Two-in-One Review: Marvel in June/July Randy and Don take a look at some titles from Marvel Comics, slated for release in the coming weeks. Randy: It's that time again. Time to look at black-and-white previews for upcoming Marvel books in June (and one in July), focusing for the most part on things happening in and around the life of Spider-Man, which includes a return to Marvel by writer Kevin Smith. Don: Our thanks go out to Marvel communications guru Bill Rosemann for sending these previews our way. Not only does it give our readers an extra heads-up on what to expect from some select future releases, but I enjoy getting a look at part of the comic-book creation process. These are essentially uncorrected proofs, and they also give us a chance to see what a difference colorists make upon sampling the finished product down the road. Deadline #4 written by Bill Rosemann illustrated by Guy Davis scheduled for release July 24 Don: After the cops arrive at her apartment to investigate the break-in, Kat has an epiphany about the Judge, quickly realizing what the missing piece of the puzzle is... or to be more precise, who it is. Kat, the Judge and the man responsible for the mess they're all in meet in a climactic encounter on a New York rooftop. Randy: With this issue, the initial story arc of Deadline comes to a close in a satisfying fashion, tying things up nicely for the Judge and Kat Ferrell but leaving plenty of room for future tales. I know, I'm speaking of this as if it were an ongoing series rather than a four-part mini, but after the strength of the Rosemann/Davis collaboration, Marvel would have to be crazy not to offer up another helping of Deadline in the future. Don: In this issue, the old comic-book version of journalism rears its head -- you know, the kind that sees Lois Lane busting up criminal enterprises instead of just writing about it -- but it's certainly in keeping with the natural direction of the plot. Fortunately, Rosemann still manages to include some real-world journalism qualities here... mostly through Kat's narration. Despite the fantastic circumstances of the story, her "voice" gives the story a grounded, thoroughly believable tone. Randy: What strikes me this issue, and has really stuck with me throughout, is how well Rosemann conveys Kat's voice. She reads like a real woman and a real reporter, and that reality is what draws me to the story and makes the outlandish setting and plot details work. Kat's self-examination as the cops go through her life, wondering if she is intruding on her subjects in the same way, was an interesting insight, and her reaction to Ben Urich's little talk was funny and honest as well. While I'm certainly fascinated by the idea of how journalism works in a super-heroic world, Kat Ferrell would be a strong character with or without such flashy trappings. Rosemann has spun an interesting mystery in this first four issue arc as well. In fact, he spun more than one, although until this issue I had thought the ongoing story with Kat's fish and her dealings with the Judge were somehow related. The solution to this mystery is an interesting one, as Kat both stands on the sidelines for part of it and yet has to make a crucial decision, all without turning her into another unrealistic and cliched crusading journalist without fear that litter the pages of comics. Don: This story has blended a supernatural atmosphere with a gritty, urban one, and as is readily apparent, Guy Davis excels in both. The ghostly tone and characters collide with realistic, human ones, and the contrast makes for a layered, almost surreal read. And I'm quite pleased that Davis's portrayal of Kat isn't as some buxom bombshell, reinforcing the reality of her character. Randy: Yep, Davis continues to prove himself an ideal choice for this type of story, where the super-heroics are of a more gothic and small nature and the focus is on human interaction. His attention to detail helps the real world that Rosemann has crafted come to life, and his depiction of Kat is in no small part responsible for how well I connected with her. Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do #1 written by Kevin Smith illustrated by Terry & Rachel Dodson scheduled for release June 26 Don: The similar fates of two friends of Spider-Man and the Black Cat has the two costumed figures investigating the same case: one involving a drug ring that's unlike any other. As the Black Cat, AKA Felicia Hardy, returns to New York to follow her leads, her mind drifts to the past... her past as a thief, her past as an adventurer, and her past as a partner and lover to a certain wall-crawler. Randy: I've been expecting great things from this book based on the creative team and characters alone, but there was this nagging doubt in the back of my head as well: Black Cat? Really? Could someone really write an entertaining mini-series focusing on the Black Cat? That nagging doubt is now gone, because the first issue of The Evil That Men Do has the trademark Smith wit, the trademark Dodson cheesecake art and solid storytelling and an intriguing central plot. It doesn't hurt that I have fond memories of the Black Cat/Spider-Man relationship and I'm looking forward to seeing the two together again, but this is readable even for those who don't remember that period, with strong characterization of both lead characters. One of the key things to remember when writing Spider-Man is that he has to be funny. Not stupid funny or lame joke funny, as so many poor writers have done and continue to do with him, but actually funny, sort of a decent stand-up comic in spandex. Smith does some hilarious stuff with Spidey, from his running internal narrative to his obscure references and jokes, and it's easy to see that Smith and Spidey may share the same sense of humor. I also enjoyed that Smith is willing to be a bit risqué with the humor, from a laugh-out loud moment of a cop noticing Spidey's figure to Black Cat's surprising double entendre about how to get an actor to talk. Don: Sure, Spidey's funny under Smith's guidance, but what really caught my attention was the "risqué" quality to which Randy refers. There's an adult, almost bawdy quality to the script, as well as a subtle intelligent tone. This is a super-hero story for grown-ups, but it manages to do so without the MAX Comics line's less restrictive language guidelines. There's an edgier tone to Spidey here that what we've come to expect from one of his mainstream adventures. He has an offbeat and occasionally raunchy sense of humor, and Felicia... well, she's danger in heels, a real sexual predator and confident woman. Randy: The Dodsons have been getting better with each assignment, and I've also noticed that with each assignment, they have taken on more of a "cheesecake" approach to art. These days, I equate them with Adam Hughes, if Hughes were actually able to maintain a monthly deadline. At any rate, their work here is titillating and fun on the Black Cat and energetic and effective with Spidey. Given that both of the lead characters are known for aerial acrobatics, it behooves Smith to have artists who can handle such fluid and complex movement, and the Dodsons prove more than capable in that regard with this first issue. Don: Personally, I found the Dodsons took the cheesecake quality way too far. They take us into Felicia's shower for no good reason. They have her striking unrealistic poses just to give the reader a good look at her ass and breasts. Sure, it's titillating, but it distracts from the story. Mind you, this comic book will have a big spotlight shone on it later this month, and sex sells, be it movies, TV or comics. It's a shame that some people won't see that the book stands up well on its own based just on Smith's strong script and intriguing plot. Spider-Man: Sweet Charity written by Ron Zimmerman illustrated by Darick Robertson & Rodney Ramos scheduled for release June 26 Don: OK, so in this episode, Oscar and Felix are really ticked at each other, right? And thanks to a charity event, they're forced to go off camping together. Yeah, camping. And there's this guy, he hates Oscar and Felix, see? And he wants to kill them, so he follows them into the woods. But here's the hook: it's not Oscar and Felix. Wha? No, it's not Randall and Klugman or Lemmon and Matthau. No, it's Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson. In the woods. Together. Randy: So the Zimmerman back-up story featuring Jay Leno was one of the most painful things I've ever read, and it's saving grace was that it was only a few pages each time. Sweet Charity, on the other hand, is almost as painful, and it just keeps going on and on and on. While I'm all for stories that focus on humor or pop-culture commentary, I prefer them to actually be funny or have something to comment on, and Zimmerman's work mostly feels like name-dropping for his famous friends. The only thing worse than the constant attempts to inject famous people into the narrative is when that all goes away and we're left with predictable and inane banter between Spidey and J. Jonah Jameson in the woods. Don: OK, I'm with you on the Jay Leno backup story from last month, but I have to admit, Sweet Charity made me smile. Zimmerman's really funny here, and he even teases the reader, leading one to believe that he's headed for the typical warm, fuzzy ending that sees the main characters develop a respect for one another. Randy's right, it does go on and on and on, but it works here, keeping the reader off guard. And the opening sequence, with its comic timing and effective use of repetition, was quite strong. Randy: Oh, don't get me wrong, I thought that the idea behind the story, forcing Spidey and Jameson together on a camping trip, was a pretty good one. It's just that the story could have gone into more interesting territory than an escalating fight between the two, capped off by a battle between Spidey, Scorpion and (I kid you not) a trio of bears. And even if it had gone into that more interesting territory, I don't think it needed this many pages to get to the point. If you cut all the cutesy celebrity references and unfunny gags out of the script, what you're left with is about ten pages of worthwhile story material. I'm also learning to loathe Al Kraven the more I see of him, because I find the character obnoxious and immature, and I get the sense that I'm instead supposed to think that he's cool and funny. Don: I admit the book isn't without its flaws. The celebrity stuff added nothing to the book, and the same can be said for Kraven's role in the story. But despite a bizarre premise, the Jameson/Spidey conflict was a lot of fun. I was also pleased to see that even Spidey is the butt of the jokes as much as JJJ. Randy: The saving grace of Sweet Charity is the artwork, as Transmetropolitan veterans Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos serve up their always delightfully detailed and expressive artwork. The comedic timing of the script often seemed off to me, but the comedic timing in the art was generally right on, and though I found the characterization over-the-top, I do have to admit that the bombastic Jonah Jameson and the psychotic Scorpion wouldn't have come across in the way the writer intended without the artists giving them such crazed and exaggerated expressions. Don: I've talked to a number of people who have seen the Spider-Man movie... some who loved it, some who liked it and some who didn't care for it. But all of them shared one reaction in common: they loved J.K. Simmons's scene as J. Jonah Jameson. For those who loved his over the top blustering, Zimmerman and company deliver more of the same here. Spider-Man's Tangled Web #15 written and illustrated by Paul Pope scheduled for release June 26 Don: A young Spidey fan hears of a new super-villain making a stand at a Manhattan bank, and she rushes to the scene for a glimpse, not only of the armored baddie, but maybe a look at her favorite hero. She soon finds herself in thick of things, not just in terms of the scene of the crime, though, but personally as well. Randy: Given how much I enjoyed 100%, released earlier this week, I thought I would really like Pope's take on Spidey, but I found this story to be a little unfocused, really needing more room than it was given. The central idea of the people surrounding a super-villain's life fits right in with the Tangled Web ethos, but we've seen this territory covered in much more interesting and coherent ways in previous issues like "Severance Package" and "I Was a Teenaged Frog-Man." Don: On this book, Randy and I are on the same page. I was surprised at how much of the storytelling in this issue consisted of conventional super-hero/villain circumstances and characterization. Pope's decision to open up on the Stag Beetle's preparations seemed rather ordinary, detracting from the teenage girl's more down-to-earth, personal tale. Randy: My big problem with this story was that it seemed pretty obvious to the reader where it was going, and that lack of surprise made for something of a weak ending. I suppose that the point was how the lead character reacts to the knowledge that the reader has had for the length of the story, but I felt like the lead character didn't get established beyond her crush on Spider-Man, and her "moment of truth" when confronting her idol went by pretty quickly too. And I must admit, although I'm willing to give writers on this series in particular a wide berth when it comes to continuity, that the reference to the Beetle was unfortunate, given how much that character has changed in the pages of Thunderbolts over the last five years. On the artwork, however, Pope is as great as ever, and his depiction of a scuzzy apartment, the ritzy Amalgamated Bank and the Stag Beetle battlesuit were all beautiful to look at. Pope also gives Spidey, in his brief appearance, a weird and alien look that I really liked. Tangled Web stories are at their best when Spider-Man seems less like a person and more like a force impacting on the lives of the main characters, and that was definitely the case here. Don: I get the alien portrayal you're talking about, and I agree. But I wasn't as enamored of the art... at least, I don't think so. Maybe it's due to the lower quality of this photocopied reproduction, but I found the opening scene to be far too dark and sketchy. I couldn't make out what was going on, but it's entirely possible that when I see the final product, in color, that confusion may fade. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.