DMZ #65 – Review

by Brian Wood (writing), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story:  Matt faces possibly the biggest decision of his life.

The Review:  If you’re a long-time reader of Brian Wood’s DMZ, this is the sort of issue that you read it for, the sort of issue that looks at hard, gritty reality, above and beyond all lofty idealism or abstract ideals.

With this issue ultimately hinging on a massive decision on Matty’s part, that being what to do with Parco’s evidence of the US’s charade, Wood is wise to anchor the book around Matty entirely.  He narrates throughout, and not only in the standard way we’re used to.  Wood opens with his usual newscast narration, but in a surprising twist on that, it turns out that the newscast is Matty’s.  That’s really, really cool stuff that showcases the new role that Matty finds himself in.  It also helps emphasize how heavily not just this issue, but the events within and the history that will result, revolve around him, that he’s the one shaping public perception and knowledge.

As I said though, strong, laser-like focus aside, this issue is all about that choice, and it’s expertly done.  Wood puts forth the fact that the pursuit and elevation of capital t “Truth, or similar abstract ideals, often conflict and don’t jive with what’s best.  Bold journalistic integrity clashes with pragmatism and the definition and nature of “the greater good” is challenged and reshaped by Wood.

Most interesting is Wood’s decision to use Zee as the vehicle to deliver this message.  Zee’s often been the beacon of integrity and, at times, idealism throughout this series, so for her to come down on exposing the truth in favour of ending the war as quickly as possible, and pointing out that the two aren’t one and the same, speaks volumes.  It’s a nice twist by Wood.

Secret Avengers #11 – Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Will Conrad (art), Rain Beredo & Sotocolor (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Steve Rogers delves into the mind of John Steele, trying to figure out where it all went wrong.

The Review: This isn’t an Avengers comic.  Hell, it’s not even a team book.  Rather, it seems like in penultimate issue, Ed Brubaker has given up even putting up the pretense, choosing instead to just go ahead and write a Steve Rogers Captain America comic.  I guess Beast is in it, but beyond that, there’s really nothing suggesting otherwise.

Once you get over that though, you end up with a pretty solid comic book.  It’s a Steve Rogers book, sure, but there’s a dark, conspiratorial tone throughout.  I mean, the book either takes place in the dark bowels of a ship, or in the dead of night in a rural village in Nazi Germany.  There’s a constant sense of dark foreboding.

But that’s not just on a superficial level.  Aside from the usual Nazis, there’s human experimentation, Frankenstein’s-monster styled zombies, and a really creepy alien looking thing that we only catch a fleeting glimpse of.  The fact that it all takes place in a castle in a European forest almost lends it all a kind of Mike Mignola-esque feel, especially what with the monsters and Cthulian robed dudes.  Adding to this all is John Steele’s character, a psyche that, even back in WWII, is clearly on the edge of becoming something very nasty, sadistic, and evil.

And really, despite his derivative name and appearance, John Steele continues to be quite the success under Brubaker’s hand.  He’s a highly competent soldier this month, fighting for the right team, but he never seems trustworthy.  That’s not because he’s conspiring or anything like that, but rather because of his obvious dark side.  There’s a continual sense that he’s always about to lose control and certainly he shows some dark tendencies. Seeing him fight alongside Cap is quite the treat.  More than that, Brubaker puts the whole “entering John’s mind” plot into good use, seamlessly integrating John’s mind’s realization and rejection of the psychic intrusion in a manner that’s smart, seamless, and a bit surreal.

DMZ #62 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: We get back to the present day, as Matty Roth finds himself as the eyes and ears at the vanguard of the US invasion of the DMZ.

The Review: I cannot begin to express how relieved and overjoyed I am that Brian Wood has returned the focus to Matty Roth and the main, present-day narrative of DMZ.  Usually, I really like Wood’s in-between short arcs, but I found that the last couple of issues just didn’t grab me and reading this issue, I know why.

The past couple of months lacked a compelling protagonist and the solid character work that Wood excels at.  With Matty back at the helm, all of that’s changed and DMZ has gone back to being the emotionally gripping read that it usually is.  It’s grim, gritty, and desperate, but now that Matty’s back, it also feels intimate and personal in a way that we readers actually feel attached to.  Roth’s narration returns as well, always bluntly honest in message and emotion with hints of self-loathing and cynicism.

The tension this month, heading into this new arc, is certainly palpable and Wood’s doing his best to showcase the bizarre new/old position Matty finds himself in.  It gives the series a good taste of familiarity while also feeling fresh, if not darker.  There’s something uncompromisingly bleak about Wood’s series right now that makes for a unique read.

Avengers #9 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer) & John Romita Jr. (artist)

The Story: The Illuminati are caught in the act and the Hood comes back more dangerous than ever.

What’s Good: Already, I’m enjoying this second arc quite a bit more than its predecessor.  The title feels less hamstrung in its storytelling thanks to the lack of all that time-travel nonsense.  If anything, this feels more like a true Avengers tale: a big, important story, a team of good guys that feel like a dysfunctional family, a cackling villain, and a heavy touch of the cosmic.

All that aside, I want to start with John Romita Jr.’s artwork this month.  While this was a more dialogue heavy issue without any pyrotechnics or major fight scenes, I actually feel that this may quietly be the best issue he’s put out for this series thus far.  His work feels a lot more polished and not at all rushed.  It just seems like more time and love was put into this issue.  Granted, some of that may be due to the new colorist(s), but either way, I liked the art quite a lot.

On Bendis’ side, I always respect when a writer can cram two completely different narratives with two different tones and locales into one 22 page issue without making the issue lose cohesion, and that’s what Bendis does this month.  More than that, both sides are equally interesting.

You’ve got Rogers and the gang discovering the Illuminati’s continued existence.  Bendis did a fantastic job illustrating the boiling over of tension between Iron Man and Steve Rogers.  It didn’t feel at all forced and came across genuinely and logically.  More than that, Bendis highlighted the awkwardness of it all; that it’s basically a persona conflict/agreement escalated into and taking place in the public sphere.  I also quite enjoyed how Bendis used the other Avengers to good effect here, making them feel like awkward bystanders.

The other half of the issue sees the Hood’s meeting an Inhuman in prison.  Again, the fact that Bendis was able to balance the above story with a prison drama was fairly impressive.  The Hood’s machinations are as fun to read as ever, while the character he meets is creepy, likable, and certainly intriguing.  The final two pages of the issue are also the sort of high-drama/big event stuff that’ll have you wanting the next issue ASAP.

With so much dialogue this month, I also have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to see the Bendis-speak (when Bendis uses repetition in a weird attempt to emulate conversation) nearly absent.  When it does crop up, it highlights moments of tension or rapport, meaning that it never dominates the writing.

DMZ #58 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Danijel Zezelj (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: We learn what happened to street artist Decade Later since we last saw him.

What’s Good: While I enjoy all of Brian Wood’s work, I’ve long held the opinion that it’s in the shorter arcs and one-shots that he truly excels.  Given this, I had expectations for Collective Punishment which had, sadly, not been met.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s been good, but it just hasn’t been great.  Something didn’t quite click with me or hit me as hard as Wood’s shorter stuff normally does.  This month, though, Wood finally finds his groove.  The penultimate of Collective Punishment is by far the strongest and finally hits that outstanding level Wood is capable of.

One of the biggest differences here is the quality of the main character Decade Later’s narration.  Unlike the other issues of this arc, I felt that Decade Later’s textboxes really got me inside of his head.  I came to understand the man’s psyche, his motivations, his personality, and his emotions.  As a result, this issue really managed to pull me in and it felt highly personal and, as a result, much more meaningful.  This ended being a very intimate book, and because of this, it completed avoided feeling like just another 22-page comic book.  It involves the reader and you really get to know, even inhabit, a very compelling character and it’s hard to ask for much else from a comic, or narrative in general.

Much of this month’s focus is on Decade Later’s ties to art and how art is both a part of him, and also a function of his as essential as breathing or eating.  That sounds contrived when I type it, but it feels honest and sincere in Wood’s comic.  Art is more than just a mode of expression, it’s a compulsion, a required act, and it is, for all intents and purposes, tied to Decade Later’s soul.  The pictures themselves are secondary to how they not only represent, but are, pieces of Decade Later himself.  It makes the book contemplative and also all the more personal and riveting.

I’m a huge fan of Danijel Zezelj’s artwork and was thrilled to see him on board this month.  As always, his artwork is brooding and dark, but always contemplative.  There’s a constant sense of gloomy meditation to his work.  His complete shift in style when he lets Decade Later’s work take over the comic itself is elegant, natural, and literally feels like the street artist himself has taken over the comic book, allowing the character to directly contact the reader.

DMZ #57 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Cliff Chiang (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Amina recovers an abandoned baby in the streets of the DMZ, forcing her to grapple with motherhood, her history, and an end to her solitude.

What’s Good: Through this issue, Wood makes it painfully clear how different standards of morality and ethics are in the DMZ.  At times, so different are these standards that it’s tempting to write them off entirely and believe that they’re either non-existent or drastically lesser than our accepted social rules and conscience.  Of course, while events may have us lean in that direction, Wood’s excellent work with main character Amina’s narration quickly chastises us for this consideration; it puts a human face to the situations of this issue and the moral and ethical choices that play out.  The narration complicates things a great deal and makes it clear that morality and ethics are in play, they are simply those of people who are fundamentally damaged and thus they are of a more malleable sort, both forgiving and resigned.  It’s complex and very heavy stuff.

The motherhood side of the issue is also reasonably dealt with, if only because the baby provides an anchor to the otherwise ever-changing Amina.  The situation helps to make the character at least somewhat relatable and sympathetic.  It also allows Wood to analyze and showcase her emotions and her humanity.  There’s both a tenderness and a desperation here that has always been the meat of DMZ.

DMZ #56 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Nathan Fox (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Wilson faces the destruction Chinatown and is faced with a hard choice.

What’s Good: Wilson has long been a favourite character of mine in Brian Wood’s DMZ, and I doubt that I’m the only one.  The character is a perfect balance of unassuming and intimidating.  Thus, the fact that this is a one-shot centered on Wilson already puts this issue in my good books.

Certainly, this is a strong outing for Wood.  The tone is brooding and heavy, while also fatigued and worn out.  There’s a constant sense of Wilson’s burden, as the story has a crushing, unrelenting sort of weight and pressure to it.  Some might say that this issue is slow-moving or ponderous, or that not enough happens, but I’m inclined to say that that’s the point.  It creates a despairing atmosphere of doom and “heavy lies the crown,” which is far more effective than a running gunfight could ever be.

The plot, centered around Wilson’s precarious position in the war’s current state, is also solid and it’s refreshing to see a one-shot like this be so in line with the series’ current continuity.  The hard choice Wilson is faced with is a great touch by Wood; it painfully defines Wilson’s position in Chinatown, not just for us, but for the character himself.  Essentially, he is forced to choose between the actual responsibilities that his leadership position entails and the pride and ego that not only arises because of that position, but are fundamental parts of it.  It’s a crushing, though elegant, conflict of doing what a leader should do versus being what a leader should be, and the extent to which these two things are the same, yet different.  Suffice it to say, the climax of this all is touching, powerful, and, as is suited for Wilson, both grandiose and resigned.

