ANGEL AND FAITH #3 review, CLOAK AND DAGGER SPIDER ISLAND #3 review, CASPER'S SCARE SCHOOL #1 review, TMNT #3 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #24

(Part One)

Looks like we're back on track this week. I'm in between biiiig projects (information soonish!), so I had a little while to do a good ol' Comic Book Wednesday review. This first part includes reviews of Angel & Faith, Cloak & Dagger: Spider Island, Casper's Scare School, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. First, though, here's something super cool. I also bought a bunch of Zenescope books (I don't review those because, as I'm writing for those kind folks, I'm not the most unbiased of sources) and I was flipping through the Grimm Fairy Tales: Halloween Special 2011 (click here to order - see, I told you). In the back, there's a full page ad for my upcoming issue of the series. Check it out:

Definitely made my day. For those who would like to order the issue now (please, he said with a hopeful smile), you can follow these links:

Cover B (pictured above): click

Cover A (art by one Mr. Mike Debalfo): click

Now that that shameless bit of self-promotion/sharing of coolness is over, let's get to the reviews.

Angel & Faith #3

Live Through This - Part Three

Written by Christos Gage

Art by Rebekah Isaacs

Dark Horse Comics

As with many third acts, this is very much setting up the pieces for the conclusion. Christos Gage continues the story nicely, leaving the readers with that "What happens now?" feeling at the end of the issue. This chapter is very Faith-centric, as the eponymous slayer keeps holding more and more things back from Angel as he pushes forward in his misguided journey to resurrect Giles. There's a brief scene with Nadira, who is never as interesting a presence as Angel and Faith, but what the scene does is play on the idea that Faith has become the responsible slayer - or, as she's referred to here, "the grownup." It's both funny and intriguing in its delivery, because while Faith takes offense at the implication that she's old, she can't help but wonder "who went and made me responsible all of a sudden?"

A colleague of Giles, who was a great little guest star, replies, "Why, my dear girl... you did."

The final scene is just great. Isaacs' art has never been better, and there's a great moment between Angel and a Mohra demon that I'm not going to spoil - read the thing for yourself.

All in all, great issue. It's especially cool, because I met Rebekah Isaacs at NYCC, and she was just a lovely human being. She gave me an issue of her creator owned series, MAGNUS, which was just great. I hope to do a spotlight on that issue soon, because it's definitely something fans of ANGEL & FAITH should seek out.

Cloak and Dagger: Spider Island #3

Written by Nick Spencer

Pencils by Emma Rios

DC Comics

Nick Spencer can do no wrong.

I love the last two issues of this series, and this conclusion is no different. This book brings the storyline (Mr. Negative has discovered that Dagger will kill him, so he decides to fuck with her) to an amazing conclusion, changes the central characters in a big way (note the italics), and sets up many plot threads for future issues... which seems to indicate that Nick Spencer and Emma Rios want to make this an on-going series (pleasepleaseplease). This issue is emotional, beautifully drawn, fast paced, and smart. The whole thing reads like the best of Gaiman's SANDMAN with a bit less metatextual commentary.

Incredible conclusion to an incredible story. I'd urge readers to check out the letter section in the back, because Marvel is well aware that fans want more of the Spencer/Rios team on CLOAK & DAGGER, but they're unsure if the series could survive in the current market. Here's what you do: go out and order these issues if you haven't already read them. Then, when the TPB comes out, buy that too - and keep sending those letters in to Marvel. It's comics like these that keeps the superhero genre fresh, alive, and inventive.

Casper's Scare School #1

Halloween is for the Dogs

Written by Paul Morrissey

Art by Sabrina Alberghetti

The New Kid

Written by Landry Walker

Art by Amy Mebberson

APE Entertainment

I bought this issue to see how the series turned out. I pitched stories for this book to APE a while ago, and unfortunately didn't get in. However, I did leave the experience with an appreciation for this new take on Casper. The movie and show are great fun, and the comics manage to translate the energy of the animation to paper quite well. The main story, Halloween is for the Dogs, is fun and sometimes clever, and the back-up story (the four page long The New Kid) is just great.

