Spider-Woman #4 review

We know that Brian Michael Bendis loves Jessica Drew, a.k.a Spider-Woman. He has been enthralled with her and is singlehandedly responsible for inserting her at the Marvel Universe’s epicenter with he role in Secret Invasion. Months ago, Bendis spoke with love and excitement as he announced his Spider-Woman series. Jessica Drew is a compelling character, raised by terrorists, allied with Nick Fury, then the Avengers, and kidnapped by the Skrulls. How would she fit into the world post-Secret Invasion world? Bendis certainly had an interesting premise to work with.

Four issues into the series I can state in all fairness that I am not impressed. After reading the first few issues, I couldn’t decide if I liked it. There are many elements of the series I like, but they fail to gel together into a good book. I like Brian Michael Bendis’ choice of allowing Jessica first person narrative. However after four issues, she just seems to be bitching. I’m a fan of wordless panels, allowing the art to speak for itself. While this series relies on this technique frequently, the plot is too sparse for it to be effective. There is just not enough going on and it gets boring fast. I like that gritty noir style which artist Alex Maleev employees. It just doesn’t work well with this story. Bendis’ writing doesn’t have a noir feel and there’s a disjointed presentation between script and art. The watercolors are distracting and out of place. From the coloring, to the art, and the dialogue, no one element is bad, but there is something missing, leaving this series with many individual pieces and nothing complete.

It’s a bizarre combination of ideas that seems like a Bendis experiment. I applaud the attempt, but I’m disappointed with the end result.

2 out of 5

Punisher MAX #2 review

The Punisher hasn’t been the most consistent franchise in the Marvel Universe. Still reeling from the recent Franken-Castle debacle in his self-titled series, Punisher fans deserve a good read. Author Jason Aaron delivers a fistful of Punisher delights and starts this series off with a frickin’ bang. Aaron’s Kingpin is pure genius; he gives the iconic Wilson Fisk a new origin story that establishes his sadistic nature very clearly. Sometimes, too clearly, but hey this is a MAX title. The scene with his father is particularly disturbing to read… and the prison shower…and, well you get the point.

Under the direction of his mobster employer, Fisk is luring Frank Castle into a trap by creating a phantom “kingpin” of the underworld. The issue beautifully parallels the steps of Fisk and Castle as the play cat and mouse. It’s nice silent commentary on the subjective use of violence to achieve a goal, be it virtuous or evil. How thin is the line between vigilante and crime lord? Aaron’s storytelling is crisp and commanding without any filler or wandering.

Veteran artist Steve Dillon is a good fit for this book. He depicts the violence well, nuanced with a ‘less is more’ approach. We certainly see a sufficient share of point blank range mobster executions to last a month, but he captures the horror of what we don’t see. Through facial expressions and smart paneling, Dillion matches the talents of Aaron in conveying story. His lines are too heavy in some faces which drives me nuts, but overall it’s a sharp book.

The last pages are masterfully crafted. This is a polished work that I think is only going to get better.

4.5 out of 5

Punisher: Frank Castle MAX #75 review

I’m not sure if Marvel just doesn’t give a shit about The Punisher anymore, or if they are purposely trying to destroy the character’s legacy.  This MAX title is reseting under the helm of red-hot writer Jason Aaron and issue #75 seems like a mistake.

I have no inside information, but I figure the issue may lay with Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada. In the theatre of my mind, I imagine a phone-call that went something like this:

Joe Quesada: Yo, Vic…Goran-my-man, how’s it going?
Victor Gischler: Uh, great Joe. What can we help you with?
Joe Quesada: It’s Friday afternoon…deadline is on Monday. When are you going to send over Welcome to the Bayou part 5?
Victor Gischler: Uh, sir…it was only a 4-part arc.
Goran Parlov: Do you even read Punisher?
Joe Quesada: Hey – do you know how many books Marvel publishes each month? I can’t read them all.
Victor Gischler: …
Goran Parlov: …
Joe Quesada: Just messing with you guys, gotta go!

Five minutes later…Joe Quesada addresses a con-call with every contracted writer and artist that could be found.

