Vescell #5 – Review

By: Enrique Carrion (writer), John Upchurch (art) and Rafael Diaz (letters)

The Story: Agent Barrino gets called in to investigate a mystery with WWII ties.

Four Things:

1. Pieces clicking together. – I’ve been a pretty unabashed fan of this series, but the one thing that bugged me was how we seem to have many disconnected story pieces.  For example, in issue #1 we learned how Agent Barrino’s girlfriend had been banished to a demonic limbo and he was on a mission to get her back.  Well, that plot thread wasn’t fiddled with much over the next several issues as we just watched Barrino solving cases, having sexy time with the ladies and establishing the world of Vescell.  So, it was really nice to see the girlfriend plotline come back in this issue.  It wasn’t the A-story, but there was enough attention devoted to it that I feel better about the coherence of the whole Vescell story.

2. Love the series of done-in-ones. – The storytelling style employed by Carrion is great.  Each issue has a fully resolved major plot (this one relates to a woman who was turned into a vessel for Hitler using a Nazi-era technology) and Carrion uses that A-Story to better establish his world and the characters that live in it.  Everything feels fast paced.  We’re only five issues into this series and I already feel like I know a LOT about these characters, especially when I compare Vescell to a lot of the Marvel stories that I read where it takes 6 months for anything to happen.  You never pick up an issue of Vescell and have to worry too much about remember intricate plot details from the last few issues.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Witch Doctor: Resurrection One-Shot – It’s such a shame that the 4-issue Witch Doctor miniseries debuted right as DC was relaunching their whole universe because DC kinda sucked all the air out of the room and it’s allowed the OUTSTANDING new comic series to fly under the radar.  Witch Doctor is fun, well-written, humorous, witty and features all kinds of paranormal themes.  Plus, it has spectacular art that is very Wrightson-esque.  You really cannot go wrong with this comic and this one-shot was a perfect “try it out” issue.

Most Anticipated: Fatale #1 – Sean Phillips plus Ed Brubaker = Gold.  Have these two every collaborated on a mediocre comic?  I can’t think of one as every issue of Criminal and Incognito (and Sleeper before that) has been great.  So, I can’t wait to see how they handle a more paranomal story.

Other Picks: Sweet Tooth #29, Vescell #5, Rachel Rising #4, GI Joe #9, Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega #1

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Warlord of Mars #14 – No surprise here. Nelson and Salazar totally wowed be with Warlord of Mars #14, their take on the scenes of rising action in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Gods of Mars. Lush, evocative art. Tight, action-filled adventure. Swash-buckling pulp under a hot Martian sun!

Most Anticipated: This week, it’s a toss-up. Ahhh! Flash Gordon or Dejah Thoris? I don’t know! The first issue of Flash Gordon was so cool! And yet we’re right in the middle of the Pirate Queen of Mars! Gaaah! Can I pick two? Flash Gordon – Zeitgeist #2 and Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris #9. It’s going to be a pulpy week.

Other Picks: Defenders #3, Avengers: X-Sanction #2, Thunderbolts #168, Uncanny X-Men #4, X-Men #23

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: American Vampire #22 – Another installment of Scott Snyder’s always excellent series.  We get a new decade (1950s) and a completely new protagonist of the non-vampiric sort.  It’s amazing how Snyder’s series manages to have a different feel that accords with each new time period it sets itself in.  The new lead is also a really good idea all around, a grittier and more grassroots approach to the kind of perspective Snyder explored in the excellent Survival of the Fittest miniseries.

Most Anticipated:  Fatale #1 – This is an absolute no-brainer.  Any comic-related collaboration between Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is a guarantee of a very particular sort of excellence.  Throw in that this one’s got a paranormal/Lovecraftian slant, a female lead, and the fact that it’s the longest miniseries the two have ever tackled together (12 issues), and this is an absolute must-have.

Other Picks: Animal Man #5, Swamp Thing #5, The Punisher #7, Uncanny X-Men #4, Action Comics #5, Stormwatch #5, Detective Comics #5, Defenders #2, Sweet Tooth #29