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Quick Critiques for 10/29
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 #24
by Ed Brubaker, Guy Davis & Cameron Stewart
(DC Comics)
 The conclusion of the "Wild Ride" story arc is surprisingly anti-climactic. The goal of the trip provides only a fleeting resolution to the road trip, and the more conventional, super-hero plot -- one that I wasn't really enamored of -- trudges on, beyond the confines of this storyline for some reason. That being said, the narration -- in the form of Holly's letter to her girlfriend -- really rings true and gives the reader a sense of the character and the strength of her friendship with Selina. The Catwoman/Hawkgirl bond works quite well too. One can see Guy Davis's influence on the art here, but it remains subtle. It's Stewart's style that dominates the book, but the significantly different styles converge in a pleasing amalgam here. 7/10
THE CREW #6
by Priest, Joe Bennett & Crime Lab Studios
(Marvel Comics)
 This book -- sadly slated for cancellation -- has two major strengths. First of all, Priest's plottingis complex, challenging and cerebral. This isn't an easy story, nor should it be. Philosophy, politics and urban decay converge in an unusual story here. The other strength is the edge that Priest brings to the periphery of what can be seen as a rather vanilla world of super-heroes. There really aren't heroes to be found in this book, but determined men who walk in a world consisting of shades of grey. There's a "street" quality to the dialogue that merge with intellect. Bennett's art is appropriately dark, but the visual highlight of this issue -- and every other one -- is when the White Tiger makes an appearance. The design is a remarkably striking one. 7/10
GREEN LANTERN #170
by Benjamin Raab, Chris McLoughlin & David Roach (DC Comics)
 The good news: this is an excellent jumping-on point for this series. Raab offers up a look back at what's happened since he took over the title. The bad news: that's all he does here. This is like one of those annoying clip episodes of your favorite sitcom, in which a thinly veiled framing device and moments from past shows are packaged together as a new installment. The title character doesn't even make an appearance in this issue, fer cryin' out loud. The artwork tells the story fairly clearly, and there are moments when McLoughlin's art reminds me of the detailed and fantastic approach of Craig Hamilton. But overall, his figures are rather inconsistent, and he has a hard time distinguishing one character as being significantly younger than the others. 3/10
JLA #89
by Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke & Tom Nguyen (DC Comics)
 The "Trial by Fire" story arc comes to a surprisingly conventional end, and that predictable and typical quality makes for a disappointing read. It's too bad, because there are flashes of the brainier, sci-fi touch that's been a trademark of the book since Grant Morrison relaunched it in the mid 1990s. The opening scene was riveting, but the material that followed is the sort of last-minute, hail-Mary super-hero crisis conclusion that I've seen time and time again. Mahnke's artwork is quite strong, though. There are moments when his work here reminds me of the styles of Frank (The Authority) Quitely and John (Planetary) Cassaday. Still, this newly established villain doesn't have the most striking or memorable look, and the same can be said of Scorch. Speaking of which, Kelly never really gave readers an idea of who the Scorch character was. 5/10
THE LEGION #25
by Dab Abnett, Andy Lanning, Chris Batista, Eric Wight, Tony Harris, Dave Cockrum, Paul Rivoche, Robin Riggs, Chip Wallace, Doug Hazlewood & Al Milgrom (DC Comics)
 Those looking for a new Legion of Super-Heroes story shouldn't expect to find it in this issue. This is a tribute to the Legion's origins and traditions, and on that level, it works. The script also focuses a great deal on two fallen members of the team -- Livewire and Element Lad -- but to be honest, the emphasis is not handled subtly. The writers smack the readers over the head with the reflective tone of the various characters. Mind you, there's still a great deal of fun to be found in this sci-fi script. The greatest strength of the book is the employment of several artists. It was a pleasure to see 1970s Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes artist Dave Cockrum return to the future, and Tony Harris's computer-enhanced artwork, which has graced the covers of this title for a few months now, makes for rich and eye-popping interiors as well. The greatest treat here, though, is the artwork of Eric Wight, whose style strikes me as a blend of George Tuska, Bruce Timm and classic Silver Age super-hero storytelling. 6/10
NAMOR #8
by Bill Jemas, Andi Watson, Pat Olliffe & Livesay (Marvel Comics/Tsunami imprint)
 Olliffe's art here is stunning. It's easy to see the more mature tone in his work here as compared to his Spider-Girl efforts (nonetheless enjoyable... merely different in tone). Colorist Dan Brown brings added depth and texture to his linework as well. Where this book falls apart is in its obvious plotting and the melodramatic, soap-opera quality of the script. The conflict in interests facing the title character is so obvious that the reader is alienated by his blindness, stupidity and stubbornness. Furthermore, Namor's neglect of his love comes off as rather bone-headed as well. The environmental threat at the heart of this story is far too familiar, and the racism subplots don't come off as terribly fresh either. 5/10
VENOM #7
by Daniel Way, Paco Medina & Juan Vlasco
(Marvel Comics/Tsunami imprint)
 The premise behind this series -- the notion that the alien suit is possessing different hosts -- is a strong one, but writer Daniel Way isn't taking the 100 Bullets-esque approach with it that I expected. Instead, we're getting a rather conventional monster-hunter story with super-hero trappings. I don't have a clear vision of these characters at all, even Patricia Robertson, who's been a central character since the first issue. The incorporation of Wolverine into the story smacks of a sales-grab; it certainly doesn't make for interesting storytelling. Paco Medina's artwork maintains a consistent tone with Francisco Herrera's linework from the first story arc, but there's a far less exaggerated tone at play here that makes for more engaging visuals. Mind you, I'm surprised at how bright this issue is. The title character and premise calls for a much darker tone. 4/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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