Deadpool #10 (Dark Reign) – Review

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

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Deadpool Vs. Bullseye? Sign me up! I can’t wait to tear into Deadpool #10, so I’m just going to get right to it.

The Story: Norman Osborn decides to send Dark Hawkeye (A.K.A. Bullseye) after Deadpool soon after finding out, in a hilarious way, that the Merc with a Mouth somehow survived his encounter with the Thunderbolts. Meanwhile, Deadpool takes care of job that he found on Craigslist that involves a vicious rumor and an unfortunate pizza delivery guy.

What’s Good: The way Deadpool handles his latest job proves to be quite surprising. That’s because it highlights how Wade exists in his own little world and is still far from being a true “good guy,” despite how he often finds himself facing off against some of the best villains the Marvel universe has to offer. The whole scenario gives the book a darker feel that is both welcome and appropriate, especially considering how it leads into the start of what looks to be a great confrontation between Deadpool and Bullseye.

As usual, the artwork in Deadpool #10 is a blast to look at. Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco, and Marte Gracia make one hell of a team and the latest Deadpool is a great example as to why that is. Even when most of the book involves talking, it’s still a lot of fun to look at. While I’m sure the style turns some people off, I think that it is a great fit for the character and the dark cartoony vibe the series tends to shoot for.

What’s Not So Good: Unsurprisingly, some of the humor feels out of place among the darker aspects of the story. While I still laughed, I didn’t laugh nearly as much as I usually do when reading an issue of Deadpool. Another complaint I have is that it takes far too long for Bullseye to show up and, as a result, the whole book tends to drag because of it. While the job is entertaining enough, it takes up WAY too much of the issue.

Conclusion: Deadpool #10 is solid, but it’s not nearly as strong as some of the issues that came before it. However, I won’t lie; the small fight between Deadpool and Bullseye left me itching for more.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Living Corpse Annual #1 (Guest Starring Hack/Slash) – Review

By Ken Haeser (Writer, Art, & Colors), Buz Hasson (Art), and Chris Hewitt (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve never checked out an issue of The Living Corpse, but seeing as how it’s annual features a guest appearance by Cassie Hack and her partner Vlad (of Hack/Slash fame), I figured it was about time to do so. Who knows? Maybe it will hook me enough to make me want to catch up with the series.

The Story: Cassie and Vlad, while investigating the legend of the Jersey Devil, find themselves in The Living Corpse’s territory. While the creature may not be all the legend makes it out to be, there is something worse for the three to worry about…

What’s Good: A simple, fun, comical, and stylish read, The Living Corpse Annual #1 proves to be quite entertaining. While not exactly mind-blowing, the one-shot succeeds largely because it is calibrated to deliver the story in a way that will probably satisfy almost any comic reader (of approriate age this), regardless of how familiar he or she is with the characters involved. And that really counts for something when so many comics are so heavily steeped in continuity or part of some longer plot. The dialogue is mostly humorous, the story is interesting enough, and the artwork is quite unique and eye-catching (love the way the Jersey Devil looks). In short, you really can’t ask for a whole lot more from a one-and-done comic character crossover that seems to be attempting to be welcoming to (mature) readers of all sorts.

What’s Not So Good: By far the biggest negative about the book is the price tag ($4.99) it’s stuck with. I’m all for simple and fun entertainment, but something as lightweight as The Living Corpse Annual should have a comparably lightweight price. Simple as that.

The other negative involves the artwork. For every few impressive panels, there is one that is lacking in some way. Either it suffers from looking too simplified (especially in small panels) or has character work that just looks odd. I mean throughout the book Cassie Hack seems to have a head that morphs into different shapes. And, as another example, in one panel Vlad almost looks like a teddy bear…seriously.

Conclusion: If you are looking for a slick, fun horror-comedy comic book, you can’t really go wrong by picking up The Living Corpse Annual. Then again, there are better comics that can be bought at a much cheaper price.

