The Royals: Masters of War #3 – Review

By: Bob Williams (story), Simon Coleby (art), JD Mettler (colors)

The Story: Who needs military strategy when you’ve got a sea colossus?

The Review: I wasn’t lying when I said I liked the concept behind The Royals, but at the time I was really thinking of the metaphysical and social implications when the people holding themselves as superior to their fellow man are actually superior to them. At the very least, I thought Williams would address how this situation came to pass, but none of the characters seem even remotely curious about it. To them, this is how things have always been; any need for questioning is long past.

Instead, their attention is entirely fixed on the conflict before them, which reduces the Royals to nothing more than superheroes by another name. Applying them to WWII makes for a somewhat entertaining story, of course, but there’s little reflection on the broader impacts of their existence. In terms of “What if…” scenarios, it’s more Rome, Sweet Rome than Superman: Red Son. The former is an interesting way to pass the time, but the latter will give you something to think about long afterward.

The Royals: Masters of War #2 – Review

By: Rob Williams (story), Simon Coleby (art), JD Mettler (colors)

The Story: The Justice Society of America, they ain’t.

The Review: I first remarked, when this series started, on how surprisingly immovable history had turned out to be in the Royals world.  Up until the point when Henry decided to step into the WWII game, events haven’t deviated much from what we know.  A narrative necessity, perhaps; if Williams had to spend any time explaining how superpowers changed things, we’d probably be halfway through this mini before he could start telling his actual story.

Still, you have to wonder how so much has managed to stay the same, even though the concentration of power among royalty would necessarily change prospects for the modern democracy.  It’s hard to believe, for example, that the U.S.A. would exist at all if in response to the Boston Tea Party, King George III (who definitely did not take kindly to seeing all that lovely tea dumped into the drink) flew over and freeze-rayed the rebel colonists.  Looking at the pitiful efforts of America’s current vintage of blue-bloods, you can’t imagine what made old George hold back before.

The Royals: Masters of War #1 – Review

By: Rob Williams (story), Simon Coleby (art), JD Mettler (colors)

The Story: A war among the world’s superpowers—literally.

The Review: I don’t mind telling you that the Vertigo revival has been something of a mixed bag so far—which shouldn’t be all that shocking, frankly, given the success rate of fiction in general.  If I’m experiencing an unusual amount of disappointment, that’s probably because I had been hoping Vertigo would finally unleash a flood of creative daring that it had secretly kept back for some years.  What we’ve gotten instead has been interesting, but not incredible.

If I had to put my finger on the problem, it’s the lack of conceptual novelty.  Not to suggest that an indie title has to have a gimmick to stand out, but look, if you’re not bringing new ideas to the table, then the execution has to be that much greater to keep people invested.  A title like Hinterkind, for example, can’t separate itself from the pack when it relies so heavily on the tropes of its genre(s).  Compare it to Royals, which immediately distinguishes itself with a rather clever premise: how would history turn if the world’s royalty had more than purely ceremonial or political power.  It’s just a great idea, perfectly fitted for comics.

War Heroes #3 – Review

By Mark Millar (Writer), Tony Harris (Art), and J.D. Mettler (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: It sure has been a while since the last issue of War Heroes dropped, hasn’t it?! Regardless though, you just can’t keep a cool concept down. And War Heroes is definitely based around a cool concept.

The Story: A group of soldiers finds out the hard way that the terrorists have gotten their hands on some superpower pills…

What’s Good: Mark Millar is a master of the “Oh, Shit!” moment. Whether it be something brutal, something outrageous, or something crass and possibly offensive, Millar knows exactly what it takes to push his readers’ buttons. That fact is why War Heroes #3 works so damn well on a very primal level.

Let’s face it, a superpowered Al Qaeda is a scary notion. I know it, you know it, and Mark Millar sure as hell knows it. So what does he do? He powers up Al Qaeda for his story and lets one of the terrorists effortlessly tear through a group of U.S. Troops. The chaotic scene, which takes up a majority of the pages in War Heroes #3, sets up the rest of the story and really let’s the War Heroes art team shine.

The visuals by Tony Harris and J.D. Mettler do an excellent job of bringing the script’s violent, gritty desert battle to the page. Harris and Mettler’s work brilliantly captures a look that falls somewhere between rough, realistic documentary footage (the opening, for example) and a big budget war movie (the imposing super-terrorist, for example). Simply put, as far as style is concerned, Harris and Mettler absolutely nail it.

What’s Not So Good: When I finished reading War Heroes #3, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “That’s it?!” Since a large action scene takes up most of the book, it’s a very fast read that, at times, comes across as somewhat obnoxious. The reason? Mark Millar loves to write the swears. While I have nothing against adult language and realize that people use it all the time (especially in stressful situations), Millar’s choice of words borders on parody at times.

