Uber #0 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Caanan White (pencils), Keith Williams (inks), Digikore Studios (colors) and Kurt Hathaway (letters)

The Story: Nazi Germany develops super-soldiers in the final days of World War II.

A few things: 1). More alt-WWII than alt-superhero – The best thing about Uber was something very subtle.  Comics already has a LOT of alternate versions of superheroes: “What if the Nazis developed Captain America?” or “What if Superman landed in the Soviet Union?” and that’s before you get to all the stories like, “What if Wolverine turned evil?” or “What if Lex Luthor became a hero?”  It isn’t that those sorts of stories are terrible, but we’ve seen lots and lots and lots of them.  Uber treats the superhuman as more of a weapons system than a human.  The superhumans in Uber almost aren’t even characters.  They’re more like tanks or airplanes.    So, this issue FEELS a lot more like one of those alt-WWII stories where we ask, “What if the Nazis had developed nuclear weapons?”  Once you put that spin on things, the comic becomes more interesting.  We don’t have a lot of war comics anymore and I appreciate this addition just for the sake of variety.

American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #2 – Review

By: Scott Snyder (writer), Sean Murphy (artist), Dave Stewart (colors), Pat Brosseau (letters), Joe Hughes (assistant editor) & Mark Doyle (editor)

The Story: Cash and Felicia enter Nazi-occupied Europe in a search for a secret that can help them in their battle against the vampires.

What’s Good: As a reviewer, you run out of superlatives for series as good as American Vampire and this offshoot/sister-series, Survival of the Fittest.  Last month’s #1 issue is my personal clubhouse leader for the mythical “issue of the year.”  Not to back off that statement or diminish that issue at all, but it’s really hard to say how that issue is any better than this issue.  It really could be a case where we’ll get to the end of the year and the “Top 20 single issues” are dominated by issues of American Vampire.

So, what makes this issue so hot?  Let’s start with Sean Murphy’s art .  His style is really hard to nail down without a professional artist’s vocabulary, but I’ll try.  While his style is rooted in basic realism, he leaves his linework just rough enough that his characters ripple with energy.  There is never any doubt about what his characters are doing or which way they are moving.  But his work also has a slightly cartoony edge to it that allows him to capture slightly overdone expressions like eyes bugging out or an overdone shrug.  What is cool about this hybrid style is that it seems to allow Murphy to have the best of both worlds: the cartooning that allows him to better sell the action and the realism that allows his characters to look at home in the settings he draws. And, everything is so detailed.  As I type this, I’m looking at one particular panel showing the inside of an airplane where Murphy has drawn in the buttons on the upholstery, the patterns on the rugs, the curtains, the air vents, the reading lights, the luggage in the overhead bin, the clock on the wall and even a view up into the cockpit showing the gauges, dials, levels, coiled radio cord….  Wow!  And, that’s ONE panel.  When the settings are this detailed, I don’t think you could easily place super cartoony characters (think Humberto Ramos) into the scene without them looking weird.  It would look like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but Murphy’s hybrid style allows his characters to look great in these hyperrealistic settings.

New Avengers #13 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mike Deodato & Howard Chaykin (artists), Rain Beredo & Edgar Delgado (colorists), and Joe Caramagna (letterer)

The Story: “Captain, my captain.  Well done, Miss Hand.”

The Review:  New Avengers #13 is a frustrating issue.  Thankfully, it’s frustrating because it’s a good issue, but it’s good in an irritating way that leaves you wondering why the hell Bendis waited this long to pull things together in an arc that has been a complete and utter mess thus far.

The two biggest problems of the arc are solved this month.  Firstly, the much more interesting, and relevant, Mike Deodato illustrated modern day portion takes up most of the issue.  The result is a much more cohesive, and coherent, experience that is much easier to enjoy.

Then there’s the fact that finally, finally, Bendis pulls together the past and the present-day plots, at long last showing how the two relate to one another.  Thankfully, the link isn’t forced or artificial and it is meaningful.  Hell, the brief back-and-forth between the Chaykin and Deodato portions actually works well for once, making the relationship between the two stories seem tight and secretive and when it all comes together, and Nick Fury shows up in the present, it feels like a real bleed-over, and a badassed one at that.  Of course, all of this did also serve to irritate me again about why Bendis took so long to get this formula right, but I can only judge this issue on its own merits.

