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Deathblow (2006 series) #1 [Review]

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Walt

Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: And Then You Live! (Part One)

A new start for the man code-named Deathblow…

deathblow001Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Carlos D’anda
Colors: Carrie Strachan
Letters: Rob Leigh
Asst. Editor: Kristy Quinn
Editors: Ben Abernathy and Scott Peterson
Cover Art: Carlos D’anda, variant by Stephen Platt
Publisher: Wildstorm/DC Comics

This issue has a mix of stuff to it, with a good pacing. We open with the reader apparently being addressed, before we discover we’re seeing things through the eyes of someone being tortured, before flipping to the discussion of a rescue operation, then the rescue operation itself. We’re introduced to the main character, and are left at the issue’s conclusion with a glimpse of what may be to come, as the status quo we’re led to believe is shifted into place isn’t what we–or the title character–thought.

The writing here is good. Before this issue, pretty much the entirety of what I knew of the character or concept, even, of Deathblow was what can be found in Jim Lee‘s "The Stormfront" column in this past month’s Worldstorm books. However, there’s enough here that while there may be an initial sense of genericy, we are not only introduced to the title character in this debut issue, but early enough on that events transpire after his introduction, (which then lead into the issue’s cliffhanger). The art has a gritty edge to it, and with the coloring, a subtle darkness that gives a visual impression of just how un-pretty things are here, story-wise.

As a debut issue, this has a good amount going for it. We get some background that sets up what’s going on here, now, in the present, that leads to the introduction of this Deathblow character. (The fact that the title character actually shows up is a definite plus.) We are introduced to the character in such a way that accounts for (apparently) events that came in the earlier volume of the title (pre-Worldstorm) and presumably gives an extra depth for readers familiar with the character from way-back-when…but it works equally as well in setting the character up for those (like myself) coming in cold.

I didn’t have much of any expectation coming in beyond the usual one would expect of any comic. I’m not absolutely wowed or amazed at the book…but I find in it a solid start with plenty of potential, and I’m willing to give it a go, see how stuff develops.

I’m sure you could find better, but there’s plenty worse out there. As a debut/first issue, this is a good point to jump on and check things out. If you’ve $3 to spare, it probably couldn’t hurt too much.

Ratings:

Story: 3.5/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Filed under: Classic Reviews, DC, Deathblow (2006 series), Wildstorm | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Booster Gold #14 [Review]

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Walt

Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: Stars in Your Eyes, Part 2

Booster and a questionable ally seek the point in time at which to stop the Starro infestation before the whole of Time can be infected…a feat that may have a large cost to accomplish.

boostergold014Writer: Rick Remender
Penciller: Pat Olliffe
Inker: Jerry Ordway
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Asst. Editor: Harvey Richards
Editor: Michael Siglain
Cover: Chris Batista and Mick Gray
Publisher: DC Comics

This issue begins with a Booster Gold trapped in a sea of malevolent starfish intent upon taking control of the hero. Showing some smarts some don’t credit him with, Booster quickly escapes, but finds that his challenge might just be insurmountable–Starro has (through Rip Hunter) gained access to the Timestream itself and is taking over, eradicating from existence anything and anyone who might be able to stop him. Finding an unexpected ally, striking a (figurative) deal with a lesser of the two evils, and utilizing access to the Timestream, Booster fights back, risking not only his life but the whole of free-thinking reality to try to save Rip Hunter and set time right.

While certainly not my favorite Booster story, this issue certainly wades in deep with the sort of adventure the "All-New" (as opposed to "Pre-Infinite Crisis") Booster Gold is meant for. The story has some decent moments, characters are believable (even if I didn’t know before who a certain villain was prior), and shows that while maintaining an ongoing story it is very possible to have stories done in less than six chapters. This is a solid story, and well worthwhile for Booster Gold fans (or fans of Starro).

The art is of strong quality. I have no real complaint with it, as characters are all unrecognizable and distinct, there’s a good amount of detail (especially if you look closely at points), and the story comes across nothing but enhanced by the visuals. A panel on the last page in particular–while perhaps not entirely true to that character–almost made me laugh as my mind fills in the blanks from what we’re shown.

I’m sure you could find issues better than this within this series and others. But honestly? You could do so much worse than this issue. If you can find the previous issue to go with this, I recommend snaggin’ both for a good, simple two-issue read.

Ratings:

Story: 3.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Filed under: Booster Gold, Classic Reviews, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Booster Gold #13 [Review]

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Walt

Quick Rating: Not Bad
Story Title: Stars in Your Eyes, Part I

Booster & Michelle vs. Starro-Rip in a battle with huge consequences.

boostergold013Written by: Rick Remender
Pencils: Pat Olliffe
Inks: Jerry Ordway
Colors by: Hi-Fi
Letters by: Sal Cipriano
Asst. Editor: Harvey Richards
Editor: Michael Siglain
Cover by: Chris Batista & Mick Gray
Publisher: DC Comics

We open this issue with an image of Superman being punched to the ground, as Booster and his sister move in to save a life Superman (would have been) unable to save. Booster explains why they can’t just save everybody, and the two return to Rip’s lab, only to find Hunter with a starfish…er…Starro Spore hugging his face. The possessed Rip heads into the timestream, and it quickly becomes apparent that Starro has taken over Everything. Booster and Michelle head into the timestream themselves, set on preventing Starro’s takeover. The two find out how the Starro Spore came into contact with Rip, as well as just what it means to face a world that Starro has conquered…and Starro reveals something rather personal to Booster.

This feels like a pretty "standard" sort of issue for this title. The story fits the characters: we have an opening that showcases Booster & Michelle in action doing their time-travel set-things-right-one-life-at-a-time thing. We’re then introduced to the beginning of the primary story, and thrown into the action. This is what Booster’s supposed to be doing, at least as the premise of this title as set up over a year ago, so no problems there. On the whole, this feels like an issue of Booster Gold, the Greatest Hero You’ve Never Heard Of.

The art’s good, as well–no real complaint there. It’s not quite a match for Jurgens‘ art…but it’s darned close, and having had a few weeks since reading my last issue and not thinking about it going in, the difference was not particularly noticeable–which I feel is a good thing. Visually, this book certainly holds its own in terms of definite quality. I also have to give it credit for consistency, as I did not once think to myself anything or anyone looked funny or out of the ordinary.

On the whole, though, this feels like a so-so issue. It’s good, don’t get me wrong–but it’s not quite up to what I’ve come to expect of this title. There weren’t any scenes that made me smile, or wax nostalgic, or any of those things that have made so many of the other issues such great reads. Though I’m familiar with the existence of Starro, the character is not a character I’m all that familiar with in particular. Nor am I at all interested in the character. Having such a character as the villain of the piece lessens my emotional investment in the story–as does knowing that this is only a two or three part story, and then I believe Jurgens returns to do both story and art…which leaves me very confident not much of consequence will happen in this story (except perhaps Booster figuring out what was revealed to the readers at the close of Johns‘ tenure on the book).

I certainly will not recommend against this issue…but it’s not an example of what’s made me so enjoy the previous issues thus far.

Ratings:

Story: 2.5/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5

Filed under: Booster Gold, Classic Reviews, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Favorites of Walt: The Comic Shops #0

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Walt

favoritesofwaltcomicshopslogo

When I was introduced to comics in late 1988 and early 1989–ages 7/8–comics were found in a pretty fancy spinning thing at Waldenbooks at the local mall, or in a "traditional" wire spinner rack at Finast (later became Tops), the local grocery store. My grandfather and uncle could get comics at a local drug store, and Kmart occasionally had bags of comics. Hills, a local department store, also occasionally had shrink-wrapped 3-packs of comics.

A couple years later, I discovered a mail-order company that specialized in comics. I’d receive their monthly catalogs: Entertainment This Month, where one could pre-order new/upcoming comics. And American Entertainment, where a select quantity of particular comics was available at marked-up prices.

Back then, I loved getting to stop in Waldenbooks to look for new Superman and/or Batman comics. Sometimes I got a couple issues with consecutive numbering…but in many cases, I’d be missing a "middle" issue. It was just an accepted thing. There just weren’t other outlets for finding those missed issues. Frankly, I don’t think I even fully noticed that. I mean…I was only vaguely aware that Robin had died–and I got that from The Mud Pack chapter 3, where Batman’s confronted on the cover by a ghostly image of Robin, and the story had him referring to Robin being dead. And I wasn’t even sure what was going on with Superman–he was in space and needed some sort of breathing apparatus, while someone was struggling with who they were on Earth and became Clark Kent.

One of my friends was also "into" comics at the time, with a similar background. During the summer of 1992, he’d obtained a Superman #1 comic, and it was really thick. It was about some guy possessing people, starting an even bigger story. Turned out it was Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #1, part of the Eclipso: The Darkness Within crossover.

There was a store in the same mini-plaza where his mom took him for a haircut that sold comics. Like…the store itself was basically selling nothing but comics, and some sports cards and such. It was a comic store. Which was quite the amazing concept to me at the time. Who ever heard of a store that only sold comics and the like?

I was 11 at that point, and was standing on the edge of a whole new world…a world I live in to this day, despite all the twists and changes and events that have happened since then. But it seems most probable that it was my introduction to the Direct Market, to comic shops, that took what I often imagine my parents figured for a casual hobby and turned it into a regular part of my life, that has in one way or another informed much of my life for the last couple decades.

Over the next several weeks, I intend to share a series of short posts about the various comic stores that have been any significant–or at least, a repeated–part of my life. Some are still around, others are long gone.

This weekly journey begins Friday, February 4th with Capp’s Comics…my first comic shop.

Filed under: Favorites of Walt, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Comic Shops | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Infestation #1 [Review]

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Walt


Full review posted to cxPulp.com.

 

Story: 3.5/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Filed under: cxPulp.com, INDEPENDENT/SMALL-PRESS PUBLISHERS, Infestation, Infestation (IDW) [event] | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Bargain-bin goodies

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Walt

silversurferbargainbin20110119 Though I don’t get to go to many conventions, my local comic shop treats me remarkably well…and I’m quite spoiled, I think, when it comes to regular access to great stuff in a bargain bin.

Take this, for example.

This week, for less than the price of any one of many of Marvel’s current books…I scored Silver Surfer #s 1-12, 15, and Annual #1.

Not bad at all, I must say.

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Change, potential change…fiction vs. real life

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Walt

multiverseinfiniteearths One of the great things about comics is the ability to follow these characters through short OR long periods of their lives. We’re always following them through all these huge changes. Loss of loved ones, of jobs, of homes, of lives. They’re in constant upheaval.

People come and go in their lives. Peter loses a wife or a girlfriend or a best friend. Clark faces the fact that a childhood friend wants more of him than he can give. Bruce sees his son grow up and leave his shadow. Hal loses an entire city.  So many others.

But life–real life–doesn’t move so quickly. We can follow a person’s life for years, generations even, in the realm of fiction. "Here comes tomorrow." Stories of time travel–to the past or future. Glimpses of what may be–or what might have been.

Real life–that can only be experienced in real-time. Now-time.

I’ve read comics for most of my life–and all of my adult life.

But for all outward appearances–whether it’s really me, myself…or a front I may (or may not) subconsciously put forth…

There’s no denying the difference, that which is found between fiction and reality.

Sure, one could lose one’s self within the realms of fiction–outright abandoning of reality. Or one can marvel in it, find a great deal within the realms of fiction–and in so doing, learn more about one’s self, that which is truly real.

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Collected volume pricing

Posted on December 12, 2010 by Walt

Disparate Pricing

marvelbooks20101211 While collected volumes of comics are priced based on their contents…I’m finding more and more lately that paper quality and format lend a different sort of visual perception to the mix.

Take The Heroic Age TPB. $24.99…yet, it’s about twice as thick as the $14.99 Deadpool: Secret Invasion volume. Twice the size, but $5 less than twice the price.

Compare that to Deadpool Classic vol. 1: The Heroic Age…roughly the same thickness is $24.99…yet Deadpool Classic is $29.99–$5 more.

hardvssoft Looking at Deadpool & Cable, there’s a similar thickness—a little more to it than the Classic volume, granted—but it’s $39.99…a $10 difference for not a lot of difference in size.

Those have different contents, though, by several issues at least. Bringing a hardcover into the mix…look at the Invincible Iron Man by Fraction and Larrocca vol. 1 OVERSIZED hardcover. 19 issues in this volume for $39.99…and 18 issues in Deadpool & Cable…which is a paperback, but also carrying that $39.99 price.

With all interests in characters/series (and consideration of quality) being equal…The Iron Man volume would seem to be a much better value for number of issues’ content and physical size/format for the price.

Of course, I do know there are reasons (which may not come to me off the top of my head or that I—in terms of simply purchasing books—don’t even care about) for the varying prices. Print runs, quality of paper, creator royalties, projected profits, and who knows what all.

While I lack a photo at present for the visual…another point of interest are the Vertigo $4.99 TPBs that collect the first issue of many of their popular series. (Additionally, Top Cow recently put out a $4.99 volume with the first issue of several of their soon-to-debut series). Of course, it’s a much different thing to have an “anthology” type volume with a single chapter from multiple series. These serve more as samplers, as opposed to a volume that collects an entire story.

Though Top Cow has recently hooked me with their bargain-priced premiere volumes of Witchblade, Witchblade: Redemption, and The Darkness, collecting an entire arc (5-6 issues) of each for only $4.99. That’s 4-5 “extra” issues compared to the $3.99 single-issue pricepoint of far too many comics out there these days.

Disparate Trade Dress/Editions

variededitions

On a much different note, but dealing with thick volumes and a little with pricing (getting more expensive through the years for successive reprints of the same content/volumes)…Knightfall, and Essentials.

I have all three Knightfall volumes…but each is a different printing. Vol. 1 is the original printing from the mid-1990s. Vol. 2 is from the later printing…maybe early 2000s or late-1990s. And the third volume is from the last few years, whenever it was reprinted after DC changed to their present version of the DC “star” and trade-dress.

The Essential Uncanny X-Men vol. 1 I bought the week before I went off to college, back in August 1999. After the Essentials’ trade dress was revamped, they continued reprinting those earliest X-men issues as Essential Classic X-Men, but numbered the volume as 2, picking up from Essential Uncanny. And finally, under the newest revamp of the trade dress (AND pricing), they put out a 3rd volume.

While the price that I paid was right—I got vols. 2 and 3 of both sets for at least half-off—I’m the sort of person who likes it when a series actually looks like it goes together…whether first editions, second prints, or 10th-print and beyond.

On The Shelf

dragonlanceshelfActually looking like a single series, my Weis/Hickman Dragonlance volumes sit together on a shelf. Ultimately, this is an ongoing series of core characters by these authors. The books all go together, and in this particular edition, they look like it.

Most of these books have seen numerous different editions in paperback with successive printings and even different publishers. Dragons of Autumn Twilight was originally published in the mid-1980s, while Dragons of the Dwarven Depths wasn’t published until about 20 years later.

I don’t collect books—or comics, or collected volumes/TPBs/graphic novels/whatever for value.

But I am very much a collector in wanting to read the stories (I prefer bookshelf editions to single issues these days, given choice and feasibility) and enjoying when the volumes that I get look good together, on the shelf.

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

A week of no comics

Posted on October 3, 2010 by Walt

I honestly don’t offhand recall the last time this happened.

Oh, there were new comics this week–except for that week last December that Diamond took a break, there’ve been new comics out every week as far back as I can recall while being aware of the direct market system.

But this past week (September 29, to be exact) the only comic I would’ve been picking up was the new issue of The Savage Dragon. And as I didn’t plan to review it for cxPulp.com (formerly comixtreme.com), and it’d be the only issue I’d be buying, and it’s a “rent paycheck week” where my budget’s rather tight…I decided to do something I haven’t done in ages.

I skipped the weekly comic shop trip.

It’s a bit easier, as the issue is on my pull list, so will be waiting for me next time I do go to the shop.

But what I also find interesting is that part of me is hoping the coming week will be another such week. Wondering if I have it in me to skip two weeks.

Part of it is made easier by the fact that over the past couple months, I’ve taken up miniatures painting, with a focus on WARMACHINE from Privateer Press. I don’t know how into the game itself I’m going to get, but after GenCon 2010, I made a pretty quick and hefty investment into paints, supplies, and so on, and got right into priming my miniatures, and then about a month ago and after a “practice” generic Reaper miniature (Death Knight), I began painting my first WARMACHINE miniature–a Khadoran Iron Fang Pikeman.

This weekend, I finished my 6th, 7th, and 8th Pikemen, which completes my first generic “unit” for a miniatures game.

I also–in essentially one sitting (with breaks for nature’s call, brunch, and a cat who decided he wanted to see what was holding so much of my attention) painted a character mini–the Butcher of Khardov.

Perhaps I’ll post some photos soon.

And depending on what’s shipping this week…maybe it’ll be worth going to the comic store?

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Pull lists

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Walt

For the first time since I was a teenager, I have started an actual pull list.

Back then, when I was heading off to college and knew I wouldn’t have regular access to a comic shop, it was Capp’s Comics, in Mentor, OH. I’d been going to the shop for over 7 years at that point, and it was a simple matter. Gave my list to the owner, and he pulled those titles for me, and periodically I would get a phone call telling me it was time to come in an pick up my books.

I had that pull list/box for several years…truthfully, I don’t remember now if I ever specifically pulled the plug, or if that one went out of existence during the 7 or so months from when I moved out on my own for the first time a few months after graduation and didn’t make it back in to visit the shop. (It was also during this time that I would occasionally mail-order some comics…which got me on an email list that led to my being a reviewer over at Comixtreme).

A few years back, I started a single-title pull list at my then-main LCS for The Thing. The title was struggling, and there was a push to support it, and I was convinced to try the book. By adding the title to one’s pull list, arguably, one was showing one’s support….the comic shop would know they’d have a “guaranteed sale” and order at least that many more copies, if not that “plus one” for the shelf. (Two months later, the book WAS cancelled, and with it, my pull list faded to nothingness).

A couple years ago, after growing ever more frustrated at only being able to get issues of Tales of the TMNT when I visited a friend in Michigan and went to his LCS or ordering online…it dawned on me. Just start a pull list for the TMNT books. My comic shop may not order the title for the shelf, but there was no problem with ordering a copy for a specific customer.

So for the last couple years, Tales of the TMNT and related TMNT books were ordered and kept for me, and all was good.

A couple months ago, I discovered that my LCS was only getting 1 copy of any given Boom! Kids title–the singles don’t sell well, though the collections do. So I re-opened my pull list for Darkwing Duck and Uncle Scrooge. Yet, at only two titles, and buying a number of other titles, I never truly considered that–nor the TMNT stuff–a real, actual pull list.

I’ve been planning for weeks now to throw in with this LCS I’ve been going to for nearly 3 years now. One reason or another kept putting me off as I procrastinated. I knew I was forgetting a title, and wanted to turn in a complete pull list. This, That, Whatever.

Even this afternoon, as I took an early lunch to make it to the LCS shortly after 1 while most of the comics would still be on the shelf…I realized how “old” it’s gotten, wondering if a book I was interested in would still be there. Calling across town to another shop if something was, and stopping in there, an added side-trip. Both possibly being out, and having to hope that yet another store in my OLD stomping grounds had something still in stock on Friday.

So today, after work, I swung by the comic shop for the 3rd time in 2 days (they’re closed on Tuesdays? I never GO on Tuesdays, so I did not recall that little factoid…and this afternoon I forgot my list when I took an early lunch and left my book with the list tucked into it on my desk at work).

The owner took a quick look at my list–possibly surprised at my organization (for good or ill, I’m not sure), and commented that yeah, he’d better start pulling these, as they’re books he orders pretty light on. As I left, he said he’d be pulling these for me moving forward, and I thanked him, and was on my way.

Excepting the obvious…the comics (and a magazine) that I’m getting are all now being pulled at this LCS…now officially–more than ever–my HOME comic shop. The pull list–full, actual, real–now renders any other comic shop that of “other” or “backup.”

And y’know what?

It’s kinda cool having a “home” comic shop once more.
—————————-

ARCHIE COMICS
– Life with Archie: The Married Life

BOOM STUDIOS
– Darkwing Duck
– Uncle Scrooge

DARK HORSE COMICS
– Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom
– Magnus, Robot Fighter
– Usagi Yojimbo

IDW COMICS
– GI Joe: A Real American Hero

IMAGE COMICS
– Invincible
– Savage Dragon

MARVEL COMICS
– Invincible Iron Man
– X-Men

PRIVATEER PRESS
– No Quarter Magazine

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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