The Iceberg Lounge - TPB & Graphic Novel Reviews

trinity vol. 3

2009-12-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

by Kurt Busiek, Mark Bagley & more

collects Trinity (2008) # 37-52

the premise: The, uh, I guess avatars? of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman struggle to reconcile their newfound power with their responsibilities to their friends - while Morgaine le Fay and Enigma plan their final gambit.

the lowdown: It just occurred to me that DC was trying for a play on "Trinity" by collecting this series in three volumes rather than four (the way it did 52 and Countdown). I guess that was moderately clever.

This series was a Dead Man Walking for me. I lost interest during volume two but had already pre-ordered this one since they came out so close together. I will of course keep that in mind when committing to these kinds of things in the future. (Read: I will wait until the whole thing is out and just try out the first volume.) Still, I ordered it and paid $29.99 minus my DCBS discount for it, so I figured I'd might as well read the thing.

And as finales go, it's not that bad. Busiek builds the plot, or rather the plots, together toward a fairly satisfying climax. That actually was one of the weaknesses of 52 - many of the storylines never really synched up, which makes it a little harder to conceive of the whole epic as one big story. This one doesn't have that problem - Busiek ties literally everything together, and while Bagley's art really isn't his best, he pulls off the denouement pretty well.

At the end of the day this is a huge cosmic story, in a lot of ways very similar to DC's various Crisis stories and JLA/ JSA team-ups. And from a technical level it's fine - it just fails to be all that interesting. The meta-plot is wrapped around the ass-brained "Superman Batman and WW are the center of creation" idea (though Busiek subtly deconstructs that notion a bit in this volume). And bottom line - it's a story about Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman that doesn't actually feature any of them for a huge chunk of the story, instead giving pages to Morgaine le Fay, Tomorrow Woman, and Krona, none of whom are even slightly interesting. If this had worked it would've been huge, an epic that could sit right next to Crisis on Infinite Earths. But it didn't, and as such it'll probably be swiftly forgotten. Having to have it be 52 issues was a weakness, I think - the story could've been compressed into about a third as much space.

the verdict: Avoid. Both Busiek and Bagley are capable of way better.

the sword vol. 3: earth

2009-12-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

by the Luna Brothers

collects The Sword # 13-18

art shown is not actual cover

the premise: With the world under the impression that she's dead, Dara Brighton hunts the second of the three "people" who murdered her family, leading to another violent confrontation.

the lowdown: Three volumes in, the differences between this series and the Lunas' prior works are more evident than ever. Ultra was slow-paced, very light on action, more about relationships than anything else. Girls was a horror story that happened to have lots of naked women in it. It had some action but it was more of the suspense/ dramatic type. This story, on the other hand, is balls-to-the-wall science-fictiony action.

For the second straight volume, we get Dara hunting down one of her family's killers and engaging in a big fight with him. This time it's the one who has control over the Earth, as opposed to last volume's water battle. So the visuals are a little different. It's still very Matrix-esque and very cool, though not particularly realistic. To some extent it's beginning to feel a little formulaic, though the Lunas seem to be taking some steps at the end of the story to change that. There's still time devoted to characterization, but it's characterization on the run. Make no mistake: this book is about the action scenes.

There's also less subtext, less social commentary, than in the previous Luna works. Girls, in its way, had something to say about gender politics. If this has any hidden or layered meaning, maybe it's about man's relationship with nature - but that's probably a stretch. Sometimes comics are just about having big fights with people who can move rocks with their minds.

the verdict: I'm still enjoying this series, though not as much as I liked Ultra and Girls. It's much more a surface read, but it's well-done; the fights look cool; and the primary conflict is thin but interesting.

captain america: road to reborn

2009-12-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

by Ed Brubaker, Luke Ross & more

collects Captain America # 49-50 & 600-601

the premise: Just as Bucky settles into his role as the new Cap, Sharon Carter makes a shocking discovery concerning the fate of Steve Rogers. Plus: a tale of Cap & Bucky in WWII, and remembrances of Steve Rogers from many of the creators associated with him over the years.

the lowdown: With this volume it appears we've moved into the endgame of the mega Cap story that's been running since Steve Rogers was shot on the courthouse steps. This book features not one but two "anniversary" issues, which were actually consecutive issues of the series thanks to Marvel's funky numbering. Essentially Brubaker is setting things up for the return of Steve Rogers while providing a somewhat nostalgic tribute to both Caps. The Sharon Carter material here is quite strong, but the rest of it... eh, somewhere along the line this book has become a little too sentimental. Honestly I'm a little tired of reading about how much everyone misses Steve Rogers. I felt like Brubaker already nailed that sentiment during the Death of Cap arc, and that little new ground is being trod. There are some short stories by Roger Stern and Mark Waid that are pretty good, focusing on forgotten supporting characters and their remembrances of Rogers, and those are pretty well-done, but enough's enough already. I'm looking forward to Reborn but I'm kinda tired of the lead-in.

The art is all over the place this time, with Ross working as the primary artist but many others providing fill-in work. It's all pretty good, but it gives the book the feeling of being a little patched together. I'm starting to think that big jam anniversary issues don't translate all that well to collected editions. Having a big issue with a bunch of artists is cool standing alone, but it doesn't hold up as well when collected.

The final issue collected here, though, is a nice treat. It's drawn by Gene Colan and is a WWII flashback featuring vampires. Any Colan art these days is welcome, and Colan + vampires has always been a nice mix.

the verdict: There's really just one plot point here that seems all that important for Reborn, and a lot of the material isn't up to the title's usual high standard. Hopefully it's just a blip on the radar. The Colan story is cool, though.

op/ed: numbering - I think Zoloft can fix that.

2009-12-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

We're a strange little industry sometimes, aren't we? Just what IS our deal about numbering?

I mean, I know why things are numbered, whether we're talking about comics or houses or something else entirely. We number things so that we can order them, so that we can keep track of which one goes where, and in the case of comics, in which sequence they are meant to be read. That makes sense, though it's not really necessary. Most periodical comics after all contain cover dates, so their sequence isn't hard to discern. And these days with crossovers all over the place, stories jump between titles - nothing in the numbering lets you know that Batman #686 comes right before Detective #853, for instance. But still, it makes a certain sense to have numbers on the front of the books.

What's strange is the attachment we have to those numbers. My house has a number, but I can assure you the guy down the road whose house number is 1000 isn't all "Yes! In your face, #996!" But comics fans seem to give those numbers some sort of significance well beyond their utilitarian value.

DC started it, I think. After Crisis on Infinite Earths they decided to cancel and relaunch many of their flagship titles. So suddenly we had "Superman #1", even though DC had been publishing Superman for almost fifty years. This was done to symbolize a new era, a new continuity, what have you - and to cash in on people who believed Superman #1 would put their kids through college someday because it would be so insanely valuable. It was also felt that people were more likely to try out books with low numbers, because they'd think they were getting in on the ground floor rather than buying into something that had a long and involved backstory. Apparently seeing #1 on the cover would make people think Superman was a BRAND NEW CHARACTER! So whatever - rightly or wrongly DC restarted most of its flagship titles.

Marvel was not to be outdone. As the 90's rolled around Marvel started doing the same thing, often without any rhyme or reason. Pretty much every Marvel title not named "Uncanny X-Men" or "X-Men" got rebooted during the 90's. I think X-Force actually made it into the 00's before being relaunched as X-Statix. In many cases nothing about the book really changed at all. Amazing Spider-Man even kept the same creators around - just all of a sudden the numbering started over. And this was hyped as A Big Deal. "Look kids! There's a different number on the front!" And people cared. They really did.

In the 00's Marvel took this even further by reverting to the original numbering whenever an opportunity presented itself to do an "anniversary" issue. So we'd have Fantastic Four #54, then #55, then... #500, and so on. Sometimes (*cough*Incredible Hulk*cough) the issues don't really even add up to whatever milestone they're seeking. This has the effect of destroying any pretense that the numbers are there to denote the order in which the issues were published. There was no Amazing Spider-Man #491 or #499, just a #500. OTOH there were two #1s,

two #50's, and so on. There has only been one "Incredible Hulk #1", but there have been two "Hulk #1"'s, and they're both counted in the current Incredible Hulk's series numbering, even though one of those "Hulk" series is still going. It's obviously just a gimmick at this point.

So now DC is getting back into it. Senor Didio recently announced that if he gets 600 postcards requesting the change, Wonder Woman #45 or so will be Wonder Woman #600 instead, and the book will go back to its original numbering. This is pretty clearly a fait accompli - Didio would never have mentioned this as a possibility if he hadn't already decided to do it. The amazing thing is, people sent him postcards. They paid for cards, stamps, took the time to mail it - many included messages or spent time sprucing up the cards. Over numbering. I mean, I guess it's good to be passionate about something, but... numbering? I've had people tell me they'd rather read Wonder Woman #600 than Wonder Woman #45, even if the contents are exactly the same. When did we get to the point where the numbers became an important part of the book? Should we start demanding particular brands of staples be used next?

See, here's the thing about this ridiculous, arbitrary numbering stuff. Wonder Woman #45 will be the 600th issue of Wonder Woman, whether it says so on the cover or not. That's the actual publishing history of the title. When JSA got relaunched people complained that they wouldn't see a JSA #100 - but they saw the 100th issue of JSA. It just didn't have a #100 on the front. I get that "anniversary" issues are cool - they really are - but it's not the number on the front that makes them cool. What's cool is (a) the achievement of a series surviving for howevermany issues, and (b) the content. A well-done anniversary issue feels special, almost like a celebration - but that has nothing to do with having a round number on the front.

One of my favorite anniversary issues as a kid was Detective Comics #526. It was the 500th appearance of Batman in the title, and they did a big oversized issue with Robin and Batgirl and all the villains. It was the Bomb. It was also an issue #526, not #500 or #600. Detective Comics #572 was also an anniversary issue - it was the 50th anniversary of the title's publication. Again - not a round number. No one sits around hoping to see issue #572. What was special, and what's supposed to be important, are real-world milestones and what's inside the book. It could have been Detective Comics #72 instead, and if the material inside was the same, and the book had been in publication for 50 years, it'd still be the same achievement.

What's happened is that numbering has become part and parcel of our OCD collector's mentality. We like being able to say we own Incredible Hulk # 254-601, rather than adding up all the various Hulk series. So the numbers become part of our enjoyment of the books. And that's dangerous, because then it becomes a hook that publishers can use to, quite frankly, jerk fans around. It allows Didio to convince people to mail him postcards requesting that he do something he was going to do anyway. It allows Marvel to sell some extra copies of an issue of Hulk by claiming it is #600. Those things are harmless or even cute in theory - people mailed postcards, after all, not appendages. But at the end of the day there seems to be so much anger about all of it. People boycott books because they don't have the "correct" numbering. They get mad or feel this character or that one is being "disrespected" because her book has a low number. (I'm looking at you, Wonder Woman readership.) And the anger, the offense - it's all self-inflicted. The gimmick only works because fans give the numbering this artificial significance. If you want publishers to stop playing around with the numbering - stop caring when they do.

If it were up to me they'd eliminate numbering altogether, and just put cover dates on books. It works for newspapers. It works for magazines. You could still celebrate the "600th issue of Wonder Woman". And it'd be one less thing for people to complain about. This would free fans up to complain about the staples and UPC codes, which would of course be awesome.

wasteland: the apocalyptic edition vol. 1

2009-12-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

by Antony Johnston & Christopher Mitten

collects Wasteland # 1-13

the premise: Nearly one hundred years after an environmental catastrophe that wiped out civilization as we know it, a mysterious man with strange abilities wanders the countryside. How will he interact with a displaced town looking for sanctuary in a larger city?

the lowdown: As much time as we all spend talking about whether a book is "good" or is "bad", we usually ignore the reader's role in coming to that conclusion. We all realize we have preferences, of course, but often we ignore that the ways we interact with media influence our perceptions. Different works make different demands of readers, and either we're willing to engage with the material on the level it demands, or we're not. Most mainstream comics really require very little of us as readers. Morrison's books aside, there's really little subtext, the stories are intentionally told in a very straightforward way, and everything is geared toward making the work easy to consume. That's not offered as a criticism; I like many of those books, and when they're well-done they're a lot of fun.

As a reader, though, I vacillate between wanting brain candy and wanting something more substantial. A more complex, layered work is engaging in an entirely different way than is, say, Jeph Loeb's Hulk. It works different muscles in the brain. The problem is, if I try to consume something more complex when I'm really more in the mood for Hulk punching a Watcher, I won't do the work necessary to understand something more substantive, and I'll probably end up resenting the work for making me try.

So it is that I gave Wasteland a second try after not really enjoying the first trade. The things I disliked about it - primarily the somewhat confusing narrative and occasionally unclear art - are still there. There's a difference, though, between a creative team that isn't being clear and a team that can't be clear, and it's not hard to tell them apart. Johnston and Mitten present a tale that picks up midstream and takes virtually no time to explain its world or any of its backstory - the reader is left to piece it together. The cast is relatively large and gets larger all the time, and they live in a world dramatically different from our own. Religion is very different. Familial relationships are different. Slang is different. And there's no key - no guide to what's going on. At times that requires a LOT from the reader, but if you stay with it, everything you need is there. The creators are actually telling a very smart post-apocalyptic story, and they excel at presenting the extremes of the human condition - loyalty, sacrifice, and cruelty. They're able to comment on the human condition even in a scenario when those humans are removed from all semblance of modern society.

The oversized format assisted me, I think, in appreciating the book. This is a very well put-together book, showing off Mitten's art in the oversized format, and telling a meatier story in thirteen issues than the original first trade did in six. If you're going to follow this series, I'd recommend doing so in this format rather than the trades.

the verdict: This is a very dense read, one for which the reader needs to set aside some time and some brain cells. It's a well-done exploration of a new world, with some fantastical elements but very human protagonists. Just make sure you're in the mood to work a little before digging into it.

exterminators vol. 3: lies of our fathers

2009-12-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Simon Oliver, Mike Hawthorne, Tony Moore & John Lucas

collects The Exterminators # 11-16

the premise: This volume collects several shorter stories focusing primarily on the supporting cast. Learn how truly messed up they really are.

the lowdown: As regular readers may recall, I've been working my way back through this series after giving up on it a few years ago. This was the volume that killed my interest the first time around, so I approached it with some trepidation.

Looking back, I'm not sure why it bored me so much the first time around. Perhaps it was the inconsistent (and at times subpar) artwork. Tony Moore is only on a few of these issues, and his work was a big part of the original appeal (though I like Hawthorne's work as well). This volume also spends precious little time with lead character Henry James, so maybe that was a factor as well. Whatever, though - I enjoyed it a fair bit more this time around.

Oliver still delivers lots of good over-the-topness, even during what purports to be a romance story of sorts between two lost souls. There are parts of it that are actually touching, even though the reader knows the erstwhile professor is actually a war criminal. Likewise, the final story featuring Laura is crazy and ridiculous, but at the same time you feel for her - for awhile. The bug insurrection plot takes a backseat here, which wasn't unwelcome. Most of what's left is very character-driven, even when it's absurd, and Oliver ends up doing a pretty nice job giving the supporting cast some depth.

the verdict: Funny how perceptions of the same material can change in a few years' time. I'm interested enough to finish out this series.

tales designed to thrizzle vol. 1

2009-12-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Michael Kupperman

collects Tales Designed to Thrizzle # 1-4

the premise: This is a series of one-page, and sometimes shorter, strips featuring a variety of original characters in humorous situations.

the lowdown: The easiest way to describe this book is "Robot Chicken in print without pre-existing characters". Though there are four issues here, it doesn't read like a four-chapter story. There's really no story at all, in fact - it's much more akin to a series of comic strips than a sequential story. Few of the strips go longer than one page, and many are only a panel. Kupperman's sequential work is okay, but the best stuff he does are usually splash pages, many of which look like ads.

This was my first exposure to Snake & Bacon, which have apparently garnered some acclaim, and I'll confess the joke got old pretty quickly. Overall, though, there are some funny moments here. Like Robot Chicken, a number of the sketches are built entirely around one very simple gag. Unlike Robot Chicken, the channel-zapping style doesn't flow all that well.

The sequential stuff is probably the weakest material, with the splash pages standing out as the best. Kupperman is more cartoonist than comic artist, and the art is uneven in places. I'd say I got 4-5 laugh out loud moments from the book, which is IMO pretty good.

the verdict: A nice book if you're looking for something a little off the beaten path. I don't share some folks' unabashed love for this series but I enjoyed reading this volume.

batman: the chalice

2009-11-28T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Chuck Dixon & John Van Fleet

original graphic novel

the premise: Bruce Wayne is entrusting with an object that may or may not be the Holy Grail of legend. But the Grail attracts the attention of a number of undesirable elements, including the Penguin and Ra's Al Ghul.

the lowdown: This book originally came out in hardcover in 1999, though it is set in continuity sometime around 1996. So it's very much a nineties Bat-story - Catwoman appears in her purple Jim Balent outfit, Ra's and Talia still live under one roof, Gordon is married, Azrael's in it, etc.

The story involves, as noted, Bruce/ Batman trying to protect the Holy Grail from attackers on all sides. It's kind of an oddly structured story. The first half or so of the book is devoted to Bruce trying to verify whether this is, in fact, The Grail. That's well-done, giving us Dixon's take on Batman's views on religion as well as a nice scene involving Oracle (who could of course benefit from The Grail). It's a nice mystery given weight by Van Fleet's painted artwork.

The second half of the book is devoted to Penguin and Ra's launching separate schemes to get The Grail. Strangely, Ra's' plan makes little sense, and just seems to be an excuse to have Batman fight a bunch of Ra's' people. Penguin hires Catwoman to just break into Wayne Manor, going right to the source even though neither he nor (at this point) Catwoman knows that Bruce is Batman. With that piece of knowledge one would think Ra's would be a little more clever. Anyway, those two plot threads don't really converge, and we end up with a fun Catwoman/ Alfred team-up. (90's Catwoman was pretty clearly on the wrong side of the law, so the dynamics are a bit different than one would expect in 2009.)

The ending is not the strongest, reading more like Bruce realized the page count was almost up and decided to wrap things up. It does bring The Grail plot to a conclusion, though.

the verdict: No one ever really talks about this book, but it's been in print for ten years. Though it has its flaws it's a pretty intriguing mix of Batman and religious canon.

umbrella academy vol. 2: dallas

2009-11-26T06:00:00.004-05:00

by Gerard Way & Gabriel Ba

collects Umbrella Academy: Dallas # 1-6

the premise: Fractured after the events of the first volume, half of the Academy travels back to 1963 to assassinate the President of the United States. The other half also goes back in time - to try to prevent the murder. And one guy is on both teams, at two different ages!

the lowdown: The first volume of this series was my favorite book of 2008, and really one of my favorite books in a LONG time. So could the sequel possibly compare?

Well - not really. Not surprising, really, because volume one was just that good. Don't get me wrong, this is still a really good book. It's not as amazing as the first one. I believe there are two reasons for this:

1. The novelty has worn off a bit. My expectations are sky-high, and after awhile the madcap ideas just can't top one another any more.

2. At times those same madcap ideas take over the book to the extent that one can't really identify with any of the characters anymore. The time-travel plot here is very clever and a lot of fun, but it's almost too clever. The characters are so busy doing wacky stuff that some of the quieter moments get lost.

Despite that, this may very well still break into my top ten for 2009. It's beautifully rendered, deftly plotted and paced. It seems very much like the spiritual successor to Morrison's Doom Patrol, but it's not quite as wrapped up in its own abstractness. It remains first and foremost an action-adventure comic, where there just happen to be absolutely no rules. It falls short in comparison to its predecessor, but so do most comics. No same there.

the verdict: It won't repeat as my #1 book of the year. It's still really good, though.

dc classic library: batman - a death in the family

2009-11-25T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Jim Starlin, Marv Wolfman & Jim Aparo

collects Batman # 426-429, 440-442 & New Titans # 60-61

the premise: The second Robin - Jason Todd - is savagely murdered by the Joker. Will his death push Batman over the edge? And what role will Tim Drake and Dick Grayson play in the aftermath?

the lowdown: The very first TPB I ever bought was the original printing of "A Death in the Family". It cost $3.95 and was printed on newsprint. It's been through about a dozen printings since then, but this is its first hardcover treatment. Obviously a lot of people had a problem with the call-in stunt to determine whether Robin would live or die. The story itself, though, was pretty decent, though it relied on quite a few major coincidences. It's pretty re-readable, though fairly evident it wasn't created with a collection in mind. (There are *really* long recaps at the beginning of each issue.)

For the first time, DC has packaged the arc together with the Wolfman-scripted "A Lonely Place of Dying". For completeness it would've been nice to have "Batman: Year Three" as well, but it reads okay without it. "Lonely Place" was a favorite of mine when it was published, and even though Wolfman's dialogue is clunky the arc still holds up pretty well. Tim Drake is introduced without, in retrospect, much personality other than "smart" and "not a jerk", but after the Todd debacle that's pretty much what was needed. These stories have some emotional punch, particularly for someone versed in the Batman mythos.

Jim Aparo handles most of the art and does his usual excellent work. The Titans issues are drawn by Tom Grummett who hadn't quite hit his stride at that time. Something about seeing Aparo's rendition of Robin is a treat - most of this Bat-work didn't feature Robin so there's still some novelty.

the verdict: A fun re-read, two arcs that hold up two decades later. Curious that they left out Denny O'Neil's afterword from the trade where he said it'd be "a really sleazy stunt to bring him back." Wonder why?

secret warriors vol. 1: nick fury - agent of nothing

2009-11-24T06:00:00.004-05:00

by Jonathan Hickman, Brian Michael Bendis & Stefano Caselli

collects Secret Warriors # 1-6

the premise: In the aftermath of the Skrull Invasion, Nick Fury assembles a new team to take down Hydra, or the remnants of SHIELD - or is there a difference?

the lowdown: After putting together a nice set of books for Image, Hickman makes his Marvel debut with this new series, which is essentially a Nick Fury book with a twist or two. Though Bendis gets a co-writing credit, this feels much more like Hickman's work. It's not as bold as much of his creator-owned work, but it's a little off the beaten path for a Marvel superhero book.

The book opens with a twist that turns much of Nick Fury's history on its head. In some respects that's a bit of a cheat. Without spoiling anything, there are some twists that easily hit an emotional button but do long-term damage to the character. You can only flip things over so many times before the whole concept is ruined. I'm not sure where this one is going but so far it looks like the sort of thing Hickman has thought out in some detail. There's a lot of background work, charts, graphs, that kind of thing - so clearly there's a plan in place - hopefully he'll be with the series long enough to play it out in intricate detail.

Caselli has taken a major leap here. His prior work on the Initiative and G.I. Joe was solid but this is a step above. It's not an easy book to draw - few costumes, large cast, complicated storytelling - but he pulls it off and makes it look sensational. Marvel's lucky to have locked this fellow up.

the verdict: It's a good beginning but I have a feeling it's one of those books that will rise or fall on the second and third volumes. Hickman is setting up a very intricate plot, and those tend to take time to germinate. Off to a good start, though.

gotham central vol. 2: jokers & madmen

2009-11-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark & more

collects Gotham Central # 11-22

the premise: In the two major arcs collected here, the Joker terrorizes Gotham City at Christmastime, and Detectives Driver & Macdonald investigate a murder/ suicide with ties to an unsolved murder investigated by disgraced detective Harvey Bullock.

the lowdown: Gotham Central was really good all the way through, but if I had to recommend just one chunk of the run, these issues stand out as the best ones. These arcs are exceptional and were a lot of fun to re-read.

The book opens with a one-shot issue by Ed Brubaker & Brian Hurtt that was omitted from the previous softcover trades. It's all about Stacy, the girl who operates the Bat-signal, and is IMO as good an issue as there is in the run. I don't know why DC or Marvel haven't jumped all over Hurtt and gotten him on a high-profile title.

