1985 #5 (of 6) – Review

By Mark Millar (Story) and Tommy Lee Edwards (Art)

I don’t know if there’s anyone out there who reads Marvel comics who isn’t buying this book (except maybe someone who thinks $3.99 for a 24-page comic is a TOTAL RIP-OFF). Maybe, like me, they thought last issue was a bit weak, but with this issue, 1985 proves itself again to be a must-read.

Our boy Toby, in an effort to fight the super-villains that are tearing through his hometown, has made his way from the “regular” universe to the Marvel Universe to recruit heroes to help him. Regular life continues beneath the flight path of the super-heroes, and the intermittent contact between two worlds is awkward, with subtle resistance to those who try to break the spandex ceiling. The tone is pitch-perfect, with little in-jokes every few pages: Jarvis making reference to Tony Stark’s recent “exhaustion”, or the Skrull in the Fantastic Four’s waiting room.

After several mishaps, Toby finally finds a hero that will listen to him. And just in time, too, as things in the real world are rapidly going from bad to worse, with the townsfolk evacuating, while creatures like the Wendigo slaughter whoever remains and Toby’s father is fighting his way back into town to help his ex-wife escape. The idea is that all his comic-geek knowledge might help turn the tide against the invaders, though it’s hard to imagine how, given that he has no super-powers that we know of.

One single complaint: Millar portrays all the villains that have materialized in Toby’s town as killers. Sure, Modok might go on a killing spree if he got the chance. The Scorpion or the Wrecker, maybe, if they got caught up in the excitement of a good rampage. But Batroc? The Taskmaster? Those guys wouldn’t kill time unless someone was paying them.

Edwards’ art continues to amaze. Not many artists could capture the visual complexity of an old rural East Coast town (the marble Victorian buildings downtown, the decrepit row homes outside, the telephone and power lines everywhere) as backdrop for a parade of classic super-villains. I won’t spoil the book by telling you who shows up on the last few pages, but he’s appropriately mind-blowing. (Grade: A)

– Andrew C. Murphy

Marvel 1985 #3 – Review

By Mark Millar (writer), Tommy Lee Edwards (art)

This latest issue of 1985 is, unfortunately, the weakest of the series (thus far). It’s not that it’s a bad issue, it’s just lacking in plot advancement. Initially, the story seems to be off on good footing. The first few pages focus on past of Toby’s father and how he became to be who he is. But from there, we’re given more escalation as the villains of the Marvel Universe slowly begin to spread their control and chaos over the entire town. Some of this imagery is the typical stuff you’d expect to see from a disaster movie, while others give a sense of awe (like the Fin Fang Foom scene). Toby and his father witness a few of these events (one which is rather disturbing), and finally decide to leave town. And that’s pretty much the issue in a nutshell. No sign of heroes, just things getting progressively worse.

The dialogue by Mark Millar is rock solid. The few character moments we get with Toby and his father are strong, but the rest of the issue almost feels wasted. I’m sure there’s a point to all this build up, but as a stand alone issue it’s somewhat lacking. Tommy Lee Edwards does another fine job bringing the world of 1985 to life. All the characters, save the Marvel characters, have a realistic, almost weathered quality to them. The villains on the other hand don’t feel as real, but do posses an imposing and intimidating feel that bolsters their larger than life presence.

If you’ve been enjoying this series as much as I have, you’ll be a little disappointing by this issue. Priced at $3.99, it’s almost hard to justify the purchase over waiting for the trade. Luckily, it’s also easy to see how an issue like this fits into the grand scheme of things.

Make your choice.

Me? I hate to say it, but I’ve bought the first two issues already. I might as well finish it. But, I won’t lie: I hate this feeling of obligation. (Grade: C+)
– J. Montes

Marvel 1985 #2 – Review

By Mark Millar (story), Tommy Lee Edwards (art), John Workman (letters)

The Stilt-Man will never, ever, be an A-list villain. Every now and then, some writer tries to “reinvent” him, and it always fails. The Stilt-Man will never be scary. But in the latest issue of 1985, in a simple five-panel sequence, Tommy Lee Edwards shows us how strange and wondrous it might really be to have an 80-foot cyborg stride across a suburban working-class neighborhood, silhouetted against the setting sun. So hats off to Edwards for another beautiful job.

