It’s time once again for Comixtreme’s
Done-In-One reviews! We cover the gamut this week, from A (
Archie) to Z (
Zorro)! With stops along the way at
E(lephantmen),
G(waii),
P(erhapanauts), and everything in-between. And remember, if there’s a comic that CX hasn’t reviewed, feel free to make a request!
Archie #587 (Archie Comics)
by Batton Lash, Bill Galvan and Bob Smith
Ladies and gentlemen: allow me to introduce you to the brave new world of Archie Continuity. It begins here with the first part of Freshman Year - an origin story of sorts for the gang from Riverdale. In the story, you get a heaping helping of fantastic in-jokes. The kids all begin to wonder just what life holds in store for them, and begin to fantasize about ridiculous fantasy worlds that have actually graced the pages of Archie Comics. From Archie’s dream of being a superhero, to Veronica’s high-powered corporate trips around the globe, to the possibility of forming a band called “The Andrews’” (the name needs a little work), there’s quite a few laughs to be had. But that’s not all. The story isn’t just cropping up a few laughs, but there’s some solid character development taking place. I know, character development in an Archie comic? You get a taste of what middle school was like for the gang, you grab a little insight into a love-hate thing that Betty Cooper has for Archie, and you have the parents having it out over their offspring’s flaws at Jughead’s moving-away barbeque. And yes, you read that right too. Jughead’s moving-away barbeque. This isn’t a joke. This isn’t a hoax. The best read you’re going to find at your comic shop right now, is this book. Pick it up.
Rating: 5/5 —B. Schatz
Blood Bowl: Killer Contract #2 (Boom! Studios)
by Matt Forbeck & Lads Helloven
This issue, the fantasy players play a game, where all sorts of fantasy violence and mayhem is unleashed, and eventually the murder for hire plot is progressed, but only at the end. This is pretty much the first issue again, although to be fair, it’ a streamlined version, where there’s fewer people to follow and less in the way of digression. This helps, as while the art seems a bit easier to follow this issue, characters still have a tendency to look alike, especially hidden by football helmets, and it’s a highly stylized, super color saturated style that just isn’t my favorite. (Although I thought the coloring was good, just a bit too dark at times.) It’s decent and it moves pretty well, but I have to admit that I really haven’t gotten the hang of this book at all.
Rating: 3/5 --Andrea Speed
The Boy Who Made Silence #5 (AAM/Markosia)
by Joshua Hagler
Is there a harder comic to explain than The Boy Who Made Silence? It’s terribly strange, which is always a point in its favor from my perspective, but it makes it nearly impossible to describe what the heck is going on. It probably helps that even regular readers almost are never quite sure what the ham sandwich is going on. But it’s a wonderful kind of frustration. In this issue, a preacher who’s dying of a terminal illness and has pretty much lost his faith sees a miracle in Nestor, although Nestor doesn’t quite get what’s going on, and his mother remains wary. The art is possibly the main draw to this series, and this issue it recalls David Mack, working as it does with mixed media (in this case, handwritten letters right beside and occasionally intruding upon panels), and employing a very expressionistic style. The only thing that put me on shaky ground was the religiosity in this issue, but I think some fans of the Old Testament will be mighty pleased. Still, a weird and beautifully drawn story.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Andrea Speed
DMZ #33 (DC Comics/Vertigo)
By Brian Wood & Riccardo Burchielli
It’s getting near election day and the front runner, Parco Delgado, is lying in a hospital bed suffering from an assassin’s bullet. While trying to find out who was responsible for the act is a top priority for some, the city is more interested in trying to keep the fragile peace that the elections promise and the results are mixed. Matty does his best helping the Delgado Nation, but he is given some rather cryptic and unsettling news from his father concerning what will happen after election day. Still, all anyone can do is wait. This is certainly a tense issue, as we see that every side has a vestige interest in how things end for the Island of Manhattan. I can’t help but find it all so tragic and useless. But that is, I’m sure how Brian Wood wants me to feel. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
Rating: 4/5—Terry Verticchio
Elephantmen #13 (Image Comics)
By Richard Starkings, Moritat, Kevin Eastman, Boo Cook
