The Shadow #1 – Review

By: Garth Ennis (writer), Aaron Campbell (artist), Carlos Lopez (colorist)

The Story: It seems The Shadow isn’t the only one who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men, as he is joined by none other than Garth Ennis in a new ongoing series.

The Review: It’s hard not to admire the pulp heroes of old. In the absence of optic blasts that could reduce mountains to powder, or Kryptonian DNA capable of absorbing solar radiation and turning a child into a demigod, the Pulps put themselves in harm’s way and did what they could to fight the Good Fight using the means available to them. They were, at best, Optimized Men, talented individuals that represented the pinnacle of human achievement, but still men and quite capable of being killed in their self-appointed line of duty. And on some level I’ve always identified with that. I think it’s largely why I’ve always preferred reading titles like Batman, Daredevil, and Punisher over more epically-scaled books like Superman, Justice League, and X-Men; the latter don’t deal with the likelihood of death nearly as often as the former, and I’d argue it takes a real Hero to willingly put himself in mortal danger like that and still fight on. This quality is what made the pulp heroes so appealing to me as a kid, so when I first read that Garth Ennis would be redefining one of the great pulp heroes of all time, I was excited to see what the creator of Crossed, Hitman, and Preacher would do with such an icon of the industry. The result, I’m pleased to report, is more than I expected and hugely promising.

CBLDF Liberty Annual 2010 – Review

By: Various including Darick Robertson, Fabio Moon, Gabriel Ba, Garth Ennis, Paul Pope, Evan Dorkin, Rob Liefeld, Gail Simone, Scott Morse, Geoff Johns, Scott Kolins, Brian Azzarello, Frank Miller, Terry Moore, Jeff Smith, Skottie Young, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Ben McCool, Billy Tucci, Larry Marder and more

The Story: Comic creators collaborate on an anthology comic to raise money to protect free speech!

What’s Good: You know what’s good: free speech!  Too often the term “free speech” is only thought of as it applies to journalists, but as soon as you start eroding artists abilities to portray their art in whatever why they please because some people find it distasteful, you start to threaten some of the essential liberties that are part of what it means to be human (much less American).  There are places in the world where people cannot say and print what they please and there are people in the good old USA who occasionally give a comic shop a hard time about displaying comics with – gasp – wanton violence or – double gasp – naked people or – triple gasp – naked people doing naughty things! And by “hard time” we mean “take the comic shop to court”.  The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit that helps comic shops and creators defend themselves against such intrusions into free speech and every so often they put out an Annual to raise awareness and money.

Punishermax #1 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Steve Dillon (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: In a final desperate bid to stay alive, the mob creates a final scheme to kill the Punisher – Operation Kingpin.

What’s Good: How much do you like Garth Ennis?  Your answer will largely determine how much you like Aaron’s approach to Punishermax.

That being said, even for readers unfamiliar with Ennis’ work, this is far, far from a bad comic.  It’s got all the desperate scheming, outrageous gore, torture, and general nastiness that you’d expect from the Max line.  However, for those die-hard Ennis fans like myself, this book is a real treat, one part love-song and two parts nostalgia trip.

This book literally feels like it fell out of a time machine as Jason Aaron channels Ennis so effectively, you’d think it was the man himself.  In fact, Aaron starts the series off right with a scene that is outrageously gory.  So gory is this display that it borders on being slapstick.  Then, in a manner that is straight out of Ennis’ playbook, this grotesque sequence leads to a joke that is both ridiculous and uproarious.   It’s so appalling that it shouldn’t work, and yet it does for that very reason.  This humorous sequence alone shows that Jason Aaron knows how to work this series: it’s all about pushing those boundaries so far past the brink that one can only laugh and gape simultaneously.

The scene also reminds us that Wilson Fisk is a bad, bad man.  When I first heard Aaron’s decision to bring in an alternate-universe Kingpin, I was concerned.  However, I actually found myself enjoying the character.  He’s devious, imposing, and though he speaks little, every word he says counts.  Taking him out of the Marvel Universe also gives Aaron the freedom to explore the character in ways otherwise not possible.  Seeing Fisk fly under the radar or catching a glimpse of him as a family is uniquely enjoyable.

One also can’t downplay the impact of Steve Dillon.  Without him, this comic would not have been the rousing success that it is.  It’s thanks in no small part to his efforts that this book is the callback to the glory days that it is.  The man has not lost a step.  This is clearly the guy behind Preacher and he makes no attempt to disguise that fact.  Dillon’s performance can simply be described as one thing: giving the hardcore Punisher fan what he/she wants.  And of course, Aaron’s gory sight-gag would not be possible without Dillon, who’s probably got a doctorate in that sort of depravity by now.

What’s Not So Good: This book succeeds at establishing its world, but it comes at the cost of Frank Castle’s presence.  The Punisher just isn’t in this book as much as you might expect, what with half the issue being spent on a single conversation between the various mob bosses.  Frankly, you’d expect a first issue to see more Punisher-related awesomeness, but it never really comes outside of an admittedly gruesome torture scene.  Even when the Punisher does get some combat in, he’s relegated to shooting a few baddies in the background while the focus remains on Fisk.  I expected him to be a little more front and center, or get a bit more page-time than he did.

Honestly, I was just hoping for a little more excess and mass murder out of Frank.  Is that too much to ask?

Conclusion: Welcome back, Frank.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

 

Rob G’s Top Ten Number #1’s

The following list is my picks for the best first issues, based on comics that have been released during by tenure as a hobbyist, i.e the past twenty years. They are from series that were or are ongoing series, not minis. The only factor in choosing these books was simple: Greatness.

1. Y The Last Man

Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Unmatched storytelling and utterly masterful writing. So many plot threads perfectly bundled up in perhaps the best example of non-linear storytelling.

2. Four Eyes

Joe Kelly and Max Fiumara

An incredibly unique story, told perfectly with outstanding art. Whips you up and takes you to a place that is both familiar and fantastic.

3. Preacher

Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Like Y The Last Man, an expertly crafted story, with brilliant pacing and perfect dialogue. Plus, insanely novel concepts and characters.

4. The Walking Dead

Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

A regular paged issue that seems like a novella. Haunting, engaging, fun and most importantly, Rick is a character you want to travel with.

5. Batman and Robin

Grant Morrison and Frank Quietley

Morrison and Quietly. Usually that says it all, but this was something unexpected with its new take on the dynamic duo, creating a new mythos rather than perfecting an old one– like they do in All Star Superman.

6. Planetary

Warren Ellis and John Cassady

Mind-bending and genre-jarring. Ellis scoops you up while Cassaday blows you away. For Sci-Fi, there is Firefly for TV and Planetary for Comics.

7. All Star Superman

Grant Morrison and Frank Quietley

Everything Superman should be  in both character  and appearance. Also, perhaps the best colored comic in the past 15 years.

8. The Ultimates

Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

The Avengers you want and a team of characters that make sense. Story hits you as the art wows.

9. Ultimate Spider-Man

Brian Bendis and Mark Bagely

The best Spider-Man ever. Period. Perhaps the most endearing comic character ever created. Instant love.

10. The Unwritten/Invincible

Mike Carey and Peter Gross/Robert Kirkman and Corey Walker

Both these issues set up addicting stories and characters. Like the other comics in this list, greatness was evident from the get-go.

Be sure to weigh-in in the comment section!

Back to Brooklyn #5 – Review

by Garth Ennis & Jimmy Palmiotti (writers), Mihailo Vukelic (art), and Simon Bowland (letters)

The Story: The conclusion of this limited series sees Bob Saetta finally having his showdown with brother “Paul the Wall,” but not before he learns a little secret about his wife Penny.

The Good: As anyone who’s ever opened an issue of Back to Brooklyn can tell you, the first thing you’ll notice here is the artwork. Vukelic has an incredibly unique, realistic, and gritty style that has all the makings of a future star. His work on Back to Brooklyn has been consistently impressive and often the best thing about the comic. In this issue, Vukelic really shines, as he once again proves that despite his polished style, he knows his brutality.

And boy, oh boy is this comic brutal. Lasting around a third of the issue, Bob’s fight with Paul is a nasty, bloody contest that manages to satisfy, even in the face of the series-long build-up to it. This is a really ugly seven pages and the amount of punishment that both men endure borders upon outrageous. It’s gruesome to the point of being hard to read, but if you’re a gore-hound, it’s also about as glorious as violence can get. Vukelic’s hyper-realistic style only makes all the more visceral, impactful, and cringe-worthy.

