It’s June! Fire up the barbecue, put on the swimsuit, and dive into another selection of
Done-In-One Reviews! (Really, isn’t it too hot for all that mucking around outside, anyway?) Take a look at what we’ve got for you this week, friends – another healthy helping of quick capsule reviews for recent releases in your comic book world!
Archie #596 (Archie Comics)
By George Gladir & Stan Goldberg
With the news of his impending nuptials making national headlines, people are paying closer attention to Archie than they have in a long time. At a glance, one may expect "The Big Flip" to be a sort of prologue to that upcoming storyline: Archie, tired of his eternal indecision between Betty and Veronica, decides to finally flip and coin and make his choice once and for all. Rather than a prologue, though, we get a pretty typical Archie story with a typical ending. That is to say: it's cute, it's funny, but things at the end of this book are pretty much the same as they've been for the past 60 or so years. Some of the later stories in the book are actually much better -- "Gory Story" focuses on Archie and Chuck trying to make a student film about vampires, with really clever, entertaining results. "Teller I Love Her" is another case of Archie's trademark clumsiness actually saving the day. "Changing Times" is a tale about Archie and Jughead watching as the Riverdale High class of 1984 enjoys its 25-year reunion. As they go through all the changes the school has endured over that time, I'm both amused and perturbed at how much schools really have changed in that time. I was only in elementary school in '84, but still. Some of the things Riverdale allegedly has are a bit high-tech even for a school in 2009, but the story as a whole works really well. Okay issue overall.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
Atomic Robo: Shadow From Beyond Time #2 (Red 5 Comics)
By Brian Clevinger & Sott Wegener
The monster that was H.P. Lovecraft begins to tear apart New York, leaving Charles Fort and Atomic Robo to try to take it down. With the monster's existence outside of linear time as a factor, Robo quickly comes up with a plan -- one that will mean a whole lot of trouble. The reason I love this series is because of how much fun it is, and this issue may be the most fun I've had with Robo yet. The chase scene, the battle with the monster, the frantic phone call to Tesla -- Clevinger and Wegener perfectly balance the action with the comedy this issue. I laughed, I cheered, and I was shocked at the ending (even though it's kind of obvious how this cliffhanger is going to end). Wegener's art tells the story flawlessly, with plenty of energy and life. Really, the whole team went above and beyond this month. Instead of the usual back-up story, this month we get a text piece featuring a modern-day interview with Robo about the current state of Tesladyne. It's a pretty cool look at how the character exists in this day and age, since most of what we've seen of him has been in the past. It makes me wonder if the next miniseries may not bring Robo into the present day. Overall, a heck of a strong issue that everyone who loves fun in their comic books should have picked up.
Rating: 4.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
Batman in Barcelona: Dragon's Knight #1 (DC Comics)
By Mark Waid, Diego Olmos & Jim Lee
Mark Waid returns to DC Comics with this solid, if not spectacular, one-shot featuring Batman travelling to Spain to look for a maddened, horribly dangerous Killer Croc. Waid writes a good Batman. The personality is solid, the methods are intriguing. One of my favorite things about this book is his explanation of how Batman gets around airport security when he travels commercially as Bruce Wayne, but still has a full Bat-arsenal waiting for him when the plane lands. Olmos does a good job here as well. I really like his interpretation of both Batman and Killer Croc, and the battle between the two is full of energy and action. Jim Lee's cover is nice too -- he always does a solid Batman, of course, and the cityscape of Barcelona in the background is pretty good. Really, the only strike against this book is one of almost any non-crossover one-shot: relevance. With Bruce currently out of the picture, this is a book that has to take place in the past and probably won't have too much impact on the characters in the future, unless it gets referenced the next time Killer Croc goes on a tear. It's a good book, and it's satisfying for anyone who enjoys when Batman starts globe-trotting. It just probably won't factor into anything in the future, which is always a shame.
Rating: 4/5 --Blake M. Petit
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Vampires #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
By Becky Cloonan, Vasilis Lolos, Jo Chen & Gabriel Ba
Taking a month off from the Season Eight storyline, the Buffy crew provides us this interesting one-shot about what it's like to live in a world where Vampires have been "outed" on Harmony's reality show. Becky Cloonan and Vasilis Lolos turn their attention to a young man in New Hampshire, a typical lost teenager who has few friends and little drive. He does have one thing most kids his age don't -- a vampire for a friend. Cloonan shows us an interesting path for the boy, one that wouldn't have been possible in exactly the same way in the pre-eighth season Buffyverse, and I think that's a really good path to take with this one-shot. What Harmony did was a drastic, world-changing event, but we haven't seen too much of the effects outside of our usual cast of characters. This issue really helps examine the new world Buffy and company now inhabit. Vasilis Lolos's artwork compliments the story very well. It's got a nice dark edge to it, something that may not feel quite right for Buffy herself, but is perfect for telling a darker story set elsewhere in her world. I don't know if I'd want to see him on a regular issue of the series, but I really enjoyed his work on the side. I wouldn't mind at all seeing more work from this pair in the fringes of the Buffyverse.
Rating: 4/5 --Blake M. Petit
Chew #1 (Image Comics)
By John Layman & Rob Guillory
Image Comics has really been pushing this book with previews and press all over the place, and putting the first few pages in the back of The Walking Dead a few weeks ago was enough to make me check out this first issue. I'm really glad I did. Chew is one of the most original ideas for a comic book I've seen in a very long time. Set in a world where bird flu fears have led to the banning of (and subsequent black market in) poultry products, Chew is the tale of Tony Chu, a cop with the bizarre power to absorb psychic impressions of the past of any piece of food he eats. While the potential in this sort of power is there, the problems definitely outweigh it. Can you imagine having to relive the slaughter of the cow that makes up your hamburger -- or worse, find out what really went into your hot dog? Chu and his partner are undercover, staking out a poultry speakeasy, when a few clients show up that are about to complicate Tony's life exponentially. This issue is mostly set-up, getting Chu where he's probably going to spend the bulk of this series, but it's great set up. It explains the world in general and Tony Chu's situation in particular perfectly well, and it sets things up for an intriguing story down the line. Rob Guillory's art compliments the story nicely, creating a comic really unlike anything else I've ever read. If you think there's nothing new in comics, think again -- you just need to know where to look.
Rating: 5/5 --Blake M. Petit
Dead Run #1 (Boom! Studios)
By Andrew Cosby, Michael Alan Nelson, Francesco Biagini, & Matthew Wilson
In this futuristic dystopia, most of the world has been wiped out, and the roads are dangerous places. Although people live in technologically advanced, gated cities, some people live outside them, and they're not friendly. You have to be a special person to traverse the roads between cities, and Nick is one of those people, a courier in a special car. But a crime lord kidnaps his sister and forces him to make the “dead run”, a suicidal run between Los Angeles and San Francisco that only one man has survived. Can Nick do it? This has elements of The Road Warrior (obviously acknowledged in the opening sequence), The Transporter, and a handful of different post-apocalyptic stories of various qualities. It's not bad, it's just familiar, and I wonder if something that could have made a decent (if derivative) action film can play all that well as a comic. The art is reasonably solid, although at its best in the landscapes. For fans of this type of thing, who don't mind the nagging sense of deja vu.
Rating: 2.5/5 --Andrea Speed
Farscape: Strange Detractors #3 (Boom! Studios)
By Keith R.A. DeCandido, Will Sliney, & Zac Atkinson
Crichton heads to a Diagnosan's enclave with Deke, and is reunited with a couple of old friends (well, semi-friends – at least they're not trying to actively kill him at the moment), and in a big exposition dump, we learn about the virus that's making everybody want to kill each other. It's a virus used as an advance weapon by an invading alien race ... who are actually rather large viruses themselves. And oh yeah, this particular Diagnosan's enclave is responsible for their creation. Neat. Meanwhile, onboard Moya and amongst the galaxies, people are killing or threatening to kill each other as the infection rages on. Can Crichton be cured? Can he stop the virus before the slaughter continues? An informative installment, this has some pacing problems and uneven art (sometimes it's very good, sometimes it's just a bit too cartoonish), but is good overall. Will this end like I think it's going to end? I hope there's a twist.
Rating: 3.5/5 --Andrea Speed
House of Mystery #14 (DC Comics/Vertigo)
By Matthew Sturges, Luca Rossi, Gilbert Hernandez & Esao Andrews
The truth about Harry is revealed this issue, and I must say, it's not quite what I expected. Before he even has a chance to try to come to grips with his real identity, though, our intrepid House-bound friends find themselves in the heat of battle. Sturges has fun this issue, dancing between the character bits and the battle and then back around to the mystery, all without missing a beat. Just how the Harry revelation will impact everyone is something that's bound to be interesting soon. This issue's story-within-a-story is the most daring we've seen yet. Sturges joins up with indie comic icon Gilbert Hernandez for a short tale of a woman whose coming-of-age is disrupted in a shameful fashion. the story has the trappings of a horror story, but it's really a thinly-veiled allegory for a mideastern suicide bomber. It's a fantastic look at the situation, really an attempt to get into the mindset that would drive a person to such a state. It's chilling and effective. After last issue's brief break, this is a great return to form for this series.
Rating: 4/5 --Blake M. Petit
Irredeemable #3 (Boom! Studios)
By Mark Waid, Peter Krause, & Andrew Dalhouse
A group of bad guys convene, trying to figure out if Plutonian going bad is a good thing for them. They track down a base owned by one of the superheroes the Plutonian's killed, hoping to find a bargaining chip, but what they find is the Plutonian himself. All of this is eavesdropped on by the heroes, who are hoping to find some new information on the Plutonian in hopes of taking him down. The bad guys and the Plutonian confab, and it seems like the bad guys just may have a deal with the Plutonian ... until, of course, they don't. The Plutonian gives them a chance to prove themselves, and all they prove is they're idiots. Although you could kind of see this coming, it takes a rather kinky twist at the end, and while the good guys mean well, the revelation at Qubit's lab does make you wonder a bit about him. The art is solid, looking very much like a typical superhero comic, which is the intent. An enjoyable bit of comic book nastiness.
Rating: 4/5 --Andrea Speed
Jonah Hex #44 (DC Comics)
By Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti & Cristiano Cucina
It's a first for Jonah Hex! After going 43 issues without anything longer than a three-part storyline, Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are set to begin their first six-issue epic, and "The Six-Gun War" launches in wonderful fashion. Hex is captured by some old enemies who decide they're going to have some fun with the bounty hunter before they put him down. Meanwhile, two of the few people who may consider Jonah Hex a friend happen to run across each other and, at the same time, get wind of the fact that he may just be in trouble. I knew a multi-part story was in the works, but I wasn't quite prepared for the all-star aspect of it. In the many, many one-off stories we've read, we've encountered a lot of potential allies for Jonah Hex. Seeing them come together at all is fun, and seeing them come together on his behalf has plenty of potential for excitement. Cristiano Cucina has the perfect style for this sort of old-school western comic. His interpretations of every character are spot-on, and the beating Hex takes is really horrific. It's a great start to this storyline, and I can't wait to see where Hex's first long-form tale takes us.
Rating: 4/5 --Blake M. Petit
The Mighty #5 (DC Comics)
By Peter J. Tomasi, Keith Champagne, Chris Samnee & Dave Johnson
We've known for some time now that something just isn't right with Alpha One, and this issue goes much further to explaining just how far gone he really is. Cole interviews a less-than-grateful man Alpha One rescued from the scene of yet another tragedy. His reaction to the superhero is bad enough, but when he finds himself accosted by a derelict who seems to know way too much about the organization, things get even worse. This series has really skirted the line with Alpha One -- is he really a villain, or just dangerously inept when it comes to the social graces? This issue we seem to get the answer. It's easily the best issue yet of this series, which has gotten consistently better since the launch. Chris Samnee pinch-hits on the art this issue, but honestly, I didn't even notice that it wasn't the regular artist until I looked at the credit box to write this review. I'm not sure if he's deliberately copying Peter Snejbjerg's style or if his own style is just very similar, but either way, it looks great. It's a good, moody story, and when this is collected into a trade there won't be any jarring transition from one artist to another. Tomasi, Champagne and company are really nailing it with this series. It's a great book that doesn't get nearly the credit it deserves.
