Unknown Soldier #25 – Review

by Joshua Dysart (writer), Alberto Ponticelli (art), Oscar Celestini (colors), and Clem Robins (letters)

The Story: Moses comes face to face with Joseph Kony in the explosive series finale.

What’s Good: Though the mid-twenties has proven a frequent cancellation point for Vertigo series, the end has come too soon for Unknown Soldier.  With that said, it’s a relief that Joshua Dysart doesn’t appear to have compromised his original ending for the series.  The final scenes play out in fairly satisfying fashion and it feels like this really is the ending Dysart has always envisioned.

As a final issue, Unknown Soldier #25 is an interesting read that deals head-on with some of the core problems of its basic form: a fictional comic book based on a DC property colliding with a brutal, real world situation.  Nowhere is this conflict more apparent than this month, when Moses finally meets the head of the LRA, Joseph Kony; real world bad guy meets fictional crusader.  What occurs as a result is something that had me really respecting Dysart’s skill as a writer.  At first, it appears that we’re going to get another Inglourious Basterds, a sort of revenge fantasy in which we watch an invincible hero beat the holy hell out of a loathsome figure from our world.

Then, tragically, gut-wrenchingly, Dysart basically slaps us back to reality.  He brutally reminds us that this is all fantasy.  He makes our desired ending look downright silly, making us feel like fools to expect, or take such joy in, such an utterly ridiculous conclusion.  Joseph Kony truly exists and Moses, as a result, is horribly powerless in comparison.  To expect a fictional character to have any real effect on a real world figure, even in that character’s fictional world, is ludicrous and unrealistic.  It’s a brutal kind of chastisement from Dysart.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Incognito: Bad Influences #1 – This was a very strong and espionage-themed first issue as Brubaker, Phillips & Staples show how to work as a creative team.  Really, really good.  Runners-up: Scalped #42 & Thunderbolts #149.

Most Anticipated: 28 Days Later #16 – This series left our heroine in a really bad spot last issue.  I hope this series focusing on “zombie aftermath” can get a little love from folks excited by The Walking Dead.

Other picks: Batman & Robin #16, Punisher In the Blood #1, Scarlet #3, Irredeemable #19, Taskmaster #3

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Action Comics #894 – What a great week for comics.  Both major Avengers titles put on surprisingly strong performances while Hotwire and Scalped managed to reach A-grades.  However, they were going up against Action #894, which happened to be one of the best comics of the year, provided you aren’t adverse to an issue devoted to strong dialogue and characterization instead of face-punching and action scenes.  It was truly amazing stuff, as Cornell also continues to show off his intimate understanding of Lex Luthor’s inner workings.

Most Anticipated: Superboy #1 – I’m honestly not that huge a Superboy fan.  I have no problems at all with Connor, but his presence in a comic isn’t something that makes it a must-buy for me.  I guess I’m honestly sort of ambivalent about him, overall.  Jeff Lemire, however, I am not ambivalent about in the slightest, having read most, if not all, of his comics work.  This is Lemire’s first full-length, ongoing work for one of the big two, and it’s a title where he’s right at home.  Lemire has said in interviews that Superboy feels like a creator-owned title, due to its focus on small-town, rural life and that he’s channelled a bit of Essex County in his writing of it.  That’s enough to get me very excited.

Other Picks: Unknown Soldier #25, Batman & Robin #16, Scarlet #3, Wolverine #3, Secret Six #27, American Vampire #8, Sweet Tooth #15, Invincible #75, Brightest Day #13

Joe’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #15 – Bendis knocked it out of the park last week with this epilogue to his “Chameleon” arc.  Centering on Peter Parker’s social circle and the people he affects in a way that pushes home just how painful it can be to be a part of his life, particularly when you’re in love with him.  The final scene of a cast member’s exit is all the more heart-wrenching when you realize it really is Peter’s fault.  A nice reminder of how good this title can be when all the pieces fit.

Most Anticipated: Irredeemable #19 – Last month’s tour de force gave us plenty of intriguing scenes that stood with me long after I put that issue down.  From Hornet’s realization of just how dangerous The Plutonian could be with the uttering of one single name to the horrifying price the hero paid to ensure our planet’s safety, it made sure that I’d be on the edge of my seat waiting for the next issue.  And, well, it comes out tomorrow and I’m on the edge of my seat!

