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Quick Critiques for 5/4/2005
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.
THE PACT #1
by Jim Valentino & Marc Deering (Image Comics)
 I was surprised it took this long for Image Comics to release its own super-hero team title in the tradition of JLA and Avengers. I was intrigued by Valentino's choice for the roster, as he brings together not the icons of the Image line, but some of the newer characters. The problem is that instead of celebrating and saluting the super-hero team tradition, Valentino's script wallows in cliches and crude plotting. The conflict fails to offer any real sense of tension or suspense because the reader knows it's the result of a misunderstanding that will inevitably be resolved with words, not action. These characters are well realized and fleshed out in their individual titles, but here, they're one-dimensional. The art is disappointing as well. Valentino is clearly trying to emulate the styles of other artists more closely associated with these characters (notably Firebreather and Invincible), and it makes for inconsistencies. Furthermore, the backgrounds are lacking, and there's not a strong sense of place. If you haven't picked this book up, you should definitely pass on The Pact. Check out Invincible, Firebreather or Noble Causes instead. 2/10
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
SWAMP THING #15
by Joshua Dysart & Enrique Breccia
(DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 Dysart launches a new story arc -- "Healing the Breach" -- in this issue, and as its foundation is a strong new character. He introduces an aged botanist who once mentored and worked with Alex Holland, who's now a walking mass of moss. Dysart explores the old man's feelings of powerlessness, of how he is dismissed by those who once followed his lead, of how he is barely tolerated now than he's withered and infirm. The old man's newfound sense of purpose and his determination to discover and to learn make for a likeable character. The problem with this issue is the same one that's dogged previous episodes of this series and others before it. Swamp Thing is burdened by the weight of its own history. This is far from the most accessible of scripts, and I blame Alan Moore. Moore's work on this title was so ground-breaking and remains so beloved that no writers who have followed have even tried something altogether new. Moore's take on the character seems to be seen as sacred, and past plot elements or at least the overall atmosphere of the surreal he brought to the property persists. Breccia's work reminds me of the styles of such artists as Carlos (Just a Pilgrim) Ezquerra and even Joe (E-Man) Staton. His work never disappoints, and I was particularly impressed with the double-page splash he offers up in this issue. 6/10
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #18
by Warren Ellis, Adam Kubert & Scott Hanna
(Marvel Comics)
 I'll miss Warren Ellis's strong influence on this title. He brought his flair for making the impossibilities of science-fiction seem plausible with his descriptive theories of physics and xenosociology. The usually political and thought-provoking writer left his preachier penchant at the door for his stint on this book and simply revelled in the action and fun of the super-hero genre. Ellis made the usually vanilla characters of the Fantastic Four seem cool. Ellis has really humanized Reed Richards by instilling much more emotion than we're used to seeing in the character. Kubert's angular style, with thin-figures and frenetic linework, is perfect for the action-oriented tone of this issue, which serves as the final chapter in the "N-Zone" story arc. Ellis's resolution to the Human Torch failing health subplot is appropriately quick; the reader knows one of the main characters isn't going to succumb to his own powers, so the issue is resolved expediently and logically. The highlight of the issue is Reed's brief exchange with Gen. Thunderbolt Ross. It's a hilarious moment that allows for an easy transition in the status quo. 8/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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