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COMIC REVIEWS FOR THE MONTH OF: MARCH 2002
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PATH #1 |
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Writers: Ron
Marz Artist: Bart
Sears |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Crossgen
Comics,
Shipped On: 032702 |
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MSRP:
.$2.95 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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CROSSGEN'S SYNOPSIS:
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Brother to a slain warlord, a humble monk possesses
a weapon with the power to slay gods... but can he bring himself to use it? Ron
Marz and Bart Sears join forces in the first issue of CrossGen's latest monthly
title, a tale of all-out samurai action set on a feudal world. |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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The latest addition to the CrossGen line continues
the promise of last month's prequel. Our hero, Obo-san's purpose is to avenge
the death of his brother at the hands of the Gods that killed him. He has a
weapon at his disposal that allows him to kill what was inviolable. Marz's story
will please fans of martial arts movies as well as the more serious Chinese
operas. Bart Sears continues to reform his style with this issue. His characters
are more realistically built and he like Ruse artist Butch Guice fills the book
with double page spreads. I enjoyed the prequel and this first issue but I am
becoming concerned with the rapid growth of the line; here's hoping quantity
doesn't exceed quality. |
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MARVEL KNIGHTS VOLUME 2 #1 |
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Writers: John
Figueroa Artist: Alberto
Ponticelli |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics,
Shipped On: 032702 |
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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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The Brothers Grace - multi-billionaire European
businessmen who happen to be addicted to plastic surgery - are moving into the
vacuum left by the Kingpin's absence. Under the direction of their evil
majordomo, Mr. Tune, the Brothers' personal army begins their absorption of
every criminal enterprise in the city! North Korean police detective (and
S.H.I.E.L.D. undercover agent) Sgt. Helen Kim has been assigned to assist Black
Widow, but will her personal vendetta against the Brothers get in the way of our
urban avengers? Desecration, animal sacrifice, plastic surgery, and European
independent filmmaking - yep, the new MARVEL KNIGHTS has it all! |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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The re-launch of the MK title is grimmer, more
atmospheric and more ground level than the cancelled Chuck Dixon/ Ed Barretto
version. Their version was too mainstream super heroic to make any dent sales
wise to a buying public who could get that from Avengers or the JLA.
New writer John Figueroa impressed MK editor Stuart Moore with his take on the
group so not long after giving Dixon the boot he let the new guy revive the
series. Figueroa brought along potential superstar penciller Alberto Ponticelli
who was fresh off of drawing the Blade 2 movie adaptation and the combination
gave us this impressive first issue.
The first issue introduces the nefarious Brothers Grace who will give the
beleaguered Kingpin a run for his money in his weakened state. This story shows
us right away how much trouble the two will be for the city of New York.
Figueroa also eliminates one of the elements of the previous series by having
Punisher fight alongside Daredevil but continue their mutual antagonism.
Ponticelli's work is superb here; his style is similar to Leo Manco or Daredevil
penciller Alex Maleev. He loves shadows and makes each character look
distinctive.
The membership in the group will probably remain at the current level-Punisher,
Daredevil, Black Widow and the non-powered government agent. |
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CATWOMAN #5 |
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Writers: Ed
Brubaker
Artist: Brad
Rader/Cameron Stewart |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
DC
Comics,
Shipped On: 032702 |
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MSRP:
.$2.50 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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Slam Bradley, the man who led readers to the missing
Selina Kyle in DETECTIVE COMICS, returns! While Catwoman is investigating a drug
ring involving local children, Slam is on the trail of some corrupt cops. So
what do the two cases have to do with one another? Considering this is Gotham,
you do the math. |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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This single-issue tale continues the evolution of
Selina Kyle from master thief to a leather clad Robin Hood. The story by Ed
Brubaker also shows why this new series is flying off the racks. It involves
drug running in the East End. He shows us who is behind it, how things work and
how this character is going to be a major thorn in her side until he's dealt
with in a permanent manner. Brubaker also reintroduces to the supporting cast
long time DC character Slam Bradley to help Selina. The story is pretty grim &
the Brad Rader/Cameron Stewart art matches the grim tone. The combination
reminded me a lot of the work of Mike Allred. Rader worked on the Batman
Animated series and he will stick around for a few issues until inker Stewart
takes over full time. |
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VAMPIRELLA #7 |
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Writers: John
Smith
Artist: Dawn Brown |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
Harris
Comics,
Shipped On: 032002 |
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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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HARRIS' SYNOPSIS:
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In part one of "Hungry Ghosts," Vampirella's past
begins to haunt her. With a peculiar circus aiding her, she enters a haunted
house that no one has left alive. Also included is part one of the long-awaited
return of Pantha by Mark Millar and Mark Texeira. |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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Little Red Hot creator/penciller/small blonde cutie
Dawn Brown joins the Vampirella team for the next four issues starting here with
this on time issue. She and writer John (Yes, it's my real name) Smith give us a
tale that places Vampi at a carnival where she is once again compelled to go to
Red House. The House has been mentioned as a source of evil in previous issues
but Vampi hasn't actually seen it yet so Smith has been building it up into
something we should look forward to.
At the carnival she encounters the name-lamed magician Harry Krishna and more
evil creatures that at tale's end seem to make Vampi encounter the House
sometime during the next three issues. The Vampi story is pretty short but
effective. Dawn Brown's art didn't do much for me so I never bought an issue of
Little Red Hot but here she seems to have learned a few things in Harrisland.
The bulk of the issue, however, is filled with the return of Pantha in a tale
that seems to have no plot but plenty of sensuous art involving the leopard
bikini wearing Pantha. You'll pant, you'll salivate but the story will leave you
scratching your head in confusion. |
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HAWKMAN #1 |
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Writers: Geoff
Johns & James Robinson
Artist: Rags Morales |
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Review By:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
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Publisher:
DC
Comics,
Shipped On: 030602 |
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MSRP:
.$2.50 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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A new series starring the Winged Wonder debuts, as
Hawkman and Hawkgirl set up in their new stomping ground of St. Roch, Louisiana.
The question is who's stomping on whom? They've set themselves up as allies to a
failing museum, only to find they're underdogs fighting against a corrupt city
government and a madman who will hire anyone to eliminate them. This issue
ignites an explosive international adventure through tombs, temples and
treasure! |
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BO'S REVIEW:
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The latest attempt to launch a Hawkman series debuts
with a high quality effort that if maintained could actually be a success.
Initial JSA team Geoff Johns & James Robinson will co-write the series in the
same manner they did with that title.
Most if the problems with Hawkman surrounded his convoluted continuity, which
always tweaked his origins but tended to confuse the hell out of readers who
grew up with the Gardner Fox version or started with the Tim Truman mini-series.
Johns straightened out things considerably during a JSA arc that tossed most of
the reinvention concepts and settled on Hawkman and Shiera being born during
over a hundred years ago in Egypt, encountering a spaceship with introduced them
to Nth metal and them dying and being reincarnated a number of times. Usually
the two end up together but this time Shiera isn't buying it and that will be
causes of tension during the series until Johns/Robinson decide to settle the
issue.
This time around the Hawks have moved from Chicago to another one of those
invented cities that DC loves to use. I guess that the closest real world city
you could come up with is St. Paul, Minnesota.
The artwork this time around is by former Hourman artist Rags Morales and
initial JSA inker Michael Bair inks him. This is the best combination DC could
have come up with because the collaboration is spectacular. |
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2002 by their respective owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2009 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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OTHER REVIEWS...
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RASSLIN' REVIEW
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Pay Per Views and House Shows, we
layeth the Smaketh- Down on both!
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KIDS REVIEWS
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Dozen's of kid friendly titles arrive every week and we review the ones that
stand out.
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AT THE MOVIES
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Every week we give you our opinion on what's playing at the cinema.
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