ComicList Reviews

Graphic Content: Fables TPB Vol. 8: Wolves

2009-06-30T09:59:20Z

by Elisabeth@TFAW

I’m a little late with this week’s Graphic Content “book club” meeting, so let’s get right to it! We’re at Fables TPB Vol. 8: Wolves, which–I’m starting to sounds like a broken record–is my favorite Fables trade paperback so far! As usual: since this is a book club, we assume you’ve done the required reading, so SPOILERS ARE AHEAD!!!

Fables TPB Vol. 8: Wolves signals the triumphant return of Snow and Bigby from the backburner to a major story development: they reunite and get married! But let’s back up. The story starts with Mowgli combing through a frozen Russian fishing village, searching for Bigby, who left Fabletown and Snow when it turned out he would be separated from her and their cubs. Turns out their children don’t look quite human, so they were required to move to the Farm–the one place Bigby is not allowed. So after leading Mowgli on a fruitless chase, Bigby finally lets himself be discovered, in a remote cabin in Alaska. Where he is not alone. Hello! Turns out he’s been numbing the pain with booze and a hot chick named Sarah Tanaraq.

Meanwhile, it turns out that Snow has been busy playing mother and father–literally–as she has been sending her children presents from “Daddy” every holiday, taking family photos to “send” him, and answering their letters in his stead. The children are growing up quickly, and are hilarious as they struggle to maintain their human forms. Once they can do this for a month, they’ll be allowed into the Mundy world, but Aunt Rose isn’t making things easy for them, testing them at every turn!

So Mowgli convinces Bigby to come back with him, as Prince Charming has a job Bigby can’t refuse: travel up to the Cloud Kingdom and drop down into the Homelands to send the Adversary a very important message: don’t f$%& with Fabletown! To get his point across, Bigby blows up the Magic Grove and makes his getaway via giant beanstalk. Awesome. In return, he and Snow are awarded property adjacent to the Farm, where they can raise their family in peace. And in return for bringing back Bigby, Mowgli earns the freedom of his friend Bagheera. More awesome!

The extra story shows us a day in the life of Cinderella, special agent of F.A.B.L.E., as she tries to get the momentary king of the Cloud Kingdom to sign a treaty with Fabletown. Reading all the twists and turns and witnessing Cinderella’s ingenuity and plain, old-fashioned cussedness was delightful–I hope we see more of her in the future.

On to the questions:

Were you surprised that Bigby as shacking up with another woman?

EF: I was surprised, just because we never saw him with women before Snow, so I kind of thought he didn’t bother with that unless he was really in love. However, the rebound fling is a classic, and I guess no one is immune. At the end of Sarah’s part of the tale I wondered if they were setting her up for another story–it would be interesting if she pops up again in the future.

What did you think of Snow’s decision to pretend that Bigby was writing letters and sending presents to the children?

EF: My respect for Snow grew by leaps and bounds–especially when she presented all of her careful documentation to Bigby and demanded that he memorize it before meeting the children. I understand why Bigby felt he had to leave, but he put Snow in a tough position. That she handled it with grace, charity, and the best interests of her children–and Bigby–showed what a wonderful mother she is.

Do you think Snow and Bigby will live “happily ever after”?

EF: It was heartening that Colin showed up near the beginning to tell Snow that things were about to get better for her, but Snow and Bigby aren’t the prince and princess of a fairytale–they’re not supposed to be. I’m interested to see them adjusting to married life, living together, and raising their children. After all, Snow is used to being in charge–or as much as she can be with those hooligans!

Do you think the Adversary will retaliate against Fabletown for destroying his Magic Grove?

EF: I was really surprised by how easy it was for Bigby to drop down there, get to the Adversary, cause mass destruction, and get out. Is it because the Adversary has been unchallenged for so long, he’s gone soft? Or is it that he’s no match for modern technology? Something didn’t quite sit right there. If anything, I’m worried that the more he knows about modern technology, the more he’ll try to use it against Fabletown. And we know he has spies there!

Join the conversation! Post a comment below, and we’ll email you a $5 gift certificate! And make sure to meet back here this Friday for Fables TPB Vol. 9: Sons of Empire.

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Wolverine Weapon X #3 REVIEW

2009-06-29T16:57:00Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Wolverine Weapon X #3
Marvel Comics
Aaron, Garney & Keith

Wolverine, at the conclusion of the previous issue, was hunted in the jungle by twelve assassins made exactly like him. You’d expect a bloody issue with a lot of fighting and popping claws and snarky dialogue. Well, you’d be wrong. Instead, this issue shows off how Wolverine uses his brain a little bit and how the new army of assassins has leadership that knows how to work the political circuit. This goes on while a nosey reporter is on the verge of uncovering this whole mess. It’s a very good issue that relies on great writing instead of a ton of fighting.

The issue opens with five pages or so of Wolverine hunting the assassins. However, rather than cutting them to pieces, we have a narration of how Wolverine began picking them off from the assassin’s perspective. This is great because it takes some level of imagination to not be shown something but to hear about it from the antagonist’s point of view. It’s a very nice relief from the usual way Wolverine handles situations in these types of stories.

From here we see how one of the assassins is hit with cancer bullet and how he is eroding before the very eyes of the medical staff back at the henchmen’s hangout. Wolverine has himself a captive who he’s been torturing. In the end, Wolverine lets him go, but not without a tracking device planted firmly on him.

The remaining elements of the comic deal with the company that makes the assassins called Blackguard. Blackguard has a sellout who is giving up secrets to the press. This causes some problems for the leak and for the reporter. Also, the leader of Blackguard finds himself trying to convince the government that everything is going smoothly as the cover up seems to be working in overdrive for now.

The comic is very good. The story uses such simple story elements like the media, manipulating Congress during hearings and a little nighttime jungle hunting. Yet, the comic works really well because the writing is so simple and strong. Wolverine isn’t really the chief character in the comic. In fact, I’d say the Blackguard fellows and the reporter all get pretty much even face time in the comic. This helps to keep the comic moving quickly and interesting while making Wolverine’s dialogue pop out a little more when he is on page.

The art is great. I enjoy the buttery-faced reporter and the ugliness of Wolverine and the assassins. It’s a fun comic to just look through at the art. Sure it would have been interesting to see the comic have twenty-two pages of action from an art perspective, but the comic did much more than just fine with the dramatic moments.

The new Wolverine series further proves that Wolverine stories can be consistent with ideas that just make plain sense. He’s tracking a group of assassins that were created with the blueprints that made him. The company is corrupt and the government is getting dragged into this, but a smart reporter is breaking the story. It’s so easy you want to say “duh!” and yet it seems so rare that we get this type of story from the character. The comic has a lot of creativity and twists as well. It’s worth picking up, especially if you are looking for a nice and consistent look at Wolverine. This is something I definitely recommend.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Muppet Robin Hood #2 REVIEW

2009-06-29T10:19:46Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Muppet Robin Hood #2 of 4
Boom! Kids Comics
Beedle, Villavert Jr & Aum

The second installment of the Muppets acting out a variation of Robin Hood is hysterical. The comic has a lot of the vintage elements of the Robin Hood story and it covers a lot of ground, but it is the humor that makes the comic stand out. The comic has a couple of oddities to it and the characters don’t entirely feel like the regular characters as they are partially in roles and partially in their normal characterizations. The comic is fun and packed with entertainment and that’s really all that you can ask for.

The story starts out with Robin Hood aka Kermit and the Merry Men taking from the rich and giving to the poor. What makes this all unique and very humorous is the scams that Prince John is running to take more money from the people. Whether it’s the Land of Imagination or the Museum of Socks, the entire sequence had some funny scenes and great one-liners.

Eventually Robin Hood stumbles upon the World’s Largest Venus Flytrap. Marian aka Miss Piggy manages to get herself swallowed up by the flytrap only to have Robin Hood rescue her. This scene I found to be hilarious as Piggy gets herself into the predicament after much complaining about the nature of the flytrap and then the manner in which Robin Hood saves her was expected to some degree but still shockingly funny when it happened.

The comic continues with Marian and Robin Hood beginning their cat and mouse courtship while Prince John attempts to recruit someone to infiltrate the Merry Men as his spy. He eventually settles on the court jester turned Friar, Fozzy aka Friar Tuck.

The comic concludes with Robin Hood putting a full court press on his interest in Marian while he pesters Prince John right in his own home with a good old fashioned banquet crashing that ends up as a food fight.

The comic is terrific. It’s funny almost in every single scene. The comic uses a good group of Muppets to bring in a new twist here or there to keep the reader surprised and guessing as to who you might see next. While not every single popular Muppet gets face time in the comic, there are plenty of appearances that will keep the die hard fans pleased.

The only downer in the issue is that I simply didn’t recognize the Muppet playing the role of Prince John. Whether this is a ruse for the time being or just a problem on my part I still found it a little annoying. The only other small gripe is that the characters have no problem breaking character but their lines while in character don’t seem to always let their real personalities shine through.

The art is terrific. The characters look very similar to the cartoon work of Langridge in the Muppet Show comic. This comic has a lot of areas to show off in whether it’s different settings, action sequences or just a huge cast of characters and it does so well each and every time. The art helps to make this comic fun.

With most of the introductions out of the way this comic is able to kick back and just flat out entertain. The comedy is dry at times and slapstick at time but it is frequent. There’s some high flying acrobatics and great paced storytelling. The comic even has a line that actually references the other comic series’ creator! This comic has everything for a Muppet fan, die hard or casual.

5 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Green Lantern #42 REVIEW

2009-06-29T09:47:41Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Green Lantern #42
DC Comics
Johns, Tan, Barrows, Glapion & Jose

The orange lantern is dealt with in this issue. This comic had such a mixture it was tough to be fully happy with it. For the most part, the comic simply has Hal Jordan against Larfleeze. Hal wants to stop Larfleeze from doing whatever evil he feels like doing while Larfleeze wants Hal’s blue ring. The comic adds in a little other plot elements here and there to set up as much as possible for the Blackest Night storyline coming up next month. It’s a good issue but it isn’t anything close to great.

The Guardians continue to battle with the orange lantern corps, which really just consists of Larfleeze’s constructs. Some green lanterns are assisting the Guardians, but John Stewart is in his own predicament. He is trapped in a love bubble at the hands of Fatality, his old arch enemy, who has now turned into Yrra a member of the Star Sapphires. While this interaction provides a good introduction in the new character of Yrra, what I found it to do is really map out another allegiance. If you think about it there is some level of alliance between many members of the various colored corps. Hal has ties to the yellow, blue and sapphires and even to a deceased member of the red. Now John Stewart finds himself involved with a sapphire. It’s a development I hadn’t thought much about until this part in this particular comic. I can’t help but wonder how this will all play out in the Blackest Night story.

What ends up happening is that Hal figures out how to anger Larfleeze which makes Larfleeze channel all of his energy against Hal, letting down all of his protective constructs in the process. Hal unlocks the power of his blue ring and the comic ends with the Guardians cutting another deal with Larfleeze. There is also something about a Black Lantern or some dead rising or some such thing in the end of the issue. You’ll have to pick up the issue to see what happens for yourself.

The best place to start here is with Larfleeze. What exactly is his motivation here? He obviously wants the blue ring, but before that ring showed up on his doorstep, what did he want from the universe? He is a good character but he just seems to have no depth to him at all. I found his involvement in this comic to bog it to down a little, which is bizarre because he is supposed to be the central part of it.

The Guardians, on the other hand, make this issue very good. They manipulate everyone. It’s great. They even seem to scold their own kind in this issue. The Guardians are twisting the screws better than any previous incarnation of their kind. It will make it all the easier to watch them get wiped out in the Blackest Night story. Did I say that out loud?

Hal Jordan is okay in this issue. However, the entire fight with Larfleeze fizzles. Hal unloads the power of the blue ring and that does what to Larfleeze? Calms him down? Why does this fight come to an end? What motivation does Hal have to stop fighting? Even if his blue ring is empty he still has the green one. This was just puzzling to me. It just felt like the comic needed a fight between the two characters so we got one with no real resolution or ending. It stops because it was time to wrap up the comic. Baffling.

