Johanna's Capsules: Akiko, GL, Strangehaven, Spider-Man, more
Johanna Draper Carlson
AKIKO: FLIGHTS OF FANCY
GREEN LANTERN #151
ODDBALLZ #1
STRANGEHAVEN #14
TOMB RAIDER #22
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN SPECIAL
WATER MOCCASIN TALES #1
AGE OF BRONZE: BEHIND THE SCENES
by Eric Shanower
Image Comics, 24 black-and-white pages, $3.50
This supplemental issue begins with a Who's Who of the characters,
complete with sketches and pronunciation guides. (Since Mr. Shanower is
using authentic facial structures and family resemblances, I confess I
still have trouble telling them apart in simple head shots.) After a
discussion of settings from both the historical and the artistic
perspectives, there's Mr. Shanower's comments on how he builds an issue
of the series, where a particular page is shown from notes though
thumbnails to final form. The issue concludes with the timeline he's
using for the series.
Although this will be a great resource for future reference, I couldn't
force myself through all of it at once. It's best suited, I think, for
those who missed the similar information contained in the collected
version. Personally, I wanted to see more information on Mr. Shanower's
approach to the work, less about the material itself; that's just where
my interests lie.
AKIKO: FLIGHTS OF FANCY
by Mark Crilley
Sirius Entertainment, 140 black-and-white pages, $12.95
Throughout the AKIKO series, Mr. Crilley has worked with different
styles and approaches in short backup pieces. These often provide a
change in tone from the main narrative or a chance for Mr. Crilley to
experiment with different techniques or parodies. Writing to very short
lengths (as few as 1 or 2 pages) is not easy, but Mr. Crilley
demonstrates a mastery of character revelation and often comedy in these
pieces. All of these stories through issue #46 are collected in FLIGHTS
OF FANCY (except for the ones that have already been reprinted). The
volume also includes the entirety of issue #39, plus a new story where
the characters talk about their favorite backup story.
Together, the strips provide a wide range of viewpoints on the
characters, and the different moods add up to a fairly good
approximation of the overall appeal of the series: it blends humor,
adventure, charm, and a variety of talented approaches and styles. This
would be the first volume I'd suggest a new reader try, just because of
the diversity.
GREEN LANTERN #151
Script: Judd Winick
Pencils: Dale Eaglesham
Inks: Rodney Ramos
DC Comics, 32 color pages, $2.25
After the cosmic overtones of the Ion storyline, this issue we're back
to straight-ahead superheroics: stopping bank robbers and working out
what's causing odd behavior on the part of normal people. Mr. Winick's
given Green Lantern a playful approach that I like; GL's doing his job,
but he's having fun with it. Carrying through the theme, several ring
creations this issue are stuffed toys or cute elves or other whimsical
creatures.
The dialogue is the most entertaining part. I was laughing out loud at
the interplay between Kyle and his assistant, starting with school
lunches and winding up on caffeine addiction. (What can I say, I find
Logan's Run references funny.) Things turn serious with the cliffhanger,
which guarantees I'll be back next issue. This issue puts some of the
fun back in superheroes.
ODDBALLZ #1
by Lewis Trondheim & Manu Larcenet
NBM Publishing, 24 black-and-white pages, $2.95
The first half of this new anthology is classic Trondheim. His McConey
characters comment on everyday life; think Seinfeld, only funnier and
more philosophical. They also happen to look like animals, but you
quickly forget about that, since they act in such human ways. Here, they
goof off at the health club, discuss hilariously odd jobs (like Teaching
Someone a Lesson), and wind up at a party where they ponder the ethical
response to finding a million dollars.
By the end of the first page, we're reminded that this is translated,
since the jokes depend on a particular type of swimsuit, only the
expectations are the opposite of what Americans generally consider
appropriate. I didn't anticipate the resulting wide-ranging content from
such a light opening, which made for an eye-opening, thought-provoking
experience.
The cartooning is, as expected, excellent. My biggest complaint is that
the art is obviously color forced into black and white. At times, the
panels are so dark that it's hard to distinguish objects within. I was
also disappointed that both this story and the following simply stopped
when the space was full.
The second half, I'm not sure who did what, since the book is oddly
lacking in any credits. The "Astronauts of the Future" are two kids
convinced that they're the only real humans around. Their perverse
insistence that they're surrounded by robots or aliens ends up making a
certain sense, but mostly it makes for amusing entertainment, especially
when seasoned with their reactions to the annoyances of everyday life.
It's like a modern-day SUGAR & SPIKE with a meaner temperment.
I hope that all of this material is eventually collected in a color
presentation worthy of it. Until then, I suppose this is better than
nothing, but it's not as satisfying as it could be.
STRANGEHAVEN #14
by Gary Spencer Millidge
Abiogenesis Press, 32 black-and-white pages, $2.95
STRANGEHAVEN is the story of several inhabitants of a small town where
something mysterious is going on. Each issue unfolds a bit more history
while sparking more questions than answers.
