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Snap Judgments - Reviews for June 2006
by Randy Lander
 "Imagine a Hollywood where comics are bigger than movies... a place where Peter Parker is a bigger star than Tom Cruise. A town run not by movie studios, but by comic book publishers."
Now imagine that comic book characters have a life of their own, that they have to audition for parts in comics, that they might start out in a college humor strip as the equivalent of doing theatre work and then move out to Hollywood to try out for work in the "majors" of Image, DC and Marvel. That's the high concept of Toupydoops, and it's a pretty good one. Starting from this strong basic premise, Kevin McShane launches his new independent series with strong cartooning skills and whip-smart comic timing to provide one of the few potential indy breakouts in an industry dominated by multi-part crossovers of a continuity-bending nature.
It's pretty clear in reading Toupydoops that it is the outgrowth of Kevin McShane's college comic strip into a comic book. The characters read like they came out of a college humor strip, being a man/bear cross and a guy who is either a man/bug or just has weird blue skin and antennae for no particular reason. They have a pet monkey who smokes and plays videogames and displays a bad attitude. They might as well have "look at us, we're quirky" T-shirts on. Oddly enough, though, while this kind of quirkiness can easily read as forced or unfunny, McShane pulls it off, in part because their stereotypical comic strip nature is part of the gag. These guys are bit players in the world of comics looking to make the big move up. Or at least, Toupydoops is, his roommate Teetereater (what is up with these names?) seems more like the kind of hangers-on exemplified by Turtle in HBO's Entourage, supportive of their friends insomuch as they can make their friends famous and rich enough to not have to work anymore.
With premise and characters firmly established in the first four pages of the book, including a new quirky character, flamboyantly fabulous landlord Auntie Nathan, McShane moves right into establishing the tone of the book. There's a terrific one-page gag involving moving a couch that establishes his ability to tell a joke, and Nathan comes back to the couch later on to reinforce McShane's timing and ability to pay off a setup. Then the first issue splits off, with Toupy going into the world of spoof comics and Teetereater battling it out with a six-foot cockroach in their apartment. While Toupy's story is full of references to Superman and Vertigo, Teeter's covers the world of movies and videogames, with a dead-on evocation of Street Fighter II battles and a tossed-off Ghostbusters reference that works perfectly in context. Pop culture references can easily become tired, but when used to flavor the piece instead of being the whole point of dialogue, they work, and that's what McShane serves up with his references here.
You see, the references are never the point of the scenes in Toupydoops. The Street Fighter II echoes, with the cockroach borrowing Dhalsim's moves as Mr. Bananas plays the game in the background, are accents on the amusing scene of a man battling it out with a giant cockroach. Superman is there to allow Toupy to make a fool out of himself, and to point out Toupy's role in the new hierarchy of comic book stars. Toupydoops plays out like the pilot episode of a better-than-average sitcom, clearly establishing characters, premise and tone and providing plenty of laughs, not worrying too much about a grand over-arcing plot or even relationship arcs at this point.
The relationships are saved for the second issue, where McShane starts to develop the book a little bit more as an ongoing concern. It's still essentially a gag, one-off concept, making Toupydoops that rare creature, a comic that can be read as standalone issues, but it develops the romantic situation for the main characters and presents a new character who I think could become a regular in that department. McShane also skewers the L.A. club scene as effectively as he did breaking into the entertainment business in issue one and reinforces the dynamic between Teeter and Toupy, which is that ever-popular "good with the ladies/not-so-good with the ladies" dynamic.
Issue two closes out with a four-page strip originally submitted to the SPX Expo anthology and rejected, McShane suggests, "probably for being too awesome." He's being tongue-in-cheek, but he's right, because this strip is a dead-on parody of Brian Bendis's Fortune & Glory, showing Toupy and Teeter going around trying to sell the book. In fact, the description I quoted at the beginning of the review comes from their pitch. This four-pager perfectly nails Bendis's style, spoofs Joe Quesada, Dan Didio and Todd McFarlane and ends on a great sight gag. It's a great little bonus, and with that and two full issues under McShane's belt, I feel pretty confident in predicting that Toupydoops has plenty of life in it as a funny book.
