X-Statix Dead Girl #2
Marvel Comics
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Nick Dragotta & Mike Allred
Absurdity is occasionally its own reward. In this issue, we have meat puppet Dead Girl, Wong having a reversal of fortune, and an undead ladies book club. The main plot, a reanimated mystery villain temporarily bringing other Marvel characters back from the grave to steal high fashion items and terrify the still breathing, is campy fun. The main draw is still the oddball character interactions and pop culture references. The art continues in its cartoony goofiness. This miniseries maintains the X-Statix standard admirably.
Score: A
Exiles #77
Marvel Comics
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: J. Calafiore
The World Tour makes it next stop in the Squadron Supreme universe (#712 if you’re keeping a nerdy database) and other than too much focus on the reality’s home team, there’s nothing to complain about in this issue. The team is still hunting the House of M version of Proteus (still contained in Hulk 2099 nigh indestructible body) for the murder of their teammate and other crimes against other realities. Unfortunately, Proteus gets to the reality first and convinces the Squadron that the Exiles are evil. The typical hero/hero rumble ensues. It’s a bit predictable, but the ever amazing Calafiore art and Crystal Palace interlude help sell it.
Score: B
BOOKS OF DOOM #4
Marvel Comics
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Pablo Raimondi
It is almost pointless to criticize this miniseries. The art is great, moody and detailed. The story expands on the origins of Victor Von Doom in a completely believable and interesting way. The dialogue does that tricky balancing act between dramatic and campy without making a single misstep. And this issue, Victor kills a Yeti. Nobody can follow that. No-freakin’-body!
Score: A
Thunderbolts #100
Marvel Comics
Writers: Fabian Nicieza, Kurt Busiek,
Artists: Tom Grummett, Various
This extra-sized issue shows exactly how far Thunderbolts has strayed since its initial heyday. The back up story (which may be a reprint) was more interesting and comprehensible than the main story. The death of a team member and the reappearance of an foe thought incinerated notwithstanding, the faux team turmoil in the lead tale didn’t have the resonance the earlier issues did. The Thunderbolt who was ostensibly dispersed this issue is almost sure to be back (he’s appeared in many future in continuity stories) and so the main thrust of the story lacked impact. The art in this book starts off strong with a clean polished look and varies wildly in the back-up tale with a half a dozen pencilers. The high-energy visuals cannot save the muddled overcomplicated plot however.
Score: C
