Deadpool #6 – Review

By: Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan (Writers), Tony Moore (Artist), Val Staples (Colorist)

The Story: Deadpool needs to bring the fight to the last presidents remaining to save America, but also to avenge agent Preston.

The Review: Color me impressed. If there was one title I was planning initially to completely skip in the Marvel Now! initiative, it was Deadpool.* Sure, there was Tony Moore on art, but there also was two unknown author bringing some kind of zombie president story that did not interest me in the slightest. Six issues later, I’d be hard pressed not to say how much I enjoy it. To me, this is one of the best take on Deadpool since a long time, for many reasons.

The first one is very simple: they treat him like a character. Handling the finale of the latest issue with panache, we can see that Deadpool is actually sad and angry about Preston’s death, the one agent of S.H.I.E.L.D who believed that he could do the job. Here, most of the action is motivated by his desire to honor what happened to her. Sure, it does not mean he stops the unending barrage of jokes, but there is a certain dramatic tension present here that is pleasant to read. There is more purpose here than money, both for the plot and the character, which gives us more of the Deadpool I grew up to love, the Kelly/Remender/Priest version that just wanted to belong, to be appreciated.

Deadpool #5 – Review

Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan (Writer), Tony Moore (Artist), Val Staples (Colorist)

The Story: Deadpool needs to go in space to kill zombie Ronald Wilson Reagan who is planning to launch nukes on the entire Earth. Seems like sky was not the actual limit.

The Review: Well, this was a crazy issue. Enraged Russian chimps, a zombie Reagan, cultural references, jokes, gore, action scenes, Mexican food, magic and a whole lot of shenanigans, what’s not to like here?

Well, since this is a mostly humorous book, there can be flat jokes, which the series has unfortunately seen its share of. Here, however, there are a lot less of those, with some great gems that are quite hilarious (the first two pages alone are very funny indeed). There are some stinkers here, but overall, the humor has greatly improved.

What has improved, in an actually surprising way, would also be the plot as in the middle of the issue, the jokes takes a second seat as the story gets front and center, focusing on what is happening with the zombie presidents and how the relation between Deadpool, Agent Preston and Michael is now. This was something a bit unexpected and frankly, it was also more than welcome. A little dramatic twist here and there truly does help the book liven up a bit, showing that there is a character here under all those references and jokes.

Deadpool #4 – Review

By: Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan (Writers), Tony Moore (Artist), Val Staples (Colorist)

The Story: Deadpool battles even more zombie presidents. Can you believe it?!

The Review: Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn have a really tough job writing this series. Not only do they need to write humor and action, but they also have to write Deadpool, a character that has been everywhere for a few years and has gone into a lot of different directions with a plethora of writers.

He is a tricky character that can be written in many ways, but I do believe there are two distinct schools of Deadpool writers: the funny version, like Daniel Way in the beginning of the previous volume and the various mini-series with Deadpool as a central character. There also is the more characterized way, like Joe Kelly, Fabian Nicieza or Rick Remender. One makes more use of the character as a constant joke, with the humor being the complete focus of the book, while the other does not forsake the humor, but also show us that Wade Wilson is also a character with desires and certain empathy.

Deadpool #1 – Review

By: Gerry Duggan & Brian Posehn (Writers), Tony Moore (Artist), Val Staples (Colorist), Joe Sabino (Letterer)

The Review: So, it’s a comedy book. I’m not sure why I’m so surprised that Marvel chose to take this direction for the Marvel Now! Deadpool relaunch. After all, the evidence was pretty conclusive from the preview pages and the appearance of comedic actor and stand-up Brian Posehn on script duties. Maybe it was because (from what I could gauge through internet forums, comic book shop chatter etc.) there was a consensus among fans that a return to the Joe Kelly-era Deadpool was the preferred option. Insane, wise-cracking and maniacally violent, yes, but with a twisted vulnerability at his core; a sad clown hiding two machetes and an M60 in his pants. Instead Duggan and Posehn have played the book for straight-up LOLs. Which is fine – as long as they can actually get you to laugh. It’s not always the easiest thing to do in comics.

The set-up provides a decent enough stage for the mirth-making to play out on. A brief bit of exposition at the start of the book shows how a patriotic Necromancer  has taken to reanimating the bodies of America’s greatest non-living-Presidents so that they can save America from poverty, political division and Disney’s rampant subjugation of the entire entertainment industry (well, something like that anyways). While S.H.I.E.L.D. admits they’ve got to do something to stop the likes of Nixon and LBJ tearing Manhattan asunder, they’re also not totally keen on the idea of the Avengers being seen decapitating heads of state, zombie or no. Deadpool has no such haughty reputation to worry about however. After witnessing the Merc With A Mouth tussling with FDR (now imbued with super-strength and a whole host of other undead powers) S.H.I.E.L.D. offer him the gig.

Duggan and Posehn really try their best, keeping the jokes coming at a constant break-neck pace, Airplane!-style, though as such there’s little room for any real drama or depth. Humour can be a decisively subjective matter so I wouldn’t go so far as to say “this book isn’t funny” but…well, I don’t know, I guess it all just feels a little safe at best and a little awkward at worst. Somewhere hidden in here there might be a hilarious Deadpool MAX book trying to get out, but this isn’t it.

Venom #13.1 – Review

By: Rob Williams (script), Lee Garbett (art), Rob Schwager (colors)

The Story: After a binge in Vegas that’s gone to Hell, Venom, Red Hulk, Ghost Rider, and X-23 spend this issue delving into some self-reflection.

The Review: It’s a risky business switching up the creative team within a single story arc. That’s true enough when you’re just changing the artist; I’m sure you’ve all had the experience of being thrown when a title you’re enjoying suddenly brings on new talent to take over pencils and inks. However, with Venom #13.1, we’re not only seeing a change in artists but also in writers. This means on top of characters looking different, the interpretation of the essence of the characters may also be affected. Indeed, the entire plot could potentially veer into totally unintended directions. While the creative team for this issue manages to prevent a collapse in the narrative, it still feels shaky, and seems uncertain of where it came from.

This issue is just all right. It features the (new) New Fantastic Four facing off their antitheses, which Blackheart summoned at the end of the last issue. But rather than having the faceoff take place immediately after the event of #13, the first pages retells the moments where the four congregate, leading to some awkward dialogue. I might not have noticed this quite as much if this issue were coming out a full month after the last issue, but it’s only been a week since I read issue #13. Those events are still pretty fresh in my mind.

Still, this is just the lead-in to the big fight scene, right? I can forgive an awkward intro so long as we get to see our heroes beating the crap out of twisted versions of themselves. Sadly though, these are botched right out of the starting blocks. While we get to see Rulk fighting the giant brain Encephalon and X-23 fight the psychotic cheerleader X-666, for some reason Venom is fighting the Evangelist while Ghost Rider fights Ichor. Why? The Ghost Rider punishes sinners, wouldn’t the opposite of that be a guy who tries to save sinners? And while Ichor does kind of look like an Angel and therefore you can see him as Ghost Riders antithesis, it’s still clear he was designed to be an inversion of Venom. He wears all white, his name comes from a fluid that grants immortality, and across his chest is the symbol of medicine, for crying out loud.

Venom #13 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Tony Moore (art), Val Staples (color)

The Story: Venom, Red Hulk, X-23 and Ghost Rider team up to make sure that what happens in Hell, stays in Hell.

The Review: This should be, by all rights, a terrible comic. The concept, “the new New Fantastic Four,” is hardly something fans are clamoring for. The lineup includes two characters whose series are being canceled, and none of these characters have actually met before this event. On top of that, the story takes place in Las Vegas, a location none of the protagonists operate out of. In short, it looks like an event that’s more about boosting sales than good storytelling, and that came out of a ’90s brainstorming session where the word “extreme” was tossed around more than once. So why then, friends, is Venom #13, the first issue of the Circle of Four event, so awesome?

Well, it doesn’t hurt that it’s written by Rick Remender, who just about single-handedly made Venom awesome again. I was expecting that Remender would try making this book classier than its premise suggests, perhaps lending some gravitas to the assembled heroes, or giving emotional significance to the central dilemma. He doesn’t. Instead, Remender sees the inherent schlock, and raises it. By mid issue, we have clone/mutant/symbiote minions, a gigantic Satanic roulette wheel, and Hell being sucked into Las Vegas. If this book had a score, it would all be ’80s hard rock.

