Eye on Comics

Countdown to Mystery #1 (DC Comics)
by Steve Gerber, Justiniano & Walden Wong/by Matthew Sturges & Stephen Jorge Segovia

This ended up on my pull list by accident, as DC’s previous forays into this new two-feature format (Mystery in Space and Tales of the Unexpected) didn’t appeal to me. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both features here, despite their connections to recent DC crossover events, really piqued my interest. The main feature, featuring a new Dr. Fate, is really, relating the there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I tale of an unfortunate soul. Despite this new Kent Nelson’s sins, he’s a sympathetic figure because anyone can relate to his ennui. The Eclipso story is the biggest surprise in the book. I haven’t cared for this incarnation of the character, but her corruption of such a bright and light character as Plastic Man made for a solid, suspenseful story. Sturges not only explores Eclipso as an insidious figure, but he uses the new female spin on the character as something of a dark siren. The art in both features is also well done. Justiniano’s exaggerated, elongated linework suits supernatural plot elements well. Wisely, the general Fate design is maintained for this new incarnation of the character; it’s a smart move, as the sharp but simple design helmet design ought to be preserved. Segovia — a new but notable name in super-hero comics art — does an excellent job of bringing a chilling tone to the story, one that’s definitely called for by the script. Eclipso’s convoluted history is summed up nicely, and the confrontation between villains at the end of this opening episode is a riveting one for readers familiar with the DC Universe. 7/10

Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special #1 (DC Comics)
by Judd Winick & Amanda Conner

Given the saucy and sexy tone of the script, Amanda Conner is the perfect choice as artist for this one-shot. She really vamps it up throughout the book; even the big fight scene boasts a lot of irreverence and personality. Yes, the female characters are often presented in something of a cheesecake fashion, but so are the men. While Conner’s characters move in a convincing manner, there’s a cartoony quality at play in her work that exudes a sense of fun. Winick’s script is rather hit or miss, unfortunately. There’s definitely a dominantly adult tone to the book, but it’s consistent throughout (unlike the recent Justice League Wedding Special); the book never purports to boast any kind of appeal to younger readers. I also enjoyed that the story never seems to take itself too seriously. Of course, that makes the deadly serious ending feel far too jarring. The surprise ending is the books biggest liability, obviously. Shock value is emphasized rather than storytelling, and the fact that we’re given no explanation for it is frustrating. Furthermore, this comic book shares some scenes in common with a couple of other recent DC releases, but it seems there’s been next to no effort to maintain any semblance of continuity. The events in this one-shot are in direct conflict with those we see in the JL Wedding Special, for example. One of the elements DC is pushing these days is its tight continuity, but it’s just not to be found here. I found I was completely torn over this issue. There’s a lot to like here, and there are elements that alienate the reader rather than entertain. 4/10

Justice League/Hitman #1 (DC Comics)
by Garth Ennis & John McCrea

Garth Ennis has written a number of stories in the comic-book medium that one could argue show the writer’s disdain for the super-hero genre. His characters have thrown up on the Batman and used Spider-Man has a human shield. He’s arranged for Superman (or a facsimile thereof) to get a blow job and for Daredevil to be tied up like a bondage fetishist. With this comic book, he sets that satirical view of the spandex-clad set and embraces the genre. He treats these characters — and notably Superman — with a respect, even a reverence that’s surprising and engaging. Of course, there are still plenty of laughs to be had with this comic book; it features Tommy Monaghan and his oddball corner of the DC Universe after all. Revisiting these characters was a wonderfully entertaining experience for those of us who followed and loved Ennis and McCrea’s Hitman series. The good news is that Ennis’s script for this new project is completely accessible. He references Hitman continuity quite a bit but in a manner that includes new readers rather than excludes. If this story doesn’t create a demand for Hitman trade paperbacks, I’d be rather surprised. The only element in the script that didn’t quite seem right to me was the Flash’s antagonistic attitude toward Green Lantern, but maybe I’m just forgetting something about their relationship from early in Kyle’s “career” as GL. McCrea’s artwork is as distorted and bizarre as ever, and it’s perfect for the gang at Noonan’s Bar. The artist also brings a larger-than-life quality to bear in his depiction of the Justice League. He especially conveys a kindness and nobility in Superman, which are key elements in this story. 8/10

Marvel Comics Presents #1 (Marvel Comics)
by various

Marvel ventures into the anthology format once again, and I’m at a loss to figure out why. I wasn’t a fan of the original, biweekly incarnation of this title years ago, but I was drawn to this relaunch based on the positive buzz around Stuart and Kathryn Immonen’s Hellcat feature in the book. That segment is certainly fun, tapping into the character’s roots in girls’ fashion comics and the weird supernatural elements that came along later. the art for the piece is energetic and full of personality as well, but that will come as little surprise to those who delighted at Stuart Immonen’s work on NextWave. Unfortunately, the script is a bit scattered and quite inaccessible. The first feature, entitled “Vanguard,” is intriguing, but the shorter nature of the segments in this episodic anthology is really limiting. The Spider-Man and Thing stories are rather generic and unremarkable in their own different ways, though the Spidey story was fun and reminiscent of the Alan Davis-penned Captain Britain stories of the 1980s. The Weapon Omega story, featuring the new Guardian from Omega Flight, is a puzzling choice. The character is still a relatively unknown and uninteresting entity, and it seems like fleshing out his character eight pages at a time in this title as opposed to a subsequent Omega Flight series is a poor choice. Andrea DiVito’s more traditional, straightforward super-hero art style seems a poor fit for the melancholy tone of the character as well. It’s my hope that Marvel will eventually collect the separate features in their own trade-paperback editions somewhere down the line, allowing the cream of the MCP crop rise to the top and consumers to choose which characters and creators they will to follow. 4/10

Jungle Girl #s 0 & 1 (Dynamite Entertainment)
by Frank Cho, Doug Murray & Adriano Batista

Shanna the She-Devil. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. And now Jungle Girl. Was there really a demand for this material? And for a majority of it to come from Frank Cho? The story — of a jungle warrior named Jana who rushes to the aid of a TV crew that crashlands in her prehistoric homeland — is straightforward and fairly cliched at times, but the real purpose of the title is all too apparent. Cho’s script is consistent in that it keeps coming back to puns and nods at the title character’s state of (un)dress and physical attributes, and the art by Adriano Batista includes completely gratuitous shots of Jana’s tits and ass. I’m guessing that this may be a repackaging and reconfiguration of a planned Shanna sequel story Cho crafted that Marvel passed on (another Shanna series, Survival of the Fittest, is underway, penned by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray). The only things about this title that are interesting are the exotic flora and fauna, and those elements are things we’ve seen time and time again in the past. 3/10

World War Hulk #4 (Marvel Comics)
by Greg Pak, John Romita Jr. & Klaus Janson

While I remain pleased overall with the energy, focus and entertainment value of the event, this penultimate issue is a bit of a letdown as compared to the other chapters in the story. Little changes from the beginning of the issue to the end, and the reader doesn’t learn all that much more about the characters or direction of the plot. The arena fighting that serves as the focus for this issue was a foregone conclusion, based on the preparations we saw in the previous issue. Romita and Janson’s intense and gritty artwork serves the violent nature of the plot here perfectly, just as it has in previous episodes. I must also point out that the merging of Christina Strain’s colors and Chris Eliopoulos’s lettering in the latter part of the book to set the Sentry apart from all other characters was thoroughly effective. Overall, while this issue was fun, it felt as though the story was spinning its wheels a bit. 6/10