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Quick Critiques for 1/19/2005
There's no way that Randy and I can cover all of the material we have for review in full reviews, so these capsule reviews will offer some brief comments on other recent releases.
BIRDS OF PREY #78
by Gail Simone, Tom Derenick & Bob Petrecca
(DC Comics)
 Gail Simone's Birds of Prey is a solid super-hero title, one I look forward to reading every month. This latest story about a rural, vampiric vigilante didn't quite work for me. Part of the problem is the artwork. This isn't Tom Derenick's best work. It looks rushed, and the antagonist of the piece just doesn't look scary enough. She's too shapely, for one thing. The backgrounds are quite lacking at times as well. As for the story itself, the most poewrful aspect of the plot -- Harvest's reason for sucking the lifeforce out of bad people -- is glossed over. The familial connection among the sheriff, his daughter and his deputy isn't emphasized enough. Furthermore, the critical nature of the Black Canary's injuries early on fades far too quickly, and exactly what Oracle's doing with her tech mask isn't at all clear. That's too bad, given what a big deal the reveal of the mask was in the previous issue. There was potential this story, but it's not fully realized. I see it as an aberration in an otherwise strong series. 5/10
CABLE/DEADPOOL #11
by Fabian Nicieza, Patrick Zircher & M3th
(Marvel Comics)
 If there's one thing about this series I can say, it's that it has exceeded expectations. A series featuring two Rob Liefeld creations for New Mutants with little in common other than that hardly sounds like the best idea for an ongoing series, but Nicieza has pulled it off. What's really surprising is that he's managed to do it while maintaing the two strongest interpretations of the title characters we've seen, even though those interpretations are as disparate as one could imagine. The notion of Cable being seen by the world as a savior is novel, and Deadpool's efforts to save his life are hilarious. The telepathic trap scene was a particularly impressive one, and not just conceptually. I loved how Zircher shunted his usual, conventional super-hero style to the side and employed a far more cartoony and cute look to convey the change in "scenery." Zircher also captures Deadpool's zaniness incredibly well and the chaos he creates wherever he goes. 7/10
NIGHTCRAWLER #5
by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Darick Robertson & Wayne Faucher (Marvel Comics)
 A formula has emerged here. With this second story arc, Agruiee-Sacasa follows a similar path as he did on the first one. He sets up a supernatural threat or crisis, bring the matter to the attention of the X-Men who in turn assign Nightcrawler to deal with the situation because... well, because there'd be no story if he didn't. The writer seems to be setting up Nightcrawler as the defacto blue-skinned cop of the netherworld here, and I don't know if the role fits all that well. The ghost story itself is an interesting one, and ultimately, I want to know where it's leading. I'm pleased with the twist Aguirre-Sacasa has set up in the relationship subplot. He's provided the hero with a lady lover, but the interesting thing is that the hero doesn't bite. He's hung up on a couple of other women, as seen in Uncanny X-Men. Robertson's art is enjoyable here. It's hardly his strongest work, but then again, he's not just phoning it in. I love the final splash page. The eerie vision reminds me a great deal of Tom Mandrake's work on The Spectre. It's an effectively scary reveal, even if we do see it coming. 6/10
WONDER WOMAN #212
by Greg Rucka, James Riaz & Ray Snyder (DC Comics)
 I lost touch with this series for a little while, and I can't imagine why, since I was enjoying what Greg Rucka, one of my favorite writers, was doing with it. This week's Sneak Peek books offered me a chance to revisit the title, and it boasts a lot of elements I enjoyed, but it lacked one: exposition. This is the first chapter of a new story arc, but it fails to fill in the reader on what's happened recently in the title character's life. I have no idea why she's blind here, and Rucka's script doesn't help me out at all. The opening JLA scene is action-packed and conveys that Diana is still a skilled warrior, but it really doesn't further the story. It feels more like a sales gimmick, filler or both. Other than that, the story's pretty solid, and I remain impressed with Rucka's retooling of the Olympian Gods. Riaz's art tells the story clearly, and it's full of detail. But there's something awkward about it as well, something I just can't put my finger on. Mind you, I loved his depiction of Briareos; he conveys the creature's immensity incredibly well, not to mention the rivers of arms that make him look so grotesque and powerful. 6/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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