DMZ #55 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Andrea Mutti (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Forced into close contact with his targets, an undercover commando comes to learn the truth about not just the residents of New York, but also himself.

What’s Good: The first in a series of one-shots, I really enjoyed the concept behind our protagonist.  It makes sense that the US, or the Free States for that matter, would have agents in deep cover in the DMZ; it’s a really cool theme that I’m surprised hasn’t been investigated before.

The writing itself is really well-done, focused on emotional and ideological conflict, juxtaposition, and incomprehension.  The narration provided the protagonist seems sharp, cynical, and contrary to what we’re used to seeing and thinking about the DMZ, and yet, seeing through his eyes, it does make sense why he would see the DMZ and its inhabitants in the manner that he does.  While I can’t say that we ever fully agree with or support his opinions, they certainly do follow a consistent form of logic.  Furthermore, despite his disdain for the DMZ and the war, there’s also a sense of fatigue and war-weariness behind all the cynicism that suggests a commonality that the protagonist shares with the very people he so distrusts.

Wood’s portrayal of Zee and the bunkered down community of the DMZ is also outstanding as ever, yet another testament to the vitality of the living, breathing world of the DMZ.  There’s a sense of togetherness, goodness, and trust that really is touching.  The ease with which one war-wounded character comes to lean on the protagonist, opening up to him wholly was really well-done and a perfect example of the sort of fellowship and inter-reliance fostered by desperation and hard-times.

The high-point of the issue is how this affects, or rather pulls in, the protagonist.  Wood does a fantastic job of showing the commando’s pre-conceptions shattered and, naturally, how this leads to unfavorable and traumatic self-reflection. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this issue is how much Wood made me care about two characters whom I’ve never seen before and who we never even know the names of.  I suppose that’s appropriate, given that this issue is very much about understanding, not only of the DMZ, but also of oneself, and just how interrelated both these arenas can be for Wood’s characters.

Andrea Mutti works very much in the spirit of regular series artist Riccardo Burchielli.  As a result, everything feels business as usual for DMZ.  However, I do have to say that his work on the protagonist’s flashbacks were really stylish and emotionally evocative.

DMZ #54 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Matty Roth reaches the US checkpoint, only to get assigned a new job and, perhaps, a second chance.

What’s Good: This issue features the sort of grand, sweeping gesture that manages to successfully represent an author working towards a well thought out conclusion to a long-running series.  Even though we’ve got another 12 issues or so to go, it’s clear that Wood setting up the status quo that will roll DMZ to its ending, which looks to be one that is fully organic and natural.

Wood essentially has Roth do something of a full circle, but it’s one of those beautiful rotations where, while the position may be similar, the participants most certainly are not.  Matty ends up in a place that’s quite close to where he was at when the series began but the bumbling, frantic Matty has been replaced by the grizzled, self-loathing, existentially befuddled Matty that we have now.  The result is a clash that is sure to bear fruit as already, the full circle rotation that Wood executes is elegant and sweeping.  Matty trims his beard away to resemble his old self, but really, this is a perfect representation by Wood:  the only things that are regressing to the past are the superficial and the circumstantial.

Much of this is executed via a gripping conversation between Matty and his father.  This is certainly something I appreciated, given how sparse Wood’s work can be at times.  It’s good to see him really hit the keyboard and show us some tight, dense dialogue.  It’s a further insight into Matty’s psyche, but I also appreciated how Wood better realizes Matty’s father, and later, his mother.  While I can’t call them good guys, they are no longer clear-cut sleazebags.  Much like his son, Matty’s father is a man trapped in crushing circumstances and we get inklings that, still, both parents care for their son, in whatever strange way.

On art, Burchielli’s work is at its usual standards.  Dense, desolate cities are there, but give way to great facial expressions, bang-on despite their gritty, cartoonist’s touch.

Thor #610 – Review

by Kieron Gillen (writer), Doug Braithwaite (art), Andy Troy, Doug Braithwaite, & Paul Mounts (colors), and Joe Sabino (letters)

The Story: The heroes of Asgard come to grips with Siege’s aftermath, while Thor concludes his unfinished business with his clone.

What’s Good: This issue of Thor does what needs to be done in positioning the series, and the Asgardian status quo, moving into the Heroic Age as a time of rebuilding.   I like where this series is going.  Partly, it’s because not everything is being reversed; for instance, I like the fact that Balder is going to remain king.

Then there’s Kelda, who’s left in a very interesting position after this month’s issue.  This is most particularly due to the painfully “sort of, but not quite” return of a much beloved character.  Just seeing this character in an issue of Thor that isn’t a flashback was a heartwarming moment that’ll fill any reader with a desperate kind of hope.

I’m also pleased that Thor’s clone is dealt with.  This is a piece of history that needs dealing with and this resolution is perfectly timed by Gillen.  The character is a clear representation of Civil War and the past and thus, having this character dealt with is a symbolic step forward, away from the past and into a fresher, brighter new era.

DMZ #53 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: While the situation in the DMZ worsens, Matty tries to survive his encounter with some unhappy Delgado relations.

What’s Good: As you might expect, MIA has proven to be a real downer of an arc.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course.

For instance, look no farther than the issue’s ending, which is a perfect fusion of a smaller, personal tragedy with a larger, more overarching catastrophe.  In a massive bombing, New York City loses a landmark in a catastrophe that also causes Matty to lose one of the landmarks of his time in the DMZ and his life in general.  NYC loses an icon and Matty loses a friend.  It’s a perfect blend of the public and the private.

That’s a theme that goes through much of this issue.  All of the DMZ is united in destruction.  As Matty dives for cover, so too does the faceless host of Radio Free DMZ on the other side of town.  This is a theme that Wood has continually returned to, and it’s always a good one.  It’s also well used by the unifying, desperate voice of the radio transmissions.

