Invincible #61 – Review

By Robert Kirkman (writer), Ryan Ottley (pencils, inks), FCO Plascncia

The Story: In the aftermath of the “Invincible War” Mark Grayson, Invincible, struggles with guilt and remorse over the world-wide devastation perpetrated by villains his actions spawned. His girlfriend, Atom Eve, remains in critical condition while he forms uncomfortable alliances with his old allies to recover and rebuild a broken world. Just when things look the bleakest, circumstances grow darker as the viltrumites return to prepare earth for their conquest.

What’s Good: This was a great issue in an outstanding series. Seriously– Invincible never disappoints, but this issue is the cream of the crop. The pacing is perfect and the characters are true to themselves, while the dialogue remains natural and concise. The emotive underpinnings of Mark’s psyche are shown brilliantly, especially in the wordless panels of his search and rescue activity. Additionally, as a result of last issue, Kirkman has cleaned the house of the Invincible Universe, adding some much needed novel dynamics and new plot lines to this series. Many of the characters we have gotten to know over the past 60 issue are dead, missing, or retired, and I think these developments are for the better.

Ryan Ottley is awesome. His work is singularly unique and he nails everything he attempts. See the scene of Invincible lifting rubble as he blocks the sun or the image of him lunging at the Vitrumalite. They are things of beauty. FCO’s coloring is also fantastic.

What’s Not So Good: If I had to really scape for things to complain about in this issue, I guess I would say that some of the hospital scenes were a little cliche and Mark’s interaction with Eve’s parents seemed a little muddled and pointless.  Also, the Immortal is pretty lame and his relationship with Duplikate is fairly boring.

Conclusion: Many times in the past Kirkman has tried, and failed, to create a launching point where new readers could jump aboard this series. But I think this issue is the best spot so far to start reading Invincible.

Long time readers will be ecstatic that the Viltumite angle will be the focus of the next few issues. I personally am putting my money on Mark to finally put a beat-down on a Viltrumite soldier.

Overall Invincible, and Kirkman’s creations in general, are more daring and interesting than the run-of-the-mill comic. He never relies on milking a plot thread or nursing a sentiment issue after issue in an attempt to keep readers buying issues to see where things will end. Instead he relies on creative and daring stories and characters that are susceptible to just about anything to keep his readers hooked. I still hold fast to my opinion that Invincible is one of, if not the best, super-hero comic on the shelves today.

Grade: A

-Rob G.

Dark Reign Fantastic Four #2 – Review

By Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Sean Chen (Pencils), Lorenzo Ruggiero (Inks), and John Rauch (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The first issue of Dark Reign: Fantastic Four left me fairly underwhelmed. The story didn’t really go anywhere until the final few pages and overall, I found reading it to be rather boring. Normally I would drop a mini-series after such a slow start, but I’m really interested in seeing how Jonathan Hickman handles the Fantastic Four, considering that he will be taking over the ongoing series once Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch finish their run. Whenever that may be…

The Story: Franklin and Valeria take care of the unexpected visit from H.A.M.M.E.R. soldiers as Reed Richards plugs away on the Bridge. Meanwhile, Sue, Johnny, and Ben find themselves tossed from reality to reality as Reed scans alternate ways for the registration act conflict to have ended peacefully. He learns something very interesting during the process…

What’s Good: The second issue of Dark Reign: Fantastic Four is, thankfully, quite a bit more interesting than the first. Reed’s search through alternate realities is pretty gripping thanks to a combination of Hickman’s creative possibilities and the art team’s great looking scenes. The same goes for the situations Sue, Ben, and Johnny find themselves a part of. In other words, the high concept story is putting the skills of the creative team to good use.

What’s Not So Good: The biggest complaint I have about the issue is that anything that doesn’t feature Reed seems largely inconsequential. What Sue, Ben, and Johnny do in one reality seems to have no bearing on what they do in whatever reality they find themselves in next. While that may sound like a nitpick, keep in mind that the segments take up a fairly large portion of the book. Sure they look nice, but the issue as a whole left me feeling as though Hickman has only scratched the surface of what he has planned…and with only three issue to go I fear things might end up feeling either rushed or not fully realized.

Conclusion: I really like the ideas that the second chapter of Dark Reign: Fantastic Four presents. Hickman, no stranger to high-concept, definitely makes that aspect of the story work. Unfortunately, the book feels only slightly above average as a whole because too much of it ends up feeling like filler. If a better balance can be achieved between the various storylines at work, I really think the mini-series could turn into a must read.

Grade:  C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Deadpool #9 (Magnum Opus Pt. 3) – Review

By Daniel Way (Writer), Paco Medina (Pencils), Juan Vlasco (Inks), and Marte Gracia (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: If you take a minute to check out our “Best and Worst of ’08” feature, you’ll find that “Magnum Opus” was one of my most anticipated things of 2009. Now, with half of the crossover finished, I have to say that it is almost living up to expectations. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s funny, it’s action-packed, and the conflict between Deadpool and the Tbolts makes for some extremely entertaining reading. The only real problem is that I would much rather have the old Thunderbolts (more effective?) team facing Deadpool as opposed to the new one. I’ve got to say though, the new team is starting to grow on me.

The Story: Deadpool, while attempting to score points with Black Widow II, teams up with the Taskmaster to take on the Thunderbolts. I wish there was more to it then that, but there really isn’t. There is a variety of attempts at different types of humor, a lot of action, and a healthy dose of violence…in other words, business as usual.

What’s Good: The highlight of Deadpool #9 is how Wade Wilson interacts with both Taskmaster and Black Widow II. The exchanges he has with both are, in my opinion, downright hilarious and they are made even funnier by the ever present voice inside Wade’s head. Simply put, Daniel Way brings the funny in the third chapter of the “Magnum Opus” crossover.

Also of note is how great the whole book looks. Paco Medina’s cartoony style is a perfect fit considering the tone and his action scenes are just a lot of fun to look at. Juan Vlasco’s inks and Marte Gracia’s colors deserve to be mentioned as well, because the visuals really are the total package.

What’s Not So Good: For as fun as Deadpool #9 is, both as a visual experience and a reading experience, it definitely has a few flaws worth mentioning. One of them is that everything just feels extremely basic, like Daniel Way is just going through the (very funny) motions. If it wasn’t for the Thunderbolts, the latest Deadpool would feel very much like any other. In fact, it still does, though in nearly any other context that wouldn’t be a bad thing. I guess it’s just that it’s something of a shame to see a crossover so loaded with potential lean so heavily to one side. Also, and I know I can’t be the only one, I continue to be disappointed with how rather easily Deadpool is dealing with his enemies. While it’s fun to see Wade get the upper hand, it also undermines the effort being made to try and have the Diggle Thunderbolts fill the very big shoes left by the Ellis Thunderbolts.

Conclusion: Deadpool #9 works better as an issue of Deadpool than it does as the third chapter of “Magnum Opus.” I found it to be extremely entertaining (hence the high grade), but couldn’t really shake the fact that it didn’t lend itself well to the whole crossover thing. It just seems like “Magnum Opus” could be (or should have been) so much more.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Invincible Iron Man #12 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Salvador Larocca (Artist), and Frank D’Armata (Colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve been loving Matt Fraction’s take on Tony Stark. What I haven’t been loving is the artwork it’s unfortunately saddled with. Thankfully, Fraction’s writing is strong enough to easily handle the burden. As a result, I can’t wait to see where “America’s Most Wanted” goes next.

The Story: Tony Stark faces off against Namor in an undersea lab. Meanwhile, Mariah Hill finds herself face to face with The Controller and all those he has under mind control. Also, Pepper Potts learns how to use her new suit of armor and finds herself asking, “What would Tony do?”

What’s Good: As usual, Matt Fraction’s writing adds an awesome sense of weight and character to nearly every element of the story being told. With Tony, Fraction has you truly feeling his frustration and desperation as he adjusts to his old tech and the limitations that come with it. For Mariah Hill, you get a strong sense thatfor all her experience, she may be in over her head.  In addition, you can’t shake off the awe and the fear that Pepper Potts experiences when donning the suit of armor. Fraction does such a good job with his text, he even manages to make the overexposed (and I like the guy!) Norman Osborn fun to read. It all adds up to a good chapter of what has so far been a very good story.

What’s Not So Good: The problem with giving each main character his or her own section of the comic book is that few of the sections advance far enough in the overall plot to feel really satisfying. While it is good to want more, it isn’t good to want more because you feel you got a bit shortchanged. That’s exactly what I felt after reading Invincible Iron Man #12. I can’t wait to see what happens next, but part of me feels that inevitably some of what happens in #13 is going to feel like it should have happened in #12.

As for the artwork…well let me just say that I would be much happier if Salvador Larocca just took a break from trying to draw regular people. He does some pretty good-looking scenery, technology, and action, but it gets bad when things slow down. People look ugly, bloated, or just flat out inconsistent from panel to panel. It’s sad that, The Controller is the best-looking and most consistent character.

Conclusion: Despite the fact that it doesn’t advance the plot a whole lot, Invincible Iron Man #12 is still one hell of a read. A read that is best read while trying to ignore the hideous faces that pop up from time to time. In all seriousness though, Invincible Iron Man should be on everyone’s pull list. That alone should tell you that issue twelve is worth checking out. And if that doesn’t convince you then the promise of a scene with Namor shouting, “Imperious Rex,” as he blasts Iron Man should.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Secret Warriors #3 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Story), Jonathan Hickman (Story & Script), Stefano Caselli (Art), and Daniele Rudoni (Color Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: To simply say that I was looking forward to the launch of Secret Warriors would not do my anticipation for the series justice. A quick look through the “Best of ’08” feature will reveal that Secret Warriors is being worked on by what pretty much amounts to my personal creative dream team of sorts. And let’s not forget that Nick Fury is one of the main characters… Always a good thing. So since I didn’t review the first two issues, let me just say that I’m loving the series so far and can’t wait to read more.

The Story: The team’s assignment is to head to a shadow S.H.I.E.L.D. psi-agent processing and quarantine facility to make sure Hydra doesn’t get any hands on the vital assets kept there. Unfortunately for Fury’s “Caterpillar” team, the Hydra group targeting the S.H.I.E.L.D. building happens to include the recently resurrected Gorgon. Meanwhile, Nick Fury takes some time out in order to have dinner with an old flame.

What’s Good: Intensity. Only a few issues in and I can comfortably say that nearly every Secret Warriors panel is loaded with it. From the tight writing to the moody, kinetic artwork, no other series brings intensity to the reader so damn effectively. And Secret Warriors #3 may be the best issue yet.
Jonathan Hickman’s slick script is packed with sharp dialogue and great character work. It really is that good. I truly believe you are going to have a tough time finding a more gripping read this April. A particular scene worth noting is the chilling moment between Phobos and Gorgon.  The scene really drives home the type of villains the Secret Warriors are facing. In addition, the dinner scene featuring Nick Fury is prime example of what makes him such a memorable character.
As for the artwork, Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni absolutely knock it out of the park for the most part. The characters are full of emotion and the action absolutely jumps off the page. I do have one complaint though…

What’s Not So Good: If Secret Warriors #3 has any flaws, they have more to do with something the creative team has to overcome as opposed to anything that’s wrong with the individual issue.  For example, since Fury’s team is made up mostly of a group of unknowns, the characters carry around a bit of baggage.
Furthermore, I have found that the battle scenes tend to be a bit confusing, as discerning powers and keeping up with the frantic pace set by Caselli’s artwork can occasionally be a bit frustrating.  In Secret Warriors #3, I definitely found myself trying to decipher an action panel or two.   Also, Phobos, Quake (Daisy), and Hellfire (J.T.) are really the only three team members I feel I know anything about. I thought by now I’d have a better grip on the team as a whole. A small complaint considering how great most of the cast is, but worth mentioning regardless. I’m sure everyone will be fleshed out soon enough, but as of now I can’t help but feel as though some of the character development is a bit lacking.

Conclusion: I highly recommend Secret Warriors #3. And while I wish a few of the growing pains would go away, they do little to detract from the quality of the issue. In this reviewer’s opinion, if you aren’t reading Secret Warriors, you’re missing out on a potential “series of the year” candidate.

Grade:  A-

-Kyle Posluszny

Cable #13 (Messiah War Chapter 2) – Review

By Duane Swierczynski (Writer) and Ariel Olivetti (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Messiah War got off to a solid start last week despite the fact that half of chapter one was spent on recapping the past. Now, with the pieces in place and the main players introduced into the event, I look forward to where the Messiah Complex sequel will go next. Hopefully, it’s somewhere good.

The Story: Much like the first chapter, the second part of Messiah War spends a lot of time going over past events. Only this time, the past events offer up information that’s new, regardless of whether or not the reader has been following X-Force and/or Cable. What that means is that Cable #13 reveals just what future-Deadpool has been up to all these years. Also, the issue reveals how the present future came to be and what is up with the partnership between Stryfe and Bishop.

What’s Good: The Messiah War story continues to hold quite a bit of potential. Thanks to the funny segment featuring Deadpool and the bits of effective narration from Bishop, it’s possible to come up with a fairly clear picture of what type of future the characters are operating in and how it came to be that way. In other words, with the set-up hopefully finally out of the way, it seems as though the X-event can finally start moving forward comfortably.

What’s Not So Good: In my review of the Messiah War one-shot, I expressed concern over how the event would fare in the hands of the Cable creative team. As it turns out, Cable #13 proves that my concern was more than justified. And Duane Swierczynski and Ariel Olivetti are both at fault.

With the exception of how Stryfe is written, Duane Swierczynski does a pretty poor job of handling his series’ guest stars. Deadpool comes off way too strong (his comic fan “in jokes” are more annoying than funny), Wolverine’s dialogue is at times, atrocious (asshat?! honestly!?), and I really can’t picture X-23 expressing much concern about how someone feels when such an important mission is going on. Two chapters in, and I’m already starting to think that Marvel should have just let Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle handle the entire event.

As for Ariel Olivetti’s work…well…he uses a very “love it or hate it” style. As a whole I can’t really stand it and as a result, I’m not a fan of the visuals in Cable #13. That said, I will give him credit for an appropriately hideous looking Deadpool and some pretty cool looking scenery.

Conclusion: Cable #13 pretty much justified and made real my fears about what would happen when Swierczynski and Olivetti took the reigns of an interesting story. I look forward to what’s coming next in the Messiah War, but at the same time, not really because of anything that took place in its second chapter. Consider me currently disappointed, but optimistic for the future.

Grade:  C–

-Kyle Posluszny

Batman: Gotham After Midnight #11 – Review

By Steve Niles (Writer), Kelly Jones (Art), and Michelle Madsen (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve been enjoying the Gotham After Midnight series almost entirely because of the ridiculously unique artwork provided by Kelly Jones and Michelle Madsen. While the story isn’t necessarily bad or anything, it’s definitely overshadowed by the art. It helps make even the most basic or generic elements of the story into something incredibly fun to look at. That said, the length of the series is definitely starting to wear on me.

The Story: The penultimate chapter of Gotham After Midnight features Batman facing off against some of his greatest foes as he tries to bring down Midnight. The catch is that all the foes are being controlled by Midnight. But worry not, Batman has a plan…

What’s Good: The latest issue of Gotham After Midnight is very much like the others. If you have been enjoying the series so far, then I see no reason why you’d feel any different about #11. As usual, the crazy visuals and striking (slightly trippy) colors take center stage while the story sets up situations for the art team to go wild. Sure the Midnight story is pretty mindless and downright hokey at times, but it’s pretty hard to care when everything is so much fun to look at. I mean c’mon, how can you not dig a Batman branded Man-Bat catcher?!

What’s Not So Good: Simply put, Gotham After Midnight isn’t a series for everyone. The visuals, the “Adam West” (to steal a term from a colleague) style gadgets, and the generic, predictable storyline will inevitably (and understandably) turn people off. Considering that (thankfully) there is only one issue left, I’m sure you know by now if Midnight is right for you.

Conclusion: What more can I say other than that Gotham After Midnight #11 maintains the status quo. The story remains below average, the visuals remain the highlight, and the series as a whole still feels like it has gone on for too long.

Grade:  C

-Kyle Posluszny

Battlefields: Dear Billy #3 (of3) – Review

By Garth Ennis (writer) Peter Snejbjerg (pencils, inks) Rob Steen (colors).

The Story: Since this is the first review of a three-part series, and the final installment in it, please allow, dear WCBR reader, for me to delve into the general story of the entire Battlefields: Dear Billy title.

This series stars an English nurse named Carrie who survives the worst kind of abuse by the hands of her Japanese captors during the second world war. The way she processes her pain, in both sickening and beautiful ways, fuels this brief but memorable story. Her rotating roles of both hero and villain, victim and oppressor, add depth and realism to this story that is rarely found in any literary medium, let alone comic books. In these pages, Garth Ennis does an almost unspeakable  job of displaying the human condition in all its glory and all its dirt, with all its warts and with all its halos.

What’s  Good: There is noting wrong in the slightest with this comic. It should be studied and emulated. Ennis’ prose is uncannily subtle and powerful. One can get lost in the beauty and transcendence of a single sentence at the top of a panel, and then need to squirm uncomfortably from another line at the bottom of the same panel.

Peter Snejberg’s illustrations are open, simple, and powerful. A perfect compliment to Ennis’ narration.

What’s Not So Good: It ended.

Conclusion: There was a time, I am told, long ago that a comic book reader could get all different kinds of comics. Sports comics, western comics, space comics, and war comics. Must have been great to be a fanboy back then (I for one would love a good NFL based series). Well, Dynamite Comics publishes a true war comic here, breathing hope into a stifling Superhero based comic market. (On the side, I must add that no other comic publisher excites me more of their current offering than Dynamite).

This is my first foray in Garth Ennis’ work and I have to say, he lives up to the hype. Granted, this shouldn’t be a surprise as I have read that both Brian K. Vaughn and Robert Kirkman think he is one of the, (if not the) best out there. I have been weary of reading titles such as Crossed and Back To Brooklyn, which Ennis helms, because of the nature of their content, but these historical nonfiction tales really call out to me.

I realize that in this review I haven’t revealed much of the specific plot and that is because the story is so tightly written that I am afraid any detail might spoil it for the poor lug who hasn’t read this series yet. Quite soon this series will be collected into a small TPB and sold for less than ten bucks. Buy it! Or, if you can find them, get the whole series now with the three beautiful Cassady covers. I cannot not wait for the next series of Battlefields to hit the shelves!

Grade: A

-Rob G

Hack/Slash #21 – Review

By Tim Seeley (Writer), Emily Stone (Art), and Mark Englert (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve made no secret about the fact that I’m quite a fan of the Hack/Slash formula. It successfully blends a variety of genres into one extremely satisfying product. One part bloody horror story, one part buddy action comedy, one part grounded drama, and one part supernatural thriller, Hack/Slash somehow manages to work on nearly every level. While the series has hit a few bumps here and there, it always keeps me coming back for more because the basic concept is just so much fun. Simply put, you should be reading Hack/Slash.

The Story: The latest chapter of Hack/Slash sees Cassie’s past catching up with her in a big way. Longtime fans will either love or loathe the surprise returns in one of the more oddball issues of the series. Let me just say that it features one of the more interesting uses of an old lady in a comic book. Yep…

What’s Good: Story-wise, Hack/Slash #21 scores more points with me for what it sets up than for what actually happens. Though that’s not to say it isn’t a fun and entertaining issue. In fact, it might actually be one of the funniest comics I’ve read in quite some time. The bits with the elderly lady, Muffy, are so ridiculous that you can’t help but laugh. Cassie and Vlad even get in on it with some great character moments both humorous and, at times, poignant. Good work Mr. Seeley.

Also worth mentioning is the art team of Emily Stone and Mark Englert. They provide solid visuals throughout the book, with a few extremely stand-out moments. I’ve been a bit hard on Emily Stone in the past (mostly regarding facial consistency and the occasionally sketchy panel), but Hack/Slash #21 features some of her best work. And that work is complimented well by Mark Englert’s effective, quality coloring.

What’s Not So Good: A lot of your enjoyment of the latest Hack/Slash arc will probably rest on what you think of the returning characters. I can easily imagine at least one of them annoying or irritating people, so I can easily imagine his (or her?!) return falling flat. Personally, I think introducing new characters might have been more interesting, but I’m not exactly against how things now stand.

