Figment #1 – Review

By: Jim Zub (Writer), Filipe Andrade (Artist), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (Color Artist), VC’s Joe Caramagna (Letterer), John Tyler Christopher (Cover Artist)

The Story:
A mind is a terrible thing to harness free energy, and will likely result in dragon.

The Review:
Notice the small, non-outlined white letters labeled “Disney” on the cover? It is quite rare for a large stakeholder such as Disney to allow its own logo to be smaller than, say, even the artist’s names on its product. For whatever reason, the producers of this comicbook have downplayed the behind-the-scenes origin of this book, which really is a fascinating story in itself. It’s part of the Walt Disney Company’s original property, Figment, a mascot for a dark ride in Disney’s EPCOT Center theme park, and one of the properties under development as a comicbook property (the other is Disney Kingdoms’ Seekers of the Weird.) But that’s a conversation for another time, perhaps. If we take the comic on its own, how does it hold up?

Pretty well, it turns out!

The art really helps set this comic above the average. The characters and setting are seamlessly intertwined, thanks to the soft but somewhat rough line work. This is important as the characters feel very “real” while remaining slightly caricatured, and that’s important too as it has to be a world where a small flying purple cartoon dragon can be integrated without feeling jarringly out of place. It is all perfectly embellished by the painterly colors. Some colors are softly gradated, while others are laid down in thicker hues. Light becomes very important, from the windows to reflective floors to the grungy mechanics to the contrast from the dreary flashbacks that lead into Figment’s bright burst of appearance.

The story itself is a bit standard, with the supporting characters a bit too stock to be taken seriously. The cliché boss gives a familiarly abset-minded scientist Blarion Mercurial a typically heavy-handed deadline when the Machine of Weird Science blows up, and of COURSE the latest attempt will be the one that “creates” Figment. It’s all pretty rushed and seems to rely on familiar tropes to move past all the set up to get to the story with more potential– when Mercurial and Figment get blowed up into a “mind portal” and thrown into next issue.

Seekers of the Weird #3 – Review

By: Brandon Seifert (story), Filipe Andrade (art), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (colors)

The Story: It’s hard to unionize when you’re at the very bottom of the chain of life.

The Review: Principles can sure be a drag to live by, huh? Where this comic book reviewing business is concerned, I have a principle that I stick to a new series for at least a whole arc before Dropping it. It just seems unfair to expect a monthly title to have its act together immediately; some titles need a few months to find their voices. But there have been times when I’m so dispirited by a series after just one or two issues that I’m tempted to break my self-imposed rule.

I’ve been especially tempted by Seekers of the Weird, which was a bit of a hard sell to begin with and has only proven a mediocre performer since then. One of my primary considerations in deciding whether to keep a series on my pull list is whether it brings anything new to the table, if it feels different from the ever-increasing pile of comics I’m already reading. Seekers has consistently fallen short of original, much less distinguishing itself from the pack.

This issue almost breaks the trend, with an actual explanation of what the Coffin Clock is and why it has such importance within the story. There’s even something novel about the idea of trapping a Reaper—the “Reaper King,” in this case—“inside a crystalized moment of time.” Had you gotten material like this from the very start, and more of it, you’d probably have a very different sentiment about this title’s long-term prospects.

But even here, the Coffin Clock fascination is just a brief respite from what is mostly banality. I’m talking, of course, about the Mushroom People, creatures whose appearance strongly suggest the dancing ‘shrooms in the Tchaikovsky portion of Fantasia. The scene where Melody and Maxwell commune with the fungi is supposed to be heartwarming, a sign of the kids’ spunkiness, or something. But really, when you get right down to it, it’s Seifert trying to convince us that Melody’s laziness (“I really don’t like working in Mom and Dad’s store, okay?”) is comparable to the Mushroom People’s indentured servitude.

Besides the general weakness of Seifert’s ideas, the execution leaves something to be desired as well. For whatever reason, either impatience or a shortage of pages, the pacing in this issue is rushed and a bit erratic. Seifert skips past certain scenes and fails to land others, then blasts through the kids’ encounter with Efrain Fenton Whetstone, Chief Warden, cycling through the traditional stages of misunderstanding, connection, and betrayal in just a few pages. It’s rather predictable in a kiddie-oriented story like this one: family always wins out over well-meaning strangers concerned about the big picture, and of course the seemingly callous behavior of the black sheep is actually deep caring in disguise. As Roland explains his initial reluctance to tell his niece and nephew the truth of what’s happening, “…then you would’ve worried. You would’ve spent this whole week afraid you were doing the wrong thing.”

And as Melody so succinctly puts it, “So?”