This issue continues the theme set forth in the first: a group of super-villains, and at least one hero, have somehow been transported from the Marvel Universe as it was in 1985 to the “real” world. It’s unclear whether these are the original 616 characters, or doppelgängers created by some mutant power in “this” universe. Judging from the clues Millar keeps dropping, I suspect it’s the latter… and that Toby’s dad, his boyhood friend Clyde, and their monumental comic book collection have something to do with it.

Millar’s writing is spot-on, proving that while he usually goes for bombastic action, he can also do subtle scenes of human interest. My big gripe with the book is the one I often have with stories where kids run into mythical creatures and then try to convince adults to believe them. The scene where Toby tells his dad about the Hulk is frustrating because if my son told me he’d seen the Hulk, and he really believed it, I’d rush him to the hospital and have them check for brain damage, because that’s what a loving parent would do—should do—in the real world. But of course for the purposes of the story, Toby’s dad’s disbelief (or apparent disbelief; he may know more than he’s saying) is only an impediment to the plot. For me, at least, it punctures my suspension of disbelief and reminds me that what I’m reading is only fiction.

Other than that, though, the book is very good. The pace is gaining steam, and the sense of danger slowly ratcheting upward. At the end of the book, Sandman and Electro show up to demonstrate just how terrifying these rather average villains would really be if they were to show up at somebody’s home.

The task of putting supermen in the mundane world is a tricky one; the writer is always balancing on the razor’s edge between the sublime and the ridiculous. Will Millar drop the ball? So far he’s making it work, so I’ll just have to keep buying to find out. (Grade: B+)

– Andrew C. Murphy

Wolverine #66 (Old Man Logan) – Review

By Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), and Morry Hollowell (colors)

Not to make any comparisons or anything, but this book really reminds me of Alex Ross and Jim Krueger’s Earth X maxi-series from 10 or so years back.

We’re 50 years into the future where the planet’s been overrun by super villains. How Earth’s heroes fell is not explained, but Wolverine is one of the few heroes to survive the war and continue on. He has a rural, pedestrian life now – raising pigs, two kids, and burdened with the task of finding rent money. He’s a tired, old man trying to live out the rest of his days in peace.

But when hard times fall on Logan and he can’t come up with the rent money, he endangers the rest of his family. With a proposition from an old friend, Logan decides to take a trip out from the wastelands of Sacramento to the East Coast. As timid as Logan is about this job, he knows it’s the only way to keep his family safe.

If you’re expecting a huge, fast-paced romp like Mark Millar’s “Enemy of the State” storyline (which is probably the last great Wolverine story I’ve read), you’re going to be disappointed. This is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Wolverine is a man who’s made peace with himself and the past. He’s a pacifist and because of that it allows the story to grow. We all know this pacifism isn’t going to last. Eventually, Wolverine’s going to go berserk and that’s part of the fun – seeing how much he can take before that feral instinct takes over.

Millar’s story moves very quickly. A lot of the dialogue is strictly expository, but very much needed for this dystopian future. Also, the geographical map of the United States shows the political restructuring of the land, and like a good roadmap, it clearly shows what’s in store for Logan and his partner. Steve McNiven’s artwork is a feast for the eyes. Even with the bland desert-like setting, there’s plenty of life to be seen within the characters. It’s painfully obvious that a lot of care went into designing them, their environment, and the outfits. It’s also pleasing to see Dexter Vines and Morry Hollowell continuing to stick around as McNiven’s support team. Without them, this book wouldn’t look half as beautiful as it does.

Old Man Logan is not a mind-blowing debut, but it will fill you with lots of intrigue. The story’s properly set up and the production values are top notch. Coming from the team who did Civil War it’s hard to really doubt the lack of quality we’ll be receiving as the story progresses. I can’t wait to see how this ties into Millar’s Fantastic Four run and/or 1985. This is like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven – but Wolverine style! (Grade: B)

– J. Montes