Perhaps more powerful than anything else, however, is Matty’s new-found role.  Well, perhaps “newly realized” is more apt.  Matty realizes that he is not a power player or an active participant; he’s a historian.  It’s an empowering moment of self-recognition and a great direction for Matty, and the comic in general.  Best of all is how Wood makes it clear that this is exactly what Matty’s role has been all along.  Though he didn’t realize it, he’d been fulfilling this function through it all, even between his loftier ambitions.

On art, this is some of Burchielli’s best work in a while.  He puts out a ton of emotion.  His explosions are awe inspiring in scale and unity.  Meanwhile, his illustrations of Matty are really well done, particularly when he juxtaposes Matty across the comic’s run, comparing his various physical profiles.  While Wood’s script emphasizes his perpetual role as record-keeper, it’s Burchielli’s art that really makes this realization hit home, drawing together and fusing the various Matty Roths of the past with that of the present.

DMZ #52 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Matty Roth begins his hazardous journey across the DMZ.

What’s Good: For a second month, Wood focuses on Matty’s current state of desperation, isolation, and self-pity.  This time around, however, he does it in a much more dynamic an effective manner.  The meat of this issue sees an extended chase sequence, when Matty meets the wrong end of a bizarre hunter and his pack of dogs.

The chase is beautiful in its metaphorical power.  It is the perfect representation of Matty’s current state and situation.  This becomes all the more clear due to the surreal elements of the scene.  The hunter is nameless and never once says a word.  Meanwhile, his dogs are intelligent and so relentless that it almost defies suspension of disbelief.  In other words, you know that there’s more going on here.  The whole thing feels nightmarish in its strangeness, while maintaining the desperation and tension of a good chase.

This is clearly as much a physical struggle as it is a mental, internal one.  It’s a perfect manifestation of Matty’s inner turmoil and how he views his current status.  I could not imagine a better way for Wood to get across the current themes, and mood, centered around his protagonist.  This is absolutely genius stuff that strays just a little from the series’ usual gritty realism, but not so far off course that it feels wrong or out of place.

With Matty plotting his journey across the DMZ with maps aplenty, as he’s chased by dogs and forced to dash across the broken landscape of NYC, this is a study of tension and desperation with a touch of horror.  It’s all the better thanks to Burchielli’s barren landscapes and scrawled maps.

Thor #608 – Review

by Kieron Guillen (writer), Billy Tan, Batt, & Rich Elson (art), Christina Strain & Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Sabino (letters)

The Story: Siege continues as Tyr defends Asgard from the Hood and Volstagg tangles with Thor’s clone.

What’s Good: Volstagg is really a formula that never fails at this point.  He’s always a great mix of tried-and-true comedy and stalwart heroism, and as such, he’s put to good use this month in his battle with Thor’s clone.  Guillen has a good amount of fun in making Volstagg run yet also knows not to disregard the other half of what makes Volstagg successful.  All comedy aside, we also get enough heroism out of Volstagg to cheer for, as well as a reminder of the fact that the character, for all his bluster, is afflicted by emotional trauma after the events that led to Siege.  Guillen touches on this with perfect timing in a moment of solemnity in the midst of all the fist-pumping.

Kelda, on the other, shines if only due to the conversational dynamic she has with Bill’s family.  Her elevated language compared to the more every day tones of Bill’s family play off really well with each other, reflecting the real divide between two parties that share the same emotions.  It, as well as her appearance, brings the gap between god and mortal to the fore, making the scene all the more tragic and bittersweet.

Art-wise, this is a really great issue.  Billy Tan continues to churn out some of the best work of his career on Thor and his depictions of a crumbling Asgard are astounding.  Meanwhile, the other half of the book is handled by Rich Elson, who’s painted style, aided by positively glowing colors, feels, well, very Asgardian and mythic.  Normally I hate books that have two artists with two such different styles working on it, but this actually works, with the division of work being handled quite deftly.  Tan and Elson handle different scenes and characters from each other, so if anything, it helps thematically, enhancing the gap between Asgard and Midgard (what with Tan’s style being the more Midgardian).

Green Lantern Corps #43 – Review

By Peter J. Tomasi (writer), Patrick Gleason (penciller), Rebecca Buchman, Tom Nguyen & Patrick Gleason (inkers)

The Story: Red Badge of Rage: Between the cliffhanger of last issue (the death of Kyle Rayner) and the cover of this issue (Guy Gardner becomes a Red Lantern), you have all I can tell you without spoiling.

What’s Good: When Joe Quesada was talking about Civil War (check it out on numerous Marvel podcasts), he said that it was really important to not just kill a whole bunch of fourth rate characters no one cares about. He wanted to kill one or two characters whose death would profoundly affect those left behind. Tomasi and company have done that here. This entire issue is about how characters we care about react to the death of a hero we really liked. This is good, good stuff and I felt (I actually felt) emotion throughout this issue. I felt the pain of Guy and Natu as they huddled over Kyle’s corpse. I felt their frantic grief as they struggled to hold his green lantern ring from going off to find a new bearer. I felt their fear and panic as they warded away the black lantern rings trying to claim Kyle. And I had a choked up high when the cavalry arrived, even though they could not turn the tide. And best of all, the emotions of this story drove the climax in a way that was totally unexpected for me. Tomasi earned his pay on this issue.

DMZ #48 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Travis Lanham (letters)

The Story: The DMZ is invaded by US troops, Parco is nowhere, and Matty learns a hard lesson.

What’s Good: This series has regained its sense of pace and energy.  US soldiers take to the streets and cause all sorts of mayhem.  Their impact on the DMZ is definitely felt, as Wood manages to portray the DMZ as being cut up and divided by occupying troops, with “block commanders” and all.