The issue also makes solid use of Victoria Hand.  Bendis keeps her allegiance clouded in doubt and mystery for most of the issue and there are a couple of real fake-outs.  Cleverly, Bendis never actually has Victoria on panel either; she’s just a disembodied voice from the other end of a phone-line.  It makes her motives all the more murky, all of it leading to a super-slick ending.

New Avengers #11 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writing), Mike Deodato & Howard Chaykin (art), Rain Beredo & Edgar Delgado (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Doctors try to save Mockingbird while in the past, Nick and friends raid a Red Skull base.

The Review: New Avengers #11 is a very frustrating issue to review.  On the one hand, it’s unquestionably better than last month’s debacle.  In fact, it does a lot of things really, really right.  Unfortunately, it also has many of the same major flaws from last month, which ultimately hamper the entire package.

The biggest example of this is the division of the issue between two stories, in two different timelines, in a constant back-and-forth.  We’re well into this arc now, and there is still absolutely no correlation between these two stories.  There’s no hint of an explanation as to why they’re occupying the same issue.  At this point, Bendis should quite with the back and forth and just call the book a double feature.  There’s nothing significant in common between these two plots and no narrative interaction whatsoever, leading to a bizarre reading experience.

But it honestly wouldn’t be so bad if the two stories were of equal merit.  Of course, that’s far from the case.  The present-day story is simply head and shoulders above the Nick Fury story and it feels like a chore whenever we return to the latter.  While Howard Chaykin’s art, while still idiosyncratic, does improve from last month’s disaster, the bottom-line is that the tale itself just isn’t very interesting at all.  While that jazzy, old time tone is there thanks to Chaykin, this is nothing more than a standard Nick Fury Nazi-hunting story, with nothing at all unique or exciting about it.

Which is a shame, because Bendis does so much right with the present day story.  Mockingbird’s critical condition creates real human drama and emotion.  The tension is palpable and sincere, which is really quite the accomplishment given that “certain death until the last moment” is usually so tired.  But Mockingbird really does feel threatened here and the reaction of the Avengers is genuine.

Fear Itself #1 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writing), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Laura Martin (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Sin awakens an ancient power, Odin is happy about Thor and Tony’s plan to rebuild Asgard on Earth, and the Avengers try to find their place in a disillusioned and divided America.

The Review: In judging a comic book event, I often find myself seeking the balance between status quo and actual narrative.  What I mean by this is that weaker, or downright crappy, events often feel less like an actual story, and means to move the Marvel or DC Universe from point A to point B.

At the very least, Fear Itself #1 promises an event that avoids this pitfall.  It certainly isn’t a mere vehicle for simple status quo change;  Fear Itself presents itself as pure story, one that’s big and with a large cast, certainly, but a story nonetheless, not a mere marketing ploy or editorial shuffle, which makes it feel honest and more engaging.  Furthermore, in keeping it to one clear, concise story avoids the chaos that can result from such a large cast and setting.

Beyond that, there’s a definite sense of relevance to this comic.  It truly feels like a comic event that could only be written in 2010-2011.  In factoring current events and the climate of America into the comic, Fraction puts the “sort of real world” element of the Marvel Universe to good use, while also making a comic that feel a bit more real and important despite hammer wielding gods.  But this also reflects the other way around; much as Fraction uses superheroes to reflect on the social climate of our world, he also does the opposite as well.  There’s a sense of powerlessness in Fraction’s portrayal of the Avengers, faced with enemies like social issues, recession, and political tension, things that superheroes aren’t necessarily built for and certainly can’t be combated like a Dr. Doom or Galactus.  It’s a nice reflection on the nature, and limitations, of superheroes that make the story feel special.  They’re faced with things that they understand, but can’t really do much about, and end up left to wonder at the nature of their place in America.

With all of this in mind, Fraction tells a simple superhero comic book story that has both heart and sincerity.  That carries through to his writing of the actual plot as well; the tension and animosity between Thor and Odin is both violent and real.  It’s the sort of thing I wish we’d seen in his last couple of issues of Thor, solid character-work that it is.  The divide between the two has never been clearer, and Fraction does particularly good work on the rueful, frustrated, and hopeless Odin.

Secret Avengers #11 – Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Will Conrad (art), Rain Beredo & Sotocolor (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Steve Rogers delves into the mind of John Steele, trying to figure out where it all went wrong.

The Review: This isn’t an Avengers comic.  Hell, it’s not even a team book.  Rather, it seems like in penultimate issue, Ed Brubaker has given up even putting up the pretense, choosing instead to just go ahead and write a Steve Rogers Captain America comic.  I guess Beast is in it, but beyond that, there’s really nothing suggesting otherwise.