Grade: C (+ or – depending on your opinion of the price issue)

-Kyle Posluszny

Wolverine #70 (Old Man Logan) – Review

By Mark Millar (Writer), Steve McNiven (Pencils), Dexter Vines & Mark Morales (Inks), and Morry Hollowell & Justin Ponsor (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Simply put, Wolverine #70 is,  in many ways, a make or break point for the entire “Old Man Logan” arc. While I’ve enjoyed the slow burn storytelling, the unique setting, and the rather fresh take on Wolverine, I’m ready for some answers. And considering that the entire storyline is based around the “What If?” styled premise of Logan being a pacifistic farmer, there had better be a damn good reason behind the berserker’s rather unique (taking his past into account) new lifestyle choice. The ball is firmly in Mark Millar’s court. Time to find out if he can deliver something that finally makes the fundamental concept of “Old Man Logan” truly satisfying.

The Story: How much can I really say without spoiling the surprise? In Wolverine #70, Mark Millar finally reveals the reasoning behind Logan’s decision to keep his claws inside for over fifty years. As you probably guessed, the reasoning involves lots of bloodshed and general brutality.

What’s Good: While I have a few complaints about the big reveal, the good definitely outweighs the bad throughout the entire issue of the latest “Old Man Logan” chapter. And the credit for that goes almost entirely to Steve McNiven and his team. The action during the big flashback is brutal, visceral, violent, and extremely satisfying; thanks to the outstanding and surprisingly memorable visuals. It goes a long way towards making up for the rather simplistic story by keeping the reader engaged enough so that the focus is more on the ride than the details. I know that sort of sounds like a negative, but it actually works in the book’s favor quite a bit if you think of the arc as the comic equivalent of a bombastic blockbuster/popcorn flick.

What’s Not So Good: I know that more than a few people are going to take issue with the explanation for Logan’s pacifism. And in all honesty, I don’t think I can blame anyone that does. Long story short, the whole plan the villains use against Wolverine just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny all that well. In addition, the chaos that results from the plan seems to ignite far too easily considering all the factors that seem to be at play. I could go into a bit more detail about why the events are frustrating to me, but I could end up spoiling something. And I wouldn’t want to do that.

Conclusion: Wolverine #70 rocks as long as you don’t think about it too hard.  That said, in regards to the grade, I still have to acknowledge the lingering disappointment that exists in the wake of the big reveal.  My suggestion? Just open it up, soak in the bloody visuals, and enjoy the ride…

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Welcome To Hoxford #1 – Review

By Ben Templesmith (Writer, Artist)

How do you go about reviewing something that seems to be dark and disturbing just because it can be? While I am sure that there is something that resembles an actual story brewing underneath all the gore and language – I can’t possibly imagine what that might be. So far, Welcome To Hoxford is the type of horror that gives the genre a bad name. Most of the characters are extremely violent, mentally unstable convicts. The (heavily stylized) gore is fairly excessive, and there really isn’t anything resembling a narrative arc outside of finding out what exactly is going on at the Hoxford facility. With all that said, however, I have to admit that enjoyed my walk on the dark side quite a bit. Maybe it’s just the horror hound within me, but there is something noteworthy about Mr. Templesmith’s uncomfortable vision of an asylum with the potential to become more infamous than Arkham.

Welcome To Hoxford tells the story of the newest batch of inmates to be transferred to the privately owned Hoxford prison/rehabilitation facility. Each one is given a bit of background, though things seem to be focused most on Ray Delgado, the most disturbed of the bunch. You see, Ray has a “virtual encyclopedia of conditions” and throughout the story we are given brief glimpses into his shattered mind. While not exactly the hero type, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that he emerges as the main vehicle for whatever twisted plot emerges. There are things brewing inside the walls of Hoxford, but whether or not it will lead to a compelling tale remains to be seen.

Ben Templesmith handles nearly all aspects of this book and I believe things are much better off because of it. There is a clear, consistent tone to the writing and artwork that brings Hoxford’s gritty world to life. While the characters are horrible and vulgar, they are believable representations of the dregs of society and written in such a way as to greatly add to the atmosphere created by the unique artwork. The artwork carries a density that can’t be ignored thanks to a striking color palette that varies with each major scene change. Also worth noting is the way Templesmith uses reds to make each scene of violence look memorably artistic.

There are really two ways one can look at a book like Welcome To Hoxford. On one hand it can be considered a shallow, empty, and, ultimately, unnecessary addition to the horror genre because there seems to be limited storytelling potential. On the other hand, one can dive into the thick atmosphere and unsavory characters because, to my knowledge, there aren’t many books like this available. Templesmith is a proven storyteller so, for the time being, I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and enjoy Welcome To Hoxford for what it is (instead of worrying about what it might be). (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny