Sam Wilson’s Reviews
I actually bought quite a lot of books this week. We finally get
Ultimate Iron Man and the beginning of a new storyline in
Captain America.
The Ultimates also came out (always a sure bet), and the resolution to a couple of cliffhangers (in the
Outsiders and
Batgirl). Oh yes, two Chaykin books (
City of Tomorrow and
Legend), and a little known book called
The OMAC Project also came out. My pick of the week is
The Losers. Buy this book already, how often do I have to pimp for it? What is wrong with you all? It is a great frikkin book. Man. Take a chance. Read it. It’s not like I’m asking you to try the special at Wong’s Chinese. Jeeze Louise, some people…
Other World #3 (of 12)
DC/Vertigo
Written by: Phil Jimenez
Drawn by: Phil Jimenez
Phil Jimenez is the cat everyone accuses of being a George Perez clone. No surprise, he got his start on Titans/JLA, Titans/Legion of Superheroes and Wonder Woman. I’ll definitely say, his “Titan’s” stuff was very George Perez like. But now peep his new book Other Word. This book is a total labor of love for Jimenez, a story he identifies with personally coming out of his psyche when he was a college student. I gotta say, so far I like it, and I’m not gonna accuse him of being a George Perez clone anymore.
Other World opens with Siobhan, a college student very much into the college scene. She debates with her professors, is excited by learning, has a group of eclectic and different friends, and is caught between two lovers (well, in college that sort of thing only happened when I was really wasted and forgot which girl I was chatting up, but then college is different for everyone). Then something really weird happens, during a typical night at a bar worlds collide and Siobhan finds herself nekkid (fine, naked, but us brothers say nekkid, dammit) and floating in a ball of energy. Her friends start transforming into strange beings with unusual powers, and her lovers find themselves oddly on opposite sides of an inter-dimensional conflict.
Issue three opens with Siobhan still naked, and a whole lot of confusion. Slowly, the story is revealed and we find out that Earth is the middle ground between two realms, one of magic and one of technology, and things are getting heated up between the two of them, and Siobhan is some sort of important player on the magic side of things. Oh yeah, and she eventually puts on some clothes too. The best thing about this series is the art. Phil Jimenez has really grown as an artist and his style is crisp and detailed. The story is interesting as well. I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of the fantasy genre, but I’m interested to see how the conflict with the technology plays out. I’m also intrigued by the fact Jimenez considers this work very personal to him, he also says he personally identifies with the main character, Siobhan. Books like these give us an insight into the artists mind and personality, and that sort of thing I find interesting. But let me tell you, the names, oh my lord the names are AWFUL. Long, confusing, half the names they use sound like some sort of gibberish (but it’s really Gaelic). What’s wrong with Joe? Or Mike? Or even Shaniqua? Anything is better than Caer Na Og, or Cessaire, or even Siobahn. Seriously. Anyway, if you’re feeling adventurous, check this book out. It’s not for everybody, but it’s worth a shot.
Outsiders #24
DC Comics
Written by: Judd Winick
Drawn by: Carlos D’anda
I will say I was never a regular reader of the old
Batman and the Outsiders book. Batman having his own team never made much sense to me. I picked up an issue once back in the day when they crossed over with Wolfman and Perez’s
Teen Titans. I know they had some samurai chick on the team named Katanna (subtle). Other than that, never really came into much contact with them. Okay, now it’s a whole new century and some cat who was on “The Real World” and was college roommates with novelist and
Infinity Crisis engineer Brian Metzger is now updating
The Outsiders for a new generation. Why do I care? Some of the founding members of Wolfman/Perez’s Titans series are on the team.
This incarnation of the Outsiders was put together by Arsenal, aka Speedy, aka Green Arrow’s ex Junkie sidekick, ex agent of the DEO. He gets a crapload of money from some large corporation to fund a superteam that goes after criminals rather than reacting to them. On the team are former Titans Nightwing, Starfire and of course Arsenal, Jade (from Green Lantern), and new characters Grace Choi (a super tough and super strong former bouncer in a metahuman bar, and sometime lover of Arsenal), Indigo (former crazed cyborg from the way distant future), Metamorpho (well not really, but some kind of spawn from the original Metamorpho) and Thunder (Black Lightning’s daughter). Arsenal brings them together with the promise of good pay and the opportunity to take a more proactive approach to crime fighting, thus the new Outsiders are born.
In recent events, Nightwing found out it is the Wayne Foundation (as in Bruce Wayne, as in Batman) that has been funding the Outsiders, and it was Batman feeding intel to Arsenal about the villains they had been taking out. Well, that’s mostly right. It turns out it was Deathstroke (gasp) disguised as Batman feeding intel to the Outsiders. Needless to say the crap hits the fan and Arsenal ends up getting his a$# handed to him by Deathstroke. Arsenal comes back from his a$# kicking suspecting a traitor in the team’s ranks, so he locks everyone down and starts interrogations. He originally suspects Metamorpho, but it turns out he is wrong and then things all turn to sh$%.
