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Quick Critiques for 4/5/2006
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.
AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS #41
by Kurt Busiek & Butch Guice (DC Comics)
 Though I was impressed with the radical shift in direction and intrigued by the mystery surrounding it, I had my doubts that this creative team would be able to hold my interest with what is essentially a barbarian quest story. The genre rarely holds much appeal for me as a reader, but Sword of Atlantis is proving to be a rare exception. Guice's gritty, murky artwork is haunting and mesmerizing, and his Mignola-esque design for the Dweller never disappoints. Busiek's dichotomous characterization for this new Arthur Curry is really quite interesting. On one hand, he's a greenhorn, a kid who's in way over his head. But on the other, he's a boiling cauldron of rage, a warrior born, even though he's never known violence in his life before. Letterer Todd Klein really adds a lot to the book visually as well, conveying the supernatural and alien qualities of the characters and setting with his unusual and creative lettering motifs. 7/10
ATOMIK MIKE #1
by Stephan Nilson, Israel "Izzy" Cruz & Mar DeGano
(Alias Enterprises)
 This space adventure title reminds me of Steve Conley's Astounding Space Thrills, though not nearly as cerebral in tone. The art matches the energetic, light tone of the script quite well. The characters designs are simple but striking, and the elongated look of the players suits the sleek, space-faring, action-oriented tone. The personalities and dynamics among the good guys is fairly typical, as is the plot. I think where writer Stephan Nilson stumbles here is in his decision to omit any information about how the title character came to be a monkey. His affliction is touched upon in the script, but why the writer would leave his readership out of the loop as the most striking, defining aspect of the premise behind the main character is puzzling, especially when a smaller publisher's chance to hook an audience is limited these days to such a small window. 5/10
This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
INFINITE CRISIS #6
by Geoff Johns, Phil Jimenez, George Perez, Ivan Reis & various inkers (DC Comics)
 For a longtime DC super-hero fan such as myself, this series is a real treat. Though not quite capturing the same epic feel and fun of Crisis on Infinite Earths, it's still a delight to see so many characters (and alternate incarnations of those characters) in one book. Johns definitely captures the same sense of drama with the key death in this issue as Marv Wolfman did with the demises of Supergirl and the Flash in this crossover book's predecessor. But this story isn't nearly as accessible as it should be. Sasha Bordeaux shows up in a brief for pivotal role in this issue, for example, but she's never clearly identified. I read The OMAC Project, and I didn't even clue in as to who she was (and I didn't until I read this week's OMAC Project: Infinite Crisis Special. The art is full of detail and energy, but the use of four different pencillers made for just too much variety in the book's visual style. 6/10
THE LAST ISLAND
by Alex Cahill (New Radio Comics)
 I wanted to like this independent little graphic novel, which feels more like an ambitious mini-comic. Creator Alex Cahill takes experiments with the comics format, orienting the panels and pages in an unconventional manner and offering a silent parable. The problem was that his meaning was completely elusive until the end of the book, and at that point, the moral of the story is presented in a ham-fisted, obvious way. He offers a somewhat intriguing examination of innocence and sociology, but ultimately, the story is so surreal and rooted in symbolism that it's next to impossible for the reader to connection with it, to relate to the characters. I don't think this is a poor effort from a Xeric grant recipient; I just think the project didn't particularly click for me personally. 4/10
This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
MARVEL ZOMBIES #5
by Robert Kirkman & Sean Phillips (Marvel Comics)
 This issue wasn't my favorite of the series, as it's more action-oriented than plot-heavy, but it's completely understandable. The greatest strength of this issue is that Robert Kirkman opts not to follow any obvious routes in terms of the story's ending. Earth isn't eradicated to end the threat, nor is there any miracle cure. It's clear now why he opted to introduce Galactus into the plot; when one thinks of the Marvel Univese and insiatable hunger, it's not zombies one thinks of at first, is it? This issue incorporates the big Zombies Heroes versus Zombie Villains scene, which isn't all that interesting from a plot perspective, but visually, it's a treat. Phillips hands the chaos of the melee quite well. His dark, shadowy approach to the undead characters works quite well. The ending is really something of a non-ending, but given the popularity of this series (and the return of the undead heroes concept in an upcoming Ultimate Fantastic Four story arc), I would imagine that the open-ended resolution will work out well for Marvel, spawning a sequel. 6/10
MORA trade paperback
by Paul Harmon (Image Comics)
 It's difficult to describe Mora. On the surface, it seems like a supernatural, gothic story mired in surrealism and symbolism. One could also view it as a darker fantasy story, or a nursery rhyme for adults. The truth is that it's next to impossible to pigeonhole the book. I would have thought that the strange and stilted tone of the story and characters would alienate a reader such as myself, but creator Paul Harmon's script is almost lyrical in the way it draws the reader into the story. I was particularly impressed with the scarred, anthropomorphic narrators. They're full of personality, imagination and an unsettling charm, and they make for a striking visual. Harmon's art style reminds me of the art of such comics professionals as Brian (Hard Time) Hurtt, Guy (B.P.R.D.) Davis and even John (The Demon) Byrne. There's a looseness and darkness to his line art that really brings out the supernatural tone in the storytelling, not to mention the tension. This trade paperback collection of Mora #s 1-4 is my first exposure to Harmon's work, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the creator's work in the future. 8/10
TEEN TITANS #34
by Geoff Johns, Tony Daniel, Kevin Conrad & Art Thibert (DC Comics)
 Johns makes the most of the "One Year Later" concept by radically transforming the title team while still maintaining a couple of familiar faces. The script is thoroughly accessible, and even a reader unfamiliar with the previous 33 issues will be able to appreciate this story. Johns's reintroduction of Wendy and Marvin (1970s fun!) is a real treat, and they even seem to serve a logical role in the Titans' world. I'm most interested by the fact that this title isn't just about the Titans, but about the Doom Patrol and even a lone-wolf hero or two. It's not about a super-hero team but a super-hero generation. Daniel's artwork is clear and capable, but I miss the youth and energy Tom Grummett brought to the title and Mike McKone's polished and detailed approach. 7/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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