Joe Quesada: I have a great opportunity for one lucky team. Who wants to put together a one-shot for one of our flagship titles?
<cricket cricket>
Joe Quesada: Punisher: Frank Castle MAX #75….huh? Huh? And it needs to be done by Monday.
<cricket cricket>
Joe Quesada: Fine! You guys want to be that way, you can ALL write it. Yeah, that’s it. I want eight pages from all five teams and now the deadline is Sunday morning – because I’m going to read them!

So, either through that scenario, or possibly by design, the final issue of the run includes five stories by five separate teams.  It can be difficult to put together a strong stand-alone issue due to the limited options for story build-up, so how much should be expected from only eight pages?

Story number one, Dolls, from the team of Tom Piccirilli, Laurence Campbell and Lee Loughridge tackles the never explored (sarcasm) softer side of Frank when it comes to family matters, especially children.  A lost young girl interrupts Frank just as he’s about to snipe some scumbag through a window in a nearby building.  Of course, Frank can’t resist helping reuinite the child with her father.  If it isn’t clear to the reader how this might affect The Punisher, having lost his family and that his daughter was about the same age as this girl, we are smacked in the head with a flashback frame from happier days.  Campbell and Loughridge capture the competing themes of a man who must stay in the shadows, even when in the open, and the shoppers just out for a stroll in the snow.  The highlight is a three-quarter page frame of a larger-than-life Punisher from the viewpoint of the little girl’s father as he looks up to thank the man who found his daughter.

.5 out of 1

Gateway brings us just what every comicbook fan wants and needs – another twist to The Punisher origin story.  The first two pages are actually pretty interesting.  We’re introduced to a “middle man” who, among other things, sets up hits for the mob.  He justifies that he is just a businessman that provides a service, but who never actually performs the illegal act.  The story faulters as the hit in question, traps the Castle family in the middle.  We’re shown how Frank is dealing with his loss, sitting at a kitchen table with place settings for the whole family.  Strangely, the Castle family has a hidden pegboard loaded with firearms in the hallway outside the kitchen.  Very convenient for a man looking for revenge.  The artwork by Das Pastoras is interesting, albeit not necessarily good.  The frames are drawn from differing and somewhat unconventional angles.  Gregg Hurwitz was on to something with this story.  The ”middle man” living a good life with a clear conscience is just the type of guy that needs punished.  Pull out the ’origin’ angle, expand the story and this could have been a great Punisher Annual.  It just doesn’t work here in any manner.

0 out of 1

The only ray of sunshine is this issue Ghoul by Duane Swierczynski and Tomm Coker.  As such, I don’t want to give much away, because it may be the only joy you get from reading this issue.  The plot is original and it is made for eight pages.  There isn’t any more to tell.  Stretching it out to a full issue would have ruined the effect.  The story is really told through the changing facial expressions of the antagonist.

1 out of 1

If you get a feeling of deja vu from Father’s Day, it’s because you have seen these panels before.  The pages take us through a slideshow of highlight scenes from the MAX series.  I’m still trying to figure out why I’m really being shown this when I flip to the last two pages only to see the Castle family in Central Park played out yet again.

0 out of 1

Ken Ashley and Rob Stull get the accolades for the second best art of the issue.  The colors are bold and contrasting flying us through a lot of action via thin slices of panels.  There isn’t much story to The Smallest Bit of This, but then again, what can I expect in such few pages?

.5 out of 1

If you’ve been keeping score, then you already know that Punish: Frank Castle MAX #75 is awarded:

2 out of 5

“Wolverine’s son at his best!”

I want to say right up front, that when I heard about this title, I had absolutely no interest in it.  Wolverine has just about finished (just waiting on the giant-size conclusion) his Old-Man Logan storyline, when I saw the solicitation for the Dark Wolverine change for the title.  I have a passing knowledge of Daken but not much of a interest in learning more about him.  For that matter, I rarely like the children of heroes.  I guess like real life, the children almost never live up to the stature of their more famous parents.  Since I have bought and read every issue of the current run, I decided to stay on at least one issue of the new story.  Now three issues in, I’m really liking this character.

The story continues with Daken manipulating everyone in sight including Norman Osborn, his fellow Avengers, and even to some extent, the Fantastic Four.  I have to say that after three issues, there doesn’t seem to be any limits to how far Daken will go!  He could possibly be the must controlling and manipulative force in the Marvel U!  And its like no one even realizes that he’s doing it to them or to others!  Daken has one of the most developed and unique personalities than I have seen in years of comic reading.

If you not currently reading this because Marvel has released a billion and one Dark Reign books, well then at least get this one!  And while your at it, pick-up the first two issues as well.  It is well worth it.  Or, is Daken just making me think its better than it is?

4 out of 5

“Punishment in the Bayou!”

This is the third part of a story that finds The Punisher tangling with hillbillies in the Bayou. Frank’s trying to save some kidnapped coed’s, fight the entire cast from “Deliverance” and still take care of his “package” locked in his trunk before it expires!

I have to say this title is way more entertaining that the other Punisher title. Maybe it’s because the Punisher, regardless of his origins (In Amazing Spider-Man), is such much better when separated from the Marvel Universe. Maybe its because you can really go hog-wild with a title in the MAX line. Or, maybe it’s that the team of Victor Gischler writing and Goran Parlov drawing that is really making this arc work. Whatever it is, this has been a very fun book and I’m particularly enjoying Frank out of his usual element, but still finding trouble. In fact, one of the characters even says that Frank is ******’ jinxed! Good book and a solid arc that will definitely bring me back for more!

4 out of 5

Darkhawk returns from the realm of the obscure and irrelevant to star in this fantastic War of Kings tie-in. Being a big fan of Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy, and War of Kings, I picked this up just to have a complete story arc.  Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning deserve some major accolades for creating some of the most successful Marvel cosmic tales ever written.  They are achieving a stellar level of work in each of these titles, creating a solid world in the Marvel deep reaches of space.

Often, as with the rabbit-like spawning of Dark Reign minis, events (such as War of Kings) can give birth to superfluous extras that entice faithful readers into shelling out cash for crap.  This is worth the $3.99; this series rocks and I actually like Darkhawk – Darkhawk for crying out loud!

Abnett and Lanning have resurrected a C-List character and constructed a compelling mythos as well (similar to Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern Rebirth).  Add the fact that this is woven into a cosmic event that is awesome on its own and you get one heck of a comic.

Christopher Powell, aka Darkhawk, recently learned that he’s not the only Raptor.  He then learned that the Fraternity of Raptors is evil and they want to kill him.  Depowered and lost in a limbo-like dead space, Chris is slowly unraveling the mystery of the Raptors’ power.  Meanwhile, evil Raptors Talon and Razor have empowered Blastaar to join the fight against the Kree.  Wellinton Alves, Scott Hanna and Nelson Pereira delver a polished book with some brilliant panels.

The end reveal is incredible and seamlessly ties in with the main WofK series.  Pick this up and enjoy the ride.

4 out of 5

In this issue, Author Joe Kelly moves all the pieces into position for the American Son story arc to come charging out of the gates.  I actually enjoyed this installment better than last issue.  With dad by his side, Harry enters deeper into the world of the Dark Avengers.  Norah, Parker’s co-worker from Frontline, takes his rally cry against Norman Osborn to heart and goes undercover in the Avengers Tower.  The weakest pages are between JJ Jameson’s dad and Peter Parker.  Panels are wasted as JJ senior tells Peter why he deserted the Army.  Who cares?  We get it!  He’s a stand up guy.  Enough already.  Peter makes a bold move in this issue to infiltrate Norman’s sanctuary.  Don’t want to give it away because it was pretty sharp.

After just one issue, this arc sees the talents of a new penciller, Paulo Siqueira.  The change was noticeable.  At times, faces were disproportionate and oddly angled.  However, most of this issue was drawn well with some notability good splash panels.

This one is set-up for the real action, but enjoyable nonetheless.  Spider-Man and Norman Osborn were bound to throw down sooner or later.  So far, this is a solid arc.  If there is a one-shot with Aunt May’s wedding, I am not buying it.

3.5 out 5