Captain America #17 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist), Dean White (Colorist)

The Story: A groovy new villain called Dr. Mindbubble makes himself known, spelling insane doom for S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Review: Introducing new elements has got to be hard. Presenting new characters, new concepts and making them stick for new readers must be ready, with plenty of them always ready to be cynical when approaching new things. Not all newer elements to large continuity are appreciated, with words like Midi-chlorians, Romulus and other such ”nice” ideas being conveniently forgotten by many.

However, it can be achieved if done right, with some of the ideas that Rick Remender injected in the larger Marvel continuity being particularly sound. What he brought to the character of Apocalypse, to Wolverine and to some older concepts like Deathlok and the four horsemen are really nice extrapolations combined with new interpretations that did give something exciting to read.

However, just because he did something particularly good once does not mean that he is infallible, with his run on Captain America being an example of this. While packed with some ideas that are decidedly not bad at all, there is a certain shyness in the presentation and elaboration of some of the implications that some concepts have. While it is a traditional storytelling technique to slowly reveal new elements as the story progress, it is never a good thing to make readers wait too long either when it comes to surprises.

In this issue, Remender finally presents readers the character of Dr. Mindbubble, a character that has been teased since his Uncanny X-Force run as a statue in the background. With a rather amazing concept behind his creation, that of injecting a super-soldier serum inside him along with LSD, this creates for a troubled, yet groovy types of villain that could prove to be interesting if handled right. However, while the personality of the villain proves to be a tiny bit fun, there are several problems that don’t exactly make him as good as he very well could be.

Captain America #13 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist), Dean White (Colorist)

The Story: The past of the Iron Nail is known to us, as Captain America is sent against Nuke, with Falcon in tow.

The Review: Inconsistency is a killer. Many readers, including me, always expect the best when it comes to books, characters and the like, with each having a certain vision of how things could be done. With this in consideration, writers have to play up with expectations, but also exceed or subvert them, creating something better in the process. However, long form stories need these things in a constant manner, which can be achieved through characterization, action or the story itself. If a bunch of issues begins to feel predictable or simply weak, it can lead to disinterest as the quality drops.

This series had an unfortunate down with the previous issue, who tried to present new ideas yet didn’t do much to insert originality into them. The plot was a bit jumpy too, yet Remender did seem to have plans. With a fill-in artist and those elements now inserted in his narrative, does Remender put his series back on track?

It does seem that the previous issue was a one-time deal, as Remender picks up on some of his newly introduced elements and deepens them. The Iron Nail is one of them as the readers are shown a flashback featuring him as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., providing more complexity for the character while Remender plays with a few older ideas, some of them being more akin to Steranko era’s Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., albeit in a more sinister way. Putting some more background while providing context to Ran Shen, he becomes a bit more interesting as some other players are also introduced in his story, one that the fill-in artist is definitely in touch with. It also provide a neat contrast with the latter part of the book, with plenty of dark secrets and spy action.
The other part of the book focus a bit more on Steve Rogers, with the Falcon and Jet Black getting a good deal of interaction and characterization before the meatier part of the book. The way Remender shows the importance of Captain America as a positive representation of America in this scene, combined with the concern Sam Wilson has for Steve and the way Jet Black analyze the whole thing makes for some nice moments. It’s bit on the short side, though, as the rest of the issue is dedicated to something else.

Thor: God of Thunder #12 – Review

Jason Aaron (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: Thor returns to Midgard as he tries to do his godly duties while having some fun on the side too.

The Review: The more I read this series, the more I see that Jason Aaron is trying to emulate another famous character from the Distinguished Competition. It has been very subtle at times, especially in the conflict against Gorr, yet there were some moments here and there to show what Aaron, with intent or not, made Thor look like a very famous character. A man that isn’t exactly human with humongous strength that tries to see the best in a lot of people and helps those in needs however they are. Does it sound familiar?*

Of course, despite the moral similarity between this particular character and Thor, there are some key differences which Aaron shows very well. One of them goes along with the theme that the writer seems to be tackling: godhood. Thor is a god with all that it entails, which he shows with his benevolence and his actions as we see the effect he has on the people of Midgard and to some key persons in his life. The issue is full of moments that are touching upon the subject, yet are done in an absolutely positive and delightful way.

