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Quick Critiques for 6/22/2005
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.
CATWOMAN #44
by Will Pfeifer & Pete Woods (DC Comics)
 Writer Will Pfeifer and artist Pete Woods begin their stint as the new, ongoing creative team on this title, and while they don't capture the moody, dramatic feel that Ed Brubaker and such artists as Darwyn Cooke and Cameron Stewart did, they do offer up a fun super-hero adventure combined with an entertaining heist plot. Pfeifer really immerses Catwoman in the traditional super-hero elements -- she faces not one, not two, but three members of Batman's rogues gallery here. The plot's fun, but what really shines is the artwork. Pete Woods has always boasted a rather conventional but pleasing super-hero style, but his self-inked work here is leaps and bounds beyond what he's done before. This is much more detailed and dynamic, and far less cartoony in appearance. Brad Anderson's muted colors add a slightly darker and more mature edge to the art as well. The new tone on Catwoman is hardly going to set the industry on fire, but it's fun and solidly entertaining. 7/10
HOUSE OF M #2
by Brian Michael Bendis, Olivier Coipel & Tim Townsend (Marvel Comics)
 Bendis explores his altered Marvel Universe and introduces us to familiar faces in unfamiliar circumstances. Ms. Marvel is America's most popular super-hero. Steve Rogers is an old man, living alone in New York, collecting his military pension. Sam Wilson is a cop, mocked by others in his neighborhood for being a token human on the force. For those familiar with the characters, it's fun seeing these characters retooled and placd in new roles. There's just one problem -- nothing happens in this issue. Bendis focuses just on setting the stage here, but I found I was hungry for something in the way of actual plot. Coipel doesn't disappoint. His sharp style makes even the most ordinary figures and situaitons seem dynamic. In the end, the second issue of this limited series is disappointing, just as the first one was (though for completely different reasons), but I remain hopeful that things will turn around. 5/10
NEW AVENGERS #6
by Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch & Danny Miki (Marvel Comics)
 Now this is the sort of Brian Michael Bendis super-hero comic I can get behind. Yes, the plotting is completely over the top and some could argue pretty strongly that adding Wolverine to the lineup makes no logical sense beyond marketing concerns. Personally, I think the characters rationalize the decision pretty well, though one has to buy into the notion that Captain America would compromise his ideals a bit to make it work. There's a deliciously cynical edge to the plot here that I just love. The story is about absolute power corrupting absolutely, about the establishment breaking its own rules, and about how someone sets out to make things right. Bendis's willingness to shake up little elements in Marvel's status quo -- for example, he makes some significant changes to the second Black Widow -- adds a sense of importance to the story as well. Finch handles the action perfectly, and he conveys the immensity of the scope of the setting and story. This story's dark but fun, serious but playful. 8/10
TEEN TITANS #25
by Geoff Johns, Matthew Clark & Art Thibert
(DC Comics)
 This issue captures the sense that this is a major turning point for the Titans and the Outsiders, but at the same time, Johns really focuses on one character and explores how these events are affecting her personally. The writer really gets across the profound impact of Superboy's corruption on his friends, and it makes the Titans seem like more than a random collection of sidekicks. Johns's portrayal of Luthor is fantastic. He's such a creature of ego, and it's so much fun for root against him in this melee. The character is a wonderful mix of the evil genius of yesteryear and the ambitious and ruthless tycoon he's been since John Byrne's revamp of the 1980s. Clark's art sets the perfect tone for this story. He captures the ferocity and intensity of the action quite well, but it's the darker edge and grittiness he brings to bear that's the most effective visual element. 8/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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