Another not so good thing is that some of Stone’s pencils tend to look a bit sketchy and rough at times. While it doesn’t really distract from the otherwise nice visuals, an extra layer of polish would have helped. I say that especially because Hack/Slash is extremely close to being a consistently good to great looking series as Stone’s solid work continues to improve.

Conclusion: Hack/Slash #21 is a surprisingly funny installment to an extremely entertaining series. While some may find themselves a bit irked by the returns, I believe most will be forgiven by the time they hit the cliffhanger of an ending. I look forward to seeing where Tim Seeley and his creative team take things from this point on.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Incredible Hercules #127 – Review

By Fren Van Lente and Greg Pak (writers), Dietrich Smith (artist), Cory Hamscher (inker)

The Story: What the hell just happened?  It took TWO writers to come up with this!?  Aegis, a completely forgettable character from New Warriors, is apparently killed by a member of Hera’s dark pantheon to absolutely nobody’s regret.  Hera meets with Hercules, Amadeus, and Athena to talk about how much she dislikes them, and Norman “Are You Sick of Seeing Me In All Your Comics Yet?” Osborn shows up with the Dark Avengers to discuss how much he generally dislikes everybody.  There, I just saved you $2.99.  If you still want more though, read on…

The Good: I grinned at the idea of a Greek diner being used as holy ground for the gods to convene without fear of agression against themselves, and enjoyed Smith’s double page spread of the Dark Avengers, but those things aren’t nearly enough to justify buying the comic, especially when this title is usually capable of packing so much more value and entertainment into its pages.

The Not So Good: How about everything other than the previous two ideas I just mentioned?  I don’t know if this was a bizarre standalone issue, a “Dark Reign” tie-in forced upon the creative team, or the first episode of an inexplicable storyline, all I can say is that this is the first issue of Incredible Hercules that completely failed to entertain me.  Van Lente and Pak have done amazing work on this title and I’ve been singing their praises for months now, but this issue was an incredibly poor example of what they are otherwise capable of achieving.

Conclusion: A waste of the paper it was printed on.  You don’t need this.

Grade: D-

Tony Rakittke

Mighty Avengers #23 – Review

By Dan Slott (writer), Khoi Pham (artist), Allen Martinez and Danny Miki (inkers)

Even as I grew to despise Bendis’s writing over the years, I was always willing to give him a chance when it came to The Avengers because they have long been a favorite team of mine since childhood.  From Avengers, New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, and right up to Dark Avengers, Bendis has conned me into thinking that each new iteration of the team might be the one that delivers the kind of epic action and drama that I’ve come to associate with the franchise.  Sadly, every title has let me down.  They’ve become vanity projects for Bendis full of overblown, Seinfeldian dialogue and plots that aren’t nearly exciting enough to justify the $3.99 price tags that are conveniently on his comics.  Needless to say, when I learned that Bendis was leaving Mighty Avengers I became optimistic, and when I read the roster for Slott’s new team, I became excited.  This team, a powerful combination of characters old and new, was a group of Avengers that made sense.  More importantly, it was a team I felt would be fun to read, and so far this title definitely delivers.

Completing the “origin” story of this new team of Avengers, this issue finds Hank Pym, now calling himself Wasp in honor of his late wife, being challenged by none other than Tony Stark for leadership of the group, which has been mysteriously assembled to combat the ancient Chaos god Cthon.  During the conflict egos clash, insecurities arise, a leader emerges, and the team’s malevolent founder is revealed.  In the sea of crap that Bendis has thrown the Avengers franchise into, Slott’s opening storyline on this title is a much needed breath of fresh air.  His script easily balances action, comedy, and characterization in ways that remind me why I’ve loved the Avengers for so long.  Khoi Pham’s art works best on a large scale, and if you don’t believe me, just check out the covers to his first three issues of this comic and tell me you wouldn’t buy a poster of it right now if you could!  Slott and Pham will need a little time to make this title their own, but I’m willing to give it to them because they have finally given me an Avengers comic I can enjoy again.  This is shaping up to be quite a fun comic and I hope you’ll give it a try!

Grade: B+

Tony Rakittke

Mercy Sparx #3 – Review

By Josh Blaylock (Writer), Matt Merhoff (Pencils), and Bill Crabtree (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The first two issues of Mercy Sparx hinted that there may be quite a bit of depth to the new series beyond the slick concept of a devil-girl hunting rogue angels. However, writer Josh Blaylock has so far seemed more interested in letting Matt Merhoff go crazy with drawn out fight scenes as opposed to actually getting to the real meat of what Mercy Sparx is going to be all about. While I have enjoyed the brutal, fairly creative devil-girl vs. rogue angel action, the story needs to move beyond that in order to keep me hooked for the long term. I know the debut mini-series ends next month in order to pave the way for the ongoing. Whether I make the jump to the ongoing will largely depend on how things develop as the mini wraps up.

The Story: A meeting with Pastor Collins leaves Mercy quite upbeat as it seems her task on earth is finally complete. The elation is short lived however as the she-devil learns that her task wasn’t exactly heaven sent. It turns out more is at stake than Mercy could have realized.

What’s Good: I hoped for more story and that’s exactly what Mercy Sparx #3 delivers. The character, world, and series instantly became a lot more interesting upon learning the true nature of Mercy’s job. And while the plot twist isn’t exactly original, the stylish artwork and interesting character design leaves me looking forward to the future of the series. In addition, the twist puts Mercy in quite an interesting position heading into the conclusion of the mini-series/ launch of the ongoing. In other words, it looks as though Mercy Sparx could have a very bright future.