It is a smart twist to show how the Marvel universe reacts to Thor, considering the fact that it is common knowledge that he is a genuine god. Seeing him interact with a man on death row, a bunch of fisherman, a monk, some nuns and a bunch of kids in hope to help them with whatever they need is actually quite fitting, but also fun and smart. Even with his look, the way that Thor is shown, in his dialogue and mannerism, he is shown as not only fitting in but he seems much larger than life. Roasting a dragon shank to feed of children that seems to live poorly, now that’s a good mix of real-life issues with fantasy.

Winter Soldier #19 – Review

By: Jason Latour (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: Tesla Tarasova tries to erase her past by using her cosmic ray powers and the Tarasova tesseract as Bucky tries to reason with her.

The Review: This was an ending that we almost didn’t deserve. This sounds a bit harsh, sure, but with this title’s cancellation due to low sales, Jason Latour could have given us as cheap an ending he could have wanted, admitting defeat as James Buchanan Barnes story came to a close for a while. Instead, he gave us something that not only pay respect to the work Ed Brubaker did on him, but also to the whole Winter Soldier series.

Winter Soldier #18 – Review

By: Jason Latour (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: Tesla Tarasova tells us her life story and how she views her training, her life mission and the world in general.

The Review: It’s not fair. Really, parts of me are right now enraged after reading this issue. Having finished analyzing the various elements that compose this story, I can only come to a single conclusion: it’s not fair.

Do not misinterpret this, as this statement is only my vision of a harsh truth, a thought on the fact that this title will be over soon, as it has been cancelled. How can a title that has grown to become so amazing be cancelled like this?*

Winter Soldier #17 – Review

By: Jason Latour (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: Bucky gets to know a little bit more about his target, Tesla Tarasova, as he prepares to right his wrong with her.

The Review: Let me be very clear right off the bat on this one: this issue wasn’t as good as the others and it is due to several little facts. While this is a strong way to start of a review, let me clarify that this is by no mean a bad issue, but it is merely a rather weak one when compared to the previous two by the same creative team.

Winter Soldier #16 – Review

By: Jason Latour (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: Bucky tries to find Father Hammer, one of the commanding officers from his time as the brainwashed Winter Soldier.

The Review: Jason Latour continues to write up the continuous adventure of James Buchanan Barnes, a character created by Jack Kirby but brought back and modernized by Ed Brubaker. Writing a character that has been really developed and deepened by another writer is tough, but it is doubly so when writing exactly that character’s title. Some writers may do an error once or twice with the characters if he is in a team book, but that kind of leniency is not available in the titular book of said character. Still, Latour managed to write a pretty smart issue last time, so does he keep the same level of quality?

Winter Soldier #15 – Review

By: Jason Latour (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: Bucky gets pushed on a certain mission by Nick Fury and has to save an undercover agent from Hydra.

The Review: Jason Latour is not a lucky person. Having taken this title right after Ed Brubaker’s departure, he now hasthe pressure to please those who have grown with Bucky Barnes, the one character Brubaker took from obscurity to popularity in the pages of Captain America. It is sad to say, but many won’t continue reading the book simply because Ed Brubaker’s name is not on the book anymore.

That would be an error, since the book continues to be strong, despite the fact that the main voice behind Bucky is gone. As a matter of fact, Jason Latour actually does get the character here, providing us with the next step in his adventures after the conclusion of the last issue. Here, we see Bucky devastated, picking up fights in bar and getting drunk after having lost close to everything he cared about. With this tone set, here comes Nick Fury that pushes him with a traditional speech that is both comforting, yet utterly manipulative. Latour write a pretty good Nick Fury, but it’s his Bucky that really does shine here. The way he was written and how his dialogue is done, I could swear Ed Brubaker was still the writer.

Dancer #1 – Review

By: Nathan Edmondson (writer), Nic Klein (art/colors) & Jeff Powell (letters)

The Story: An assassin on the run.

Recap/Review: Dancer #1 is a very promising start to a series.  There’s nothing too unique about the story itself.  We’ve all seen this “man alone” story where a spy/soldier/assassin is being hunted by the company/army/government that used to employ him.  That theme endures in fiction because it’s compelling and offers lots of opportunity for believable conflict.  With stories like this, it’s really a question of how well the creators execute.

The plot is pretty simple: the “organization” (it’s left vague who this group is), decides to kill their star assassin.  When they come after him, his real-life girlfriend get’s sucked into the violence.  Now they’re on the run together and she’s only learned about 15 minutes ago that her boyfriend is a hired killer.  And, there is a wrinkle at the end that I won’t spoil (but it is very good).

The Best & Worst of ‘09

FORWARD

Welcome to WCBR’s year end comic book industry report card. In essence, this report card is a list of offerings we’ve enjoyed and disliked for the entire year 2009. There was definitely a lot of debate over each editor’s pick, and in the end we just decided to let everyone have their say. Let us know if we’re out of our minds, or if you concur.

BEST ON-GOING SERIES

Detective Comics – Detective has reached consistently dizzying heights throughout the year.  The sheer creativity and astounding quality this title has seen in 2009 is simply mind-blowing.  From March to April, we had Gaiman’s “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader.”  Then, we quickly moved into Greg Rucka and JH Williams’ landmark work on Batwoman.  Gorgeous artwork met epic storytelling all year long.  We started out with a beautiful farewell to one great character, only to be introduced to another.  -Alex Evans

Captain America – Ed Brubaker’s smart, suspense and intrigue stories with a doubting, redemption-seeking hero really top the game in the ongoing category.  -DS

Detective Comics – Greg Rucka and JH Williams took this B-list character from the forgettable pages of 52, and made 2009 her year. Batwoman in Detective Comics makes a strong case for a series of her own. -Ray

BEST NEW SERIES

The Unwritten – The Unwritten is the smartest book on the racks today.  It’s an English major and literary critics dream and by series end, I expect it to be appearing on the university syllabuses of more liberal-minded professors, right next to Sandman.  Yet, despite all that, it’s also got enough mystery and fancy to entertain and pull in the average reader.  And of course, its pop culture awareness is more than enough to grab anyone’s attention.  This is a must-read.  -Alex Evans

Batman and Robin – It’s difficult to argue against Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, dealing with the heir apparent to DC’s second biggest pair of boots (some might argue biggest). The amount of conflict, psychological tension and sheer creepy villainy set the bar for the noir avenger corner of the superhero industry.  -DS

Sweet Tooth – This is indie genius hitting mainstream, while managing to maintain its literary charm. Jeff Lemire’s Vertigo title offers us a fresh new journey/ coming-of-age story, while providing us a bizarre and post-apocalyptic world filled with violence and isolation– all the ingredients for an entertaining and relevant series.  -Ray

Viking #2 – Review

by Ivan Brandon (writer), Nic Klein (art, letters, design), and Kristyn Ferretti (letters & design)

The Story: Finn and Egil face the consequences of their actions.

What’s Good: From its basic design to the artwork itself, this book is one of the most gorgeous comics on store shelves today.  The fact that this book is $2.99 is unbelievable.

The art is a perfect blend of painting, modern indie comic, and cartoonish; stylized and beautiful, it’s a sight to behold.  I love Klein’s mastery of lighting in the book; it’s clear that he’s painting a world without electricity, as when it’s night, one gets a real sense of the firelight that is relied upon as everything takes on a dark orange hue.  I also reallyenjoyed Klein’s use of color to depict mood, with everything going a light red in moments of tension or violence. With creative panel layouts and large, impressive splashes, this book does the painted form proud.

There is however a story at work here, as Brandon continues to establish the voices of his characters.  This month, we really get a sense of the “crime fiction” element of the tale.  King Bram sounds like a mob boss and Brandon’s depiction of the Viking lifestyle sounds increasingly like that of the gangster lifestyle taken up by immigrants in the early twentieth century.  The wild and naive ambitions of the young, the difficulty of leaving the life behind, and the Grandfather’s wish that his grandsons do not enter the life of crime carved out by their father all make this comic sound a hell of a lot like a gangster movie.  Brandon is clearly making his generic standing clear this month, and the comic is all the more intriguing for it.  Meanwhile, for the second month in a row, Brandon ends his book with a final scene that packs an emotional wallop.

What’s Not-So-Good: This is a quick read.  Gorgeous painted artwork and single page splashes unfortunately mean several pages with little dialogue.  This also unfortunately means that at the end of issue 2, we still don’t have a real idea of what the plot of the series is.  I just didn’t quite feel that enough happened in the span of these 22 pages.  At times I even felt like the comic became more of an artbook than a comic, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.  It felt as though the comic needed a few more pages to get more done or to flesh more out.  I like what we got but I feel that we needed more of it.  This comic just doesn’t seem to have established a direction for itself yet.

This normally wouldn’t be so annoying really, but the fact that Viking is a bi-monthly title makes it somewhat crippling.  Having waited two months to get an issue that still doesn’t see a major thrust is somewhat frustrating. So little happened this issue and we still will have to wait until the end of August for #3.

Conclusion: A solid book that nonetheless feels a little light.

Grade: C+

-Alex Evans

Viking #1 – Review

By Ivan Brandon (writing), Nic Klein (pencils, inks, colours)

The Story: A brand spanking new ongoing series from Image that’s been getting a good amount of hype, Viking looks to be a tale about the exploits, adventures, and sorrows of two brothers, Finn and Egil, who work as raiders/thieves in the ninth century.  In this issue, the major players are introduced along with the relationships they share with the comic closing out on a shocking and devastating event that is sure to shape the series for some time to come.

The Good: I can’t possibly say enough to praise the work of Nic Klein.  Where did this guy come from?  Between its colours, scrappy inks, and characterful designs, there simply is no other comic on the market that looks like this one.  The pencils often ride the line between realism and that “comic-y” look we all love, with hard-bitten frames occasionally being interrupted by one that borders on slapstick.

Dark and brooding, the colours are nonetheless of a very wide pallet, an achievement that sounds almost paradoxical in its implausibility.  The inks on the other hand lend a scrappy, gritty feel, but never once do so at the expense of detail or precision.  All told, the art does exactly what the story does, blending the crime and Viking genres.  Hard, noir, and dirty, yet also filled with blue water, red skies, and lush forest.

The writing by Ivan Brandon, while not initially standing out to the extent of Klein’s art, is more than competent.  As one would hope, the dialogue carries a properly antiquated tone, particularly in the sentence structure and word order, yet it also feels distinctly modern.  In other words, for a Viking/crime hybrid, Brandon is definitely doing his job.

At this point, it’s honestly a little hard to give a full assessment of Brandon’s chops in what is really just a foundational issue.  That said, one can already tell that his strength as a writer lies in emotional relationships.  The scene between King Bram and his daughter Annikki is perhaps the best of the issue.  The tense relationship between the brothers and their grandfather is well-done and the interactions between Finn and Egil and their little brother Ketil are particularly touching.  Brandon seems intent on problematizing the “brutal Viking” figure.  The “crazy” Egil becomes a troubled man with a deathwish, the equally murderous/brutal Finn is shown to be tender at some level; aware of his own brutality,  he’s merely trying to put his life together out of chaos.  King Bram, deserves special mention, appearing almost as two different characters in the two scenes we see him: the savage tyrant in the throneroom and the loving family man when with his daughter.  I almost feel as though Bram has the potential to be a Viking version of Tony Soprano.  Viking/crime hybrid indeed.

Finally, special mention must go to the absurd value of this comic.  Glossy cover, heavy paper stock, and larger, Golden Age dimensions, all for $2.99?  Yes, please.

The Not-so-Good: Despite what I’ve said, much about the characters’ background/psychology is only thus far suggested.  As it stands, Finn and Egil are merely the old “two young rogues trying to make it work.”  The connection with the reader isn’t fully formed quite yet.  That said, I can already see that Brandon is well on his way to fixing this.

Art-wise, a minor quibble: there is a simply hideous frame of a tearful Annikki that looks more like something out of an “adult” anime.  Klein may have issues drawing more than single tears.

I’m also not entirely sure about Brandon’s humour yet either.  It’s oddly quirky, which suits the Viking setting, but sometimes I wonder if I’m not on the same level as him.

Lastly, Brandon may have perhaps tried to do too much in this issue in showing the two sides of all of his characters.  Due to issue length, he’s forced into “one scene of brutality, and one of kindness” for both Bram and Finn; and it feels awkward.  As if it was merely flashing between “side A” and “side B.”  Furthermore, the opening scene of violence with Finn and Egal just ends up feeling a little bit sequestered from the remainder of the issue.

Conclusion:  Buy this issue.  The value, as mentioned, is absurd and this has a TON of potential.   While bad things may happen, if Brandon is going where I think he’s going, this could make his and Klein’s careers.  Plant this as one of Image’s biggest titles.  Certainly, after the gutpunch at the issue’s end, there is no way in hell I won’t be on board for issue 2.  In the words of guitar-aficionado Yngwie Malmsteen:  “I am a Viking.”

-Alex Evans

Grade: B+