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Ender’s Shadow: Battle School #1 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

Creative Director & Executive Director: Orson Scott Card
Script: Mike Carey
Art: Sebastian Fiumara
Color Art: Giulia Brusco
Lettering: Cory Petit
Story Consultant: Jake Black
Cover: Jim Cheung & Morry Hollowell (variants by Timothy Green and Emily Warren)
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I almost missed this book. I’ve picked up the first two issues of Ender’s Game, and the trade dress for this is virtually identical, including the title’s logo font.

This story focuses on Bean rather than Ender. We open with Bean as a street kid trying to get in with a crew of other kids in order to survive. He presents a plan that hadn’t been done before, and while parts of what he suggests is followed–the crew gets a bully on their side–the other kids fail to see things through, which results in the bad stuff Bean knew would happen for a half-done job. The results of this helps propel him toward Battle School.

While I’d read the novel Ender’s Game a couple times and so was affected reading the comics adaptation of that, I’ve come into Ender’s Shadow cold–I’ve not read any of the later “Enderverse” novels, including the novel Ender’s Shadow. It’s cool reading about this character and seeing how Bean gets his name and winds up going to Battle School–I’m not sure how much credit to give to Card on the original work versus Carey on this adaptation. Suffice that whatever Carey does with the original, I’m having no trouble following along–and am enjoying this, knowing only that Bean was a character in Ender’s Game and that he’s the focal point of this run-through of that story.

The art has an interesting look to it. It’s almost sketchy in a way, simplistic, and yet it conveys so much at the same time. I have no problem with that–it seems to accentuate the story itself, and for a story I’m new to, I don’t think I really have much in the way of preconcieved notions as to what the look should be. I don’t have my Ender’s Game issues onhand to compare this to, but I’m pretty sure the visual styles are quite different…yet it works just fine, and I have no problem with it whatever.

On the whole, this is an enjoyable issue, even going in knowing it’s the first of a five issue mini. I enjoyed it more than the first issue of Ender’s Game, and am actually quite interested now in reading the novel of this title, just to learn more of Bean and everything only hinted at in this first issue’s segment of story.

While my usual hesitations at mini-series apply, if you’re particularly interested in seeing the property adapted visually, this is well worthwhile. For the more casual reader, I’d suggest waiting for the collected volume for a fuller experience instead of just getting a single issue’s content at a time.

Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
Whole: 8/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2008, Ender's Shadow, MARVEL, Misc. | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Justice Society of America #21 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

One World, Under Gog part VI: Saints and Sinners

Story: Geoff Johns & Alex Ross
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencillers: Dale Eaglesham & Jerry Ordway
Inkers: Nathan Massengill & Bob Wiacek
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor: Harvey Richards
Editor: Michael Siglain
Cover: Alex Ross (variant by Dale Eaglesham and Nathan Massengill)
Publisher: DC Comics

Coming off of the Kingdom Come Specials, the story picks up with Gog having asked those he’s helped to worship him. While some are ready to kneel immediately, others are less than comfortable at this proposition–that you don’t ask worship for helping, you help TO help and nothing more. The JSA is divided and fighting amongst itself, and we see the older members who have either not been helped or who have refused help confronting those swayed by Gog’s “persuasion”…and things begin to unravel as Gog starts to show a side previously unseen by our heroes.

The art on this issue surprised me a bit–something about it seems slightly “off.” It is far from being bad, but just doesn’t seem quite what I expected. However, the characters are all plenty recognizeable and look like they (mostly) should (I feel like they have a “90s look” to them somehow). It’s interesting to see several characters (Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, Hawkman) taking on a Kingdom Come appearance–it’s a nice nod, but for me forces a comparison to the original–visually–which might be part of what seems “off” about the art…this hardly compares to Alex Ross’s painted imagery.

The story is quite solid–after however many issues it’s been of building, things are coming to a head, with the JSA split and fighting within its own ranks and Gog finally showing what’s been hinted at: an actual menace/threat to the JSA…and the world as a whole. I would assume Green Lantern creating the green armor around himself, and what happens to the Flash to be an intentional story element and not just the art team giving us an homage to Kingdom Come. While it at first doesn’t make much sense, upon further reflection, it does, as Superman gets to see these people becoming more and more like those he knew on his world, which really ups the ante a bit, so to speak.

I was a bit disappointed, somehow convincing myself that this issue would be the resolution of the story, that the specials all led to this. At the same time, I’m actually anticipating the next issue–it will be something I’m looking forward to, actively interested in reading, and not something to be read just because it’s something I bought “last month” and so buy “this month.”

All in all, if you’re following the JSA, this issue’s well worth while. I’m not sure it’d be the best read if you’re coming in cold. Quality wise, this is a title that has held my attention for the last half-year, and I’m interested enough in the backstory to want to track down the earlier issues I’ve missed.

Story: 8/10
Art: 7/10
Whole: 8/10

Please note: Credits for this issue acquired from a pdf preview found at DC’s website…it appears that they were to have printed on a black bar, but the colors have zero contrast, effectively nixing creator credits for the issue. Preview found here

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2008, DC, DC Universe, Justice Society of America | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade #1 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

Writer: Landry Q. Walker
Artist: Eric Jones
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Coloring: Joey Mason
Editor: Jann Jones
Cover: Eric Jones
Publisher: Johnny DC / DC Comics

While Superman battles Lex Luthor in a huge mech-armor, the villain gloats that only an other-dimensional rocket could destroy his armor. Then, lo ‘n behold, an other-dimensional rocket arrives, crashing through the armor, and from this craft comes a young Super-girl.

This is a rather cutesy start to the series, but gives a nice quick premise: we have a Supergirl arriving in a rocket from some other dimension. As the issue progresses, we get more background info about what’s brought her to the present: it’s a setup that departs a bit on some key points from what I’m aware of as her traditional background, but it does so presumably to keep things on the lighter side. This IS supposed to be a comic the younger crowd can read, and the lighter tone preserves key points of Supergirl’s situation while leaving other stuff open to future use.

The story is not bad…it felt a bit simplistic and repetetive sometimes, but I’m pretty sure that was done intentionally to lend tone to the story, capturing the feel of what Supergirl goes through trying to begin acclimating to Earth.

The art is a bit too cutesy for me…I realize it’s aimed at kids, and that I’m not the primary/target audience for this. It definitely looks like a saturday morning cartoon series I’d find–and complain about–on the Cartoon Network. This Supergirl would not be entirely out of place for me appearning in Dexter’s Lab or Powerpuff girls. As a whole, the art does definitely fit the story, and taken together, is a pretty good package.

I wouldn’t recommend this much for an adult reader with no kids to interact with on it…but as something to give to a kid (and at risk of political incorrectness, probably more the young female crowd), it’s another fine addition to the Johnny DC line…though as the first of only six issues (according to the cover), it almost seems like it could be worth waiting for a digest-sized collected edition much like what Archie produces…if DC were to do that. My rating below is based on how it hit me–a 28-year-old single male reader with no kids and no one to hand this issue off to. I’m confident it would be rated a couple points higher by someone significantly younger than me with an interest in the Super-characters.

Story: 7/10
Art: 6/10
Whole: 6.5/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2008, DC, Johnny DC, Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Marvels: Eye of the Camera #1 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

Just One Little Thing

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Jay Anacleto
Colors: Brian Haberlin
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Associate Editor: Jeanine Schaefer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover: Jay Anacleto
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I’ve been looking forward to this series for years. I mean, we’re talking at least a decade. It’s been rumoured for many years, with apparently a couple of false-starts, and now after all this time, this series is here. Now what?

From the cover we immediately see this is different from the original. Different artist, different look…separate entity. No real attempt is made to have the cover evoke the feel of the original series–the “cover dress” with the black border/negative space over a full single image might have worked very well here, with the subtitle Eye of the Camera along the bottom.

The first page is an introduction by the main character, Phil Sheldon; and the issue’s creator credits somehow make me think of some “event” ticket, indicating who is involved for the night and all that. Not bad–I don’t think I’ve seen/held a ticket like that…well, ever–so it helps to indicate this story is not set during my lifetime.

The story follows Sheldon in the opening of the 1960s as he begins to realize that some of his “marvels” may be monsters, unlike the heroes during the war. He also considers that as a family man, perhaps he needs to lay down the freelance photography in pursuit of a steady/full job so that he knows he’s got provision for his family and isn’t still playing at his youth. Through this, we also see the arrival of the Fantastic Four on the scene and the “man on the street” reaction to the super-team’s unveiling.

The art is a very clear departure from that of painter Alex Ross from the original series. I’m not familiar with this artist at all offhand–ntohing comes to mind and I have nothing prior to compare the work to. In and of itself–and I’m sure credit must be given to the colorist in tandem here–has a look that while apparently not painted, has just the right feel to suggest painted, and very nicely captures the look of the characters I recall from the original. By itself, I’d deem this very good art; I honestly think the only thing that may keep it from that is the unfortunate fact that as a sequel, this has got to be compared to the original…and as such, the comparison to Ross must come up.

That said, I found this to be an excellent issue. It seems to be “sequel” in that it is a follow-up; though time-wise, it seems to be coming between the pages of the original story. As the first of six issues, I have no idea how the other issues will play out in that regard–are these meant to be taken as “between issues” stories from the original, between pages, or just another story from the same period, much as one could tell two independent stories that both follow the same life, the difference simply being the events chosen to focus on and unpack in each story.

Without Ross, I can think of no artist who would have done better than Mr. Anacleto; and I trust Busiek–who wrote the original series–with whatever he’s choosing to do here.

A very worthwhile issue…though with about a decade and a half of having the original story available in full under a single cover, I can’t help but wonder if this sequel will read better in the same way–as a whole, rather than split into six segments across half a year.

If the rest of the issues hold up to this one, this could be one of those rare sequels that at least matches its original.

Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Whole: 8.5/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2008, MARVEL | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Secret Invasion #8 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Leinil Francis Yu
Inker: Mark Morales
Colorist: Laura Martin
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Production: Irene Lee
Assoc. Editor: Jeanine Schaefer
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover: Gabrielle Dell’Otto
Publisher: Marvel Comics

That’s it?!?

This issue presumably picks up from where the last issue left off–but I’m not 100%, because I have only gotten certain beats of this story, being a reader who took ’em at their word that one would be able to just buy the main series and get a full story.

The Wasp apparently was turned into some sort of biological weapon (wha? when?), and rather than see the action moving forward, we’re treated to an opening sequence that seems to be more of a time-jump, going from a current in-your-face event to “well, now that we’re DONE, what exactly HAPPENED out there, Guys?!?” retrospective. Though The Wasp (insert arbitrary long-standing character here) died, the Skrulls were defeated, and now that the Skrull Plot has been brought to light, let’s see those who can take the fall do so, to shake things up for yet. another. “new.” “status quo.

The art on this issue isn’t horrible, but there’s something to it that doesn’t quite seem what I’d expect from Yu. While his style worked very well for me when he was on Wolverine a number of years ago, his style here isn’t really to my liking–many of the characters look odd to me…something much different from the “gritty” style I liked. Still, the art mostly shows what’s going on, and characters are recognizeable, so no huge fault there. (You can flip through the issue and determine if you like the visual style or not, as it maintains a consistent style throughout).

The story…

Well, I’m not satisfied. I bought the first issue of the series to check it out, and despite knowing better, I was hooked and bought the second issue. At that point, I’d bought a quarter of the series, so figured I’d grudgingly give it a shot for a few more issues, just to see if I could be proven wrong…and with this “8th” and “final” issue (I use quotes there because frankly, it is absurd to believe you can read a “core mini-series” for a Marvel event and not have to buy the umpteen specials, mini-series and tie-in issues as the event went on, and there are even epilogue/follow-up Secret Invasion issues BEFORE we even launch into the new “event” hot on the heels of this year-long monstrosity.

This issue was choppy, and tried to cram way too much in–we had at least three issues that did virtually nothing and now we have an issue with everything but the kitchen sink crammed in almost more to set up the next story than to truly provide an ending to this story. We hit a cliffhanger, then get a couple pages of resolution (tack those pages into the previous issue, and call this an epilogue/transition).

If you’ve been following the series, sure….pick this issue up. If you’re looking for surprises…well, avoid anything Marvel-related until you read this in one format or another. I’m not interested in where things are going, and maybe am not the target audience.

Story: 3/10
Art: 5/10
Whole: 4/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2008, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, Secret Invasion, Secret Invasion (Event) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Batman #682 [Review]

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Walt

Batman: The Butler Did It

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Lee Garbett
Inker: Trevor Scott
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Asst. Editor: Janelle Siegel
Editor: Mike Marts
Cover: Alex Ross (variant by Tony Daniel)
Publisher: DC Comics

There’s not much to this issue, it seems. Bruce and Alfred have a conversation about his having chosen to become “a bat” and how events throughout his career have shaped who/what he is. We’re treated to images from throughout the Batman’s history, as if every Batman comic you’ve ever read has a place in the current Batman’s life.

The art by Garbett isn’t bad–it’s certainly a depature from the RIP arc, but it works well enough here. I don’t recognize the name, so am not sure if I’ve seen this artist’s work elsewhere, but in this issue, I have no problem with it in and of itself.

Story-wise, I feel rather lost and disappointed. RIP was vastly over-hyped, and where I expected some brilliant swerve that would serve to explain 2+ years’ worth of Batman stories in a satisfactory manner, I found the closing of that story anti-climactic. And a mere ONE week later to have the next issue and have no reference to RIP or any “death” of Batman is a letdown in itself. That I can hardly follow this issue’s narrative–I have read Batman for 19 1/2 years, comics for 20 years, and have delved even further back in my reading through the years–and this issue feels choppy and “trippy.” Is Bruce hallucinating? Is that what RIP was? Is this what he saw while drugged out by the Black Glove? Or is this Alfred’s recollection of events? If so, WHEN was this? Is this before or after RIP? Is someone musing to themselves, “talking” to Bruce, or is Bruce actually there?

Honestly, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend this issue. I almost feel suckered–after all, perhaps it’s important since it was rushed out THE VERY FIRST WEEK after RIP ended. If you’ve actually enjoyed the ending of RIP, perhaps you’ll enjoy this–perhaps you actualy “get” Mr. Morrison’s style here.

As for me…this is a trainwreck. I don’t want to look, but some part of me can’t help but look, and grouse at what I wind up seeing.

Story: 5/10
Art: 7/10
Whole: 6/10

Filed under: Batman, Comic Reviews 2008, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »