|
Quick Critiques for 3/22/2006
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.
BATMAN #651
by James Robinson, Don Kramer & Keith Champagne
(DC Comics)
 Though it's really just continuing the story that began in this month's issue of Detective Comics, this stands out as the weakest of DC's "One Year Later" comics. James Robinson, writer of such brilliant super-hero comics as Starman and The Golden Age, delivers a thoroughly ordinary and predictable Batman story in this issue. The script lacks any sense of mystery about why the Batman and his allies were among the missing for a year, and what we're left with is the Same Old, Same Old. Don Kramer and Keith Champagne, the former JSA art team, do a capable job of the line art, but their style just isn't dark enough for the tone for which Robinson is striving. Kramer's work here actually reminds me a little of Paul Gulacy's style, but what's called for is a less traditional approach that really brings a tense, dark atmosphere to the story. I was looking for something like the cover art style, but instead found only the super-hero standard. 3/10
NEW AVENGERS #17
by Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato & Joe Pimental (Marvel Comics)
 This is easily the weakest issue of the series to date. Actually, it's only weak issue, in my opinion. The art has definitely slipped. I enjoyed the work Deodato was doing on J. Michael Straczynski's Amazing Spider-Man as of late, but the grounded, realistic look he brought to bear on that title is nowhere to be found in this latest effort. the art is rough and loose, and the threat menacing the Earth just doesn't have the same air of majesty and menace it did in the previous issue. Bendis advances the story little in this issue, basically repeating most of what we saw in #16, only this time, from the Avengers' point of view. I do like that Iron Man's reaction is to engage the creature in a diplomatic sense, but the disruption of that conversation is just too typical of a super-hero conflict arising from a misunderstanding. I also appreciated Iron Man demanding that Spidey use his brains instead of throwing himself into the middle of the fray. Still, it's disappointing to see the series stumble after so many months of solid storytelling.5/10
ROBIN #148
by Adam Beechen, Karl Kerschl & Wayne Faucher
(DC Comics)
 Of all the "One Year Later" titles in the Batman group I've read so far, this stands out as the strongest, making the most of the mystery of the missing year motif. Writer Adam Beechen demonstrates he's capable of more complex writing than he offers in Justice League Unlimited every month, but then again, those of us who read his Hench graphic novel from AiT/PlanetLar a while back already knew he had it in him. The new direction for the title sees the Boy Wonder framed for murder, and I'm already enjoying the mystery. Better yet, Beechen's script makes the notion that Robin is going it alone in this mission something that actually makes sense. The most dramatic shift in the book, though, stems from the artwork. Working with inker Wayne Faucher, Karl Kerschl's usually clean and sleek line art is a bit darker and grittier, and it suits the tone of the book quite well. Furthermore, he portrays Robin as being much younger than we're used to, and I like the emphasis on his youth. 7/10
SUPERMARKET #2
by Brian Wood & Kristian (IDW Publishing)
 Supermarket began as yet another Brian Wood socio-political commentary story, but it's quickly transformed into an over-the-top action movie that does a great job of allowing the reader get swept up in the excitement. At this point, Pella really isn't the heroine of the story but more of a potential victim, but her confusion and disbelief makes it easy to relate to her. The reader can believe in what's happening to her, despite its implausibility, because she doesn't believe it or know what to make of it herself. I still like that Wood finds room in his narration for Pella's views and attitude about All Things Corporate and the ugliness that trend represents. Kristian's art continues to impress, looking like a cross between the styles of Paul (Batman: Year One Hundred) Pope and Sean (Marvel Zombies) Phillips. The color palette employed by the artist adds a surreal touch to an already unusual and extreme story, but the muted shades bring a depressed quality into play as well. 8/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
|
