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Quick Critiques for 12/15/2004
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.
CATWOMAN #38
by Scott Morse, Paul Gulacy & Jimmy Palmiotti
(DC Comics)
 Scott Morse steps in to write a fill-in story arc, and he introduces a new villain as the centrepiece of the three-parter. The Wooden Nickel is a deliciously surreal character, the sort of surreal super-hero genre fare I expect from the talent Mr. Morse. There's one problem, though: he's not illustrating the book (save for the cover). Paul Gulacy plays it rather straight when it comes to the depiction of this bizarre character, who's something of a walking Swiss Army knife, only made out of wood. Gulacy's style just isn't suited to bringing this sort of oddball concept to life. This issue consists mainly of an extended fight scene between the new villain and the title character, and Gulacy does a decent job of the impacts and motion. His work here reminds me of Norm Breyfogle's work on various batman titles in the 1990s. The artist's overemphasis of the title character's sexual traits continues to distract, and it adds nothing to the story. I did enjoy the continuing war of the sexes between Slam and Selina, though. 6/10
FANTASTIC FOUR #521
by Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo & Karl Kesel
(Marvel Comics)
 Waid offers up a wonderfully balanced script here. The scenes featuring Reed, Ben and Sue's grim demeanor and frantic efforts to save a family member from a nasty fate are thoroughly effective in conveying their heartwrenching emotions, but the Torch scenes in space are playful and full of personality. At the same time, Johnny's goofier leanings and the comedy of his encounters with various alien races never eclipses the cataclysmic conflict in which he finds himself. The story's accessible, and Waid manages to explore Johnny's goofy persona and also demonstrate that his years as an adventurer have made him a pretty smart guy. Wieringo's artwork is stunning. Though I might have preferred something simpler and more iconic in terms of Johnny's new costume design, there's no denying that it's in keeping with the Jack Kirby style we've seen for some of Galactus's other heralds. Paul Mounts's colors add a lot of imagination and energy to the art. I love how he helps to convey Johnny's invisibility powers so effectively. This four-part story arc, "Rising Storm," is definitely going to go down as one of the best Galactus stories Marvel has ever presented. 8/10
JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE #6
by Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke & Tom Nguyen (DC Comics)
 Joe Kelly's story of super-heroes going undercover as super-villains continues to impress. There's a frantic pace at play here that keeps us from getting to know the characters all that well, but on the other hand, it reinforces the importance and urgency of the team's mission. Kelly manages to demonstrate how the undercover assignment is placing incredible stress on the various members; I was quite impressed with the scene between Kasumi and the Batman, and what we learn about the former character. That humanizes her a great deal, and it transforms what was the most stoic and distant character in the book into the most vulnerable. This title is essentially regular DC heroes trying to survive in the world of the Authority, and it makes for dramatic and tense reading. The art conveys the edge and intensity that are integral elements of the series, but while a dark tone looms over the book, the artists still make room for the color and wonder of the super-hero genre. The book's greatest weakness thus far is the lack of information Kelly has provided about the team's director and benefactor. I'm still at a loss as to why he's involved here at all. 7/10
SPIDER-MAN: INDIA #2
by Jeevan J. Kang, Suresh Seetharaman, Sharad Devarajan & Gotham Studios Asia (Marvel Comics)
 Things go downhill for this unusual new series surprisingly quickly. The supernatural elements in the plot here eclipse the more down-to-earth aspects of the property, and by the end of the issue, I was reminded me of the sort of monster-riddled, ninja story one often finds in the world of anime than the playful charm and grounded teen angst of Spider-Man. The villains' motivation here is far too contrived, and the plot sees the villains seeking out the hero as opposed to Spider-Man looking to redeem himself after his uncle's death. The line art is somewhat disappointing. The portrayals of Meera Jain and Pavitr are far too loose and inconsistent, and the designs for the villains are generic. The colors add texture and depth to the art, though, and bring an airy quality that's in keeping with the more supernatural and spiritual elements of the story. I am pleased that the creators haven't adhered too closely to the original Spider-Man origin, but the new directions they explore here just don't work for me all that well. 4/10
Email Don MacPherson with your comments about this review.
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