Issue 24 of the
Teen Titans serves as a lead in of sorts to this issue of
Outsiders, and the next couple of issues of
Teen Titans and the
Outsiders cross over. I think both books are excellent. Normally not a fan of Winick, but I like his work on the
Outsiders. I liked the art better when Tom Raney was handling it, but D’anda is a suitable replacement. The first few arcs of this book are available in tpb form, or check out this current crossover with the
Teen Titans (it is a kinda crossover with this whole “Infinite Crisis” nonsense as well). If you’re a fan of the “Titan’s” of the ‘80’s you’ll probably like this book as well.
Ultimate Iron Man #2 (of 6)
Marvel Comics
Written By: Orson Scott Card
Drawn By: Andy Kubert
Orson Scott Card is another Sci-Fi author, who in the vain of Richard K. Price (whose Black Widow series is excellent and now available in tpb) Marvel has brought in to bring new blood to some of their most classic characters. Mr. Card tackles Ultimate Iron Man, a character who is the evil twin of his “regular Marvel Universe” counterpart. Tony Stark in the Ultimate Universe is one of the world’s richest men, a completely shameless womanizer and a rampaging drunk. He also has a really big brain tumor and is a founding member of the Ultimates. Ultimate Iron Man gives us his origin, going all the way back to Tony Stark’s father, Howard Stark.
In the first issue we find out Howard Stark is a defense contractor whose company, Stark Defense Corp., has developed a type of nano-technology that can be used as skintight body armor. It feeds on metal, and is shock absorbent, so bullets can’t penetrate it and blunt force trauma doesn’t do too much either. It is applied on like a lotion, and can be washed off with soap and water. The only problem, it eats away at the skin of the user. Anyway, it just so happens Howard meets this geneticist, Maria Cerrera, working on a project to regenerate body parts through the use of a virus. Hey, and wouldn’t you know the two technologies can work together. Oh yeah, and they fell in love and got married.
Meanwhile, Starks ex-wife and Zebediah Stane (every bit the pr$# here as he is in the “regular Marvel Universe”) steal Howard’s company right out from underneath him, hoping to be the sole owner of this new body armor. More tragedy strikes when Maria becomes infected with the virus she was developing, passing it along to her unborn son. When he is born Maria dies and, to save his life, Howard coats him in the Nano-tech armor. This brings us to the first few pages of issue two, and then things really start to pick up.
I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. Admittedly, I’m not a big fan of Kubert’s art. I do like this new trend of Marvel; hiring established authors to write comic books (yeah, so they’re taking a few ideas from DC, who cares as long as they’re good ones). So far Marvel is two for two with that practice, and I hope they continue. If you are an “Ultimate” fan, give Ultimate Iron Man a shot, or at least purchase the trade when it comes out. It’s a good read, and like all “Ultimate” titles, it has one of those fancy shiny covers.
Batgirl #64
DC Comics
Written By: Andersen Gabrych
Drawn By: Ale` Garza
Okay, for those of you who missed my last
Batgirl review I’ll give a quick recap of the current Batgirl’s origin. Our hero Batgirl, aka Cassandra, is a product of the “No Man’s Land” Bat-title crossover. Cassandra is the daughter of Cain, the world’s most dangerous assassin. She was taught from birth nothing but combat skills. She was never taught how to speak or read, or anything else for that matter except for fighting. This granted Cassandra some kind of “fight perception” where she can “see” her opponents next move before it actually happens. This of course makes Cassandra one of the most deadly hand-to-hand combatants in the DC Universe. She has beaten Lady Shiva, and Batman himself has stated a couple of times she is better than he is. Anyway, after the events of “Gang War” (a really lame Bat-title crossover) Cassandra finds herself a resident of Bludhaven, Nightwing’s former hangout. The Penguin relocates himself there as well and soon Batgirl puts a huge dent in his operations. This forces the Penguin to put a contract out on Batgirl, and soon we find out Deathstroke, the Terminator has picked it up. Or has he?
In the first few pages of Batgirl #64 we find out it is the Ravenger, Deathstroke’s daughter who has taken the contract. This is her big “test” for daddy. There are several parallels that can be drawn here. The first Ravenger, Deathstroke’s son, died trying to fulfill a contract taken out on the Teen Titans. When he died Deathstroke picked up the contract to honor his son. Huh. Another parallel is Deathstroke’s relationship with his daughter; it’s an awful lot like Cassandra’s relationship with Cain, but nothing like Cassandra’s relationship with Batman. Huh. Anyway, this issue is non-stop a$# kickery, and the ending is a total “holy sh$#” moment. Pick up this book. If you are a Bat fan and not reading this, you are missing out. If you aren’t, and are looking for a way cool a$# kicking book that goes a mile a minute, then check this book out. If you are a Betty and Veronica type whose favorite TV show is “Desperate Housewives” and you eat “Lean Cuisine” for more than one meal a day, this book is not for you.