Mr. Millidge has taken a great approach to story, given the extended
release schedule of this title. The series of scenes that make up this
issue reveal various characters in such a way that they're intriguing if
this is your first read, and they add up to more if you've been
following the larger story. I had no trouble understanding what was
going on, yet the portrayals went beyond mere stereotype. These
characters seem very realistic, and their actions reveal more about them
than they intend to be known.
This series has always been strongly photo-referenced, but here, the
art's taken great leaps forward. The style is more confident and
assured. Figures are outlines with strong black lines, setting them off
from the detailed backgrounds. Shading is more subtle -- it's a wash
technique -- and thus more effective. Poses are well-chosen to suggest
movement instead of seeming stiff and artificial.
Given the mystery and depth, this comic is well-recommended for fans of
writers like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. Mr. Millidge also provides an
extended letter column (a dying art) and review section that's worth
reading.
TOMB RAIDER #22
Writer: John Ney Reiber
Penciler: Randy Green
Inker: Jonathan Sibal & Rick Ketchum
Image/Top Cow, 32 color pages, $2.50
While shooting it out with some rock monsters, Lara Croft keeps up the
requisite heroic running narration ... only here, it's composed of koans
like "what did your face look like before you were born?" Later, in
another trap, she starts evoking Alice in Wonderland, asking for the
White Rabbit. (That sequence lacks a sense of place, which I'm hoping
was intended; it wasn't clear to me from the pages whether the missing
backgrounds were intentional.)
These allusions add a bizarre flavor to the usual run, duck, and fight
scenes. I certainly didn't expect these references from what I knew of
the character. Maybe Mr. Reiber can get away with it because the
dialogue ultimately doesn't really matter. Lara's in a pickle, some
villain wants her dead, and she has to work her way through each
subsequent challenge until she grabs the treasure and defeats the big
bad guy. Her video game roots are showing, but then, that's also a
standard structure for part 2 of 3.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN SPECIAL
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by too many people to list
Marvel Comics, 64 color pages, $3.50
As an overview and a coda to the ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP book, this
issue works well. The overall thrust of the issue is a bit dark, with
Spidey questioning his role and looking for mentors, and that's
reflected in some of the art, which is dark and spooky. Still, that type
of story is well-suited for a teen audience, most of whom would be
working through similar questions.
Starting the book off with Blade is a little weird. Frank Cho's Elektra,
next in line, looks just like his Brandy character, as expected, and the
storytelling takes second place to showing her off. With Jim Mahfood and
Scott Morse following, this is not the book for people disturbed by
abrupt art style changes.
The last third of the book is a series of pinups of what might have
been, with other heroes -- the Avengers, Dr. Strange, the FF --
illustrated by artists like P. Craig Russell and Dave Gibbons. The end
itself veers close to being too sappy, but that's a risk you take
anytime you deal with the "write about a true hero/character picks his
father" plot. This book would make a great introduction for a newcomer
to both the Ultimate Marvel universe and the range of what's being done
with comic art today.
WATER MOCCASIN TALES #1
by J.A. Jarrett
Soloh Sun Comics, 24 black-and-white pages, $2.95, August 2002
This comic couldn't be over soon enough for me. It's meant to be funny,
but instead it's cringe-worthy. The artist can apparently only draw one
face and one head position, so every character stands the same way,
looks the same way, and appears to be related to everyone else in the
book. The plot, such as it is, involves a perverted nobleman hiring an
odd-looking knight to recover some mermaids' panties. That one joke is
supposed to carry us through the majority of the book. The backup story,
by the way, is borderline homophobic. Avoid.
--
Johanna Draper Carlson joh...@comicsworthreading.com
Reviews of Comics Worth Reading -- http://www.comicsworthreading.com
Richard B. Becker
> GREEN LANTERN #151
> Script: Judd Winick
> Pencils: Dale Eaglesham
> Inks: Rodney Ramos
> DC Comics, 32 color pages, $2.25
>
> After the cosmic overtones of the Ion storyline, this issue we're back
> to straight-ahead superheroics: stopping bank robbers and working out
> what's causing odd behavior on the part of normal people. Mr. Winick's
> given Green Lantern a playful approach that I like; GL's doing his job,
> but he's having fun with it.
stuff snipped to save space.
> This issue puts some of the
> fun back in superheroes.
>
I'm glad to hear you liked it. I'm curious to see this issue myself.
I've never been a huge fan of any version of GL, but I've picked up
a few issues here and there over the years. The recent Ion storyline
is definitely the best GL story I've read, and it's left me curious
as to where Winnick will take the series from here. I already
tried and rejected Winnick's run on the book, about a year ago,
because it just seemed somewhat average. The Ion story really made
me change my mind and give him another chance.
> TOMB RAIDER #22
> Writer: John Ney Reiber
> Penciler: Randy Green
> Inker: Jonathan Sibal & Rick Ketchum
> Image/Top Cow, 32 color pages, $2.50
>
I'm not sure which I think is weirder in this review: The fact
that John Ney Reiber is writing Tomb Raider, or the fact that
you're reading it. Both seem very out of place. This is the
same guy who wrote 50 issues of Books of Magic, and now he's
doing computer game spin-offs?