The main weakness that Toupydoops has, frankly, is the name, which is the name of the main character but which sounds both off-putting and overly goofy and does nothing to describe the book. Everyone that I've personally told about the concept of the book has responded by saying that it sounds like fun, but not one of them picked up a book named Toupydoops off the shelf thinking that the Hollywood/comics spoof I described might be contained within. There's a certain whimsical fun to saying the name of the book once you know what it's about, but as a marketing tool, the name could probably use some adjustment.
There are two issues of Toupydoops out so far, with another due in July. The website includes previews of #3 as well as early Toupydoops strips and other material.
 It's hard to believe in these days of a dozen X-titles, but there was once a time when the X-Men weren't popular. Despite a well-liked run by Neal Adams revamping the original team with new costumes, the book fell into reprints and from there, cancellation. Almost. A young upstart named Chris Claremont, fresh off smaller Marvel books like Iron Fist, came in with artist Dave Cockrum and created a completely new team, ditching all but one member of the original team. They added minor, unknown characters like Banshee and Wolverine to a cast of brand new names like Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler. And thus, the world-spanning empire of the X-Men began, in Giant-Size X-Men #1. Cockrum left relatively early in the run to be replaced by an up-and-comer named John Byrne, and together, Claremont and Byrne created a legend that is still making money hand over fist for Marvel today. The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus collects the beginning of what is most likely the best the X-Men will ever be, and certainly the best that they have ever been (and yes, I'm taking into account Grant Morrison's generally excellent but flawed New X-Men run).
In the same ballpark in terms of importance to comics (or at least Marvel), this one contains the Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men Annual #3 and Uncanny X-Men #94-131. Within the almost 850 pages of this oversized hardcover volume are classic X-Men stories, including their first run-ins with Alpha Flight, Proteus, the Shi'ar and the Hellfire Club, as well as fights with classic foes like Magneto, Juggernaut and the Sentinels. The DNA for practically everything that the modern X-Men are, as well as the source material for the majority of the movies, is found in these stories.
The characters are much stronger in these early days, partly by virtue of being new but also because Claremont gives them more depth than their often two-dimensional characterization in modern comics. Wolverine is a cocky, competent scrapper willing to break the X-Men's laws against killing, but he's not the uber-badass that makes for such boring modern-day tales. This Wolverine is shaken when he faces the reality-warping Proteus, such that Cyclops has to snap him out of it. Cyclops is likewise not the milquetoast that most modern writers present him as, but a confident leader who breaks out of the head schoolboy mode he had been in when a battle strands him away from Professor Xavier's counsel, forcing him to truly lead the X-Men, in the field and off, for a good chunk of these stories. Storm is presented as one of the most powerful mutants on the planet, not an also-ran X-Man to be married off for stunt value. Colossus, while conflicted, isn't as whiny and mopey as the character who has now suffered the loss of his sister, his brother and his parents at the hands of unimaginative writers who could think of no better plotline than to kill off a supporting cast member for angst value. Nightcrawler is also not mired in angst, but rather has a healthy dose of rough times thanks to his socially-unwelcome appearance combined with a generally upbeat attitude that serves his swashbuckling persona well.
While the stories are solid from the start, there's a noticeable uptick in quality of story when John Byrne comes aboard as co-plotter. Perhaps Byrne and Claremont shored up each others' weaknesses, perhaps they were just both young and at the top of their game, but at any rate, this run on Uncanny X-Men is probably the best argument there is for the perfect synergy that can occur in comic-book creating. With innovative new villains, constant surprises and status quo changes, all without resorting to cheap shock tactics like crossovers, deaths and "everything you know is wrong" revelations, these comics read like a manual on how to write the superhero genre.
The plotting of these X-Men issues shows off Claremont's reputation for long-developing subplots. In later years, he was known for creating dangling stories that never resolved, but at this point in his career, these one- and two-page teasers sprinkled into current stories paid off, sometimes a year down the road, in stories that benefitted from the build-up. The Dark Phoenix saga, which just gets rolling as this book closes out, has its beginnings early on as Jason Wyngarde begins influencing Jean Grey's mind. The story of Proteus, Moira MacTaggert's powerful and evil mutant son, gets started in the return of Magneto issues and only comes to fruition almost two years later, with scenes sprinkled throughout to build up to the epic conflict. Even Claremont's scripts, now so easily mocked for their over-the-top style, are fresh and evocative. The first time you hear Wolverine's catch-phrase, it's a clever summing-up of who he is, not a cheesy cliche. The same goes for Claremont's description of the awesome power at Storm's command, the physical strength of Colossus or the scary cosmic energy that Phoenix wields.
Some, including the artist himself, would probably argue that Byrne's best work is to be found later in his career, and certainly he has some fine work to his name, but it's hard not to look at these issues and see an artist working at peak skill. Byrne depicts stunning vistas in Japan, the Savage Land, Scotland and a snowed-in Canadian airport, as well as plenty of believable New York scenery. Byrne's take on many of these characters, from Cyclops to Nightcrawler to Colossus, is the definitive one in my mind, and it takes only a glance at any of these pages to see why. He captures the savage danger barely restrained of Wolverine, the allure of Storm and Jean Grey and the anguish of Cyclops when he believes Jean to be dead (not once but twice during these tales). Byrne delivers any number of exceptional action scenes as well. In one particularly memorable example, the Alpha Flight/X-Men battle starts with Sasquatch, barely visible except for muscular arms, holding back a DC-10 as it tries to take off, followed by a full-on well-choreographed battle between two superteams that closes out with an infuriated Cyclops about to knock out Northstar's teeth. Dave Cockrum's work is solid and grows stronger with each issue, and George Perez's guest turn is some of his strongest art, with plenty of the detailed fantasy backgrounds to be expected, but artistically, Byrne steals the show.
Beyond its impressive contents, the Marvel Omnibus is a triumph of production values. It's the same oversized trim as Marvel's other hardcovers, and it's printed on a nice, thick paper that has just the right balance between flatness and glossy. The colors have been "reconstructed" in some places, but not "remastered," and the result is that this is like the original comics, presented on the best possible paper for their style of illustration and coloring. There are also a few nice extras, including a few pages of original art, text pieces by Chris Claremont and Stan Lee, Dave Cockrum's original sketches for some of the characters (with copious design notes), pinups and a puzzle page (!) by John Byrne and even the 37 covers from the '80s Classic X-Men that reprinted these issues. The inclusion of these covers was a big bonus for me, as I first read all of this material in Classic X-Men and those covers stimulate my memories of the stories in a nice, pleasant nostalgic way. They're also just plain terrific covers by guys like Art Adams and Steve Lightle. These extras give a strong indication of the attention to detail that the editors and designers put into this book. Mark Beazley, Cory Sedlmeier, Michael Short, Jennifer Grunwald and Jeof Vita should all take a well-deserved bow.
Another bonus that makes the Omnibus special is that it contains the letters pages from all the issues, which helps to put the issues in the context of their time. Many of the fans were in an uproar about this complete change of cast and new creators, and it was clear that the book was struggling in the marketplace. Ironically, most of the books that were selling well in this time period are either looked down upon or forgotten, while this is held up as the gold standard of superhero comics. This might provide a slightly bitter comforting thought to creators struggling with low sales and critical acclaim in today's market, although I suspect it's about as helpful as struggling artists hearing that most artists are only appreciated after their death. The letters pages were an interesting place for debate, though, as the editor ran not just positive buzz but several negative (often brutally so) letters, and responded thoughtfully to all of them. It's still not as stimulating as the fondly-remembered letters pages of Cerebus, Grimjack, Starman and other esoteric books, but it's much more interesting than most current letter columns and their modern equivalent, the message boards.
If you do check this one out and wind up digging it, you might want to know that this is the second such volume, the first one containing the first thirty issues of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby Fantastic Four. With any luck, we'll be seeing more in the future... at the very least, a volume two (and maybe even more?) of Uncanny X-Men would be nice to complete this well-regarded run.
WONDER WOMAN #1
by Allan Heinberg, Terry & Rachel Dodson & Alex Sinclair (DC Comics)
 For over sixty years, Wonder Woman has been the "also-ran" of DC's big three superheroes. Sure, a '70s TV show and a fondly-remembered comics run in the '80s by George Perez had made her an indelible part of the pop-culture consciousness and the world of comics fandom, but ask any given comics fan to rank Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman will almost inevitably rank last. Her hook, an amazon in man's world, just doesn't seem to strike at most comic fans' hearts as easily as "driven millionaire avenging the deaths of his parents" or "last son of a doomed world, rocketed to Earth to save it." Truth be told, I've never been a huge fan of the character either.
I'm not going to be so bold as to say that Allan Heinberg and the Dodsons are the ones to turn all that around, but I will say that this is the strongest first issue of Wonder Woman I've ever read, easily navigating the landmines of the character's tricky continuity and ever-changing role in the DC Universe to create a fun, action-packed and intriguing opener.
The story arc that opens this new Wonder Woman title is named "Who is Wonder Woman?," a riff not only on the three (well, sort of) people wearing the mantle of Wonder Woman in this issue but on the classic Teen Titans story "Who is Donna Troy?," appropriate given that Donna plays a pretty hefty role in the events of the issue. Also in evidence, for you longtime Wonder Woman and DC Universe fans, are a familiar face from Suicide Squad, a surprising return from the '60s and a nice visual redesign of three Wonder Woman foes. Heinberg and the Dodsons offer up a pretty packed first issue, a delightful change from the slow-burn first issues that have become de rigueur for the industry, but it is surprisingly accessible to the Wonder Woman or DC newbie (another delightful change from unfriendly books like Checkmate, Infinite Crisis and 52) and flows nicely through exposition and action scenes to a cliffhanger conclusion.
OK, there's no way around it other than to give it away: Donna Troy is Wonder Woman. At least, for now, as we open on issue one of the new series. She's decked out in a new version of the duds that blend the classic Wonder Woman look with some of the starry motifs and armored epaulets of her Troia outfit, and it's a look that really works. Also benefiting from an image makeover are a more sinister-looking Dr. Psycho, a more human and sexier Cheetah and a Giganta in a superhero-esque jumpsuit. Throw in a nice redesign of a '60s classic for that last page cliffhanger, and you've got some of the best art that Terry and Rachel Dodson have done in some time. Their propensity for cheesecake serves them well, but isn't over-indulged here as it was in the salacious Spider-Man/Black Cat, and their action storytelling is as strong as their design sense. The power of Giganta is evident as she overwhelms a splash page, the majesty of Wonder Woman in flight is captured as we look on from above and the opening splash page, delivering the titular hero right up front, is a thing of beauty.
What I won't give away, although I have hinted heavily at it, is the secret to be found on the last page or the identity of the Suicide Squad member found in these pages. Though both of these elements, pleasant surprises that place Wonder Woman as firmly in the realm of DC's espionage as in the realm of the mythic, are what helped sell me on the book in the first place. However, they're essentially added spice to a dish that is already plenty tasty, a first issue with a breezy pace, clear exposition and an eye towards attracting new readers, not just those who have been reading about these characters for ten or twenty odd years already. There are plenty of nods and references for the comic book faithful, but someone who just thought Wonder Woman was neato on DVD or in the Justice League cartoon would probably find this pretty entertaining as well.
In the end, Heinberg has now accomplished two things that would have seemed impossible in the realm of comics. He has made a team of teenage Avengers sidekicks, a seemingly horrible idea, into one of Marvel's freshest must-reads, and now he's taken a character that not even Greg Rucka, George Perez or John Byrne could make me interested in and made her debut issue one of my favorite DC Comics reads in months. Now if only he could accomplish the truly impossible and be a TV guy who turns in scripts on time, we'd have a hat trick.
Email Randy Lander comments about this column, or visit his MySpace profile/blog.
Randy is desperately seeking a hotel room for San Diego, preferably at a con hotel like the Holiday Inn, Embassy Suites or one of the closer Con hotels. If you know of a room available or you've got an extra reservation you're gonna cancel, please drop him an email.
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