Tom Strong #11
I'm a big believer in the law of averages; life experience has taught me that, eventually, just about everything balances out. That's good news for Tom Strong readers this month.
The past couple of issues of this title have been less than spectacular; I chalk it up to the guest artists that have been brought in, presumably to cut Chris Sprouse some slack. No matter how good a guest artist is, they can still disrupt the flow and consistency of a title. Sprouse is back for the entire issue here, and it's one of the strongest issues yet.
This is the first half of a two-part team-up between Tom Strong and his parallel-world counterpart Tom Strange. "Doc" Strange (heh heh) isn't from an alternate universe, though -- he's a product of a near-identical Earth called Terra Obscura, which Moore explains as a product of "The Ghost Particle."
In Moore's Tomorrow Stories, Jack B. Quick often clues us in on cutting edge science with humour and irony. The Ghost Particle may or may not be a creation of Moore's imagination, but it makes for a plausible explanation for everything from simple coincidence to, well, parallel worlds.
Moore's greatest comics have always stretched the limits of the imagination while entertaining in a way quite unlike anything you've read before. Tom Strong is firmly grounded in American pulp fiction and superhero conventions, but Moore blends that sensibility with some fascinating ideas here.
In addition, it's a damn fun story, with Sprouse and Gordon pulling out all the stops right from page one. That page makes it pretty clear what we are seeing, yet seems impossible, even by super-hero standards. The cover is a terrific tribute to Silver Age Marvel, and the entire tale is depicted with a sense of vitality and urgency more usually seen in titles like The Authority. Sprouse's pencil work is among the best in superhero comics today, with a consistency, energy, and deceptive simplicity that any beginning artist would do well to study.
I didn't really enjoy the last couple of Tom Strong outings as much as earlier issues, but this issue proves that Moore, Sprouse and their colleagues still have it. I really look forward to reading the conclusion to this outstanding issue.
Promethea #12
If my theory about the law of averages holds true, we are now experiencing the fallout from #10 of this series, the transcendent sex magick issue. That issue so stretched the artform of comics, that I believe it will be remembered one day as one of the most extraordinary single issues ever published.
This one, not so much.
Firstly, a confession: I really, truly hate the genre of fantasy. Science fiction, adventure, real-life, biography, even westerns, I can get into. Flying dragons, magic swords (or in this case, snakes that talk -- in verse) are an obstacle that I must personally overcome in order to enjoy the story.
I admit, it's my problem. I know a lot of people love fantasy, and certainly, I would not have enjoyed previous issues of this title if I were not able to suck it up at least a little and accept some fantasy elements.
This issue, however, consists almost primarily of three elements: The talking snakes explaining reality as a metaphor of tarot cards; clever mixing-up of the letters in the word "Promethea," and a joke/story that also serves as some sort of biography of Alastair Crowley.
Also hurting this issue, for me, is the gimmick of telling one "story" on the top half of each page, while another runs along the bottom of each page. I never know if I should read all the way through one and then go back and read the other, or if I should read part of one, then part of the other, then go go the next page, read part of the first, then the second...see? Obnoxious, ain't it? I think only the use of the Photoshop "Blur tool" is more annoying to me in a comics story.
This issue seems to be another of Moore's explorations of magickal technique, like "The Birth Caul." Unlike that other project (with artist Eddie Campbell), I really couldn't immerse myself in this issue at all, and didn't take much away from it but disappointment.
The nicest thing I can say is, I am left with a sense that the fault lies within myself, not the creators of this issue; perhaps I am not yet sufficiently enlightened to get whatever Moore is presenting here. I don't blame anyone but myself for not enjoying this issue, and based on previous issues, I'm certain I'll come around again in a month or two.
Crisis on Infinite Earths TPB
Like me.
A George Perez fan from the mid 1970s, I can remember eagerly awaiting each issue of this series as it came out in 1986. I had been reading DC Comics since the early 1970s, and had never really seen the multiple-Earths concept as a barrier to enjoying the company's titles. It was solely the excellence of the creative team (Perez was teamed with writer Marv Wolfman, and their New Teen Titans was a hot book of the time) that drew me to this sprawling, universe-destroying saga.