Finally, the art. Let’s face it there are multiple artists in this issue and the cover clearly depicts that fact. So it’s tough to be surprised to find the images inside all over the place. However, to have the two art teams work on different panels within the same two page layout seems so unnecessary. Also, would it have been that difficult to make the color palette close to the same among the two teams? As much as I missed the point of the fight I enjoyed the art showing it off. When Hal creates his own army of constructs you have yourself one of the better spreads I’ve seen in a while. On the other hand, there is one panel where a Guardian states how he is getting tired of “your insubordination” but the panel just isn’t clear. Is he talking to the Guardian that was just speaking? The one with the hair? It was just confusing at times.

The comic has a lot of elements to like. Chief among them is the ending and the Guardians actions. Sure we know more about Larfleeze, which is a good thing, but it took a while to get us there. I liked the issue, despite the parts I found to be a little bit of plain old filler. Not the best effort for Green Lantern, but still worth picking it up to find out the tricks the Guardians like to play on others.

3 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Muppet Show #4 REVIEW

2009-06-28T20:32:16Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

The Muppet Show #4 of 4
Boom! Kids Comics
Langridge

Roger Langridge wraps up his four issue look at the Muppet Show this week with a case study of Miss Piggy. As we’ve seen in the previous three issues, the character has a small plot built around them to showcase their personality mixed in with various Muppet Show skits which don’t always have to do with overall dilemma of the main character. This month’s effort is very good because the plot that is created for Piggy also manages to hook in plenty of the other characters giving the comic some depth. I also found the comic to have more subtle humor during the character’s interactions. I definitely enjoyed this comic a lot and it might be my favorite of the four.

The issue opens with Scooter and Kermit debate who to have on as the main guest. The humor here is the creative names they spew out like Kim Jarrey of Ace Fedora Hat Detective fame. They eventually settle on a psychic named Madame Rhonda.

Madame Rhonda proceeds to tell the various Muppet cast members their fortunes while she steals money from them. Her con artist tricks have Muppets mostly feeling great about their futures while they don’t realize they are being had. Piggy, though, finds her fortune to be frightening as she is told she’ll be parting with something green. She takes this to mean Kermit and not the cash. This sends her into a panic as she finds new levels of paranoia while spying on Kermit.

The comic has some excellent skits, like Sam the Eagle, Veterinarian’s Hospital, Talking Houses and the constant staple; Pigs in Space. For the most part, Madame Rhonda stays out of the skits as she is working the Muppets behind the scenes. However, some of the skits do deal with mind reading skills to keep the general theme.

Eventually, Piggy begins to put things together and all is returned to the normal status quo.

The comic is very good for a few reasons. First of all, the plot is a good one because the con artist hits up so many Muppets that we have the focus of attention bounce around putting a ton of personalities on display. Secondly, the skits manage to entertain without having to involve the overall plot, but giving some humor and a break in the fortune telling scam. This technique worked really well to show some time lapsing as more and more Muppets make their way in to have their fortune’s read. Finally, the comic works well because it shows all the sides of Piggy that you’d expect to see. You see her feelings for Kermit, her vanity complex, her anger, her distrust of outsiders and her love of entertaining. This comic really nails her entire array of emotions very well.

The art is again excellent. Langridge is known as an excellent cartoonist and you can see why. He’s made to draw the Muppets. He captures so many of the skits perfectly as well as showing off their proper facial expressions. All you need to do is check how well he does with the Muppet Labs skit. He hit all the right characteristics with Honeydew and Beaker. The art just couldn’t encompass the Muppets any more than it does in this comic.

Miss Piggy had her day in the sun this issue and it was terrific. A simple plot that allows many, many Muppets to get some involvement, all while running an excellent isolation look at the complexity of Miss Piggy. This might be the last of this mini series but with issues like this it sure would be a shame to not continue the momentum of good storytelling that’s presented in this comic.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Skaar Son of Hulk #12 REVIEW

2009-06-27T19:10:04Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Skaar Son of Hulk #12
Marvel Comics
Pak, Lim, Buchemi & Adams

This issue pits green Hulk versus his son. Sure, you might expect the comic to be one big battle but you would be wrong. Instead what we have here is the merging, finally, of the various incarnations of the Hulk from the main Hulk series and the World War Hulk series. This comic actually makes huge strides in explaining a lot of the nagging Hulk questions for the last year and a half. The comic provides some small insight into Skaar as well, but this comic finally makes the Hulk an interesting character again. It’s been so long since I’ve read a coherent and relevant Hulk story I was thrown off my chair with this effort.

The comic is just so simple. Skaar wants to fight Hulk for vengeance and per the tradition of his home planet. The son must challenge the father and the father must attempt to put down the son. However, Hulk has no idea who Skaar is. In fact, he doesn’t remember the warbound either. Hulk is drawn to Skaar but doesn’t have any idea why. So, Hulk smashes.

Hulk has glimpses of his memory returning during the battle but is easily distracted and doesn’t exactly mediate on the new findings very well. With Hulk’s new unpredictable personality he turns his back on Skaar to rescue some humans. Eventually, Skaar realizes he can’t possibly fight Hulk because there is no satisfaction defeating an enemy who has no idea you even exist or what your affiliation is.

This is a terrific issue. Not only does it tackle the new version of Hulk in the main title, but it also clearly maps out he intentions of Skaar and it manages to speculate what Hulk’s motivation might be if he actually had a memory. The comic features a backup about Silver Surfer visiting another planet that features creatures with the old power. The two stories point to separate issues of two different titles to continue their stories and oddly, neither is the issue of Incredible Hulk #600, which is the next comic to come out in the Hulk property. Read your solicitations for spoilers.

The artwork is tremendous. The coloring used stands out the most. The color of Skaar’s eyes, the red lava pouring out of the Earth and so many more images help this story feel epic in every way possible. The art takes advantage of the cast very well. The comic takes place out in the middle of no where but the comic provides a heavy level of detail even when its just rock to give some great scale to size up the characters. The comic is a very good looking comic.

I realize Hulk is niche character and that not everyone likes every single incarnation. I like the Hulk with a brain and this one has it, but he is just a little forgetful. It’s a fresh twist on the character and reminds me of how new this all felt when I read Planet Hulk. There have been some great Hulk stories over the years and I don’t know where this one will stand but it certainly feels like things are heading for something really special based on the usage of the Hulk in these couple of issues of Planet Skaar. I definitely recommend this comic if you liked your Planet Hulk-type stores.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Star Wars Legacy #37 REVIEW

2009-06-27T17:29:56Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Star Wars Legacy #37
Dark Horse Comics
Ostrander, Duursema & Parsons

Star Wars Legacy kicks off a new arc this month which finds Cade Skywalker and crew on Tatooine. Generally, I find stories that constantly return to Tatoonie to be rather unimaginative and I usually find opening issues of an arc to be rather boring and filled with elements that are merely setting up future actions. However, this issue falls into neither one of those trappings and is a very good issue. At some point I will stop being surprised at how great this series is issue after issue.

The comic is good because it has a complicated plot using many characters with a multitude of allegiances. At the heart of the story is Cade and his two pirate buddies. They are making their way through Sith Imperial ships and stealing cargo. They cash in the stolen goods on the remote planet of Tatooine to avoid detection. However, in this issue they find themselves stranded on Tatooine as their ship needs some repairs and money isn’t so easy to come by as they’ve over-supplied the locals with stolen goods resulting in dried up demand.

Ordinarily I can’t stand stories that rely on coincidence to weave a plot. The coincidence here being that Cade happens to need repairs, while out of money, stranded on the planet that every Skywalker seems destined to return to over and over again. However, it’s not the coincidence that seems out of place but the circumstances. Cade can’t locate the part he needs anywhere on the planet? No other dealer wants his stolen goods yet he had been selling his shipments to the same dealer over and over again? Wouldn’t another dealer be dying to get their hands on these goods if the same one had been buying all of them this whole time? It seems like Cade is just being stubborn which works very well for his character. I’m just not sure I’m buying all of this. It’s not bad, but I just find something to be missing for now.

The story hits on all cylinders when it deals with those that are tracking Cade. In the interests of a) not spoiling and b) not confusing something that needs to be read very carefully; I will keep this brief. Basically, the Sith Empire wants to find the pirates stealing their stuff. The Grand Moff tasked with this enlists an untrustworthy officer, a renegade pilot and a “trusted” bounty hunter. However, these folks involve various scum, like criminals and Tatooine locals to help their causes and agendas. In short, a lot of people are after Cade and their intentions and allegiances are not solidified one bit. These twists and turns in the comic make this issue much more than just set up.

The comic recalls several characters from previous arcs, some of which were very minor players. The story also continues to add complexity to Cade’s character. He seems to take a step forward but then take a half of step backwards. In this issue he seems to further withdraw from his pirate buddies, but he makes an attempt at being playful with them.

The art is tremendous. The comic bounces from planet to planet, character to character, race and race and nothing misses a beat. The art excels in some of the obscure scenery, such as the garden oasis on Tatooine. There is one small nugget on the very first page. It sure looks like a very familiar protocol droid getting blasted on the Sith Imperial ship. The art knows the universe, the characters and how to tell a great story.

This comic is a great opening to the arc using Tatooine because it stays away from the typical Tatooine territory, like wandering the desert or hanging out in a cantina. The story sets up multiple levels of betrayal and presents a story where every single character seems like they could turn on their superior or “friend”. This is a very good comic that relies on building characters and plot without the crutches like action or giant splash pages. I definitely recommend this comic.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Batman Battle For The Cowl REVIEW

2009-06-27T15:48:32Z

Batman: Battle For The Cowl, issues 1-3, published by DC Comics, 40 pages, $3.99.

For those not “in the know” where the world of comics is concerned, DC comics has (seemingly) killed off Batman/Bruce Wayne. A new hero’s head is needed on which to hang the cowl, and that was (ostensibly) the point of DC Comics’ three issue miniseries, Batman: Battle For The Cowl. I wish I could say that the result lives up to the hype and promising premise.

In a story written and drawn by Tony S. Daniel, the character of Nightwing (who is also Dick Grayson, the first Robin) struggles with his hesitancy to take on the role of the “caped crusader”, while a dark usurper mars the Dark Knight’s legacy with murder and mayhem, rather than justice.

With a huge supporting cast of Bat-allies, both frequent and occasional, there are some interesting and fun moments for longtime fans of the material. Unfortunately, there is not much in the way of character development, other than a villain’s sliding further down the slope of madness. And, for those who have been away from the Batman books for a long while, there will be some head-scratching and confusion over some of the characters, such as Bruce Wayne’s son, Damien.

The most glaring criticism of this series has to be the fact that readers are left unsure of the identity of the new Batman. Turning to the last page, expecting a payoff, I was left with the feeling of having my pocket picked, instead. Boos and hisses for DC, the real villains.

The best feature of this story is the art. Clear, dynamic and based in realism, Daniel’s style is a wonderful storytelling vehicle for what is, if not much else, an action-driven tale, and Sandu Florea’s ink work is icing on the cake.

Batman: Battle For The Cowl is recommended for died-in-the-wool Batman fans who have been following the character for the last few years. It’s not for young readers, due to violent and disturbing imagery.

Review by Mark Allen

Original post blogged on ComicList.

GI Joe #6 REVIEW

2009-06-27T13:10:42Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

GI Joe #6
IDW Comics
Dixon & Atkins

The action heats up in this issue of GI Joe as Snake Eyes makes an appearance. The comic doesn’t make use of the huge cast it had been playing with when the robot spiders attacked the base. Instead it reveals the project that Destro had been working on as many of the pieces begin to fall into place in the larger story. It’s a very good issue, especially considering the limited cast.

The issue begins with General Hawk filling in Dial-Tone about his mistrust for Snake Eyes and now Scarlett. Hawk goes into some detail about the mission where Snake Eyes went missing and then seemed to turn rogue. Hawk is convinced Scarlett is involved and has Dial-Tone track her to some extent.

Destro, desperate to impress Baroness, decides to test his new weaponry on himself. His new device is a teleportation machine. His goal is to transport himself to the other side of the world to kill the guy who screwed the arms deal seen in the first couple of issues.

Snake Eyes arrives at the destination at the same time as Destro. This part of the comic is exciting and disappointing at the same time. The prospect of Destro and Snake Eyes fighting one on one is very cool. However, this battle falls into the classic GI Joe problem where two people are firing automatic weapons at each other at a ten foot range and missing every single round. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and think of the 1980s cartoon.

The confrontation also is a little disappointing because Snake Eyes and Destro only find each other because of bad timing. Essentially, the comic’s big sequence is a series of coincidences. However, the two actually battling it out is so cool as the two plots finally collide with relevant characters.

The comic wraps things up with the birth of the real Destro and Scarlett getting into some deep trouble with regards to Snake Eyes.

The comic is a very fun comic. We aren’t dealing with robots any more, we are dealing with characters and actions based off of their core character. The comic finally feels comfortable letting the players take over the story rather than just being dragged along for the ride.

The art is outstanding. The comic has some outstanding images, none better than Snake Eyes seeking onto the ship, first using a wave runner to catch the boat and then sneaking around the ship. The scenes with Destro teleporting is also done with a level of realism that seems unlikely for such an unrealistic action. There is nothing in here to dislike artistically. It’s a terrific visual story.

GI Joe turned in a classic fun comic this time out. Despite the usual “no one dies” complaint this comic really is a terrific issue. Despite the fact that Snake Eyes doesn’t talk, we sure get a lot of development with him and with Destro. In some ways, this is probably the beginning of the courtship between Baroness and Destro. We’ll have to see how this arc closes out but this is a very good penultimate chapter.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.

Elephantmen #20 REVIEW

2009-06-20T22:07:39Z

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Elephantmen #20
Image Comics
Starkings & Churchland

The latest issue of Elephantmen continues the look at the women in the Elephantmen universe. The variant here, though, is that we get a little bit more insight into one of the Elephantmen as well, whereas the previous issues about the woman of the Elephantmen focused almost exclusively on the ladies. It’s a good issue about one of the lesser known characters up to this point. The issue recalls some plots from earlier issues which was actually a very nice added bonus. The comic helps to make the character of Vanity Case just as important as any of the other supporting human characters making this comic a must-read for those interested in this series.

Vanity Case is living a life created by the Witness Protection Program. She is employed by the detective duo of Elephantmen Hip and Ebony. However, she seems to be stuck doing menial tasks so Hip takes her on a case with him.

Hip and Vanity visit a diner out in the middle of nowhere. This picks up a plot from issue nine when a man ate at the diner, had a heart attack while driving his big rig in the city and Hip prevented the runaway truck from killing a couple of kids. Hip shows up at the diner to meet with the only person who showed for trucker’s funeral service.

We get a couple of good things here. Vanity shows off just how smitten she is with Hip. She also shows off her fighting ability as Hip is met with some racism. Vanity is different from the other women in the series because she has brains and brawn and doesn’t seem to have the large scale problems the other ladies have or are drawn towards. Hip also gives a glimpse into his humanity. He’s training Vanity while dealing with her crush, while trying to come to gripes with his own crush, all while he is trying to do the right thing with regard to this woman in the diner who lost someone she cared about.

The artwork seems to have its stride in this issue. It’s packed with nuggets of goodness. Whether it’s the little Elephant insignia on the Elephantman sized seat or the giant coffee cup Hip uses, the issue is loaded with these types of details. While the details in the art leaves levels of unpolished objects in the frame to display the background the coloring remains bright. This style gives the comic such a unique look that your eye is drawn to multiple objects in the frame whether they are relevant or not. It’s difficult to make a lady look innocent and still have the ability to kick some ass, but this comic pulls that off in a big way.

Elephantmen gives a great issue each and every month. However, this issue ups the ante by creating a complex character in Vanity and an ongoing saga between her and Hip. This issue is lighter on the science fiction elements of the series and keeps a tight focus on the two main characters in the issue. You leave the issue having some level of a vested interest in the characters and that alone makes the issue a success. I definitely recommend checking this out.

4 out of 5 geek goggles

Original post blogged on ComicList.