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Donald Duck and Friends #347 [Review]

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Walt

Doubleduck

Written by: Fausto Vitaliano
Art by: Andrea Freccero
Editor: Aaron Sparrow
Assistant Editor: Christopher Burns
Translator: Saida Temofonte
Letterer: Jose Macasocol Jr.
Cover A&B: Andrea Freccero
Designer: Erika Terriquez

I do believe that this is the first-ever “new” issue of a Donald Duck comic I’ve bought. I wasn’t really sure what to expect of this purchase, but after years of having to pass on Gemstone’s Duck comics for pricing, I wanted to pick this up to at least give it a look-see. As usua. I’m not thrilled at the use of variant covers, but at least both ‘regular’ covers were in stock on the lunch hour I used to visit the comic store, so I was afforded a choice between the two (hint: I went with the one you see with this review).

Glancing inside the issue, the interior art is vastly different from the cover art–the cover actually gives Donald an “edgy” sort of look, kinda like what you might expect of a comic called “Donald Duck Extreme.” The interior visuals seem rather soft and simplistic by comparison. However, while the art was really pretty “standard” I liked it. The characters seem to be depicted in what I imagine could be compared to the “house style” for the Archie characters; the “generic” style works well in keeping everyone recognizeable and I could almost visualize character “templates.” One character put me in mind of Herb from Darkwing Duck–I could hear that voice as I read the character’s word balloons.

The story itself is fairly ridiculous: Donald falls asleep at a James Pond movie, so Daisy gets upset and goes off with someone else for the rest of the night. Donald is recognized as “Double Duck,” and eventually comes to find himself with an unlikely situation–and a choice to make.

Though the potential for a lot more violence is there, things are really pretty toned down. This reminds me very much of what I’ve always enjoyed with a lot of the Disney characters, especially the classic “Disney Afternoon” shows: that simple, classic characters can be retooled into other roles that are interesting and yet maintain the essential “character” that draws you to ’em.

That “347” on the cover makes this feel like what it is: a leap into the depths of the lake to see how the water is there. It’s a first issue without all the trappings of a traditional debut issue; it’s simply a story per likely standard fare; the reader is assumed to be able to pick it up and enjoy it without it having to be some fresh start.

The story itself and the visual style with numerous panels on every page made for a much more satisfying read, with more story than many other comics these days hold.

This is the first of at least 2 parts, which is a little unfortunate–picking this issue up, one will need to invest in at least one more to complete the story. At the same time, this issue is enjoyable enough that I fully intend to snag the next issue to see where things go.

Recommended.

Story: 8/10
Art: 6/10
Whole: 7/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, Donald Duck and Friends (Boom! Kids), INDEPENDENT/SMALL-PRESS PUBLISHERS | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Stumptown #1 [Review]

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Walt

Written by: Greg Rucka
Illustrated by: Matthew Southworth
Colored by: Lee Loughridge
Design by: Keith Wood
Edited by: James Lucas Jones
Published by: Oni Press

This comic begins on some high action, much like many made-for-tv movies I recall from my youth…and from the initial climax we’re taken back to a day or so earlier where the story really begins, and follow events through to the opening pages, and then on to the rest of the issue’s story.

We’re introduced to Dex, a private investigator with a gambling issue. Having racked up plenty of debt, she’s offered a job that–rather than her being paid she’s to take in exchange for her gambling debt being forgiven. She’s sent to find the granddaughter of a powerful woman; and quickly discovers that there are other interested parties.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but figured it’s the first issue of a new series, so why not? I’d give it a look-see. I’m no fan of the $3.99 price point, but I found myself toward the later part of the issue turning each page expecting to see the first page of a lotta pages of ads. Yet, to my surprise, the story just kept right on going up to the 2nd to last page in the issue. So while this carries that $4 price, it’s a lengthy read, which is quite satisfying.

THe art has a very stylistic feel to it. The color and linework is a bit gritty, and there’s a lot of color shift for tone throughout the issue. Flipping through it, there are multiple page segments that have an overall blue tone or a green, or black and white, and what-have-you. I didn’t really notice it as I read, but this shifting played a nice role in setting scenes apart and setting the mood in each.

The character and her immediate supporting cast come across as fairly stereotypical and formulaic; the situation she finds herself in is also rather cliche.

But somehow, I don’t really have a problem with that. I was pulled into the story, and as with most things: a foundation must be put in place to build upon. This issue has the introduction to the characters and settings, and sure they’re generic right now–but I’m confident from past enjoyment of Rucka’s work that there’ll be more information in the next few issues to make these characters unique and move them beyond mere stereotype.

While I often use the comparison, this was like both a made for tv movie in structure…but works quite well as a pilot episode, introducing things, posing questions to the audience, and leaving me interested in what comes next.

If you like this sort of PI drama, or Rucka’s work, or the art, or any combination of those I highly recommend this. As-is on its own it’s a decent piece of work, worth the $4 cover price to check it out and decide your own feelings on the issue.

Story: 7.5/10
Art: 7.5/10
Whole: 8/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, INDEPENDENT/SMALL-PRESS PUBLISHERS, Stumptown (Oni Press) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Haunt #2 [Review]

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Walt

Co-creator/Writer: Robert Kirkman
Layouts: Greg Capullo
Pencils: Ryan Ottley
Co-creator/Inks: Todd McFarlane
Color: FCO Plascencia
Lettering: Richard Starkings/Comicraft
Cover/Variants Artists: Todd McFarlane, Ryan Ottley
Publisher: Image Comics

I’m actually enjoying this series. We’re only two issues in, and there’s still a lot of questions about the main characters, and I still have to look back into the issue to remember character names and such. But it’s a pot brewing a good deal of potentil to come.

The brothers from the previous issue must literally work together to stay alive and protect their friend–the dead brother takes control of their “merged” body and explains to the living brother that he can do what needs done, but needs to not be fought.

Father Kilgore–the surviving brother–is none to pleased at the current state of affairs and wants to be left out of things. As his brother makes clear, though, he’s already involved. They wind up fighting a mercenary who seems to almost be played for dark humour more than actual threat. Finally, the brothers–as “Haunt” (though I don’t think the name’s been given yet for their merged form) begin to move toward some answers, with a fairly cliche sort of cliffhanger.

As said, there’s a lot of potential here. Backstory to both of the brothers and their friend will be interesting to discover in coming issues. Seeing how the cliffhanger will likely add greatly to the status quo, and that development will be cool.

And whether the visual style and tone or something else, I can’t help but be reminded somehow of both Spawn and Spider-Man; though this character seems like he’s much more at home in a Spawn world, obviously. He could also almost work in an Invincible sort of world. (Though as yet, I don’t believe there’s anything to say this takes place in one, the other or either).

Taken as a whole, the writing and visuals make for an interesting issue, and I find myself intrested in and planning on pickin up the next issue to see how that one is.

For now, especially if you can still get ahold of the first issue, I recommend this for fans of McFarlane, Spawn, Kirkman, or Invincible…and casul fans somewhere in between.

Story: 6.5
Art: 8.5
Overall: 7.5

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, Haunt, Image | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Captain America: Reborn #4 [Review]

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Walt

By: Ed Brubaker, Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Covers: Hitch, Guice and Mounts; John Cassaday and Laura Martin, Joe Kubert and Laura Martin
Assoc. Editor: Jeanine Schaefer and Sankovitch
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I’m not 100% certain I bought/read issue 3 of this, offhand. Even if I not only read issue 3 but also reviewed it, I don’t at present recall issue 3. Despite that, it’s almost an irrelevant point as this issue finds Cap still bouncing through time, the Skull and crew still getting things assembled, and Cap’s allies still playing catch-up.

Skull and crew arrive in Latveria at invitation of Doctor Doom. Doom fixes their time device, while Cap’s allies are finding out what happened with Sharon and how she–and her blod–hold the key to what’s going on with Cap.

As Doom’s device is activated, things come to a bit of a head as a body is present, though all may not be quite as promising as it appears.

The art’s easily the best part of this story. Hitch draws a great Doctor Doom, and I found myself enjoying the visuals even as the story sped through its own pages. Brubaker’s done a great job overall with the Captain America saga. This series seems just a bit much, though, and something feels a bit “off” from what I enjoyed in reading the first omnibus and the 1.5-year saga following up on Steve’s death and Bucky’s installation as the new Cap.

If you’re specifically a fan of Brubaker’s work you’ll probably enjoy this; ditto if you’re a fan of Hitch’s art. If you’ve been following this mini thus far, probably worth finishing out the story. Otherwise, you’re probably just as well holding off for a collected volume.

Plus, with a collected volume…you won’t have two different titles for the same story (three, if we count the fact that this essentially IS the Captain America title right now, outright replacing the main title for its duration).

Story: 5.5
Art: 9
Overall: 7

Filed under: Captain America: Reborn, Comic Reviews 2009, MARVEL, Marvel Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Doom Patrol #4 [Review]

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Walt

Dead Reckoning; The Coming of…The Clique!

DOOM PATROL
Writer: Keith Giffen
Penciller: Justiniano
Inker: Livesay
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Colorist: Guy Major
Cover: Justiniano, Andrew Mangum, Guy Major
Associate Editor: Sean Ryan
Editor: Elisabeth V. Gehrlein

METAL MEN
Plot: Keith Giffen
Dialogue: J.M. Dematteis
Art: Kevin Maguire
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Associate Editor: Sean Ryan
Editor: Elisabeth V. Gehrlein

It took me 3 attempts to make it all the way through this issue. The first two, I got hung up in the main feature. At the third attempt I managed to get through the main feature, and then all the way through the co-feature with no trouble at all.

I’m not entirely sure what was going on in the main story. To my knowledge all the characters are new to me–none of them rang any bells for me. We’re introduced to a bunch of characters contextually, though to be honest–I’m not sure if those are characters that are part of the current book, or references to the previous incarnation of this title, or what.

But as standard in Blackest Night comics so far, we see dead rise to elicit emotional response from the living, the aim being to ripen a heart with strong emotion before the subject is killed to power up the Black Lanterns.

The art’s quite good, to keep it simple. Though I’m unfamiliar with the characters, there’s no trouble telling them apart nor in following the action. And nothing to the visual style gave me any pause to contemplate quality.

The story itself was not enjoyable for me. I was not interested in the concept of this Doom Patrol before, and I’m not now after reading this issue. That’s not to say the story itself is bad–it’s not–but it doesn’t appeal to me.

This reminds me a bit of my early days in reading X-Men comics: being entirely unfamiliar with the characters and having no real sense of continuity, who characters were, and so on. While the story structure seems good, it just doesn’t interest me. However, for sake of following the entire Blackest Night event, I still intend to pick up the next issue.

If Doom Patrol’s your thing, this’ll be well worthwhile I think. If not…it doesn’t seem like it’s going to–from this issue, at least–add much to the Blackest Night event. Moreso the other way around–the event’s inserting something into this title’s story.

The Metal Men co-feature has nothing to do with Blackest Night, and seems quite timeless. A group of “female” robots have been activated by an arrogant creator seeking to outdo Magnus’ Metal Men. These girlbots proclaim themselves The Clique, and stir up trouble that gets the Metal Men involved (though they were quite happy enough to begin with, shopping with Magnus for a birthday present to give Tina–aka Platinum.)

I’m somewhat familiar with Magnus from 52, as well as the Metal Men from same as well as elsewhere around the DCU. They’re hardly my favorite characters; basically a take ’em or leave ’em situation. However, something about this story kept a sense of fun about things with some goofiness and the fantastic.

I was more engaged by this story than the Doom Patrol, and while I find The Clique to be a stupid/stereotypical element, it still works overall.

As a whole, I’m not entirely satisfied with the purchase as just a comic. In addition to simply being a Blackest Night crossover issue–the first tie-in of the event that’s not a Green Lantern book or mini-series–this issue is the first of several that are part of DC’s “ring promotion,” wherein retailers could order a bag of rings for every X number of copies of this issue they ordered. This issue came with a Yellow Ring. My inner fanboy was almost giddy at receiving the ring at no additonal cost–and for sheer enjoyment of starting a collection of the colored rings, this issue was more than worth its cover price to me.

Doom Patrol
Story: 4/10
Art: 7/10

Metal Men
Story: 6/10
Art: 7/10

Whole: 6/10

Filed under: Blackest Night (Event), Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, Doom Patrol | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

World’s Finest (2009) #1 [Review]

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Walt

World’s Finest Book One: Nightwing & Red Robin

Writer: Sterling Gates
Penciller: Julian Lopez
Inker: Bit
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Assistant Editor: Harvey Richards
Associate Editor: Sean Ryan
Editors: Elisabeth V. Gehrlein & Michael Siglain
Cover: Phil Noto
Publisher: DC Comics

Granted, Tim Drake/Wayne lives in a world of the fantastic, where men and women with powers and abilities beyond those of Mortal Man abound. But in the half-year of comics (presumably far, far less than 6 months’ in-continuity time), this is AT LEAST the second time he’s up and jetted back home for one crisis (Black Lanterns) or another (helping Chris Kent in this issue). Seems somehow a bit disjointed to me.

This issue sees Red Robin dealing with a motorcycle gang, with a last-minute assist from who he assumes to be Connor (Superboy), but turns out to be Chris (Nightwing). Chris convinces Tim to return with him to Gotham to free Flamebird from Penguin’s captivity. The two have to work together to deal with this foe, who is aided by the Kryptonite Man (I do long for the days when Kryptonite was rare and precious commodity in the DCU!).

This is but the first issue of four, spotlighting interactions between the various characters that make up the “Superman family” and the “Batman family.” It’s a bit early (too soon, really) to know for sure where the overall story is going to go. As-is, I can’t help but wonder if this will read more as a series of one-shots than a single direct narrative.

The writing itself is quite solid, though–Gates seems to have a good feel for the characters of BOTH “families,” within the current status quo (though it’s beginning to seem like Flamebird and Nightwing are spending almost as much time being knocked out and one, the other or both being taken prisoner as Adam West and Burt Ward’s Batman and Robin did in the 60s tv show!)

The art’s good stuff here, and captures much of the feel of the characters involved as I’d tend to expect them based on reading them in their respective series of late. I do like the art, and find it a good fit for these characters in and of itself. Really no complaint there.

Since World’s Finest is here purpoted to be a mini-series–and thus one should be able to assume self-contained to the mini’s run–this would seem to be a good point to jump aboard and get a look at the various characters in the status quo of late, without having to invest in multiple lengthy, over-arching stories. Just four issues, peek in, get a feel, and go from there.

Based on that, this is worth giving a look-see. The creative team is strong, and we are given a glimpse at the potential held in bringin the characters from both “families” together. In some ways, this might just be “Superman/Batman Lite,” teaming the characters up without hijacking the individual titles.r

Story: 6/10
Art: 8.5/10
Whole: 7/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, World's Finest | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Superman #693 [Review]

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Walt

7734

Writer: James Robinson
Penciller: Fernando Dagnino
Inker: Raul Fernandez
Colorist: Blond
Letterer: John J. Hill
Asst. Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Cover: Cafu, Santiago Arcas
Publisher: DC Comics

There’s a tone about the Superman family of titles lately. A lot of it’s visual–or at least, the visual that is associated with the unfolding story. More and more, I find my surface opinion, my initial thoughts toward these books colored by a disinclination TO like them in the first place. DC set out to do something that would drastically affect the feel or tone of the Superman books, and in that, they’ve succeeded. Whatever my feelings about the individual writers and/or artists, I’m beginning to feel like it’s a bit of a chore, following the main books.

This issue sees General Lane confronting Mon-El, trying to recruit him into the group made up of Metallo, Major Force, the Parasite, some magical character newly-introduced, and Atlas. When a plan to rebel is executed, a more “human” (or would that be “humane”?) side of General Lane is seen, with words exchanged between the two (and an editorial note indicating that Adventure Comics #2 takes place between the pages of this issue).

I have to admit I’m gladdened at the tighter continuity in the Superman books; the fact that while it’s not the same sort of direct continuation we had for over a decade with the triangle-numbering we’re still getting a larger well-connected narrative. At the same time, there’s a lot that I’m just not buying into. Chief among these elements is the “ressurrection” or “retcon” of General Lane’s being alive now, after the character’s fitting end in Our Worlds at War a few years ago. Though we see some of his human-ness here in this issue, it doesn’t do much to round him out, make him more than a caricature at present. To a large degree, this reads as “What If… General “Thunderbolt” Ross opposed Superman instead of The Hulk?” And while there’s no overt reign of darkness, the gathering of these “supervillains” as a military unit/black ops squad just reads as fairly ridiculous.

The art of the issue is not bad–it’s got its own style that sets it apart quite distinctly from others, and maintains a definite consistency with prior art teams on this book. While it admittedly not bad art by any means…the style just is not to my liking, which continues to taint the story as I have a hard time really getting into it, for noticing the art. If the visual style doesn’t bother you, or you’re a fan of the specific style, it may well be a great selling point. To the creative credit, I found myself quite surprised to discover that the creator credits on this issue seem to match those of the previous issue: something that seems quite rare in contemporary times, and as such, worth noting toward the positive.

This issue’s cliffhanger felt entirely out of nowhere–after an issue full of Mon-El dealing with Lane and 7734, we’re suddenly taken back to Metropolis and the Guardian leading the Science Police to engage the randomly-just-now-showed-up character likely to be the focus of the next issue. (We couldn’t get another couple pages of of Mon-El dealing with his place in the current status quo and end on that sort of note, with these last couple pages serving as a jumping-right-into-the-story kickoff for the next issue?)

Whatever the case, I find that it is presently the recollection of the last couple times I’ve tried to drop the Superman books that keeps me coming back–the idea that since it’s gotten GOOD within about 6 issues of my dropping the titles, hopefully I have but to wait out a few more issues.

As-is, if you’re not particularly invested in the current status quo flowing through the Superman books, this issue’s probably going to do nothing to “sell” you on the status quo nor to hook you into this title, to say nothing of the whole family of books.

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

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, Superman, World Without Superman (event) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Superman: Secret Origin #2 [Review]

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Walt

The Boy of Steel

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Assoc. Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Covers: Frank w/ Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics

The silver age is apparently back. This issue–while including smaller moments of Clark and his parents, and of Luthor and his own life, as well as some of LUthor’s interaction with Clark (establishing them as acquaintances if not exactly best buds)–primarily focuses on the Legion of Super-Heroes and their first meeting with Clark, and allowing him to tag along “back to the future” with them. While in the future, recently-introduced elements (I believe from Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes) are established as being present from the get-go of things. It’s also pretty easy to fit the original silver age story of the characters’ first meeting between the pages here. The issue’s finale introduces another character whose presence means the current Superman is all the more NOT the character I grew up on.

The story itself isn’t bad–Johns has a great handle on things. However, I’ve bristled for years now at elements being “snuck” back into the Superman mythos that I’ve thought make him too much “super” and not enough “man” and this story really puts aside any sneaking and is quite overt at putting things back into the mythos. At the same time, I imagine that going back to re-read Superman and the Legion will reveal references to what is shown in these pages.

I’ve been curious as to exactly what is and is not official cannon in the Superman books of late, so I’m glad to see his secret-since-Infinite-Crisis origin revealed at last. The execution seems to be working quite well, even if I don’t like the content all that much.

The art team provides fantastic visuals. Even Clark as “Superboy” comes across as pretty realistic–he looks rather awkward in the costume and it’s easy to see that he’s not entirely comfortable in it yet. At this point, Frank is pretty much my favorite Superman artist, and very certainly in the ranks of Dan Jurgens, Jim Lee, and Alex Ross.

Again, while far from enamored at the undoing of so much of the Superman I grew up with from 1989 to present…I can’t deny that in and of itself, the story and art are both of high quality, and taken apart from my preferred continuity, this issue has some of the best Superman work of the last decade.

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

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, Superman: Secret Origin | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Blackest Night: Titans #3 [Review]

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Walt

“When Doves Cry”

Written by: J. J. Krul
Art: Ed Benes
Inks: Scott Williams & Ed Benes
Colors: Hi-Fi Design
Letters: Rob Clark Jr.
Assoc. Editor: Adam Schlagman
Asst. Editor: Rex Ogle
Editors: Eddie Berganza & Brian Cunningham
Cover: Benes, Rob Hunter, & Rod Reis (variant by George Perez)
Publisher: DC Comics

In a way, when you get right down to it, there isn’t a whole lot to describe for this issue. The various Titans continue to deal with their respective Black Lanterns, who are dredging up some very specific and painful emotional reactions from the living heroes. However, as we see the Black Lantern Hawks accosting Dove, we witness an interesting reaction that is likely to play a key role in upcoming chapters of the Blackest Night event.

As a mini-series–as with the Batman and Superman ones that also ended this month–this doesn’t have a very satisfying conclusion, as we’re basically left with a lead-in to these characters joining the bigger party of the event now that their “foundation” and “connection” to the overall story has been established. While the incursion of the Black Lanterns was saved for the actual kickoff of the event with Blackest Night #1, this first wave of minis seem like they would have been better-served as either prologues, or triple-sized one-shots, to launch the respective characters into the event as a whole.

Despite that, as a reader not steeped in Titans knowledge nor invested in the ongoing series, it’s great to have a series that is reasonably accessible to chronicle the characters’ involvement in the event without having to have ongoing plots in the main book competing with the story elements of the event I’m following.

Donna Troy is forced to face her dead husband and child, and must overcome what her eyes tell her to act based on actual knowledge. Beast Boy faces the same challenge with his lost love, and has some self-realization in handling things. Dove (who seems to be the same character I recall being killed in Armageddon 2001 almost 20 years ago) is in a similar predicament as then, but doubled.

The visuals are very well-done, and really accentuate the story itself. The “big moment” of the issue with Dove is something that would not come off the same way with bad visual work. There’s also a bit at the end of the issue that really illustrates the way story and visuals work together in a comic in a way that isn’t possible with the same subtlety in a prose work.

As the final issue of a 3-issue arc, I don’t recommend this issue unless you can snag the first two; but taken with those first two and as its own story tied to Blackest Night, this is well worth your while. I suspect the older Titans fans more familiar with the characters and their history will appreciate things more; but for me, this has exposed me to characters I haven’t had much exposure to in awhile–if at all, and has put down groundwork for me to care about their involvement if they continue to play much of a role in Blackest Night.

Story: 7.5/10
Art: 8.5/10
Whole: 8/10

Filed under: Blackest Night (Event), Blackest Night: Titans, Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth #4 [Review]

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Walt

Writer: Victor Gischler
Pencils: Bong Dazo
Inks: Jose Pimentel
Colors: Matt Milla
Letters: Jeff Eckleberry
Production: Rev. Paul Acerios
Asst Editor: Sebastian Girner
Editor: Axel Alonso
Cover: Arthur Suydam
Publisher: Marvel Comcis

Though not what I’d typical consider my usual fare for comics…there’s something about the over-the-top situation and visuals the character winds up in that just makes this a fun read. Though the story takes place pretty much in context of a current Marvel Universe, it sits on an edge just slightly off from most of the other books.

Whether it’s something outrageous like a zombie Tyrannosaur, to the cheesecake Dr. Betty, to the wisecracking Deadpool himself, this story takes established characters and concepts (AIM, Hydra, etc.) and sets them just on the other side of “fantastic” from “comic book realistic.”

The cover scheme for this book has also been fun–rather than just another logo or standard cover design, the title’s been presented in different fonts, as the covers have been “Deadpool-ization” of other classic images in our popular culture (much the same way Suydam’s original Marvel Zombies covers were “zombified” takes on classic Marvel covers. Even the intro/recap page for this title has been fun, changing things up a bit.

We continue following Deadpool, Dr. Betty, and zombie-Deadpool’s head as AIM and Hydra vie for the “bioweapon” the head represents by way of the zombie virus. One needn’t even be all that familiar with these fictional organizations…just that both involve loads of generic footsoldiers, goofy costumes, and all that…with the smarter folks at the head of the organization. Deadpool deals with the zombified Tyrannosaur, and has what I consider a classic slapstick sorta response in one panel that put me immediately in mind of old cartoons I used to watch as a kid. It was predictable, I totally saw it coming…and while predictable isn’t always good, it felt just right as it was used here.

The issue’s art has a nice balance wherein it’s not terribly realistic (too much realism would totally spoil the feel of the story) and yet it avoids feeling too “cartooney.” The art seems a great fit for the story…and the way Deadpool saw the Tyrannosaur was quite amusing.

The cover is labeled with a “parental advisory,” for good reason. The violence and gore, and PG-13 clothing on Dr. Betty, and a bit of coarse language certainly make this something to avoid providing to the younger crowd.

I have near-zero interest in any of the rest of the Marvel Universe these days…but this little “family” of titles focusing on Deadpool have been reminding me that it’s not the characters or the universe that disinterests me as much as a lack of genuinely enjoyable and amusing stories.

While the main Deadpool title has been very good, this just carries a different level of fun and adventure that makes it my favorite of the two titles…at least for now. (And it remains to be seen how Deadpool Team-Up will hold against the main title and this one).

You don’t need to be reading any other titles to follow what’s going on here–you don’t even have to be following the main Deadpool title. That has its story rooted within current Marvel Event Continuity, while this title has its own self-contained story set in the Marvel Universe but not hampered by the ongoing Event Continuity.

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

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth, MARVEL, Marvel Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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