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ASTONISHING THOR #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Robert Rodi Artist:
Mike Choi |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
112410
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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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"Waves are but water, wind but air. And though
lightning be fire... IT MUST ANSWER THUNDER'S CALL." The God of Thunder finds
himself battling a mysterious surge of natural catastrophes - hurricanes, tidal
waves, earthquakes. At first, the Son of Odin suspects Zephyr, immortal mistress
of the winds, but soon he finds that the climactic upheaval must be attributed
to a much larger force... EGO, THE LIVING PLANET! From ROBERT RODI and MIKE CHOI!
Spinning out of the destruction of Asgard, ASTONISHING THOR is an
out-of-this-world adventure-where the entire universe hangs in the balance! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The most ‘astonishing’ thing about this latest
“Thor” spin-off series is just how brilliant Mike Choi’s pencils are. I’ve seen
his work on the better-than-I-ever-expected “X-Force”, but his lines were
weighed down by heavy inks to keep a somewhat streamlined look between his
issues and those of co-artist, Clayton Crain. It was really amazing to see what
he was capable of, especially since they seemed to have skipped the inking
process altogether, and once Frank D’Armata unleashed his pallet of colors the
‘widescreen’ style of this book really came together.
I can appreciate the need to expose the character in as many different outlets
as possible; with the movie coming out there should be a variety of tie-in’s
displaying the many facets of the character’s versatility. What I don’t
understand is the need to shuffle this particular, unremarkable story off into a
separate line in order to juice readers for an extra buck. Yes, I understand
that “Thor” proper is already at $3.99, and in effect Marvel Editorial is
actually juicing us for four more dollars instead of one, when this story should
be little more than a filler piece between Fraction and Ferry’s arcs.
Thor fights a tidal wave, when suddenly, in the middle of trying to prevent
disaster he has these dull visions and he’s whisked away to Asgard for some
serious brooding. It’s here that he and Heimdall have a heart-to-heart and Thor
is alerted to the cause of all the chaos that’s befallen our planet. It turns
out there’s an object, the size of a planet, moving through our solar system,
disrupting ‘the orderly movements of the planets’. This planet-sized object
barreling through hyperspace, it's Ego, the living planet. There, I spoiled it.
Thor is gonna fight a planet, how visually unremarkable is that going to be?
Then The Stranger shows up and admits to some bad stuff, and now, I assume, Thor
is going to fight the giant, Kirby-style dude with the Fu-Manchu mustache.
Alright, I think someone should send a photo-copied definition of the word
‘astonishing’ to the Marvel offices. I didn’t find anything about this book
noteworthy, aside from the art, and therefore I feel that this title doesn’t
adequately define the product contained therein. If it was called, say, “Average
Thor”, “Astoundingly Run of the Mill Thor”, or even “Extra-Medium Thor”, I’d
have no complaint. Maybe the need for an “Astonishing” line hasn’t been properly
explained to a majority of the fans out there? I don’t know, but in any case
this book does little to sew the seeds of confidence in shilling out another $4
every month to buy a product that doesn’t live up to its name. |
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STAN LEE TRAVELER #1 |
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Writer:
Mark Waid (with Stan Lee) Artist:
Chad Hardin |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
BOOM!
Comics
Shipped On:
112410
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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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STAN'S BACK! The Publishing Event of the Year! Stan
Lee, the most colossal force in the history of comics, teams up with BOOM!
Studios to deliver a brand new line of superhero comics! The great innovator of
our industry brings his inimitable talents back to the direct market in an
explosive line of comics that nobody is prepared for! In this second ongoing
series, The Traveler, Stan teams up with critically acclaimed writer Mark Waid
(Irredeemable, Kingdom Come) and fan-favorite artist Chad Hardin (Age of Heroes,
Amazing Spider-Man) to bring you a man out of time! The mysterious hero known
only as The Traveler battles the forces of evil in a time-bending thriller that
finds all of history - and the future - hanging in the balance! Rewrite history
this November with Stan Lee and BOOM! Studios! Featuring covers by fan-favorite
artists Scott Clark (Legion of Super-Heroes), Chad Hardin (Amazing Spider-Man),
and Joe Benitez (Superman/Batman). |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is the second of the Stan Lee-inspired series
of titles that BOOM! has published; I’m already planning on skipping any more in
the future, if it can be avoided. Providing vague and frankly boring ideas to
currently-popular writers, presiding over the entire ordeal as they attempt to
turn chicken $#!t into chicken salad, then declaring oneself “Grand Poobah”
because you can’t really give yourself ‘writing credits’ doesn’t make you look
like a cute, old Grandpa, it makes you look like a shill, a patsy. Stan Lee
isn’t interested in providing the world with interesting and new ideas; he’s
trying to sell ‘Stan Lee’, just like he did with that reality show with those
cos-play jerks, and his new program on Discovery Channel or whatever. Now he
wants you to buy these horribly derivative ‘concepts’ because he’s willing to
sign off on them? No thanks, Stan. Your name inspires the opposite of confidence
in me.
I wish I could explain to you what it was about the plot that I didn’t care for,
but the thing is there isn’t really a plot to comment on. A costumed jerk shows
up and starts wreaking havoc, enter costumed jerk number two, The Traveler. The
two costumed jerks fight. Three pages pass, the equivalent of a couple of days
and a whole lot of viral video, and then Traveler is in ANOTHER fight for his
life. This second, more dangerous fight leads the Traveler into direct contact
with a woman who would appear to be an important character, that is, until the
final page. I’m guessing the drama at the end (due to spoilers I can’t be any
more specific, sorry!) is all Waid, as THERE’S a guy who shouldn’t be given any
flak for he’s written some of the better books of the last decade or more. It’s
interesting, to me, that not long after THIS title ships Waid announces his
departure from BOOM! (in one sense or another).
All in all, I’m more than unimpressed by the “Stan Lee Presents” line, or
whatever they’re calling it. I don’t appreciate pandering, and while, yes, Stan
was ‘The Man’ for a stretch half a lifetime ago, his ‘Mad-Lib’ style of writing
has no place in today’s comic market. There are too many talented writers out
there that struggle and fight for their book to find its way into readers’
hands, and we give Stan a license to print money by way of crappy, over-priced
drek?! No thanks, Stan. I’m gonna save my dough for the guys that pour blood,
sweat, and tears into their book’s ink. |
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BATWOMAN #0 |
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Writer:
J.H. Williams III and W. Haden
Blackman |
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Artists:
J.H. Williams III and Amy Reeder |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC Comics
Shipped On:
112410
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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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"I suspect that Batwoman is socialite Kate Kane. I
intend to prove it beyond a shadow. I need to know if she can be trusted, what
her motivations are. I'm going undercover." - Batman: Mission Log Entry 2756.
Featuring a unique story composition that combines the art of Eisner
Award-winner J.H. Williams III (DETECTIVE COMICS, PROMETHEA) and Amy Reeder
(MADAME XANADU), this special #0 issue acts as a new introduction into the life
of Batwoman! Things pick up roughly where the BATWOMAN: ELEGY HC left off, and
this issue acts as a primer for the upcoming new series featuring multiple
award-winning creators! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Anyone whose read my column before knows that I went
CRAZY over the Batwoman character after her appearance in “52” and later as a
sub for the Caped Crusader over in “Detective Comics”. She’s back, and while
maybe not ‘better than ever’ some Batwoman is better than no Batwoman at all, in
this reviewer’s opinion. This time “Detective Comics” artist J.H. Williams III,
who helped break the character with Greg Rucka, is tackling both art and writing
chores, albeit with assists in both areas by Amy Reeder and W. Haden Blackman
respectively, and honestly the book is awesome!
This is just as much a bridge from the previous stories as it is a jumping-on
point for new readers. What Williams III and Blackman do is utilize the “Return
of Bruce Wayne” plot device in order to reintroduce the character of Batwoman
into the world of Batman. By doing so they’ve managed to include Kate Kane into
the Batman Inc. world, given her the ‘nod’ so to speak, without letting her know
it. Told from the perspective of Bruce as he keeps an eye on the new Bat-person
in town, he’s both attempting to discern her secret identity, which he seems to
have under control, and also trying to gauge her abilities without being overt
about it.
It’s a fun read without being too heavy handed. The art chores are split on each
page, with Williams III taking the Batwoman stuff and Reeder illustrating the
Kate Kane stuff. It’s very much keeping in the vein of what Williams III did
with “Detective Comics”, and the art styles compliment each other nicely. It’s a
brief read, but what Zero-issue isn’t these days? It really does ramp up my
excitement level for when the title officially drops, and it’s always nice to
see one of my favorite female super heroes return from limbo! |
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DETECTIVE COMICS #871 |
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Writer:
Scott Snyder Artists:
Jock and Francesco Francavilla |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC Comics
Shipped On:
112410
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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 "The Black Mirror" part 1 of 3, a series of
brutal murders pushes Batman's detective skills to the limit and forces him to
confront one of Gotham City's oldest evils. Plus, in the start of a COMMISSIONER
GORDON second feature also written by Scott Snyder, when a figure from the past
returns to Gotham, Jim Gordon must face some of his darkest demons. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The only thing that sucks worse than being Batman is
dealing with the fallout associated with whatever masked lunatics you’re not
only condemned to battle but apparently inspire. What I mean is, amidst the
‘wretched hive of scum and villainy’ that is Gotham City (what were you
expecting?!), what happens when the truly innocent get dragged into your mess?
Sure, everything that happens in the team of Scott Snyder and Jock’s first issue
of “Detective Comics” isn’t REALLY the Batman’s fault, especially considering
the fact that THIS Batman is Dick Grayson; all the same, everything that is seen
as the cause of the problems could have been taken care of a little more
carefully, potentially avoiding heartache and bloodshed. The real concern lies
within the Gotham City Police Department; Commissioner Gordon approaches Batman
Inc. with some evidence that may or may not have already been evidence, meaning
that there are cops out there selling rogue-tech on the black market…
Speaking of ‘black’ markets, why the hell does EVERYTHING in Batman’s life have
to be ‘black’? The title of this arc is “The Black Mirror”; before that we had
‘The Black Hand’, the Black Mask, etc. I get it, he’s the ‘Dark Knight’ and thus
the reason for everything to be so gloomy and so on, but why the complete
redundancies with regard to the use of ‘black’ as a way of playing to the
titles’ ‘noir’ sensibilities?
Jock is, as usual, a class act. His ‘less is more’ mentality is infectious, and
his use of page space is second to none. If you’re a fan of more ‘traditional’
comic styles for Batman, this might take a second to get used to, but once that
second passes you’ll be so deeply immersed in the story, the action, the
atmosphere the creative team has established you won’t know what to do with
yourself. I didn’t!
There’s also a ‘Commissioner Gordon’ co-feature penned by Snyder and featuring
the artistic styling of Francesco Francavilla. The story revolves around Jim
Gordon investigating what amounts to ‘felony animal cruelty’ at the Gotham City
Zoo, but it’s the chief suspect that grabs a hold of Gordon’s attention,
refusing to let go. Francavilla, whose art I'll review on Marvel’s “Black
Panther: The Man without Fear”, continues to shine with a throw-back style
reminiscent of a more classic era of storytelling by comic artists at either one
of the ‘Big Two’.
Over all, it was excellent to see “Detective” get back on track after the dismal
arc previous (Cornell and McDaniel, in case you were wondering). Since my
“Batwoman” cravings have been sated in the new title by J.H. Williams III, I’m
glad to have an extra helping of Dick Grayson as Batman over here. I’m excited
to see where this story goes, and I’m especially looking forward to what else
this creative team has up their sleeve. |
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THUNDERSTRIKE #1 (of 5) |
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Writers:
Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz Artists:
Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
112410
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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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A proud legacy continues! Eric Masterson was the
first to wield the enchanted mace called Thunderstrike and he sacrificed himself
to save the world. But what happened to the mace? Has it been lost for all
eternity or does the world still need heroes? Has the time finally come for
someone else to follow Eric's journey and take on the mantle of Thunderstrike?
Join us as the Marvel Universe welcomes back the everyman Avenger, THUNDERSTRIKE!
Guest-starring Steve Rogers, Sharon Carter and the rampaging Rhino! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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“Featuring all-out ACTION + ANGST in the Mighty
MARVEL Manner!” Whose idea was it to put THAT on the cover of this book? Fire
them, now! Seriously that was one of the funniest tag-lines I’ve ever seen
scrawled across a cover in an attempt to lure potential buyers’ cash from their
carefully guarded, overly-protected, Velcro, Batman wallets. Aside from that
"marvelously" atrocious, b-movie style blurb, readers are treated to a hilariously
bad, b-movie style rag of a comic…and for FOUR BUCKS?!
I don’t know what’s so cool about Thunderstrike anyway. He seemed like a
throw-away character the moment I laid eyes on the foil-embossed, holographic
cover for his debut series fifteen or more years ago, but apparently all that is
old is new again. Now, I’m no Thunderstrike fan from way back, I’ve established
that, but didn’t he die during some god-awful storyline forever and a day ago?
Yes? Then what the hell is he doing throwing down with the Rhino in the middle
of New York?
The idea that Steve Rogers has been holding onto Eric Masterson’s enchanted mace
all this time is more than a little hokey, but it’s the driving plot point
behind the rest of this drivel, so we’ll roll with it. Steve gives Thunderstrike
to Eric’s son, Kevin, who’s more than a total douche, and while Steve may have
been hoping against hope that Kevin would spark some sort of reaction from the
mace, nothing happens…at first.
While on his way home Kevin witnesses a deadly accident, courtesy of The Rhino,
and he puts his life on the line in an attempt to rescue a trapped baby. When
Kevin is caught in the blast of an exploding car he is transformed into
Thunderstrike, meaning: He’s transformed into his father. Yeah. F*cking stupid,
right? I know. Kevin doesn’t realize this at first, and just thinks he’s a
bigger, badder version of himself, but once he catches a glimpse in a mirror
he’s a little freaked out.
I guess if there’s a small contingent of boisterous Thunderstrike fans out
there, they’re in for a BIG treat. If there isn’t and this is just an exercise
in futility, an ongoing series quickly downgraded to a mini before seeing the
chopping block, well then, what’s the point? I know some 90’s concepts have come
back and proven worthwhile, but not everything from that era is salvageable. The
poor-man’s Thor with a lightning bolt earring is one of those things that are
just better off left in the past, where it can hopefully wither and die,
disappearing into the aether from whence it came. |
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HALCYON #1 |
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Writers:
Marc Guggenheim & Tara Butters Artist:
Ryan Bodenheim |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Image/Collider Entertainment
Shipped On:
111010
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MSRP:
$3.50 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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IMAGE/COLLIDER'S SYNOPSIS:
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE NEVER-ENDING BATTLE FOR TRUTH
AND JUSTICE ENDS? From Collider Entertainment comes the next quantum leap
forward in superheroes: HALCYON. The groundbreaking new series dares to ask:
What happens when the superheroes win? What happens once there is no crime, no
war? The heroes of HALCYON achieve their final victory only to face their
greatest challenge ever. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Marc Guggenheim’s latest project, a creator-owned
piece called “Halcyon”, posits an interesting take on the super hero/super
villain theme, namely ‘What happens when all is said and done, the good guys win
and the bad guys lose…then what?’ It’s THIS idea of a world where crime is all
but eradicated, and super powered showdowns are more or less a thing of the
past. How does the cape and cowl set deal with a mind-blowing concept such as
‘peace’?
It’s an interesting concept brought to life by an unbelievable creative team.
Ryan Bodenheim is praiseworthy most certainly; his pencils leapt from the page
and, at times, might hold a gun to your head. When combined with Mark Englert’s
subtle and tasteful colors, Bodenheim’s strengths were amplified and his
weaknesses, well, I haven’t found any yet.
Halcyon is the name of THIS world’s premiere superhero team. They’re a
collection of super powered players on the world stage, except, they don’t seem
to have much to do these days. It’s not just that crime is dropping to
unbelievable lows in such short amounts of time, it’s that the world is getting
NICER, even the semi-psychopathic, homicidal vigilantes. While, to most of us,
this would be considered a good thing IF it weren’t hinted that this may all be
the result of meddling by so some sort of inter-dimensional super bad-guy named
Oculus. The team begins to figure out not only how to deal with the threat, if
there is one, but how they may have to deal with unemployment.
I think Guggenheim does a great job of delivering an ADULT book without stepping
over any unnecessary lines. Don’t get me wrong, I love a raunchy good time, but
not when it’s mixed with super heroics in a thinly veiled attempt at
nobility-after-the-fact. There’s violence, sex, even partial nudity, but none of
it is done in a tasteless or haphazard manner. It’s there because it’s a
probable outcome of inserting hot-blooded personalities in volatile situations;
it’s NOT there as a means to ‘shock and awe’ us into thinking it’s cool when it
really isn’t. |
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ATOMIC ROBO DEADLY ART OF SCIENCE #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Brian Clevenger Artist:
Scott Wegener |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Red 5 Comics
Shipped On:
111010
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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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RED 5'S SYNOPSIS:
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Chicago, 1930. Mobsters! Hijacked lab equipment!
Mystery Men! Gunfights! Car chases! A mad scientist's machines, machinations,
and the conspiracy behind it all! Tesla, too! And that's just in the first issue
of Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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“Atomic Robo” is one of those titles that I can
enjoy time and again, just as long as it’s in small doses. Their FCBD offering
this year was particularly fun and this latest mini-series gets off on a good
foot by inserting their main character into a 1930’s gangster serial. As with
all first issues, or so it seems these days, this is less about establishing any
real characterization and more about putting pieces into play. But I’ll say this
about the story, it moves at a steady clip, chugging through scene after scene
barely giving readers a chance to keep up; it’s THAT ability to maintain my
attention that really commands respect. It’s also why I know that whenever I
pick up a stray issue of “Atomic Robo” here or there, I can always expect a good
time.
Maybe it’s just the book’s formula for fun that has my full focus, but one robot
plus one scientist plus wacky adventure equals a good time to be had by all. I
mean, by creating an immortal protagonist in the book’s eponymous main
character, the door is opened to a seemingly infinite number of potential story
directions. The prohibition era is one of great corruption and intrigue, and as
such it represents a perfect setting for a balls-to-the-wall Sci-Fi/Action
piece.
Tarot, a masked vigilante who seems to be a one man war on crime, brings his
fight to New York from Chicago, crossing paths with Robo along the way. What
results is probably more in the spirit of Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello
than Superman and Batman. Robo is convinced that Tarot will bring him into the
fold and teach him everything there is to know about fighting bad guys. Tarot
just wants to be left alone. Robo does a lil’ bit of Detective Work and persists
in badgering Tarot into being his mentor…or does he?
The art by Scott Wegener isn’t overly complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
This isn’t Jim Lee’s “Atomic Robo”, thankfully, and the work is brilliant in its
clean simplicity. He doesn’t skimp on the details, believe me, I’d let you know
if I thought it was lazy, but it’s not. It’s beautiful in a way that most
cartoons aren’t, and not just cartoony comics but actual CARTOONS. This is just
BEGGING for an animated adaptation, which I’ve heard is coming down the pipe
some time. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for that, and in the meantime I might
have to go buy some “Atomic Robo” trades and catch up. |
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OSBORN #1 (OF 4) |
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Writers:
Kelly Sue DeConnick (Back-up by
Warren Ellis) |
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Artists:
Emma Rios (Back-up by Jamie McKelvie) |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
111710
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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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BIG TIME HITS SPIDER-MAN'S GREATEST ENEMY! The
world's most dangerous felon is in the world's top super-max security prison -
an institution so secret even the vice president doesn't know it exists. But can
any cell contain Norman Osborn? After the events of SIEGE, the former Green
Goblin, Iron Patriot and power-mad director of worldwide security isn't allowed
to have a toothbrush... and he's surrounded by the deadliest criminals in the
world. Lucky for Osborn, they're fans. Rising stars Kelly Sue DeConnick (SIF)
and Emma Rios (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) throw Osborn in the darkest hole the public's
never seen! Featuring an all-new bonus story written by Warren Ellis
(THUNDERBOLTS)! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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There’s nothing as reassuring as reading a strong
and well-rounded female character written and illustrated by a pair of female
creators. Because they can inject so much more reality into a character they’d
be naturally more able to relate to than a man, when they take it a step further
and insert casual, off-the-cuff sexual innuendo, as a male reader, it can catch
you off-guard. When Norah Winters makes a blow-job joke, or at least insinuates
certain skills, further illustrating her point by slurping her pasta in a
suggestive manner, you almost feel as flushed as Peter Parker looks.
Believe me, I’m not complaining about the scene. I think it’s a testament to the
reality that female writers bring to the table when they’re able to cut loose
and write women as they really are, as opposed to body-suit clad sex kittens
they’re often portrayed as. A REAL woman doesn’t need a D-cup spilling out of
her body-condom to turn up the heat, so to speak, rather a casual remark,
delivered with the right combination of sincerity and ‘Am I, or aren’t I
kidding?’ allure is all it takes to set certain gears in motion in the minds of
men everywhere. I was sold on this book by page-five; DeConnick’s Winters was a
hoot, and I knew it’d be fun to try and keep up with her.
Oh yeah, this book is also about Norman Osborn. You know, the guy that has
tormented Spider-Man for years and years and years and years? Remember how he
sorta, kinda killed the Skrull Queen, turning the tides of the “Secret
Invasion”? He parlayed that into a position as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., which
he immediately dismantled and manipulated into H.A.M.M.E.R., a ‘peace-keeping
organization’ that was little more than a way for Osborn to squirm his way into
an ultimate position of power, taking on the President and ultimately an entire
pantheon of Asgardian gods. Then he lost his nut and got his butt kicked, landed
in jail, and there he sits. Now you know the premise of the title.
Because this is America, and people are believed to be entitled to certain
unalienable rights under our constitution, the argument surrounding the
treatment of war-criminals is a touchy subject. This title suggests that there’s
a secret prison in the Marvel Universe where America is dumping its worst of the
worst, the irredeemable, the likes of Norman Osborn. I’m sure the politics of
the situation are going to be further addressed, as will the Goblin-Tattoo fad
that seems to be sweeping the county, signifying a sort of unified spirit of
violent rebellion and loyalty to Osborn’s vision. I love everything that I just
wrote so much, you have no idea; this comic is awesome.
Oh, and there’s a back-up story by Warren Ellis and Jamie McKelvie! It focuses
on one of five of the irredeemable inmates at this secret prison that Osborn has
found himself in, and it’s HILARIOUS! Emma Rios illustrates the hell out of the
main story, but I know her angular, stylized look is going to turn some of you
off. I recommend give the book a look with a fresh pair of eyes, opening your
mind up and embracing something new and different. Her panels are packed to the
gills with detail, her characters are emotive and expressive, and her story
telling is awesome. I look forward to seeing the rest of this series unfold, get
with it! |
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RPM #1 (OF 4) |
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Writers:
Mick Foley & Shane Riches
Artist:
Jose Holder |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
12 Gauge Comics
Shipped On:
111710
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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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12 GAUGE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Revere Windsor, descendent of the legendary Paul
Revere, is hired by a mysterious corporation to safely move a package from
Boston to Miami. Born with hyperkinetic depth perception, Revere sees and reacts
to the world faster than anyone. Partnered with the corporation's beautiful
liaison, Revere pushes head-on against international criminals and shadowy
government agencies. From wrestling legend and best-selling author, Mick Foley!
