The Comic Bloke’s Review Block #9 – 4-28-06
By: Chris Delloiacono
The Pittsburgh Comicon came and went once again. As always the weekend went too fast. There was plenty to see and do, but not enough time to squeeze it all in.
Daron and I should have a convention report up in the near future. I’ll hold off on the images for the time being, but I will include an amazing sketch of Shang-Chi (The Master of Kung Fu, baby!) that Mike Deodato, Jr. did for me. Meeting creators and finding time to get sketches done is always a major highlight of the show. My sketch book is growing and it brings back great memories every time I look through the book. This is but one more cool memory.
On the new comic front, it was a slightly above average week. There were a couple of outstanding books, of course the overall week was dragged down by some really mediocre offerings as well.
The Warlord #3
Writer: Bruce Jones
Artist: Bart Sears
Colorist: Mike Atiyeh
Publisher: DC Comics
I can’t give you a good reason why I’m still reading this other than I love the Warlord. Simply put, I want to read new adventures featuring Travis Morgan. Unfortunately, this isn’t the Warlord any more than if I threw on a loin cloth and ran around the park with a painted on goatee.
Still, I’m here, and I’m an ass for continuing to read. I’ve dropped better books from my pull list without a second thought. Being drawn to buy this makes me understand why people stick with titles featuring characters they love, no matter how bad they get.
And honestly, how long is this thing going to last. 8? 10? 12 issues tops! I can live with being an ass for a 5 or 6 more months.
On the bright side, Jones’s script has actually improved slightly, although Sears’s art hasn’t. The work by Sears is so vague that I’m not even sure what the big reveal on the last page is. It looks like Travis’s ship, but your guess may be as good as mine.
Not good.
Score: C
Incredible Hulk #94
“Exile” Part III
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Carlo Pagulayan with Michael Avon Oeming, Alex Nino, and Marshall Rogers
Inker: Jeffrey Huet with Mike Allred and Alex Nino
Colorist: Chris Sotomayor with Laura Martin and Lovern Kindzierski
Publisher: Marvel Comics
This book has become a page counter. You know, you read for a little while, then you start counting how many more pages you have to sit through.
The art is by far the strongest aspect. Carlo Pagulayan’s work is beautiful. It’s especially strong during the fight sequences. The brief flashbacks drawn by Oeming, Nino, and Rogers are a highlight. Finally we get to know the supporting cast a bit better.
The best part of Hulk being stuck on this planet is that I won’t have to read a shoehorned Civil War tie-in. While that’s good, the idea that this has another year to play out is frightening. Maybe the answer is not to read Hulk at all. I dropped Flash during that abominable final arc, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility for me to dump a long-time favorite. I’ll stick by it into the second arc and see what shakes.
This book is on very thin ice.
Score: C
X-Factor #6
“The Butterfly Defect”
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Dennis Claero
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Publisher: Marvel Comics
X-Factor is another title on a short leash as regards my pull list. This issue was much closer to what made me go ga-ga over the Madrox miniseries, so it’s getting a bit more play in the chain.
Peter David lays out the mystery of Layla quite nicely and advances other plot threads as well. The characters really had a chance to shine this time out. That’s been missing from the past few issues. That noir feeling is back as well.
I am worried about the Civil War tie-in that’s coming. I am sick to death of the ceaseless event stories that DC and Marvel churn out like bad butter. It’s making it very hard to enjoy a sustained run of a comic. Let’s hope PAD does a better job with a crossover than he did with those interminable House of M tie-ins at the tail end of his Incredible Hulk run. I have no patience for this stuff anymore.
Score: B
Savage Dragon #125
Writer: Erik Larsen
Artist: Erik Larsen
Colorist: Erik Larsen
Publisher: Image Comics
SD was gone for most of 2005 and the first few issues back didn’t do it for me. This issue, on the other hand, finally hit all the notes that have kept me reading for more than ten years.
While the cost was high, $5, the 64-pages were well worth it. The main story promises an end to some of the plot points that were dragging down the previous couple of issues, and the other two original stories are outstanding. The reprints, two of which I had never read, rounded the collection out quite nicely.
I especially enjoyed the story “The Fly” which was an interesting experiment by Larsen. It’s essentially the same panel repeated six times per page for twenty-three pages. All that changes are the position of the fly (you’ll have to read it to find out the details), the clock on the back wall, and the amount of light in the room. I was a little worried when I heard about the story before picking up the issue, but it turns out really well.
Erik Larsen is getting the book back up to the quality level I’ve loved for so long. It’s great to have Savage Dragon hitting on all cylinders again.
Score: A
Star Wars: Tag & Bink II #2
“Episode I: Revenge of the Clone Menace”
Writer: Kevin Rubio
Artist: Lucas Marangon
Colorist: Dan Jackson
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Special thanks for recommending this book go out to Ryan “SOAK” Connor, 144Anima’s number one fan, and a big reader of The Nexus. Ryan’s hilarious telling of the events of the first issue made me go out and find it on Tuesday. Then, to my surprise, issue #2 hit on Wednesday.
Hands down, this is the best Star Wars comic I’ve read in years. This book isn’t serious at all, but it’s just the level of fun that’s been missing from Star Wars for too long.
Rubio and Marangon are comic storytelling geniuses. This particular story weaves throughout the prequel trilogy inserting Tag & Bink into key areas. Not only are there nonstop sight gags on nearly every page but the dialogue is outstanding as well.
I believe these guys were there all through the Star Wars Saga. Tag & Bink have supplanted Biggs and are now my co-favorite characters from the series!
Just a few things to whet your appetite. Tag & Bink are responsible for getting Padme and Anakin together; not to mention, they are also the reason George Lucas writes bad dialogue. If you want to find out what else they caused, well pick up the comic.
If only more Star Wars products weren’t taken so seriously!
Score: A – Chip of the Week!!!
Bloke’s done. See ya next Friday!
