was expecting from this, considering that Vamps are all the rage
right now, what with your “Twilight”, “True Blood”, and to a lesser extent your
“Vampire Diaries” and “Buffy Season Eight”. I was afraid that this was going to
be just another in a long line of inferior products hopping onto the trend-wagon
that is American-fiction as of late, and the only way I was going to be
convinced otherwise was for there to be a pretty heavy dose of King-style
carnage, which there was, kinda. I want to preface the remainder of this review
by reminding everyone that this IS NOT a Stephen King adaptation, or a King
story of any sort that Scott Snyder is helming, it’s actually a Scott Snyder
story that King was so taken by, the world renowned author has co-written the
first five issues.
What if vampires, over time, have evolved? That’s what Snyder is seeking to
explore in this new series, and his main characters, a silent film actress named
Pearl, and dusty vagabond named Skinner Sweet, of which there is no relation to
myself, in case you’re wondering. The two main characters represent different
eras in the evolution of the vampire race, one during the silent film era of
early Hollywood, and the other the open plains of the American Wild West. Their
stories are both equally fascinating, and while Snyder writes the beginning,
focusing on Pearl, and the events that lead up to her change from human to
vampire, King focuses on Sweet, and it’s rather unclear what the author’s
intentions are, but it’s bloody, and violent, and cool.
I think if anyone is the real star of this story, it is illustrator Rafael
Albuquerque, whose ridiculous pencils are featured in both the primary tale, as
well as the back up. His style switches from one to the other, but ever so
slightly, and while the artist inks his own work, something I’ve been rallying
against as of late, he’s so good at it I can’t say one negative thing about it.
Dave McCraig colors both segments, and his style adapts to Raf’s as necessary,
which only serves to make the reading experience more enjoyable.
I’m sure that as long as King’s name is attached to this project the price tag
will remain as steep as it is in comparison to other VERTIGO titles, but I do
expect a bit of a price drop after the fifth issue. One thing is certain, as far
as comic book vampire stories are concerned, this is absolutely one with a nice,
big, brass pair of balls, and I, for one, look forward to carrying on the
adventure, with or without the more famous of the two writers attached to it. I
mean, they named one of the main characters after me, after all (I kid, I kid.) |
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ETERNAL DESCENT #1
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Writer:
Llexi Leon
Artist:
Jason Metcalf |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
IDW
Comics
Shipped On:
033110
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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IDW'S SYNOPSIS:
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Welcome to a city where lost souls lurk in every
shadow and darkness veils sinister designs, where heavy metal could be the key
to salvation...or the gateway to destruction. A fallen hero, a twisted demon,
one gorgeous succubus, and an army of chart-topping guitar heroes: the pieces
are in place. The Descent begins. Written by Llexi Leon and illustrated by Jason
Metcalf. Incentive Cover by Syzmond Kudranski & Svee Wheeler. Created in
conjunction with ESP Guitars and Marshall Amplification. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Who’d have ever thought that such unimaginable drek could come from such an
ambitious undertaking? I did; I’d have thought that, and moreover, once I
realized that this was some heavy metal musician’s sad attempt at crossover
success by transforming his work on multiple concept albums into a comic
book/motion comic, with hopes that it then crosses from comics to other mediums,
such as T.V. or films, I had a pretty strong distaste for the project, and its
creator’s aspirations. It doesn’t have anything to do with the ‘metal’ aspect,
or the angels and demons that seem controlled by ‘the power of rock and roll’,
or whatever, but rather the unoriginal, and often laughable story, accompanied
by amateurish pencils that made my mind up for me.
A seraphim, whose name might actually be Seraph, likes to play his guitar on the
rooftops of New York at night; a young, aspiring singer on her way home from a
‘gig’ seems to think it safe for an unaccompanied woman to wander through dark
alleyways, also at night; demons hang out in New York waiting for unsuspecting
women to go wandering through alleys when, you got it, at NIGHT. If you’ve got
all that, then you pretty much have an understanding of what happens in the
first issue of ‘Eternal Descent’. Aside from the dry, witless dialogue, and the
uninteresting visual depiction of an uninteresting story that seems to blend
aspects of the Christian faith with those of Norse mythology amongst other
things, there was also the shameless promotion of musical equipment which just
so happened to be made by ESP Guitars and Marshall Amplification (credited with
creating the book in conjunction with the artistic contributors, whatever the
hell that means…).
By the end of the book there’s a twist that’s anything but. I don’t want to let
the cat out of the bag, just in case anyone is seriously jonesing for a shot at
reading this sans spoilers, but the Angel doesn’t exactly save the day. There’re
a lot of questions after the first issue, but I’m not planning on sticking
around and finding answers for any of them. Even if this was illustrated by an
A-list talent, I can’t honestly say that there’s enough substance to the story
to draw me into it enough, especially not when the price tag is
$4-freaking-dollars an issue? I think somebody’s been doing a little too much
head-banging! |
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BATMAN AND ROBIN #10
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Writer:
Grant Morrison
Artist:
Andy Clarke |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
031010
|
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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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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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Art sensation Andy Clarke (R.E.B.E.L.S., BATMAN
CONFIDENTIAL) joins writer Grant Morrison for an exciting three-issue arc titled
"Batman vs. Robin"! Why would Talia al Ghul manipulate her son Damian into
taking action against Batman? Will Damian do as Mother says...or stay loyal to
Dick Grayson? Plus, more on the Domino Killer, Oberon Sexton, and the menace of
El Penitente's drug cartel! Is this already the end for the new Dynamic Duo? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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“The Return of Bruce Wayne begins here!” Or so they say, but I’m pretty sure the
‘return of Bruce Wayne’ started way back when they announced that the guy was
gonna die, and then that he was only stranded in the past, and then he was going
to make his way through time, all the way back to the here and now. Well anyway,
they’ve gone and let the cat out of the bag, so the inevitable countdown has
already begun, and no matter where you stand on the subject (i.e. Pro-Bruce or
Pro-Dick) there’s no arguing that it’s an exciting time in the legacy of the
Caped Crusader, and don’t forget, it “begins here!”
