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Quick Critiques for 11/26
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.
CAPER #2
by Judd Winic & Farel Dalrymple (DC Comics)
 While the novel nature of this crime story continues to hold my attention, the pacing of the plotting struck me as a bit odd. The cover and opening scene places the focus on a new element -- a gang of cross-dressing women with a yen for revenge -- but this issue is really about Jacob Weiss and the emotional conflict that arises in the fallout of last issue's climax. I love the role reversal here. Before, it was Jacob who was the smart one, the one in control, but now, his brother Izzy assumes that role out of necessity. Dalrymple's artwork boasts a thoroughly appropriate, gritty tone, and Guy Major's muted colors cast a fitting pallor of sadness over the story. While the plot in this issue is more than a little predictable, the cultural and historical elements are more than enough to set this title apart. 8/10
JLA #90
by Joe Kelly, Chris Cross & Tom Nguyen (DC Comics)
 These days, I'm a hopeless romantic; well, I've always been, but now I've actually got a reason to be. I'll admit it... I rather enjoyed this story about the endless possibilities, both glorious and tragic, that lie within every relationship. While I'm not wild about the Martian plot device that turns up yet again, it serves to spotlight two characters quite well. The flash-forwards delve into the emotional cores of the characters, but they're also a great deal of fun. The same can be said of the mutiple redesigns that Chris Cross brings to this issue. He brings Kelly's visions of possible futures to life, and I love how his characters convey such attitude in their body language. 7/10
JLA/AVENGERS #3
by Kurt Busiek & George Perez
(Marvel Comics/DC Comics)
 This penultimate chapter of the limited series stands out as the strongest one in the series thus far. Busiek taps into the fun readers and creators alike had with Amalgam Comics in the mid 1990s by merging universes rather than characters. The script fosters the perfect tone of cosmic crisis, bringing suspense to the mix. The book is clearly aimed at those of us who pick up on the numerous continuity references from both companies' publishing histories, but there's still plenty of wonder and magic to keep newer readers transfixed. Perez's frenzied but meticulous artwork is stunning. He fills each panel with so much detail that each one cries out to be studied carefully. The plot itself, though extreme, is rather simple, but the art adds depth and density to the book. The book is exactly what it looks like -- an over-the-top super-hero story -- but it's a wonderful celebration of the two giants in the genre. JLA/Avengers is pure fun, and it doesn't pretend to be anything more. 8/10
JLA-Z #3
by Mike McAvennie & various artists (DC Comics)
 I have no idea why DC has introduced this limited series, as it seems to be rather redundant, considering the company's continued publication of its Secret Files books. It seems as though the main reason for its publication is the "clever" title, or perhaps it's for Marvel zombies who want to understand the DC references in JLA/Avengers. Still, there is some redeeming qualities to be found here, and that's in the diverse array of artists who contribute. It was a pleasure to see a super-hero pinup from Y: The Last Man's Pia Guerra, for example, not to mention contributions from stalwarts of smaller publishers, such as Scott Morse and Steve Conley. Jennifer Graves -- whose background is in animation, working on such projects as Dilbert and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman -- even pitches in. When I was a kid, I would have loved this book, as I did Who's Who in the DC Universe, but today, it holds only a mild interest. 4/10
LOSERS #6
by Andy Diggle & Jock (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 The "Goliath" storyline comes to its conclusion here, and the tone elicited in this issue is much like the one before it. The action-oriented climax of this story has been spread out over two issues. The previous issue ended with a cliffhanger on the water, and here, the action unfolds on the ground and in the air. Jock's artwork co-ordinates the action perfectly, and it unfolds like a big-budget Hollywood flick. However, the dark, Mignola-esque edge in Jock's style adds a more reflective and mature tone, balancing eye-candy quality of the explosions and gunshots. The plot is fairly straightforward and simple, taking a backseat to the excitement and energy instead. 8/10
NEW X-MEN #149
by Grant Morrison, Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning (Marvel Comics)
 This stands out as Grant Morrison's weakest issue of New X-Men to date, and my hope that he has some kind of novel and inventive trick up his sleeve to dispel my concerns about the obvious nature of the plotting has begun to wane. Magneto comes off as a pathetic figure whose demise seems far too accessible, and that eliminates any sense of tension or crescendo toward a climax. I'll admit, Beak is finally coming off as a strong and entertaining character, though, but everyone else seems so one-dimensional. It's not at all clear what's going on with Professor X as well. Jimenez's artwork is strong, though, and he conveys the extreme nature of the characters' emotions and reactions quite clearly. Chris Chuckry's colors look a bit washed out throughout the issue, though, rarely conveying the energy that these characters possess. 4/10
SILVER SURFER #3
by Dan Chariton, Stacy Weiss, Lan Medina & Avalon Studios (Marvel Comics)
 The compelling human drama of a mother who's lost her child continues, and I remain impressed with this unconventional approach. The two plotlines -- the missing children's education and the desperate but determined quest of their parents -- make for a sharp contrast. One boasts a soothing, surreal tone, and the other is truly grounded in its exploration of a deeply personal horror. Medina's pencils boast a detailed and realistic quality that reinforces the latter, while the softer side of his style bolsters the atmosphere of the former. Ultimately, it's the characters that make this story work. The writers have developed a strong and tragic protagonist around which the story revolves, and they've developed a genuine tone in the dialogue throughout the book. 8/10
UNCANNY X-MEN #433
by Chuck Austen & Philip Tan (Marvel Comics)
 Once again, in the tail end of a story arc, Chuck Austen reveals that there's actually an inkling of a promising idea or two serving as the foundation of the plot. He puts forth a novel theory about Azazel's origins and true nature here, and had it turned up earlier, it might have resulted in some interest in the character. Instead, the character's posturing has become what defined him. I'm pleased the plot finally advance significantly here, but the story arc as a whole seems unnecessarily padded. I also don't care for the divided focus of the three plotlines that have run through "The Draco," and Austen's attempt at a convergence here falls flat. Tan's art is dense and detailed, but it's also remarkably inconsistent. His cover is also particularly distracting. Nightcrawler, who hardly comes off as playful in the story as he does on the cover, boasts an unusually girlish figure, and his tail is implausibly long. 3/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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