Done-In-One Reviews for May 9th/16th, 2007
Coordinator's Note: I appologize for the missed week last week. As you can tell, reviews from that week have been mixed with ones from this week below. Next week's reviews will appear as scheduled on Saturday. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Done-In-One Reviews are capsule sized reviews of some of the titles we missed covering from this week’s comic book shipment. This thread contains those reviews below.
Done-In One Reviews
Betty and Veronica Double Digest #151 (Archie Comics)
By Melanie J. Morgan, Steven Butler, Al Milgrom and many others
The much-ballyhooed "new look" for Betty and Veronica launches this issue. Melanie Morgan and Steven Butler give Archie's girlfriends a more "realistic" art style and a slightly more mature story, as Ronnie falls for the new "Bad Boy" in town, and Betty worries that her best friend is getting in over her head. Fans who refuse to accept any change in the classic characters won't like it, but people who don't mind a little experiment will find a good story that will most certainly appeal to the intended audience (i.e. young teenage girls). Only the first story is in the new style, though, with the rest of the book full of reprints and the occasional new piece in the classic Archie style, as usual. As is always the case with an Archie digest, there are so many stories that virtually any Archie fan will find a few to really enjoy ("Let it Rain" and "Dream Dilemma" being among my favorites), many that are entertaining, and a few that fall a little flat. But that's all a matter of personal taste, and it's still a heck of a lot of comic book for just $3.69. Creatively, I think the experiment is working pretty well so far. We'll have to wait and see if it works from a commercial standpoint. Rating: 3.5/5 -Blake Petit
Conan #40 (Dark Horse)
By Timothy Truman, Paul Lee, Dave Stewart, and Richard Starkings
With Paul Lee coming on to do yet another fill-in, it almost feels as if the title's taken up the old Savage Sword of Conan format – more anthology than singular epic. And that's really a shame, because even seven or eight issues into the title (don't quote me on that number – I'm too lazy to look up the actual count) Truman's run still feels as if it's going through its growing pains, which just isn't a good sign. Dark Horse really needs to work on their artist scheduling if they want this title to succeed in single issues – I sure as heck do, but so far it doesn't seem like they've delivered. This issue's story, “The Tale of the Head,” I suppose is meant to be a humorous breather for Conan, attempting to give us 300's grim humor (“THIS IS AQUILONIA!”) wrapped in a short King Conan tale. I don't think it exactly works, Conan has always been more suitable to having subtle humor than overt humor, but it's a fill-in so I'm not going to spend too much time thinking about it. Paul Lee's work is a mixed blessing, some of it is great, like his interiors of the prince's chambers, the rest...would do well with some backgrounds, but again...it's a fill-in. If you're looking for an entry point into Conan, this just isn't the place to start, Cary Nord returns next issue with an adaptation of Robert E. Howard's “Rogues in the House,” which sounds far more promising. Rating: 2/5 ~ S. A. Parvaze
Friday the 13th #6 (DC Comics/Wildstorm)
By Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Adam Archer & Ryan Sook
The first (and, as it turned out, only) arc in Wildstorm's Friday the 13th ongoing comes to a close, and it's actually a little disappointing. The story of the latest group of teenagers to fall under the curse of "Camp Blood" isn't bad, but it's a little too cliched for a Friday story. What's more, a lot of the hints of earlier issues about things with Jason not being quite right (even for him) are never followed up on. I don't blame the writers -- I suspect that there were a lot of things they included in this story arc with the intention of using in future stories that evidently aren't going to happen now... at least not anytime soon. Jason will be back soon in the Pamela's Story miniseries, but I kind of hope that Palmiotti and Gray get another crack at finishing what they started. Rating: 3.5/5 -Blake Petit
Gargoyles #4 (Slave Labour Graphics)[/b]
by Greg Weisman and David Hedgecock
