Month: July 2006

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Ultimates 2: Gods & Monsters (Vol. 1)  (Marvel) [4/5/3/1] (collects #1-6)
w. Mark Millar; a. Bryan Hitch

The Ultimates are busy acting as the world’s policemen, even as the Robert Banner is outed as the Hulk, and the civil authorities demand his death for the casualties in his last rampage.  Meanwhile, Thor’s increasing instability and apparent hallucinations about Volstag and Loki have the authorities ever more worried — especially when it’s revealed he’s really just wielding high tech from a European supers program.  Will the Hulk be executed?  Will the Ultimates take Thor down?  Will Tony
pop the question to the Black Widow?  Will a disgraced Hank Pym make a success of it with the Defenders?  And will the world finally get tired of how the US government is using the Ultimates?

Think of a nasty and cynical answer to these questions, and you’re likely to come up with the route that Mark Millar’s taken.  Rarely pleasant, but usually fascinating.  Let’s just say I’m pretty certain that the current “Ultimates” videos out there are pretty watered down from any of these tales.

Usagi Yojimbo: Fathers and Sons  (Dark Horse) [5/5/4/5] (collects #69-75)
w/a. Stan Sakai

Twenty years into his run with his rabbit ronin, Sakai is still going strong.  In this outing, Usagi is escorting his nephew to Jotaro to a temple — knowing that Jotaro is actually is illegitimate son.  Will he tell the boy before parting, perhaps forever?  Throw in bandits, ninja, and mystical collywobbles, all steeped in Japanese myth and history, and you have standard, excellent UY fare, including another classic “Lone Goat and Kid” tale.

Villains United (DC) [3/4/2/1] (collects #1-6)
w. Gail Simone; a. Dale Eaglesham, Val Semeiks

It’s tricky writing with villains as protagonists.  Simone pulls this off by having the six protagonists — the “Secret Six,” under control of some unknown character — facing off in defiance of the Society, which has the numbers, the firepower, and the plotting to do in both them and the super-heroes they fear (and, after Identity Crisis, rightfully so).  The Six, though none of them gems, actually manage to garner some sympathy in their fight against the Society, enough that they’ve graduated
to a series of their own. Reasonably good stuff.

(listening to: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “When I Change Your Mind” from Zoot Suit Riot)
(listening to: Rogers, Roy, “When The Sun Is Setting On The Prairie” from Home On The Range)

(listening to: Chieftains, “The Long Black Veil” from Long Black Veil)
(listening to: Shaiman, Mark, “Finale” from Addams Family)
(listening to: Post, Mike, “Theme from NYPD Blue” from Inventions from the Blue Line)

(listening to: Pomona College, “Etudes #11, 1:Pour les arpèges composées, Pour les “cinq doigts”” from Pomona Musical Sampler)

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Ultimate Fantastic Four: N-Zone (Vol. 3) (Marvel) [4/4/3/2] (collects #13-18)
w. Warren Ellis; a. Adam Kubert 

Kept under wraps by the military, the young Reed Richards figures out how to enter a parallel dimension, the N-Zone. Convincing his government keepers to let them explore it, they discover a universe where entropy is further advanced — and where a sinister figure sees the technology they’ve brought, and the universe they’ve come from as the most valuable resource available.  Typically fun Ellis plot-twisting, yet surprisingly cheerful and upbeat.

Ultimate Fantastic Four: Inhuman (Vol. 4) (Marvel) [4/2/3/1] (collects #19-20, Annual 1)
w. Mike Carey, Mark Millar; a. Jae Lee

Carey introduces the Ultimate version of the Mad Thinker — a woman who’s artificially (and grotesquely) booster her intelligence to take vengeance on Reed Richards.  Millar introduces the Ultimate Inhumans, which tale frankly I found depressing and boring at the same time.  Jae Lee’s dark, craggy art doesn’t help either tale much.

Ultimate Fantastic Four: Crossover (Vol. 5) (Marvel) [4/5/3/2] (collects #21-26)
w. Mark Millar; a. Greg Land 

Reed contacts his analog from a parallel world — that will seem very familiar to the readers.  But when he goes to visit, you’d think that Robert Kirkman was writing this installment.  Meanwhile, Johnny and Sue’s mother has returned from nowhere because she needs the team’s help in excavating an underwater civilization — as we get introduced to the Ultimates version of Namor.

Beautifully rendered, and decent enough tales as well. 

(listening to: Animaniacs, “Animaniacs” from Animaniacs)

(listening to: Madonna, “Ray of Light” from Grammy Nominees 1999)

(listening to: Battlefield Band, “Seacoalers” from Celtic Hotel)
(listening to: Talking Heads, “Life During Wartime [Live]” from Sand in the Vaseline)

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Stardust (Vertigo) [5/5/5/5]

w. Neil Gaiman; a. Charles Vess

Strictly speaking, this is not a comic book.  Vess’ illustrations are just that, illustrations of the printed text.  That said, this edition of the novel (reviewed here) is marvelously all the more charming for the contributions by Vess.  Triffic stuff.

Top Ten: The Forty-Niners (America’s Best Comics) [4/4/4/3]

w. Alan Moore; a. Gene Ha

Features the founding of Neopolis, the true “city of heroes” from the early Top Ten books by Moore and Ha.  After WWII, the various super-heroes (and villains) of that war are demobbed to a new city.  Jetlad must find a way to transition from being a young super-pilot to being just another mechanic in a city were “everybody is special.”  Throw in ex-Nazi scientist and vampires, and you’ve got a story that swerves between high adventure and psycho-drama.  Not unexpectedly, solid work
by both creators.

Ultimate Galactus: Book 2: Ultimate Secret (Marvel) [4/5/3/2] (collects #1-4)
w. Warren Ellis; a. Steve McNiven, Tom Raney

Despite the clunky title, this is a fine insertion of the Galactus story into the Marvel Ultimate universe.  Along the way we get the Ultimate Captain Marvel, too, a charmingly geeky warrior who really has gone native.  Along the Ultimates and the Ultimate FF, they manage to avert a Kree attempt to cripple Earth’s space capability — so that they’ll be unable to escape the coming of Gah-lak-tus.  Witty and intelligent, this was one of the brighter spots in the Ultimate universe.

(listening to: Bear in the Big Blue House, “Good Morning” from Songs from Bear in the Big Blue House)
(listening to: Kaplan, Sol, “Doomsday Machine: Commander; Beams” from Star Trek Orig TV Sdtrk – II)

(listening to: Doors, “I Looked at You” from Doors, The)
(listening to: Yankovic, Weird Al, “The Brady Bunch” from In 3-D)

(listening to: Poltz, Steve, “Everything About You” from Notting Hill)
(listening to: White, Nancy, “I’m Babbling” from Momnipotent)

Okay, I admit it — I enjoy doing the TPB reviews because I like all the pretty little Amazon pictures.  Except for the odd one where either no image is available or, for some strange reason, the normal picture link code fails.

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Rann-Thanagar War (DC) [3/4/1/1] (collects #1-6)
w. Dave Gibbons; a. Ivan Reis, Marc Campos 

Just to demonstrate that DC can produce Massive Cosmic Wars that are ultimately as “sound and fury, signifying nothing” as Marvel, this “Countdown to Infinite Crisis” tale didn’t really have any impact on the Infinite Crisis, nor am I aware that we’ve revisited that whole situation since then.

The artwork is detailed, even dynamic, though sometimes murky and overly busy.  Gibbons pulls in, with some complexity, nearly all of the major space-faring races into the big war between these two worlds.  We get plenty of Hawkman/girl action, Adam Strange action, and Green Lantern action, not to mention the Omega Men … and it’s still not a hill of beans by the time it’s done.  Indeed, the final page is a cliff-hanger that basically says, “You know all the stuff you just went through? 
You’d be in the same situation if you’d just sat on your thumbs and done nothing.” 

Not encouraging.

Sandman Mystery Theatre: The Scorpion (Vol. 4) (Vertigo) [4/4/4/4] (collects #17-20)
w. Matt Wagner, Steven Seagle; a. Guy Davis

Continuing the long-belated reprinting of this classic noir series, this arc involves the grisly whip-and-poison deaths of wealthy investors — investors who are seeking Wesley Dodd’s participation, too.  Will the Sandman crack the case before Dodds becomes the next victim? (Cue organ music.)  While the plot in this installment was a bit threadbare, the overall quality of this series, with its gritty Depression-era NYC, corrupt yet sensuous, and the growing relationship between Wesley and Di, remain
engaging.  I hope DC keeps publishing these.

Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told (DC) [*/*/4/1]

w. various; a. various

It’s a mook’s game to define the “greatest’ Superman tales, but this is a good cross-reference of some of the major tales from the 30s onward.  We get Superman bringing Hitler and Stalin to justice; the classic “Last Days of Superman;” Supes on trial before the Guardians of Oa who convince him not to make the world a better place; a bizarre Steranko tale of Superman’s descendents across time; Byrne’s reboot of the character; and Superman’s nightmare of what might have happened had all of Krypton evacuated
to Earth.

The last story in the book is the new classic, “What’s so funny about Truth, Justice, and the American Way?” where Joe Kelley stacks Supes up against a thinly-veiled Authority.

It’s still an mixed bag — trying to compress seventy years of a character into a dozen key stories.  The best that can be said is that the ones given here are at least interesting glimpses of some of the key takes on Supes over time.  Folks who are interested in his history could do worse than this volume.

(listening to: McKennitt, Loreena, “Marrakesh Night Market” from Mask and Mirror)
(listening to: Courage, Alexander, “Star Trek End Title” from Star Trek Orig TV Sdtrk – II)
(listening to: Bangles, “I’ll Set You Free” from Everything)

(listening to: Sting, “Fragile” from Nothing Like The Sun)

(listening to: Armstrong, Louis, “We Have All the Time in the World” (Barry) from Best Of James Bond – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition)
(listening to: Mediaeval Baebes, “This Ay Nicht” from Salva Nos)

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Planetary: Leaving the 20th Century (Vol. 3) (Wildstorm) [5/5/3/4] (collects #13-18)
w. Warren Ellis; a. John Cassaday 

Ellis’ tale of cross-genre wonders and conspiracy continues.  We learn therein more about John Snow, of his early training, about his early adventures with Planetary against the Four and the consequences that established his rediscovery at the beginning of the series.  We get tales wrapped up in Australian myth, Chinese martial arts, lost African cities and the English Lords who are adopted by them, and of a Vernean attempt to reach the moon a century ago.  As always, thrilling and intriguing and
just damned fine reads.  Planetary is always a “bottom of the stack” (saving the best for last) for me.

Power Girl (DC) [3/3/4/1] (collects Showcase #97-99, Secret Origins #11, JSA #32, 39, JSA Classified #1-4)
w. various; a. various

Power Girl was originally the Earth 2 version of Supergirl, but DC’s desire to retain the character while getting rid of the whole Earth 2 thang meant that her origin’s been tweaked and changed so many times since that it’s not surprising they tell stories about her being confused at to what her powers and lineage are. 

This volume gives some of the key tales in the PG canon — her original 70s solo stories in DC Showcase where she was a Kryptonian refugee; her 1987 stories where she abruptly became the grandchild of Atlantean sorcerer Arion, moved to the present to escape his evil brother; and the 2006 tales that very self-referentially incorporated all those suggestions and many more plausible ones … and eventually led to the final (?) truth in the Infinite Crisis series, making her once again the last survivor of Earth
2 from before the Crisis. Until another writer gets a burr up his butt about her.

One can’t talk about PG without noting that she’s consistently drawn with huge assets besides her muscles.  That’s always been the case, though it’s not clear when it became a matter for humor and fan-boy panting.  I will say that, bust size aside, I very much like the physical appearance of the character — her costume is basic, simple, yet dynamic, and she and her appearance is the (ultimate) basis for my CoH character Eliza Dee.

Powers: Psychotic (Vol. 9) (Icon) [5/3/3/3] (collects Vol. 2 #7-12)
w. Brian Bendis; a. Michael Oeming

This book continue to evolve.  In a world where Powers (superheroes) are now outlawed, only supervillains use their abilities — except for heroes who defy the ban, or people who blur the line between hero and villain.  In this volume we get someone who buys the powers of a retired hero; a cop whose capture and torture by a super-villain leads to some power suprises of its own; and a hero who not only crosses the line, but decides the line doesn’t really exist.

All through this, the emphasis (despite occasional gouts of gore) is not on the fisticuffs or the powers, but on the people and principles and emotions and what people talk about.  It’s part of what’s made this series so long-lasting and so well-regarded.

Queen & Country Declassified: Vol. 3 – Sons and Daughters (Oni) [4/3/4/4] (collects #1-3)
w. Anthony Johnston; a. Christopher Mitten

Though Greg Rucka only serves as a consultant on the series, this tale, part of the background of Minder Nicholas Poole, focuses on “the Troubles,” the violence in Northern Ireland, and Poole’s time in the SAS.  It’s occasionally as muddled a mess as the Northern Ireland situation itself, but the tale is still tense and exciting, as conflict across generations, political idealism, and duty surmounting orders leads to a spiffy climax.

Not as good as one of the normal Q&C tales, but solid entertainment nonetheless.

(listening to: Knox, Buddy, “Party Doll” from Best of the Boppin 50’s) 
(listening to: Death In Vegas, “Song for Penny” from Lost In Space – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(listening to: McKennitt, Loreena, “Come by the Hills” from Elemental)
(listening to: Baez, Joan, “No Expectations” from Joan Baez – The First 10 Years)

(listening to: Pet Shop Boys, “This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave” from Behavior)
(listening to: Isaak, Chris, “Forever Blue” from Forever Blue)

(listening to: Sting, “The wild wild sea” from The Soul Cages)

Took a moment to close extra Firefox tabs, close and open the browser, and close and open ecto.  Get some nice, cool breezes blowing through my computer’s RAM.  Helped a lot.

And back on the TPB  bus, just to keep things moving.

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Nodwick Chronicles: Tour of Doodie (Vol. 5) (Dorkstorm) [4/4/3/4] (collects #25-30)
w/a. Aaron Williams

Typical D&D-style jollity with Nodwick & Co.  If you like humorous fantasy of a gaming bent, you’ll enjoy it (and probably already do). 

In this volume, the Clerics in Black explain to Piffany why her companions have been erased from Reality; the party protects a critical weapons cache supposedly stored in safety in an inaccessible mountaintop monastary; all the henchmen are vanishing, and when will Nodwick may be next; the reason why people are so dumb compared to the gods is examined, with object lessons of what happens when they’re not; Nodick and Co. have to go on the Game Grid, when bits are being solen from the universe’s resolution; and
the comparative advantages and disadvantages owning a dragon are determined.

Williams’ art varies in quality oddly between installments, as though he’s either experimenting with styles or else has varying access to different tools.  But despite the constraints of the genre, he actually manages fairly sophisticated renditions, not to mention stories, even if they have the standard slapstick. 

Penny Arcade: Attack of the Bacon Robots (Vol. 1) (Dark Horse) [4/3/4/4] 
Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik 

In many ways, the same as Nodwick — geeky genre jokes (though the genre here is mostly computer gaming) — and in more ways the opposite (foul humor, non-sequitur humor, mean-spirited humor).  Still, ton o’ chuckles amid the head-scratching and the rolled eyes.  This volume includes all the installments of this web comic from 1998-2000, and as with all such efforts, the story-telling and graphics are a work in progress.  Those who like computer games, or Penny Arcade, will enjoy this volume. 
The rest will probably quickly throw it away before your child or parent see it.

(listening to: Stevens, Leith, “Toss Me a Scalpel” from Crime Jazz (Music in The Second Degree))
(listening to: McKennitt, Loreena, “Between the Shadows” from Visit, The)
(listening to: Briggs, E. Power, Gregg Smith Singers, Edward Tarr Brass, “Beata es, virgo Maria” from Gabrieli in San Marco)
(listening to: Giacchino, Michael and Tim Simonec, “The Glory Days” from Incredibles)
(listening to: “Stingray” from Television’s Greatest Hits – V)
(listening to: Motels, The, “Suddenly Last Summer” from Greatest Hits of the 80s)
(listening to: Symphonic Cast, “The Runaway Cart” from Les Misérables (Symphonic))
(listening to: Washington, Dinah , “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby” from Classic Jazz Cocktail Hour)

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Black Panther #18 (Marvel) [4/3/3/1] (w. Reginald Hudlin; a. Scot Eaton)

The wedding of T’challa and Ororo.  A fascinating mix of romance with mysticism, politics, pomp, partying, and plotline.  Amidst everything going on, Black Panther brings Iron Man and Cap together on neutral ground to at least have them at the wedding.  And the results are what one would expect …  Good stuff, and it will be interesting to see if the profound geopolitical impact of the wedding within this title translates at all to other titles.  Now that would
be cool …

Captain America #20 (Marvel) [3/4/1/2] (w. Ed Brubaker; a. Steve Epting)

Despite having followed along this series and despite the intro page “previously” text, this is still overly complicated.  Plots, counter-plots, parallel plots, and other such bits, as we have Cap and company vs. General Lukin (cum Red Skull) vs. Bucky / the Winter Soldier vs. Crossbones and Sin.  Who’s trying to assassinate whom, and why?  It’s a mess.

That said, there’s some nice characterization, and the artwork is appropriately murky.  If the book is too complicated for its own good, that’s a shame, and it would be nice to see a Captain America “Civil War” comic — but I’ve more or less enjoyed the grittier CA world of the last couple of years, so I’m willing to let it ride for a bit.

Castle Waiting #1 (Fantagraphics) [4/5/3/5] (w/a. Linda Medley)

Volume 2 of this series starts up back at the castle, picking right back up from the collection I reviewed earlier.  In many ways, it’s a settling-down volume, reintroducing the characters and the setting, but it’s also a large cast, and who’s behaving in what way why wouldn’t always be obvious to the first-time reader.  On the other hand, it’s a full 32 pages of beautiful drawings and story, with house
ads only inside the covers, so you definitely get your (hefty) money’s worth.  A fine place to start the book, if you’re willing to work at it a bit.  I certainly plan on reading it regularly from here on out.

Catwoman #57 (DC) [4/3/1/2] (w. Will Pfeifer; a. David Lopez / Alvaro Lopez)

Mid-story, we have the real Catwoman returning home to discover her secret identity — and her baby — have been discovered by a psychopath and his henchman.  Meanwhile, the woman Selina is training up to be her replacement is picking up pointers, even as her identity and association with the death of the Black Mask is also about to be blown.

This has been an interesting “One Year Later” reboot, as Selina tries to move on and is finding circumstances, and her own instincts, fighting against her better judgment.  Right now anyone new to the title would be completely confused, but I look forward to how the story arc resolves.

Checkmate #4 (DC) [4/4/1/2]  (w. Greg Rucka; a. Jesus Saiz)

If there’s one person who should be able to write well about espionage and the organizations behind it, it’s Greg Rucka.  He’s trying all the right things here, but the book isn’t big enough to hold metahuman/super-agent slugfests, character studies, international politics, and organizational politics.  Oh, and tie it all into what’s going on in the DCU.  Rucka can do any of this well, but not all at once.  Plus, the book has a cast of multiple dozens, and if you have to keep identifying by
little boxes who they are and what role they play in Checkmate, you’re in trouble.

That said, I’m sure going to stick with this book, at least until it gets canceled.

Civil War #3 (Marvel) [4/4/3/1] (w. Mark Millar; a. Steve McNiven)

Spidey unmasks.  T’challa turns down an offer to join Iron Man’s team.  As does Doctor Strange.  As do the X-Men — mostly.  The “rebels” make their plans, but get pulled into a major trap, which turns into a major slugfest — despite an attempt by IM to talk Cap into laying down arms (Cap still gets the sympathy vote for his reasoning).  And that slugfest in turn gets interrupted, and half of Cap’s team taken down by …

Well, as Stan Lee would say, “The most unexpected Guest Star of all!”

A bit less talky than previous issues, which is exactly what this series doesn’t need.  Big slugfests can be shown anywhere — this book should be hammering the issues involved.  After all, hero vs. hero is old hat, if you think about it (how does every superhero team-up start?). 

McNiven’s art is crisp and pretty, but also a bit static, which also argues against making this a big fight title.

(listening to: Lanchester, Elsa, “When a Lady Has a Piazza” from Sings Bawdy Cockney Songs)
(listening to: Arnold, David & David McAlmont, “Diamonds Are Forever” from Shaken And Stirred – The David Arnold James Bond Project)
(listening to: Beatles, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” from Blue Album 1967-1970)
(listening to: Tyler, Bonnie, “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” from Billboard Top Hits – 1983)
(listening to: Lauper, Cyndi, “He’s So Unusual” from She’s So Unusual)
(listening to: Fitzgerald, Ella, “You’re the Top (from Anything Goes, 1934)” from Sings The Cole Porter Song Book)
(listening to: Riepl, Kevin, “1938SF-mission” from Strike Force)
(listening to: Baez, Joan, “Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 – Aria” from 5)
(listening to: Hogwood & AAM, “Amen” (Handel) from Messiah)
(listening to: Jackson, Joe, “Prelude” from Heaven & Hell)
(listening to: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, “Roll The Stone Away” from Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. III)
(listening to: Hogwood & AAM, “Then Shall Be Brought to Pass / Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?” (Handel) from Messiah)
(listening to: Birmingham, “Sym No. 8 in F, Op. 83 – Allegro vivace” from Beethoven – Complete Symphonies – Vol. II)
(listening to: Peter, Paul & Mary, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” from Best of … – Ten Years Together)
(listening to: Symphonic Cast, “At The Barricade (Upon These Stones)” from Les Misérables (Symphonic))
(listening to: Mamas & the Papas, “Monday Monday” from Mamas & the Papas – 16 of Their Greatest Hits)

Back to the “monthlies.”

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3-4/4 (Marvel) [2/2/1/1] (w. Keith Giffen; a. Renato Arlem)

Annihilus has invaded the Positive Universe and is destroying plants and civilizations and bad stuff like that.  He’s also (by proxy) hunting down former heralds of Galactus, like the Silver Surfer.  Oh, and there are a couple of Galactus-class folks looking for the Big G, too.    Oh, and Thanos is here, too, making deals with anyone who will pretend to trust him.  And by the end of the third book, the Surfer is actively serving Galactus again.

Ho.  Hum.  Regardless of what’s going on here, I’m bored to tears.  The characters are uninteresting, posturing powerhouses, acting not particularly interestingly (or characteristically, in some cases).  I assume there’s some sort of follow-on event coming (there are also Annihilation tales featuring such highly popular characters as Nova, Ronin the Executioner, and the Super Skrull), but I have near-zero interest in it — especially if it features murky, sketchy art like this.

Anthem #3 (Heroic) [3/3/3/1] (w. Roy Thomas; a. Jorge Santamaria Garcia)

The Axis won WWII.  German super-planes pummelled the East Coast.  Japanese Giant Monsters took over the West.  And reborn into an Occupied America are seven heroes, super-soldiers with just hints of their memory, reawakened to beat back the Axis and free America.

Decent enough premise, and if the whole story is a set of Silver Age stereotypes, that’s the intent.  It’s just not all that intersting.  And the printing process used makes all the art unforgivably fuzzy.  On my drop list, I fear, for all I like Roy Thomas.

Astonishing X-Men #14-15 (Marvel) [4/5/2/2] (w. Joss Whedon; a. John Cassaday)

Emma shows her true colors (maybe), helping to disable the key X-members while the rest of the Hellfire Club invades — which, in #15, they do, and appear to do a very fine job of it thank-you-very-much — though there’s almost a sense that it’s partially a setup for the final panel, which still made me squeal like the fanboy I am.

Whedon and Cassaday just won an Eisner for this book, and it’s deserved.  Despite some timing problems, and some fuzzy interaction with main continuity, it shows the imagination and innovation of the Ellis/Quitely days, while still remaining true to what the series is about.  Triffic stuff.

Astro City: Samaritan #1 (Wildstorm) [4/4/4/2] (w. Kurt Busiek; a. Brent Anderson)

A one-shot special, focusing on Samaritan — well, kind of.  It’s actually more about the Infidel, Samaritan’s arch-foe, and the odd relationship the two of them share.  It’s well told, and interesting, and even though 90% of it is flashback, it’s still an active — well, battle and conflict aren’t quite the right words, but there’s an adversarial relationship going on there despite the pleasant social setting.  Nicely done, and if it’s not the most profound of tales, it’s still
a lot of fun.

Any sort of Astro City tale is welcome.  Wish they were more often …

Birds of Prey #95 (DC) [3/3/1/1] (w. Gail Simone; a. Joe Prado, Dick Giordano)

Conclusion of “Progeny,” as on the one side the BoP team, including the “Jade Canary” (Lady Shiva), tries to defeat master combatant Progeny, while Black Canary is in SE Asia busy going through the course of training that Lady Shiva has suggested.  It’s way too confusing for a newcomer, and it’s not clear to me it’s terribly well-based in the characters thereof (though it wraps up decently enough).  BoP’s an interesting title — a bit cheesecakey to be sure, but also a good showcase for a variety of
female heroes in the DCU. Hopefully it will improve after this oddly claustrophic and unpleasant arc.

And — that’s the half-way mark on the Blogathon! Fantastic!

(listening to: Baez, Joan, “Silkie” from Volume 2)
(listening to: Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence” from Wednesday Morning, 3 AM)
(listening to: “It Takes a Thief (arrangement A)” from www.mythemes.tv)
(listening to: Handel, “Concerto Grosso in F op 6,2 – Largo” from Treasury of Baroque)
(listening to: Cirque Du Soleil, “Fil De Fer” from Cirque Du Soleil)
(listening to: Nervous Norvus, “Transfusion” from Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary)
(listening to: Yankovic, Weird Al, “Smells Like Nirvana” from Off the Deep End)

Okay, enough blogging about unpleasant debates.  Let’s get back to those TPBs.

Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]

Mage: The Hero Defined (Image) [4/4/4/3]

w/a. Matt Wagner 

In my distant youth, I was convinced that the original Mage series, “The Hero Discovered,” from the mid-80s, was one of the greatest comics ever written.  I was so enamored of it that when this sequel series came up, I was disappointed in it precisely to the extent that it differed the original

Given the glowing paeans to the book on the back from Greg Rucka and Brian Bendis, I should have known my opinions would evolve.

Today, when I reread the first series, I’m still amazed by the raw power of the story and art, but I can see where it’s a very early, unpolished creation on Wagner’s part.  “The Hero Defined” takes the original to the next stage, and does it well.

Kevin Matchstick, revealed as the current avatar of the Pendragon, the King, continues his hunt of supernatural “nasties” around the world.  He’s been joined by Joe Phat, the Coyote, and for much of this series he also works with Kirby Hero, a strong-man who been set Twelve Labors by his Dad …  There are other avatars out there as well, of greater and lesser power — and there’s a dark force, too, gathering, drawing Kevin toward it, seeking vengeance for past wrongs.  And Kevin’s own personal
weaknesses will both lose him his allies and make him all the more tempting a target.

It’s really good stuff, very Campbellian in its way, full of magic and wonderment as well as sweat and blood and pain and people acting like jerks.  Heroes with feet of clay.

Triffic stuff.  And I await the planned third volume with eagerness.

The Ministry of Space (Image) [4/4/5/5] (collects #1-3)
w. Warren Ellis; a. Chris Weston

What if England had found the wherewithal to spearhead a space program that outstripped the Americans and Soviets.  How would the exploration of space, and the dynamics of world power today, be different?  That’s the story that Ellis tells here, and, typical with Ellis, it’s full of glorious flights of imagination, coupled with backgrounds of terrible secrets and hidden blood.

The series is not a story so much as an illustration, a biography of Sir John Dashwood, and what he did to make it happen, from the last days of WWII to the dawn of the new millennium.  As such, the story ends somewhat abruptly (and on a discordantly negative note, again not expectedly.

It’s a short read, being only three issues long (the third of which was long delayed), but any fan of Ellis will find this thought-provoking and … well, not enjoyable, but engaging.

New Avengers: Breakout (Vol. 1) (Marvel) [4/4/4/2] (collects #1-6)
w. Brian Bendis; a. David Finch

After Disassembling the Avengers, Bendis put together a new team of his and the fans favorites’ characters — Captain America, Iron Man, and oddball members Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Wolverine and Luke Cage.  The odd team worked, as this introduction showed, though there’s plenty of mystery, threat, and conspiracy to fill three books this size.  The scenery jumps from a massive breakout at Rykers, to the streets of New York, to the Forbidden Land, as the team slowly gels despite itself.

The irony, of course, is that within six months of this book coming out, Civil War has made it certain this particular group of Avengers will never join together again.  Not what Bendis had planned, certainly, but the churn is a bit disturbing.

Bendis, as always, is a master of dialog.  His action scenes are fine, but it’s just a joy watching him let people talking provide just as much characterization and dynamism as any sort of super-battle.  Finch’s art is crisply detailed and nicely realistic.  Anyone looking to build a new team book would do worse than examine this collection on how to get one jump-started.

(listening to: Silver Screen Orchestra & Singers, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” from Spirit of the West)
(listening to: McKennitt, Loreena, “All Souls Night” from Visit, The)

(listening to: Baez, Joan, “I Still Miss Someone” from 5)
(listening to: Horton, James, “Stairway Chase” from Fugitive, The)
(listening to: Giulini, A. & Mozart Festival Orch, “Piano Concerto No. 20 in D min K.466: Romanza” from Great Piano Moments)

(listening to: Springfield, Dusty, “The Windmills of Your Mind” from Dusty in Memphis)
(listening to: Lehrer, Tom, “The Folk Song Army” from That Was the Year That Was)
(listening to: Cash, Johnny, “Legend of John Henry’s Hammer” from Johnny Cash 16 Biggest Hits)