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Quick Critiques for 3/15/2006
There's no way I can cover all of the material I have for review in full reviews, so these capsule reviews will offer some brief comments on other recent releases.
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #6
by Peter David, Roger Cruz, Oclair Albert & Victor Olazaba (Marvel Comics)
 I need to pay closer attention to the details in Marvel Previews. One of the main reasons I read this title is for Mike Wieringo's artwork, and I was honestly surprised when I didn't find it in this issue. The art presented instead is from Roger Cruz, and though I must admit I found these efforts to be stronger than previous work I've seen from him, it still pales in comparison. There's a frantic tone to the linework that interferes with the story rather than contributing to it. If that weren't disappointing enough, this story of a Mexican wrestler trying to stave off his own death by defeating another masked champion just didn't work for me. The whole masked Mexican wrestling thing doesn't appeal to me in the first place, so a super-hero story with such trappings already has that strike going against it. Furthermore, the subplot featuring a regressed and amnesiac Flash Thompson feels like so many steps backward. 3/10
GENERATION M #5
by Paul Jenkins, Ramon Bachs & John Lucas
(Marvel Comics)
 Writer Paul Jenkins delivers what may be the strongest issue of the limited series, not because he finally answers the questions about the fate of Sally Floyd's lost child, but because the answer is so down to earth while still linked to the mutantcy of the Marvel Universe. The key is that Sally's baby's mutant condition actually manifests more as a disease rather than mutant gift. The slow process her infant body undergoes is the sort of thing one can almost believe might really happen. There's nothing flashy about it, nothing fantastic. The image is simply of a child wasting away, with a mother despairing in a hospital, in her home, in every aspect of her life. The main plot about the ex-mutant killer doesn't hold my attention nearly as well as Sally's story, but the resolution and the X-Men's involvement is somewhat clever. Bachs's art reminds me of Kieron (Avengers, Lowest Comic Denominator) Dwyer's work, and it's surprisingly effective at bringing the grounded human drama to life. 8/10
GREEN ARROW #60
by Judd Winick, Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens
(DC Comics)
 Ray Nagin... er, I mean Oliver Queen faces the challenge of rebuilding a devastated city, helping an impoverished portion of his constituency and keeping corporate vultures at bay as this title embarks on a new direction that incorporates previous storylines and characters quite well. Winick is not subtle about his commentary on the Katrina disaster in New Orleans, but it serves as an important reminder that such an extreme socio-political scenario is all too plausible. the one flaw in the script is the writer's attempt to make the title character's mayoral status a surprise at the end of the book when the cover and advance promotion gave that secret away to begin with. I've always found Scott McDaniel's linework to be too loose, and that holds true with this latest effort as well. But there's no denying that his inky, angular style suits the edgier qualities of the story. 7/10
INFINITE CRISIS SECRET FILES 2006
by Marv Wolfman, Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Cam Smith, Art Thibert & Nelson (DC Comics)
 I've been enjoying the metatextual conflict and flashy super-hero action of Infinite Crisis, though it fails to capture the scope, imagination and magic of the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. This Secret Files spinoff book will be of interest to Infinite Crisis completists, but it really doesn't offer much in the way of new information for the reader; it fills in small holes that really didn't need the creative spackle in the first place. What's really disappointing is that the main story had the potential to look really great; after all, you've got Dan Jurgens layouts with Jerry Ordway inks. Unfortunately, Ordway is joined by three other inkers, and the result is inconsistent visuals. I think what this book really should have been about was a primer on the 1986 crossover series that has spawned the new sequel and a clearer, more detailed explanation of how The OMAC Project, Villains United, Day of Vengeance and The Rann/Thanagar War connect to the events of Infinite Crisis. 3/10
PAINKILLER JANE #1
by Jimmy Palmiotti, Joe Quesada & Lee Moder
(Dynamite Entertainment)
 Opening splash page image: the heroine in her underpants. Not a promising start.
Jimmy Palmiotti essentially offers up the Punisher with ta-tas in this latest release from Dynamite Entertainment, resurrecting the "classic" character from the now-defunct Event Comics. The only main different between this character and any other gun-toting, bloodthirsty vigilante type is the fact she can't feel pain. The narration is effective in bringing readers up to speed on the property and setting the stage for how she operates. The conflict here is meant to titillate and torment at the same time, and it just felt manipulative. It's not enough Jane kills bad guys, but she has to kill bad guys who are impossibly corrupt and disgusting. I was surprised by Lee Moder's artwork. I'm used to seeing a much more cartoony style from the artist. This darker, more detailed and realistic look is a drastic departure from previous projects, such as Legion of Super-Heroes and Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.. Unfortunately, the digital inks are far too dark, making some panels so murky that one can't make out what we're meant to see. 4/10
SUPERMAN #650
by Kurt Busiek, Geoff Johns & Pete Woods
(DC Comics)
 Busiek and Johns's vision for the new direction for the Superman titles reminds me a good deal of what james Robinson is doing over in the Batman's corner of the DC Universe. There's a sense of mystery as to what happened to the super-hero icon in the missing year, but at the same time, some of the "new" elements are really more like flashbacks to yesteryear. In this case, Perry White is back to smoking cigars and editor duties while Lex Luthor is a destested but essentially legal public figure. The new villain is also a throwback to the Silver Age days, but I like the new spins, such as the fact that the Super-signal watch now adorns a different owner's wrist. I'm genuinely intrigued to learn what ended or halted the Man of Steel's super-hero career, and I'll keep reading to find out. Furthermore, Pete Woods turns in the best art of his career in comics. His self-inked work reminds me of the more realistic work Stuart (Nextwave) Immonen did on such titles as ShockRockets and Legion of Super-Heroes. 7/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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