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 UNITED STATES OF MURDER INC.Issue Number: 1
Publisher: Marvel/Icon
Creators: Brian Michael Bendis & Michael Avon Oeming
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Colors: Taki Soma
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Crime Drama
Mature - Comics on the Edge
This latest crime drama by the creators of POWERS is set in an alternate
timeline during the last half of the twentieth century where the Mafia grew ever
more powerful until at one point the US government conceded a whole portion of
the country to the families. So we have a divided US where some cities are
controlled by organized crime and others aren't. How this came about exactly is
not yet revealed though I am sure that will come out in the course of the
series. The concept is something Bendis and Oeming have been working on for
years to get to the point they are satisfied to launch the comic. The main plot
begins as the protagonist, Valentine, is being is going through the ceremony of
becoming a "made man" in the mob. He is the son and grandson of former bosses of
the family. His induction into the inner circle is more of a legacy thing than
the usual route of a lifetime of service to prove his worth and loyalty. This
point is made clear to him by the Don at the ceremony. It is not long afterward
that he is given his first task. He will no longer be doing menial jobs like the
other hired hands in the rackets. He is given a briefcase to deliver to a
certain Senator in Washington, DC. He is not allowed to open it, it is a message
for the Senator. He is then to return and report that the package has been
delivered. This is the set up for the plot that will have some interesting
developments along the way. Over objections he brings his cousin Padrino for his
first train ride out of the territories. There is conflict on the train with
some people who are obviously aware the pair are part of the mob. It is also
here that they meet Jagger Rose who was sent by the Don to watch over Valentine,
fortunately for him. The story is interesting as the dynamic between the all-
business Jagger and Valentine develops. She helps him complete his task in the
proper manner and all are surprised at what happens shortly after he leaves the
club where he meets the Senator. What is more surprising is the aftermath when
he returns. Neither he nor Jagger trust that they were told everything about the
mission but it is Valentine's mother who really lays a big bomb shell on him in
a private meeting later. It is something she has been planning since his birth
and her plan is just now beginning to take place. There is not much to say about
the art in this comic as it is the usual fine effort from Oeming. The plot moves
along nicely and the twist at the end was not something you can see coming.
Everything about the characters and the dialogue is spot on as you would expect.
If you are a fan of the creators and/or good crime drama you will want to get
this one.
Title: DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FUIssue Number: 1
Title Story: The Place of No Mind
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Mike Benson
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Inker: Craig Yeung
Colors: Jesus Aburtov
Letters: Joe Sabino
Cover Artist: Dave Johnson
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero/Martial Arts
Old Marvel characters never seem to fade away. Eventually they come back in a
new series and so is the case with Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. He is currently
a member of the Avengers and as he completes a mission to capture a particular
villain he gets a call from Captain America to report to Avengers Tower. It is
here that Cap informs him of the murder of his old friend from MI-6, Leiko. The
opening scene of the book is the play out of the fight she had in London's
Chinatown that lead to her rather gruesome execution. Shang-Chi is granted a
leave to pay his respects to her family but Cap warns him the cost of seeking
revenge. Being totally immersed in the Kung Fu way of life means that he
understands that to be a futile path to follow. Even the prodding of his
comrades in the Tiger Dojo demanding justice do not seem to sway him from doing
the honorable thing. However his eventual journey into Chinatown reveals that
those responsible for his friend's death prefer a pre-emptive strike against
him. The plot sets up the impetus for Shang-Chi to delve deeper into the cause
of Leiko's death, something that Director Black Jack Tarr of MI-6 is more than
willing to let happen. Shang-Chi will soon be facing someone whose name he has
not heard in a long time. This is a pretty decent story for this type of genre.
The plot is straight-forward and progresses smoothly with lots of action. The
art is dynamic and the layouts support the complimentary nature to the script.
It is a very solid first issue that can be enjoyed by old fans and newcomers
alike.
Title: MARS ATTACKS: FIRST BORNIssue Number: 1
Publisher: IDW
Story: Chris Ryall & Sam Kieth
Writer: Chris Ryall
Artist: Sam Kieth
Letters: Shawn Lee
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction
IDW has been publishing all kinds of MARS ATTACK comics lately, many which
crossover to other comic characters in their other titles. This one is different
in that it explores a story with normal people in the aftermath of the invasion.
