Dread
TMNT 1984-2009
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Dread's Bought/Thought for 3/19/08 Part II:
GHOST RIDER #21: Only part one of a great week for Djurdjevic art, as that cover is greatness. What also is great is Aaron on this book. In some ways it seems subtle but by his second issue I have noticed real improvement in the storytelling. Yes, the whole angel schtick kind of stinks as a retcon, as they all do. But that was Way's story. Aaron simply came aboard and has a mentality of, "I didn't make this bed, but I will lay on it as best I can". He handles Blaze very well and his pacing seems different than Way in a way I can't describe. He has the dark humor in spots like Way and the Ennis run got us used to, but keeps the action/horror stuff running smoothly. There are some scenes that seem a bit TOO obligatory, like Blaze's first lead on Zadkiel pretty much being 100% on the money, but it isn't like that isn't done in other comics. How many times have superheroes just patrolled randomly to find their enemy?
Blaze rescues Lucas from the hospital, which happens to be full of psycho nurses who worship Zadkiel to the point of killing people for him as "vixens" with Heavenly enchanted weapons. Lucas essentially hits home the idea that Heaven and Hell aren't terribly different in how they operate sometimes, just that Heaven were the winners of the "great war", Hell the losers. I suppose some could call this angle "anti-Christian" or whatnot, but c'mon, ever read the Old Testament? The forces of Heaven have a bit of blood on their hands enforcing rules over there. Of course the "Spirit of Vengeance" itself being a heavenly power instead of the demon Zarathos pretty much undoes a generation's worth of comics, but...again, that is Way. Aaron probably knows another reton won't help, so he is hitting the ground running, and mostly delivers. The action scenes with the nuns are cool and he's introduced another threat, the hellish HIGHWAY 18 in which cannibilized ghosts arise to kill anyone who travels the route, seemingly led by the ancestor of the cannibals who formed the town. It isn't ground breaking stuff, but it is executed well, and execution can be everything.
Boschi's art is pretty good for the tone. He draws a great Ghost Rider but I also like his Johnny Blaze. Blaze here looks grim, grizzled, like he could give Logan a challenge in the "what're YOU lookin' at!" territory, a long-traveled warrior who seems on the verge of snapping into slaughter with any provacation, and must struggle to maintain control. I wonder how he'll handle Zadkiel.
For the first time in a while I have actual hope for the series and the direction. I actually believe Aaron will take it someplace better than "good enough to keep buying it". Or at least his version will be better than Way's. In contrast, MOON KNIGHT's new blood hasn't impressed me as much, probably because Huston is still plotting. This is all Aaron's show now, and he's going well considering.
THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST #13: This series can sometimes change gears before you know it, but it still manages to be good. The story started as a tournament but it is now obvious that the bigger story is really about the attempt to change the society of K'un L'un and on Xao's attempt to destroy it for HYDRA. Konjic once again does art for most of the issue, with Kano & Hollingsworth on the flashbacks and Aja doing a measily 3 pages. I actually don't mind Konjic's art but it seems obvious that he is trying to imitate Aja and it doesn't work, like a forced joke. Hopefully this is to provide lead in time for Aja to provide more interior pages when it really matters, rather than trying to phase him out. After all, this is mostly a set-up issue.
Much like CAPTAIN AMERICA, the pace doesn't move around as fast as some books (not like, say, LAST DEFENDERS), but enough happens in each issue that it seems natural. Amidst more Orson/Wendel flashbacks, Xao's forces are able to construct his kamakazi train to destroy the mystical city, with the captured Heroes for Hire (or at least Knight, Wing, and Cage) along with the blast. Fraction & Brubaker seem to write Cage as being a bit annoying, and I find it funny that a guy with dense, bullet-proof flesh complains about the cold. Elsewhere, Danny confronts the master of K'un L'un as well as tries to organize the others, claiming that he has a grand master plan behind all of his actions thus far. The Thunderer, meanwhile, tries to talk Davos into helping their cause, as well as to defend the city, but he seems too bitter and petty to want to. I really hope that Davos doesn't become some sort of anti-hero ally, because he's really Rand's only noteworthy enemy (aside for Sabretooth, who is X-related and dead now). Sooner or later there needs to be a throw-down for this to feel satisfying between the two.
That said, the end page was bad-ass. And I do like that Fraction's other mystical warriors are becoming actual characters, which is good to expand the cast and universe. Brubaker credits Fraction for most of the book's success, at least story wise, and while it is always a shame it can't even sell within the Top 50, at least it's devoted audience should keeping it going a while. Still one of the best relaunches of a franchise in years, and that is coming from a Marvel that actually has had quite a few successful relaunches to brag about. What is old CAN be new again if done well.
THE ORDER #9: The second-to-last issue of this underrated, underselling series, and while I am glad Fraction & Kitson at least get to end things their way, without any shameless tie-in's, it will be a shame to say farewell to one of the best new teams in years, starring some of the coolest new characters in years. If only this could have become another RUNAWAYS like series, a book that straddles that line between the heart, depth, and innovation of an indie with the universe and budget of one of the Big Two.
Heavy's origin is revealed and in a way he is like Milo, another soldier who suffered a horrific injury and for whom the "empowerment" process allows him to once again be a hero and regain mobility. Yet it is done in a way that still feels fresh and explains why Heavy needs the fluid so much, and why he is somewhat water-themed. It isn't as deep as some of the other characters, but it works fine. The rest of the Order, having saved Milo and Becky (who now merge to become, uh, Hybrid. Love the age of obvious names we're in with comics) go off to confront their enemies and save Muholland, who is still in the clutches of Stane Jr., Cut, and the Men from Shadow (as well as Infernal Man and an Ex-Order reject). The Order arrives and there is a mighty brawl, but they're seemingly trapped and depowered, while Stane Jr. hacks into Muholland's powers to commit the greatest act of psychic terrorism on LA. I just ask...would anyone actually miss LA? Seriously.
Saltares takes over from Kitson's breakdowns and it is hit-or-miss, with some panels looking great and others looking wonky and rushed, as if saved by the inks and colors. It still is nice to look at, but not quite Kitson solo. After 9 issues I feel I know these heroes better than others I've known for decades, and it will be a shame to lose this book. Still, Fraction is obviously building towards his IRON MAN series, and will probably bring in some elements. Hopefully some of these characters are among them. I mean, Pepper and Harry are no-brainers. Still, I hope issue #10 isn't a slaughter-fest. While I expect at least one hero to die, I don't want the entire cast to be wiped clean. Part of what keeps the same characters in overuse is that whenever new characters are made, creators and editors seem hesitant to allow other writers to use them, so the writer who made 'em sometimes get a sense of, "better kill them before someone else does", and that can be a mistake. New characters are like seeds. Sometimes they bare fruit with good care and sometimes they are botched. But they deserve an honest chance.
At least THE ORDER outlived THE THING and some other titles. I will miss it a lot, though.
THOR #7: Djurdjevic takes over panels from Coipel in what is another solid-but-slow issue of THOR. In a way this is an awkward book sometimes. The quality is good. But the pace is sluggish, and if JMS had to rely on his own momentum and not the fact that he's hopped aboard a franchise that was allowed to fester until the hype was incredible, I doubt this would be in the Top 10. I mean, THE TWELVE is where it is on the charts, and that book at least is justified at being slow, it has 12 characters.
The story takes place after last issue, with Thor mortally weak after using his power to awaken all the Asgardians across the planet at once, lest he risk losing any to mortal death. The Warriors Three lead him back to New Asgard to go into "Odinsleep" (or now it is "Thorsleep") to recover. Because of the unique nature of the lock-box they put him in (Al Gore would approve, he was all about lock-boxes 8 years ago), Thor's Donald Blake persona is allowed to exist while he is inside another realm between death and life, like a Norse purgatory. And naturally the first thing Blake does is seek out Jane Foster, his old gal-pal.
The real story is in the neatherworld, where Thor comes across Odin fighting Surtur, and while there are teasing voices that torment Thor for not reviving his father, perhaps on purpose, Odin understands. He recounts the story of his own rise to power and JMS touches all of the themes between fathers and sons that in a way was old even before Freud coined his terminology for it. It also sets the tone that, no, at least while JMS is aboard, Odin won't be revived and Asgard won't revert to status quo. Thor is on his own now, with an Asgard on Midguard. The story works on those simple themes, and on the good art.
And yet, there is this hint that especially after 7 issues, this book could be so much more. Any one of us could imagine Thor doing a dozen more riveting things now that he is back from the dead, the world is what it is, and his allies are who they are. Thor, JMS is making the same mistake that writers make with franchises; in trying to get the roots down, they seperate them too much from the rest of the line. That, and while Loki is hiding in plain sight, there seems to be little urgency here, especially now that all the Asgardians are back. Even disregarding the Avengers, hey, Beta Ray Bill is stuck in another dimension, Tarene just died, Valkyrie could use a revive, and we could go on and on. Don't get me wrong, THOR deserves to sell well, it just could be more than it is. But perhaps this is because JMS wants to settle Thor into his role before rushing into things. Maybe he feels that is the best way to avoid a retcon undoing all he did. But damn, can't he fight one super-villain? Just to shake things up a little bit. Hell, Nightmare popping out of nowhere would be a welcome shake at this point.
THOR is a book where it is about the quality of the ride, not on how fast it gets to the destination. A boat in the ocean with an oar rather than a sail or motor. For some that will be frustrating. It is to me a little, but I still like the book.
GHOST RIDER #21: Only part one of a great week for Djurdjevic art, as that cover is greatness. What also is great is Aaron on this book. In some ways it seems subtle but by his second issue I have noticed real improvement in the storytelling. Yes, the whole angel schtick kind of stinks as a retcon, as they all do. But that was Way's story. Aaron simply came aboard and has a mentality of, "I didn't make this bed, but I will lay on it as best I can". He handles Blaze very well and his pacing seems different than Way in a way I can't describe. He has the dark humor in spots like Way and the Ennis run got us used to, but keeps the action/horror stuff running smoothly. There are some scenes that seem a bit TOO obligatory, like Blaze's first lead on Zadkiel pretty much being 100% on the money, but it isn't like that isn't done in other comics. How many times have superheroes just patrolled randomly to find their enemy?
Blaze rescues Lucas from the hospital, which happens to be full of psycho nurses who worship Zadkiel to the point of killing people for him as "vixens" with Heavenly enchanted weapons. Lucas essentially hits home the idea that Heaven and Hell aren't terribly different in how they operate sometimes, just that Heaven were the winners of the "great war", Hell the losers. I suppose some could call this angle "anti-Christian" or whatnot, but c'mon, ever read the Old Testament? The forces of Heaven have a bit of blood on their hands enforcing rules over there. Of course the "Spirit of Vengeance" itself being a heavenly power instead of the demon Zarathos pretty much undoes a generation's worth of comics, but...again, that is Way. Aaron probably knows another reton won't help, so he is hitting the ground running, and mostly delivers. The action scenes with the nuns are cool and he's introduced another threat, the hellish HIGHWAY 18 in which cannibilized ghosts arise to kill anyone who travels the route, seemingly led by the ancestor of the cannibals who formed the town. It isn't ground breaking stuff, but it is executed well, and execution can be everything.
Boschi's art is pretty good for the tone. He draws a great Ghost Rider but I also like his Johnny Blaze. Blaze here looks grim, grizzled, like he could give Logan a challenge in the "what're YOU lookin' at!" territory, a long-traveled warrior who seems on the verge of snapping into slaughter with any provacation, and must struggle to maintain control. I wonder how he'll handle Zadkiel.
For the first time in a while I have actual hope for the series and the direction. I actually believe Aaron will take it someplace better than "good enough to keep buying it". Or at least his version will be better than Way's. In contrast, MOON KNIGHT's new blood hasn't impressed me as much, probably because Huston is still plotting. This is all Aaron's show now, and he's going well considering.
THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST #13: This series can sometimes change gears before you know it, but it still manages to be good. The story started as a tournament but it is now obvious that the bigger story is really about the attempt to change the society of K'un L'un and on Xao's attempt to destroy it for HYDRA. Konjic once again does art for most of the issue, with Kano & Hollingsworth on the flashbacks and Aja doing a measily 3 pages. I actually don't mind Konjic's art but it seems obvious that he is trying to imitate Aja and it doesn't work, like a forced joke. Hopefully this is to provide lead in time for Aja to provide more interior pages when it really matters, rather than trying to phase him out. After all, this is mostly a set-up issue.
Much like CAPTAIN AMERICA, the pace doesn't move around as fast as some books (not like, say, LAST DEFENDERS), but enough happens in each issue that it seems natural. Amidst more Orson/Wendel flashbacks, Xao's forces are able to construct his kamakazi train to destroy the mystical city, with the captured Heroes for Hire (or at least Knight, Wing, and Cage) along with the blast. Fraction & Brubaker seem to write Cage as being a bit annoying, and I find it funny that a guy with dense, bullet-proof flesh complains about the cold. Elsewhere, Danny confronts the master of K'un L'un as well as tries to organize the others, claiming that he has a grand master plan behind all of his actions thus far. The Thunderer, meanwhile, tries to talk Davos into helping their cause, as well as to defend the city, but he seems too bitter and petty to want to. I really hope that Davos doesn't become some sort of anti-hero ally, because he's really Rand's only noteworthy enemy (aside for Sabretooth, who is X-related and dead now). Sooner or later there needs to be a throw-down for this to feel satisfying between the two.
That said, the end page was bad-ass. And I do like that Fraction's other mystical warriors are becoming actual characters, which is good to expand the cast and universe. Brubaker credits Fraction for most of the book's success, at least story wise, and while it is always a shame it can't even sell within the Top 50, at least it's devoted audience should keeping it going a while. Still one of the best relaunches of a franchise in years, and that is coming from a Marvel that actually has had quite a few successful relaunches to brag about. What is old CAN be new again if done well.
THE ORDER #9: The second-to-last issue of this underrated, underselling series, and while I am glad Fraction & Kitson at least get to end things their way, without any shameless tie-in's, it will be a shame to say farewell to one of the best new teams in years, starring some of the coolest new characters in years. If only this could have become another RUNAWAYS like series, a book that straddles that line between the heart, depth, and innovation of an indie with the universe and budget of one of the Big Two.
Heavy's origin is revealed and in a way he is like Milo, another soldier who suffered a horrific injury and for whom the "empowerment" process allows him to once again be a hero and regain mobility. Yet it is done in a way that still feels fresh and explains why Heavy needs the fluid so much, and why he is somewhat water-themed. It isn't as deep as some of the other characters, but it works fine. The rest of the Order, having saved Milo and Becky (who now merge to become, uh, Hybrid. Love the age of obvious names we're in with comics) go off to confront their enemies and save Muholland, who is still in the clutches of Stane Jr., Cut, and the Men from Shadow (as well as Infernal Man and an Ex-Order reject). The Order arrives and there is a mighty brawl, but they're seemingly trapped and depowered, while Stane Jr. hacks into Muholland's powers to commit the greatest act of psychic terrorism on LA. I just ask...would anyone actually miss LA? Seriously.
Saltares takes over from Kitson's breakdowns and it is hit-or-miss, with some panels looking great and others looking wonky and rushed, as if saved by the inks and colors. It still is nice to look at, but not quite Kitson solo. After 9 issues I feel I know these heroes better than others I've known for decades, and it will be a shame to lose this book. Still, Fraction is obviously building towards his IRON MAN series, and will probably bring in some elements. Hopefully some of these characters are among them. I mean, Pepper and Harry are no-brainers. Still, I hope issue #10 isn't a slaughter-fest. While I expect at least one hero to die, I don't want the entire cast to be wiped clean. Part of what keeps the same characters in overuse is that whenever new characters are made, creators and editors seem hesitant to allow other writers to use them, so the writer who made 'em sometimes get a sense of, "better kill them before someone else does", and that can be a mistake. New characters are like seeds. Sometimes they bare fruit with good care and sometimes they are botched. But they deserve an honest chance.
At least THE ORDER outlived THE THING and some other titles. I will miss it a lot, though.
THOR #7: Djurdjevic takes over panels from Coipel in what is another solid-but-slow issue of THOR. In a way this is an awkward book sometimes. The quality is good. But the pace is sluggish, and if JMS had to rely on his own momentum and not the fact that he's hopped aboard a franchise that was allowed to fester until the hype was incredible, I doubt this would be in the Top 10. I mean, THE TWELVE is where it is on the charts, and that book at least is justified at being slow, it has 12 characters.
The story takes place after last issue, with Thor mortally weak after using his power to awaken all the Asgardians across the planet at once, lest he risk losing any to mortal death. The Warriors Three lead him back to New Asgard to go into "Odinsleep" (or now it is "Thorsleep") to recover. Because of the unique nature of the lock-box they put him in (Al Gore would approve, he was all about lock-boxes 8 years ago), Thor's Donald Blake persona is allowed to exist while he is inside another realm between death and life, like a Norse purgatory. And naturally the first thing Blake does is seek out Jane Foster, his old gal-pal.
The real story is in the neatherworld, where Thor comes across Odin fighting Surtur, and while there are teasing voices that torment Thor for not reviving his father, perhaps on purpose, Odin understands. He recounts the story of his own rise to power and JMS touches all of the themes between fathers and sons that in a way was old even before Freud coined his terminology for it. It also sets the tone that, no, at least while JMS is aboard, Odin won't be revived and Asgard won't revert to status quo. Thor is on his own now, with an Asgard on Midguard. The story works on those simple themes, and on the good art.
And yet, there is this hint that especially after 7 issues, this book could be so much more. Any one of us could imagine Thor doing a dozen more riveting things now that he is back from the dead, the world is what it is, and his allies are who they are. Thor, JMS is making the same mistake that writers make with franchises; in trying to get the roots down, they seperate them too much from the rest of the line. That, and while Loki is hiding in plain sight, there seems to be little urgency here, especially now that all the Asgardians are back. Even disregarding the Avengers, hey, Beta Ray Bill is stuck in another dimension, Tarene just died, Valkyrie could use a revive, and we could go on and on. Don't get me wrong, THOR deserves to sell well, it just could be more than it is. But perhaps this is because JMS wants to settle Thor into his role before rushing into things. Maybe he feels that is the best way to avoid a retcon undoing all he did. But damn, can't he fight one super-villain? Just to shake things up a little bit. Hell, Nightmare popping out of nowhere would be a welcome shake at this point.
THOR is a book where it is about the quality of the ride, not on how fast it gets to the destination. A boat in the ocean with an oar rather than a sail or motor. For some that will be frustrating. It is to me a little, but I still like the book.
At this point, I wish Dixon would just get rid of Batgirl, for example, because she seems awkward and weird and nothing about her recent behavior has been addressed and she's basically just a distraction now. And, of course, every time I see stupid Geo-Force, I can't help thinking of the Martian Manhunter and how much better he would be at everything Geo-Force does.