What’s Not So Good: There is quite a bit still up in the air regarding the plot developing through the mini-series. A fairly large amount of questions have yet to be answered and while I’m sure they will be addressed in the future, it makes it difficult to judge how satisfying the mini-series will ultimately end up being. Another negative worth mentioning is how the plot twist is both predictable and quite generic. Sure, the whole idea works and lends itself well to an ongoing, but I hope that there ends up being more to the series in the long run.

Conclusion: Mercy Sparx continues to be a fun series that gets by largely on its cool concept and attractive, stylish visuals. If you’ve liked it so far, I’m sure you will end up liking where the series goes next. In my humble opinion, Mercy Sparx is a keeper.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Ms. Marvel #37 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Brian Reed (Writer), Patrick Oliffe (Pencils), Serge LaPointe and Livesay (Inks), and Chris Sotomayor (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve been a fan of the Ms. Marvel series for a while now, but the “Ascension” arc has left me pretty disappointed. It started off rather strong, but it quickly became unnecessarily convoluted as the twists and turns piled up. I still have hope for a strong finish however, so let me just get to the review.

The Story: Carol Danvers, using the powers that could be killing her, confronts a super-powered Ghazi Rashid to end things once and for all. And it does not end well. Dark Reign indeed.

What’s Good: I’m now glad that I stuck with the series despite my growing frustration with the current arc. The fight between Danvers and Rashid is suitably epic, features some strong character work, and ends in a fairly surprising manner. On top of that, the twists and turns surrounding “Ascension” manage to wrap up in a satisfying, somewhat incomplete, manner.

What’s Not So Good: It really bothers me when a good comic is held back by artwork that just doesn’t seem suitable for the action or story it features. The visuals in Ms. Marvel #37 just aren’t up to the task of revealing Carol Danvers’ fate. At times sloppy, at times rushed, and at times just plain inadequate, the character (and series) deserves better. That said, Oliffe and his team do a pretty good job when things slow down, so it’s not all negative.

Conclusion: With some good and some bad, the latest issue of Ms. Marvel stays above average thanks to a fairly surprising event and effective character work. I can’t help but wonder how much better things might have been with a different art team at the helm…but what can you do? It will be interesting to see where the series will go from here.

Grade:  C+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Darkness #76 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Benny Fuentes (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I bailed on the third volume of The Darkness following the end of the first story arc. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it was the different art team or perhaps it was the less than engaging previews I had checked out. Whatever the reason, I decided to jump back on board after the series hit number seventy five and celebrated with a one-shot that offered up a pretty compelling glimpse of a possible future for the Top Cow universe.

The Story: While attempting to walk away from the Sovereign’s orders, Jackie Estacado falls under the spell of a beautiful woman with a red ribbon in her hair. Jackie quickly finds out that there’s more to the woman than meets the eye, and he finds out that there is quite a bit he has yet to learn about the legacy of the Darkness. And it could cost him his life.

What’s Good: For an extremely fast read, The Darkness #76 does quite a few things right. The artwork, though not without flaws, is pretty quite striking at times and does a nice job of visually carrying the story forward when there is little dialogue or narration to help out. The woman’s red ribbon is particularly worthy of note because Michael Broussard and his team do a great job of making it stand out in any panel it’s present in. And the effect helps to create a sense of uneasiness about both the woman and the desperation that drives Jackie toward his destination. As for the writing, Phil Hester effectively adds wrinkles to both the mythology of the Darkness and the character of Estacado. While the conflicted anti-hero is something of a cliché (and has been for some time), Estacado manages to remain compelling regardless of the baggage that the characters of his type tend to carry.

What’s Not So Good: While I didn’t feel ripped off, there is no denying how quick the latest issue of The Darkness ended. Whole pages went by without any dialogue, which really accentuated the inconsistent (sometimes silly) visuals. I mean, Jackie Estacado’s face seemed to change repeatedly throughout the book. At times, his particular case of moody angst seems to give him pouty Angelina Jolie lips. As it turns out, the unintentional hilarity really breaks the somber tone Hester and company seem to be going for.

Conclusion: While the wonky artwork proves at times, distracting, it doesn’t hurt the quality of an otherwise enjoyable comic too much. There is something about the fairly simple story and effective use of color that kept me glued to the pages. It definitely could have been better, but nonetheless, I liked it well enough.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

Gears of War #5 – Review

By Joshua Ortega (Writer), Liam Sharp (Artist), and Jonny Rench (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Being a fan of the Xbox 360 series, the Gears of War comics are something of a guilty pleasure for me. The artwork in them effectively captures the gritty violence of the game’s world and action, while the tough-guy dialogue works well enough to keep the books entertaining enough to read. I wish the Gears series had a bit more story and depth, but then again I had a fairly solid idea of what I was getting into when I picked up the first issue.

The Story: Marcus, Jace, Dom, and Barrick find themselves trapped underneath the rubble of the ruined city of Montevado. With the area unstable and crawling with creatures, the separated COGs must find a way out of the dangerous mess. The situation offers up the opportunity for the reader to learn a little more about Jace as well.

