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MISSION #1 |
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Writers:
Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber |
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Artist:
Werther Dell’edera |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Image
Comics
Shipped On:
022311 |
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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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Paul, an average working guy, finds his life upended
when he's approached by a mysterious figure who tells him he's been chosen for a
mission in the battle between good and evil-the mission is murder. Is it real or
is Paul losing his mind? Written by JON HOEBER & ERICH HOEBER (Red, Battleship),
produced by ALISA TAGER (Serenity) and MARG GUGGENHEIM (No Ordinary Family),
with art by WERTHER DELL'EDERA (Dark Entries, Loveless) and colors by ARIANNA
FLOREAN. mega blockbuster story
filled with classic Kirby monsters, heart-stopping revelations and over-the-top
action! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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In the last three or four months or so I’ve read a
surprising amount of really well done psychological-thrillers, which would seem
to be a rarity for comic books. I mean, for a medium that favors tights and
masks to thought-provoking yarns involving mystery, suspense, and
characterization, it’s an extremely nice change of pace. “The Mission” is just
that, a suspenseful mystery, a true experiment in characterization, as its main
character navigates the treacherous waters of ‘divine intervention’ even if it’s
a dark and twisted take on a ‘mission from God’.
Paul Haskell is approached in a darkened parking garage by a man calling himself
Gabriel. Gabriel explains to Paul that he’s been selected for a ‘mission’ of
great importance, inducting the young man into an ongoing struggle between good
and evil. Gabriel wants Paul to kill a man, a man supposedly capable of great
evil, and this doesn’t sit well with Paul, who, being of somewhat sound mind
(maybe), shrugs the older man off. Then things start to get a little creepy.
Paul begins to follow the man, trying to get a handle on what it is that this
guy, Neal Corman, has done to deserve execution. There’re some twists along the
way, things not always being as they seem and all, but by the book’s end there’s
definitive proof as to who the bad guy is. It’s an effective story that’s paced
extremely well, and interesting as hell to boot. I would liken it to “Killer of
Demons”, but where that series played the potential psychological trauma for
laughs, here the Hoeber brothers create a deathly serious tone, a tone that
resonates with this reader in a great number of ways.
Werther Dell’edera has a style that one might, at first glance, write off as
‘simple’. It’s has a clean look, without sacrificing detail or grit. His
characters are recognizable, emotive, and the atmosphere and environment he’s
created around them jibes with the world we know. This isn’t a book where the
good guys fly in at the last second to save the day; the characters must deal
with the consequences of their actions and they know it, and it’s readable on
their faces. I admire an artist that can tell a story without over-stylizing
their contribution, and Dell’edera is that sort of an artist.
Like I said, I’ve had the good fortune to read an almost overwhelming number of
clever, well done psychological thrillers in comic book form over the last few
months. I’m thankful for creators that step outside the comfort zone of capes
and cowls, creators that experiment with the medium and offer readers something
DIFFERENT. I sincerely hope that many of you will check out “The Mission”, as
it’s an enthralling read capable of calling into question just how far one would
be willing to go for their God, if there is a God, or if we’re all just a little
mad. |
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ASTONISHING X-MEN #36 |
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Writer:
Daniel Way |
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Artist:
Jason Pearson |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
022311 |
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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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"MONSTROUS," PART 1, Not all monsters are easy to
spot -- some of them live among us, undetected or long forgotten. Some of them
live inside us, in the dark corners of our hearts, feeding on our secret fears
of loss. But in the Marvel Universe, most of them live on Monster Island. Or, at
least, they did. A mysterious exodus is underway; monsters spilling onto nearby
shores - with catastrophic results - and it falls upon a small group of X-Men to
both save the population from destruction and to solve an imposing riddle: What
are monsters afraid of? New series writer Daniel Way (Deadpool) is joined by
superstar artist Jason Pearson to bring you a widescreen, mega blockbuster story
filled with classic Kirby monsters, heart-stopping revelations and over-the-top
action! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The anchor of this perpetually late-shipping title,
for me at least, has always been Armor, as this is the only title in which she’s
prominently featured. Armor, or Hisako, also seems to be the lynchpin around
which Daniel Way’s first foray into the ‘Astonishing’ world of Marvel’s merry
mutants revolves. After all, it was the death of her family that lends cause to
the X-Men to take the trip to Japan, putting them in dangerous proximity to
Monster Island…and we all know how much giant monsters love to eat Japanese (GET
IT?!).