Furthermore, the biggest problem with the artwork is that, occasionally, the action doesn’t flow from panel to panel all that well. It makes the action hard to follow and somewhat confusing. For a comic that’s all about the action, it’s frustrating that the visual storytelling doesn’t always get the job done.

Conclusion: War Heroes #3 has a few problems and sort of falls into the “style over substance” category since it’s so heavy on action, but that shouldn’t stop you from picking it up. As I said before, the foundation of the series is based on a cool concept. One that’s definitely worth following.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Ex Machina #41 – Review

by Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Tony Harris (pencils), Jim Clark (inks), JD Mettler (colors)

The Story: After a long wait, the final arc of Ex Machina begins.  Mitchell Hundred has a shocking announcement regarding his political career, dark secrets from Hundred’s past are hinted at, and an ending you won’t want to miss suggests the possible return of a character from Hundred’s past.

The Good: Though I do wish we’d see more of his writing in comics, Vaughan is still razor sharp.  Writing-wise, this is the Ex Machina we all know and love: tight and witty dialogue, enjoyable action, and great plotting.  The “conversation” between reflecting panhandler and comically “out of it addict” is great, as is Mitchell’s declared love for NYC and its people.  Vaughan’s cast of characters is as enjoyable as ever.

With this issue, Vaughan has crafted a first chapter that really does its job as the opener of a new story arc.  Several hooks are planted and several mysteries are suggesedt that will all leave you salivating for issue number 2.  What is this dreaded “white box?”  What is Hundred’s coming announcement?  It’s not all merely hooks and hints though, as Hundred’s press conference and the “uh oh” ending of the issue move the plot along, with the latter in particular introducing what will no doubt be a central conflict in this arc.

With so many hints of things to come, the only fault of the writing is that it’s left me wanting issue 42 so very badly, and that’s exactly how it should be.  It got me hooked and despite revealing very little, I’m sure curtains will begin to drop next month.  I also really enjoyed the concerns of economic crisis.  Indeed, it is only 2004 in the comic, but, as Vaughan no doubt intended,  it plays very nicely with the current recession.

The Not-so-Good: While Vaughan hasn’t missed a step, Tony Harris sure has.  Unfortunately, this issue reeks of an artist cutting corners and rushing it through.

For those that don’t know, Harris is an artist who uses photo-references.  Regardless, I’ve always been a fan of Harris’ work.  He captured the series’ tone and delivered a high degree of realism and detail.  I’ve always liked his stuff.

However, things are just off here, as some frames are just flat out rushed and end up looking sloppy (see the press conference, particularly the reporters).  At other times, the issue shows the worst of photo-referencing; characters come off as static and posed (the conversation with January), a problem I’ve rarely had with Harris before.

Even Harris’ storytelling/plotting is off-kilter.  The crucial scene between Bradbury and Suzanne Padilla is just a mess, feeling as though each character was a separate image, all of them shoved into the same frame with the subsequent interactions feeling unnatural and forced.  It’s very disconcerting, particularly when some of these characters feel reproduced from previous frames with only minor adjustments.

It also appears that Harris is having some difficulties drawing eyes.  Several times, with Hundred and the panhandler, a characters sports one eye that is freakishly larger than the other.  Even worse, the panhandler starts his scene looking exactly like Mitchell Hundred, only with a beard.  Then by the scene’s end, this is halted, leading to the poor panhandler looking like two entirely different people.  It’s a damned shame considering how great Vaughan’s writing/dialogue is in this scene.

Lastly, Mettler’s colours also are a bit off, coming across as weirdly and incongruously bright during a brief portion in the middle of the issue.  It’s almost as though he had someone else take over for a few pages.

The Bottom-line: The same great writing we’ve come to expect is accompanied by a parodic, slapped together version of the art we’ve also come to expect.  Considering how long this took, it’s a bit shameful.  Vaughan’s always excellent writing saves this from being a total disaster and makes this issue still worth picking up if you’re an Ex Machina fan, but I pray to God that Harris pulls himself together.

Grade: C

-Alex Evans

War Heroes #2 (of 6) – Review

By Mark Millar (Writer), Tony Harris (Art), Cliff Rathburn (Inks), and J.D. Mettler (Colors)

Two issues into War Heroes and I still have no idea what to think. On one hand it’s entertaining, shocking, and loaded with potential. On the other, it lacks memorable characters, tries far too hard to be “mature” (whatever that really means), and feels as though it’s being rushed through in order to fit neatly inside a six book mini-series.

