Comic Book Journal

Every now and then a comic book comes along which makes you stop and reread it only then to stop and catch your breath. For me, the rarity that is an absolutely flawless comic books is “Bonds.” The three part mini-series from Image comics is the story of an accomplished violinist (or celloist?) who must make the choice to use her latent magical abilities to avenge the death of her father. This is a book I would hand to someone who scoffs at the maturity level of comic books and say, “read this.” This book, in particular the first chapter, “Allegro,” is quickly moving. The pace that the story unfolds is breathtaking. This book is both breathtaking in the artwork and the writing. It is clear that creator poured soul into the work. I actually had someone who had never read comics before looking over my shoulder as I flipped through the pages, and they immediately asked, “What’s that? And can I borrow it?” Emphatically I said, “yes.” This is the type of story that should be applauded for its accessibility and beauty. I give this book a ten out of ten as it’s pure comic book perfection. Also the cover art has the main character with tattoos, and if you’re interested in getting a comic book tattoo please check out my blog on the subject at: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/tattoo-you/ before getting one. You’ll thank me for it later. For more on Bonds, be sure to check out my site also, as it’s released I’ll be sure to review it as I have become fascinated with the story.

I recently reviewed the first chapter of the Messiah Complex, which follows the sage of our favorite merry mutants as they fight not just for their survival but survival of all mutant kind. If you want to see my findings on the first chapter, check out http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-next-big-thing/.
I have to tell you kids, this crossover is where it’s at. I’ve recently finished reading the first four chapters and I’m enthralled. So far, though, there hasn’t been a lot of appearances by Sinister, which I hope will be more frequent as the storyline progresses. So far so good, the only gripe I have with the saga so far is the artwork in the “New X-Men,” which I suppose overall fits the tone for the quirky “last” generation of mutants, but is still a little loose and light for the storyline. I think this crossover will do what Crisis on Infinite Earths did for DC and perhaps get the universe more streamlined, eliminating hanging plot threads and eliminating needless characters, compacting the history of the Marvel Universe, more importantly, the mutants in Marvel’s universe. So far so good Marvel. Hopefully this trend will continue through the middle and end of the saga. As the events proceed I’ll of course let you know what I think.

In the new book “Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes,” author Christopher Knowles examines the enormous influence religious, occult, magical beliefs and ancient mythology had on the creation of legendary characters like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Wolverine. Are superheroes becoming a new religion? What is the relationship between superheroes and the Occult? What influences shaped the modern superhero? Those questions and many others are explored in this 256 page novel. Knowles, a veteran of the comic book industry bases his argument on several paintings and compares them with comic book artwork. My question is why does it matter? The fact is, there are no original stories. Every major work of fiction has borrowed from a work previously. An example in literature is the story of Noah and the flood in the Bible. Literary scholars have traced its possible roots to the epic of Gilgamesh, which involves a great flood destroying civilization also. The majority of adventure fiction borrows from the Illiad and the Odyssey. The word odyssey itself is defined as a “long, adventurous wandering.” Why the parallels to the comic book universe could be interesting, I believe the link to another other work of fiction or mythology, unless explicitly stated by the character or creator is sheer coincidence. Did Siegel borrow elements of Superman from Hercules? Probably. Did he put elements of renaissance painting in his design when visualizing the character? More than likely. So what’s the point? There are no original creations, we always carry some memory of great work we’ve encountered previously when we create something new. We pull these experiences from our unconscious mind from time to time. Writers and artists draw upon past experiences and influences all the time. While this book could be interesting for trivia purposes I don’t think it’s shocking or even a new concept. Some food for thought, I’ve posted a picture of some comic art from the book, then the Last Supper. Is one copied from another? You decide. For more details on the relationship between comic books and literature you may want to check out my samplings of classics illustrated at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-value-of-classics-illustrated/.

What’s the next big thing in store for Marvel? It’s the Messiah Complex, another X-Crossover which promises to streamline the X-Universe. I hope it will get rid of the multiple universes, multiple creative teams, and hopefully, the Multiple Man, Jaime Madrox. The crossover stretches throughout all of the X-Men titles, and centers on a plot with Mr. Sinister and his crew to kidnap the only mutant born since the M crisis. So it’s basically a fight to the death between Sinister, every X-team, and the Purifiers to find/keep the child and determine the fate of the child. I was actually anticipating this crossover after seeing previews of the artwork. So without further ado here’s the review. This title was marvelous. If the entire crossover is like this, then Marvel will finally get back on track in the universe of the X-Men. The merry mutants will hopefully be streamlined back into core titles. The one-shot of the Messiah Complex had a great back story, the characters were the classic defenders of the universe I remember from days when I read X-Men regularly, and the threat is definitely real. The significance of the event is evident by the tension between the characters as they realize the potential peril they face. Ed Brubaker’s dialog is the finest I’ve seen from him in quite some time. The artwork speaks for itself. I’ve posted a sample of one of the pages at the end of this blog. Silvestri’s pencils are revitalizing on these characters and it’s great to see him doing this caliber of work again. He captures the characters’ intensity and fear nicely. If all issues of this crossover are created with this kind of care, it will be a masterpiece like Crisis on Infinite Earths, which will shape comic books for years to come. Marvel is back on track. I’d have to give this book a solid nine out of ten. To see what else Marvel is doing right check out my previous blog on Halo at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/watch-for-the-uprising/.

I just had the opportunity to read Halo: Uprising # 1 of 4 from Marvel Comics, and I have to say Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev’s interpretation of the video game series surprised me. I have never played Halo, but after reading this book, may consider picking up the controller and giving it a shot. The storyline is basically a pair of star-crossed humans gets mixed up in saving Earth from aliens who are destroying the world looking for a mythical key. There’s not as much Master Chief, shoot-em-up action as I expected coming from a comic book about a first person shooter, but it actually worked. This book serves as an example of how a video game comic should be done. For the polar opposite see my review of the miserable World of Warcraft at: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/what-in-the-world-of-warcraft/.
I can’t say enough about Alex Maleev’s pencils. They are detailed and atmospheric. I’d love to see the black and white sketches for this series. I’d also like to see how much the colorist contributed as the colors are rich and luxurious, yet muted and downplayed in all the right places. This book had all the right elements to make it readable for people who have never played the video game and comic book fans as well. On a scale of one to ten I’d have to give the book the honor of being the first I’ve given a ten. It is balanced, plot driven, with plenty of action and mystery. Congratulations are in order for Marvel Comics who have generated a hit with this mini-series. I hope the rest of the series can keep this same standard of excellence.

I think the title says it all. This is how science fiction should be written. I’ve never watched an episode of Battlestar. Now maybe I will. This book was fantastic. The artwork made the page come alive and I felt as if I was among the crew of the Pegasus. The characters were nicely rendered. The ships and space fighting scenes were sharp and stylistic. Despite being a bit long, this was an excellent first issue, and hopefully not the last in the series. Dynamic entertainment has a winner with this book. Generally, the sci-fi genre has been unsuccessful in the conversion to comic books, see my review on Star Trek Enterprise here: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/to-boldly-go/.
I cannot stress enough how this title is worth picking up. The crew take a tired genre and actually make it feel as if you’re watching a space thriller. The story basically follows the crew of a ship that has been in flight for far too long, and they encounter the evil Cylons, who has killed the majority of another crew. The Pegasus crew must encounter and continue the battle against the Cylons to avenge the death of their fallen comrades. I don’t want to spoil the details of the plot because I hope you’ll do yourself a favor and pick up this awesome book. On a scale from one to ten, this gets a solid nine. What’s the only thing missing, a little background on the Pegasus and its crew. This is recommended reading for any comic book fan, whether they’re into space adventures or not. Dynamite Entertainment has a winner in this series.

Enter Punisher War Journal #18. I have to admit once upon a time, I did read a few issues of Punisher War Journal, and it doesn’t look like much has changed since I got bored with the series before. I see that Frank Castle is still over-the-top in his ultra-violent approach. I still see that the editorial and writing staff seem to still insist on revolving every plot around the whole “you’re a good man/bad man, Frank Castle,” debacle. *Sigh* The lack of revitalization of the series since I stopped reading years ago saddens me. If you’re into morbid, dramatic, and mostly violent comics, than Punisher War Journal is for you. If you’re into just plain strange, morbid, and mostly violent comics, then you might like Emily the Strange. See my review of the book here: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-strange-world-of-emily/ Anyway, onto the review. As for as writing skills go I suppose Fraction has a good command of the medium, his plotting, and pacing techniques seem well-developed. The art is sparse, yet detailed, and atmospheric setting an unsettling tone for the storyline. I think Cory Walker is the right artist for the series. I also think that Matt Fraction is an appropriate writer for the book. So what’s my gripe? My gripe is with the originality of the overall story arc. I’m not seeing nothing new in this revamp of Frank Castle that I haven’t seen before. So out of ten, I’d give this book a five. This is a solid book, technically speaking, but it didn’t excite me or make me want to continue the series. However, if you’re a die-hard Punisher fan, there may be something you like here.

Ok. I’m not really a huge fan of fantasy stories, though I do enjoy sci-fi and horror. Maybe that changed my interpretation of this book. I had a mini preview of this book previously when I wrote about my views of turning a massive mulitplayer online roleplaying game into a comic at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/better-than-a-superfriend-on-your-chest/.
Now that the book has been released I’d thought I’d give World of Warcraft #1 a shot. The story opens with a human fighting a giant alligator amidst a crowd of orcs. The orcs take the human captive, then enslave him with a group of wolves, beasts, and elves. He must fight under captivity to ensure his life. What’s the catch? The human, who remains nameless throughout the entire issue, has amnesia and claims the ragtag group of warriors under his protection. That’s how the first book ends. For me, the books falls far short of “interactive.” Walter Simonson, who I know has a great command of the comic book medium, does the best with the material he has been given. Granted this is a premier issue, but it did seem to lack characterization, and honestly, I didn’t care whether the human made it out of the arena alive or not. The art is *sigh* manga influenced. Perhaps I would have liked the issue better if it were traditional artwork instead, who’s to say. Lullabi’s lack of backgrounds, thick cartoonish renderings, and overdone character expressions do nothing more than distract from the story and situation at hand. There is no sense of atmosphere or urgency for me (the reader) to identify with. While the colors are lush and it does have sense of motion throughout the panels, there’s not more underneath the flair to sink my teeth into. On a scale of one to ten, I’d have to give this book a four. It might have potential for some audiences, but at a price tag of right at three dollars, I don’t think I’ll pick up the next issue, not even it there is another Jim Lee cover.

I’ve never been a wonder woman fan. I didn’t like the lasso of truth or her magic bracelets or her invisible jet. I thought relying on those things weakened the character of Diana and the Amazon mythology. So I wasn’t a big fan of the book…until now. I’ve just finished Wonder Woman #14 and DC has it right. The creative team of Gail Simone, writer, and Terry Dodson, artist, are great together. Dodson’s art and storytelling abilities match Simone’s pacing. And the colors are gorgeous accents to Dodson’s great line work and detailed backgrounds. I think the story was the best I’ve read in a modern comic for quite sometime as Simone has a solid handling on plot and story structure. While this particular issue may not be the best for a new reader of the series, or those who don’t have a lot of knowledge of Wonder Woman, it was for lack of a better word–refreshing. It was fun. Diana takes home super-gorilla houseguests, may possibly be pursuing a romance in the future with her partner at the office, and she must defend her new homeland against the evils of Captain Nazi. It doesn’t get any better than this for the modern age of comic folks. If you looking to throw some books together for a gift basket, as I’ve suggested in my fanboy/fangirl gift guide at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/top-ten-fanboyor-girl-gifts/
this is a solid pick that will please almost all audiences. On a scale of one to ten, I’d give this book a solid nine, the only thing that’s missing a more back story on the characters, which could be easily fixed with a “previously” section. Simone’s story and Dodson’s art will make you remember why comics are so much fun.

I know a cat gets nine, but how many lives does a wolverine get? The folks at Marvel are killing Wolverine again only to bring him back. I jumped on in the middle of a five part saga the death of Wolverine. This book depressed me. I wasn’t sad that Wolvie had died and was in purgatory, I was sad that Marc Guggenheim wasn’t on strike. The story was cliched and tired, anyone who feels differently please let me know. For the general plot line, Wolverine was killed and Dr. Strange showed up and resurrected him, now he has to travel through purgatory fighting his own soul to make it back to the earthly plane. As he recalls his past in the war, he “realizes” that he has been fighting his baser nature *yawn* all of these years. I’m glad Logan or James, or whatever they’re calling him now, has finally realized that, but is it really a realization? Has that same story not been told in every Wolverine comic to date. Wolverine, the savage man-animal, must fight his baser nature to get close to anyone and often pushes away people he cares for in fear of hurting them. My point–this “event” is nothing new. Ever since the character’s inception two points have been hammered in to loyal readers consistently. Wolverine is a savage drifter who doesn’t have many memories and number two, Wolverine is always in inner turmoil with his baser nature. This concept is nothing new either. Did anyone ever read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? This is but one classic example of a man versus his baser, evil nature. Now to the art. The high point of the story for me was Dr. Strange showing up, anyone who knows me knows that I’m a Strange fan, Stephen Strange that is, not Emily Strange. I’m left scratching my head wondering though, what happened to Howard Chaykin. We’ve talked about him a lot this month, see my blog some of his work at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/remember-remember-the-5th-of-november/.
But he’s really gone downhill it appears. The characters are loosely rendered, his line work is sloppy and he didn’t really attempt to distinguish the dual souls of Wolverine in his work, he just simply drew mirror images it appears. Both Wolverine and Dr. Strange look like they should be on the Biggest Loser and weigh about five hundred pounds each. In short, it looks like a sloppy rush job for a paycheck on Chaykin’s part. I’d give this book a two out of five. The story is nicely finished to be in the middle of the arc, and the cover is sharp looking, but that’s about it. This book is not one of the great stocking-stuffers of the holiday season. We’ve got a lot of November left, so be on the look out for more solid reviews.

