Comic Reviews for October 16, 2002
Welcome again to another Sunday, as books galore will be reviewed!
Okay...so I'm not too enthusiastic. Except for two of the first three books, the week was pretty nice. Don't know why I'm complaining. Oh well, let's get this show on the road.
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Call of Duty: The Wagon 3
By Chuck Austen and Danijel Zezelj; published by Marvel Comics
I don't think 'ho-hum' is proper anymore. I'm just not going to be generous anymore. I was overly fair with last weeks score for the Precinct, but I won't be here. This book is slightly better than last weeks, only because it doesn't contain a rather stupid sex scene. Next please.
Score: 4/10
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Captain Marvel 2
Shock Absorber - By Peter David, ChrisCross and Chris Sotomayor; published by Marvel Comics
Captain Marvel goes to the Punisher for help with his problem. Some good stuff here, as Genis wants to learn from Castle about discipline, since he's insane (established rather repeatedly in this issue). I really don't like the cosmic awareness power all too much, since it seems like a rather convinent copout. Then again, I tend to write some copout's myself, so I'll be quiet. It works well for a while, but when it's used as much as it is, then it gets to be a rather overused plot device. Elsewhere, Rick Jones finds a wise...yeti by the name of Shinga Doon. He gets crushed by a big something at the end, and Jones learns of a greater threat. Nothing too much to say about that there, since Jones is telling the wise yeti about Marv's life. Art is good, though a bit shaky in some spots. Good issue overall though.
Score: 8/10
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Fate of the Blade 2
By Chris Sarracini, Job Yamen and Erik Sander; published by Dreamwave Productions
Eh...Mya and Lucy drive somewhere together and some guys kill some guy and talk some stuff. Right. That sword shows up at the end of the issue somewhere, so that plot is going somewhere...maybe. It's still lacking a direction, other than 'Clone Girl revels against Lover'. Nothing much beyond that. I'm not really liking the art here. Some really strange poses done, mostly with people turning their heads over ninety degrees to the left or right. Speaking of which, a lot of things, mostly people, are drawn either in side view or frontal view. Really unimpressive. I'll give it another issue, see where this goes. The art is pushing me away though.
Score: 5/10
Ah, the bad pair out of three are out of the way. Let's have some fun with the good books.
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Filth 5 *Pick of the Week*
Pornomancer - By Grant Morrison, Chris Weston and Gary Erskine; published by DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
Let's see...um, Anders Klimakks is a porno star with no memory or who he is, only that he has this...oh, special sperm, I guess. And some porno director, Tex Porneau, is a bad guy who exploits this...special sperm for his own needs, a.k.a. world domination. Sigh. I don't know what to say to anyone who hasn't read it at all yet. It's strange. It's incredibly weird. It's great.
Score: 10/10
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Lone Wolf 2100 4
Shadows on Saplings: Part 4 of 4 - By Mike Kennedy and Francisco Ruiz Velasco; published by Dark Horse Comics
Conclusion to the first arc, as Itto gets Daisy back and defeats both of the converging forces. Mostly a fighting issue, though an opening scene explains a rather important point of why Daisy is Itto's charge. Still, nice issue overall, and it's good to see this exist beyond a mini-series.
Score: 7/10
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Midnight, Mass. 7
The Dust of Martyrs - By John Rozum, Jesus Saiz and Jimmy Palmiotti; published by DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
A trio of ugly people are after the Kadmon's assistant, tracking her back to her place. Much needed history for her and the couple are laid out here, although the plot is slightly lacking, except for one panel showing the ugly people tracking down the assistance. Good enough issue though. The art is lacking a bit now.
Score: 7/10
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New X-Men 133
Dust - By Grant Morrison, Ethan Van Sciver and Norm Rapmund; published by Marvel Comics
Several things this month, starting off with the introduction of Dust, a Muslim mutant from Afghanistan. The controversy lies in the fact in that it's a woman. I really don't see the problem, especially when Morrison had the idea before the 9/11 attacks and U.S. involvement overseas. It's a good idea to be explored, however. She doesn't say much in this issue though, so it remains to be seen how far this idea goes.
Elsewhere, Logan encounters Fantomex and talk about the Weapon Plus Program for a page. He isn't the greatest idea that Morrison has made yet, but it's going somewhere somewhat, though I really don't like Origin showing up here (Fantomex mentions James to Logan). Xavier and Jean go to India and meet up with the Mumbai X-Corporation, where the members are wearing their spandex costumes, keeping in line with the Bollywood setting in India. Jean also throws around her Phoenix powers a bit, though the art makes it look a little weird and confusing. The Shi'ar shows up, then packs up and leaves, telling Xavier that the Phoenix force is going to end up killing all the mutants themselves. Not entirely feesable, since the Shi'ar are there to stop the thing anyway.
Artwise, Van Sciver is on this month, though not entirely on form. Some of it looks a bit rushed, figuring he had a schedule to meet. Sad, since it's his last work on the book. Overall, some good ideas that keep this book solid.
Score: 7/10
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Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do 3
Part Three: Hate Crimes - By Kevin Smith, Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson; published by Marvel Comics
Smith gets around to explaining Mr. Brownstone a bit and uses a rather overdone plot device, but one that works none the less. I mean, how are you supposed to kill a room full of people that have overdosed? It lands Black Cat in a heap of trouble though. Cheesecake art still applies, but it's still a good book overall.
Score: 8/10
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Ultimate Spider-Man 29
Stolen Identity - By Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley and Art Thibert; published by Marvel Comics/Ultimate imprint
New arc, as Spider-Man robs a bank. I think it's going to be a Chameleon plot line, figuring the Spider-Man imposter. Really good though, and I'm surprised with Bagley in keeping a bi-weekly schedule. Impressive.
Score: 9/10
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Ultimate X-Men 23
Hellfire and Brimstone: Part Three of Five - By Mark Millar and Kaare Andrews; published by Marvel Comics/Ultimate imprint
Part three of, whatever the main plot is. That's the only thing with the book right now, is that there is a lack of a main plot. The subplots are clicking left and right and are doing rather nicely. Jean is slowly losing her mind to the Phoenix force, with Scott as her last link to sanity. Bobby is facing a lawyer who's pushing his parents to suing Xavier (first time it's touched on on-panel), and the Hellfire is mentioned as being Xavier's financers. Scott and Logan go on a mission in the Savage Land, clearly pitting the two of them against each other in hopes of getting them to work together again. Lastly, Beast reveals a key plot point about Magneto to Naomi, a.k.a. Blob. The plot is running a bit thin, it being a one joke deal. It still remains funny for the time being.
Art this month comes from Kaare Andrews. Clearly anime influenced, it doesn't totally fit in with Kubert's work. As its own, though, it's great. Overall, the book is splendid.
Score: 9/10
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From last week:
Transformers: The War Within 1
By Simon Furman, Don Figueroa and Elaine To; published by Dreamwave Productions
Ah, it's Geekville, starring our favorite robots in disguise. It's set some four million years before the Transformers arrived on Earth, and the Autobots are losing against a rebel faction called the Decepticons. It's basically the beginning of the war, with the Autobot leader Sentinel Prime being defeated, and Optimus, an archivist, being named the new Prime. He wants to get off of Cybertron and cut their losses, while Grimlock wants to stay and fight it out. That's the plot.
Figueroa, not relying on Earth vehicles, looks to having a lot of fun with the character designs and the whatnot. It's great to look at. It's exciting. It's good.
Score: 8/10
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One thing about that mini-series. I'm not going to collect it when it comes out unless it's a really short week, or if I have some spare change lying around. I have to try and stop collecting new comics, which is very hard for me. Ghost in the Shell Two starts in two weeks, and Eden's Trail starts in November, and I'm pushing my budget as it is. Next week though, three mini-series end Wednesday, which is a blessing. More money to spend elsewhere. Oh well. Until then, peace.