First Impressions 6/23/10

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 6/23/10

Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark #1

By Ryan Ottley & Jason Howard (w/ an intro by Robert Kirkman)
Price: $4.99

Brief Thoughts: Let’s say you’re bored and you have nothing else to read and you’re feeling in a wacky mood.  Let’s say you’re in a wacky mood and you’re high on hydroponic mushrooms.  Let’s say you’re high on hydroponic mushrooms, in a wacky mood, and you just inhaled some paint fumes.  If this is the case, then you should totally buy this comic book.  The title says it all, except that you might be mislead to think that the Sea Bear and the Grizzly Shark fight or team-up.  Not so.  This is a double-feature of two animals gone wrong and their bloody actions against rednecks, cyborgs, bear/human hybrids, and lovers of ice cream.  Seriously.  It’s 5 bucks for about 50 pages of content.  It might not be your thing, but it was mine.  Though, I was in a wacky mood, on hydroponic mushrooms, and inhaling paint fumes, so, you know…

Verdict: Give it a shot.

Click here for a full review.

Green Arrow #1

By J.T. Krul & Diogenes Neves
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: Krul and Neves deliver an okay first issue that quickly establishes Green Arrow’s and Star City’s new status quo.  Krul seems to not only be telling the tale of a hero in new circumstances, but of an entire city trying to figure out what to do next. Neves is a fine artist, though not a spectacular one.  He does tell the story clearly and energetically.  While nothing to write home about, Green Arrow fans will probably be satisfied with this one.  Green Lantern or Brightest Day completists might want to also give it a look.  If you’re neither of those, then you can safely give this a pass.

Verdict: Save your dough.

Click here for a full review.

Fringe: Tales from the Fringe #1

By Justin Doble, Adam Gaines, & Frederico Dallocchio
Price: $3.99

Brief Thoughts: I have no clear idea what the hell I just read.  I admit I’m not a fan of the TV show Fringe which this title is licensed from.  I’ve seen a few episodes from early in the first season, but it just wasn’t my thing.  That said, I should still be able to pick up a #1 issue and understand what’s going on.  That did not happen here.  There are two stories in this comic, the second of which was almost engaging until it degenerated into an utter mess plot-wise.  This issue not only turned me off from buying any further installments, but from watching the TV show as well.  I’m sure that wasn’t the intention, but that’s my reaction.

Verdict: Save your dough.

Green Arrow #1 – Review

By J.T. Krul (Writer), Diogenes Neves (Penciler), Vicente Cifuentes (Inker)

The Story: Star City is in bad form.  Political corruption has brought the middle class to a state of poverty, and the lower class to a state of whatever can be worse than poverty.  Additionally, a mysterious forest has grown throughout out a part of the city and it only has one resident: Oliver Queen (a.k.a. Green Arrow) who has severed ties with his corporation to keep and eye on the little guy.  When a shrewd Russian business woman steps in to take over Queen industries, significant events begin to happen around town, changing the political dynamic of the city.

What’s Good/ Bad: I enjoyed reading this book, but that’s not to say that this story didn’t have its ups and downs.  J.T. Krul knows what story he wants to tell.  He clearly gets things going, on the first few pages, with a fantastic action sequence taking place in the forest that has grown in around Star City.  But then slows down to make sure that he can introduce the players for this story arc.  Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  What bugged me is that the story didn’t quite pick back up to the same level again.  And really, that detracted from a really strong opening.  After we get to see Green Arrow do what he does best, we get to hear him talk.  A lot.  And hear the other characters in the story talk.  A lot.  In fact, the action pretty much dies down through the rest of the book, seemingly only to be able to put the characters into place and set up the rest of the story.

Like I said, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Getting the characters in place can prove to help because then more of a story can unfold without having to worry about character introductions.  But after six pages of brutal action, I ask why couldn’t the other characters be introduced with the same powerful presence?  Clearly, Krul can write with that kind of fast paced, action intensity.  If these people are going to be going toe-to-toe with Green Arrow, then why can’t we see what they’re capable of and see why they’re going to be a threat?  Obvious answer being that the story will address that in later issues, but I kept waiting for Green Arrow to step in and take care of business, which, based on what was given, he is clearly capable of doing and really, could have done.