Other Picks: Brightest Day #13, Secret Six #27, Red Hood Lost Days #6, Superboy #1, Amazing Spider-Man #641, Avengers Academy #6, Generation Hope #1, Ozma of Oz #1, Wolverine #3, X-Men To Serve and Protect #1, Scarlet #3

What We’re Looking Forward To In November

Dean

There is a LOT to look forward to in November. For one thing, there is a lot of neat stuff in the Spider-Man world as Amazing Spider-Man kicks off its new “big” story line Big Time written by Dan Slott with art by Humberto Ramos. This is also the end of the thrice-monthly ASM with a rotating team of creators, so it should be interesting. Also in the Spidey-world, we get Spider-Girl #1 by Paul Tobin. This is not Mayday Parker (who could never find a stable audience) but Arana of Young Allies fame. If you like teenage drama, it should be fun. Finally, we get Osborn #1 by Kelly Sue Deconnick and Emma Rios (who are both really good) to see what Marvel’s favorite villain has been up to since Siege ended.

A few other things in Marvel that I’m looking forward to. She-Hulks #1 launches in November with art from Ryan Stegman. Stegman is a very gifted artist and he draws a mean She-Hulk, so this should be good. Although Invincible Iron Man has had slow pacing, the current story arc, Stark Resilient wraps up this month and Matt Fraction seems to have this title headed to a very good climactic battle. For all those Punisher fans who HATED Franken-Castle, you get plain, old, normal Punisher in the Blood #1 from Rick Remender. And finally, there is yet another X-book with Generation Hope. The idea for this book is to have Hope running around with all the “new mutants” who have had their powers come alive since Second Coming.

Over at DC the big news is in the Bat-books as we get 2 new Bruce Wayne titles: Batman, Inc. by Grant Morrison and Batman: The Dark Knight by David Finch. If you’re into Batman, these are going to be must reads. And….after much waiting and delay, we get Batwoman #0 by JH Williams, III. I am really excited for this book and eager to see if it can maintain the quality that Williams and Greg Rucka established during their run on Detective Comics last year. Also, just to prove it isn’t all about new Bat-books, we also get a whole new creative team on the venerable Detective Comics with Scott Snyder of American Vampire fame teaming up with Jock and Francesco Francavilla on what is sure to be very well done series of Dick Grayson stories.

Not a whole lot going on over at Image, but folks might want to take a look at Utopian #1 by Marc Guggenheim. The story is: “What happens after the heroes win and the world is saved?” Image has become the go-to publisher for many creators to do interesting things, so this has promise.

 

 

Alex

While I’m as excited about all the Grant Morrison stuff as the next guy, the Batman title that really has my eye is Detective Comics #871 by Scott Snyder and Jock. It’s an utterly fantastic creative team and Snyder’s promise of a realistic, CSI type Batman has me curious. Of course, there’s also Batwoman #0 by JH Williams III to consider, which anyone with a pulse should be excited for.

Outside of Batman, I find myself confronted by two relaunches of titles I’m either completely unfamiliar with and/or indifferent to. Yet I’m picking them both up. They are THUNDER Agents #1 by Nick Spencer and CAFU and Superboy #1 by Jeff Lemire and Pier Gallo. In both cases, it’s the creative teams that have me excited, crewed as they are by exciting new talent with writers that have proven track records outside the superhero realm.

At Marvel, it’s all about Spider-Man’s Big Time. Now bi-monthly with a steady, and good, creative team, I’m happy to be back aboard with Amazing Spider Man #648 and #649 with Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos. Hopefully big times are also good times. Meanwhile, Thor #617 by Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry has my attention as well, with its seeming promise of a reincarnated Loki. Fractions other book, Invincible Iron Man #32, also isn’t to be missed as it concludes the excellent slow-burn of “Stark Resilient” in explosive fashion.

Finally, it’s a big, but sad, month at Vertigo as two excellent titles reach their conclusions. Madame Xanadu #29 goes out with a bang as main series artist Amy Reeder returns for the farewell. Meanwhile,  Unknown Soldier #25 is sure to end things in bloody and tragic fashion, as Joshua Dysart’s fictional tale directly collides with a real world villain of the worst kind. On a happier note, Fables #100 is a giant-sized book of excitement featuring a mega-powered duel; it’s also a landmark for Vertigo, an imprint for whom longevity isn’t common.

 

SoldierHawk

So I’ve been harping on it since it was announced months ago, but my pick for November is, without question, Batwoman #0, the prelude to the new Batwoman ongoing series written and illustrated by J.H. Williams III. I’m quite literally X-ing the days off my calendar until this comes out. Kate Kane/Batwoman are fantastic characters and–perhaps even more importantly–she has a fabulous supporting cast surrounding her. Even leaving all that aside… MORE J.H. WILLIAMS III ARTWORK! That alone will be worth the cover price.

I’m also really, really looking forward both to the first Kill Shakespeare Trade (which collects Kill Shakespeare issues #1-6), and to issue #7. This series has been a gem (albeit a slightly rough one in spots) since its launch last April, and issue #6 set some very interesting plot points and characters into motion. I’m waiting with baited breath to see how this is going to play out, and what other famous Shakespeare creations might throw themselves into the mix.