Wktf’s Reviews
Did anyone else pick up the
Fantastic Four Omnibus HC? Man, that thing was like the “Gospel According to Reed Richards.” Glad I bought it but it definitely ranks as the heaviest trade I’ve ever bought. Also for me this week’s pick up included
House of M #2 and
Spider-Man: House of M, though after my colleague’s review of the latter I may regret this purchase. He hasn’t been wrong yet. I also picked up the three new books listed below plus was delighted to receive my lead-off title in the mail.
Dracula vs. King Arthur #1 (of 4)
Silent Devil, Inc.
Written by: Adam & Christian Beranek
Drawn by: Chris Moreno
Granted, this book came out a few weeks back; however, it’s from a small independent publisher and my lcs chose not to order it. Through the kindness of a sympathetic fellow comics fan (many thanks, again, Phillip!) I recently received a copy and am delighted to be reviewing it.
The introduction of this 38 page story tracks the history both of Arthur and Vlad Tepes III (the actual historical Lord Vlad Dracul from whose character Bram Stoker drew to create the famous lord of vampires) from young men in quest of their thrones, through the kingdoms they created, to the women they loved, to their final positions in their kingdoms. These histories are portrayed side by side on each page of the introduction with chilling parallels to each other, as if one were the mirror image of the other and as if their fates, somehow, were intertwined as parallel universes. Arthur’s history, of course, is lush with light and color, glory, love, victories, honor, and fellowship. Vlad’s, however, is one of darkness, brutality, murder, fear, hatred and personal tragedy. Ironically, Vlad, who became known as The Impaler (for his practice of impaling his enemies for public display), believes the bloody and vicious crimes he commits are in service of his God. Nonetheless, he finds himself at the end of his days alone on the Wallachian throne, betrayed by his own brother who has sent a vast Turkish army on its way to destroy him. This introduction was chilling and gripping enough by itself and could have made an outstanding initial issue to this promising mini series but, in fact, it’s just a taste of what follows in this issue.
On the threshold of defeat and death, Vlad Dracul is summoned by Lucifer, himself, to Hell for a meeting. At this point I’m compelled to stop for a moment to comment on Chris Moreno’s art work, which seems perfectly suited for Dracula’s part of this story. It is dark, eerie, rife with detail and, at times, graphically disturbing when portraying Dracula and Lucifer. We never see Lucifer’s face, though his profile, seemingly skewered by spears, and burning eyes are truly scary. The gigantic bat creature from Walt Disney’s “Fantasia” could well have inspired this image. I was surprised at how casually Dracul addresses Lucifer as a peer, showing no fear and even some indignation in the fallen angel’s presence. I was equally surprised at how Lucifer, intent on using Vlad as his pawn, does not allow himself to be ruffled by Dracula’s arrogance and even is polite and somewhat conciliatory to his guest. Ultimately, he promises Dracula a chance to make himself great again, to build an army and power base to replace that which he had lost, and to newly create a kingdom in his name and image. Lucifer seeks to set Vlad against King Arthur and, therefore, also destroy for Lucifer a great champion of God. And so begins Dracul’s awful transformation, at Lucifer’s hand, from human to vampire and his manifestation at Stonehenge to build his army of vampires in Arthur’s land. And, truly, all is not well in Camelot. Lucifer has made Arthur dream of danger to the Holy Grail, a dream Arthur believes was a message from God, so that Arthur would depart Camelot on a quest to safeguard the Grail at the very time of Dracula’s arrival. There also is some ominous eye-contact between Guinevere, Arthur’s wife, and Lancelot, Arthur’s right hand knight. And, sure enough, Dracula has arrived in Camelot and taken Arthur’s mortal enemy and former lover, the witch Morgana, as his slave (and this encounter is as violent, disturbing, and pseudo-sexual a scene as you will see in comics).
I can’t give this book enough good press. The story is riveting and the art presents Arthur’s light and Dracula’s darkness wonderfully. I’m just upset that the damn series is only being published bi-monthly!
The New Avengers #6
Marvel Comics
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Drawn by: David Finch
This issue marks the end of the six-part “Breakout!” storyline, and hats off to Bendis and especially Finch for delivering the goods with this new series. Avengers Disassembled was a bust, The New Avengers is a new jewel for Marvel. As good as Bendis’ story and dialogue are, I hope against all hope that David Finch never leaves this book. He’s a super star. After my first read I actually thought this issue was full of full-page and two-page spreads but that wasn’t the case. His art is just so big and dramatic it seemed that way.
