Comic Book Journal

Dark Reign: Black Panther #4 by Reginald Hudlin and Ken Lashley is a tremendous romp through the afterlife as Black Panther is between life and death, fighting legions of the undead and even encountering a vision of his godlike father in an attempt to fight his way back to life while his sister attempts to gain favor of the gods to take up his mantle upon his departure. This issue is stunning. The story moves at breakneck speed, and there are no dull moments. The dialogue is refreshing, and there is nary a wasted word throughout. I pray the powers that be at Marvel are listening, because this is how a comic book should be constructed. And for the artwork…impressive is the only word that springs to mind. I can’t say enough about Ken Lashley’s layouts and extremely deliberate penciling. The scenes of fighting with legions of undead skeletons, is awesome, and gives me hope that comic book art is not a dying art form. With this dynamic work, new classics have began to be created. On a scale of one to ten, I’m giving this one a ten out of ten. It is absolutely flawless and should appeal to everyone who picks it up, even in the middle of this story arc. Kudos to the creative team, they’ve made this book a rare gem in a jungle of monotony. For more reviews, see http://www.comicbookjournal.net/category/reviews/.

Dark Reign: The Hood #1 is part of a Marvel limited series by Jeff Parker and Kyle Hotz. The Hood and company are basically superpowered bad boys who are into to breaking the law and making money. All in all, the first issue was well-rounded. The characters are distinct and the premise is a genuinely novel idea. Parkers plot work is excellent as the hook at the end with the introduction of the Hood is compelling, I think this could be an extremely popular run and the limited-series could very well expand into a regular monthly read. Hotz’s pencils are unique and they serve to compliment the story in this particular instance. While, not too over-the-top or cartoony he finds a good balance between the realistic and the extraordinary. The colors on the issue pop and the production is slick. Also, there is a bit of edge to the title, which I’m sure will appeal to the adolescent market, and some newer readers. All in all, I’d have to give this book a seven out of ten. Parker strives for originality and he is extremely successful of breaking the mold of the cardboard superhero. For more reviews, and possibly some reader commentary see http://www.comicbookjournal.net/category/reviews/

Daredevil # 118, which is Return of the King part three, by Ed Brubaker and Micheal Lark, John Lucas, and Stefano Gaudiano, is a nice human-interest Daredevil story, but unfortunately is not anything that has not been done before. The Owl is an old Daredevil foe, and while I’m glad he’s getting his night in the moon, so to speak, this story of the owl taking over Hell’s Kitchen, then Kingpin returning to reclaim the city has been done before. While the plot moves along, it’s a little to whiny for me, with Murdock’s narratives being over the top and borders sulky. The art, while perfect for the story, and delicate in all the right spots is great, but why three artists? the artwork is seamless, and I can’t tell when one style begins and another ends, but it does seem to be a bit much and maybe too much production for a stand-alone Daredevil story, with no deaths, births, giant fights, or universe-altering events. All in all I’d give this issue a solid seven out of ten, it’s a great Daredevil story, but unfortunately it’s a story I have read many times before. For more reviews see http://www.comicbookjournal.net/category/reviews/.

Astonishing X-Men #29 by Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi is a prime example of why the Marvel-style of production is simple, and creates great books. Using this approach the artwork is beautiful and lead the entire story from cutscene through the very end, with a fantastic hook. The plots are seamless and the artwork is dazzling, which creates a cinematic effect. Go Marvel! While I’d rather see less gloom and doom the plots are intriguing and as a reader, I couldn’t wait to see Forge faired after all this time at the end of the issue. On a scale of one to ten, I’d give this book a solid eight of ten. Warren Ellis makes good castles even if they are in someone else’s sandbox, though I prefer his work on the Authority. Bianchi’s artwork is so dazzling and realistic it’s hard to believe it can be completed on a normal monthly schedule. I’m looking foward to more stand alone issues like this and less House of M three hundred issue crossover arcs. For more reviews see http://www.comicbookjournal.net/category/reviews/

I went last night to see Wolverine and here’s the skinny. Be wary of the critics, the bottom line is the movie is not as bad as some might say. The fact is it was a good adaptation of Logan’s origin story with Jackman clearly running the show. Albeit the “romance” is a little overdone and the acting is over-the-top here, it is a solid story with lots of action and the story keeps moving continuously. Without revealing any spoilers, the ending promises to keep more origin stories coming, possibly the original X-Men. I for one, would like to see a Beast origin. Oh my stars and garters! What makes this movie work, aside from the great stunts and special effects, is the actors and actresses. The acting is not top notch for sure, but the cheesiness one expects from a comic book adaptation is not there. The downside is, unfortunately, the plot as there really isn’t much meat the to story, but I actually commend the writer on some level for this. Wolverine, even throughout his comic book career, never has had stories heavy in plot, just action. And the action is well done, so I think it achieves it’s goal. On a scale of one to ten I’d have to give this movie a six out of ten. It’s not just for Wolverine fans, but other action fans too. As far as comic book movies go it’s pretty middle ground, not as awful as Superman Returns, but not as great as Iron Man.

