12.27.06 Reviews

Astonishing X-Men #19 (Marvel): Boasts all the trappings of a Whedon script, with the smart dialogue, humor, and latent female adolescent power fantasy (Hello Kitty! I love you!). Cassaday's pencil's make the action intense and quiet character moments believable with facial expressions and emotive lines. The gang is really gearing up for a fight with the Breakworld and it looks to be a stunner for this creative team's swan song. Grade A.

Immortal Iron Fist #2 (Marvel): Brubaker and Fraction deliver another solid issue that walks the fine line between humor (not over the top camp), a detached CEO (but not ridiculously so), historical content (but not exposition), and action (but not too "comic booky"). Aja's pencils are still first rate and extremely strong, I'm still in love with the little bubbles/circles he uses to convey meaning. I recall the short story in Civil War: Choosing sides where a solid red circle meant a strike point, here an oblong, mis-shapen bubble over Danny's head means he's woozy and out of it. Very creative and very original. Grade B+.

Nextwave: Agents of HATE #11 (Marvel): Ok, so obviously the point of this issue was to poke fun at Civil War (loved the cover) and all other superficial "events" that are designed merely to take a consumer's money. That said, the interior 2-page splash pages poking fun at different Marvel events and characters, though essentially doing what the book is criticizing - which I know is the point - didn't sit very well with me. Not because I felt ripped off, but because they just weren't that funny. For me, this was the first big miss this book has had. And overall, if it's just one issue, I guess that's ok. When you're working in an experimental format like this, it can't always be funny I suppose. I'm willing to overlook this if it comes right back on track. Grade B-.

52: Week Thirty-Four (DC): Is the art actually getting worse or is it the same and just wearing on me as time goes by? Last time I checked, a chic's breasts weren't supposed to be level with her shoulders. These events are supposedly happening real time in terms of weeks, but last week the Titans wouldn't let Osiris in, yet this week he's already at Titans Tower and has a communicator(?). What happened in the last couple of days? Seems like the most interesting bits are happening off panel and in between issues - which is, you know... stupid. Only two minor bits that I liked, Zatanna's back-up story which looks really slick with Brian Bolland art, and the inclusion of Werner Vertigo who just looks kinda' cool visually to me. Grade D+.

I also picked up;

The Killer #2 (Archaia Studios Press): Was very impressed by the first ish and happy to see that a follow-up issue was promptly distributed. Can't wait to read it! I'm already hoping that this 10 issue series holds up for the long haul and that a collected edition will be forthcoming.

BPRD: The Universal Machine (Dark Horse): The BPRD storytelling juggernaut chugs another TPB out, #6 in the series. And like a fine wine, the series of mini-series is only getting better with age.