The New Avengers are in the Savage Land, having tracked down the mutant terrorist Karl Lykos, better known as Sauron. The massive super criminal jail break Electro orchestrated was to free this energy vampire. We still don’t know why, nor do we know who the mysterious mastermind from the first issue even is. But what we, and the New Avengers, also don’t know is something that cements the team to seek vengeance or, more appropriately, to avenge a great wrong. There’s plenty of great storyline and interpersonal dynamics between all the new team to talk about. But let’s just say this issue is full of action, hard core fight scenes, shocking revelations that, in turn, generate such anger and hard feelings at the end that you can taste the tension among the New Avengers. There’s a seriously murderous wrong, apparently committed by a rogue faction of our own government spy agency, that needs avenging. Cap is so angry he practically can’t see straight and Iron Man makes a solid pitch to include Wolverine on the team, despite Cap’s protests, as the final ingredient they need in this troubling new world. In fact, Stark argues that Wolverine is the spark the new team needs even as Cap was that spark for the original team. Brilliant.
Special call out this issue to Spider-Woman who really assert herself as a leader on the team with this issue, Iron Man who even more than Cap keeps the team focused and together, and Spider-Man who is written better in this book than any other Marvel book today. I won’t even ask if you’re reading this title. Most of you are. Those who aren’t will pick up the HC collection soon. The rest of you, you’re just missing out.
Captain America #7
Marvel Comics
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Drawn by: John Paul Leon
Following the end of the first story arc, where it is revealed that Bucky may really be alive, and a left over cold war assassin, we are given this one issue interlude called “The Lonesome Death of Jack Monroe.” Jack was murdered in the first arc and this issue gives us his sad story which is
my pick of the week.
Jack was the second Bucky in the 1950 who ran around for a time with a phony Captain America prior to Steve Rogers’ thawing out in Avengers #4. Both were hopped up on a tainted version of the original Super Soldier Serum that eventually drove them mad. Following treatment, Monroe befriended the real Cap and assumed one of Cap’s other identities, Nomad, and then became Scourge. But now Jack learns from Dr. Jane Foster, Thor’s old flame when she was a nurse for the Thunder God’s human identity of Dr. Donald Blake, that he is dying. The variant super soldier serum coupled with treatments he received from SHIELD to cure his madness, have wiped out his immune system and begun a process of dementia. Understandably depressed, Jack takes off to say goodbye to his daughter.
However, his dementia begins to kick into overdrive and he sees criminals and drug dealers where none exist. He believes he is fighting the good fight to protect children like his daughter but ends up attacking and seriously injuring innocent people. All the while he is haunted by images of Bucky, who laughs at his through mirrors and reflections in window panes. Ironically, in the end, it may have been Bucky who really killed him. This is a carefully and respectfully told tale of the final days of an innocent but sick and deluded man with no hope for the future. Even though it is full of sadness it gives us an interesting back story to the events of the prior arc. I hope this issue is included in the HC collected edition Marvel will soon publish.
Black Panther #5
Marvel Comics
Written by: Reginald Hudlin
Drawn by: John Romita, Jr. & Klaus Janson
The bad guys have come a’ calling in Wakanda. And how. I’d mentioned in last issues review that I thought the action that so many have been requesting would pick up in this issue and this certainly is the case.
Klaw has gathered The Rhino, The Radioactive Man, Batroc the Leaper, The Black Knight and the forces of neighboring Niganda to storm the Black Panther’s ancestral home. Our story begins with a two page spread of The Rhino crashing through Wakanda. The Radioactive Man is wreaking hell under the mound where Vibranium is mined with T’Challa’s sister in his path, and the Black Knight on his winged steed is single handedly bedeviling the Wakandan air forces. In the mean time, Klaw and Batroc have a more subtle strike planned under all this distraction that is sure to vex T’Challa and M’Butu, the ruler of Niganda, is gleefully awaiting T’Challa’s death to spit on his grave. Things don’t look good.