Aside from a brand-new spine, to replace the one that was crushed in battle,
Damian Wayne’s mother gave him a stern “Why don’t you kill the new Batman for
me?” talking-to, that young Master Wayne didn’t seemed phased by in the
slightest, or was he? Whilst the new Dynamic Duo are investigating Wayne Manor,
more thoroughly than ever before I’ll have you know, Damian is overcome by the
urge to lash out, violently, at Dick Grayson, in some last-ditch effort by Talia,
and the League of Assassins, at cashing in on Bruce’s absence.
There’s a lot to digest in this latest outing. Is Oberon Sexton a misplaced
Bruce Wayne, amnesiac after an arduous sojourn through time? Or is it the Joker,
developing an all-new personality in the absence of his long-time foe? Could it
be someone else we’ve been previously introduced to, donning a new guise for
some other self-motivated reason? There’re a lot more questions than there are
answers at this point, and there’s nothing wrong with that, the journey is just
beginning, so to speak, but I hope that everything is tied together in a nice,
tight, little package by the end, so that all of this doesn’t seem nearly so
convoluted.
Andy Clarke’s illustration rival Frank Quitely’s as best Batman in my opinion.
What Cameron Stewart has mastered in conveying motion and movement, Clarke has
done the same with his keen attention to detail, yet he tricks the eye into
thinking he utilizes less lines than he actually does. There’s a Brian Bolland-quality
to his work that I find very reassuring, if that makes any sense at all.
Clarke’s work is most easily comparable to a giant bowl of ‘Awesome!’ With ‘Oh
My Gosh!” sprinkles on top! |
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TERMINATOR 2029 #1 (OF 3) |
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Writers:
Zack Whedon
Artists:
Andy MacDonald |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dark Horse
Comics
Shipped On:
033110
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DARK HORSE'S SYNOPSIS:
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The year is 2029. It's the year that John Connor,
leader of the Resistance, sends Kyle Reese to 1984 to save Sarah Connor from a
T-800 with a grudge. But before all of that happened, Kyle Reese was just
another man fighting to survive in a world overrun by a technology that had
taken on a life of its own and annihilated civilization. Who was Kyle before he
met John Connor and was thrust through time to face off with a T-800 and fall
for a waitress with a destiny? And who were his comrades in arms? In this
three-issue series we'll meet Kyle Reese and his closest allies as they take on
T-600s, T-800s, and HKs, in a world where there is little in the way of food,
water, or hope. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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If there’s anything that this book proves, it’s that sometimes a story CAN be
shoehorned into a property’s existing continuity, and while still somewhat
predictable in terms of how it would end, surprise the heck out of a reader.
This is the untold tale of Kyle Reese pre-“Terminator” (the original movie), and
his life as a quasi-leader of a group of refugees, on the run from SkyNet and
its robotic minions, and while any other day of the week I’d tell you to “Get
lost,” if you told me I’d actually like this book, and, well, it did win me over
as a fan, so I guess I’m the one who should get ‘lost.’
As much as I enjoyed the first two films (as far as I’m concerned the rest of
those flicks never happened) I never had a reason to get into the comics, toys,
video games, T.V. show, or anything else that sprang from the idea well that
brought us a couple of cool movies and a whole bunch of crap. But, what Zack
Whedon (brother of the more famous Joss Whedon) was able to do here was find a
specific point in the lineage of these characters that had never been explored,
and by doing so injected a fresh dose of ‘awesome’ into the mythos that was
never there before.
While the date on the cover may say 2029, everything that happens in the books
takes place before AND after Kyle Reese’s now infamous trip back in time, under
the orders of John Conner, in order to rescue his mother Sarah Conner from the
newly minted T-800. In the future, humanity is clinging to life by a thread.
Fleeing their homes for a life constantly on the run from the powerful, and
overwhelming forces of SkyNet, small groups of resistance plot and fight to keep
our species from decimation; what they don’t know is that SkyNet has recently
christened a new fighting machine, one that takes on a human-like appearance in
order to outsmart its targets, the T-800.
The reason this book is so good is that Whedon focuses on the characters that
make up the resistance, enough so that even though we’re not very well
acquainted with them yet, we care immensely for them by the end of the very
first issue. Ben and Paige’s non-relationship is interesting, because even as
one pines for the other, neither is willing to fully embrace the idea of getting
involved. Kyle’s character is given a great deal of depth as leader of the small
colony of survivors, with plenty of allusions as to where he’ll eventually end
up. The introduction of the T-800 to the landscape that the story is set in is
understated, but effective, playing up the horror-movie theme of the first film,
which is still my favorite of the bunch, thanks for asking!
Andy MacDonald’s art fits this title to a ‘T’; I love his style’s similarities
to Corey Walker, or Ryan Ottley, and yet with his own dirty, Sean
Phillips-quality inks. Dan Jackson’s colors look dingy, and depressing, which
also is perfect for the setting and situation that the survivors have found
themselves in. The look of this book really surprised me, as spin-off titles of
established television and movie properties don’t really attract talent of this
caliber, but with Joss Whedon’s recent (joke) bid on the ‘Terminator’ franchise
bringing some attention to the floundering property, and now his brother’s
latest addition to the character’s legend, I’m thinking MacDonald saw a chance
at a career-making opportunity on a title that’ll look great on his résumé. |
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HULK LET BATTLE BEGIN #1
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Writers:
Jesse Blaze Snider
Artists:
Steve Kurth |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
031010
|
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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It's a beatdown of literally monumental proportions
when the Hulk and the Wrecking Crew wage war in our nation's capitol! And when
the dust settles, what of Washington DC will remain unsmashed?! All this plus
rocking extras giving YOU the goods on WORLD WAR HULKS - the upcoming Hulk
mega-event!! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I’m gonna go on the record and let you know that this is a throw-away issue.
Nothing other than a book with the word “Hulk” on the cover to fill space this
week on store shelves. There’s nothing here that’s even remotely related to
what’s going on over in ‘Fall of the Hulks’, so if you’re following that series,
don’t feel obligated to drop another $3.99 on this half-new-story by a relative
unknown (with a rather well-known relative, but more on that later!) and
half-reprint of a Mike Parsons & Tom Cohen/Ed McGuinness tale from “Marvel
Comics Presents #9” (Vol. 2).
