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Snapshots for 4/16
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.
FADE FROM BLUE #6
by Myatt Murphy & Scott Dalrymple (Second 2 Some Studios)
 The last time someone successfully combined interesting soap opera relationships with conspiracy crime and action, it was Terry Moore and the book was cult favorite Strangers in Paradise. Fade From Blue has plenty in common with SIP, including an appeal to women that is lacking in far too many comics today and some terrific artwork courtesy of Scott Dalrymple, not to mention characterization that is just this side of realistic but still thoroughly enjoyable because of the dialogue and likable characters. The story has gotten quite complex, and honestly I'm losing track of the broad strokes of it, ready for the story arc to come to something of a close and start off a little fresher, but each issue is always a joy to read, focusing in on one character in particularl while advancing the overall story. This time out we find out that Elisa, the most happy-go-lucky of the bunch, hides some troubled thoughts that are as deep as the ones Marit and Christa wear on their sleeves, and it makes for a dramatic, emotional counterpoint to the beautifully-choreographed shootout that starts the issue. 8/10
H-E-R-O #3
by Will Pfeifer & Kano (DC Comics)
 I have to admit that in the third issue of H-E-R-O, things have tkane a slightly predictable turn, but that's due in no small part to the consistent characterization that Pfeifer has given whiny loser Jerry and the object of his affections Molly, as well as some ill-chosen solicitation copy on the part of DC. Despite having a pretty good sense of where the story was going before it went there, though, I continue to enjoy the book, largely because of the strong voice that Pfeifer has given Jerry and the sense of watching a trainwreck about to unfold, not to mention the terrific artwork of Kano and colorist Dave Stewart. I'm anxious to see the ending of this story, as Pfeifer has crafted some interesting characters and a story that shows that maybe getting your fondest wish isn't all it's cracked up to be. 8/10
JUDGE DREDD VERSUS ALIENS: INCUBUS #1
by John Wagner, Andy Diggle & Henry Flint (Dark Horse Comics)
 I'm not much of a fan of Judge Dredd or Aliens at this point, but I have to admit that the creators have captured the fun parts of both characters here for a dark and entertaining action story. Just as space marines, full of bluster and high-tech firepower, were the perfect foils for the Aliens in the second Alien movie, Judge Dredd and his gun-happy fascistic fellow future cops are ideal foes for the mindless killing machines. Dredd is barely human himself, and seeing the guy whose first resort is force going up against a creature whose only means of expression is violence makes for some fantastic action. Plenty of credit here belongs to Henry Flint, whose work on the armor of the Verminator squad as well as the recognizable judge uniform is plenty solid, and whose depiction of the gritty Mega City One is absolutely perfect for the setting of the story, especially with Chris Blythe's moody and effective coloring. There's not a lot of depth here, it's your basic "bug hunt" story, but I was surprised to find that Diggle, Wagner and company have tapped into the elements I like about both of the lead characters to provide a fun and exciting read. 8/10
MOONSTONE NOIR: MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER
by Joe Gentile & Trevor Von Eeden (Moonstone Books)
 I was drawn in by the spooky, moody cover by Dennis Calero, but once I got into the interior of Mysterious Traveler, my interest rapidly disintegrated in the face of a muddled (and yet somehow simultaneously predictable) plot and sketchy artwork. The high concept of the character, a spectral judge of those who have sinned, is certainly interesting enough, like something out of an EC comic, but the execution is clumsy. Gentile gives away the twist right at the beginning with the references to "uptown" and "downtown" and then goes through a story which jumps around in time in confusing fashion, which is presumably meant to be a slow reveal of what actually happens but which winds up being so hard to read that the Traveler just has to explain everything at the end. Of course, the artwork by Von Eeden, who has done much, much better work, is also to blame for this, as his art doesn't really give a sense of place to the flashbacks or strong enough distinction to the players, and so we wind up with a story where all you really need to read is the recap on the last couple pages rather than the story, which tries and fails to build up a mystery to give the revelations punch. 2/10
POWERS #30
by Brian Michael Bendis & Mike Avon Oeming (Image Comics)
 "Sellouts" concludes in this issue, and I must confess, it ended in a very different place from where I expected. And I'm very excited to see what happens next in light of the big changes. But that doesn't change the fact that I found "Sellouts" to be the most uneven of the Powers stories so far, starting out looking a bit predictable and changing direction fast in the last couple issues, turning from a murder mystery into something larger and sort of leaving all the murder mystery setup as unnecessary spin-balling. This issue is likewise a mixed bag, because while I loved the sort of despairing nature of a world where one guy has basically supreme power over everyone and nobody can do much about it (particularly the brutal scene of Deena witnessing an immolation), the weird philosophical ending and Deena's seemingly gratuitous nudity didn't really click with me. In the end, I think Powers will be stronger for the changes brought about during "Sellouts," but I think that looking back over the story as a whole, I'm likely to regard it as the weak point in an otherwise spectacular run. It's still good comics, but with the exception of a couple issues in the arc, it hasn't been the great one I expect. 7/10
SCARLET FOX #1
by Philip Victor & Tae H. Kim (Aerosol Press)
 Scarlet Fox reads and looks much like a lost Image comic from the early days of the company. Flashy art and colors and plenty of action are to be found here, but those looking for solid dialogue and a believable plot are out of luck. Victor's story combines a lot of elements, including an origin right of the Stan Lee playbook and an espionage flavor that reads like True Lies if it were a little more cartoony. Also mixed in is a healthy dose of cheesecake and plenty of extreme violence, including gory close-up gunshots and explosions. It's the dialogue that most kills me in Scarlet Fox, though, as Victor throws any pretense of the characters speaking like real human beings out the window and substitutes groaners that remind me more than anything of the kind of cheesy bon mots Stan Lee used to throw out back in the 1960s. Groaners like "I'll fill the swine with lead, or my name isn't Ali Baba!" and "Time for your appointment with Dr. Death!" sit alongside some of the most cliched accents outside of the Contest of Champions (presumably the accents are meant to substitute for actual characterization), and the whole book feels like a bunch of ideas thrown in without any kind of editing or much rhyme or reason. I can't deny that I got some enjoyment out of Scarlet Fox, but I doubt that laughing at the dialogue and the sheer silliness of the plot was what the creators had in mind. 2/10
THE WAY OF THE WOLF #1
by Michael R. Barklage & Robert Graham (Blueshift Studios)
 The Way of the Wolf is a haunting tragedy, something of a painful read for an animal lover like myself, but definitely a well-crafted story. Barklage offers up a tale of man's short-sighted nature and the nobility of wolves that seems to be an allegory for how we treat nature in general, and in this self-contained tale he gets a lot of emotional mileage out of how a tragedy is turned into an even deeper tragedy because of a foolish demagogue and a thoughtless boy. The artwork by Graham is reminiscent of Ben Templesmith's work, largely based on mood and shadow but clear enough to give the sense of what's going on and perfect for showing the primal nature of the hunter and the wolf, and though Ron Blessing's letters could have been a tad larger to improve readability, they also serve to complete the solid atmosphere of the package. This is listed as part one of six, and I don't know if there's a continuing story or six unrelated tales with a common theme, but either way I'm definitely interested in seeing more. 8/10
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