But T’Challa dictates the tactics that take down the Rhino, goes into action single handedly wins victory against the Black Knight, and directly attacks M’Butu to learn Klaw’s whereabouts. The Radioactive Man is still at large, T’Challa’s mother and sister are directly threatened, a new undead army is taking Wakanda by sea (shades of Wolverine), and Klaw has not yet fully played his hand. Hudlin and Romita, Jr. have spun a harrowing tale that is beginning to look hopeless but promises to conclude next issue. There’s little doubt that the Panther will triumph but how he’s gonna do it sure is beyond me.
Sam Wilson’s Reviews
A so-so week for me. I’ll tell you though, I’m gonna go back to the lcs and pick up that ginormous
Fantastic Four hardcover that has the first 30 issue’s or so reprinted with adds and everything. Man, that thing was HUGE. I loves me an oversized hardcover. Anyway, two
House of M comics today, JMS’s
Squadron Supreme remake
Supreme Power, lots of “Avengers” related titles (
Captain America,
Black Panther,
New Avengers), all in all a strong week. Oh yeah, and the first part of the Teen Titan’s/Outsider’s crossover in
Teen Titan’s #25. I got two picks of the week,
Black Panther #5 (duh) and the always excellent
Queen and Country: Declassified. That being said…
Spider-Man: House of M #1 (of 5)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Mark Waid and Tom Peyer
Drawn by: Salvador Larroca
Alright, by now most of you are familiar with the “House of M” crossover, but for those who are not, a quick recap: The New Avengers and the X-men meet to decide the fate of Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, who went nuts and ended up causing the deaths of several Avengers including Hawkeye, Jack of Hearts, Ant Man and the Vision. After a huge battle, Magneto showed up and whisked her away to Genosha, where he and Charles Xavier, aka Professor X (duh) tried to help her recover. Well, things didn’t go as planned, so Xavier called a meeting with the Avengers to figure out what to do with her since her reality bending powers are totally out of control and she is barely held in check by Professor X. So, Pietro, Wanda’s brother, aka Quicksilver shows up and whisks her away not wanting the heroes to sentence her to death, and then the world goes nuts. A new day brings a new Earth, mutants rule, and Spidey is one of the world’s biggest celebrities.
Yeah, so this isn’t so great. Waid and Peyer must have had a checklist, and said, “let’s make a list about what defines Spidey as a character, and then reverse it all”. Not incredibly inventive, but it’s presented in an okay fashion. Uncle Ben is alive, Spidey is rich and a celebrity/biochemist/pro wrestler/photographer (okay, that’s a little much). J. Jonah Jameson is Peter’s lackey, he’s married to Gwen Stacey and has a kid, blah blah. It’s like an overboard issue of “What If”. What I’m saying is, I don’t care for Spidey having everything he ever wanted, not if it means he’s now a “grade A” a$# clown. Yeah, read it and you’ll know what I’m talking about. “What If” deals are still supposed to keep central that which defines the character, and I don’t see that here. Rather than “stranger in a strange land” I see “stranger finds strange land, pisses all over it and stakes his claim and never looks back”.
Okay, so I wasn’t a big fan, and we all know things are gonna go back to “normal” after issue five, so this all is just a big waste of money. It would be one thing if there were a truly innovative, different, compelling story here, but there isn’t. Save your money, buy some Hostess Fruit pies instead (99 cents at most convenience stores, so that’s three pies or one issue of “House of M crossover of the week”, you decide…).
Catwoman #44
DC Comics
Written By: Will Pfeifer
Drawn By: Pete Woods
Selina Kyle: Not as hot as the Huntress, but still a hottie…
Frank Miller introduced us to the post-“Crisis” Catwoman in Batman: Year One. She was a tough streetwalker who wanted more out of life, so she ditched being a prostitute for the life of a high stakes cat burglar. She donned a leather outfit and a whip (yes, I know, ironic) and became Catwoman. Some ninja training and many high-value scores later, she became quite the thief, and sometime foe/friend of Batman. Jo Duffy and Jim Balent (one of the original bad girl artists) were the first creative team on Catwoman’s first solo ongoing series. During this series we learned about her ninja training and her childhood and it was great. Great crossover stories with Batman (during the “No Man’s Land” story), and great characterization abound, but toward the end the series really took a nose dive (remember when Selina ran for mayor?). Fast forward a few years Catwoman gets a redesign in costume by little known artist Jim Lee, and then her own solo OGN Selina’s Big Score by Ed Brubaker and Darwyn Cooke, shortly followed by a new ongoing series with the same creative team. Selina goes for one more big score (duh), sets herself up in her old stomping grounds, the east end of Gotham, with a cool new supporting cast (her old friend Holly, and PI Slam Brady) and declares herself the protector of the East End. Not a criminal, but not a hero either. Yeah, a sometime romance with Batman, but that is done away with quick (thank god). Soon Darwyn Cooke exits and Paul Gulacy takes over as regular artist, and damn, Selina looks even better. Of course nothing good lasts forever and both Brubaker and Gulacy leave, and Catwoman takes a huge nose dive in quality again.