In a rather blasé tale from the son of “Twisted Sister” lead-singer Dee Snider,
Jesse Blaze Snider, the Hulk takes on the wrecking Crew and Thor, in that order,
and makes short work of both. While Snider presents a great understanding of
Bruce Banner and the Hulk respectively, his overall relationship with the Marvel
Universe seems a little less well-versed. There’s an interesting scene in which
the Thunder God is manhandled, like a little b!tch, by a savage Hulk, and pretty
much left to twist in the wind. I found Snider’s Banner to more interesting, and
luckily enough there was a great balance of focus on the Jade Giant, and the
tortured scientist forced to endure a never-ending internal struggle, all while
making sure everyone knows just how bad-ass Snider thinks the Hulk is.
The ending of the story was a tad mundane; not to mention the fact that I’d seen
it done a handful of times before, and done better. I’m not sure where this
stands continuity-wise, but I tend not to get bogged down with such worries; if
you’re the kind of fan that wants to know where to file this in your long box,
then I can’t help you, because I’m at a loss myself. Steve Kurth is a talented
guy, but the Hulk is a pain in the ass to draw. While he handles the more human
characters really well, his Hulk looks distorted; the proportions are all over
the place. I don’t think Andrew Hennessey’s inks helped, other than to further
gum up the works, but that’s just one man’s opinion.
The back-up, an eight-page reprint, has nothing to do with the primary tale, and
in effect only serves to bump the page-count. It’s hi-jacked from a random issue
of “MCP” (Vol. 2), and is an out-of-continuity tale where a planet full of
people, empowered by an elderly Hulk who’s sacrificed himself to fuel a planet,
go to war with another group of people, and they all become indistinguishable
from each other, and then get shot out into space and die. Go nobility! It’s
illustrated by Ed McGuinness, but other than that doesn’t really serve any
purpose; it’s a breeze-through, once-over that you won’t be in a hurry to read
again, kinda like the rest of the book. |
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BREAKING INTO COMICS THE MARVEL WAY #1 (OF 2) |
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Writers:
Various
Artists:
Various |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
031010
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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Want to know what it takes to break into Marvel
Comics like these guys? Then look no further than this two-part book which is a
must-have for anyone wanting to be a Comic Book Breakout Star! After traveling
the globe and meeting scores of talented illustrators, intrepid writer, editor
and talent manager C.B. Cebulski is giving twelve rising star artists the
opportunity to do their breakout work at Marvel Comics! But not only will
BREAKING INTO COMICS THE MARVEL WAY showcase the work of these up-and-comers,
C.B. will also provide an insider's commentary on how these artists got their
work seen and what it was that landed them the gig. And with step-by-step
submission information and a sample Marvel Comics script, these books are MUST
HAVES for anyone interested in doing their breakout work and breaking into the
comics industry. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is a heavy comic, and I don’t mean that in a metaphorical way either, I
mean it’s dense. There’s a lotta pages in this here comic book, and not one of
them is wasted on an advertisement, in-house or otherwise. Instead readers are
treated to an anthology of sorts, introducing us to what may be Marvel’s latest
stable of young-gun artists, all recruited by editor/writer/madman C.B. Cebulski,
during his now-infamous, world-wide ‘ChesterQuest’.
Marc Guggenheim is no stranger to Spider-Man or his spider-fans, but artist
Daimon Hendricks is, although I have a feeling that he won’t be for very long.
The team comes together for a little piece called “Street Level”, in which
Spidey addresses the long-standing debate as to whether or not he’s one of
Marvel’s big-heavies. Dominus makes his first appearance in AGES, as the
alien-enhanced-human-from-a-parallel-Earth wreaks havoc in downtown, NYC.
Spidey’s “New Avengers” teammates are around, but so are the big guns, all of
whom, from the Fantastic Four, to Thor and the more established Avengers, always
walk away with all the credit. Hendricks’ pencils bring to mind the classic
style of Todd McFarlane, and the eye for detail that Bryan Hitch has become so
renowned for; I’m sure we’ll be seeing him on a big title in the near-future.
The next tale is a departure from the first, visually, as well as emotionally.
Chris Yost takes fans back to the darker, scarier days of the X-Men, when being
a mutant meant constantly running for your life. The writer, teamed with artist
Paul Davidson, address the team leader, Cyclops, and his constant
internalization of his feelings. In short, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Wolverine,
and Havok, Cyclops own brother, take him out into the desert and proceed to kick
the crap out of him. There’s a method to their madness, however, and the team
leader gets a chance to blow of some steam the only way a man should when he’s
in public, by hitting stuff! Yay!
After those two you get stories focusing on Iron Man, Bullseye, The Runaways,
and finally the New Avengers OTHER spider-related hero, Spider-Woman, and an
illicit, short-term relationship with teammate Iron Fist. Stuart Moore, Kathryn
Immonen, and Mike Benson, each wrote a great tale, but Brian Bendis batting
clean-up at the end really stole the show. He’s been writing the Avengers for
several years now, and this didn’t feel like a forced story, shoe-horned into
continuity to make some sort of point. If anything, it served to enforce Bendis
reputation of handling the finer points of human interaction through dialogue.
The debut artists have worked their butts off; that much is apparent from the
level of quality this book aspires to, and achieves in each short story. Serena
Ficca seems born to illustrate the “Runaways”, combining Ramos’ knack for the
cartoony, with series co-creator Adrian Alphona’s attention to detail. Michele
Bertilorenzi slays the competition with his rendition of the mad-man, Bullseye,
and Christian Nauck’s take on the New Avengers was endorsed, prior to being
discovered by Cebulski, by Bendis himself, so that’s saying something.
I don’t know why anthologies never seem to move off of store shelves the way
that I think they should, but with this Marvel has given fans a poo-poo platter
of the Marvel U, as well as a sampling of new talent that may, or may not be
bound for greatness, and though they tout the inclusion of tips, advice,
pointers, or whatever other fancy word they want to throw in that means the same
damn thing, I didn’t seem to find any. Unless they were speaking metaphorically,
in which I’m illiterate. I thought that this was a terrific anthology that
shouldn’t be masquerading as a ‘How To’, so much as a ‘BOLO’ (Be On the Look
Out, duh). |
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CLOAK AND DAGGER #1 |
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Writers:
Stuart Moore
Artists:
Mark Brooks |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
033110
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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Marvel's most-requested duo return in this all-new
one-shot, spinning out of X-MEN: NATION X! Cloak - dark, brooding teleporter.
Dagger - deadly, shining mistress of light. Having quit the Dark X-Men, Cloak
and Dagger find their partnership strained as they struggle to fit in among the
mutants of Utopia. But when a new menace targets Cloak, Dagger must make a
fateful choice for both of them. Guest-starring the X-Men, and written by Stuart
Moore (WOLVERINE NOIR) with stunning art by Mark Brooks (YOUNG AVENGERS). |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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It seems that just as quickly as the implacable pair of star-crossed lovers
found a home with the X-Men on the Island of Utopia, they have been named
non-mutants, and given not only the high hat by mutant leader, Cyclops, but also
the boot; well, not really the boot, because the decision to leave was theirs,
but c’mon, they were given the high hat.
While Tandy seems to fit in with the other young mutants that are training in
the use of their powers, Cloak, or Tyrone, seems to be a bit homesick. He
teleports, because that’s what he does, back to his hometown of South Boston,
and runs into an old friend who’s more than happy to see him return. Tia, the
young lady so happy with the return of her old flame to his old stomping
grounds, would seem to be a bit of thorn in the side of Ty and Tandy’s
relationship, as Tyrone constantly sneaks out, if that’s what you’d call
teleporting without telling anyone where you’re going, to hang out and play
pick-up basket ball with his old friends.
Problems arise when Tia turns out to be a real b!tch. She betrays Tyrone,
handing him over to a group that seeks to reeducate him, so he makes a conscious
decision to stop using his powers. It turns out that the people seeking to
manipulate powered persons would appear to be none other than the South Boston
Public School System?! No way! Or way, as it would seem, because it’s never
fully addressed, fleshed out, given a chance to grow, or anything of the sort.
They’re just bad guys with knee-pads and energy weapons that get their asses
handed to them by a few X-Men that show up to the Ty and Tandy know that, “Hey,
you guys might not be mutants, but we’ll still help you out.” To which Cloak and
Dagger say, “Pound sand. We’re leaving.”
My biggest issue with this turn of events is that, while in limbo the characters
serve no purpose, but as a part of the X-Family, much like Namor, the characters
are given a new outlet, and regarded as part of an ensemble cast, in which they
can be represented in a whole new light. Why return the two to the empty church
in New York, with not so much as a glimmer of a future, because everyone knows
they can’t support a book on their own. I think Marvel really dropped the ball
with this one. |
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TRANSFORMERS NEFARIOUS #1 |
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Writers:
Simon Furman
Artists:
Carlos Magno |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
IDW
Comics
Shipped On:
032410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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IDW'S SYNOPSIS:
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The sequel to TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
starts here! What is The Initiative? More to the point, why doesn't the
all-seeing SOUNDWAVE know anything about it? How did they come to
reanimate/control RAVAGE? SOUNDWAVE must find the answers, and he'll destroy
anything in his path to get them! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Watch out folks, this is “The official ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’
sequel!” Wait, what? I thought they were already making a sequel, and in 3-D, no
less? Well, anyway, if you enjoyed either of the two giant, steaming heaps that
were the Transformers movies, then you might have a
good time with this. I, on the other hand, would rather have my eyes plucked
from their sockets and shoved up my own ass than waste any more of my time with
this drivel, because nothing here is ‘more than meets the eye.’
The story is told from the point of view of Soundwave, as he/it hovers above the
Earth, in orbit, watching, listening, and planning the Decepticons next move.
They do a good job of setting up an enemy in Theo Galloway, and then promptly
forget that, moving on to a shadow cabinet of co-conspirers planning on
destroying all sentient-robotic-‘life’ left on Earth. This doesn’t go over well
with the Autobots, who respond by shooting at stuff, stabbing robo-women through
the chest, and then blowing up some other stuff too. It’s unclear to me, maybe
because I just don’t care, just what the goal of this shadow-government really
is, and that’s silly, because the threat should have been logically laid out in
the first issue, otherwise what’s the appeal in coming back for more?
The art by Carlos Magno is really, really well done. Even though it’s impossible
to capture the real essence of Transformers (which is the transforming) on the
printed page, he does a great job of illustrating the $#!t out of a bunch of
robot-car-people. There’re a lot of lines on each page, heck, each panel, but
none of it comes off as cluttered, or too dense to really see what’s going on.
His style reminds me of Scott Kolins, because of his thin lines and lack of
dense shading. I’d be more than happy to see more of Magno’s art, as long as I
didn’t have to sit through any more “Transformers” nonsense. |
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GIRL COMICS #1 (OF 3)
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Writers:
Various
Artists:
Various |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
|
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
030310
|
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MSRP:
$4.99 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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With the most controversial question in the Marvel
Universe finally answered right on the cover, Marvel is proud to bring you a
celebration of amazing women in comics with the first of a three issue anthology
entirely created by the most talented and exciting women working in comics
today, including Ann Nocenti (DAREDEVIL), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Laura
Martin (SECRET INVASION), G. Willow Wilson (Air), Devin Grayson (Nightwing),
Stephanie Buscema (WEB OF SPIDER-MAN), and more! With stories featuring your
favorite Marvel characters, from the Punisher to Mary Jane, don't miss what will
be the one of the most talked about series of the year! (Please note: She-Hulk
would totally win). |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I have a friend (don’t act so shocked!). My friend’s name is Adam Sellers, and
one day, long, long ago, I asked him why he wasn’t reading such-and-such a book,
starring such-and-such (insert Female lead here), and his Neanderthal-ish
response was, and I’m paraphrasing, “I don’t want to read about girls, man.
What’s it going to be about? Their periods?!” I’m not kidding. So I wasn’t going
to bother asking him if he picked up the latest attempt by the mighty Marvel
bullpen at making chick-comics happen.
Now, before you go thinking that I just made a slight against this book, think
again. I thought this book was great; not just great, f*cking great! But, I’m
sure, there’s an inevitable number of you idiots that saw the title, “Girl
Comics”, and didn’t give it a second glance, which is $#!tty for two reasons:
1.) It’s a quality book by quality creators, and there’s not one mention of
anyone’s period. 2.) There’s a totally kick-ass Amanda Conner cover, and she’s,
like, one of my favorite artists. So there, you’re stupid-times-two (if you
didn’t buy it).
It’s an anthology, of sorts, but more than that it’s a celebration of the
contributions that those minus the y-chromosome have made along the arduous
journey that Marvel Comics, and really comics in general, have had over the last
70 years. Names like Ann Nocenti, G. Willow Wilson, Jill Thompson, Devin
Grayson, Emma Rios, amongst the throngs of others. Even non-creators like “Fab”
Flo Steinberg, who kept the Marvel Bullpen running smoothly through the Silver
Age, and even retains a job at the company all these years later, as a
proofreader.
The short-story contributions are fun, for the most part, with my favorites
being the Nightcrawler feature (chicks love the blue fur…) and the Punisher
feature, which was pretty hardcore (emotionally speaking) for being only
four-pages. Lucy Knisley’s Doc Ock piece provides a bit of that indy-minded
spirit, while Robin Furth and Agnes Garbowska make fans wonder “Why hasn’t
Marvel released a children’s book featuring the children of the ‘FF’?” Stephanie
Buscema has a rather well-known name in comics, and yes, John is her GRANDFATHER
(how old do you feel right now?!), but her style is all her own, and while it
harkens back to a time when “Girl Comics” had a particular look and feel, it’s
simultaneously retro-chic, so while everything old is new again, it’s a hit in
my opinion.
Like I said before, the title preserves a bit of an undeserved stigma, but I
think they’re trying to ‘take it back’, so to speak. There’s nothing wrong with
comics by girls, for girls, or about girls, and this book goes to show that
there are great number of ‘girls’ out there kicking ass in the comic book world,
creatively and probably physically too, compared to some of the dorks out there.
Still, they as much as anyone else are helping to continue the fine funny-book
traditions that we all cling to, as if the fabric of reality itself is reliant
upon big, muscular guys in capes, with funny names, getting all sweaty and dirty
while relentlessly pounding on each other, yadda, yadda, yadda. Blah, blah,
blah. |
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JUSTICE LEAGUE THE RISE OF ARSENAL #1 (OF 4)
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Writer:
J.T. Krul
Artist:
Geraldo Borges |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
032410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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In JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE, Roy Harper lost
everything at the hands of Prometheus, barely surviving the brutal severing of
his arm. But when he finally awakens from his coma, Roy will find that his
dangerous journey into despair is just beginning. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Ever seen the old, Martial Arts film “The Crippled Master”? No? Okay, it’s about
amputees beating the crap out of people without disabilities, that’s about it,
well, at least that’s about all I can remember. Anyway, Roy Harper, a.k.a. The
Red Arrow, has recently been disarmed, for lack of a better term, his city was
destroyed, and as a result, his daughter was killed. Sounds as if somebody is
having a rough week, and apparently it’s set to get worse. Depending on how you
look at it this is either the third part of “The Rise and Fall”, or the first
part of the second act of “The Rise and Fall”, but what’s really important is
that it isn’t very good.
For all of the good injecting characterization into Roy Harper has done over the
last several years, it wasn’t enough to drag DC away from the addict-angle that
the character is famous for. Y’see, back in the day Roy Harper was known as
Speedy, Green Arrow’s sidekick, and while he was called Speedy he was actually a
bit slow, seeing as how his favorite pastime was tying the dinosaur (meaning:
shooting-up/tying off/getting all ‘smacky’ on H). Fast forward, say, I dunno, a
lot of years, and Roy has overcome his addiction, has a daughter, and was
formerly a member of the Outsiders, Titans, and the Justice League. THEN James
Robinson goes and undoes everything in two issues of that wretched heap of
fan-fiction that wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.
There’s a recap of Robinson’s “Cry for Justice” #6, in which Roy loses his arm
at Prometheus’s hand (no pun intended), and while it aims to expand upon what
Robinson laid out, it only serves to handicap (I swear I’m not doing this on
purpose) the story, as Roy is already playing catch-up going in, and the fan’s
already know what the hell happened. SO, the first issue is a lot of posturing,
and melancholy, and then a one-armed and stoned-on-Oxycontin Roy kicks the crap
out of a couple of looters seeking to get rich off of his ten-year-old computer
monitor, and some of his other $#!t that wasn’t completely wrecked in
whatever-the-hell happened that crushed his daughter…?!...I don’t get it.
Geraldo Borges does a great job illustrating, what I consider to be, a
lackluster script. There is a really effective two-page spread, with no
dialogue, that conveys the emotion of the Justice League’s loss. Inks by Marlo
Alquiza, and colors by Hi-Fi, really serve to bring out the strongest qualities
in Borges’ work, namely his grasp for emotive characters, and his dynamic action
(the opening re-cap is way more exciting than “CFJ”…I finally read it). The book
is visually exciting, even if the story isn’t going to knock you socks off.
I’m hoping that the next issue has a bit more purpose to it, other than
continuing to reacquaint Roy with his new life-situation, not that I have a
problem with this new characterization, yet, but I’d like to get to the ‘rise of
Arsenal’, if for no other reason than to determine if I want to continue
following this character, or if they’re going to revert him to some lame,
90’s-inspired anti-hero. I’d rather see Roy ‘rise’ to prominence, overcoming his
losses, and potentially take a rebel-G. A.’s spot on the League, but I don’t
think that’s where this is going. |
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HERCULES FALL OF AN AVENGER #1 of (2) |
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Writers:
Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente
Artist:
Ariel Olivetti |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
030310
|
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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When the most beloved Olympian of all time falls,
who will mourn him? Acclaimed INCREDIBLE HULK artist Ariel Olivetti joins
writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente for a two-part mini-epic that marks the end
of an era and the beginning of something utterly unexpected for Hercules, the
Lion of Olympus. Bring your hankies -- and your golden adamantine maces -- as an
all-star cast including Thor, Namor, Namora, Snowbird, Alflyse, Bruce Banner,
and of course, Amadeus Cho send off the Son of Zeus with shocking tales, smash-tastic
action, bawdy tomfoolery, and heart-rending drama that will change the course of
Marvel's marvelous mythological milieu... forever! Plus: There are some missions
that require a woman's touch- so the rest of the Agents of Atlas hang back and
let Venus and Namora go out and show their stuff! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I REALLY liked “The Incredible Hercules”. I started reading it because I was
already reading “The Incredible Hulk”, when “World War Hulk” broke out, and the
Lion of Olympus showed up and literally stole the show. When ‘Hulk’ switched to
‘Herc’ a few years ago, I thought to myself, “No way!” The writing team of Greg
Pak and Fred Van Lente knew exactly what it would take to turn the B-list,
back-up, West Coast Avenger into a hit, and they were relentless in their
pursuit of laughs, fights, and babes, and all of that came together in a great
little package, and then they had to go and kill off the main character.
During a decisive battle against The Olympus Group, in which Hercules prevented
all of reality from being re-started, our hero falls against his uncle, Pluto,
lord of the underworld. That was the last issue of “Herc”, in THIS first-issue
of two, the heroes who’ve served side-by-side with the Prince of Power, prompted
by Amadeus Cho, Herc’s closest ally, show up to pay their respects. Namor, Bruce
Banner, Thor, and Cho all serve up stories celebrating Herc’s heroics, and his
devotion to those closest to him.
After all the hum-drummery that goes along with this sort of memorial issue, the
writers throw a curve-ball at readers, as the remaining members of the Pantheon
of the Olympians arrive, commanding all the mortal heroes from their brother’s
resting place. Athena then informs the young genius, Cho, that he’s the newest
leader of The Olympus Group, all of which I’m sure is headed toward the recently
announced mini-series “Prince of Power” starring Cho in the title role.
Ariel Olivetti has a style that may not be best suited for a monthly book, but
when he nails a title, he really nails it. I’ve been a fan of his work for a
while, and seeing as how I’ve been ragging on artists who don’t work with a
team, I feel the need to admit that Olivetti seems to be the exception, rather
than the rule. He’s mastered inking and coloring his own work, and while you
won’t hear me say this everyday, I think the book is better because of it.
There’s a brief back-up feature; since the Agents of Atlas didn’t have anywhere
to go, what with their own book being cancelled, and then Herc’s title, in which
they are featured as a backup story, is canned, I guess it only makes sense that
they finish out their ride here. The Agents, well at least two of them, Namora
and Venus, set about informing people of the death of Hercules. There are some
great character beats, and I learned a bit about the Lion of Olympus that I
hadn’t really thought of, such as his gross earnings statement, and how much
property he really is in possession of (well, before he died). Reilly Brown, who
did some great work on “Herc”, illustrates the crap out of Atlas’ leading
ladies; he’s one of the few guys I’d really like to see something more
consistent from. |
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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #623 |
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Writer:
Mark Waid
Artist:
Paul Azaceta |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
|
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
030310
|
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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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The Gauntlet grows deadlier! It's Spider-Man versus
Peter Parker when the two sides of Spidey go to war! Pete's a sworn defender of
the freedom of the press--but the Web-Slinger needs to contain a certain news
item about the new Vulture that could blow the city apart! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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While I was really digging on the Waid/Azaceta dream-team during the pair’s last
outing on ‘ASM’, I’m not sure how to feel about the title’s latest issue. While
continuing the ‘Gauntlet’ theme that’s been running our beloved main character
through the wringer as of late, Waid, at some point, and I’m just thinking out
loud here, must have drawn the short straw, and got stuck detailing the origin
of the all-new, and yet still amazingly uninteresting, Vulture! Sure, he’s able
to spit acid, and his wings are real as opposed to manufactured replicas, but
what Adrian Toomes had personality; this guy doesn’t.
After he’s broken out of the clink by Electro, the Vulture goes about his
business bumping off wise guys wherever he may find them. Along the way it’s
revealed that his motivation behind the mob murders is because he used to be a
Fix-It Man for a crime family, but somehow he was betrayed, and turned into the
creature he is today. I mean, it’s a neat take, I guess, but it doesn’t go very
far toward making the character stand out amongst the hundreds of other
spider-rogues. At least it isn’t Freak, right?
This had to be a rush-job; it had to be. Paul Azaceta’s art is phenomenal, in
every scene that doesn’t feature Spidey. The Vulture scenes are great, the
supporting cast looks great, but Spidey comes off looking chubby and bloated. I
don’t understand how he can go from one extreme to the other in the span of just
a few panels, but it was as if two different artists illustrated the book. I
have enjoyed the break from so-called
contemporary art styles that the title has taken with this latest non-event. Now
if they can just get Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin to trade off for a while
that’d be great, thanks!
This IS NOT the issue most recently in the headlines, however, in which Peter
Parker finds himself out of a job and a member of the country’s unemployed. If
the last page of this issue is any indication of what’s to come, Pete just may
be out of a brother-in-law, as well. |
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FIRST WAVE #1 (OF 6)
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Writer:
Brian Azzarello
Artist:
Rags Morales |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
030310
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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DC's shocking new pulp universe is finally unveiled!
In the shadows of the War, the roots of the Golden Tree cabal grew deep into the
heart of a fallen world... and the leaders at the heart of this secret
organization see no place in their utopia for heroism. Doc Savage, struggling
with the loss of his father, has been blind to their advance - until now.