I will be out and about today celebrating free comic book day. See my finds later, and if you’re still not ready, go here for the details–http://www.comicbookjournal.net/its-like-christmas-in-may-how-to-gear-up-for-free-comic-book-day/

I haven’t checked up on Marvel’s first family for a while, so I thought I’d give it a try. I’m not really a Fantastic Four fan, blame Jack Kirby for that, but I was pleasantly surprised by this issue, even though absolutely nothing happened. That’s right, there was much foreshadowing, but no major events, nor a recognizable bad guy in the bunch. The collective Reed squad decide to take a trip to Mr. Fantastic’s cousin’s home in Scotland for a little rest and relaxation on Christmas. The kids play with power jet suits, Franklin designs helicopters, Ben Grimm complains about the poor television reception, and oh yeah, some neighbors bury some pets in a local cemetery and there’s a flashback about eating some woman’s baby twenty-five years ago. What I liked about the ‘nothingness’ in this issue, was Mark Millar’s plotting left room for a real sense that’s something is horribly amiss in the perfection of this quaint town. He makes this issue feel like, “Happy Holidays: the Fantastic Four visit the town from The Lottery.” The artwork was very colorful, bright, clean, and surprisingly detailed for a Marvel work, which was a nice surprise as well. The inks were a little heavy though in spots, and I almost feel like the colors took away from the balance between light and shadow at times. All in all I’d give this issue a solid seven out of ten, it’s an easy quick read, but you could easily just wait for it to be it in the collected trade paperback also. For more on Marvel, see my previous post at www.comicbookjournal.net/uncanny X-Men

This annual was, in a word, different. I have never thought of Namor being an item with Emma Frost, but lo and behold here it is. The White Queen, manipulative as ever, attempts to position herself as queen of the earth, underworld, and now the sea as she brings Prince Namor into the depths of the Hellfire Club. I am a Hellfire Club fan from way back and this latest tale, was different to say the least, but even with all the atmosphere still seemed to lack that certain refreshment that keeps me reading Uncanny on a consistent basis. See my previous post at www.comicbookjournal.net/Uncanny X-Men # 506. What I liked most about this book was the artwork the visuals, especially toward the middle of the book had a kind of Silver Age vibe I enjoyed with the fine inking and shadowed line work with several, smaller inset panels. Also atmosphere was plentiful and the ocean, beach, Hellfire club, and cities actually had depth. I was impressed with the art. If you’re looked for Japanese inspired, magna-influenced art look elsewhere, this definitely is not for you. On a whole I had a few issues with the technicalities of the plot, Tony Stark appeared for about five minutes then wasn’t spoken of again. Emma and Namor seem to have this long-standing relationship and no history of them being an item is revealed. Also, the motivation for Emma’s hatred of Shaw and dismissing of Cyclops is never explained, just simply glossed over as part of her “Dark Reign.” Other than a few sticky plot points, I’d give this book a seven out a ten. It’s still enjoyable, even if it’s a little dark and mysterious.

Why is the X-Men still a top seller after all the years? I think this issue is a prime example of why the Marvel-style script works. The plot is filled with page after page of hooks which makes this issue a page-turner and an easy read. Matt Fraction has hit his stride and with Terry Dodson along for the artwork, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more satisfying and compelling read. The plot is practically flawless and immediately made me want to not only pick up the next issue, but also check out some back issues for more background and the current situation. The team dynamic between the characters is back, and the X-Men, aren’t just mutants globetrotting haphazardly anymore, they are serving a purpose in society once more. The artwork is vivid and detailed, and largely original, with one minor exception pictured here.

Anyone think it resembles Godzilla too much?

I’m not complaining about the artwork in whole as Dodson is a fantastic storyteller. He uses staggering panel sizes and varying page layouts to keep the reader involved in each page. The characters are expressive in detail, even with Cyclops, head wear masking his eyes and Emma is always portrayed as beautiful, but deadly. Anyway this is an enjoyable read that’s refreshing and I give this book a solid eight out of ten. For more to come check out of course, www.comicbookjournal.net/reviews

Alright kiddos, let’s have some old-fashioned family fun, the Peter Parker way. This book is not light at one hundred and four pages, but it is light-hearted. Think of this as sort of an Archie meets Spider-Man compilation. Now it does have some good writers on board, but as far as the art goes it’s awful. At 3.99 it is, however, a bargain and if you have little ones they would probably like the variety of the artwork and stories, but if you’re a die hard Spiderman junkie, you’ll probably want to pass up this issue. The only story, in my opinion, worth the cover cost is the two back-up reprints of Amazing Spiderman #s 97 and 98, which features a couple of nice Stan Lee/ Gil Kane collaborations. The former of the two is clearly a drug-awareness issue as the Goblin goes a little crazy after popping some pills. While it’s not as in-your-face as the Green Lantern/Green Arrow/Speedy stories, it does send a positive message to the youngsters who might be reading. One thing is certain, I applaud Marvel for trying to cram as much entertainment as possible into the book, making it very possible for comics to be affordable in tough times, the downside is it’s mainly for the younger, say 8-12 market. I’d have to give this book a solid six out of ten. This is a good, quick read and cheap too! For past reviews of Spiderman issues see my past posts right here at www.comicbookjournal.net just search for Spiderman.

Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson are doing spectactular things in the Marvel Universe. With their run on Uncanny X-Men they are weaving the old guard of the X-Mythos and incorporating it into the new futuristic storylines and a beautiful tapestry is starting to unfold. Following the aftermath of the Mutant X saga, the Hellfire club has been reborn and is now the Hellfire Cult. There is still hope for mutantkind with the one mutant birth. Nightcrawler is a bit of a mystic priest and Colossus has his own crosses to bear. The relationship between Emma Frost and Scott Summers, takes a turn for the worst as secrets emerge that will tear them apart. It’s just good pure drama and it makes for a fun, quick read that leaves you wanting more. Dodson’s art is also dead on point as he excels at the difficult task of conveying characters emotions when they are not speaking directly to each other and the atmosphere is tense and the pacing is perfect. I’ll end by saying in this issue my favorite part was the exchange via psychic speak between Emma and Scott as she steps into his psyche. Now if you want to see how a real psychic operates hope on over to Paul’s blog at Toybender and check out the old posts from his toy psychic days. It’s at : http://www.toybender.com/toy-psychic-the-future-of-halo-collectibles/

I thought I’d pick up a copy of Thor and give the Asgardian God a try. I was pleasantly surprised–the book actually lived up to the hype. Marvel made a good choice with J. Michael Straczynsk tapped as series writer. His style meshes well with the art and action sequences and his transitions are superior. As far as the storyline goes, the plot is coming along nicely and it was nice to see Thor and Odin side by side with a father and son relationship theme. Now for the artwork. I think I salivated a bit when I saw the cover and the interior art. Both are equally gorgeous. Marko Djurdjevic has a superior command of anatomy, camera angles, and also has a keen eye for texture and detail. I see him being a hot artist to watch this year. On a scale of one to ten I’d have to give this book a solid ten out of ten. Right now Marvel is the company to beat. DC has a lot of ground to make up at the moment. That’s why I enjoy the comic book world so much–anything is subject to change at any given time.

Speaking of Thor, does anyone remember the Incredible Hulk Returns. It was a TV movie in the late eighties which teamed up both the Hulk and Thor. Anyone wanting to take a trip down memory lane and enjoy this classic, see you tube. Here’s the link:link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PAYMlgFLgo

As far a merry Marvel movies go, this summer may be the hottest yet, Iron Man is still getting great critical reviews (I still haven’t went yet) and the new Incredible Hulk might be the marketing crossover giant this summer. That is, if DC doesn’t win out with the latest Batman. So go see Hulk on June 13th then go see Batman or vice versa.

Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent there, I’ll be back soon with more reviews and hopefully some good news within the industry.

Well, we’ve just passed another free comic book day on May 3rd. This has been a really positive force in the industry and this May 3rd was no exception. What impressed me this go around was the variety that publishers were willing to put into the marketplace for the unofficial holiday. I took a few moments and perused one title, and that was the X-Men free comic book day edition. I was actually pleased and hope this title is an indication of what’s to come for the merry Marvel mutants. This was a simple story which involves a new mutant character, Pixie, who longs to be back at the Xavier Academy. She encounters a few baddies and attempts to save the day, but cannot do so alone as she is aided by the X-Men. What I like about this story is even though the Messiah Complex is over, there’s still a hardcore feel as to the atmosphere of danger, but at the same time there is a lightheartedness which gives the group a happy ending. The writing and artwork both remind me of the old Chris Claremont storylines. My prediction, is that Marvel’s back on top but this is the group to watch for 2008 and this issues is sure to be one of those sleeper collectibles that could be scarce in the future. Also corresponding with Free Comic Book Day Marvel released Iron Man this past weekend, and while I haven’t seen it yet I think I might either Saturday or Sunday, so stay tuned for my overly critical review true believers. I’ll give you the hardcore fan’s critical thoughts. The old shellhead looks exciting for once. Also stay tuned later in the week as I’ve had piles of reviews waiting to be posted.

I have always liked Daredevil comics. There’s just something about the casts of characters that makes me feel like, “yeah, this could only happen in a comic,” that I like. Maybe it’s nostalgia, I don’t know. So I guess after reading this I’m going to pose the question of trending in comics? Is it the new trend for Marvel to have comic, whose main character, the title character, has less action and dialogue than the supporting characters now? Despite making for an unusual story in how the narrative is set up, I don’t like the trend of eliminating the main character’s actions and words from the narrative completely. With little “screen time” in this issue for Murdock and more time dedicated to the struggles of Foggy Nelson and reporter Ben Urich, I fear this trend may continue. Even though ths technique has proven successful in the recent Punisher War Journal title (see my post at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/punisher-war-journal-16/) I don’t think this trend speaks very highly of the writers. I think the ability to tell a single stand alone story with a fixed amount of characters is giving way to creating other characters to fill in plot holes. So that’s my major gripe with this issue. The art and pacing work well for the story however, it is crippled by the lack of inner monologue from Daredevil himself. I would give this book a solid six out of ten. There has been at least an attempt to revitalize Daredevil again,and as much as I like the character, I hope Marvel finds a way to perhaps tie up dangling plot twists and get the man without fear out of his slump maybe once he becomes the man without depression this can happen.

Ah, X-Force. It’s a lot like X-Factor isn’t it. Really an unnecessary deterent to the main X-titles every month. But it’s Messiah Complex, and I guess there’s a purpose for this team within the crossover. For more on the crossover see my past blog where it all began at: http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-next-big-thing/.
So the plot of X-Force is basically Wolverine is leading a team comprised of John Proudstar, X-23, Rahne, and of course himself, to be sort of a pre-emptive force against the Purifiers. Cyclops gives Wolverine the orders that he is to destroy William Stryker before he can kill other mutants and claim more victims. So X-Force does Cyclops’ dirty work.

With that said, not much happened within this issue other than the origin of the team’s orders and the chance Wolverine gives every member before the battle begins. With no one walking away from the fight, I am anxious to see if any or all of the team’s core members will be lost to the fight.

The scripting on the story was solid,and the art was amazing. The one flaw to the artwork, however, was the use of computerized graphics on nearly every panel. I think it’s ok every now and then for effects and explosions, but every panel. That’s just not very, for lack of a better word…pure.

I’d have to give this book a six out of seven while I like it much better than the X-Factor boo hoo, poor me drama-fest, it’s still not as strong as it should be for one of the core books. Hopefully this will launch a new storyline with better plots for the future. I recommend this title only for people who have to buy every new #1 issue, or for those wanting to get the complete crossover.

To see what the Messiah Complex is really all about, see my blog at http://www.comicbookjournal.net/the-next-big-thing/.
Ok. Ah, X-Factor. To me, X-Factor will ALWAYS be a wasted X-book. This book did nothing to really further the plot line for the Messiah Complex, it just simply reinforced the idea that something bad was happening. Well, that was already established now wasn’t it?

Anyway, the plot is still focusing on the drama and the relationships between all of the main characters, which I would normally enjoy–if I cared anything about the characters. The Purifiers are after X-Factor. The residents want their city back. I think in the fight against X-factor I’m on board with the Purifiers. For a long time X-Factor has been dead weight for the Marvel Universe, so the sooner we can say goodbye to Madrox, and all his multiples fine by me.

With that said, the plot wasn’t bad, as Peter David didn’t have much as far a source material goes to work with, but his whole “religion vs. faith” thing he does with nearly ALL of his books is just frankly old. The only bright spot in the issue for me was the artwork. Raimondi, a relative new comer to the industry is a joy to see. His perspective changes and light, crisp line work is extremely traditional and highly professional. I did appreciate his attention to little details within his background work (sign names, t-shirt slogans, etc.).

On a scale of one to ten I’d give this book a five. If not for the artwork and it was take it or leave it, I’d leave it. I would recommend this book only to die hard collectors to complete a run or a five-year old. Maybe they wouldn’t be as bored with it as a mature reader would.