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Snapshots for 5/28
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.
AVENGERS #67
by Geoff Johns, Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning (Marvel Comics)
 The Avengers confronting bioterrorism feels like a stranger mix with each passing issue of "Red Zone," and while Coipel's dark and gritty style is ideal for this type of story, some of his storytelling is a bit on the unclear side. In particular, the layout of the underground lab doesn't come across very well, and so there are characters that sort of pop out of nowhere, rather than seeming as if the Avengers have uncovered them. The issue as a whole feels like several disconnected story points rather than a coherent plot, and while there are certainly intriguing elements of the story, notably the interaction between Ant-Man, Tony Stark and Jack of Hearts, there are also some unfortunate cliches, particularly the "evil government representative" personified by Rusk instead of Gyrich this time out. All in all, I'm having trouble seeing how this story will play out across three more issues, because it already feels a bit padded. 6/10
CATWOMAN #19
by Ed Brubaker & Javier Pulido (DC Comics)
 In the world of Brubaker's Catwoman, life is about hard choices and living with the consequences, and I find this less-frivolous Catwoman (and supporting cast) more fascinating than any version of the character. Yes, including the Frank Miller version. This issue concludes "No Easy Way Down," where Selina, Slam and Holly all deal with the fallout over the brutal last story, and I'm impressed at how Brubaker shows the heroism of some of these characters even at their lowest points, as they realize that they have to be a little unselfish in order to help someone they love. That includes Slam, who gives up something precious, Karon, who finds the strength that Holly needs her to have and Selina and Holly themselves, who fight past some momentary discomfort and pain to draw upon the comfort that their friendship needs to bring them. It's contrasted in an unexpected and clever way with Slam Bradley's current case, which (along with a guest stint from Batman) provides most of the plot details for the issue. And while I'm looking forward to Cameron Stewart's return with the next arc, I can't deny that Javier Pulido's minimalist take on the art worked reasonably well for this arc. 9/10
FANTASTIC FOUR #69
by Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo & Karl Kesel (Marvel Comics)
 As "Unthinkable" progresses, I'm becoming more and more disenchanted with the take this creative team has on Doctor Doom. While he's certainly a scary foe, his look and his use of magic just feels... wrong, somehow. Which is of course the point, at least insofar as the Fantastic Four is concerned, and it's clear that Waid has intended to shake up the heroes with this switch, but even as a temporary change of modus operandi it comes across as a completely new character rather than Doom with a change of methods. That said, the creative team have made Doom scary as hell, and I liked that Waid acknowledges in story that they might call for mystical help, even if I found Ben's willingness to write off Strange so quickly and not even consider that he had been influenced a bit odd. Already, though, I find myself missing the lighter and more family-dynamic oriented storytelling of the early part of the run. 7/10
JLA: AGE OF WONDER #2
by Adisakdi Tantimedh, P. Craig Russell & Galen Showman (DC Comics/Elseworlds imprint)
 DC recently announced that they were effectively ending their Elseworlds imprint, and I'm puzzled as to the timing, given that they are enjoying a resurgence of quality in these stories. Batman: Nevermore, Red Son and JLA: Age of Wonder all stand out as exactly the kind of thing the imprint should have been doing all along. The latter, in particular, comes to a satisfying conclusion this issue while avoiding the overly familiar "and then everything turned out just the way it did in the regular universe" or "and then everybody died" endings that tend to be the finales of these kinds of projects. Tantimedh creates some fascinating alternate versions of these characters, likable but flawed, and Russell and Showman match this characterization with tweaked visual designs. I particularly enjoyed the military man with a conscience that was Hal Jordan and the gadget-laden version of the Atom, but they're all good. Luthor unfortunately goes from bitter genius to deluded madman in this issue, but he does make a good villain, and the surprising role that Wonder Woman plays in the whole thing was a surprise. Age of Wonder was definitely worth waiting for, and with any luck it won't be the last time we see any of these creators' names in the masthead of a DC book. 9/10
MISPLACED #1
by Josh Blaylock, Clint Hilinski & Clayton Brown (Image Comics)
 I read the self-published Misplaced #1 when it came out, but other than a general sense of thinking it was decent but nothing special, I can't remember a thing about it. So I'm effectively a new reader to Misplaced #1 from Image, and though it again doesn't strike me as a phenomenal read or anything, it is kind of fun, a none-too-subtle paean to the virtues of individuality and the dangers of monoculture. Blaylock makes his points a little too broadly, and I'm reminded of the goofy parody of Demolition Man in his design for this lawful society, but it's hard not to like rebellious lead character Alyssa and root for her to escape a world she so obviously doesn't belong in. Blaylock's art is pretty basic, even with backgrounds from Hilinski giving it a little more depth, and it's clear that more thought has gone into the blocking and plot function rather than neat visuals, but it does make for an easy read if not an exciting one in terms of art. 6/10
THE ULTIMATES #10
by Mark Millar, Bryan Hitch & Paul Neary (Marvel Comics)
 The Ultimates has fast turned into the most predictable unpredictable read Marvel has, in that you know you'll be getting beautiful artwork, outrageous characterization and widescreen style but you never know where the characters or the plot will go next. Given the delays between issues, it's hard for me to be really engaged in the storyline as a whole, but this issue, like all of them, is great fun to read and gets me two more issues closer to the eventual Ultimates hardcover. This second arc has given the Ultimates a foe to face that they didn't create themselves and a more military mode of operation, and I found the flashbacks to Captain America's mission during World War II to be a great way to introduce the lead villain. The money shot this issue comes from Hitch's view of the SHIELD assault force, and it's pretty impressive, as the team once again reinforces the enormous scale that the Ultimates operate on before cutting back to a story featuring the Wasp operating pretty much on her own, more effective than we've really seen her as of yet (but equally naked). As always, Ultimates is fun, action-packed and over-the-top. And late, of course. 9/10
VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE #1
by Dan Jolley, Mike Norton, Clint Hilinski & Clayton Brown (Image Comics)
 Damn it, I hated Voltron when I was younger... so how has this creative team gotten me so invested in the comic-book adventures of the giant robot? The answer is by taking a completely different tact, blending elements of The Dirty Dozen (OK, Dirty Five) with genre elements from military science-fiction and epic fantasy. Though the characters aren't much defined beyond their capabilities yet, there's potential in the character frameworks, and god help me, I actually got a bit of a charge the first time the commander spoke the word Voltron or when we see the long-buried hope of the Galactic Union in the issue. Jolley's pacing is spot-on, with solid exposition and characterization matching up with some action and anticipation, and the artwork by Norton, Hilinski and Brown is pretty nifty as well, giving the sense in the latter half of the book of a gathering storm. The sense of destiny approaching, of heroes being born, is found in the script and the art, and much as I don't want to, I find myself having to admit that this new take on Voltron is more than just scraping the bottom of the nostalgia barrel, but instead a nifty little science-fiction/fantasy adventure with plenty of potential. 7/10
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