After a handful of special issues and side stories, Elephantmen comes stampeding back into full swing with the start of a three-part story, Spore Wars. Here, Hip and Ebony head to the beach to investigate a mysterious meteorite that has landed. Meanwhile Obadiah Horn finds himself in a car accident. Previous issues of the series have told fractured chunks of various scenarios with different characters as the focus, yet slowly telling on grander story in the process. This issue is one of the most linear and grounded yet, but it is still incredibly engaging. If anthropomorphic animals wasn’t a far out enough sci-fi concept for you, Starkings throws alien squid spores in the mix here. There are still six or so pages of sketches, text, and previews in the back. Like past issues, some of it is interesting, but I feel takes up space that could be better used to tell more of the story. I know it’s meant to help give the comic as a pulp-fiction mag style, but I think these would be more appropriate in a trade paperback collection.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Liam Creswick
Fall of Cthulhu #14 (Boom! Studios)
by Michael Alan Nelson & Mateus Santolouco
This arc comes to a close, as Dirk and Lucifer find themselves facing off not only against the Gray Man, but a bunch of Cthulhu cultists who are perhaps a tad overenthusiastic about the prospect of the old tentacled one coming back. Everything wraps up in a neat if ominous package, and we discover what Dirk gave up to help defeat the Gray Man. It’s a solid story, but I can’t wait for the God War that keeps being teased here. And while the art is good in the Harlot’s realm, for the rest of the time it varies from adequate to distracting and slightly off. Dirk still looks like he has a squashed Ken doll head most of the time, and you know, that’s got to hurt. A decent issue, a decent end to a decent arc, but goddamn, let’s get to the big time carnage already!
Rating: 3.5/5 --Andrea Speed
Futurama Comics #38 (Bongo Comics)
By Ian Boothby & Tom King
When Planet Express ship crashes into a planet of tech nerds, Leela becomes their Jungle Queen, while Fry and Bender don't get nearly as happy a result. This is definitely one of the better issues of Futurama Comics in a while -- it's full of the sort of sight gags, puns, and character humor that made the TV show so darn brilliant. Jokes about computer programs like Leopard may go over the head of some readers, but the Clippy and Firefox gags more than make up for it. There's even an unexpected but highly amusing Iron Man homage tossed in for our amusement. What's more, the characters are all played perfectly -- Leela's exasperation at her comrades is classic, and Fry's righteous anger is delicious. You'd think the new Futurama direct-to-DVD movies would satisfy the fans' thirst for the show, but in fact, it just makes me want it even more. It's really nice to have the comic book to help take the edge off that craving.
Rating: 4/5 --Blake M. Petit
The Gwaii #1 (Arcana Comics)
By Sean O'Reilly, Grant Chastain & The Great LP
Arcana Comics has really been on a roll lately with their kids' comics. Following the fantastic Clockwork Girl miniseries, Sean O'Reilly gives us The Gwaii, a nifty fantasy about a strange race of Sasquatch-like creatures who live in the Canadian northwest. O'Reilly has crafted a story based on the language and culture of his native British Columbia, and just as Clockwork Girl was clearly inspired by Romeo and Juliet, The Gwaii seems to have a touch of Bambi, beginning with the loss of little Tanu's mother. The story takes a quick left turn, however, when he finds a companion willing to help him try to rescue her. Out of all the mid-range publishers, Arcana has a better idea than anyone how to make comics for Kids (and, in fact, they're doing a better job than some of the big boys): tell a compelling, accessible story with fantastic artwork and put it out at a low price, like this 99-cent introductory issue. This is a story that would be worth it even at standard comic prices, but for a bargain price, there's just no reason to pass it up.
Rating: 4/5 --Blake M. Petit
Halo: Uprising Must Have (Marvel Comics)
By Brian Bendis, Alex Maleev & Matt Hollingsworth
It’s been almost a year since the Halo: Uprising comics were released, and with the third issue finally coming out next month, Marvel saw fit to collect the first two issues in one “must have” pack. I can’t imagine what was so pressing that made Bendis too busy to keep up with these comics. Regardless, these comics tell a grand disaster set in the Halo universe. The Covenant forces have invaded Cleveland, and we follow two residents, a hotel worker and a pop starlet, as they try to escape. Meanwhile Master Chief, the Halogame’s main character, does what he does best; kick butt and take names. There is a good little twist at the end to whet new readers appetites and remind people like me who basically forgot about this series what was initially so engaging. Alex Maleev is on art duties, and he captures the style and energy of the Halo games wonderfully. This is a fun sci-fi comic with elements of action, disaster, mystery and a little character development for good measure. In a two-for-the-price-of-one collection, it’s well worth picking up for Halo fans and noobies alike.
