Wolverine: First Class #2 Review

Writers: Fred van Lente
Artist: Andrea Di Vita
Colourist: Laura Villari
Publisher: Marvel Comics


Wolverine, Mariko & Sabretooth are standard fare for an old school wolverine title. Add in Wolverine's birthday, Charles Xavier's stretch Limo, a ninja theme restaurant, and a young Kitty Pryde who's desperate to find someone to take her to a Dazzler concert. In your hands you have a gem of a comic book.

The storyline is clever, the dialogue is witty, the action is kinetic and the story fits perfectly into continuity.

A perfect read.... in the immortal words of Stan Lee.... "'nuff said"

A+

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Birds of Prey #117 Review

Writers: Sean McKeever
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Doug Hazlewood
Colourist: Hi-Fi Designs
Publisher: DC


Something jarred with me while reading Birds of Prey #117. I knew it was something to do with the art but I couldn't quite place it. For the most part Nicola Scott's art was pretty good, though I don't feel her ability to draw male characters is quite up to par as her female characters. Doug Hazlewood can enhance any penciller, so my eyes couldn't have been struggling with his inking. So what was it? Finally, after looking through again and again, I realised that it was the colouring that wasn't working in conjunction with the ink work.

I think this may be the first time the colouring has ever affected my flow of reading a comic, but with light sources conflicting with the hatching and blacks on some panels it took my focus away from the story.

Although It's always nice to see a creator bring in new villains, rather than regurgitate the same old familiar faces over and over again, the mohawk sporting Mind-Bullet (guess what his power is) was a bit too kitsch for my liking. In contrast though the Gangly Man had a great visual and really piqued my interest.

The story was a capable hero romp with the teleporting (or nearly "Bamf"-ing) Misfit having to charge in to action to assist Manhunter against the new team of villains. Mckeever's scripting made it impossible not to roll along with his portrayal of Misfit's youthful exuberance, but he failed to hit his stride with many of the other characters, with villain Visionary coming across extremely awkward at times.

A readable comic with just too many slight problems.

C+

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Avengers: The Initiative #11 Review

Writers: Dan Slott & Christos N. Gage
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Colourist: Daniele Rudoni
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I'm a fan of both Gage and Slotts works, I've loved Caselli's work since his work on Defex at Devil's Due, and the New Warriors was hugely responsible for the volume of comics reading I've done over the last fifteen years. So why am I really not feeling this issue?

The Avengers own clone saga concludes as KIA's rampage explodes from Camp Hammond into Tennessee, with the remaining Initiative recruits and former New Warriors alumni attempting to stop him.

The script and art share the same problem. The sheer crowdedness of it all overpowers the senses to extreme proportions. The colours seem quite muddied, with the shadows taking over the panels. There is one page where War Machine readies his armaments. Theoretically the scene is awesome but the darkness mixed with the framing of the sequence brings it down.

The story suffers from having too many characters sharing the limelight, with none being particularly prominent. A finale that really should have been of a huge magnitude felt distracted by flitting between so many character interactions.

In a time when so many people complain about story decompression, maybe here it's taken too far the other way.

C

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Noble Causes #32 Review

Writer: Jay Faerber
Artist: Yildray Cinar
Colourist: Ron Riley
Publisher: Image Comics

You may think issue 32 is a strange place for what amounts to a series relaunch, but look again. Add up the First Impressions issue, Four 4 issue limited series, the two Extended Family issues and the previous 31 issues of the current volume, and you'll find that this is the fifty-first published comic with Noble Causes on the cover. That's an impressive feat when you think how many 'big two' titles have come and gone since Noble Causes debuted back in 2001.

In an attempt to change things up for old and new readers alike we've been thrown forward five comic years since issue #31. The aim for the title to be accessible for new readers is widely realised in the first part of the issue with a documentary crew following the family. Faux screen caps introduce each of the family members in a well done twist on the standard "editors notes". Anybody wanting to jump on board won't be lost.

In that 'comic' time, old readers will find relationships changed , characters absent, and a few new additions that will bring a smirk to the face (wait until you see Zephyr's new husband).

Though the 'soap-opera' moments are still there, the Noble's have become more proactive. They rarely dabbled in super-heroics in the previous fifty issues, but this time they're right in the thick of the action. Obviously learning from what has worked in Dynamo 5 story and character progression, Jay has brought the same soap / action mix here.