While training in the Danger Room, Armor receives a devastating phone call from
her father. Her mother and brother have been killed, and she needs to return
home for the service. The X-Men, Cyclops, Emma, and Wolverine, offer to
accompany her on her trip home, with Wolverine uttering the ever-present “The
X-Men are a family” schpeal. While all of this is happening, the Roxxon
Corporation has enlisted the services of Mentallo to chaperone their excursion
of Monster Island. Things don’t go as well as planned, and soon the monsters of
Monster Island find themselves under control of Mentallo’s mental abilities. Can
you see where all this is going?!
Jason Pearson is an extremely under-utilized talent. I’ve enjoyed everything
I’ve seen from him, and his X-Men work is no different. I feel as though there’s
a certain cartoony-innocence to his characters, and yet he pulls no punches when
it comes to the extremes that go hand in hand with a story about giant monsters.
People die, and it ain’t pretty, or cartoony-innocent. Violence and aesthetics
rarely go hand in hand, and while the story IS just getting started, it isn’t
hard to imagine the types of intense scenes that have yet to show up. But I
can’t wait!
Say what you want about Daniel Way, he’s a hit or miss guy in a lot of people’s
eyes. I’ve enjoyed a great deal of his work at Marvel, and as one of the
creators responsible for Hit-Monkey, he’s earned his place in my heart for the
foreseeable future. I’m glad to see him step up to one of the more popular,
albeit maligned X-Men titles. I’ve also seen announcements that Christos Gage
will be following up this run with one of his own, so I’m not going to get
attached to the latest creative dream-team. I guess I’ll just have to enjoy it
for what it is, and then wait for Way/Pearson to pop back on my radar on another
title. No worries. |
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FANTASTIC FOUR #588 |
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Writer:
Jonathan Hickman |
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Artists:
Nick Dragotta and Mark Brooks |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
022311 |
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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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Following the death of XXXXXXXX, we spend a
month?seeing how the remaining members of the Fantastic Four, the extended
family, other heroes, and prominent villains react to the loss of this legendary
hero. It's the epilogue to THREE: A Month of Mourning. PLUS: The Amazing
Spider-Man consoles Franklin Richards in a second all-new tale! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Us fans, we think we’ve got everything figured out
when it comes to ‘death and comics’. I sure thought I did. Going into “Fantastic
Four” #588, I expected certain beats to be hit, and while for the most part they
were, I have to say that we’re only two months into the new year and I may have
found what amounts to be the most perfect comic-reading experience I’ve had in a
long, LONG time. Maybe it’s the icy, cool feel of the book. Detached from the
title’s typical style of wordy, one ups-manship and mind games, Hickman instead
took readers in a decidedly different direction.
Remember when Marvel, every once in a while, would issue “Nuff’ Said” issues of
books in which there were no words, no text boxes, speech bubbles, or thought
balloons. It was simply a writer’s work interpreted by an artist without
assistance from the written word to convey what was happening. It wasn’t
incredibly popular, although everyone can tell you they remember the
effectiveness of the “Silent Issue” of “G.I. Joe”, so ‘why’ it didn’t catch on,
I’ll never be able to tell you. What I can say is here, in the instance of
“Fantastic Four” #588, the ‘Nuff’ Said’ style of Marvel’s story-telling is
without peer.
There was more raw emotion packed into each panel than I ever imagined possible.
The characters’ fury was felt emanating from the illustrations; words wouldn’t
have been able to convey their pain more clearly. When a story peaks with the
death of a character, the following issue is typically one of somber
remembrance, where fans and friends can say their own version of ‘Good-bye’.
Hickman, again, employs a rather different tactic, choosing instead to cover a
month of time between the passing of Johnny Storm and the next chapter in the
saga of Marvel’s first family.
All the beats I would have expected are there, however none of them are as
easily weeded out or as obtuse as its predecessors. Gone are the long,
heart-felt, wishy-washy good bye speeches. A characters wake handled in
two-pages, a funeral in three? It may sound distasteful, but rather dwelling on
the spectacle of tradition, Hickman opted to move the story forward, allowing
everyone to grieve in their own way.
