Wonder Woman #0 – Review

By: Brian Azzarello (story), Cliff Chiang (art), Matt Wilson (colors)

The Story: Just what every girl wants for her birthday—a romp with a murderous animal.

The Review: At his core, Azzarello is a mystery writer.  Being a very good one, he has become very practiced in the art of misdirection.  No one and nothing is ever as it seems in his tales.  Even outside a pure detective or crime genre, he’ll lead you down a primrose path, making you think he’s telling one kind of story, only for you to suddenly find somewhere along the way, he veered you off into a different place altogether.  Almost always, the detour is worth it.

So it goes here.  The first page sets you up to believe this will be a joke issue, what with the outrageous claim that “this magnificent missive originally appeared in ‘All-Girl Adventure Tales for Men #41”—a very pointed, if bald-faced lie.  At one point, you might even speculate the creators are merely killing time on a #0 issue forced upon them.  It’s pretty easy to consider “Brian ‘Kiss My’ Azzarello” and “Cliff ‘Chump’ Chiang” in the credits as a thinly veiled middle finger to editorial.

Men of War #1 – Review

Main story by: Ivan Brandon (writer), Tom Derenick (art), Matt Wilson (colors), Rob Leigh (letters), Kate Stewart (assistant editor) & Joey Cavalieri (editor)

Navy SEALS back-up by: Jonathan Vankin (writer), Phil Winslade (art), Thomas Chu (colors) & Leigh (letters)

The Story: DC returns to war comics and one of them’s last name is Rock.

What’s Good: The most exciting thing about the new DC 52 titles is that there is a heavy helping of non-traditional superhero fare.  Most of it is still in the same sci-fi vein (Swamp Thing, Animal Man, etc.), but the inclusion of a title like Men of War is all kinds of exciting for the comics industry because our hobby could use a LOT of diversification.

The highlight of this issue was really the Navy SEALs back-up feature.  The main story featured a couple of negatives that I’ll discuss below, but this back-up was a pure war story.  I can’t really comment on how accurate the depiction of Navy SEALs was, but this was just a quick story of American soldiers on a patrol, they get shot at by a sniper, one get’s wounded and the others have to go sort out the sniper.  Good stuff, great art!  Very solid war comic.  More of this please!

The main story had some good parts and was enjoyable enough.  It spends a lot of time establishing this Corporal Rock as a modern day US Army soldier who has a familial relationship to THE Sergeant Rock.  Probably the best thing about this story was the US soldiers are the good guys.  Sure, some of their commanding officers are dicks, but I am so sick of every fictional story about US soldiers have the token guy who rapes prisoners or the redneck racist guy or the drug-using guy.  I’m patriotic and want to see positive depictions of the US armed forces… Sue me!

Graveyard of Empires #2 – Review

By: Mark Sable (writer), Paul Azaceta (artist), Matt Wilson (colors) & Thomas Mauer (letters)

The Story: Zombies attack during the present day Afghanistan conflict.

What’s Good: In the first issue, Sable and Azaceta laid a lot of groundwork by showing us who these various Marines are as people.  Let’s just say that they weren’t all buddy-buddy.  That foundation paid off in this issue as the Marines were all trapped within their firebase as the shambling hordes descend upon them.  Now those tensions among them can start to fester as their social and military structure breaks down around their ears.

Then layered on top of this are the local Afghans.  They’d kinda like to come inside the base where it’s “safe” too.  Lots of interesting angles on that.  For sure you could point out how the Afghans were suddenly pretty happy to have Marines around when the shit hits the fan.  But, you also know that some of these folks aren’t going to have “survival of the group” at the top of their lists.

This tension illustrates one of the wonderful things about Romero-zombies for dramatic storytelling: Because they’re slow and lumbering, the humans have time to breath and relax a little bit, allowing tensions to rise up in a way that isn’t as easy with the trend towards “the infected” zombies that have come into vogue.  It’s hard to have human interest when the “zombies” run faster than you do.

The art is really nice.  Paul Azaceta doesn’t have an awkward panel in the entire issue, which is saying a lot when there are surely over 100 panels in the issue.  I also love how he knows when to have detail and when to get a little more vague with the characters as in one scene of a Marine shooting up zombies from a distance.  No need to go nuts drawing those zombies.  They’re far away, but we know what they are.  Good characters, nice acting, nice depth.  It has it all.  And the colors by Matt Wilson are really nice too.  For the most part it is a pretty drab book, but its nice to see a colorist who isn’t trying to foist primary colors on us when they wouldn’t be appropriate.

Graveyard of Empires #1 – Review

By: Mark Sable (writer), Paul Azaceta (art), Matt Wilson (colors) & Thomas Mauer (letters)

The Story: A zombie outbreak during the present day Afghan war.

What’s Good: Good zombie stories aren’t really about zombies.  Zombies are just a cool narrative device to do things like confine a bunch of people in a desperate environment and see what happens.  Who’s actually a nice guy?  Who will sacrifice others to save their own skin?  Who’s a bigot?  Who will take advantage of the situation to achieve a position of authority?  Who will abuse authority?

What’s great about this issue is that Sable and Azaceta set up the human element so well.  The zombies don’t even appear until the final pages, but before then we have a very frank look at a bunch of Marines based in present day Afghanistan.  The typical old saying about war (“long stretches of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror”) is very true in this issue.  They’re dealing with a nasty insurgency who is willing to use unwilling civilians as suicide bombers, language barriers with the local officials, local customs that they aren’t familiar with…it’s just a wholly foreign world and the creators beat that into your head.  These Marines don’t always even know who the enemy is and that causes a LOT of stress.  They also show us the boring down time: cleaning weapons, lifting weights, getting tattoos, looking at porn, wrestling, etc.

Osborn #1 – Review

By: Kelly Sue Deconnick (writer), Emma Rios (art), Jose Villarrubia & Matt Wilson (colors), Clayton Cowles (letters) & Alejandro Arbona (editor)

June Covington back-up by: Warren Ellis (writer), Jamie McKelvie (art), Matt Wilson (colors), Cowles (letters) & Arbona (editor)

The Story: What will become of Norman Osborn now that he’s locked up on The Raft?  How about start a secret cabal of followers and get moved to a secret holding facility with some really interesting new villains!

What’s Good: The best thing about this issue are the new nasty-folks that Ms. Deconnick establishes and the promise of what might be a new team of super-villains under Norman Osborn’s guidance.  As we watch the story unfold and Norman Osborn is transferred from The Raft to this secret facility for the seriously demented, does anyone even doubt that he will somehow use his calculating charisma to run the roost with the other prisoners and break out with a ready made team of bad dudes?  That will very, very fun to watch because some of these bad dudes seem interesting, including one who is a member of some nasty reptilian alien race that wants to kill all humans (Cool!).

What is also good is Emma Rios’ art.  What sets artists like her apart is that they’re doing complete pencils and inks.  I really like to see an artist do that instead of relying on the colorist to do all the shading.  There are also a few pages in this issue that just have insane amount so detail.  I think prior to this, Ms. Rios has mostly done outstanding back-up work for Marvel and also filled in here or there when an artist didn’t finish their work in time, but this is (I think) her first featured artist role for Marvel and it looks like she just knocked herself out.  It’s always fun to watch a new(er) artist that is still super-hungry!  Not only is their personal work wonderful to look at, but with newcomers like Ms. Rios around, established artists are going to have to stay on their toes.

Wolverine #1 – Review

By Jason Aaron (writer), Renato Guedes (artist), Jose Wilson Magalhaes (inker), Matt Wilson (colorist)

The Story: You know it was bound to happen sooner or later: Wolverine awakens to inexplicably find himself Hell. Yep, Hell. But if he’s been cast into the Pit, who now walks the Earth bearing his likeness and signature claws, and why is he brutally eliminating Logan’s friends and loved ones?

The Good: Sigh, oh Wolverine. What the hell kind of world do we live in where a diminutive, psychopathic Canadian brandishing not one but six really sharp knives and a talent for using them has become as beloved and iconic a character as such pillars of heroism as Captain America, Superman, and Spiderman? Beats me, but it is a better world and we are better human beings for having him in our lives. Listen, I’ll level with you: in my opinion, Wolverine has always been a rather shallow character. Beyond the claws, healing factor, and never-ending struggle to control his lust for violence, what else is there about this character that any of us identify with? Little to nothing, I’d argue, but in a way that’s kind of the point. That’s kind of what we like about the little rascal. This is a comic book of clearly-defined clichés and a narrative formula that has changed little in the thirty-six years the Canucklehead has been kicking ass and taking names, and we keep coming back for more because that simple combination of the claws, healing factor, and violent tendencies, in the hands of a competent creative team, is usually a wicked and entertaining experience, and sometimes that alone is worth the price of admission.

So, with that in mind, I can safely say that all the elements are in place to make this a great addition to Wolverine’s stable of comics. Aaron does an outstanding job here of walking that fine line between delivering all the classic elements of a typical Wolverine comic while at the same time finding new aspects of Logan’s character to bring to the light. As a returning reader who hasn’t picked up a Wolverine comic in about fifteen years, I was intrigued with Logan’s confession to Wraith that, while he’s now able to deal with the darkness that lurks in him, he feels ill-equipped to handle the idea of living a life with hope, which is ironic as he’s spent his whole life fighting to attain that very thing. In Wraith, Logan has found a kind of moral and spiritual counterpoint that is poignant and especially relevant to the kind of story Aaron is attempting to pull off here. My only hope right now is that, pending the conclusion to this story, Wraith will be a mainstay on this book.

Invincible Iron Man Annual #1 – Review

By: Matt Fraction (writer), Carmine Di Giandomenico (art), Matt Wilson (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

The Story: The life and times of the Mandarin, as seen by a film-maker working under considerable duress.

What’s Good: I don’t want to pile on Matt Fraction’s normal artists (on both Invincible Iron Man and Uncanny X-Men), but it is really nice to see him paired with an artist that isn’t distractingly bad.  Fraction is an enjoyable writer, but if he has a weakness it is that he does a little too much “talking heads” and it is hard to really pay attention to what he’s doing with the writing when the art is bad.  That is fixed here.  The art from Di Giandomenico is quite good and fits well with the story, allowing us to really appreciate the story that Fraction is telling.

As for the story, I quite liked that too.  By having a villain force a film-maker to create a story chronicling the life of the Mandarin, we get an origin story for a classic Iron Man villain without it reading like a Wikipedia entry.  Fraction and Di Giandomenico do a great job of showing what a deluded megalomaniac the Mandarin is by pairing the Mandarin’s narration of HIS image of his life (“My mother was of English nobility”) with panels showing the truth (his mother was a prostitute and he was born in a brothel).  As the issue unfolds, the Mandarin becomes more and more unglued and his obsession with Tony Stark combines with his loose grip on reality to make him a scary villain indeed.  I can’t wait to see more of this character in the on-going series.

This is also a comic where you are getting your money’s worth.  This comic was also made available on the same day via the Marvel iPhone/iPad app, but it is split into 3 volumes.  How can you split a comic book into three volumes, you ask?  Well…. this puppy is 68 pages long!! Wrap you mind around that.  I’ve bought trade paperbacks that weigh less. So…please don’t whine about the $4.99 price.

Deadpool Team-Up #893 – Review

By Rob Williams (writer), Matteo Scalera (art), Matt Wilson (colors), Jeff Eckleberry (letters)

The Story: Deadpool is contracted to retrieve equipment from a defunct lair of a super villain called the Slaymaster. He’s not the only one after this technology of course, and a rival descends on the hideout to claim the Slaymaster’s mantle just as Deadpool arrives. Fortunately for our Merc (or maybe not), Captain Britain charges onto the scene to help confront this new menace.

What’s Good: Well, Williams has listened to my ranting at least a little bit: ‘Pool and his guest star actually spend a pretty significant amount of time interacting with each other, which is a positive development for this series. (Of course, the majority of that time is spent with transposed personalities, but…baby steps I suppose.)

Scalera’s art fits this issue surprisingly well. The script is quite absurd, but the quick, frantic drawings match the high-intensity nature of both the plot and the quips. Despite this, Scalera almost never loses track of important visual details, and none of the characters or panels seem overly rushed or incomplete. That’s a very good thing, and a credit to the artist.

Deadpool Corps #1 – Review

By Victor Gischler & Frank Tieri (writers), Rob Liefield, Adelso Corona, Matteo Scalera (artists), Matt Yackey, Matt Wilson (colors)

The Story: Pool-Pocalypse Now, Part 1: Respect Your Elders. Deadpool, Headpool, Lady Deadpool and Kidpool are called upon to spearhead a cosmos-spanning battle against a Galactus-like creature that feeds on the consciousness of sentient beings. After ducking a fight with Tryco Slatterus, another would-be champion, the gang lands their ship to refuel… just in time for Tryco to catch up with them again. (Also note, although this book is technically labeled #1, the story really starts out in medias res. You’ll still be able to follow it if you haven’t read the Prelude to the Deadpool Corps miniseries, but you will be at a bit of a disadvantage.) In a second feature, Dead Man Talking, ‘Pool tries to talk through some of his problems on a psychiatrist’s couch…

What’s Good: Gischler’s writing is solid for the most part, and is quite well paced— even when the humor is missing its mark, the plot itself moves along at a good speed. Despite a (rather disappointing) lack of Deadpool speaking to himself, Gischler does capture the character’s voice well. (Almost too well; of the Corps members, only Headpool really has his own voice; the others just sound like a parrot of Deadpool himself.) The book also provides a couple genuinely funny moments—the way the Deadpools deal with Slatterus made me laugh out loud, as did the christening of the team’s new ship.

What’s Bad: The unnecessary nature of this comic itself, in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, Deadpool is very near and dear to my heart, but someone needs to send Marvel the definition of the word “over-saturation.” Really, Marvel? Not only a fourth Deadpool book, but one that involves four spin-offs of the title character? Really?

Publisher issues aside, the book also suffers from simple misuse of the character. Although Gischler writes him well enough, Deadpool is just not well-served by this overabundance of sidekicks. He is at his best when playing off of straight (that is, serious) characters, whose reactions feed off his rather demented sense of humor. Playing off characters so similar to himself does Deadpool no favors. When all you hear is attempted punchline after attempted punchline, the humor becomes forced. It’s no longer funny, and the whole scene loses its impact.

The art, while competent, does nothing to help elevate the proceedings either. Many of the characters, especially Deadpool himself, are oddly proportioned, with very small heads and massive limbs. The action is neither kinetic nor exciting, which is a big problem in a Deadpool story. Matt Yackey’s colors, on the other hand, are excellent—bold, bright, and extremely effective use of contrast.

The Rest of the Stack for 11/11/09

SWORD #1

“No Time to Breath” by Kieron Gillen (Writer), Steven Sanders (Pencils), And Craig Yeung (Inks)

“Not Yet” by Kieron Gillen (Writer), James McKelvie (Pencils), Matt Wilson (Inks), and Dave Lanphear (Colors)

The Story: In the main story, Abigail Brand spars with her partner, Commander Gyrich, welcomes Beast aboard her ship, and attempts to help her half-brother deal with a situation he has gotten himself into. In the backup story, Brand and Lockheed discuss Kitty Pryde’s current situation (being stuck inside a giant bullet).

The Good And The Bad: In the first issue of SWORD, writer Kieron Gillen throws a hell of a lot at the reader. New characters are introduced, conflicts are established, and the responsibilities (and hectic nature) of SWORD are explored more than they have been in the past. It’s pretty standard “new series” stuff, but thanks to the setting and slightly quirky tone of the dialogue, SWORD #1 feels quite fresh. While Abigail Brand doesn’t come across as the most likeable of characters, her supporting cast is more than strong enough to make up for it. Lockheed (in a nice touch, still reeling emotionally in both stories), Beast, Unit, and even Henry Gyrich all make quite a strong first (in the series) impression.

The artwork in SWORD #1 is serviceable, but only a few panels stand out in any meaningful way. Thankfully though, Steven Sanders and James McKelvie use a similar style so the book has a nice consistent look from start to finish. One thing I absolutely must mention is how horrid Steven Sanders’ take on Beast is. It’s like he’s part cat, part goat, and part Joe Camel…seriously…

Grade: C+

Sky Doll: Doll Factory #1

By Barbara Canepa & Alessandro Barbucci (Writers & Artists)

The Story: Doll’s Factory serves as a companion to the Sky Doll mini-series. There’s a short origin story that leads into the series released by Marvel a while back and a lot of behind the scenes/making of type of material.

The Good And The Bad: How do you feel about paying $5.99 for material that probably should have been put into the Sky Doll hardcover collection that came out some months ago? That’s really the key question that will decide how much you get out of Doll’s Factory #1. While the material is well presented and interesting (especially the short prequel), it isn’t really worth the money unless you are a huge Sky Doll fan. Since it’d be unfair to grade what’s, basically, just bonus material, I’ll instead label it…

For Fans Only!

Supergod #1

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Garrie Gastonny (Art), and Digikore Studios (Colors)

The Story: A scientist explains how the world went to hell as a result of the race to create superhumans that could be worshipped and save the world.

The Good And The Bad: It won’t be for everyone since it is quite dense and rather wordy, but thanks to Warren Ellis’ dry wit, intelligence, and sense of humor, the first issue of Supergod is well worth your time and money. Clever, smart, and damned good looking, Supergod #1 nicely fills the space that opened up when No Hero wrapped up. The two share similar themes, though No Hero was more about the drive to be superhuman while Supergod is more an exploration of the nature and meaning behind the superhero.

Tracker #1

By Jonathan Lincoln (Writer) and Francis Tsai (Artist)

The Story: An FBI agent discovers he’s not quite the same man he was before being found as the lone survivor in a bus full of mutilated people.

The Good And The Bad: Simply put, the first issue of Tracker isn’t a very good comic. From the clichéd main character with a five o’clock shadow and a hilariously stupid name (O’Roark) to the bland, somewhat predictable procedural stuff, nothing about the first issue of Tracker makes me want to follow the story to the end. While the premise of the series is all right and the potential is certainly there, Tracker #1 doesn’t have a particularly compelling or unique hook…or the characters that could possibly make up for the less than interesting things. At least Francis Tsai’s artwork is decent. Tsai’s art looks inconsistent as it jumps from being gritty and rough to polished throughout the book, but the storytelling is fine and the character work gets the job done.

Grade: D+

-Kyle Posluszny