A heavy week for the start of the month for me, a good 10 books strong. Still, got a nice break from CW as one title really isn't a big deal, and quite a few beginnings and endings for Marvel this week.
DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 10/4/06:
52 WEEK #22: With all the plots going on around this mini, I'll confess that the one revolving around Morrow, the Metal Men and the mad scientist angle is one of the ones I've had little interest in, what with Booster Gold, Supernova, Question, and so on. Fortunately there's other stuff that happens here, namely Luthor refusing to believe Wonder Girl's angsting that Supernova is Kon-El, and insists he's Superman in disguise. Granted, I'm sure whenever Luthor gets a bit of junk mail or a fart at an inappropriate time, he probably blames Superman. He also discovered that he is, ironically, physically unable to handle the metagene project, which is good as the writers needed a way to explain why Luthor just hasn't made himself a meta-god, besides tradition (of course). Meanwhile, a former "everyman" client hollars at Luthor to try to expose his obvious-to-the-readers nefarious schemes, and no one will buy it aside for Steel. Oh, and apparently Morrow and Mercury are blown up by some nasty robots. The origin feature returns and it's Hal this time, miraculously missing his "fall from grace" storyline, which was, despite what Geoff Johns seems to believe, the most worthwhile thing that's happened to Hal in ages. Without that he's simply a rather traditional superhero, who unlike Superman, doesn't have the excuse of being an alien to explain why he's so deadpan. The Parallax stuff and his snapping, then having to attone, gave him character, much as Iron Man's alcoholism or Banner wishing to attone for Hulk's destruction or Pym wanting to make up for his many sins to his team and his wife, and whatnot. But instead, his slate has been wiped clean and now he's in the same place he was before in the Silver Age; generic. THAT was why they did Emerald Twilight. But as a fair weather DC fan, maybe it's not my place. I've never been big on the Green Lantern stuff anyway. So maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. I just see the exercise of erasing any character flaws in a character to be a step in the wrong direction. A decent issue, but I look foward to the Question returning next week.
DETECTIVE COMICS #824: I always seem to almost miss this book as it rarely pops up on those "lists" that people post here, or from Diamond at times. Anyway, another solid Dini issue, although it was a bit straightfoward and fans of the cartoon may have naturally predicted that he'd do to Penguin the same thing that happened to him in 1997 when the show moved networks and became THE NEW GOTHAM ADVENTURES: Penguin would re-establish himself as a legitimate club owner and use his notorious past for business (albeit with some shady allies and underbelly, of course). Thus, he is in a position to occasionally harass Batman without being able to be arrested for it, with Batman begrudgingly having to keep an eye on him. Predictable, but I always liked that angle for Penguin (it's more interesting than having him be yet another rogue-of-the-week), so I don't mind. And Dini's favorite character, Zatanna, makes a guest appearence. The story itself is another solid one-shot deal, albeit a bit straightfoward. Penguin, like Riddler, is ambitiously trying to use his wiles and name to make himself honestly rich, but when a sleepwalking thug like Mr. Zzz is cleaning him out in high stakes poker on opening night, Wayne has to figure out what is going on. Turns out he's working with some thugs who've kidnapped a magician with a knack for poker playing, and they're working as a team to rob Pengie blind. Batman thus has to save the hostage, deal some smack-down and keep Penguin afloat. Last month's story with Ivy was probably darker, but I think I liked this one more. Nothing "shocking" or so forth like, oh, "giving Batman a son from an 80's story that is constantly retconned in and out of continuity" like Morrison is doing on BATMAN, but that's the charm of Dini's DETECTIVE. If you want simple, one shot Batman mystery stories with some eccentric characters (and even some new ones), this one is for you. It's horribly refreshing to see a writer who both doesn't drag out stories beyond their lifespan yet connects them with subplots (the Riddler stuff, for instance) and making it all work. I could easily see Dini stretching out any one of his last few issues into, oh, 3-4 part arcs like the rest of his decompressed comic writing kin, but he doesn't and that's fantastic. A shame then that this book isn't selling better (it languishes around the Top 40-50). While Morrison's quickly losing me, Dini keeps drawing me in. I'll be aboard for his entire run. I shouldn't be alone.
HUNTER/KILLER #8: The book continues to be on time now that they've seemingly dumped Marc Silvestri from interiors and moved to Basaldua, whose style is simular enough that the book doesn't loose it's "look". And the Cassady cover was nice, although I wonder if in the time it took to draw that cover, he could have done, oh, a page of ASTONISHING X-MEN, the title that once was reduced to being a bimonthly (with their currect arc feeling like it's lasted about 15 years)? That's what's great about the comic industry; you can work slowly on a project for Spacely's Sprockets because you're also doing a side gig for Cogwell's Cogs, and you can still be Mr. Super at Spacely's. Anyway, it's another solid issue of the hunter/killer agents traking down yet another rogue Ultra, while Elliot and Morningstar go over the state of world affairs. Namely, that he's done everything he could to secretly control the entire planet's course in order to starve off the Apocalypse (reported to him by the sexy time-traveller Cassandra), however, all his actions only starve it off for either 3 years to a few months, so he constantly has to keep working without rest. It's an interesting angle and I am glad that Morningstar hasn't instantly become "evil" yet, as, oh, the entire PRO SHRA side has become at Marvel. There's simply this situation and some rough choices made to fix it, while all it does is delay the inevitable. Turns out the rogue Ultra is some sort of molecular-rearranger, who has rigged Samantha to explode. But at least Wolf is back. You could argue that Ellis simply serves as a "due ex machina" with his ability, but to be fair, doesn't EVERY character who has "the power to gain new powers" have that tendancy? From Rogue on down to Lifeguard and everyone in-between? It's a good read, not the best, but worth sticking around for. Turns out our heroes have until Christmas 2006 to starve off the inevitable. Ho-ho-ho indeed.
AGENTS OF ATLAS #3: I like this title but this was sort of a "blah" issue to me. Sure, Parker continues to work on mending the conveluted histories of his Golden Age set, conviently fixing up Marvel Boy's history so he DIDN'T actually go crazy and die in the 70's. And their enemy is revealed as Yellow Claw, who all but teases them from a robot with attachments from the "Dr. Octopus Collection". And Venus doesn't wear a shirt until the end, and the dialogue is kept well. But I dunno, maybe it was because this was the midway point set-up issue. I still liked it, and the cogs are coming together, namely, how does the M-11 robot know what it knows? And the revitlized Woo's conflicts with modern society are amusing. For people who want a break from CW and some castaway characters from the Marvel Handbooks being dusted off, this title is solid (it even keeps a loose continuity with CW, noting that Namorita had recently died). Kirk's art is still good although it looked a little rushed in points. I guess it was because I expected more madcap action than a bit of a slow ops burn. But AOA is still worth a read.
IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN #1: The cover is perfectly amusing, not only from Ant-Man's line about wallets, but the tagger about him being an "unlikeable" hero. Good LORD, after all of the heaped upon piles of cosmic self-importance that CIVIL WAR has much of the universe on, one needs a good title like this that doesn't take itself 100% seriously as a breath of fresh air. As one Kirkman title dies (MTU), another is born, and this is probably the only book that even was willing to aknowledge continuity from MTU due to the same writer on it (as well as the ENEMY OF THE STATE Wolvie tale). It stars two low level SHIELD agents Chris McCarthy and Eric O'Grady as well as focuses on the lives of SHIELD grunts, from taking crap from higher-up agents to get in words for promotions to poker to X-BOX's in their rooms (seriously, how many Marvel comics within the past month have mentioned an X-Box? Is Microsoft paying Marvel for that?), or even debating if Nick Fury was real. Chris is the guy who always wanted to be a superhero, plays by the book and has the confidence to attract girls. Eric is the underachiever who is terrible with woman and makes snap decisions, most of them wrong. They bungle an assignment and Chris steals a prototype Ant-Man suit, but Eric lies about it to cover his tracks and try to get in on his girl. Turns out 6 months later, Ant-Man will be fighting crime and dating his rescued damsels...and it's Eric? Kirkman obviously wrote Chris as the guy you'd expect to become the next Ant-Man, but something may happen and Eric will probably get the mantle for good. But while this issue was amusing and a good start, Kirkman has to be careful to not make Ant-Man SO "irredeemable" that he turns off the audience. I mean, Iron Man's become a *****e and his main title's hardly in the Top 25. Hester's art is a breath of fresh air for people wary of MTU and fits the tone of the title. The logo works and I look foward to some strong stuff from this title. Good to know that some titles in Marvel still have that knack.
BEYOND! #4: The best Marvel mini you're not reading. True, previewing this cover about when #1 hit the stands all but killed the "Spider-Man Mystery", but that hasn't effected the story any as that simply allows the B and C list cast to take up focus. Here, the madcap team fights the Space Phantom as he takes on the form of Xenu the Titan and chases him to Limbo, where they are entrapped by Gargan/Venom when he smashes Pym's doorway device. Nothing "shocking", just good superhero action with an eclectic band of Marvel characters, like MTU in it's prime. Once again, the personalities of all the characters from Gravity to Hood to Deathlok and Pym come together to make it for an interesting match-up. Aside for Firebird, who still is the weakest link; you could honestly replace her with almost any other pyromanic character who wasn't a sociopath and the story would hardly be affected. Maybe being quiet and taking to the background is her thing, but being that she hasn't seen much action since Busiek/Perez left AVENGERS and she might not see any again for an equal amount of time, it'd have been nice if she'd defined herself. Hell, I'd argue that Firestar would have been more interesting here. But aside for that this is just good hero goodness with some amusing dialogue, smashing action and good art. I also prefer this power level for Pym, because it makes him seem more like a scientist and less like, well, a guy who just grows or shrinks. There's really nothing not to like and even the Firebird stuff is only a minor quibble. Another solid issue of a solid series. Marvel may not know why they published it, aside for preening McDuffie for FANTASTIC FOUR once JMS leaves, but I'm glad they did. Enjoy it while it lasts.
DR. STRANGE: THE OATH #1: After announcing his leaving of RUNAWAYS in 2007, BKV starts this mini series about Dr. Strange, a character who remains a Marvel mainstay due to frequent appearences (much like Namor), but who hasn't sold a book in ages and even in mini's is often used for comic relief. Here Vaughan wants to write him serious, but not so seriously that it's all brooding, emotastic angst, which unfortunately most of the industry sees as "mature". Turns out Dr. Strange winds up on a slab for Night Nurse after being shot by a "mystically enhanced" revolver that a burglar had, while explaining his plight in astral form. After an obligatory recap of his origin for newbs, we get to the point. Wong is apparently terminally ill with a brain tumor, and Dr. Strange went into another realm to get an elixir that he learned not only can save Wong, but actually cure cancer. Unfortunately, someone else is interested in DESTROYING this elixir, and hired a thug named Brigand to steal it. Is it Baron Mordo, for the upteenth time? Why not? Besides Dormammu, who else does Dr. Strange have for a rogue's gallery? Martin's art is good and Vaughan writes a compelling first issue. Dr. Strange has a goal to fulfill and demonstrated to the reader that not even a Sorceror Supreme is invincible and is still human. And Vaughan & Martin aren't so afraid of "camp" that they only use dark colors or want to turn Strange's cape into a generic trenchcoat (even Romita Jr. is guilty of that one). A compelling first issue and I'll be on board for more. Looks to be another hit for Vaughan, hopefully it'll sell well. His last title that actually sold well was ULTIMATE X-MEN, but that's a major franchise book that'd sell well if it was written by a turnip (like most X-books). For folks who want a little Marvel magic in their lives, pick it up.
FANTASTIC FOUR #540: In which JMS was pissed that Millar had something major happen to the Fan Four, like Reed and Sue break up, outside of the main title, so he basically forgets it happened and does their breakup here, and probably does it a tad better (if only because it had Sue and Reed confronting each other instead of her just fleeing in the night). Granted, in the context of the story it probably worked out that Sue merely returned to free Wildstreak from the Negative Zone and confronting Reed was just "the second bird with the stone". Last night I reread Slott's entire run of THE THING and you have no idea how depressing that'll make this FF issue in retrospect. You have CW breaking up a "classic" like Reed & Sue and the Thing fleeing the country to France to make his stand. I wonder if he'll be taking Alicia too, or will no one in Marvel acknowledge that THE THING actually shipped for 8 months? As JMS also wrote ASM, it ties into that issue and adds to it (Stark never "went to the bathroom" and just eavesdropped on Reed when he told the tale of his uncle, for instance, further proving what a manipulative jackass he is). I see this issue as an attempt at "damage control" for Reed. No one else on CW wants to depict him as anything other than a soulless Nazi doctor and JMS wants to claim that's unfair. Reed simply is focusing on the "numbers" to deny and burry his emotional turmoil. And his motivation for being on the SHRA side is to attempt to protect not only his family, but the reputation and standing with the government he's taken so long to rebuild after their more "illegal" days of commandeering illegal spacecrafts and such. It's not bad but it still reads like most of Peter's stuff before the last issue of ASM; Reed is conflicted, but basically follows orders like a good little toadie anyway, no matter how bad they may be (from cloning Thor to tossing people in to the Negative Zone without trial or appeal), so his turmoil comes off as empty, as a weak excuse for the actions he is FORCED to do for the sake of the storyline. Unlike Peter, Reed lacks the excuse of ignorance about some of the "realities" of the SHRA's actions. Rather than drop everything and pursue the family he so desperately wants to love and protect, he continues doing work that drives a wedge in them and makes them leave (how safe are Sue and Johnny going to be without you on the Secret Avengers, Stretcho?). He preaches on about "obeying the law for now but changing it through legal channels", but so far Reed has done NOTHING towards that end. He's spoken to no one on TV, no politician in office (aside for offering "resistance in futile" sort of statements), done nothing but follow orders and sulk in his labs off panel. So at best he comes off as a cowardly whiner, something Sue all but accuses him of. Surely a major change in the way Reed's been written for a good many years now. Perhaps folks may complain about what CW has done to Iron Man, Spidey, Cap, and so on, but honestly, at this point if any character has had his heart ripped out and been muddled beyond any past depictions of him or her, it's probably Mr. Fantastic. But that's the problem with big events and CW in general; the characters must bend to the will of the narrative, rather than the narrative bending to the character's personalities.
As for splitting up the Richards', unlike with Spider-Man, who one could legitimately make a case for claiming he was "better single as he was for half of his history" (and omit, oh, the last generation and a half of readers), neither Reed or Sue have gone for long periods of time without each other and are Marvel's First Family. They were a given long before their actual wedding, sort of like Scott and Jean. So this is simply to fulfill the agenda to the story and make waves for how gosh darn horrible and shocking it is. And I am starting to get tired of it. But until it fails to sell like gangbusters, Marvel and DC will keep doing it.