Gargoyles used to be my favourite Saturday morning as a kid, and I was really glad when it was announced that a comic would be written following up on the events of the second season (because really, “The Goliath Chronicles” does not count). When #1 hit the stands, I quickly snapped it up, and devoured the offering, and then, anxiously waited for more. It turned out to be a very long wait. Fortunately, everything seems to be back on track with issue #4, coming fairly quickly off of the heels of #3, and the momentum really helps this story read with much more fluidity. Goliath and Eliza have both brought other dates to a party, and Thialog and his cloned Gargoyles begin an assult on… well, multiple fronts it seems, and it officially seems like the show never left. Sure, the art not up to the production standards of the actual cartoon, but no one really expects it to be. It tells the story, and does it without being clunky and disjointed, so I’m happy. Rating: 3.5/5 -B. Schatz
The Honor Brigade #2 (Spinner Rack Comics)
By Tom Stillwell & Bradley Bowers
I liked the first issue of Tom Stillwell and Bradley Bowers' The Honor Brigade. The second issue, which brings the story into a clearer focus, is considerably better. As Toy Boy continues his one-man (or is it?) crusade against Plus-Co, the superhero called Lightning Rod tries to stop him. Toy Boy manages to convince Lightning Rod to play along, though, just long enough to find out something shocking. This issue features a lot of hints and details about the past, especially about the "old" Honor Brigade, which seems to be defunct this issue. With that revelation it becomes clear what this miniseries is about -- it's actually the origin of the new Honor Brigade, and that's an origin that interests me very much. I'm quite excited to see just where this storyline is headed -- to meet the new characters, to unravel the mystery, and to see just how much fun old-school superheroes can be. Rating: 4.5/5 -Blake Petit
Hulk and Power Pack #3 (Hulk and Power Pack #3)
By Marc Sumerak & Andy Kuhn
When a green behemoth starts tearing up New York, the Power Pack kids think their friend the Hulk has lost control. As they set out to find him, to help him and -- if necessary -- to stop him, they soon discover the dangers of jumping to conclusions. As usual, one of the things I simply love about this series is how well Sumerak can slip in a moral lesson without getting preachy or heavy-handed. The same holds true here -- the kids learn an important lesson, while at the same time engaging in a great old-fashioned superhero story. The ending is one of the best cliffhangers since the Power Pack franchise was releaunched a couple of years ago. As always, this is one of the best comics for young readers that Marvel -- or anybody else, for that matter -- is publishing. Rating: 4/5 -Blake Petit
Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #2 (DC Comics/Johnny DC)
By J. Torres & Sanford Greene
Just two issues in, and I've found something to really enjoy about the comic book based on the Legion of Super-Heroes cartoon. Unlike most cartoon-based comics, which seem to tell nebulous stories that could fit in-between just about any two episodes, the two issues we've read so far have been very tightly connected to the cartoon without being slavish about it. The first issue was a retelling of the pilot from another perspective, while this issue picks up right on the heels of the introduction of Timber Wolf. As the Legion returns home, having sworn in their newest member, their ship becomes the target of a swarm of hungry Lunar Leeches. The team has to pull together to fight off the creatures and get themselves home, and it's up to their two newest members to do it. This whole issue reminded me very much of an old-fashioned Legion story, the sort of think they did back in their early Adventure Comics days when Superboy had just joined and everything was still new. There simply aren't enough comics out there right now that inspire that kind of feeling. Rating: 4/5 -Blake Petit
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #13 (Marvel Comics)
by Jeff Parker, Leonard Kirk, Terry Pallot and Val Staples
That was the most fun I’ve had reading a superhero comic in a long, long time. Actually, no. That was the most fun I’ve had reading a superhero comic since Agents of Atlas wrapped up recently, also written by Jeff Parker – and there’s probably a reason for it. In this issue, Giant Girl is going on a rampage, and the only way to figure out why she’s gone out of control, is to figure out where she came from! It’s a question that’s been on the minds of many who’ve been eyeballing the odd line-up of Avengers chosen for this title – and the answer is very fulfilling, even if you’ve never read an issue of this comic before. And what’s more, you get more than a few laughs, and a complete story! What more could you want? This book is being added to my pull list now. Rating: 4.5/5 -B. Schatz
Mystery in Space #8 (DC Comics)
By Jim Starlin & Ron Lim
