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Quick Critiques for 11/10/2004
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.
ACTION COMICS #821
by Chuck Austen, Luke Ross, Renato Guedes, Shane Davis, Cliff Richards, Fabio Laguna, Lary Stucker & Will Conrad (DC Comics)
 Austen offers up an unintelligible script that has no clear idea what it wants to be about. There are three villains running around in three separate storylines, and the reader is given no indication why they're here and why they're doing what they're doing. Austen focuses on the return of Preus, the bad guy from subpar but popular Superman: Godfall storyline by Aspen Studios, but the writer offers little background on the character. Superman's inaction in this issue just doesn't ring true, and the intervention of another hero comes inexplicably late. Perhaps the most telling omen that this was going to be a bad issue is the use of four pencillers to handle the art chores. Visually, this is a jumbled mess, shifting in tone and design far too often. Of course, that motley, scattered quality is in keeping with the plotting. 1/10
DISTRICT X #7
by David Hine, Lan Medina & Alejandro Sicat
(Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights)
 It's official... this title has lost its way. After an impressive debut, the opening six-part storyline seemed to meander, ultimately closing on a note that ignored the strong police procedural aspects and characterization and embraced more conventional super-hero plotting. Here, Hine seems to focus on marital discord that just doesn't ring all that true for me. The setup introduces in the opening pages strikes me as the beginnings of a typical X-Men/Morlocks storyline, and Mr. M's reappearance fails to capture my interest as the character really never did much for me in the first six issues. Lan Medina's usually crisp, detailed and soft style isn't to be found here, and I have to assume that's due at least in part to an incompatibility between pencilling and inking styles. What I'm looking for hereis what Hine offered in the first issue: a strong police drama about cops who serve and protect a minority neighborhood in Manhattan. 4/10
FABLES #31
by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 Willingham delivers another strong issue, and this one shows the transition from the old status quo to the new one. What's most impressive is that even after two and a half years' worth of storytelling, he does so in a manner that's quite accessible. This is a great jumping-on point for new readers, but that's not to say that Willingham takes it slow and easy in this chapter. All of the major players have their time in the spotlight. Snow's inner conflict -- her choice between what she's been taught to look for and what her heart tells her -- is really compelling. Willingham also does a good job of beefing up the Beast's character here; I look forward to how he adapts to his new role. Buckingham's lighter style suits the unusual nature of the storybook characters, but he never sacrifices the underlying maturity being the plotting. 8/10
FIRESTORM #7
by Dan Jolley, Liam Sharp & Andy Lanning (DC Comics)
 On the one hand, it makes sense that the two ongoing titles Dan Jolley is writing would crossover; it ensures consistency in the plotting and characterization, at the very least. The problem is that these two characters -- Firestorm and Bloodhound -- have nothing in common, but more importantly, Jolley is still in the process of establishing these new characters. It's too early for such disparate and unconnected characters to interrupt the flow of their initial storylines. I thoroughly enjoyed the new problem that arises with Jason's Firestorm form here, and it brings a creepy new dynamic to this revamped hero. Sharp's art doesn't seem like a good fit for the title character, though. yes, the grittier tone is appropriate for Bloodhound, but the cleaner styles of ChrisCross and Chris Batista in previous issues certainly seemed more in line with what this title and character need. Sharp's style brings a horrific quality that fits in with one plot element, but the overall look just seems off for this property. 6/10
GOTHAM CENTRAL #25
by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark & Stephano Gaudiano
(DC Comics)
 As I read last week's Detective Comics 3800, which details the change in the Batman's status quo and demonstrates that he is wanted by the Gotham City police, I wondered if the events of "War Games" would be felt in Gotham Central, which was wisely kept out of the crossover. Rucka answers my questions here in a story that almost makes "War Games" a worthwhile creative endeavor. It's about a police department that's been hurt badly, about how the pain and anger is being directed at one source: the Batman. Rucka balances it, though, by including characters who know the truth about the Dark Knight, characters who believe in what he's trying to do. In some ways, that division mirrors the recent U.S. presidential election, which divided America during the campaign and after. Lark's gritty, dark artwork is perfect when it comes to conveying the ugly mood that looms over an entire police force. Now that Lark has signed an exclusive deal with Marvel Comics, I do not look forward to the day when his art won't grace this book. Lark is a key element to the storytelling success of this book, and filling his shoes won't be an easy task. 9/10
IDENTITY CRISIS #6
by Brad Meltzer, Rags Morales & Michael Bair
(DC Comics)
 Another dark secret from the Justice League's past is revealed here, and I expect it will have the same polarizing effect on the readership has just about every other plot development over the course of this limited series has had. Personally, I liked this addition to the DC legends. In a way, this reads something like a cop drama, in which we learn that a squad of good cops have spent years hiding and denying the wrongs they opted to do for the right reasons. The Suicide Squad connection to the killings becomes apparent by the end of the issue, at least for those of us who read Suicide Squad, but the heroes' quick acceptance of the absurd notion that it was Capt. Boomerang who was responsible for the murders strikes me as ludicrous. Meltzer's narration further connects the Batman and Robin, but perhaps the best thing he does in this issue is to remind readers that the murder of heroes' loved ones is far from a new, dark direction for the DC Universe. The art is appropriately dark throughout the book, and Morales humanizes the god-like characters with expressive faces and by showing us their eyes. 7/10
THOR: SON OF ASGARD #10
by Akira Yoshida & Greg Tocchini (Marvel Comics)
 I don't think I've thumbed through the pages of this title since the first issue, and I'm pleased to find it remains the strong, younger-readers title I remember from a few months ago. The plotting here is a big obvious, but the message is a good one. I can relate to the title character's need to defy his father's wishes and do what he thinks is right. Yoshida balances the haughty dialogue and ancient, fantastic setting with some strong, down-to-earth characterization. There's also a freedom in the teenage Thor's life that the reader envies. He's not closely supervised, and he has his run of the kingdom. He doesn't abuse that freedom either, though, maintaining a likability factor. Tocchini's art suits the classic, dark-ages quality of the backdrop perfectly, but more importantly, he captures the youth and energy of the title character and his friends quite well. The end of the giants' assault on Asgard is a bit confusing, though. Visually, it's not at all clear how the action comes to a close; it's only the cues in the script that allow the reader to figure out what happened. 7/10
X-MEN: THE END VOL.1 #5
by Chris Claremont, Sean Chen & Sandu Florea (Marvel Comics)
 X-Men all over the world find themselves under attack by old enemies and old friends. This action-packed issue manages to be quite boring as scene after scene follows the same formula. After the second such encounter, the reader catches and knows exactly how the next scene is going to play out. Claremont embraces the more tired cliches of super-hero storytelling here. What's worse is that he seems hellbent on including every character that ever appeared in the pages of the various X-titles in this story. Obscure characters keep popping up, and some of them aren't even clearly identified (Ahab comes to mind). There's not one central conflict here. A number of major villains are gunning for the title characters, and it makes for convoluted -- and ultimately uninteresting -- storytelling. Chen's art conveys most of the action clearly, but I find the tone here is a bit too bright for the climactic and dark tone of the plot. 2/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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