Central City's mysterious Spirit has caught wind of their plans as well. But
whose side have the Blackhawks chosen? What is the Red Right Hand? And where is
the Batman? Eisner Award winner Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS, JOKER) and
superstar Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS) craft a DC universe like you've never
seen before! It's a world with no supermen, only mortal men... Death can come at
any moment, and adventure can still be found at every corner of the map! Will
Doc Savage be the first to lead the coming world or the last to be crushed under
its heel? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I don’t usually jump right to the art in any of my columns, but I have to admit
that I was drawn to this book primarily because of the beautifully illustrated
previews DC crammed into the back of every title they printed over the last few
months. Rags Morales’ un-inked pencils were on display in all their glory, and I
was sold before ever having seen the finished product; now that I have, I must
say, I wish I could go back in time and prevent myself from being as let down as
I am. It’s not that Rags did anything different, but rather colorist Nei Ruffino,
whose uninspired palette choice contributes nothing, and in this writer’s
not-so-humble opinion, only serves to denigrate the subtleties of Rags’ work.
Other than my complaint in regards to the book’s visuals, I really, really
enjoyed this title. I’m not of the generation from which many of these
characters originated, but that didn’t prevent me from relating to the cast,
especially the ‘average joes’ that roll with Doc. Savage. One notable absence
was the Brian Azzarello-version of the Batman; while almost all the other stars
were out to shine Batman’s only appearance was relegated to the cover. There was
some great face time with the Spirit, who quickly became my favorite character
of the title, and his back and forth with Detective Dolan helps establish the
kind of relationship crime fighters had with the authorities at the time.
There’s some mystery surrounding the death of Clark Savage Sr., Doc’s old
man, and when his body is exhumed three weeks after its burial only to discover
that there is no body really layered the story a bit. Giant Robots, mad science,
jungle women, and masked crime-stoppers are coming out of the woodwork, and I’m
concerned that six issues may not be enough room to contain the whole story.
But, the title is called “First Wave” for a reason, and chances are it won’t be
long before we’re reading “Second Wave” or even “Third Wave”.
After reading almost ten years worth of Azzarello’s work over in his Vertigo
series, “100 Bullets”, this came off as a little tame, but never fear fan boys,
because the grittiness of the story still shines through the toned-down
dialogue, watered-down violence. While the writer may excel at crime-fiction, I
can’t speak to the talent he possesses at writing costumed crime fighters, but
I’m thinking that he’s getting off to an excellent start. I’m hoping that when
this is all said and done, and the collected editions are coming together,
someone, somewhere has the brilliance to include Rags’ untarnished artwork; as
it stands the book is awesome, if released unadulterated, it would probably be
legendary. |
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STEPHEN KINGS N #1 (OF 4)
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Writer:
Marc Guggenheim
Artist:
Alex Maleev |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
030310
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MSRP:
$3.99 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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There is something unearthly and mysterious deep in Ackerman's Field in rural
Maine. There is a Stonehenge-like arrangement of seven stones with a horrifying
EYE in the center. And whatever dwells there in that strange, windswept setting
may have brought about the suicide of one man... and harbor death for the OCD
afflicted "N.", whose visits to the field have passed beyond compulsion into the
realm of obsession. Based on the chilling short story from the recent Stephen
King collection, JUST AFTER SUNSET, this adaptation will provide nightmares
aplenty. Just keep counting the stones...keep counting...counting... |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Alright, if I’m being completely honest, there’s a part of me that doesn’t want
to end up reading this whole series, because it’s pretty f*cking creepy, but if
the remaining issues are all as well written and illustrated as its debut turned
out, I may have no other choice. I wasn’t aware that this isn’t ‘just another
King adaptation.’ It turns out that Guggenheim was actually approached for this
gig PRIOR to the source material ever seeing publication, and from there the
story was developed into a series of two-minute clips, called ‘mobi-sodes’,
which is an obscenely stupid name for an even more obscenely stupid idea. The
writer then adapts that into a comic, which he refers to as a ‘graphic novel’
(despite its being released in the monthly format), which is just such a ‘buzz’
word right now that I don’t truly believe anyone that uses it is even a fan of
comics, but I digress.
While King has never really been my cup of tea, though I enjoyed “Needful
Things” a great deal, I thought giving a brand new story of his a shot would be
only fair, but considering the last two comic adaptations I’ve sat through, “The
Dark Tower” and “Talisman”, left a thoroughly bland taste in my mouth, I wasn’t
expecting very much. I’ll be the first to admit that this book is a bit
infectious; and I think that’s very much supposed to be the point. Guggenheim
manages to capture the spirit of King’s story, which was told in the very
non-traditional way of assembling a multitude of phony-baloney newspaper
articles and other mock documents thus forcing the reader to approach the story
analytically while still suspending their disbelief. As a comic, Guggenheim is
able to give the reader MUCH more to work with than King chose to, so the writer
does just that, and with Alex Maleev riding shotgun, the pair managed to spook
the $#!t out of me.
Ultimately, I have more questions than anything else at this point, but I’m
desperately yearning for the answers, so I guess Guggenheim did his job pretty
well, huh? As psychiatrist Dr. John Bonsaint becomes increasingly involved in
one of his cases involving a patient identified by the letter ‘N’, whose visions
of demonic beings invading our world could inspire dread, paranoia, and insanity
in anyone, he may or may not end up infected with the man’s condition. ‘Can
mental illness spread like a disease?’ - That’s me paraphrasing the tagline on
the back-cover, and I’ll admit, the concept has me intrigued. The last, two-page
spread of what N. has supposedly seen is enough to keep me sticking around for
another issue, or three. |
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KEVIN SMITH'S GREEN HORNET #1
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Writer:
Kevin Smith
Artist:
Jonathan Lau |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dynamite Comics
Shipped On:
030310
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DYNAMITE'S SYNOPSIS:
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The Green Hornet is back and Dynamite is the new home for the avenging hero and
his faithful sidekick, Kato (and, the Black Beauty, 'natch!)! And we're kicking
things off with a BANG as we launch the first of a new series of adventures
starting with the great Kevin Smith. And let's get it out of the way, right
here, right NOW - the scripts are in! Every single one! Joining Smith in
bringing his unproduced screenplay to life is artist Jonathan (Black Terror) Lau
as they present the one and only origin of the Green Hornet and Kato. This is
the comic book version of Kevin smith's unproduced Green Hornet film and
Dynamite is the only place to get in on the action - it all begins here! Look
for Matt Wagner's Green Hornet: Year One and Brett Matthews The Green Hornet
Strikes! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is NOT the Green Hornet that so many people have been clamoring for. This
isn’t the same Green Hornet that you, or your parents, or maybe even your
Grandparents are familiar with. No sir, this is Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet, and
as such it’s subject to a certain amount of skepticism from fans, and maybe,
just maybe, deservedly so. A few questions popped into my head when I first
about this series: 1.) ‘Are there going to dick, fart, and weed jokes sprinkled
throughout?’ 2.) ‘Any cameos from Jason Mewes?’ 3.) ‘Is even going to
finish?’…alright, maybe the last one is a little off-base, Smith has finished at
least two mini-series for DC Comics since his ill-fated “Daredevil: Target”
misfire; I’ll try not to go there anymore.
