New This Week: November 10, 2004

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:



The Pick of the Week is Bugtown #1 from Matt Howarth & Aeon Press. For nearly 25 years Howarth has been an original, bringing us the Post Brothers, Savage Henry & The Bulldaggers, and the rest of the wacked-out, mind-trippy adventures of the denizens of Bugtown. So give it a whirl.



DC has new issues of Gotham Central (#25), Fables (#31), JSA (#67) and Ocean (#2), and the debut issue of Leah Moore's Wild Girl. There's also the trade collection of Superman: Secret Identity and a new Human Target collection.



Marvel have Bendis's Avengers Finale, the debut of New Thunderbolts, plus the first trade collections of She-Hulk and The Pulse.



Indy books of note include Captain Canuck #2 from Comely; Colonia #11 from Jeff Nicholson; a new Finder (#35) from Carla Speed McNeil; and Cenozoic (#1) looks like it could be interesting.



Looks like a fairly light week, so if you have a little extra $$$ in your pocket, why not try one of the Courtney Crumrin collections?

Casshern in America

Now Playing Magazine reports that the live action version of Casshern has been picked up by Dreamworks for domestic distribution (no release date is set yet). If you've seen the trailer then you know why I'm excited. Actually, I have little idea what it's about, save for that it's a live action version of a post-apocalyptic anime, but even if the story is absolute crap it'll still look fantastic on a big screen. (I was worried that I'd have to resort to an imported DVD).

Quick GN Reviews

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, vol. 2

adapted by Andy Seto

This is not, as you might suspect, an adaptation of the film of the same name. Rather, it is an adaptation of Wang Du Lu's five volume epic Crane - Iron Pentalogy (of which Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the fourth volume). The events in this present volume take place earlier than those depicted in the movie, as we get to see the roots of the unrequited love between Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien. It's nothing terribly original, but what really makes this comic shine is the absolutely gorgeous art from Andy Seto. Rendered in full color, no detail is too small for Seto's fine linework. There are some fabulous one- and two-page spreads, and even the smaller panels show a loving attention to detail. The feel of ancient China just pours out of the pages. As if that weren't enough, Seto is one of a very few comic artists who can capture the furious motion of a martial arts movie in the static images of a comic. These are some of the most amazing combat scenes you'll ever see in a comic. For a pure visual treat, this is definitely worth your while.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)




Electric Girl, vol. 1

by Michael Brennan

Virginia was born with the ability to generate and conduct electricity, but she doesn't use it to fight crime or any such nonsense. No, Ginny just wants to live a normal life. Too bad that she has an invisible gremlin 'friend' whose job it is to cause mischief. But she does have a cute dog with a very cool name: Blammo; and a supportive family and good friends. It's mostly all-ages fun, the exception being an out-of-place story where a younger Virginia has a near run-in with a child molester. If AiT/Planet Lar had decided to shink this collection down to manga-size, I suspect they could have had a huge hit.

Rating: 3 (of 5)

Quick Super-Hero Reviews

Astonishing X-Men; JLA Classified; Superman/Batman; Avengers; Batman; Detective Comics



Astonishing X-Men #6

by Joss Whedon & John Cassady

Joss's initial arc comes to a conclusion, with a good deal of hitting and a good deal of talking, as some things are explained while others (like Ord's motivation) are not. And Whedon doesn't skip on the denouments, giving a bit of closure to the arc while setting things up for the next one. One might suspect that this series has been built around a few spectacular moments--such as the fantastic two-page spread in this issue that leaves long-time fanboys (like me) with a big smile--strung together with clever dialog and a bit of plot. But really, is that so wrong? Much has been made over the seeming regression of the X-books to their pre-Morrison days, but while Whedon is certainly invoking the spirit of the good ol' Claremont/Byrne days, except for the costumes he hasn't done anything to contradict what Morrison set up (unlike Claremont & Austen, who have completely undermined the central Xorn/Magneto conflict). Whedon is taking what Morrison left and going in the direction that he wants to go. And I, for one, am willing to go with him.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




JLA: Classified #1

by Grant Morrison, Ed McGuinness & Dexter Vines

Only Morrison would start a new series featuring the JLA with only one JLA'er in the whole thing. Yet it still feels like a JLA story, opening with a chaotic fight between the Global Guardians Ultramarines and Gorilla Grodd (a villain who it seems that McGuinness was born to draw). Batman (Morrison's ultimate JLA'er) shows up near the end, digging into his 'sci-fi closet,' a wonderful metaphor for the past Batman tales which modern writer pretend don't exist, but in which Morrison obviously revels. It's high-concept JLA fun. And next issue: Robot JLA!

Rating: 3 (of 5)




Superman/Batman #13

by Jeph Loeb & Michael Turner

I really don't understand the amount of venom that's being heaped upon this title. Yes, Loeb's narration can get grating at times and Turner's artwork is rather stylized, but it delivers exactly what it promises: big fights and over-the-top emotion. And yes, the plot falls apart if you look at it too closely, but this is a book that needs to be enjoyed on a surface level, riding across the tops of the waves. I certainly appreciate it more than the faux importance of Azzarello's Superman or Austen's brainless Action Comics. And let me give a special shout-out to Peter Steigerwald, who turns in one of the best super-hero coloring jobs I've seen in a while.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




Avengers #503

by Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch & Danny Miki

I don't have a problem with Dr. Strange showing up to be Exposition Guy, and the reveal of who is behind the Disassembly of the Avengers makes sense in the context of the story that's been presented to us. There was no cheating here; the clues were left and many things make more sense now in hindsight (including the odd coloring choice I complained about in the last issue). What I do have a problem with is that after delivering the exposition, Dr. Strange sticks around and solves the problem as well. It's a Deus ex Machina of the worst kind. This is the Avengers after all, and story-wise the Avengers have to solve their own crisis, or it's just a cop out.

Rating: 2 (of 5)




Batman #633

by Bill Willingham, Kinsun, Aaron Sowd, Rodney Ramos & Adam DeKraker

It's been no secret that I haven't cared much for "War Games," and this conclusion to the long, overwrought story does little to change my mind. The handling of Spoiler leaves me especially pissed off. Heaven forbid we have a strong teenage female character as a hero; no, better to have her act like an idiot, abuse her and then kill her off. All of the hype around the female Robin a few months ago now seems exploitive in its vindictive glee, a big f-you to anyone who was pulled in because of that, or who has been following the character for years. The lone bright spot here is the art by Kinsun, who brings an energy to the explosive fight scenes and renders the deathbed scene with a quiet dignity.

Rating: 2 (of 5)




Detective Comics #800

by Anderson Gabrych, Pete Woods, Cam Smith & Drew Geraci; David Lapham

Gabrych uses this issue to set up the new status quo in Gotham: Everyone besides Batman and Catwoman leave, with Batman at odds with the GCPD and Catwoman pissed at him for not being open with his feelings (but really, what does she expect?) Black Mask now controls the Gotham underworld, and seems to be mixing things up to keep both Bats and the cops off-balance. As a denoument to "War Games" it works well, but it seems a bit of a waste for a big anniversary issue. What really drew me to this was the back-up story by Lapham, a prelude to his run on this title which starts next issue and which I've really been looking forward to. But man, I really hope that it turns out better than this, eight disconnected pointless pages...

Rating: 2.5 (of 5)

Wookies!

Yes, that's an army of Wookies from the teaser trailer for Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (available on StarWars.com)



Oh, how easy it is to bring out my inner 10-year-old boy.

Preview: The Awakening

The Awakening

by Neal Shaffer & Luca Genovese

$9.95 Oni Press ISBN: 1-932664-00-9

http://www.onipress.com/graphicnovels/gn.php?id=109




Coming out a month too late for Halloween, The Awakening is the story of a mysterious killer who is stalking a group of friends at an exclusive girls' academy. In the beginning our point-of-view character is Francesca, a student new to the school, but after the killings begin the PoV shifts to others, including a detective investigating the case, one of the girls' teachers, and a school administrator who appears to have connections with a secretive religious sect.



Storywise this just didn't work well for me. The stuff at the begining with Francesca and her new firends is well done, but once the plot gets going it starts to fall apart. Besides the aformentioned PoV problem, the dialogue is often stilted and the ending doesn't make much sense--there is no clear motivation for the killer, no explanation of how we was able to perform the killngs unnoticed, and no reason why one of the victims wasn't killed. There's no payoff at the end, and the detective just stumbles on the killer.



On the other hand, the art by Luca Genovese is fantastic. I knew right from the first page that this was going to be a stunning book to look at, and it did not disappoint. The detailed backgrounds give a great sense of the environment, the figure work is expressive and well-drawn, and the layouts are dynamic. I've never encountered the work of Genovese before; I believe that this is his first work for an English publication (he's Italian), but hopefully there will be much more.



So, if you're looking for some stunning art in a comic, I can recommend The Awakening on that basis alone. But as a mystery/thriller, it comes up short.



Rating: 3 (of 5)

Quick Oni GN Reviews

Here are my reviews of the winners of Which Oni GN Should Dave Read Next? As you'll see, I think that you all made wise choices for me.



Scandalous

by J. Torres & Scott Chantler

Scandalous tells the story of Harry Richards, a private eye in 50's Hollywood who moonlight by gathering info for a gossip rag. After his best friend, a casting director, is fingered (unjustly) as a communist, the two of them launch a scandal mag of their own, running afoul of both their unflattered subjects and a Paige Turner, the bigoted star gossip columnist of the town. This is a book that shines on many levels. Torres combines an intersting plot with interesting characters. Early on we see Harry's frustration as an aspiring writer who submits stories to a true crime pulp, only to be constantly rejected. Harry taps the underclass of Hollywood, the maids and servants to the wealthy and powerful, in order to gather his most damaging gossip, providing a level of social commentary at the base of the plot. Chantler does a great job with both the drama and the action, and his characters are easily distinguished and well drawn in a slightly cartoony style. His also gives the characters a good space to live in, one that invokes well the story's setting. While Scandalous works great with a straight-forward reading as a story of Hollywood, gossip columns and the red scare, it can also be read as a parable for today's press and their chasing of the sensational, as well as their kow-towing to those in power. Torres is not the first to draw parallels between the red scare of the 50's and the current political climate, but that he does so as an undercurrent to an entertaining and engaging story make for a richer reading of this book. A fine job.

Rating: 4 (of 5)




Hopeless Savages, vol. 2: Ground Zero

by Jen Van Meter & Bryan Lee O'Malley with Chynna Clugston-Major, Christine Norrie & Andi Watson

The first Hopeless Savages story was a rollicking adventure with the Hopeless Savage kids rescuing their parents. This second volume is much more domestic, centering on the youngest of the clan, Skank Zero, as she deals with her parents, her bandmates, her siblings, a boy, and the annoying television crew trying to make a rockumentary about the family. The story could have been a big mess, but Van Meter keeps everything under control, just this side of chaos, and makes it all work. O'Malley's art is full of energy but rather rough in places (I should note that his art is much more confident in his latest work, Scott Pilgrim, so he is definitely improving). The flashback art provided by the other artists is up to their usual high standards. It's a good, fun comic about families and young love.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)