Review: O.M.A.C. #3

When reading O.M.A.C. #3, it occurred to me just why I love this comic so much. My love for Jack Kirby has more than a little to do with it, but what I think really gets me is the similarity to Japanese tokusatsu shows. They both have transformations, over the top heroes and villains, a heaping helping of silliness, and of course, wonderfully fun action scenes. Toku is something I think comics could stand to take some cues from, and it's great to see O.M.A.C. doing just that, even if it isn't intentional.

New characters and concepts are introduced at a neck breaking speed throughout the issue. From the terrifically fun Checkmate Elite to the surprisingly powerful Psi-Fi Man, O.M.A.C. throws out ideas in at a rate few comics do. The rapid pace would feel overwhelming in a lot of comics, but there's a simplicity at O.M.A.C.'s core that really makes this work. I often get frustrated when comics don't spend much time on something I find interesting, but jumping from idea to idea feels natural to O.M.A.C. If the book sticks around, I imagine we'll get some kind of big bad, but I hope we still keep getting peeks at wacky henchmen and crazy future tech. O.M.A.C. just wouldn't feel right if it was too focused on one thing.

But in spite of all the new content, this issue didn't measure up to the last one for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm still having a blast with O.M.A.C., but I think some aspects of the book are losing their impact for me. I was excited by what was truly new, but O.M.A.C. himself is becoming less interesting to me. There was some focus on Kevin's relationship with Brother Eye here, and I really hope that we see some kind of shake-up soon. Kevin has the potential to be a likable, engaging character, but it hasn't been tapped yet. Right now, I'm more entertained by everything around him than I am by anything he's done, and I think the book would be much more involving if I had a stronger attachment to him. So much about O.M.A.C. is impermanent, and I want Kevin to be the constant.

Keith Giffen's artwork is absolutely essential to the book, and it's only been improving with each issue. I've spent a lot of time talking about how effectively use channels Kirby's style, but there's plenty to love here that's pure Giffen. The composition of his pages is spectacular, and every panel is full of energy. One of my favorite things about his work is how much fun most of the characters look like they're having. Even O.M.A.C., who is always completely focused on the task at hand, seems to gain some pleasure from throwing his punches. It's little details like that that keep the constant action interesting. I really enjoy the book's dialogue, but the story Giffen tells with his art would hold up without a single word.

O.M.A.C. #3 isn't quite as entertaining as the issues that came before, but it's still a great send-up to comics of old. This issue probably won't pick up any new fans for the comic, but it's good enough that those who were already enjoying it should stick with it. I'm hoping O.M.A.C. can keep all its eccentric charm, but finds something that will attract new readers as well. I'm having a lot of fun reading O.M.A.C., but it's time for the comic to do a little more.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Stormwatch #3

Don't get me wrong, I've been thoroughly enjoying Stormwatch.It has terrific characters, it always makes me laugh, and the characters have gone up against some pretty interesting threats. But until now, I've thought a lot of the book's greatness was in its potential. You could see where the book might be going, it looked pretty fun, and there was plenty to entertain along the way. But this? This is the first issue that really begins to realize the potential of this new comic. It's exactly what I've hoped Stormwatch would be from the very start, and it was so much fun to finally be able to read it.

This issue was packed full of cosmic fun, dynamic action scenes, crowning moments of awesome, and still had all the great character banter and concepts that the first two issues did. Looking back, you can see how Paul Cornell was building to some of these moments, and the payoff is terrific. From seeing Apollo really let loose to finally seeing some moon versus the world action, Stormwatch #3 was crammed full of the stuff I'd wanted to read about from the moment this book was announced. It would've benefited from a little more Martian Manhunter, but it still told a ton of story for the page count. This is the first time I think I've been even more excited by the comic this was than the comic that it's going to be.

\I lamented the lack of Jack Hawksmoor last issue, but that was more than made up for with some of the incredible moments we got here. Actually seeing Jack communicate with the physical manifestations of cities like Metropolis and Gotham left me fascinated by his powers and dying to see more of them. Henry Tanner was a source of entertainment in the last two issues, but his reveal here has me thrilled about the new addition to the Stormwatch crew, and on the edge of my seat waiting to see what he'll do next. Genuine surprises is comics are rare, and I honestly did not see what he had coming. I have the feeling the Eminence of Blades isn't going to be an easy one to predict.