The best thing about this book, though, is how fantastic the art in Halloween is. The colors jump off the page, the characters look better than they do in the actual cartoon, and the storytelling is super kinetic. If you have a kid that you're trying to get into comics or read, this is a great book for that. It also includes two classic Casper stories that are great fun.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3

Story by Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz

Script by Tom Waltz

Art by Dan Duncan

IDW Publishing

Eastman and Waltz keep on bringing the awesome with this series. Most of the issue focuses on Raph and Casey Jones, the latter of whom is an absolute badass in his hockey mask. It's obvious (and essential) that Raphael is going to end up with the other turtles, but the scenes with these two fighting crime here makes me was a spin-off... badly. The history of the turtles continues to build through the flashbacks, and while most of what is revealed here was apparent from the last issue, the scene is still very, very cool - especially when we see Splinter and the turtles realize that they have mutated.

Dan Duncan and Tom Waltz do a great job of making sure the readers know which turtles we're seeing (this version of the turtles is similar to the original comics in that the masks are all red, unlike the cartoon which has a different color for each turtle). The names are often thrown into conversation by Waltz, but in the cases that there are no names to go off of, Duncan makes sure that the turtle's signature weapon is in plain sight.

Again, another great issue. So glad that IDW is allowing me to relive my childhood through these comics - and hey, while nostalgia is great, it doesn't hurt that this is a fantastic story with beautiful art.

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Now... I see your raised eyebrow. It's all sorts of raised and eyebrow-like. I totally skimped on the second part of the reviews last week. To make up for it, here's a brief run down of the issues I missed.

Wonder Woman (Azzarello/Chiang): Very good. Better than the first issue, which is saying something. I never thought I'd be very interested in a Wonder Woman story, but this tale of creepy gods and mysterious origins is quite a surprise - and a welcome one at that.

Birds of Prey (Swierczynski/Saiz): I really wanted to collect this series in trade instead of singles... but damn. It's just too much fun. Starling is a great character (very Faith-esque, actually), and the story just gets more and more interesting as all the members of this team assemble. And with the introduction of Poison Ivy (WHAT) into the squad, I'm not sure that I'll be able to resist the third installment.

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS: Deadman (Jenkins/Chang): This is a well-told, intriguing story that feels very different from all of the other DC books - so much so that it almost seems as if it's set in a different world. The vampires and demon bars are straight out of Angel, and it's great to see more aspects of the DCU getting explored. The philosophical/existential tone of this series is interesting, and it's making me enjoy a book I was initially skeptical of.

SOON: Reviews of Justice League Dark, Aquaman, The Flash, Superman, and The Savage Hawkman.

Joss Whedon's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

I don't have time to write this entry. I should be catching up a super secret writing assignment. When I'm not doing that, I should be researching (read as: watching TV) for another super secret comic that I'm pitching for. But you know what? It was just announced that, during his two week long vacation from shooting THE AVENGERS, Joss Whedon directed an adaptation of Shakespeare's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

Yes.

Clicky for the info. Clicky here for a bit more info (mostly through tweets) gathered by Whedonesque.

BELLWETHER PICTURES

Now, I have no idea what Bellwether Pictures is. Google doesn't give much info either, and if Google doesn't know, who does? (Perhaps Jeeves would have, God rest his helpful soul.) Considering who is working on the thing (it seems that everyone who has worked with Joss before), it seems like this may be a fancy new name for Mutant Enemy. That, or maybe the impossibly busy Joss enlisted the help of another company to co-produce this thing? There's no way to know, but this "Bellwether" thing does nothing but make this mystery more... mysterious.

THE CAST

Alexis Denisof as Benedick. Amy Acker as Beatrice.

Amy and Alexis's chemistry is goddamn criminal that it's so good, and truly became the heart of ANGEL in its final seasons. So we know that's going to be awesome - but how about the rest of that cast? Just look at those names.

THE PICTURE

The picture of Topher - er, Fran Kranz - in a pool with a snorkel and a glass of wine definitely evokes modern. However, Nathan tweeted that he's been speaking Shakespearian (which he compared to an intelligent version of Yoda speak - YES), which definitely evokes... not modern. Well, Early Modern, says the English major, but you catch my drift. I think if they set it in a modern setting with modern sensibilities but use Shakespearian dialogue, it will set a nice anachronistic dichotomy that will make this so much funnier.

THE LENGTH

This has got me confused. While it's clear that Joss is the fucking Flash (or maybe he's Hermione with her time-turner - annnd now I just pictured a mash up of Joss and Emma Watson and it was not pretty... sorry guys), it's hard to believe that he did a full-length movie in two weeks. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is meaty play and would thus make a meaty movie, so my gut is telling me that this might be slightly... abridged? However, the cast is... let's just use the phrase fucking giant. And that just makes me think that this is not at all abridged and that Joss better go have a serious conversation with Green Arrow, because he must be on speed.

