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Samurai Vato
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: presiding over planet beyotch...
Posts: 5,347
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wktf and Sam Wilson's Comic Reviews, 7/6/06
Wktf has family business again, so it’s just me holding down the fort, and it’s tough, let me tell ya, cause there are so many good books out this week. The coolest is the first Paul Dini scripted issue of Detective, why no one thought to put him on a regular Bat-book before is beyond me. Then of course we have The Incredible Hulk, more “Planet Hulk” goodness, Fury: Peacemaker, the best book no one seems to be reading, and of course the final issue of The Thing . Damn all of you who pump countless dollars into what’s popular and what Wizard magazine tells you to read, and subsequently ignore this gem causing it to be unpopular and ultimately cancelled. Oh well, it’s happened before with quality books (The Crew) and I’m sure will happen again. My pick of the week is Fury: Peacemaker and that being said, on to the reviews…
Detective Comics issue #821
DC Comics
Written by: Paul Dini (seriously, amazing, I know)
Drawn by: J.H. Williams III
1993 and I was a senior in High School (I went to a boarding school), and come Sunday night after dinner I would hustle my butt back to my dorm room to catch the brand spanking new Batman: The Animated Series by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. The last Batman I had animated on a regular basis was that cheesy “Superfriends” Batman, but this Batman was different. This cartoon had a style I had never seen before, ‘40’s flair yet still modern, dark and well written yet accessible to everyone. Batman was both an a$# kicker and a great detective. “On Leather Wings”, “Two Face”, “Christmas With the Joker”, even later episodes (when the series changed to “The New Batman Adventures”) such as “Legends of the Dark Knight” and “Girls Night Out” defined Batman, Dini gave Bat-fans what they’ve always wanted, a kick a$# cartoon Batman. Dini’s Bat-verse was so successful it branched off into the Successful DC animated cartoons “Batman Beyond” and the Justice League of America (and Justice League Unlimited). Dini hasn’t had any regular comic work though, he did the DC Tabloid sized books with Alex Ross, now collected “absolute” style in “The World’s Greatest Superhero” Slipcase/HC, the character he created for the Batman Animated Universe, Harlequin has found a home in the regular DCU, Paul Dini has arguably done things for Batman what no other creator in recent history has ever done. What always bothered me is, “why has this guy never written one of the regular Bat-titles?” Well, I guess I need wonder no more…
Paul Dini hits “Detective Comics” with the same subtly and style he did with his first episode of BTAS. The story starts out simple enough, a young lady on a subway platform is mugged, Batman saves the day, but then it becomes more than that. It seems there is an organized crime wave against Gotham’s wealthiest, and it is up to Batman to figure out who’s behind it and how to stop it. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s “Detective Comics” and we finally get some detecting, and damn if it isn’t good. As well put together as an Elmore Leonard Crime Novel and every bit as stylish (but sans Leonard’s gift for snappy dialogue, Batman just isn’t that chatty of a guy) Dini’s first issue of “Detective” brings to comics what he has been bringing to our TV sets for years. I should also mention this issue was self-contained, as is the next issue. Story, character, style, all in one issue. It can be done, and here you have it. For old-school Bat-fans or new, pick this issue up, pick up the next one and stay with this book as long as Dini remains the writer. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
The Incredible Hulk issue #96
Marvel Comics
Written by: Greg Pak
Drawn by: Aaron Lopresti
If you were to ask me what The Incredible Hulk has been about in the last few years, “fu$# if I know” would be my answer. Bruce Jones took over and started some weird conspiracy crap and brought in a reanimated Betsy Ross, Dr. Sampson, Nadia Blonsky, some mechanical rats and a bunch of other strange sh$# that didn’t make any damn sense. The Hulk, well, I was never sure if he was savage, intelligent, cunning, above average, whatever. Then Peter David came back for a second, but with him came the “House of M”, and well, I’m not even going to get into that. What’s wrong with consistency? Linear storytelling? A Hulk we can understand? Can someone just make a decision as to which Hulk Bruce Banner is, how he transforms, and what the deal is? Anything well done will do? Man I yearn for the old Peter David days with the Pantheon and Margo and Rick, is that asking for too much? Some solid storytelling and a Hulk we can understand? Please?
