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Snapshots for 5/19
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.
B.P.R.D.: PLAGUE OF FROGS #3
by Mike Mignola & Guy Davis (Dark Horse)
 I started off my reviews of this series by saying that I missed Hellboy. Three issues in, I find myself saying, "Hellboy who?" Oh, I'll be glad to see the big red guy back when he returns, but Mignola and Davis have truly realized the potential of the B.P.R.D. as its own storytelling entity in this miniseries, which has some terrifically creepy moments, some exquisite action and more monsters (both good and bad) than you can shake a stick at. It may be blasphemy, but I actually think I prefer Guy Davis's interpretations of some of these characters to their creator, and you can't deny that Davis and colorist Dave Stewart do just phenomenal work on scenes like Liz's pyrotechnics flaring to life, or Johann finding himself surrounded by frog demons, or Kate surrounded by rising skeletons. Mignola's story has just the right bit of doom and gloom, but he doesn't lose track of the fun either, particularly when Abe gets mad and he and Liz share a moment where she tells him he "sounded a little like Hellboy there." I know that the temptation is to view only the Mignola Hellboy as canon, and the Weird Tales and B.P.R.D. stuff as somehow less, but Plague of Frogs represents some of my favorite B.P.R.D. tales, standing up to even the classic Hellboy trades. 9/10
DAREDEVIL #60
by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev (Marvel Comics)
 There was a time when Bendis could do no wrong with me, and I loved everything he had written. With the growing amount of work he's got out there, that's no longer true, but for my money, he's still one of the best writers the industry has, and Daredevil is a pretty good example of why I think that. It's also an example of why I'm not always as enamored of his work as I used to be, because he doesn't always have art that perfectly matches his scripts. Maleev is the ideal guy for Bendis's Daredevil in general, but his work just isn't suited to big superhero action, and that's what this issue is. I give full marks to Bendis for not copping out and giving us a huge text piece on how the fight went, but at the same time, Maleev doesn't really sell the superhero cool of a fight scene between Daredevil, Spider-Man, Power Man and Iron Fist and a ton of Yakuza goons. Oh, he's got his moments, like watching Daredevil ricochet his billy club off a wall and into the big boss's head, but he doesn't do motion all that well, and that two page splash of the four heroes going into action, which would have been spectacular in the hands of so many superhero artists, is just a dull page that doesn't even show off most of the characters well (Iron Fist and Luke Cage are about 1/4 visible). However, while it might not be ideally suited to Maleev's style, the issue still holds up as another really good chapter of the greatness that is the Bendis/Maleev Daredevil. Some terrific dialogue and some wonderful superhero moments show that Bendis writes probably the toughest Daredevil and the best Luke Cage that there is, and the talking-heads payoff between Milla and Matt at the end of the book is heart-breaking and just the sort of thing this creative team does well. An issue that shows off some of the weaknesses of Maleev's style, but not a weak issue by any means. 8/10
FANTASTIC FOUR #513
by Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo, Karl Kesel & Paul Smith (Marvel Comics)
 This cute little two-parter (with backup stories, yet!) proves that Mark Waid is one of a dying breed: The writer who can do genuinely funny superhero stories without mocking the genre and everything it stands for at the same time. The backup story is a bit of fluff, an ill-advised reintroduction of Lara Croft clone Alyssa Moy that came from the equally ill-advised decision to give Reed Richards a swashbuckling past, but it's relatively inoffensive even if it's characters and backstory I never wanted to see again, and it features Paul Smith art, which is never a bad thing. The lead story, though, is where the real fun is at, as Waid captures the Human Torch/Spidey banter and practical jokes in exactly the way I had hoped (with a note-perfect one-panel cameo by the Thing as well) and Wieringo captures the madcap pacing and imagery to perfection as well. It's essentially a series of gags, variations on a theme, but it's legitimately funny, it hits a key element of the Torch-Spidey relationship that goes beyond their good-natured enmity and it's got pacing that is completely different from Marvel standard, in that without the backups, this whole tale could have been one really good one-shot tale. Waid, Wieringo and the rest continue to make the Fantastic Four shine, and to make this legendary superteam fun again. 9/10
HUMAN TARGET #10
by Peter Milligan & Cliff Chiang (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 Various circumstances (including the odd decision to rarely include this book in the First Look packs) have conspired to prevent me from easily reviewing Human Target since Cliff Chiang came aboard. A shame, because his art has raised Milligan's already entertaining scripts to a higher level, and while three of his issues were a solidly built arc about former freedom fighters forced underground, he's also had the benefit of illustrating a couple self-contained tales. The one in this issue is my favorite of the two, a story of a jailbird former mafioso who escapes and comes to his old pal Chris Chance to impersonate him so that he can go off and reconnect with his old flames, including a wife, several girlfriends and the freedom of living. And so, in gorgeously illustrated sequences, we see the mafioso engaging in the high life with a variety of beautiful babes while Chance engages in all kinds of acrobatic, high profile violence to keep the attention off the real deal. This includes a stunning rendition of Las Vegas and the Bellagio hotel and a fantastic sequence of Chance taking on a police precinct. Then Milligan throws in a hell of a twist endings, one of those things that makes you go back and reread the whole issue again looking for clues, or looking to see if he cheated, only to see that he set it up perfectly, and you never saw it coming, even though you should have. 9/10
JUSTICE LEAGUE: ANOTHER NAIL #1
by Alan Davis & Mark Farmer (DC Comics/Elseworlds imprint)
 The first Justice League: The Nail had a pretty simple concept, which the title played neatly off of, and though it wasn't a perfect book, it was a pretty fun nostalgic take on the Justice League with Superman mostly missing. Another Nail doesn't really have a concept to hang on (really, the title is kinda stupid when you think about it, because there's no nail involved in this story), and it's got Superman, but in a lot of respects, it's very much like The Nail. And, for that matter, like recent fan-favorite project JLA/Avengers. Because this is a love letter to the fans who grew up with these characters in the '70s and '80s, before grim and gritty and before deconstruction and before the black leather and all that stuff. The heroes are the good guys, the villains are the bad guys, they all wear bright costumes and have showy powers and speak in dialogue like "This ends now!" It's not for everybody, and Davis isn't doing himself any favors by constantly referencing the most goofy element of The Nail, the revelation that a super-powered and deranged Jimmy Olsen was behind it all, but for those with a fondness for the classic characters, this is kind of fun. There's a certain fanboy glee to be had in a war between the New Gods and the Green Lantern Corps, there's something neat about Mister Miracle and Barda joining the Green Lantern Corps in an unusual way, and given how rarely we see the real supervillains these days, it's kind of fun to see classic villains like Despero and Evil Star getting the beatdown from Superman and Martian Manhunter. Especially when all this is done in gorgeous style by Davis and Farmer, who provide superhero eye candy that traditionalists can't help but love. It's all a little on the goofy side, and it's hard not to realize as you're reading it that the central conceit isn't as strong as the one that drove the original, but it's all in good fun, and it's an absolutely gorgeous read. 7/10
LUCIFER #50
by Mike Carey & P. Craig Russell (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 Hands up, everyone who expected a Sandman spinoff to make it to issue 50? The reason Lucifer has endured is because Carey didn't just rest his story on the foundations that Gaiman set up, but built upon the Biblical stories of Lucifer and the rest of the cast the way Gaiman incorporated mythology of a variety of cultures into Sandman, giving the book its own identity and a much wider tapestry. Lucifer #50 is a pretty good example of that, incorporating the tale of Lilith, Adam's first wife and the mother of demons, starting from her role in the Bible and weaving her into Lucifer's backstory so that she plays a pretty crucial role in his fall. As with Sandman #50, the art on Lucifer #50 is by P. Craig Russell, and as expected, it is gorgeous, with beautiful and realistic human forms as well as exquisite detail on the fantasy elements like the Silver City. This is a terrific self-contained tale, perfect for those who haven't sampled Lucifer before but want to get a sense of the craft and imagination that Carey brings to the book on a monthly basis. 9/10
OUTSIDERS #12
by Judd Winick, Tom Derenick & Kevin Conrad (DC Comics)
 I have to admit, there are elements of Outsiders that should put me off as much as they put off some of the fans griping about the book, but I'm inclined to forgive Winick's loose continuity and plot logic problems because the book is so much fun. This issue addresses one of the gripes that folks have had, that Nightwing was acting out of character, in a way that I thought was pretty clever, as well as following up nicely on the last continuity patch, which has turned Metamorpho into Shift, a new hero with similar appearance and powers. It also reminds readers that Roy has some sort of mysterious source (and I have to admit, I think it's about time we find out who that is), reintroduces some classic (OK, second-string classic) team villains and resolves Huntress's brief guest role in the book. However, what I really liked about this issue wasn't the plot machinations or even the characterization, it's the dialogue. Winick's characters seem to be having fun, whether it's the banter between Nightwing and Huntress (the running "Eat this, hero" gag cracked me up), the delightfully childlike Indigo or the playful new persona that Shift has developed now that he knows who he is. Outsiders has its flaws and certainly it's share of detractors, but I find that I'm really enjoying Winick's mixture of light-hearted old school superheroics and a slightly more grown-up sensibility. 8/10
ROBIN #126
by Bill Willingham & Damion Scott (DC Comics)
 The notion of Spoiler taking over as Robin is an interesting one, if only for how it shakes up the dynamics of Batman and Robin for him to have a female partner. In fact, Willingham does a pretty good job here of making the transition, showing how Tim Drake is dealing with his retirement, a new foe hunting Robins that will most likely wind up with Tim back in the saddle and, of course, the training of Stephanie Brown as the new Robin. Unfortunately, for all that the execution is solid, it's all stuff we've seen before, from the passing of the Robin mantle to Alfred's disdain for Batman's decision to the difficult training for Batman's sidekick, and there is definitely a sense that this is a temporary stunt, rather than a permanent status quo change. It's fun and well-written, but it's not shockingly new, and Damion Scott's artwork brings a definite energy to the proceedings, but his strange, exaggerated style seems an odd fit for a mainstream book like Robin. 6/10
RUNAWAYS #15
by Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona & Craig Yeung (DC Comics)
 I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face or until enough of you are buying it that we're guaranteed of a safe future and plenty of trades for this series: Runaways is one of the top five superhero comics on the market right now. Vaughan's cast of teen characters are fun, personable and the whole book has a vibe that can best be described as "Buffy-esque." On top of the great characterization and humorous moments, though, Vaughan continues to layer a story of betrayals and mysteries, one that is playing out slowly but not too slowly, and really amping up the tension with each issue. What will happen when the parents try their double-cross? Who is the traitor in the group? Vaughan has thrown out several red herrings, but he defuses some of them this issue, as well as throwing a few more potential clues into the mix that lead me to once again suspect the most unlikely suspect (at least in my eyes) and one hell of a cliffhanger that, if it isn't a fakeout, promises to change the stakes for these characters permanently. In addition, while Alphona and Yeung have always provided clean, imaginative artwork, they're joined this issue by colorist Christina Strain, who takes the color palette and style that Brian Reber sets up and tweaks it just a little bit to make it even better. Great art, great story, great characters and it's all free from the constraints of X-Men, Spider-Man, Avengers and other Marvel icons, something completely new. If we don't support Runaways, folks, then we just don't deserve books this good, and we should resign ourselves to a dozen or so X-clones and mediocre writing, because it's what we will have earned. 10/10
SUPERMAN/BATMAN #10
by Jeph Loeb & Michael Turner (DC Comics)
 After an initial curiosity about this book, largely due to its sort of old school, fun nature, Loeb lost me completely, and I didn't think I'd be coming back. However, this new story, a pretty big continuity that introduces yet another new version of Supergirl, has turned out to be quite a bit of fun, and while I still have my quibbles with it, there is a sort of joy and wonder that all too many superhero comics are lacking these days. There's something fun about Kara, mysterious origin and all, sparring with the Amazons. Or with Clark Kent being overprotective of his cousin (if in fact that's what she is), a familial relationship that we never really get to see with the modern Man of Steel. And Turner and colorist Peter Steigerwald do some fantastic work on the action sequences and give the book a pretty cool look as well. True, Turner's overly similar cheesecakey women spoils a big reveal at the end (I swear I thought it was Kara until Superman said different), but in general his slick popular style is perfect for the popcorn writing style that Loeb has brought to the book, and I find myself both intrigued by the twists and turns of the story and gently entertained by a slice of good old fashioned superhero melodrama. 7/10
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #59
by Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley & Scott Hanna (Marvel Comics)
 It's been a while since I weighed in on Ultimate Spider-Man. Mostly because I've been sort of down on the book lately, but it's not so much a fault of the creators but because I think I've sort of had my fill of the whole thing. The law of diminishing returns set in, and Bendis adding in some elements that I really didn't want to see this early in the book (like Venom, Black Cat and soon Carnage) kind of put me off the classic vibe I was getting from the book early on. However, while the Hollywood stuff in this arc has left me bored stiff or outright annoyed, the last couple issues of the arc have sucked me right back in, and the status quo change in this issue strengthens a friendship and takes the MJ-Peter-Gwen triangle off in very different directions, and I find myself once again hooked into the ongoing story of Peter Parker, which has really always been the selling point of this book. This is another one of those famous Bendis Mamet-emulating talky issues, and while seeing the number of people trying to imitate that style is one of the things that drives me so crazy about Marvel Comics these days, that's kind of like blaming Frank Miller and Alan Moore for the stupid grim and grittying of every book in the '90s. The reason people try to emulate it is because for Bendis, it works, and the stuff this issue between Peter and Gwen is paced so perfectly, full of emotional honesty and crackling dialogue that even though it's just people talking, it's as exciting as any slam-bang action sequence. In the end, the "Hollywood" story is flawed, mostly by the inclusion of the Hollywood elements, but there's such important stuff going on in the Peter Parker segments of the stories, stuff that is as good as the earliest issues of the book, that I'm inclined to forgive those flaws and just remember how great some of the book has been. I swear, I'm like a frikkin' yo-yo with the Ultimate books... off them one month, back on and buying collections the next. 9/10
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