Quick All-Ages GN Reviews

GoGirl! vol. 1: The Time Team

by Trina Robbins & Anne Timmons

Science geek girl Doc, cheerleader Heather, and teenage super-heroine Lindsay (aka GoGirl!) are accidentally transported back in time to the Cretaceous Era, where they have to overcome their differences and work together to stay safe from the rampaging dinosaurs and out of the clutches of alien zoo keepers. While lessons are learned and it threatens more than once to go off into sugary afterschool special territory, Robbins keeps the story under control and doesn't let it get too serious or self-important. It's hard to go wrong with aliens and dinosaurs! Timmons' art is breezy and moves the story and action forward; with no more than three panels per page it doesn't seem cramped in the small format. It makes for lighthearted, all-ages fun.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




Emily & the Intergalactic Lemonade Stand

by Ian Smith & Tyson Smith

Emily is a ten-year-old girl with a lemonade stand. And a powerful robot who can juice lemons and instantly transport across interstellar distances. Life would be hunky-dory, except for rich neighbor girl Daisy who wants to put Emily out of business, and the approaching alien invasion force. It's a fun little book, highly reminiscent in story and art of what you might find on an original show on the Cartoon Network. The best part of the story is Pheef, the ultimate warrior of his people, who just happens to resemble a cute tiny pink Japanese toy, and his internal monologues. Pheef livens up the story and gives it an edge.

Rating: 3 (of 5)

Previews-o-Rama part 1: The Front

It's time to go through the latest Previews to discover the good, the bad, and the strange.



Dark Horse



The first two Sin City collections are released in new editions, designed by Chip Kidd. Despite the expense, I'll be looking to get the whole set, so as to make a pretty line-up on my bookshelf.



I've been waiting for the trade on Conan and... I'm still waiting for the trade, as Dark Horse has decided to first collect the series in a hardcover. I'm just not big enough of a conan fan to justify the extra expense.



Peter Bagge has a mini, Apocalypse Nerd, which features his usual losers in a post-apocalyptic scenario.



There's a fifth issue of The Escapist.



The Goon gets a third collected edition.



There's a fourth volume of Samurai Executioner listed, but aren't they already running behind on this?



Shadow Star gets a sixth collection, though I've only read the first two so far...



There's a third Clone Wars Adventures, done in the style of the animated shorts. The first one was fun--better than the Clone Wars stories appearing in the regular comics.





DC Comics



The big item is the Bizarro World collection, where once again 'indy' creators take on DC super-heroes. There are some interesting names involved, including Roger Langridge, Eddie Campbell, Gilbert Hernandez, Derek Kirk Kim, Ben Dunn, and Andi Watson. But it's expensive, so I'm going ot have to think long and hard about this one...



There's a new Catwoman collection. Buy it, dammit.



Nightwing #101 starts "Nightwing: Year One," which looks like it will rewrite the actual Nightwing origin story from New Teen Titans. Why?



Jason Alexander does guest art chores on Gotham Central. Since Michael Lark is rumored to be leaving, maybe he'd make a good replacement?



Scott McCloud writes the Superman: Strength mini; I was excited at first, but the preview pages leave much to be desired. I dunno about this one...



Greg Rucka's first Adventures of Superman arc gets collected. It's been the best of the Superman titles lately, but that's not really saying much now, is it?



Marvel ex-pat Bob Harras writes a new DCU title, Breach; again, the preview pages hurt its chances with me.



Firestorm has Firehawk and Killer Frost, so maybe I'll stick around with this title a little longer.



Plastic Man hits issue #14--every new solicitation is a victory!



Green Arrow gets a new art team: Tom Fowler & Rodney Ramos.



Chaykin's Mighty Love gets a softcover.



In the 'because three people asked for it' department, Seven Soldiers of Victory gets an upscale archives edition. I suppose they're looking towards interest in Grant Morrison's upcoming series, but I still don't see much of a demand for this.



The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy has art by Mœbius, so get off your butts, fanboys, and give it a look.



All of the CMX manga get second volumes--Seeing as these are being released quarterly, wouldn't it make much more sense to stagger them?



Majestic gets yet another series, this time back in the Wildstorm universe but with Superman in tow.



Ex Machina gets an intitial collection, and keeps with DC's policy of offering the first volumes of trades for $9.95. At that price, everybody should get this.



Grant Morrison & Cam Stewart's Seaguy gets collected. This should be another no-brainer.



Speaking of Morrison, the year's best mini, We3, comes to a conclusion with issue #3.



Lots and lots of Hellblazer stuff. For DC's sake, Constantine had better be a smash hit, and even then translation to comic sales aren't guaranteed. Still, at least DC is prepared by having many collections available if demand does hit.





Image



Jim Mahfood's early stuff gets collected in Classic 40 Ounce.



A new anthology collection, Four-Letter Worlds looks to be good, with people like Chynna Clugston-Major, Steve Lieber, Scott Morse, Jeff Parker, J. Torres, Andi Watson, and the multi-talented Amber Benson.



Ovi Nedelcu's Pigtale looks like it could be interesting, because, y'know, talking pigs.



Invincible gets a fourth collection, which is good news for us wait-for-the-trade'ers.



Caliber Comics rises from the grave with a best of Negative Burn anthology. Getting the rights together for this must have taken a good bit of work.



After what seems like ages, Rising Stars finally comes to an end.





Marvel



Greg Land finally gets around to doing some interior work again with X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong. Gee, do you think there'll be a trade?



X-23? Who asked for that?



Combat Zone is subtitled: True Tales of GI's in Iraq. Now, is that 'true tales' as in the Jessica Lynch rescue? Shouldn't something like this wait oh, I dunno, at least ten years or so after the war is over? There's no way these tales can have any sense of perspective, and I imagine that this is just going to smack of exploitation.



Beta Ray Bill gets his own mini with Stormbreaker. It's written by Michael Avon Oeming and drawn by CrossGen ex-pat Andrea Di Vito, so it might be worth pickingup the inevitable trade.



Peter David is back writing Incredible Hulk! 'Nuff said.



And David gets his own Hulk Visionaries volume, featuring his early work with his good buddy Todd McFarlane.



Is The Pulse still bi-monthly? I thought is was going monthly after the first arc was over. Although I guess if Brent Anderson is also drawing Astro City at the same time, bi-monthly is all we can hope for out of him.



Is there really a market for a fifth Fantastic Four comic? (I guess they want to have enough stuff to collect for when the FF movie comes out next year.) And isn't Robert Kirkman strietching himself awfulyl thin these days?



Speaking of movies, lots of stuff available for the Elektra flick.



Peter Millgan comes on board X-Men. I'm sure this won't be at the same high level as X-Statix, but at least Sal Larroca will get a script that's worth of his talents.



Loki gets a hardcover collection, while District X gets a trade.



Marvel Age trades include a second Emma Frost collection and a first collection of Araña (from Amazing Fantasy).





That's it for part 1. Part 2 tomorrow (probably...)

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

From issue #3 of Phil Foglio's 1991 Angel and the Ape mini, it's Sam vs. Gorilla Grodd in a story that not only tied in with the rest of the Gorilla DCU but also featured the Inferior Five. Phil Foglio is a frickin' genius—you are reading Girl Genius, right? Angel and the Ape may not be his best work, but the next time you're rummaging through a quarter bin, seek it out for some fun comics reading.

(Standard disclaimer about apes not really being monkeys applies.)

Image is courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a full-sized version.

New This Week: November 3, 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 the paperback collection of the second volume of Phil & Kaja Foglio's Girl Genius. It's gaslamp fantasy fun for the entire family, and in full color.



Running a close second--and only because it's already been out in bookstores--is the second volume of The Complete Peanuts from Fantagraphics.



From DC there's Fallen Angel #17; the first issues of The Intimates and Grant Morrison's JLA Classified; a hardcover of Jill Thompson's Little Endless Storybook; the collected edition of Road to Perdition 2; the first issue of The Question; and the fourth Tom Strong hardcover.



Marvel has the end of Joss Whedon's first arc on Astonishing X-Men (#6); the Marvel Age collection of Mary Jane; the latest Ultimate Spider-Man collection (vol. 11: Carnage); and the final issue of Avengers (#503).



Dark Horse has the first issue of the next BPRD series, The Dead; Image has the return (finally!) of Rising Stars (#22) and the second issue of Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort; Arcana has the second issue of 100 Girls; Antarctic has the fourth Gold Diggers Perfect Memory.



Indy books of note include a Savage Henry one-shot from Aeon; Mike Allred's adaptation of the Book of Mormon, Golden Plates, from AAA Pop; another issue of Mark Oakley's wonderful Thieves & Kings (#45)--if you're looking for a replacement in your life for Bone, this is a good way to go!



Collections/GNs include No Dead Time from Oni; and Mister X vol. 1 from I Books.



Manga-wise, Tokyopop has Planetes vol. 4 pt. 1, new printings of the 2nd and 4th volumes of Paradise Kiss, and the first volume of Boys Be; Viz has the first volumes of Dolls and W Juliet; AD Vision has the third installments of Aria and Apocalypse Meow; Dark Horse has the fourth volume of Ring; Del Rey has the third volume of Tsubasa.



Again, there's something for just about everyone. So if you can't find something you like, you're not looking hard enough!

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover.

Superboy has been turned into a giant ape! And he's attacking Clark Kent! How can this be?! I've never read Superboy #142, so I have no idea how writer E. Nelson Bridwell managed to take this cover by Curt Swan and George Klein and turn it into a story. Perhaps I'll never know...

(Standard disclaimer about apes not really being monkeys applies.)

Image is courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a full-sized version.

Quick Super-Hero Comic Reviews

Power Pack #1
by Marc Sumerak, Gurihiru, & Chris Eliopoulos
I have previously declared my love for Power Pack, so I may not be the most objective reviewer here, but this was a very fine first issue of an all-ages comic, one that met my high expectations. Katie, the youngest, has written and drawn an essay on "My Best Summer Ever," which tells the secret origin of Power Pack, and the rest of the kids have to convince her to not turn it in as her assignment at at school. Oh yes, and they have to fight a young snark too. Sumerak's story hits every note just right, and the manga-tinged art by Gurihiru is wonderful and filled with vibrant colors. The bonus back-up story (and it is a bonus, being five extra pages on top of the main story's twenty-two) features honorary Packer and Fantastic Son Franklin Richards, with Eliopoulos doing a riff on Calvin & Hobbes. This whole package is just a fun, charming comic book; buy one for the kids, and another for yourself.
Rating: 3.5 (of 5)


Seven Soldiers: Zatana #1
by Grant Morrison, Ryan Sook & Mick Gray
Zatanna by Morrison & Sook? I was sold on this as soon as it was announced, and it's just as good as I'd hoped it would be. Everyone's favorite fishnet-wearing magician has been having a tough time of it lately and has turned to a super-hero support group to deal with her self-esteem issues. I like how Morrison characterizes Z as a woman who is not quite at home as a magician or a super-hero (though maybe her self-esteem would be better if she wasn't always dressing up in fetish clothing...) Once again Morrison manages to quickly introduce us to several new characters, and he and Sook give us a wonderfully creepy Baron Winters as well. There are references to a lot of Alan Moore here, including the finale of "American Gothic" and a riff on Promethea (apt, with inker Gray along), but they never overwhelm the story. Sook turns in some great art, though at times Gray's inking is so strong that it threatens to overwhelm. This is my favorite so far of the Seven Soldiers series; the only bad thing is that we have to wait two months for the next issue.
Rating: 4 (of 5)


Superman/Batman #18
by Jeph Loeb, Carlos Pacheco & Jesús Merino
Okay, so this whole "Absolute Power" story has been just one continuity riff after the other, but darn if I didn't turn into a gibbering fanboy when a certain super-group showed up near the end. If you look at it too closely, the whole story doens't really make one lick of sense, but I was having too much fun to care, and Pacheco & Merino sure to draw some pretty art (although, given the delays on this book, I worry about the schedule for the upcoming Green Lantern series...) A big fanboy geek-fest is Superman/Batman, but sometimes we old fanboys need to geek out.
Rating: 3 (of 5)

Luna-tics?

Newsarama have an interview with Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir regarding their new manga-esque series from Seven Seas, Amazing Agent Luna.

I reviewed Amazing Agent Luna earlier this week, and found it to be quite enjoyable. I suspect that it may be a tough sell to people though, as manga fans will consider anything produced domestically to be 'not real manga', and super-hero fans won't go near it because it looks too much like manga (art comix fans, of course, would never even deign to go near it...) But I do wish that people would give this all-ages book a try; it's some of the best work I've read from DeFilippis & Weir (much better than their New X-Men - Academy X) and the art by Carmela "Shiei" Doneza is very good too. You can read a preview at the Seven Seas Website. I encourage you to give it a try and see if it's to your liking.