Superman/Wonder Woman #7 – Review

By: Charles Soule (story), Barry Kitson (art), Paulo Siqueira & Eddy Barrows (pencils), Eber Ferreira (inks), Hi-Fi (colors)

The Story: Clark and Diana go clubbing like it’s Doomsday.

The Review: Kudos to any writer who wants to give you more bang for your buck, but doing so can run the risk of trying to do too much in too little space, which ends up short-changing you instead. Here, Soule has to deal with the fallout his heroes released last issue, start setting things up for the upcoming Superman crossover, and somehow work in all the usual character/plot/world development. Not an impossible task, but it requires a lot more finesse than what Soule ultimately delivers here.

As you can see by the cover, not even Superman can get caught in the center of a nuclear explosion and emerge unscathed. This might have been a good opportunity to gauge how far Clark’s recuperative abilities go, but with his second round with Doomsday coming up, Soule has to get him back in fighting (and dancing) shape by the end of the issue. It’s hard to take our couple’s peril seriously when it only takes the Fortress of Solitude’s medical tech and a Purple Ray crystal to patch them up in no time.

Earth Two #20 – Review

By: Tom Taylor (story), Barry Kitson (art), Robson Rocha (pencils), Oclair Albert (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: Can you really blame anyone for not wanting to outside on Earth Two right now?

The Review: Do you realize that it’s been half a year since this most recent disaster struck Earth Two?  Most Big Events have usually concluded within that timeframe, yet this arc looks as if it’s going to stretch on beyond that for another few issues.  You might be able to endure this if there was enough happening in each issue to make it worth the month’s wait, but with what Taylor and Robinson have given us so far, it just feels like time you’re never getting back.

For my hard-won money, any page that doesn’t add something new to the story is a page you shouldn’t have paid for.  There are many such pages in this issue, from Jimmy Olsen pointlessly geeking out over Lois Lane’s robotic body to Khalid’s traumatized ramblings to the corrupted Superman directing a host of Parademons to tear down every religious structure in the world.  It’s not so much that these scenes are badly written or anything; they just do little more than repeat information we’re already well-acquainted with, and we’ve had too much of that already.

Fables #130 – Review

By: Bill Willingham (story), Barry Kitson (art), Gary Erskine (finishes), Lee Loughridge (colors)

The Story: Someone did exterminate Castle Dark before we all moved in, right?

The Review: I can’t say that I always have my head wrapped around how the Fables exist, but one thing I do know is they depend on our investment in their stories to survive.  As the recent resurrection of Prince Charming attests, the more powerful their fictional impact, the more resilient they become.  With that in mind, it’s crucial that the Fables’ children generate worthwhile tales of their own, lest they become forgettable inferiors to their parents.

Sadly, Junebug, the fair child of former wooden soldiers Rodney and June, will probably always remain a well-liked but unmemorable member of the next-gen Fables (though on the plus side, she has the best chance of surpassing the fame of her parents).  Her little sojourn in Castle Dark is, like herself, lively, charming, and generically defined.  It’s good enough to pass a bus ride on, but not nearly good enough to make its mark on your memory once you get off.

Bloodshot #12 – Review

By: Duane Swierczynski (Writer), Barry Kitson, Stefano Gaudiano (Artists), Brian Reber (Colorist)

The Story: Bloodshot, in search for food and proteins, gets ambushed by Kuretich as he is on the verge of death.

The Review: I didn’t have many positive things to say about the last issue. As the title is caught in the big crossover known as Harbinger Wars, it gave us a rehashing of events in ways that didn’t altogether made sense sometime. It was an example of a bad tie-in issue and was a rare misstep for a series that was giving its readers plenty of big fun and violent action for them to enjoy.

Thankfully, this issue makes amends for that latest one by propelling the story quite a lot as it gives us a focus on the character of Bloodshot. Here, we see just how exactly the character can move forward in its concept as we are given something that has been a long time coming for those that followed the title: the confrontation with Dr. Kuretich. In many ways, that character had been a presence in the book as he had been a thorn in the side of Bloodshot, always trying to manipulate him toward one goal or another. Here, we get to see them confront each other as we see Kuretich’s side of the medal.

Bloodshot #11 – Review

By: Duane Swierczynski (Writer), Barry Kitson, Stefano Gaudiano (Artists), Brian Reber (Colorist)

The Story: We delve a little bit further into the Harada protocol as Bloodshot fights Toyo Harada. Meanwhile, we see how Kara tries to take care of the psiot kids.

The Review: Tie-in issues can be both blessing and curses sometimes, albeit it is unfortunately much more frequent to see the latter than the former. While it is a possibility to see a book regain focus as it takes advantage of a greater situation in the universe they are set in, it can also unfortunately kill the momentum that a book had by injecting various elements that don’t quite match up with what was going on before the event was launched. Thankfully, this event was brought up with what went up in both Bloodshot and Harbinger, which makes this crossover quite organic to the growth of both titles.

However, it seems that all the important plot advancement is set in the Harbinger Wars title as we get to see some more details of particular events from the crossover in the titles connected to it. It is a risky move that can actually pay off as we get some deeper analysis on how these characters think and feels through these scenes from the main comic, yet here it is mostly wasted, as it brings close to nothing new to the table, unfortunately.

