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Snapshots for 2/16/05
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.
ALONG THE CANADIAN #5
by Joel Rivers (Obion Comics)
 I'm starting to get the sense that when all is said and done, I'm really going to need all of Along the Canadian together to understand it. That's good and bad. It's good because there's definitely a sense that Rivers had a story in his head and set out to tell it, and that kind of ambition is no small part of finding success in the small part. It's bad because the single issues are often somewhat confusing when read on their own or when you don't have pretty good recall of the past issues. There are some great moments this issue, including the quiet confrontation between Sheriff Johnston and the nun early on or the sudden eruption of violence as the posse catches up to the crooks, but the context is a little bit shaky. While the actual story remains a little muddled for me, though, Rivers's artwork has cleared up considerably, and everything I liked even early on has come into much sharper focus. With a sort of woodcut sensibility and exaggerated features, Rivers work has elements of Charles Burns, Basil Wolverton and other indie/underground staples, and yet retains an accessibility and clean style of a lot of the classic EC artists. If Rivers's storytelling can take the leap that his art has between #1 and #5, Along the Canadian may only be the beginning of a successful career in comics. 7/10
BIRDS OF PREY #79
by Gail Simone & Ed Benes (DC Comics)
 Some really great moments in the latest Birds of Prey, starting with Batman getting a much-needed dressing-down from Black Canary, one of the few heroines with the guts and the credentials to pull it off. I'm less than fond of "asshole Batman," the default version of the character these days, and while I'd rather DC just fix the character, I'll settle for seeing someone actually call him out for it. The rest of the issue sees Simone's regulars (the Birds of Prey) facing off with one of her other creations (the new Rose & Thorn) in a story that will resonate more for those who read the entire Rose & Thorn mini than regular BOP readers, but which really does contain all the info you need to know about the character. There's also some time (although I'd still like more) spent on Huntress and Canary discussing what gives them the right to decide which vigilantes have crossed the line, and I hope that Simone is planning on serving up something in the way of an answer to these questions in the final part of the story. Then there's the artwork, which has some nice flow and pretty impressive designs (I especially like his work on Batman), but Jesus, Benes has slipped right back into T&A mode, with skimpy clothes, plenty of cheesecake and an unerring ability to put the camera behind one of the womens' ass every time he draws an action scene. It's distracting, and while I've warmed to Benes's art on some of the issues of Birds of Prey, this issue reminds me that I'll probably be happier with the book when Joe Bennett takes over. 8/10
B.P.R.D.: THE DEAD #3
by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi & Guy Davis (Dark Horse Comics)
 It's getting to the point where I don't even miss Hellboy anymore. Mignola and Arcudi are doing a great job with the remaining characters of the B.P.R.D. team, including the new addition Captain Daimio, and both Plague of Frogs and this series has really retained the feeling of pulp adventure and creepy horror that Hellboy had. Davis and colorist Dave Stewart have another terrific sequence that builds tension in this issue, reminiscent of the helicopter landing sequence in Plague of Frogs, as Johann investigates the underbelly of the new B.P.R.D. headquarters and gets some foreboding ghostly assistance. I don't know yet what's going on, but I'm dying to find out, and the creative team really captures the creepy feeling of being somewhere alone when something bigger and spooky is going on around you. The book also retains its sense of humor, though, especially in Daimio's gruff, Hellboy-esque straightforward manner and Roger's naive manner, which grates on Daimio's nerves. Mix in an interesting new villain (?) in the form of a trapped Nazi scientist and the continuing mystery of what's going on with Abe, and B.P.R.D. continues to impress, whether you're a Hellboy fan already or not. 10/10
CONCRETE: THE HUMAN DILEMMA #2
by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse Comics)
 Concrete is a comic that has a definite "feel" to it. It's a little touchy-feely, more than a little intellectual and yet it has a touch of prurient interest in Concrete's (and perhaps Chadwick's) interest in the nude female form. Which is why this issue is a strange mix of one of the sexiest scenes I've read in comics along with realistic, disturbing violence and some less-than-subtle but still mostly underlying exploration of the particular cause that this Concrete story focuses on. I find it a little unrealistic that so many things about Concrete's life suddenly involve over-population, the cause that Chadwick is exploring in this series, but while it might be a tad unrealistic, Chadwick still has some interesting and thought-provoking points to make. Chadwick's artwork, meanwhile, is gorgeous, and seems to be at its absolute peak when he's working on Concrete. Realistic human forms, right down to the sweat being caused by a heat wave, exist alongside equally detailed and real presentations of a car accident or the after-effects of a shooting. Some of the more notable work in this issue is the "x-rays" inside a human body and Concrete's body, showing the inner effects that are causing what most of the characters are seeing in the real world. There are also some nice extras, including an "in-comic" essay about collecting Concrete memorabilia and a bibliography of Concrete's writing, as well as some charcoal drawings from Chadwick that are not Concrete related but are very nice works of art. 9/10
FREEDOM FORCE #2
by Eric Dieter & Tom Scioli (Image Comics)
 The first issue of this book was manic, Silver Age fun and the second issue continues in the same vein. Much of the dialogue and almost all of the plot is taken directly from the Freedom Force videogame, but I always thought that game had a pretty good story that was true to its Kirby/Lee/Ditko influences anyway. Dieter and Scioli maybe cram a little too much into this issue, covering several missions in the game and introducing no less than five new heroes, but the frenetic pacing perfectly captures the style of the Silver Age, and all of the characters are good ones. I'm particularly partial to Man of War, but that's probably because I can hear his Connery-esque brogue in his dialogue and always got a kick out of his battle cry, which is echoed in these pages. At any rate, Freedom Force is a must-have for those who enjoyed the videogame, and well worth a look for anyone who has a taste for slightly goofy and yet undeniably loving tributes to Silver Age comics. It will make you laugh out loud and yet it will also draw you right into the action. 8/10
GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #4
by Geoff Johns, Ethan Van Sciver & Prentis Rollins (DC Comics)
 After three issues of very impressive stuff, I had kind of expected that every issue of Green Lantern: Rebirth would blow me away, and this was the first one that didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's still very good, and the Van Sciver/Rollins/Baumann art team is damned hard to beat, but there were little moments in here that didn't work for me, a generally too talky vibe during what should have been a more focused action sequence and a big final moment that lost a little bit of its zing because we all knew it was coming. The little moments are things like Green Arrow exhausting himself firing one arrow out of a power ring (I know this is meant to build up Kyle and the other Lanterns, but... c'mon... it's too much, and serves mostly to diminish Arrow's worthiness as a hero) or a not entirely clear Hal-Spectre-Parallax relationship, but they're made up for by other moments that really did work. Sinestro is cool as hell, dispassionate and focused and dangerous. The arrival of the cavalry, though predictable, is a very strong moment. And in a similar vein, though the title itself promises the final sequence of this issue, little details there (like a small but important change in hair color) signify that Johns gets what makes this character work, and I still can't wait to see two old arch-enemies throw down in the next chapter. This issue wasn't the great epic superhero comic that Rebirth has been before, it was "merely" really, really good superhero comics instead. 8/10
STAR WARS: OBSESSION #3
by Haden Blackman & Brian Ching (Dark Horse Comics)
 Another action-packed issue of Star Wars: Obsession finds Anakin facing off with Durge, the bounty hunter from Episode III, and Obi Wan getting one step closer to finding Asajj Ventress. I have to wonder if all of this other-media exposure is going to make the characters seem completely played out when they show up in the movies, but for the time being, at least, I'm enjoying these guys as "love to hate" villains. Durge in particular is largely a physical threat, lacking much in the way of an interesting personality but presenting a scary visual, especially when Ching gives us a look at what lurks under his helmet. There's also some interesting (and large) uses of force powers in the final (?) showdown between Durge and Anakin, and some nice pressure as the two Jedi try to escape an exploding ship. The plot, such as it is, is pretty light, mostly moving the Jedi from one fight to the next more like a videogame than a story, but the fights are very entertaining to watch and the focus on cool Jedi moves and blasters is right in line with the sense of wonder that Star Wars originally created. 7/10
USAGI YOJIMBO #81
by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse Comics)
 Much as I enjoy Usagi as a character, I think that some of my favorite characters are actually the ones that Sakai has created as supporting players. This issue features two tales, each focusing on a favorite supporting character of mine. The first tale, "Into the Mist," pits Noriyuki's bodyguard Tomoe against a strange, time displaced foe, and in so doing reinforces a current conflict she's having. This gives Sakai the chance to do one of those big epic samurai battles he does well, as well as to show that Tomoe, like most of the heroes of Usagi, puts her own safety and interests behind doing what is right by her lord and by people who count on her, and pays it off by letting her flaunt society's conventions just a little (and get away with it) at the end. "Nocturnal," on the other hand, is a story of Japanese folklore having a run-in with Sanshobo, warrior-turned-priest who for some reason always reminds me a little bit of Clint Eastwood. Sakai does scary monsters as well as he does samurai regalia, and when they discover what's really behind the whole thing, it's a creepy, well displayed moment. Two short stories, both excellent, with tight pacing and gorgeous art, make this a terrific issue of Usagi Yojimbo. 10/10
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