Quick Critiques – Jan. 7, 2007

All Star Superman #6 (DC Comics/All Star imprint)
by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely & Jamie Grant

Of all the comics in my reading pile this week, this was the one to which I looked forward the most. Morrison offers up yet another imagination-fueled story with some poignant emotion, but this stood out as a somewhat flawed issue as compared to previous episodes of the series. There’s a slight disconnect in the plot when it comes to the revelation of a temporal monster. It feels as though there’s a panel or page missing. I don’t believe there actually is a missing piece. Rather, I suspect Morrison is playing around with perception and time given the sci-fi/super-hero concepts that come into play. What’s most striking about the script is how well Morrison distinguishes between a young Clark Kent on the cusp of adulthood and the grown, confident figure we’ve seen in previous issues. It was also a treat to see the return of not only Superman 1,000,000 but the Unknown Superman hinted at last year in this very title. Quitely also does an excellent job of conveying Clark’s youth and naivete and the fragility of his elderly parents. I also love the various alternate Superman designs that turn up in this issue (though at least one was previously established in DC continuity, so it can’t be attributed to Quitely). Jamie Grant’s computer colors really pop and drive home the purer, Silver Age qualities of the storytelling. 8/10

Devil Water #s 1 & 2 (King Tractor Press)
by Steven Barr, Danny Grossman, Tielman Cheaney & Harry Roland

Steven Barr’s odd amalgam of Western and horror genre elements shows some potential, but this effort from King Tractor Press — which bills itself as film and comics production enterprise — ultimately suffers from the amateur level of the writing and artwork. The artwork in the first issue, by Tielman Cheaney, is so loose and sketchy that it’s difficult to follow. Still, it has its own distinct look, but that’s eradicated in the second, as an artist with a completely different style, Harry Roland, takes over, employing a radically altered design for the main character. The second issue also repeats the third act of the first issue in its entirety for no apparent reason. The shame of the situation is that beverage entrepreneur Henry Hill’s story of trying to find his fortunes in the Old West is actually pretty interesting and charming on its own. The horror elements really just get in the way, and they’d probably work better as a story on their own as well, perhaps a short story in an anthology. Furthermore, the designs for the altered outlaws affected by the mysterious underground pool of water really aren’t that horrific. They look more like super-villains rather than demons. Honestly, I’d be happy if the creators went back to the drawing and fashioned a piece of historical fiction rather than fantastic fiction. Of course, Steven Barr’s efforts would benefit from some more polished artistic talent and more stringent editing. 3/10

Manhunter #27 (DC Comics)
by Marc Andreyko, Javier Pina, Fernando Blanco & Robin Riggs

Last month’s new jumping-on point, combined with an accessible portrayal of the title character over in Birds of Prey, reignited my interest in this series, and I put it back on my pull list. This second chapter of “Unleashed” gets off on the wrong foot, though. I knew something was wrong with the grand-jury scene, and some quick online research told me what it was. After about three minutes of searching, I discovered that judges are not generally involved in the grand-jury process. I like the idea of a super-hero title that’s also a legal drama, but I want the real-world elements to be convincing. I found the Cameron Chase subplot intriguing, but that’s because I was a major fan of the Dan Curtis Johnson/J.H. Williams III series that introduced the character. The Mark Shaw subplot was rather inaccessible; it left me scratching my head. Andreyko spends an awful lot of time focusing on public perception in the legal process, which is perfectly valid, but it feels as though he belabors the point. The artwork is surprisingly consistent, given that two different pencillers worked on this issue. On the other hand, there really weren’t any visual moments that packed much of a punch, save for the one on the final splash page. And that one is spoiled by the cover. 5/10

newuniversal #2 (Marvel Comics)
by Warren Ellis & Salvador Larroca

Though I enjoyed the first issue of newuniversal, I noted in my comments on the comic that I felt writer Warren Ellis did really seem to change all that much when he took on these rather obscure 1980s characters. After reading the second issue, that reservation is now null and void. Larger plans and connections make themselves known in this second episode, and Ellis brings an intensity and gravity to the events that help to set it apart from typical super-hero fare. The sci-fi speak in the Nightmask scenes are particularly inventive and mesmerizing while the character’s down-to-earth dialogue keeps things on a level at which the audience can relate. Ellis’s new take on Spitfire and the Troubleshooters is also grounded but injected with intensity and suspense by the end of the issue as well. As strong as Ellis’s script is, one has to admit that the real “wow” factor with newuniversal stems from Salvador Larroca’s artwork. This work represents a major evolutionary leap forward in Larroca’s craft. There’s an almost photorealistic look at play that adds to the drama, but we’re not talking about lightboxed photo-reference art (such as what has elicited a great deal of criticism of Greg Land’s artwork lately). He employs shadows to great effect here to drive home the dark, dire leanings of the story, and Jason Keith’s colors enhance the widescreen, sci-fi concepts and add texture to the grounded scenes. 8/10

Star Wars: Dark Times #1 (Dark Horse Comics/Lucas Books)
by Welles Hartley, Mick Harrison & Douglas Wheatley

This new Star Wars comic series has garnered some surprisingly positive reviews elsewhere online. I’m not one for Star Wars stuff usually, but I decided to check this debut out, especially since it seems to focus on new characters (or at least characters that didn’t play prominent roles in any of the movies). The greatest strength of the issue is the artwork by Douglas Wheatley. He offers up some photorealistic work that brings a soft side to the otherwise harsh or alien characters. He also brings an impressive level of detail to the backgrounds, be they tech-laden, sci-fi fantasy-scapes or lush, natural forests. Wheatley’s work here reminds me a fair bit of Luke Ross’s art from Samurai: Heaven and Earth. Hartley and Harrison offer up an accessible story and script, and there are enough iconic sci-fi figures incorporated to foster a feeling of familiarity. Ultimately, the story — about a desperate flight from oppressive forces, and one man’s quest to find his family — feels rather formulaic. There’s plenty of action and excitement in this first issue, but the core plot itself doesn’t reveal itself until the final page, making it feel as though the creators and characters were just spinning their wheels throughout this inaugural episode. 6/10