Bloodshot #10 – Review

By: Duane Swierzcynski (Writer), Barry Kitson, Stefano Gaudiano (Artists), Brian Reber (Colorist)

The Story: Bloodshot is moving toward a new destination with the psiot kids as he tries to defend and take care of them.

The Review: This title is something that is actually quite uncommon these days, with many noir, criminal, super heroes, sci-fi and other genre being completely covered with a multitude of books, it seems that there is one genre that is not as widely covered as we would think: pure action.

Fairest #14 – Review

By: Bill Willingham (story), Barry Kitson (art), Inaki Miranda (finishes), Andrew Dalhouse (colors)

The Story: A crappy meal can get in the way of any date.

The Review: Love is the trickiest of all things to manage and the most difficult to obtain, particularly when it’s true.  Considering how many fables are dedicated to illustrating those points, it should perhaps be no surprise that so many of our Fables have been, to say the least, unlucky in love.  In that regard, the fairest of the Fables endure a special kind of suffering: for all their beauty and other virtues, they live rather lonely, loveless lives, which are the worst kind.

So it goes with Princess Alder, the dryad, who sees the most depressing problem in her life as her “deplorable dating life.”  Honestly, this would be an exhausting premise for a story had this involved any other kind of woman—namely human woman.  Fiction nowadays is inundated with stories about women running the gauntlet of the dating game.  But put a half-tree, forest creature in the same high-heeled shoes and suddenly you have a story that’s funny and kind of brilliant.

The Mighty Thor #22

By: Matt Fraction (writer), Barry Kitson (breakdowns), Will Quintana (Colors)

The Story: Bring forth the Doom Ring! What is the Doom Ring? Seriously, I’ve been googling that all day and all I can find is other reviews for this issue.

The Review: This is the Thor I’ve wanted to see from Fraction since he took over a few years ago. And with his final issue, we finally get a Thor than can be taken seriously. Fraction writes a Thor that demands respect. The mopiness of earlier story arcs is gone. Now we get a thunder god who has had it with being pushed around by his father and constantly being reprimanded for saving the world. He puts himself on trial…which apparently involves tying yourself with glowing ropes to a giant stone circular tablet called the DOOM RING (isn’t a ring supposed to have hole?). Odin speaks against him, telling Asgard that Thor is no good for them. He even brings Enchantress in to belittle his son. On Thor’s side is Freyja (aww, mom!) and Hreidmar (some weird troll thing with glasses. Good chap). Once it gets to Hreidmar and Enchantress, it gets pretty interesting.

FF #5 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Barry Kitson (art), Paul Mounts (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: The siege on Old Atlantis comes to a head as Sue comes to learn what Reed’s been keeping from her.

What’s Good:  With Old Atlantis under siege, Hickman gives us an issue that is both epic and desperate.  Seeing Sue and Alex stand against hordes of angry Atlanteans and Moloids, war engines and all, is exciting and grandiose.  All told, it both looks and reads impressively.  I loved seeing Alex play hero and unleash some real power.

Better still is Sue’s encounter with an “evil Reed.”  Her reaction is well-written and the whole thing, and really this whole issue, continues to turn the alter-Reeds into not only a credible villainous contingent, but one that’s downright frightening.  This month’s evil Reed in question, particularly in his treatment of Sue, is ice cold chilling and overall, the tone in which Hickman writes the Reeds goes a long way in making them a not only unique, but also very threatening enemy.  Sue’s confronting her Reed about all this is also a moment that is written sincerely and genuinely.

There’s also a little two-page interlude in which Alicia Masters plays grief counselor with Ben.  It may sound like this would be jarring, given that it comes out of nowhere, but it’s a nice little reprieve.  It’s heartfelt and Kitson’s Thing looks almost too adorable with his frowny demeanor.  It was only two-pages, but I could’ve done with more of this.

Barry Kitson’s art continues to be a major boon for FF moving forward.  His work has a slightly old school feel that brings a great deal of liveliness and energy to go along with the detail and general artistic horsepower.  His armies of monstrous looking Old Atlanteans and mole things look great, and his facial expressions on the various Reeds and the very slimy Mole Man are well done.  I also like his take on Sue, who has a distinct face as opposed to just being another good-looking blonde in the Marvel U.

FF #4 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Barry Kitson (artist), Paul Mounts (colorist), and Clayton Cowles (letterer)

The Story: The Doom conference on Reeds continues as Sue, Alex Power, and Spider-Man raise to stop a civil war erupting in Old Atlantis.

The Review:  A single good concept can go a long way in carry a comic.  In this case, the continuing conference of FF bad guys led by Victor von Doom continues to be a very, very good concept.

There’s something so naturally awesome about the idea of a group of bad guys having a meeting in the Baxter Building about how to beat Reed and Hickman does a fantastic job of portraying the various personalities on display here.  Each villain is a different sort of bad guy and it’s so much fun watching them bounce off one another.  From Doom’s arrogance, to Diablo’s sly villainy, to the Wizard’s evil, this is great stuff.  Hickman also does an uproarious job in writing the Mad Thinker, who is everything his name suggests he is.  Throw in Reed, Val, and Nathaniel and this is merely an opportunity for Hickman to have strong personalities clash.

Furthermore, as grave and serious as the subject matter of this meeting is, there’s a constant undertone of humor, as you may expect given the cast involved.  From Reed’s telling Doom of what the his fellow Reeds do to the Dooms they find, to Reed’s muttering “this is a disaster,” this is just so much fun to read.

Also fun is the art provided by Barry Kitson.  I really like Steve Epting as an artist, but while his darker style suited the tone of the “Three” arc and the death of Johnny, he was quite the right fit for the FF moving forward.  Kitson brings a brighter more upbeat style that serves the series much better.

Amazing Spider-Man #659 – Review

By: Dan Slott (story), Fred Van Lente (script), Stefano Caselli (art), Marte Gracia (colors), Joe Caramagna (letters), Ellie Pyle (assistant editor) & Stephen Wacker (editor)

Bug Time Infestation intro by: Dan Slott (writer), Barry Kitson (art), Edgar Delgado (colors) & Caramagna (letters)

Ghost Rider team-up by: Rob Williams (writer), Lee Garbett (art), Alejandro Sicat (inks), Fabio D’Auria (colors), Caramagna (letters) & Pyle & Wacker (editors)

The Story: Spider-Man goes on a swashbuckling Caribbean adventure with the FF (the Future Foundation)…

What’s Good: I think we’ve found a couple of writers who would do a great job with the FF whenever Jonathan Hickman leaves the title.  Both Dan Slott’s story and Fred Van Lente’s script capture the fun, family dynamic that we’ve come to expect when Spidey interacts with the FF.  These are characters who are comfortable around each other because they’ve known each other for decades.  Heck, the FF all know Spidey’s true identity!  But, Spidey still interjects a slightly different and awkward feel into the group because he is new.  It’s kinda like the difference between knowing someone socially and staying at their home for a week and having them learn about your bathroom habits.

The story itself is fun as hell as the team finds themselves sucked into a Caribbean pirate adventure with the Thing playing dress up!  Basically they go down to the Caribbean to investigate some dimensional anomaly and end up running into zombie pirates guarding Blackbeard’s treasure.  And that is all fun, but this is very much a Van Lente script with his mix of pop culture references and high-level humor.  For example, we have Spider-Man and the Thing enjoying an ongoing Beastie Boys joke with the word “booty” (much to Sue Storm’s chagrin) and Reed Richards being called “Mr. Elongated Man” to which he tells the villager, “I hope you have good lawyers.”  It’s just a great little story that ends up with a bunch of Spidey villains and the FF kids getting into the fun.  Every page has something that makes you smile.

It looks like Van Lente learned how to toss softballs to Stefano Caselli during that Spider Slayer story arc a few months ago, because this art is a LOT tighter than that work was.  I really didn’t see a shaky panel anywhere and the highlight was when Caselli busted out some zombies that reminded me a lot of Rafael Albuquerque’s vampires in American Vampire.  In case you haven’t read my reviews of AV….that is high praise.  Nice coloring too!

Iron Man 2.0 #3 – Review

by Nick Spencer (writer), Barry Kitson & Carmine Di Giandomenico (art), Kano (art & colors), Matthew Wilson & Frank Martin (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: As the mystery deepens, Rhodey gets a very special present from Tony Stark.

The Review:  After a fantastic first issue, it seems that Iron Man 2.0 continues to struggle to find its feet.

I think a major reason for this is a sense that the series is treading water.  Plot progression is certainly on the slower side, with few questions answered regarding Palmer Addley.  Yet, while things are moving slowly, I don’t think it’s fair to say that nothing’s happens this month.  Rhodey gets a cool new suit that emphasizes a change in War Machine’s modus operandi and there’s a development in just who Palmer Addley was.  That said, this latter development is pretty small and not all that surprising.  Hence, the story seems to be spinning its wheels a bit, with still no clearly defined enemy or conflict.  What makes this more frustrating is that Nick Spencer’s writing is really quite solid, it’s just the pacing that’s off.

Also off is the artwork.  While it’s worked surprisingly well over the first two issues, the division of duties between three artists is really starting to tell, with their styles feeling increasingly disparate.  Not helping is the fact that all three also have different colorists.  Kitson’s art remains strong, but some of the other work here is too muddy and, at times, kind of ugly.   There are a few particularly gruesome character close-ups.  Suffice it to say, the sooner Kitson can pull off a full issue, the better.

Iron Man 2.0 #2 – Review

by Nick Spencer (writer), Barry Kitson, Kano, & Carmine Di Giandomenico (art), Matthew Wilson (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Rhodey tries to enlist the help of an old friend and ends up finding himself in some very deep trouble.

The Review: Iron Man 2.0 is, in some ways, a frustrating issue.

Take for example how it deals with last month’s awesome and delightfully twisted cliffhanger.  Quite simply, it doesn’t.  The mad scientist mom or the idea of Palmer Addley’s transplants is never picked up, never discussed, and never even referred to.  Reading Morning Glories, this seems to be a common thing for Nick Spencer;  he’ll throw a crazy development at us, leave it clouded in mystery, and toss it aside for a few issues.

Then there’s Rhodey’s extraneous use of the suit.  Why does he have to fly in to meet Suzie Endo at an academic conference while fully decked out.  More than that, why does he have to make his entrance by exploding through a goddamned window and into the lecture hall.  It’s never really explained and frankly, I don’t think there’s any explaining it at all.

Suzie Endo herself is also a bit of an issue.  On the one hand, I liked her personality in this comic; it added a much more distinct face to Rhodey’s support team, which is something the comic definitely needs.  It gives Rhodey someone fun to bounce off of and gives the book a nice, unique character to go along with Rhodes himself.  On the other hand, however, it also forces Spencer to trawl a bit into the continuity of Rhodey’s previous failed series.  With the title being “Iron Man 2.0,” the major shift in tone, and the Salvador Larroca covers, it’s clear that Marvel is attempting to bring in readers like, admittedly, myself; that is, people very familiar with Fraction’s book but really only familiar with the current Rhodey based on his presence in that same book.  As such, referencing previous War Machine’s titles seems a little counter-intuitive to that end, especially given the book’s poor sales.

But that said, the book does do a lot of things right as well.  The opening, involving a suicide bomber attack on a military base, is expertly told and plotted again showing Spencer to be a demented guy when he wants to be.  I love it when a writer makes us yawn, expecting the inevitable and predictable twist, only to give us a way more nasty variation of that twist.  I also enjoyed the very contemporary and realistic setting that this scene employed, which is really the sort of thing that the Marvel Universe can be put to use with.

Iron Man 2.0 #1 – Review

by Nick Spencer (writer), Barry Kitson & Carmine di Giandomenico (art), Kano (art & colors), Matt Wilson (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: James Rhodes takes on a new assignment, one that challenges the limits of War Machine, as he is faced with a man who no longer exists.

The Review: It’s a rare thing, but I truly love it when I’m able to come into a book with high expectations and have those expectations be completely fulfilled.  Iron Man 2.0 is exactly what it says it is: a high-tech Iron Man-franchise title by Nick Spencer.  It has the witty dialogue that got the writer props in Forgetless and Morning Glories along with the trippy concepts a la Existence 2.0/3.0.  But let’s back up a bit and go into a bit more detail about what exactly Spencer gets right.

The issue opens with a team-up action scene between War Machine and Iron Man and an old school villain, Blizzard.  The dialogue shows Spencer’s depth perfectly.  The banter and conversation between Rhodey and Tony is comfortable and pretty damned funny overall.  The sense of camaraderie is well done.  This is balanced against Blizzard, who spouts the same ominous, surreal line in repetition (perhaps hinting at Fear Itself?  I’m not sure).  It’s a weird dynamic, but one that’s a lot of fun to read.  It’s also worth mentioning that Spencer writes a really fun Tony Stark.

Similarly strong is Spencer’s fleshing out of Rhodey’s direct superior, General Babbage, who we’ve been seeing lately in Invincible Iron Man.  Spencer quickly creates an enjoyable, blistering dynamic where the two men prod one another constantly, one overtly and the other covertly.  It’s really fun and I’m happy in that it looks to be a continuing dynamic throughout the series.

But that’s not even touching about the story itself.  Put simply, the story-arc/conflict that Spencer introduces is trippy, demented, and perfect for a high-tech series.  It’s hard to discuss without spoilers, but essentially, Rhodey is charged with tracking down a super genius that is dispersing his super projects to terrorist groups.  Except that he’s apparently doing it from beyond the grave, having committed suicide.  That alone is a great plot-line, one that hints at possible cyber-crime and high-tech hijinks that challenge the limits of Rhodey’s straightforward approach in that it’s not a threat he can fight.

Amazing Spider-Man #594 – Review

By Mark Waid (writer), Barry Kitson and Mike McKone (pencils), Rags Morales and Andy Lanning (inks), Jeremy Cox (colors)

The Story: Peter battles the new Vulture only to survive and have to face-off against his new ultra-bossy roommate. JJ and Osborn scheme against good ol’ Spidey as the public, inevitably turns against him.

What’s Good: I would be remiss in not stating what perhaps is my favorite aspect of this arc entitled “24/7:” the covers. Seriously, Joe Quesada put out three awesome– dare I say classic, Spider-Man covers in this arc. All of them catch a special tone of the city, while revealing something unique about Spidey as an iconic character. Completely beautiful!

Anyway, onto the book itself. As I mentioned in my last review, I like this new Vulture, which is a more animalistic and threatening version of the old and mostly harmless version. Although they were a bit overly-expressive, I like the way Mark Waid scripted out the battles with the Vulture. These fight scenes take up the bulk of the book and although I usually zone out over long battle scenes, these kept me interested. The fight that probably stood out the most was the final battle at Yankee stadium, which reversed the cliche of “hero beating up bad guy in front of adorning crowd.”  Also, the way Spidey disposed of the Vulture was unexpected and interesting.

I also like Peter’s bold decision at the end of this issue to pursue his mortal enemy. I always thought Peter made a much more interesting character when he would progressively go-for-broke against all odds, rather than being a passive victim to outside forces.

What’s Not So Good: Overall, there were more clumsy moments in this issue than the previous two. These impasses were most noticeable in the art. I’m not sure if it was Mike McKone taking a front seat while Berry Kitson grabbed the front, but there was a big drop in the quality here.

My biggest gripe is that right when I was beginning to think Marvel was cleaning house of annoying supporting cast around Spidey, they bring in the most irritating character to date: Peter’s new roommate. I am not looking forward to her direct effect in Spidey’s life for the foreseeable future. That aside, the addition of JJ’s father to ASM is a solid move and will make for a richer texture to Peter’s life. Additionally, I was a bit let down that some of the high drama that ended last issue, namely Spidey’s traumatic injury, was so easily worked out of the plot.

Conclusion: An unspectacular conclusion to a solid arc. However, everything post Character Assassination has been enjoyable and worth the time and money. Also, don’t forget that Joe Kelley kicks off a new arc next week. These are good days to be an ASM fan. Let’s just hope the editors don’t get punchdrunk and bring the focus back to Harry Osborn and crew.

Grade: B

-Rob G.

Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #3 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Barry Kitson (Penciler and Inker), Mick Gray and Cam Smith (Inkers), and Christ Sotomayor (Colorist)

My only huge complaint is the cover. I mean look at it: Franklin and Valeria must be the two ugliest kids in comics according to this rendition. If I didn’t enjoy the first two issues, this cover would have scared me away.

Thank goodness the story within is not nearly as bad. The majority is dedicated to filling in all the blank patches of Lyja’s tale. She’s hinted a bit about her past since Johnny, but we finally find out why she agreed to be part of the Secret Invasion. The second half focuses on Ben, Frank, and Val trying to convince a long forgotten villain (I certainly haven’t seen him in a long time) to help them return to the “Positive Zone”. Despite being a villain, he is actually wrongfully imprisoned in the Negative Zone. Though I personally approve of the SHRA (Superhero Registration Act), I enjoy these little moments that show that while registration is a good idea, it doesn’t always work in execution (like any good political idea).

The ending really isn’t an ending as it just leads back into the main Secret Invasion arc. If anything, this mini-series is simply the story of what happened to the “FF” after they were launched into the Negative Zone, and how they got back – not how the FF cope with/affect the Secret Invasion. There are only two reasons to pick this mini up. One: if you enjoy the group dynamics of the FF and family, there is a great deal in these three issues. Two: if you want to know what’s happened to Lyja and/or the mystery villain over the last several years, this single issue would be the source of that info. Otherwise, you won’t be missing out on much if you leave it on the shelves.

Lastly, a quick word about the interior art: while Barry Kitson continues to at excel all the oddities of the Negative Zone and does a stellar job drawing the Thing, he still has yet to master his human faces. Occasionally they look normal, but on the very next page, all the features seem too small (this is especially apparent in Johnny’s case). The only exception to this is the mystery villain, whose face flawlessly matches his original design. Kitson’s rendition of this guy brought a smile to my face. Oh, and the faux-childish drawing opening page? Hilarious. The sad thing is I don’t think my own drawing skills could even match up to that. (Grade: C+)

-M. Staples

Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #2 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Barry Kitson (Pencils), and Mick Gray, Scott Hanna & Barry Kitson (Inks)

Okay, you damn, dirty Skrulls! Give me back the real Johnny Storm!

I know what you’re saying: “Oh, no. We have Reed and Sue, but Johnny’s the real deal. You can tell by the way he’s acting.” But that’s my point exactly. The Johnny Storm I know may have his insecurities deep down, but on the outside he’s an impetuous, bold, exciting character—not this “special needs” doofus that Aguirre-Sacasa is writing about.

Or maybe Aguirre-Sacasa is the Skrull. How else do you explain a professional writer recapping Johnny’s love life at the beginning of the book, yet failing to mention the one particular lover that is at the center of the book’s plot? I personally have four hundred issues of Fantastic Four bending my bookshelves and I’ve never seen this “Lyja” before, so it’s probably safe to conclude that lots of other readers also have no idea who she is or why they should care about her.

Perhaps you’re not aware of the most recent developments because you’re busy, y’know, conquering our planet and all, so let me fill you in. Last issue, the Skrull Sue warped the Baxter Building into the Negative Zone. She then immediately told Johnny about the Skrull invasion, so even a twit like him could figure out she was an impostor. (You don’t train your agents very well, do you?) In this issue, Johnny and Lyja fight a little, but then Johnny saves Lyja from a giant space jellyfish and they fall in love again. Just like that. Meanwhile, Franklin and Valeria save Ben from giant space beetles and a giant space octopus. (Somebody’s been watching The Mist lately, I think.)

Actually, Franklin seems to be completely unaffected by the disappearance of his parents and the dangers all around him. Maybe he’s been replaced by a Skrull. Remember when Doctor Doom sent Franklin to Hell for a few hours? He was traumatized for months. Of course, that story was written by the talented human Mark Waid, not some lousy Skrull.