This isn’t to say that Circle of Four is just mindless camp. Remender begins the issue with an introduction to each character, and they all have logical and personally motivated reasons for being in Vegas. Laura is searching for a man who has, for some reason, stolen a sample of her blood. Rulk has been dispatched to recover the AWOL Agent Venom, while Flash has, understandably, relapsed back to drinking after his road trip with Jack O’Lantern. I won’t get into why Ghost Rider winds up with the rest, but it deals with her need to prove herself to the Spirit of Vengeance Emeritus. Even our antagonist, Mr. Degli, is given more motivation than “he’s evil.” He is driven by father issues, and they actually reflect Flash’s troubled paternal relations. I’ll admit that the actual moment the foursome finally come together feels about as organic as a Big Mac, but it still is so Metal that I’m almost tempted to put my hat on backwards and throw up some horns. Almost.

Venom #10 – Review

By: Rick Remender (writer), Len Medina (pencils), Nelson Decastro (inker), Marty Gracia (colorist)

The Story: Flash attends his father’s funeral, and mourns his losses.

What’s Good: I’m a big fan of Tony Moore, so when I heard that he would be doing the art for Venom, I started picking up the book basically to see more of his work. Likewise, when Tom Fowler was first brought in as a substitute artist, I was pleasantly surprised by how close Fowler stayed to Moore’s aesthetic without compromising too much of his own sensibilities. But in this issue, Len Medina brings in fine, smooth pencil work and clean, open settings that present the biggest departure yet on the art front. It’s a risk for a book previously noteworthy for dense, rich textures, and it pays off beautifully.

“Austere” best sums up the atmosphere of this issue. From the opening in the cemetery, to Crime Lord’s den, to Project: Rebirth itself, everything feels cold and unwelcoming, and even eerily quiet. The fight on the snowy cliffs actually had me feeling chilly as I read it. For an issue with less nail-biting action and more verbal confrontations than we’ve seen in previous issues, the effect is great.

On the writing side, I’m similarly impressed. Matching a one-note villain like Venom with the complex character of Flash Thompson has turned out to be mutually beneficial, as I suppose befits a story about a symbiote. But given how stale most incarnations of Venom have been, this is a truly welcome change. Rick Remender uses this issue to deal with the fallout of three plot threads: the death of Flash’s father, Jack O’Lantern and Crime Master’s knowledge of Flash’s identity, and Captain America’s discovery of the true purpose of Project: Rebirth. Remender does a great job with each thread, and weaves them together deftly. Particularly well handled is the very cruel and very clever way Jack returns to the scene. In the face of the ensuing confrontations, Flash makes some decisions that really shatter the status quo for the series, and take our hero on the first steps toward the upcoming “Venom Event” in February. I can’t wait.

Venom #4 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Tony Moore (pencils), Danny Miki (inks), John Rauch (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: It’s Venom vs. Spider-Man in the race to save Betty Brant.

What’s Good: Hurray, Tony Moore is back.  Tom Fowler is a solid enough artist, but there really isn’t any replacing Moore’s likable, characterful, and slightly goofy style.  His work is naturally fun and both his characters and action scenes look solid.  That said, a lot of credit is due to the inking and coloring of Danny Miki and John Rauch, respectively.  Together, they’ve really helped give Venom it’s distinctive look, one that’s feels dirty, smudged, and sci-fi pulpy.

As far as Remender’s writing goes this month, his strongest work is done with Flash’s narration.  It’s intense and really close to the action and it’s rather nice to see how the action actually has a direct effect on the narration and Flash’s stream of thought.  It’s a nice change from the usual detachment that narration usually has.  More than ever, Remender also does an awesome job using the narration to show the symbiote’s effect on Flash’s psyche.  It’s most effective when Flash himself doesn’t realize small things like his referring to himself as “we.”