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I don’t know many comics that can make the claim
that they were written by a New York Times Best Selling Author AND a World
Heavyweight Champion. If there are, and I don’t think there are, but IF there
are I bet that none of those comics can claim that both of those titles were
held by the same man, but “R.P.M.” can. “From the mind of…Mick Foley?! Alright,
I’ll admit that when I was younger I watched wrestling. I’ll also admit that
when I was a fan of wrestling I was a pretty big Mankind fan…Mick Foley just has
a lot of heart and personality. It oozes from his onscreen persona and finds its
way into my brain and I can’t help it, he’s just a likable dude.
So I haven’t watched wrestling in probably ten years, and I haven’t read
anything that propelled the former athlete to NY Times Best-Selling status. I
did see “Beyond the Mat” whenever it was that it came out, but it didn’t really
make that much of an impression on me. When I saw his name above the logo for “R.P.M.”,
I was skeptical, as I almost always am when someone from outside the field of
comics steps in with their ‘vision’. I was willing to give it a chance
nonetheless, and while it wasn’t a complete letdown by any stretch of the
imagination it certainly contained enough derivative material to warrant a
question mark.
What if “The Transporter” had ‘Spider-Sense’ AND was a descendant of Paul
Revere? If thinking about your response to that question makes you want to rip
off your skin and douse your nerve-endings in rock salt then you might want to
pass on this offering from 12-Gauge Comics. I mean, ‘genre-blending’ isn’t even
the word to describe it; it’s as if Super Hero/Sci-Fi was a train on a track
headed East and Summer-Blockbuster-Acton Movie is another train, on the SAME
track, only headed West with an eastbound train coming right at ‘em. The two
ideas are thrust upon each other in such unwelcome, sometimes violent way;
‘genre-rape’ is a much more appropriate term.
The art is alright. The influence of Sean Phillips and others is ever-present,
but the artist, Jose Holder, either inks his own work or he sends the pencils
directly to color; in either case I feel the work suffers for it. I’m also not
one to criticize how a book is colored that often, but this feels like a hack
job. Lots of blotchy blacks and slathered-on shades of color with little a
discerning eye for subtlety or atmosphere. The cover, on the other hand, by
Brian Stelfreeze, is pitch perfect, and kinda oversells the whole experience. I
was pretty under whelmed with what I found inside its pages.
All in all Mick Foley is obviously a fan of the medium, and that’s nice. I hope
he continues to buy and support his favorite titles and publishers like the rest
of us fanboys and fangirls need do week in and week out. As far as writing
comics is concerned…no, thanks. I don’t know if this was simply a story-idea
that Foley brought to the table and co-writer Shane Riches screwed up, or if
Foley was truly ‘involved in the creative process’. It doesn’t really matter,
because if I see either of their names on the cover of a comic book ever again,
I’m passing. PASS. |
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SUPERGIRL #58 |
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Writer:
Sterling Gates
Artist:
Jamal Igle |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC Comics
Shipped On:
111710
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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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Cat Grant is in trouble. And not just "missed her
deadline and Perry White's furious" trouble. Really bad trouble. And the only
hero who she can turn to for help is the one she's been bad-mouthing in the
Daily Planet for months - Supergirl! Will the Girl of Steel let bygones be
bygones? Or should this Cat hope she still has at least one more of her nine
lives left? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The last time I checked in on Superman’s cousin,
Kara Zor El, was during the convoluted nightmare of a story known as the saga of
“New Krypton”, and needless to say that I was less than impressed with what was
going on. Now that she’s back on Earth and finished dealing with The Jim-Rob
Asinine Extravaganza, Kara and her friend Cat Grant are dealing with some plot
threads left dangling before a new planet appeared in our solar system.
Toy Man is a really sick puppy. He’s made dozens of appearances in different
guises, all said to be robotic ‘toys’ that he uses to stay far, far removed from
any real action. He has a thing for kids, like a sick, dirty thing that got him
locked up behind bars, and that’s where our heroines find and interrogate Mr.
Winslow Schott, the Toy Man, about his involvement in the dolls that have been
arriving at Ms. Grant’s doorstep. This has surprising results, and Toy Man
almost ends up dead. Then everything turns into an episode of “The Gilmore
Girls” and Kara and Cat snipe at each other about their hidden animosities. It’s
all very degrading to the characters in my opinion, because things were looking
up, up, and then it all went away.
It’s not that I don’t support a creator’s right to investigate what makes a
character ‘tick’ in their own way, but don’t undercut a surprisingly strong
emotional sequence with nonsense bickering. True, I haven’t been following the
series, and this may be the culmination of any number of problems, but really it
just comes off as petty and immature. There’s a bit more to do with Lois and
Lucy Lane, and even a guest appearance by Lana Lang, but nothing that is of any
consequence yet. I appreciate what the creative team is trying to do here, but
I’m afraid that if they shoot themselves in the foot people aren’t going to
catch on to the character’s potential.
Jamal Igle is a real talent. I mean a REAL talent. The guy’s a total-package,
and his work on “Supergirl” is almost certain to lead to bigger and better
things for him. He’s already proven that he can carry a monthly title and not
skimp on the visuals, so I can’t imagine he won’t be offered a follow-up almost
immediately once Nick Spencer and Bernard Change take over the reins. It’ll be a
shame to see him go, but also a blessing in disguise, as I’m sure we haven’t
seen the last of him, not by a long shot. |
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AVENGERS #7 |
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Writer:
Brian Bendis
Artist:
John Romita Jr |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
111710
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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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I AM AN AVENGER! Plus: another chapter in the oral
history of the Avengers! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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You got to hand it to Brian Bendis, he’s one creator
that doesn’t just leave his plot threads hanging in hopes of some other creator
picking up the ball and running with it. He spent a great deal of time
establishing ‘New’ Avengers, and new threats for said Avengers to face, and even
though this is a new series about old Avengers that doesn’t mean that he’s going
to forget about everything he’s been writing for the last five or so years.
Parker Robbins, The Hood, became a Kingpin-like figure in the world of
super-crime, but he lost it all to the devious machinations of the Norse God of
Mischief, Loki. It sucks to have that much power in one’s control and then have
it suddenly taken from you; transitioning from mystical-powered crime boss to
regular guy is never easy, and it would appear that Mr. Robbins isn’t ready to
make the switch. This issue finds Parker on a quest to find all of the Infinity
Gems in hopes of regaining his lost abilities, even if he has to go through some
of Marvel’s more powerful characters to do so.
You can’t really talk about the Infinity Gems without mentioning the Illuminati,
which would be a big no-no, considering they’re the only secret society in the
Marvel U that’s managed to STAY secret up until this point, but if the cover of
next month’s ‘Avengers’ is any indication it won’t be long before EVERYONE knows
they exist. Until then readers are treated to Parker’s devious ways, murdering
those who help him, stealing whatever he can, and ultimately knocking the $#!t
out of the Red Hulk
Oh, I should probably mention some of the actual Avenger-y stuff that goes on,
and honestly, there isn’t much. Wonder Man is still acting like a jerk, warning
the Avengers about all the problems their actually creating as opposed to
stopping. It’s all very ominous and vague, which means it probably won’t come
into play for a while, but it’s still fun to read Simon as a non-believer rather
than an ever-faithful Avenger-to-the-end. The rest of the team is introduced to
Protector’s girlfriend, spilling the beans about his alien-heritage just in time
for the Red Hulk to show up. Generally (get it?!) Red Hulk showing up some place
means that a fight is about to happen, but in this case the big-red-machine is
simply in need of aid, unable to communicate his problem he utters one word
before passing out: “Infinity…”
Despite complaints that “New Avengers” wasn’t Avenger-y enough for classic
Avengers fans, Bendis is going bigger and bigger with each of the issues that
I’ve read of this new series. He maintains his style and integrity while still
trying to give a little bit of everything to everyone who may happen by this
book. Fans of his “New Avengers” will be taken by his swift and quirky dialogue;
classic Avengers fans will enjoy the magnificent scope of the story and the
threat ‘no single super hero could withstand’. John Romita Jr. is as reliable as
ever, and anyone who says the guy is rushing through his work on this title
should be put in a bag and dropped in a river, because I can’t think of another
artist that would be this consistent on a book with as many ramifications as
this. I’ve been enjoying my “Heroic Age” Avengers experience, and I’m sure if
THIS is your jumping-on point that you will too. |
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THUNDER AGENTS #1 |
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Writer:
Nick Spencer
Artist:
Cafu |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC Comics
Shipped On:
111010
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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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Would you rather burn out or fade away? That's the
question at the heart of this bold new series about a group of people who, for
one reason or another, are at their wit's end until they're offered a chance to
become superheroes. The catch? Their powers will kill them. Writer Nick Spencer
(Morning Glories) and artist CAFU (WAR OF THE SUPERMEN) present a fresh take on
the classic comics property, starring a new batch of recruits brought in to take
over the original agents' mantles and make some difficult choices of their own -
all while dealing with global threats the rest of the DCU doesn't even know
exist! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Taking a chance on a new book has hardly proven to
be a rewarding experience more often than not, but every once in a while a title
will creep up, you may even see it coming and yet it still gets you right by the
gonads (or whatever the female equivalent might be…Damn it, I’m a comic
reviewer, not a doctor!) “T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents” written by industry
newcomer/breath of fresh air, Nick Spencer, is just such a book. It was
something that I’d seen advertised, knew little about, and yet still figured it
was worth a look. Well, the long and short of it is this: Buy this book RIGHT
NOW! It’s awesome!
Alright, I don’t mean to gush but Nick Spencer is on a winning streak and he
just keeps right-on going! His first work for DC, the “Jimmy Olsen”
second-feature has already been given the axe (along with ALL the
second-features) after only two-segments, but Spencer has finagled his way onto
TWO mainstream DCU-titles (this, duh, and the forthcoming “Supergirl”) in the
past couple months. I’ve enjoyed all of his Indy work, and it seems as though
that trend is going to continue.
The idea of super-heroics isn’t a new one, but when a slight twist is put on a
traditional idea sometimes the results are inflammatory. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. stands
for The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves, and it might be the
last superhero team you’d ever want to be a part of. The idea of people in
positions of power taking advantage of those in unfortunate life-situations in
the name of the ‘greater good’ isn’t exactly a new idea, but when it’s slammed
head-on into the superhero genre it becomes down right twisted and sadistic. At
least, in the hands of Spencer it does.
The United Nations have their own superhero team that responds to threats no
ordinary superhero ever finds out about. They’re locked in a power-struggle with
terrorist organization SPIDER whose motivation is unclear, but in a story more
worthy of James Bond than Superman the bad guys gain the upper hand and retain
it by kidnapping one of the U.N.’s agents. And then kidnapping him again!
If you’re not familiar with the “T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents”, like I wasn’t, then you
may wonder what sets them apart from the WildC.A.T.S., or the X-Men, or A-Next,
or any other number of super-teams with letters and punctuation in the title.
Well, the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents all come with an expiration date. Sure you get
the powers, the glory, maybe even some chicks, but at the end of the year you
die. Yep; it’s dark, right? Twisted beyond belief but in such a good way as it
almost forces creators to create both NEW characters and personalities, but also
fantastic, fast-paced stories that draw us in despite the ticking clock that
will always loom overhead. The possibilities are endless.
Cafu, like Madonna or Cher, has no last name apparently, which is fine, because
unlike Madonna or Cher, Cafu is a real artist, with talent. ZING! Anyway, I’d
not been exposed to Cafu’s stuff before T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, but suffice it to
say that I’ll be on the look out for anything else I spot by him in the future.
For the most part I’m glad that they went with an artist with such a clean
style. At times he invokes the spirit of John Cassaday, at others he’s similar
to that of Don Kramer, but at all times he and Bit, inker, and Santiago Arcas,
colorist, come together to form flawless visuals. Back grounds, action,
characterization, everything but the kitchen sink is thrown in for good measure,
a truly enjoyable reading experience, and a team that I hope I see stick around
this title for a long, long time. |
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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 |
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Writer:
Dan Slott Artist:
Humberto Ramos |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
111010
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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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BIG TIME BEGINS! Big changes are happening for the
Amazing Spider-Man: Bigger threats, bigger guest-stars, and a big opportunity
that could turn Peter Parker's life around! Which cast members are staying and
who's saying goodbye? Find out as we're introduced to new characters and
reintroduced to a number of Spidey villains as they make the triumphant return
to the book! Plus: New developments for Mayor J. Jonah Jameson, the staff at
Front Line, and The Sinister Six! The next chapter in Spider-Man history starts
here! Guest starring THE AVENGERS and THE FANTASTIC FOUR in a giant-sized, 39
page lead feature! PLUS! An All-New Adventure featuring the All-New SPIDER-GIRL!
PAUL TOBIN & CLAYTON HENRY bring a tale of action & intrigue, and make a strong
argument for why you can sometimes send a Spider-GIRL to do a Spider-MAN's
job... |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Okay, so I wasn’t exactly welcoming this change with
open arms. I was convinced that Slott was enough of a web-head to keep telling
incredibly fun, competent, and most often ‘amazing’ Spider-Man stories with
little effort, but I wasn’t sold on Humberto Ramos handling the art chores. It’s
not that I don’t know what Ramos is capable of, but as of late I’ve found my
artistic tastes swaying away from cutesy, big, doe eyes and anime-inspired body
types. That said, Ramos draws a mean Spidey, and Slott keeps the reader’s
attention with a plot that perfectly balances fast-paced action with thoughtful
character moments.
Is that Spidey leading the Avengers into battle against Doc Ock and legions of
Octo-bots?! Only in “The Amazing Spider-Man” and Dan Slott knows it, so he
serves it right up on the first page. There are a lot of fan-moments strewn
about not only the big, opening throw-down, but throughout the entire issue,
from the long-touted re-emergence of the Hobgoblin, to the moment when Peter
asks to move back in with MJ! Slott moves the pieces about the board with a
skillful disregard for what people may have to say, and while I think that he
played it a bit safe, the sheer size of the issue demands a healthy dose of
guest stars and random villain appearances.
I get it. It was more about setting the stage for what will become “Big Time”.
Pete is no longer rooming with a stand-offish roommate, he’s got himself a new
lady-love as well as a new job at an upstart R & D firm, The Daily Bugle falls
under new ownership (again), villains that were previously fleshed out a bit and
given a shot of personality revert to the subordinate roles they were supposed
to have shed during “The Gauntlet”. I mean, I’m just scratching the surface as
far as characterization of Pete’s extended universe is concerned. We still don’t
know what Doc Ock was attempting to heist from the U.S. Air Force base, we don’t
know what Pete is going to do about finding some place to live, and we sure
don’t know enough about what’s going on with Venom, Hobgoblin, or that creepy
silver dude!
