Standing the Test of Time (With or Without Pants)

Coming in around 800 pages and weighing just over five pounds, this week I finally finished reading the Howard the Duck Omnibus. I had started reading this almost immediately after I got it a year or two ago, but I had only read through issue 5 of the 31 issue original run. I picked it up again at the beginning of this year. This is now the third omnibus I’ve read from cover-to-cover with the other two being the Amazing Fantasy Omnibus and the Incredible Hulk Omnibus (that probably counts as 10 Marvel Masterworks! – not that it’s a competition or anything). I probably would have finished it sooner, but I’ve been filling my “spare” time reading the Silver Age Green Lantern archives – now on Volume 5 I’m happy to say.

In addition to the original series, including the Annual and Marvel Treasury Edition, this book also contains Howard’s first appearances in Adventure into Fear, Man-Thing, and Giant-size Man-Thing. There is also a Marvel Team-up story, the very short-lived two-issue HTD revival (issues 32 and 33), and an in-depth interview with Steve Gerber from FOOM #15 . All of Howard’s 1976 Presidential Campaign updates are reprinted; however, the full letter pages are not, even though they are for the Silver Age omnibuses.

I’ve been a Howard fan since I first started collecting comics and I picked up issue #15 on the stands (most likely at the Colonial Heights 7-11) back in 1977. It was also a favorite of my older brother. I eventually got the earlier issues. Initially, I was really on the fence about getting this volume, since I already have every issue, except for #32, #33 and the FOOM article. Yet, I couldn’t resist the lure of the hardcover, even though it’s a bit unwieldy.

Now, I’ve read the entire series a few times, but it’s been quite a while since I last did, so it’s always interesting to see how my maturity affects my reading of the material. I certainly appreciated some of the humor this time around that I didn’t get as a kid. The great thing is that although the series is FIRMLY rooted in the culture of the seventies, the stories don’t seem outdated at all. Certainly, HTD is known for it’s biting social commentary, which is excellent, but it’s the characterization of Howard and all those he encounters that really stand out.

The series was strongest from issue 4 through 19, and it’s no coincidence that issue 4 was the start of Gene Colan’s nearly uninterrupted run on the title. These issues consist of one on-going “organic” saga, where Howard becomes a Presidential candidate, which ends due to a fabricated scandal, suffers a nervous breakdown, meets KISS, and tangles with Doctor Bong and loses his girlfriend, Beverly, and much more (see below). Along the way he teams up with the Defenders and is even possessed by the Son of Satan’s soul-self. The presidential issues (#7, 8, and 9) should be required reading for everyone, especially since we still have the same problems with politics today.

One of my favorite issues is number 19. As you can see, the cover is a parody of Amazing Spider-man #50. Howard has been turned into a human being or a “hairless ape”, as he likes to call them. His human persona always reminded me of Peter Falk’s Columbo. Throughout the issue, Howard’s duck persona is seen floating around as his conscience. The real strength of the issue is Howard’s involvement with Amy, a woman, who practically drags him back to her place where they basically have a discourse on human relationships. Amy is involved with another guy named Elton and he’s been draining the life out of her by his neediness. By the end of the issue Howard is a duck again – the transformation was spurred on by their intimate activities – VERY tastefully revealed in one of the next issue’s recap sequences. The whole Doctor Bong/human-Howard storyline, running through issues 15, 17, 18, and 19 is really good, but it really marks the end of the book's momentum.

I didn’t include number 16 above, because that was the revolutionary “Deadline Doom” issue. This was a very sought after comic 30 years ago and at the time was the most difficult to find for my collection. Rather than using a reprint, which was common place then, Steve Gerber wrote a text piece about his move to the West Coast with him talking with Howard along the way. It provides a great insight into Gerber; however, it had an unexpected negative effect for me. Since Howard is Gerber’s conscience, I couldn’t see Howard as just Howard for the rest of the series. I was too focused on Gerber. If Howard was having relationship problems, then Gerber must have been having similar problems. Howard was always Gerber’s voice, but Gerber became Howard’s voice.



Knowing of Gerber’s later struggles with the HTD newspaper strip, the conflict with Disney over Howard’s supposed similarity to Donald Duck, putting pants on Howard, and his battle to gain ownership rights further affected my reading of the rest of the series. However, most of the remaining stories were still enjoyable, especially the Ringmaster trilogy (#25, #26,and #27). So, Gerber left on a very high note.

I did discover that the two-part Star Wars parody issues (#22 and #23) that I loved as a kid were a little too over-the-top for me today. Bill Mantlo picked up the book with issue #30 after Gerber had left and continued the series in the Black and White magazines – all of which I own, but I’ve yet to take the time to read all of them. Some of the non-Gerber/Mantlo fill-in issues and the revival series were VERY difficult to finish – the magic was gone by then.

You’ve got to give Marvel credit for putting this together. They were trying to get it published so sales would help Steve with his medical expenses. Steve wrote the forward to the book not long before his death and it seems like he made peace with Marvel and his past frustrations with Howard. The volume was printed just after he died, but it’s a fitting tribute to his legacy as a comic book writer. It’s a great way for new readers to discover that Howard the Duck still works after all this time (with or without pants). Ironically, now that Disney owns Marvel, maybe Howard can finally leave the trousers behind.

Marvel Preview Review for June Part 3 of 3

THE RAWHIDE KID #1 (of 4)
Written by RON ZIMMERMAN
Pencilled by HOWARD CHAYKIN
Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
“TOMBSTONE BLUES” The best-dressed gunslinger the Wild West ever knew is back in the saddle again -- and this time, he’s riding with a posse! That’s right, pardners, it’s a brand new rip-roaring adventure of the Rawhide Kid! When Wyatt and Morgan Earp are taken hostage by Cristo Pike and his pack of pistoleros, Rawhide has no choice but to put together a posse of the greatest western heroes in the Marvel Universe — to rescue the Earp brothers and bring Pike to justice. Enter: Kid Colt, Doc Holliday, Annie Oakley, Billy the Kid, Red Wolf and the most overrated gun in the West: The Two-Gun Kid! We guarantee the Wild West can’t get any wilder. 32 PGS./$3.99

Jim: Is this gay Rawhide Kid or the original straight version? It doesn’t matter to me because with Chaykin drawing it this is a pass for me. Chaykin has gotten to the point he can draw about four guys and two women and that’s it and his style does not fit a western.
Lee: You’re too down on Chaykin these days. I’ll always support this material just because it’s not superheroes.

Jim: Chaykin is overly stylized now and can only draw four different people.

YOUNG ALLIES #1
Written by SEAN MCKEEVER
Pencilled by DAVID BALDEON
Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE
THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE! The patriotic girl without a world in need of a home. The insecure newbie striving to be a better super hero. The illegal immigrant with a tortured past and a dream. The disillusioned Midwesterner desperate for direction. The veteran team player given a second lease on life. Five heroes against tyranny in all its forms. Five students pushing to make the grade. Five friends together on the road to adulthood. They are NOMAD, ARAÑA, TORO, GRAVITY and FIRESTAR--the YOUNG ALLIES! But even their combined might may not be enough to take on the team of teen terrors known as the BASTARDS OF EVIL! 40 PGS./$3.99

Lee: Didn’t we try this before when it was called “The Runaways?”
Jim: But now it is different because their Allies, not Runaways.

THE THANOS IMPERATIVE #1 (of 6)
Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Pencilled by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
Cover by ALEKSI BRICLOT
THE NEXT HUGE MARVEL COSMIC EVENT IS HERE! The dangerous and mysterious fissure known as The Fault has opened, and the dark forces of a rival universe where there is no death are pouring through to claim ours! Nova, The Silver Surfer, Quasar, Gladiator and more of the greatest cosmic champions of the Marvel Universal line up to stop them, but it could be more than even they can handle. Luckily, Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon and some of the galaxy’s underdog, never-say-die heroes have a plan. It’s a crazy plan. It’s called...Thanos! 48 PGS./$3.99

Jim: Well if anyone can make this work it is DnA. Let’s see if they can do the old Starlin villain proud.
Lee: These min-events are officially out of control. Last year it was Reign of Kings, the year before that was Annihilation Conquest, the year before that something else. It’s like two months of filler material before the next cross-over. Seriously, it’s all crap.

NEW MUTANTS #14
Written by ZEB WELLS
Penciled by IBRAIM ROBERSON
Cover by ADI GRANOV Variant by DAVID FINCH
“SECOND COMING”, CHAPTER ELEVEN The X-Men are losing the battle against the Nimrods and Cyclops knows it. Desperate times call for desperate measures and no measure is more desperate than enlisting a mutant with multiple personalities, each possessing its own power. That’s right, Legion is let out of prison to fight on the X-Men’s side. 32 PGS./$2.99

Jim: I picked this almost at random just to talk about a point. Blackest Night and Siege had central series that you could follow and get the story. The X-Men event is saying this is Chapter Eleven in the Second Coming storyline. I don’t want to commit to that many books that fast. I would commit to a six or eight part series and if I liked it pick up the crossovers or tie-ins, but calling each book another chapter puts me off trying to find a way back into the X-Universe. (Update So far it has been a linear story and well done).
Lee: At least X-men is honest about how big it is! How big was Seige? How many cross-overs did it have? And, I’m sorry so much happened outside the main book it was ridiculous. It’s just another gouging of the fanboys.

GHOST RIDER BY JASON AARON OMNIBUS HC
Written by JASON AARON
Pencilled by TONY MOORE, TAN ENG HUAT & ROLAND
BOSCHI
Cover by MARC SILVESTRI
Collecting GHOST RIDER #20-35 and GHOST RIDERS: HEAVEN'S ON FIRE #1-6.
538 PGS./$49.99

Jim: I didn’t like how Jason’s run ended on this book, but 538 pages for 22 issues of a comic is an actual bargain and this was for the most part a great read.
Lee: It is a good deal but did it deserve an omnibus? I don’t think so.

PUNISHERMAX: KINGPIN PREMIERE HC
Written by JASON AARON
Pencilled by STEVE DILLON
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
An all-new story from the acclaimed team of Jason Aaron (WOLVERINE: WEAPON X) and Steve Dillon (PUNISHER: WELCOME BACK FRANK), two guys who were born to tell the exploits of Marvel's most brutal vigilante. Wilson Fisk is a bodyguard for mob boss Don Rigoletto, but he has his eyes on a much bigger prize, and he's gonna use Frank Castle to help him realize his dreams. It’s the biggest story in MAX history, as we witness the birth of the greatest villain the Punisher has ever faced. Collecting PUNISHERMAX #1-5. 120 PGS./$24.99

Jim: This is not a good deal. Five issues at 4 bucks was $20, the hardcover is $5 more and has absolutely no extras being advertised. At least add one of Jason’s scripts, some commentary by the writer and artist, some of Dillon preliminary material or something.
Lee: Not a good deal, but a great seller. I’m getting a copy. But, if it keeps up, I’ll be searching ebay for these books for affordable prices.

RAWHIDE KID: SLAP LEATHER PREMIERE HC
Written by RON ZIMMERMAN
Pencilled by JOHN SEVERIN
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
A true legend isn’t made, it’s born. His name was Johnny Bart, but most everybody called him Rawhide Kid. Where he was from and where he would remain, like most legends, is cloaked in mystery. But one thing was for sure: If you saw the Kid riding into your town, things would never be the same again. This is one such tale. HOWARD STERN SHOW writer Ron Zimmerman and legendary Western comics artist John Severin take aim at the lovable red-headed Western scamp we know as The Rawhide Kid. What happens when the Rawhide Kid rides into one of those beleaguered Western towns on the edge of nowhere, looking better than any cowboy has a right to? What happens when a gang of desperadoes ride into the same town with the intent of lootin' and pillagin'? Collecting RAWHIDE KID #1-5. 120 PGS./$24.99

Jim: Oh look they are offering this as a hardcover to go along with the new mini-series. If nothing else this series was worth it for the John Severin artwork and since I never actually read this series it might be fun to get it.
Lee: This is the gay version of the Kid. I remember the reviews and it wasn’t well received. It wasn’t bad, just not good. It’s amazing that they don’t mention ANY of the subtext with which they originally sold the book. It’s seem like Marvel is chickening out.

TOMB OF DRACULA VOL. 1 TPB
Written by GERRY CONWAY, ARCHIE GOODWIN, GARDNER F. FOX, & MARV WOLFMAN
Pencilled by GENE COLAN! Collecting TOMB OF DRACULA #1-12. 268 PGS./Parental Advisory …$24.99

Lee: First, why isn’t this a hc? Second.. “Parental Advisory?” Seriously? A comic written in the 70’s that carried code approval is not Parental Advisory. That’s just dumb.
Jim: It had a few shots of naked women in it I believe. Can’t have the kids seeing boobs now.

Jim: Well Marvel, as always, has a ton of material coming out. For me it was nice to see a fair number of series I want to try out as opposed to be jazzed more about the reprints.
Lee: Marvel, as always, floods the stands. But I’m surprised at the number of reasonable covers. I tried to add some in but they were tame… compared to other months that is.

Review: The Mermaid's Madness

The Mermaid's Madness

by Jim C. Hines

There is an old story — you might have heard it — about a young mermaid, the daughter of a king, who saved the life of a human prince and fell in love.
So innocent was her love, so pure her devotion, that she would pay any price for the chance to be with her prince. She gave up her voice, her family, and the sea, and became human. But the prince had fallen in love with another woman.

The tales say the little mermaid sacrificed her own life so that her beloved prince could find happiness with his bride.

The tales lie.

I picked this book up a few months ago on a whim and didn't actually get around to reading it until this week. I can honestly say the only reason this book even appealed to me was because of Bill Willlingham's work on Fables and the subsequent spin-off on Cinderella's adventures. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Gregory Maguire's fable-style work too, but my love of the Snow White and Cinderella characters came from Fable (etc). The familiarity of the characters lured me in but Jim Hine's definitely went a different route with his adaptations. He essentially takes the idea of these characters (Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and the Little Mermaid) and makes them entirely his own - Cinderella being the closest to he familiar story - with occasional homages to their fable origins.

The basic premise is in the kingdom of Lorindar Queen Beatrice and King Theodore rule with their son, Prince Armand and his wife, Danielle (aka Cinderella) as their heirs. Snow and Talia (Sleeping Beauty) serve the Queen as she apparently saved both of their lives at one time or another. I'm not going to go into a plot summary as I feel that would give too much away. I will give a general overview of the fable characters as it gives an idea of the plot - enough to let any of you decide whether or not you may enjoy Hine's Princess books.

Cinderella is now Danielle Whiteshore already married to her Prince and with a baby boy named Jakob. Danielle's story is pretty close to the more well known versions of Cinderella - evil step-family, sneaking away to the ball, escaping at midnight, leaving her slipper, the Prince searching her out... you know the tale. She does talk to animals - they don't talk back but they help her out is she asks (to a point, many times she has to convince them). In this version she can get most any animal to help her - for example she asks sharks to protect her ship against the mermaid's at one point. She's a bit like old-school Aquaman in this regard :) There's no fairy godmother though, apparently it was her mother's ghost who helped her escape her step-family.

Snow White is a mirror-magic sorceress. The Queen who tried to have her killed was actually her real mother who seems to have turned on her when she discovered Snow may be more powerful than her. Snow had to kill her mother to escape. Also, she appears to be in her 30s rather than her true age of 19 as a cost for some of the magic she has needed to use. She seems to love her life and revels in new experiences. She is powerful but self-taught. In this book she is taught new magic by a powerful mermaid witch. Most people are unaware she is the Snow White of fame.

Sleeping Beauty goes by Talia and almost no one is aware of her actual identity. I'd say her story is the one the Hine's has changed the most. It's pretty harsh - she was cursed by fairies (and blessed I suppose but she even considers the blessings to be a curse as she is rather sensitive to fairy magic at this point). Of course her fairy gifted grace and dexterity can be used for fighting skill just as easily as dancing and other more princess-y skills. While she was in an enchanted sleep no kiss awoke her - apparently the prince who came took advantage of her instead and she only awoke to the pains of labor. Considering that rather awful experience Talia turned to martial skill as a means of getting revenge on the prince and his family but eventually had to flee her homeland and was given a new home by Queen Beatrice. Talia has fallen in love with Snow but it goes unnoticed and unrequited.

The Little Mermaid (Lirea) is on par with the original story (not the Disney version) in many ways - except Lirea kills the Prince when he won't marry her. She uses a magic dagger which rips out his soul and binds it to her keeping her somewhat alive but not quite human and not quite mermaid. She begins to go mad with the Prince's soul whispering in her mind and kills bother her father and one of her sisters. The main drive of this story involves Lirea trying to find her remaining sister and kill her to secure the throne but Lorindar is protecting the young mermaid. Lirea's story is actually more involved but it's more fun to read the book and figure it out as you go :)

Overall I had a lot of fun reading this book. My one minor complaint is that it jumped around between the different Princess' perspectives. Once you've gotten used to it it's okay but I hate being pulled out of one character's story just when I've gotten interested. This is the second book of this series and I have a feeling it wouldn't have bothered me as much if I had already gotten acclimated to the characters in the original book, A Stepsister Scheme. The third book is coming out in early May (Red Hood's Revenge) and I have ordered both of these already as I'm looking forward to reading more of Hine's work.

Bottom line, if you enjoy Fables I'd be willing to bet you'll enjoy these books too. Also these would make good books for young/teen girls with the strong and diverse female leads.

A+!!!

Marvel Preview Review for June Part 2 of 3

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634
Written by JOE KELLY, STAN LEE & J.M. DEMATTEIS
Pencilled by MICHAEL LARK, MARCOS MARTIN & MAX FIUMARA
50/50 Covers by LEINIL FRANCIS YU & MIKE FYLES
Villain Variant by JOE QUINONES
GRIM HUNT PART 1: A SPIDER-MAN EPIC TWO DECADES IN THE MAKING BEGINS!
Several years ago, one of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies, Kraven the Hunter, stalked his last prey, dying with a violent, misbegotten honor. Now, two women claiming to be his wife and daughter have tracked Spider-Man, through the urban jungle, weakening him through the Gauntlet while they prepare to attempt an unholy resurrection. They’re hunting Spiders…and Spider-Man’s friends and namesakes are in their sights. Written by Joe Kelly and drawn by Michael Lark (DAREDEVIL) this is only the beginning of a Spider-summer that will be talked about for years to come. ALSO BEGINNING THIS ISSUE: TWO EXCLUSIVE FEATURES!
Original Spidey creator Stan Lee returns with Marcos Martin for a 2-page Spidey Sunday Feature that brings the real world into Spidey’s world! PLUS: J.M. DeMatteis, author of the classic “Kraven’s Last Hunt” returns to the Amazing Spider-Man with Max Fiumara to explore an unknown confrontation between Kraven and Spidey's violent doppelganger KAINE…a battle which promises ramifications on the Grim Hunt itself. 40 PGS./ $3.99

Lee: Come on now! This is getting ridiculous even by comic book standards. Doesn’t Kraven already have a son? What happened to that character? At this rate with all the wives, sons, daughters, end everything else just bring the original Kraven back. Heck, if you can bring back Norman Osborne, Gwen Stacy, & Electra, surely you can bring back Kraven.
Jim: Funny how in comics we accept that anyone can be brought back from the dead and then when they don’t it makes no comic book sense.
Lee: And, “two exclusive features?” Isn’t that a bunch of fancy words for back-up story? Didn’t DC just try this stunt?
Jim: They did to a lack of success.

SPIDER-HAM 25TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1
Written by TOM DEFALCO & TOM PEYER
Pencilled by JACOB CHABOT, AGNES GARBOWSKA & ADAM DEKRAKER
Cover by JOE JUSKO
THE TIME FOR NOT WAITING IS OVER – THE ORIGINAL SPIDER-PIG TURNS 25!
When J. Jonah Jackal, Mary Crane and Pete’s beloved Aunt May are kidnapped on his 25th birthday, Spider-Ham must battle Doctor Octopuss and the Swinester Six! Six-to-one odds? Don't get your tail in a bunch -- when the slop's on, this pig throws down -- and Tom DeFalco & Jacob Chabot are there to bring it to you.Then, take a look into the many possible fates of Spider-Ham as the Assistant Watcher answer the questions you never really thought about in MARVEL: WHY NOT? – a six page Spider-Ham Extravaganza by Tom Peyer and Agnes Garbowska. Finally, in the not too distant future, Swiney-Girl, the daughter of Spider-Ham, returns to face down “Crayfin’s Last Bunt!” by Tom D. and Adam DeKraker 48 PGS./One-Shot/$3.99

Jim: This looks like fun for fans of this material.
Lee: Now, that is a well written hidden slam. If you’re a fan of “that material”, read: you’re under 12 and have the IQ of a piece of slate, you’ll like this. That’s nice of you to insult our readers in new and subtle ways. Sheesh.
Jim: I think Lee over analyzed my remark just a tad. It meant what it said, nothing else.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #1
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Pencils & Cover by MIKE MCKONE
Variant Cover by MIKE MCKONE
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE! A BRAND NEW ONGOING AVENGERS TITLE BEGINS HERE! Determined to keep the tradition alive, founding Avenger Hank Pym leads a core team of veteran heroes in creating a place where the next generation of Earth's Mightiest can be trained by the greatest of those who preceded them. An institution where everyone who has ever been an Avenger can share their skill, knowledge and experience. The future is in their hands...and in the hands of the six young superhumans chosen to make up the inaugural class. But who are they? And what dark secret will turn their world--and potentially the entire Marvel Universe--upside down by the end of the issue? If you think this is just another teen hero book...the last page shocker will prove you wrong! Writer Christos Gage and superstar artist Mike McKone unite to bring you a bold new era of greatness! 40 PGS./$3.99

Jim: Marvel has a serious problem in that they have never been able to truly develop any second generation super heroes. DC has Dick Grayson, Donna Troy, Wally West and more plus another generation after that with Tim Drake, Cassie, Connor, Bart and others. Marvel has no one behind their big guns and only recently managed to develop Bucky into a second generation character. I know you can point out some people like the New Warriors, but no one has really caught on except maybe you could count Nova. I tried the Initiative for a few issues, but it was not working, I will give them another chance to develop that next generation of heroes with this book.
Lee: Your argument makes no sense! Dick Grayson has been around since the 40’s. Donna Troy and Wally West since the 50’s! That’s not development, that’s digging into the archives. And those three characters were “developed” by Wolfman and Perez in the early 80’s. The problem isn’t limited to just Marvel.
Jim: It is more limited to Marvel then DC, but the Silver Age of DC started with a new generation and Marvel just started in the Silver Age. Donna Troy and Wally have been around since the sixties, but Wally actually was the only Flash for many years, nothing like that has happened with Marvel.

NEW AVENGERS #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by STUART IMMONEN
Variant Covers by MARKO DJURDJEVIC & STUART IMMONEN
Heroic Age Blank Variant also available
Find out who the New Avengers are, where they call home (gotta see it to believe it!), which Dark Avenger has joined their ranks, and just who the interdimensional demonic threat to our existence is! These heroes have gathered to take on the threats too dark, too dangerous, and too bizarre for any other team of heroes. The New Avengers are back!! And Bendis & Immonen are back with the Siege & Secret Invasion colorista Laura Martin!! You didn't really think Marvel was going to cancel their number one ongoing title did you? Heck no!! Backup feature: Another brand new oral history of the Avengers chapter by Bendis! 32 PGS./$3.99

Jim: I’m confused as the need for another group of Avengers beyond the books they have going. Also why are Spider-Man and Wolverine in both books? Oh I know to try and boost sales.
Lee: What’s a “Heroic Age Blank Variant” cover??? They want me to pay for a white sheet of paper cover? I wonder about the kids who buy those.

AVENGERS PRIME #1 (of 5)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALAN DAVIS
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE! They were friends, brothers and teammates through all of Marvel's greatest adventures, but recent events turned them into the bitterest of enemies. In the wake of the Siege of Asgard Thor, Iron Man and Steve Rogers are brought together on the same side once more, but these great heroes can’t truly trust each other yet. They better start soon because something only the Big Three can handle is tearing their world apart. This all-new, grand and dangerous adventure will catapult our heroes into the explosive Heroic Age and will unite comics legend Alan Davis with Avengers scribe Brian Bendis for the very first time.
40 PGS./Bi-Monthly/$3.99

Jim: The draw for me, pun intended, is Alan Davis. I did laugh when I saw it was being solicited as a bi-monthly. That must mean it will be a quarterly at best book. I would wait for the trade, but the way the pricing is now days the trade will be $30 and the floppy version will only cost $20.
Lee: At least one of us is interested because this is a waste. I’m with you, I’m waiting for the trade because there’s no way I’ll be able to follow this in floppies.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE 1940S NEWSPAPER STRIP #1 (of 3)
Written & Pencilled by KARL KESEL
Cover by BUTCH GUICE
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Uncovered at last: The 1940’s daily newspaper comic strip starring Captain America that you never knew about! Travel with us through the mists of time to the tumultuous days of World War II, when skinny Steve Rogers was transformed into the star-spangled, shield-slinging Super Soldier! And what is a classic Cap adventure without the two-fisted might of his wise-cracking, jaw-jacking sidekick Bucky? Plus: Rampaging robots! Secret underground cities! Dangerous dames and femme fatales! No-good Nazis that deserve a sock to the kisser! All brought to you by acclaimed writer/artist Karl Kesel! Buy U.S. war bonds…and this! 32 PGS./$3.99

Jim: I love this idea of making up a daily Cap newspaper strip, I only hope that it works as cool as it sounds.
Lee: Either really, really good or really, really bad. There’s no middle ground on this one.

FANTASTIC FOUR IN…¡ATAQUE DEL M.O.D.O.K.! #1
Written by TOM BELAND
Pencils & Cover by JUAN DOE
Variante Española También Disponible
M.O.D.O.K.! Monkeys! Mayhem! Marvel’s First Family returns to Puerto Rico!
There’s no such thing as a relaxing vacation for Reed Richards and Sue Storm. They thought they were getting off easy with just having to fight an out-of-control Dragon Man in an exploding oil refinery…but when the monstrous evil genius M.O.D.O.K. hatches a plan involving genetically enhanced monkeys, our heroes will be up to their ears in it! And will they be helped or hindered by the mysterious Puerto Rican figure known only as…El Vejigante?
48 PGS./One-Shot/$3.99

Jim: In a WTF moment from Marvel, I have to ask WTF?????
Lee: Actually this sounds great! There have been more Modok one shots in the last two years than… well ever. Modok Dark Rain was funny. I bet this will be too. Not to mention, Juan Doe has done a bunch of these FF one shots and I really like his art.

FRANKEN-CASTLE #18
Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencilled by JAMES HARREN
Cover by MIKE McKONE
“PAYBACK,” PART 1 Lady Gorgon, a high-ranking Hand operative, lost her stature after she failed to kill Frank Castle. Now that the Punisher has made his way to Tokyo to hunt her, she’d be lucky if her stature is all she looses. Frank’s made a list of every scumbag dumb enough to take a shot at him. If you’re on his list, you’re already dead. Let the festivities begin. 32 PGS./$2.99

Jim: I guess Franken-Castle is selling better then when he was the Punisher so they renamed the book or Frank will now be an undead monster for awhile. In some ways it is funny in others disrespecting the character.
Lee: This appears to be the only way to make the Punisher work in the current Marvel U so why not. People seem to be buying it.

HERCULES: TWILIGHT OF A GOD #1 (of 4)
Written by BOB LAYTON
Art & Cover by RON LIM & BOB LAYTON
THE PRINCE OF POWER IS BACK WITH ONE, FINAL ADVENTURE AS ONLY BOB LAYTON CAN TELL IT!
Hercules has been the champion of the Andromeda galaxy for over 75 years! But when an attempt to save the capitol city of Port Anteris goes awry, the Lion of Olympus is left incapacitated and needing to be looked after by his Olympic offspring. However, with a sinister plot brewing against his son's government and the threat of Galactus looming, Hercules—even in his brain-addled state— is the galaxy's only hope! VERILY, 'TIS THE MIGHTIEST HERO EVER, IN A SPECTACULAR TALE SET IN THE FAR FLUNG FUTURE, THAT THOU SHAN’T WANT TO MISS! The long awaited follow-up to Bob Layton's classic Hercules run!
32 PGS./$3.99

Jim: I can’t see this stuff having a huge audience, especially as a $4 book.
Lee: I’m sold… on the trade. I loved Layton’s Herc when I was a kid.
Jim: You won’t be as high on the trade when it sells for $20.

PART 3 Tomorrow

American Vampire #2 - A Review

American Vampire #2

Publisher Vertigo

Morning Star
Writer Scott Snyder
Art Rafael Albuquerque
Colors Dave McCaig

Deep Water
Writer Stephen King
Art Rafael Albuquerque
Colors Dave McCaig

Format 32 Pages of Story and Art

Price $3.99

If you want to skim read this, I’ll save you the trouble, the second issue was as good as the first and maybe even better, so the grade is another “A”, the Scott, Steve, Rafael and Dave show continues.

As I write reviews I find myself trying to play editor and critic all at the same time. Recently I read an article on politics where the author was complaining that we had a dearth of thinkers in our government today. His point being that people no longer make well thought out arguments it is just this is good or this is bad. No explanation, no rationale. In doing comic reviews I don’t think you always have an intellectual basis for your opinion since emotional reactions can be just as valid, but as much as possible we should be able to explain why we like and don’t like something. I’m trying to set the bar a little higher and not only say this is a great comic or not, but what makes it work in my view.

One of the things I have become very conscious of when reading comics is how much of a unique marriage the art form is between words and pictures. The old adage is a picture is worth a thousand words. Still we need the words sometimes to learn just who the characters are in the drama we are engaged in and how they are feeling about what is happening. Knowing when to insert words and when not to add captions and dialogues has been something going on in comics for years. Read comics from the sixties, seventies and even till the nineties and you will see many writers have captions which are totally meaningless as they are just describing what the artist drew. I’m almost certain that with writers doing full scripts that someone thought it would be good to include almost every word that was written. Under the Marvel way I can read old Marvel comics and see where Stan was forcing a story into a book that had nothing to do with the art as he scripted it after the art was done. To make a comic truly work well the marriage has to be one of knowing when to step on the gas and when to let the art do the work.

For a newcomer Scott Snyder has gotten it right apparently from the jump, especially with this book. The opening four pages is my evidence to support my view. Page one we open with Pearl’s friends coming into her room wondering what has happened to her. The pictures give us the setting and the words let us know her friends’ concern. It immediately made me recall that we ended last issue with Pearl being attacked by vampires and thrown into a ditch. Cut to page 2 and 3 side by side and we see Pearl torn up and staggering around in the desert obviously more dead than alive as her friends drive up in a car. The dialogue is at the bare minimum as Rafael’s pictures carry the drama and magnitude of what has happened to Pearl. Page 4 we are at the hospital and the doctor provides details as what is happening to Pearl and why she is dying. The dialogue is conveying needed information for the reader, but is conveyed in a natural way as to make it part of the story.

Other writers may have framed the desert scene with excess captions like “The hot desert sun is beating down on Pearl. She is staggering and barely knows that her friends have arrived looking to help her”. While valid it destroys the essence of letting the art tell the story and interferes with pacing, which is always critical to storytelling. Page 4 having the doctor talk makes why Pearl is dying more real and relatable and also serves to slow down the pace after the dramatic opening.

The story continues from there and we see Skinner show up and turn Pearl into a vampire and we see Pearl take revenge on the man who set her up. We also start to learn the difference between American Vampires and the old school vampires. In a flash the story is over and you are left wanting more. Scott and Rafael are laying a beautiful foundation for another winning series from Vertigo.

The first five issue of American Vampire have two sixteen page tales every issue and while it is almost sacrilegious to say this Scott’s half of the book is a better read then Stephen King’s half of the book. Now I’m expecting some monster from under my bed to climb out and attack me for saying such a thing, but I’ll be bold and continue. Steve’s half deals with Skinner Sweet’s origins as he is the first American Vampire. I think the story suffers from the burdens of being more of a straight origin story and perhaps no way to avoid it. Plus Skinner’s affection for candy is overplayed in the story. What is good about it is we learn about the vampires who killed Skinner and the man Jim Book who I’m guessing will be Skinner’s nemesis for a time. In fact when Book goes to Skinner’s grave is a great scene and a truly memorable moment in comic book history. The old west is giving way to the modern world as the story unfolds and I’m curious to see how we get from a Skinner in 1909 who has just awaken as a new vampire and the confident and crafty Skinner we see in the front half of the book in 1925.

Rafael Albuquerque as artist and Dave McCaig on color art both do a great job. Rafael is using a slightly different style from story to story but is consistent in his ability to tell a story. The flow of the panels and artwork is smooth and makes reading the book a pleasure. He does little and big moments with equal ability. What I am most impressed with is how his art continues to grow from his Blue Beetle days to now. Dave McCaig does equally well and sets two distinct tones with his color work that makes each story distinctive.

Finally, and for me most important, is that after I’m finished reading this book I want to read the next one. It also makes me want to buy Scott’s prose work Voodoo Heart and read Stephen King’s new book Under the Dome.

Overall Grade A – American Vampire joins Sweet Tooth, Joe The Barbarian and Daytrippers as another newer series from Vertigo that is a winner. I would also recommend Iron Man Noir from Scott Snyder as another good comic to read. I hope DC gets Scott working inside the DCU and does not lose him to Marvel as they did Andy Diggle and Jason Aaron as I think Scott has the ability to work both genres.

Marvel Preview Review For June Part 1 of 3

Jim: Theoretically Lee abdicated his picking of Marvel to me, but last month he had so much fun ripping the covers apart he did the picks, now it is back to me for awhile. Of course I’m not the biggest Marvel fan, so let’s see how this goes.
Lee: When in doubt, make fun of covers!!!! That’s how I survived the last few months.

MARVELMAN CLASSIC PRIMER #1
Written by JOHN RHETT THOMAS
Cover by JOE QUESADA Variant by MICK ANGLO
MARVELMAN COMES TO MARVEL! Who is the mysterious Marvelman? The answer to that question is one of the most mysterious in comics lore. Created in 1954 by writer/artist Mick Anglo, the character enjoyed a long run in the British comics market as one of its most powerful heroes. A few decades later, the character was revived with a dark, moody, deconstructionist bent, and produced one of the most important works of comic art in the medium's history. But now, miracle of miracles, Marvel has stepped up to the plate to deliver on the promise of Anglo's incredible characters. The MARVELMAN PRIMER will help readers unfamiliar with that character get up to speed on the past, present and future of Marvelman stories. We'll check in with Mick Anglo, Neil Gaiman and others who contributed to this character’s history over the years. It was the news that swept the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con and the Marvelman Primer explains why! Featuring six all-new pinups of key Marvelman characters by superstar artists Mike Perkins, Doug Braithwaite, Miguel Angel Sepulveda, Jae Lee, Khoi Pham and Ben Oliver! 32 PGS./One-Shot/ $3.99

Jim: This is a lame way to launch Marvelman in the MU. Personally the only thing I want is the Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman runs republished in a high end hard cover. Anything else is just whatever for me.
Lee: I’m sorry but this looks like crap to me. It’s $4 for incomplete stories and lots of text. People seem to forget that the GA Marvelman wasn’t all that good. Even by British standards. This is an easy pass until I hear something better.

ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #2 (of 5)
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Pencils & Cover by KAARE ANDREWS
The birth rate is climbing in the small African village of Karere…and these newborns are anything but normal: infants made of steel, infants only partially visible to the eye, infants who combust and destroy city blocks. Hoping to witness the rebirth of the mutant species, the X-Men go to investigate. But what they find may just be something far more sinister and dangerous…and familiar. 32 PGS./$3.99

Jim: Okay I’m treading into Lee territory here, but did one of the babies splash White Queen or is she just lactating?
Lee: Now there’s something you don’t see everyday! A vomit cover. Actually, you see it all the time on Indie covers but not so much in the Marvel U.

NAMORA #1
Written by JEFF PARKER
Pencilled by SARA PICHELLI
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS & RAMONA FRADON
The powerful agent of ATLAS and Atlantean Princess known as Namora finds a missing colony of her aquatic people in the Barents Sea, and goes to bring them back to the new home of Oceana. But the Atlanteans are unwilling to leave and now Namora is also compelled to stay...and serve THE KRAKEN! Don’t miss an aquatic adventure like only critically-acclaimed writer Jeff Parker (AGENTS OF ATLAS, THUNDERBOLTS, FALL OF THE HULKS) can tell it! 32 PGS./One-Shot/$3.99

Lee: ok, we’ve blasted Greg Land for photocopying porn stars and calling it a cover. BUT, what if a female artist does it? Does that make it ok?
Jim:Of course not, crap is crap.
Lee: On another note, I can see why Namora never drowns with those balloons!
Jim: My question is how can she dive underwater, won’t see float back to the top?

HERALDS #1-5 (of 5)
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN
Pencilled by TONCI ZONJIC
Cover & Issue #1 Variant by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC
Powerful forces are converging on Earth and the women of the Marvel Universe are at the center of it! Years ago, a herald of Galactus sacrificed her life for the universe. Little did anyone realize, a shred of that spirit lived on…and now she’s back for vengeance on those who abandoned her. The most powerful super heroines of the Marvel Universe must put aside their differences to stop this threat before the Earth is destroyed. Emma Frost, She-Hulk, Agent Abigail Brand, Hellcat, Valkyrie, Monica Rambeau, Sue Storm…these mighty women will be put to the test as never before, as cities are destroyed, families are torn apart, and a cosmic resurrection changes the heroes’ lives forever! 32 PGS.(each)/$2.99 (each)

Jim: I wonder if Marvel is really selling this “event”. Maybe they were in title 9 trouble and had to put out more comics starting the girls. I guess the thing that bothers me is this seems to be forced as opposed to just developing good comics that have a woman as the central character. Heck DC has Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Powergirl, Batgirl, Gotham City Sirens and coming soon Zatanna, Birds of Prey and Batwoman all without making it some “event”. This made up team of Marvel women has no rational basis.
Lee: Maybe Marvel is just realizing that they don’t have any female leads and they’re making up for lost time. Whatever the reason there sure are publishing a whole bunch of these books in a short time frame.

X-CAMPUS #1 (of 2)
Written by FRANCESCO ARTIBANI
Pencils by DENIS MEDRI & ROBERTO DI SALVO
Covers by TODD NAUCK & DENIS MEDRI
It’s an all-new, all-different version of the X-Men as told by some of Europe’s greatest comics storytellers! In this vivid re-imagining of the X-Men mythos, everything is not as it seems and teenaged versions of Cyclops, Beast, Wolverine, Iceman, Storm and Rogue face a threat worse even than super villains or race-destroying viruses… HIGH SCHOOL! When the troubled Anna Raven is recruited to join the Worthington Foundation, a school for the gifted, she jumps at the chance to escape her broken life. But one student who can’t control his unusual powers could bring everything crashing down, literally, as he threatens to destroy the entire school! 48 PGS./$4.99

Jim: A reimagining of the X-Men by some creators who might normally never get a chance to do this material could be good.
Lee: Marvel has always let other people play in their sandbox to mixed results. Remember the Manga-verse???? I’ll check it out because I’m sure it will be interesting if nothing else.

DEADPOOL #24
32 PGS./$2.99
DEADPOOL CORPS #3
32 PGS./ $2.99
DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #892
32 PGS./$2.99
DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #12 (of a 13-Issue Limited Series)
32 PGS./$2.99
DEADPOOL: WADE WILSON'S WAR #1 (of 4)
32 PGS./$3.99
DEADPOOL: WADE WILSON'S WAR #2 (of 4)
32 PGS./$3.99

Jim: A few questions. Is Wolverine jealous since Deadpool is closing in on being in more comics then he is? Merc with a Mouth got cancelled, you mean Deadpool does not sell all the time no matter what? Seriously Brian Hibbs of Tilting at Windmill fame spoke of how this dilution of titles does not always help sales.
Lee: Deadpool is officially a brand, just like Avengers, X-men, and yes, even Wolverine. People are supporting all this material so I don’t blame Marvel for publishing it. Maybe we should start blaming fanboys for blinding buying everything that a publishers prints.

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #11
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE
After the shocking drama surrounding Kitty Pryde is exposed, an edict is made: “No more super heroes!!” Will Peter and his friends be able to keep the costumes off?? Especially when J. Jonah Jameson reveals himself to be the biggest threat Spidey has faced in years? Looking for a Spidey adventure you’ve never seen before? Look no further as Eisner-nominated writer Brian Michael Bendis and fan-favorite artist David Lafuente, bring you another blockbuster story!
32 PGS./ $3.99

Lee: So let’s look at this cover closely… JJJ is wielding a.. chair??? And Spidey is bleeding from his stomach! So, what does this tell us about the book. After JJJ shivs Spidey for not respecting him, he picks up the nearest, most lethal object he can find, the padded chair, and attacks him with it. Am I close???
Jim: It looks awesome, the chair was bitten by a radioactive spider also so it is Spider-Chair vs Spider-Man, I'm guessing JJJ know Peter is Spider-Man in the Ultimate U.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS: BLACK CAT #1 (of 4)
Written by JEN VAN METER
Pencilled by JAVIER PULIDO
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
A GRIM HUNT TIE-IN. The Cat is B(l)ack in her own series and it’s international intrigue at its sexiest by Jen Van Meter and Javier Pulido. As Spider-Man is stalked during the Grim Hunt, the world’s slyest, smartest and sneakiest jewel thief’s latest heist puts the Black Cat face-to-face with the family that has been terrorizing Spider-Man’s dreams and threatening those closest to him! 40 PGS./$3.99

Jim: Okay more “girl” stuff, but Black Cat has true potential to carry her own book, heck she is a poor man’s Catwoman and that character has had two series that lasted a long time. Of course I’m so out of things in Spider-Man’s world I have no clue what “Grim Hunt” is and could care that it ties into it.
Lee: I’m not sure this is more girl stuff or just an expansion of the Spiderman line. Mega-events don’t occur anymore, it’s just 14 limited series all tied into the same single character or event. I’m not sure if these are better or worse than just having the mega-event.

Part 2 Tomorrow

When Men were Men and Flashes Didn't Wear Bowties!

I was born in the early 80’s, but like any kid who had trouble getting a date, comics really grabbed my attention as a teenager, during the 90’s. Now today, the 90’s are typically regarded with scorn and derision. We think back to that decade and remember Rob Liefeld’s poorly drawn feet, endless X-Men crossovers, and a period of time in which people thought giving Superman a mullet was a good idea. Tragically, these are all things that happened. And yet in the midst of all this garbage, we had the DC universe. And during the 1990’s, the DC Universe was completely awesome.

On the Flash, Mark Waid was doing such a good job of reviving the spirit of the Silver Age that none of us cared how stupid “Speed Force” sounded. In JLA, Grant Morrison was kicking the doors off the DC universe every month and showing us what was possible when you wrote superhero comics under the influence. On Aztek, Morrison and Mark Millar made me care about a hero named Aztek! That’s Aztek with a Z! In Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner was making Green Lantern not seem old and boring for the first time I’d ever seen. On Nightwing, Chuck Dixon made Nightwing finally work outside a Titans book and created a city even sleezier than Gotham! The Legion of Super Heroes no longer required a PhD in continuity to understand. And on Hitman, Garth Ennis was turning baby penguins into zombies and killing them with chainsaws!



Sure Batman was just sorta there, but at least Kelley Jones gave him really pointy ears. And Superman may have been an exercise in mulleted mediocrity, but at least when they drew Krypton they used those super weird John Byrne designs where they had caulk all over their sleeves.

Mid 90’s DC had its ups and its downs, but at the end of the day it was usually trying something new. New characters, new continuities, new creators, new concepts. Even a book like the Flash, which was practically drowning in its affection for the Silver Age, was always doing something different.

Green Lantern was containing exploding supernovas with his power ring, the Flash was racing across time and space to return to his one true love, Lex Luthor was bankrolling a secret society to get a superhero in the Justice League, and Hitman was puking on Batman’s shoes! Most of it still holds up pretty well today, but back then, when it was surrounded by Onslaught Phase 23, Captain America with an eagle on his head, and people who thought Deathmate Black was a good idea, it was the best thing you had ever seen!

Everyone is always at least somewhat nostalgic when they think back to the comics of their youth and I am no exception. However, I think even the most enthusiastic DC fans would think that this period compares favorably to today’s DC comics, where we get 3 months of the Justice League looking at photographs, a Legion with a continuity that only 32nd Level Freemasons can understand, and explanations of why Barry Allen wears a bowtie.

Maybe Superman’s mullet wasn’t too high a price to pay after all.