Then again… why would you send a single under-powered, emotionally compromised agent to battle half the Fantastic Four and their creepy children? It’s as if you secretly want the invasion to fail! Maybe you, the Skrull High Command, have actually been replaced by Skrulls!

Doesn’t make sense, you say? It makes about as much sense as anything else in this book. (Grade: B-)

– Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

This issue gives me mixed feelings, mostly because I feel much of it was wasted. In a mini-series that is only three issues long, you shouldn’t devote a third of an issue recounting Johnny’s love-life and showing him and Lyja having a lovers quarrel. Perhaps the most annoying part was an entire page devoted to a facial reaction from Johnny – a page which wasn’t even drawn too well. For the most part, Barry Kitson’s artwork is solid throughout, but on a page entirely devoted to a face, you’d think he could make the eyes more evenly spaced and not draw a mouth half the normal size. As for Ben, we mostly see him continue to fight Negative Zone creatures. Despite these two scenes being somewhat “more of the same,” they are still highlighted by the fun characterizations as these two react to the various situations around them.

The real enjoyment comes from Franklin and Valeria. While some may find their actions somewhat cheesy, you have to stop and think for a second, if you’re a kid with superhero parents, one of which is a scientific genius, what would you do? You’d probably get your dad’s tech and kick some bad guy butt. Besides, Valeria’s reactions to everything happening just makes me laugh. (Perhaps it helps that I’ve got a cousin about her age, and I can just imagine her cluelessly saying things like “Daddy’s lab smashed!” and “Yay, prison!”)

So overall, this was a mostly character driven story. So far, this series hasn’t proven itself to be an essential Secret Invasion read, but if you enjoy these characters as much as I do, you could do worse than pick it up. Besides, we are given a very interesting tease for the next time around. I don’t want to reveal too much, but Franklin’s plan at the end certainly has me looking forward to the last installment. With any luck, it will be a good, solid conclusion. (Grade: B-)

-M. Staples

Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1 (of 3) – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Barry Kitson (pencils), Mick Gray, Scott Hanna, Barry Kitson, Paul Neary (inks), Chris Sotomayor (colors)

On sale: 5/14/08

Well, now I see why Secret Invasion #2 failed to give us more on the attack at the Baxter Building. This story handles it all – from the abduction of Sue Richards to her attack to the Baxter Building. Readers curious to see the outcome of this event will want to pick up this issue, but personally, I think it’s a story we can do without (for now). Maybe the later issues will play a more integral role into the Skrull invasion, but what we’ve got here is not necessarily a weak opening story, but rather an interesting plot filled with awful moments, cliches, and dialogue.

Within the opening pages of the book, we’re bombarded with a horrible sequence of events starting with Reed trying to bed Sue. It comes off as forced, predictable, and so stupid that I almost closed the book. Later on, Sue (now a Skrull), tries to pull one over on Johnny, but he’s not fooled by her antics, which makes me wonder how Johnny Storm (arguably the biggest idiot on the team) can sense something amiss while his sister (a very smart and intelligent woman) can be easily fooled by a Skrull imposter. It’s bad storytelling and honestly, readers should feel insulted.

There’s two saving graces to this issue – the overall plot, which has the remaining Fantastic Four members (along with Val and Franklin) adrift in the Negative Zone, and the excellent art by Barry Kitson. It’s just the poor execution of the plot that makes this book a chore to read. And Barry Kitson’s art, as good as it is, is fumbled around by various inkers. Sometimes the art pops off the page in spectacular fashion, while other times it feels flat and uneven. You shouldn’t need four inkers to ink 22 pages!

Hopefully, Aguirre-Sacasa can pick up the slack next issue and redeem himself. In a more capable writer’s hands this book would have been filled with drama and suspense, but instead we’re given just a taste of what could have been. This issue, despite its interesting cliffhanger and somewhat decent moments with Ben Grimm, is wasted. (Grade: D)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

To anyone wondering what has happened to the FF after being sucked into the Negative Zone in Secret Invasion #1: Pick up this book, because this will tell you everything you need to know. This issue also has a quick prologue (which is both informative and downright creepy) and (later on), a brief but humorous interlude. The rest of the story is exactly what the title promises: The effects that Secret Invasion has on the Fantastic Four.

In the story, we get some great interactions between Ben and the kids (and boy do I feel sorry for those kids, the stuff they see during events like this is enough to scar them for life) as he tries to protect them from the dangers of the N-Zone. We also get to see Johnny with some rarely used smarts as he confronts Skrull Sue. In fact, the revelation of who it really is, is no doubt the highlight of the issue, making it a must for all FF fans.