That’s what the issue is really all about, the grief felt by the loss of someone
incredibly close to you. Each member of the group goes through different stages
of grief and misery. Sue shuts herself off from everyone. The children plot
revenge. Ben blows off some steam thanks to sparring partners Thor and Hulk. And
although his loss is every bit as emotional as the others it’s Reed whom we see
dealing with the brunt of the burden of his Brother-in-Law’s death. Looking
Annihilus right in the eyes as the villain taunts him with Johnny’s tattered
uniform, the metaphorical impotence he’s forced to endure realizing that one
truly cannot ‘fix everything’.
Aside from the hauntingly beautiful cover by Alan Davis, the issue is a visual
spectacular. Nick Dragotta may be one of my favorite FF artists after only one
issue. His style perfectly captures the old-school cool of the book, the spirit
and energy of the title’s creators is flowing through his lines. His is a
perfect touch to book-end the series with. Paul Mounts is a name I’ve quickly
come to be familiar with, and it makes sense, the guy does great work. The short
back-up, a heart-felt conversation between Spider-Man and Franklin Richards was
both bitter and sweet, as one is just a young boy who’s lost his Uncle, and the
other is a man who once walked a very similar path.
The SPIRIT of Jonathan Hickman’s work is immense, and as such I look forward to
the continuation of these stories in the upcoming “FF” when it debuts, well,
whenever that is. Say what you want about stunt-deaths in comics, and the use of
these characters to pimp product-lines, or boost sales when creators bump one
off. I don’t care. Jonathan Hickman put the story ahead of the characters, put
the story ahead of the fans, and barreled his way through with alarming
precision. My hat is off to the boy for crafting what might be one of the most
hauntingly beautiful comic books about death and super-heroics I’ve ever been
privy too. Thanks. |
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JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #54 |
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Writer:
James Robinson |
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Artist:
Brett Booth |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC Comics
Shipped On:
021611 |
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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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"The Rise of Eclipso" begins here as the dark
energies that have surrounded Earth are harnessed once more to usher in the
great Lord of Darkness! And it looks like the corruption of all mankind starts
with the members of the Justice League! When things go dark, which teammate
poses the greatest threat to mankind - Obsidian or Jade? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Beware Eclipso! Or, I mean, that’s what I think the
lesson of this story is. While the cover would have one believe that this is,
yet again, another throw down between the League and the two-tone super villain,
it is, instead, an exercise in team-building, only this time it’s the bad guys
that are putting a team together. I think. I mean, it’s clear that Eclipso has
SOMETHING up his sleeve, but as to what it is, I have no idea. For the first
time since taking over DC’s Flagship Superteam, I feel that Jim Rob may have hit
his stride. That’s not to say the book isn’t without its faults, but they’re
much more manageable, at least at this stage of the story.
SO…Eclipso…yeah, he’s a d!ck. Apparently he’s been a d!ck forever, or however
long guys like him hang around attempting to do whatever bad $#!t it is they’re
attempting to do. He finally gets the better of his previous host, some dude,
and I mean really, what ARE you doing visiting Diablo Island if THAT’S where
your body was taken over by some ageless evil-doer? Once he’s taken control of
his host’s body, Eclipso sets off to assemble a force for BAD the like’s of
which no one’s ever seen before. Some of his targets include an Indian guy that
turns into a Raven; the Shade, from Jim Rob’s “Starman”; Cthulu, er, some
obscure DC villain INSPIRED BY Cthulu; and a few other surprises.
It’s an interesting Anti-League, but I’m not sure exactly where it’s headed.
Especially after the last-page revelation touting Eclipso’s final selection, I
mean, how does he/she fit in?! Anyway, by the time I had finished with this
issue I was interested in where all of this is headed, which is pretty
impressive considering my long track record of disliking Jim Rob’s stuff. It’s
almost a principle with me, “Jim Rob? No, thanks!” This, after however many
issues, finally feels like he’s moving forward with stories featuring his League
of Replacement Heroes, as opposed to justifying their existence by lining them
up with their predecessors.
