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Quick Critiques for 3/3
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.
EXILES #44
by Chuck Austen, Jim Calafiore & Mark McKenna
(Marvel Comics)
 Morph forgives Mimic, but only sort of. The Exiles are betrayed by one of their own number, and no one is surprised. Heroes and villains die... and no one is surprised. At least, they shouldn't be. The plotting here is awkward and obvious, and the plot is so artificially constructed that it lacks any real sense of suspense. It's clear which characters Austen plans to get rid of because they're the most one-dimensional ones among the cast (at least, they have been during his tenure on the title). Hyperion's cruelty here is so over the top so as to be borderline laughable instead of shocking. Calafiore tells the story clearly, and the issue ends with a strikingly different depiction of Morph and his powers. But ultimately, the art here never rises above the level of simply normal, of standard super-hero fare. 2/10
HARD TIME #2
by Steve Gerber & Brian Hurtt (DC Comics/DC Focus)
 Opinion about this new social satire title has been rather polar; people either seem to love it or hate it. I come down in the former camp. Gerber does an excellent job of introducing the supporting characters in this second issue, and he even throws in a couple biting social commentaries or two. I'm really struck by the strength the main character exhibits here. I had expected him to be a blubbering child (understandably so), and this take took me by surprise. Hurtt's art is strong as well. Ethan's boyish face and miniscule frame looks ludicrous in this context, but that's rather the point. It's a visual cue that reminds us that a society that treats a child this way has lost its way. Again, I like the shifting, monochromatic coloring approach that Brian Haberlin takes here. The scheme casts an eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere over the entire story. 8/10
THE MONOLITH #2
by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray & Phil Winslade
(DC Comics)
 Though the plot unfolds a little predictably, I remain impressed all the same with this edgy new super-hero property. I love the continued two-pronged storytelling approach, as the story unfolds in two settings: the Prohibition era and the present. My favorite moment in the book is the brief spotlight on Alice's drug dependency. Winslade offers up a disturbing visual representation of the horror of the addiction. There's also a thoroughly effective moment of black comedy involving the bad guys and their decision to knock on the wrong door. Winslade captures the two time periods incredibly well here. There's a strong sense of history and reality in the flashbacks, and there's an ugliness and edge to the characters in the present-day scenes as well. 8/10
SPIDER-GIRL #71
by Tom DeFalco, Pat Olliffe & Sal Buscema
(Marvel Comics)
 I'm a bit torn when it comes to this title. On the one hand, it has a lot going for it. It's a great title for younger readers -- much stronger than Marvel's new Marvel Age: Spider-Man series, which launched this week. It's also full of imagination and a colorful array of characters, just the sort of thjing that wuold have sucked me into super-hero stories when I was a kid. There's also an accessibility problem at play, though. I've been following this title on and off for some time, and even I was a bit lost at times. Furthermore, the plot is completely generic and fails to advance the main subplots of the series at all. Olliffe's fill-in artwork is a delight, but that comes as no surprise to those of us who remember the strength of his work earlier in the series when he was the regular penciller. I love the lightness Buscema's inks bring to his work here as well. 4/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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