Amazing Spider-Man #547 — Writer: Dan Slott; Penciler: Steve McNiven; Inker: Dexter Vines
This continues to be better than I suspect we all wanted it to be (given the events that got us here), because McNiven can deliver clean, precise art that’s effective at both the faces and the action sequences, and Slott’s able to nail the combination of humor, lovable-loserness and sense of responsibility that makes Peter Parker work (his various reactions to JJJ’s medical problem are all exactly right). I’d still argue that nothing here wouldn’t have worked just as well with Mary Jane, but hey, at least it’s a quality (if retro) read, and if I were a new (or former) fan attracted by all the publicity and picked it up, I’d be amused and entertained by it.
Grendel: Behold the Devil #3 ( 0f 8 ) — Writer/Artist: Matt Wagner
Starting out with a splashy fight between Grendel and Argent, and then near the end the reporter guy adds a few clues together and comes to a conclusion that’s likely to shorten his life expectancy considerably (he knows it, too, and the art’s good enough to communicate that). Wagner continues to deliver a polished, sophisticated story that’s both entertaining and technically impressive.
DMZ #27 — Writer: Brian Wood; Artist: Nathan Fox
A stand-alone story, focusing on characters other than the main ones (the ending wouldn’t have the force it does otherwise), as a DJ in the middle of the DMZ gets encouraged to stand up and do the right thing. Fox, as guest artist, is sometimes hard to follow, especially in the opening sequence (some muddy coloring doesn’t help), but he’s got a Darick Robertson-like ability to draw interesting characters and faces, and a warm attention to detail that meshes well with Wood’s focus on how people struggle to maintain their humanity in the face of cynical violence.
Wolverine: Origins #21 — Writer: Daniel Way; Artist: Steve Dillon
Deadpool vs. Wolverine, and it actually works: Way understands that their two healing factors make them cartoon characters, able to shrug off the occasional anvil (or, in this case, Laurel and Hardyesque piano) dropped from on high. The result is a quick, enjoyable, violent romp; best of all, the Road-Runner/Coyote dynamic cuts through the faux seriousness that usually weakens this title, and the lighter tone makes a better story.
Groo: Hell on Earth #3 (of 4) — Writer: Mark Evanier; Artist/Plot: Sergio Aragones
Hmmm… Groo’s characteristic eagerness to engage in a fray makes him almost the bad guy here, especially in a story whose point is the need for cooperation in the face of global catastrophe. After the first issue, I wasn’t sure this would be able to juggle its complicated, serious concerns with its normal comedy, but not to worry: Evanier and Aragones know just how far they can stretch their concepts, and when to emphasize the theme and when to bring the funny (even when the bovine-flatulence jokes are starting to edge out the mulch jokes); this is just as good a comic as it’s always been, and that’s high praise.
Fell #9 — Writer: Warren Ellis; Artist: Ben Templesmith
The first issue in a while, but since they’re all stand-alone stories it’s OK. This book could be a TV show, a quirky, low-rent little half-hour cop drama that’s more about psychology and grim, first-responder humor than about bullets or blood. One moment, though, is pure comics: as the detective hero talks through a door to a suspect, the door shows a stick figure and lettering to reflect what he’s deducing about the guy (“Big man,” “Heavy boots” — with an arrow pointing to the stick figure’s feet — “He’s just unsafed a handgun” — at which point a gun appears in the stick figure’s hand– and so on). Now, what other medium besides comics could pull that off effectively? (Not animation — you need time to go back and study the panels; they’d just fly by in a cartoon…).
Fallen Angel #23 — Writer: Peter David; Artist: J. K. Woodward
Things heat up considerably in Bete Noir, with various new characters to challenge the status quo, betrayals and reversals by regular cast members, and a general anticipatory air of change and high stakes. David occasionally can slip into autopilot on some of his other titles, going for the glib puns and easy plot twists, but this book is his baby; here, he always brings his “A” game, the writing consistently lean, smooth and startling.
Stuff I bought and liked, but have nothing new to say about, so look up previous reviews in the archives if you want to know:
Umbrella Academy #5 (of 6) — Writer: Gerard Way; Artist: Gabriel Ba
Boneyard #27 — Writer/Artist: Richard Moore
Phil Mateer
