Reviewer: James Hatton
Story Title: You Gotta Be Kiddin’ Me Part 4
Written by: Scott Lobdell
Penciled by: Clayton Henry
Inked by: Mark Morales
Colored by: Andy Troy
Lettered by: Richard Stark & Comicraft
Published by: Marvel Comics
The fine folks at 411 had me review issue #3, and now they have me reviewing issue #4. I think it might be because I’m the only reviewer reading this book. Given what we were given in this issue, I really am starting to believe there is just reasoning for this. For a recap, I gave the last issue a ‘5.0’ for being ‘nothing special’. Let’s find out how the next holds up.
Story!
I mean this quite honestly when I tell you — nothing happened this issue. We are given the briefing between Dr. Lankowski and the Flighters and then off they go. Aside from a couple of cute jokes thrown at you about Major Mapleleaf’s father, and Sasquatch playing Dance Dance Revolution, this book is losing any kind of steam it might have had fast.
Everything between page one and page twenty-two was filler. I understand quite a few books nowadays write in that trade style, and from time to time it gives you an issue that feels like a filler. Though in most of them, they will try and give you something to make the issue important. A history lesson, a dark secret, the beginning of a subplot, things that this book desperately needs.
I can sum up the plot in this paragraph, and I shall do it in the style of a third grader. The team leaves their headquarters. The team shows up at the badguys’ house. The team gets lost. The team finds each other. It’s good to know Lobdell gets paid for this.
Art!
The art holds up. It has since the first issue, and it continues to do so. It is not exceptionally detailed, and it doesn’t detract from the narrative. Sadly, it doesn’t add a whole helluva lot either, and in a book where the story is lackluster, I could appreciate it a little more if I had something extra nice to look at.
Clayton Henry & Mark Morales have talent, no doubt, and I hope that they are putting in just the amount of work necessary to get by until they can find themselves on a title with a bit more staying power.
Overall!
I really hope Lobdell is working on a huge blowout once the old team meets the new team. As of right now, I’m left completely dry. The characterization is there, but without any subplots to poke at, we’re left with a filler issue in what is starting to feel like a complete filler title.