Several months back, in what could be considered the “kickoff” of Marvel’s “Civil War” event the Hulk (Banner) was recruited by Nick Fury to stop a rogue AI controlled satellite that could potentially destroy the Earth. What Nick Fury didn’t tell the Hulk was the satellite was made by SHIELD and had gotten away from their control. Anyway, the Hulk did what he does best, “smashed”, and Nick Fury’s problem goes bye-bye. Fury uses the opportunity to dump the Hulk out in space, which was actually the plan all along (well, Fury and the rest of the “Illuminati”, the supergroup consisting of Professor X, Namor, Reed Richards, Black Bolt and Iron Man we have seen pop up in issues of “New Avengers”). Needless to say, the Hulk gets kinda PO’d and starts to smash, sending the ship off course. He ends up crashing on an inhabited planet, ruled by a vicious and oppressive emperor, and is captured by its residents and is quickly made a slave. Then the Hulk is forced to fight as a gladiator. Tales of his exploits spread, and revolution comes knocking on the Hulk’s door. Soon the Hulk and his band of gladiators have beaten all of the challenges the emperors has laid fourth for them and find themselves at the last challenge, combat with the Silver Surfer? Yes, that Silver Surfer, aka Norrin Radd, the bald dude with the surfboard who was once a herald of Galactus. The Surfer is implanted with a control disk, the same device stuck on the Hulk and his crew, which forces them into gladiatorial combat against each other. They fight, the Hulk wins, and then the Hulk is asked to kill an enemy of the emperor, who was also a former ally who has sided with the rebels. Before the Hulk can carry out the order the Silver Surfer destroys everyone’s control disk, they break free of the arena followed by dozens of slaves and refugees and people start talking like the Hulk is some legendary cat who is destined to save the planet. Issue #96 opens with the Hulk and crew engaging in war with the emperor. Has the Hulk become a savior and a great military leader? Or is he just smashing things? Members of his crew seem to have put the Hulk on a pedestal, others are just like him, wanting to smash and lash out. Either way, badness lies ahead.
At the end of the issue I still don’t have any answers, but the story definitely progresses and we see a Hulk that we have never seen before. A Hulk’s whose intentions aren’t so clear cut, and are “grey” if you will, something I’m not used to from the Hulk (personality wise anyway). Interesting, always. I can so for sure though the Hulk is back, he is bad a$#ed and smashing up some sh$#. So pick up the book. Get the trade of Daniel Way’s first “Planet Hulk” story. The Hulk, at least in my opinion, is back to being a “must read” title again.
Fury: Peacemaker #6 of 6
Marvel Knights
Written by: Garth Ennis
Drawn by: Darick Robertson
For the second Time Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson tack the legendary Marvel Character Nick Fury (the first time being in the often overlooked Marvel MAX series Fury), but instead of his modern adventures they take him back, all the way back. They take him to a time before he even hooked up with the “Howling Commandos” (no, not that lame werewolf title, you know, the “Howling Commando’s”: Gabe, Dum Dum, etc), back to when he was just an infantry SGT in the United States Army during World War Two. If you have ever read any of Ennis’s “War Story” books from Vertigo, you know the man has an affinity for the genre, and who better to script Nick Fury’s pre-Howling Commando WW2 adventures?