The story centers around a young girl named Clare and her uncle Woody. They are
the only members of their family to survive the invasion. Clare was struck blind
and her parents were disintegrated. Fortunately her uncle was able to save her
but he also saved one other - a baby alien. It is quite odd and disturbing to
see young Clare playing with the alien baby she cannot see. She calls it baby
and indeed it is a strange sight to see the infant in a tiny protective suit,
complete with a glass dome helmet and with a blonde wig on top of it. For now
they all live in the basement of the house. While Woody takes care of the things
to keep them alive he has impressed on Clare three rules. No going upstairs
without an adult. Even with an adult you never leave the property for any
reason. Rule number three is more of a statement - failure to follow the rules
will result in bad, bad things. He also impresses on her that the aliens are not
going to return. But as we see at the end he is not quite right about that. It
is mostly set up for what is to come, though there are a couple of scenes that
provide interesting insight into the situation. More importantly is the constant
question in the back of our minds. What if they do come back and find these
humans holding one of their children? The story explores the innocence of youth,
compounded by the blindness from seeing what the world has become. We are left
to imagine what if any horror will follow. It is an interesting concept that
draws you in on the strength of the story rather than some contrived crossover
with established characters. Sam Kieth's art is at its best and the coloring is
a soft touch to a bleak world. If you normally avoid this part of the comic rack
I suggest you give this one a try.
Title: SUPERMAN DOOMEDIssue Number: 1-SHOT
Publisher: DC
Creator: Siegel & Shuster/Doomsday created by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding &
Jerry Ordway
Writers: Scott Lobdell, Greg Pak & Charles Soule
Artist: Ken Lashley
Colors: Sunny Gho
Letters: Carlos M. Mangual
Price (USD): $4.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
I am not a regular reader of the Superman titles so I am not sure if the events
that begin this story follow directly after anything going on currently in
another title. It jumps right into the action as Doomsday is devastating a
tropical island. In this NEW 52 version of the character it is able to suck the
energy out of any electronic or mechanical devise that gets near it. The people
close to it are instantly incinerated by their proximity to Doomsday. Jets and
bombs prove to be ineffective. As Superman arrives his is only able to save a
few pilots that have no chance to bail out before Doomsday somehow teleports
away. It seems that this is the problem. Doomsday has been appearing out of thin
air in various places around the globe. The last time he was around he had
escaped the Phantom Zone and Superman speculates that he may be using the Zone
to pop in and out at different places in the world. One thing is clear, he is
getting stronger with each excursion as he absorbs more and more energy. Through
the course of this story we will see other heroes join in the conflict,
primarily Steel, due to his proximity at one of the incursions and Wonder Woman
who is the first to answer the call. As the battle rage they learn more about
Doomsday's rising strength and finally it is Superman who knows what must be
done before it is too late. But at what cost? The major sub plot takes place in
Smallville where mysteriously all the residents have suddenly collapsed into
comas. The whole area has been quarantined but that won't stop Lois lane or Lana
Lang from finding a way in. Again, I am not sure if this event is chronicled
elsewhere as there is not editorial reference to it. It may or may not be
connected to Doomsday but there is something fishy going on with Lois that is
worth noting. There is at least partial resolution to the main plot by the end
but of course this is just a bookend to the event going forward in the ongoing
titles. That is called "Infected" and begins in ACTION COMICS #31 already on
sale as well as SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN. As a stand-alone comic it
reads well though it leaves us hanging as to what is happening in Smallville.
The art is less appealing to me as it is less polished than the mainstream
titles. It is still a good read and I suppose a good lead-in to the main event
if you care to follow it through the various titles.
Title: BEE AND PUPPYCATIssue Number: 1
Publisher: KaBOOM!
Creator: Natasha Allegri
Writers: Natasha Allegri & Garrett Jackson
Artist: Natasha Allegri with Patrick Seery
Letters: Britt Wilson
Back up story: "What Happened" part one by Madeleine Flores
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Fantasy
ALL AGES
I read through this comic a couple of times and I am still not sure what is
going on. It is apparently the story of a young lady who lives alone with her
pet she calls Puppycat. The hard part to get around is the art style. The girl
is clearly of age. In fact the cover variant I picked up, cover B by Zac Gorman,
depicts Bee in a more age-appropriate fashion, as in her late teens or early
twenties than does the interior art. Allegri draws everything in cartoon fashion
that makes Bee look like a pre-teen maybe four feet tall. Anyway, Puppy cat is
her magical friend apparently from another dimension. The main story shows them
at home and during nap time Bee is whisked away to a strange place. It looks
like empty space with a lot of keys floating around. There are also little
creatures resembling Puppycat that somehow get stuck in parts of Bee's body -
arms, hair and such. So she grabs the keys and starts "unlocking them" out of
her body. Whether this is a dream or really happening is not clear until she
awakens and finds herself no longer on her couch but locked outside on her front
porch and instead of her clothes she is wearing a t-shirt with a picture of
herself at age 2 with pudding all over her face. Nothing really flows logically
in this story. It seems like Puppycat, whose only communication is internal so
sometimes we can see what it is thinking, will transport the two to this other
dimension where they are assigned a temporary job by a monitor floating in the
air with wings on it. It is all kind of disjointed with very little explanation
of what is going on and why. Maybe the art style is to attract the very young
readers as they might be attracted by the lovable Puppycat and identify with a
childlike protagonist. To this much older reader there is nothing here to
interest me to come back for more.