I learned not to love Humberto Ramos during this extra-sized issue of ‘Amazing’,
but I did learn to tolerate his somewhat hokey style. I can at least appreciate
the fact that Spider-Man is almost always going to have a mask on! I think that
some of the inks were heavy in a few places, but that for the most part the
ink/color combo of Carlos Cuevas and Edgar Delgado elevated the experience for
me. I understand the importance of the rotating art teams as far as shipping is
concerned, but I really am looking forward to both Marcos Martin (MARCOS
MARTIN!!) and Stefano Caselli’s appearances a little down the line. |
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ANT-MAN & WASP #1 (OF 3) |
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Writer/Artist:
Tim Seeley |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
111010
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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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Two of Marvel's smallest heroes must join forces and
get over one BIG elephant-in-the-room! Eric O'Grady once STOLE the Ant-Man suit
from Hank Pym. But now, Eric is the only one who knows about a secret AIM plot
to steal Pym's greatest invention! Can the two men get along long enough to save
the soul of the former GOLIATH, Bill Foster? Tim Seeley, creator of "Hack/Slash"
brings us the big story of the two smallest Avengers! And make sure you check
out this adventure before the astonishing events of AVENGERS ACADEMY #7 next
month! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Proving that small heroes are more than capable of
handling BIG adventures, Tim Seeley is taking readers for a ride in the pages of
“Ant-Man & Wasp”. I wasn’t especially looking forward to this, as the Wasp
identity is already flying out the window for Hank Pym and I haven’t bothered to
read any of the previous Ant-Man series before this one. Curb appeal is
everything these days, and to be honest I would have probably passed this one up
if it hadn’t been for the fantastic cover by Salva Espin. I’m glad I did grab it
when I did; it proved to be one of the more fun tales of the extraneous Marvel
Universe I’ve been privy to in quite a while.
The backbone of the Marvel Universe is all the seemingly insignificant
characters that pepper the landscape waiting to be plucked from obscurity and
thrust into the limelight for public scrutiny. It happens all the time; such and
such writer loves such and such character that hasn’t been popular in twenty,
no, thirty years, and figures out the perfect way to bring them back. This
results in a domino effect as other creators begin to remember, or simply
realize for the first time that such and such a character is actually
interesting and has seemingly unlimited potential for stories due to the lack of
continuity surrounding he/she/it/them.
Two characters existing in their own modern-day renaissance are Hank Pym, who
for this series will be called Wasp, but the next time readers see him (in the
pages of “Avengers Academy”) he’ll be Giant-Man, again…sigh…And also Ant-Man,
former identity of Hank Pym, as well as the now-deceased Scott Lang, and most
recently Eric O’Grady. Both characters have been around for a while, primarily
on the fringe of the major Marvel Universe events (up until “Secret Invasion”
for Hank Pym) and starring in somewhat short-lived and mostly marginalized
series.
With Ant-Man being the new kid on the block, in terms of The Avengers, and his
adopting the former identity of Hank Pym (whose adopted the former identity of
his dead wife, to boot!) it was only a mater of microseconds before these two
ended up running afoul of one another. This adventure finds the pair chasing
after a renegade Sleepwalker that stole a synthesized version of Heaven that
contains Bill Foster’s soul. Don’t ask me, I didn’t make it up!
The art and the story are both strong, and while the STORY may prove to be
somewhat fleeting, the ART is definitely on of the biggest draws of this book.
Seeley is impressive and his style fits the quirky, cartoony sensibilities that
are attributed to funny, off the wall minis like this one. I enjoyed the amount
of effort that was put forth by one person to make such an enjoyable, while
someone imperfect comic book. |
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BATMAN CATWOMAN FOLLOW THE MONEY #1 |
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Writer/Artist:
Howard Chaykin |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
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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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The Cavalier - that's the Z-lister with the swords,
right? So how'd he manage to frame Catwoman for a run of burglaries? And how on
Earth did he manage the more spectacular crime of cleaning out the Wayne
Enterprises pension fund and framing Bruce Wayne for the deed? However
impressive he may appear to be, The Cavalier will quickly learn that frame-ups
like that cut both ways, as both Batman and Catwoman begin tracking the Gotham
City villain in this stand-alone one-shot from comics legend Howard Chaykin! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
|
I’ve got very little to say about this book. Not
because it’s of poor quality or anything like that, but because it just comes
off as a perfect example of paint-by-numbers storytelling. If you’re a long-time Chaykin fan then you already know what to expect: his Bruce looks like any other
a-hole that he’s illustrated over the last however many years he’s worked in
comics, his writing is as simple as it comes, and everything else is just
window-dressing.
The Cavalier, a lame villain with a lame gimmick, manages to work out a plan to
pilfer all of the money out of Wayne Enterprise’s pension fund. He doesn’t do
this by himself, and through a series of double, triple, and finally
quadruple-crosses, he gets screwed out of the money as well. What is the world
coming to when crooks and criminals can’t trust each other anymore?
Catwoman is framed for the robbery, and since she’s Bruce’s main chick he goes
about trying to prove her innocence while at the same time reclaim the missing
money. In a truly baffling sequence mimicking the “Gotham Post”, The Cavalier’s
secret identity, along with details surrounding an attempted break-in at ANOTHER
facility somewhere, is exposed to the public…so why don’t the police do anything
about it, I asked myself…but then I realize that THAT would make sense, and this
comic isn’t in the sense-making business.
Blah, blah, blah detective stuff, blah blah blah, fight, blah blah blah Batman
wins. I mean, does it get anymore boring and run of the mill than that? There’s
NOTHING in this book that’s suspenseful, interesting, intriguing, or otherwise.
I found NOTHING to latch onto and say “Hey, THIS is going to be good!” It’s just
a futile gesture by DC to give an aging creator an out-of-continuity (maybe)
one-shot to stretch his legs. I understand WHY they do it, but the ends just
don’t justify the means in my opinion. Complete waste of time and money, that’s
what this book is. |
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CAPTAIN AMERICA MAN OUT OF TIME #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Mark Waid Artist:
Jorge Molina |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
|
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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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Beginning a five-issue mini-series chronicling the
rebirth of Captain America! When the Avengers pull a mysterious, tattered
soldier from the sea, they unwittingly bring back to life the Living Legend of
World War Two--a man whose memories of a life sixty years ago are as fresh as
yesterday! How will Steve Rogers, frozen in suspended animation for half a
century, adapt to the world of the 21st century? Brought to you by super-scribe
Mark Waid (Captain America, Amazing Spider-Man) and Avengers: Initiative artist
Jorge Molina! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
|
Ah…what’s the old saying? “You can lead a horse to
water, but you can’t make a needless origin-rehash/retcon interesting, even if
you throw Mark Waid on to helm the book.” No, I don’t think that’s exactly
right, but you get the point, I’m sure.
In a needless exercise in how confusing their ‘sliding time-scale’ can be,
Marvel has opted to retell Captain America’s origin for a more MODERN audience,
which is interesting because I get the feeling this was done before in a
little-known book called “The Ultimates”. I understand the need for there to be
accessible trade paperbacks on the shelves at Borders once the ‘Cap’ movie finds
its way into theaters, in hopes that people flock from their cozy, movie-theater
seats directly into bookstore/coffee shops in search of more, More, MORE Marvel
super-hero goodness. What I don’t understand is why it needs to be done in such
a way that apes the aforementioned ‘Ultimates’, and stretches out a rather
simple tale into a five-issue, decompression fest with a twenty-dollar price tag
(once all is said and done).
So, do you know the origin of Captain America? No? Okay, here goes: Wimpy guy
can’t join the American Military because, well, he’s too wimpy. He takes some
secret sauce, becomes the poster-boy for peak human physical achievement, dons
costume, fights Nazis, at the end of the day his friend/partner is ‘dead’, and
Cap finds himself frozen in a big block of ice for about fifty years. He’s
thawed out by The Avengers and commences to kick ass once again in the name of
the U.S. of A. Up to speed?
Yeah, see what I did right there? It didn’t take me five issues to tell that
story, albeit with a few minor details left out here and there, so someone
please explain to me the point of expanding a rather simple tale into one that
takes THIS much time to unravel…please? In fact, so LITTLE happens in this issue
that I’m at a loss for how I’m supposed to fill the rest of this column. Here
goes nothing…
Buck and Cap, under the guise of their civilian identities during WWII, are
watching film reels of Cap and Bucky in action when they’re given a new,
important mission for the good of the country. This leads to the infamous
‘Exploding Plane’ sequence that results in Bucky’s “death” and Cap’s stint in
suspended animation. This in turn leads to Cap waking up to The Avengers
standing around him, and needless to say, he’s more than a little freaked out.
Then Cap beats up some gang bangers before being shot by a woman who he was
trying to save…what? Yeah, it’s THAT nonsensical.
Jorge Molina’s pencils are refreshing, and they’re made even better by the
masterful inks of Karl Kesel. It’s really too bad that these guys weren’t given
more interesting crap to draw, because it seems like a colossal waste of talent.
The pair achieves a truly flawless look, even though the colors are a bit
underwhelming at times. I get it, they were going for that “Wizard of Oz”
color-meets-black and white for the first time look, but I don’t think it was
really necessary. I don’t think the color effects added anything to the story.
In the end I found the book to be a nice looking example of what I hate about
comics these days…too much focus on the next trade paperback sale, and not
enough attention to what really makes a comic book exciting. |
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WARRIORS THREE #1 (OF 4) |
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Writer:
Bill Willingham Artist:
Neil Edwards |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
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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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Hath the world known anyone so noble as Hogun? So
dashing as Fandral? So... er... great as the mighty Volstagg? HATH THE WORLD
EVER KNOWN ANYTHING LIKE THE WARRIORS THREE? The answer is "no," and that's
probably a good thing, for the tectonic plates of Midgard most likely could not
withstand such... ah... might. But lo, an evil is brewing down in the depths of
Hel that neither man nor God is prepared for. When an ancient monster is let
loose on the world, only the WARRIORS THREE are able to rise to the challenge!
From the bestselling comics writer BILL WILLINGHAM (Fables) and breakout artist
NEIL EDWARDS (Fantastic Four) comes a tale of such magnitude the Marvel Universe
has never seen! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Amongst the glut of Thor-related books that I’ve had
to wade through as of late, it’s quite refreshing to read one that feels as
though there’s a great deal of fun to be had within its pages. So tired am I of
the constant rehashing of the origin, or the retconning of the status quo, or
the introduction of some new insight into the origin of the retcon of the status
quo…*sigh*…but this, THIS comes as a breath of fresh air amidst the flurry of
movie-related tie-ins and attempts at franchise expansion. I think Bill
Willingham is at his strongest when he’s writing about quirky characters that
don’t have a ton of baggage to sift through. Sure, the Warriors Three have been
around for as long as Thor has, but rarely have they been given a starring role
in which to outshine the big, blonde God of Thunder.
The Warriors Three are Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun, defenders of Asgard and
all-round party dudes. Willingham is able to establish each characters daft
personality in just three pages, which frees up the remainder of the book to
focus on the task at hand, which is recapturing the giant wolf/monster, Fenris.
How did Fenris get free you might ask, and that’s a good question. Willingham
doesn’t skimp on the details, and spills the beans for readers by the middle of
the first issue. Here’s a hint: It’s all A.I.M.’s fault!
The mash-up of Science versus Magic/Mysticism isn’t entirely new, and it isn’t
treated as such. In fact, the Warriors Three don’t even know what’s going on, or
what they’re up against yet, and by the end of the issue they all find
themselves on the receiving end of a Troll-ambush. Things indeed look awfully
grim for our brazenly cavalier trio of Asgardians, but they still have three
issues to go, so it can’t be as bad as it seems. Can it?
I think Neil Edwards, whose style is most often compared to that of Bryan Hitch,
is a great addition to the book. I mean, the guy draws like Bryan Hitch, only he
does it without making everything he’s involved with ship late! That’s pretty
cool. I really enjoyed his run on “Fantastic Four”, and I’m glad that the House
of Ideas is comfortable with giving him new and different projects to cut his
teeth on. He’s not one to skimp on detail, and his ability to convey the intense
action scenes and still balance the emotional aspects of the story without
over-doing either one is really impressive. Scott Hanna’s inks and Frank
Martin’s colors also go a long way toward creating a really cohesive look for a
title that I wasn’t really expecting much from! |
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PUNISHER IN BLOOD #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Rick Remender
Artist:
Roland Boschi |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
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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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Frank Castle is back. Back for revenge. Back in New
York. Back to cleaning its streets. Back together, healed and strong, his
mission resumed as he partakes in the sweet wet work, and notches up one of the
highest body counts in Punisher history. Cyber sensei Henry Russo is back,
keeping Frank proficient with an eye in the sky. Others are back as well - two
of Frank's most sadistic enemies united in a new vindictive plot: Enter the
Jigsaw Bothers! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Say what you want about “FrankenCastle” and the
outpouring of fan-imosity that it inspired, I thought that it was a damn ballsy
editorial decision. I think that a character like Frank Castle sticks out like a
sore thumb in the Marvel U, and it was either time for him to step in it, deep,
or time to figure out a way around dealing with him…permanently. I remember when
I read the issue of “Dark Reign: The List: Punisher” in which Wolverine’s son,
Daken, chops Frank into tiny pieces, and I remember wondering “Where in the hell
is this story taking me?” I wasn’t turned off to Frank’s underworld (get it?!)
turn during “FrankenCastle”, I thought it was a nifty way to deal with an
odd-duck like Frank without gutting the concept entirely.
“In the Blood” sees Frank back to life, and his typical routine, after the
removal of the Bloodstone. He’s still not quite used to what happened, the
dramatic shift from undeath to the land of the living, but he seems to be
managing the best that he can. In a rather brutal prison fight Frank ends up
making a pretty major threat, and then ending the lives of four-hundred
convicted felons by way of explosive device, and that’s all before we reach the
issue’s halfway point!
There’s a bit of a double meaning to this mini-series’ title, as “In the Blood”
is also a pretty glaring reference to the relation of Henry, Frank’s latest
technical assistant, and Jigsaw, the bad guy that is without a doubt Frank’s
worst enemy, ever. They’re father and son, though they couldn’t be more
different. In many ways both Frank and Jigsaw are responsible for the life of
brutality that Henry had to endure, as it was often Frank’s never-ending war on
crime that cause ol’ Jiggy to go bonkers and beat his wife and son. Who knew
Jigsaw even had a wife and son?
Boschi might be one of my favorite “Punisher” artists, next to Goran Parlov and
the Steve(s). He did some work on “FrankenCastle”, and it’s awesome that he’s
back for ‘a bit of the old ultra-violence’. He brings a certain kind of
sophistication to a book about a walking mass-murderer that one doesn’t
typically expect. I think that he’s a gem of an artist, and he inks his own
work. Dan Brown, not the “The DaVinci Code” guy, does colors, and he works
seamlessly with Boschi’s pencils and inks to achieve a flawless flow of artistic
expression, you almost expect all the chores were handled by one person. I think
more books would benefit from an artist of this caliber, any way he might be
able to draw more? Maybe, at least ten more books a month? That’s only 220 extra
pages?! C’mon! |
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SUPERBOY #1 |
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Writer:
Jeff Lemire
Artist:
Pier Gallo |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
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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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Superboy is back in a brand-new ongoing series! Join
Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and amazing up-and-coming artist Pier Gallo as they
take Superboy on a journey to a side of Smallville not even Superman knows
about! What mysteries lurk beneath the surface of this all-American town - and
what are their direct ties to Superboy? The start of the next great DC Universe
epic begins right here! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I’m gonna start this review off with a very minor,
and somewhat bitchy complaint. I’m doing that because I’m going to be doing a
lot of talking about what I liked, and I’m concerned that what I didn’t like
about this book might be overshadowed…so I’m just gonna lay it out there for
you. I think Conner Kent trying to live his life in Smallville, Kansas, really
trying to embrace the upbringing that gave the world Superman is a swell idea,
but could it have been gone about without dragging EVERY potential Smallville/Superman
trope in the mix? We get it all: the double-L love interest (and with a double
meaning involving the word ‘Lu-thor’), the too-smart-for-his-own good friendly
rival, even the glasses-as-a-disguise bit that always goes over so well. I can
deal with them, because the book does such a good job of distinguishing itself
from the myriad titles associated with the big, red ‘S’.
Jeff Lemire cut his teeth on the quirky look at small town life in “Essex
County” and then took his understanding of genetic freaks and gave us “Sweet
Tooth”. It’s by combining both of these potential fountainheads of weird that
readers are treated to the quirky delight that is Lemire’s “Superboy”, and while
I may not have been hot for the character in past incarnations I feel that NOW
more than ever the time is right to capitalize on the role the character has
played over the last few years in the DCU. Doing so by removing the character
from his typical situation, although not through typical means, is proving to be
an exciting decision as the action gets started in this very issue, trusting
readers to pick everything up as they go along for the ride.
Parasite isn’t one of my favorite Superman-family baddies, but when he’s not
over-written, or under-written, but simply used to get the character from point
A to point B as far as advancing the plot, then I’m all for it! Superboy tussles
with Parasite, and the results are a bit unexpected. There’s a last page
guest-appearance, which may lead to a little man-on-plant love, which is awesome
of course, as well as the bevy of other preview images we get following the last
page. It’s more a ‘something to look forward to’ section, and boy does it have
me looking forward to a ton of stuff. I appreciate the complexities of writing a
story about a younger version of Superman, but really what I came her for was
FUN. It seems that they’re promising a bit of that, so I’ll be sticking around.
Pier Gallo is quite a find. I don’t know who he is, or what he does, that is,
other than draw the crap out of Superboy. Gallo is going to appeal to fans of
Pete Woods, Frank Quitely (although with a softer, more approachable style), or
Mike Mckone. His soft lines really seem to bring with them a sense of calm, even
when the main character finds himself in the midst of battle. I found the
simple, back to basics cover by Rafael Albuquerque really jumped off the shelf
at me, and since curb-appeal is 99% of everything these days, I figure that’s a
pretty major selling point. More than anything though is Per Gallo’s ability to
convey a multitude of emotions while managing to really bring out the character
of Smallville, the town. Rich in environment and mood, I truly hope to see these
two creators stick around and flesh this out for a long, long time. |
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ADVENTURES INTO MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE |
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Writer/Artist:
Jess Fink |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Image
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
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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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IMAGE'S SYNOPSIS:
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TRUE tales of HORROR and INSANITY that will chill
you right to the BONE. From MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE, the internationally
acclaimed original electro-punk band, comes true never-before-told stories from
the road. THRILL as rowdy fans throw junk at the band! SHIVER as band members
are hauled off to jail! WATCH in awe as venues are trashed! Real stories,
written and experienced by the band, with art by JESS FINK. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Never have I come across a more irredeemable comic
such as this. I always try to look for any characteristic that may ‘save’ a book
in my eyes, and most times I’m successful. I have to be honest though, with
myself and with others; this is the first time that I’ve EVER read a book and
thought “Wow, this is a little too much…” This is a ‘Mature Readers’ title,
although you’d never know it by how small the warning is printed on the front
cover. Believe me, it earns that label by being one of the most repugnant and
despicable titles I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading.
Scat play, penis-humor, oral sex, and alcohol abuse are all just a few of the
things that Jess Fink finds funny, and she’s hoping that you find that sort of
retarded subject matter humorous. The book is broken down into a series of
vignettes, each one dedicated to its own particular brand of debauchery. I’ll
admit not everything in this book left me without a laugh, but for the most part
it’s a random assortment of gross-out humor and ill-conceived ideas about
story-telling.
The art is going to catch the eye of the hipster, North side set; fans of
artists like Tony Millionaire, or any of the other creators featured in Marvel’s
latest “Strange Tales” offering, but I implore you, buy something else, anything
else other than this. A purchase of this comic only goes to illustrate to Image
Comics that readers demand more output of this sort, and that’s a bad, BAD
thing.
I ‘Googled’ “Mindless Self Indulgence”, thinking that I would find a series of
loosely-related comics of this kind, but you know what I found…this is a ‘true
story’. Not the review, the comic. It’s based on the adventures of a band that
call themselves Mindless Self Indulgence, and it’s band members are really
called Johnny Urine, Steve Righ?, LynZ, and Kitty, and yes, they do all seem to
be mentally unstable.
The fact that this is a sort of anti-biography, in direct opposition to
BlueWater’s recent bio-rags of pop stars and starlets as well as assorted
political pundits, made me smile, but only because I know that somewhere out
there there’s a group of people that make my rude attitude and penchant for the
obscene seem like some sort of a Disney Film special…I consider myself
vindicated. |
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GENERATION HOPE #1 |
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Writer:
Kieron Gillen
Artist:
Salvador Espin |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
110310
|
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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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Spinning directly out of UNCANNY X-MEN comes the
most important new X-Book in years-GENERATION HOPE! When Hope Summers returned
from the future she triggered the rebirth of the mutant gene. Five lights
appeared on Cerebra and five mutants' powers came to life, but their activations
have been chaotic and dangerous, nearly killing each of them. It was only the
touch of Hope that saved their lives. With Rogue and the four new mutants who
were gathered in UNCANNY X-MEN, Hope heads to Japan to join Cyclops, Wolverine
and the fifth light. But will this new light be a hero or a villain? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Let me preface this review by admitting that I have
NOT enjoyed Matt Fraction’s run on “Uncanny X-Men”, and as such I haven’t
bothered to read “The Five Lights” which is the story that picks up immediately
after the events of “Second Coming”. Because I haven’t read that story, or the
story that preceded it (“Second Coming”, keep up!), I came into this book
completely out of the loop as far as Marvel’s young mutants were concerned. What
is this title anyway, other than an attempt to undo what Brian Bendis did with
“House of M”? It’s a sorry excuse for a Merry Marvel Mutant space-filler…just
taking up room on the shelf.
Following in the footsteps of, well, whomever, Hope Summers, the mutant whose
birth following M-Day set in motion the chain of events beginning with “Messiah
Complex” and so on through “Second Coming”, is starting a team of young mutants,
or ‘Lights’ as they’re apparently known now. Why? Who knows, and who cares?
There’s very little to go on here as far as first issues are concerned, and
that, my friends, is the first sign of a BAD comic book.
I’ve read in interviews that Gillen considers this book to be “‘House’ as a
super team” and nothing could be more unnerving in this writer’s opinion.
Playing everything fast and loose, then dressing it all up by name-dropping
another series (from TELEVISION, no less!) when describing it, seems desperate.
Then again the book is little more than an attempt to get some new mutants onto
the scene after editorial cut off its nose to spite its face. I enjoyed “House
of M” and thought that the ramifications of M-Day were going to be a bit more
than window dressing to carry the X-franchises through a dry spell.
What happens in the book? Oh, yeah…um…Hope and her four ‘Lights’ go after the
previously mentioned ‘fifth light’ in Tokyo, Japan. I was excited at first,
after mention of “Cyclops’ Tokyo Team”, which proved to be little more than Cyke
and Wolverine…BOO! There’s an epic battle between the mutants and Tetsuo from
“Akira”, er…I mean Kenji, the fifth and so-called final ‘Light’. Oh, and some
blue girl gets peed on by some Beast-like character called Teon, yippie skippie!
Yeah…that’s about it.
Salvador Espin is the unsung hero of this title. If not for his fun and cartoony
pencils I’d have probably had this book read to me, instead of reading it for
myself. His rendering of the new characters is great, and his handle on the
action and adventure of the story is top-notch, but I’m afraid the lack of
anything actually interesting happening is only hindering the artist from
unleashing the full extent of his abilities. I’d have loved to see him let loose
on Wolverine or Cyclops, or even some of the new characters, but everything is
written in vignette style, with each character getting only a moment to shine.
“Boo!” this crappy comic. |
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2010 by their respective
owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2010 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!"