FINALLY... WHEN?

Principal photography is done. So... when can we see this? I'm betting sometime in 2012, which promises to be the Whedoniest year since the man had three shows simultaneously on TV.

April 13, 2012: THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (co-written & produced by Whedon)

May 4, 2012: THE AVENGERS (written and directed by Whedon)

??? ? 2012?: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (seems to mean directed by Whedon)

Every month in 2012: New issues of BUFFY SEASON 9 and ANGEL & FAITH (all executive produced by Whedon, some of the former written by Whedon)

Joss Whedon is a Time Lord, isn't he?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #2 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #22

Written on Wednesday night - the eve of NYCC.

Prepping for New York Comic Con is rough. I’m not sure when the rest of the reviews will be up, but I had to get this one in, because I’ve been dying to read this issue since the first one came out.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #2

Freefall - Part Two

Written by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Georges Jeanty

Dark Horse Comics

After one Jossy issue, Andrew Chambliss of Dollhouse and The Vampire Diaries fame takes the writerly reigns. The transition is seamless, ‘cause this dude can write – in every sense of the word. He continues the story in an incredibly interesting way, the voices are spot on and utterly Whedonesque, and it reads well as a comic. I think, after the enjoyable but rocky Season Eight, the BtVS team has figured out how to stay as true to the tone of the television series as possible in this medium.

A lot happens in this issue. There is a quick bit with the Student Loan Demon that is funny as hell, but on a somewhat larger scale the scene is indicative of what’s going on in the larger story. This demon was cut off from his home, much like Willow was cut off from magic, and has resorted to taking on a day (well, night) job to pay his way in this unfamiliar dimension. Another point is made that Buffy and Spike—really, slayers and vampires—have magic, yes, but their powers come from within… so they are in a strange place where they get to keep their “special” quality in a world that’s lost it’s soul. This seems to be building some nice tension (between Buffy and Willow and really between Buffy and herself, because she ponders about how a normal life would be if slayers had lost their powers and if vampires ceased to exist. That thought leads to a wonderful moment between Buffy and Spike:

SPIKE: For starters, I’d be dead. And you wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.

BUFFY: Fun is overrated. But I’d probably miss you.

SPIKE: Bloody hell you would.

Also, there’s something building between Xander and Dawn. Something normal-people-like, which I so missed last season. Spike is investigating something for Buffy. There’s an investigation going on. Buffy is (already) a fugitive. Annnnd there’s a new character in town… and he’s got some pretty nifty powers that seem to pose an answer to Buffy’s “I want to be normal” crisis. But, of course, things are going to get complicated, because this is, after all, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Steve Morris's sketch for the cover

And that feels good to say. Season Nine is very much Buffy the Vampire Slayer. More than any comic with than name has ever been. So big, big kudos to the team for getting this series and the characters right. It’s damn awesome.

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Until next time, see ya when I see ya!

Angel & Faith #2 review, Aquaman #1 review, The Flash #1 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #20

Part One

Ah. The final Wednesday of the New 52. Once all of these reviews or out, we'll know what books are awesome, which we're dropping, which we're giving one more month, and which are setting the internet on fire. Today's slice of the Comic Book Wednesday pie is a thin one, with only three reviews, but we've got a lot more content coming tomorrow.

Angel & Faith #2

Live Through This – Part Two

Written by Christos Gage

Art by Rebekah Isaacs

Dark Horse Comics

Angel & Faith #2 is impossibly good.

Following up on the reveal at the end of the first issue, we watch how Faith copes with the knowledge that Angel plans to bring Giles back to life. The two of them work so well as a team because of their deep, dark history. Faith knows that she owes Angel for how he stuck by her at her worst when no one else would, so despite how much she disagrees with Angel’s ill conceived plans, she stays by his side, not condoning his actions but being what he needs: a friend.

This book is steeped in the rich history of both ANGEL and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, referencing old stories from this rich universe. This, paired with the spot-on voices of Angel and Faith, lends a weight and an authenticity to the comics that elevates this comic to a higher level. And damn, that art is fantastic.

It’s a wonderful, exciting read that is true to the characters and the heart of the show. I love it.

