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Snapshots for 8/11
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.
ARIA: THE USES OF ENCHANTMENT #3
by Brian Holguin & Lan Medina (Image Comics)
 Given how much I enjoyed the first two issues of this series, I was a little disappointed that this issue doesn't cover a lot of new ground. To be sure, there are some fairly big developments, including a showdown between the lead character and Hunter, but there's really no surprise in the outcome and it doesn't change the interaction of the characters all that much. There are also further hints as to the identity of the Beast, but unfortunately most readers will have figured that one out by now. By far the most intriguing aspect of the issue comes from Ember and Kildare sneaking into the library, giving more hints about the true identities of the king and queen, and the most effective scene is the one in which Ember sneaks back in and, in a fairly creepy moment, accidentally begins destroying all the evidence. Actually, I have no complaint with the visuals throughout, as Medina's artwork, colored by Steve Oliff and Arsia Rozegar, is gorgeous, expressive and detailed, it's just the story that seems to falter a little. Fortunately, I think that's largely because a lot of the surprises have already been revealed, and next issue should bring about a much more satisfying conclusion. 5/10
AVENGERS #69
by Geoff Johns, Olivier Coipel & Andy Lanning (Marvel Comics)
 Though "Red Zone" has suffered from some strange pacing and I'm not entirely sold on some of the events taking place, this chapter of the story is pretty strong, a confrontation between Red Skull and some of the Avengers that plays up his madness and effectiveness very well. I still feel like the biological attacks have been a little more effective than I generally like my super-villains, but the increased carnage does make for a satisfying confrontation between Skull and Captain America. Johns has some great dialogue for the angry Captain, and he does a much more subtle take on super-heroes and 9-11 sensibilities than has been managed in JLA or Captain America, both of which have attempted it. Also, though I'm not crazy about some of Coipel's militaristic redesigns of classic Avengers costumes, his work here is generally exceptional, and the detailed shots of the carnage in the wake of the red mist or his gruesomely military take on Red Skull are particular standouts. 7/10
FANTASTIC FOUR #502
by Mark Waid & Casey Jones (Marvel Comics)
 The aftermath of "Unthinkable" has, in many ways, been better than the "Unthinkable" story itself. Waid is playing with fire here, touching on questions that heroes aren't supposed to think about, like failure and a certain inability to guarantee someone's safety, but he does it well, making it come off as hopeful and heroic rather than just depressing or nihilistic. The Thing in particular really gets to shine in this issue, as Waid gives a new perspective on the accident that gave him his monstrous appearance and shows off his heart, which has been as much one of his strengths as his actual physical strength. There's also an interesting hint of things to come with Reed and Johnny's trip to the past, and I'm very curious about how that is going to play out. Casey Jones and Paul Mounts provide an interesting visual take that is different from Wieringo's work but consistent with it, and overall "5th Wheel" overcomes some of my misgivings about "Unthinkable" and gets me right back onboard the book, at least as long as Waid is writing it. 9/10
GOTHAM CENTRAL #10
by Greg Rucka & Michael Lark (DC Comics)
 "Half A Life," which has been my favorite story in Gotham Central so far, concludes this issue, and it includes some interesting psychological warfare between Two-Face and Montoya, more great character-defining work for Crispus Allen and, unfortunately, a guest starring moment for Batman. Rucka does pull it out, showing Batman as a frustration for Montoya rather than the rescuer he most likely expected to be perceived as, and I suppose it makes sense that Batman would get involved at this stage of the game, but I confess that it was frustrating to me as a reader as well to see Batman show up and do his thing when I wanted to read a story about Gotham cops. Fortunately, Rucka makes up for it with a pull-no-punches bittersweet ending and the same great characterization that has carried the story throughout, and Michael Lark provides his usual gritty, real and engaging artwork. 9/10
H-E-R-O #7
by Will Pfeifer, Patrick Gleason & Christian Alamy (DC Comics)
 Understand, I've never seen an episode of Jackass or Fear Factor or any of the shows upon which "Chaos, Inc.," the protagonists of this arc, are based. But that doesn't matter, because Pfeifer has seized upon a pop cultural icon and given it an H-Dial spin, and the result is another intriguing look at the selfish and petty things that many might use super-powers for if they got them. It's a bit nihilistic for a DC Universe title, but Pfeifer writes a compelling story about small minds with great power, and just how dangerous they can be to themselves and others. The work of guest artists Gleason and Alamy is a particular boon, because while I've enjoyed Kano's work on the series, Gleason maintains the realistic, grounded backdrop of the regular characters and their lives but also does some generally more exciting visuals for the heroes. Some of the after-effects of the stunts in particular are spectacular, as we see the twisted wreckage that results, and it makes for a powerful reminder that these kids really don't care what they destroy as long as they get their fame and fortune out of the deal. There's an interesting setup to explore the ever-present "power and responsibility" themes of comics here, as well as a less-used "power and intelligence" correlation, and I'm curious to see where it goes from here. 7/10
HUMAN DEFENSE CORPS #4
by Ty Templeton, Clement Sauve Jr. & Dennis Janke (DC Comics)
 I must admit, it seems a little odd that on its first outing, Human Defense Corps has already diverted from its stated mission of being the first line of defense against aliens and taken on a more supernatural tone. I suppose I'd be more disappointed in this if Templeton's over-arcing story of the military conflicting with some of the forces of Hell weren't so damned engaging. The seance, featuring a guest spot from a former Howling Commando who can still kick butt with the best of them, was a great sequence, and seeing the military deal harshly with a demonic prisoner of war had a certain charm as well, serving notice that the men and women of the Corps are not super-heroes, no matter that they fight some of the same foes. Then there's the "Ride of the Valkyries" style invasion of Hell, which comes complete with a great use of Charon and a beautiful double-page spread by Sauve Jr. and Janke. Basically, this is not the story of specially outfitted military men taking on bug-eyed monsters from space that I expected, but it is a damn fine read and it still seems to me like the kind of thing that would make a very interesting ongoing series. 8/10
JSA #51
by David Goyer, Geoff Johns, Leonard Kirk & Keith Champagne (DC Comics)
 For a while now, I've felt that the new Dr. Fate, introduced way back in the first arc of JSA, has not really gotten much screen-time. And suddenly, he gets a new mini-series that is pretty interesting and a spotlight showdown against Mordru in the pages of JSA. Johns and Goyer provide a "coda" that actually feels more like the final part of the "Princes of Darkness" story, dealing with the major question of what happens to Mordru, the architect of the whole scheme. It's a great showdown between Fate and Mordru, with a neat tie-in to the Legion that extends the notion of the JSA's legacy as heroes into the future and some spectacular visuals from Kirk and Champagne. What really interests me, though, is the epilogue, which is a long overdue payoff to Kobra's escape from the JSA and an interesting prologue to an upcoming story. 8/10
STAR WARS: EMPIRE #10
by Paul Chadwick & Tomas Giorello (Dark Horse Comics)
 This is very much a throwback, old school kind of story, something in the EC vein of storytelling retrofitted into the Star Wars universe. Chadwick tells the story of a fallen general of the rebellion, and he does it with a parallel structure, one showing the actual somewhat dark life of the character and one showing the idealized story being told at his funeral by someone who only heard it second-hand. I think the contrast could have been done a little better, but the darker side of the story I found very engaging, as a boy who we first meet being beaten near to death grows up clearly damaged. Chadwick's story explores the question of how people see great men, and how sometimes those men can't enjoy their own greatness, having been broken by their own expectations and experiences long ago. Chadwick's narration and dialogue, as in a lot of his work, has an overly melodramatic flourish that put me off a bit, and whether or not this tale really fits into the Star Wars universe in tone and in approach is up for debate, but it's an interesting story without a doubt. Tomas Giorello's artwork is likewise not perfect, with some cartoony anatomy at times and a bombastic style that unfortunately exaggerates Chadwick's melodramatic tendencies, but it is solid enough and in some places really hits the darker moments of the story, such as his depiction of the gruesome pit trap that Sewell uses in his youth or the brutal ambush that he uses to capture Imperial ships. 6/10
SUPERNATURAL LAW #38
by Batton Lash, Trevor Nielson & Melissa Uran (Exhibit A Press)
 The client of the issue is Mamamomo, an imaginary friend who is being taken advantage of. But as with so many issues of Supernatural Law, the real story lies not just in the trial and the fun that Lash can have in putting a new spin on classic monsters, legends and dreams but in how this story relates to the personal lives of the main characters. In this particular issue, Lash deals with a long-running subplot, one I honestly felt had become a little neglected, namely the relationship between Alanna Wolff and Chase Hawkins, and ties it all into the court battle over Mamamomo, who happens to be the imaginary friend of sleazy businessman Douglas Fortunatus. Fortunatus has a good lawyer in Chase Hawkins, and a beautiful wife in Kismet, but the two of them have been having an affair, Kismet cheating on Douglas and Chase cheating on Alanna. It all sounds much more confusing than it is, because Lash makes the various personal relations fit smoothly into a story of selfishness and greed, as well as playing with the larger theme that people tend to get wrapped up in themselves and just not pay much attention to others. In the end, there's a surprisingly upbeat resolution for Douglas Fortunatus, and considerably rougher resolutions for the relationships of Chase Hawkins, with his girlfriend, mistress and even his secretary. It's a good example of the kind of character-based, soap opera-style stories that Lash tells, with a surprisingly level of accessibility and the always enjoyable level of charm. 8/10
TEEN TITANS #2
by Geoff Johns, Mike McKone & Marlo Alquiza (DC Comics)
 Johns continues his slow burn approach to Teen Titans, which isn't to say that nothing happens - quite a lot does, actually - it's just that he's doing a pretty interesting blend of characterization and character growth combined with action, and the actual plot of the story is taking a little while to materialize. Fortunately, what he has shown is very interesting and enough to keep me around. Some of the continuity buffs are complaining about the way these kids are interacting, but I don't really care where it comes from as long as I believe it, and I definitely believe the struggles that Wonder Girl, Superboy and Impulse are going through as they start to grow up a bit. Given that this is a book about younger heroes, it makes sense that it should be as much about them finding their place as it is about them kicking butt and rescuing people. Not that there isn't some of that this issue, either. McKone, Alquiza and colorist Jeromy Cox do a fantastic job on a fiery search and rescue for the team, matching nicely with their emotive character work in the first half of the book, and they combine with Johns to finish off the issue with a pretty gruesome cliffhanger that will be another big change for these characters, as Johns slowly shapes them into their Teen Titans incarnations (and for me, at least, more interesting characters.) And of course, most Titan fans will only need to know one thing about this issue: Deathstroke the Terminator is in it... and he comes off very well. 9/10
USAGI YOJIMBO #68
by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse Comics)
 Sakai concludes his tribute to giant monsters in this issue of Usagi, and it's been a whole lot of fun, even for someone like me who really hasn't read that much Usagi yet. I say yet because I've loved every Usagi story I've read, this one included, so I know that eventually I'll have to seek out the rest. There's a lot of action in this issue, a fight between a giant monster and Usagi's ally Sasuke, a fight between two giant monsters, a fight between Usagi and the evil Katsushige and a harrowing chase scene between Jotaro and Neneki. This means that Sakai's artwork really gets to shine, and it's terrific work, with no-holds-barred violence between the monsters and a real sense of danger for Jotaro that actually ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Usagi is always engaging, but I find myself even more intrigued with the situation that Jotaro is now in, and it will be interesting to see what has happened to him and how Usagi will fare in finding him. 9/10
WITCHBLADE #67
by Geoff Johns, Kris Grimminger, Scott Benefiel, Jasen Rodriguez, Mark Prudeaux, Gary Martin & Jason Martin (Image Comics)
 Like Witchblade Animated, this story fails for me because of my complete lack of interest in the character, and nobody has been able to overcome that, no matter how talented. That said, while I don't really care much about the lead, Johns and Krimminger deliver a pretty creepy little horror tale here that gives me hope for future issues of their Cliffhanger! series Possessed. They play upon a taboo (cannibalism) and a pretty common fear (how safe is meat, really?) to provide a story that will make me a little nervous about my next burger, and I loved the creepy origin of their villain. I was less impressed by Benefiel's artwork, which is pretty good when it comes to the blood and horror, but which features some of the most unrealistic anatomy I've ever seen, and which also has a heavy focus on big breasts, visible nipples, unusually sexy costumes for a cop and a general love of T and A that is distracting. Give this one a different protagonist and a different artist, and I can see myself really liking it. As is, it's just another demonstration that for me, great talent is wasted on Witchblade comics. 4/10
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