Comic reviews for Wednesday, 19th September

DAREDEVIL #18

The latest issue of "Daredevil" follows up on the Matt/Foggy split in a way that both introduces a new plot point, and teases a twist regarding our protagonist's mental state. Once again, Mark Waid focuses on Daredevil's legal career as a way of bringing in new characters and situations, while grounding the series in a semblance of reality.

Everything about this new story feels natural, and it works on a basic level that all superhero stories should follow. The creators offer an easily accessible issue that stands on its own, while being a part of the larger whole, that is informed by their previous work on the character. Samnee is equally adept in long conversation scenes, featuring Foggy and his new client, as he is in making the Daredevil sequences flow in a way that is organic and interesting.

His characters and expressive, and slightly exaggerated, which fits with the quirky script, The one page sequence the creative team devotes to Matt's burgeoning relationship with Kirsten likewise perfectly illustrates the pair's playful dynamic and the romantic tension that has been simmering between them. The subsequent inclusion of a character associated with previous runs on the title becomes both sudden and intriguing, with Waid giving the uninitiated the necessary information to follow the sequence.

The protagonist is as surprised by the sudden arrival, and the complicated continuity alluded to is anything but essential to understanding their current predicament. The imparted information was pertinent to justify Matt's reaction, which serves to reconnect him with Foggy, and in turn bring him in contact with the case. The writer uses Foggy's brashness to acknowledge that is too early for the two to start mending their relationship, but there is still a feeling that Waid could have found another way to get Daredevil in contact with the situation.

The following action sequence is as well executed as it is unlikely, but it serves to underscore the supernatural element of the situation, which is further cemented in the cliffhanger, that offers definite proof of a third party interfering with everyone's perceptions. This kind of stories, where the villain plants evidence and makes everyone assume the worst out of the protagonist can be as familiar as they are unrealistic, but thankfully, the creative team offers enough style and competence that it makes the reader enjoy the experience.

By focusing on the interplay of the characters, Waid and Samnee may be encroaching on the soap opera territory that was severely mishandled at Marvel during 1990s. Using a intuitive, detailed approach, the creative team (including the colorist, who notably changes the color scenes to avoid the captioned interrogation sequences slow down the book) successfully update the original Stan Lee/Bill Everett/Wally Wood "Daredevil". The continued audience support and the recognition when it comes to comics awards are the best example of how well the industry rewards such solid, wholesome entertainment.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #0

So far, DC's Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns has allowed himself a great deal of fr`eedom in crafting the #0 issues of his books. Given that the entirety of the initial "Justice League" arc served to introduce the characters in their first adventure, the writer makes an unorthodox choice here, and uses the space as the continuation of the Shazam back-up.

The Gary Frank illustrated story largely serves as the character's superhero origin, and therefore fulfills the remit of a #0 issue, with additional emphasis on the subjective importance to the wider DC universe. On a structural level, there are a lot of problems with the issue, starting with the first page. A confusing layout choice makes it uncertain if the antagonist is present in the room, with the next page following up on Billy Batson.

Frank's representational artwork and a deep seated cynicism continue to sit uneasily with the traditional fairy tale elements, but the feature once again manages to provide a satisfying experience due to sheer experience of the creative team. Seeing the Seven Deadly sins of man in different colors, with their names floating under the designs in a graffiti-like font certainly seems like another in the line of heavy handed decisions made in revitalizing Captain Marvel.

The Golden Age property has proven so resistant to any kind of revitalization, and at this point the Johns/Frank effort seems like a credible attempt at keeping the characters around. Yet, seeing the Wizard, a confused old man who instantly rejects Billy as the champion seems as reactionary as the rest of the revamp. The creators stubbornly work in opposition to the naivety of the original premise, yet they don't go so far as to subvert it. The lesson seems to be that underneath the negativity, all of these are hopeful, optimistic characters, that just need a real chance to show their goodness.

This is the lesson Billy teaches the Wizard, who in trading with absolutes forgets the need for the Earth's magical champion, and ends up accepting the orphan so that he can combat the threat of Black Adam. After several hurried lines, Billy's mentor dissipates, leaving the problem child to find his own way with the powers and the maturity needed to wield them.