So a few issues later the craziness is over and we get a brand new story arc and new creative team, Will Pfeifer (script) and Jared K. Fletcher (pencils) and Adam Hughes doing covers. Ah yes, Adam Hughes, that cat is definitely a breast man, but seriously, other than Adam Hughes I never heard of these guys, and given the quality of the last fill in issues (don’t ask me to get into them) I was skeptical. Well, don’t worry folks, Selina is back and better than ever.
After the events of “Gang War” (another huge Bat-Universe) crossover the Villain Black Mask is in Gotham’s new crime boss, except in the East End where Catwoman rules the roost. Issue 44 opens with several criminals trying to infringe on Selina’s turf, some nameless jetpack dude and Scarface to name a couple. This worries Selina, did the Black Mask send them, or are they looking to carve out their own piece of the pie now that the Black Mask has everything else? So Bat-nemesis Hush steps up to the plate and tries to broker a deal with Selina to help her out and keep the East End safe. I really hate that guy Hush, I think he’s a lame villain and has no business in the Bat-cannon, but that’s just me. Okay, so Selina breaks into some top-secret facility for him, things don’t go as planned, and our story begins.
The art in this new story is spectacular. Detailed, crisp, and not over stylized. So far, I’m interested by Pfeifer’s story and will keep on this title for the foreseeable future. If you left Catwoman after Brubaker left, you might want to check it out again. If you never picked up Catwoman before, check out the OGN Selina’s Big Score, and then pick up this issue. It’s a great jumping on point for new readers. This book gets a high recommendation from me.
Queen and Country: Declassified #1 (of 3)
Oni Press
Written by: Anthony Johnston
Drawn by: Christopher Mitten
A few years ago writer Greg Rucka introduced us to the world of Queen and Country a story about Britain’s top spy agency, MI-6. We had Tara Chace, minder two, a super-spy, assassin, former debutant who can’t seem to keep a partner and would rather punch someone in the eye than talk to him (or her) and her boss, Paul Crocker, a soldier forced to play politician games to get the job done. Yeah, Queen and Country is a pretty big departure from Rucka’s DC Comics work, but damn if it isn’t fine storytelling (if only it would come out on a more regular basis). This week we are given an entirely new section of the Queen and Country universe, with a new writer to boot. Don’t worry folks, the standard of quality you would expect from a Queen and Country book is still there.
This first issue introduces us to young Lauren Mullen and her father, SGT Mullen, a policeman in Northern Ireland. It’s 1981, and they’re being held captive by members of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). The SAS (British Special Air Service, an elite British special forces regiment) raid their hideout for a rescue, but the SGT., numerous IRA members, and an SAS soldier all perish in the pursuant gun battle. Fast forward a few years we meet Liam Finnegan, one of the IRA terrorists who survived that raid, and whose bullets cut down the SAS trooper. After a dozen or so years in prison he’s out, and even though Northern Ireland has changed, he’s anxious to get back to his old ways. This issue jumps back and forth in time, to Lauren growing up, going to school, etc, and to Liam, in prison, out of prison and plotting, but never are the jumps confusing, everything moves around quite smoothly.
Damn, this is a fine book. This first issue gives us the most basic of outlines, and you gotta figure out a lot on your own, but damn, is it good. Never seen Mitten’s art before, but it’s top notch, it lends itself well to the black and white style of Queen and Country quite nicely. If you’ve never picked up this book before, check out one of the many past tpbs, and definitely pick up this current issue. They don’t come out to often but when they do, the payoff is definitely there, that’s why this book is one of my picks this week.
Check out Part II of our reviews for our trade recommendations at
http://www.statueforum.com/showthrea...330#post224330
but damn good!!!! I never really liked Voltaire anyway!!! 