Next up is the Joker arc, co-written by Brubaker and Rucka and drawn by Lark. I wonder if the producers of Dark Knight read this one, because it very much follows the characterization of the Joker as an urban terrorist. The notion of telling a Joker story from the cops' perspective has been done before, most notably by C.J. Henderson in a LotDK arc, but this one has a frenetic pace and really captures the feel of an entire police force in a state of near-panic.

That's followed by a three-part story where an investigation gets passed from cop to cop, giving the creators an opportunity to highlight some of the lesser-known cops. It's one of the few GC arcs that doesn't really work - the underlying mystery is interesting but the individual cops don't really get enough space for their stories to be particularly compelling.

The last arc is the Brubaker/ Lark Bullock story, and it's just amazing. It's a trademark Brubaker story, with a secret from the past biting everyone in the rear end in the present. It's got Bullock AND he's written really well. It looks great because Lark. IMO it's the best lengthy arc in the run.

the verdict: Well worth your coin. These are terrific police procedural stories, and other than a hiccup here and there they maintain a really high quality throughout.

3 story: the secret history of the giant man

2009-11-19T06:00:00.003-05:00

by Matt Kindt

original graphic novel

the premise: The life story of a man who is literally growing into a giant is told from the perspectives of his mother, his wife, and his daughter.

the lowdown: One of the marks of a really great creator - whether we're talking about prose, art, comic scripting, or some combination thereof - is the ability to make you care about someone who's not like you. With respect to superhero comics, there's much talk about how the characters need to be relatable. Spider-Man's just like us, but Superman's not - and therefore there must be something *wrong* with Superman. But - and I say this as someone who digs Spider-Man a lot, isn't something like All-Star Superman, which absolutely makes you care about Superman, more worthy than a typical Spider-Man story largely *because* Superman is an alien? Anyone (well not just anyone) can make you care about the guy whose life mirrors your own, but the guy who can put you in the shoes of someone who isn't like you at all? THAT guy's the visionary.

And Matt Kindt clearly demonstrates that gift in this book, telling the story of a guy who is growing at an alarming rate due to a freak, uncorrectable medical condition. As a kid he's tall and awkward, but as an adult he gets to be several stories high. It's an absurd premise and a completely ridiculous situation, but Kindt gets you right in the guy's head. He makes you feel the "giant man's" alienation, his loneliness - and he does it without ever giving you a peek inside his thoughts. Instead, the whole story is told from the perspectives of the women who were closest to him.

What follows is a melancholy, truly sad story, but not "oh geez Superman's crying again" sad. It's the kind of sad that really moves you, that keeps you so invested in this guy's life that you don't notice how seamlessly Kindt is pulling off an incredibly difficult narrative. That's true verisimilitude.

Kindt's art adds to that, feeling claustrophobic when you need to see how painfully the giant man fails to fit in, but using open space to illustrate the same concept. Even the design of the book adds to the effect. It's a hardcover that's about the size of the Vertigo Crime books, and often it feels like the character's too tall for the format.

the verdict: This is a really good book, well worth your time. Kindt has become one of the graphic novelists most worth watching, and this is a very worthy successor to Superspy. Highly recommended.

exterminators vol. 2: insurgency

2009-11-18T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Simon Oliver, Tony Moore & Chris Samnee

collects The Exterminators # 6-10

the premise: As Henry reaches a crossroads in his personal life, he discovers that there may be things going on in his professional life far beyond what he ever imagined. Are the bugs ready to take over?

the lowdown: Continuing my look back at this Vertigo series from a few years ago - I recalled this volume as being good but not as good as its predecessor, and apparently my recollection was (for a change) accurate. This time through, though, I think I've hit on what it was that started to turn me off.

Oliver's work here isn't quite as full of madcap ideas as his first arc, but the writing is still pretty crisp. Moore's art looks great, and there's a fill-in drawn by Chris Samnee that's really well-done. The interpersonal stuff is still strong. It's the meta-plot that's a little much. [spoiler alert] It turns out there's an ancient bug deity who has been reborn/ reincarnated, and now plans to lead a bug insurgency.

In other words, it's a plot that could've been ripped from just about any superhero book on the market.

And somehow that just feels off in a Vertigo book. I appreciate, of course, that Vertigo has done superheroes in the past. But it's not what I look to them for now. I can handle over the top or even hints of the supernatural, but this just comes too close to "mustache-twirling supervillain" category. I could swear the Ratcatcher tried this same gig in Shadow of the Bat - maybe more than once.

So yeah - it's not bad by any means, but it starts to give the feeling that maybe what it's attempting, while ambitious for a story about pest control, isn't that ambitious for a superhero comic book.

the verdict: Recommended despite some reservations. Last time through volume three was where I quit, so we'll see what happens when I get to that one. Regardless, though, this does have a pretty well-defined ending, so you could always just get volumes one and two.

deadpool: suicide kings

2009-11-17T06:00:00.003-05:00

by Mike Benson, Adam Glass & Carlo Barbieri

collects Deadpool: Suicide Kings # 1-5 & Deadpool: Games of Death

the premise: Deadpool gets suckered into a job and then framed for murder, drawing the attention of the Punisher and Daredevil, among others. Now he's got to track down the people who set him up while keeping the Punisher from punching his ticket.

the lowdown: So Deadpool seems to be pretty popular these days, huh? I spend precious little time reading any of the X-Men books, so my experience with Deadpool has been extremely limited over the years. Plus his regular series is written by Daniel Way, whose work generally isn't for me. I am, however, interested in these ancillary series and miniseries, and thought this would be a nice intro to the character.

Mike Benson (joined here by frequent writing partner Glass) is becoming one of my favorite Marvel writers. As befits the lead character, his work here is less dark than his run on Moon Knight, but it has the same sense of the absurd. The story itself is a fairly straightforward caper plot, with Deadpool on the run from pretty much everyone. It's more or less an excuse to have lots of shooting and explosions, which is cool. A plot like that using a character like this generally is going to rise or fall based on the strength of the dialogue. In that regard, I'd say Benson and Glass get a solid B. There are few laugh-out-loud moments, but it's pretty good in the "mix of action and comedy" vein.

Barbieri's art has never really been my favorite but he does good work here. His work is obviously much different than that of the artists Benson paired with on Moon Knight, much "cartoonier" for lack of a better word. It fits the story fine.

Marvel also included a one-shot written by Benson to fill out the volume. It's fine, cute. Kudos to Marvel for putting this out in the oversized format.

the verdict: This is a pretty good no-strings introduction to the character. It's a pretty good absurd over-the-top action story.

dmz vol. 7: war powers

2009-11-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Brian Wood, Riccardo Burchielli, Kristian Donaldson & more

collects DMZ # 35-41

the premise: Newly elected DMZ governor Parco Delgado sends Matty on what becomes a very dangerous mission in order to solidify his government's legitimacy, leaving Matty to wonder what ulterior motives might be at play.

the lowdown: From the inception of this series, Wood has spent a ton of time telling the stories of different people in the DMZ, through their eyes. He's done it almost to a fault, which is why the one character whose perspective he never shows is so significant. I'm referring to Parco Delgado, one of the best and more layered characters in this series, and as of the last two volumes, possibly the most important other than Matty himself. But Wood never lets the reader know what Parco is thinking. Parco *tells* you what he's thinking, but the reader can never really be sure whether Parco's telling the truth, or whether he's just a very good politician. And that mirrors the situation in which Matty finds himself, a conflict that clearly drives the events of this volume.

This time around we begin with a two-part story about a somewhat unusual truce on Staten Island, drawn by Wood's frequent collaborator Kristian Donaldson. Donaldson does excellent work as usual, and fits right into the flow of the book.

The main arc follows, drawn by regular series artist Burchielli, and it features Matty navigating the ins and outs of this "errand" he's running for Delgado. Throughout the arc, as in the last volume, there's a growing sense that Matty has abandoned any pretense of objectivity and, as such, his role as a true journalist. His close association with Delgado has caused his other relationships to suffer, and now he's left questioning Delgado's loyalties in light of new alliances Parco has made. Things build to what Matty hopes is a conclusion, but what I suspect is not. This arc doesn't have quite the power that the last volume possessed, but it's still very good.

The final story is an one-off focusing on Zee's new situation, and it's okay but not particularly memorable. It serves more to fill readers in on what she's up to than anything else.

the verdict: This series just kind of chugs along. It doesn't seem to get much attention from the blogosphere or the fan press, but it's quietly one of the best books Vertigo is publishing right now. This is another good installment.

dc classic library: justice league of america by george perez vol. 1

2009-11-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Gerry Conway & George Perez

collects Justice League of America # 184-186 & 192-194

the premise: The first half of George Perez's legendary JLA run sees the team mix it up with the Justice Society, the New Gods, the Shaggy Man, and.. The Red Tornado?

the lowdown: Yikes that title's mouthful, huh? And I left a word *out*. It's impressive they got all that on the spine.

As noted, this is the first half of Perez's all-too brief run on the JLoA title, and it literally picks up right in the middle of a story. Previous series artist Dick Dillin passed away unexpectedly after completing one part of a three part JSA/ New Gods story, and Perez picked up the baton on short notice. This volume excludes the issue pencilled by Dillin, and so it begins with part two. Despite that, it reads pretty well, which I believe is a testament to Conway's scripting. Nowadays there'd be no way to pick up an arc with part two, but in those days they made it look pretty seamless.

The other major complaint I've heard about this book is the price, and it's valid. $39.99 for a standard-sized six issue HC is really steep. In DC's defense, though, I understand the original separations were lost, so the reproduction process is more involved (and presumably more costly) than normal. This volume will, in part, subsidize the cost of making some of Perez's work available in future volumes of Crisis on Multiple Earths, and they're pretty up-front with the notion that this is a book designed for people who like Perez's art a lot.

With that in mind, these are pretty good stories. There are no real classics in this volume, although I have a nostalgic soft spot for the Amos Fortune story from JLA # 194. All of the stories here are pretty solid, though, and Perez's art looks exceptional as always. Back in those days he didn't have quite the range of faces he has now, but even thirty years ago this guy was popping out good work.

the verdict: Because of the price it'd be hard to recommend this to someone who doesn't either really really like Perez or have a nostalgic kick for that era of JLA. For an aficionado of the era, though, this is a nice addition to the ol' bookshelf. (And check back for volume two, which IMO has the best stories of the run.)

spider-man: 24/7

2009-11-11T06:00:00.004-05:00

by Mark Waid, Dan Slott, Mike McKone, Barry Kitson, Fred Van Lente and more

collects Amazing Spider-Man # 589-594 + extras

the premise: Spidey travels to the Macroverse for an adventure with the Fantastic Four, only to lose two months of his life in the real world, and find NYC run by a new Mayor.

the lowdown: This is one of the Spidey collections that collects several shorter stories. Though the Waid 24/7 arc is the meatiest of the bunch, it's actually last. First we get a couple of vignettes from some of the peripheral Spider-Man publications, most of which are peripheral for a reason. Then there's a one-off issue by Fred Van Lente pitting Spidey against the Spot. It's an excellent issue, very snappy, moves along briskly - very much a treat. I'm pleased that FVL will be doing more Spidey in the future.

Next up is the Slott two-parter with the FF, which gets by based on the admittedly cool high concept. The arc runs aground a little, though, by getting tied in up two meta-concepts. One is the Human Torch's anger that he no longer knows Spidey's secret ID, which provides an excuse to pick at the scabs of OMD again, and partially explain how the retcons/ missing stuff worked. Torch comes off like a bit of a twit in the whole thing - even if he has a good point he sounds like a broken record. The second concept is the missing time, which is a neat device to fast-forward some of the supporting casts' plotlines. It seemed to overwhelm the nuts and bolts of the adventure in the Macroverse, though, which is a shame because that was also a cool concept. Spidey has some lines where he's wanting to get the Macroverse thing over with asap so he can get home, and I found myself agreeing with him, which is kind of a shame.

Finally, Waid steps in with Spidey going into action full-time to put a fly in the new mayor's ointment. As usual for a Waid script, it's funny, well-constructed, and feels just like a Spidey story should feel. The conflict, to the extent there really is one, is a little forced. It's fun, though, and the redesign of the Vulture shows promise.

the verdict: This isn't the best of the post-BND volumes, but it's an enjoyable chapter. It's heavy on the soap opera, kind of a nice break between major arcs.

arkham asylum: living hell

2009-11-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Dan Slott & Ryan Sook

collects Arkham Asylum: Living Hell # 1-6

the premise: A new inmate arrives at Arkham Asylum - he's not crazy but he faked it to avoid prison - and he's quickly embroiled in the bizarre world of Batman's worst enemies.

the lowdown: What's this? Dan Slott on a DC book? It happened. This is an odd little series, in that it wasn't a particularly big seller when it was published, but it's been relatively influential on the Batman mythos. Slott made a point of introducing a lot of new Arkham inmates in this series, reasoning that not everyone in the place would be escaping all the time - there'd be lots of folks that Batman caught once and who just stayed in Arkham indefinitely. Several of those villains have stuck around, most notably the Great White Shark. The story seems to have found a life in collected form, as DC recently did a new printing.

Sook's artwork is part of that, of course. Interiors from him are all too rare, but here he is drawing most of the Batman villains, as well as Batman, Batgirl, and Etrigan (who sucks). The book looks great, with Sook's creepy artwork perfectly setting the scene for ghoulish Arkham.

The story itself is quite enjoyable though it goes off the rails a little at the end with a segue into a supernatural plot. (Hence Etrigan's involvement.) Not all of the new characters are winners but there are enough hits to make the exercise worthwhile. It's really no secret that the Batman villians could carry a series on their own, but for the fact that they're needed to.. y'know.. fight Batman in his own books. So instead we get a series about them every so often, and this one is IMO superior to a lot of the ones Alan Grant used to do in the 90's. It's a pretty nice mix of black comedy and stark seriousness, and though I generally like Slott's Marvel work, it's kind of a shame he's been exclusive over there for so long, because he has a nice ear for the Batman mythos too.

the verdict: This one's worth a look if you passed it over originally (and many did). The ending, as mentioned, isn't so hot, but the buildup to it is well-done, with excellent art.

west coast blues

2009-11-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Jacques Tardi (adapted from a novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette)

the premise: An unhappy family man pulls over to help an injured man on the side of the road, and suddenly finds himself marked for death by persons unknown.

the lowdown: So it seems this was published originally in France. How on Earth am I am just finding out about Jacques Tardi? This is, as is probably apparent, my first exposure to his work, though he's been a graphic novelist for more than thirty years. He made a heckuva first impression.

This is a crime/ noir story featuring that most weather-worn of ideas, the man on the run from forces he doesn't quite comprehend. That in and of itself isn't all that remarkable, of course, but it's relatively rare that I've seen this kind of story executed with such skill. Tardi has a remarkable sense of pacing as well as an outstanding design sense. This story is pure noir but it's not all dark alleys and shadows - in fact, it gets away from those locales altogether. Tardi presents a protagonist who is clearly flawed - the book opens with him driving around drunk - but he doesn't feel like the cliched Guy Spit on by Life. He makes some choices during the story that are unexpected, and that take the story in some places you're probably not expecting, but it all feels authentic.

The art is in B&W (the cover is actually panels from the story), and Tardi uses the white to good effect as well as the black. Tardi's storytelling is extremely strong, and you can tell he's a veteran of the form. It's polished without losing its life, visually appealing while still being ugly enough to work as a crime story.

the verdict: I enjoyed this a lot. I read it on my back patio on a Sunday morning, with a tall glass of orange juice and jazz playing, and the whole effect was terrific. Definitely recommended.

superman: new krypton vol. 2

2009-11-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

by Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Sterling Gates, Renato Guedes, Pete Woods & Jamal Igle

collects Superman # 682-683, Action Comics # 872-873 & Supergirl # 35-36

the premise: Superman and Supergirl struggle to maintain a delicate peace between the residents of Earth and the 100,000 Kryptonians freed from Kandor. But a shocking event is in the works, and it may shatter the calm irrevocably.

the lowdown: I think DC is branding the World of New Krypton series as "New Krypton Vol. 3" and beyond, so at first glance this doesn't look like the conclusion of anything. And certainly there are plenty of plot threads that continue from these issues, but they're a pretty clear conclusion to this particular story, i.e. the cohabitance on Earth of Earthlings and Kryptonians. Unlike the first volume, this one puts Superman and Supergirl front and center and really digs into the meat of the plot.

I was surprised to find I enjoyed the Gates/ Igle Supergirl issues most of all. I have enjoyed Igle's art for some time, but obviously Gates is the least experienced of these three scribes. He gets a lot of the really key scenes here, though, as they center around Supergirl's family, and I thought he did a pretty good job with them. Robinson and Johns both turn in pretty good work as well, but it's the Supergirl issues that really drive home the fact that our heroes are being re-united with long-lost family. It's a pretty powerful concept that's hard to drive home because *we* don't remember these people the way Superman and Supergirl do.

Most likely they could've filled a dozen or more issues with these events, so I appreciate the brevity of tying up these threads relatively quickly. This is, of course, only the beginning of the newest Superman status quo, but it's pretty strong in and of itself, and genuinely takes Superman to a place he's never really been before.

the verdict: I'm still not sure how many of the post-New Krypton Superman books I'll be getting, but I'll definitely be getting at least some of them. This epic still has the potential to fall flat but there's enough here to believe it might also be really good.

trinity vol. 2

2009-11-04T06:00:00.003-05:00

by Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza, Mark Bagley & more

collects Trinity (2008) # 18-36

the premise: The world is remade without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and the villains who caused the reboot continue their quest to seize power. Only a ragtag group of folks who have vague recollections of being different can stand in their way.

the lowdown: The second volume of this series picks up following the cliffhanger from volume one, with reality remade. So it's a whole new world, minus the "trinity", and there's no JLA, no Robin, no Supergirl, and so on. This kind of story has been told before, of course - think House of M - but Busiek decides to use his available space to tell it in a LOT of detail.

I'm talking painstaking, crushingly boring detail.

On the one hand the scope of what he's attempting here is pretty impressive. Busiek clearly has an affinity for the totality of DC mythology, and he's thought through this remade world very thoroughly. But at the same time, the remade world isn't really that interesting, at least parts of it are not, and there's so much space devoted to it that it feels like a few hundred pages before anything actually happens. I guess Bendis took a lot of grief for not fully realizing the House of M world, but I really prefer that sort of approach. This at times reads like an encyclopedia rather than a story.

And of course the whole thing rests on this premise that somehow our lead three characters are essential to the construction of the universe and all this other Tarot-related stuff that (a) isn't interesting, and (b) is hokey. I don't blame Busiek there, as he's just continuing a meme that DC has shoved down our throats for several years now, but just... no.

Bagley turns in good work on the lead features. He does a good job drawing a large cast, and manages to keep the non-costumed characters distinct. The backups are of varying quality, none of them approaching Bagley's standard.

the verdict: If I hadn't already pre-ordered volume three I would drop this series, even 36 issues and $60 into it. Because I've already ordered volume three I will stick with it, but this is a "miss". Busiek gets an "A" for effort but a grade much lower than that for execution. Not recommended.

dark avengers vol. 1: assemble

2009-11-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

by Brian Michael Bendis & Mike Deodato

collects Dark Avengers # 1-6

the premise: Norman Osborn's new team of Avengers assembles. Of course, they're actually villains repurposed from the Thunderbolts. Can Osborn really convince everyone that these guys are the genuine article? And can they play the role without killing one another?

the lowdown: The Avengers franchise is in a strange place after Secret Invasion. It really seems to me that this has become the flagship book of the franchise, and it seems pretty clear that this is the story Bendis is most invested in telling at the moment. On the other hand, more than anything else this is a continuation of Warren Ellis' Thunderbolts, as if they just kept that title going but slapped the Avengers name on it. It's all kind of an odd mix, but it works reasonably well so long as you've been following the various Marvel books over the last few years.

To Bendis' credit, he doesn't shy away from tackling some of the more ludicrous Dark Reign conceits - specifically the fact that Osborn is known to have dressed up like a goblin and thrown pumpkin bombs at people. I still am not buying a lot of it, but at least the creators are conscious of the logical gaps. And in between all of that, these are pretty good espionage/ adventure stories featuring characters who have become pretty interesting. It's not quite as good as Ellis' Thunderbolts but it's competitive. This collection features a showdown of sorts with Dr. Doom and still has time for a lot of the interpersonal stuff between the characters. Bendis hits a nice mix, and it's a satisfying read.

Having Deodato on art continues the continuity from T'Bolts, since he drew that series as well. As one might expect, he continues his darker style from that series, as opposed to the lighter style he used on Bendis' "Collective" arc in New Avengers. He delivers pretty much exactly what you'd expect, which is pretty solid.

the verdict: I'd give it a strong B, maybe a B+. Bendis seems at home writing the villains in a way he rarely does writing the good guys. I'm not sure how long the premise of this series will sustain itself, but it's off to a good start.

superman & batman vs. werewolves & vampires

2009-10-31T06:00:00.002-04:00

by Kevin Vanhook & Tom Mandrake

collects S/B vs. W/V # 1-6

the premise: C'mon - surely no one needs this one explained.

the lowdown: What an appropriately ghoulish title for Halloween, eh? This book seemed to draw a lot of snickering from the blogosphere when it was announced, and I never quite understood why. Sure, one can pretty much tell from the title that it isn't going to be Faulkner - but would it really have been better if they'd called it "Superman/ Batman: Once Bitten" or "Superman/ Batman: Call of the Undead"?

This is a book about, well, you know, It's a relatively old-school monster story. Despite Superman's name leading the masthead, it's actually more of a Batman story with Superman thrown in (along with several other DC characters). It has little in the way of ties to current continuity and isn't a lead-in to some overwrought event. If you like monster stories, and you like Superman and Batman, why not mash those things together, right?

Mandrake's art is, as always, a treat, and as usual he excels in drawing the dark and creepy. Hard to believe this is the same guy who's Batman run I disliked 25 years ago. He's grown into a fine illustrator, and I wish DC would give the guy a regular gig.

the verdict: This was pretty cool - a little old-school in places (lots of third-person narration and slightly overcooked dialogue), but basically it delivers exactly what it claims.

pax romana

2009-10-29T06:00:00.002-04:00

by Jonathan Hickman

collects Pax Romana # 1-4

art shown is not actual cover

the premise: In the 2050's, the Catholic Church discovers the secret of time travel, and sends an expedition back in time to prevent the fall of the Roman Empire.

the lowdown: Most time-travel stories require an Austin Powers-style suspension of disbelief. They can be a lot of fun, but you have to not think about them too hard or they fall apart. Jonathan Hickman's latest book is altogether different. This is a time travel story where you're supposed to think pretty hard, because it's pretty clear the creator has.

The premise here, as noted above, is that the Catholic Church returns to the past, armed with superior technology and a knowledge of history, to stop the Roman Empire from falling. And they've actually put some thought into it. They've figured out what alliances they need to cultivate, and they know exactly what they need to do to alter history. They've even considered the moral implications of their actions, and not without some debate. But once they get to the past and change history, their superior knowledge of history disappears, and they have to adapt to what happens next, all while struggling to maintain their fragile alliance.

This is about the smartest time-travel story I've encountered. It's a strong high concept that is skillfully developed. Hickman's visuals aren't as experimental as some of his other work, but they're still a bit removed from the norm. The book is a visual treat as well as a challenge in places.

The ending is perhaps a bit abrupt, almost as if Hickman just ran out of space. As I'm coming to expect from him, though, he zags when you think he will zig. Things don't turn out the way you necessarily think they will, but the way they resolve makes sense and has power.

the verdict: I've now read three Hickman books and all three were excellent. This is another excellent entry in his growing library.