Savage Wolverine #3 – Review

By: Frank Cho (Writer/Artist), Jason Keith (Colorist)

The Story: Amadeus Cho gets some back story for the isle while Wolverine and Shanna battle some tribesmen.

The Review: There are some times when you wonder just why the titular character is even there when the supporting cast is more interesting. Sometimes, it seem that the more interesting parts of some series or issues are seen through the secondary characters, making those characters seems much more important than they are or at least their appearance become much more anticipated between issues. Sometimes, it is involuntary and other times it is by design, but it always results in the main character being pushed aside in many ways.

Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth #3 – Review

By Victor Gischler (Writer), Bong Dazo (Pencils), Jose Pimentel (Inks), and Matt Milla (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: There’s definitely room for another Deadpool series. The problem, however, is that Merc with a Mouth just can’t compare with the Daniel Way series. M.w.a.M. is entertaining enough and Bong Dazo is a great fit for a Deadpool comic. but it’s next to impossible to forget about cool Way’s take on the twisted character is.

The Story: Hydra, Deadpool, cavemen, and, thanks to Ka-Zar, a T-Rex battle it out as the Zombiepool head gets tossed around.

What’s Good: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #3 is, in nearly every way, a step forward in the right direction for the series. It’s not perfect, but it definitely hits far more than it misses. The premise lives up to its promise, the chaotic situation finally explodes in a fun, violent way (as it turns out, guns, two ‘pools, a dinosaur, and crazy cavemen make for a good mix), and the creative team manages to find a nice rhythm with the visual and dialogue-based humor (“Where’s Waldo?” on a splash page, for instance)

Writer Victor Gischler seems to take more from the Daniel Way school of Deadpool writing than he has before in Merc with a Mouth #3. As a result, the funny stuff is more satisfying all around. In addition, there’s a buddy-comedy feel to the humor that works really well. Deadpool and the zombie severed head make a pretty good team and I’m now looking forward to seeing how much Gischler can squeeze out of the pairing before real sense of Deadpool overdose sets in.

There’s a hell of a lot happening on every single page of the latest Deadpool comic. Bong Dazo and his art team handle it extremely well. Dazo’s shockingly detailed (considering how much is going on) pencil work is just the right type of crazy for what the script demands. You want an insane splash that features Hydra, a rampaging dinosaur, cavemen, a talking severed head, Deadpool, Zabu, Ka-Zar, and the sexy A.I.M. agent? You got it. Thanks to some excellent (though sometimes heavy) inking by Jose Pimentel, the chaos never gets out of control. The action is easy to follow, individual characters stand out as needed, and you never get the feeling of the visuals overwhelming the storytelling. Special mention must also go out to Matt Milla for making Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #3 one of the most colorful, vibrant comic books I’ve seen in quite some time.

What’s Not So Good: Remember how I said that Gischler seems to take a lot from the “Daniel Way school of Deadpool writing?” That’s something of a double-edged sword because it stops Gischler’s series from feeling as though it’s truly standing out on its own merits. In addition, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention that, as a whole, Gischler’s take on Deadpool seems like a tiny step backward in light of what Way is doing with the character in the main series. Wade’s actually getting some depth thanks to Way, so Gischler’s back-to-basics approach must be noted.

Conclusion: If you’re in the mood for a bit more Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth #3 is definitely worth checking out. The book is a whole lot of fun and a solid addition to your weekly reading list.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1 – Review

By Victor Gischler (Writer), Bong Dazo (Artist), and Jose Pimentel (Inks), and Matt Milla (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Did they really need another Deadpool series? I like the character as much as most people (probably more), but Deadpool is going to turn into the next Spider-Man or Wolverine at the current pace.

The Story: Deadpool gets hired by A.I.M. to recover a package located in the Savage Land. The merc runs into Ka-Zar and Zabu, some natives, and the contact that is supposed to have secured the package.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The art is easily the highlight of the new Deadpool series. Bong Dazo is a great artist for a character like Deadpool, and simply put, his manic, lively, exaggerated style is a perfect fit for a series like Merc With A Mouth. Dazo’s work saves a script from being baf all around.

Victor Gischler writes a solid Deadpool (I like the Fallout reference) and puts the character in a fun situation, but there’s nothing about Merc With A Mouth #1 that makes it a must read. That said, the debut of this new series proves that there is actually room for two Deadpool comics. The Daniel Way series is Deadpool doing his thing in relation to the current Marvel status quo. On the other hand, the Victor Gischler series is, from the looks of it, all about telling entertaining stories about an entertaining character. That’s something I can get behind.

Conclusion: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1 is worth checking out if you are either A) a fan of the character or B) someone that would rather read a Deadpool book that doesn’t pay much attention to the current Marvel U. situation.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

The War that Time Forgot #1 – Review

By Bruce Jones (writer) Al Barrionuevo (pencils) and Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Mike Atiyeh (colors)

So, I’m strolling through a comic shop Wednesday and what do I see? It’s a brand new comic book sporting a Neal Adams cover with Enemy Ace and Tomahawk on the cover. Needless to say, I was pumped up for this one. The premise of The War that Time Forgot is that several characters from DC’s war genre are all stuck on Dinosaur Island. While it is a good first issue that introduces the reader to some of the more obscure DC characters, the plot is nowhere to be seen.

Bruce Jones, to his credit, writes a lot of good action scenes – particularly the opening dogfight scene between the main character, Lt. Jones, and a Japanese Zero. Jones definitely did his homework as he is meticulous about all things pertaining to military strategy, vehicles, and equipment. Personally, I don’t have an extensive knowledge of the characters of DC’s war genre, however, Jones does a good job of introducing the characters by not assuming too much of the reader.

I like Al Barrionueveo’s style of art. Recently, it seems that artists draw action scenes from a closer perspective as if to make the reader more involved in the action. Barrionueveo does the opposite, pulling the camera back, which in my opinion creates more clarity to the action. Again, the best scene has to be the opening dogfight scene. The attention to detail, along with some great colors by Mike Atiyeh made the comic for me.

However, introduction of characters and action sequences is all that happens. There is no mention of any type of protagonist except for the clearly obvious dinosaurs running rampant and some vague mention to “other” people on the island. Also, I had just one blaring problem with the dialogue. At one point, Private “Jarhead” Jones traps a Rhinoceros-like creature then continues to blow it up with a hand grenade to stack the meat. When asked why he didn’t use the grenade before, he responds, “We have a limited supply of grenades.” What?!

Arguing over distribution and use of hand grenades aside, The War that Time Forgot is your standard first issue: Action scene, new character, action, new character, rinse, repeat. Hopefully, in the next issue, Jones can show us some reason behind the assembly of these characters and some sort of plot. (Grade: C-)

– Robert Hyland