Wktf’s Reviews
What a great week for comics! Was tempted to pick up
Batman but, now that it's one issue away from the conclusion of the Red Hood arc, I think I'll wait for the trade. My haul included
Iron Man Masterworks HC,
Fantastic Four: Rising Storm tpb,
Gotham Central: Half A Life tpb,
Green Lantern #1,
OMAC Project #2,
Captain America #6,
Fantastic Four #527,
Stormbreaker BRB #5,
Ultimate Iron Man #2,
Ultimates 2 #6, and
Zorro #1
The OMAC Project #2 (of 6)
DC Comics
Written by: Greg Rucka
Drawn by: Jesus Saiz
This issue if my pick of the week. My esteemed colleague reviewed the first issue of this series a few weeks back and gave it a thumb’s up. The second part is equally as good. This mini-series nicely draws the link between the blockbuster Identity Crisis series and the Countdown to Infinite Crisis one shot. And that link is The Batman. For those who’ve kept up, a contingent of the JLA erased the part of Batman’s memory where he attempted to stop this same group from magically lobotomizing Dr. Light, the man who raped Sue Dibny and threatened to do the same to all the JLA’s loved ones. Batman also was the first hero Blue Beetle came to with concerns that led to the investigation which, ultimately, caused his murder at the hands of Max Lord, current Black King, leader of Checkmate, and the Justice League’s former benefactor.
Sasha Bordeaux now is a member of Checkmate but formerly was Bruce Wayne’s bodyguard. During this time not only did she discover his secret but she became his serious love interest as well. Last issue she tipped her former lover off that Blue Beetle was dead and that Brother MK I, the semi-autonomous AI surveillance satellite designed and built by Batman to spy on the Justice League, was now under someone else’s control. Batman’s motive for building Brother I was born out of his anger and mistrust at his team mates’ stealing his mind from him. This feels more justifiable than the “Tower of Babel” Batman betrayal JLA story arc but, regardless, when he informs Superman, Wonder Woman, and Booster Gold of the situation, tensions start running high. Saiz’s art is a bit crude but conveys these scenes really effectively. The flashback to Batman’s mind-wipe, and the change of expression on Batman’s face during this process, is strikingly effective. Later, the anger and distrust that builds among the JLA characters is real. Booster Gold’s anger at Batman for dismissing Ted’s concerns, Superman’s seeming matter of fact manner, and Wonder Woman’s body language toward Booster Gold and Batman first and then separately toward the Man of Steel are beautifully rendered. There’s serious pain happening among these team mates.
Greg Rucka is gives us a story of intrigue and espionage, laced with superhero action and very real danger. This issue builds toward a climax that brings The Batman and Sasha to the same locale. Now, though, Sasha is working for the enemy even though she clearly still has loyalties and feeling for Bruce. Being what this story is, the two find each other only to then find themselves in a life-and-death situation. This looks bad for Batman, but we all know he’s gotten out of worse dilemmas. I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets out of this one, though, next issue.
Captain America #6
Marvel Comics
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Drawn by: Steve Epting
This issue ends the “Out of Time” arc and, sure enough, the story’s not only not resolved but there’s a major shocker thrown in to boot. One of the great truisms of the Marvel Universe since Captain America was rescued from the ice by Giant Man in Avengers vol. 1 #4 has been shattered. I’m not sure how I feel about it, other than a little disturbed and dismayed for Cap. This twist was not entirely unpredictable but most definitely represents a foundational Marvel Universe brick that’s just come loose.
Pity Captain America. His greatest enemy, the Red Skull, is dead but he doesn’t fully believe it. One of his other great enemies, the first Baron Zemo, who most definitely is dead, has come back in our hero’s mind to plague him with brand new memories of his and Bucky’s capture and torture before his young partner was killed and Cap was thrown to the ice. Cap’s mind seems to be deceiving him into imagining enemies who are there yet suddenly disappear, except that he can smell the gunfire in the air after they disappear. And Sharon Carter, Agent 13 of SHIELD and his former lover, has been captured to lure him into a trap. Though Cap does free Sharon, one of his closest friends is dead, another SHIELD agent is killed, an impossible horror that Nick Fury has kept hidden from Cap seems to come true, the cosmic cube has been recharged, and Cap is no closer to solving his problems at this arc’s close. The story is winding in loops nicely and is keeping this reader coming back for more. There’s some great art in this issue, too. The scene of Captain America parachuting into a wide cityscape is really striking.
The next arc is called “Winter Soldier.” My guess is that it will dive deeper into the terrible mystery Brubaker has forced on Captain America. In JLA/Avengers Cap and Batman teamed up naturally. Now they are facing similar circumstances. Brubaker was a Batman writer. Coincidence? I don’t know. Regardless, Brubaker has brought Cap back from the mismanaged purgatory Marvel’s put him through over the past few years. As a
Captain America fan for the last 40 years, I’m just glad he’s back.
Green Lantern #1
DC Comics
Written by: Geoff Johns
Drawn by: Carlos Pacheco & Ehan Van Sciver
If you read my reviews last week,
Green Lantern: Rebirth, also by Johns and Sciver, ended with a real bang (Batman felt it, that’s for sure!). That was a mini series with great story telling, great art, plenty of action and a steady climb for Hal Jordan back not only to the living but to the very top of DC’s pantheon of heroes. It was an exciting read.
With this first issue of the new
Green Lantern series, Johns gives us the sense that he needs to slow the pacing down somewhat and weave a few separate plot lines in to one issue to create a sense of longevity. It doesn’t really work for me. Hal is reunited with an old Air Force flying buddy, investigates a strange alien space craft with John Stewart with whom he engages in a conversation about starting up the Green Lantern Corp, there’s a mysterious being hidden in the back of an Army truck passing through a desert down, a murderous alien comes into this same town (maybe it’s the same being…not sure), Hal is reunited with his brother in the rebuilding Coast City, he rescues a blonde bombshell Air Force captain from crashing a plane with an alien engine. Right. Like I said. There’s a lot going on in this issue and it all feels a bit disparate at best. Not only that, but they changed the design of Hal’s ring half way through the issue! What’s up with that?
For the first issue of a major character re-launch, the whole thing left me feeling a little flat. Truly, I was disappointed as my expectations, especially after Rebirth, were so high. I’ll stick around, out of respect for John’s writing and long time love for this character, to see if this book goes anywhere. Since Johns is the writer I expect it’ll all tie together eventually. And, hey, I forgot to mention that the Alex Ross variant cover is killer! By itself, it’s almost worth the price of the issue. Almost.
Fantastic Four #527
Marvel Comics
Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
Drawn by: Mike McKone
Ben’s butt: Image sent to Bill Gates (?)
A new creative team is on
Fantastic Four. I’m not familiar with Mike McKone but I’m sure familiar with JMS. This is the guy who took my Spider-Man character and, despite some nifty turns (the 9-11 issue, Peter’s reconciliation with MJ, Aunt May’s discovery of Peter’s secret), wrecked him for me. Lame villains like Morlun and Ezekiel weren’t bad enough but when it turned out that Gwen Stacy had the Green Goblin’s love children I was so done that I’ve bought only one copy of ASM since. And, after I read it, I was sorry I’d bought that one (I reviewed it if you want to go back and read it, but I think you get the picture). Turns out that Mike McKone’s art is OK. He draws a good Thing and his level of detail is pretty impressive. You’d never be able to recognize his Nick Fury without his signature eye-patch but, regardless, while I’m not crazy about his art it’s not terrible. But back to JMS for a minute.
OK, so now this guy’s on
Fantastic Four, one of my single favorite Marvel titles of all time. And what happens? Ben gets indigestion from eating too many hot dogs and has to bolt for the bathroom and, having discovered Reed didn’t lose his financial share of Fantastic Four, Inc. like he did for the rest of his team, decides to photocopies his bare butt and sends it to Bill Gates (who mistakes it for a satellite photo of the Grand Canyon). I’m telling you, you can’t make this stuff up. In addition, there are attempts by Reed at humor that just seem stupid. And now, in an attempt to shore up relations with the US government after the Latveria invasion fiasco that got Ben killed (remember when Jack Kirby was God? Man, that was great!) and to boost his group’s cash flow (in
MK 4 the team lost all their money to a crooked accountant), Reed’s teaming up with a research facility to duplicate the conditions that gave the FF their powers to create an army of cosmic ray enhanced super soldiers. Come on! Haven’t we seen other attempts at Hulks, Things and Captain Americas before? Didn’t they result in Abominations and Super Patriots and other similar super powered bad guys? Don’t we know that our superheroes are more than just their powers? They are who they are due to their spirits, personalities and tenacity as well as their powers. Can anything good come of this? Oh, and is it realistic that Reed really could simply have forgotten about Ben’s financial fortune and allowed his family to live in the squalor to which they were subjected in MK 4’s first story arc?
Is there any reason I should pick up the next issue?
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