Zatanna #12 – Review

By: Matthew Sturges (writer), Stephane Roux (artist), John Kalisz (colorist)

The Story: We all know Zatanna’s a wordplay geek, but this takes it to a whole new level.

The Review: Zatanna’s backwards talk is an essential part of her character, and one of the most appealing, and yet it’s also probably the least understood.  Grant Morrison once had her describe her own magic as “one of the most complicated” of the mystic arts, but most writers use it as a gimmick: if it can be said backwards, it can be done.

Sturges makes an effort to touch the question in a rather unexpected way, though in hindsight, it makes some sense: vocabulary flash cards.  In a way, this dumbs down her magic to the confines of the English language (I, for one, would like to see her use backwards Spanish talk), but as you’ll see later in the issue, having the words themselves determine the results of the spell can produce some hilarious effects.

Since she faces a time-reversing thug, Zatanna has to revise her backwards talk on the fly to be effective.  With her choice of words limited to those that can work no matter which direction time is flowing, her spells actually become more spectacular (“Ogre flog a golfer, go!” is particularly winning).  It’s a clever idea, and Sturges executes it well, but it’s an idea that won’t be used again, most likely; it’s the kind of thing best suited for one story, and this is it.

Besides Zee’s new set of spells, Sturges offers more imaginative ideas in the magical department: fairies, ghosts, and mermaids skinny-dipping in San Francisco’s Sutro baths.  Choosing San Fran as Zee’s base of operations hasn’t really paid off until now, as Sturges inserts magical secrets in all the city’s real-life nooks and crannies (a dragon chained beneath the Transamerica pyramid—we need to see this).  Her flight over the metropolis also reminds you just how expansive her powers can be, something we need to see much more often in this title.

DMZ #52 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

The Story: Matty Roth begins his hazardous journey across the DMZ.

What’s Good: For a second month, Wood focuses on Matty’s current state of desperation, isolation, and self-pity.  This time around, however, he does it in a much more dynamic an effective manner.  The meat of this issue sees an extended chase sequence, when Matty meets the wrong end of a bizarre hunter and his pack of dogs.

The chase is beautiful in its metaphorical power.  It is the perfect representation of Matty’s current state and situation.  This becomes all the more clear due to the surreal elements of the scene.  The hunter is nameless and never once says a word.  Meanwhile, his dogs are intelligent and so relentless that it almost defies suspension of disbelief.  In other words, you know that there’s more going on here.  The whole thing feels nightmarish in its strangeness, while maintaining the desperation and tension of a good chase.

This is clearly as much a physical struggle as it is a mental, internal one.  It’s a perfect manifestation of Matty’s inner turmoil and how he views his current status.  I could not imagine a better way for Wood to get across the current themes, and mood, centered around his protagonist.  This is absolutely genius stuff that strays just a little from the series’ usual gritty realism, but not so far off course that it feels wrong or out of place.

With Matty plotting his journey across the DMZ with maps aplenty, as he’s chased by dogs and forced to dash across the broken landscape of NYC, this is a study of tension and desperation with a touch of horror.  It’s all the better thanks to Burchielli’s barren landscapes and scrawled maps.

Powers #4 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Michael Avon Oeming (art), Nick Filardi (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Walker and Sunrise’s murder investigation comes to a close.

What’s Good: It’s satisfying to see Bendis and Oeming planning for the long haul.  This issue the creation of what should be a new antagonist for the series for some time to come.  A great deal of detail is added to Erika Broglia’s character, a mixture of trauma and a twisted sense of tradition.  She ends up being a very interesting character and this issue leaves her in a very intriguing position, one where the door is left very much open.  It’s satisfying to see a character that could have been so easily clichéd be given so much depth.

But Erika’s not the only character brought to the table this month.  As last month’s cliffhanger suggested, this is also a big issue for Billy Mace, who looks to be another series fixture in the making.  Mace occupies a unique position in the book as a figure that is in touch with Christian’s past.  In many ways, he looks to act as Christian’s conscience for past misdeeds and imperfections.  He’s a dark character, while still being disgruntled enough to be oddly likable.  His scene with Walker is the high point of the issue, as he maintains a full conversation while literally leaping around and drinking vodka.

Mace also opens the door to another investigation of one of the more intriguing elements of Powers: Christian’s memory and specifically, the functioning (or non-functioning) of the memories of those who live incredibly long lives.  Bendis does a good job of portraying the pain of this ongoing cycle of dim recollections, while hinting at more exploration to come.

Art-wise, I don’t think that Oeming is physically capable of putting out a bad issue of Powers.  The scene with Billy Mace is fantastically plotted, as he bounds about the building.  Oeming is even able to make the most mundane things look dynamic and beautiful; Christian’s jog in the park is absolutely amazing to experience.

DMZ #48 – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Riccardo Burchielli (art), Jeromy Cox (colors), and Travis Lanham (letters)

The Story: The DMZ is invaded by US troops, Parco is nowhere, and Matty learns a hard lesson.

What’s Good: This series has regained its sense of pace and energy.  US soldiers take to the streets and cause all sorts of mayhem.  Their impact on the DMZ is definitely felt, as Wood manages to portray the DMZ as being cut up and divided by occupying troops, with “block commanders” and all.

The best part of this issue though is a scene that is probably the biggest development of the month, where Matty attempts to negotiate with US troops using his old press pass.  What occurs is a very poignant, savage reminder that we are nearing the end of this series and that as such, we are a long ways past “Matty the journalist.”  Wood’s been trying to deliver this point for some time now, what with Roth’s leading commando teams and such, but he really sinks the nail this month.  More importantly, this time around, Matty himself is forced to fully acknowledge his change in status, as he receives a brutal lesson that beats out his naive belief that he could have it both ways.  Certainly, this lesson has been a long time coming, and when it finally happens, it’s abrupt, savage, and uncompromising.

Beyond that, the series ending is certainly a strong one.  A fan favourite character finally meets up with Matty again and Wood seems to be writing Matty as something of a tragic hero.  While he’s had one sort of naivety/immaturity beaten out of him, that’s simply caused him to move on to another, even worse immaturity.  And while this one’s a little closer to the reality of what he is now, it’s also shaping up to turn him into the very thing he’s always hated: a blood-maddened, irrational warlord.