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Snapshots for 7/14
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.
100 BULLETS #51
by Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 You know, this book has been gone for a while, or at least it seemed like it, while Azzarello and Risso focused their energies on Batman, and I had started to take it for granted, to let it slide a little off my radar. Now it's back, and I'm remembering why I fell in love with the book in the first place: Out-of-sequence storytelling that would make Tarantino proud, dialogue that is less concerned with being realistic and more concerned with having a cool, clever sound to it and twisted situations of morality and culpability that examine the darker side of the human condition. Over the course of the first fifty issues, Azzarello has built up a great cast, and the stories seem to be returning to those characters now rather than building new ones, and the result is a sense of a building storm, as well as a welcome return to some fascinating characters. Wylie Times is one of the good ones, a slacker who blames himself for his failures (in a refreshing bit of self-loathing that fits right in with the noir tone of the book), and seeing him metamorphose a little bit in the framing sequences is as interesting as watching the transformation of Dizzy Cordova from gangbanger to slick operative early in the series. And all of that is without mentioning this series's secret weapon, the always impressive Eduardo Risso, who must know the shadows on a first name basis to have such control over them in the comics. His exaggerated characters, like the freakish "Gabe" or the sexy as hell April, get as much credit as Azzarello for giving the characters personality, and his ability to put a sense of place from rundown rural America to a swanky hotel to a bar in New Orleans is what lends an air of verisimilitude to the book. 9/10
FABLES #27
by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha (DC Comics/Vertigo imprint)
 At eight parts, "March of the Wooden Soldiers" is the longest Fables story yet, and as much as I enjoyed it, I'm glad to see the conclusion. Not just because it means we'll be moving into new story territory with the next issue, but because the finale of the arc is a great read, focusing surprisingly not on Bigby, Snow and the rest of our cast but on another newly introduced (or at least newly revealed) fable and her battle with Baba Yaga, the villain of the piece. In the midst of this gratifying comeuppance for the arrogant villain, Willingham explores some subplots, including Snow having a surprising (and possibly child-driven) moment of affection for Bigby. He also delivers a rapid-fire epilogue that touches base on any number of continuing stories, and while I might have preferred these stories in an issue-length epilogue instead of what is essentially a couple of pages, they're still nice scenes and strong writing. Accompanied by Buckingham's usual stunning work and ornate panel designs, Fables continues to be one of the best comics on the stands. 9/10
JSA #63
by Geoff Johns, Jerry Ordway & Wayne Faucher (DC Comics)
 I haven't been as big on JSA since the end of "Black Reign," not because the book was bad but because it had settled into more of what I expected from the book, and while that means it's solid creatively, it's not really jumping out at me the way the book does when it's really hot. The arc starting this issue is another one that doesn't blow me away the way some of Johns's bigger epic arcs have, at least so far, but it does serve up the classic superhero thrills that I can always expect from the book, along with DC continuity and obscure characters that make the book at once a little impenetrable to the casual fan and an oasis in the storm for those who find most comics these days only interested in icons who might make the transition from comics to film or television. Really, what are the odds of seeing Cave Carson and his wacky underground explorer, or the return of a very goofy Kirby character, or indeed, a story with so many continuity landmines as the story of Lyta and Hector Hall, whose story weaves in and out of the forbidden Vertigo zone. Johns juggles these continuity issues with his usual aplomb and in so doing serves up a pretty rollicking superhero tale, complete with art by Jerry Ordway, who is really pulling out all the stops here as well, particularly when it comes to the ominous warning carved into the JSA headquarters or the rain-soaked prologue to the story. As much a clean-up exercise for these characters and continuity as a story in and of itself, "Waking the Sandman Part One" is nevertheless a really fun read and the perfect antidote for those finding some of DC's mainstream fare a little too dark and serious these days. 8/10
THE LEGION #35
by Gail Simone, Dan Jurgens & Andy Smith (DC Comics)
 With the Legion rebooting and getting a big push, it would be easy to view this new biweekly story as a lame duck, a bit of filler before the new series really gets going. That would be a mistake, however, because the creative team on this story is top notch, and while this first issue didn't hook me as much as Simone's Birds of Prey has, there are a lot of little moments I like and some real potential in the earth-shaking superhero crisis she has hung the plot on. Simone introduces some interesting new characters, including several neat ideas for villains (one group of which seems loosely based on the Justice League) and a futuristic reporter reminiscent of a female, much, much less annoying version of Chris Tucker's character in The Fifth Element, but while characterization has always been one of her strong points, I was just as impressed by the central plot crisis, which is one of those things that just works better in a tech-heavy 31st century than it would in modern times. I was a bit irked by some of the "futurespeak," which became more intrusive than mood-setting, and part of me worries that she's killing off a very promising character, which sets up higher expectations for the series, but in general I'm intrigued. Intrigued and also very impressed by the artwork, bringing Jurgens and Smith together into a surprisingly effective blend. This is classic superhero stuff, with impressive detail on the technological nirvana of 31st century society and some really good character designs (that is seriously the best Ultra Boy has ever looked, and he still maintains a thematic link to his "real" costume), not to mention a dynamic style that is right at home with this type of storytelling. If you're a lapsed Legion fan, check in for what is sure to be a fun ride, and if you're a fan who has considered bailing now that Abnett and Lanning are gone, read this issue before you make your final decision. 7/10
LOVE FIGHTS #11
by Andi Watson (Oni Press)
 The penultimate Love Fights brings with it... a good old-fashioned superhero slugfest, and a last minute rescue? Yep, even though Watson's take on the superhero genre has very much been about viewing it from a different angle, he shows here that he's also got the chops for the basics of the genre, in a really fun and fast-paced sequence that pits the Flamer versus another familiar face in the series and reintroduces another hero in a surprise moment. Most of the issue, however, is given over to the explanation of who Nathaniel (the supposed love-child of the Flamer) really is, what he has to do with the villainous plot of Pitt and Pendulum and what it has to do with the romance of Jack and Nora, which is the center of the book, all things considered. Some of the explanation seemed convoluted to me at first, like the meta stuff a few issues back about crossovers and memory loss, but on second read-through, it all went much smoother, and it's a pretty clever incorporation of comic-book cliche into a book that has most definitely not been about those cliches. Top it off with Watson's always impressive minimalist visuals and you've got another great issue, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the book ends up almost as much as I'm anticipating the announcement of Watson's next project. 9/10
URSULA OGN
by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba (AIT/Planet Lar)
 I'm a bit of a romantic at heart, so I've got more of a fondness for love stories than your average guy, who likes his romance tales leavened with some kind of gunfire or explosions. However, even I found Ursula a little bit on the sappy side, and in trying to capture the fairy tale nature of the story and of childrens' imagination, Moon and Ba go a little overboard. Which is a shame, because with a tighter focus and a little less unnecessary poetry, I think Ursula could have been a sweet and moving little fable. Actually, it still is, even with the flaws, because while I thought Moon and Ba could have stood to cut to the chase a bit more rather than lose the reader in syrupy narrative, the notion of a boy and girl finding romance at a young age and then chasing it again despite their responsibilities is a good story. The real star of this book, though, isn't the story but the art, which has all the charm and magic that the story rarely gets to. Gorgeous black and white line art that reminds me of Scott Morse, Becky Cloonan and Farel Dalrymple all mixed up into one makes for some stunning visual moments, and several characters who I feel like I know more from their visuals than from the script. Ursula has a story that I find interesting but overwritten, but I'm inclined to forgive a lot of its flaws because the story itself is a good one and the artwork is beautiful, even if you divorce it from the rest of the work entirely. 6/10
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