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PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #7 |
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Writer:
Jim Kreuger
Artist:
Edgar Salazar |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dynamite
Comics
Shipped On:
022410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DYNAMITE'S SYNOPSIS:
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The Inheritors have fled the battle with the Superpowers and taken the Super
Mysterymen back to Swisslakia to educate the state sponsored heroes in their
version of the events. Meanwhile, The Big Shots work on their plan to capture
Zeus while other members of the team confront Captain Future in a battle that
will change all of their lives - and the world - forever! PLUS: The origin of
The Face by Ross, Klauba and Kruger! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Behold, ladies and gentlemen, young and old alike, the “Alex Ross Golden Age
Circle Jerk Extravaganza!” or, “Project Superpowers: Chapter 2: Meet the Bad
Guys” (which is the least imaginative subtitle in the history of unimaginative
subtitles). This is like the “Lost” of comic books, because if you miss any
issues, like the first six or so, you can’t really figure out which way is up,
or why in the hell you should even care. There’s a certain cheese-factor that
can really bog a book like this down, and in my opinion, the brakes were put on
hard and fast from the very beginning.
Man-Cat is a guy in mask with a cape, a long-sleeved shirt and speedos, and the
cutest little ankle booties, like some sort of crime-fighting elf. His
girlfriend, Kitten, looks like Deflator-Mouse, from “The Tick”. There’s a bevy
of other morons-in-masks with names such as Pyroman, and the Flame (and Flame
Girl), and Truth and Dare, and really it’s like a bad Mega-Man game. The story
is so convoluted, with the focus spread too thin over too many concurrent story
lines; I’m not sure who’s allied with whom against what, or why?
The art is competent, if not a little flat in some parts. I think Salazar did
the best he could with what he was given, but overall everything just fell flat.
His style is handled well, and while his characters’ anatomy leaves something to
be desired in group shots, what with everyone coming off all stiff and such, the
few brief moments of action are dynamic enough. I have to mention that Black Owl
has the worst costume I’ve ever seen. If his name is Black Owl, maybe the
costume should have some black on it, just a little, ya’think? If his name was
Blue and Red with Some Polka Dots Owl, well then his outfit would be a perfect
fit.
I’ve read a glut of these golden-age throw back comics over the last year or so,
and while I’m not sold on Alex Ross’ take on the era in the slightest (not even
a little bit), I have to say that when handled without kid-gloves, ala Ed
Brubaker at Marvel as I write this, the end result is something worth reading
and not worth laughing at. These are respectable concepts, but when treated like
some sort of Saturday morning cartoon show the camp factor gets kicked up to
TEN. Groan-inducing dialogue aside, I can’t see the appeal of the strict
adherence to Ross’ ‘vision’…unless this has all been one big spoof, and Leslie
Nielsen walks out at the end and lets everyone know they’ve been had. |
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LOGAN'S RUN #1
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Writer:
Paul J. Salamoff
Artist:
Daniel Gete |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
BlueWater
Comics
Shipped On:
021710
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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BLUEWATER'S SYNOPSIS:
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Logan has been trained to kill; born and bred from conception to be the best of
the best, but his time is short, he's nearing the end of his life. Age 21, when
every citizen reports for Deep Sleep. But before his life ends he's got one
final mission: Find and destroy Sanctuary, a fabled haven for those that chose
to defy the system. William F. Nolan's masterpiece of dystopian future once
again races into the 23rd Century with this all-new adaptation of Logan's Run. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Okay, forget everything I’ve ever said about Bluewater Comics, for just a
minute. I know, it’s hard, even for me. Okay, so imagine I never said that they
publish rubbish with an eye on a fast buck, targeting non-fans with their
crap-rags about people that don’t really need anymore freaking press. Okay, you
forgot I ever said that, right? Okay, here goes nothing; “Logan’s Run: Last Day”
is a surprisingly engaging story that is well written and well illustrated, and
at no point did Darren Davis show up attempting to defend his Snake-Oil
Salesman-like reputation for producing garbage-like comics.
It’s probably because this was a licensed-product, and everyone knows you can’t
just go doing whatever-the-hell you want with someone else’s intellectual
property, or maybe it’s because the writer/artist team is relatively new, but
this was a good book, and I’m glad I gave it a chance. The press release
announcing this title was dated May 2009, and in it Salamoff is touted as a
Hollywood Screenwriter, but his IMDB.com page has him primarily listed as an
uncredited effects-coordinator on a number of films, nevertheless he does a
great job reintroducing Logan, and the wacky world in which he lives, to a whole
new generation of sci-fi fans.
It would seem that population control is all the rage these days, and in
“Logan’s Run” you only get enjoy life to the ripe, old age of 21, before you’re
forced to enter ‘deep sleep’…man, that sucks. What follows is a disturbing tale
of a man whose job it is to catch the people ‘running’ from their cultural
responsibility. Because their lives are lived so quickly, everyone is fit and
beautiful, and vain, and ultimately naïve. There are some great scenes with
Logan, as a young boy, chasing down his first runner, and shooting her coldly,
simply because it’s his job. This is leading up to the inevitable conclusion
that Logan-6 himself will be the runner, on the opposite end of his pal’s gun
sights. The rumors of the supposed ‘sanctuary’ where no one is forced to end
their lives, but rather live them out as long as naturally possible, seem to be
to intriguing to the young hunter, and of course, they have to live up to the
title.
Daniel Gete’s art is sparse, but it certainly fits the dystopian future setting,
where everyone is reared by machines, and raised by machines, thus developing
cold, machine-like personalities. His line-work is clean, and flows smoothly;
his action is fast-paced, while still conveying the story quite well. I even
think he inks his own stuff, and if that’s the case then I have to say he does
it quite well. Joe Baker’s coloring isn’t the most-inspired work I’ve ever seen,
but it also fits with the setting, or at least seems to in my opinion.
Overall, while not completely redeeming Bluewater Comics in this reader’s eyes,
“Logan’s Run: Last Day” goes pretty far towards establishing them as a
competitive publisher with an eye for REAL comic fans, as opposed to the media-saavy,
trend-hopping, snakes in the grass that I’ve taken them for all along. But
whatever, I’m sure that will all change one I get my hands on their Lady Gaga
bio (first in the “Fame” series!!!! *puke*), or even, dare I say it, Jesus
Christ biography (isn’t that what the Bible is?), but for now I’ll leave them
be. |
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DEVIL #1
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Writer/Artisr:
Torajiro Kishi and Madhouse Studios |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dark Horse
Comics
Shipped On:
022410
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MSRP:
$3.50 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DARK HORSE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Manga artist Torajiro Kishi (Maka-Maka) and blockbuster anime studio Madhouse (Trigun,
Paprika, Ninja Scroll) love comics. So much so that they've decided to publish
an original, Western-style comic exclusively with Dark Horse! Enter Devil, a
thrilling, sci-fi take on the vampire genre. A virus is raging across the
planet, turning people into bloodsucking super humans referred to as "Devils."
Most victims die within days, sometimes months, but there's a new strain, a new
class of Devil that threatens to overtake mankind with power and bloodthirst.
This new class of Devils derive from an experiment to clone a virus victim, and
it looks like science has created a true monster this time. Can Takimoto and the
Devil Investigation Section of the Tokyo police force stop this societal
scourge? We'll just have to see.. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Manga comics…eh. In what amounts to a super-zombie-minus-the-whole-undead-angle
tale, Dark Horse dives back into the murky water that is the Adapted-Manga
Cesspool of Despair; can you tell I’m a fan?
Devils are the poor, unfortunate souls who happen to be infected by the Serious
Injury Chronic Bloodsucker Syndrome, or SCBS, which makes it sound considerably
less lame. IF you’re a Devil, then you might have the further misfortune to
cross paths with Investigator Takimoto, nicknamed “Punisher” or “Ramen Head”,
depending on who you ask. Takimoto has a run-in with a superior officer with
less time in the field, and her naiveté sends them into a confrontation with an
‘S-class infected’ which is a pseudo-science term for super-zombie.
The action and confrontation between the police and the infected is pretty
run-of-the-mill for a Manga. I have a feeling an animated project would suit
this story better visually, conveying the motion and flow without a hitch,
whereas this seems sketchy and unclear. One scene in particular stands out, a
rape scene, which if not discussed later by the main characters, would never
have been taken for a rape scene at all. That’s not to say that I need more
raping in my comics, and more graphic portrayals of said raping, but if it’s
done for the sake of the story then it should at least be made clear what the
hell is going on.
Mr. Kishi as an artist is far superior to Mr. Kishi as a writer. His dialogue is
flat and unimaginative, and that causes the characters to come off as boring and
uninteresting. Super-Zombies aren’t really my cup of tea, and this doesn’t give
me any reason to reconsider my opinion on the subject. Like I said, it feels
like comics are the wrong medium, but that’s how I feel about a majority of
Manga anyway. |
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DMZ #50
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Writer:
Brian Wood
Artists:
Riccardo Burchielli, Ryan Kelly, Rebekah Isaacs, Fábio Moon & others |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC/Vertigo
Comics
Shipped On:
021010
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC/VERTIGO'S SYNOPSIS:
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Celebrate 50 issues of DMZ with "Notes from the Underground," an oversized
collection of short stories gathered by stranded rookie journalist Matty Roth on
location in the heart of America's Second Civil War. Featuring art from talent
spanning the entire industry including Ryan Kelly (Local) Fábio Moon (B.P.R.D.,
DAYTRIPPER), JP Leon (STATIC) and more! This is a must-not-miss celebration of a
pivotal Vertigo series. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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More often than not, when it comes to anniversary issues, there’s a whole lot of
filler, and not a whole lot of substance. With the latest issue of Brian Wood’s
“DMZ” you get the perfect blend of engaging story, phenomenal artwork from some
of the top names in the industry, and just a bit of filler, which actually works
really well in terms of acquainting those who may be unfamiliar with world this
story is set in. I can hardly believe that it’s been four years since I picked
up the first issue, and even though the ride has been as bumpy as a shelled
thoroughfare running through the De-Militarized Zone for which the story is
named, I can honestly say that I’ve never allowed myself to become as fully
immersed in a comic as I have in this title.
The series of shorts you’ll find in the fiftieth issue is a lot like a mosaic,
which helps create a bigger picture for those who’ve never dared tread the
streets of an America in the midst of a second, and much more devastating, Civil
War. Don’t get me wrong, the issue isn’t exclusively for new readers, because
that would be silly. Those of us who’ve stuck with embedded reporter, Matty
Roth, through all of the hardship he’s endured are sure to find a few character
beats interesting, such as his swift dealing with a businessman hoping to
exploit the DMZ’s need for communication, or the fist meeting he’s had with the
leader of the Free States of America.
While Matty may be, in most opinions, the most recognizable character of the
series, one can’t forget that the series is named for, what could be considered,
a character all on its own, the DMZ. Brian Wood is a master of his domain; his
setting comes alive through the plethora of unwashed faces of cautious citizens,
tired, scared, and yet through it all, surviving. Characters like Matty’s
on-again-off-again girlfriend - Zee, President of the DMZ - Parco Delgado,
Wilson (Godfather of Chinatown), the graffiti artist Decade Later, and plenty
others lend a face to the decrepit, dilapidated, and somewhat doomed city of
Manhattan.
A great deal of the credit should go to co-creator, Riccardo Burchielli, whose
distinct style brought a certain kind of flavor to Wood’s work, without which
I’m afraid would have flown under the general public’s radar. In this issue, not
only are readers treated to more of Burchielli’s incredible artistry, sans color
this time, but also that of John Paul Leon, Lee Bermejo, Phillip Bond, Ryan
Kelly, Rebekah Isaacs, Eduardo Risso, Fabio Moon, and legends Jim Lee, and Dave
Gibbons. Yeah, that would be Dave Gibbons of “Watchmen” fame; jump on it. |
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CAPTAIN SWING #1 (OF 4)
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Writer:
Warren Ellis
Artist:
Raulo Caceres |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Avatar
Comics
Shipped On:
022410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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AVATAR'S SYNOPSIS:
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From the sparking-mad mind of Warren Ellis, the creator of AETHERIC MECHANICS
and DOKTOR SLEEPLESS, comes an electrical romance of a pirate utopia thwarted:
CAPTAIN SWING & THE ELECTRICAL PIRATES OF CINDERY ISLAND. This crackling new
mini-series is illustrated in Raulo Caceres' stunning woodcut style, and
presented in full color. London, 1830: newly-minted copper Charlie Gravel keeps
seeing things he's not supposed to. A crooked Bow Street Runner with a flintlock
revolver, flying things that are not supposed to fly, and the violent Scientific
Phantasmagoria that is christened Spring-Heeled Jack, but is known by other
names. It is the time of Captain Swing and his Electrical Pirates, and history
will never be the same. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Warren Ellis is in prime form with his latest offering from Avatar Press,
“Captain Swing”; taking readers to London in the year 1830, and giving us a
glance at the newly formed Metropolitan Police force. In typical Ellis fashion
there’s a very early offering of blood and gore, leading directly to a swift
confrontation with the title character, then takes off, literally, in a whole
different and unexpected direction. I’m not sure what to think about the book,
as there isn’t much substance to hold on to just yet; it’s part steampunk
science fiction, and part police procedural, and seeing as how I’m big on both
of those genres, it hit quite a few notes that will bring me back for more.
There’re a few pages of prose, explaining a bit, here and there, as the story
moves forward, and it’s only fair to admit that without the pages I would have
been completely lost. It’s a story set in London, written by a Brit, so there
was some questions I had to the effect of ‘What the hell are these limeys
talking about?!”, and thankfully, Ellis must have expected us Yanks to lose a
little in translation, so he backed himself up, and spelled it out for us. I
liked the brief references to the history of the story; whether or not it’s
based on real British history is another matter entirely, a matter that I’m
really not too concerned with, as it didn’t affect my enjoyment in the
slightest.
I’m an avid fan of Ellis’ Avatar work, and appreciate the publisher’s
willingness to allow complete creative freedom to their writers and artists. A
little while ago I began to notice a similarity in artistic style running
throughout the titles, and I’m pleased to say that I’ve finally been able to
attribute the Avatar ‘house style’ to the consistent use of colorist Digikore
(“Absolution”, “Ignition City”, “No Hero”). I find it interesting that the
publisher has chosen this route, as opposed to offering a wider variety of looks
to their titles, but I imagine it’s more ‘cost effective’ to buy in bulk, no? |
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SUPERGIRL #50
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Writers:
Sterling Gates, Helen Slater & Jake Black
Artists:
Jamal Igle, Jon Sibal & Fernando Dagnino |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
021710
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MSRP:
$4.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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Special celebratory 50th issue! Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle reunite to tell an
epic, oversized battle royale between the Girl of Steel and a mysterious,
diabolical new foe! Still reeling from last issue's harrowing events, Supergirl
is put to the test when she uncovers a terrible secret about her friend and
confidant, Lana Lang.
Plus! A look into a day in the life of the Girl of Steel written by Jake Black
and Supergirl herself, actress Helen Slater! Featuring a cover by the man who
redefined Supergirl for the 21st century, Michael Turner, SUPERGIRL #50 is an
extra-sized extravaganza you won't want to miss! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Death and rebirth is a pretty constant theme in funny books, and it always has
been. “Supergirl” #50, by Gates and Igle take that to a whole new level,
resurrecting at least three characters that haven’t been dead more than two, or
three, months, which in comic-time is like…a day. This super-sized anniversary
issue features a main story, as well as a special, back-up piece, written by
Supergirl herself, actress Helen Slater. If you’re not a Supergirl fan, then the
book isn’t going to light your world on fire, but it is a solid read. Sterling
Gates has really stamped his name on the legacy of this character, making her
one of the more interesting characters of the Super-family, and I’m interested
to see what will happen after “War of the Supermen”, or whatever the heck
they’re going to call the next big event.