Title: WEIRD LOVEIssue Number: 1
Publisher: IDW/Yoe Comics
Cover Artist: Ogden Whitney from ROMANTIC ADVENTURES #50, 1954
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Classic Romance Reprints
This is another in a series of reprint comics put out by IDW with YOE comics.
The first impression you get is the quality of the production. They have taken
pains to restore the old art and though the paper is a stiffer grade it has the
look and feel of those old comics from the fifties. The theme this time is weird
love stories though it is less on the side of "horror" weird and closer to just
out of the norm stories. The typical strategy is to open with a shocking title
and then evolve a story often with a twist or surprise ending. The opening piece
is called "I Fell for a Commie" and it is reprinted from LOVE SECRETS #32,
August 1953. The art is attributed to Sam Citron and Dick Beck. It starts with a
chance meeting of a couple at the Unemployment Office. Gladys has been laid off
from the candy company and happens to be the person that an unkempt man in line
unloads on about the injustice of the American society as he rants about the
haves and have-nots. A well groomed man intercedes and the two strike up a
friendship that blooms into a relationship over a week or so until Tom cuts it
off abruptly with a letter to her. Some time later she happens to see a friend
of her with Tom and when Gladys inquires her friend explains he was giving her a
lift to a new club she joined. Gladys can't help but see what this club is all
about. It is there she learns the horrible truth, that this is a club for
communists! She manages to rekindle things with Tom while pretending to be
interested in joining the club, all the time hoping he will come to his senses
about belonging to such an organization. It is all kind of predictable and it
does have a solution in the end that explains things thoroughly and gets the
loving couple a happy ending. Another long story is "Love of a Lunatic" by Ogden
Whitney and reprinted from ROMANTIC ADVENTURES #50, 1954. As a child Ruth lost
her father and grew up with little memory of him. As she approached her twenties
her mother badgered her to find a good man to take care of her but Ruth rebelled
at the thought. So much so that when her mother contrives a date with the son of
a friend Ruth plans to tell him off but to her surprise he has the same idea,
being repelled by the parents meddling in their lives. What begins as a charade
to fool the older women soon turns into love. Things have taken a nice turn
until one day a man shows up at the door, Ruth's father. It turns out he was not
dead but in an institution for the insane. Ruth's mother kept the truth from her
and is anxious to get her married in fear that she inherited her father's
madness and would have no one to look after her. This sets the wheels in Ruth's
brain turning and the constant reminder of what might happen in the future, now
that her father is around pushes Ruth over the edge. Will she end up in an
institution like her father having true love snatched from her now that she
finally has found it? That is the basis of the plot. The story is a bit longer
than it needs to be but it does keep moving forward to a logical conclusion. In
a more traditional fashion "The Taming of the Brute" by Joe Gill from JUST
MARRIED #53, 1967, explores the lives of a newlywed couple as they get to know
each other more closely. The relationship began with Nick making a bold move on
the beach moving in on George to capture the attention and the heart of Loretta.
At first she is excited by his brutish nature but eventually she decides that he
needs to be more of a gentleman and give her more attention constantly. Once
they are married she carries things further as she becomes more demanding of
Nick to the point of nagging him in front of friends. What happens next is
certainly outdated by today's standards but maybe not so much for the sixties.
And so it goes with a couple more stories and a very odd one-page instructional
piece admonishing females that in all of their fashion choices, be it clothes,
hair or even how they walk, a girl needs to be aware of how she looks from the
back. First impressions are important but don't forget the back. A mirror is a
girl's best friend. It is a hoot! These type of comics are interesting to me
even though they are far removed from my usual reading genre. I enjoy seeing
what was popular fifty to sixty years ago. While they are mostly somewhat silly
stories now they reflect the times as they convey social norms and political
views that today are considered politically incorrect in some cases. The artists
did a fine job with the materials they had to work with and these reproductions
showcase that talent. It is a pleasant diversion in my opinion.
*****
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 event lead the Kent's to sell their farm and open a general store in
Smallville, in the 60's continuity?The Kents moved when Clark was going to begin school. The winner by the dice
roll is Jeremy Mower.
Here was your no prize question:
What Massachusetts town claims to be the birthplace of volleyball?
Holyoke, MA claims to be the birthplace of volleyball.
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
"The Story of You-Know-Who" was the subtitle of a one-shot about who?
Here is your no prize question:
Who is the only person to win an Academy Award "Oscar" whose first name is
Oscar?
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment