Review: Trees #3

Trees #3 begins with a little bit of cat and mouse as Eligia stalks the Professor, who evaded her random assault in the previous book. The hunt leads to two different contrasting lifestyles, the one the Professor lives and the one Eligia is currently living with Tito and the apparent fascist gang.

The Professor is cordial and welcoming as he enters a bookstore and chit-chats with the owner about how her kids are doing. On the other hand, Eligia is accosted by a member of Tito’s gang, who forcibly wonders why she is not with Tito. The differences in the contrasting lifestyles are made apparent in Jason Howard’s artwork. The Professor is able to enjoy his café while he paints the piazza of Cefalu; he is greeted warmly by the bookkeeper who has a constant smile on her face. Meanwhile Eligia is in an alley where trash is littered on the ground and graffiti is etched across the wall. The two could not be in more different places despite being in the same geographical place!

Warren Ellis transitions from the Eligia and the Professor and back to a familiar face, Chenglei! Ellis also fully introduces the reader to the beauty living in the same apartment from the first book. Ellis is able to explore the fear of something completely new and different through seemingly casual conversation and in order to overcome the fear and get a true grasp of the experience you cannot look from the outside, but must put yourself into the shoes of those you are observing. One important fact of note is both Chenglei and the Professor are painting or drawing the Trees as they have become a part of their cities’ skylines.

Jason Howard turns on the suspense with some fantastic panels of a rundown house and Eligia’s act of breaking and entering. Howard does an excellent job of using the light to his advantage; it ramps up the anticipation before the inevitable encounter. There is one panel that does seem out of place where Eligia seems awestruck or even mesmerized, but then the next panel she continues in her crouched hunting position with a knife firmly gripped in her right hand.

The expected encounter after Howard’s suspense-building finally does happen and Ellis is top-notch with his dialogue, delving into the psyche of both the Professor and Eligia making the characters both compelling and interesting, something he was unable to do in the previous book. On top of making the characters engaging, he adds fuel to the fire of mystery by hinting at a future that seems destined to happen. Ellis and Howard are able to recapture the promise of the first book and develop characters the reader wants to know more about and an overarching mystery that continues to develop new ripples.

8.4	Howard’s art and Ellis’ storytelling create characters and a storyline that are both compelling and interesting.

Review: Superman #33

The story picks up exactly where Johns and Romita Jr. left the reader in Superman #32 figuring out who is Ulysses. The man who wants to know the most is of course the fiery editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, Mr. Perry White. The opening sequence allows for some nice banter among co-workers, although it is extremely heavy on the speech bubbles.

The heavy speech bubbles go on for a few pages with an almost entire recap of the beginning of Superman #32 on just one page: Perry gives details on the Ulysses Research Lab and how it all went wrong.

Geoff Johns is able to have some fun with Ulysses when he removes the uniform and begins exploring Metropolis. Ulysses is quite perplexed when the citizens refer to him as “handsome” and “buddy.” Naturally he corrects them and informs them his name is Neil. It adds much needed humor in a very heavy information-focused book. Not only does Johns add some humor through the character, but he also introduces more of his abilities, especially one that could have a lot of interesting consequences for Superman.

Ulysses also is center-stage for Romita Jr.’s detailed action sequences involving the beheading of a robotic soldier, which reminds one of the small toy green soldiers you played with as a kid. The sequence brings out Ulysses’ ferocity and his ultimate desire for peace which, ironically, he uses violence to obtain. Johns uses the after-action sequence to draw a contrast between Superman and Ulysses, one that defines who Superman is.

Romita Jr.’s artwork shines again and brings back memories of reading the Sunday Funnies especially the scenes in the newsroom. Although there are some panels where Superman seems stiff and his positioning looks awkward. There is one where he is turning to face Ulysses and his neck is almost at a 90 degree angle. It hurts your neck just looking at it! Romita Jr. excels in the action sequences whether it is the green Titano-like soldiers being blasted into smithereens or Ulysses going into Super-Saiyan mode as the crowd in the background cowers in fear.

One thing is for sure despite the large information dump by Johns, the story is intriguing and takes a huge twist at the end, that no one saw coming from the first book. The twist is so major it could drastically affect an entire character’s view of himself and the world around him.

7.8	A huge plot twist and some fun humor with Ulysses are held back by a heavy focus on recapping information and a lot of panels filled with speech bubbles.

Review: Deadpool vs. X-Force #2

Deadpool continues to change the course of history; this time his sights are set on the Battle of Gettysburg in the summer of 1863. Writer Duane Swierczynski is able to take full advantage of Deadpool’s ability to understand he is a character in a comic book, having him speak directly to the reader from the first page. The humor is fun and light-hearted especially when Confederate soldiers are obviously perplexed and begin questioning whether or not Deadpool is even talking to them!

The book is once again full of non-stop action when Cable and the X-Force attempt to subdue Deadpool, but face a much more numerous Confederate force outfitted with artillery and muskets. Despite the superior numbers, the Confederate force does not really stand a chance against Domino and Warpath, who really only seem concerned about a potential loss of hearing from the roar of the cannon fire.

Pepe Larraz is top-notch once again with his artwork, and even adds a little steampunk, when some of Wilson’s machinations at Germantown in the first book have manifested themselves in the inventions of the Union army: massive land ships with smoke billowing out of their chimneys as they move to confront the Confederates, to tank-like crawlers equipped with multiple cannons firing some type of energy pulse and even what appears to be manned robotic walkers armed with huge golden rifles. These inventions not only look awesome, but pack a powerful punch! Larraz demonstrates their power when Cable travels back in time to warn Boom-Boom and Cannonball about the potential catastrophic ripples Deadpool is starting to cause. Cable is down on his knees and his wounds are smoldering and the time portal appears like smoke rising from his body.

The book isn’t all action and there are a few moral dilemmas the X-Force faces, which give Swierczynski the opportunity to flesh out their personalities. The most impactful is when Cannonball and Boom-Boom must decide whether or not they will attack the men “who laid down their lives for [their] freedom.” Unsurprisingly, they come to a pretty quick decision: they are soldiers and soldiers follow orders no matter what. It will be interesting to see if Swierczynski will expand on this discussion or leave it as is.

One of the more odd parts of the book appears near the end when Swierczynski begins narrating the story describing Warpath and Domino’s abilities. It is rather odd and even off-putting as it seems to break up the flow of the book, although it may help new readers understand their abilities despite their abilities being displayed in Larraz’s artwork and dialogue between the two.

The book continues to explore how history could have changed and continues to keep the reader guessing as to what Deadpool’s motivations are as well as who is employing the mercenary. The artwork by Larraz, accompanied with coloring by Nolan Woodward, definitely stand out in a fun journey through history.

7.6	Great artwork and coloring combined with an action-packed journey back to the Civil War keep this book on the pull list!

Review: The Squidder #1

Ben Templesmith explores a dystopian world, where Earth has been conquered by an alien force known as the Squid. Surviving in this might-makes-right world is the last or one of the last Squidders, a genetically engineered man built specifically for the war.

The beginning of the book exemplifies Templesmith’s ability for world-building, showcasing a truly creepy ritual sacrifice of a young village girl to the Blessed Dark Father and the Blessed Squid Queen. The sacrifice is made in order to end a cycle, and does the cycle of life ever end for the village as the squids rain down fire and brimstone completely obliterating the village, leaving black smoke in their wake.

Templesmith doesn’t stop with exposing the reader to a harsh, unforgiving world but takes it a step further by introducing the Squidder, a man haunted by his past and his desire for death. Fortunately, he wants his death to be at the hands of a worthy opponent in combat, and there aren’t many if any worthy to satisfy his desire. The Squidder is not all brooding, but a bona fide badass who self-professes to have forsaken every principle he once had. Although this is questionable since he definitely vilifies those who associate and collaborate with the Squid.

There are other issues with this book including a spelling error when Templesmith is describing the Squidder’s regenerative abilities, as well as at one point it is extremely difficult to read the text as it blends in with the artwork. The Squid themselves resemble Reapers from Mass Effect and their symbol is all too similar to Hydra. There are also some odd plot issues as you get further into the book.

At one point, the Squidder is resting in a cabin when he is approached by a gang of ne'er-do-wells. Templesmith uses the encounter to show off the Squidder’s combat abilities as well as his intuitiveness and observation skills. Unfortunately, in what appears to be an attempt on his life is in reality an attempt to recruit him for a job.

At the other end of the spectrum, the artwork really does the story justice. The dark reds and oranges combined with the edgy penciling create an absolutely brutal world. Highlighting the brutality is a panel where the Squidder is fending off the hired thugs and he slams his oversized boot into the face of one—smashing it into bits, popping the eye out of the socket and crumpling his jaw. Meanwhile, he is blasting another with his pistol completely obliterating the attacker’s face. He even pulls off the Mountain finisher from Game of Thrones.

The Squidder introduces the reader to Mr. Hitchins, a Squidder, and his journey through a post-apocalyptic Earth as he deals with gang lords, the Squid, his dead wife, and his own desire for a worthy death.

7.1	An intriguing world and antihero portrayed through exceptional artwork that is held back by odd plot choices and some all too similar stylistic choices.

Review: The United States of Murder Inc. #3

The third installment of The United States of Murder Inc. continues the world building Bendis began in the previous issue. The United States army is invading Cleveland against a well-fortified and entrenched mafia family. The second page is awe-inspiring and also a tad scary with Oeming giving a full view of the destruction and death an all-out war creates between the mafia and the government. Bodies are lying on the ground in flames, tanks are firing shells into a building causing huge explosions and raining bricks onto the street. The double page captures the chaos of war.

The action beginning with the Battle of Cleveland hardly stops the entire book. Bendis and Oeming take us from a war zone to an intimate fight scene between Jagger Rose and two unknown men. Oeming steals the show with an awesome panel of Jagger firing her pistol right into her attacker’s forehead. What really makes the panel stand out is the line representing the bullet’s path from the pistol to the man’s forehead. It has the reader cheering for Jagger and even shouting, “Yeah!”

Moving away from Oeming’s fantastic artwork, Bendis introduces the rest of the Five Families’ bosses. The exchange between them is fantastic. Bendis is able to convey rivalry, a little more than a hint of distrust, but also a level of respect each of the bosses has for the others. However, Bendis’ presentation of their interaction is done in an extremely small font, albeit there is a lot of information, but it may make it hard for some to read.

Taki Soma’s coloring is again top notch, contrasting the Battle of Cleveland where the black and grayish white convey the past to the present with the deep red of Jagger’s hair and apartment. The use of just a few colors for each page gives the book itself a Mafioso feel.

One of the highlights of the book is the relationship between Jagger Rose and Valentine. Bendis takes it to new levels of both trust and weirdness. There is one scene where Jagger Rose has Valentine tied naked to the bed, and it is not what you are thinking! The scene adds some nice levity to an intense book with almost non-stop action and heightened drama.

The drama intensifies if that was even possible. Towards the end, Madonna Gallo has a visit from some friends that turn all your assumptions and expectations upside down, and open a ton of paths for Bendis and Oeming to explore. Oeming’s artwork on the last page does an excellent job of mirroring what the reader is feeling: shock.

8.7	Awesome world building events combined with powerful action sequences and a truly shocking ending, make this a must have!

Review: Infinite Crisis Fight for the Multiverse #1

Infinite Crisis is a multi-universe war, where failure results in the end of all the universes from Gaslight to Rad-Zones and Scraper-Tops to Death Pits. The book contains not one but two stories both by writer Dan Abnett. The first titled Prelude and the second aptly named Infinite Crisis. Prelude gives the history of the Infinite Crisis and how it has come before in the name of the Anti-Monitor, who destroyed universe after universe until he was stopped by the sacrifice of the Monitors of Nil.

Now, there are only 52 universes held in perfect balance in the Bleed. Only one Monitor of Nil survived, Nix Uotan, and he must recruit heroes and villains from the remaining universes to combat the new threat to the harmony of the multiverse.

His first recruit is Harbinger of the Forerunners a survivor from Earth-48, the first universe to be attacked by the new enemy. Harbinger is able to travel through the Bleed with a Monitor orb, which is an all too simple plot device used to introduce the reader to a number of the 52 universes.

The artwork by Larry Stroman and Trevor Scott in Prelude is bright and colorful from the orange blood-like Bleed portal to the sharp blue of the underwater Death Pits. The action is intriguing from blasts of energy firing out of Harbinger’s hand to the use of the Monitor orb to travel to a different universe.

Not only does writer Dan Abnett use a cliché plot device, but he bludgeons the reader over the head no less than three times letting us know the multiverse is made up of 52 universes and an unknown threat is gathering forces to destroy them. In the second story, it would have been better if the reader had not even read Prelude. Prelude takes away from Infinite Crisis.

In Infinite Crisis, the second story, Batman is on the hunt for a cat-burglar and puts his detective skills to the test in order to find out just who it is. The discovery of the burglar leads to an interesting fight sequence, where artist Szymon Kudranski showcases a unique style. A punch or kick is not shown actually making contact, but rather in the follow through after the contact has already been made. The artwork does not really do the fight as much justice as it deserves and at one point the burglar threatens to “extinguish” Batman even though Batman has roughed her up.

This threat is made even more ludicrous in a much tougher fight against Atomic Two-Face, a henchman of the unknown enemy who has been hunting down the burglar in their race to acquire powerful artifacts with the capability to be used as weapons. Atomic Two Face easily dispatches both Batman and the burglar despite the burglar’s use of the weapon against Atomic Two Face. Apparently, the artifacts are not really that powerful after all.

The ending reveals the clichéd plot device used earlier as another heroine takes up the mantle of the burglar and performs a summoning of allies. Why didn't the burglar do this in the first place? The dark atmosphere of Gotham or Gaslight Gotham created by Kudranski really attempts to save the book and constructs an air of desperation and hopelessness, however the plot holes and uninspiring action sequences are too large to ignore.

5.1	An interesting idea that falls flat with a story full of holes, and artwork, though dark, is uninspiring and unconvincing.

Review: Black Market #1

Black Market #1 is the story of Raymond Willis, a down on his luck mortician, who is out to change not only his circumstances but his wife’s as well. In order to do this, Ray walks down a path that leads to the Black Market.

Writer Frank Barbiere does a masterful job of connecting Ray to the reader. One of the first sequences involves Ray’s boss Benito yelling at him to finish his work today and make sure he is in before 4:00 a.m. the next day. Not only does it seem as if Ray is being worked to death, but he is struggling to make everyday purchases at what appears to be the local drug store. He rummages around in his pockets as people in line behind him give him impatient stares, stare at their watch and tap on their cell phone as he searches for cash. To make matters worse and create even more sympathy for Ray, his wife Shannon has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) a disease which damages nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Victor Santos’ artwork is essential in conveying how down on his luck Ray really is. Whether he is chasing after a missed bus, walking to his large brown bland apartment building, or entering his spartan apartment with a number of bills spread out on the nightstand, Ray’s life could definitely use a major improvement.

Not only does Ray have personal problems, but he also has a history of trouble stemming from work he has done with his brother, Denny. However, the past is the past, and when Denny shows up on Ray’s door, he brings a whole new set of troubles that Ray is too easily convinced to make his own.

Meanwhile, Barbiere is also telling an action-packed story. Ray has already made his deal with Denny and is carrying it out. Their objective: a superhero named Hotspot, who is saving innocent civilians from a burning building. The brothers, with the help of muscleman, Bruiser, easily weaken and capture the Super. However, Supers don’t go down easily and Santos is able to be creative with the fight scene having panels subset into the larger page drawings. The design creates a sense of mass chaos and intense struggle with medical supplies and bits of flame flying across the page.

In the end Hotspot is captured, but what Ray, Denny and Bruiser do to him next is what is at the heart of Black Market. The book is only held back by a somewhat confusing narration by Ray that jumps back and forth between timelines. The confusion is apparent during the sequence where Ray is taking care of his wife, but he narrates about events that have yet to be revealed to the reader. It definitely has the reader wanting to know more about the events, but is generally perplexing with the dual timelines.

7.9	Black Market takes the reader into the underbelly of a Superhero universe, where a downtrodden man commits desperate acts in order to help the one he cares so much about.

Review: Death Vigil #1

The Death Vigil is an “Ancient League of Immortal Protectors” whose job is to protect all life from Necromancers and their ghoulish friends who inhabit the Underplane. They are equipped with special weapons called veilrippers, which have some awesome powers. At one point Samuel Lewis, the Digger, uses his pickax veilripper to summon a Viking raiding ship. The summoning highlights writer Stjepan Sejic’s ability to weave comedy into an intense battle sequence when one of the Vikings exclaims the “Necromancer has a fine nose! I shall take it!”

In order to get to the fight sequence, Sejic introduces us to one of the villains, a necromancer named Jon and his girlfriend Clara. The two are having a nice, fun date but the tone becomes grim quickly when Jon recalls the death of his father and takes Clara to visit his grave. Jon sacrifices Clara, who is one of the gifted, a type of person that appears to have an ability to connect with the Underplane. Her death opens up a portal, where Jon summons what can only be described as demons to kill the Digger!

The art, also done by Sejic, in the combat sequence shows the veilrippers can also be used as weapons in their own right. Sam attempts to hack and slash his way through a morass of red root-like creatures. The fight rages on with the Vikings coming to Sam’s aid, but Jon has reinforcements of his own summoning a terrible monstrosity known as a Banshee. The Banshee has three skull heads and purple veins running out of its mouth, two massive hands with seven fingers each and the ability to sing a song that knocks our Vigil member completely across the graveyard.

Luckily, Sam has help from other members of the Vigil, Bernadette the Reaper and Hugin, the Raven. The Raven is awe-inspiring. Sejic has an entire page dedicated to him as he easily tears apart the Banshee and feasts on its three heads. The Vigil put an end to Jon by sealing off his gift with Sam’s veilripper. Jon had some type of demonic symbol on his chest that once pierced by the veilripper closes off his connection to the Underplane and the demonic forces.

One of the best sequences is left until the end of the book, where Bernadette must close off the portal by recruiting Clara to become a Vigil member. Bernadette instructs Sam to move her away from the glowing portal in order to not scare the crap out of her. Unfortunately, he drags her in front of a statue of the grim reaper. Bernadette awakens her and Clara’s reaction is predictable but also hysterically funny because she has a massive freak out!

Sejic doesn’t leave us on a happy note, but instead portends the massive task the Death Vigil has in defending life itself. Death Vigil #1 gives a straight up good vs. evil fight, but with a fantastic combination of humor and seriousness that will have you coming back for more.

9.2	The fight between good and evil has never been more fun! Stjepan Seijc combines witty humor with a life or death battle and fantastic art to make this one of your must haves!

Review: Batman Eternal #2

Scott Snyder turns up the suspense in his second outing in Batman Eternal. The reader wants to know who this villain is. He definitely is not an outsider, but a man with deep connections to the political power circles that lead all the way to Mayor Cady’s desk. The need to find out who this man is keeps the reader’s attention while Snyder and Tynion IV continue to bring Gotham to life.

A host of characters are introduced from Vicki Vale breaking the news of Jim Gordon’s arrest in Batman Eternal #1, to Batgirl, Batwoman, Red Robin, and Lucius Fox among others finding out about the horrific train incident. Meanwhile, Batman is on detective duty interrogating Jim Gordon, who is still shaken and perplexed. Jason Fabok puts Gordon’s emotions to ink, showing him beaten down by the number of dead victims dead, but at the same time struggling to comprehend what he saw and what the recording displayed. Gordon looks into his hand visualizing and knowing the gun was in the henchman’s hand.

Snyder and Tynion IV keep the suspense flowing with a heinous monologue by our mysterious villain, who compares Gotham to the Garden of Eden where fruit is ripe for the picking, and a power structure that would test Adam himself let alone the Mayor.

The theme of introducing the cast continues, but instead of the heroes it appears the reader gets a glimpse into the villains. This reviewer was not familiar with either of the two villains introduced, one with a green suit and eyes with skulls for pupils and the other a ghastly being whose name is revealed as he sears the flesh off an inmate in Arkham.

In a novel-like transition, the story returns to Batman and he continues to investigate the subway incident. However, he has company, none other than Catwoman. The sequence calls the book for what it has been so far, tense. Catwoman is able to break the tension in an entertaining scene where she flirts with Batman, who is not having anything to do with her advances!

An interesting note, Fabok seems to have toned down Batman from the previous issue where he was raging on steroids. He is intimidating and solid, but not Hulkish in his features. Catwoman is done to a tee, from the whip around her waist to the goggles on her head; she is both lithe and muscular, what a reader expects out of Catwoman.

Finally, Snyder and Tynion IV reveal the villain they have been building the reader up for the entire time, and it does not disappoint. The war for the soul of Gotham has just begun.

7.8	The cast of characters is revealed, as Batman hunts down the new villain, who is preparing to wage a war for the soul of Gotham.

Review: Lazarus #2

What is a Lazarus? This is the question Greg Rucka begins to answer in Lazarus #2. The book opens with Forever being examined by her sister, Beth. Beth prescribes her a cocktail of all sorts of colorful pills, injects her with some type of serum, and even performs a type of full body scan which appears to break down her genetic code!

Figuring out what is a Lazarus, is not all about physiology. Forever is able to give an apt military intelligence report on the Family Morray’s attack of Harvest One in Lazarus #1. Her report also included an investigative ability in determining how the attack occurred and the defenses were breached. Forever’s mental state is also put to the test with some grueling questioning by her Father. The sequence reinforces Eve’s moral dilemma revealed in the first issue.

Rucka isn’t alone in telling the story. Michael Lark's art especially the full body scan really highlight Forever’s physiology and how her body operates from a skeletal breakdown to a brain scan, all of it being accomplished on an ipad-like device. The report breakdown also features some futuristic although familiar technology with a 3-D map of the Harvest One facility coming out of a nifty projector the size of a coffee mug.

The biggest reveal on what and who Forever is leads to a sibling fight which quickly escalates to a life or death scenario between Beth and Jonah. All is not well in the Family Carlyle. Arcas is once again up to the task drawing heads slamming into tables, trays being thrown out of the maid’s hands, and Stephen attempting to separate the two warring siblings. The sequence is full of tension and really motivates the reader to learn more about the Family Carlyle and what motivations and goals each of them have.

Setting up the chance (opportunity) to delve deeper into one of the family members, Rucka takes full advantage and gives the reader a look into Jonah and how he has managed Los Angeles, not to mention his relationship with his sister Johanna. Definitely hints of Cersei and Jamie Lannister.

Rucka returns to Forever, and displays her skills at deception, easily throwing off a tail and even leaving him a note just in case he thought he was outsmarting her. The Lazarus has a ton of talents, a superior physiology, and a hint of mystery to (in) her past. It will be interesting to see how these traits will be put to test especially when she has her first run-in with Family Morray.

8.4	Forever Carlyle is fleshed out, both literally and figuratively. The drama and politics surrounding Family Carlyle keep the tension high as intrigue swirls about in this dystopian future.

Review: Magneto #3

Cullen Bunn once again begins the story with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents at the scene of Magneto’s latest encounter, still two steps behind. He does take a turn with how the story the witness is telling. The witness does not depict Magneto as a fearsome and terrible person, but instead the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are depicted as the wrong-doers since they are forcibly removing the witness from his home. It is an interesting change of direction and sets the tone for the rest of the book.

After the short introduction with the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Magneto takes center stage as he continues on his hunt. His mission is front and center with Bunn laying it out as plain as day. Magneto is “here to bring it all down.” Fortunately for the reader, Magneto has not fully recovered his powers but channels Solid Snake, breaking into a secure facility undetected. Gabriel Hernandez Walta does a great job of displaying Magneto’s wide range of uses for his ability. A metal fence is torn, the security system is disabled, and an elevator shaft is manipulated among other things as Magneto infiltrates the facility. The scene actually reminds the reader of the Mission Impossible movie when Ethan Hunt is breaking into Langley!

However, Magneto is not there to steal a NOC list, he is there to destroy. Motivating him is a haunting memory of one of his massive failures. He must stop the threat at all costs in order to prevent such a failure from ever happening again. It isn’t easy and Walta provides a nice action sequence where Magneto even takes a few licks. The result of the battle leads to one of the best panels in the book as Magneto’s presence oozes with terror looking down upon his defeated foe.

The terror is made bone-chillingly clear when Magneto compels cooperation with the tiniest of objects. Let your imagination run wild with the choices of torture you can envision! Bunn takes the story to another level mocking the weakness of the defeated doctor’s principles and the disgust Magneto feels towards such weakness.

Bunn doesn’t stop with a criticism of ideals and discomfort, but throws a wrench into the story, challenging Magneto’s own ideals and principles. His decision reinforces who Magneto is and the lengths he is willing to go to accomplish his goal. Bring it all down.

8.9	A confirmation of who Magneto is and the lengths he will go to achieve his vision, makes for a gripping story.

Review: Deadpool vs. X-Force #1

Right in time for the 4th of July, Marvel debuts Deadpool vs. X-Force #1 where the reader finds themselves in the midst of battle in Germantown, Pennsylvania right smack in the middle of the American Revolution. Fortunately for the “band of dirty, undisciplined American rebels” help is on their side!

Deadpool arises from the pile of dead rebel soldiers to unleash utter mayhem with his aptly named gun “Kingslayer.” The action sequence is rather short as British redcoats are no match for Deadpool, and his nonstop narrative of his own actions. There are a few punch lines that elicit a smile, since he has trouble determining whether the Redcoats have been shot or not due to the inherent color of their uniforms. Others fall flat especially when he makes reference to his low-hanging fruit. One thing for sure is Deadpool looks good dressed as an American patriot!

Writer Duane Swierczynski takes his leave of Deadpool to introduce Cable and the overarching plot the series aims to tackle. There is no subtlety and Swierczynski lays it all out for the reader. Cable and the X-Force must put a stop Deadpool.

Swierczynski describes the X-Force with utter simplicity describing Boom Boom as “A.K.A Tabitha Smith, Blows Stuff Up.” The characters are as simple as their descriptions and Swierczynski doesn’t go into any length at all to give any of them a personality. They are a team on a mission, and that is it. Hopefully this will change in upcoming issues and the reader will get a better grasp on who these characters are and what motivates them to blindly team up with Cable.

Swierczynski’s in your face story finds the X-Force on their way to confront Deadpool. The ensuing sequence is full of action, with walls crashing in and fireballs flying off the page. Swierczynski tees up the fireballs nicely and lets Artist Pepe Larraz hit one out of the park with America’s favorite past-time. Unfortunately the action sequence leads to Swierczynski smacking the reader in the face again with an all too easy plot development. However, he does do a good job of leaving the reader with an unexpected cliffhanger, revealing a tad bit of cunning from Deadpool.

Pepe Larraz’s artwork is fun, from dubbing Deadpool’s gun “Kingslayer” to dodging bullets and shoving the barrel of a gun down a redcoat’s throat; he embraces Wade Wilson’s persona. The scenes with Cable have a different “let’s get down to business, time to save the world vibe.” The best panels are the action sequences, whether it is Deadpool’s bullets seemingly flying off the page, or Cannonball launching towards the reader; Larraz makes the art feel 3-D.

The book has an interesting premise, which entices readers who have an historic bent although it appears only the outfits and the depiction of Cliveden Manor seem to have any semblance of historic accuracy. It will be interesting to see how Deadpool and the X-Force’s actions reshape the history of the United States.

7.2	Larraz’s art and Deadpool’s narrative combined with an historic theme carry the first entry that relies too much on simple plot machinations.

Review: Figment #1

Take a journey into the imagination of Blarion Mercurial. This is the premise of Jim Zub and Filipe Andrade’s Figment series. However, it can be quite a challenge to imagine once you are an adult.

Zub begins the story over a century ago in London, England circa 1910, where the reader is introduced to Blarion Mercurial, or Blair. Blair is dressed to the nines with a dashing top hat, a fancy blue suit and a swanky bowtie. He is an up and coming scientist working on a high-budget experimental energy device, but he is no ordinary scientist. Blair thinks outside the box, he isn’t interested in ionizing atoms; he wants to harness the energy of the mind!

Unfortunately, Chairman Ilocrant, fit to fill the role of an over-aggressive disciplinarian bent on sacrificing dreams in favor of so-called reality, is giving Blair a rough go of it. Zub emphasizes Ilocrant’s overseer temperament through his demeaning lectures. Andrade reinforces Ilocrant’s personality through an apt use of his pointer finger, whether it is shoved into Blair’s chest or stuck in the air as he emphatically lectures at him.

Luckily our hero is not so deterred, and Zub uses Blair’s inner-thoughts to let the reader see what drives him as well as making a general critique of society, namely “setbacks are a sign they should settle for what they have.” Blair, on the other hand, believes they are part of “a journey to create something bigger and better.” Blair is determined and will not let one failure hold him back, although he does feel enormous pressure to succeed because failure leads to an inability to care for his downtrodden family.

One of the more iconic pieces of the book is the helmet Blair wears when conducting his experiments. It is unique, fit with steampunk goggles, and just one of many details Andrade uses to let the reader slip into the turn of the century atmosphere he has created. Colorist Jean Francois Beaulieu adds to the depth with bright colors from the light purple in Ilocrant’s suit to the masses of green, yellow, red and blue books on Blair’s shelves inside his workshop. The world is lively and reinforces Blair’s optimistic nature.

Figment #1 is a wonderful introduction into the realm of imagination, with beautiful bright colors by Beaulieu, and interesting steampunk designs from Andrade that coalesce with Zub’s story of following one’s dreams because you never know if they might just become a reality.

7.9	There might be many setbacks, but one should never give up on following their dreams especially if they are a scientist with a Mesmonic Convertor!

Review: Sparks

Writer Glenn Matchett unites with artist Kell Smith in Sparks for an intriguing opening sequence where the combination of art and writing create a contradictory effect. The writing depicts an upbeat and optimistic Ruth Gates, a television celebrity while the art makes a complete 180 depicting a depressed, horrified and ultimately murdered celebrity. The sequence does a good job of hooking the reader as they desire to find out “who dun it.”

Smith has some interesting art choices starting on page two, where she teases the villain in a split panel with a black suit next to the lead detective in a white suit. Flip the page and the detective is wearing a black suit. One might have to go back and double check a couple times to make sure you are looking at the police detective and not the villain, fortunately the facial hair differentiates the two.

The most entertaining part of the comic is when Matchett introduces the reader to Sparks Investigations, a private detective agency, run by Mel Sparks and her secretary Kathy. The conversations they have are realistic. At one point Mel teases Kathy on the amount of Chinese food she has inhaled, and even her life choices when it comes to the types of men she dates. These scenes provide a much needed comic relief.

In between the scenes involving Kathy, Mel is investigating the murder of Ruth Gates. She uses her charm and past police credentials to look into the crime scene. Unfortunately, one would expect a private detective such as Mel to have seen a crime scene or two, but she looks absolutely sickened only to transition into the next panel unphased asking professional questions. It really throws the reader off.  

The biggest gripe with Sparks is the amount of dialogue on each page crowds out the art and takes up the majority of the panels. This also causes problems with the flow of the story and determining which word bubbles to read next. The bubbles are placed in the middle of two panels making it difficult to determine which panel it corresponds with. Matchett may also want to look into finding a new editor, as there were a number of typographical and grammatical errors.

Despite these setbacks, Matchett and Smith recover to give a doozy of an ending, which really turns the story upside down and sets up Sparks Investigations for hopefully numerous cases to come!

6.2	Cluttered panels and sometimes difficult to follow speech bubbles, with odd stylistic choices bog down an inventive storyline with a strong female character.