The best part of this issue though is a scene that is probably the biggest development of the month, where Matty attempts to negotiate with US troops using his old press pass.  What occurs is a very poignant, savage reminder that we are nearing the end of this series and that as such, we are a long ways past “Matty the journalist.”  Wood’s been trying to deliver this point for some time now, what with Roth’s leading commando teams and such, but he really sinks the nail this month.  More importantly, this time around, Matty himself is forced to fully acknowledge his change in status, as he receives a brutal lesson that beats out his naive belief that he could have it both ways.  Certainly, this lesson has been a long time coming, and when it finally happens, it’s abrupt, savage, and uncompromising.

Beyond that, the series ending is certainly a strong one.  A fan favourite character finally meets up with Matty again and Wood seems to be writing Matty as something of a tragic hero.  While he’s had one sort of naivety/immaturity beaten out of him, that’s simply caused him to move on to another, even worse immaturity.  And while this one’s a little closer to the reality of what he is now, it’s also shaping up to turn him into the very thing he’s always hated: a blood-maddened, irrational warlord.

Siege: The Cabal #1 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Michael Lark (pencils), Stefano Gaudiano (inks), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: The Cabal implodes and lines are drawn.

What’s Good: The issue’s strongest point is its characterization.  Dr. Doom is written well by Bendis.  He’s the same absurd bad guy who insists on referring to himself in the third person. but, as usual, Doom backs all that egotism up in a big way.  In this issue, his self-righteousness and arrogance actually make him feel somewhat jarring as a character, unrealistic even, yet Bendis’ display of Doom’s power validates it.  Doom feels like he doesn’t belong because he doesn’t; he functions on a different level from Osborn.  He’s the all powerful, cackling old school villain while Osborn is something more convoluted and modern and Bendis’ depiction of this collision is well-played.

Speaking of Osborn, Bendis does a fantastic job on him as well.  Compared to Doom, Osborn actually sounds realistic; a scary thing, when Bendis essentially cements this month that Osborn’s sanity is bound to implode any day now.  The fact that Osborn’s fear of the Asgardians is based largely on advice from the Green freaking Goblin is evidence of that, and it also makes for a fantastically written conversation.

Overall though, this issues functions just as it should, truly feeling like the beginning of a slow collapse, as Norman’s finally confronted by limitations to his power. Publically, he’s reminded that he isn’t the President of the United States.  Privately, he’s bitten off more than he can chew with Doom.  And he seems to be in denial on both these points.  In probably the most beautiful bit of dialogue in the issue, he accosts Doom for making a “huge, dumb, arrogant mistake.”  When I first read that line, I thought Osborn was speaking of himself and apologizing to Victor.

Art-wise, there’s absolutely nothing to complain here.  With his signature dark, scratchy feel, Lark ably captures the action and the tense conversations with ease.  It’s a good looking book, and I couldn’t expect much more.

What’s Not So Good: For the start of Marvel’s last major event for the foreseeable future, I expected the start to have a bit more of a bang to it.  A character death perhaps, or at least a major event that leaves some sort of irreparable damage.  That I didn’t get either was a bit disappointing.

And it’s not like Bendis didn’t have his opportunities, he just seemed hell-bent on holding himself back.  Take for example the attack on Avenger’s Tower, which basically sparks off the Siege event.  There’s a beautiful illustration by Michael Lark that makes it look as though the Tower itself is on the verge of collapse, as though it were being eaten away.  I loved the idea of the Tower being destroyed.  I mean, damn, that is a way to start an event!  Of course, a couple pages later, and Norman’s back in his office and the Tower is just fine.

Well, at least Bendis can fulfill the promises Marvel has laid out in its ads and solicitations for this issue by revealing his secret partner, right?  Of course not.  Instead, we just get some glowy, vaguely humanoid shape letting loose with a couple of energy blasts with no major hint as to his/her/its identity. Great…

Bendis puts all the characters where he wants them and does what he needs to do to get an event started, but he just doesn’t bother to shoot any higher.

Conclusion: It’s an entertaining issue with very solid character work, but it could’ve been more.

Grade: B –

-Alex Evans

Nova Vol. 1 – Review

By Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Sean Chen, Scott Hanna & Brian Denham (artists)

The Marvel universe (by which I mean that vast expanse of space in which Silver Surfer, Galactus, and Ego run around in as opposed to the Marvel Universe, the corporate umbrella that we gather all of the company’s intellectual properties under when we talk about them) has never been an especially interesting setting to tell stories in.  Weird, right?  I mean, this is space we’re talking about, the final frontier.  An endless, ethereal, expanse of limitless potential and imagination where anything can happen.  And yet, despite the wealth of stories that can be told here, Marvel writers have seemed reluctant to do anything with it.  The last time I ever got excited about a Marvel space story was when “The Infinity Gauntlet” came out, and that was eighteen years ago.

Fast forward to 2006 when I began reading  positive fan feedback and critical praise for “Annihilation” a storyline designed to revitalize Marvel’s cosmic franchise.  The story certainly sounded worthwhile, but I wasn’t quite convinced to invest the time and money to collect it.

And then I found out Dan Abnett was involved with the story.

I’d known and been a huge fan of Abnett’s work through his involvement with Black Library’s series of Warhammer 40,000 books (any Gaunt’s Ghosts fans out there?) and it was on the strength of his writing there that I was willing to take another chance on Marvel’s final frontier.  I’m glad I did, because there is new life and abundant imagination to be found here, and nowhere is that more apparent than on Marvel’s flagship space title, Nova.

This inaugral volume collects the first seven issues of the title and spins directly out of the events of Annihilation: Conquest, the sequel to the 2006 crossover.  Following the devastation of the Annihilation Wave, the galaxy has been torn asunder and left in a broken, fragile, and highly volatile state.  There was a time when the Nova Corps was around to maintain law and order, but that time has come and gone and the Nova Corps is all but dead, with only Richard Rider left standing as their sole representative, one man to protect an entire galaxy.  It’s a burden no one person should have to carry, and yet Rider does because he knows it’s the right thing to do and that he’s the only one capable of doing it.

Against this backdrop of one man pushing himself to the limit in order to do the right thing, Abnett and Lanning craft a series of explosive, entertaining stories that are deeply rooted in the continuity established by the Annihilation crossovers, and yet immediately accessible to new readers.  What I most like about this volume, and about the new landscape of Marvel’s universe, is that it is such a fully-realized continuity and fully divorced from mainstream Marvel.

For those of you who, like me, have had enough of mediocre crossovers like ‘Dark Reign’, you have here the opportunity to get your Marvel fix with an excellent comic that has absolutely nothing to do with Norman Osborn for a change.  Abnett imbues this graphic novel with a skilled blend of action, imagination, and pathos that frankly shames anything being turned in by Marvel’s ‘terrestrial’ writers, and if you’re looking for a change of pace in your comics then I wholeheartedly recommend this book to you.  This is damn good stuff to read, and I have a feeling it’ll just keep getting better.

Grade:  A

-Tony Rakittke

 

DMZ #45 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Matty Roth takes on a more pro-active, and more violent, role in Parco Delgado’s government.

What’s Good: When we last saw him in issue 40, Matty Roth had really hit a crossroads in his life, and this issue succeeds in showing a new and very different Matty, one who’s full of confidence, power, and ruthlessness.  Wood achieves this evolution very organically; the Matty we see in this issue, while very different, is nonetheless clearly and distinctly the “Matty Roth” that we’ve grown to know over the course of the series.  Considering how much has changed since his bumbling intern status at the beginning of the series, that’s quite the achievement.

While still maintaining the voice and integrity of the “Matty Roth” character, Matty in this issue sounds a lot more like the major power players we’ve encountered over the series in his intelligence and political maneuvering.  Of course, that also foreshadows the serious shades of grey to come, as those very power players were generally the adversaries.

It’s also great to see Angel  (the sniper who hangs out in his perch all day) back in the mix and playing a more central role.  The guy’s a definite fan favourite and Wood seems well aware of this.

Burchielli puts out some of the best art I’ve seen him draw on DMZ.  While his urban designs and landscapes have always been impressive, and that’s once again the case here, I’ve often found his art to be a bit too “scratchy” or scraggly for my tastes, but everything feels surprisingly crisp and well-defined here.  It’s a very good-looking book with a lot of detail and the haunting, barren, yet super dense architectural work that we’ve come to expect.

What’s Not So Good: While I’m all in favour of this evolution of Matty and believe it’s well done overall, I’m not entirely sure that I buy his actions at the end of this month’s issue.  It’s not so much what he plays a part in or orders, nor is it necessarily in his behaviour.  What I don’t buy is Matty suddenly becoming the tactical field-leader of a unit of commandos.  Did I miss something?  When did Matty become well-trained enough to lead and command a team of soldiers, let alone in the field?  While there’s a definite cool factor in seeing “spec ops Matty,” it’s not believable.  While for most comics, I’d play it to the suspension of disbelief often necessary in the medium, Wood, research-intensive as he is, has never been one to need that card played on his behalf.  Seeing Matty lead a raid and blow people away with an assault rifle also still feels a little weird for the character and still too much of a stretch.  Matty has evolved, yes, but not to the point of being an ice-cold commando.

I also felt Parco to be a little more bland in his dialogue than he usually is.  The basketball court meeting was a nice touch, but the rest of his conversation with Matty just felt a little more lifeless than it could’ve been.  It was clearly more a matter of moving the pieces across the board than anything else.

Conclusion: A good issue that’s solid throughout, before a rather questionable final scene.

Grade: B

-Alex Evans

DMZ #43 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Ryan Kelly (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Just when main character Tony begins to question the cult, they manipulate his emotions once again, causing him to commit his bloodiest act yet.

What’s Good: Last month, Wood provided a disturbingly plausible look into cult psychology and emotional manipulation, and this month, he digs further. It works so well simply due to the reader’s ability to see just how wrong the cult’s mentality is.  The reasoning provided by Tony’s “boss man” is so hideously opposite to what most normal people consider emotional common sense, and yet that a sick logic remains is evidence of Wood’s skill as a writer.  It’s all shades of grey as well: there are signs that Tony’s boss is merely keeping his man in line, burying him all the deeper, and yet the rhetoric is said with such passion that the reader actually believes that sincerity is present nonetheless.

This is not at all a cheerful comic. After the poignantly hopeful image that ended last month’s comic, it’s depressing to see Tony pulled back in with such ease. Yet, this only shows Wood’s dedication to realism. There are no heroes or insurrections here, only broken men. No amount of suspicions or discoveries on Tony’s part will make him any less vulnerable or shattered. For some reason, despite the gruesome atrocity Tony commits this month, Wood somehow makes an automaton killing machine sympathetic.

Ryan Kelly’s art is nothing short of astounding, impressing me even more this month than it did the last.  His rendition of Wood’s desolate NYC is dense and packed and yet hopelessly desolate and barren.  Kelly is also one of those remarkable artists where the more brutal his subject, the more emotional baggage he’s able to toss on. Once again, he also provides a metaphorical and poignant image to end this book on, one that should stay with the reader for some time, blending the mundane with the murderous in a manner that is truly disturbing.

I suppose the best thing about this issue is the ever-present disparity between Tony’s world and the reader. Wood’s depiction of brainwashing is only so effective because we are able to see the cult’s manipulation so clearly, while Tony is not. While the reader is able to recognize Tony’s boss’ “gift” for the farce it is, Tony, lost in his trauma, automatically switches into “kill-mode.” Thus, Wood is able to contrast the healthy psyche of the reader with the shattered life of Tony; and the result can only be described as “real.”

What’s Not So Good: Very little is wrong with this book. Plot-wise, the book does centre around one crucial event while showcasing Kelly’s art. While this isn’t a bad thing, as both are golden, it also makes this issue a quick read.  I was honestly surprised how fast I went through it, though I definitely wanted to re-read it almost immediately.

Conclusion: This is heavy, heavy stuff that’ll give the “comics should be fun” guys fits.  Then again, I always hated those guys.  Make no mistake, this is haunting, grade-A quality, can’t miss stuff.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

DMZ #42 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Ryan Kelly (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: The gas-mask wearing death cult who inhabit the Empire State Building are examined from the perspective of one of its members, a former police officer.

What’s Good: This is not a happy comic. In fact, it’s downright miserable. If you want a light adrenaline ride, go pick up this week’s issue of Action Comics or the Flash:Rebirth. If however, you want something tough as nails and heavy as a stone, this is an issue to consider.

The strongest thing about DMZ #42 is its tone. Brooding, traumatizing, and pitch dark, this comic develops its mood perfectly. A key reason for this is the incredibly distinct, genuine, and hard-biting internal monologue, which plays to Wood’s great ability in establishing engaging narrators.

This is a remarkably cerebral book. Its focus on the manipulation of trauma and cult mechanics is outstanding and neither heavy-handed nor ham-fisted, despite the weight of the comic. It feels thorough, accurate, honest, and completely terrifying. One-part support group, one-part Nazi-styled “I was following orders” mentality, the cult is frightening stuff, yet it’s also made plausible by Wood. The examination of cult-mentality is especially good due to how gradual it is; it takes even the reader a while to realize the incredibly structured mental manipulation that is occurring, let alone the characters.

Plot-wise, I always like it when writers look at an event from early on in their series from a completely different perspective. I also have to quickly mention the final scene of the book, which is simply beautiful. An emotionally heavy moment, it goes to show just how well symbolism and metaphor can work in a comic.

Art-wise, Ryan Kelly does a great job. The images of the city are gorgeous and Kelly gives the comic an incredibly dark feel that matches its story perfectly. I can’t imagine a better artist working on this arc. There’s a strong “indie/stylized” flavour here, but it’s not at all overbearing or dominant. It achieves a perfect balance of style, detail, and grit.

What’s Not So Good: This comic does what it does very well, but it may not be what some DMZ readers were hoping for. This comic does not advance the main storyline of the series. Matty Roth is nowhere to be seen, nor are any of DMZ’s main characters. This is simply a standalone arc explaining a particular sect of the city, a side-story if you will.

Also, a bit of a minor quibble, but occasionally it can be a bit hard to distinguish the main character when everyone’s wearing a gas mask and similar clothing.

Conclusion: A hard-hitting examination of psychological manipulation and cult construction in a warzone that is, and promises to be, tragically beautiful in its unfolding.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Civil War: House Of M #3 – Review

Christos N. Gage (writer), Andrea Divito (pencils), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters), Mike Perkins (cover)

The Story: Magneto’s campaign for mutant rights continues. After liberating Genosha and making it a safe nation for all Mutantkind, Xavier urges Magnus to seek less violent ways to progress the cause. Even with the support of Black Bolt, Black Panther, and Namor, Magneto’s patience wears thin with diplomacy. Behind Xavier’s back, he starts to move the pieces into position for full scale war, while the US sends a strike team to assassinate him.

What’s Good: Gage does a good job of dealing with the Magneto-Xavier relationship. As Magneto nudges things closer to war, Xavier’s opposing views take a front-seat which provides some great tension between the two. It’s also nice to see Magneto’s attempts at diplomacy. He’s such a strong character, and to see him do something “weak” like seeking the support of others is a pretty compelling power-shift to see. This ties back into his relationship with Xavier as things always cut back to Magneto telling Charles how he really feels about groveling.

What’s Not So Good: There’s a lot of exposition and setup. That in itself isn’t a problem, but since the first two issues were so war-heavy, the drag of the setup is more noticeable. Still the overload of information takes a toll on all aspects of the book. Andrea Divito has a great visual pallet for battle scenes, but since there’s a lot of talk here, she doesn’t get as much of a chance to shine. Nothing looks bad, in fact the pencils are still outstanding. However, I’m looking forward to seeing the massive battles which are no doubt on their way.

Conclusion: It’s a slow week for this title, but a necessary one. Things are set up nicely for a dramatic conclusion to Magneto’s rise to power. I wish this information had been spread out better over all three issues, but as it stands now we’re ready for war.

Grade: B

– Ben Berger

Civil War: House of M #1 – Review

By Christos N. Gage (writer), Andrea Divito (pencils), Laura Villari (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters), Mike Perkins (cover)

Part Magneto back-story, part House of M/Civil War tie in, this book retells an origin and gives new insight to one of Marvel’s major events. I’m usually against prequels since many of them are done for the wrong reasons (see Star Wars, and money), and in most cases they’re unnecessary and create more plot holes than they solve (see Star Wars). However, House of M shows a lot of promise one issue in, successfully documenting the rise of the Master of Magnetism.