The creative team accomplishes this by bringing Shazam back to the streets of America, where he continues reacting to the situation in the way a pre-teen boy would. In Johns and Frank's hands this means leads to a series of quick confrontations, notable for their artificiality and the disturbing way Frank renders Shazam's face. The penciller/inker tries to recreate the C.C. Beck's design, which translates to the page in a very unnatural way. The popular artist, whose expressive characters owe a great deal to Steve ("the Preacher") Dillon's techniques felt much more natural when rendering the Christopher Reeve inspired Superman during his tenure on "Action comics".

At this point, he has yet to find a way to make the original Captain Marvel design his own. The feature remains ill-balanced and somewhat dishonest, translating the children's power fantasy into a forced retelling that will hopefully be discontinued following the protagonist's confrontation with Black Adam and Sivana.

Without a major rethinking, a misreading of the material on this scale seems like a waste of the time for both of the creators, whose talents could be better used in bringing another character to the forefront of the modern DCU (or even creating their own properties, however unlikely given the writer's status at the publisher).

The remaining four pages feature Johns once more collaborating with another of the company's most prized artist, Ethan Van Sciver. The "Green Lantern: Rebirth" creative team feature another of the ominous "Justice League" back-ups hinting at an upcoming major event. The feature follows up on the Wizard's eventual fate following his departure from Shazam, before setting up the Question for a seemingly important role in the shared universe's near future. The artist's detailed style meshes well with Frank's work on "Shazam" and the teaser is unoffensive enough, if overtly dramatic.

THE MIGHTY THOR #20

The fourth chapter of the "Everything Burns" crossover presents a largely transitory entry. Despite being told in an issue of "the Mighty Thor", this plot heavy issue continues the spotlight on Loki. Repeatedly the episode calls specifically to the events in the relaunched "Journey into mystery"'s initial arc, to the extent that Thor is perpetually sidelined. Beyond the "Fear Itself" call back, Matt Fraction's own work with the mythos is at the moment relegated to the obligatory renaming of Asgard.

Yet, despite having a firm basis in Kieron Gillen's work, the storyline works as if features the same group of characters, especially when rendered by Alan Davis. The penciller's clean figures, richly colored by Javier Rodriguez do provide some variations when it comes to the pages featuring Thor's struggle. The character is inked differently, and feels slightly out of place next to the rest of the cast, who are more traditionally realized.

Usually, there is a slightly caricatural bent to Davis' figures, which disappears in the ethereal scenes featuring Thor in Musspelheim. The character's features look exaggerated to the point that he almost appears as if he was rendered by Mike ("New Avengers") Deodato jr. Aside from this, the issue covers several different battlefronts and generally succeeds to establish the escalating threat of Surtur unleashed against the Nine Realms. At this point, Vanir are largely forgotten about as anything but his proxies.

Having established that Heimdal shares their ancestry, it would have been interesting to his changing role in the story brought up by a deeper conflict than mere mechanic possession. Still, this makes sense given that the story prefers to flesh out the roles of the two book's mutual cast instead of focusing on a number of new characters.

Thus, "Everything burns" continues to slowly build to a crescendo that will pit brother against brother and everyone against Surtur, while no doubt finding the space to satisfactory resolve Freya's role. Despite the presence of two pencillers, its a model example of two titles wrapping up in a satisfactory way, in a storyline that has the appropriate gravity and requisite storytelling quality.

VENOM #25

Cullen Bunn concludes his introductory storyline on "Venom" just before the title enters into the crossover. The three-part "Monster of Evil" nevertheless promises to carve out a new direction for the title, rooted in the occult and end of the world scenarios. Picking up from the loose end of the Ghost Rider-centered "Circle of Four" crossover, the new writer is adamant to continue pursuing the unlikely direction, with Thony Silas in tow as the regular penciller.

Three inkers are tasked with finishing the artwork, but the discrepancy only shows in the last several pages, serving as the epilogue to the monster fighting. The writer finds space to provide some background for the four demon possessed entities, but it still seems like there's too many of them. Even if the creators have found a way to introduce the titular Monsters of Evil earlier in the story, there is no guarantee that they would have left a better impression.

Silas seems particularly on form on the splash pages featuring the entities though, who remain colorful enough to capture the reader's attention. Beyond the fight scenes and Venom's scheming against Hellstorm, there is a nod to the traditional Spider-Man characters that made up the book's previous supporting cast. Yet, the writer seems very firm in taking the book in the new direction, one full of ominous portents.

Seeing that the creative team is apparently looking to expand the Son of Satan's role in the title, perhaps it's better that the readers approach him as a totally new character. The book plays fast and loose with the spiritual framework of Marvel universe in a similar way to Roberto Aguirre Sacasa in his work on "Nightcrawler", but for once the publisher's inter-continuity largely limits the implications.

As the story nears conclusion, Flash's actions become increasingly arbitrary. It's clear that the creators are committed to making the title their own, but it's hard to accept the change when it involves Venom keeping the demon who tried to possess him under control as he enlists his new supernatural aide to read up on the end of the world. By the time Katy Kiernan, the book's new Lois Lane analogue improbably declares that the Marvel mainstay Doctor Strange has repeatedly asked for her help, the readers will have to decide for themselves how much they trust the new creative team with the unlikely direction.

Flash's last page attempt to get back to Betty, a major link to the title's status as a Spider-Man spin-off, get cut off for the purposes of transitioning into the "Minimum Carnage" crossover. It remains to be seen how the book manages to continue once it stops functioning as a tie-in for the overarching Venom/Scarlet-Spider event.

WALKING DEAD #102

Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard wind down the latest arc of "Walking Dead", with an issue that serves to underscore the character's predicament. The issue is not in the least subtle, and basically features Rick coming to a decision regarding Negan's captured leutenant, and surveying the rest of the cast to see if they agree with his plan.

Charlie Adlard is called time and again to illustrate the close-ups of characters talking, with layouts frequently featuring seven or eight panels. Michonne's reaction is most interesting, and the three page conversation scene seems in many ways the highlight of the issue. Adlard is particularly inspired when it comes to illustrating her features, that are for once tender and defensive.

Still, the conflict between Rick and Andrea makes up the crux of the issue. The characters are separated in the emotional way too, as their intimate scene lacks the empathy the protagonist shares with Michonne. From the artistic point, the issue is obviously hurried, as the artist takes more than the usual amount of shortcuts, with several repeated panels, and a persistent lack of backgrounds.

The artist does get to achieve a strong effect with a panel featuring Rick behind the fence, illustrating the character's forced retreat. The issue sets up Eugene's new role in the story, which comes organically from some of the last developments regarding the long troubled character. Otherwise, it is the last page cliffhanger that suggest a more proactive future for characters.

With "Something to fear", Kirkman has achieved a semblance of a story that stands on its own after several of the last arcs that had much looser structure. The last time the sprawling series tried a similar feat was with "the Hunters", and it's nice to see the creators returning to the more conventional format. Having said that, the effects of the last few issues (particularly #100) have come to more or less define the new status quo, and there is every indication that the series will return to exploring it in its own meandering way, a slow burn strategy that is not without its obvious strengths.

WONDER WOMAN #0

Both Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang are confident creators, and it comes as no surprise that they try something new with #0. The perfunctory prequel issue is used to set-up the title's next story arc featuring Ares, but it stands out more for the way in which the story is told. Namely, the creators use the prequel issue to tell the story in a way reminiscent of a Silver Age Marvel comic.

Thus, the laconic Azzarello persists in using outdated techniques such as excessive captions and thought balloons, spelling out what is readily apparent on panel. Just like the superheroes of 1960s, the characters speak in banalities and frequently reference Greek heroes, leaving no trace of the writer's usual highly stylized dialogue. Chiang likewise tightens up his inks and provides a much more defined look for his pages, filled with familiar panel layouts. The colorist shies away from an over-reliance on the primary colors, saving the book from devolving into outright pastiche. Yet, the tribute is apparent in little details like teenage Diana's huge expressive eyes, and the Minotaur wearing purple shorts.

By deliberately slowing down the pacing, the writer forces the reader to appreciate this accessible entry point into the creative team's controversial rebuilding of the Wonder Woman story. Surprisingly, Stan Lee's trademark self-doubt does prove to be a viable technique to understanding Diana's views on the Golden Age fairy tale society.