I'm beginning to think Adam One is hiding some pretty big secrets. In the early issues I could write off his behavior as having to do with his laid back personality, but it feels like something deeper here. If a character has century upon century of knowledge and experience and isn't drawing upon it at all, I'm inclined to think there's something going on between the scenes. What I really love about Stormwatch is how much time I spend thinking about it after each read. My documents folder is full of wordpad files containing comic book theories, and the Stormwatch one is already massive. Even if I don't get any of this right, it's an absolutely blast to think about.

Miguel Sepulveda is once again handling the art duties of the book solo, and his work on the title continues to improve. It helps that so much of the comic is cosmic- this is where Sepulveda really shines, and he gets plenty of chances to show off his monster drawing skills as well. The action scene near the end of the book was pitch perfect, and the his rendition of Moscow in the book's opening panel was beautiful. Cornell really asked a lot of  Sepulveda's imagination here, and he absolutely delivered. While Alex Sinclair continues to work as a colorist on the book, he's now joined by Pete Pantazis. I slightly prefer the way the previous issue's colors looked, but it's still solid work, with some really beautiful textures and detailing.

If you weren't completely sold on Stormwatch's first issue, now's the time to give the book a second look. Every issue so far has been better than the one that cames before, and this is the one that where everything really comes together. Stormwatch is a fun book that makes perfect use of its off color cast of characters, and I feel like it satisfies a wide variety of my comic book cravings. It's a team book, it's got humor, it's cosmic, and it never fails to be intriguing. It's not a comic for everyone, but it's one I continue to recommend.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Stormwatch #2

From the moment it was announced, Stormwatch was among my most anticipated DCnU series. It had Martian Manhunter, Midnighter, and Paul Cornell- just about everything a comic fan could ask for. Last month's issue lived up to most of my expectations, and left me really excited to see where the series would go next. And when I say "where the series would go next", I mean "see Midnighter use his chinspike on the moon". Unfortunately, we haven't gotten quite to the point of moon impaling yet, but the series continues to have great humor, amazing looking monsters, and most importantly, really entertaining characters.

In issue two, we start to get a real sense of these characters beyond their powers and abilities. There's some nice backstory for Adam One, and Harry Tanner gets in great line after great line. We barely saw Midnighter in the last issue, but he gets plenty of time to shine in this one. There's something very charming about the way Cornell writes Midnighter. There's already a lot of chemistry between him and Apollo, and I'm excited to see how their relationship develops. And I have to say, I always appreciate when someone recognizes how badass Martian Manhunter is. We don't see much of The Projectionist, but she still manages to be responsible for one of my favorite scenes in the book. Maybe it's just the media manipulation powers, but she really sells me on Stormwatch being in the main DCU.

Even taking Apollo and Midnighter out of the equation, there are some really nice character interactions here. There are so many strong personalities, and a good portion of the cast seems to see themselves as the leader of the group. I especially liked the back and forth between Adam and The Engineer, even if it felt like Jenny's parents were fighting in front of her. I'm really curious to see how Harry Tanner will fit in with the main cast. His conversations with The Scourge have been a delight, and I'm expecting some great witty banter once the whole crew is together. My one complaint is that we got so little Jack Hawksmoor, but with such a big cast, some characters are going to have to be neglected.

Colorist Allen Passalaqua has been replaced by Alex Sinclair, who I think is a much better fit for the book. Miguel Sepulveda has also been joined by artist Al Barrionuevo. From what I can tell, Sepulveda drew most of the cosmic scenes, while Barrionuevo is doing the character work. This sort of thing is right in Sepulveda's wheelhouse, and Barrionuevo work here is solid. I love the way he draws Midnighter's chinspike- it looks almost like a goatee- and his facial expressions feel much more vibrant. There were a few uneven moments, but there are also some great page layouts, and the book looks much better overall. I'm not sure if this is a temporary fill-in situation or the new status quo, but I like it.

Someone coming into Stormwatch #2 without reading the issue before probably won't get what's going on, but they should still be entertained. There are plenty of moments in the comic that are hilarious on their own, even if you don't know the situation or the characters. Hopefully, the second printing ensures that anyone interested can get their hands on Stormwatch #1, but this comic is worth slogging through Wikipedia for. There are some moments here that might not play as well for readers unfamiliar with the DC or Wildstorm universes, but as a whole, I still think Stormwatch is an accessible series.

Stormwatch #2 is another DCnU book that improved on its first issue, and it has me feeling really good about the series as a whole. I can definitely see this one being a sleeper hit sometime after the first storyline has concluded. I'd recommend anyone who was entertained by Stormwatch #1 give this a read, and those who enjoyed the dialogue in Demon Knights might want to give this a look as well. Stormwatch is definitely a series I'll be sticking with, and with more moon fighting coming, I think the series is only going to get better from here.

By Marceline with 2 comments

Why You Should Check Out O.M.A.C. #2

September's preliminary sales charts have been released, and to my surprise, O.M.A.C. #1 was the lowest selling title of the new 52. I know that the comic's retro pastiche has limited appeal, and I wasn't expecting to tear up the charts, but I definitely thought it'd do a little better than it did. The audience for a comic featuring a giant blue mohawked man punching crazy looking things can't be that small, and I thought that word of mouth from the terrific first issue would give sales a nice boost. While O.M.A.C. still sold well enough to justify a reprint, the bottom of the heap isn't a great place to be, especially when few comics boast bigger numbers for their second issue than their first.

All that's a shame, because this issue has even more to offer readers than the last. From the introduction of Checkmate to an editor's note that literally had me laughing out loud, this comic never stops throwing cool ideas at you, and never stops being fun. Everything that was great about the first issue, from the sense of energy and epicness to Keith Giffen's Kirby channeling, is still here. And everything else? Is better. There's more story, snappier dialogue, more focus on characters. The action scenes are bigger and more exciting, and this is where we really get a sense of what O.M.A.C., Brother Eye, and Cadmus can do. Giffen and Dan Didio deliver plenty of story and excitement for the money, and give readers lots to think about while they wait for next month's issue.

What's great about O.M.A.C. #2 is that it works as a jumping on point in spite of picking up right where the last issue left off. Within the first page, we know that what O.M.A.C. is, that he's Kevin Kho, and that Brother Eye is using O.M.A.C. to control him. They say that every issue is someone's first issue, and O.M.A.C. makes sure that new readers can read this one with no problems. The increased focus on Brother Eye provides readers with some interesting in-depth explanations, and I actually think several elements from the last issue are easier to understand here. The first issue is good stuff, and I recommend reading it, but this issue is still a perfect place to start.

I love dark and creepy series like Animal Man and Swamp Thing, but that's not all I want to read. O.M.A.C. is the comic book equivalent of a chaser, giving you enough goofy, crazy fun to knock gruesome thoughts out of your head and make your next read more potent. There are a lot of horror books in the new 52, and if you're trying to add some variety to your pull list, O.M.A.C. is a great way to do it. Odds are you're not reading any comics that contain the word "OMACTIVATE", and your life might be just a little bit better if you were. I've also seen many people lamenting the lack of comics they can give to younger readers. While a bit of mild language keeps O.M.A.C. from being a true all ages title, it's definitely appropriate for a younger crowd, and it's something fans of kid friendly books might want to support.

Maybe Giffen's Kirby style artwork isn't your thing. Maybe you were scared off by Dan Didio's co-writing credit, or by the righteousness of O.M.A.C.'s mohawk. Maybe all you know of OMAC are the cyborgs we saw in Infinite Crisis, and can't figure out those guys could carry an ongoing series. Whatever kept you from trying O.M.A.C., I impore you to give the second issue a chance. I can't promise that you'll like it, but I can promise that it's a well constructed comic that offers something really different from most books on the shelves. It's the sort of comic that's worth trying, even if it doesn't seem like your thing. And the final page reveal should leave any longtime DC reader intrigued.

So if you missed out on O.M.A.C. #1, try flipping through issue #2 and seeing what you think. If you like it, try grabbing the reprint of issue #1 or getting it when it takes a price drop on Comixology. Most importantly, if you thought it was awesome, be sure to tell your comic reading friends. I'm not going to let a comic as good as O.M.A.C. go down without a fight. O.M.A.C. is never going to outsell stuff like Batman or Green Lantern,   but word of mouth can still make a difference in the comics world. Here's hoping that next month, O.M.A.C.'s place on the comic book charts is a little bit prettier.

By Marceline with 1 comment

Review: Voodoo #1

I have to say that Voodoo is almost a complete unknown to me. I think she was in WildC.A.T.S. with Grifter, but really that’s where my previous knowledge of her begins and ends. So, I suppose I’m kind of the target audience. DC is certainly trying to branch out with concepts they haven’t used before (war, vampires, villain led titles, weird 70’s sci fi), but I really feel like the target audience here is 15 year old boys (though, considering that’s when I started reading comics, they may be on to something).

The main character is ‘Voodoo’ named because she’s the most popular stripper in a strip club
named Voodoo. Get it? I don’t know where the character’s name came from before, but I can’t imagine a much worse genesis for a superhero name than this. Did I mention the strip club? I don’t want to undersell that 90% of the issue takes place in a strip club that is only barely shying away from an 18+ rating.

Not your dad's comic book! (Well, hopefully)

Oh yeah, there’s a plot lurking around here somewhere. That’s totally what we’re all focused on

Basic plot. Voodoo’s a stripper, Evans and Fallon are some kind of ‘feds’ supposed to watch her but not interact. Evans looks like a bad Scott Summers and Fallon reminds me of Deena Pilgrim (but that may be the cop/fed thing). Evans, being the guy, disregards this because she’s a stripper, and hey, what guy doesn’t disregard orders for boobies? Evans leaves because she’s disgusted, or has scruples, or as an obvious plot device (or maybe all 3!).

Evans then manages to bribe a server to tell him Voodoo’s real name directly after she expressly tells him it’s against the rules to do so. I’d be more ok with this if Ron Marz didn’t spend the next few scenes overtly playing up the sisterhood, one for all, all for one, aspect between Voodoo & the other strippers. Marz uses this exchange to overtly show how Voodoo is different. She is stripping to ‘learn about people, especially men’. Oh, and this whole thing is set in the makeup room so the girls are mostly naked the whole time. Here’s a note kids: if your dialog and plotting is overly clichéd, just amp up the T&A, no one will notice. It’s not like I have a problem with the sexuality if it works with the story. Personally I thought the Catwoman comic fit with the character, so maybe the whole stripper thing fits with Voodoo, but it just reads as terribly uninteresting.

I won’t spoil the end, but I will say that the twist is enough to make me consider picking up the next issue. It does redeem a couple of characters to make me reconsider their initial one dimensional characterization. Whether or not I will is yet to be seen.

Sami Basri’s art & Jessica Kholinne’s colors are the obvious highlights of the issue. Clearly Basri is talented in drawing women in proactive clothing (something of a pre-req for superhero comics), but his style is unique. It plays like a mix of comic book and cartoon. The backgrounds look like they’re created completely separate and the characters added in after. I don’t think this would work for every comic but it does work wonderfully here. I think there’s a lot of potential for the fight scenes

I fight fast and dirty so’s I can take my time with my smokes. Punk.

Really, the art is just gorgeous and I really hope the series goes somewhere worth reading. Honestly though, I doubt it. Pretty much every character is just a bundle of cliché and Ron Marz doesn’t have the best track record in my opinion (see: Emerald Twilight).

Oh, there was one other highlight (caught by our intrepid editor The Masked Ndi)

I don’t know who this guy is but I’m betting…..foe?

By Kephus with 3 comments

Review: All-Star Western #1

For years, Jonah Hex has been one of DC's most consistently great titles. Frequent collaborators Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray proved a perfect fit for the title, and together, they churned out issue after excellent issue. Unfortunately, the quality of Jonah Hex never seemed to translate into sales. The people who did read Jonah Hex loved it, and purchased it loyally, but the book struggled to attract an audience beyond its small, devoted fanbase. It seemed as though western comics were a niche with limited appeal, and with early reports stating that All-Star Western was the most under-ordered of all the new 52 titles, it looked like the relaunch wouldn't be enough to change that.

Somehow, someway, Palmiotti and Gray must've stumbled on some magic, because with All-Star Western #1, they've turned out a comic that could be enjoyed by almost anyone. The new Gotham based setting may displease western purists, but the book's new direction- Jonah Hex meets Sherlock Holmes meets CSI. For a period story like this to interest a wide audience, it needs a hook, and the psychological profiling and focus on detective work that Dr. Amadeus Arkham brings to the title is a great one. His slightly antagonistic, but mutually beneficial relationship with Hex is buddy comedy gold, and the two characters play off each other beautifully. Arkham also does a great job of introducing Hex to new readers, narrating his often entertaining opinions of the character in the same manner that Watson was known to describe Holmes.

In many ways, Hex is a fish out of water in Gotham, and I love the way that the comic addresses that. Finding a reason for Hex to stay in Gotham won't be an easy task, but I'm confident that Palmiotti and Gray will come up with a convincing explanation. The book's setting will also allow them to the city's rich history, and I can't wait to see elements of what we saw in Gates of Gotham expanded on. The book's final page is downright chilling, and shows just how easily Gotham can get under your skin. Hex and Arkham are the perfect focal characters for period Gotham based tale. One will bring a little of the frontier back to Gotham, fighting tooth and nail against anything the city throws at him, while the other will want to stare deeper into the darkest parts of the city, and confront its madness head-on.

This week has been full of incredible art, and Moritat keeps that trend going. His opening splash page is absolutely stunning, and the level of detail he puts into even the most minor background characters is impressive. From the gorgeous backdrops of industrial Gotham to lively facial expressions and high energy bar room brawls, he goes above and beyond to deliver everything the writers ask of him. Gabriel Bautista's colors add so much atmosphere in every page. He uses a fairly drab, muted color scheme, and it'd be easy for that to look dull, but he adds just enough brightness to make every page look striking.

While I'm very much looking forward to the back-up tales that we'll see in the issues to come, I really appreciated the extra pages this story had. It was so wonderful paced, and I felt it offered readers a proper story even though the book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger. There are some nice, subtle winks at longtime DC readers, but the story remains incredibly accessible and feels like a true #1 issue. Palmiotti and Gray are always good, but this comic shows why, providing readers with a murder mystery with hints of From Hell, a character study of Jonah Hex, and some foreshadowing that I think will really pay off in issues to come. It's a great comic, and I hope that it gets the attention it deserves.

All-Star Western offers a full, satisfying reading experience that more than justifies its $3.99 price tag. Obviously, I recommend it to Jonah Hex fans, but I'd also like to ask readers who've never gotten into Hex or Westerns to give it a try. Hex still feels exactly like himself, but the new set-up for the comic has something to offer just about anyone, providing they're able to handle the book's more violent scenes. Whether you like mysteries, like Gotham, or just like a damn good story, All-Star Western is a comic worth reading.

By Marceline with 2 comments

Review: Blackhawks #1

The Blackhawks got their start way back in the 1940's, in an ongoing series published by Quality Comics. The comic featured an internationally flavored team of ace fighter pilots, and was one of Quality's most popular ongoings. There were Blackhawk novels, Blackhawk radio plays, and even a Blackhawk movie serial. DC kept the series running when they acquired several Quality properties in the last 1950's, and attempted a complete revitalization of the franchise back in the 1980's. For the most part, however, the Blackhawks faded away, with only bits and pieces of the series, such as the original Lady Blackhawk, Zinda Blake, popping up from time to time.

Now, DC is attempting to revamp the franchise once again, keeping much of the team's international flavor, but giving the book a new tone and cast of characters. They've brought in Mike Costa, a writer best known for his work on G.I. Joe comics, and apparently hope to compete with IDW by offering a G.I. Joe title of their own. There's not much of a focus on the piloting aspect of the book, and while I do think we'll see our characters do some flying in most issues, the Blackhawks are now a special-ops team first and foremost. Everything feels a little bit larger than life than it did in older Blackhawk tales, and it'll be interesting to see if they incorporate some of the series' wackier elements later on.

I've praised DC for their diversification of genres, but titles like Animal Man, All Star Western and even Men of War still felt like a part of the DC universe. Mike Costa's Blackhawks, on the other hand, feels like something completely different. There was just something about this book that felt really seperated from the rest of the 52 books, and were it not for the Blackhawks name and symbol, I would readily believe that this was published by an entirely different company. DC's received some criticism for not taking real risks to draw in new readers, and I think there's a little of that here, even though the story itself doesn't feel all that new. It's normal for a comic book story, but not for a DC story, and that's what makes the difference.

While I appreciate wanting to show as much of the team as possible in the first issue, I wish Costa had used a few less characters here. Some characters, like the Ukranian born Irishman and American teammate Canada, made a clear impact on me, but there were others who I struggled to remember, and I had to flip back pages a few times in order to keep track of who was who. On the same note, only a few members of the cast got a chance to really demonstrate their skills or show off their personality. I liked the characters I did spend time with, but I think at least during the beginning, this book would be better off telling stories with just a few Blackhawks at a time, especially when so many other things are going on.

This book is inevitably going to be compared to Men of War, but I think it does a good job of differentiating itself from DC's other military comic. Where Men of War tells a classic, cinematic war tale that's fairly realistic for being set in the DCU, Blackhawks is action packed and leans towards the fantastical. Rather than keeping metahumans as something imposing and far away, Blackhawks seems to be confronting these aspects directly, with an opening storyline dealing with weaponized nanites. This is where you come for crazy comic book technology, for unbelievable but fun fight scenes, for special ops stories in which you don't feel the presence of the military so strongly. It's not a bad niche, and I can definitely see this book finding an audience.

Ken Lashley and Graham Nolan's artwork is full of energy, and absolutely shines during the action scenes. Where it sometimes falls short is during the book's less frentic moments. There are some really nice panels, but a lot of the facial expressions feel off, and the posing feels stiff and lifeless compared to the comic's earlier kinetic scenes. I suspect part of the problem is the way the creative team works, with Nolan putting together the book's layouts, and Lashley finishing each page. This suits the bigger scenes perfectly, but leaves the smaller ones feeling really inconsistent and uneven. Nolan will be handling the book solo from issue 2 on, so the book may have a very different look in issues to come.

I'd recommend this one for readers who'd like to read about something besides superheroes, those looking for a comic full of non-stop action, and of course, to fans of G.I. Joe. This isn't one of the best titles of the week, but it's pretty good, and it's different enough to keep my interest for at least this storyline. Longtime fans of Lady Blackhawk or the Blackhawk series may be disappointed- this is a true reimagining, and I'm pretty certain the Lady Blackhawk mentioned here isn't Zinda- but this book has a lot of offer those who aren't that interested in DC. And for that, it earns my respect.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Grifter #1

I never followed the Wildcats comic or the animated series, but I'm well aware that Grifter is one of the franchise's most popular characters. He's appeared in crossover series, had several toys, and it's no surprise that DC chose to give him his own title when they intergrated the Wildstorm characters into their own universe. Not being all that familiar with the character, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this issue. And what little I did expect definitely wasn't what I got. Whether that's because the character was changed dramatically or because I was even less familiar with Grifter than I thought remains to be seen. 

Writer Nate Edmonson spins a non-linear tale that's reminiscent of sci-fi classic They Live. After losing 17 minutes- or maybe 17 days- professional grifter Cole Cash finds himself haunted by strange, disembodied voices that seem pretty intent on killing him. This is carefully set up so that it isn't clear to the reader whether the voices are real, or Cole is just paranoid, and I'm really to see how long they can keep that up. When I was younger, I was convinced that Grifter was a rip-off of Gambit, but this version seems to take a page from Lost's Sawyer.(with elements of John Lithgow in Twilight Zone). Josh Holloway was almost certainly used as a model for the character, and it's fun to have a built-in voice to read the character in. 

I dislike decompression, and it pains me to say this, but Grifter would've really benefited from stretching its first issue out a little more. There are some really cool elements introduced here, but I don't feel like enough time is devoted to them to really make it work. From Grifter's con, which we don't see enough of to really understand, to the introduction of his special ops brother, the comic is full of elements that needed a few more pages to shine. This issue ends with Grifter donning his famous face covering, and I suspect that Edmonson wanted to get all the basics out of the way so that he could dive into the real story for issue 2.

Cafu, a longtime Superman artist who's recently done some great work on T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, isn't at his best here. Both his action scenes and his figure work are terrific, but the comic is really lacking in facial expressions, something he's usually great at. Cafu's still a tremendous talent, and he turns out some solid pages, but his art isn't the draw that it'd usually be. I know several of these books had some tight deadlines, and I hope we get to see him at his best in the issues to come.

While there's nothing in this comic that relies on knowledge of Grifter or the Wildstorm universe, its unusual narrative may make this a trickier read for some readers. This is the sort of title that plays better when you read it twice, and those looking for something more straightforward may want to give this a pass. That said, this certainly isn't complex enough to make it impenetrable to the average reader, and no one interested in this comic should let its back and forth narrative scare them off.

Grifter #1 is a flawed but interesting comic that definitely left me curious about what would come next. Ultimately, this issue worked for me more on the strength of its concepts than on the story on the pages, but this was still a mostly enjoyable read that would've been even better if so many books this week hadn't featured plane fights. I don't know enough about Grifter to recommend this to fans of the character, but I'd definitely suggest fans of paranoia fueled horror tales or fans of Edmonson's Who is Jake Ellis give this one a look.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Deathstroke #1

Deathstroke is a character who could really benefit from being rebooted. Over the years, writers have gone back and forth on almost every aspect of the character, from his motives to his power levels. This is a guy who went toe to toe with the entire Justice League and almost won, but repeatedly had his plans foiled by those meddling Teen Titans. As a reader, I haven't really enjoyed Deathstroke since the Teen Titans storyline "Judas Contract", and had I not pledged to try all 52 books, I probably wouldn't have given this a chance. I'm happy to say that this title was worth taking a chance on.

I was unsure as I read the book's opening pages, in which an unseen character gushes to the audience how awesome Deathstroke is. Characters talking about other characters being awesome is a pet peeve of mine, and I feel like it crops up in comics way too often. On the other hand, this dialogue was displayed over scenes of Deathstroke actually being badass, which made it a lot easier for me to swallow. I also really appreciate that writer Kyle Higgins avoided pages of backstory and instead quickly gave readers the basics, and then jumped into action.

It was when we saw Deathstroke being offered his first mission that the real story kicked in, and when the comic really won me over. While many characters in the DCnU have been deaged, Slade Wilson remains older and experienced- so much older that he is paired with a group of teenagers (who I suspect spend a lot of time on Xbox Live). Putting him in a position where he needs to prove himself in spite of his record is a good way to make him feel fresh without undoing his history. While I'm guessing Deathstroke won't regularly work with a team, I hope we still get more moments like the ones we had here. I found his interactions with these guys to be hilarious.

While the comic's interiors were never going to be as awesome as Simon Bisley's covers, they're still quite visually pleasing. For the most part, colorist Jason Wright uses muted tones, which really makes Deathstroke's costume pop. Artist Joe Bennett does solid work throughout the comic, but where he really shines are his facial expressions. Often, just seeing the way Slade reacted to a line was enough to crack, and you can bet this comic will be featured heavily in this week's reaction image post. While the new Deathstroke costume is still too busy for my tastes, Bennett draws it well enough that it's never a distraction.

I was impressed with the fact that Kyle Higgins told a complete story in a single issue, while still leaving me curious enough to come back for more. In these days of decompressed comics, a oneshot tale is rare, and I'm always impressed when I see a writer pull one off. While he's fairly new to the comics scene, I really think Higgins is a writer to watch. His work on titles like Gates of Gotham and Supreme Power has been strong, and I think this is the title he's really going to hone his skills on. I'm really excited to watch his career develop.

The ending of this issue is either going to be what sells the reader on the comic, or what really turns them off. For my part, I appreciated that Slade was established as a ruthless, villainous guy, no ifs, ands, or buts. Much like a certain height challenged Canadian, Deathstroke is good at doing things that aren't particularly nice, and he revels in that. I'd love to see more character development for Slade somewhere down the road, but I hope Higgins never casts him in the role of the tortured anti-hero. This is where he works for me, as a guy who genuinely loves what he does, no matter how unpleasant that might be.

I'd recommend this comic to fans of Deathstroke, to those who long for the days of done in one stories, and to anyone who's enjoyed Higgins work on Supreme Power. If you prefer your protagonists to be less than heroic, and were considering Suicide Squad, I'd suggest picking this one up instead- I think it's the better comic by far and is very accessible to new readers. Those turned off by high levels of violence will want to avoid this one, although it's much tamer than what we've seen from Batwing and recent Lantern titles. Overall, this is a solid start and a nice surprise, and I'm really looking forward to reading issue 2.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Men of War #1

One of the most interesting things about a universe as extraordinary as DC's is what it must be like for ordinary people to live in it. The point of view of regular joe who shares a world with near demigods is a fascinating one, but it's one that's rarely explored. Many a non-powered supporting character joins the world of superheroics sooner or later, and books that feature these characters struggle to find an audience.

The first issue of Men of War looks to explore what the DCU looks like through the eyes of a soldier while remaining a compelling war comic in its own right. Priced at $3.99, the comic actually features two tales. The book's main story, Joseph Rock, follows the grandson of iconic DC character Sgt. Rock, while its presumably rotating back-up feature showcases a group of Navy Seals.

Ivan Brandon's main story has the feel of a classic war movie. It's clearly much more grounded in reality than your standard DC title, but there's a feeling of something epic brewing, and I suspect Brandon already has some big stories planned for these characters. His dialogue is peppered with military slang, with translations in boxes at the bottom of the panel. For some readers, this might be a distraction, but for me, things like this help make a world more immersive. It gives conversations a more natural feel, and I like learning little details as I read about something that's fairly alien to me.

Tom Derenick's work is a strong fit for the title. His backgrounds are stark without lacking detail, and his smooth, sharp lines make the panels in which all hell breaks loose more visually effective. I especially like the muted tones with pops of color utilized by colorist Matt Wilson. Several of the pages are divided up by angular lines, sometimes giving the appearance of shattered glass and always adding a little more movement to the page. Other pages feature a single panel that's much wider than the others, creating a very cool effect that gives the comic a cinematic feel.

The glimpse we get of metahumans is brief, and mostly from a distance. While the second issue cover makes me think they'll be getting up close and personal pretty quickly, I really liked the way it was handled. The focus is never on metahumans themselves, but instead on the soldiers, and how all of this looks to them. I think it's easy to make any character with superpowers front and center the moment you use them in a story, and I'm very grateful Brandon didn't go that route.

I was a little less impressed by the back-up story, Navy Seals, by writer Jonathan Vankin. The characters seemed likable, and the story was fine, but I didn't feel especially excited by or invested in what happened. Similarly, artist Phil Winslade's work is perfectly good, but not all that interesting from an aesthetic standpoint.  Instead, it feels like a very by the numbers war comic. Pairing this with the more unconventional story told in Joseph Rock is probably a wise choice, as it allows the comic to appeal to a broader range of readers. Still, I'm hoping we get a Haunted Tank tale somewhere down the road.

Looking at this week's releases alone, it's clear DC is making a big effort to diversify their offerings, something I find very cool. While this comic probably isn't going to interest people who don't like war stories, it has the potential to attract new and different fans, and to build loyal readers out of the people who are starved for this sort of title. On several occasions, I've been in a comic shop and overheard a customer asking for war comics. There's not a lot out there for them, and I'm thrilled DC is doing something to interest those readers. If you know someone who likes these sort of stories but who doesn't read comics, I'd suggest gifting them this issue. This is the sort of thing that can expand the ever shrinking comic readership, and I think having a wider variety of tastes in the comics fandom can only be a good thing.

There are clear parallels to be drawn between Men of War and GCPD, a comic that focused on Gotham's police department. While I definitely think this is going to appeal to a lot of GCPD fans, I also think it's more of a genre story than that comic was, and people who don't want to read a comic about soldiers shouldn't expect to have their minds changed by this. Readers who are looking for a good military story, however, should be very satisfied, and I think Men of War is only going to get better from here.

By Marceline with 3 comments