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Quick Critiques for 7/12/2006
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.
52 WEEK TEN
by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Chris Batista & Jimmy Palmiotti/by Dan Jurgens & Andy Lanning (DC Comics)
 My reactions to the nine issues of 52 that preceded this one have been middling, for the most part. There's been plenty of potential in the plotlines, but the book was still in build-up mode. This installment was the first I found truly disappointing, as it seems to cast aside the other storylines and characters the series has focused on thus far. This issue shines the spotlight on a powerless Clark Kent and a Silver Age journalism gimmick that irked me to no end. I found I was completely uninterested in the identity of Supernova. The art looks much looser than what Chris Batista has offered in the recent past. And the "History of the DC Universe" backup feature by Dan Jurgens is as incoherent and pointless as ever. I'm hoping for much stronger writing and art from 52 in the next week or two, else I'll have to consider removing it from my pull list. And for a longtime DC fan such as myself, that's saying something. 3/10
BOMB QUEEN: WOMAN OF MASS DESTRUCTION trade paperback
by Jimmie Robinson (Image Comics/Shadowline imprint)
 In his introduction, Jimmie Robinson admits that the over-the-top and in-your-face violence and sexuality that seem to define Bomb Queen as a property really aren't his kind of thing. He wanted to challenge himself creatively, and it's a laudable goal as a creator, I suppose. It's too bad he didn't realize that it was an endeavor that he could have kept to himself. It's clear that Robinson sets out to lampoon politics and a docile public's acceptance of a clearly corrupt regime. Hey, I'm all for that. But Robinson includes far too much low-brow material here, so much that it eclipses his satirical aims. Robinson's super-hero work reminds me of Ron Lim's style a bit, but it's clear Robinson's simpler, more cartoony tone is a poor fit for the baudy, raunchy tone called for by his script. Bomb Queen had potential, but it's a serious misfire. Of course, if the cover appeals to you, I suppose the titty flashes and ass shots might be enough for you. 3/10
THUNDERBOLTS #104
by Fabian Nicieza, Tom Grummett & Gary Erskine
(Marvel Comics)
 One of the things that drew me into super-hero comics when I was a kid was the kind of story that just had a multitude of colorful characters in it. I was hungry to learn all I could about each hero, each villain. Thunderbolts taps into that appeal, and never moreso than with this Civil War tie-in story arc. Nicieza not only has the perfect excuse to expand the membership roster to unwieldy (but fun) proportions, but he's incorporated the crossover concepts into the central premise and themes of this series seamlessly. Grummett's art boasts a traditional quality that suits this super-hero (super-villain?) celebration perfectly. The art is crisp and bright, as are the colors. Thunderbolts isn't the brainiest or most grounded of super-hero comics, but it's solidly entertaining. And it's one of few (and maybe the only) regular Marvel title that has used Civil War to its advantage rather than allowing it to detail the ongoing storytelling. 7/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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