If I had nickel for each thing I knew about the “Green Hornet” and any mythology
surrounding the character I’d have…less than a quarter. Green Hornet fights
crime with his buddy Kato. Kato was played by Bruce Lee on the T.V. show. They
drive ‘The Black Beauty’ which isn’t a horse after all, but a pretty sweet old
car. Uh, and this originated as Smith’s failed attempt at making a Green Hornet
feature film; coincidentally, a Green Hornet movie is in the works by Michel
Gandry, starring Seth Rogen, believe it or not. That’s all I got, and with no
preconceived notions of what I should or shouldn’t expect, I dove into the debut
issue ready to be wowed, but I wasn’t.
Flashbacks are always a fun starting point, for any debut issue, so why would
this be any different. In order for Smith to properly convey how different his
Green Hornet and Kato are from their old-school counterparts, one must first
display the talents of the originators, for all to see. Some gangsters, and some
Yakuza (which is Japanese, for ‘gangsters’) are trying to work out a deal to
join forces, but their meeting is abruptly cut short by the original Anglo/Asian
Combination – The Green Hornet and Kato! There’s a lot of great action in this
scene and Jonathan Lau does a superb job of illustrating the crap out of
everything.
The story shifts to modern day, and in a slightly confusing move, introduces
readers to Britt, the original Green Hornet’s son, whom, I’m assuming, has yet
to take on his father’s old moniker. There’s some girl trouble in la-la-land for
young master Britt, and his ever-so-mature response, in the classic Kevin Smith
fashion, is to moon the paparazzi that seem to be camping outside his place,
waiting for him to slip up. As far as where this book is headed, well, it seems
somewhat elementary; Smith’s plan to set up the son as the new Hornet is
somewhat transparent; I’m more interested in the new and improved Kato (now
available with BREASTS!), who doesn’t bother to make an appearance anyway.
The majority of my praise for the title belongs to Jonathan Lau, who flawlessly
executes a pitch-perfect debut issue. Working from Phil Hester’s breakdowns Lau
is proving himself to be more than capable of making the most of the space he’s
given, creating rich and thorough backgrounds that really give the book a sense
of style. There’s no inker credited, but Ivan Nunes’ colors really make the book
pop, even without inks. Now if I could just get Kevin Smith’s voice out of my
head; I keep telling myself the Green Hornet isn’t supposed to talk like Silent
Bob. |
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SPARTA USA #1 (Of 6)
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Writer:
David Lapham
Artist:
Johnny Timmons |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC/Wildstorm Comics
Shipped On:
030310
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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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DC/WILDSTORM'S SYNOPSIS:
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There's never been a more American town than Sparta. In Sparta they believe in
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness through treachery, blackmail and
murder - just like the Maestro taught them as he learned it from the U.S.
President. Sparta is such a great place that no one ever thinks of leaving. It's
been three years since anyone's tried, and he was never heard from again...until
today. Today, Godfrey McLaine, the greatest quarterback in Sparta's history, has
returned bigger, taller and redder than when he left. He's also armed with a
secret that will expose the rotten core of the American Dream. Award-winning
writer David Lapham (YOUNG LIARS, STRAY BULLETS) and artist Johnny Timmons
(Wolverine) deliver a unique take on what it means to be an American!
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is one of those series where I have no clue how this fits in to the rest of
the Wildstorm Universe as a whole. While a large portion of this story feels as
if it could fit seamlessly in step with the remaining titles, all of which have
undergone the ‘post-apocalyptic’ treatment as of late, there’s part of me that
isn’t sure that’s the direction David Lapham is trying to take this, but in
either case, this is one solid read.
Sparta is a town in the middle of nowhere. There’s a little under ten-thousand
residents who all love football, beer, and America, even though most of them
have never set foot outside the town borders. Only one man has ever been known
to have left the town of Sparta, and he was never heard from again, but then,
isn’t that always how it goes. Anyway, there’s a bit of mystery afoot, as the
citizens of Sparta prepare for “Stork Day”, where the town leader, the Maestro,
brings recently collected children, or ‘new arrivals’, as they’re so
affectionately named, and distributes them to the townsfolk.
Oh yeah, and that guy I mentioned earlier, the only person to ever leave Sparta?
He’s back, and he’s looking for the Maestro. Seems there’s a bit of a
discrepancy in regard to whether or not the United States even exists anymore;
the Maestro says it does, but Godfrey Mclaine swears different, and if his
blood-red skin is any indication, he may have some proof to back up his claims.
While I’m not sure where the book fits in to the larger picture of the WildStorm
Universe its success lies in the intriguing story that Lapham crafted amidst
scores of other post-apocalyptic comics littering store shelves. Of course, I
may be jumping the gun just a bit, I don’t know for sure that this is set in a
post-anything world, but that’s the idea I took away from it.
I thought Johnny Timmons did a fantastic job of creating an exciting visual to
capture the mystery of Lapham’s story. The backgrounds are rich and plentiful,
creating a vivid environment while at the same time never giving away any
details that could spoil the surprise. I’m gonna go ahead and add his name to
the list of cats that ink their own work, which is the only thing I think I have
an issue with; I’d much rather see an experienced inker clean up some of the
panels that come off looking too chunky.
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2009 by their respective
owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2009 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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"The
opinions expressed in the reviews below are not necessarily those of
Alternate Reality, Inc. Hey, I don't agree with all of them either!"
