"BOCEPHEUS" |
"These reviews are based on the Sneak
Peek titles sent out by Marvel & Image (DC no longer sends them out). It's not
everything that's shipping for the week, but it is a real good cross-section of
this weeks releases. Check the bottom of the page (after you read my reviews)
for a link to some SNEAKY PEEKIES of future titles" |
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 BOOK
OF THE WEEK:
NEWUNVERSAL #1
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer: Warren Ellis, Artist: Salvador
Larroca
One of the new concepts created by former Marvel Editor In
Chief Jim Shooter was the New Universe. Like the Ultimate
Universe the heroes in the NU lived in their own world but
the formation of the NU was due to something called the
White Event. Earlier this year Marvel did a series of one
shots starring most of the heroes of the NU but here Warren
Ellis and Salvador Larroca have been given carte blanche to
take the busted toy and turn it into something that kids
will want to play with again. Here we will see all the
creations interact and the title will have no specific star.
Ellis sets the reset button as we observe that Justice has a
bullet in his head, Starbrand is stoned next to a beautiful
girl and others lead normal lives. As the aftereffect of the
arrival of a space ship (yes, he shows us what the White
Event was caused by) we are left wondering what the strange
symbol is seen near Ken Connell (Starbrand) and on his hand
while archaeologists uncover an ancient tomb. This version
of Justice is an earthbound version of the Spectre but the
change makes perfect sense and leads me to believe that he
could be the breakout star of the fledgling title. Larroca
has made another adjustment to his style and his art has
returned to the outright gorgeous status that it once was
before he began tinkering with it long ago. There are some
characters that we haven’t seen yet but I would expect to
see them shortly. I would also be willing to bet that
Kickers. Inc isn’t going to be one of them.
MSRP: $2.99,
1st DAY SALE Price: $1.79 (That's 40% OFF,
Wednesday Only!)
Alternate Reality Price: $2.54 (That's 15% OFF, All
This Week!) |
|
 DC
STORY REVIEW:
CROSSING MIDNIGHT #1
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer: Mike Carey, Artist: Jim Fern
I could have gone on and on why the last issue of Warlord
shipped this week but why beat the hell out of a horse that
was dead long before it left the stables. Instead I’ll look
at the first issue of Mike Carey’s new Vertigo title
Crossing Midnight. The new monthly is drawn by Jim Fern who
hasn’t the most dramatic of styles but with this title that
may not have worked anyway. The protagonists here are a
Japanese brother and sister, one normal and the other not so
much. Toshi, the sister was born eight minutes after her
brother at 12:07 AM and her life may be the result of a
prayer to an ancient god. We watch the two grow up in this
issue and see that she cannot be hurt and discover that she
has to pay a price for her life. That will be the content
that drives this series. Using Japan as a location will
allow Carey to have the title stand apart from most. It also
allows him to explore the Japanese culture and its ingrained
myths and horrors. The issue is well written as we should
expect and I can see steady if not spectacular sales for the
book.
MSRP: $2.99,
Alternate Reality Price: $2.54 (That's 15% OFF, All
This Week!) |
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MARVEL ROUND UP…Agents
of Atlas #5 (of 6) continues where we left off last issue when we learned that
one of the members of the team is working for who used to be the Yellow Claw.
Here we see the team fighting the inside person while at the same time we get
the full history of Venus in a selection of pages that probably took Leonard
Kirk a week to draw. The stuff we see here is absolutely beautiful and I have to
wonder why DC let Kirk go over to Marvel. Jeff Parker’s retro styled story is
one of the best of this year’s revivals…Spider-Man/Power Pack #2 (of 4) has more
fun for the kids to enjoy. Last issue Spidey was turned into a kid the same age
as the Power brood and in the conclusion he and the team take on Sandman after
Peter gets a new costume. The issue just breezes along…the Marvel Holiday
Special has inside its pages three new holiday related stories. The first is a
framing story surrounding a Christmas party being held by AIM that has two non
dumb costumed employees finding attraction. We get a Fin Fang Foom tale that
guest stars Doctor Strange sidekick Wong that has the dragon getting over a cold
and trying to be left alone. The Mikes, Carey and Perkins then give us a Xmas
tale that has Ben Grimm hanging around the Baxter Building and taking on
Annihilus. The last page is hilarious. We finish up by including a remembrance
from editor Ralph Macchio that shows us covers from Holiday Specials past…Beyond
#6 (of 6) finishes the successful limited series that got Dwayne McDuffie the
regular writing gig on Fantastic Four after JMS leaves to do Thor. The last
issue is narrated by the Watcher and he silently observes the aftermath of Henry
Pym taking out all his teammates in order to win the game. We see here who is
really behind all this and one of the team makes the ultimate sacrifice to help
his partners (you didn’t really think Henry would kill his teammates, did you?).
The last page tells us that the story we have read is over but something we
think is final may not be…Doctor Strange: The Oath #3 (of 5) reveals who the
villains are behind the attack on the good doctor and their identity comes out
of left field. It is many of the surprises Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin
spring on us during the issue. It’s as if they were magicians themselves since
they show us one thing then pop another out on us to keep us entertained as we
read. The limited series up to this point has been very well done but even with
that we see that Doc is best in small doses and has no real need for an ongoing
title. He hasn’t been able to sustain one before and I think Marvel may have
finally figured that out…Incredible Hulk #101 moves us closer to the end of the
Greg Pak mega storyline and the beginning of World War Hulk. We discover here
that the Hulk isn’t who everyone on the planet thought he was but learn how he
got there. The art is a mix between Carlo Pagulayan and Gary Frank. The mix is
smooth and not distracting even though the two do have different styles. We get
an idea how the Hulk is going to get back to Earth right before the Emperor
arrives to take his revenge all gussied up in a flame throwing power suit. This
arc seems to be barreling quickly to its conclusion and some major fights which
is interesting because we have gotten some great battle sequences already…New
Excalibur #14 has the Juggernaut make his way back to Korea where he will arrive
at the Temple of Cyttorak to regain what he has lost. His teammates are
following him and Frank Tieri uses this to show that the team has unresolved
issues that may serve to change the membership at some point. Of course, Cain
Marko’s inner voice is talking to him to remind him of what he once was but the
issue ends with a huge surprise that actually makes perfect sense. Tieri is
filling in for the once ailing Chris Claremont but his run on this new title has
been pretty cool…Stan Lee Meets Silver Surfer has tales from Stan and Mike
Wieringo then Paul Jenkins and Mark Buckingham. Stan pokes fun at the fact that
when he wrote the Surfer he spouted speeches that were at the time different but
could be considered annoying to some. Galactus is the one who plucks Stan out of
his office to see what he can do with the Surfer and his preaching but it
doesn’t work in a funny story. The Jenkins/Buckingham story shows how Jenkins
was inspired by Stan’s work and it gives Buckingham a chance to draw a lot of
Marvel characters including the Sentry. The two page tale here is from Indy
creator Jacob Chabot and has the Marvel villains crash one of Stan’s parties.
The classic story included is from Silver Surfer #14, Volume 1…Uncanny X-Men
#481 has a few surprises but actually serves to move the epic along. We see what
is happening with Professor X (and his former girlfriend) while the team gets
ready to take on the entire Shi’ar Empire. Most of the issue fills in character
development and tells us more about Korvus’ history while teasing the arrival of
the Starjammers next issue.
IMAGE ROUND UP…
The terribly delayed Night Club #4 arrives on the racks this week and if you
have forgotten what the book was about then join the rest of the world, The Mike
Baron written limited series involves a ragged group of folks invited to a party
held by the Devil in disguise. When we start here the President is declaring
martial law (the Devil wants to take over the world thru him) and the Club is
trying to stop this even though they are trapped in the underworld. Naturally
everything ends well but the limited series killed itself with lateness so I
wonder who cares other than Baron’s immediate family…The Nightly News #2
continues the unique looking tile from Jonathan Hickman. In this offering we see
our cover boy, Jones at trial for killing Allen Kite, who we met last issue. The
story here is incredibly dense and when reading the book you have to pay
complete attention to it or you will miss something, I had to read it a few
times just to see if I knew what was going on. The book is daring and different
so let’s see how long Image is willing to play this before folding their hand
and waiting for someone to make it into a TV show…Cross Bronx #4 (of 4)
completes its run this week. Detective Aponte continues to follow the trail of
bodies left by the spirit of the comatose girl Marta even though he doesn’t
exactly understand how she is getting revenge. We do get a resolution here to
the story but there is room for another tale if the creative team is willing to
bring back Aponte…Invincible #37 juggles a number of stories within the pages
which range from Robot going to the movies, Mark saving the day and getting a
lecture about his attendance, jealousy and a job offer to a villain along with
the usual short fun Capes story…The Walking Dead #33 continues where we left off
last issue with Michone confronting the Governor before escaping the prison. If
you are squeamish about violence then you need to pass this offering by because
she tortures him in ways that you wouldn’t believe. The whole issue is a gut
punch from start to finish but wraps everything up to lead us back in the world
and on the run…Meltdown #1 (of 2) is an oversized limited series that actually
comes off as something you would expect from DC. The issue begins prior to the
death of our hero, Cal. We then go to his confrontation with the villain
Maelstrom before getting Cal’s history. We see that he has had powers since
birth (imagine the Human Torch on crack) and see that his powers are growing at
a rate that will kill him in less than a week. Writer David Schwartz and artist
Sean Wang show his life before, during and possibly at the end of it before we
are left at the place we started at. I was impressed with what I read here even
with the high price.
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"See, I told you I'd be
down here. We've got a bunch of SNEAKY PEEKIES of future
MARVEL, DC and IMAGE titles right
HERE" |
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All
Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2006
by their respective owners. No rights given or implied
by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2006 Alternate Reality, Inc. |
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