johnchrist

UNO! 9 – Batman Inc.

Batman Inc. # 1
Writer:Grant Morrison
Penciler: Yanick Paquette
Inker: Michael Lacombe
Colorist: Nathan Fairbairn

Generally not being prone to read DC comics, one of my goals since starting this review was to give Marvel’s major competitor a fair chance for once. I would argue that Batman Incorporated is a worthy start for my journey.

Morrison takes us directly into the action with Mr. Unknown’s untimely demise and a robotic rodent battle royal. It seems Bruce Wayne is looking to set up a cowl clad franchise and his first stop is Japan. There’s even a brilliant bit of manga foreshadowing to a tentacled conclusion that leaves Catwoman thoroughly disgusted.

Paquette’s artwork is incredibly vivid, his Adam Hughes-like style is complemented by Lacombe’s inks and Faribairn’s colors. Subterranean fight scenes and Japanese skyline aside, the most amazing aspect of this penciler’s prowess is his ability to make Catwoman’s costume more revealing than her panty and sports bra clad alter-ego. Seriously, how is everything staying in?!

(Disclaimer: Due to a continued computer crisis I am forced to recycle yet another bottlecap award.)

As Blue Moon is able to rise above the tasteless grist of its parent company’s (Coors) regular output, Batman Incorporated delivers an enjoyable beginning to a new era in the Dark Knight’s mythos; 4 caps!

UNO! - Halcyon
Halcyon # 1

Writers: Marc Guggenheim & Tara Butters
Artist: Ryan Bodenheim

Disclaimer: Due to a computer failure this week’s review will require the use of a recycled beer score.

This book introduces us to yet another world peopled by a variety of recognizable heroic archetypes. Only in one corner of this particular mulitverse the people of planet Earth are independently turning over a new leaf for the better and leaving their superhero populace concerned for their livelihood.

While Guggenheim and Butters are delivering a host of characters with seemingly little in the way of innovation, their concept for a world quickly shedding its darker side is intriguing. The art, while occasionally stiff, is very realistic in regard to both machinery and human form. Facial expressions are exceptionally well rendered, portraying believable emotions in extraordinary situations.

As a whole Halcyon’s first issue was enjoyable but didn’t pack enough punch to bring me back for a second round similar to the average taste of Gordon Biersch.

Uno! – Kicking Ass Again!

Kick-Ass 2 # 1
Writer: Mark Miller
Breakdowns: John Romita JR
Finisher & Ink Washes: Tom Palmer

The opening scene of this sequel to the original series lives up to it’s namesake as we once more watch Kick-Ass get his ass kicked but this time by a little blond girl. The intervening time between the last installment’s conclusion and the current state of affairs is provided in a two page montage with an interruption foreshadowing a future throw down between caps. Despite getting worked over by a pre-tween it appears that the protagonist’s skills have improved and he is well on the way to making some new allies.

Mark Miller keeps the pace of this first issue quick and exciting. It is primarily treated as a recap and a set-up for the future with a conclusion that instantly catches your attention.

Despite John Romita JR handling the breakdowns and leaving the details to Tom Palmer the artwork feels just as gritty as its predecessor and rarely deviates from the style JR JR is renowned for.

While this comic doesn’t promise much in the way of new, much like the yearly installment of Sierra Nevada’s Big Foot Ale, it provides us a strong kick and the promise of something new for our pallet with each successive recipe. I give this issue 4 caps!

Bonus Uno! – Carnage # 1
Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Clayton Crain

Carnage is back, or is he? Iron Man and Spire-man try to take down a 6-armed spider-thing that’s rampaging through the city in pursuit of an armored car while downtown Manhattan goes nuts and to would-be Iron Men up-starts try their hand at crime fighting.

As a fan of the original Carnage run I had hoped to jump right on in to this latest tale, unfortunately I had missed a few stories leading up to it and have found myself lost. The premise behind the current run relies far too heavily on its predecessor and anyone not intimately aware with the tie-ins may find themselves lost.

The art, however, is exactly what one would expect from a comic named after the depraved antagonist; Carnage. Fluid and sleek, Crain does not disappoint.

Much like Dog Fish Head’s Midas Touch, the idea sounds a little crazy, the flavor is intriguing, but I’m not sure I need another bottle; 3 caps!

UNO! – Superi…errr Big?

Superior #1
Writer: Mark Millar
Penciler: Leinil Yu

The few articles I’ve read regarding this comic perked my curiosity, I’d enjoyed much of Millar’s latest work and have been a fan of Leinil Yu since his run on New Avengers. That being said, my interest began to vanish upon realizing I’d already seen this movie before, only it included a light-up keyboard dance number and an awkward sexual encounter on a bunk-bed.

Miller begins the tale with his usual epic battle scene, in this instance leading into a Galactus-esque end of the world scenario, or so I thought. While preparing myself for a cosmic battle royal or perhaps a quick flashback to the impetus of the conflict I soon had the rug swept out from under me and landed squarely in a movie theater with two disinterested youths. Despite the talking monkey in a space suit, much of the remainder of this issue flowed like a Tom Hanks movie and once the simian disappeared I found my interest severely waning.

Not enough can be said of Leinil Yu’s artwork; his characters are expressive, his portrayal of technology is imaginative, and his action is impeccable. Very few scenes fail to impress and I did just love the look on that monkey’s face… who doesn’t love a monkey in astronaut drag?

In the end, this comic failed to register on my excitement meter and in the manner of a Gordon Biersch Marzen I found it drinkable yet average. If not for the brewery’s delectable garlic fries, or in the comic’s case that damned primate, I would not return for the sequel.  Three bottle-caps should suffice.

UNO! – Chaos, thy name is Hercules.

Chaos War #1

Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Penciler: Khoi Pham
Colorist: Sunny Gho

Of the myriad of heroes in the Marvel Universe which I have kept tabs on, Hercules was not one. Apparently since the last time I paid him any mind (Civil War) he has died, resurrected, and become the Earth’s very own ‘Supergod’.

Only now having been introduced to the themes behind “Chaos War,” I must admit I started off a little lost. Pak and Van Lente did a fair job of catching me back up before once more losing me after the story’s lead in. Apparently everyone on Earth is going insane the second the fall asleep and rampaging throughout the countryside, a disaster covered in a mere two panels. While I applaud their succinctness I felt that the very speed with which they presented and abandoned the problem stole some of its effectiveness. Hercules marshals the MU’s heroes to battle with his best monologue to date and yet soon finds himself left to fight the battle for existence with but one ally; Thor.

The storytelling may have a few forgivable foibles but the art is nothing short of superb. Pham’s pencils are exciting and free flowing, portraying the momentous event in perpetual flux. However, Pham’s art would be nowhere without the excellent colors of Sunny Gho. It is to find a colorist whose talents accentuate the original pencils but rarer still is witnessing interior colors which eclipse those of the cover artist’s. Inside “Chaos War” we are treated to a vibrant pallet of reminiscent of the warmth and playfulness of a watercolor painting that brings Pham’s pencils to full life.

Similar to the light hearted and full flavored taste of Blue Moon, this comic keeps your thirsty for the next sip. I give it 4 indulgent caps!

UNO! Five and a Half

Uncanny X-Force #1
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Jerome Opena & Dean White

Since I’d already been a fan of this series as plane old “X-Force,” I felt it would be slightly unfair to do the whole review on “Uncanny X-Force” and instead opted for a pint sized approach.

I’ve enjoyed the first issue with the new creative team more than I did the previous incarnation. Much like Deschutes Black Butte Porter this comic delivers a full body with a complex flavor worth buying the case. I give it 5 delicious caps, keep ‘em coming!

UNO! …Cero?

Machete #0
Writer: Robert Rodriguez
Artist: Stuart Sayger

Since first witnessing the spoof trailer for “Machete” on the “Grind House” feature I have been intrigued by the concept. The commercials have promised gushing torrents of blood and gratuitous acts of sex which are quick avenues to my heart. As I haven’t had the chance to see the movie I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to get acquainted. Unfortunately, the comic’s introductory issue proved far less exhilarating than the brief commercials which had previously wetted my appetite.

Sayger’s pencils are sketchy at best, containing very little definition and only a passing fancy with human proportions and the laws of physics. Page 17 is the most disasterous example with countless insults being paid to the human form and a foot-race which appears to take place in zero gravity. Rodriguez’s plot fairs little better in the comic adaptation. Where the artwork lacks definition this story lacks interest. As an origin tale it does very little in providing us with a motivation or climax to perk the audience’s interest. All this could have been forgiven in lieu of some flagrant butchery or excessive nudity as the influencing movie’s previews promise, but alas, there is none to speak of.

“Machete” reminds me of the emerald bottled Heineken; an overly hyped product that travels poorly and leaves the distinct aftertaste of skunk. I give this three Heineken caps and recommend my LCS keep their next order to a minimum.

UNO! 3 – So Bad It’s Good

Daken: Dark Wolvering #1 – Empire

Writers: Dan Way & Marjorie Liu
Pencils: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inks: Onofrio Catacchio
Colors: Frank D’Armata

Thankfully, in the case of Daken, the apple falls far from the tree with regard to the direction his father’s main title is trending. The creative team that brought us the bulk of “Dark Wolverine” is back with a new series dedicated to the wayward son of Logan, and it does not disappoint. 

Since the advent of Seige, Daken’s plotline has rested in a limbo which focused more on who he was fighting and less on the reasons why, which are the true essence behind this anti-hero. Way and Liu had introduced a conniving, deceitful, Puck-like (read your Shakespeare kids!) character in their initial run and here he is brought back full bore. The people around Daken are nothing but an end to his means, witless tools to be discarded as their tasks are completed. 

Camuncoli’s pencils and Catacchio’s inks serve the narrative well to add the sinister attitude which felt lacking these last few appearances. Emotive, exciting, and dark, these artists lend the necessary touch to an antagonist who embodies all those adjectives and more. Adding to the brilliant lines of his two cohorts, D’Armata’s colors enhance their work rather than mask it, fully realizing the noir aspect of this bitter world.

This creative team, reunited, is a reminder of what the right group of people can do with a character derived from so much wrong. Akin to Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Bastard Ale, this issue wields a heavy taste with bitter components and a truly devil-may-care attitude.

This comic demands five out of six Arrogant Bastard Ale caps proclaiming its modus operandi:

UNO! 2 – Wolverine Fatigue

Wolverine #1: Wolverine Goes to Hell
Writer: Jason Aaron
Pencils: Renato Guedes
Colors: Matt Wilson

I have always been a firm believer in focusing on the good in life, and so in the case of this comic I will begin my review with a few kind words for the penciler, Renato Guedes. If not for the discovery of the two sketch pages in back I may have written off this artist as I had done the rest of the book. After going back and peering through the lackluster colors of Matt Wilson, I found Guedes’ work to be very intricate and exciting. However, the colors do a great job of turning me off of the artwork entirely. In general, I’ve found that most comics would benefit from a simple black and white approach, it is a rare colorer who doesn’t detract from the original art and this is no exception.

As for the story? I am not entirely sure what the point of sending Wolverine’s soul to hell is, maybe they got tired of killing his body or maybe they just ran out of ideas with a character who appears in about ninety percent of their monthly releases. This storyline echoes the same desperation that lead to the Daken/Ragnarok plot we were entreated to in Siege. I am not sure who is more to blame, Marvel or Aaron. At the very least I blame Marvel for the fact that I read six monthly comics with Wolverine appearing as a regular character (Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, X-Force, Wolverine, New Avengers, & Avengers) as well as a whole slue of guest appearances and have never met Melita Garner until now. Apparently I missed that crucial seventh comic where he woos her, after hooking up with Domino, while fighting Osborn, Daken, Kang, Vampires, and Magento, before finding a little time to hit the bathroom and launder his tights.

I love Wolverine, but the character has been spread so thin that any hope of real cohesion has been lost. Forget “Event Fatigue,” I am experiencing “Wolverine Fatigue!”

I give this comic a solid four Miller Lites, two caps short of the worst score imaginable. Much like Miller Lite this comic tastes like the burnt remains of its more noteworthy brothers. Needless to say I will not be checking out the sequel to either product.

RE-INTRO:

Greetings;

Realizing the shear volume of first issues coming out these days I thought it would be fun to run a review on number ones.  It is my goal to get back to at least one comic book review a week as an exercise in writing and a way to utilize this website which has done nothing more than drain my funds for the last year. Below is the start of what I hope are many themed reviews; Uno!... numero uno.

UNO!

Avengers: Children’s Crusade #1

Story: Allen Heinberg

Pencils: Jim Cheung

Color: Justin Ponsor

            Jim Cheung’s artwork immediately jumps out at you at the onset of this issue, the first page is dynamic and captivating, it bleeds action.  Ponsor’s work dramatically enhances the visuals, a rarity among interior colors. Heinberg’s quick introduction of the characters was exactly as needed, not overly intrusive or confusing.  As a reader who is only slightly aware of the Young Avengers this issue’s second page served its purpose of acquainting me with the characters without separating me from the story.  The action is essentially nil, happening only in the first few pages with very bland villains we won’t remember by the next installment but climaxing in an event reminiscent of both the massacre at Stamford (see Civil War) and the finale to House or M. 

            As the dust settles, and we are sure that neither catastrophe has occurred, the story quickly focuses itself on the theory of Wiccan and Speed’s potential origin as the Scarlet Witch’s progeny.  Youthful rebellion is showcased and Captain America (I am not positive if it is Bucky or Rogers) reprises his usual role as Marvel Universe’s very own Tony Robbins; asking not what the MU can do for Wiccan but what Wiccan can do for the MU.

 The conclusion, while not unexpected, peaked my interest and guaranteed that I will return for the sequel.