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Quick Critiques for 3/30/2005
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.
ASTONISHING X-MEN #9
by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday (Marvel Comics)
 This isn't the strongest issue in the series thus far, and there are a couple of reasons for it. First of all, the big revelation at the end of the issue about what's really going on involves an all-too convenient plot device and no real sense of logic. It's a typical super-hero/science-fiction plotting convention, having the heroes strive to save the day when they're unknowingly making things worse as they go along. Furthermore, the destruction of the X-Mansion has become so common that it's lost all impact, and even the characters acknowledge how laughable it is. Despite the flaws in the plotting, though, this issue is still worth reading, as Whedon manages to capture a thoroughly creepy tone in the dialogue for the newly emerged Danger Room entity. The surreal, nightmarish landscape with which it torments the young characters are bad enough, but the cold but gleeful zeal with which it carries it out is what's really chilling. Cassaday's art is as lovely as ever. He reinforces the creepiness factor in Whedon's script with the distorted form used to give the Danger Room a face. 7/10
DOOM PATROL #10
by John Byrne & Doug Hazlewood (DC Comics)
 Adding new characters to the cast of this latest incarnation of the Doom Patrol was a smart idea, as it brings a freshness to the property that's satisfying for longtime readers such as myself. Here, Byrne delves into the origins of two of those new characters, but the storytelling isn't as clear as it should be. For some reason, Nudge is Korean in the flashback scenes, but appears to be caucasian in those set in the present. Maybe I'm missing a piece of the puzzle, but the visual inconsistency just doesn't make sense to me. Byrne's depiction of Metamorpho is refreshingly simple; there's a strong Silver Age riff to his subplot as well. The character fits in well among the freaks and outcasts of the Doom Patrol. One problem I have with the character is why he continues to associate with Simon Stagg and Java, two characters who have repeatedly tried to betray and kill him over the years. Grunt's origin, complete with mad scientist and brain transplants, is almost laughable, but the character's horror at seeing what's been done to him and the tragedy of such an articulate, intelligent child being transformed into a non-verbal brute makes it work. The Metamorpho plot and Nudge/Grunt storylines don't seem to belong in the same issue. The focus is divided too evenly, too strongly, and the result is that the issue feels only half-finished. Perhaps this story arc will reader better in one sitting or as a collected edition. 5/10
THE PULSE #8
by Brian Michael Bendis & Michael Lark
(Marvel Comics)
 Whereas previous chapters in this story arc have proven to be rehashes of what's going on in Secret War, this one stands out as new and original. Not only that, but it stands up well on its own. One needn't have read previous chapters of this story arc or Secret War in order to follow along. Bendis's different take on Hydra is easy to accept and boasts a more grounded, realistic tone. Here, the Hydra agent's weapon isn't an energy gun or doomsday bomb, but reason. As a terrorist organization, Hydra is also a political entity, one with a different perspective on the world. Its members don't see themselves as villains, but as misunderstood heroes, and that shows here. Michael Lark wowed us with his realistic figures and backdrops in Gotham Central, and he's doing the same here. His work on The Pulse is far less gritty than Gotham Central, but that makes sense, given the different tone here. 8/10
SPECATACULAR SPIDER-MAN #26
by Samm Barnes, Scot Eaton & Cam Smith
(Marvel Comics)
 This was an awfully long road to get to a rather simple and obvious resolution, but more importantly, the plotting here just doesn't hold up all that well. Though I was never a big fan of the Sarah and Gabe Stacy characters, this story robs them of all mystery, and that's really all they had going for them. One of the most frustrating aspects of this issue is how French police officers fail to connect the painfully obvious dots and realize that Peter Parker and Spider-Man are one and the same. Furthermore, the only reason for Gabe to mistake Mary Jane for his sister is so she can survive. It says nothing about Gabe's character, and it's not consistent with what we've seen of him before. Scot Eaton's art shines during the scene in which Sarah confronts the drug dealer to whom she and her brother are indebted. The acrobatics are well choreographed, and it makes for an exciting scene. Otherwise, the art disappoints, though. Eaton's more grounded style has been lost, replaced with a Paul Pelletier-eque, more cartoony approach that just doesn't fit with the darker atmosphere for which the plot strives to achieve. 2/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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