--Richard
Brian Doyle
"Richard B. Becker" <richard...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3D06AFF1...@mindspring.com...
> I'm not sure which I think is weirder in this review: The fact
> that John Ney Reiber is writing Tomb Raider, or the fact that
> you're reading it. Both seem very out of place. This is the
> same guy who wrote 50 issues of Books of Magic, and now he's
> doing computer game spin-offs?
Forgive me, as I'm sure it wasn't intended that way, but that sounds kind of
snobbish. Why not write Tomb Raider if it what he's wants to do? Maybe he
always liked Lara Croft and feels he can do something with it that's new and
interesting.
Or maybe he is just, like the rest of us, working to pay the rent.
Johanna Draper Carlson
> Johanna Draper Carlson wrote:
> > GREEN LANTERN #151
> >
> I'm glad to hear you liked it. I'm curious to see this issue myself.
> I've never been a huge fan of any version of GL, but I've picked up
> a few issues here and there over the years. The recent Ion storyline
> is definitely the best GL story I've read, and it's left me curious
> as to where Winnick will take the series from here.
In a different direction, which I think is a great choice. You can't do
cosmic every issue, or it becomes boring.
> I already
> tried and rejected Winnick's run on the book, about a year ago,
> because it just seemed somewhat average.
I think it took him a while to feel comfortable with superheroes; the
superheroic and "regular character" material is much better integrated
in more recent issues, which eliminates my major criticism of his work.
> > TOMB RAIDER #22
> I'm not sure which I think is weirder in this review: The fact
> that John Ney Reiber is writing Tomb Raider, or the fact that
> you're reading it.
Image sent me some recent books for review. I draw the line at
Witchblade, but this had some interesting features. I won't be
subscribing any time soon, though. :)
Daniel Dayton
> GREEN LANTERN #151
> Script: Judd Winick
> Pencils: Dale Eaglesham
> Inks: Rodney Ramos
> DC Comics, 32 color pages, $2.25
>
> After the cosmic overtones of the Ion storyline, this issue we're back
> to straight-ahead superheroics: stopping bank robbers and working out
> what's causing odd behavior on the part of normal people. Mr. Winick's
> given Green Lantern a playful approach that I like; GL's doing his job,
> but he's having fun with it. Carrying through the theme, several ring
> creations this issue are stuffed toys or cute elves or other whimsical
> creatures.
>
> The dialogue is the most entertaining part. I was laughing out loud at
> the interplay between Kyle and his assistant, starting with school
> lunches and winding up on caffeine addiction. (What can I say, I find
> Logan's Run references funny.) Things turn serious with the cliffhanger,
> which guarantees I'll be back next issue. This issue puts some of the
> fun back in superheroes.
D: A little behind in my comics. But finally read GL, so I can reply. I
too, enjoyed this issue. The dialogue was very good, and it was
entertaining. Winnick in this issue both captured the "everyman" feel of
Kyle going about his daily life, and being a super hero at the same time.
Kyle seemed both confident, and at ease with his power, and at the same time
seemed to be genuinely over whelmed by the situation and events going on
around him....just like any normal person would. It would have been very
superhero formulamatic to just go....."Don't worry...I'm GL...I will save
the Day!", but this wasn't how it was handled, thankfully. This was
Winick's best effort so far on dialogue. Even the pacing seemed to be
better, to the point I actually didn't notice it.
As a huge critic of Winick, I have to give it up to him. This was a good
issue....not great..but I will be happy for good. Issues following a major
issue/end of storyline usually are flat (heck half the time they have fill
ins doing the issue), but this one was very good. I'll actually buy next
issue, and if this keeps up, I might have to not think of Winick as such a
hack.....He HAS gotten a lot better from when he started. And if Winick can
improve as much from where he is now as he has from when he started, he
could actually turn out to be a good to great writer. (never thought I
would write that...usually it takes time for a writer or artist to get a
feel for a character...but Winick had to learn to write a story, so I had no
hope for him at all to even but out a comic this good)
And I like the artist so far, a real improvement (not that I ever thought
the art was bad on GL) And I like to see Jim Lee art even if it's just a
cover.
Now for the new Uniform......Not a big fan, I really like the old one of
Kyle's....but I do like the new/old mask......it's just the dirt biker pants
and the logo on the shoulders that I'm not crazy about. But like any
change, in a few issues, I'm sure I will like the new Uni, just fine.
Johanna Draper Carlson
> Winnick in this issue both captured the "everyman" feel of
> Kyle going about his daily life, and being a super hero at the same time.
> Kyle seemed both confident, and at ease with his power, and at the same time
> seemed to be genuinely over whelmed by the situation and events going on
> around him....just like any normal person would.
Good analysis. Thanks for your comments!
Dreighton
>
> Good analysis. Thanks for your comments!
D: No prob. I'm actually looking forward to the next few issues of GL.
And I never thought I would say that about Winick's writing..but he has
gotten tons better then from when he first started.