Brett Booth wasn’t my favorite Image artist as a kid, but he’s definitely
maintained his ability to tell an exciting story through penciled pages. His
work exudes energy, always an important factor, especially when the story has so
little to offer other than exposition. There’s very little action in this issue
yet Booth keeps the momentum going from page to page, a task far more difficult
than one would expect. I know reviewers aren’t supposed to maintain a bias
against creators, and I try not to, however the pretty pictures go a long way
toward carrying Jim Rob’s (slightly less) convoluted “JLA”. |
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HAWKEYE: BLIND SPOT #1 (OF 4) |
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Writer:
Jim McCann |
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Artist:
Paco Diaz |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
021611 |
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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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Get it here: the past, present and future of the
world's greatest archer set to star in the upcoming Marvel Studios' The Avengers
movie! Hawkeye is left blindsided after the events of WIDOWMAKER, with a new
vision of the world around him and, in order to move forward with his new life,
he must first?re-examine how it all began. All new era for the Avenging Archer
begins here, as the acclaimed team of Jim McCann and David Lopez bring you a
Clint Barton you've never seen before. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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You gotta hand it to a creator that finds a
character that he/she is passionate about and sticks with them, even when
editorial is constantly shifting your titles and creative teams around. Jim
McCann, whose series “Hawkeye and Mockingbird” lit my world on fire shortly
before it was $#!t-canned, if only I’d jumped on the bandwagon sooner, and later
was one-quarter of the creative team behind the “WidowMaker” storyline, is BACK
and this time he’s dealing with fall out from a blow to the archery-Avenger’s
head suffered during the last mini-series.
When you’re a ‘super’ hero whose only real ability is one that was learned, not
some sort of bass-ackward accident or science experiment, it can be a truly
gut-wrenching experience to discover that you’re losing your skills. In
Hawkeye’s case, as an archer, the traumatic blow to the head experienced in the
final issue of “Widowmaker” has resulted in escalating visual impairment. It’s
not his eyes that are in trouble, but rather the portion of his brain that
processes visual imagery. What’s the problem, you may ask; this IS the universe
of the impossible, where people forge themselves artificial, robotic, or alien
limbs and replacement body parts ad nauseum. While this is all true, and that’s
not to mention the mutants with the ability to heal people just by touching
them, Hawkeye’s is not necessarily a problem that’s so easily swept under the
rug.
There’s a shady plot afoot, as there most always is, and it involves a second,
more gifted archer trained by the same guy who taught Clint how to shoot. This
second, red-clad archer murders Clint’s former mentor, as a message, while in
the employ of a fearsome foe whom Clint has gone head to head with before. I
don’t want to spoil anything, but if you’re a fan of Hawkeye’s days in
“Thunderbolts”, you should be pretty stoked for what you find in here. I can’t
say that I’m surprised by the identity of the Crimson Archer (just my name for
him, not the book’s), that is, if it is whom I believe it to be. However, it’s
not really central to the plot, and therefore simply a device to move the story
forward; there’s no way it will be as big a let-down as the identity of Ronin in
“Widowmaker”, believe me.
Paco Diaz might be the most talented of Jim McCann’s partner’s in this ongoing
saga of Clint Barton’s. Miguel Lopez solidified a feel, but Diaz, and his
colorist Tomeu Morey, really manage to establish their own look, their own take
on what this sort of a book should look like. I find it most easily compared to
Scott Kolins work on “The Avengers” with Geoff Johns, although it has an
identity all its own. I can’t wait to see more from this exciting visual team,
and with only three issues to go in “Hawkeye: Blindspot” I hope they have their
next gig already picked out! |
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CHARISMAGIC #0 |
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Writer:
Vince Hernandez |
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Artist:
Khary Randolph |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Aspen Comics
Shipped On:
020911 |
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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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ASPEN'S SYNOPSIS:
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Everything you know about magic will...vanish. Enter
Hank Medley, a Las Vegas magician at the top of his game. For Hank, everything
comes easy: women, fame, and definitely fortune. However, "Hank the Magnificent"
soon realizes that in Sin City, your luck can change at the drop of a hat -- or
wand, in his case. Powerful forces of magic once banished from our reality have
returned, and Hank is about to step into a world where the wonders of magic have
not only come back, but are even flourishing! However, with some of these newly
arrived beings intent on vengeance for deeds done to them in the past, will Hank
be able to survive this new landscape of reality - and magic? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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It’s been a long standing tradition for Aspen to
release a preview ‘Zero’ issue for a majority of their titles to help induct new
readership as well as influence retail ordering. Some of these books are
extremely effective, such as “Dellec” or “Lady Mechanika”, and others, like
“Charismagic” are trading on the idea that “Once you pop, you can’t stop.” What
I’m trying to say, by way of Pringles jingles, is that ‘hooking’ readers with a
$1.99 price tag for a twelve-page preview is much more difficult than it may
seem, especially when the burden of exposition is as heavy as it is in “Charismagic”.
The reason that the “Lady Mechanika” Zero-issue was so effective is because it
didn’t attempt to fill the reader’s head with the character’s entire history in
half a comic, but rather offered an enticing glimpse into the world of that
character without beating readers over the head with too much too soon.
“Charismagic” takes the opposite route, hoping that readers will find themselves
enthralled in the history of the story’s antagonist, which is all explained in
flashback, as the protagonist gabs on and on and on…ad nauseum.
The art is pretty, but there’s little substance. There’s a lot of visually
exciting stuff, but none of it is entirely relevant to what’s happening in the
‘now’ of the story. I’d have loved to learn all about why this Samsun is such a
threat to the world around us, but I’d have preferred to be informed along the
journey, not all at once before it’s even begun. When I compare this, and it’s
almost impossible not to, to 12-Gauge’s recently launched magic and mysticism
series, “Magus”, well, there’s little comparison. In “Magus” magic is coming
back to the real world, while in “Charismagic” magic is coming back to the real
world, however, in “Magus” the story is unfolding in a natural, interesting way.
“Charismagic” attempts to goad readers into giving the series a shot without
entirely knowing why.
I’d have been entirely content to enjoy this book purely for the surface-level
stuff that’s going on. The art, like I said, is pretty, and beyond that I
imagine there’s an interesting enough story around here somewhere, but I’m
beyond the need for a truckload of exposition up front. Give me a clever,
well-paced book that offers substance over style, which this is unfortunately
not. Of course, the benefit of the doubt being what it is, this IS only a mere
preview of what one should expect, so don’t think I’m $#!tting on this simply to
do so. Chances are I’ll check out the next issue, but if the story doesn’t grab
me, in an ADULT way, chances are better that I’ll see to it that it disappears
from my pull list. |
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CINDERELLA FABLES ARE FOREVER #1 (OF 6) |
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Writer:
Chris Roberson |
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Artist:
Shawn McManus |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC/Vertigo Comics
Shipped On:
020911 |
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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/VERTIGO'S SYNOPSIS:
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Someone is killing sorcerers out on the Farm, and
all signs point to Cinderella's archnemesis from the old days. The only problem
is, Cinderella has always believed that her nemesis has been dead for years. So
who is the assassin from Cinderella's past - the only person who ever came close
to defeating her? Find out in the pages of CINDERELLA: FABLES ARE FOREVER! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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“Strong female leads” are a dime a dozen in comics.
They carry big guns and wear short skirts, they’re midriffs are almost always
bare, they punch and pose and openly display their sexuality for the world over,
and all on the premise that THESE are the characteristics we, the readers,
expect from a “strong female lead.” While “Cinderella: Fables are Forever” does
opt for a sexy cover-shot of our heroine clad in a tiny, red bikini, posing with
her pistol ever so suggestively, it’s not to distract potential readers with an
influx of hyper-sexualized cheesecake, but rather to attract those who may not
otherwise give the character a chance.
This isn’t your standard Disneyland take on the fairy tale we’ve all known for
as long as most of us can remember. This is, instead, a refreshing look at how
beguiling and intelligent, as well as sexy, a ‘strong female lead’ should be
portrayed. “Fabletown’s top spy is back…” That’s what the tag-line reads above
the cover, and truth be told I’d been waiting for the continuing adventures of
Cinderella since Roberson and McManus’ last six-issue mini-series, “From
Fabletown with Love”. By crafting a character who’s capable of outwitting AND
out-shooting her foes, as well as living a somewhat typical life as a
fashionista (of sorts), the creative team has solidified Cindy as a truly
likable character without imbuing her tale with atypical stereotypes and
clichés.
On the hunt for a ‘Shadow’ Fabletown that exists ‘behind the Iron Curtain’
(meaning Russia) in which a whole community of Soviet fables exists, Cinderella
is up to her ears in espionage action and intrigue, and she does almost all of
it in a bikini. Commissioned by Beast as well as Bigby Wolf, Cindy must track
down the assassin codenamed “Silver Slipper”, a woman with whom she shares a
sordid past. When the identity of “Silver Slipper” is finally revealed it’s a
character we’re all familiar with, even if you’ve never read a “Fables” book
before, and it’s a pretty cool surprise.
Shawn McManus is very much in line with the typical “Fables”/“Jack of Fables”
style. His is heavy on detail without being heavy on the line-work. He tells the
story with panache while packing the panels with background and environment, but
his characters appear as ageless as the tales from which they spring. He has a
smooth, clean style, one that goes hand in hand with the tight story Roberson is
dishing out. Honestly, I can’t think another artist as capable of making this
such a likable book. McManus’ pencils have personality as well as good looks,
and Roberson’s story has a great deal of heart…is it any wonder that I find
myself as attracted to this book as I do? I didn’t think so. |
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POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Fred Van Lente |
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Artist:
Wellinton Alves |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
020911 |
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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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Charging from the pages of SHADOWLAND comes the
collector's item first ever POWER MAN & IRON FIST #1! When Danny Rand
transformed his multinational corporation into a non-profit foundation, he
thought he had left fighting behind - but with so many innocents wrongly
convicted, the battle never ends! Their first case is Luke Cage and Danny Rand's
former secretary Jennie Royce, imprisoned for a murder she didn't commit... or
did she? And Iron Fist isn't fighting alone - he's got a new partner with him:
Victor Alvarez, the all-new Power Man, he of the exploding punches - and
exploding temper! Can Danny train his new charge well enough to face returning
foil El Aguila as well as new threats Don Pagliacci, the Commedia Dell'Morte,
and the beautiful, deadly Noir? That's right, Marvel's original mismatched
action duo begins a new era of greatness right here! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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One of the only good things to come out of the mess
that was “Shadowland” was Fred Van Lente’s “Shadowland: Power Man” limited
series. It introduced the world to Victor Alvarez, the only survivor of
Bullseye’s attack on Hell’s Kitchen during “Dark Reign: The List: Daredevil”,
and in that limited series he became the hero-for-hire known as Power Man.
Setting up a website and tracking down bad guys for money, Victor was pulled
into the world of crime fighting as a means to an end, but it was the team of
Iron Fist and Luke Cage that saw potential in the young man, and they opted to
train him.
This latest limited series, featuring the same creative team as the previous,
catches readers up on what’s been happening with Victor’s training regimen. He
and Iron Fist put a whoopin’ on Don of the Dead (one of the more stereotypical
caricatures as far as super villains are concerned…and a hilarious one at that!)
before they dive into the mystery of the story, who killed Crime-Buster? When
Danny Rand receives a phone call from a former assistant, currently spending her
time in jail after being convicted of murder, he sets out to prove her
innocence. This of course draws in his young protégé, who may end up biting off
more than he can chew by the end of the first issue.
If Fred Van Lente has proven anything in his time at Marvel, it’s that he’s a
bevy of creative energy, unwavering in his passion for the little guy. His
handling of second-tier, or third, or fourth-tier characters for that matter, is
without peer. When he’s able to operate outside the realm of Marvel’s creative
bubble, and just do his own thing, Van Lente proves his comics are worth buying,
and re-reading, every time. He hasn’t been labeled as one of Marvel’s
“Architects” (or has he?!), but as he meanders just outside the creative
spotlight of the main stage his ability to handle work, and handle it well, is
truly admirable.
Just as impressive is Marvel maintaining their promise to keep (most) limited
series to a $2.99 price tag. I almost did a spit-take when I discovered that I
wouldn’t have paid $3.99 for this book, had I purchased it, and quickly subdued
my shock with a clever grin. As the economic lull (that isn’t a recession) takes
out a significant portion of quarterly earnings for ALL publishing companies,
it’s nice to see the Big Two have begun to roll back the massive increases that
we, as fans, have all had to deal with. Chalk one up for the little guys. |
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WOLVERINE #5.1 |
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Writer:
Jason Aaron |
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Artist:
Jefte Palo |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
020911 |
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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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Special POINT ONE issue! START READING with this
Point One issue! CELEBRATE the most?dangerous birthday in the Marvel Universe
when Wolverine's new girlfriend invites X-Men and Avengers alike to a surprise
party for?everyone's favorite mutant. Logan's birthdays has never been
his?favorite time of the year, but not even he could anticipate just how bad it
could get. One thing is for sure-one way or another, blood will be drawn! Thrill
to this stunning beginning of a whole new era for Logan...if he can survive the
night! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Wolverine is a character that’s been around so long
that a year can’t go by without celebrating his birthday. He’s one of the only
characters in all of comics that gets cooler the older you make him; as such,
creators tend to take a ‘stab’ at Logan’s birthday whenever possible, hoping to
‘carve’ out a little notch with their name on it. Jason Aaron, the most recent
writer to make a rather jumped-the-shark character interesting again, has opted
for the “Point One Initiative” and the extra ‘half’ issue that ships between
“Wolverine” #5 and #6, taking what is, essentially, an Annual issue and jazzing
it up a bit.