Rating: 4/5 --Liam Creswick
Legion of Super-Heroes #44 (DC Comics)
By Jim Shooter, Sanford Greene & Francis Manapul
One of the things that's fun about the Legion is how many stories you can tell at once. There's so much going on in this issue you almost need a scorecard to keep track of it all. The Velmar team has been captured, and Light Lass has been picked as the new "girlfriend" of the enemy -- but a surprising savior shows up to help. On Rimbor, Saturn Girl's team faces off against the Science Police, who are trying to arrest Ultra Boy. And back on Earth, Brainiac 5 introduces Lightning Lad to the Legion's mysterious new benefactor. Shooter's classic Legion run was famous for introducing one brilliant new concept after another, and he's brought a touch of that magic back here, with new characters, villains and ideas tossed about. As often is the case, it can be a little tough to keep track of with the sheer volume, but it's pretty much all interesting stuff. Pulling the rating down a tad, though, is the artwork. Sanford Greene's style isn't really a good fit for the Legion. It's a little too rough, with a touch of the manga influence as well, and the combination isn't quite right for these characters. Good issue otherwise, though.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
N-Guard #1 (AAM/Markosia)
by Jonathan Bryans, Phillip Jackson, & Mickey Clausen
N-Guard seems to be Markosia’s entry into the rather small field of kids comics, as young anthropomorphized animals (teenagers or tweeners - it’s hard to say with rabbits and cats) discover on a field trip the secret history of their world, and how an evil underground force is determined to destroy it, until Mother Nature herself makes a handful of them her super-powered guardians. If you’re getting Captain Planet flashbacks, I don’t blame you, but that’s not quite it - the underground dwellers threatening to terraform the world into something more to their liking are the evil Spidersect, so it isn’t a battle against environmental damage, it’s a battle against an evil arachnid enemy. The art work is colorful and in a manga-lite style that all kids are probably used to. There’s little new here, but kids should find the story easy to follow and get into. But adults will probably not be terribly impressed.
Rating: 3/5 --Andrea Speed
Perhapanauts #3 (Image Comics)
By Todd Dezago, Craig Rousseau, Kelly Yates, Tad Stones
This may well be the best issue yet of the really strong Perhapanauts series. Big sets out on his mysterious annual vacation, during which he is incommunicado with the rest of the team. Nobody knows where he goes or what he does during this time -- but this year, he allows Merrow to accompany him. This is a really touching story that says a lot about Big as a character and fills us in a lot on the past of the Perhapanauts' universe at the same time. The issue continues this trend with "The Merrow's Tale," in which the pixie-like Perhap returns the favor to Big by telling us her origin, which is also rather telling about someone else in our cast. The book finishes off with the hysterical "Choopie and the Gremlins," in which the final fate of the tiny creatures that worship Choopie as their king is decided. This issue truly gives us a wonderful blend of the deep, the insightful, and the funny. Craig Rousseau hits us with his usual fantastic artwork, but the back-up art by Kelly Yates and Tad Stones is every bit as solid, and either artist would be welcome on a longer story in this title. I'm really happy this book has found a permanent, ongoing home at Image -- every issue makes me smile.
Rating: 4.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
Starship Troopers #9 (AAM/Markosia)
by Cy Dethan, Scott James, Alex Johns, Christian Beranek, Jim Boswell, Tony Lee, Neil Edwards, & Ian Sharman
This is the first Starship Troopers comic I’ve read, and to be perfectly honest, I dozed off during the movie and never saw anything past the first ten minutes or so. Perhaps I’m not the ideal person to review this comic. But I have to say it’s not a bad military science fiction comic, as it busts out a lot of hardware, is chock full of violence, and moves at a good pace. It’s not too confusing for a newcomer to follow either, which is a point in its favor. The Vandals go after a civilian militia’s “reaper cell”, some kind of unknown weapon that will give them a major edge if it’s completed, so they show up to shut them down. All in all, it’s actually a fairly easy assignment, but it seems the weapons aren’t what the team expected, although it’s the party crashing Tanner who discovers the depth and breadth of what’s actually going on. None of the sci-fi concepts trotted out are new exactly, but the story has a forward momentum that makes you forgive it. A little harder to deal with is the art, which varies from rough but acceptable to just bloody messy. Art issues aside, military sci-fi fans probably won’t find a more entertaining title out this week.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Andrea Speed
Tangent: Superman's Reign #5 (DC Comics)
By Dan Jurgens, Ron Marz, Jamal Igle & Fernando Pasarin
With Powergirl revealed and Manhunter dead, the universe-tossed Justice Leaguers and their counterparts are thrown into battle against an incredibly powerful enemy. They quickly find that this new universe comes with it a whole different set of expectations -- and if that isn't enough, when the Superman finds out about New Earth, he sees a whole new opportunity for conquest. Thank goodness an old friend returns at the end of the story, else there'd be no reason for hope at all. I'm enjoying this story, but I do think it's moving a little slowly. We're five issues in, and it feels like it could have been shortened -- not too much, maybe to four -- without losing anything. The "History Lesson" back-ups continue to give us welcome information, however, this issue taking us up to the origin of the Joker and the birth of the Secret Six. With a universe this different, it's fun to see where it came from. I'm kind of concerned about whether there's enough story here to last enough seven issues or if it will continue to feel stretched out, but that concern isn't enough to drive me from the book.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
Voltron: A Legend Forged #1 (Devil's Due Publishing)
By Josh Blaylock, Mike Bear, Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Two Voltrons and two time periods make up the first issue of this latest miniseries. In the distant past, the Lion Voltron force is stranded on a pretty hostile planet. In the future, the Vehicle Voltron team must fend off a combined attack by the forces of Captain Stride and Prince Lotor -- who aren't exactly on friendly terms with each other, either. How do these two stories connect? Uh... to be honest, I'm not entirely clear on that either. This first issue gives me the feeling that the timeline has been carefully planned out, but isn't being presented in the most understandable method. Things feel somewhat out-of-order, and I find I'm just left hoping that, by the end, the pieces will come together in a way that really makes sense. The former G.I. Joe art team of Mike Bear and Jean-Francois Beaulieu handle the chores this issue, and they do an okay job. The Vehicle Voltron looks a little funky at times, but their human characters are just fine. But the cars that make up Voltron's feet (through no fault of this creative team) look just silly flying through outer space. Still, there's some meat here for Voltron fans, and with luck, the next few issues will fill in the gaps in a way that makes this first issue work.
Rating: 3/5 --Blake M. Petit
The X-Files Special #0 (DC Comics/WildStorm)
by Frank Spotnitz and Brian Denham
The truth is out there, people. Yeah, I know that’s almost cheesy, but it had to be said. Mulder and Scully happen on yet again another strange occurrence in one of those square states that no one can remember the name of in the middle of American's heartland. It seems a woman that has been missing for 17 years turns up dead, the thing is it looks as if she hasn’t aged a day. Okay this book reads like an ordinary X-File episode, which is to be expected as it was written by one of the show’s writers, Frank Spotnitz. The art by Brian Denham is almost photo realistic in the depiction of the main characters. While the art is clean and clear, it does feel a bit flat in places. So if you’re a fan of the show this issue will appeal to you. But if you’re expecting big moments and tense thrills, well unfortunately they aren’t here. As it is, this issue is pretty good. I’ll have to read the next few issues to give a better judgment.
Rating: 3.5/5—Terry Verticchio
Zorro #5 (Dynamite Entertainment)
By Matt Wagner, Francesco Francavilla & Ryan Sook
Zorro's origin continues, and we seem to be rapidly approaching the crisis point. After facing the trial by fire of the ancient La Justica society, Diego chooses his new name and his mask. His exploits threaten the secrecy of his order, however, and the troubles of his home begin to reach across the Atlantic. When we reach the point where he is summoned back to California, we definitely get the sensation that we're seeing the birth of a legend. I've had one persistent problem with this series -- the present-day sequences haven't been as engaging as the flashback scenes -- but this issue even makes those present sequences more entertaining. Francavilla's artwork is a fine compliment to Wagner's script. Things boil up to a dandy little cliffhanger, and I'm eagerly awaiting the last issue of this first story arc. Zorro is back in a big way!
Rating: 4.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
July 26th 2008, 03:32 PM
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