So Superwoman, Lucy Lane, died, but don’t worry, because she’s back, and this
time she may actually be in possession of the powers that originally only came
from the alien suit she was wearing, whoopee! Then there’s Supergirl, who also
died, and who also is back from the dead, but because she’s entombed in amber
like some sort of prehistoric mosquito it’s up to Gangbuster to break her out.
Who’s Gangbuster, you may be asking yourself, and that’s not a surprise because
he hasn’t gotten a whole lot of play since his debut in the ‘80s, but I assure
you, he’s a big bowl of awesome with a cherry on top, and quickly one of my new
favorite characters.
There’re some bugs that have begun to take over Metropolis at an alarmingly fast
pace, led by the insect queen, who’s possessing the body of Lana Lang, whom at
one point was also dead, takes the cake as far as the issue’s theme of
Death/Rebirth is concerned. There’s some fighting, some yelling, and some stuff
blows up, and the day is, as usual, saved by the good guys, and Lana Lang is
returned to her original self, but is her relationship with Supergirl ever going
to be the same? While all of that stuff is going on, General Lane and his
daughter, Major Lucy Lane, come to learn more about the transformation that her
body has undergone. Apparently it’s all magic. Oh joy.
The back up by Helen Slater and Jake Black is a love story to the character,
much in the way of Stan Lee’s piece in ‘Amazing’ #600. It’s a brief rundown of
the history of the newest incarnation of the classic character. The art is
handled masterfully by Cliff Chiang; I’d like to see more from him and his
super-clean line work. It’s interesting that they’d bring Helen Slater, who
starred as Supergirl in the 1984 feature film, as opposed to a creator known for
having experience with the character. I don’t mind the decision either way, but
I did find it interesting. Overall, I think she handled the task well, for a
fluff piece. |
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DEADPOOL #19 |
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Writer:
Daniel Way
Artist:
Carlo Barberi |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
021710
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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"WHATEVER A SPIDER CAN," PART 1. The X-Men? Pfft! Not really Deadpool's style.
Though he's still committed to doing this "hero" thing, Wade's more of a "lone
wolf" kinda guy, out there doing his own thing. Y'know...thwp-thwp. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I’m not a fan of Deadpool. I’m just, not. I just wanted to get that out of the
way so that it’s a bit more effective when I confess to really enjoying this
issue. No, Daniel Way doesn’t write a more endearing Deadpool than I’m used to.
His Deadpool is pretty much the text-book definition of the character as laid
out by Joe Kelly, back when he had his shot at the character, pun intended. The
thing about this issue that works so well for me is Spider-Man, oh, and Hit-Man
Monkey, er, Hit Monkey. God, I love that bloodthirsty primate.
All of a sudden Deadpool is in the mood to be a hero. He tried joining the
X-Men, and it suffices to say, it didn’t work out. Now, Wade has made his
way…try saying that three times fast…to the island of Manhattan, where a certain
friendly, neighborhood, wall-crawler calls home, but D-Pool doesn’t know how to
get Spidey’s attention. How’s about murdering a bunch of crooked convenience
store owners? Okay, so that’s not what happens, but it’s the “Three’s
Company”-like misunderstanding that gets the ball rolling in this
sure-to-be-classic team-up, as the ‘Merc With a Mouth’ tries to sell Spider-Man
on a long-rumored monkey-assassin visiting New York City, causing all of the
violence.
Yes, folks, Hit-Monkey is back with a mother-f*cking vengeance. He’s cool, he’s
deadly, he’s only three-feet-tall! He’s Hit-Monkey, and despite the internet
nearly cracking in half in response to the character’s debut last week (in his
very own one-shot, no less), I think the guy is solid gold! I don’t really give
a $#!t about what YOU think is cool; HA...2010 is the year of the Hit-Monkey,
you plebes! Bow down and prepare to feast upon the fleas and ticks that leap in
fear from his back-side! Now, if only Deadpool could convince Spider-Man that
the Hit-Monkey is actually a threat, then maybe the rest of the world will start
taking him seriously as well.
While I don’t really care for Carlo Barberi’s art, in fact I find his
interpretations of non-costumed people to be monotonous; I think he manages to
draw the best Deadpool this side of Ed McGuinness. There’s a lot to be said for
a guy who can take a character whose face is completely masked, and make him
expressive and appealing, but manage to retain the aggressive and gruff
exterior. It’s a thin line to walk, and when he’s not drawing characters without
masks, he does it quite well. |
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DOOMWAR #1 |
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Writer:
Jonathan Maberry
Artist:
Scot Eaton |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
021710
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Wakanda has been conquered, its Vibranium reserves plundered. Storm faces
execution in the next 48 hours. And Dr. Doom stands triumphant. It will take the
combined forces of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the two Black Panthers to
stand against him. A war has begun that will pit the world's most relentless
super-villain against a collection of the world's most powerful super heroes --
one that will span the globe, offering twists and turns and surprise players
(hello, Deadpool!) that neither side will see coming. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Okay, so I wasn’t expecting much from the ‘other event’ that Marvel decided to
try and cram all their other top-tier characters into while Bendis and the
Avengers are playing out the culmination of seven years worth of stories, but I
was extremely surprised by what came out of it. In order to fully grasp the
story as it plays out there is one important factor that you should become aware
of right away, there is a new Black Panther, and he has breasts. Oh, he’s a she;
that makes more sense.
Revolution breaks out in Wakanda, and a group known as the Desturi, or “The
Tradition”, stage a coup overthrowing King T’Challa, the former Black Panther,
his sister, the current Black Panther, and manages to capture the Queen, Storm
of the X-Men. The exiled leaders head to the newly christened mutant nation of
Utopia, seeking assistance from Storms other ‘family’ in a rescue mission.
Cyclops and T’Challa play politics, but in the end the mutants always protect
one of their own, and a few choice members take it upon themselves to join the
party.
While all of this is going on Dr. Doom is making a play Wakanda’s vibranium
supply, an element that when altered magically can be the most deadly substance
in the wrong hands, and Doom’s hands are most certainly ‘the wrong hands’. There
is some really cool dialogue between Doom and Storm, as he needs her assistance
in plundering her adopted nation, but other than that there aren’t very many of
the other characters billed as co-stars of this tale. No Fantastic Four and no
Deadpool (which probably ain’t a bad thing!) but I’m sure they’re going to find
their way into the action in the next issue or two.
Scot Eaton, sir, my hat is off to you. I think that this is one of the most
incredible looking books I’ve been privy to, and it really elevates the story to
a whole new level. And scribe Andy Lanning lends a hand co-inking the issue,
which surprised the crap out of me. Jonathan Maberry is creating a very real
situation that, while Bendis and the Avengers are off in a different sandbox,
needs to be addressed, making this title feel less like the ‘back-up event’ and
more like a really cool story. One that I’m glad I jumped on, as a matter of
fact. As long as the action stays as fast and as furious as it does in this
issue (and while there wasn’t much, the effect of what little there actually was
pretty impressive) I’m going to be riding this one out for the long haul. |
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SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ILLUSTRATED #1 |
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Writer:
Joe Brusha
Artist:
Claudio Sepulveda |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Zenescope Entertainment
Shipped On:
021010
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MSRP:
$4.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT'S SYNOPSIS:
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From the creators of Grimm Fairy Tales comes an all new series that blends
Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror in one provocative package. You get 48 pages
of story in this Giant Sized first issue titles "The Perfect Mate" - When a man
buys a sex robot thinking she will be the answer to all his dreams she really
turns out to be his worst nightmare. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is a book that I’m one-hundred-percent in favor of, in its concept, but I’m
afraid the book’s execution has me skeptical. Say what you want about art being
subjective; what I adore you may abhor, and of course, the other way around. I
have a problem with inconsistency on an artist’s part because it says to me, as
a fan, that they didn’t give enough of a $#!t in regard to their product to make
sure there was a uniform look and feel. That, my friends, is wherein the rub
lies, in terms of my stance on this book.
Joe Brusha writes a rather creepy story, utilizing a somewhat common
science-fiction plot device and adding a hint of psychological thriller. At its
core it’s a story about emotional abuse and abandonment, played out through the
relationship between a lonely guy and his over-priced, over-developed sex-toy.
At first, it was a dream come true; “Build-a-Broad”, as I came to call it,
offers guys the opportunity to create their perfect playmate down to every last
detail, pretty much guaranteeing the extinction of the human race in what I’m
sure would be a very short, but very awesome week.
I mean, can you imagine how many guys there are that would be chomping at the
bit for their chance to get a crack at one of these robot-sex-ladies? A woman,
built to your specifications, programmed to enjoy any and everything that you’re
into; she never wants to go shopping, or watch “Grey’s Anatomy”, and she cooks,
and cleans, and her libido never wears out; I have friends that wouldn’t ever
leave their houses again, given the chance.
The thing that most people don’t consider in an “ideal” situation like that is
people tend to need a little more than a never-ending-booty-buffet to keep
themselves interested in a person, or non-person; you know what I mean. That’s
exactly what happens here, after the thrill of non-stop sex and sandwiches wears
off, the main character realizes that he wants someone to not only copulate, but
communicate with. He finds this person, in the form of a co-worker whom at one
point dodged his advances, and a whirlwind romance ensues. That doesn’t sit too
well with his ‘sister’, which is how he creepily introduced the robo-bimbo to
his girlfriend; pretty soon there’s a bit of a rivalry for his attention, which
leads to a very dark turn for the story.
My problem is that Claudio Sepulveda’s pencils aren’t very good. He is another
in a long list of artists who would greatly benefit from the addition of an
outside inker, instead he either inks his own work, or the colorist works right
over the unfinished pencils. There’s a great deal of inconsistencies in the
female anatomy; at some points she’s tall and buxom, at others she’s thin and
lanky, and again even later she appears short and stumpy. I’m not into titty-comics
anyway, but if you’re going to do it, do it well, and don’t just one-cheek it in
an attempt to squeak by, especially after the killer Al Rios cover, which led me
to believe the art inside the book was going to be tolerable. |
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BROKEN TRINITY PANDORA'S BOX #1 (OF 6) |
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Writers:
Rob Levin & Bryan Edward Hill
Artist:
Alessandro Vitti |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Image/Top Cow Comics
Shipped On:
022410
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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IMAGE/TOP COW'S SYNOPSIS:
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The Road to ARTIFACTS Begins Here! Finn and Glori, the bearers of the Glacier
and Ember Stones, who were first introduced in Broken Trinity, return this month
in a pulse-pounding world-spanning adventure series. When a fanatic cult embarks
on a quest to remake the world with the mythical Pandora's Box, Finn and Glori's
individual goals of gathering the 13 Artifacts is kicked into overdrive. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I’m in love with Ron Marz’s concept for this series of series. In addition to
the Witchblade, the Darkness, and the Angelus, there are ten other artifacts
that are capable of providing each bearer with incredible powers; two of the ten
have been revealed as the Ember Stone and the Glacier Stone, and both of the
people in possession of these items are searching for the rest of the mystical
trinkets. Okay, that on its own is really awesome, but when you combine it with
the have-to-be-seen-to-be-believed pencils of Alessandro Vitti, well, it’s taken
to a completely different level.
Ron Marz started with “Broken Trinity”, which saw the return of the Witchblade
to Sara Pezzini leaving the Angelus in the hands of former Witchblade Danielle
Baptiste; during that three-issue mini-series he introduced ‘Finn’ and ‘Glori’,
both possessing an artifact of their own, each the opposite of the other,
serving as a balance but also introducing the idea of other empowered chotchkies
and the people that collect them.
What Levin and Hill are doing is exploring the dynamic between the two ‘polar’
(had to…) opposites, and hopefully adding a few dimensions to what, until now,
has felt like a rehashing of the Darkness/Angelus conflict. The character of
Glori, bearer of the Ember Stone, has been training her entire life for this
conflict; her goal of unifying the stones and ending the war between the two
bearers is either, a.) misguided or b.) doomed, but I can’t tell which. Finn is
a Northern Irish gun-runner, exiled to America, and then suddenly thrown into a
war with a woman he’s never met, over an ancient stone he has no understanding
of. As possessor of the Glacier Stone, Finn is seen as a force of destruction,
yet he doesn’t seem to be responding like the violent guy he’s made out to be.
Maybe he’s just misunderstood?
The Tommy Lee Jones cover was sweet, like, super-sweet, but I was afraid of the
old bait-and-switch routine. When I checked out the interior art I was surprised
by how clean all the line-work was, and immediately my apprehension was swayed.
Alessandro Vitti lays the smack-down on this book; making sure everyone is aware
of just how strong his pimp-hand is. Anime is a pretty apparent influence, but I
thought I saw some Michael Turner, Pete Woods, or even Steve McNiven in there
somewhere…never a bad thing.
I’ve been on a rant as of late in regard to artists (read: Pencillers) inking
their own work. Vitti, while a phenomenal talent, is another name I’m adding to
my $#!t-list for that very reason. I know I just explained how great he is, and
yadda, yadda, yadda, but I have to be honest, there’s nothing about his work
that wouldn’t be improved ten-fold if it passed through the hands of Dexter
Vines or Danny Miki before seeing the colorist. There’s a particular consistency
that inkers bring to a project that is often overlooked by the public by and
large, and that is a damn shame.
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CHASE VARIANT ONE SHOT IS ALL I NEED (ONE SHOT)
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Writer:
Rich Johnston Artists:
Saverio Tenuta and Bagwell |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Image
Comics
Shipped On:
021710
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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IMAGE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Comics industry gossip columnist, Doctor Who writer and creator of Watchmensch,
RICH JOHNSTON joins with 2000AD's BAGWELL and Heavy Metal's SAVERIO TENUTA for a
very different kind of comic. A balls-to-the-wall blockbuster action comic
starring the four-armed genetically altered assassin, Chase Variant, as she
tries to fulfill her missions while stopping rival governments from trying to
collect her for themeselves. But all the time her every action is predicted by a
very familiar card game being played by unknown assailants, challenging Chase's
belief in self-determinism. This is Michael Bay meets Rene Descartes, TOMB
RAIDER meets ANNIE HALL.
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Fans love comics, and that’s the reason why we’re fans. Some fans love comics so
much that they run out and start writing about them, reviewing them,
interviewing creators, trying to track down ‘industry rumors’ and other gossip
that they can then take back to cyberspace and share with others cut from the
same cloth. (*Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge*) Rich Johnston is just such a cat; his
website, Bleeding Cool, is somewhat popular amongst the throng of internet
dumping grounds devoted to the previously mentioned material. While that may not
be sufficient in qualifying him as a comic writer, he didn’t let that stop him,
and the end result is “Chase Variant”, an exercise in celebrating fandom in all
its many facets.
I get what he was TRYING to do, and on that level, to an extent, he succeeded,
but what Johnston failed at doing was capture my attention. It’s clear from the
cover that it’s a parody of many things about geekdom, the least of all being a
collectors obsession with a rarity, but right from page one I was taken out of
the story by the writer’s inclusion of a concurrent (framing?) storyline about
two people playing a game, very similar to “M:TG”, and from that storyline it
became immediately clear that Chase Variant and all the other characters that
peppered the landscape of her universe didn’t mean anything at all. Once I
realized that, I read the rest of the story with a detached clarity,
disconnected from the characters and what they were going through.
The art was great. I greatly prefer Saverio Tenuta to Bagwell, but considering
the majority of the title was illustrated by the latter rather than the former,
I quickly came to grips with the fact that Bagwell is a talented and capable
artist as well. The story is split into three segments, with Tenuta illustrating
the first, and Bagwell, the second and third; somewhere between segments two and
three Bagwell switched up his style, almost to a manga take on Chase Variant,
and her life-as-a-card-game. I don’t know if the artwork alone is enough to make
me suggest the title, but they are a couple of guys to watch out for in the
future.
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HUMAN TARGET #1 (of 6)
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Writers:
Len Wein and Peter Johnson Artists:
Bruno Redondo and Chris Sprouse |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
021010
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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On the heels of the highly anticipated Human Target Fox television series comes
a brand-new adventure pitting Christopher Chance against the organized
crime...of the world! When he's tasked with protecting a highly placed informant
and collecting damaging evidence throughout Europe, every assassin and goon from
Paris to Prague will be gunning for the Human Target!
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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“Now a hit TV series on FOX” is what it says atop the logo, and while there’s
something to be said for wishful thinking, I’m pretty sure they’re only about
three episodes in, and it’s anything but a hit. But whatever, that isn’t really
the point; I’m here to tell you what I think about “The Human Target” creator
Len Wein’s latest attempt at bringing his character into the mainstream, and
honestly, it ain’t off the mark.
Rick Springfield played a variation of the character on a short-lived T.V.
series in the 80’s. That doesn’t really have anything to do with this comic, or
anything else for that matter, I just thought it was an interesting tid-bit that
I’d throw out there and let you mull over for a minute (Thanks Bo!). Anyway, in
Wein’s latest installment Chris Chance, the Human Target, puts his reputation,
and life, on the line in order to assist a former mafia don gather evidence to
provide to authorities, to help shut down his criminal empire. This, of course,
doesn’t sit well with the other heartless murderers, and they set off to put the
old man out of their misery.
There’re a couple of things that I found interesting: For one, this Chance guy
really seems indifferent toward his enemies winding up dead. Within the first
three pages he shoots a couple guys and throws another off of the Eiffel Tower.
Second, if I’m correct, I could see the twist coming a mile away, THE DAUGHTER
IS IN ON IT. Not that that’s been established, but the foreshadowing seems
pretty thinly veiled. Other than that, I found both the story and the art to be
in tune with one another, and combined they presented a pretty clear picture of
who Chance is, and what he’s all about.
There’s a back-up story featuring the art of Misters Chris Sprouse and Karl
Story, easily one of my favorite art teams, and as such, I found that short
piece to be immensely enjoyable. It’s story is quite a bit more simple than the
main offering, but it gets the point across just as well, further establishing
Chance as a guy who risks everything, including his own neck, to dedicate
himself to his work. The bodyguard-for-hire thing has been done to death; I for
one am a fan of “Burn Notice” which is a lot like “The Human Target”, it’s
essentially the same kind of story. I think Wein is able to capture the action
and excitement that comes along with these kinds of tales and transition them
quite well into an awesome comic.
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X-MEN PIXIE STRIKES BACK #1 (of 4)
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Writer:
Kathryn Immonen Artist:
Sara Pichelli |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
021010
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Pixie, X-23, Armor, Mercury and Blindfold face a new kind of hell: high school!
Things get even worse when Pixie's mother shows up on Utopia demanding to see
her daughter. Discover the truth about Pixie, inculding the answer to something
even SHE doesn't know: the identity of her father- one of the most dangerous
X-Villains ever!
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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If anyone, anywhere, has any idea as to what the hell is going on in this book,
please, fill me in. I, for one, have had no issue with the integration of Kyle &
Yost’s new “New X-Men” into the greater X-Family, as a whole, but there seems to
be a great deal of attention paid to young Pixie, a mutant/fairy, as opposed to
all the other members of the team put together, which I find odd. Maybe it’s
just me, but I found Pixie to be the least interesting of all the new “New
Mutants”, but apparently the powers-that-be think she could carry her own (mini)
series.
Kathryn Immonen is great writer, and I’ve been enjoying her run on “The
Runaways”, but I’m not sure what it is that she’s trying to do here. The first
few pages left me with a numb feeling in the front of my brain, and the rest of
the book, while it tried its damnedest, just barely managed to pique my
interest. Something strange is afoot amongst the young ladies of, well, wherever
the hell the X-Men call home these days. If this was classic tale by, I don’t
know, Chris Claremont, I’d blame everything on Mastermind, and call it a day,
but it isn’t a Claremont-catastrophe of a story, and Pixie is at least
half-pixie, so like I said before, anybody wanna help me out?
Sara Pichelli’s art has a distinctly urban, almost graffiti/manga feel to it. At
parts I wish she would have worked with an inker, as opposed to doing everything
herself, and at other parts I realize the genius in her choosing not to work
with anyone. The colors of Christina Strain compliment the pencils just fine,
although some of it comes off as pixilated, obviously done using a computer
program, which kinda feels like cheating to me, but I’m sure it’s rather
standard these days.
I’d like to know what the heck is going on, and even though Immonen doesn’t lie
all her cards on the table by the end of the issue, there’s no doubt that she’s
crafting a rather mysterious tale. I’m interested, but if there’s not more plot
development by the next issue I may have to rethink my status on that. I’m glad
Marvel has been letting lesser known characters shine by way of their own
mini-series, and although I’m not sure Pixie would be my top candidate to
receive such attention, Immonen seems more than up to the task of changing my
mind.
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LEGENDARY TALESPINNERS #1 (of 3) |
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Writer:
James Kuhoric Artist:
Grant Bond |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dynamite
Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DYNAMITE'S SYNOPSIS:
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If you enjoy "Fables", "Stuff of Legend" and other great new stories, you will
enjoy Tales of the Legendary Talespinners! From the dawn of creation there have
been storytellers spinning timeless fables and folktales. Call them historians,
poets, philosophers, or charlatans, it was their fanciful re-tellings of the age
of wonder that kept children enwrapped in fantasy and immersed in imagination.
But over the last two centuries something dark has been devouring the
storytellers and even the stories themselves, leaving children with dulled
imaginations and no will to believe in giant killers or wicked witches. Abby was
one of those children and is now a young woman who still lives only in the
concrete reality of her professional ambitions. Raised by a mother who had no
time for "childish pursuits," she grew up too fast and locked her fertile
imagination away forever. But Abby's orderly world comes crashing down upon her
when a crazy old man who believes himself to be the real Baron Munchausen leads
her into a festering fantasy world facing villainous henchmen, zombified
fairytale creatures, and the most unlikely wickedest witch of them all. Dynamite
Entertainment proudly presents an event that reshapes how we look at fables and
the imagination! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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In two weeks I’ve been privy to two different titles that appear to be hopping
on the Bill Willingham band wagon, utilizing contemporary takes on the public
domain characters of folklore and fairy tales. Last week was “Legends: The
Enchanted”, a rather in-your-face take which preferred graphic violence and foul
language to interesting characters and intriguing story; this week I’m a bit on
the fence in regard to the most recent offering, “Dynamite Entertainment
Presents: Legendary Talespinners” #1. While it’s a significantly more inspired
outing that “Legends: The Enchanted”, its take on the characters, at least in the debut issue,
doesn’t seem to offer anything overly satiating to the imagination.
Even though the book started strong, featuring a poem by Shel Silverstein, which
I found to be quite enjoyable, it soon veered off course, delving into
kidnapping plot where ‘Talespinners’ were being abducted so their connection to
the ‘fabric of tales’ can be siphoned. An old man, stuck in a convalescent home,
must unite with a young orderly, who just so happens to be the only other
‘Talespinner’ left alive. The villain turns out to be Mother Goose (spoiler
warning, ha!), which I thought was pretty neat, but the depictions of the Big
Bad Wolf and Rumplestiltskin are generic in a way that really takes away from
the wonder of the story.
I really enjoyed the artwork of Grant Bond. His style reminds me of so many
cartoons I’d watch over and over as a kid. It lends a certain amount of flair to
a story in desperate need of something to make it stand out. The cover I grabbed
was by artist Nick Bradshaw, which I found REALLY COOL, although I don’t think
his style would have worked as well as Bond’s does for interior work, at least
not on this book.
Overall, while the book is splendid looking, it doesn’t offer anything that
isn’t done much better over in Willingham’s “Fables”. I think if anyone is going
to invest any time in getting to know a contemporary take on classic favorites
then the Vertigo Universe is the place to be, rather than the glaring misfire by
Dynamite.
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LEGENDS THE ENCHANTED #0
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Writer/Artist:
Nick Percival |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Zenescope
Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$1.00 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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ZENESCOPE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Violently ripped from the pages of folklore come the Enchanted, supernatural
immortals living in a dark, steampunk, creature-infested world where nature,
technology and foul magic are in constant conflict. When the twisted, burnt
remains of the half-wooden, half-mechanical warrior, Pinocchio are discovered,
wolf-hunter Red Hood and giant-killer Jack realize the fragile rules of their
existence have been shattered. With the help of other powerful Enchanted (the
mercenary Goldilocks and psychic exterminators Hansel and Gretel), Jack and Red
team up on an adventure to stop whatever, or whoever, is destroying their powers
and murdering their kind. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Hey kids, did you ever wonder what it would be like to see your favorite
childhood fairy-tale characters as futuristic, ninja bad-asses? No? Me either.
In a world where Jack, the giant–killer, gets high on Magic Beans, and Little
Red Riding Hood is a knife-wielding, wolf-slaying, ninja warrior, is it all
difficult to imagine that I’d find this book just a tad too juvenile for my
tastes?
This is really just a preview comic, so any semblance of a story is really just
bits and pieces, fragments of what you can really expect if you plan on shelling
out any cash for the graphic novel that’s planned for later on in the year. The
primary goal was to introduce readers to the characters who’d, no doubt,
populate the book, so that we’d get a feel for the ‘Radical’ take on the
characters, as opposed to whatever version you’re used to. As far as plot is
concerned, there’s a spooky, old witch (isn’t there always a spooky, old witch?)
who seeks destruction of all the ‘legends’, and has enlisted help to accomplish
her goal. Blah, blah, blah.
It’s not that this is a bad book. If I was 13, or 14 I’d be into this, big time.
The problem is, I’m not 13, or 14, and I’m not into ‘extreme’ takes on classic
characters. Especially, when Bill Willingham is able to take the same group of
characters (or at least the inspiration) and make something just as adult,
entertaining, and vulgar, without all the flash-in-the-pan violence, and
90’s-style Image Comics costumes. Shoehorning profanity into the mouth of
Pinocchio, planting a pair of scissors in Geppetto’s forehead, or setting Little
Red Riding Hood’s path through the ‘bionic-woodlands’, doesn’t lend any validity
to the story, it just makes it seem that much more desperate for an angle.
Nick Percival took on the writing and the illustrating chores, which, if you ask
me, is quite an undertaking for a graphic-novel. His art is tolerable, if not a
tad difficult to make out. He pencils, and then adds what looks like digital
paint to color and ink. It comes off looking a lot like promo art for a new
video game, or the cover to a bad fantasy novel (or bad fantasy graphic novel).
I’m not onboard with this title; I’ll stick with “Fables.”
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HIT MONKEY #1
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Writer:
Daniel Way Artist:
Dalibor Talijic |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
021010
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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"The Legend of Hitman Monkey" You're digging him in this month's issue of
DEADPOOL and you want to know more about him? How about his origin story? A
troubled soul, set upon a path of vengeance he does not understand. An assassin
without equal, trained in the most secret of killing techniques. A flesh and
blood specter, haunting the killers of the world. A monkey...with a gun. Bear
witness as the legend is born. Hitman Monkey..
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This was originally solicited as “Hit-Man Monkey” and I, personally, think that
is such a cool name, way cooler than “Hit Monkey”, but since I’m not the one
calling the shots at Marvel it doesn’t really matter. I didn’t expect much from
a book about a monkey assassin, but Daniel Way really surprised the crap out of
me. By creating a true origin story, for what’ll instantly get written off as a
throw-away character, and by taking a serious (as serious as comics can get)
approach as opposed to hamming it up, I was pleasantly surprised with, what I
consider to be, one of the best original characters to come out of the Marvel
camp in a long, long, loooooooong time.
Just a couple of things you should know about before jumping right into this
book: John Woo-style gunplay is not only awesome, but entirely plausible in
real-life situations; a man can survive any kind of injury as long as he
immerses himself in a hot-spring for an extended period of time while he is
nurtured back to health by monkeys; monkeys have photo-reflexive memories, and
perfect aim.
Now that we have the basics covered, let’s get down to business. An unnamed
assassin is betrayed by the very people who hire him to help take down a corrupt
government, but wait, he’s able to free himself, shoot everyone, take a bullet,
and scurry off to the mountains to hide, and hopefully recuperate. It’s in the
mountains that he comes across his new monkey friends who lead him to a hot
spring in which he can recover. While everyone is getting along nicely there
remains one skeptical monkey, fearful that the man with the bag full of guns may
bring trouble to the monkey clan, and he lets the visitor know just how
unwelcome he is. This skeptical monkey takes to spying on the assassin, as he
trains his body back to full health, practicing his martial arts, and
sharp-shooting skills. AND it’s at this point that you learn just how special
that skeptical, little, smelly monkey really is, as he mimics each of the
assassin’s actions in full.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true origin story without a little heartbreak, a
little tragedy, and Way delivers, in spades, as the men who once sought to kill
the unnamed assassin still seek the same end for him, and they’ve managed to
track him down to the secluded hot spring in which he’s been hiding. They
quickly set about slaughtering the man and all the monkeys (all because of a few
snow balls, sheesh). This senseless violence provokes a reaction from the
skeptical monkey who quickly scoops up the assassin’s bag of guns, and goes to
work killing bad guys.
I’ve read at least one review of this book, on the ‘net, but still, and the
reviewer thought that the book took itself too seriously. I’ll admit that at
some points I felt as if Way should have played up the camp as opposed to the
melodrama, but I never felt as though the character’s origin was ‘too serious
for its own good’. Keep in mind that the next time you see Hit-Monkey will be in
the pages of “Deadpool” or “Deadpool Corp”, so there are plenty of opportunities
to play the character off as a silly joke, or whatever. I actually thought this
comic was a million times cooler, simply because the author took a silly idea,
in a silly, comic book universe, and breathed life into a character called
‘Hit-Man Monkey’. I refuse to let that go.
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MILESTONE FOREVER #1 (of 2) |
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Writer:
Dwayne McDuffie Artists:
John Paul Leon & Mark Bright |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$5.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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DC Comics and Milestone Media entered into an unprecedented creative partnership
16 years ago this month by producing 14 interlocking, creator-owned titles
including HARDWARE, ICON, and the multimedia hit that would best be known as
STATIC SHOCK. Now, nine Parents Choice Awards, four Eisner Award nominations,
and one Emmy and Humanitas Award-winning hit TV series later, Milestone is back,
its continuity mysteriously merged with the DCU. While we saw the DC side of the
story in JUSTICE LEAGUE: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, the 2-issue MILESTONE FOREVER
gathers the original artists from Milestone's launch titles - including John
Paul Leon, Mark Bright, Chris Cross and Milestone founder Denys Cowan - to
complete the tales told in the original runs of STATIC SHOCK, ICON, HARDWARE,
SHADOW CABINET and BLOOD SYNDICATE. Milestone editor-in-chief Dwayne McDuffie
reveals the final fate of each of Milestone's launch characters in a bittersweet
tale that chronicles the literal end of a universe and the birth of something
new...with major consequences for the future of the DC Universe.
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This is a book that takes me back a bit. Not because I was a huge Milestone fan
when I was a kid, or anything like that, but it does feel like a plethora of
books I would have read when I was younger. Now I’m a bit more discerning when
it come to titles that I like, and I’m especially more skeptical of the
capes-and-tights set than I used to be. What I took away from this, and I’m not
sure what direction this is going to send the Milestone characters in, but what
I took away from it was that it’s better to close the door on story’s previous
chapter before moving on to the next one.
It seems that many Milestone series were cancelled without reaching some sort of
resolution, and I believe McDuffie is trying to bring some sort of closure to
the characters, the universe (now a part of the DCU multiverse), and its fans.
After reading it, rather than a better understanding of the foreign land and
it’s multi-cultural cast of characters, I felt oddly sick at the prospect of the
SUPER 90’s take on super heroing of the Milestone Universe weaving its way into
modern comics (and whether or not the character would be integrated, for lack of
a better term, into the DCU ‘as is’ is obviously impossible to tell).
The fact that comic writing, as a whole, has progressed LEAPS AND BOUNDS from
where it was TWENTY YEARS AGO, the days of spiked-shoulder pads and guys called
Bloodreign, Blood-Brain, and Blood Stain, means that my heart didn’t really have
a fond place for characters like ‘Holocaust’ (affectionately referred to as
‘Holly’ by protagonists) and witty jokes about Thin Lizzy. While there are a few
gems sprinkled throughout this book, Brickhouse and Hardware if I was being
specific, there are just as many stink-bombs that belong back in 1994, never to
be heard from again.
But, that’s not really how it is in comics, is it? All of the characters that
I’ve been cracking-wise on could just as easily be re-conceived (I’m just going
to start throwing re- in front of ANYTHING; it works for Hollywood) by an
imaginative writer, and turn into a fantastic read, and it’s like that for any
character (any property imaginable really) and that’s what I love about comics.
The pin-ups in the back of the book really go to show that these are still very
viable properties, and I can’t blame DC for wanting to re-work them (see?! It
works!). Some of them, anyway.
John Paul Leon returns to celebrate the characters whom he began his career
illustrating. He only does the framing sequence, but it’s a damn good looking
framing sequence, if I’ve ever seen one. The remainder of the story is handled
by Mark Bright, and he delivers what amounts to a 90’s feel to a 90’s story. I’m
not familiar with anything else Bright has done, but his work here is solid, if
not a little dated by concept rather than performance. There’s a fantastic
pin-up by Ross Campbell, and another by J.H. Williams III, which I mentioned
earlier, which served to really whet my appetite for a truly up-to-date take on
the Universe. Maybe we’ll get it in Grant Morrison’s “Multiversity”, if we ever
see it.
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BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #32 TWILIGHT PT 1
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Writer:
Brad Meltzer Artist:
Georges Jeanty |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Dark Horse
Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DARK HORSE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Faster than a speeding-you know. More powerful than a-yeah, one of those. Able
to leap tall . . . castles in a single bound. Still working on that x-ray-vision
thing. In the aftermath of battle with Twilight's army, Buffy has developed a
host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute
shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking
for missing allies and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer
army's recent ordeals. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Okay folks, here’s a little background: I was FIRST introduced to the character
of Buffy the Vampire Slayer through the feature film, starring Luke Perry,
Rutger Hauer, Donald Sutherland (WTF?!), Paul Ruebens, and Kristy Swanson in the
title role. Several years later the television series debuts on the WB, and I’m
more than a little skeptical so I ignore it for the most part, I mean, the movie
was fun, but c’mon. I think it was around season two or three that my buddy, Tim
Troy, managed to convince me to sit down, and actually watch a couple of
episodes. He had them on VHS cassette tapes, and we watched a CRAP-LOAD of ‘em,
and for a while, I thought it was pretty cool.
Then it went and grew up on me, or I went and grew up on it; whichever one it
was, I just didn’t care for it anymore. I’d had enough of the ‘witty’ banter,
the somewhat interesting villains who’re watered down due to the restrictive
nature of television at the time; I imagine a “Buffy” show produced now would be
a lot edgier than its predecessor.
Seeing as how this is purported as a direct continuation of the T.V. series’
stories and subplots I wasn’t moved in the slightest to start picking this up.
Wait, is that Xander with an eye-patch and matching pistol? Willow’s a witch?
BUFFY HAS F***ING SUPERPOWERS?! Even with Brad Meltzer at the helm, and names
like Joss Whedon (no $#!t?!) and Brian K. Vaughn each taking a stab at the
title, even with the PHENOMENAL Joan Chen covers, whom I’ve adored since the
first time I laid eyes on “Runaways” #1; despite all of that, I just didn’t care
enough about the character anymore.
And, I’ll admit it; Meltzer sold me on the whole ‘Buffy has super-powers all of
a sudden’ sub plot. Seriously, that part of the story was especially chilling,
but the whole “Twilight” thing is a BUST, as far as I’m concerned, and I’m not
talking about Sarah Michelle Gellar’s rack.
So some major-league, a-hole, calling himself Twilight no less, has taken it
upon himself to create some sort of fictional death machine modeled after
something he may, or may not have read in “Teen Titans”, from what I’ve
gathered. Oh, and he’s potentially going to kill Giles, Faith, and some kid
named Andrew. Now, I’m not going to go into why Buffy has super-powers, or what
she can or can’t do, but I am going to spoil the $#!t out of who Twilight is for
you, and it’s not even revealed in this issue.
It’s been reported that along with the solicitations for April or May’s
releases, Dark Horse totally let the cat out of the bag on this one, ruining the
surprise that Twilight is actually Buffy’s former beau, Angel. I totally felt
like a blogger for a Hollywood gossip rag there, for a minute. Anyway, there
have been some previews for the cover featuring both Angel, and Barack Obama
revealing themselves to be the masked villain, and I, personally, couldn’t care
less.
Let me get to a couple things I thought were really great about this book.
Georges Jeanty does a better-then-unbelievable job of rendering the characters
from the television series, I was instantly able to recognize Buffy, Xander,
Willow, Faith, and Giles, the new characters, not so much, but that’s obvious.
The lines are crisp and clean, and the colors are perfect. The pages felt alive
with background, and setting, and details that too many artists these days see
fit to leave out. Then, there’s the page count; this book clocks in at 32-pages,
with only seven of those used for in-house ads, meaning that the remaining
25-pages are all story, which is great, but it’s even better when you figure
that this book only cost $2.99. Compare that to Marvel’s offering, “Ultimate X”,
which only has 22-pages of story, but also costs a dollar more, at $3.99, and I
get the feeling that Buffy fans are so loyal because they’re getting a product
that they love, without the price gouging.
I’m not sure, exactly, what it was about this book that reminded me that I have
no real tolerance for juvenile drama anymore, seeing as how Buffy isn’t in high
school, from what I can tell, and there was very little of the petty squabbling
that comes hand in hand with those kinds of stories. I just didn’t care for it,
and that’s not to say you shouldn’t give it a chance, but it definitely wasn’t
for me. |
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REALM OF THE KINGS: SON OF HULK #1 (OF 4) |
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Writer:
Scott Reed Artist:
Miguel Munera |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Meet a new monster for a new age, and a challenger to the warring Kings of the
Cosmos...he is Hiro-Kala, SON OF HULK, and this young apocalyptic visionary has
a destructive destiny: obliterate the Universe! This monsterous Son of Hulk has
been abducted to Jarella's sub-atomic world deep in the Microverse, where his
father once found love and acceptance. Now he must battle an invasion force of
murderous aliens...even if it means unlocking a new, horrifying power within him
that can never be controlled. Book one of "THE CONQUEST OF JARELLA'S WORLD", a
mind-breaking adventure from critically acclaimed writer, Scott Reed.
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I guess the Hulk has more than one kid, huh? I wonder if anyone is gonna get
around to introducing Bruce to the little gray kid, now that he’s made (some
kind of) peace with his older, and much larger, son, Skaar. This should probably
be the point of the article where I confess my distaste for comics with a cosmic
twist. Sue me, folks. It’s not that I’m not a sci-fi fan, because I am, I just
prefer it in smaller doses, and not camped-up like some sort of Roger Corman
film.
Scott Reed, I’ve never heard of him, and I imagine that the cosmic corner of the
Marvel Universe is rather choppy water to dive into right about now, so I’m not
looking to bite this guy’s head off. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have been
architects, so to speak, constructing a vast expanse of worlds populated with
characters tormented by beings much more powerful than Norman Osborn, capable of
reigning down much more darkness. The thing is, this has been their $#!t-house
for so long, I’m not quite sure what to expect from a new guy; it doesn’t seem
right, someone else stinking it up.
The story itself is moderately interesting, featuring the adventures of the
survivors of Sakaar led by Hiro Kala, self-proclaimed son of the Hulk, and the
second person in the entire galaxy to make that claim (from our timeline at
least). It appears Hiro is on the hunt for his brother, Skaar, and plans on
siphoning ‘old power’ from any source he can find, to use to his own end. It’s
unclear to me, as a new reader, as to what Hiro-Kala’s ultimate goal is. At the
end of the issue, after some pretty ridiculous $#!t happens, he proclaims
himself some kind of god, which is a little creepy, and presents the scenario
that this son of the Hulk may actually be the bad seed.
Art is subjective, and I’m sure there are huge portion of the comic reading
audience who wouldn’t find Miguel Munera’s pencils appealing, but I’m not among
that group. I find his style’s likeness to John Romita Jr. to be refreshing, and
yet there’s an additional element that is entirely Munera’s own. His characters
look appealing, despite a majority of them are aliens. I’m glad to say that I
didn’t catch him slacking in the details department either, there are plenty of
backgrounds conveying the environment, which is especially important, I’ve
found, in setting up a good sci-fi story (even though I’m not a big fan). In the
end, I don’t really care where this story goes, as I haven’t been following
enough of what’s come before it, but that doesn’t preclude it from being a good
book.
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DOOM PATROL #7
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Writer:
Keith Giffen Artists:
Matthew Clark and Cliff Richards |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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Oolong Island is picking up the pieces after the Black Lanterns' devastating
attack. Former Patrol member Crazy Jane finds the island first, bearing
terrifying news of what's to come... Plus, more Metal Men!
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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DC’s weirdest superhero team is back, and despite the fact that sales are in the
toilet, I think this is one of the better books that DC is putting on shelves
right now. Believe what you want about the origin of the team; the accusations
that it is a direct rip-off of the “X-Men” are as unfounded as the rumors that
“X-Men”-creator Stan Lee got his idea from this. It’s a title that’s seen a
number of re-launches, re-imaginings, re-boots, re-starts, and re-whatever…but
this latest incarnation of the team is one of the simplest and most direct to
build from past stories, while focusing on the mainstays of the team in all of
its variations.
Negative Man, Robot Man, Elasti-Woman, and Dr. Niles Caulder, that’s the Doom
Patrol, and even though all of them haven’t been involved in every take on the
team that comes along every few years or so, they comprise the heart and soul of
a team that exists as the ultimate cannon-fodder of the DCU. This issue follows
up the two-part “Blackest Night” tie-in, in which several ex-members (read:
Dead) of the Doom Patrol show up to wreak havoc in the lives of the remaining
team. We don’t see much of the stars, but we do get quite a bit of info on
former members who weren’t featured in the BN tie-ins. A-V-N Man (animal,
vegetable, mineral…yeah.), Crazy Jane, Danny the Street, and Thayer Jost kick
the book up a notch, simultaneously acknowledging and building upon Grant
Morrison’s renowned run on the book.
I have to admit I was a little lost. Giffen doesn’t come right out and explain
what he’s doing, and the rapid-fire string of guests was more than enough to
send me running to Wikipedia to understand a bit more than I did. When I
realized how deeply rooted Giffen’s story is I was even more sold on the book,
and I’d been a fan of since its first issue. I’m really enjoying this, and I can
tell that Giffen has A LOT in store for the maniac miss-fits, I just hope that
the title doesn’t get the axe before it gets chance to find its legs. Besides,
with Matthew Clark and Cliff Richards backing him up with some insane visuals, I
have to admit, this is easily one of my favorite DCU-proper titles to come along
in a long, long, loooooooooooooooong time.
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ULTIMATE COMICS X #1
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Writer:
Jeph Loeb Artist:
Art Adams |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
020310
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Who—or what—is Ultimate X? The answers and even more secrets arrive in the all
new ULTIMATE X ongoing bi-monthly series from the superstar dream team of JEPH
LOEB and ART ADAMS. Wolverine is dead. Captain America is a fugitive. The
Fantastic Four disbanded. Lives have been destroyed and nothing can ever be the
same—is there any hope left? It all begins with a search for a brand new
character whose identity will leave jaws on the floor and change the Ultimate
Universe forever!
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about this book. On one hand, it’s written
by Jeph Loeb, who, in my opinion, has been very hit or miss lately, yet on the
other hand the whole book is illustrated by the immensely talented Art Adams,
whose work, with Loeb, on “Hulk” is the highlight of that entire series for me.
I’m torn. Is a book about Wolverine’s illegitimate son, raised by the Hudson’s
no less, and set in the Ultimate Universe really as interesting as it appears to
be, or am I distracted by the ‘purty’ pictures?
Wolverine, apparently, had a son at some point. With whom, I have no idea, but
it is explained very early on in the story that he decided to leave the child in
the custody of the Heather and Jim Hudson. The Hudson's raised the boy as their
own, and as it happens most times in funny-books like these, when the time came
for them to tell their adopted son his true origins, a pretty girl with a
holographic projector steps in and does their dirty work for them. All of sudden
Kitty Pryde and an image of Wolverine, recorded before he got the crap repulsor-beamed
out of him, are explaining to young James Hudson that he’s a mutant and all the
baggage that goes along with that.
As it turns out Jimmy’s powers are very similar to his old man’s, with one,
teeny, tiny exception. While Wolverine was born with bone claws and the Canadian
government infused his bones with adamantium down the line, Jimmy’s bone claws
can become encased in organic adamantium, similar to what Colossus does with his
skin. It’s an odd twist that, due to the ‘mutant’ factor, never really needs to
be explained. At least it’s not magic. By the end of the book both James Hudson's
are having a heart-to-heart at the end of a pier watching the sun go down. Just
a father and his son, trying to come to grips with the drastic changes that are
sure to come into their lives, and it’s this page where I felt a particular
outpouring of emotion from Loeb, no doubt fondly remembering his own son, taken
from him far too soon.
Man, Art Adams defies simple labeling. To call him ‘great’ is a disservice; his
art work is so far beyond ‘great’ that defining him as such would be akin to
simply scanning over his perfect line-work and saying “Eh.” The truth is, he’s a
talent that hasn’t been copied and watered down to the point where you see his
influence in the works of others. His work hasn’t been compromised. When you
open a comic illustrated by Adams, whether it’s his “Fantastic Four” run from
twenty years ago, or this latest offering, you get the feeling that everything
the guy has is laid out on those pages. His women are gorgeous; his men are
dynamic and strong; his grasp of action and environment is second-to-none. The
man deserves a shot at a big event title, if for no other reason than seeing
Adams illustrate Marvel U would make me a very happy boy.
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2010 by their respective owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2010 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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"The
opinions expressed in the reviews below are not necessarily those of
Alternate Reality, Inc. Hey, I don't agree with all of them either!"