My only small (and I mean pretty minuscule) down point is to do with the artwork. I'm not sure whether or not NC is still being digitally inked, but the strength of the 'inking' lines varies between the larger and smaller panels, it's probably a personal thing but it slightly jars the visuals for me.

All in all #32 is a nice new start. I'm looking forward to Noble Causes hitting the century mark.


A-

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Number of the Beast #1 (of 8) Review

Writers: Scott Beatty

Penciller: Chris Sprouse
Inker: Karl Story
Colourist: Jonny Rench
Publisher: DC / Wildstorm

After the much lauded relaunch but eventual non-emergence of Wildstorm's biggest titles, Wildcats & the Authority, comic readers have seemingly lost confidence in the line. Great titles such as Stormwatch PHD have fallen by the wayside, and their core super-hero line has dwindled.

Number of The Beast is the last of a trifecta of series set to provide a new launchpad for Wildstorm in the Future (the first two being Armageddon and Revelations). But don't let that you dissuade you from picking this up. I personally had no knowledge of those previous two series but found this issue to be a gem.

An unnamed city is the main stage for this issue. The cast are attending their premiere.

We're introduced to characters Hotfoot , the Thrush, Black Anvil, Stinkbug and many other silver-age inspired characters whose mere ideals, on face value, are in complete contrast to the established Wildstorm Universe characters. In fact, if it weren't for slight references to, and an appearance from a character from Warren Ellis' Stormwatch: Change or Die storyline (Stormwatch vol1 #48-50) you wouldn't even be able to tell we were in the pre-established world.

Sprouse and Story's Perez like visuals combine perfectly with Beatty's script, giving each of the new characters a unique look and voice. By the end of the issue, though it essentially serves as an introduction to the new players, I'm left wanting more.... luckily the series is fortnightly.

If you want fun silver-age super-hero antics, if you want to see new characters from the ground up, give Wildstorm another try and pick Number of The Beast up.


Rating: A

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Screamland #2 (of 5) Review

Writers: Harold Sipe
Penciller: Hector Casanova
Publisher: Image Comics

Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula, Wolf-Man, the Mummy and other movie monsters are all real. They starred in their respective horror movies of the 20th century but as their acting roles have dried up, they've all seen a down turn in their lives.

As the issue title suggests, we're focused on the story of the fez wearing Mummy, though he's only seen through flashbacks. Sipe writes the story with dry humour, in a style akin to black TV comedies such as Pushing Daisies and the Riches. It's a writing style that excels alongside Casanova's artwork, whose sullen colours and subtle patterning bring real mood to the proceedings.

My only down point would be the size and number of panels per page. With the rest of the issues as good as it is it would have been nice to squeeze a bit more story in. But none the less this is definitely a recommended read for anyone who likes exploring outside the superhero genre.

B+

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Nova #12 Review

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

Penciller: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Rick Magyar
Colourist: Guru eFX
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Paul Pelletier's two issue run concludes, and it's apparent as to why he's been moved over to the May debuting Guardians of the Galaxy series. He nails the wonder and scale of the action scenes, while simultaneously hitting all the right notes on the more intimate character scenes between Nova, former New Mutant Warlock, and Warlock's student Tyro.

Abnett and Lanning deftly handle the script. Propelling Rider from his battle with the Transmode Virus back to the Annihilation Conquest saga finale, in a way that is accessible to new readers, unfamiliar with the characters, but never over extravagant in explanations.

In today's prevalence of realistic, "real world" heroics , Nova's full science fiction wonderment is a must, and this issue just proves Abnett, Lanning & Pelletier are modern masters of the sci-fi genre.

A+

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Simon Dark #7 Review

Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Scott Hampton
Colourist: Chris Chuckry
Publisher: DC Comics

Its a shame, but after a promising start Simon Dark has really been plodding along recently.

Yes, Niles makes you feel for Simon (his naivety and innocence is endearing) and Scott Hamptons almost photo realistic art is incredible, but information about the titular character is now being drip-fed, and over the issue it seems his story hardly progresses. Mix in the by the numbers, "zombie-fied" public story and sadly you have a less than satisfying read.

This modern day Frankenstein take sounds like it should be a high concept idea. I hope it climbs some more rungs up the ladder quickly.


C-

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The Beginning

So, here's yet another review blog to litter the Internet.

I'll be honest and say, i'm not trying to come at this with a niche, I'll just try and write honest reviews of comic books that are out there.

Enjoy

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