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Quick Critiques – March 1, 2008

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Action Comics #862 (DC Comics)
by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank & Jon Sibal

The current story arc — “Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes” — stands out as perhaps the strongest writing we’ve seen from Geoff Johns since his earlier projects for DC, such as Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and The Flash. While there is definitely respect and affection for past DC stories and characters in this story, in this instance, continuity doesn’t seem to drive the plot the way it has in other Johns efforts. Nor is the point of this story a major event, as we’ve seen in Johns’s various Green Lantern comics in recent years. the writer achieves a nice balance between his homage to the Paul Levitz era of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a strong degree of accessibility for readers who may not be all that familiar with these heroes from the far-flung future. Now, the story has been fairly standard, as we’ve been presented with darker versions of bright characters in a dystopian future, but this chapter demonstrates the writer’s recognition of the importance of fun and a sense of wonder. With the inclusion of the Legion of Substitute Heroes, Johns brings a level of humor that was missing from the earlier episodes of this arc. Gary Frank’s designs for these slightly gritty takes on Silver Age characters are sharp, reminiscent of the kind of mature credibility that Keith Giffen brought to the property in the 1990s. Nevertheless, there’s still some campiness to the characters’ looks. Like the script, Frank’s artwork achieves a nice balance between the goofier side of this super-hero adventure and the more serious, dramatic leanings. When it comes to Superman comics today, most eyes are on Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman, and for good reason. But Johns and Frank are playing a somewhat similar tune. 8/10

Chumble Spuzz Vol. 1 (Slave Labor Graphics)
by Ethan Nicolle

“Piggy! I smell you!! … You smell like yeasty itching!”

That quote from the latter pages of this unusual comedy title might give you an idea of what to expect. Creator Ethan Nicolle offers up an oddball, surreal day of fun at the carnival, as weird, diminutive cartoon characters try to wrestle some fun from the mitts of scumbags and demonic livestock. The overall tone of the book is something akin to Pinky and the Brain crossed with Milk and Cheese. It’s bizarre, it’s occasionally disgusting and it’s definitely demented and stupid, but it’s also fairly entertaining. Nicolle isn’t exactly trailblazing here; we’ve seen this sort of fare before, but there’s no denying his enthusiasm and unrestrained creativity. It seems nothing is taboo, but there’s an odd kind of innocence mixed in with the depravity and low-brow elements in the humor that’s oddly appealing. Nicolle’s approach to the art is a dichotomous one. The two main characters boast oversimplified, cartoony designs, but there’s a much greater level of detail in everything else that surrounds them. The visuals seemed like a jam project involving Sam (The Maxx) Kieth, Dave (Puffed) Crosland and Jack (Mad) Davis. I think Chumble Spuzz will appeal to fans of such titles as Battle Pope and Puffed, but that’s a pretty small niche in the industry. 6/10

Note: I’ve discovered that what I reviewed was only one chapter of a larger graphic novel, which was all that was provided for review. So bear in mind the above comments apply to only one segment of the book as a whole. The individual chapters are apparently available for paid downloads through Slave Labor Graphics.

Kick-Ass #1 (Marvel Comics/Icon imprint)
by Mark Millar, John Romita Jr. & Tom Palmer

Given the number of popular creators in its stable of talent, I’m surprised we don’t see more titles from Marvel’s Icon imprint, which is designed as a home for their creator-owned work. Given Mark Millar’s vital role to Marvel’s super-hero line in recent years, I’m surprised we didn’t see an Icon title from him sooner. Even more surprising is the fact that he and co-creator John Romita Jr. haven’t strayed far from the super-hero genre at all. Millar is in familiar territory here, with another realistic take on super-heroes, examining how it might work in the real world. The perspective is that of a lost teenage kid, a nobody who wants to be more than what he feels. Millar tries to ground the story with a lot of references to real-world super-hero movie references, but he wields that particular tool a bit too much. The story is unpredictable and almost believable, and I like that Millar avoids cliches and conventions. Ultimately, the story and the main character struck me as rather sad. Perhaps that’s the point — that in the real world, super-hero stories would all be tragedies about foolhardy, naive souls — but after reading the first issue, I wasn’t sure what Millar was going for. Is Kick-Ass a black comedy? A tragedy? Drama? Action-oriented thriller? The very title of the series leads me to believe it’s not meant to be taken too seriously, but there are conflicting cues in the script. Romita’s artwork is, as always, incredibly effective. Given the violence that’s prominent in the plot, his gritty style seems well suited for the subject matter. I also like how he captures the main character’s slight appearance without making him seem like a stereotypically weak geek type. Oddly enough, the first issue of Kick-Ass, while showing some promise, isn’t as kick-ass as some might have expected. Whether or not the series develops into something special remains to be seen. 6/10

The Stranded #1 (Virgin Comics)
by Mike Carey & Siddharth Kotian

The exact nature of the plot in this comic book isn’t entirely clear, but the focus is on a superhuman warrior woman named Tamree and her efforts to protect others superhumans who are hidden from the public and from themselves among the regular human population. There’s apparently some sort of war brewing, but writer Mike Carey opts to maintain a sense of mystery and string the readership along. It might have been effective had he given us any reason at all to care about these characters or what happens to them. It’s fitting that Marc Silvestri provides one of the covers for this introductory issue, given that artist Siddharth Kotian’s work seems heavily influenced by the Image founder’s own style. The costume designs for the more extreme characters are highly reminiscent of Silvestri’s past design work. Unfortunately, Silvestri’s designs always seem to emphasize coolness over credibility. It’s also perplexing as to why regular people in the story don’t react to the over-the-top, futuristic garb of the more extreme characters. There’s also a hint of a George Perez influence in the art, but overall, it’s rather inconsistent. Every figure in the book is elongated and impossibly ideal; Siddharth needs to bring more variety to his depictions of anatomy. Siddharth still needs to develop as an artist, but there are some images that impress. The combination of science-fiction and supernatural elements in the “safeguards” in Tamree’s house are lovely, but they’re not really spotlighted in any great detail. The overall look of the book and the tone of the plot give one the impression the reader is immersed in an early ’90s Image title illustrated by one of the founders’ proteges. And no, that’s not a good thing. 4/10

Zorro #1 (Dynamite Entertainment)
by Matt Wagner & Francesco Francavilla

Perhaps the only pop-culture icon to be adapted for other media, time and time again, as often as Superman and Batman is Zorro. The property has spawned movies, TV series and comics galore, and there’s really no end in sight. Adding Zorro to its stable of comics properties is a logical move for Dynamite Entertainment, given the creative success the publisher has had with The Lone Ranger. I can only assume a crossover awaits us sometime in the near future. And given the solid craft at work in this introductory issue, I look forward to it. Not that Matt Wagner’s interpretation of the classic Hispanic hero is anything earth-shattering or innovative. It’s entertaining and diverting, but he’s not reinventing the wheel here. The writer wisely constructs the character up from his childhood, demonstrating how he developed the impossibly pure personal qualities that made him a hero and a warrior. Wagner also does an excellent job of setting the stage, of detailing the historical backdrop that’s an integral part of the property. His influence is apparent in the artwork as well. The credits note that Wagner is not only the writer but the art director for this title as well, and his style peeks through in selected panels here and there. Artist Francesco Francavilla conveys the action clearly, and I like that he captures the youth of the young Diego De La Vega and his “brother” nicely. Most impressive in terms of the visuals are the colors by Impaco Studio’s Adriano Lucas. The warm tones not only bring a dreamy, painted look that reinforces the legendary quality of the story, but it also conveys the hot, dry climate in which the action takes place. 7/10

March 1, 2008 Don MacPherson

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2 thoughts on “Quick Critiques – March 1, 2008”

  1. The Mighty Rob! says:
    March 2, 2008 at 5:49 am

    Kick-Ass may not be completely original on it’s “Superheroes in the Real World” concept, but I thought it was a brilliant read – can’t wait to see what’s next. At the end of the book, Millar already mentions that there’s a third story arc in the works….maybe that “Something Special in the Future” you are looking for, Don?

  2. BDS says:
    March 4, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    I must disagree with your assesment of The Stranded. And I wonder why you did not pick up what was clear to me about the reality of the world described. Regular people have their minds closed to these extreme clothes and beings. The voice that leads the main adversary explains it. There is a nice aliens in hiding story here to me. I was not an Image reader back when you are trying to allude to an earlier work. Again, I liked it.

    What I fear for me is that the hook at the end will not be maintained. It is not about needing to care in the first issue, I am willing to give the story time to develop. So I do want the caring to come over time. I did see the concern of Tamree. Can issue #2 continue what I liked about the first.

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