I've enjoyed the Mystery in Space miniseries for the most part, but this last issue left me a little flat. Comet and the Weird finally meet, and they do the old-fashioned "misunderstanding, fight, team up" routine, finally taking the battle to the bizarre operatives of the Eternal Light Corporation. The conclusion is sort of bleak, but sets up a nice status quo for Captain Comet in the future. I find I'm still not really enamored of the Weird, though, and the hint at the end that he may be playing into future stories elsewhere in the DCU doesn't really thrill me. Ron Lim's artwork, as usual, is fantastic. Jim Starlin also pencils a good portion of this issue himself, and he does a great job with the Weird, but I'm not really a fan of his rendition of Comet. This series started out really strong, but it fizzled slightly in the end. Rating: 3/5 -Blake Petit
Nightwing #132 (DC Comics)
By Marv Wolfman & Paco Diaz
The story of the Bride and Groom comes to a nice, exciting conclusion as Nightwing leads a group of retired (if not fully reformed) supervillains into battle against the energy vampires that killed their friends. While Dick's stake in this story is both personal and entertaining, what really impressed me this issue was how simply and how well Marv Wolfman managed to define the former baddies beyond just their powers. In just a few issues, they feel like fairly well developed and, yes, even interesting characters. Defying expectations, I really want to read more about them. Paco Diaz pinch-hits on the artwork and, combined with beautiful colors by Edgar Delgado, makes one fantastic-looking comic book. Nightwing is a great book when it's done right. You can tell any kind of story from a crime drama to an old-fashioned superhero romp, and Wolfman has made it a must-read for me once again. Rating: 4/5 -Blake Petit
Noble Causes #29 (Image Comics)
By Jay Faerber & Yildiray Cinar
Kitty Blackthorne is dead at Celeste Noble's hands, and the destruction of her relationship with Dawn is only the beginning of the fallout. Tensions have been high ever since Race caused the death of the Blackthorne's son, but this attack and Celeste showing up at the funeral push things past the breaking point. Faerber's story really gets good this issue, showing how Zephyr and Slate (who is rapidly becoming one of my favorite characters) are forced to work together at the funeral to prevent further bloodshed. The solution Doc Noble comes up with at the end is a nice nod to this title's history, pulling out the elephant in the room to stave off a possible war between the families. If there's anything that really surprises me, it's that this issue seems to tie things up much more finally than Noble Causes usually does. The fallout of these events will be really, really interesting. Rating: 4/5 -Blake Petit
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel Comics)
By Jeff Parker & Mike Wieringo
While the first issue of this miniseries was a bit Spider-Man heavy, this issue does nice work to balance that out. As the H'Mojen begin their invasion, taking over the bodies of humans across the globe, Spidey and the Fantastic Four begin planning a way to fight back. The invasion is going a bit too well, though, with even friends and family falling under prey of the aliens' new "Silver Age." I must say, the title "The New Silver Age" is incredibly appropriate for this issue. The story is rather silly, dodgy from a scientific standpoint, and at times a bit implausible. In short, it's everything that made the Silver Age of comics such a wonderful, imaginative ground for stories. Parker and Wieringo are clearly having a blast with this miniseries, and as this is a sort of fun that's sorely missing from the Marvel Universe these days, I'm happy to go along with them. Why, oh why, can't the regular titles have this kind of old-school excitement anymore? Rating: 4/5 -Blake Petit
Tales of the Unexpected #8 (DC Comics)
By David Lapham, Eric Battle, Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang
With all due respect to John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake's legendary run, David Lapham may have given us some of the best Spectre stories of all time with this miniseries. The full truth about the murder of slumlord Leonard Krieger is finally unearthed, and it's as layered and intense as I'd hoped. The potential in this setup for the Spectre is limitless -- this is one of the most unique mystery frameworks I've ever read. It's a magnificent blend of superheroics, hardcore crime and bone-chilling horror, all in one comic book. I wasn't a fan of Brian Azzarello's Dr. Thirteen back-up for the first several issues, but by the end the weird metafiction he crafted, which seems to be more about the nature of the DC Universe than anything else, has rather won me over. I may have to re-read the entire thing to get a better feel for it. Most importantly, though, I loved this series, and I really hope there's more Spectre on our plate, and soon. Rating: 4/5 -Blake Petit
May 19th 2007, 02:50 AM
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