The Mighty Reviews 12/16/10

[wktf]

Wktf’s Reviews

Chaos War #4 (of 5)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Drawn by: Khoi Pham
Cover by: Dan Panosian

This excellent min-series is on its second-to-last issue and, as can happen even with the best of series, this particular issue feels a bit stagnant and underwhelming. The Chaos King has indeed overthrown nearly all of Earth’s heroes in his quest to end all that is so that he may become the totality of all that will be left. But as the collected remaining heroes, all pantheonic gods (plus Galactus and Amadeus Cho, that is), gather to lick their wounds and try to devise one last attempt to stave off doom we find Hercules, greatest champion among all the gods and now empowered with the puissance and firepower of an All-Father, unable to devise a solution. The end truly is near.

With this issue we also are introduced to Pele, the stunningly rendered goddess of fire and daughter of Gaea whom we also meet here. In this issue we learn that Gaea was, in fact, the first thing to form out of the chaos and actually birthed the gods themselves. All of which, of course, makes Odin’s coupling with Gaea and Thor’s birth from that union feel a little strange and even unholy. Maybe the writers didn’t bother to consider that. Here we also are given a very different Athena than the goddess we’re used to from Hercules’ own series, a truly villainous and nasty creature deserving of the ending she receives by issue-end. Still, for those of us who’ve been following her these past few years, her new allegiance just doesn’t sit right.

While the story feels slow and muddled, Pham’s art is as strong as ever. His women are stunning, his heroes powerful, his villains truly monstrous. Pham is a master lines smith and can create the strongest facial expressions with the most minimal of lines. I’m not sure Tom Palmer’s inks are best suited for Pham’s pencils. Gaea is so overshadowed she sometimes appears muddled, for example. By the end of this issue Hercules evolves yet again and we shall see if his new found status and power will be enough. In the mean time, even Pak and Van Lente’s ever-clever sound effects aren’t enough to save this clunker of an issue. Let’s just hope the final installment of Chaos War takes the title back up to it prior standard.

Wolverine #4
Marvel Comics
Written by: Jason Aaron
Drawn by: Renato Guedes
Cover by: Jae Lee

Wolverine simply cannot catch a break these past few months. Over in the X-Men title he’d been turned into a vampire and in Aaron’s title his soul is trapped in Hell and he’s battling Satan while some demon inhabits Logan’s physical body and seeking to kill everyone he holds dear. Make no mistake, Wolverine isn’t the only one who’s the best there is at what he does. Jason Aaron falls into this category as well. Who else besides Logan could make a power play against the Devil, himself, with even the remotest thought of actually ending his reign? And who else besides Aaron, who took us to the Kingdom of Heaven with Ghost Rider, would think to pit Wolverine against Satan? Brilliant. In the mean time, we still have no idea who the demon is that’s inhabiting Logan’s body, but we most certainly have a sense of the damage he’s inflicting. Put it this way, if you’ve ever wondered if Colossus could bleed while in his metallic form, this issue will give you the answer. Unfortunately, Guedes’ art feels fairly sloppy through most of this issue. While serviceable in some places it just doesn’t serve to carry Aaron’s story as strongly as it could. The look of surprise on Logan’s face in the last panel, in particular, just doesn’t convey the stunned emotion that it should. Still, the parallel stories of Logan’s spirit and the spirit possessing Logan’s body is encased in enough mystery, and the trauma the one is experiencing coupled with the trauma the other is inflicting, will absolutely make me want to see this arc through to the end, next issue.

Green Lantern #60
DC Comics
Written by: Geoff Johns
Drawn by: Doug Mahnke
Covers by: Gary Frank & Gene Ha

In this issue it took three different inkers to cover Manke’s pencils, but the art simply couldn’t be more gorgeous. And Rod Reis’ colors really do a knock out job, especially on the incredibly evil looking Parallax-possessed Flash. That’s right, Parallax is in control of The Flash and if this issue doesn’t demonstrate why The Flash has to be one of the most dangerous men on Earth then I don’t know what will. The pounding Flash gives Hal is absolutely merciless, and Green Lantern’s fall to the ground after this beating is just painful to see. But Barry’s glowing eyes, distended face and multiple rows of pointed teeth make him an absolutely terrifying sight.

But the evil-Flash/Green Lantern tussle is on the first part of this conflict. There’s a powerful being who’s been going after the entities that embody each power source, and that being reveals himself this issue. Naturally, it seems everyone has a bone to pick with the Guardians and this character’s no exception. Why he wants these entities and what he plans to do with them is a bit of a mystery but if the last panel’s any indication he’s certainly out for blood of some sort.

Green Lantern has lacked the cohesiveness it enjoyed leading up to and included in Blackest Night. While I’ve been reading it, I’ve been having a little trouble tracking what’s going on. But, as a single issue, this one may be the best in the series since Blackest Night. Especially with the appearance and seeming identity of this new character. But most especially because of Doug Mahnke’s art. When Mahnke was on Superman, I really could take or leave him. But on Green Lantern he’s really been cutting lose and producing some incredible art. Again, what he’s able to do with The Flash is just beautiful. Most definitely this issue is my pick of the week.