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Snapshots for 11/03/04
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.
ASTONISHING X-MEN #6
by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday (Marvel Comics)
 After a pretty deliberately paced five issues of setup, it feels like Whedon and Cassaday are rushing to include all the missing exposition and provide a slam-bang finish, and so this issue feels more than a little crowded. In particular, there is one point where Ord wakes up and chaos ensues, and the chaos is so effective that even I, the reader, was lost for several pages as Ord changes locations and some of the characters seem surprisingly calm for all the chaos that is going on. However, while this storytelling blip lost me in the reading, and it really did seem like a somewhat rushed finale, all was forgiven by that beautiful two-page spread, which hits another classic X-Men moment that fans like myself (read: fans of Colossus, and fans of '80s Claremont/Byrne) have been dying to see again. Whedon really has succeeded in blending the old school appeal of X-Men with the new sheen that Morrison gave the books, and Cassaday's artwork is slick and stylish and a pretty good match for the scripts, it turns out. I also quite liked any number of moments throughout the issue, including the introduction of S.W.O.R.D., the talk between Cyclops and Beast and a great cliffhanger ending that will definitely have fans back for more of Whedon's Astonishing X-Men. 8/10
CATWOMAN: WHEN IN ROME #2
by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale (DC Comics)
 I missed reviewing this one, but I pretty much agree with Don's assessment, and now that we're two issues in, I predict I'll be adding another Loeb/Sale hardcover to my collection. Both of these guys are talents in their own right, but when they work together, it's like magic. This issue features Catwoman at her sultry best courtesy of Sale, a twisting plot of mob revenge that puts femme fatale villain Catwoman in the protagonist role easily and believably even in these early days of her career and one of my favorite versions of the Riddler ever. The team-up of Catwoman and the Riddler is the best aspect of this book, turning it into a strange buddy story in some ways and allowing for some strange and fun scenes (the Riddler cross-dressing in Catwoman's costume? Fun. And strange.) Throw in Sale's open and beautiful layouts, as colored to look nearly painted by master colorist Dave Stewart, and you've got the comic-book equivalent of sweet cotton candy. A little fluffy, but delightful to the taste. 8/10
FALLEN ANGEL #17
by Peter David, David Lopez & Fernando Blanco (DC Comics)
 Good God, but that was dark. It's ironic that David is torturing his characters on a level greater than that of Bendis in Avengers or Meltzer in Identity Crisis, but I'm loving it here and hating it there. Part of that is that I think David's writing on Fallen Angel is stronger than both of those overhyped projects, but part of it is because the tone fits this series, and David is actually lucky that he was refused a tie-in to the DC Universe, because I don't know that it would be acceptable to me in that context. I mean, the heroine in this issue kills someone in a brutal fashion, endangers her child in minor (smoking) and major (duking it out with a demigod, essentially) ways, and then suffers a horrible, horrible loss at the end that just made my jaw drop. Lopez, Blanco and colorist Eyring also continue to impress, with some spectacular shots of Lee in action, although David does an unfortunate "tell don't show" moment for the climactic showdown that kicked me out of the story to some extent. Still, there's great character interaction between the now well-established and fascinating cast, some fantastic action and atmosphere and a brutal shocker of an ending. "Hurlyburly" rests on the foundation set up in previous issues, but it is to my mind the finest of the Fallen Angel stories so far. Why more people aren't buying and loving this book just boggles my mind. 10/10
HAWAIIAN DICK: THE LAST RESORT #2
by B. Clay Moore, Nick Derington & Steven Griffin (Image Comics)
 Well, the first issue of Hawaiian Dick with the art change arrives, and... whew. Not only does it look good, it looks frigging great. Reminiscent of the work that Darwyn Cooke was doing with Dave Stewart on DC: The New Frontier. It's a different style from the one Griffin was using, but certainly not an inferior one, and it fits the book just as well. The story, meanwhile, spools out nicely, with some really fun confrontations between Byrd, the crime bosses and their minions and more hints of the supernatural lurking in the wings. Truthfully, I'm one of those "wait for the trade" guys in general, and the pacing on this (often late) series has me wishing that Moore and company could just release these as a straight-to-trade production, but this is another enjoyable issue, and it's one of the best-looking books on the stands. 9/10
TOMB OF DRACULA #2
by Robert Rodi, Jamie Tolagson, Tom Palmer & Scott Koblish (Marvel Comics)
 I have to admit, I'm kind of liking this take on Tomb of Dracula by way of a James Cameron flick. The characters are by necessity a little thin, but their personality conflicts are solid enough to make for fun reading, and I particularly like the love-hate relationship between Blade and Divinity Drake. In addition, the central idea, that a military team is going to have to take out Dracula and his nest of vampires, is a neat new twist on the character, and the introduction this issue of the question of a traitor in their midst adds another wrinkle that keeps me turning pages. Tolagson's art was the big selling point for me in the first issue, and it's still solid here, but it's not as easy to read or as attractive, and I think that's probably down to a change in inkers, as Koblish has a much looser style than Tom Palmer, and I don't think it suits the artwork, making it muddier and less detailed. Tomb of Dracula is exceeding my expectations for it, and although it's certainly not going to land on any of my "Best Of" lists, it's an entertaining action/horror tale for those in the mood for such a thing. 7/10
Y: THE LAST MAN #28
by Brian Vaughan, Pia Guerra & Jose Marzan Jr. (DC Comics/Vertigo)
 Lots of answers coming to the fore in this new story of Y: The Last Man, although none of them are coming out quickly or easily. Vaughan spends a few pages this issue on a weird and seemingly inconsequential dream sequence, which I didn't much care for, but the rest of the story is gold, teasing the readers with mysterious characters, back and forth on whether or not the plague and Yorick's survival were both "magical" and giving answers while raising more questions. I'm dying to know "Dr. M" really is and if it's who the red herring would indicate, and either way I want to know what she's up to. I was fascinated to see more about the Setauket Ring and how they relate to 355, and I love that for all Vaughan's hints that the ring was the crucial reason Yorick survived, he's now leading the reader to question that as well. This kind of non-answer answer can be frustrating, but Vaughan's snappy dialogue and strong pacing, not to mention the knowledge that we will have concrete answers by the end, make it entertaining instead. This remains one of my favorite reads every month. 9/10
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