Now, Earth 2 was, for me, one of the most engaging and intriguing concepts DC had going for it. Some of my favourite DC tales in my youth were the Wally Wood-drawn JSA stories in All-Star Comics. The mixing of younger heroes such as Power Girl with older versions of Superman and the rest of the JSA blew my young mind. It really established a lifelong love of the parallel worlds genre, and its delightful companion, the Evil Twin.
The Crisis, of course, meant that all that was going to end. No more grey-haired Superman, no more annual team-ups of the JLA and JSA. But to see that all get a spectacular farewell, drawn by one of my all-time favourite pencilers, damn, life was good.
Time passes, as it is wont to do. Here we are, just a scant decade and a half later, and I'm faced with the question, Does it hold up?
I still love George Perez's artwork. I still love parallel worlds. Evil twins. Hell, I still very specifically mourn the loss of the Earth 2 Superman, all these years later. So to see them again, on much nicer paper than this series originally got, is a joy. To have this story under one cover is a delight. But even the creators chosen to comment on this story in its introduction and afterword realize the truth:
Asking himself if the series was successful in its stated goal of streamlining DC continuity, Marv Wolfman says "partially." Asking himself if DC took full advantage of the potential created by this series, Dick Giordano says "Yes and no..." going on to hint that such questions would spoil the celebration.
The fact of the matter is, as a 12-issue series involving virtually every character DC had published up until 1986, this is an exciting, beautifully-drawn tale. As comics, as art, it falls somewhat short of earning this deluxe treatment.
I see most of the fault going to the story itself. Marv Wolfman was faced with the daunting task of including hundreds of characters, and of course most are given only the briefest of moments in the spotlight. The chief character arc, thankfully and appropriately, goes to the first superhero, the Golden Age Superman. He and his Silver Age counterpart may have equal time onstage (I didn't count panels), but the truly emotional moments come near the end, when Alex Luthor acknowledges the first Superman's contributions to the world. It's a nice moment that also serves as a meta-comment on the respect Wolfman and Perez wanted to pay to all that had come before, that had made this accomplishment of their even possible.
Another problem, for me, is the unwarranted stage time given to such uninteresting (and now, we know, irrelevant) characters as Harbinger, Lady Quark, and Pariah (the last so forgettable I had to flip through the book to even remember his name, despite re-reading the entire series just two days ago). At the time, I think it was thought these were exciting new characters that would take their place as new stalwarts of the DC Universe, but history has shown that they were merely story devices whose presence did nothing more for the story than move it along toward its final unification of the multiple Earths.
So, that's what I find lacking here. The strengths of the book, however, outweigh its deficits, and I certainky think as history, Crisis should certainly be kept in print.
Newer readers may never have read of the adventures of some of these characters, and the ones most deserving of a place in comics history, such as the original Superman, Barry Allen's Flash, Helena Wayne's Huntress, and the Kara Zor-El Supergirl, all get wonderful moments in the spotlight. Wolfman nails their characterization, and Perez depicts each with loving attention to detail and individualization.
If nothing else, this volume serves as a handy, one-stop-shop for many such characters, who readers may, until now, have only heard of by word of mouth. I personally feel more of their original adventures should remain in print (that Wally Wood All-Star run would make a great starting place, especially given the success of the current JSA title), but if we can't have that, at least we have this fond farewell.
As an example of comics as art, look, this ain't Maus, or even The Authority. It may have only been 15 years ago, but it's true to say that it was a more naive time, and these were certainly simpler characters. Wolfman and Perez and their collaborators were working at the cutting edge of superhero comics quality for the time, and there's a great moment to recommend this book on almost every page. If you've never read this story, or if you haven't re-read it in years, here's $30.00 you won't regret spending for a second. This volume deserves a place of honour on any superhero comics fan's bookshelf.
Ultimate X-Men #1
Marvel's efforts to prevent X-Men confusion in the marketplace may be futile, given consumers can now choose between the movie version, two different animated versions, and the Marvel Universe team, the Ultimate team, and the soon-to-be-released Chris Claremont title.
That said, I'm going to give Marvel some advice, although they won't listen: Cancel all other plans, you've finally gotten it right!
See, I told you they wouldn't listen.
Anyway, Ultimate X-Men is off to an outstanding start with this debut issue. It most obviously recalls DC/Wildstorm's The Authority, which should come as no surprise, since Millar writes that book too (for a few more months, anyway).
Kubert steps up to the plate with a widescreen design sense that perfectly suits Millar's tale. It's a story of big, sweeping moments (such as the "Sentinel Swoops"), and quiet character moments that make or break an effort of this type. One of my favourites is when Jean embraces a distraught Colossus and calls him "honey," a scene that comes off as genuine and sweet, something we haven't seen with these characters in a long, long time. I also liked Jean's playful "Sir, yes, sir!" attitude as Cyclops rallies the new team. It's clear Millar likes Jean and that she'll be a fun character in this title.
Millar and Kubert get the ratio of action to character absolutely right, and introduce an "All New, All Different" team that holds more promise that the mountains of X-Books that have been produced over the past 10 or 15 years.
Kubert and Thibert experiment (successfully) with some Sienkiewicz-type effects in spots, such as the full-page depiction of Xavier searching for Bobby Drake with Cerebro. It's a beautiful page, pure and simple, and shows how a multi-media effect can compliment the art rather than distracting the reader.
This title may be geared to new readers, but it pulls no punches in its themes and few in its language. I think the story is accessible for kids, but it's equally appealing to me as a 34-year old adult, and that's really the key to making a title a success. Marvel, Millar, Kubert, and the rest have done just that here. Everything is in balance, from tension, to design, to action, mood and characterization. I want to get to know these folks better, and learn about their world. Ultimate X-Men has become my X-book of choice. The movie finally gave me back the X-Men after over a decade of bad stories; this title should ensure they're around on a monthly basis. I look forward to keeping in touch.
Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comic Magazine #1
One of the greatest joys of the next year is going to be this title; Erik Larsen and some talented friends pay long-overdue tribute to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's classic Fantastic Four run.
Of course, Stan Lee's name is plastered all over Marvel Comics; it's Kirby that really has not gotten the proper credit for creating Marvel's near-iconic cast of characters. And while it's doubtful Kirby's heirs are getting anything out of this project, it's a fact that at least one member of the Kirby family has just asked that Jack be given credit, and here, the creators and editors of the book make it well known who it is they are honouring.
This 12-issue series is designed to serve as a wrap-up to the Lee and Kirby FF run, and as such the tale is set right after issue #100 of the original series.
Larsen and his cohorts have created an admirable pastiche of the best of Lee and Kirby's work, from the Doombots and characterizations, right down to the flat, old-style colouring (thank you!).
Some artists are more successful than others; Tim and Giffen obviously owe Kirby a great debt for their styles, and they recall him well here. Larsen clearly loves Kirby's work (check out any recent issue of Savage Dragon, and seeing him inked by longtime Kirby colleague Joe Sinnott really lends an air of verisimilitude to the goings-on.
I found Jorge Lucas's pages the least successful here, as he seems to be imitating Jose Ladronn's Kirby-inspired style rather than the original source, but it's a minor complaint. Despite the various pencilers involved here, the story flows smoothly, and serves as a fine beginning to a year long celebration of what once really was The World's Greatest Comics Magazine.
Nick Fury: Who Is Scorpio? TPB
When I bought the earlier, much thicker Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD trade paperback (I was lucky enough to get one of the sold-out first printings), it was a bit overwhelming. I had never read most of those stories, and damn, there were a lot of them. Marvel recently reprinted that volume, and along with this one, I believe all of Steranko's SHIELD stories are now in print. They should keep them that way.
These are some of the most experimental, exciting comics ever produced, and decades later they remain as visionary and appealing as they were mind-blowingly revolutionary for readers of the original comics.
This much slimmer volume reprints just four stories, but they are all outstanding. While the earlier volume had some pretty conventional (if quality) tales in its early pages, these stories represent Steranko at the height of his storytelling ability. Smooth, cool, psychedelic...with the ultimate alpha-male, Nick Fury, bursting into evildoer's lairs and romancing the Countess. All excellent, excellent stuff.
Probably the best story here is Dark Moon Rise, Hell Hound Kill, which ironically dismisses the super-spy milieu and tells a ghost story on the Scottish moors. Steranko's influences become most obvious here, with a splash page and plot right out of Will Eisner's Spirit, with an emphasis on tension and mood, and very little of Eisner's more tongue-in-cheek style.
Steranko influenced many creators, most notably Paul Gulacy and the late (and much missed) Gene Day. Yes, Steranko was inspirational, but no one's ever come close to telling stories as unique and stylish as these. Pick up this volume and its heftier companion volume, and you'll be adding some of the best comics ever to your bookshelf.
Black Hole #8
It's a long haul between issues for fans of some of the best comic books ever published. Eightball, American Splendor, and many other "alternative" titles come out, if you're real lucky, twice a year.
Black Hole seems to come out a little more often (I think this is the third issue this year, although I could be wrong), and as always, it's been well worth the wait.
I'd always been aware of Charles Burn's slick, creepy cartooning on the periphery of my consciousness, but really took an interest early this year when I read two hardcover volumes published by Fantagraphics, El Borbah and Big Baby. Both were excellent, and really whetted my appetite for more Burns material. His style is simultaneously cutting-edge and retro-appealing (EC obviously was a huge influence), and this story is unlike any other comic on the stands. Maybe any comic ever.
Black Hole is a limited series (I think this issue represents the halfway mark) detailing the lives and loves of teenagers afflicted with "The Teen Plague," a hideously deforming condition that allows Burns to play to his strengths and provides a brilliant metaphor for adolescence.
This issue's main story details a sexual incident that goes from erotic to creepy and back again in an absolutely brilliant sequence. Burns has a master's ability to make us sympathize with and relate to his characters, their doubts and desires, their fears and needs, and he uses it to its maximum potential here.
This issue marks a couple of landmarks in the storyline, as events conspire to carry the characters further into their own metaphorical "black hole," and while this title may not appeal to every taste, I find it enormously appealing. The situations are bizarre and frequently repulsive, but the story is entertaining and compelling in equal measure.
Transmetropolitan #41
Written by Warren Ellis
On the first page of this outstanding issue, we're told in detail about a plot for the takeover of the United States. While the person telling the story to Spider Jerusalem looks like he might be homeless, he speaks eloquently of the plan to internationalize private property and seize the weapons of U. S. citizens.
In the last panels of the page, we learn who is behind this plot: "Welsh people...like my mother's lawyer. Fucking Welsh bastard."
So it is that in one page, Ellis masterfully skewers the fear-and-hate based philosophies of so many groups, most notably extremist conservatives. The complex, serpentine plots and schemes that they rail and rally against, more often than not, all whittle down to the personal fears and petty grudges of people disenfranchised by their own ignorance and wrongdoing. It's a brilliant page.
We meet lots of crazy people in the opening pages of this issue, each with their own psychotic storyarc to deliver unto Spider. The thing is, they're not all crazy, and as we journey through the issue, we find that Spider is looking for some very specific details.
Ellis seems to be saying there is truth among the madness, that buried in all those "heads full of bad wiring," every once in a while, is a profound truth that we ignore at our own peril. The trouble is knowing the difference between the truth and the madness. The responsibility, finally, falls to each and every one of us, to question authority, always, and find our own truth.
This issue moves along the greater storyline, with more hints about Spider's illness and the concerns of his Filthy Assistants about same. I'm not relishing the thought of Spider Jerusalem perhaps dying when this title wraps up, but it's an intriguing proposition for someone with the passion and ideaology of Spider Jerusalem to live the idea "If you intend to die, you can do anything."
Robertson and Ramos continue to turn in an intriguing, legitimate backdrop for Ellis's characters to move in. This book has one of the best, most consistent looks of any title around, and if the strength of Ellis's writing has caused me to sometimes ignore that, I have been remiss. Transmetropolitan is on of DC's best titles ever, and if you aren't reading it, you're denying yourself an enriching, enlightening look at the world through the eyes of some truly gifted, visionary creators.
Thor #32
Written by Dan Jurgens, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Walt Simonson
Damn, I love these 100 Page Monsters. If I'm not mistaken, they were the brainchild of editor Tom Brevoort, and they serve as a great bargain and a reminder of what mainstream superhero comics can be.
The lead story here concludes Jurgens and Kubert's Cask of Ancient Winters tale, with Beta Ray Bill and Thor's usual gang of Asgardian pals stepping in to assist the Thunder God in battling the perfidy of Malekith. The story is classic Thor, with Kubert turning in some of the nicest artwork currently gracing any Marvel title.
As always with these 100 Page Monsters, though, the lead story is just the beginning. There's a nice overview of Thor history in the reprints that fill out the rest of this massive issue, including a great Lee/Kirby tale in which Jane Foster becomes a goddess. As with most of Kirby's Thor work, the story suffers for the inking of Colletta, almost certainly the worst inker in history. I know some people like his work over Kirby on Thor, but if you've seen what the original pencils look like (check out virtually any issue of TwoMorrow's wonderful magazine The Jack Kirby Collector), you know that Colletta criminally destroyed the true power in Kirby's work.
The Thomas/Buscema/Palmer story is typical of Marvel in the 70s, and while not particularly significant, I hadn't read it before; it made for a fun look back at that era, and Buscema and Palmer's work holds up as one of the best penciler/inker pairings ever.
The only time I ever really was a dedicated Thor reader was when Walt Simonson was writing and drawing the title, and one of his classic tales is reprinted here. You get much of the Simonson magic in this one story, including Beta Ray Bill, and the transformation of Thor into...into...ah, if you haven't read it, I'm not going to spoil it for you.
Speaking of the masterful Simonson, you may have heard he is currently plying his trade as writer/artist of DC's Orion, carrying on well in the traditions of Jack Kirby. The final two stories here reprint Kirby's look at Ragnarok, and it's a tale that should equally interest Thor and Orion fans, because it literally is the origin story of Kirby's New Gods. Clever, and generous, of editor Brevoort to include it. It's a nice way to wrap up the issue.
As I said, I love the heft and quality we've gotten so far in these special issues, and I hope we continue to get more of them in the near future. As someone who loved Marvel Comics as a teenager, and has high hopes for them as an adult, even for titles I don't usually pick up, the 100 Page Monsters are impossible not to pick up and immerse myself in.
Backpack Avengers #1
Marvel's new Editor-in-Chief, Joe Quesada, recently said he likes the Backpack format, but would rather see it in colour. I think with only four editions having been released so far, the company should wait and see. I'll tell you why in a minute.
These handsome little editions (smaller in dimension than regular comics, they really are suited for backpacks or even wide back pockets) collect 9 or so issues of consecutive stories, and this Avengers edition is, I think, the best one yet.
The two X-Men volumes that have been released have featured artwork by Paul Smith, which holds up well in the smaller and black and white format--and the Spider-Man volume's John Romita, Jr. artwork also faired well.
Here, we get nine issues of Avengers stories, all drawn by John Byrne, truly in his prime as a Marvel artist. He is inked by a number of different people, most notably Dan Green and Klaus Janson. These are some of the best-looking Avengers stories ever, and they simply shine in the black and white format (especially on the good white paper being used here). It's the next best thing to getting to see the originals, and hey, you get to keep it all!
Seriously, it's fascinating to me to see what a difference inkers can make...Dan Green is revealed in this format as being a more literal inker, while Janson's more interpretive style comes through; both served Byrne well.
The stories here are significant, too--you get some nice Wonder Man and the Beast interaction, some historic governmental interference (Henry Gyrich is a significant player), and some important Scarlet Witch history. You also get the to see the Falcon's uncomfortable entry into the team, and what is essentially a Hawkeye solo story. All are written by excellent scripters, including David Michelinie, Steven Grant, Bill Mantlo and others.
Viz has sold millions (let me say that again, millions) of black and white Pokemon comics, most of them to young children; my local retailers tell me that high prices are more of a barrier to luring new readers than exciting, appealing stories in brilliant black and white. The price is right on these at $6.95--I'm perfectly willing to spend that on nine issues of stories my kids will love.
This Backpack format is a hit as far as I am concerned, and until enough are out there in places kids go (supermarkets, video rental stores) to really get a feel for how they're doing, I don't think the format should be tampered with. Backpack Marvels?
More!
Written by Mark Millar
Illustrated by Adam Kubert and Art Thibert
Published by Marvel Comics
Warning: Scheduled for release Wednesday, December 20th, 2000.
Written and illustrated by Erik Larsen, Eric Stephenson, Bruce Timm, Keith Giffen, Joe Sinnott and others
Published by Marvel Comics
Warning: Scheduled for release Wednesday, December 20th, 2000.
Written and illustrated by Jim Steranko and others
Published by Marvel Comics
Written and illustrated by Charles Burns
Published by Fantagraphics Books
Drawn by Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos
Published by DC/Vertigo Comics
Illustrated by Andy Kubert, Scott Hanna, Jesse Delperdang, Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, John Buscema, Tom Palmer, Walt Simonson
Edited by Tom Brevoort
Published by Marvel Comics