What’s Not-So-Good: Unfortunately, Ennis decided that having the last issue be built around the final fight just wouldn’t be good enough. Thus, the heart of the issue is Penny’s secret. Now, the good part of this is that it really is a stunner. However, as these things often go, reality quickly sets in as I realized that it just didn’t make much sense. Penny spends some time explaining her rationale, but still, it just doesn’t work, perhaps because we’ve never gotten a chance to really know her. At best, the explanation is “well, she’s crazy;”  which had me think how it was just lazy. The end result had me resenting the twist, as it was clearly done for twist’s sake alone. Due to so much of the issue resting on this reveal, the whole comic suffers for it.

I’ve also got to say that Ennis really has some trouble writing children.  I understand what Ennis is after, but Michael is really badly written. I can’t put my finger on what it was exactly, but his words didn’t seem quite right and it all ended up feeling a bit contrived. I honestly found him nothing but irritating. I just didn’t feel that a lot of thought was put into writing him.

Conclusion: A relatively solid conclusion  to a solid series that suffers a bit for trying to be too much. The simple concluding battle we were all expecting was fantastic.  However, the big twist we were expecting wasn’t so great.  While not bad and ultimately satisfying, it’s still a bit of a mixed bag as a result.

Grade: C+

-Alex Evans

Battlefields: Tankies #2 – Review

by Garth Ennis (writer), Carlos Ezquerra (pencils), Hector Ezquerra (inks), Tony Avina (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters)

The Story: Our tankies continue to try to find a company to rendezvous with in the midst of an increasingly poorly organized war effort.

The Good: The series once again does a great job of detailing the vulnerability of WWII’s metal monsters. Instead of just seeing them blow stuff up, we get a real sense of “the metal coffin.” This is best dealt with by Ennis in his observations on technological escalation. In focusing on the innovation of the tank destroyer, Ennis details the marvels of technology that arose from the war as well as the marvels that are so very fleeting; a new tank is only king of the battlefield for ten minutes before a new tactic/weapon renders it vulnerable and obsolete.

Ennis also again successfully displays the heartrending realities of war and the  bittersweet nature of victory on the battlefield. The surprisingly victorious “last stand” in this issue was definitely the highpoint of this comic. Even when pulling victory from the jaws of defeat, celebration is marred by inescapable tragedy.

Meanwhile, Ennis again has a great deal of fun displaying the different British accents as well as the non-chalant British gentleman-officer’s attitude to war, both of which provide a lightly humorous, if not ludicrous tone.

Ezquerra’s art is definitely growing on me. His work is super detailed, lending itself well to the different models of tanks and the soldiers’ uniforms. Of course, having such a detail-oriented style also suits battlefield carnage quite well. Ezquerra displays his brilliance in drawing whole packs of men getting shot down or lying dead on the blood-soaked battlefield. It’s nothing less than appalling, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The Not-So-Good: You know up above, where I wrote what “the story” of this issue was?  That was actually surprisingly difficult for me to come up with. Ennis seems to have fallen prey to his own efforts of displaying the carnage of war, resulting in a distinct lack of any real plot. At this point, with the comic flashing between several units which we may or may not have seen before, it’s murky at best. What little plot there is isn’t exactly moving either, as our tankies’ attempt to join up with another unit is still ongoing, as this issue just, well, sees them driving around some more.  That said, you won’t notice this stagnation because it’s a struggle to even find the major plot thread. So what the hell is going on? Who are all these other units we keep seeing and what do they  have to do with our tankies? None of it is clear.

It’s not only the plot that suffers, however. The characters were weak last issue and we get even less character development this month. Honestly, I don’t even know the names of two-thirds of the characters. I feel like I barely know them and none feel like major characters who I should genuinely care about. Even the tank’s corporal, with his funny accent, is little more than a cliched “hard-bitten veteran” with little nuance.

Conclusion: Considering how awesome “Dear, Billy” was, this limited series is a little disappointing.  It’s not bad, it just lacks the depth of the previous two Battlefields stories.

Grade: C

-Alex Evans

Battlefields: Tankies #1 – Review

by Garth Ennis (writer), Carlos Ezquerra (pencils), Hector Ezquerra (ink), Tony Avina (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters)

Story: The last of Garth Ennis’ Battlefields stories begins, following a British tank-crew as the Allies push into Germany late into the Second World War.

The Good: Not unlike the rest of the Battlefields stories, Garth Ennis’ writing is spot-on and he’s obviously doing something he loves in telling these war stories.  If there’s one thing that “Tankies” delivers in writing-wise, it’s authenticity.  The on-field commands and terminology feel well-researched and the combat looks realistic and accurate.  Even the casual dialogue feels authentic, as Ennis does a great job of showing the wide cross-section of Great Britain that took part in the war, with the various regional accents being well-portrayed and the interactions between Englishmen of various class or area being well-done.

Ennis also does a great job of, once again, portraying the brutality of war.  The gore is shocking, yet realistic, and the fear the men feel is all too real (the Tiger tank feels truly terrifying, both as specter and unstoppable killer).  The theme of the “German soldier with his back against the wall” is well done and the “take no prisoners” response of the English is equally desolate.  War is clearly a back and forth exchange of escalation, and Ennis shows that escalation can become a matter of emotion and brutality, not being restricted to weapons technology and tactics.

The art is well done and highly detailed and is a good fit for a war comic.  The tanks look great, the explosions look great, and Ezquerra clearly has a talent for drawing the faces of men who are terrified and/or desperate.

The Bad: Honestly, the worst thing about this story is that it had to follow “Dear, Billy.”  That story was one of the greatest things Ennis has ever written and so, by comparison, anything will look bad.  Tankies, thus far, just isn’t as deep as its predecessor.  It looks to be mostly about action and things blowing up in historically accurate fashion, and that just makes it a much simpler comic.

I guess at this point, I just don’t feel that there’s that much to this comic right now.  It’s not bad, it’s just not near as good as its predecessors.    Also, the characters don’t seem to carry the same level of depth or individuality.

Lastly, art-wise, I find some of Ezquerra’s blood splashes to be a little too….thick?  Honestly, there are a few frames where it looks more like lava than blood.

Bottom-line: If you’ve been following Battlefields, you’ll be disappointed by this one, which isn’t to say that it isn’t good (it is), it’s just not exceptional.  It’s still rock solid and authenticity is the name of the game here, but it’s just not as moving and not as complex, and I didn’t feel the same connections with the characters that I felt in past Battlefields comics.  It’s still very good, and while a lot of fun was gained thanks to the action and obvious research, that fun came at the cost of something more intangible.

Final Grade: B-

by Alex Evans

Battlefields: Dear Billy #3 (of3) – Review

By Garth Ennis (writer) Peter Snejbjerg (pencils, inks) Rob Steen (colors).

The Story: Since this is the first review of a three-part series, and the final installment in it, please allow, dear WCBR reader, for me to delve into the general story of the entire Battlefields: Dear Billy title.

This series stars an English nurse named Carrie who survives the worst kind of abuse by the hands of her Japanese captors during the second world war. The way she processes her pain, in both sickening and beautiful ways, fuels this brief but memorable story. Her rotating roles of both hero and villain, victim and oppressor, add depth and realism to this story that is rarely found in any literary medium, let alone comic books. In these pages, Garth Ennis does an almost unspeakable  job of displaying the human condition in all its glory and all its dirt, with all its warts and with all its halos.

What’s  Good: There is noting wrong in the slightest with this comic. It should be studied and emulated. Ennis’ prose is uncannily subtle and powerful. One can get lost in the beauty and transcendence of a single sentence at the top of a panel, and then need to squirm uncomfortably from another line at the bottom of the same panel.

Peter Snejberg’s illustrations are open, simple, and powerful. A perfect compliment to Ennis’ narration.

What’s Not So Good: It ended.

Conclusion: There was a time, I am told, long ago that a comic book reader could get all different kinds of comics. Sports comics, western comics, space comics, and war comics. Must have been great to be a fanboy back then (I for one would love a good NFL based series). Well, Dynamite Comics publishes a true war comic here, breathing hope into a stifling Superhero based comic market. (On the side, I must add that no other comic publisher excites me more of their current offering than Dynamite).

This is my first foray in Garth Ennis’ work and I have to say, he lives up to the hype. Granted, this shouldn’t be a surprise as I have read that both Brian K. Vaughn and Robert Kirkman think he is one of the, (if not the) best out there. I have been weary of reading titles such as Crossed and Back To Brooklyn, which Ennis helms, because of the nature of their content, but these historical nonfiction tales really call out to me.

I realize that in this review I haven’t revealed much of the specific plot and that is because the story is so tightly written that I am afraid any detail might spoil it for the poor lug who hasn’t read this series yet. Quite soon this series will be collected into a small TPB and sold for less than ten bucks. Buy it! Or, if you can find them, get the whole series now with the three beautiful Cassady covers. I cannot not wait for the next series of Battlefields to hit the shelves!

Grade: A

-Rob G

Punisher: War Zone #5 – Review

Garth Ennis (writer), Steve Dillon (pencils), Matt Hollingsworth (colors)

The Story: Shot to hell, and on the run from Elite 2, The Punisher makes a stop to patch himself up. Unfortunately the location of the stop lands him right into the cross-hairs of a mob hit-squad.

What’s Good: After the weirdness of the Ma-Bots, the story has seemed to find it’s footing once again. It’s still far-fetched that Elite would use them as part of a plan to kill the Punisher, but the focus has shifted away from them and back to the vendetta. This is good because I feel like this is the kind of tone that would be needed if there was ever a successful Punisher film franchise. The violence and action is there to appease the MAX fans with a slightly lighter tone for a wider audience. That tone is shown really well with Castle’s bleak matter-of-fact humor which always hits the mark.

What’s Not So Good: I’m concerned about the pacing. It’s not that each issue hasn’t been a good read, but we’re coming up on the final book and the story feels somewhere in the middle. The Ma-bots haven’t played much of a role in the story so far, and I’m concerned that they won’t pay off. If they do, great. Sorry for ever doubting Ennis; but if not, it would feel more like a marketing ploy than an attempt to tell a good story.

Conclusion: As goofy as parts of it are, I love this story. The deadpan humor of Castle’s inner monologue is fantastic. The lighter tone of a Marvel Knights Punisher makes the character more accessible to fans with a weaker stomach, but Ennis’ chops as a writer keep it hardcore for the diehards. Punisher fans new and old should give this a read.

Grade: B

-Ben Berger

Punisher War Zone #4 – Review

Garth Ennis (writer), Steve Dillon (pencils), Matt Hollingsworth (colors)

The Story: The Punisher takes a drugged Charlie Schitti around town, as he searches for the truth about Ma Gnucci

What’s Good: Issue three threw me for a bit of a loop. Not that I’d expect a Punisher story to be completely grounded in reality, but parts are getting a little far-fetched. Elite taking on the mission of his father makes sense, but the nine times more elaborate “Plan B” was a bit much. It’s believable that he’d use Ma as a way to get to Frank. But are we really to believe that Elite has the ability to build ultra-realistic “Ma-bots?” Thankfully, things have shifted away from that and back to the more realistic side of things. Since Frank spends most of the comic driving, I think the best scene shows Molly trapped in the mob-bathroom. Her day-dream about what they’re saying is pretty funny, and that’s topped only by what’s actually happening.

What’s Not So Good: There isn’t as much story progression as I’d like. Frank spends most of the issue in the car driving from place to place, and whenever he gets to his destination he’s only there for a few panels. It’s not that any of it was bad, it’s just a situation where I feel this part of the story could’ve been told in a few tight pages. It’s more disappointing because last week’s issue was overflowing with good stuff. With two issues left, I’m just hoping this was a momentary slip and not a sign of things to come.

Conclusion: It’s a slow one for the Punisher this week. I’m not sure this issue was entirely necessary, but we’ll know in a few weeks at the arc’s conclusion.  The content is good, but you’re not missing too much if you skip this issue.

Grade: B-

-Ben Berger

Punisher War Zone #2 – Review

Garth Ennis (writer), Steve Dillon (pencils), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), VC’s Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Several years ago The Punisher’s war on crime brought him head to head with the Gnucci family. The result was the now classic Punisher tale: Welcome Back Frank. War Zone is the direct sequel to Welcome Back Frank and a lot of familiar faces are back. Most notably, Ma Gnucci who when we last saw her, had her limbs chewed off and had “burned to death” in her own home. But lately, Frank’s been seeing what’s left of her around town. Could it really be her? Or is this some sick ploy of the mob? Only time will tell.

What’s Good? Garth Ennis’ take on The Punisher for most fans is the definitive version, so any chance to read new stories of his is great. Since this is a return to his Marvel Knights run, it makes for a lighter story than the MAX series required. I’ve always felt Ennis’ sense of humor is underrated. It may be an acquired taste, but once you get it, (see the zoo scene) it’s hilarious.

I also like that this mini-series is a weekly one. Since it took so long for the sequel to get made, it’s nice not to have to wait four weeks between issues. Another positive is the reunion of Ennis and Dillon. I normally can’t get into Steve Dillon’s art, but somehow I love his Punisher. Yes, everyone still looks the same. And yes, I may only tolerate that since WBF is one of the first Punisher/Steve Dillon stories I’d read. No matter how you cut it, it just works.

What’s Not So Good? There’s been a pretty big gap in time between War Zone and Welcome Back Frank. Sequels can do well many years later and this one’s off to a great start, but this is a big jump from the MAX series. Ennis’ work on Marvel Knights was just as good if not better than his MAX run. But this is a return to the realm of PG-13 after being R-rated for so long. It’s a hard PG-13 but it’s undeniably lighter than Born, or In The Beginning. That tonal shift might be tough for some readers.

Conclusion: I don’t think Garth Ennis will ever truly leave The Punisher. His run on the character was defining for both his career and character. Valley Forge was his final arc, now it’s War Zone, and I’m sure there will be another “ending” down the line. But, Ennis writing Punisher isn’t something anyone should complain about. The resurrection of Ma might seem like a stretch from a story perspective… her death appeared pretty final. But, that hasn’t stopped these two issues from kicking ass.

Grade B+

-Ben Berger

Crossed #2 – Review

By Garth Ennis (story), Jacen Burrows (art), Juanmar (colors)

The Story: The pack of survivors plan their next move. With most of the North American populace infected and migrating south for new victims the logical choice is to move northward, perhaps towards Alaska. But as the group prepares to make its move an enormous error is made and another member falls victim to the Crossed.

What’s Good? The survival instincts and rationale displayed by these survivors is very grounded in reality. Their plans are sound and the mistakes made (and the paid consequences) are unnerving, causing genuine frustration to the reader (in a good way).  The passage of time that’s been given (about a year on the run now), provides a more interesting picture of things as well.

The Bad? I still don’t care about any of these survivors. There’s just not enough pages or time devoted to them or their personalities. In my mind, they’re all fodder who may die at any moment. Too much time is spent discussing logistics and the nature of the Crossed, which I honestly don’t mind, but because of this we’re given no time to relate to the characters.

The biggest problem I have with this issue, however, is the insane amount of disgusting masturbatory references on display. I can see this happening on occasion, but it’s so over-the-top and so frequent that it comes off as being gratuitous just for gratuitous’ sake. It’s not shocking, just stupid.

Conclusion: The story progression is overpowered by a lot of unneeded sexual and masturbatory scenes. Skip this one.

Crossed #1 – Review

By Garth Ennis (Writer), Jacen Burrows (Art), and Juanmar (Colors)

The Story: The “crossed” are primal, psychotic humans with a taste for nothing but sex and extreme violence. Their numbers are growing as a band of survivors try to keep it together long enough to stay alive for another day. Simply put, the story is pretty much what The Walking Dead would probably be like if it was helmed by Garth Ennis instead of Robert Kirkman.

What’s Good: For what amounts to little more than a variation on the zombie genre at this point, Crossed still manages to come across as unique thanks to the extreme nature of those humans that have become “crossed.” Drawn in brutal, disturbing detail by Jacen Burrows, trust me when I say that you have never seen zombies behave quite like they do in this series debut. A single issue in and it’s readily apparent that this book aims to shock while also providing some heavy handed commentary on our cultural obsession with sex and violence.

What’s Not So Good: This book is completely devoid of the subtlety and human drama that compelling characters are born from (read The Walking Dead for that). I couldn’t name a single character in Crossed, but you better believe I could describe, in detail, the more outrageous things that happen. That’s why it’s really hard to tell where things will be going once the story actually advances beyond trying to survive. It can probably amount to more than just a string of graphic language and artwork, but it needs to happen sooner than later.

Conclusion: Crossed #1 does just enough to keep me around for a bit longer, but it is really nothing more than a comic version of an unrated gore flick. Fun if you can handle it, but far from being an essential read.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

I’ll readily admit that I’m reading this book just to see how far Ennis will push the moral envelope. This book is the highlight reel of the most disgusting parts of Garth Ennis’ magnum opus, Preacher. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to stomach Ennis’ sadistic side. Those in that camp feel right at home. If you’ve read The Boys or Preacher the graphic content shouldn’t surprise you (that much). If your only exposure to Ennis is Dan Dare, well, prepare to have your eyes raped.

Robert Kirkman fans: This is Walking Dead: Extreme Edition.

And I love it!

Grade: A-

– J. Montes

Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe #1 – Review

By Garth Ennis (writer) Dougie Braithwaite (pencils) Robin Riggs Sean Hardy Don Hudson Michael Halblieb Martin Griffith, John Livesay (inks) Bill Oakley (Letters) Shannon Blanchard Tom Smith (colors)

This is wonderful and ridiculous for the same reason: The Punisher kills every hero and villain in the Marvel Universe. Even as weird and unrealistic as all of this sounds, it remains a totally entertaining and satisfying read.

Punisher’s origin remains similar, with a minor change – it’s heroes who kill his family – not the mob. From there, he kills Cyclops and Jubilee only to be sprung from jail by a wealthy group of investors who were disfigured in similar hero battles. These guys want to finance The Punisher’s quest for revenge to reach their goal of a hero-less society. Since Frank Castle’s not a super powered being, Garth Ennis makes sure to note that he’s outsmarting these guys not outfighting them. Doom, Kingpin, and Wolverine all give Castle a beating before he’s able to sneak out a win. Throughout the book Daredevil tries to bring The Punisher back  to reality, before it’s too late. The flashback of young Frank saving Matt Murdock from getting beat up really adds to the poignancy of the book’s final moments.

Dougie Braithwaite’s art compliments Ennis’ writing very well. It’s a nice trip down memory lane to see the mid-1990s art again. I like the implication of Castle’s murders rather than showing brains everywhere. Nothing against brains, but sometimes the imagination is worse than anything you can be shown. It’s a technique used to great effect here. A number of the heroes have similar faces which gets distracting. Aside from a wrinkle or scar Castle, Wolverine, Cap and others look the same. That said, everything else shows a lot of good detail especially the interior backgrounds. My biggest complaint is on a few different pages. While killing, Castle sometimes gets this panicked, war-cry look on his face. It implies that he’s out of control, or uncomfortable with what he’s doing. It just seems out of place for the character.

Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe holds up pretty well. It’s so over the top it’s almost funny at times, but the core of the book is the story which remains satisfying. There are better stories out there, and it’s harder to fully appreciate since it’s just an alternate time line story, but it’s a complete story and one no true Punisher fan should miss. (Grade: B)

-Ben Berger

The Punisher #60 – Review

By Garth Ennis (writer) Goran Parlov (artist) Lee Loughridge (colors) Cory Petit (letters) Tim Bradstreet (cover)

Garth Ennis’ incredible run on The Punisher concludes in this issue. Very few writers have become synonymous with a character to the point where anyone else writing them makes you cringe. Ennis took us past the gun-toting maniac surface and showed us something deeper, making The Punisher one of the most engaging characters in comics. Having said that, issue #60, his last on the series, left me wanting more and not in a good way.

First let me say the issue isn’t bad, I just wanted more. It’s disappointing because it feels like familiar territory instead of a capstone. We have yet another guy who wants to stop Castle. He talks to him on a personal level and while he doesn’t support Frank’s actions he sees that some of it is necessary. It’s done very well, but it’s been done before. The big distraction for me were the excerpts from the book Valley Forge, Valley Forge. The text is written well, but it’s still a huge block of text in the middle of a comic book. Also, if you’ve read Punisher: Born it’s basically a recap. Those gripes aside, it never gets old seeing The Punisher gun down some jerks who have it coming. I just wish we actually saw him kill the evil generals instead of the aftermath.

Incredibly detailed and stylized, Tim Bradstreet’s covers always set the tone for the issue. Goran Parlov’s art is excellent also, even if it isn’t my usual cup of tea. There is an odd use of detail for each panel which makes each character stand out. Up close it’s easy to see each wrinkle on Howe’s face and each furrow of his brow. Castle on the other hand is drawn with very broad strokes, a great illustration of his black and white view of the world.

I don’t know if Garth Ennis will ever come back to work on The Punisher. I certainly hope so. I wish he’d gone out with more of a bang. This issue is more of a fade away than a spectacular burnout. I was expecting something huge, something that would be near impossible to followup. Instead, I got a solid story that feels anticlimactic because it’s the end of the Ennis era. (Grade: B-)

– Ben Berger

Crossed #0 – Capsule Review

By Garth Ennis (writer), Jacen Burrows (art), Greg Waller (colors)

Other than Wolfskin, I haven’t read any other books from Avatar Press. But priced at only $1.00, I had to give Garth Ennis’ Crossed a try. Now, if you know who Garth Ennis is you shouldn’t be surprised when your senses are assaulted with a morbid amount of violence and strange happenings. Having read Ennis’ offerings on Preacher, The Boys, and The Punisher, I thought I’d be prepared with what was to come my way. Boy, was I wrong. In fact, this book is just wrong.

Maybe I was too softened by making my last Ennis reading the one of Dan Dare – a book that’s sophisticated, perfectly scripted, and oddly tame (when compared to the usual Ennis fare).  Either way, the visuals here are nightmarish and the story will make your hands weak. I’m not sure if I’ll be back for another issue, but if I do come back it’s only because I’m a glutton for punishment (or my curiosity will get the best of me). If you’re thinking of giving Crossed a try, consider yourself warned. I know a dollar comic is awfully enticing, but do tread lightly. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

Dan Dare #4 – Review

By Garth Ennis (writer), Gary Erskine (art) Parasuraman A. (colors)

Dan Dare one of my favorite comics being produced right now. It’s full of science fiction, battles, explosions, and conspiracies. On top of that you’ve got Garth Ennis doing the story and Gary Erskine on art. Seriously, what’s not to like? I urge you to give this book a try. If you can find the back issues, get them. If you can’t find them, you can still pick this issue up and enjoy it (to a degree).

This issue starts off giving us some instant answers. We finally find out what’s happened to the AWOL President: He’s sold out the navy and Dan Dare to the enemy! Jocelyn Peabody digs into the heart of this conspiracy, realizing that time is running out. Meanwhile, Dan Dare and Digby continue to fight for their lives on Port Napier. Some of the subordinates, ready to give up, ask Dare if it’s time to euthanize the women and children. If they fall into enemy hands, they’ll face horrible atrocities. But Dare isn’t ready to give up. He honestly believes they can beat the overwhelming odds. Eventually, the battle is resolved, but not without a high cost.

What’s made this book so good is Garth Ennis’ ability to juggle multiple plot threads at the same time. He gives just enough of each subplot to keep us satisfied, while building character relationships, advancing the story, and blowing up stuff. Dan Dare, simply put, is the perfect model of how to tell a multi-facetted story. Other than last year’s Annihilation series by Marvel, I can’t think of a better “space” book being produced right now. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

The Punisher: Force of Nature #1 (One-Shot) – Review

By Duane Swierczynski (writer), Michel Lacomb (art), Stephane Peru (colors)

When I first glanced at the cover I thought this was going to be some weird Punisher versus Moby Dick tale. As beautiful as the cover is, my interest immediately waned.

Thankfully, I was wrong. Set in Garth Ennis’ insane Marvel Max corner of the universe, this one-shot features the cold, ruthless, and gratuitous version of the Punisher that we all love. Clocking in at 35 pages, this story features Frank Castle toying with a trio of two-bit criminals as he tries to get to foil the plans of the bigger fish in the game – the Russians. What’s funny about these lowlifes is one of them is so cocky that he actually names his own yacht after himself!

The Punisher sinks their new yacht and puts some of his own goodies in with their life raft. What follows is a slow, sad series of events as the three criminals struggle to survive aboard their life raft. As hours and days pass, the criminals’ begin to lose any hope of being rescued. Then, paranoia and despair set in. The Punisher watches this all unfold from afar, taking pleasure in their misery.

Interestingly enough, the Punisher takes a secondary role in this book. Sure, he facilitates all the mayhem, but this story is really about the criminals’ struggle to survive out at sea. It’s obvious that these criminals will die, that’s just the Punisher’s way, but how they arrive at their demise is what makes this such a well crafted story. Great artwork by Michel Lacomb compliments this story. My only complaint is the $4.99 price tag – ouch. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

Dan Dare #3 – Review

By: Garth Ennis (Writer), Gary Erskine (Pencils)

When you think of Garth Ennis you probably think of sick, twisted, ultra-violent tales from Preacher and The Punisher. Well, unknowingly to a lot of you, he’s one hell of a science fiction writer as well. Dan Dare is based off an old British comic book character, and if you like books like FEAR Agent, you’ll probably enjoy this one as well. It’s not as chaotic and fun as that book, but it offers a good dose of science fiction.

Dan Dare #3 builds on the momentum established from the previous issues giving us an all out military battle on an alien planet while also giving us answers to the alien invaders’ motives. In a touching scene, Dan Dare carries an orphan child, explaining the complete history between his race, humans, and the alien invaders. The whole scene really works without dumbing down things for the reader. The dialogue and personalities (right down to the scared marines who want to go home), feel genuine and real.

I really can’t recommend this book enough. The pacing is perfect, the story is not decompressed, and Gary Erskine’s art is excellent. If you’re curious to see a different side of Garth Ennis or if you’ve ever wondered if he could write a different genre, this book is a must read. (Grade: A)

-J. Montes