What’s especially cool this month is how Remender is giving the symbiote itself an increasing amount of its own sentience.  Flash essentially has a running conversation with the symbiote, who responds primarily with wordless emotion that he intuitively senses.  More creepily fun still is how the symbiote subtly does things, unbeknownst to Flash, such as how it deals with the failsafe device.  Remender is slowly building the relationship between the two and the symbiote’s attachment to Thompson.

Venom #2 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Tony Moore (pencils), Crimelab! Studios (inks), John Rauch (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Flash fights for his life as he finds himself hunted by Kraven in the Savage Land.

The Review: It seems that a lot series put out fantastic, promising first issues and then fail to deliver after that.  Well, breathe a sigh of relief Remender/Moore fans, because Venom isn’t one of those titles.  Venom’s second installment is just as good as the first, if not better.

Remender makes a daring creative choice this month, throwing Flash into the Savage Land jungle, hunted by Kraven, with no set-up.  We’re only given information throughout the issue, as the hunt continues.  The result is an issue that is frantic and disorienting, if not desperate.  As you can imagine, that’s absolutely fantastic for a story like this one, as it accurately reflects Flash’s predicament and enhances the theme and tone of the issue.  That’s this issue’s greatest strength really, that sweaty, dirty, desperate jungle horror tone.

Kraven is also put to perfect use and is fantastic under Remender’s hand.  The guy is batshit crazy, and his mental derangement infects the story and environment of the book overall.  His weird love for Venom and his desire to be killed makes for good reading and an awesome villain.  Furthermore, he really does feel like a hunter here.  He truly feels dangerous and it’s as though he’s everywhere, constantly at Flash’s heels.

Remender also does the little things well.  Flash’s narration is sharp as ever.  Remender does a good job of reflecting the effect poisoning on this narration and Flash’s thought patterns.  He also shows just how integral Betty is in Flash’s psyche, providing a sort of anchor for Flash.  Then there’s the ever closing relationship with the symbiote, which is continually creeping and, this month, gets further heightened and all the  more interesting, as it starts to have a personality of its own.  That’s good reading.

Then there’s Remender’s juxtaposition of Betty’s normal life soap-opera-like scenes and Flash’s insane jungle battle.  The two are such opposites that it effectively shows the massive chasm between the characters.

Venom #1 – Review

by Rick Remender (writer), Tony Moore (pencils), Crimelab! Studios, Sandu Florea, & Karl Kesel (inks), John Rauch (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Flash goes on a mission to stop an arms-dealer, and the doctor behind his weapons, amidst genocide.

The Review: Venom #1 is a very interesting issue insofar as it shows, truly, what a great creative team can do and how one such team can mine greatness from what looks, at first, to be a tapped reservoir.

Certainly, at it’s base level, Venom #1 has a lot that could make for a very mediocre comic.  There’s the fact that it’s about Venom, already a ho-hum franchise.  Then there’s the fact that it’s yet another superhero spec-ops book.  Meanwhile, having a faceless arms-dealer as a villain?  It doesn’t get much blander than that.  Yet, Venom #1 is a tremendous comic book that sees Rick Remender succeeding once again with the odds stacked against him.

One of the reasons is Remender’s outstanding character-work.  Flash Thompson, for instance, is an absolute star and, within pages, instantly recognizable as an incredibly compelling and sympathetic main character well worth his own ongoing series.  He’s a fully three dimensional human being and in 22 pages, Remender touches upon so much of what makes him tick: his devotion to his country in the face of political naysayers, his courage and natural heroism, his struggles with alcoholism and his own flaws and vulnerabilities, his constant conflict with the old high school jock football hero inside of him, and the toll his military career and heroism takes on his personal sphere.  There is just so much about Remender’s Flash that intrigues, and placed in such a balancing act as this one, where absolute emotional equilibrium is required to control the beast that is the symbiote only heightens everything that makes Flash interesting.

Remender also does great work when it comes to Flash’s narration.  It feels personal, heroic yet human, and fully captures Flash’s unique voice.  It’s not over the top in any way, but it’s great to see Flash having a distinct tone.  Remender also does ingenious work in manipulating these narrative textboxes to show Flash’s loss of control to the symbiote.

Cackling villain Jack O’ Lantern is a joy.  He’s maniacal and a hyperactive, exaggerated bit of murderous black comedy.  He’s a lot of fun and reminds me of something Grant Morrison would write, albeit a bit more comprehensible.

The Walking Dead Vol.1: Days Gone Bye – Review

By: Robert Kirkman (writer/letters), Tony Moore (art) & Cliff Rathburn (gray tones)

The Story: A man wakes up from a coma to find the world has been overrun by zombies.

Review: News Flash!!!!!  There will be a TV adaptation of The Walking Dead beginning on AMC on Halloween night (Oct. 31, 2010).  Unless you have been under a rock, you will have already heard this news and if you are a big fan of the comic series, you have doubtless been telling family and co-workers how awesome the show should be.  Likely you’ve been hinting to these same people that you just happen to have a complete collection of The Walking Dead in the socially-acceptable-for-adults “graphic novel” format (since no only geeks would be seen to read -sigh- “comic books”) and would be very happy to loan these trade paperbacks out.

Or perhaps you are a non-comic fan who has seen the news of the show and believes that you should always read the book before you seen the movie.  So, you go on Amazon or drive to your local bookstore and look up The Walking Dead.  Where do you start?

Well, it is pretty easy with a series like TWD… You start with #1 which is the subject of this review and is titled “Days Gone Bye”.  This volume is not Watchmen when it comes to sales figures, but it is still making appearances on Top 10-20 monthly sales lists years after its release (which is an achievement in the flavor-of-the-day comics industry).

So, how is this volume that collects issues #1-6 of the comic series?  “We” all presume that this is what the first season of the TV show will be based upon, so is it good source material?  If you’ve never read comics, will you like it?  If you lend it to a co-worker, will they enjoy it or fling it back in your face?

What’s Good: Robert Kirkman does a wonderful job of establishing the basic story in this first volume.  That is the feeling of being alone, loss of family, join at reunion with people you had thought were lost and, of course, the zombies in the background.

It is very important to note that this series isn’t really been about zombies.  This comic is not “Night of the Living Dead”.  The zombies are a dull, background noise that kills characters when they least expect it or when they become careless.  Sure, there are a few “oh shit” moments in this volume where the survivors have to get away from the zombie hordes, but that is not the focus of the story.

So, if the zombies aren’t the focus, what is?  It’s the people, dummy!  Imagine being in a small group of ~10 survivors clinging together, starring at the end of the world.  How do you find food?  Where do you sleep?  And most importantly, who is in charge?  Is it the strongest?  The smartest?  The most vicious?  Although it becomes a theme in later volumes, there are seeds planted here about the breakdown of basic human institutions.

Punisher #11 – Review

By Rick Remender (writer), Tony Moore (artist), Dan Brown (colorist)

Hell. Fucking. Yeah!

I’ll tell you what, when it comes to my comics I only ask for the following: I either want to be inspired, surprised, or entertained. Much to my delight, when it comes to Punisher #11, Meatloaf knew what the hell he was talking about when he said that two out of three ain’t bad, because this issue is the beginning of what I think will be one of the most outrageous and entertaining storylines Marvel’s cranked out all year. Before we talk about it though, for those of you who haven’t been following the title I want you to go back and read The List: Punisher one shot  and come back.

Okay, did you read it? Messed up, right? This issue picks up shortly afterwards, with an elite Japanese, monster-hunting squad killing the fauna of Monster Island for unknown reasons. Elsewhere, in the old Morlock Tunnels under New York, an equally elite monster squad consisting of a mummy, a creature possibly from a black lagoon, the Werewolf by Night, and Morbius the Living Vampire implore Frank to use his keen strategic mind to protect Marvel’s monster community from their ruthless assailants. Frankly, that’s all I want to say about the plot. To reveal anymore than that would be to give away some serious entertainment value, and I love you far too much to do something so cruel and spiteful.

This iteration of Punisher has been largely hit or miss for me. I enjoyed the first arc of stories, and then quickly lost interest afterwards. This storyline however hooked me in a big way, mostly because it was so absolutely and delightfully absurd that it left me grinning like a mad bastard; I want my comics to surprise me like this more often. I want them to leave me wanting more. It doesn’t happen nearly as much as I want it to though, and that’s a shame, but this issue, holy crap, this issue was too freaking off the wall not to enjoy. If Remender and Moore can keep up the weirdness, we’re in for some good times.

Grade: B+

-Tony Rakittke

Rob G’s Top Ten Number #1’s

The following list is my picks for the best first issues, based on comics that have been released during by tenure as a hobbyist, i.e the past twenty years. They are from series that were or are ongoing series, not minis. The only factor in choosing these books was simple: Greatness.

1. Y The Last Man

Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Unmatched storytelling and utterly masterful writing. So many plot threads perfectly bundled up in perhaps the best example of non-linear storytelling.

2. Four Eyes

Joe Kelly and Max Fiumara

An incredibly unique story, told perfectly with outstanding art. Whips you up and takes you to a place that is both familiar and fantastic.

3. Preacher

Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Like Y The Last Man, an expertly crafted story, with brilliant pacing and perfect dialogue. Plus, insanely novel concepts and characters.

4. The Walking Dead

Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

A regular paged issue that seems like a novella. Haunting, engaging, fun and most importantly, Rick is a character you want to travel with.

5. Batman and Robin

Grant Morrison and Frank Quietley

Morrison and Quietly. Usually that says it all, but this was something unexpected with its new take on the dynamic duo, creating a new mythos rather than perfecting an old one– like they do in All Star Superman.

6. Planetary

Warren Ellis and John Cassady

Mind-bending and genre-jarring. Ellis scoops you up while Cassaday blows you away. For Sci-Fi, there is Firefly for TV and Planetary for Comics.

7. All Star Superman

Grant Morrison and Frank Quietley

Everything Superman should be  in both character  and appearance. Also, perhaps the best colored comic in the past 15 years.

8. The Ultimates

Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

The Avengers you want and a team of characters that make sense. Story hits you as the art wows.

9. Ultimate Spider-Man

Brian Bendis and Mark Bagely

The best Spider-Man ever. Period. Perhaps the most endearing comic character ever created. Instant love.

10. The Unwritten/Invincible

Mike Carey and Peter Gross/Robert Kirkman and Corey Walker

Both these issues set up addicting stories and characters. Like the other comics in this list, greatness was evident from the get-go.

Be sure to weigh-in in the comment section!

Fear Agent (TPB) Volume 3: The Last Goodbye – Review

By Rick Remender (writer), Tony Moore (pencils), Ande Parks & Rick Remender (inks) Lee Loughridge (colors)

Fear Agent’s done something I never thought would happen: It actually moved me. Collecting issues #12-15, this third trade paperback, titled “The Last Goodbye”, steps away from the outrageous action and follies of Heath Huston. It takes us back to a time just before the war on Earth started, exploring the full origin of the alien attack and the Fear Agents themselves.

At first I thought I was reading the previous trade because some of the original pages of Heath coming home and spending time with his family (right before the alien attack) were reprinted. But soon enough, we actually get into the devastating events of the war and it’s not pretty. Forced to hide underground for months, Heath nearly goes insane before finally coming up to the surface to see what’s become of the world. The Earth has become a battleground between two races of alien armies – neither seems friendly to Earth’s natives.

Taking the rest of the survivors and finding a few jumpsuits along the way, Heath forms a resistance of sorts to take the fight to the aliens. Eventually, they find a way to eradicate one of the alien races by sending a doomsday bomb to their homeworld. There’s definitely some huge morale implications to be considered here, but Heath, driven by vengeance, is rendered completely blind to the situation. He follows through on his plan only to find out the race he killed, well, I’m not going to spoil it for you.

There’s plenty I’ve left out about the synopsis, because I urge you to pick this book up. If you’ve never read the series, go buy the trades now. The first two are pulp science fiction fun, loaded with Silver Age concepts, lots of action, and pure scoundrel attitude. But this latest trade tilts the series on its head, showing us just how tragic our protagonist is and what drives him. Rick Remender also shows us that he can write more than just science fiction hi-jinx, as well. And Tony Moore? He gives us nothing but brilliant pencil work. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes