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Snapshots for 2/5
There's no way that Don 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.
BATMAN/ALIENS II #2
by Ian Edginton, Staz Johnson & James Hodgkins (DC Comics/Dark Horse Comics)
 The saying "silk purse out of a sow's ear" comes to mind, as Edginton and company take a premise that seems if not ridiculous at least beyond the normal bounds of suspension of disbelief and construct a fairly solid thriller. I don't get the sense of horror and danger from the aliens that I should, as one of them loose in the city should be beyond terrifying and it instead feels merely worrying, but Edginton, Johnson and Hodgkins do a good job of capturing the killing machine nature of the alien, show Batman using his skills both detective and physical to fight it and throw in the now-requisite "government wanting to use the aliens as bioweapons" for good measure. In addition, Staz Johnson has literally never looked this good, with some particularly spectacular work on the chase across the rooftops and Batman's wiregun rescue. It still just doesn't feel right seeing aliens or predators in DC Comics, and I doubt any of these projects will ever completely get past my suspension of disbelief problem, but the craft here is solid. 7/10
DETECTIVE COMICS #779
by Ed Brubaker, Tommy Castillo, Wade Von Grawbadger, Nancy & Michel Gagne (DC Comics)
 While everyone's eyes are on Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee on Batman, for my money the big excitement is going on in Detective Comics right now. Brubaker's story is making use of a lot of Batman's most popular rogues, with a new villain tying the whole thing together. In addition to creating an intriguing new villain, he's showing us Batman at his least crazy and most effective as a detective, and little things like a good use of Oracle and a guest spot from the elusive (these days) Jim Gordon help to round out the issue. A shame that Castillo's artwork, while good in places, is so inconsistent, especially in his depiction of the non-costumed players, but it does generally get the job done. There's also the continuing backup by Michel Gagne, which is a whole lot of fun, and I guarantee it's completely unlike any Superman/Batman confrontation you've seen before. 8/10
EXILES #22
by Judd Winick, Jim Calafiore, Jon Holdredge & Eric Cannon (Marvel Comics)
 In all honesty, "Legacy" has probably been one of the stronger Exiles story since "A World Apart," which was to my mind the high water mark of the series. There's a fairly important change to the status quo that raises all kinds of interesting questions about the mechanics of the Exiles and how their quest works, as well as plenty of personal drama, humor (mostly from Morph) and interesting takes on alternate world characters. Unfortunately, there's also a very literal deus ex machina ending which stretches credibility depending on how you view some of the various healing factor powers in the Marvel Universe and artwork that is some of the weakest I've seen from Caliafore, serving to remind me that McKone (half the reason I read the book) has gone on to a new book. Overall, though, it's a nice finish to a solid storyline, and Winick constructs a pretty tense finale that teases several possible candidates for the "one will fall" that the cover promises. 8/10
FANTASTIC FOUR: UNSTABLE MOLECULES #2
by James Sturm, Guy Davis & R. Sikoryak (Marvel Comics)
 Unstable Molecules is a comic unlike any other Marvel publishes, the kind of thing that usually belongs in the realm of the smaller publishers, and I was really, really happy with it. I missed out on the first issue, but the second one is easy to get into, as it seems like the series is going to be four self-contained vignettes about the "real" Fantastic Four. Sturm's concept is a great one, perfectly suited to both his sensibilities and the publisher, and though this could easily worked without the tie-in to Marvel's super-powered foursome, the knowledge that this girl is based on Sue Storm helps to fill in her characterization to some extent. Sturm and Davis tell a story of small-minded suburbia in a time of change, more about day-to-day life than overly dramatic changes, and the strong characterization and beautifully detailed artwork make it an absolute joy to read. The insertion of R. Sikoryak's "Vapor Girl" in the midst of it I found more distracting than helpful, as if someone felt like they needed to add super-heroes to make it a Marvel book, but in general this was an absolute joy to read. 9/10
IRON WOK JAN! #2
by Shinji Saijyo (Comicsone)
 I was very impressed with the first issue of Iron Wok Jan!, which was a lot of fun as well as having engaging characters and plots. Imagine my surprise that the second issue is actually better, introducing more characters, higher stakes in the cooking competition and more insights into the world of Chinese cooking, examined as if they were a form of martial arts. Iron Wok Jan! is so over-the-top that at times it's hilarious, but Saijyo keeps the story grounded with one likable protagonist and one interesting bastard protagonist, and I love the structure of the book, which supports individual chapter readings but also stands as a growing story arc. The relationships between Jan, his adversary Kiriko and his only friend Okonogi, are well done, and I absolutely loved the various celebrity chefts that Saijyo introduced to compete against the protagonists, each with a flashy style and cooking technique of their own. I can't wait to see where it goes next. 10/10
JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #16
by Scott McCloud, John Delaney & John K. Snyder III (DC Comics)
