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Quick Critiques for 4/19/2006
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.
IRON MAN #7
by Daniel & Charles Knauf, Patrick Zircher & Scott Hanna (Marvel Comics)
 After reading this comic book, I was surprised to find Patrick Zircher's name listed as the penciller. He's adapted his style significantly to offer a more detailed, smooth look that reminds me a bit of Steve (New Avengers) McNiven's artwork. There's no denying he tells the story well and adds a maturity and tension to the tale as a result, so it's hard to begrudge him the abandonment of his more traditional, energetic super-hero art. The story is a captivating one, building nicely on Warren Ellis's initial story arc. We've seen this sort of story before, in which an exceptional hero sees himself as mankind's messiah rather than servant or protector. I'm surprised to see Nick Fury out in the open in this book. Other writers, notably Brian Michael Bendis, gave gone out of their way to portray Fury as being deep underground these days, and this script seems to fly in the face of that. 7/10
JUSTICE #5
by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger & Doug Braithwaite
(DC Comics)
 The plot is unfolding at a snail's pace, and given that this title is released only one every two months, it's started to become frustrating. I like that the cast of characters is broadening in scope, with the Elongated Man, Metamorpho and Captain Marvel turning up, and Ross and Krueger's story continues to maintain that nostalgic, iconic approach to the characters. But really, this book's chief appeal is how visually attractive it is. The realistic portrayal of Superman's victimization at the hands of the monsters in his rogues gallery is really something to behold, and Ross's choice of colors for the scene adds an even more monstrous and slightly disturbing tone to it. I like how Wonder Woman's empathy for others is blended in a strong fight scene as well. I suspect that once all is said and done, this enjoyable series will end up reading like an outstanding collected edition, as it won't be hindered by the slow pace. 7/10
MANHUNTER #21
by Marc Andreyko, Javier Pina & Fernando Blanco
(DC Comics)
 It's becoming clear to me that I gave up on this book too early in its run, as the new "One Year Later" direction has really grabbed my interest. Andreyko has blended genres of courtroom drama and espionage seamlessly in this super-hero title. Writer Marc Andreyko provides a sneak peek at a scene from Infinite Crisis #7, but not so much that one would consider it a spoiler (especially after the glimpse we got this week of George Perez's cover art for the issue). There's a lot going on in this story, and it all comes together nicely to keep the reader riveted. As a court/crime reporter, I enjoyed Andreyko's application of real-world logic to the notion of superhuman crime. The only respect in which this issue falters is with Pina and Blanco's art at the beginning. The artists do not handle the crowded super-villain onslaught well at all. The sketchy and rough quality of the figures is distracting. 7/10
NEW AVENGERS #18
by Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato & Joe Pimental (Marvel Comics)
 There are several moments in the script that I really enjoyed, not the least of which was Ms. Marvel's reference to the intimate apparel of a certain U2 frontman. We also finally get to see the Sentry bringing his full power to bear in a story, something I don't think we've seen in the series thus far. But for every element in the story I enjoyed, there was something that didn't seem right. Bendis has Tony Stark talking like Peter Parker for some reason, and the whole rationale for getting Spidey to analyze is pointless, since the answer he uncovers (or should I say, the SHIELD computers uncover) is an obvious one. Deodato's art is loose and chaotic at times, not at all grounded and realistic as we saw in his recent run on Amazing Spider-Man. Another problem with the story is the fact that Marvel seems to be trying to tell too many big crossover-level stories at the same time. 5/10
RED SONJA #9
by Michael Avon Oeming, Mel Rubi & Pablo Marcos
(Dynamite Entertainment)
 I really have to hand it to Michael Avon Oeming. He's transformed cold, stoic characters for which I've always had little fondness into interesting figures whose mythic lives and circumstances suddenly become more accessible. The writer did it for Marvel's Thor and related characters, and he's done it here for Red Sonja. He rbings the warrior woman down to earth by giving her something of a sidekick. It's easy to see the Bruce Wayne/Dick Grayson dynamic in the relationship between Sonja and the girl she's opted to tutor. The most striking and impressive scene is the one in which Sonja explains why a warrior such as herself would dress to accentuate her sexuality as opposed to a more practical set of armor for her violent lifestyle. Mel Rubi's art is rough around the edges, but I have no doubt it's purposeful. It's in keeping with the ancient setting and barbarous qualities of the characters and action. 7/10
ROBIN #149
by Adam Beechen & Freddie Williams II (DC Comics)
 Writer Adam beechen has really breathed some new life into this title. There as a time when Robin was as much about Tim Drake's everyday life as it was about the adventures of the boy wonder, and that was a good approach for the book. But it lasted a long time, and Beechen has reignited my interest in the title character with this new mystery-driven direction. Most of this issue is made of an exciting action sequence in Gotham police headquarters, and despite the over-the-top nature of the premise, it actually works. I enjoyed how the mystery is broadening in scope, both conceptually and geographically. I was disappointed to find that penciller Karl Kerschl is taking a break from the title after only one issue, but it was hard to miss him. Artist Freddie Williams brought a lot of energy to the book, and he choreographed the the escape from the precinct quite well. 7/10
SQUADRON SUPREME #2
by J. Michael Straczunski, Gary Frank & Jonathan Sibal (Marvel Comics)
 The main point of this issue is to demonstrate what a group of badasses the title team is, and the creators do a solid job of establishing that. The problem is that the final scene makes the heroes seem like dumbasses instead of badasses, since they were warned of the potential threat to which they fall victim anyway. The Zarda subplot is intriguing, but again, she is so overtly malevolent (as opposed to arrogant, like most of her teammates) that it's hard to accept that these protectors of mankind would miss it. Gary Frank's is as sharp as always. His style has developed into more of an amalgam of the styles of Steve (Wolverine: Origins) Dillon and Glenn (Neverwhere) Fabry. I like the edgy, military-minded approach to super-heroes here, and I suppose it's possible Straczynski is just pulling one over on the readers and the villain of the piece by making it seem as though the good guys are dim. Still, I wish the characters came off as half as smart as they think they are. 6/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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