Comic Reviews 2/24/12

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: ROAD RAGE
Issue Number: 1 (of 4)
Title Story: Throttle - part 1
Publisher: IDW
Creator: Joe Hill & Stephen King
Adapted by: Chris Ryall
Artist: Nelson Daniel
Letters: Robbie Robbins
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Action Drama
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge



There are three pages of text in the back worth reading that explains the
genesis of this title. The overall inspiration is from Richard Matheson's "Duel"
which originally was a novel and later made into the cult favorite movie
starring Dennis Weaver. It is the story of a beleaguered traveling salesman, I
can relate, being terrorized across the desert by an unseen trucker in a big
rig. When Steven King and his son Joe Hill were asked to contribute to an
anthology book honoring Matheson in 2009 they co-wrote "Throttle." Since then
Joe Hill has had tremendous success with LOCKE & KEY at IDW and in the course of
things approached Chief Creative Officer for IDW Chris Ryall about adapting
"Throttle" to a comic book. This evolved into the four issue series ROAD RAGE.
The first two will adapt "Throttle" and the last two will adapt the original
novel, not the movie, "Duel." Since "Duel" was the inspiration for "Throttle"
this first story takes a similar theme - motorists being attacked by an unseen
trucker in a big rig. But in this case the motorists are bikers, a gang called
The Tribe. As the story unfolds we learn that the one out front, Race, met a man
named Dean in Afghanistan. Six months ago Dean approached Race about setting up
a meth lab with Race, Vince and the others fronting the money to get it started.
As often happens the lab in a motor home blew up and the Tribe caught up with
Dean at his place packing to leave. Dean claimed the money blew up with the lab
but in the heat of the moment a fight broke out and Dean and his girl were
killed. Now Race is convinced that Dean gave some or most of the money to his
sister and they are on the road to her place planning to probably split up after
they get what they can. That is basically the set up to the background. Along
the way we learn more about the strained relationships in the gang and of course
the encounter with the trucker in a rather large tanker at one stop along the
way. It is shortly after that that the chase begins. The second half of the book
ramps up the tension and suspense on the road as the trucker reappears and makes
his move. Where it will end concludes next issue. This is a tense story that
builds momentum from just character development at first to straight action
toward the end. I really enjoyed the artwork by Daniel. He takes a lot of panels
to give some great visuals that add to the plot. King and Hill do justice to the
original theme and Ryall and the team put it together nicely. It is worth your
time.

Title: DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS
Issue Number: 6
Title Story: Renewal
Title Arc: CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN
Publisher: DC
Writer: Dan Didio
Artist: Jerry Ordway
Inkers: Ray McCarthy, Andy Lanning & Marlo Alquiza
Colors: Tony Avina
Letters: Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Ryan Sook
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Action/Adventure


This New 52 title is a showcase for DC characters that do not have their own
titles. It is a way to introduce those characters into the new DC Universe with
any changes or twists from the versions we have come to know. In the case of the
Challengers they are now the stars of a reality show featuring a team of
celebrities in a contest of wits and endurance as they battle the elements.
Producer June Robbins, romantically involved with the pilot Ace, is hoping to
revive the franchise after a dismal previous season. The usual names are on the
team - Maverick, Red and Rocky. The rest are not great celebrities - a starlet,
a young billionaire obsessed with his social media presence, a scientist and an
archeologist are along for the show. They are heading for the Himalayas and as
is familiar with previous origins there is a disaster as they crash.
Miraculously they all survive though Race is nowhere to be found. In fact the
rest awaken as guests of the monks in Nanda Parbat, a mystical hidden temple
familiar to DC fans. There is more than meets the eye with their hosts and some
cryptic warnings are given in their words and June's dreams. Even the
archeologist has a secret which he shares with June and that will play a big
part in there fate as they leave the monastery in hopes of finding Ace and
returning to their own civilization. As in the past someone was bound to say it
- they realize they are living on borrowed time. When I began I was off put by
the idea of the whole reality TV bit but it really only serves to bring the
characters together. Their actual adventures will be more along the lines of
what I am used to. They will face challenges of mysterious and even supernatural
nature. As the story develops the characters a fleshed out as we begin to relate
to the dynamic. The art is really good in all aspects. I look forward to the
second episode to see what happens next.

Title: YOUNG JUSTICE
Issue Number: 13
Title Story: .and the Penalty
Publisher: DC
Writer: Greg Weisman
Artist: Christopher Jones
Inker: Dan Davis
Colors: Zac Atkinson
Letters: Dezi Sienty
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero/Cartoon Adaptation



With the cartoon series starting up again in March I decided to take a look at
the comic again. There are two plots in this one. For those who are not familiar
this book is not set in the main DC Universe - let's call it the cartoon
Universe though it is also not the same as the Teen Titans cartoon. Anyway, in
this version the group is sanctioned by the Justice League under their guidance.
It is led by a new Aqualad and includes Superboy - the Conner Kent clone of
Superman and Lex, M'Gann the Miss Martian, Wally (Kid Flash) West, Dick (Robin)
Grayson and Green Arrow's ward Artemus. The main plot follows the team on their
latest mission. Aqualad is under strict instructions from Batman. After their
first encounter with Clayface he is told to track and locate Clayface but do not
engage him. This is another test of Aqualad's leadership ability that seems to
be lacking lately. He is torn between his desire to be a part of the good fight
on the surface world and what and who he left behind in Atlantis. The other plot
is a bit brief and will no doubt lead into a larger story later. Artemis has
been sent into faked custody of the court so she can gain information on a
larger plot involving Icicle Jr., the son of the former colleague of her own
criminal dad. She gains information but is not pleased with the assignment. The
action this issue centers on the main team and their two encounters with
Clayface. At the end Aqualad will have to make a major decision. There are
traces of the plots that tie in with previous episodes of the TV show. The art
team has translated the cartoon likenesses admirably. Like most of the DC Kids
line this is a perfect comic for younger readers and older fans can enjoy it as
well.

Title: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
Issue Number: 679.1
Title Story: @UatuJackson Watches
Publisher: Marvel
Writers: Dan Slott & Chris Yost
Artist: Mathew Clark
Inker: Tom Palmer
Colors: Rob Schwager
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: John Tyler Christopher
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


The cover of this issue caught my eye because it is just Spider-Man set against
a blue background but the normal dark blue parts of his costume is the exact
same hue as the background so only the red, white and black parts are seen. It
is a very clever concept. When I saw this was also a point-one issue I decided
to check it out. Not being a regular follower of all those Spider-Man comics I
lose track of his latest circumstances rather quickly. So, to catch up, Peter
now works for Horizon Labs as part of a team of seven smarter than most
"scientists" working each in their own lab and together to come up with ideas
for amazing inventions. Most are younger like Peter, Uatu, Grady, Bella and
Sajani. There is an older member called Jurgen Muntz and the seventh member is
isolated in his lab - his identity known only to the boss, Max Modell. The story
starts off as a narrative by Uatu Jackson, a young black female, on her blog
discussing most of the above details. We look back weeks ago to the whole Spider
Island event and see these Horizon geniuses have been working on a cure while
trying to figure out who is in Lab Six. Even the famous Reed Richards is
involved in the process. The team does not know but I guess regular readers of
Spider-Man do know that the mystery man is Morbius. This is a pretty high
security facility but Peter has managed to create his own secret entrance so he
can come and go as Spider-Man is needed. The plot this issue has Uatu teaming up
with Peter to solve the mystery of the other lab resident. Peter on his own, as
Spider-Man decides go the extra step when his Spider sense alerts him and
crashes into Lab 6 to avert a perceived disaster. I like the Uatu character who
is a bit obsessed with supernatural beings and how to defeat them. There are a
couple of cute jokes played off her name, the same as the famous Watcher, like
the name of her blog and at one point she spouts, "My name is Uatu. Watch this!"
I found this a good point one issue as it enlightened me to what Peter is up to
these days and added a little information on the supporting cast at the lab. The
Morbius presence is logical when you find out what he is doing there and the
ending leads into a future plot that should prove interesting. The art is really
good as expected. This issue pretty much stands alone and offers a good jump on
point for new or lapsed readers.

Title: GLORY
Issue Number: 23
Title Story: The Way It Was
Title Arc: Once and Future
Publisher: Image
Creator: Rob Liefeld
Writer: Joe Keatinge
Artist: Ross Campbell
Colors: Ms,shatia Hamilton
Letters: Douglas Sherwood
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


This is another one of the titles originally created by Rob Liefeld that stopped
publication long ago. Image is restarting them with the original numbering and
so GLORY begins with #23. PROPHET is already out. BLOODSTRIKE and SUPREME will
resume with their original numbering in March and April respectively. This title
starts off better than Prophet did in that it explores the origin of Glory from
before her birth. Her mother was the queen of a warrior clan so advanced humans
would call them gods and her father was the king of a savage people we might
call demons. They had been at war for eons for reasons long forgotten. To make a
lasting peace the two united and gave birth to Glory who was trained from
childhood to rule both sides and destroy either if they broke the truce. After
hundreds of years she decided to defy her calling and come to Earth to aid them
in becoming greater than they are. She aided the allies during WWII but takes no
orders from anyone, even Supreme who was worried about her intentions and lack
of respect for authority. She went missing years ago and the story picks up with
a young girl who from the age of seven had dreams of Glory's adventures. She was
somehow connected to her over the years and then after Glory vanished the dreams
became repeats of previous adventures. With a budding career in journalism in
her future Riley decided to do her thesis on Glory and begins tracking down
leads to what happened to her hero. The trail leads her to France where perhaps
by chance she meets Gloria West who has some answers in an amazing story. She
also will get a foreboding of what is to come. This is a really nice way to
reintroduce the character and build a supporting cast for the future. The art is
very stylish and the finishes make it visually pleasing. I never read the
original series but this reboot has gotten my attention. I think it may develop
into a worthy offering.

Title: PEANUTS
Issue Number: 2
Title Story: Various
Publisher: Kaboom!
Creator: Charles M. Schulz
Cover Artists: Vicki Scott, Paige Braddock & Nina Kester - Variant by Schulz
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Humor/Comic Strip Adaptation
ALL AGES




After reading the infamous zero issue I decided to see how this series is doing
after a couple of issues. The theme is mostly seasonal with a couple stories set
in winter and another about Valentine's Day.

"Snowball's Chance" by Justin Thompson, Vicki Scott & Paige Braddock has Lucy
planning a snowball attack on good old Charlie Brown. Her efforts at first seem
out of the norm until the very end.

"Avalanche" by Vicki Scott, Bob Scott & Paige Braddock has little dialogue as
Charlie Brown shovels a path to Snoopy's dog house after a heavy snow. The punch
line comes as Snoopy pays it forward shoveling to his bird buddy Woodstock's
nest.

"Heart Attack" by Vicki Scott, Bob Scott & Alexis E. Fajardo is the Valentine
story with Charlie Brown trying to compose one for the little red-haired girl.
This story more than the others captures the essence of the character - his
optimism, derision by others and his eventually resignation about his own
resolve.

"Umbrella Fella" by Shane Houghton, Matt Whitlock & Lisa Moore has Lucy bullying
younger brother Linus. They are at the library when a major rain storm begins
and she off course wants Linus to go home to get an umbrella so she won't get
wet. She holds his blanket hostage so Linus must find inventive ways to stay dry
until he can retrieve the umbrella.

Classic Peanuts strips by Charles M. Schulz w/colors by Justin Thompson & Alexis
E. Fajardo fill out the issue here and there reminding us of the breadth of
ideas that the strip entertained us with over the years. It is nice to see the
characters in full color and the newer contributions do justice to the source
material. This is a fun comic for all ages and a real treat to PEANUTS fans both
young and old.

                                    *****
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:
The DC ONE MILLION stories took place in which century?
The century was the 853rd Century. The winner this time is Stephen Kostrzewa.

Here is your no prize question:
Who holds record for most Academy Awards for acting?
A timely trivia question - Katharine Hepburn holds the distinction of the most
acting wins with four Leading Actress Oscars. Tied with three awards for lead
and/or supporting acting are Ingrid Bergman, Jack Nicholson and Walter Brennan.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
In the history of the Justice League of America who was the first non-founding
member to be recruited?

Here is your no prize question:
Which rock song holds the record for the most sheet music copies ever sold?

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.

Comic Reviews 2/19/12

My View                                     
David LeBlanc
ComicBkNet@aol.com

David LeBlanc was the Editor of the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine for
over ten years. He is a life-long fan of comics and moderated online comic book
forums long before the Internet became the place to be. David works part-time at
That's Entertainment, the Eisner-winning comic store in Worcester, MA.


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: ADVENTURE TIME
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: KaBOOM!
Creator: Pendleton Ward
Writer: Ryan North
Artists: Shelli Paroline & Braden Lamb
Letters: Steve Wands
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Cartoon Adaptation - Humor/Fantasy
All Ages




This much anticipated comic is an adaptation of the very popular cartoon series
on Cartoon Network that has enthralled kids and adults alike. I've categorized
it as both humor and fantasy because the action takes place in a very different
world with lots of unique characters. The two main players are Finn the human
and Jake the dog. Jake is a magical dog with stretchy parts that often come into
play. They are friends with Princess Bubblegum, a human made of bubblegum that
rules the Candy Kingdom. Then there is BMO who appears to be a handheld game
system, Marceline the Vampire Queen and Ice King though they do not have much
involvement in this issue. I have only seen one segment of one show in this
series so I don't pretend to know a lot about these characters. Rather I look at
this from the perspective of a new reader to see what all the hoopla is about.
This episode involves Finn and Jake's archenemy, the Evil Lich. In the opening
scene we watch as a snail enters into a purple bag on the ground. When he
emerges he is followed out by a rather large skeletal being with horns, the Evil
Lich! It turns out the bag is a tesseract - a staple of science fiction that is
a container that is bigger on the inside than the outside, like Dr. Who's
Tardis. Now that he is out he plans to suck every single thing on the planet
into the bag to destroy Jake and Finn. As he begins his path of destruction Jake
and Finn are alerted by the noise and shaking and they soon spy Lich on his evil
rampage. Donning their anti-mind-control head bands they head off to confront
their enemy first with words in the form of battle burns, something they are as
fond of as fist bumping. Then they go into Jake suit mode wherein Jake stretches
around Finn to form a larger, muscular warrior to attack Lich. In the course of
the story they find it is not enough, as he not only sucks all of Candy Kingdom
into the bag but Jake and Finn as well. The guys find new friends inside but
their task will be difficult because the expanse inside the bag is vast and
everything going into it goes to a different place. Can even the Desert
Princess, the first person they meet, be of help or are they stuck forever? The
art in this lead story is very true to the cartoon so the fans will love it and
new readers will get the gist of the visual difference of this world. This is a
wacky kind of humor that is hard to categorize. Often it is just simple things
like the fist bumps and the battle burns that provide levity. The visuals of
things in this strange place also will make you smile - like the ironic name of
the Desert Princess who is composed of cake and cupcakes as Jake points out
makes her more like a Dessert Princess.  It is so different and imaginative that
you can't help but be drawn into the silliness.

Back up story: "My Cider the Mountain" by Aaron Renier
Unlike the first story the art in this one is more detailed in line and coloring
making it visually different from the cartoon. In the story Princess Bubblegum
is planning a birthday party for Cinnamon Bun. A cute little guy, I don't know
what he is, called Tree Trunks, brings cider for the party only to be told by
the Princess that she cancelled the order. It seems she has been getting some
mysterious cider from the sky. Sure enough some birds fly down each carrying a
bucket of cider in their talons. As Tree Trunks goes home to his house in the
woods a bit dejected he takes comfort in the fact that the woodland animals like
his cider. It is then he hears a noise and ends up following what appears to be
a mummy through the woods to an isolated spa. It is there he finds the birds
grabbing buckets of cider outside a window. He has found the source of the
mysterious cider!  The big reveal at the end is the twist to the story and lends
a couple of punch lines at the party. Like the first story it relies on a quirky
humor and interestingly strange creatures to drive the plot. In all this is a
fun comic that people are snatching up quickly. It is bound to be a hit. Now,
for those of you who have already read the comic did you see the added bonus
text at the bottom of some of the pages?  Often it is very faint and it is easy
to overlook if you concentrate only on what is in the panels. Go back and look
again, it adds another dimension to the fun.


Title: GODZILLA LEGENDS
Issue Number: 3
Title Story: Secrets
Publisher: IDW
Writer: Mike Raicht
Artist: Tony Parker
Colors: Ian Herring
Letters: Chris Mowry
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Monster Science Fiction




The Godzilla titles from IDW have flourished over the months since the first
issue with all the variant covers including the one of Godzilla's foot smashing
down on our favorite comic store, That's Entertainment. I saw the latest issue
of one of these titles, GODZILLA LEGENDS, featuring Titanosaurus on the cover
and decided to see what it was all about. What I found was a more interesting
story than I expected. It begins as a young boy named Tristan is woken from
sleep by a voice in his head. Looking out his window he sees a young lady
calling herself Miki Saegusa standing out front. She is talking to him
telepathically. She knows he is also a telepath and has come to talk to Tristan
and his parents with a proposition. She tells them of an institute funded by the
United Nations just outside of Gresham, Oregon. They are gathering gifted
children from all over for special schooling at no charge to the families -
Xavier's School immediately comes to mind. Tristan is given the choice and
agrees to go. He is not only telepathic but can see bits of visions of the
future, things that seem to come to pass later. At orientation they meet
Headmaster Mugal who explains that Miki, using her gifts, was able to
communicate with Godzilla and help avert disaster. It is their hope that
students like those gathered here can communicate with other monsters and have
similar results. At first the tests seem to be probing Tristan's limits but the
effects on him later could lead to a disaster. As we see near the end there is a
deeper secret in this school and a sinister plot is being hatched. I enjoyed
this story very much. So as not to disappoint the reader Titanosaurus does
appear but it is only part of a much bigger picture. It seems like Miki and
Tristan will be the real heroes down the road but for now they are tools of
someone else. The art is well done adding the right effects for the variety of
scenes involved. This is much more than a monster-smashing story. I just might
go back to the first two issues to see what came before.


Title: BLACK PANTHER: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE
Issue Number: 529
Title Story: The Kingpin of Wakanda
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: David Liss
Artists: Shawn Martinbrough & Jefte Palo
Colors: Felix Serrano, Jesus Aburto & Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


As many know the Black Panther took over the previous Daredevil title continuing
its numbering, which is why this issue is 529. T'Challa is now the former Black
Panther, that title now being held by his sister Shuri. He is depowered and
living in Hell's Kitchen fighting the good fight in Daredevil's place. He is
allied with Luke Cage, The Falcon and Sofija against Wilson Fisk and his crime
empire. This is the final chapter of the series that wraps up T'Challa's tour of
duty in New York. The objective is near - they plan to cripple the Kingpin's
empire and keep him from gaining control of Wakanda and all its wealth. As the
action begins T'Challa, Luke and Falcon have broken into Fisk's headquarters in
a frontal assault and are skirmishing with his Ninjas. As a precaution Kingpin
instructs his trusted servant, Miyu, to erase the computer's financial database,
which is backed up elsewhere, while Typhoid Mary and Lady Bullseye will join the
battle against Luke and Falcon. Fisk wants to confront T'Challa himself. As part
of the master plan Sofija is across the street in a sniper's perch waiting for
the word from T'Challa to begin the end game. While Luke and Falcon are not
privy to all the details they fight on as true heroes trusting their leader to
know what he is doing. It is a tense action-filled battle that has more than one
surprise before it is all over. T'Challa has been playing this like a big chess
game and is about to checkmate the Kingpin. This is a satisfying story that can
be read on its own without confusion. There is a brief recap at the start and a
couple of interesting epilogues that lay the groundwork for the future exploits
of the King of Wakanda. The art is not the most appealing to me. I found the
coloring a bit dark and the in places the facial features get blurred by it.
Otherwise it is a solid closing chapter leaving Hell's Kitchen in the future
care of Daredevil in his own new series. We will have to look elsewhere for
T'Challa in the future.

Title: SUICIDE SQUAD
Issue Number: 6
Title Story: The Hunt for Harley Quinn - part 1
Publisher: DC
Writer: Roam Glass
Artist: Clayton Henry
Inkers: Scott Hanna w/Clayton Henry
Colors: Val Staples & Hi-Fi
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover Artist: Paul Renaud
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Villains


I sampled this New 52 title when it first came out and decided to see where it
is going on this new arc billed as the Hunt for Harley Quinn. The Suicide Squad
is of course a band of criminals on a tight leash doing the bidding of Amanda
Waller in the hope of reduced sentences or freedom. She controls them with
implants that can be exploded if they try to escape their duties. As we look in
on the latest group on the team it seems Harley has somehow escaped their fate
and they are hot on her trail in Gotham City. The team is led by Deadshot and
includes Savant, King Shark and the twins Light and Lime. They are well aware
that it will be difficult to capture their prey on her home turf without drawing
the attention of the Gotham PD or a certain Caped Crusader. The first hurdle is
an amazing array of goons all dressed like Harley that attack out of nowhere
when the Squad realizes the "Harley" they shot down is a man in disguise. There
is a lot of bloodshed in this battle, which reminds the reader that these guys
are not heroes and are not averse to killing. The other part of the plot follows
Harley in her quest involving the fate of the Joker. Some of you know by now in
the first issue of the new DETECTIVE COMICS Joker's face was skinned off of him
and is now being held at Gotham PD. Whether Joker is still alive is anyone's
guess. But Harley has a plan to find out. While her goons distract the Squad she
heads for Arkham Asylum to confront an old acquaintance. This serves to show us
some of Harley's origins in flashback, a highlight of this issue. I thought I
might get lost jumping back into this series now but it turns out this issue is
perfect to sample as this new arc begins. The script is masterful and executed
nicely. It dwells on some of the characters in the squad giving us insight into
the current dynamic and starts this in depth look at Harley Quinn as a bonus.
The art is superb with Henry, Hanna, and Staples all contributing to some very
nice visuals on every page. The ending is intriguing and may be a surprise to
some. In all it is a worthy addition to the line that deserves to continue. Why
should just the good guys have their own titles?

Title: THIEF OF THIEVES
Issue Number: 1
Story: Robert Kirkman
Publisher: Image
Creator: Robert Kirkman
Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Shawn Martinborough
Colors: Felix Serrano
Letters: Rus Wooton
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Crime Drama
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge


All I needed to see was that this title was written by Robert Kirkman before I
decided to give it a try. I am always open to genres other than the normal super
hero stuff. This one follows Redmond, a master thief, living in the real world
with other interesting characters. Redmond has a big reputation and with that
comes bigger and bigger heists. The main plot reveals that he has been tasked
with a major job in Venice, the heist of the century. But it begins on another
job on a cruise ship where things do not seem to be going so well for a master
thief. He is captured and believed to have stolen something from a safe deposit
box owned by a passenger called the Countess. Soon her goons have him tied up
below deck and are beating him to find the missing item. When the Captain
protests the Countess arranges for a helicopter to fly them off his ship so they
can continue in her own country. This plot segues into an earlier time when
Redmond comes upon a female trying to jack his car. Through a series of events
she becomes his apprentice and in the present is heavily involved in his
operations. This whole first issue is set up to give us some knowledge of the
main players and their relationship. We know there is a big job being planned
and Redmond was fronted a half million dollars to do the prep work months ago.
The ending scene is a bit of a shocker but will no doubt lead to something big
next time. I like Kirkman's scripts. He has a flare for the dialogue depending
on the characters involved. This is highlighted in a scene between Redmond and
his apprentice. He also does not give too much away up front letting us enjoy
the situations as they change unexpectedly. The art is a good fit for this type
of story with just the right coloring to fit Martinbrough's unique style. If you
like crime drama and comics that read like a good novel this one is for you.

Title: DICKS
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Avatar
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: John McCrea
Colors: Digikore Studios
Price (USD): $4.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Humor
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge



Whenever you see a comic by Garth Ennis you know it will be pushing the
boundaries and most likely be not for the younger crowd. When it is also being
published by AVATAR you can expect anything and most likely you will get it. I
knew this was a comic title of sorts but I found it unlike any humor comic I am
used to, even those others aimed at adults. The main characters are good buddies
Dougie and Ivor. Dougie is engaged and about to be married because he knocked up
his girlfriend and his future father-in-law demands he do the right thing. That
is what drives the main plot from the anticipation, the bachelor party, the
wedding day, the honeymoon and beyond. Along the way we get to know these guys
and some of their relatives and acquaintances. They visit Ivor's uncle who
suggests Dougie bump off the bride to be, or at least her father. He then forces
Ivor to take care of his pet snake. That leads to a bar scene where the snake
escapes and ends up in the pants of a local bully. Realizing the boys are behind
this the bully goes after them and the story just goes off on strange things
from that point on. The bachelor party is a wild scene and Dougie barely makes
it to the church the next day. Ivor pulls off a very embarrassing toast at the
reception and plans a super prank for the newlyweds. There are lots of swearing
and toilet humor throughout - but here is the thing. The script is all written
in heavy Irish dialect. Half the time I am trying to figure out just what normal
people are saying, never mind those with speech impediments like missing teeth.
It is not high literature and the plot is somewhat predictable - except for the
part where a ghost gets his revenge. It is wild and certainly not for everyone.
The art on the other hand is perfect for this comic. The characters have unique
cartoon qualities and the lettering fits right in. There are a number of back up
shorts that I found a bit more humorous as they focus on just two pages to get
to the punch line. Some of them are decent, a couple fall flat. And they also
include the more "adult" themes of the book. In fact the last page is just an
exercise in poor taste as they reveal what would happen if Avatar came out with
a bad idea for a super hero. I won't spoil that one for you. I can't say I would
recommend this to anyone and I don't think I would pick up another issue. The
guys do a good job in what they want to accomplish, it is just not my cup of
tea.

                                    *****
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:
Nuck and Futz were supposed to be characters in what comic book series until the
editors caught the joke?
Nuck and Futz were to be character names in YOUNG JUSTICE, until the
editors figured out the obscene spoonerism. The winner by the dice is Stu
Cathell.

Here was your no prize question:
Many songwriters considered it the ultimate compliment to be recorded by Frank
Sinatra. What was the only Beatle song he recorded?
The only Beatle song recorded by Frank Sinatra was "Something" by George.  He
not only called it one of the most beautiful love songs of the last 50 years,
but also said it was his favorite "Lennon and McCartney song." No doubt, George
got a laugh out of that. Our fearless leader Paul Howley wins another no prize
for getting it first.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
The DC ONE MILLION stories took place in which century?

Here is your no prize question:
Who holds record for most Academy Awards for acting?

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.

comic reviews 2/11/12

My View                                     
David LeBlanc
ComicBkNet@aol.com

David LeBlanc was the Editor of the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine for
over ten years. He is a life-long fan of comics and moderated online comic book
forums long before the Internet became the place to be. David works part-time at
That's Entertainment, the Eisner-winning comic store in Worcester, MA.


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: THE TWELVE
Issue Number: 9 (of 12)
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Chris Weston
Colors: Chris Chuckry
Letters: Jimmy Betancourt
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero





This series may hold the record for longest time on hiatus. Issue #8 came out in
November of 2008 and after more than three years we have #9 finally on the
racks. There is a basic synopsis at the beginning though so much has happened so
far it is hard to cover it all. The Twelve were a band of heroes in the 1940s
that all set off to fight the Nazis in the war. They were trapped in Berlin and
put into cryogenic suspension to be studied by their captors in order to
duplicate their powers - though not all of them have real powers. That never
happened and the group was left in those chambers only to be dug up and revived
in 2008. They are put under the care of the military and housed together in a
mansion where they receive counseling and support in adjusting to a brave new
world. They are eventually offered roles as heroes in the twenty-first century.
They adjust in different ways. The swashbuckling Blue Blade becomes a celebrity;
the Phantom Reporter starts a column for the Daily Bugle, Dynamic Man allies
with the FBI and begins a new crime-fighting career while the only female, the
Black Widow, resumes her mission as an instrument of justice for an unknown
party. Rock Man is still bemoaning the loss of his underground civilization. At
the close of the last issue the Laughing Mask has been arrested for a crime from
the 1940s. As the story resumes the mentalist of the group, Mastermind Excello,
has bailed out the Laughing Mask and has returned to the mansion to let the
others know that he has come to grips with his future. An end is coming but what
the final scene may be is not yet clear. Meanwhile Dynamic Man is putting on an
exhibition in a baseball park and the Blue Blade prepares for the debut of his
one-man show. The main focus of the plot has to do with the robot of the group,
Electro. He was the brainchild of Philo Zog who controlled the automaton through
an electronic mind link. His niece, Elizabeth Zogolowski has temporary custody
of the robot but lacks the funds to fight the court battle against the
government. Blue Blade has graciously agreed to fund her suit in return she
agrees to have Electro appear in Blue Blades show. But there are fears that
Philo was going mad before he died when Electro disappeared with all the others.
Has his mind been imprinted on the robot brain and does that spell danger? Later
in the chapter the Phantom Reporter will probe deep into that question in an
attempt to find out Electro's secret. And speaking of secrets, the Fiery Mask
finally opens up to Excello revealing the shame and guilt he feels about how he
gained his flame powers. This may be a bit much for a new reader to jump into. A
lot of what I have detailed is what has gone before and is not mentioned in this
chapter. However, the plot in this issue is easy enough to follow with the focus
clearly on Blue Blade, Elizabeth, the Phantom Report - the narrator of the
series, and Fiery Mask. JMS does an excellent job on the script and the art team
makes it come alive. I think it is well worth your time to try it out at its
reasonable price. You may just want to get the collected or single issues once
you do.

Title: MAGIC THE GATHERING
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: IDW
Writer: Matt Forbeck
Artist: Martin Coccolo
Colors: J. Edwin Stevens
Letters: Shawn Lee
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Fantasy/CCG adaptation





A special note about this comic: If you buy the sealed edition you will get a
free "Treasure Hunt" Magic card. Here is what Wizards of the Coast put out in
some promo material:
It follows the adventures of a new Planeswalker by the name Dack
Fayden. Dack's not just a powerful mage but also one of the
greatest thieves of his age. Unlike other thieves, though, he
steals - he'd prefer to say "borrows" - not for money but
knowledge.
Dack has a special power called psychometry. This allows him to
pry into an artifact, figure out how it works, and teach himself
the spells it uses. It also gives him visions of the most intense
times the object has been used, which can be both horrifying and
enlightening.
In this opening story Dack is looking for the people that destroyed his town.
Not having ever played MTG I have no idea how well this comic ties in. Dack is a
Planeswalker - he can teleport between planes. I do recognize some names of
places he visits - Ravnica, where he is being chased by a rather large beast
with dragon wings - Fiora, where he has a price on his head and a female who
wants to run away with him - and back to Ravnica where he can heal his wounds
and probe the latest artifact. It may be the best clue he has had yet to his
endless quest. As a first issue this one is pretty good. It introduces the main
character and his immediate associates, shows some of the unique capabilities he
has and gives us a small sample of some of the creatures and places we can
expect to see. The plot is well scripted and the art is exceptional. I found the
story to be readily accessible and interesting. Perhaps Magic players will get
even more out of it, beside the free card, but any avid comic book reader can
enjoy it.

Title: GREEN LANTERN: THE ANIMATED SERIES
Issue Number: 0
Title Story: True Colors
Publisher: DC
Writer: Art Baltazar & Franco
Artist: Dario Brizuela
Colors: Gabe Eltaeb
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero - cartoon adaptation




In November Cartoon Network ran the first episode of this new series that will
debut in March. In that preview episode Hal Jordan and Kilowog head off into
space in a special long-range space ship powered by the energy of the Oa
lantern. It has an artificial intelligence computer dubbed Aya. Rather than
adapt that story this zero issue takes those basic concepts and begins a new
adventure in deep space. They are following an energy source in space and come
across a green power ring floating in space. But they both soon realize if this
were truly the power ring of a fallen comrade it would be flying off to find a
suitable replacement. That means that it is a fake and they have been lead into
a trap. This leads into an encounter with some Red Lanterns and Kilowog is taken
captive. The adventure will lead Hal to another planet and a mysterious object.
In true form everything ends well in the end and the mystery box is a clever
addition to the plot. The art is faithful to the animated characters and the
colors are vivid making the effect even better. I am also curious about the
colorist. Is it just a coincidence that his name is beatle spelled backwards?
Anyway, this is a great comic for all ages with the self-contained story format
and likable characters. If you are still into the cartoon versions of your
favorite heroes check out the series on Cartoon Network next month. That way you
can get a double dose after reading this comic.

Title: WINTER SOLDIER
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Butch Guice
Colors: Bettie Breitweiser
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Lee Bermejo
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero


I am a sucker for first issues even when I do not know the characters very well.
Well, I know who Bucky is and followed him in his latest incarnation as Captain
America. He was supposedly killed, again, in the FEAR ITSELF event but as we
found out in one of those after issues his death was faked. The tag line for
this comic is "believed dead by the world at large, and haunted by his past,
Bucky fights for redemption as the Winter Soldier." I am not sure I get the
redemption part but decided to see what this is all about. It is essentially a
spy thriller with super villains thrown in. Bucky is working with Natasha
Romanoff, the Black Widow. They are tracking down elements of Department X, the
cold war Soviet Union Secret Science Division that brain washed Bucky to be the
perfect cold war assassin. Another sleeper agent has been released from stasis
and the trail leads to a long forgotten Soviet agent living in the US. True to
form Brubaker has an intriguing plot with action and romance aplenty. He leads
us through the maze while filling in some of the blanks along the way. He also
has some interesting villains and the end of the chapter that will make this
more exciting - especially when we see who the first target of that sleeper
agent is. I have always enjoyed Guice's art and Breitweiser has a special
coloring technique that gives a special look to the art. It is very effective
visually. This is not a book that needs a lot of familiarity. You can pick it up
and follow it easily. It is definitely worth your time.

Title: ALPHA GIRL
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Image
Creators: Jeff Roenning & Jean-Paul Bonjour
Writer: Jeff Roenning
Artist: Robert Love
Inker: Dana Shukartsi
Colors: Diego Simone
Letters: Drew Gill
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Horror
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge


The opening sequence of this comic explains how civilization came to an end. It
was not atomic war, meteor strikes or seismic activity but it was caused by a
third rate cosmetics company, Moujou. The structure of the comic has two main
elements. First we meet the title character though we have not been told her
name. As a child she and her younger brother were orphaned when their single
mother overdosed. She bounced around a few foster homes and ended up with a
rather wealthy foster mom. Buddy was not so lucky. After a couple of bad
situations he ended up in juvenile prison. That is about all we see of them for
now. The girl narrates the story and the second half of the book reveals what
happened at that cosmetic company. This is basically a zombie story. Two
perfumers have stagnated in their positions and one day they are given a choice
between taking up research in pheromones with a pay cut or take to the streets.
It is what they develop that has unexpected results and begins the horror sure
to follow. The premise is straightforward. The artists do a good job with
characters that are varied and unique. The coloring is a good fit and changes to
fit the moods and characters in fine fashion. The writer is taking the time to
build up to the main event by spending time on the characters as much as the
events. It is easy reading and clearly leads to more mayhem next time. Just how
the story will revolve around the Alpha Girl remains to be seen. For now it is a
fun book with some promise.

Title: O.M.A.C.
Issue Number: 6
Title Story: One More Amorous Conflict
Publisher: DC
Creator: Jack Kirby
Writers: Dan Didio & Keith Giffen
Artist: Scott Kolins
Inker: Scott Koblish
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Travis Lanham
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero



I looked at the first issue of this New 52 title and decided it was time to
check in again. The cover harkens back to the Kirby DC titles that spawned the
original OMAC series. As I had noticed with the first issue the story title
follows the same pattern being words with the same first letters O-M-A-C. There
is no major plot synopsis to start but at least we get the main idea. Kevin Kho
is connected to the amazing satellite Brother Eye. At times he changes into the
One Man Army Corp, or whatever the acronym stands for now - basically a much
larger hulking man with a large Mohawk and a larger attitude. It is not
something he wants but rather is stuck with. We see from the opening scene that
Brother Eye is in contact with him in his civilian identity through his
computer. Strangely enough Brother Eye is also in contact with the head of
Checkmate, Maxwell Lord, though they are both sworn enemies. Brother Eye has
discovered some secret files in the Cadmus database where Kevin works referring
to something called Zero Patient. But Max also has his contacts within Cadmus
and will be looking to find out what the files are about. But this story is more
about Kevin and his co-workers. Tony has the hots for a female consultant and
convinces Kevin to ask his friend Jody to join them on a double date. Each
person has his or her motivation in this outing. Tony wants to make it with
Leilani. Leilani has her own secrets and is searching for something she believes
Kevin has while Kevin just wants to make things better with he and Jody. When
Leilani makes her move and reveals her true nature Kevin has no choice but the
Omactivate (yes they actually use that word) to deal with it. For an old Kirby
fan this is a fun comic. The secret of Leilani and what she seeks is right out
of the Fourth World epic from long ago. It ties in nicely with the whole
OMAC/Brother Eye theme and Max Lord is just icing on the cake. Didio and Giffen
are having fun with this comic and the two Scotts do and admirable job with the
art. I found this chapter easy enough to get into having skipped to it from
issue #1. This may be one of those comics not high up in sales among the New 52
but it deserves your attention.


                                    *****
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:
Famous first words of which comic book character?
"A few seconds more and we'll know whether we have succeeded or not!"
Bruce Banner debuted with those words before his rendezvous with a Gamma bomb.
The winner by the dice roll is Jeremy Mower.

Here was your no prize question:
In the TV show THE JETSONS, what was Astro's real name?
t was learned that the Jetson's pet dog was originally named Tralfaz.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
Nuck and Futz were supposed to be characters in what comic book series until the
editors caught the joke?

Here is your no prize question:
Many songwriters considered it the ultimate compliment to be recorded by Frank
Sinatra. What was the only Beatle song he recorded?

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.

Comic Reviews 2/2/12

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: GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Creator: Raven Gregory, Joe Brusha & Ralph Tedesco
Writer: Raven Gregory
Artist: Robert Gill
Colors: Jason Embury
Letters: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Various
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Fantasy
MATURE: Comics on the Edge

The fact this comic is a more mature offering clues you in to the fact that
these are not the lovable Disney characters we all remember. This Wonderland is
a realm of madness. Within this realm the Jabberwocky feeds on the sanity of
anyone unfortunate enough to end up in Wonderland. For generations a man named
Charles Dodgson has been sending unsuspecting innocents into Wonderland in
exchange for his own immortality. He is in league with the Jabberwocky. And so
the opening scene shows Dodgson urging the young girl named Alice to enter the
large opening at the base of a tree. But rather than fall through a deep hole
she finds herself entering a large cave with voices all around urging her to go
deeper and deeper. The first thing she meets is a white rabbit, sans the funny
clothes, explaining to her she is now in Wonderland where up is down and forward
is backward. Soon she is chasing the rabbit into a land where your mind can
change the way things appear. The art team does a good job in trying to help us
visualize the experience in a series of surrealistic panel with boats floating
in air, upside down island and various objects floating everywhere. When she
finally lands on solid ground she is confronted by the Jabberwocky. He tells her
she cannot leave, that no one ever leaves. She sees the hunger in his eyes and
surmises he wants out as well from his curiosity about where she came from. She
promises to help him if no one gets hurt and he of course agrees. She then gets
to see the looking glass showing her the real world she left showing her a grown
up Alice - the person she was meant to be. This part of the story is the set up
as we shift the story years later when Alice is more mature. Her outfit has
become more alluring for the fan boys with bare midriff, large breasts and a
barely there mini-skirt with white stockings held up by a garter belt. The bad
girl art is the trademark of the Grimm line from Zenescope. The rest of this
opening chapter has the now comely Alice encountering a not so friendly Cheshire
cat and some other terrifying things leaving us at a cliffhanger as she meets a
walrus. The story is the kind I pretty much expected from the start. The heroine
is pleasant to look at and faces various terrors with more to come. As with most
of these titles the art is well done from fine detail and superb colring. That
part of it is well-executed. If this kind of adventure is your cup of tea (no
pun intended) then this title is better than most. At a reasonable price it is
worth looking into.


Title: DEADPOOL
Issue Number: 49.1
Title Story: Deadpool the Musical
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: John McCrea
Colors: Veronica Gandini
Letters: Joe Sabino
Cover Artist: Stegman, Babinski & Gracia
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
Parental Advisory


I have read a few Deadpool comics on occasion and found them humorously
entertaining. He is of course Wade Wilson. He is a mercenary with incredible
healing powers and martial art skills. He is very efficient and also crazier
than a sack of ferrets. This point-one issue is the prelude to February's issue
#50 which is promoting his supposed death - we think. What the creators have

done in this issue is to recap his story from Wade's point of view. It is

supposedly Wade doing his own self-analysis. Feeling pretty down lately he has

decided to recap his adventures in the form of a musical. Each segment is pretty

much rhyming and set to popular tunes, though for this old fart most of the

songs mentioned are unfamiliar. Your mileage may differ. The opening scene is in
the present where four gunmen wearing Mardi-Gras masks converge in a warehouse
as Deadpool confronts them. As our hero takes care of the threat he breaks into song with lyrics set to the tune of "O.P.P." by Nature. From then on it is a

slide show of adventures from supposedly being hired by S.H.I.E.L.D. to kill

Wolverine, to a confrontation with Daken, a quick recap of Secret Invasion and

the Dark Avengers and eventually joining the X-Men when he decided to become a

costumed super hero. There is action sequences moving quickly through other

adventures, presumably all from his regular series - and the melody changes in

foot notes telling what other recent song is the basis. It probably makes a lot

of sense to the regular followers of his antics. For the rest of us it is a very
brief synopsis of what has come before. While I got the gist of his story from
this chapter the whole rhyming to popular rap and hip hop songs is lost on me.
The art is fairly decent making it ok visually. I came away not really deciding
if this comic should be recommended for the casual reader. I think it is of the
type that will make an impression based on what you bring to it yourself. So I
would say for $3 you could do worse. Personally I much prefer the regular format
and the crazy humor of the usual stories.

Title: STATIC SHOCK
Issue Number: 5
Title Story: True Natures
Publisher: DC
Creators: McDuffie, Cowan, David & Dingle
Writer/Artist: Scott McDaniel
Inker: Andy Owen
Colors: Guy Major
Letters: Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Khary Randolph with Emilio Lopez
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero

Someone saw me with this comic at the store and remarked that he did not know
that they had made a comic based on the STATIC SHOCK cartoons. I proceeded to
explain that they had already had another series based on the cartoon and in
fact the cartoon was based on the original comic book series from Milestone
Comics years ago. As part of the New 52 DC decided to bring back Static who has
electromagnetic powers and is now residing with his family in New York rather
than the original Dakota of the Milestone series. It turns out this particular
issue has a dream sequence that shows new readers how Virgil Hawkins grew up in
a harsher city and at one point considered confronting a bully with a gun. At
the last minute he decided he was not a killer and fate stepped in as he and
others found themselves transformed by an event known as the Big Bang on Paris
Island. This three-page sequence is worth it for those who have not taken a look
at Static yet. But that is an interlude in the main story that has Static at
first at the seeming mercy of some powered bad guys who have been tasked with
his murder. Since this is at the opening of the issue we pretty much know he
will turn the tables. For the time being he manages to fake Static's death and
heads home to plan his next move. The chief bad guy, Piranha, is trying to
secure a security contract for a major underworld syndicate and figures he has
won the right but the employer wants to see the body. There are a lot of
characters involved in the plot both those employed by Piranha and those of his
rivals. Before the issue is out, Static will have to make a move after his
sister is kidnapped as part of the master plan. It may seem a bit hopeless for
our hero but he also has allies familiar to those of us who followed the
Milestone characters. Look for them next issue. Static in his original series
many moons ago (a little Indian lingo there) was written in the image of Spider-
Man - him being a teen with great power given to him and finding a way to be
responsible about it. After all this time he has been more adept and confident

as this series shows. Unfortunately this title is not one of the better sellers
for DC. I found the story fairly easy to follow and the action leads to
consequences and further developments nicely. It is well done and deserves to be
given a chance. As I said this particular issue will help new readers get caught
up so give it a try.

Title: USAGI YOJIMBO
Issue Number: 143
Title Story: Shoyu
Publisher: Dark Horse
Creator: Stan Sakai
Cover Colors: Tom Luth
Price (USD): $3.50
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Anthropomorphic Hero
ALL AGES





I have not read a Usagi comic for a long time so I decided to check in on his
latest adventure from Dark Horse Comics. For those of you unfamiliar with the
character he is a samurai living in the end of the sixteenth-century, a time of
civil war in Japan. He lost his lord in battle and now wanders the land in
search of harmony fighting injustice and honing his spiritual and martial
skills. It turns out this particular issue is the beginning of a two-part story
making it a good way to sample his adventures. Usagi happens into a small town
at night seeking lodging when he sees some unsavory characters running off in
the distance. Deciding not to get involved he changes his mind when he notices a
fire in the distance and runs to investigate. He quickly sounds the alarm and
with the aid of others puts out the fire before it can cause major damage. He
tells his story to Wada, the local constabulary, but the law man is indifferent
and warns Usagi to leave his town. His reception is much warmer from the owner
of the establishment, Mitsui, who offers him food and shelter and later a job.
Mitsui fears the fire was set by his chief rival, Hata. Sakai take his time in
developing the story as the next day Mitsui explains that he is a maker of Shoyu
Soy Sauce a brand well known for its flavor and quality. We get a detailed
account of how the product is carefully made in the old tradition. Mitsui
explains that Hata is also in the business but his product is inferior, as Hata
takes shortcuts in his process. It is a set up that infers that Hata wants to
drive Mitsui out of business and perhaps the corrupt sheriff is in league with
him. It seems that Usagi realizes the danger and following his personal code
will stay and help Mitsui. This is a delightful story in that Sakai develops the
characters and their motivations while exposing the readers to a part of
Japanese culture and tradition. Sakai is an accomplished cartoonist as is
evident visually page after page. I am not a fan of anthropomorphic characters
as a rule but the fact that all of these characters are animals with human
characteristics does not detract one bit from the story. This title is fun for
all ages. If you have been at all curious about this long-established character
this issue is a good introduction.



Title: HAUNTED CITY
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: Suffer the Little Children
Publisher: Aspen
Creator: Chap Taylor
Writers: Chap Taylor & Peter Johnson
Artist: Michael Ryan
Colors: Kelsey Shannon
Letters: Josh Reed
Price (USD): $3.50
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Supernatural/Crime

It always disturbs me to open up a first issue of a comic series only to see
text on the inside cover telling "The story so far..." This of course means that
there was one of those "zero" issues published earlier. Why comic companies
still continue this practice puzzles me. Do they think readers will more readily
buy an initial issue if it is #0 versus #1? Anyway, the other problem with this
one is that text itself. If you are going to bother to bring new readers up to
speed with a recap of what has come before at least make the effort to make it
legible rather than in some tiny fancy font that is obscured by the background
coloring making it even harder to read with these old eyes. In my view this is a
major editing blunder. I guess they think it is more important to give more
space and larger fonts to the production staff (not the creators) and the
various alternate covers and their credits. If you want me to get interested in
what I am about to read make it easier to read the fricking recap! But I
digress...

Detective Tom Whalen is a bad cop. He is corrupt and a drug user. When he tried
to back out of a drug deal with the Koreans he was forced to fight for his life.
Chasing one of his assailants into an old theater he sees the ghost of a young
girl just before he took a bullet to the head. Waking in the hospital he is
surprised to see a man in a suit standing over him. The mystery man will only
tell him that Internal Affairs are on the way. They know the Koreans were buying
evidence dope from a dirty cop in narcotics, Whalen himself. The man identifies
himself as Peter Hopkins and hands Tom his card identifying him as the
Witchfinder General and advises Tom to call him when things get bad enough. Tom
is no fool. Realizing he is on the verge of getting busted he takes off and
seeks refuge at the den of a friendly drug dealer he knows. There he learns that
the bad guys are after him as well. All this serves to get us more familiar with
Tom as the lead character of the story. The bigger picture involves small
children that have gone missing. One such is followed in the opening sequence.
He is Deshawn Carver and he is an orphan. Other boys pick on him and his foster
father is no comfort. It seems his only comfort is praying to a statue of a
female with wings. We learn through the course of the story that this is
Morrigan, a pre-Christian figure of Celtic Mythology. She preys on the helpless
children who have no one else to turn to and give their fate to her freely.
Whalen will go to Hopkins and his group and they explain that their group has
been protecting the city for hundreds of years from things no one believes are
real. The parallel plots follow the next potential victim of the Morrigan and
Whalen as his predicament gets worse. Since he is no doubt the major character
we feel somehow he will side with the good guys fighting the supernatural, if he
can avoid both the cops and the criminals. It is an interesting plot with no
apparent easy way out for the protagonist. As with most Aspen comics the art is
good quality. Right now it is not too involved with a lot of the supernatural
stuff, just enough to peak our interest. I guess that zero issue was not needed
after all as I followed this story easily and am interested where it will lead.

Title: THE TRANSFORMERS: ROBOTS IN DISGUISE
Issue Number: 1
Title Story: The Autonomy Lesson
Publisher: IDW
Writer: John Barber
Artist: Andrew Griffith
Colors: Josh Perez
Letters: Shawn Lee
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction - based on the toy & cartoon characters of HASBRO


I recently reviewed the TRANSFORMERS one-shot THE DEATH OF OPTIMUS PRIME. This
is one of two new series that follow directly from that comic. The sister title
is TRANSFORMERS: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. In the one-shot we learned that the
Autobots finally won the war against the Decepticons. The long-dead home planet,
Cybertron, has come back to life with the Autobots ruling and the Decepticons
under their control. They have to toe the line or the inhibitor chips in their
heads can be remotely detonated with deadly force. Countless non-combatants have
also come back to Cybertron to repopulate the world. They are known as Non-
Affiliated Indigenous Life-forms dubbed Nails by the others. The Nails are not
enamored of either side in the now finished war and just want to live in peace
on their world. Among the Autobots there has been a rift. Those siding with
Bumblebee stayed on Cybertron to build a new society. Rodimus took the others on
a starship to search for the long-lost guardians of ancient myth as a way to
save their world from further strife. Upon takeoff in MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
the ship apparently exploded. While those on Cybertron believe their departing
comrades have perished readers of that other title know they actually were
teleported to another part of space to face their own adventures in that series.
This series will follow the developments on Cybertron. Even among themselves all
are not in agreement as to how best rule. Some of the Decepticons are being used
as a sort of police force to help quell uprisings among the Nails. Unfortunately
they tend to take too much pleasure in their duties, which will lead to a major
crisis by the end of the chapter. There is a major plot among the Decepticons
led by Ratbat. We probably all assumed that they would not remain docile
prisoners for long. On top of this the planet itself is exhibiting sentient
activity, attacking approaching ships as they land. Bumblebee has his hands full
with disgruntled Autobots, plotting Decepticons and the ever-growing majority of
the population defying his authority. It is an involved plot that is well
scripted and proceeding forward to major confrontations. I liked the art in
every aspect. The coloring is essential to the definition of each character. I
never imagined a Transformer comic would be this detailed but it is an
interesting story that should be fun for all ages.

                                    *****
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 was the back-up feature for the first SUPERGIRL comic book series?

Zatanna was the backup in the first SUPERGIRL series. The winner by the dice is
Gregory Goding.

Here was your no prize question:

Which U.S. President was never elected to the office of President or Vice
President?
Gregory Goding also got the no prize this time. This was easy if you thought
about it. Gerald Ford was of course the answer. He was appointed to Vice
President after Agnew resigned and became President after Nixon resigned.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:

Famous first words of which comic book character?
"A few seconds more and we'll know whether we have succeeded or not!"

Here is your no prize question:

In the TV show THE JETSONS, what was Astro's real name?

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.