Rating: 4.5/5 --Blake M. Petit
PS 238 #39 (Do-Gooder Press)
By Aaron Williams
This issue may be a little on the fringe for people who are new to Aaron Williams, but for a longtime fan for me, this is a thrill and a half. A new kid joins PS 238 this month, Alec, who has the power to create things from drawings. An impromptu tour of the school winds up with Alec and Tyler going on a rescue mission to save the missing Ms. Imperia, who has been trapped in the past for some time. The boys find themselves in medieval times, joining forces not only with a younger version of their teacher, but with a wonderfully familiar group of adventurers. Williams' series Nodwick was where I really fell in love with his work, and it wasn't until those characters made this surprise guest-starring appearance (and it is a guest-star role, no mere cameo) that I realized just how much I miss Nodwick, Artax, Piffany and the gang. Williams uses some of the established lore of PS 238 to explain away the co-existence of the two properties in the same universe, and he does it in a really smart, neat fashion. Alec himself is an interesting kid with a power that is most certain to cause trouble for the rest of the school in the coming months, and let's face it, that's what we're reading this book for. Finally, an issue of PS 238 I love even more than the usual ones. It was a solid issue for this book, and a wonderful visit with some sorely missed old friends.
Rating: 5/5 --Blake M. Petit
Rapture #1 (Dark Horse)
By Taki Soma, Michael Avon Oeming, & Val Staples
If you're expecting this to be the Biblical rapture, hold on to your hats. Superheroes and villains fight and fight, their powers and battles tearing up the world and killing innocent bystanders as a side effect. In this world is Gil and Evelyn, pretty much splitting up as Evelyn takes a plane to Portland, leaving Gil behind. The superbeing war picks that moment to amp into overdrive, and they pretty much destroy the planet before going cosmic, taking the war out into space, leaving the surviving humans alone on a desolate world. It's very post-apocalyptic now, what with food shortages and cannibals, and things just couldn't be bleaker. But, oh snap, Evelyn has been chosen to wield the “spear of power”, to protect Earth now that all the champions are gone. She doesn't want it, but who says no to fate? And then there's that whole unresolved stuff with Gil. Yes, another unusual take on superheroes, but also a doomed love story and another take on the “rapture” concept, which gets it bonus points. The art is Oeming style, although with not so many sharp angles, and some lovely alternate style artwork near the end. I have to give Staples a shout out (again) for his high saturation colors. Better than I expected, really, and something work a look.
Rating: 4/5 --Andrea Speed
Seaguy: The Slaves of Mickey Eye #3 (DC Comics/Vertigo)
By Grant Morrison & Cameron Stewart
This is it! This is the final battle between Seaguy and Mickey Eye. Who will be victorious? That’s all that really happens in this book, just a big fight between good and evil. Oh yeah, Seaguy does interrupt the nefarious Seadog from marrying his girl, She-Beard, who actually shaved for the occasion. To be honest this is a pretty conventional story. There is the ordinary man but with a heart of a hero fighting a pernicious force of evil. As well there is the team up of old time heroes, and even the reformation of a former bad guy to aid in the cause. Heck, the hero even gets the girl. Of course Grant Morrison has skewed everything 168 degrees to the right. But it's all pretty easy to follow, the story is just really weird and that’s a good thing. The art is bold and clean, with clear and crisp colours too. I have to say that this series was a bit more accessible than when we were first introduced to Seaguy. The story this time around was more coherent and flowed easily enough. And I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of this new hero.
Rating: 4/5 --Terry Verticchio
June 6th 2009, 11:53 AM
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