What’s Good: To be honest, there isn’t much about Gears #5 that is particularly memorable. The action comes across well and the situation the COGs find themselves in by the end of the issue is appropriately hopeless (and potentially exciting), but beyond that there just isn’t a whole lot worth mentioning. And that’s something of a shame because the creative team puts in some pretty decent work…

What’s Not So Good: The pretty decent work ultimately fails to amount to much. I understand that for the most part, Gears of War is all about mindless action. That said, it wouldn’t hurt to actually advance the storyline once in a while. I mean, I love bloody action as much as the next guy, but it gets tiresome when it seems as though that’s all that is holding the series together. There has to be some driving force moving things along. Unfortunately, I have pretty much stopped caring what that force is at this point. As a result, I just found the penultimate chapter of the first Gears arc to be quite boring.

Conclusion: While I will be sticking around to see how the “Hollow” story concludes thanks to the fairly strong finish of chapter five, I can’t help but be disappointed with things as a whole. The creative team definitely gets the appeal of Gears and successfully translates it to the page, but the whole thing just feels empty without a compelling story. Maybe things will turn around next month, but I will be sure to keep my expectations in check.

Grade:  C-

-Kyle Posluszny

Thunderbolts #130 (Magnum Opus Pt. 2) – Review

By Andy Diggle (Writer), Bong Dazo (Pencils), Joe Pimentel (Inks), and Frank Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: So far, I’ve had a fair share of conflicting emotions regarding Andy Diggle’s Thunderbolts run. On one hand, the author carries on the mean streak and dark tone that made the Warren Ellis run such a critical success. On the other, I have yet to find Diggle’s new Thunderbolts team all that appealing. The characters have their moments, but the team as a whole lacks the turmoil and dysfunction that made the Ellis bunch so appealing. Thankfully, I have a feeling most of my conflicting emotion will be quickly forgotten as Deadpool brings his unique brand of humor and chaos to a series that currently needs just a little extra jolt of electricity.

The Story: “Magnum Opus” continues as Deadpool, in an effort to reach Norman Osborn for payment (and a bit of revenge), squares off against the Thunderbolts inside Avengers Tower. But all is not as it seems since Osborn has the Thunderbolts pulling punches in order to keep their target alive. Action, violence, and humor are the name of the game in Thunderbolts #130.

What’s Good: It figures that it’d take Deadpool to finally bring out the personality in the Thunderbolts team and make (almost) everything click. Long story short, Andy Diggle does quite a good job handling both his team and the guest of honor. Regarding the T-bolts, for the first time I actually find myself really looking forward to the next issue so that I can learn more about the cast of characters that I am fairly unfamiliar with thanks to the interesting team dynamics on display. As for Deadpool, Diggle effectively picks up where Daniel Way left off and doesn’t really miss a beat in handling the more unique aspects of the crazy mercenary.

Also worth mentioning about the latest issue of Thunderbolts is how damn nice it looks. The creative team does a fantastic job of handling the non-stop, explosive action without ever really letting it get too out of hand. From Bong Dazo’s kinetic scenes and stylish character work to the complimentary inks and vibrant colors that help the work jump off the page, the second chapter of “Magnum Opus” is a lot of fun to look at.

What’s Not So Good: Two key things hold Thunderbolts #130 from earning a higher grade. The first thing is that, while Diggle makes solid strides in bringing out the personality of his team, it still consists of characters that I have little, to no attachment to. While I understand that time is needed for them to grow on me, I had hoped for at least a character or two to really stand out by this point. I highly doubt I’m the only one feeling this way.

The second thing that needs to be mentioned is that from time to time the action gets a little bit too crazy. Either too much is going on, or character positioning leads to a bit of confusion. It doesn’t really detract from the strong visuals a whole lot, but it proves distracting at times.

Conclusion: The latest issue of Thunderbolts restores my faith in the series. I had thought about dropping it following the Deadpool crossover, but now I feel that the new team definitely has the potential to be quite memorable. You’ve got the ball back Diggle, now is the time to run with it.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny

Second Opinion

Fanboys take note: when somebody asks whether or not you dig the Bong, I promise you it’s okay to say “YES!”  This was my first introduction to artist Bong Dazo’s work, and I was incredibly impressed.  Although I believe his style is a bit to cartoonish and illustrative to be the regular artist for a dark and gritty title like Thunderbolts, it nicely complements Deadpool’s appearance here.  Dazo’s art is loose and flowing, yet incredibly detailed when the moment calls for it, and I hope the industry takes note and sends more work his way!  As for the story itself, I was surprised by how easily Deadpool took down the Thunderbolts, and disappointed by how utterly inept they came off looking.  I enjoyed this issue, don’t get me wrong, but when I finished it the first thing  I said to myself was “wow, why is it I’m reading this title?”  The ease with which Deadpool laid the smackdown on Osborn’s team of covert cutthroats is embarassing, and it makes them look like far less of a threat than Diggle was building them up to be in previous issues.  I hate to say it, but Diggle actually succeeded in making me want to drop this title and resume collecting Deadpool, and that was the last thing I expected to get from this issue.

Grade: C+

-Tony Rakittke

X-Force/Cable: Messiah War One-Shot Review

By Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers) and Mike Choi & Sonia Oback (Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The X-event The Messiah Complex was one of the reasons I got back into reading comics. So, needless to say, I’ve been looking forward to the sequel. That said, I’m not really sure what to expect from it, quality-wise. I really like what Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Mike Choi, and Sonia Oback (along with Clayton Crain) have done with X-Force. However, Duane Swierczynski and Ariel Olivetti have left me feeling fairly indifferent towards Cable. While I’ll readily agree that Cable has improved quite a bit since its rocky start, I can’t help but wonder if the crossover will maintain a level of consistency between the different creative teams.

The Story: The Messiah War kicks off with…well… mostly a summary to get readers caught up on the events that have lead to the crossover. Cyclops sends X-Force into the future to help Cable protect Hope, where they run straight into a familiar, unstable mercenary. Meanwhile, Lucas Bishop hits a bar in an attempt to persuade a returning “X” adversary to help eliminate Cable and Hope.

What’s Good: Event one-shots are something of a necessary evil. They must accomplish the rather tricky task of explaining enough about the past in order to make new readers feel welcome while at the same time advancing the story enough to satisfy longtime fans. And as far as that task is concerned, I have to consider the Messiah War one-shot to be a success. Simply put, the creative team manages to present a comic that keeps the old information from feeling stale and the new stuff from feeling too stunted. The narration and dialogue from Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost adequately sums things up by establishing what’s at stake. As for the visuals, Mike Choi and Sonia Oback do a nice job telling the story while, at times, putting forth some of the best work I’ve seen them do. Especially worth noting are the scenes featuring Deadpool, as they are almost worth the price of admission alone. Hilarious and disturbing, just like something involving the Merc with a Mouth should be.

What’s Not So Good: Despite being well handled by the creative team from both a writing standpoint and an artistic standpoint, there is no shaking the “been there, done that” feeling the first half of the one-shot gives off. It seems as though the whole section might have been better suited to being part of one of those free Saga releases so more time could be spent on advancing the War plot. In all honesty, the situation is understandable. But it still warrants a mention or else I wouldn’t be doing my job.

Conclusion: Messiah War definitely gets off to a slow start, but things pick up well enough by the time the first chapter reaches its conclusion. I look forward to seeing where things go next. Hopefully it involves more Deadpool.

Grade:  C+

-Kyle Posluszny

New Avengers #51 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Billy Tan, Matt Banning, Justin Ponsor, Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, and Antonio Fabela (Artists)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Under normal circumstances, I would use up this spot to give my thoughts on where my opinion stands regarding whatever series/work/event I am about to dive back into or, in some cases, dive into for the first time. However, these are not exactly normal circumstances considering that this is the first review I have posted since taking a break from the site in order to deal with a number of medial issues. As such, I feel that this space is best used to say that it feels great to be back and I look forward to picking up where I left off by informing, entertaining, and interacting with the great Weekly Comic Book Review community as much as I possibly can. So, with that said, it is now time to get down to business. And remember! Questions, comments, concerns, and debate topics are always welcome.

The Story: Since Dr. Strange is no longer the Sorcerer Supreme (after a spell dealing in the dark arts), that means someone else is. Or someone will be soon enough… Strange knows this, as does The Hood (among others). Who will find, or do what’s necessary to become the new Sorcerer Supreme? That is the question that dominates most of The New Avengers #51. As for the rest, since a new team means a new leader, the Avengers gather up for an old-fashioned meeting to try to straighten out the new hierarchy.

What’s Good: I’ve got to say that the latest New Avengers surprised the hell out of me. And it’s not because of some shocking twist, or an earth-shattering revelation, or a stunning image.  Nope. It’s simply because the creative team behind New Avengers #51 actually managed to make me give a damn about the situation surrounding the question of who is/ will be the new Sorcerer Supreme. Chris Bachalo’s stylish visuals coupled with Brian Michael Bendis’ compelling dialogue made me glad I picked up the first New Avengers I had considered skipping in quite some time.

As for the non-Sorcerer Supreme related stuff in the issue, your enjoyment will depend a lot on what you think of Bendis’ flair for team banter and Billy Tan’s handling of the more casual moments of superhero life. It worked well enough for me and did little to detract from my overall impression of the issue. In fact, I found the dialogue to be rather humorous and I wouldn’t be surprised if you did too.

What’s Not So Good: (Slight spoiler warning!) I wish I knew more about the Young Avengers prior to reading the issue because I had absolutely no idea who Dr. Strange was talking to until pausing to hit up the interweb to look for some answers. As it turns out, Billy is a Young Avenger named Wiccan (cue the “the more you know” jingle). Anyways, besides Bendis’ assumption that I would know the Young Avengers on a first name basis, my only complaint about the issue mostly has to do with my general distaste for comic books that feature more than one art team. While both teams did a nice job, the shift back and forth between visual styles was a bit jarring.

Conclusion: There is a lot I liked about the latest issue of The New Avengers. Chris Bachalo’s art was impressive, Billy Tan continued to show improvement, and Brian Michael Bendis made the beginning of the search for a new Sorcerer Supreme quite compelling. While I’m sure some will be a bit irked by the team meeting (or the art team changes), the good stuff ultimately outweighed the bad by a large margin.

Grade:  B

-Kyle Posluszny