Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors

By Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Ed McGuiness (Pencils), Tom Palmer (Inks), and Chris Sotomayor (Colors).

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m utterly confused by Marvel’s decision to release Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors before the Secret Warriors issue it’s supposed to take place after. I guess I can understand why Marvel would want to release one List book a week, but if there’s another in the pipeline for next week, why not just release that and hold off on the Secret Warriors one-shot until the monthly series is in synch with it? The mind…it boggles.

The Story: Nick Fury and Norman Osborn must put aside their differences for the greater good in order to bring down a federal employee that could cause trouble for them both…and the country.

What’s Good: The best thing about Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors is that it delivers all the excellent espionage action and awesome character work you’ve come to expect from the Jonathan Hickman series. Simply put, Hickman doesn’t skimp at all. From the introduction of the Leviathan organization and the dialogue between Osborn and Fury to the brutal interrogation of Seth Waters (the shady federal employee) and the use of Ares, Hickman’s script is top-notch. It successfully drives the Secret Warriors plot forward while functioning as an effective one-shot story at the same time. Now it doesn’t necessarily read like a true one and done (it definitely helps to have some familiarity with the Secret Warriors series), but it tells a satisfying Nick Fury story regardless. And, as you should know by now, nobody writes Nick Fury, or his stories, better than Jonathan Hickman at this point in time.

What’s Not So Good: Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors has two major problems that it never manages to completely overcome. The first problem is that the story, while entertaining and easy enough to follow, gets off on the wrong foot right from the start because it’s supposed to be telling about events that happen after a comic that has yet to come out. While reading the one-shot, the lingering feeling that I missed something never quite went away. Now I realize that I didn’t actually miss anything, but it’s frustrating to feel as though you missed a crucial event that set up whatever it is that you’re reading about.

The second problem is more of an issue than the first. I’m an Ed McGuiness fan, but the second problem with The List – Secret Warriors is that McGuiness’ art style just doesn’t fit the tone of the story Hickman tells. While Tom Palmer’s inks and Chris Sotomayor’s colors are moody enough, McGuiness’ exaggerated, slightly cartoony style just doesn’t feel right at any point. From the goofy, bug-eyed expressions of shock to the ‘roided up characters, the artwork just doesn’t work like it should. With all that said however, if you ignore the style, the artwork does a fine job of telling the story and executing the action of the script. So it’s not all bad.

Conclusion: Art and release schedule issues aside, Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors is worth checking out. Hickman’s script is very cool and the seeds planted for the future will be worth keeping an eye on.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Hulk #11- Review

By Jeph Loeb (Writer), Ed McGuiness (pencils), Dexter Vines (inker), Guru Efx (colors)

Here is a statement about Hulk #11, and about the Jeph Loeb’s Hulk series in general, that you won’t read on any other comic book review web site: I like it. Incredulous, you say? Well, here is an even more radical statement: Hulk is a good comic book.

All right, now I have to back up my opinion, but before I get to the reason why I think the book is indeed quite good, let me make a statement about those who are slamming this comic in their reviews. I think many reviewers come at the comic with a faulty and one dimensional- dare I say snobby- perception of comic books. There seems to be the prevalent opinion that comics need to have layers of depth and work like good novels of short stories, with symbolism and multi-level plot threads. While I’m not saying that comic books shouldn’t be as such, this is only one type of a comic, and is it really necessary for all comics to be literary masterpieces? Can’t a comic just be dumb fun, like Hulk? Why are we as comic readers so uptight and defensive about a simple (very simple) and amusing read?

This observation, that Hulk is a simple, fun, and non-assuming comic, connects to another point I’d like to make. Comic books are lacking a crucial audience, one that will support and allow the medium to be viable in the near and far future: kids. Kids do not read comics anymore. Why? Because there are not enough comics for kids (and the kid in all of us). Are kids going to read Final Crisis? No. Would an 11 year-old enjoy the pacing and the terseness of Secret Invasion? No. Would these same youth enjoy Hulk? Yes. Would life long comic reader who thinks he “knows” what comics should be or do enjoy Hulk? No. But I bet if that very same reader was reading Hulk as a twelve your-old he would be loving every panel of it.

Listen. I’m not saying Hulk is a perfect comic. I’m not even saying that the internal logic that the story runs on makes sense. But it works. It’s good fun. Hulk # 11 brings great battle scenes and decent dialogue to an interesting story that has no other agenda than simple entertainment.

Also, you should buy this comic simply for the art. I challenge someone to find a comic with better art than what Ed McGuiness treats us to in Hulk. You can find its equal, but not its superior. Every panel is something to behold. The expressions on the characters faces are more telling than the text. Great stuff.

As far as this particular story, I give Loeb a lot of creative credit for choosing the settings for the given battles. I found it really interesting that the “over lords” of every setting interjected themselves in the events that transpire in their individual realms.

Overall, Hulk #11 won’t change the hearts and minds of comic book readers who are committed to their opinion of this comic. I for one enjoy this genre of comic and though some might loathe me for saying this, but I hope more comics emulate this type of story, I am pleased with one title helming this style.

Grade: B

-Rob G

Hulk #3 – Review

By Jeph Loeb (writer), Ed McGuiness (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Jason Keith (colors)

The Hulk is nothing like the work Greg Pak did on his Incredible Hulk run. What Jeph Loeb has done is distance himself as far away as possible. And to be honest, if I were Loeb I’d do the same thing. Pak’s run was epic, and arguably the best Hulk story ever told. Seriously, how do you top a story like Planet Hulk?

With the Hulk, Loeb strips the story away and returns us to Hulk’s silver age roots. Like an old school Stan Lee story, this book features a minor mystery revolving around the red-skinned Hulk’s identity and tons upon tons of monster fighting. It’s mindless fun and other than the aforementioned mystery, I could care less about anything else in this book. I’m completely entertained by what almost appears to be two plush dolls smacking each other around. Ed McGuiness deserves a lot of credit for this book. His visuals are visceral, earthshaking, and epic in scope.

I know a lot of people are hating this book and I was one of them initially. But understanding this book’s identity is one of the keys to enjoying it. If you can accept the voice Loeb is giving this book, you’ll be plenty entertained. It’s pure fan-service. It’s the Hulk unleashed, beating monsters and wrecking stuff. This is what made the Hulk fun! And as long as Loeb and McGuiness can keep this train rolling, I’ll stay on board. Because sometimes you go to the movies to see an Oscar worthy performance. And other times you just wanna see things blow up. This is the latter, and I’m enjoying the fireworks. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes