The Comic Bloke’s Review Block #7 – 4/14/06
By: Chris Delloiacono
Some great comics and lots to get me fired up this week. I can feel that it’s going to be a Jekyll and Hyde week!
Ultimate Spider-Man #93
“Deadpool” Part 3
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Mark Bagley
Inker: Danny Miki
Colorist: Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Deforestation is a major problem in the modern world. Greenpeace is just one organization fighting to protect the world’s ecosystem. While they do some wonderful work, I think they’re missing a piece in the puzzle to save the world.
Brian Michael Bendis and his careless disregard for trees must be stopped!
The man is content to simply beat the same plot point to death over the course of twenty-two, forty-four, eighty-eight, or sometimes even more pages.
He gets a solid idea then stretches it out and beats it to ever loving death before he goes on and does the same thing again. Could someone at Marvel whittle his stuff down?
This arc actually started out on a high note. The first part was the best issue of the title in years.
This one was putridesence on a magnificent scale.
Bendis can be great, but this issue shows off all of his weaknesses in glorious detail! Lots of splash pages with nothing but fisticuffs and pages packed with tiny panels with wasteful, worthless dialogue that adds nothing to the story.
Filler issue!
There were about six panels worth reading this month.
Greenpeace’s new motto should be:
Save the rainforests, Edit Brian Bendis!
This only gets a D because Mark Bagley’s work is too damn good to warrant his name being attached to a book graded an F. Although, I’m starting to think Bagley has a strange predilection for knives, as most of the recent USM covers have featured knives as a focus. Weird stuff.
Score: D – Cow Chip of the Week!!!
DMZ #6
“Body of a Journalist” Part One
Writer: Brian Wood
Artists: Riccardo Burchielli & Brian Wood
Colorist: Jeromy Cox
Publisher: Vertigo > DC Comics
The only failing of DMZ to this point has been the lack of information on the Civil War embroiled United States which is the setting. Brian Wood has been plowing along at an insanely fast rate focusing on characterizing the lead, Matt, and setting up the demilitarized zone of Manhattan, but the actual conflict has been glossed over.
This month, Wood keeps up the blistering pace and brings us some details about the world.
Information and action at once! What a concept in the modern world of comic storytelling.
It’s a fancy bit of writing that answers questions, sets up the next events, and just keeps the hits coming.
Ooh-Rah!
Score: A
American Virgin #2
“Head” Part Two
Writer: Steven T. Seagle
Artist: Becky Cloonan
Colorist: Brian Miller
Publisher: Vertigo > DC Comics
Color me impressed. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the first issue, but this one has my interest. In hindsight I give writer Steven T. Seagle credit for spending the first issue letting us get to know the titular virgin, Adam. That lends the crisis in faith he’s facing this month all the more strength.
I’m not quite sold on the ease that Adam had getting into Mozambique to retrieve his headless girlfriend, though. He’ll probably have a more difficult time getting out of Dodge. Hopefully, Seagle ups the ante over the next few issues. I’m not in the mood for dawdling.
I’m still not totally happy with Becky Cloonan’s artwork. The level of detail isn’t quite what I’d like to see. More problematic is the panel to panel continuity of the different characters. The people change shape and size a little too noticeably. Still, it’s not a badly rendered comic. It will probably improve as the months wear on.
With a bit of fine tuning this could get very good.
Score: B
Fables #48
“Wolves” Part One
Writer: Bill Willingham
Penciller: Mark Buckingham
Inker: Steve Leialoha
Colorist: Daniel Vozzo
Publisher: Vertigo > DC Comics
This two-part lead in to the upcoming half-century anniversary issue proves to be spectacular.
Mowgli’s hunt for Bigby heats up in the freezing area of Russia near the Bering Strait. Willingham brings us intense action and solid character interactions. There are even some interesting plot points back on the Farm with Bigby’s children. Nicely paced and well arranged issue on all counts.
Special accolades must be heaped upon the artistic duo of Buckingham and Leialoha. The confrontation between Mowgli and the leader of a pack of wolves is one of the best sequences in comics this year. The violence is powerful, without being gratuitous. You feel for both characters and their personal struggle. The violence is ugly, unsettling, but I couldn’t avert my gaze. Powerful stuff.
Willingham, Buckingham, and Leialoha have crafted what to this point is the comic of the year. You can’t get much better than this!
Score: A – Chip of the Week!!!
Catchin’ Up:
Spider-Man/Arana: The Hunter Revealed
Writer: Tania Del Rio
Artists: Jonboy Meyers & Tania Del Rio
Inkers: Jim Royal & Mark Irwin
Colorist: Debora Carita & Guru eFx
Publisher: Marvel Comics
I had to wait a couple of weeks while my friendly comic shop owner (thanks, Chris) ordered a copy of the Spidey/Arana one-shot. My good buddy, Mike Maillaro (formerly of The Nexus), told me not to get my hopes up as I waited to see the latest events in the underappreciated Arana’s comic life.
As much good as bad comes out of this particular comic.
Writer Tania Del Rio comes in and takes over for former Arana scribe Fiona Avery. Del Rio gets a handle on the character quickly and resolves many of the dangling plot threads that Avery left behind. The book even includes an eight-page recap (penciled with manga aplomb by Del Rio) of the events that occurred in Arana’s Amazing Fantasy debut and her twelve-issue solo series. The fact that Del Rio easily lays out the events of eighteen issues in the space of eight pages shows just how ploddingly Avery had been moving us.
Del Rio has for all intents and purposes brought a new direction to Arana. The direction should be far less convoluted and potentially very interesting. Of course Arana doesn’t have a book anymore. So, where that direction will occur, well, we’ll just have to wait and see.
On the weak side, I don’t normally care for a writer coming in and shredding the cast of a previous writer. That’s essentially what Del Rio does here. Still, the character isn’t exactly popular, so a new direction may be the only thing that brings her back. Thus, I can live with it.
As for Spider-Man’s appearance”¦well, I’m not even sure he was in the book. Sure a guy wearing that wretched new costume showed up, but the scenes amounted to a pep talk and some help in a fight. An unnecessary appearance for certain!
Finally, artistically, I like Jonboy Meyers’ manga/American synthesis, but it didn’t quite work here. The artwork actually translated the action in the story well. The problem was that most of the characters don’t look like what Mark Brooks first put down on paper back in Amazing Fantasy #1. While the massive changes Del Rio instituted at the close call for a new look, it shouldn’t have occurred just yet.
All told, not bad. I’m certainly still game for more of little Aranita. Hopefully Marvel gives it another go.
Score: C
Kick to the Bollocks:
Variant comics are one of the most moronic products in the entire world.
I totally understand throwing a new cover on a second printing. That doesn’t bother me when it serves to get a popular book into new readers’ hands. On the other hand, people that own the first print and buy a second printing for a new cover, annoy me to no end.
What a waste!
Buying two of the same comic is just idiotic.
As much as that ticks me off, that’s not what I feel like ranting about this week.
Marvel stepped over the line with their just announced Nextwave #5: “Crayon Butchery” Variant. This “edition” of the comic will come sans coloring, so you may color it, with crayons, on your own.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the “brains” behind this idea filled out their tax forms with a crayon.
Can you say, fecal matter?
Cheap garbage like this is clogging comic shelves and is nothing more than a way to rip people off.
Why, why, why, WHY, would anyone want this?
When for the same price you can get the version with coloring!
It’s like Marvel’s saying that colorists don’t matter.
Here’s a variant that actually has merit:
Brian Bendis’s story arcs edited down to a length offering readers a well paced story.
I bet we’ll never see, Ultimate Spider-Man: Non-Padded Variant Edition.
Unfortunately, variants that make their products better isn’t something that Marvel is into.
Instead, Marvel will probably find additional ways to cut corners, save a few bucks, and put out inferior claptrap. Perhaps we’ll see these: staple-free editions, non-lettered variants, all advertisement versions, and cover-only comics.
Sadly, there are probably people willing to piss their money away on such substandard products. Just because it’s there and Marvel tells you it’s cool.
Contact me at acegecko@comcast.net if you have a book you’d like me to review.
Bloke’s annoyed. Might see ya next Friday!