Overall, this was very well put together. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s writing is the perfect match for the Fantastic Four, and I would not be disappointed if he took up the helm when Mark Millar eventually leaves (which I’m not looking forward to). Likewise, Kitson’s art was definitely modern, but he throws in plenty of nods to older art (i.e. the “Kirby dots” are present throughout). I’d love to see more of his work in FF as well. Kitson gets major kudos for being one of the few artists that is continuity-friendly – the FF’s uniforms here perfectly match the new uniforms that Hitch has given in the main FF title – something that is often overlooked by other artists. All together, the plot, writing and art is everything I’d hoped it would be. I’ll definitely be back for the next issue. (Grade: A-)

-M. Staples

Amazing Spider-Man #558 – Review

By Bob Gale (writer), Barry Kitson (pencils), Mark Farmer (inks), Avalon’s Hannin & Milla (colors)

Wow, talk about invoking mixed feelings. This issue of Amazing Spider-Man does just that in spades. After abandoning The Order (which I’m still bitter over), it’s nice to see Barry Kitson turn up with some outstanding pencil work. One of Kitson’s strengths is that he can draw all kinds of people, not just “the standard build” with a different face (which most artists are guilty of doing). And because this issue features tons of pedestrians, Kitson’s artistic talents are showcased at a high level. In fact, everything he draws in this issue is painstakingly detailed and beautiful.

Bob Gale’s script is harder to gauge. His use of word bubbles with Peter Parker harken back to the classic days of Spider-Man, but in this modern age, they feel out of place. Curt Connors’ self-pity is also Silver Age inspired, yet feels unrealistic (by today’s standards). The Freak, I’ll get into in a moment. And while the return of Menace almost feels annoying, the possible revelation behind his character may end up redeeming him as a villain. Because other than Mr. Negative (who has been keeping a low profile since the first Brand New Day story arc), and that crazy Mayan god, the new villains introduced thus far have been pretty weak.

Okay, so the Freak… Good concept, crappy character. He was created for one simple reason: To lose to Spider-Man in humiliating ways. Why do you think they gave this guy “unlimited lives”? Because he’s a stoner, and stoners are stupid. Nothing illustrates this point more than his death in this issue. I mean, come on – going for Spider-Man’s obvious headfake at the end? Are you serious?! No one in their right mind would fall for that. It’s like being in the middle of the fight and you saying to your opponent, “Hey, look over there,” and then sucker punching them. That’s what Spidey did this issue, and the whole scene was just stupid.

The rest of the issue (I know, it seems like I’ve covered it all, but I haven’t), is filled with some good moments. The crowd reactions to Spidey’s fight with Menace are entertaining, the scene with the snipers is spot on, and Aunt May has a glorious moment that actually made me laugh out loud. There’s also some silly narratives scattered about that come off as entertaining, but all in all, this issue just would have been better had it not dealt with The Freak. Please don’t bring this guy back. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

Funny, I seem to have the exact opposite opinion as Jay. In this issue, we finally get a satisfying ending to the story of Freak. Or do we?

Before that, we trudge through several problematic scenes with this Brand New Day storyline. First, we see that Peter is feeling guilty for wanting to move out and leave his poor old aunt all by herself. How many times has he moved out before? Don’t tell me they all got retconned away too. Likewise, I think he is more than old enough to live on his own. Later on in the story, we get another confrontation between Spidey and Menace, who I have yet to be convinced is not just another Goblin copycat. Making this scene worse, we are given some of the cheesiest mid-battle quips that Spidey has had in a while.

The last half of the issue is where Gale and Kitson finally deliver as Spider-Man once again faces The Freak, and his jokes become funny and smart. Likewise, Kitson is great at displaying the action in this scene as well as the humor (especially in the facial expressions). The Freak, is without a doubt, the best character to come out of Brand New Day. While is extreme addiction to drugs should be saddening and pity-worthy, Gale writes it so that it is humorous, while at the same time giveing another “Stay away from drugs” lesson without brow-beating the reader. So, to anyone not pleased with Brand New Day, the first half of this issue certainly won’t make you feel any better, but the second half definitely entertains. (Grade: C+)

-M. Staples

The Order #10 – Review

By Matt Fraction (writer), Barry Kitson (breakdowns), Javier Saltares (pencils), Scott Hanna, Victor Olazaba & Nelson (inks), J. Roberts & Will Quintana (colors)

I’m a fan of The Order. Really, I am! But this last issue felt like a chore. Barry Kitson, the artist who made this book such a joy, had all but abandoned this book a few issues back. Sure he’s on breakdowns, but seriously, it means nothing to me. The finished art isn’t very good and there are times where it’s downright ugly thanks to lots of over coloring. How many people does it take to make a comic book? Eight, apparently. And because this book has so many people on it, it lacks any cohesion. It’s a Frankenstein of a book and it’s not pretty.

Matt Fraction isn’t getting off light, either. It’s like once he found out the book was getting canceled he (like Kitson) committed to finishing the run, but it’s obvious that his heart was no longer into it. The pacing is off-beat, the attempts at being clever are anything but, and the monologues are overbearing. Perhaps the only saving grace is the last third of this book which concludes a chapter of a member’s life and presses the reset button on the team.