I have taken this time over the holiday to read some new books and perhaps try a title or two I never would have before. With that said, I sampled an issue of Emily the Strange. This issue happened to be the special “death” issue and from what I gathered of the character, this little goth girl and her pet black cat, go through a variety of bizarre and at times comical ways to die. This book is definitely quirky and I can see why it was released in retail stores such as Hot Topic and was available online before being picked up by a more mainstream company. It’s strange and bizarre and quirky. My description of it would be let’s say Leave it to Chance meets Calvin and Hobbes in the house the Addams Family lives in. The art fits the oddness of the story however with the thick, bold line work and artist’s knack for nailing the sarcasm in Emily’s facial expressions along with her deadpan humor, the art makes the book. In the hands of a less experienced artist I’d give this title a shelf life of about five minutes before it would hit the dump. I’d give this title a five out of ten. The book aspires to a level of greatness this type of independent magazine will never achieve with poor production qualities and a less than meaty story, Emily will not survive on her bad attitude and one gag stories very long. For a book that exemplifies a great blend of odd and adventure see my review on the Umbrella Academy at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/step-into-the-umbrella-academy/

At the musician’s notebook you can find the top five rockers who are the best at songwriting. If you’re into that type of thing please visit http://www.musiciansnotebook.com/the-5-rockers-you-can-learn-songwriting-from/ you may be surprised at who's on the list. If you wanna see the best rocker I've seen so far that you can learn comic book writing from read Gerald Butler's Umbrella Academy. This series is probably one of the most original that I've seen in quite some time. The series in a nutshell (admittedly I'm not giving it its full justice here) is the story of seven super-powered children raised by a nutty genius. They succeed in saving the world multiple times through their youth, then part ways when reaching adulthood. One writes a successful tell-all book about the group and their upbringing, which I'm sure will cause conflict later. The best part about the book is what I'd call tone. It reminds me of a strange sort of blend between The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Clue, and Gen 13. Let's talk about the artwork. Gabriel Ba's artwork is at first difficult to get used to with thick bold lines, lots of contrasting proportions, and extreme expressions. As the story progresses, however, it seems to heighten the books quirkiness and enhance the storytelling. I'd have to say the right artist was definitely chosen for this project. On a scale of one to ten, I'd give the first issue a solid eight. Not for the groundbreaking storyline it brings to the medium, but mostly for the groundbreaking originality and freshness in a stagnant world of superheros.

It’s been a while since I picked up an issue of Iron Man, but I thought I’d give it a try and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The concept of Iron Man direction S.H.I.E.L.D. is strange to me, but I guess in the post Civil War and Planet Hulk era at Marvel anything is possible. This book has booth good and bad points, but I think the good ultimately outweigh the bad. On a scale of 1-10 I’d give it a 6. We’ll start with the bad point first. This issue is REALLY a bad jumping on point for new readers. The overview, and “previously” section really doesn’t give a new reader a clear understanding of what has happened, or how Iron Man even originated. Yes, some people have never picked up a comic before so I feel a brief origin blurb would benefit new readers here. Also, a who’s-who to the characters would probably be handy to new readers also. Now onto the good parts. The art. Both interior and exterior art is on-point. The quality of the artwork surpasses most I’ve seen in newer comics today as Guice proves he has a steady grasp on anatomy, structure, layouts, and plot. The attention to detail speaks volumes and provides much needed drama to what could have been a run of the mill story. Butch Guice has really come into his own and could possibly doing his best work ever. The cover art is also gorgeous. Gerald Parel’s cover work is soft and understated, setting the appropriate tone for the issue. Charles and Daniel’s script is solid with an equal mix of both dialogue and action which kept my attention. The ending hook is also engaging and leaves room for ample plotting for future issues. It did leave me wondering what the ol’ shellhead would be up to next. All in all it was a descent, enjoyable read, but I wasn’t bowled over either. While it delivers a descent story, I’d say wait for the graphic novel or collected issues to get this book. For the best reviews, comic related news and of course, top ten lists check out www.comicbookjournal.net everyday.

With the holidays quickly approaching, (it’s never too early to start shopping) here’s a quick list of what I believe to be the top ten gifts for your favorite comic book fan.

10. Supplies. Every serious fan and collector needs supplies for their collections. With an assortment of long boxes, short boxes, mylar bags, boards, and tape, you can’t go wrong with these all-purpose presents.

9. Photo mattes. While this is sort of in the same catageory as supplies, it really falls more in the category of art. For those of us unfortunate enough not to have the ability to send a book to be graded, this is an adequate substitute. Just because a vintage book is inexpensive doesn’t mean it has to look that way.

8. A subscription to either Wizard or CBG (Comic Buyer’s Guide). This is the gift for the value seeker. It is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Every month when the magazine comes in its recipient will remember that you were the one who got it for them. My pick: CBG is far more impressive than Wizard with informative, detailed articles, interviews, and (quite frankly) better covers.

7. The Encyclopedia of Marvel and DC Universes. These are the perfect coffee table comic book supplementals, as they can be displayed and are conversation pieces. Perfect for the collector who is always trying to show off either their massive collections or wealth of comic book information.

6. T-Shirts. Nothing, and I mean nothing beats wearing a comic book shirt to work on causal Friday. People are at the same time curious and envious. A great piece of art, a comfortable shirt, and a little confidence goes a long way at the office parties. My pick: Anything by Graphitti Designs. Great art and a durable, inexpensive product.

5. DVD’s. Comic books are a hot commodity in other medias as well now. You’ve got comic book movies, straight to dvd films, and cd-roms. My picks: Superman (the original movies 1-5 collected and slipcased on DVD), the Dr. Strange animated film, and the Avengers CD/DVD-Rom, which collects EVERY ISSUE of the Avengers. EVER. Perfect for the value shopper and those wanting to complete a collections.

4. Toys. I’m not just saying this to send a link to Paul’s Toybender site at www.toybender.comI’m saying this because when it comes to the young (and also the young at heart) enjoy playing with toys. My pick: I recently saw the Death of Superman: Superman-Doomsday two packs, and while I loathed that storyline (see my blog on the top five failed comic book plotlines) the toys are eye-catching and well-articulated.

3. Artwork. Every fan of comics will appreciate a nicely displayed piece of original artwork. My tip on this is to check out auction sites, such as Ebay, search for an artists name and more than likely you’ll fine originals for purchase there. My pick for this: It depends on the quality of the work, the cost of the artwork,and how it is displayed.

2. Comics. What else? This is what it’s all about right. The paper pages and fun storylines. My suggestion for this is to go to the comic store, (yeah that’s right no internet comic ordering) and hand select ( it makes the gift personal) a stack of random comics and wrap them up together (perhaps in the supplies you bought earlier). Your fanboy or fangirl will enjoy going through the randomness.

1. A comic rack.

With the writer’s strike pretty much halting development of many tv shows, I thought I’d turn my attentions elsewhere, such as movies and comics. As luck would have it, Paramount Pictures has another Star Trek movie in the works. However, this time around it focuses on the early adventures of the Enterprise and Captain Pike. Bruce Greenwood, who is featured in the sequel to National Treasure, slated to open in December has been cast as the crew’s commander-in-chief. But hey guess what? J.J. Abrams wasn’t the first to think of continuing the adventures of the Enterprise with Pike at the helm. It was Marvel Comics. In 1997 Marvel produced, “Star Trek: The Early Voyages,” which chronicled the Pike captainship which was ten years before Kirk’s five-year mission. While this series was popular (more so among Trek fans than hardcore comic fans I imagine), it was cancelled after 17 issues due to low sales. It was a great concept, however, I doubt the story generated much sales due to the art, and perhaps the state of the industry at that time. I may actually see if I can locate a few of these issues, as I actually prefer the Star Trek franchise to the Star Wars franchise any day. I just think the storylines and character development has more potential and a bigger universe to explore with Star Trek. And what about the toys? I’m looking foward to seeing the toys surely produced for this version. I can see pike grimacing and holding a phaser now (maybe even a retro-looking Enterprise also.) Look to http://www.toybender.com/
for the status of the toys and check out my blog for the comparison between the Marvel series and the new series based on the movie as soon as it launches.