This second issue covers all the bases for a stereotypical military boot camp story, with super-power pills altering the training exercises a bit. There are the shaky new recruits discovering what it’s like to be super-powered, a foul-mouthed drill instructor, a fight scene against a hardened veteran, and the expected bad apples of the bunch that are looking to make money by deserting after being given the pills. It all feels very familiar, almost generic, but it is also undeniably entertaining and shockingly hilarious at times (I bet you any money you won’t see it coming). I guess the best way to sum it up is that it is a Mark Millar book in the vein of Kick-Ass or The Ultimates. You should have a good idea what you are getting into just by seeing his name and the “Mature Readers” warning on the cover.

If you are a fan of Mark Millar’s writing style, then you will enjoy what he is doing in War Heroes. That said, I consider myself to be a fan, yet found myself rolling my eyes more than a few times at the “mature” elements of the story. His character work is also lacking, more noticeable now that as I write this review, I can’t really seem recall a single stand out character. I know what’s going on in the story and like where it is headed, but I just consider it to be character driven in any way.

As for the artwork, while not necessarily my style, it is quite attractive. The action flows well and everything has a fairly cinematic feel to it. My biggest complaint regarding the artwork is that almost all of the characters look almost completely interchangeable. Couple that with Millar’s indistinct characterization and you have a story with events that seem to lack a driving character force.

Overall I had a lot of fun with this chapter of War Heroes, but it is far from perfect. There needs to be some character development and fast or else the inevitable conflict will wind up feeling quite shallow. (Grade: C)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

Note to self: NEVER read another issue of War Heroes while on the train ride home. I know the book has a Mature warning label on the front (albeit a small one), but when I shown why, I slammed the book shut and looked embarrassingly at the old lady sitting next to me. Luckily, I live in a town (San Francisco) where stuff like this is more accepted than not. If you read this book, you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve got a phobia of the male genitalia, this book isn’t for you. I think this scene is meant to be shockingly funny, but it’s so overtly thrown in just to be shocking that it totally deflates (no pun intended) the intent.

I agree with most of Kyle’s points. The characters are completely forgettable – part of this is the Tony Harris’ fault, the other is Mark Millar’s for not giving them enough personality. So yes, this book is being kept more afloat on its concept/plot than the characters. But the last few pages, in true Millar fashion, are shocking – and that’s enough to make me want to come back next month. Oh, and the dull color palette by J.D. Mettler is awful. Not a fan. (Grade: B-)

War Heroes #1 (of 6) – Review

By Mark Millar (story), Tony Harris (pencils), Cliff Rathburn (inks), JD Mettler (colors)

War Heroes has all the makings of an epic tale, and uncharacteristically (for a Mark Millar helmed title), this book doesn’t start off with a punch to the face. Instead, it feels very restrained in its approach. Millar isn’t usually very good at writing socially relevant books unless he fills them with annoying pop-culture references. But with this book, again, he uses restraint and manages to weave a modern tale that touches on issues very close to home, all while adding a slight, yet familiar, twist that’ll keep the reader interested. Throw in some gorgeous art by Tony Harris and you have all the trappings of a blockbuster action/political thriller.

The story’s foundation rests on the escalation of terrorism against the United States and the spread of war in the Middle East. Suffering horrible attacks and a huge loss of life in the Homeland, the US finally comes up with a measure to bolster the ranks of its army: the creation of a 24 hour pill designed to give its soldiers super powers. Immediately, there’s a surge of enlistments and here’s where we’re introduced to our cast of characters.

This is a fascinating concept that feels very much like a modern twist on the whole Captain America mythos – except everyone can now be a super soldier. Hell, there’s even a Steve Rogers inspired character in the cast. We all know that the military’s full of people who want to do the right thing. But how about the opportunists – the ones that slip through the cracks? Millar touches briefly on this possibility and I’m pretty excited to see where he runs with it.

Perhaps the only thing I found lacking is the amount of time spent developing these characters. We get a few panels of each person and that’s pretty much it. Again, it’s easy to get lost in the concept of the series, but without a backbone of fleshed out characters it’s really tough to say if this book will fly or not. I have faith in Millar. He’s got a good track record.

Next issue promises us “basic training”, so I’m sure we’ll get to know our recruits *really* good. But please Mr. Millar, don’t stray too close to Full Metal Jacket! (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

I am going to have to agree with the main review on this one. The debut issue of War Heroes sets up a fantastic concept, but leaves a bit to be desired in the character development area. While I have no doubt that Millar will bring some memorable characters to the story, this first chapter leaves me wondering exactly who will stand out and how. Millar seems to be more worried about setting up the situation than the players, which works fine here, but may cause problems if people aren’t better established next issue. The artwork is attractive, though, to be honest, it really isn’t my style. Everything looks clean and detailed enough, but part of me thinks a slightly more realistic look would have fit the story better.

It may sound like I am coming down fairly hard on this first issue, but I really enjoyed what it had to offer. The concept is great, the writing is solid, and the art visually attractive. I can’t ask for much more than that. (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny

Spider-Man: With Great Power #2 (of 5) – Review

By David Lapham (writer), Tony Harris (pencils), Jim Clark (inks), J.D. Mettler (colors)

*sigh* I want to love this book. I really do. Spider-Man’s my favorite character, the creative team is incredibly talented, and yet, this book fails on so many levels. David Lapham’s story is such an enigma; it’s just frustrating. I can’t remember having this much disdain for Peter Parker. Instead of the sweet tempered kid, we get a pompous jerk who is completely caught up in himself.

Now, I know it took a disastrous turn of events to make Peter realize his mantra of responsibility, but in this mini-series you don’t even want to root for him. He’s a complete jerk and I was honestly cheering for him to fail. The only people I genuinely care about are Aunt May and Uncle Ben. The disrespect and crap Peter puts them through is just outrageous.

Once again, the only beacon of light comes from Tony Harris, Jim Clark, and J.D. Mettler. Every page they do is just pure magic. Props also go out to Joe Caramagna for making the lettering pop out in a flamboyant, but fun way. I love David Lapham as a writer and artist. But this story just isn’t working for me. I’ll keep reading, hoping things improve, but my doubt is running high. I can understand if you’re trying to teach Peter Parker a lesson in humility, but this is ridiculous. A person this pompous doesn’t deserve to wear that outfit.

Marvel says it wants Spider-Man to be care-free and fun again, but this book is anything but. Peter Parker is a complete emo, filled with teenage angst and zero charisma. (Grade: D)

– J. Montes

Conan #48 – Review

By Timothy Truman (writer), Tomas Giorello (art), JD Mettler (colors)

Conan #48 begins the “Darkness Rising” storyline. It follows a servant girl to the queen named, Iniri,who’s en route to the Capital under armed guard. But when they’re ambushed by horde of undead soldiers, it’s up to Conan to save the day. This is my first issue of Conan since Kurt Busiek’s run. The style and feel of the story almost seem out of place. Perhaps it’s because this story follows the girl more than Conan or perhaps it’s because Cary Nord is no longer around. Whatever it is, I didn’t get the charge I usually do from reading an issue of this series.

There’s a lot of violence in this book and it makes for a quick read – only the narration seems to slow things down. There’s also a subplot that’s briefly touched upon regarding an undead warrior who has Conan’s number. But his appearance doesn’t surprise or invoke any emotion at all. It’s all just a little subdued. There is, however, a ghastly creature (The Scion of Nergal), that’s pretty nightmarish. I’m interested to see how Conan eventually confronts it.

Despite the dark themes, the book is colored with a lot of bright colors and that’s kind of what threw me off. It’s just lacking in atmosphere right now. With two issues left, I’m hopeful that Tim Truman and company can turn things around. (Grade: C-)

– J.Montes

Spider-Man: With Great Power #1 (of 5) – Review

By: David Lapham (Writer), Tony Harris (Pencils), Jim Clark (Inks), J.D. Mettler (Colors)

Make no mistake, I’m a huge fan of David Lapham’s body of work – especially his earlier Valiant work. The Batman story he did a couple of years ago? It was pretty good. His Terror Inc. mini-series is fun. And being that Spidey’s my favorite character, I was really anticipating this storyline.

Alas, Spider-Man: With Great Power reminds me of something John Byrne did about a decade ago with Spider-Man: Chapter One. Honestly, who’s idea was this? How many times must we read a different take on Spider-Man’s origin. The fact that this story takes place now (with pop culture references to Jay Leno and Dave Letterman), makes this story more dismissible. Yes, it’s the classic story of Peter Parker and Lapham doesn’t miss a beat on who he is and what happens to him – but it’s all just a retread. Sure, Lapham adds some new story bits with Flash Thompson, Liz Allen, and Peter’s wrestling career, but because this story isn’t true Spider-Man canon, it’s completely useless.

There is one thing that shines in this book, however: the art. I’m not sure if I’ve seen Tony Harris’ art before, but good lord, this guy can draw. No, really, this guy can really draw! J.D. Mettler also adds a lot of depth with his colors; this is one beautiful book!

I suppose if you’re new to Spider-Man or new to reading comics, this could be a nice introduction to the character, but it just feels like another origin story forced down our throat. I mean, didn’t we just get Mythos: Spider-Man last June (yet another re-telling of Amazing Spider-Man #15)?

The biggest insult is that this book is $3.99! Who decides this stuff?! I’m sorry, despite the gorgeous art, I can’t recommend this book. We’ve read this story too many times. It’s time for something new. (Grade: C-)

– J.Montes