Comic Reviews 12/15/12

REVIEWS

The comics reviewed are chosen by David not by That's Entertainment management
or staff. The opinions expressed are his alone. If you have an opposing view you
are welcome to respond to David directly by Email at the address above.

Title: AVENGERS
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Avengers world
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Jerome Opena
Colors: Dean White
Letters: Cory Petit
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero

We have a couple more MARVEL NOW! First issues to review this week. The first is
the AVENGERS. Taking the writing reins over from the long run by Brian Michael
Bendis A-lister Jonathan Hickman is tasked with making these characters his own.
He starts with a familiar line up, showcasing the characters from the
blockbuster movie. Going into action, this time in space, are The Hulk, Captain
America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye and the Black Widow. But the issue begins with
scenes of what is to come much later, a tease if you will. If you have bothered
to watch the online trailer for this comic the first few pages will be familiar.
And before we actually get to the action scenes there is a dialogue between
Steve Rogers and Tony Stark that in ways foreshadows what is coming and what the
two realize they will have to do sooner or later - they will have to get bigger.
Yes, before the issue is over you will see who the next group of heroes among
the Avengers will be. Some are on the cover, some are only in the last panel,
some are very familiar, and others are not. There is even a graphic near the end
that shows the new lineup in symbols with empty spaces for more to come. The
hype for this restart of the series promised bigger threats, a bigger cast and
bigger stories. It begins on Mars where Ex Nihilo with the aid of Aleph and
Abyss is setting the next part of his plan to remake the Earth, to create a new
dominant species. Aleph insists it is actually world razing while Abyss seems it
illogical to replace one race of dangerous animals with another. Regardless they
have already bombed Perth and Regina with biosphere changing effects on two
million people. That has got the Avenger's attention. The power at play is
evident as they approach Mars and find it filled with vegetation. If the world's
greatest heroes can't stop this at the source they will have to get a "lot"
bigger. This is a good beginning for a fresh start. It lays the groundwork for
expanding the lineup, presents a major threat to all life on Earth and hints at
things to come that will be even more devastating. The scripting and dialogue
accomplishes the task in entertaining fashion. Opena's art is fascinating in its
composition and detail. It really grows on you as you read on. I have been a fan
of the previous version of the AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS from the start. This
MARVEL NOW restart is a worthy successor.

Title: ARROW
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: DC
Colors: David Lopez & Santi Casas
Letters: Wes Abbott
Cover Artist: Mike Grell & Randy Mayor
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero - TV Adaptation

This first issue is broken into three chapters. It is based on the characters
from the CW TV series ARROW. He is not called Green Arrow but he is Oliver Queen
who practices vigilante justice in Starling City.

1 - "Time's Arrow" by Mark Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg & Mike Grell
This opening sequence serves to introduce some elements of the TV show for those
who haven't seen it. Oliver was trapped on an island for five years. He lost his
father in the process. It touches on the difficulty in renewing relationships
with his mother, sister and ex-girlfriend. But as we know about heroes with
secret identities - they often can't do the job without pretending to be
something they are not. That is the main theme of the TV show and this chapter
of the story. Mike Grell is a good choice to kick things off though I am not
thrilled with the coloring work.

2 - "Prey" by Ben Sokolowski, Sergio Sandoval & Pol Gas
This second chapter deals with another recurring aspect of the show. Oliver
promised his father he would survive and return to the city. Once back he would
make right a lot of bad things. His father provided him a journal of all the
people he had nefarious dealings with in the past. They are politicians,
businessmen, gangsters and others he helped do things outside of the law -
things that did not help the city or its citizens. Now Oliver dons a hooded
disguise and with bow and arrow will force those people to do the right thing or
pay the consequences. This chapter is a typical plot in condensed form. The man
that runs the power plant has been scamming the city for a long time. Oliver
appears in his bedroom and gives him an ultimatum to turn over his records and
face the law. As is usually the case the bad guy tries to escape justice in one
way or another but in the end they fail. This chapter also reveals something
shocking about someone very close to Oliver, as fans of the TV show already
know. I liked this episode because it parallels plots on the TV show. The art is
food, even better overall than the first chapter.

3 - "Fear" by Beth Schwartz and Jorge Jimenez
This last chapter may seem only peripherally related to Green Arrow as it mostly
deals with another character only recently appearing on the TV show. This is
about a female operative of oriental drug cartel, Na Wei. It opens with a fight
between her and Arrow followed by a sit down with her mentor to talk about
facing her fears. The story provides a flashback to her youth, victim of an
abusive father. We learn how she met her current mentor and how he rescued her
not once but twice and eventually turned her into a warrior. This is good filler
material that will probably lead to a future storyline. Fans of the TV show will
like it because it provides more info on an as of yet minor character. Fans of
the New Earth Green Arrow will know this character as China White. It rounds out
this comic nicely. I am hoping for longer stories as the series goes on but for
now it is a good first issue.

Title: SMALLVILLE: SEASON 11
Issue Number: 8
Title Story: The Final Showdown
Tile Arc: Detective
Publisher: DC
Writer: Bryan Q. Miller
Artists: Kevin West & Axel Gimenez
Inkers: Mark Deering & Diana Egea
Colors: Carrie Strachan & Wendy Broome
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Cover Artists: Mico Suayan & Tony Avina
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero - TV Adaptation

The second comic this week based on a TV show is SMALLVILLE. I was a fan of the
TV show but have not been reading this comic, in which the series much like the
BUFFY comic continues past the end of that show. As it turns out this issue is
the end of an arc that introduced Batman and Nightwing into SMALLVILLE
continuity. This is one of the few $3.99 DC comics but it does have more pages
than the less expensive comics. Some of this story needs catching up on what has
gone on before. Some of that info is provided in a strange dialogue between Lex
Luthor and his dead sister, Tess. It seems her mind is somehow trapped in his
body. Lex is in control but has some of her memories. He also talks to her as if
she was in the room and it is graphically depicted that she is there for our
benefit. The main story picks up with Superman recovering from gunshots on Bruce
Wayne's yacht. The two now know each other's identities and have been working
together. The general public knows Superman was shot but not his current
condition. The authorities are looking for Batman not knowing if he is an ally
or an enemy of Superman. In this continuity Barbara Gordon is Batman's sidekick
in her Nightwing identity. As conversations ensue we learn that Clark has some
kind of radiation in his body that Luthor is tracking by satellite. The two
heroes are trying to find the whereabouts of Loomis and Fries, aka Mr. Freeze
and the Prankster. Naturally Bruce has devised special armored suits for the
mission. Superman's is lead lined to protect him from meteor rocks used by
Loomis while Batman's will protect him from the extreme cold Freeze can project.
While these two head off Barbara and Lois are still on the yacht, which is about
to be stormed by a bunch of Intergang thugs working for Loomis. In fact, the
Prankster is in control of Fries as well and has sent him on a mission in the
city where Loomis will force his containment suit to explode freezing everyone
within a mile. Loomis has also stolen a couple of drones and sent them to the
yacht as insurance if the thugs fail. There is a lot going on and this being
SMALLVILLE means that Green Arrow is also in the mix, trying to stop Fries,
rather comically with a boxing glove arrow. The arc eventually wraps up in good
fashion. There is a small homage to the comic books when Lois' editor proposes a
caption for the Superman/Batman team up. And a future plot point for Oliver and
Chloe is revealed as well. As a fan of the TV show I found this to be very
entertaining. It has unique perspectives on Bruce and Barbara and carries
forward elements from the old series. The art is mostly good though the line
work in the faces needs more definition in many places. Fans of the old show
should like this and others can read it as another Elseworld version of the
World's Finest heroes.

Title: HUMAN BOMB
Issue Number: 1 (of 4)
Title Story: Mad, Bad and Dangerous To Know
Publisher: DC
Writers: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Jerry Ordway
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero

This mini-series marks the introduction of another familiar if somewhat minor
character into the New 52. Michael Taylor is now the third version of the
Quality Comics character at DC. Michael is a war hero and now works as a welder
at the new construction at Ground Zero in New York City. The story is self-
contained in that there is no indication that it is set in the world of the
other DC heroes at this point. Right from the start we know that Michael is a
troubled man. He has a recurring dream of being presented the Congressional
Medal of Honor at the White House only to begin glowing and eventually explode
with devastating force. Is this a premonition of what is to come? The real
action comes while he is at work. First his crew hears bombs going off around
the city. Fearing the worst they begin to evacuate the area when Michael runs
into an old friend from the war who is frantic to give him a message and then
blows up. Miraculously Michael is stunned but unharmed. And so it begins. A
flashback to the war gives a small clue about what may be in play here. In the
present there is an observer who expected Michael to explode as well, as if part
of a plan. But he and his organization are not the only ones following the
action. In the end we are introduced to S.H.A.D.E. headquarters in Washington
lead by a black Uncle Sam. This could be the beginning of yet another version of
the Freedom Fighters. That remains to be seen. For now there is mystery,
international terrorism and plenty of action Jerry Ordway does a great job
bringing it all to life with exceptional coloring by Hi-Fi. So far this is an
interesting comic that appears to be worth following.

Title: I LOVE TROUBLE
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Disappearing Act
Publisher: Image
Writer: Kel Symons
Artist: Mark A. Robinson
Colors: Paul Little
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction
Mature - Comics on the Edge

This is a fascinating book for a couple of reasons. The first is the art. Mark
Robinson has a unique style though it reminds me a lot of Sam Kieth's work. He
uses a lot of different layout designs, mixing things up from page to page. He
even has a panel within a panel - that is characters in one scene set in the
overhead background of another scene. It is really fun to just study the way he
mixes it up. The characters themselves are interesting, almost caricatures but
not quite. As if he is rising to the challenge Brosseau uses some interesting
fonts and very stylish lettering that is a perfect match to the rest of the
visuals. Then we have the story itself. It begins with a girl on the run,
Felicia. She is escaping a life that had her mixed up with some not very nice
people. So she helped herself to some funds and split to the Midwest hoping to
get lost. But fate intervened when the plane she is on gets into trouble and
starts breaking apart. Like anyone might do in such a situation she wishes she
was not there and miraculously she is suddenly outside the plane. Whether this
is a suddenly activated ability or something else she now has the ability to
transport herself from place to place. It will take her a while to get the knack
of it and make bigger jumps. This will definitely change the plans for her
future. Now you would think that this is the perfect opportunity to disappear
since the plane crashed with no survivors. But Felicia has other plans. This
first issue explores how she refines the use of her power and then,
surprisingly, returns home. She will soon learn that some problems never go away
and there is always a new one waiting around the corner. The plot is pretty
direct as it moves along with a pleasant humorous style in the dialogue. This is
a perfect match of story and art as comics are meant to be. I think anyone can
enjoy this comic and should give it a chance.

Title: THUNDERBOLTS
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Enlisted
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Steve Dillon
Colors: Guru eFX
Letters: Joe Sabino
Cover Artist: Julian Totino Tedesco
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
Parental Advisory

I mentioned two MARVEL NOW number one issues would be reviewed this week. The
second is the newest version THUNDERBOLTS. Appropriately enough this new team
will be headed up by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross. In fact this issue is
all about him putting together the team, which at first look seems to be a
rather odd combination. Ross is of course now the Red Hulk. In the framing
sequence he is talking with Frank Castle, the Punisher. Frank is chained to a
pillar in a building in Brooklyn. His recent captors are laying dead about the
room and Ross is taking the opportunity to discuss how he got in the situation
and what awaits him outdoors. More importantly it serves to enlighten us about
Ross - his life before and what it has become now.  He is building up to getting
Frank joining his venture. Throughout the book we flash to different scenes as
he recruits the other members. In Somalia he talks to Venom. In France it is
Deadpool and in Afghanistan Elektra. In each situation the others are in the
midst of fighting and killing bad guys of various sorts. It is sort of a black
comedy with Ross off to the side making his pitch or calmly waiting for the
right moment as intense fighting and killing is going on around him. This will
be one kick ass team not meant for the little kids to read. Steve Dillon does
his usual fine job supported by equally fine coloring. The thing with Dillon is
you will always find that one face he always does for one of his characters. In
this case it is Frank Castle. I have seen that face on at least a dozen
characters in different books and never get tired of it. If you like heroes (or
maybe anti-heroes in this case) that are not afraid of wet work then this book
is for you.

                                    *****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!!     WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!
If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via
Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six
correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine
the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you
are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize
will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular
retail or in-store ongoing specials only.  Only one prize per person will be
allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even
if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email
please but guess as often as you like.

Last week's trivia question:
What is the name of Supreme's dog?
The dog Supreme is named Radar.  The winner by the dice roll is Gary Katzoff.

Here was your no prize question:
Larry Hagman played the President's interpreter in what 1964 cold war movie?
The late Larry Hagman got his movie break in the cold war thriller FAILSAFE.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
What is Judge Dredd's first name?

Here is your no prize question:
Who wrote Patsy Cline's big hit "Crazy."


Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question
so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.