Once you get over that though, you end up with a pretty solid comic book.  It’s a Steve Rogers book, sure, but there’s a dark, conspiratorial tone throughout.  I mean, the book either takes place in the dark bowels of a ship, or in the dead of night in a rural village in Nazi Germany.  There’s a constant sense of dark foreboding.

But that’s not just on a superficial level.  Aside from the usual Nazis, there’s human experimentation, Frankenstein’s-monster styled zombies, and a really creepy alien looking thing that we only catch a fleeting glimpse of.  The fact that it all takes place in a castle in a European forest almost lends it all a kind of Mike Mignola-esque feel, especially what with the monsters and Cthulian robed dudes.  Adding to this all is John Steele’s character, a psyche that, even back in WWII, is clearly on the edge of becoming something very nasty, sadistic, and evil.

And really, despite his derivative name and appearance, John Steele continues to be quite the success under Brubaker’s hand.  He’s a highly competent soldier this month, fighting for the right team, but he never seems trustworthy.  That’s not because he’s conspiring or anything like that, but rather because of his obvious dark side.  There’s a continual sense that he’s always about to lose control and certainly he shows some dark tendencies. Seeing him fight alongside Cap is quite the treat.  More than that, Brubaker puts the whole “entering John’s mind” plot into good use, seamlessly integrating John’s mind’s realization and rejection of the psychic intrusion in a manner that’s smart, seamless, and a bit surreal.

Fear Itself: Book of the Skull #1- Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Scot Eaton (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Sunny Gho (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Sin seeks an ancient weapon from her father’s past.

The Review: I’m often a bit wary when it comes to “prologue” issues.  Will I get a solid comic and a sign of things to come, or will I get a cash-in/extended advertisement?  Thankfully, Ed Brubaker’s Book of the Skull is entirely the former.

The script that Brubaker turns in for this one is rock solid.  While it’s largely Brubaker doing something he excels at (an old school, WWII Invaders story), it also sees him stepping outside the box, dabbling in a storyline that has occult elements.  The combination of Nazis and paranormal summoning almost feels Mike Mignola-esque.  The combination also makes the read a comfortable one, due it being a familiar Brubaker setting, but not boring or overly safe.

Tone-wise, Brubaker absolutely nails all of his characters’ voices, with each getting their moment.  Bucky battling a giant monster is a piece of the comedic charm that works so well for the character.  Namor’s rage is similarly well-portrayed, and his reaction to the tragedy that befalls his fellow Atlanteans in this issue is eloquent and restrained in execution.  Then there’s the Red Skull.  I’ll admit that I’m a Herr Skull fan and, while he’s not been dead long, it was fantastic seeing him again.  His ruthless arrogance and cackling villain persona is always awesome.

Then there’s Sin, who Brubaker continues to carve out as a unique, compelling villain.  She brings that same arrogance and ambition that distinguished her father, but injects a good amount of rabid insanity that is all her own.  Brubaker has always excelled at internal monologues, as he’s always been able to get into his characters’ heads in gritty fashion.  Seeing him give Sin this treatment this month is a real treat, though its never verbose or overwritten.  Her interaction with Baron Zemo is also solid, and a really weird team-up, leading to a parting of ways that hints at cool stuff to come.

Captain America: Reborn #5 – Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Bryan Hitch & Butch Guice (art), Paul Mounts (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: It’s Cap vs. Buckycap as Steve finds himself trapped in the Red Skull’s mind.

What’s Good: It feels as though Brubaker has gone old school this month with his dialogue, with plenty of cheesecake to go around.  While some may find this unbearable, I found that it added good, clean fun to a comic that has been pretty dark thus far.  Red Skull in particular is nothing short of an old fashioned, cackling villain, letting loose twice with trademark villainous laughter.  At one point, he even goes through the classic bad guy routine of telling one of the heroes his entire plan, in detail.  It’s wonderful stuff, and it’s clear that it’s intentional on Brubaker’s part, as he writes the book very much in the spirit of the Captain America comics of yesteryear with his signature dash of pulp-awareness.  There are some lines that are just so kooky, it’s hard not to smile.

Judenhass (Graphic Novel) – Review

By Dave Sim (writer, artist)

Judenhass is the most sobering experience I’ve had in a comic book this year. It’s a painful reminder of the past – more specifically, the atrocities that happened to the Jews during World War II. Dave Sim, gives us a running narrative of this event, shedding light on worldly views of the Jews then and before. It’s not just about Nazis, but about how people have negatively perceived Jews throughout history.

From the opening pages, Sim points out that without Jews, there  wouldn’t be a comic book industry. Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Will Eisner, Jerry Seigel – these are all Jewish creators and key pillars to the kingdom of comics. Can you imagine a Marvel or DC Universe without their guidance or souls? Me neither.

After making this note, Sim brings the grim reality of the Holocaust to the page. Using many photographs for reference, he painstakingly renders horrible images from concentration camps with an eerie sense of accuracy. What we see isn’t pretty, nor is it supposed to be. What happened is real, and I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to work on these pages. The eyes of many of the persons illustrated in this book tell a story by themselves. At many moments, Sim begins at one point of a person like the face, and slowly brings the camera back over a series of panels, revealing the defeated, tortured soul for us to see. It’s heart wrenching and moving.

And while the imagery in this book is powerful stuff, the narrative and quotes researched and provided by Sim are more so. He’s done a lot of homework for this book, making sure to point out every acknowledgement and source with his bibliography. Quotes taken from famous persons like Mark Twain, H. G. Wells, Russian proverbs, Voltaire, and even the Catholic Church. You’d think what they have to say might be inspiring, but it’s less than flattering. These quotes purely show that even the most highly regarded persons and institutions in society have had their share of anti-Semitism, or as Dave Sim poignantly notes, “Judenhass” or Jewish Hatred.

This book is a real eye opener, and is something that needs to be read and shared. It’s too important to ignore, and it’s something we all must come to understand so that something like this never happens again… to the Jews or any other race. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes

Wonder Woman #17 – Review

By Gail Simone (writer), Terry Dodson, Ron Randall (pencils), Rachel Dodson, Ron Randall (inks), Alex Sinclair, Pete Pantazis (colors)

Gail Simone’s first story arc on Wonder Woman concludes this issue. Last issue, the Nazis invaded the Hippolyta’s island and nearly killed her. Simone wastes little time resolving things. Within two pages, Wonder Woman single-handedly defeats all the Nazis and shows them off the island. I understand that Simone’s trying to get us to the real confrontation, but this all feels a bit rushed. The real fight begins when she confronts The Circle.

Now there’s some glaring inconsistencies that happen when she fights these women. They shoot Diana with magical arrows, causing her to be wounded. Yet, in the following panels her wounds are magically gone, only to show up again a few panels later. It’s awful editing that is very distracting. Much like the Nazi fight, this confrontation feels rushed, but even worse, it’s awkwardly paced and skips around.

Ron Randall covers the flash backs with The Circle conspiring to kill Diana as a baby; these portions of the issue are quite strong. Terry Dodson does all the events currently taking place. There’s no denying that Dodson can draw good characters, but like Simone’s script, his storytelling falters when Diana fights The Circle. It just doesn’t work.

The first two issues did a great job at building this story line up. Unfortunately, it comes crashing down with this issue. I wish I could say I enjoyed it, but it’s a heck of a let down. A 36 page issue would have fixed the pacing and story, but as it stands, Simone just crams too much stuff into 24 pages and it doesn’t work. (Grade: D)

– J. Montes

Wonder Woman #14-16 – Review

By: Gail Simone (Writer), Terry Dodson (Pencils), Rachel Dodson (Inks)

I’ll admit, this is probably the first Wonder Woman story arc I’ve ever read. I’ve just never really been interested in her, but I love Terry Dodson’s art and I heard good things about Gail Simone so I figured I’d give it a shot.

Guess what? It was pretty darn good!

As a new reader I didn’t know much about Captian Nazi or those crazy gorillas Diana has on her side. Heck, I didn’t even know about her alter ego and how she doesn’t have powers when she’s in “identity form”. Yet, the story was easy to get into and it kept my interest. Issues #14-16 follow Diana as she goes up against Captain Nazi who is poised on taking over her mother’s island.

There’s also an interesting story going on with “The Circle” (which is also the name of this story arc), in which four women – each representing a direction on the compass, are appointed as Hippolyta’s protectors. When Hippolyta begins praying to Athena for a child (who will later become Diana), The Circle sees this as a threat and plot a conspiracy to stop the “madness” (i.e. the desire to have children) that they think will spread to the other Amazonian women.

Issue #17, due out next month, will conclude this four-part arc. If you’ve got the extra money, go out and pick up #14-16. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. (Grade: B+)

-J. Montes