I guess Wolverine has a steady girlfriend now, one that isn’t a member of one of
his many super-teams, which begs with question if he’s an active participant in
the Avengers, the X-Men, X-Force, and probably the Power Pack, how does Logan
have time to love the ladies?! Anyway, his girlfriend has gone the subversive
route and planned a surprise party in Logan’s honor. She even managed to invite
ALL of his closest friends and teammates, who all get together in their pajamas
and eat cake. YAY!
Of course, this IS an issue of Wolverine, and even if it is a half-issue,
meaning in placement not in size, there is expected to be a certain violent
element. The Buzzard Brothers are a pair of mountain-sized cannibals that live
in the Canadian wilderness and eat people and then make $#!t out of their body
parts. Sick, right? I know. So when Wolverine stumbles upon one of the Buzzards
and gets his ass handed to him, it’s all gotta be part of the plan, right?
The Buzzards are a visually striking pair, furred-up like early pioneers, with
any number of dangling bones that have been carved into decoration or weapons.
They even make guns out of peoples’ bones and the bone-guns shoot human teeth.
Okay, that idea I wasn’t feeling so much, but whatever, I’m but one man.
Wolverine and the Buzzards ultimately square off and as one would expect in a
comic entitled “Wolverine”, well, I’ll let you figure it out.
Jefte Palo is one of my favorite under-rated artists over at Marvel right now.
His “Brother Voodoo” was striking, and his work here is joyful and celebratory,
yet oddly dark and disturbing. The Juxtaposition of the heroes waiting around
for Logan to arrive and the cannibalistic monsters that hope to eat him displays
the artist’s versatility perfectly. This is a guy, on par with those around him,
who doesn’t get nearly enough work for my tastes. I’d like to see him pull a
regular gig on a top-tier title, and soon. Somebody at Marvel, make that happen,
yeah? |
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ULTIMATE AVENGERS VS NEW ULTIMATES #1 (OF 6) |
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Writer:
Mark Millar |
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Artist:
Lenil Yu |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Shipped On:
020911 |
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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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No synopsis given. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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With a cover as explosive as the one plastered on
“Avengers VS New Ultimates” #1, I was sure the contents contained therein were
under extreme pressure, and just by opening the book I was going to get hit in
the face. I saw the preview that Marvel pushed by way of extra content in the
previous months’ titles; I wasn’t floored, but I know enough about the previews
to only take them at face value. I knew I was going to give this book a shot
even though I didn’t enjoy the last outing of Mark Millar’s “Ultimate Avengers”
saga. The vampire thing was over before it started, for me, and even though
there appears to be minor fallout from that mini into this one, it’s easily
overlooked in favor of the bombastic nature of Millar’s writing.
‘In your face’ doesn’t really begin to describe the attitude I’ve picked up
since Millar’s return to the Ultimate U. His critically acclaimed, perpetually
delayed “Ultimates” may have been the line’s crowning achievement, in whose
shadow all following titles are forced to stand. Jeph Loeb attempted to
manipulate enough goings-on to drag the Universe into the Sun once again, but
audiences everywhere provided “Ultimatum” a luke-warm reception. I get the
feeling that Millar knows that, and because he knows that he’s not trying nearly
as hard as he was when he still had something to prove with these characters.
There are some buzz-words that still apply, despite the author’s long absence:
Super-Human Arms Race, Invasion, War, Subversion, and Family. The lingering
sense of paranoia is everywhere, and the characters are more skeptical and jaded
than ever before, in a way, reflecting the audience they once inspired. “We’ve
seen these characters at their BEST, now show us SOMETHING ELSE!” Millar’s a
smart cookie, maneuvering himself into a prime position to be an in-demand
writer outside the world of comics, and in a relatively short period of time at
that. By creating a buzz-word out of his own name he’s brought a certain
attitude to books that former thrived on ideals, typically old, outdated ones,
but ideals nonetheless.