Christos Gage and Andrea Divito hit the good points while avoiding many pitfalls in this issue. In this tale, Gage depicts Magneto as a man fighting for a cause rather than an extremist hellbent on seeking domination. His portrayal of the Magneto leaves readers curious to see exactly how he takes over and leaves in question how the humans can put up a fight. Accompanying Gage’s Magneto is Andrea Divito’s sizzling art. Divito is a superstar, making every panel sizzle. The artist’s work delivers, as it is able to focus greatly on the backgrounds just as the characters and the foreground. Divito’s work manages to  hold on to your attention, panel for panel while not distracting you too much from the main action.

House of M: Civil War is a sure pickup, as it offers a lot for an origin story. Gage and Divito gives us a lot of exciting scenes and an interesting character study of one of Marvel’s beloved villains/ anti-heroes. If you want a tale that follows the psyche of Magneto and some explanation as to how he gained leadership of the mutants, then this is the book to pick up. This issue perfectly sets the history of the House of M. (Grade A-)

-Ben Berger

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

Young Avengers Presents #4 – Review

By Paul Cornell (writer), Mark Brooks (pencils), Jaime Mendoza (inks)

I miss the Vision. There was a time when he was the coolest character in the Marvel universe. He was the reason you bought The Avengers, a synthetic cross between Dr. Spock and Superman. But over the years, the writers ran out of stories to tell about him. They broke up his marriage, drove him crazy, had him taken apart and rebuilt him more times than I could count. When several heroes died during Avengers Disassembled, all the fuss was about Hawkeye; the Vision sank with barely a ripple.

Someday they’ll bring the original Vision back, in the meantime I’ll have to make due with the character in Avengers Presents #4. This Vision is younger, more fashion-conscious, has eyes where he should have dark unfathomable pits, and once went by the horrifically Legionesque name of Iron Lad. But you know what? I like him anyway.

As with the other issues in this series, the story is a where-are-they-now vignette. The Vision is trying to reconcile with Stature, who picked the other side during Marvel’s Civil War, when they get ambushed by the hordes of A.I.M. (Not only Hydra has hordes, you know.) We get to learn a little about what this Vision’s been up to and what his powers are. In the fight that ensues, his powers backfire in a way that gives new meaning to the phrase “physical intimacy”.

This book is definitely not for anyone new to comics — the story relies heavily on several years of Marvel history for its emotional resonance — but if you’ve passed this book by while looking for the latest Avengers or Secret Invasion book, I’d recommend picking it up. (Grade: B)

-Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

I recently asked a friend “Whatever happened to the Vision?” as I hadn’t seen this mainstay in the Avengers since my return to reading comics in the past year. He told me to check out New Avengers, so when I saw this issue featuring the Vision I nabbed it. It turns out that this isn’t quite the character I grew up with. This Vision is based on the brain waves of a character named Iron-Lad (does anyone outside of comics use the word “lad” anymore, and didn’t it go out of style 40 years ago?), Cassie Lang’s deceased boyfriend. The focus of the book is a lengthy conversation at the local diner between the anti-registration Vision and the pro-initiative Cassie (aka Stature and the daughter of Scott Lang) during which we learn about his recent past and, ultimately, his affection for her. One could well think, “Oh come on, this doesn’t sound very exciting!” but it did serve to fill me in fairly quickly on the Vision’s recent whereabouts. During the conversation our heroes are attacked by some AIM bad guys who are dealt with effectively in a 7-8 page fight sequence.

On the plus side for this book I enjoyed a 2-page spread featuring Cassie in profile angrily explaining her point of view while all the movement towards the action in the next page is subtly set up in the background, nicely done. On the minus side, at the beginning of the battle the Vision is hit with a disrupter beam the result of which leaves his arm accidentally materialized in Cassie’s chest. This didn’t bother her and the pair was able to fight with this hindrance but it bothered me. The materialized arm in the chest was always the Vision’s most devastating weapon but I didn’t understand why it had no effect on Cassie here.

In sum, the issue did a fine job of informing me, essentially a new reader, about a new version of an old favorite. This new version is less robotic and more human than the old. While I still prefer the old vision, I wouldn’t rule out reading more about this one. (Grade: B)

– Arthur Cooke

Captain Marvel #5 (of 5) – Review

By Brian Reed (writer), Lee Weeks (pencils), Desse Delperdang (inks), Matt Milla (colors)

Spoiler Alert

I normally do not like to include big reveals or spoilers in my reviews, but dangit, Captain Marvel #5 is almost impossible to review without doing otherwise. So, for those of you who don’t want to know what happened, stop reading now.

This mini-series has turned out to be one heck of a surprise. What started out as an epilogue of sorts to Civil War gradually morphed into the prologue to Secret Invasion. It’s really the only bridge that’s bound both events together (in a short span of time), and I’ll say, it’s been done masterfully by Brian Reed and Lee Weeks. When this series began, it started at a simmer and as each issue passed, the fire got hotter. Well, with issue #5, we now have a story that can’t be ignored. People are talking about this series and this issue – and for good reason.

Captain Marvel is a Skrull. There, I said it. You happy?

Of course, it’s been eluded to for a couple of issues now, but with this final issue we see what’s happened and how he became who he is. Skrull scientists locked down his form using the original Captain Marvel’s DNA. They also spent an enormous amount of resources recreating his Nega Bands. But when they committed a fatal flaw during the reprogramming of his mind, this Mar-Vell Skrull kept his sense of purpose. For all intents, he believes himself to be Mar-Vell, despite knowing the truth. And it’s very interesting how this dynamic plays out.

Part of me wanted Mar-Vell to revert to his Skrull ways and become a villain, but the direction Brian Reed went – keeping him a symbol of peace on Earth – was much more satisfying. The conclusion of this book was equally as satisfying, giving us resolution to the Church of Hala and the supporting characters. Its open-endedness will undoubtedly echo for some time to come, perhaps giving way for another “Return”. I’m sad to see this series end, but somehow I know we haven’t seen the last of Mar-Vell. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes