After seeing Millar and McNiven’s debut issue of Nemesis trashed by some big name comic reviewers (IGN and CBR), I had to come to its defense. Nemesis is the world’s greatest villain who targets the world’s best law enforcement officers. He is sadistic, smart, and has seemingly limitless resources. While he may appear one dimensional, I felt that added to his “bad-ass”-ness. He is methodical and cold which is terrifying. Mark Millar’s plot was predictable, but it wasn’t bad. These are elements that have been over-used, yet it worked.
How Steve McNiven’s art was criticized in this issue is beyond me? I don’t know what crack is being smoked at CBR, but I want some. The wordless panels of mass destruction were sharp and spot on. Much of this issue fell upon McNiven’s talented pencils and he delivered. From inks to colors, this book jumped off the pages and held my attention.
The conclusion was a bit cheesy and very predictable. I’m looking forward to the next issue. How someone could read this and not want to get the next issue is beyond me. This isn’t Millar and McNiven’s runaway hit Old Man Logan, but it is a fun comic.
3.5 out of 5
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
What the fuck.
0 out of 5
Ghost Riders: Heaven’s on Fire #5 review
Uber-talent Jason Aaron had an incredible run on Ghost Rider. Injecting new life into this often-floundering title, Aaron brought spunk and great stories to this franchise. With the series end, a six part miniseries Heaven’s on Fire hoped to tie up the story begun by Jason Aaron, but hopes (even of great writers) don’t guarantee great comics.
With only one issue left, I must say I am very disappointed. It seems like the series just ran out of gas. The brothers Ghost Riders are on a mission to take down the evil angel Zadkiel, who they recently learned us behind their curse. Both sides have some nutty persons: Satan’s son, the teenage antichrist, nuns with guns, a giant eyeball guy on a chopper, and many other freaks. I like the over-the-top characters that Aaron has created, but they just fail to fit together. This series has lots of great ingredients, but they don’t make a good finished product. Jason Aaron had a great concept, but dragged out through five comics it has lost all steam. And there is still one issue to go!
Artist Roland Boschi’s rough, unfinished style works well with the supernatural genre. His quick, thin lines effectively craft the spiritual world. There are weak points where human bodies and faces are distorted and disproportionate.
Ghost Riders’ run is almost at an end for now. I hope Jason Aaron returns with his literal guns blazing for the last tissue. It will take a miracle to pull this one out of the gutter.
1.5 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
Thor #604 review
Doctor Doom certainly doesn’t have a doctorate in common sense because he just made lifelong enemies with a pantheon of gods! Gearing up for the next big Marvel event The Siege, new author Kieron Gillen begins a three-issue arc titled Latverian Prometheus. Thor’s previous author leaves poor Mr. Gillen with numerous loose plot threads. The recap beginning this issue crams some of those stories waiting for an ending together.
This issue reveals just how nasty Doc Doom is. His plan is to harness the power of the Asgardians, use it to create hybrid beings, and turn them on the demi-gods. To do this, Doom is killing lesser Asgardians. Morning the dead of her beloved mortal boyfriend Bill, Kelda confronts Doom. The gauntlet between Doom and Boulder is cast as they prepare for war.
Where is Thor? Still in exile, Thor and his human host Dr. Don Blake spend most of the issue licking their wounds. Thor’s appearance is worth the issue – the splash page is fricking gorgeous. Billy Tan’s art is an excellent fit for Thor. His thin, detailed, lines create a regal, noble strength for the Asgardians. He shows off his skills on a few close up panels with sharp emotion and artistic confidence.
This issue sets up a monumental conflict – Doom vs. Thor. Its success will rest on the conclusion of the arc. Will it satisfy or disappoint? Gods help us.
3 out of 5
Siege: The Cabal One-Shot Review
Marvel has been advertising that Seige has been seven years in the making. As Dark Reign is coming to a close and Norman Osborn’s day of reckoning is close at hand, Siege: The Cabal gets these events rolling. Osborn calls a meeting of his Cabal, a tentative assembly of the world’s most powerful villains. The group met at the end of Secret Invasion and set the stage for Osborn’s reign. Much has changed since they last met. Emma Frost and Namor have broken their alliance with Osborn over the recent mutant events. Against Doom’s council, Norman has given Taskmaster, who he placed in charge of his Initiative program, a vacant seat at the table of evil geniuses. Doctor Doom and Osborn faceoff, pledging to destroy each other.
Obviously, a victor is not determined in this issue. That would be a little too thrifty for Marvel. This is an enjoyable round one and serves its purpose as appetizer for the four part mini-series, Siege. Brian Michael Bendis amusingly conveys the Norman and Goblin conversation that begins to rip him apart. I think his goofy corn rowed hair will soon be covered up by the goblin mask. I personally can’t wait. I did felt cheated that Doom and Osborn fought so early in this issue, knowing that its too soon for the confrontation. It was a cheap ploy.
Artists Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano team up for some beautiful pages. Their emotion laden, brooding approach to the characters works extremely well in the midst of the issue’s conflicts. The portrayal of Osborn’s descent into Goblin madness is spot on.
Many one-shots are throw aways that hook comic readers into forking over a few more bucks. This issue is worth the money. It effectively sets the stage for the upcoming mini-series and clearly establishes direction. It this is any indication of Siege, I like.
3.5 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
When I heard Mark Waid was tackling a four-part mini-series on Doctor Strange, I was interested. Interested enough to buy this first issue. Now, I have $4 less and I am very sad.
These are dark times for Doc Strange – he is no longer Sorcerer Supreme and off the Avengers roster. I hoped this series filled in some gaps. I guess Doc Strange is not too worried about recent events because he goes to a baseball game. This issue is Strange enjoying America’s favorite pastime. One of the teams is possessed by demons and he helps out – that’s it!
The story sucks and Emma Rios’s art sucks even more. The demons look ridiculous and the pages have an inappropriate manga flare to them.
I will not be paying for the next three issues. I would not even read them for free.
0 out 5
“Marvel’s Batman returns!”
Moon Knight has returned in a new monthly called the Vengeance of the Moon Knight. Moon Knights last title just ended a few months ago and this book starts up as a continuation of the previous one. I really liked the last book, so of course I picked up this new one. I’m not a fan of restarting a book just so Marvel can release a new #1 Issue to try to make extra money. The last book was going on fine and didn’t need to be re-launched. At least Moon Knight has a way to go to before he reaches the king of re-launches: The Punisher! Still, this is Moon Knights 5th series.
On to the book… I have to say that I like the premise of the book. Having Moon Knight return more toward the crime fighting aspect of his character is a welcome change. Not that I disliked his more…extreme approach… that was showcased in the last book. That kind of violent content in a book can get old after awhile. Still, I hope he gets his shot at Norman Osborn so he can even the score with him, but he’ll probably have to stand in line for that!
The art was not bad, but I am more a fan of a little tighter pencils. It seems a little sketchy to me at some points.
I should also mention that this was an over-size issue, but the original story was only half the pages. The second half of the book was a reprint of the first issue of the Moon Knight original series. I find that I’m not usually a fan of reprints in regular titles, especially when its a reprint of a book that I already own, but the reprint does help to familiarize new readers with the character and it was relevant to the main story as a whole.
To conclude, this issue was solid, even if a re-launch wasn’t required in my opinion. This series has a lot of potential and it is a good hopping-on point for new readers.
4 out of 5
