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Quick Critiques for 5/24/2006
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 #653
by James Robinson, Don Kramer & Wayne Faucher (DC Comics)
 Robinson delivers the strongest issue of the "One Year Later" Batman stories to date, as it not only reveals a great deal of information what happened in that missing year but offers a plausible and chilling reason for Harvey Dent to revert back to his Two-Face identity. The entire issue focuses completely on Harvey and the re-emergence of his dual personality. Harvey, even when teetering on the edge of insanity during a conversation with his mirror self, is a thoroughly sympathetic character, but Robinson is careful not to portray him as pathetic. It's easy to see his perspective here, that he's done everything right, everything he's supposed to have done to reclaim a life as one of the good guys, only to have it taken away. One could argue the Two-Face identity is back because another identity is ripped away from him. Kramer's art isn't quite as dark as what is called for here, but he handles the physical transformation scene incredibly well. 8/10
NEGATIVE BURN #1
by (Image Comics/Desperado Publishing)
 I wasn't into small-press or black-and-white comics when the original Negative Burn series was published, but I certainly appreciate them now. This relaunch under the Image Comics banner is certainly diverting and boasts some impressive talent, but ultimately, Negative Burn suffers from the usual comics-anthology condition: inconsistency of quality. Most of the stories are simply good, with a couple of minorities -- excellent material and cruder, raw work by newer creators -- to be found as well. I loved comic Patton Oswalt's story about intellectual superiority, and Mark Askwith's remembrance of a fan's demanding encounter with a comics legend was excellent as well. But overall, I came away with something of a middling feeling after reading the book. I was also disappointed with the samples of non-comics illustration by Greg Ruth. He's clearly a skilled artist, but I was at a loss as to the reason for their inclusion as opposed to another short story. 6/10
NEW AVENGERS #19
by Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato Jr. & Joe Pimental (Marvel Comics)
 This issue is the first in the "Collective" story arc to show the promise of the earlier episodes of this series. The strength of the story lies in Spider-Man's unfortunate dealings with S.H.I.E.L.D., and it relies on his iconic status as a masked hero who always manages to survive and triumph. He doesn't in this story, and he is violated by law enforcement in personal ways. A key idea at the heart of this story isn't a battle with an all-powerful mutant but distrust of government. Mind you, this is far from the most accessible of stories. Unless one is familiar with the events of House of M and Marvel's followup "Decimation" event, the script is bound to be confusing. Deodato's art was much more satisfying this issue. It seemed tighter and more down-to-earth, much closer to the strong work he's done recently on Amazing Spider-Man. 6/10
WALT DISNEY'S MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS #289
by various (Gemstone Publishing)
 This comic book may seem quite thin when one picks it up for the first time, but there's no shortage of content to be found. The main story -- about Mickey Mouse's encounter with a greedy scientist who's using other people's dreams to rob jewelry stores -- is an inventive adventure that will appeal to all ages, not just the younger set. Also of interest to adults will be the opportunity to compare the Disney comics storytelling of today with creative efforts that were originally published 50 years ago. Included in this book is a deliciously cute Goofy story about a case of mistaken identity. It's interesting to note that the line art and even the lettering is much rougher around the edges than the newer material. There's also a more crowded look to the panels thanks to cruder lettering. 6/10
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
WOLVERINE #42
by Marc Guggenheim, Humberto Ramos & Carlos Cuevas
(Marvel Comics)
 I honestly didn't know what to expect from this crossover tie-in, but given the strength of Ramos's artwork and the first issue of Civil War and my inability to suppress my curiosity, I decided to check this book out. TV writer Marc Guggenheim offers up a moody and reflective story that fits in surprisingly well with the crossover's continuity. Ultimately, the plot turns out to be about Wolverine's decision to track down the villain who's really responsible for so many lost lives in Connecticut, Nitro. It makes sense, but it's really a minor plot thread from Civil War. In the end, I felt the script repeated far too much of Civil War #1. Ramos's over-the-top, angular artwork would certainly seem to be an excellent choice for the world of Wolverine. But given the slightly political elements that enter into play here and Logan's more thoughtful tone in much of the story, it didn't make for a great fit... this time. I still feel Ramos is a logical choice as a Wolverine artist. 6/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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