Comic Book Review: Men of Wrath #5

Jason Aaron and Ron Garney’s closing issue keeps vengeance front and center with plenty of violence to go around. Is it good?

The opening page of the issue delivers an immediate shock, hooking you. The next page delivers an emotional blow shattering your hope and bringing forth an overwhelming feeling of outrage mixed with sadness. This emotion lingers throughout the rest of the issue connecting you to Ira Rath in a way that never occurred in the previous issues. However, Aaron does try to temper the emotion with the next few pages hinting the opening pages might be a dream, but also delving a little deeper into Ira Rath’s psyche and what he envisions as an end for himself.

The issue really hits its stride during the brutal action sequences. Ron Garney’s scenes are explosive and brutal. The level of violence is quite possibly greater than the original Red Dawn. There is no room for injuring or incapacitating. There is only one end.

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Review: The United States of Murder Inc. #4

The beginning of the story once again begins with a stroll down memory lane; this time Bendis takes us to New York City circa 1971. The power of the Five Families is front and center as they confront a stock broker, who has not been paying his dues. There is no tolerance for failure and the mob’s justice is carried out with the swift chop of a machete. Bendis does an excellent job of fitting in the harsh mob brutality, a quick criticism of the stock market, and the displaying a grand vision all in a page and a half!

Bendis also does not make the mistake of confusing the reader with an out of place time jump. He allows Oeming and Taki Soma’s combination of beautiful artwork and eye-catching color to make his job easier. Oeming emphasizes the grandiose nature of the Five Families’ vision with a large chandelier and craps dice flowing across the page on a sprawling casino floor. Taki Soma’s coloring from the past to the present creates a stark contrast allowing the reader to know they are in a different time even without the prompt informing the reader they have left the past.

Not only does Bendis create fantastic transitions between time and location, he weaves a gripping story throwing multiple curveballs and twists edging the reader closer and closer to the edge of their seat. The comedic breaks are perfectly timed and break the tension between Jagger Rose and Valentine. After an intense battle sequence Valentine references looting the dead bodies as if he just killed an epic boss in World of Warcraft. Rose even makes a veiled Star Wars reference: “Who really did shoot first?”

Leaving Valentine and Rose, Bendis uses the second half of the book to create intense drama whether it is the interrogation of Madonna Gallo or a heated moral discussion on how to preserve the peace not only among the Five Families, but also with the Feds. Bendis weaves an excellent dialogue among the Bonavese Family leaders; he casually drops one of the biggest shockers the story has seen yet!

The only complaint is the transition between three panels. The panels are set up where two are stacked on top of each other while the third is to their right. The reader must read down the first two panels before moving to the larger third panel. They use the same panel setup on the following page, but it flows much better since Bendis places his bubbles at the bottom of the larger panel rather than on the top. It throws the reader for a loop if read out of order and forces them to reread the panel.

9.4	Bendis and Oeming give us their best book in the series! If you are not reading this, you should be!

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!

The United States of Murder Inc #2

Bendis and Oeming begin The United States of Murder Inc #2 with a familiar tale right out of the annals of history, not to mention giving nods to conspiracy theorists everywhere. The opening is great not because of the history it uses, but the way the art and coloring tell the story. Taki Soma’s ability to conjure up black and white films to convey the past is excellent and does such a good job the reader hardly notices “Years Ago”. Oeming’s art excels at understating the enormity of the situation, building the reader up for an “A-Ha” moment only four pages in.

The opening pages let the reader delve deeper into this alternate Mafia-controlled universe and it doesn’t stop there. Bendis weaves an intriguing tale bringing readers deeper into the underground, going so far as to humiliate our main characters in the name of security, although the tension is broken with some humorous dialogue.

One of the highlights of the book is the interaction between Valentine and his Mom. Valentine is emotionally overwhelmed which allows the reader to really relate to him. Oeming’s artwork is masterful and fully conveys the storm brewing within Valentine. And is that storm ever released.

One of the few flaws in the book is a glaring one. The main action sequence is a tad confusing to follow. The panels have no real flow between them. One goes from a fist to the face; to our two combatants seamlessly both being knocked back by a glass door in between them, except the glass door doesn’t exist. This pattern continues when one appears to get shot in the chest only to go flying away from a kick to the gut.

The United States of Murder Inc #2 builds upon the opening issue, giving the reader a deeper look into the world Valentine Gallo and Jagger Rose inhabit with definitive emotional swings for both the reader and Valentine surrounding the relationship with his Mom. Taki Soma’s coloring shines again, although it can’t make up for an action sequence that leaves the reader scratching his head as to what actually went down.

8.6	A confusing action sequence is overshadowed by the excellent interaction between Valentine and his Mother.

The United States of Murder Inc. #1 Review

The United States of Murder Inc. #1 takes us into a separate dimension where the Mafia rules large portions of the United States. The book is a crime thriller with what artist Michael Avon Oeming describes as “Neo Noir, using stark primary colors” as opposed to just black and white. Colorist Taki Soma really nails the primary colors and makes the characters bound off the page!

Writer Brian Michael Bendis begins the story introducing us to the main protagonist Valentine Gallo as he ritualistically enters the world of being a made man. The ritual is intense and Soma’s coloring emphasizes the seriousness of the situation with very dark blues and purples. Valentine completes the ritual and receives a pin for his demonstration of commitment to the family.

Soma’s coloring is on fresh display as the dark and serious nature of the ritual shifts to the celebration afterwards with bright greens and yellows. Oeming does a fantastic job showing the enormity of the family as the massive dining hall is filled to the brim with Mafioso. The scene harkens to the celebration of Don Corleone’s Papal Honors in Godfather Part III.

The story really gets moving when Valentine is taken to meet Don Tuzzo who sends him on a mission to Washington D.C. where he must deliver a briefcase to a sitting U.S. Senator. The exchange between Don Tuzzo and Valentine is lovely and really gives the reader a little insight into Valentine’s meticulous nature.

Valentine takes the train, giving Bendis an opportunity to display the violent culture of this alternate universe. He introduces Jagger Rose, a buxom readhead, who doesn’t take nothing from no one as she smashes a poor New York stock broker’s head open with a full bottle of whiskey. Jagger Rose’s swagger and brashness is refreshing and the sexual tension between her and Valentine is a riot to read.

The train finally arrives in Washington D.C. and Valentine delivers the briefcase as Don Tuzzo instructed and the mystery of the contents are interesting to say the least. Valentine leaves the Senator’s office when all hell breaks loose as the Senate building explodes.  Valentine and Jagger Rose escape reporting to Family members of the incident as they attempt to determine what happened.

The story takes a dramatic twist when Valentine receives a phone call from his Mother, who asks him to come home immediately. What happens next is a major shock that leaves Valentine reeling. The cliffhanger will have readers coming back for more!

9.0	The United States of Murder Inc. #1 is a fantastic first entry with gritty crime focus and excellent coloring that delivers a shock ending, you just have to read.