What I found more interesting is where things go from here. Yes, this is the last issue, but the team will live on and I’ve got a hunch they’ll be showing up in Fraction’s upcoming Iron Man series. Speaking of Iron Man, Fraction has done a nice job sneaking old shell head into this storyline. In many ways, this last issue acts as a bridge to the aforementioned Iron Man series. The effects of what Ezekiel Stane has done (and promised) will undoubtedly echo throughout that series in the future. But honestly, I hope we never see him again. He’s one of the most annoying villains ever. On the flip side, the return of Pepper Potts into the Iron Man universe will surely make many old readers happy. But as for this series, I was initially sad to hear of its cancellation. But given the stories of the past two issues, I’m glad it’s over and we can all move on. (Grade: D+)

– J. Montes

The Order #9 – Review

By Matt Fraction (writer), Barry Kitson (breakdowns), Javier Salteres (pencils), Stefano Gaudiano & Derek Fridolfs (inks), J. Robers (colors)

The last few issues have been building towards this fight. With one issue to go, it’s The Order versus a plethora of bad guys, lead by Ezekiel Stane (son of Obadiah Stane). What he has in store for our band of west coast heroes ain’t pretty, either. As usual, the beginning of each issue focuses on one of The Order’s team members. This issue gives us Heavy’s backstory, which Matt Fraction writes as a tragic one. It’s also clever how he connects Heavy and Tony Stark’s origins together.

As for the big fight itself, it felt obligatory (honestly, there was no way to avoid it), and just wasn’t very exciting. Even the planning that lead up to it felt “by the numbers”. I realize this issue’s Heavy’s story, but putting him in charge of the team for this mission didn’t seem to make much of a tactical difference. He mentions strength in numbers, and they take an “alternate” route the to bad guy’s base, but other than that, we don’t see any of his battlefield prowess at all.

Remember when Barry Kitson actually drew this book? Me too. It’s a complete bummer we’re at the next to last issue of the series and Kitson’s finished pencils are still sorely missed. Sure, he does the layouts and Javier Saltares does a competent job on finishes, but this is Kitson’s book as far as I’m concerned. Not seeing him ride this book into the sunset is just disheartening. I hate to say it, but this is the first issue of The Order I’ve been disappointed with. The story finishes strong with a sad moment for the team, but everything that happens prior to that is a yawn fest. Please guys, don’t let this book go to the crapper with your last issue. (Grade: C-)

– J. Montes

The Order #8 – Review

By Matt Fraction (writer), Barry Kitson (breakdowns & finishes), Stegano Guadiano, Paul Neary & Jon Sibal (finishes), J. Roberts (colors)

The Order’s left with three issues to go and Matt Fraction is wasting no time tying up loose ends. One again, the story is well written and full of wit. Barry Kitson and company also do a bang up job on art chores. With all these people working on art, you’d think it’d be a mess, but it’s surprisingly consistent. Still, I wonder why it’s becoming harder and harder for Kitson to finish a full issue.

We’re finally shown the outcome of Supernaut and Aralune’s predicament after two issues of suspense. How it’s handled is pretty inventive, but the real kicker is the mastermind behind their attempted apprehension. This revelation gives a lot more relevance to Iron Man’s presence in the book. I’m sure this is all going to build up to issue #10 (just in time for Iron Man’s movie debut), but it’s definitely worth looking forward to.

Meanwhile, Mulholland’s incarceration by the Black Dahlias takes somewhat of a backseat even though it’s prominently featured on the cover.  In fact, the cover is somewhat misleading – The Order does not come to rescue her at all! Perhaps last minute script changes are to blame. Either way, the scenes we’re given of her are shocking (no pun intended), especially near the end of the issue. There is an absence of certain members of the ensemble, but it, in no way, detracts from the story.

It’s gonna be sad seeing this book go. Other than the Runaways, Marvel has no west coast team books and that’s a shame. When you consider the quality of this book, there’s not too many others that have a roster this fleshed out or this likable. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

The Order #7 – Review

By: Matt Fraction (Writer), Barry Kitson (Pencils)

If you’re not reading The Order, pick it up now! You’ve only got three issues left before it’s canceled. Now why would you want to start buying a doomed series? Because it’s still one of the best reads on the market.

Boy, can Barry Kitson draw! The first two pages of The Order #7 show plainly how talented this guy is. It’s not only superb storytelling, but it’s also a hell of a lot of art to gawk at. And like I said, it’s only the first two pages!

Namor’s got a wall of water towering above San Francisco and he could, at any moment, thrust it upon the city. Anthem, in the meantime, tries to convince Namor to spare the city from destruction. The panic that sets in San Francisco is grim reminder of what could happen when calamity sets in.

The interview Anthem has with Namor is pure entertainment. Namor has always been an ass, and you can tell he’s toying with Anthem the whole time. And yet, behind his self-righteousness and arrogance lies a lot of truth. Matt Fraction nails Namor down perfectly while giving readers a nice run-through on his storied past. How Anthem handles Namor at the end is just hilarious!

Matt Fraction and Barry Kitson are pure magic together. Breaking them up is a crime. After reading The Ultimates 3 #2, this book solidifies more contempt towards the decision making at Marvel Comics. How Marvel can cancel a series like this after issue #10 – a title which offers more realism and better storytelling than the Ultimates 3 ever could, is a mystery to me. (Grade: A+)

-J. Montes