Seekers isn’t helped by the fact that Karl Moline, its strongest asset, has been removed Admittedly, Andrade’s art fits in the hyperactive, juvenile world of Seekers far better than it ever did in Captain Marvel, although there are still a few panels where his stretchy style comes to bizarre results: faces elongate to the point of looking inhuman, figures are reduced to their most rudimentary forms, sometimes disappearing under Beaulieu’s colors altogether. Overall, the visual effect is fine for this kind of title, but it’s not a draw in itself.

Conclusion: A tolerable sort of entertainment, if you’ve got nothing else. Fortunately, I’ve got plenty of else to spend my time with instead. Dropped.

Grade: C+

– Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: – I’m sure the Mushroom People are nonplussed to find themselves abandoned the moment after they fetch the table Maxwell and Melody asked for, especially after all that labor-union talk.

Seekers of the Weird #1 – Review

By: Brandon Seifert (story), Karl Moline (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (colors)

The Story: We’re going to the Museum of the Weird!  Because we can’t afford Disneyland!

The Review: As an Orange County resident, I’ve had my share of Disneyland trips, and much as I appreciate the magic and fun at work there, it’s hard not to see through the highly manicured, studio-set quality of the place.  The various theme parks are not so much original works of imagination as they are amalgamations of their respective genres: adventure, sci-fi, western, fantasy, etc.  At best, Disneyland offers backdrops for stories, not stories themselves.

So it strikes me as a little ill-conceived that someone would attempt to use Disneyland as a source of inspiration for not just one story, but a whole ongoing series.  Talk about craven commercialism.  Still, there is a dearth of pure adventure titles on the market right now, and if there’s one thing Disney has proven pretty darn good at, it’s in delivering pure adventure, without any overly complicated strings attached.  Turns out, though, that you can complicate things by making them too simple, too.

John Carter – Movie Review

By: Too many to list—check out the review, or better yet, IMDB it.

The Story: Some of these aliens are green, but they aren’t all little, nor definitely all men.

The Review: It’s only fair to warn you that prior to watching this movie, I had zero knowledge of the Barsoom series or mythos other than a vague recollection that Dejah Thoris is a comics series that DS reviews on this site.  In fact, that very fact was the tipping point which actually got me to the theater to watch the film.  I figured it’d be a decent way to spend two hours of free time and get a little work out of it, too.

In the end, that’s all John Carter really is: a decent way to spend two hours of free time.  Disney obviously spared no expense in making the movie, as the cinematography and special effects make it already one of the most lavish and spectacular visual feasts of the year.  The location scouts should be well compensated, as their choice of locales truly evokes the dusty, Martian landscape of our dreams.  Beyond that, the very design of the Barsoom races and their cultures meets a Star Wars standard of detail, implying much that the script does not point out explicitly.

On that note, it should be little surprise that if there’s one area Disney shortchanged, it was in the writing.  This is particularly distressing, as Michael Chabon (if this is indeed the same who wrote the wonderful Adventures of Kavalier & Clay) is one of the credited writers.  But the script lacks not so much in quality or credibility as it does in cohesiveness.

The opening is the first and most obvious example: disjointed, jarring, uncertain of how to proceed, it feels as if the three writers each had different ideas of the beginning and instead of choosing one, they went for all three.  You start with Dejah’s “epic” voiceover setting up the exposition to the main plot; Carter’s epistolary voiceover to his nephew narrating the film’s main events after the fact; and then the actual start of the action itself.  Each of these would have worked well on their own, but combined, they make for an overly long prologue, dragging down the pace from the very start.

Ms. Marvel #45 – Review

By Brian Reed (Writer), Philippe Briones (Artist), and Ikari Studios (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The War of the Marvels has been entertaining enough so far, but a part of me wishes that Brian Reed had let Karla Sofen truly take over the series for a couple more issues.

The Story: Karla Sofen and Carol Danvers throw down one more time. Meanwhile, Catherine Donovan tries to figure out just what the hell is going on as her physical abilities amplify depending on the situation.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Ms. Marvel #45 is all about two things: The mystery that surrounds Catherine Donovan and the fight between the Marvels. Both parts have some positives, but unfortunately, they also have some pretty big negatives that threaten to overpower the good stuff. Allow me to explain.

As the War of the Marvels begins to draw to a close, Brian Reed throws in a twist that is sure to divide his audience. On the surface, it seems like a huge deus ex machina. And while it could definitely be considered to be one, it does sort of work in a strange way because it brings some dangling plot threads back to the forefront. The main problem is that the Catherine Donovan reveal is so weird, so bizarre that it’s pretty hard to really accept. That, my friends, is why the deus ex machina charge holds weight.

The big fight scene is something of a mess. While I like Philippe Briones style and the unique color work by Ikari Studios, the fight, as a whole, is poorly executed. Body proportions seem out of whack, faces are inconsistent, and the various poses do not tell the story or flow of the battle all that well. In addition, the banter written by Brian Reed just isn’t up to par. While some of it is enjoyable, it makes you think that Reed might be running out of banter dialogue (“fat Ms. Marvel” – Really?!).

Truth be told, the artwork is actually problematic throughout the entire comic. And for the same reasons it’s problematic during the action scenes. That said, it’s not all bad. Briones delivers one hell of a cool Iron Patriot and there is an impressive level of detail to a few scenes.

Conclusion: Ms. Marvel #45 is the weakest chapter of the War of the Marvels so far. The twist is something of a “wtf” moment and the artwork, though it has its merits, is pretty rough.

Grade: C-

-Kyle Posluszny

Dark Reign: The List – X-Men – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Alan Davis (Pencils), Mark Farmer (Inks), and Nathan Fairbairn (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I actually like the concept of The List series quite a bit. It works as a new reader grab and as a compliment to current ongoings. The Daredevil one-shot actually made me interested in following the ongoing series. As for the New Avengers book, it served as a nice compliment to one of the major threads of the series.

The Story: Norman Osborn’s got a secret weapon that he plans to use against Namor and the rest of the Atlantean race.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Thanks to Alan Davis’ solid, kinetic artwork and Matt Fraction’s entertaining, surprisingly funny dialogue (“Ex-wives. What can you do?”), Dark Reign: The List – Namor,..er…X-Men is one of the most fun “X” books I’ve picked up in quite some time. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about sometimes?! The answer to that question is “Yes…yes it is.”

In all honesty, there isn’t really a whole lot to the latest addition to The List one-shot series. Norman Osborn sets loose a raging sea creature that can only sense and feed off Atlanteans. Some of Namor’s people die and, naturally, Namor needs to take action. The X-Men get involved and the creature is dealt with. It’s simple storytelling, but it’s also effective and lends itself well to a one and done comic.

The biggest negative about the latest The List one-shot, outside of the fact that Namor’s signature saying gets interrupted, is that it really isn’t much of a Dark Reign book. In fact, it’s not really much of an X-Men book either. Sure, the X-Men are in it and the creative team makes great use of the characters during the lengthy, well executed action scene (Fastball Special anyone!?), but as a whole it feels as though the team is in the book only because they happen to be associated with Namor, Osborn’s true target. Neither issue is a major flaw as far as the quality of the book is concerned, but readers should be aware of what they are actually buying.

Conclusion: While the latest List one-shot doesn’t really do a whole lot with the concept of the Dark Reign series, it excels as a one and done “X” comic. So, in short, it’s easy to recommend to X-Men/Namor fans, but not so easy to recommend if you’re just looking for something with strong Dark Reign ties.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size #1 – Review

By Mark Millar (Writer), Steve McNiven (Pencils), Dexter Vines w/Mark Morales (Inks), and Morry Hollowell (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ll be honest and admit that I’m pretty torn about the conclusion of Old Man Logan before even reading a single page of it. Why? The $4.99 price tag.

The Story: Logan gets revenge against the Hulk clan…

What’s Good: As far as violent, brutal confrontations go, Logan’s strike against the members of the Hulk family is top-notch. The blood flies early and often as Logan’s rage is let out in full force. It’s entertaining as hell and suitably epic from start to finish.

While Mark Millar tosses in some cool dialogue here and there (“People piss themselves when I get angry.”), the majority of Giant-Size Old Man Logan is almost entirely a showcase for the talent of Steve McNiven and his art team. McNiven’s pencils are nearly flawless and do an excellent job of detailing the carnage that Logan unleashes. Simply put, the gore is something to see for those that like it bloody. Also, thanks to Morry Hollowell’s colors and the inking done by Dexter Vines and Mark Morales, nothing gets lost in all the chaos. Everything pops off the page in a way that really shows what McNiven is capable of.

The action is what you should buy Giant Size Logan for, but that doesn’t mean that action is all the book has to offer. Mark Millar wraps his tale up rather well and leaves the door wide open for more exploration of the universe that he’s created. In addition, a few of the slower moments of Giant-Size Old Man Logan deliver what I like to call “poster-worthy moments,” courtesy of Steve McNiven and his team. Wolverine staring at the Hulk kids, claws out… quite badass and iconic if you ask me.

What’s Not So Good: The biggest problem I have with Giant-Size Old Man Logan is how quickly it’s over. For $4.99, the comic is one hell of a fast read. Sure it’s pretty satisfying and damn impressive looking as a whole, but the extra padding that is supposed to help justify the price tag (cover images and pencil/ink work) just simply isn’t worth the extra buck.

Another complaint I have is that, occasionally, Steve McNiven’s storytelling seems to be a bit off. There’s either a jump in the action or the panel/page is a bit hard to follow. The best example of what I’m talking about comes when something tears through members of Hulk’s family. I’m still not entirely sure exactly what takes place in that scene or even how that scene came to be.

Conclusion: The great-looking Giant-Size Old Man Logan definitely caps Millar’s Wolverine arc well. That said, I’m not entirely convinced it’s worth the price tag. Check it out, but just be aware that, outside of the visuals, you aren’t getting as much as you might think for your five bucks.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Invincible Iron Man #17 (World’s Most Wanted Chapter 10) – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Salvado Larroca (Art), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: As Matt Fraction gets closer to the conclusion of the epic “World’s Most Wanted” arc, I’m beginning to think there isn’t a happy ending in Tony Stark’s future. Especially now that Marvel has released the ominous “Stark on a slab” teaser image…

The Story: Tony Stark makes a mistake that could cost him, and everyone he cares about, everything…

What’s Good: The best thing about the latest chapter of World’s Most Wanted is that it hinges almost entirely on a mistake. Stark’s house of cards starts to fall and it makes for some good reading. But it’s not that a mistake is made, but how the mistake is made that makes Invincible Iron Man #17 so damned compelling. Matt Fraction writes Stark’s mistake into his story in a way that’s surprisingly subtle (you may miss it at first), yet extremely effective; with the mental deterioration of the lead character on full display. It’s all about execution, and Fraction executes a very pivotal moment really well in a way that ripples throughout the entire book.

The artwork by Salvador Larroca is solid all around. His character work continues to improve, the technological stuff continues to look great, and the different faces of Tony Stark (from man with everything to man losing everything) continue to impress. I do have one major complaint however…

What’s Not So Good: What’s the deal with Norman Osborn? It’s like Larroca isn’t even trying to keep him looking consistent or even acceptable. Osborn just sticks out in comparison to how everyone else looks and to be honest, it reminds me of the issues I had with Larroca’s character work when the series started.

Another thing I must mention is how the tenth chapter of World’s Most Wanted feels a little bit weak when compared to the intimate intensity of the last chapter. The character moments are certainly there, but there’s nothing that matches the back and forth between Stark and Madame Masque. Also (POSSIBLE SPOILER!), I have to ask, if Stark doesn’t understand email well, how does he seem to easily figure out how email addresses work?

Conclusion: It’s not perfect, but Invincible Iron Man #17 delivers more of what’s so great about World’s Most Wanted.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

X-Force #18 – Review

By Craig Kyle & Chris Yost (Writers) and Mike Choi & Sonia Oback (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The last issue of X-Force gave me the feeling that the creative team behind it was desperately trying to get the series back up to speed after the miserable Messiah War storyline. I look forward to seeing where they take things, now that the series looks to be close to getting back on track.

The Story: X-23 gets taken away by the H.A.M.M.E.R. people. Wolfsbane and her lover deal with the frost giants. The rest of X-Force save lives, human and mutant.

What’s Good: From the awesome opening (nice to see Warpath really making an impact like that) to the brutal ending (not one of my favorite characters!), X-Force #18 delivers all the action, intensity, and violence I’ve come to expect from the series. But, while that’s definitely great and all, the best thing about the latest issue of X-Force is how effective the storytelling is. The threads that got interrupted by the crossover are effortlessly picked back up (and, in ways, wrapped up) while new ones are established in a way that feels natural to the way the series has been playing out since it began. Especially notable is how writers Craig Kyle and Chris Yost once again show their appreciation for recent (and not so recent) “X” continuity by throwing a number of things into X-Force that longtime fans should really enjoy. An interesting character thought dead makes a rather chilling return, X-23’s past catches up with her, and Wolverine’s scene with Cyclops really takes advantage of the tense, respectful relationship they share.

The artwork by the team of Mike Choi and Sonia Oback is, as expected, very slick and incredibly polished. While I still wish the art was a bit more gritty, there’s no denying how great X-Force #18 looks. The character work is particularly impressive as nearly every single character displays a realistic level of emotion in almost every panel. Also worth mentioning is how cool the full page images that are sprinkled throughout the book look.

What’s Not So Good: While it lends itself well to some nice artwork, the whole Wolfsbane storyline continues to leave me a bit bored. Frost giants fighting wolves is cool and all, don’t get me wrong, but it really breaks momentum and distracts from the main plot. The Wolfsbane scenes could easily be cut in favor of something a bit more relevant and therefore, they fall into “Not So Good” territory.

Conclusion: X-Force #18 gives readers everything they should be looking for in an issue of the popular X-Men series. Pick it up!

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny