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Quick Critiques for 7/26/2006
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 TWELVE
by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Eddy Barrows, Adam Hughes & Rob Stull (DC Comics)
 Three months in, and the creators behind this unconventional series offer up the strongest issue in the run, one that's renewed my interest in the title and my hope for stronger creative efforts to come. The focus here is on the introduction and origin of the new Isis. The cover tells the reader everything s/he needs to know about where the plot is headed, but it's the journey that's really enjoyable. We get to know Black Adam much better here, and his brutal methods make a lot more sense in the context of the characterization. The loftier, ethical and political elements of the Black Adam storyline are balanced nicely by the grit of the Renee Montoya segments. The new backup feature is a short Wonder Woman origin. Although I wish we'd been given a four-page backup (as we were forced to endure for the "History of the DC Universe" feature that preceded this origin series), Waid and artist Adam Hughes sum up the iconic character succinctly. To be honest, the origins to which I'm most looking forward are those of lesser known characters. Given the length of this series, I'm hoping we get to see origins for one or two really obscure DC figures. 7/10
CASANOVA #2
by Matt Fraction & Gabriel Ba (Image Comics)
 Matt Fraction's frenzied rampage through genre fiction continues, and it's highly entertaining. It's also highly confusing, and I suspect it'll begin to alienate some readers. I have to admit that this isn't the most accessible of scripts, but one can't say it's boring either. Fraction's over-the-top approach is highly engaging. Casanova feels like a roller-coaster ride. One isn't exactly sure what's going on or which way is up all of the time, but the thrill is undeniable. I suspect the episodic nature of the storytelling might be the source of the some of the confusion; perhaps the uninterrupted flow of a collected edition would serve the property better. Gabriel Ba's artwork manages the Herculean task of keeping up with the script's level of energy. The cover stands out as this issue's greatest asset in terms of the artwork. Those psychedelic colors and patterns really draw the eye, and they serve as a cue for the reader to what to expect from this sly and surreal comic book. 7/10
HARD BOILED COMICS #1
by Steve Earnhart, Marcelo Carmona, Harsho Chattoraj & Carlos Devizia (Goodbum Studios)
 It's easy to see what creator Steve Earnhart is going for here. he's taken the noir detective genre and he's thrown in extreme sci-fi elements. In a way, it reminds me of Warren Ellis's Transmetropolian in its effort to incorporate over-the-top elements by way of technology and mad-scientist genetics. Of course, the main difference is that I really enjoyed Transmet. I think Earnhart's trying to balance the cliched nature of the noir stuff with the more extreme characters, but it doesn't work. There are moments in the book when it seems as though this "Billy Blackburn, P.I." story is meant as a satire, but it just doesn't come together as such in the end. It's easy to see the passion and enthusiasm of the various creators involved here, but ultimately, this is something of an amateur effort. The lettering is and intrusive. The art is loose, inconsistent and diffcult to follow. The characters are not memorable, and there's an irksome amount of low-brown material in the writing. To be fair, when the publisher is listed as "Goodbum Studios," one could argue that the reader should know what he or she is getting into when checking out this book. For more info about this indy book, visit www.hardboiledcomics.com. 2/10
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
NEW AVENGERS #22
by Brian Michael Bendis & Leinil Yu (Marvel Comics)
 I was disappointed with the previous issue of New Avengers -- which delved into Captain America's initial reaction and dealings with the premise of Civil War -- because I felt it just retreaded territory that writer Mark Millar already covered in the main crossover series. This also focuses on another Avenger's initial reactions to the Superhuman Registration Act, but it's a much stronger story. Luke Cage's story is much more personal and touching. I love the notion that there are people who flee to Canada, a la Vietnam-era draft dodgers. But more importantly, Luke's opposition to the federal legislation is, like Cap's, based on ideology, but Luke is much more personally invested in the principles he's upholding. Bendis compares the unethical aspects of the registration to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and it brings credibility and drama to this super-hero story. Leinil Yu seems determined to offer something different with every project he takes on these days, and that holds true for this fill-in job. He evokes memories of Bill Sienkiewicz's work on Moon Knight years ago. 8/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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