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Quick Critiques for 7/19/2006
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.
ANNIHILATION: NOVA #4
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Kev Walker & Rick Magyar (Marvel Comics)
 Given that this limited series and the other three Annihilation minis are leading into the Annihilation six-part title proper, it shouldn't come as a surprise that little is resolved in this concluding issue. The writers try to offer a climactic ending, and they succeed in part. But in the end, the bad guy is no worse off than he is at the beginning of the event, and the hero doesn't seem encumbered by the same weaknesses and crises that made the plot interesting in the first place. The tone of the plot here is much more grave than previous issues, so it lacks the playful banter among the heroes that was so much fun. There is a development in this issue that drives home the grave nature of the menace that Annihilus poses and reinforces the impression that this is a war, not a fight between cosmic heroes and villains. Walker's art is in keeping with that grittier, uglier tone of war, even if it is a war in deep space fought among aliens. Obviously, this was far from my favorite issue of the series, but the plot takes shape as required by the event-driven nature of the various Annihilation titles. The writers aren't to be blamed; it's the nature of the beast. 6/10
AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS #43
by Kurt Busiek, Butch Guice & Tony DeZuniga
(DC Comics)
 Every time I pick up an issue of Busiek and Guice's Aquaman, I briefly wonder why it is I'm continuing to follow the series. And after reading each issue, I have my answer. The mystery of why the new Aquaman is so similar to the original remains a major drawing point of the series, and I love the combination of mysticism and science-fiction we find in this issue. Busiek imbues the dialogue with a lot of personality. The grounded characters, with their colloquialisms, make for a nice balance with those players using the $10 synonyms. I'm impressed with how well Tony DeZuniga's inks mesh with Guice's style. The end result is far different from what we've seen from Guice alone, but it remains strong all the same. The collaboration puts me in mind of Bill (Black Widow Sienkiewicz's style. The plot seems to be growing in complexity, but it ultimately never loses sight of the fact that this is about a young man trying to find his place in the world. 7/10
CIVIL WAR #3
by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines & Mark Morales (Marvel Comics)
 This issue of Civil War is in danger of contracting the same disorder as Marvel's last crossover event, House of M, and that disorder is one of stasis. We really learn nothing new about the conflict in this issue. We see the Secret Avengers pursued by the establishment yet again, but this time around, it's fellow super-heroes after them, not S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. There's a big reveal at the end of the issue that's been a long time in coming, and it's one that was foreshadowed in the most recent issue of Fantastic Four (a Civil War tie-in) and spoiled by one of the many variant, incentive covers for this very issue. Millar does write a cool sequence that spotlights the capabilities of Spidey's new costume quite well, and I was struck by the number of size-changing heroes involved in the story, which made for some dynamic visuals. I remain intrigued by the book and core concept, but Millar (and other Marvel writers) have little new to say about it in the past two months. McNiven's art is, of course, stunning and mesmerizing, and it was a pleasure to see him handle so many Marvel characters. I was particularly struck by his portrayal of the Thunderbolts here, and I suspect that might be because the artist might have been pleased to have new toys to play with in this issue. 6/10
FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE #2
by Danny Bilson, Paul DeMeo, Ken Lashley, Walden Wong & Jay Leisten (DC Comics)
 I think I'm done with this relaunched Flash series. The script doesn't seem follow its own rules, contradicting itself from scene to scene. For example, is Bart's past as a super-hero an open book (seeing as the information seem to flow freely around S.T.A.R. Labs), or is it a closely guarded secret? The script also tells us that Bart and Griffin attend the site of their workplace industrial accident as a media event, but then Bart questions his friend about why he spoke with reporters. The Golden Age Flash is abandoned as a heroic player in the book far too quickly as well, and the plotting seems clunky overall. Lashley seems to be aiming to capture a Jim Cheung-type style here, and he's successful to a certain degree. The line work is definitely more controlled than we've seen from the artist in the past, but in the end, there aren't any visuals that really wowed me. Any elements that set the first issue apart seem to fade here, and the result is a title that seems to drift more and more toward conventional super-hero storytelling. 4/10
WITCH KING: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A DARK LORD original graphic novel
by Christian Read, Paul Abstruse, P.J. Magalhaes & Darren Close (Phosphorescent Comics)
 One element that sets this sword-and-sorcery book apart from other comics fare is that the villain of the piece is actually the main character, but that's about where my interest in the story ends. It's not entirely the fault of the creators; the genre rarely appeals to me as I find there's little in such characters with which I can connect. That's certainly holds true here. I'll give this small-press crew credit for offering up some high-end production values. In terms of sheer publishing, this is a professional level effort. The art isn't amateurish either, as is often the case with such independent efforts. Still, it doesn't appeal to me personally. It looks like an amalgam of the styles of Todd McFarlane, Joe Maduriera, Sam Kieth and a general manga approach. The colors are vibrant and help to reinforce the dark mood of the story nicely. 3/10
Note: This graphic novel was not among this week's new releases.
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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