 Though the Justice League cartoon has focused more on action than characterization, Scott McCloud's issue of Justice League Adventures goes the other way, and in so doing, provides a strong (if somewhat predictable) read. The story ties loosely into the first episode of the Justice League cartoon, bringing back those villains, and focuses largely on the Martian Manhunter, as he finds a key piece of information about a traitor in the Watchtower and must figure out who he can trust quick enough to prevent their actions from dooming the Earth. It's classic super-hero stuff, rendered in classic animated super-hero style by Delaney and Snyder, and though the twist ending is easy to guess, thanks in no small part to Butch Lukic's contribution, the story is nonetheless a strong tale of action and heroism for the younger set and a nice hit of super-hero fantasy for those in the mood for some good old fashioned super-hero comics. 7/10
MY MONKEY'S NAME IS JENNIFER #6
by Ken Knudtsen (Slave Labor Graphics)
 After transvestite ninjas, random pirates and kidnappers, this issue of My Monkey's Name is Jennifer looks positively restrained. It's not quite as outrageous as the previous issues, but it still has its fair share of nonsense catch-phrases courtesy of angry monkey Jennifer ("always buttery snacks sticking to the monkey" is a particular favorite) and the thoroughly annoying yet still cute Kaitlin. This time out, the story centers on a trip to the theatre, and we learn not only which one is Kaitlin's favorite "Pretty Rappin' Alpaca" (all of them) but how Jennifer gets along with screaming babies (not well) and what Kaitlin's parents use to keep their hyperactive daughter and her hyperviolent pet in line (I won't spoil it here, but it's funny). Knudtsen mentions that this is the last issue of Jennifer for a while, as he's going to do some other projects, but he promises he'll be back. I'm certain to check out whatever's next even as I eagerly await the return, and hopefully a trade collection, of this wonderfully weird book. 8/10
ONE PLUS ONE #4
by Neal Shaffer & Daniel Krall (Oni Press)
 Throughout this series' run, I've been engrossed in the sheer style of it, the way Shaffer and Krall bring the characters to life, but I've been wondering if the plot shouldn't be a bit more clearer. I don't know whether it was this issue in particular or just the compounded effect of reading four of them, but I've finally realized that the plot is clear: It's a story about a gambler who's trying to win it big. The supernatural element isn't clear, but it doesn't need to be, if I hadn't read the solicitations I wouldn't be expecting it and I wouldn't be missing anything. The story has me well and truly hooked at this point, as I'm not sure if Eddie's going to wind up alive and miserable, dead in a dumpster or (yeah right) happily ever after. I'm not sure what his intentions really are toward his girlfriend, and I'm not really sure what David is going for, and I've finally learned to be happy about that uncertainty and wait to see where Shaffer and Krall are taking us. 9/10
PUBO #2
by Leland Purvis (Dark Horse Comics)
 Given everything I heard about Vox, I was expecting something considerably weirder than Pubo from Purvis. Instead, this is a light and fun story of an outsider trying to fit in, while running from the nastiness of his past. Pubo is somewhat harsh, but his circumstances and a general lack of malice make him sympathetic. What most impresses me about Pubo, though, is that Purvis gives the various creatures of the forest their own personalities; it's like a cracked version of a Disney movie. Purvis's art style is also terrific, cartoonish but detailed and full of strange beauty. There's certainly a weirdness to the whole thing, but it's really approachable and fun, and though I find myself wishing for something with a bit more meat to it in terms of story, I can't deny that Pubo is an enjoyable read. 7/10
VERTIGO POP!: LONDON #4
by Peter Milligan, Warren Pleece & Philip Bond (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 The conclusion of Vertigo Pop! London is not quite as strong as the preceding chapters have been, owing largely to the feeling that there was so much more story we could have seen, but it's a pretty solid finish to what has been a great mini-series. Milligan's take on the troubles of youth and the troubles of growing old, sometimes viewed through a humorous lens but just as often used to evoke drama or sobering reality, is one with plenty to think about, and though I found some of the characters to be acting more like characters and less like people toward the end (especially when they out and out say they're supporting characters), the interplay between Rocky Lamont and Sean Cody is terrific. It goes without saying that the artwork, by Pleece and Bond, is also beautiful to look at and perfect for telling the story, but I'll say it anyway. One of the few mini-series this year where I won't risk "waiting for the trade." 9/10
ZERO GIRL: FULL CIRCLE #4
by Sam Kieth (DC Comics/Homage imprint)
 The sequel to Zero Girl has thus far been as entertaining and engaging as the first, although it did seem to drift somewhat from its strongest elements in this issue. While the circles/squares imagery has played a big part in both Zero Girl stories, I was disappointed that this issue the shapes and what they do took over from the characters, as the big question isn't in the relationships but in what the shapes, including a new one, are supposed to mean. The weirdness almost takes over this issue, leaving the more grounded characterization in the dust. Fortunately, there are still a lot of interesting questions surrounding what happened to Nikki's mom, and where these relationships are going to go, and Kieth's imaginative ideas and beautiful artwork continue to shine. I feel confident that when the final issue comes out next month, I will look back on Zero Girl: Full Circle almost as fondly as I do on Zero Girl. 7/10
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