Peacemaker opens with Fury and his unit in North Africa. Relatively new to the war, they are currently getting their keisters handed to them by the Germans. The combat is unlike anything he was prepared for and a lot of people die and Fury is pushed and pushed hard. He sees all his men killed before him due to faulty intelligence and the negligence of his superiors, and in issue two a small regimen of British soldiers find him wandering aimlessly, shell shocked and despondent over his roll in the war. Lucky for Nick these British soldiers happen to be part of Her Majesties Special Air Services (SAS, British Commandos), and they take Nick in and teach him an entire new way to wage war, and let’s just say issue two is pretty much the opposite of issue one and you’re going to have to check it out for yourself to see what I mean. Issue three has Nick back with Allied High command, who puts him on assignment with the same SAS guys whom Nick met in North Africa (funny that) to assassinate a Nazi Field Marshall, some prodigy who is a pretty big thorn in the Allies side and killing him would make invading Germany a heck of a lot easier. When Nick and the boys eventually make it to his hiding place though, they find the Field Marshall has flown the coop. Why? He’s left to assassinate Adolph Hitler with full support of the German high command, hopefully ending the war with a full German surrender. Fury and the SAS listen to the Field Marshall’s chief of staff tell them why exactly the regular German Army wants Hitler dead, and well, for those of you who don’t know history be prepared because history pretty much kicks you in the face, and in issue five Nick and his British comrades have a decision to make. Should they continue with their mission and assassinate the Nazi Field Marshall, or help him possibly end the war? All this, and the boys cross swords with a German Tank. Yeah. Issue Six brings Fury face to face with his intended target, and he learns a thing or two that doesn’t make him real happy. The sh$# then hits the fan, things are blown up, people are shot, and Ennis even has time to make one of his famous, “war is inevitable” speeches found in so many of his books…
Honestly, I would love to see this series spin off into a new “Nick Fury and his Howling Commando’s” series with Garth Ennis at the helm, and damn if Darick Robertson’s art is perfectly suited for this book. Whatever happens, expect a tpb announcement soon (hopefully in a snappy HC edition) and maybe even more Ennis on Fury in the future (if the future holds any promise that is…).
The Thing issue #8
Marvel Comics
Written by: Dan Slott
Drawn by: Andrea Di Vito
As most of you already know, “The Thing” has been cancelled. I guess the public has spoken, they want more crossovers and mutants and less storytelling and decent art. Oh yeah, and apparently the masses have no sense of humor either. So it’s with a heavy heart that I write what may be my final review of “The Thing”. For the luva Mike, I can’t believe Aunt Petunia’s favorite blue-eyed nephew is going out like this...
I have to say, I love the Thing, aka Ben Grimm. Many people have said I’m the black Ben Grimm, gruff on the outside but with a heart of gold. I digress though. Dan Slott’s book is something the comic book community needs. It’s fun. Yes fun, comics can still have that quality. Everything is crossed over lately, “event” based if you will. The powers that be think that “sh$# has to happen” for books to sell. Bah I say. Foxy chicas, square jawed heroes, cigars, and lots and lots of clobberin’ are all you need for entertainment, and Slott’s The Thing provides that in spades. So far Ben Grimm has romanced Hollywood starlets, whupped a$# on murder world, and made a lifelong friend with the Inhumans faithful pooch Lockjaw. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, I’ll mention real quick that Reed set aside some kind of trust fund for Ben, and now he is a billionaire and he’s learning some hard lessons, but for the most part he’s staying true to his ever-lovin’ blue-eyed heart.
Issue eight is the big poker game, made famous back in the day when Ben would play with Nick Fury, the Wasp, Captain America, etc, but today he’s having a super-hero poker tournament. All that, and the Thing finally has his Bah-Mitzvah (?). Damn if I aint as proud of Benjy as I have ever been with this issue, and GODDAMN JOE Q FOR CANCELLING THIS BOOK AND KEEPING CRAP LIKE SPIDER-GIRL AROUND (for as long as you did anyway), YOU SUCK AND ARE UGLY AND KEVIN SMITH BEING YOUR FRIEND STILL MEANS YOU SUCK. A$%CLOWN. Anyway…
So yeah, buy this freakin’ book. Who cares if it’s been canceled? It has heart and is about something. Something personal anyway, it’s the Ben Grimm’s story, and damn if his story isn’t the most “real” in the Marvel U. Rocky exterior and space adventures notwithstanding, Ben is the most Human character in Marvel’s roster and he deserves his day in the sun. Add this book to your pull list, it’s damn entertaining and it’ll put a smile on your face. Now say it with me, IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME….
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