Aquaman #1

The Trench – Part One

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ivan Reis

DC Comics

I’ve had a very Geoff Johnsy year. I’ve been reading through some somewhat recent trades, discovering how awesome Johns is at reinventing characters. His runs on Green Lantern and The Flash were some of the most fun I’ve had reading funny books all year, and his fine work on Flashpoint (especially the final issue) was among the most exciting and moving comics I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I was looking forward to his Aquaman for a number of reasons, chief of which is the fact that this character needs a writer who approaches characters with respect, sensitivity, humor, and pathos to breathe life into him. And Geoff Johns does just that, while poking fun at the perception of Aquaman.

The mission statement of this book is clear: it’s going to recognize and even call attention to how the public sees Aquaman as a joke… and then pull the ground out from under them. In the book, people laugh when Aquaman appears on scene. A blogger, while interrupting Aquaman’s meal to score an interview, asks him how it feels to be no body’s favorite superhero. This could all come off as way too meta and easy, but these scenes are balanced out by scenes of Aquaman showing how badass he actually is, as well as some humanizing flashbacks to his past—in typical Johns fashion.

If you enjoyed Johns’ work in GREEN LANTERN: SECRET ORIGIN or THE FLASH: REBIRTH, this is right up your alley. This book finally does justice to the man that Grant Morrison always believed in:

Oh yeah. Aquaman's the baddest ass in the seven seas.

The Flash #1

Written by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato

Art by Francis Manapul

DC Comics

This is another of the New 52 that I was looking forward to the most. The Flash’s story arc in Flashpoint was emotionally driven, heroic, and so poignantly bittersweet that I’d hoped that would translate over into his ongoing series as well. Writers Manapul and Buccellato forge ahead, however, not addressing what Barry went through in the Universe altering finale of Flashpoint. It’s a brand new story in a brand new world… while Barry “set the world right,” this new world is one where he isn’t married to Iris West. They haven’t even been on a date. Hell, he doesn’t even seem to like her very much, though that’s obviously a means to set up their romance arc. Especially in context of Flashpoint, and what Barry sacrificed in order to return to world to what he thought would be normal, it’s sad and a bit disappointing to see how different his life has become, and how unaware of the changes he is.

The comic itself is decent. The story doesn’t carry the weight than Geoff Johns’ Barry Allen stories did, but those had a lot more at stake – this serves as a very functional beginning to a new arc. The writing is mostly decent, and the art is phenomenal. It’s a good team, and I think they will build a good Flash story. I do hope, though, that these books eventually grow to address the “Flashpoint wall” the same way that the Legion books have. Barry Allen has, in some ways, become the heart of the DCU… so I hope he eventually realizes that his sacrifice has been manipulated and things are not as they are supposed to be.

But hey. That’s just one fan’s wishes. I liked the book.

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TOMORROW: A whole entry dedicated to IDW's GHOSTBUSTERS #1.

AND THEN: Reviews for Superman #1, Justice League Dark #1, The Dark Knight #1, The Savage Hawkman #1, I Vampire #1, and The Fury of Firestorm #1.

Buffy Season Nine #1 review, Green Lantern #1 review, Suicide Squad #1 review, Batman and Robin #1 review, Dollhouse Epitaphs #3 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #18

What up.

The shipment of Legion Lost #1 was delayed until next week. We're already full to the brim with awesome comics here this week, though. We're bookended with Whedony books, kicking things off with the first issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #1 and wrapping the post up with the third installment of Dollhouse: Epitaphs. The meat of this Joss sandwich is three DCnU/New 52 titles. We've got Green Lantern #1, Batman and Robin #1, and Suicide Squad #1.

Let's get to it!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine #1

Freefall - Part One

Written by Joss Whedon

Pencils by Georges Jeanty

Dark Horse Comics

The big question I asked myself before reading this book was "What do I want from Season Nine?"

See, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel mean more to me than any other stories. The universe is fun, the writing is smart, and the characters are important to me as people. I have written extensively about the shows and the comics. My first writing credit was for IDW's Angel comic (buy that here if you love me, comics, or the American way). I clearly can't get enough of the series, because no only am I writing this Buffy review, I'm also currently working on four Whedony essays that will be published in a book that I can't quite talk about yet. I love everything about these character and the universe. I loved a good chunk of Buffy: Season Eight, but the series lost its way in a major way in the final few arcs. I was thrilled to see that Joss seemed to acknowledge that the comic had gotten away from what was best about the TV show, and he said that he would scale back on the ploddingly large, epic, plot-driven fantasy and return this to being more My So Called Life with monsters. And that's really all I wanted. I wanted to once again believe these characters as human beings. I wanted to read the comic, be reminded of how awesome the show was, look forward to the next installment, and put it down without feeling frustrated.

And it seems that Joss is well on his way toward giving me that. I was very dubious about the preview that we saw, but everything here is better in context. I can hear the actor's voices in my head while reading the dialogue, especially with Buffy and Spike. It's funny, it sets up character arcs, it sets up what seems to be the seasonal arc (Buffy dealing with the fallout from destroying the seed in Season Eight), and it delivers a funny twist that is mighty, mighty strange. We're back to mundane problems taking on monstrous form, which was what gave us some of the best stories in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I think that Joss has gotten the series back on track in a big way in time for this season.

The structure is great. A lot is going on, so it's a packed story, but it didn't have the same feel as Action Comics #1, which I felt was so busy that it was just hard to care. This issue is non-linear, showing Now Buffy Who Is Also Hungover Buffy and Past Buffy Who Is Also Party Hardy Buffy, while also introducing Buffy's roommates; giving Spike, Willow, Dawn, and Xander plenty of page time; setting up a demon who has escaped because of the destruction of the seed; setting up the strange, funny demon at the end who... well, you'll see; reintroducing Simone and her vendetta; and giving us some good conversation time with the Scoobs. And Joss uses that to poke fun at himself:

WILLOW: Buffy, it's not about blame.

BUFFY: Well, it feels pretty blame-y!

WILLOW: Or you're being projecting-y!

SPIKE: I'm also gonna add "y" to the end of my sentence-y.

(And again later, SPIKE: You both make valid points-y.)

What's fun is that, now more than ever, Spike feels like one of the gang. I hope his character arc gets some darkness, too, but it's nice to see that he isn't the same character who Buffy left in the Hellmouth. He evolved on Angel, both the TV show and the comic, and it's nice to see that his character development is left in tact. Overall, it was a surprisingly good issue that managed to not get overshadowed by the excellent Angel & Faith #1.

Green Lantern #1

Sinestro - Part One

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Doug Mahnke

DC Comics

So far, this is the least new of the New 52. I'd read that this would pick right up from Geoff Johns' last Green Lantern arc, which explains the in medias res feel. I love Johns' Lantern, but I've been following it in trade, and I'm even behind in those. It's easy to catch up, though, as Johns seems to have made an effort to make this story as new reader friendly as possible... even though it's really just another piece in the puzzle of his Green Lantern epic. Hal Jordan has had his ring taken away from him and the ring chose Sinestro, Hal's former mentor and current arch-nemesis. It's a good hook, and the execution is a hell of a lot better than Johns' Justice League #1.

It's cool to see Sinestro operating as a Lantern again, but the fun twist is that he doesn't want to be reinstated. He doesn't want redemption, as he feels the Guardians of the Green Lanterns are misguided and that he, Sinestro, knows what is best for the universe. He wants to be free from the ring, especially after seeing how a member of the Sinestro Corps responds to seeing him in the iconic green suit. The most interesting part of the issue is Hal's very human drama. He's trying to save people, but the dude is no Batman. He's got rent issues, girl problems, and a severe what the hell do I do now? complex. Folks who were worried about Hal being the only Green Lantern to not have a series in the New 52 need not worry, because the on-going title is as much about him as it is Sinestro, no matter who is on the cover.

This was one of the stronger New 52 issues so far. I'd caution new readers to read up a bit on these characters before picking this book up, but fans of the on-going can just jump right back into this Green Lantern series.

Suicide Squad #1

Kicked in the Teeth

Written by Adam Glass

Pencils by Federico Dallocchio

DC Comics

This is a hard one to review. It was well written, the team of characters is mostly good, and the structure was fun. I'm not really sure how to judge it, though, because it feels like a #0 issue. Like a prologue. We see the Suicide Squad operating as a team in a quick flashback, but the majority of the issue is the Squad being tortured, questioned, and asked about the Squad. It ends with them embarking on a mission, and the plot set-up is promising, so I will certainly pick up that issue. I even understand why this issue was done the way it was. Without spoiling, the set-up shows how dark this book is going to be and how expendable each of the members really are.

The interactions between the members of the Squad are interesting, though the only characters I find myself caring about in this are Harley Quinn and El Diablo, though I suspect that might be the point. I don't believe that one has to relate to or like characters in order to enjoy a book, so I'm not worried about that. It's just that, while entertaining, this issue gave very little indication of what the series as a whole will be like. Perhaps #2 will feel more like the beginning of the actual story.

Batman and Robin #1

Born to Kill

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

DC Comics

Even better than the enjoyable Detective Comics #1, this father/son story spends as much time on Batman's personal issues as it does action. On the anniversary of his parents' deaths, Bruce takes his son, Damian (the current Robin), to the place where they died. Bruce commemorates the anniversary of their death for the last time, saying that he will, instead, pay tribute to their wedding anniversary, deciding to celebrate their lives instead of constantly wallowing in their deaths. Damian is insufferably rude through all of this, which would be annoying if Batman didn't agree. They make for an interesting team, and writer Peter J. Tomasi keeps the emotion of these heroes at the front of the story. While he uses the opening and closing scenes to set up a new villain who wants to take down Batman Incorporated, the comic is really about how Bruce and Damian (Batman and Robin, father and son) are such fundamentally different people trying to function as a family unit. And who can't relate to that?

This is easily one of the best New 52 titles so far. Don't think twice - pick it up!

Dollhouse: Epitaphs #3

Story by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, & Maurissa Tancharoen

Script by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Cliff Richards

Dark Horse Comics

I'm clearly a big fan of Joss Whedon's creations. Whedonites have been lucky enough to see all of Joss's shows make the transfer from television to comics, some with debatably varying success. I love Firefly and Serenity, and even enjoyed a few of the comics, but I think that the actors are as necessary as the writing in making that story something special. The comics haven't soared as high as the quality of the show or the movie, while both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel have flourished as comics. I've found that Dollhouse is in-between. The post-apocalyptic atmosphere is very much suited to comics, but while the first few issues were enjoyable, I haven't felt the same amount of tension as I felt on the TV show. The art becomes a bigger issue with every installment. It's sad because I've defended Cliff Richards' art many times in the past, but let's face it... it's impossible to tell Alpha apart from Zone and Male Ivy (except for the lab coat). Alpha and Zone even wear almost identical outfits. There are some nice quiet scenes here, and another Alpha/Smeagol scene that was interesting, but I've found that, more than any other series I've read, the art is absolutely killing the intrigue that the first few issues built. I want Dollhouse to live up to its incredible premise as a comic. I'm glad Echo will be appearing in #4, and I don't think that there needs to be any changes to the writing team. The scripts have been solid. The art just needs to rise to the challenge in order to make this worthy of the Dollhouse name.

NEXT WEEK: Biggest week in... well, ever. We've got Batman #1, DC Universe Presents #1, Legion Lost #1, Legion of Superheroes #1, Nightwing #1, Spider Island Cloak and Dagger #2, Supergirl #1, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2, Wonder Woman #1, Blue Beetle #1, Catwoman #1, Birds of Prey #1. This will undoubtedly be split into two or three posts. I am not a machine, you greedy, lovely bastards.

Dollhouse Epitaphs #2 review, Fly #3 review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #13

This is going to be a quick entry with just two reviews. However, you can head over to IMPULSE GAMER and check out my review for IDW's True Blood: Tainted Love miniseries. I've joined the staff of Impulse Gamer as a comic book reviewer, so I'll be splitting my duties between this site and that one. However, don't expect any less content here. In fact, I've got some new ideas (including a featured YouTube channel) that I'm planning on bringing to this blog.

Dollhouse: Epitaphs #2

Story by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen

Script by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Cliff Richards

Dark Horse Comics

Another solid installment. We see a bit more of the Epitaph crew from the TV show (Felicia Day's Mag and the snarky Zone), which is cool, but the draw of this series can be boiled down to one word: Alpha.

The Big Bad who has somehow become a hero continues his journey to stop Rossum Corp in this issue, and he has to make some hard choices along the way. One of the three Ivys gets imprinted, and Alpha makes the decision to leave her behind. It's totally zombie-world out there, because the rule the two groups seem to be going by is "Imprinted = dead." It becomes an issue for both Alpha and Mag's group, because this isn't like the person goes through the process of dying and coming back as an undead creature. One second, you're talking to a person and one phone call later, that person instantly switches into something else. It's a lot more personal... and a lot more horrific.

And speaking of horrific, Chambliss continues to tease readers about Alpha's mindstate. We haven't gotten a solid reason for his redemption yet (other than guilt), but this issue begins the deterioration of the heroic persona that Alpha has worn in the series so far. We're only two issues in, but things are already heating up.

Fly #3

Written by Raven Gregory

Pencils by Eric J

Zenescope Entertainment

Even at twenty-four pages, this issue is an incredibly quick read. It begins back in present day, where Eddie seeks Francis out and says, "She found me." We cut to a similar situation in the past, where a younger Eddie goes to Francis in a panic after killing Danielle's dad. He is feeling guilty about it, but both Francis and Danielle's reactions show Eddie that he was exhibiting heroism. The dichotomy of the present day scenes to these somewhat lighter past scenes (the childhood element of the scenes is accentuated by the art, especially on the page when hearts fill up the background when Danielle asks Eddie to be her boyfriend) continues to make FLY a textured read. Danielle's reaction to the rape at the hands of her father and his subsequent death seems oddly black & white in its positivity, but when you think about where Danielle ends up, it becomes clear that writer Raven Gregory is creating a purposeful balance between her seemingly carefree attitude in the past and her murderous, batshit crazy persona in the present.

The issue climaxes with the mysterious baddie from the previous issue finally interacting with one of the main characters. I won't give any spoilers on that, but the series continues to get grittier and grittier, shedding more light on how the Fly drug is continuing to destroy lives. This story is a satisfying combination of decompressed, slow-boil plot developments and breakneck-pace. Slow-boil and fast-paced don't seem as if they're ideas that work together, but FLY somehow makes it work. Well.

Looking forward to next month's issue.

NEXT WEEK: The entire blog will focus on Supergirl. The final issue of the series comes out next Wednesday, so we'll have a special little lead-up to the review. More details later.

IMPULSE GAMER: My next review will be for Image Comics' sold out THE VAULT #1.

CBW #9 - Part Two - Dollhouse: Epitaphs #1, The Canterbury Cricket, & Superman #713 Review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #9

Part Two

I'm back from Indiana, so I made it down to my local comic shop to pick up my books. This week, we've got Dollhouse: Epitaphs #1, which is the first Whedonverse comic I've reviewed in a loooooong time, Superman #713, and something that I kept putting off buying that I decided to just grab... The Canterbury Cricket.

For Part One, which features my review of Screamland #2, click here.

Dollhouse: Epitaphs #1

Story by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen

Written by Andrew Chambliss

Pencils by Cliff Richards

Dark Horse Comics

I spent a good part of the last four years doing what I'm about to do here. My Buffyverse Comic Reviews blog, which helped me in more ways than I can mention (not least of which was putting me in touch with the great folks at IDW, which eventually led to my story in Angel: Yearbook), was where I posted reviews for Whedonesque comics. I mainly covered IDW's ANGEL and Dark Horse's BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON EIGHT books, but I tried to follow pretty much everything that Whedon and co. have done. Today, it looks like I'm picking up old habits. Here's my review for Dark Horse's first issue of their DOLLHOUSE: EPITAPHS miniseries.

There are a bunch of reasons why this issue shouldn't be good. Joss Whedon himself once said that he didn't want to do any DOLLHOUSE comics, as he felt the premise was more suited for television. The one-shot that takes place before this issue was, delicately put, not very good. The art in this comic from longtime BUFFY artist Cliff Richards is the worst its been, leaving Alpha (who was a horrific presence when played by Alan Tudyk on DOLLHOUSE, leaving me with chills that no villain had since Ledger's Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT) almost unrecognizable.

But the art is the only bad thing about this issue. It's way, way better than the one-shot prequel and it shows that Whedon was right to wait to bring DOLLHOUSE to comics; while the premise of the show isn't very comic booky, the world set-up in the flash-foward episodes (the finales of both seasons) is perfectly suited to the medium. The comic doesn't talk down to readers with pages of reintroductions and world building, but instead throws them into the post-apocalyptic world that the formerly murderous Alpha is trying to fight with various people imprinted with the Ivy persona (the best moment of the issue is when one Ivy catches two other Ivys about to have sex; "We have the same brain so you know exactly how ooged out I am right now."), and a little boy named Trevor whom Alpha and the Ivys have turned into a Techhead (the same sort of warrior Victor had become in the series finale).

I enjoyed the issue while I read it, but something was nagging at me the whole time. Isn't this supposed to explain why Alpha turned into a hero? was what I was wondering. I mean, it's a pretty big leap from being the Big Bad to the guy who everyone hugs when they see him. This issue takes place after Alpha has already been goodified, which I thought was lame until Page 20. When Trevor tells Alpha that he's unable to shoot at the Butchers (people imprinted with the desire to kill and destroy everything in sight) because they were once real people, Alpha tries to sympathize with him, but Trevor storms off and tells Alpha "Aren't there things you wish you could take out of your head?" As Trevor walks away, Alpha whispers "Lots of things" to himself, and that's just what I needed: confirmation that this series is going to deal with Alpha's redemption. I actually like that it isn't revealed in the first issue, giving the readers something to look forward to.

All in all, this was way, way better than I expected. If this issue is any indication, the Joss Whedon/Andrew Chambliss team might be able to redeem the BUFFY comics as well, come September.

The Canterbury Cricket- The Scoundrel's Tale

(Flashpoint tie-in. One-shot.)

Written by Mike Carlin

Art by Rags Morales

DC Comics

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote,


The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,


And bathed every veyne in swich licóur


Of which vertú engendred is the flour;


Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth


Inspired hath in every holt and heeth


The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne


Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,


And smale foweles maken melodye,


That slepen al the nyght with open ye,


So priketh hem Natúre in hir corages,


Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,


And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,


To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;


And specially, from every shires ende


Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,


The hooly blisful martir for to seke,


That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.

That might be my favorite passage in all of literature. The language is beautiful, the plot is laced with history, and it kicks off one of the greatest stories of all time... The Canterbury Tales. So when I saw this 0ne-shot, I knew I had to pick it up.

It's full of references to Chaucer, from the structure of the story (tale within a tale) to the quote from the man himself at the end, and that was enough to keep me entertaining. If you're looking for more than an introduction to the strange creature in FLASHPOINT #3 and a prequel to FLASHPOINT: LOIS LANE AND THE RESISTANCE, you will be disappointed, but if you're looking for something fun, different (read as: super weird), and quick (only 19 pages of story), THE CANTERBURY CRICKET is worth a shot, even with its jarringly abrupt end.

Superman #713

Plotted by J. Michale Stracynzski and Chris Roberson*

Written by Chris Roberson

Art by Diogenes Neves, Oclair Albert, Eddy Barrows, JP Mayer, Jamal Igle, and Jon Sibal (What.)

DC Comics

It feels like I've been waiting for ages, but I guess it's just been two months. Also, I read #707-#711 in one sitting, so that might be a reason. But anyway, the wait is over and Chris Roberson's epic tale of redemption for Superman (definitely as a series, and maybe a bit as a character too) continues in the penultimate issue of this long-running series.

Penultimate. God, I love that word.

The issue deals with Superman deciding to... well, not be Superman anymore. He tells Supergirl and Superboy that he's going to put away the costume and start to help people in secret, as he did before he put an S on his chest. He, as Clark Kent, begins writing an article for the Daily Planet titled "Must There Be a Superman?" when, in a supremely meta moment, Superman's biggest fan stops Clark and tries to show him why the idea of Superman being unnecessary is idiotic.

While the idea is solid, I'm not sure that I grasp Superman's logic. I get that that's kind of the point, that what he's gone through is interfering with his perception of his role as Superman, but I wish we got to see what made him decide that it isn't necessary to be Superman, especially after he saw the legacy that Superman leaves behind in #707 (the Superman Squad). As I wrote in my review of #707-711, "The Squad showed Superman that his actions on Earth influenced countless individuals of many difference species to wear the S and rise to the challenge—to fight for truth, justice, and the American way." What made Superman decide that that wasn't necessary? I'm concerned that it may have been addressed in Roberson's canceled #712.

The actual issue is good, but not as solid as Roberson's previous issues. While it's wonderful seeing people reaffirming the awesome factor of Superman, the book gets a bit repetitive, and by the end begins to feel like one of those commercials where someone explains the details of a product three times to ensure that the audience won't forget the details. While solid in concept, I wish the execution were as fun as the rest of the second half of GROUNDED has been.

The issue ends on a high note, though, with Superman flying off to face the villain that has been stalking him for the last few issues. It seems that the grand finale of this incredibly long running series will feature Superman doing what he does best... saving his lady.

* I'm a bit confused about the writing credits. When Roberson first took over, it was clear that he was creating his own story from JMS's plots, as he and JMS were both credited for plotting and Roberson was credited as writer. I assume that is still the case, but crediting the two of them as simply "writers" for the issues makes it a bit confusing.

That's it for this week! Next week, however, is going to be packed with comic book goodies. We start on Monday with a special entry that spotlights two webcomics by buddies of mine that I think you'll dig. On Tuesday, we've got that big interview with SUPERGIRL writer Kelly Sue DeConnick that I've been teasing for about a month, and then the following day the weekly COMIC BOOK WEDNESDAY post puts the spotlight on Supergirl #66. The penultimate (heh) issue.