The Week In Ink: March 19, 2008

So here’s the weird thing: This week’s issue of Immortal Iron Fist contained exactly zero kicks to the face. None. It is what the French would call sans un coup-de-pied. And as you might expect, this has shattered my faith in the world.

If Iron Fist doesn’t have face-kicking, then… then do we really know what to expect from anything? Will the sun rise tomorrow? Do I even know who I am anymore?! Up is down and black is white, people! Cats and dogs! Sleeping together! Mass hysteria–

 

 

Ah, that’s better.

Once again, the site of a patriotic hero putting the boots to a guy dressed like a snake has brought me back from the brink of madness, and that can only mean that it’s time once again for another round of the Internet’s Most Combative Comics Reviews! Here’s what I picked up this week…

 

 

But can any of them restore my faith in the order of the Universe?

 


 

Comics

 

Amazing Spider-Man #554: I realize that I’m probably going to regret saying this in a couple of years–or, you know, months–but I actually kinda like Freak.

Not in this story, you understand: Here, as my pal Chad pointed out, Freak is pretty much an updated version of Carnage, and between the gross-out appearance and the fact that he’s a villain who stops to take a hit of crystal meth on-panel before fighting Spider-Man (because, you know, it’s an All Ages book and all) , I get the feeling that Bob Gale dusted off the DeLorean and grabbed a plot from 1991. But for all that, there’s something appealing about having a villain that can have a new appearance and a new set of powers every time he shows up. It’s essentially Dial V for Villain vs. Spider-Man, and that’s an idea that has some potential. It’s just that not a lot of it’s used this week.

Beyond that, though, there are more rough bits in this one than there have been since the relaunch: Phil Jiminez drawing Spider-Man’s head in completely different shapes when he’s masked, for example, or the fact that a guy as allegedly smart as Peter Parker should know better than to bring a) cigars, and b) bad news to a guy who just had a heart attack. Admittedly, I might be more sensitive to that last one than the average reader given where I spent most of last March and October, but this is common sense, and the casual way that he drops the bad news makes him come off as far more of a dick than Our Hero ever should. It’s obviously meant to be played for laughs, but it’s clumsy and it misses the mark by a huge margin.

That said, it’s still not a terrible comic, and since that’s something you couldn’t say about Amazing a year ago, I think they can probably still chalk that up as a win.

 

Ex Machina #35: Now that Y – The Last Man‘s finally wrapped up, it looks like this is going to be the only onging series by Brian K. Vaughan that we’re getting for a while, so it’s a good thing that it’s sharply written and highly enjoyable.

This time around, though, it’s not the script that caught my eye, but rather the art, because in this issue, Mitchell Hundred is totally using the Nerf Secret Shot:

 

 

See, it’s the Secret Shot because there’s a secondary barrel hidden in the grip, and when you move the “sight” down to the side, it switches it over to firing from that one instead. It is, therefore, absolutely perfect for shooting your way out of a “Hands-Up” situation, but–as you might expect–neighborhood children rarely attempt to take prisoners during games of Let’s Shoot Each Others’ Eyes Out.

Regardless of how well it actually functioned, it was one of my favorites as a kid–which was in no small amount related to the fact that it looks like a comic book laser gun–and seeing it brandished by Mitchell Hundred as exactly that right on page one sent me into a haze of nostalgia that I’m not sure I can get out of without buying some crazy dart rifle and sniping at customers. So, you know: Be advised.

Huh? Comic? Oh, right, it’s really good. You should all be reading it.

 

The Immortal Iron Fist #13: For as much as I was poking fun at it earlier, the fact of the matter is that this issue of Iron Fist has the least amount of fighting that we’ve seen in the series thus far… but it’s also one of the best.

I know: I can barely believe it myself, especially given that the standard for entertainment value in this book was set pretty high a couple months ago in a story where a man turned into green lightning during a kung fu tournament and handed out one of the most severe beatdowns in comics history. With this one, though, it’s a completely different game: This issue is the setup for the fight that Brubaker and Fraction have been building to for a year, and they pull it off masterfully, from Danny’s conversation with Yu-Ti right down to the very last page.

And what a last page it is. It’s telegraphed right from page six with the line “Danny has a plan,” and I don’t think it’s spoiling much to say that Danny’s plan involves beating the crap out of people until everything works out okay, but when it hits, it’s easily one of the most exciting things I’ve seen in a long, long while. I mean, those last two lines alone are worth the price of admission. Great stuff.

 

ISB BEST OF THE WEEK

 

 

The Incredible Hercules #115: In a perfect world, every single comic book would be like this one.

Bold statement, I know, so let me back that up with a brief summary of what actually goes on here. In this issue, SHIELD attempts to take down the Behemoth–a special Hellicarrier built specifically for fighting Godzilla that’s currently been hijacked by Amadeus Cho–by throwing every piece of ordnance they have and the God of War at it, which of course leads to Hercules and Ares standing on the hull, grabbing missiles out of the air and hitting each other with them while they give broad, sweeping speeches about the nature of man’s fallability and why we see ourselves in the gods we make.

It is, therefore, the perfect Marvel Comic.

I’ve mentioned before that it’s very reminiscent of Walt Simonson’s run on Thor, and while that’s an easy comparison to make given the books’ protagonists, it goes beyond just the mythology. Of course, that is a major aspect of the story, and in this issue it’s as much at the forefront as the others. It’s the style of the storytelling, though, that really strikes a chord.

It’s the way that the big, non-stop action scenes are built around the parallel stories that drive the book, the way that Van Lente and Pak define their characters as creatures of stories and legends first and foremost–even among their peers, like Black Widow in the last issue–and more than that, how fun it all is. Ares alone has had some of the best dialogue Marvel’s seen since Nextwave got the axe, and that continues through this one. Even the sound effects–an explosion that goes “KHOIPHOOM” in a book drawn by Khoi Pham, just like World War Hulk–are an indication of how much fun they’re having making the comic, and that comes right through for the reader.

Now if only John Workman was lettering it…

 

Screamland #1: Aside from a brief obsession with the Universal Monsters when I was around nine, classic horror’s never really been my bag, so I initially skipped over Screamland when I saw it in Previews, figuring that it probably wasn’t for me. Cut to a couple of weeks later, however, and writer Harold Sipe invited me to take a look at the first issue, and since I don’t usually turn down free comics, I said sure.

And I’m glad I did, because Screamland‘s actually really entertaining, even for someone whose interest in the source matieral peaked in the fourth grade. The plot is as follows: The Big Four of the monster movie circuit–Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy and Dracula–are not only real, but made their fortunes playing themselves in horror movies back in the day before CGI made it far less cost-effective to actually hire the aging monsters, leaving them with the remnants of their film careers. And now, of course, their manager’s got a plan to bring them back.

It’s a simple but intriguing premise, and Sipe and artist Hector Casanova make the most of it, opening the book on the set of a low-budget picture on the classic theme of Monsters vs. Lesbians that’s directed by a suspiciously Ed Wood-ish type, and then dropping a line that totally seals the deal: “My father was Mr. Frankenstein. I hope to God you’ve got booze in that thing.”

Needless to say, I ended up liking it an awful lot, and then completely forgot to mention it when it actually came out last week. But the good news is that it should still be available (or at least available to order) at your local shop, so give it a shot. You know you want to find out about the Wolfman’s adventures on the con circuit, right?

 

Tiny Titans #2: I don’t mind saying that when the first issue of Tiny Titans hit last month, I found myself not particularly caring for it. I am, after all, about two decades out of the target audience for this one, and let’s face it, folks: The last guy the Johnny DC line should be trying to please is the guy who has enough Showcase volumes to build a small fort.

This issue, though, hit the mark where the previous one failed, and I’m not even really sure why. It could be the way that Art Baltazar’s expressions seem to get a little more expressive on the second time out, or the way that this issue’s primary themes mirror those of my own childhood with an emphasis on unrequited love and rock-throwing. It could be the surreality of Cyborg having an EZ Bake Oven built into his torso that his friends are always taking advantage of. Or maybe–just maybe–it could be that I am totally awesome at matching games. Either way, it turned out ot be pretty fun. Get one, read it, and pass it along to a kid. Maybe one day they’ll have a Showcase Fort of their own to show for it.

 

Wasteland #15: I haven’t talked about Antony Johnston and Christopher Mitten’s Wasteland in a while, for the simple reason that if you’re not already reading it after reviews so positive that they got me on the back cover twice–an honor that goes to Friend of the ISB Dave Lartigue this month–then you’re probably just here to see if I’m going to compare my comics to fictional cheerleaders again. So, uh, sorry to disappoint on that front.

In any case, it’s always worth saying again that Wasteland is probably the best take on the Post-Apocalyptic Western in any media in years, and definitely the best in comics, owing largely to the rich, deep world in which it takes place. It’s so good, in fact, that it’s made me break one of my usual rules this week. See, I cannot stand it when writers spend their time purposely making their dialogue harder to read, whether it’s swapping out a few pages’ worth of dialogue for Kryptonian or something a little more creative than a font switch. And with this issue, that’s what Johnston’s done, giving us the origin of the Sand-Eaters in their own corrupted–but eventually readable–language. And I read every bit, because that’s the kind of book Wasteland is: It makes you want to work to get more out of it, and that’s a quality that’s hard to find in anything.

 


 

Trades

 

The Dirty Pair Strikes Again: I’m pretty sure I didn’t even get halfway through the first Dirty Pair before I set it down and got distracted by something else–probably something drawn by Adam Warren, now that I think of it–but that’s an oversight that I’ve been meaning to correct for a while, and now, I’m pretty sure I have to finish it up, because just flipped this one open to a random page and found a section where Kei explains to the reader what a Lumberjack Death Match is.

This, for the record, is the first time I’ve ever seen that happen in a book, and in case you guys forgot, I once read an entire novel about pro wrestlers fighting terrorists. Clearly, this has the potential to be the best book ever.

 

North World v.1: I was going to pick this one up anyway, but fortunately for me, the very good folks over at Oni saw fit to provide me with a copy to review, so expect that pretty soon.

There is one thing I’d like to say tonight, though, and that is this: If you can read this page and not want to read this thing immediately, then you’re beyond my help.

 


 

And on that note of bear-fighting excitment, that’s the week! As always, recipes and questions on anything I read or skipped over this week can be left in the comments section below, but as for me, well, there’s this new guy in training for LawyerOff 2K8, and he ain’t gonna get that Not Guilty verdict by himself, folks.

22 thoughts on “The Week In Ink: March 19, 2008

  1. I buy Tiny Titans for my 8 year old daughter who thinks its great. The best gag was the secondary offensive power of kryptonite on those who don’t come from Krypton (it hurts when its pegged at you).

  2. I’m always surprised that F.E.A.R. Agent isn’t on your list. It seems like a easy sell for you. Bruce Campbell-like, broken down Pulp Space Hero kicks the crap out of aliens alongside beautiful dames…

    Also, now that its over (barring the actual finish in Countdown) any final thoughts on Starlin’s Death of the New Gods?

    And lastly, how does James Jean’s covers just keep getting more awesomer?

  3. Northworld is brilliant,absolutely my best of the week. The book takes you past where the online comic is at currently, which leaves me a bit sad as that means I won’t see any new strips until May apparently. Still it is a great book, glad you liked it as well. Devil Bear for the win.

  4. Herc and Cap were *lots* of fun this week, and the latter has me on the edge of my seat after the reveal on the last page.

  5. Great reviews Chris. But you know, Nextwave didn’t “get the axe”–12 issues was all anyone ever agreed to do. In fact, if Marvel had continued the series it wouldn’t have had either Ellis or Immonen involved, and if it had continued in that state that would have been worse than getting the axe.

    Also, anything to say about The Order? I thought it was a pretty good issue even though you can see Kitson’s influence gradually disappear through the pages, which is sad. Why don’t they let him finish the book fer chrissakes? It’s only one more issue!

  6. In fact, if Marvel had continued the series it wouldn’t have had either Ellis or Immonen involved

    Actually, it would have had Ellis as the writer but Immonen would have been replaced.

  7. Hate to say it, because it looks awesome, but the Recon isn’t all its cracked up to be, despite how badass it looks and how many ways you can configure it.

    Personally I go with the Maverick, even though it has a tendency to jam. The best ones though are the Night Finder or the pistol from the Tag set are the best, but they are single shot so you gotta reload fast.

    Me and my buddies are in Month 2 of War Games, so I’ve become very knowledgable on things Nerf.

  8. I thought Herc was great, especially the line about how Ares was basically right about him. That whole “You only know the myth, not the truth” bit was actually touching.

  9. Okay, I immediately read the North World webcomic (at work) after reading that page.

    Holy hell was that a sweet moment.

  10. I had one of those Nerf guns in college. I actually used it successfully in my second year Assassination Game. I reassured my target that my gun was pointed safely up in the air, then shot her with it…

    It was sweet. :-)

    (Why, yes, she was blonde…)

  11. I think you’re the one who got me into reading North World the last time you linked it, and I have to thank you for introducing me to one of my favorite webcomics.

  12. The problem IMHO with Immortal Iron Fist this month was fill-in artist Tonci Zonjic’s rendering of the fight between Davos and Lei-Kun.

    I haven’t read enough Iron Fist over the decades to know how often Davos and the Thunderer throw down but on the face of it LEI-KUNG VS. DAVOS should be a hell cool thing to see, and this issue was a big dissapointment in that respect. I’m not someone who would normally come out and dis an artist for doing their job but I was really unhappy with Zonjic’s work and it is spoiling the Immortal Iron Fist experience for me a little bit. They’ve put so much effort into developing the top-knotch supporting cast of flashback artists for this series, combined with the sublime work of Mr Aja, and then it all comes down to this weakly composed fill-in work that clashes terribly with the lead style.

    You know that if David Aja had drawn that scene there would have been kicks to the face.

  13. I felt really bad for that bear — until I remembered that in Canada, bears have dental insurance.

    (Though cosmetic work has limited coverage.)

  14. Kinda weird that Spidey got his hands on some cigars, being that smoking is the 8th deadly sin in Quesada’s marvel U. First, Pete’s making deals with Satan now this. What a douche.

  15. Adam Warren is nothing but an overrated fanfic writer. The sad part is his art used to be cool, but somewhere around “Fatal But Not Serious” he went from “decent, manga-inspired style” to “collagen addicted Muppet” style. And I know I’ve said this here before, but all his characters sound like wiggers with advanced philosophy textbooks.