Quick Critiques – Feb. 18, 2007

Astonishing X-Men #20 (Marvel Comics)
by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday

I’ve been enjoying this series, despite its sporadic publishing schedule, pretty much since the start (well, since #2). and there’s a lot to like about it. Cassaday’s art is always breathtaking, and even though his detailed style tends to lean toward a more dramatic, stoic atmosphere, he still manages to capture the whimsical elements writer Joss Whedon tosses in. Whedon’s dialogue really makes these characters come alive, and he’s brought some intense action and innovative plotting to the mix. And despite those strengths, I just didn’t enjoy this issue. After reading it, I sat back and wondered how the plot shifted so suddenly and dramatically from a super-villain assault on the X-Mansion to a space opera. Whedon seems to refuse to allow any particular plotline to resolve before throwing the characters waist deep into their next catastrophe. It’s dizzying. The frenetic pace of the multiple plots almost seems desperate in tone. On top of that, this notion of the X-Men’s strongman as a prophesized destroyer of worlds strikes me as an awfully hard pill to swallow. Furthermore, Agent Brand fails to come across any kind of character, but rather the voice box for every all-too-convenient plot device that allows the impossible action to leap forward from scene to scene. Whedon strings together small, clever ideas about the application of the X-Men’s powers here, but the plot serving to link to those scenes just doesn’t work. 6/10

Death, Cold as Steel #1 (Panel Press)
by Bram Meehan & Jamie Chase

The indy-press crowd responsible for Raised by Squirrels offers up this new limited series set in the same superhero-meets-espionage continuity. The story, set in the wake of the Second World War, sees a fresh new face in the U.S. government’s super-hero division forced to head up an investigation into the murder of the Steel Soldier, the shining icon of heroism and power who helped turn the tide of the war. Artist Jamie Chase is clearly inspired by Frank Miller’s Sin City here. The first act is immersed in shadow and a noir atmosphere. Characters are rendered inconsistently later in the book, and the art really relies on the script to identify the characters. There are moments when Chase’s work boasts some real strength, even taking on a rather Alex Toth-esque appearance. But overall, it’s rough in tone and calls out for the artist to hone his craft (especially when it comes to anatomy and movement). The story is limited. Beyond the revelation of the Steel Soldier’s murder, the script consists primarily of exposition. The latter half of the issue dwells on simply introducing all the players. Writer Bram Meehan doesn’t provide enough in the ways of clear cues as to when the story is set. A blurb on the back cover firmly establishes the story as being set in 1946, but there’s nothing nearly as overt to be found in the script itself. There’s nothing in the way of character development. Mind you, the issue is highly accessible for new readers, and there’s potential in the plotting, even though it’s hidden by the awkward pacing. 4/10
For more information or to purchase, visit PanelPress.com.

The Messengers graphic novel (Dark Horse Comics)
by Jason Hall & Kelley Jones

Writer Jason Hall and artist Kelley Jones offer up an adaptation of a horror flick that’s currently gracing the big screen in theatres around the world. I haven’t seen the movie, but it seems as though Hall’s script explores the plot from a different perspective. Instead of the scary moments the teen protagonist experiences (as seen in the movie’s promotional campaign), Hall’s script focuses on a broken man who’s haunted both figuratively and literally by the family and life he’s lost. That alternative point of view is an interesting approach, and it makes for a potentially fresh look at the story for those who have seen the movie. Still, I felt as though I was missing out on parts of the story, as we rarely get a glimpse of the ghosts as the kids do in the movie proper. But what’s really disappointing about this book is Kelley Jones’s artwork. Jones is a master of horror storytelling in comics; his work on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman is among the most memorable visual highlights of the series. But his work here is rushed, poorly defined and sorely lacking in backgrounds. It’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between the two main father-figure characters in the story, even though one has facial hair and the other doesn’t. I do like the format in which Dark Horse has presented this short graphic novella. It’s the same slim, inexpensive digest format used for Hellboy Animated: The Black Wedding, and I’m pleased to see Dark Horse playing around with more affordable, slick presentations. 5/10

Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #12 (Marvel Comics)
by Warren Ellis, Stuart Immonen & Wade von Grawbadger

Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen bring this series full circle with the final issue. The first two episodes of Nextwave focused on the rampage of a Silver Age icon of Marvel monsterdom and just how ridiculous the character concept is in the context of the 21st century. They do so again with this conclusion as they reveal the mastermind behind the bizarre plot is another classic Marvel monster, behaving ridiculously. This issue delivers yet another dose of M.O.D.O.K. fun; after recent M.O.D.O.K. material in Marvel Adventures The Avengers and the previous issue of Nextwave, it’s proving to be quite the trend. It seems as though every other panel boasts a hilarious image or memorable, funny line of dialogue. Immonen’s art celebrates Marvel’s past while poking fun at it at the same time. The intensity of the action and extreme nature of the characters make for dazzling visuals. The zaniness of the circumstances and designs distract from the fact that Immonen has meticulously crafted over-the-top, impossible detail that’s in keeping with the overall tone of the script. As fans of the series probably know, this is the final issue of the series, which is unfortunate. The good news, though, is that Ellis’s ending leaves the door wide open for further stories, with something of a new status quo in place that transforms the title team into a parody of The Authority (which Ellis created a few years ago at DC/Wildstorm). 9/10

Scalped #2 (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
by Jason Aaron & R.M. Guera

Jason Aaron’s story of corruption, poverty and misery on a South Dakota reservation continues, and he continues to bring a level of intensity to the characters and plot that engages the reader quite well. We really don’t learn much more about these characters in this second episode, which is too bad, because there’s some strong potential. Probably the most interesting figure in the drama so far is the villain, Lincoln Red Crow. Later on in this issue, he comes across as a typical crimelord character, but earlier in this issue, Aaron depicts him as a skilled, slick leader (from a public-relations standpoint). Red Crow boasts an intelligent and charismatic quality, and I wish that showed through every time we see the character. One of my complaints about the first issue was that all of the characters seemed so harsh and unlikable. In this issue, a more ethical, centered player is introduced, clearly intended to inspire the main protagonist somewhere down the line. Still, the dominant, overwhelming tone remains harsh. The same holds true with Guera’s artwork. It’s in keeping with the tone set out in the script, but the linework is a bit difficult to make out at times as well. I remain intrigued by Scalped, especially given the ambitious and unique nature of the subject matter, but I’m still not sold on it yet. I think Aaron could strengthen his scripts more with real-world sociology about the plight of the native American as well as some kind of symbol of success from within those unfortunate circumstances. 6/10