Someone is stealing super humans. Isn’t that what it always comes down to? The
New Ultimates (not even good enough to just be ‘The Ultimates’) find out that
someone within S.H.I.E.L.D. is in cahoots to profit from the sale of
super-soldier technology to the Russians/Chinese/North Korea, and damned if
they’re going to sit around and do nothing about it. While ‘investigating’ the
case they derail a freight train and encounter The Mimic, a would-be
super-soldier with every one of the Ultimate’s abilities. They talk to it,
reason with it, and then it dies. Oh, and then they’re told that everything is
Nick Fury’s fault.
While light on actual action, Millar gets a healthy dose of exposition out of
the way early on, giving everyone involved a chance to check Yu’s flexing of his
artistic muscles. His characters are emotive, with stern, thoughtful faces and
deep meaningful expressions. They aren’t dead-eyed drones marching about
spouting catch-phrases, these are the heroes of tomorrow in the hands of an
accomplished artist who’s hitting his stride in terms of his career. By hooking
up with Millar, and accounting for fifty percent of the creativity behind
“Superior”, Yu is setting himself up on track to cash in big in the near future,
and who can blame him? The guy can pencil the crap out of a comic book, maybe
it’s time he moved on to all-star status, at least, in terms of comic books. |
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DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #1 |
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Writers:
Marv Wolfman and Tony Bedard |
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Artists:
Howard Porter and Livesay |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
020211 |
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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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The DC event of the year begins, coinciding with the
release of the wildly anticipated DCU MMO! Get ready for the ride of a lifetime
with this immense, 26-issue biweekly series! Lex Luthor's obsession with
destroying Superman reaches a fevered limit when he cuts the ultimate Devil's
deal with Brainiac...but with the shake of a hand, has Luthor consigned humanity
to genocide? Comic book legend Marv Wolfman joins fan-favorite writer Tony
Bedard and artist Howard Porter to tell the ultimate DC Universe Super Hero tale
of good versus evil! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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This book has no soul. I know it’s only a comic
book, and has no reason to possess a soul, as we like to think only humans do,
but all the same a certain amount of humanity should be injected into the title
via writer/artist to make me believe there is something, ANYTHING, present
beneath the surface. I’ve read the first issue of DC’s online video game
spin-off, unfortunately, and there’s nothing there but pages with silly
illustrations on them.
By this time I shouldn’t be surprised by the money-grubbing cash grab, it’s not
the first by a comic company, and it certainly won’t be the last. Just like any
soulless, money-grubbing, cash grab the story contained within its pages is
second to the spectacle. “Inspired by the Highly Anticipated Game!” the cover
declares over an image that has NOTHING to do with what’s inside. I quickly
found myself zeroed in on two words within that claim: ‘Highly’ and
‘Anticipated.’ I’m not one ‘IN’ on the video game scene, but I do know that
people were looking forward to trying ‘Sim-DC’ out, but to launch a spin-off
comic book series around it?! I don’t know guys.
If you’ve seen the preview, which, let’s face it, has been difficult to avoid,
you should already know who bites it in the first few pages of the book. Beyond
that people get dead left and right, with little rhyme or reason. Lex Luthor and
friends are betrayed by the alien known as Brainiac, whose invasion of Earth
will ultimately lead to its destruction, so bad guys and good guys alike must
band together as a means of stopping such a colossal threat. It is pretty much
“Secret Invasion” only NOT ‘secret’ and NOT set in continuity.
I can’t help but feel bad for the creators involved. I’m sure there was little
inspiration behind this series, other than the check they were offered. I can’t
see anyone buying this and thinking, “Y’know what, I can’t believe I almost
skipped this.” In fact, the exact opposite is much, MUCH more likely, “OMG! I
can’t believe I actually gave this rag a shot!” Anyway, Marv Wolfman, for better
or worse, is entering Chris Claremont territory with this series; his name still
carries with it a certain gravitas, but he may or may not actually have the
chops to get stuff that affects the rest of the DCU. Tony Bedard hasn’t really
done anything in the past that I’ve been ‘Wowed’ by, and I’m only ‘Wowed’ by how
bad this is, so whatever. The art is so-so. I, honestly, don’t know what I can
say about this book that hasn’t been said every time someone accidentally steps
in a giant pile of $#!t?! |
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2011 by their respective
owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2011 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!"