At first glance, Ares' dialogue sounds like deities from Marvel's "Thor", but there is some genuine emotion between his actions. At first, it may be hard to respect the character clearly modeled on the writer's current look, but the Wonder Woman/Ares dynamic eventually does make up for an interesting conflict. Eventually, the addition of Daedalus' labyrinth and Theseus-like battle with the Minotaur end up being so derivative that they make a full immersion next to impossible.

The artificiality of both the trappings and storytelling comes as an in-joke between the creative team and the readers, whose attachment to Diana's conflict with her mentor will likely determine their enjoyment of the issue. In any event, one must respect Azzarello and Chiang's audacity to satirize DC's Zero month, who have certainly found a way to follow the company's edict, set up the upcoming storyline and enjoy themselves in the process.

Reviews for Wednesday, August the 15th

DAREDEVIL #17

Mark Waid's run on "Daredevil" has so far hinged on a retro esthetic, a modern reworking of the character, as originally presented by Stan Lee and Bill Everett. The current issue featuring an extended flashback framed by a couple of pages placing it in the context of the run so far, basically proves an extended tribute to the character's Silver Age adventures.

Mike ("Madman", "X-Statix") Allred, an artist self-consciously fixated on appropriating the traditional style for modern and subversive storytelling proves a natural fit. The story follows up on the split between Matt and Foggy, and provides a context to their relationship. Waid has previously detailed the two's college days, but this time he places the focus on the early days in the series, shortly after the character assumed the now-classic Wally Wood designed red costume.

Two thirds of the story are taken up by the taken up by the protagonist's fight against Stilt-Man, which Allred lays out in vertical panels, focusing on the visual potential of the overblown character design. Yet, despite the inventive way the hero finally dispatches the villain, the Matt and Foggy dynamic that gives context to the fight largely saps it off its energy.

By Stilt-Man being merely be a distraction from the much more everyday hit on the Foggy, the creators are largely dispensing with the Silver Age story logic. The character's inclusion comes off as being simply the case of Waid trying to see if how far he could stretch the retro approach. After the inclusion of the obligatory fight, the writer finally gets to the heart of the story, featuring a very humane scene that shows the best of Foggy and Matt.

Again, the reader is forced to accept the writer's skillful application of science fiction tropes to "Daredevil" and the effect it has on the reading experience. The counter-intuitive approach, which dispenses with the 1980s Frank Miller additions has genuinely made for a very interesting reading, making the new series such a critical success. Despite the increased schedule and the artistic changes, the series remains a love letter to classic Marvel, a particularly well realized book that has thankfully managed to gain a firm foothold in the Direct Market.

WALKING DEAD #101

The penultimate part of the "Something to Fear" arc largely deals with the ramifications of the last issue, whose catastrophic events take their toll on these bruised characters. A single page featuring a zombie attack, but it only serves to accentuate that the series has entered a period of extended fighting between the survivors.

Kirkman explores the violence that has become the ultimate form of communication, and how this informs the characters of children sticking with Rick's group. "Walking Dead" reinforces that life is possible in the zombie apocalypse, but that the living must confirm to the brutality of the power struggle.

Charlie Adlard keeps the pace fast and energetic, but the thick inks don't never manage to hide the fact that he's working in a rush. Despite Cliff Rathburn's presence on gray tones, it's way past time that the book has had a consistent inker. Perhaps Adlard's way of working makes this problematic, but it's certain that a book could benefit from more definition.

An establishing shot of Gregory in his study survives the transition to page, and then largely on the strength of the layout. In a strange way, Rick's mid-story recap to Gregory inserts a strange feeling of ambiguity to the proceedings. By reminding the reader of the losses the enemy has suffered in their brief skirmishes, the writer puts the two major character deaths in perspective.

The passing of the two characters was felt by the reader simply because of the way the story is focused. In the broader picture, they are merely two casualties indiscriminately chosen by Negan as a way to retaliate. Once Rick and Michonne return to Alexandria, they are reminded that the hostilities are anything but one sided, hinting a quick resolution to the present predicament.

Still, no matter how much longer the creators keep the Saviors a threat, "Walking Dead" continues to be an engaging read, well suited to the twist and turns needed to keep a serial story going.

WONDER WOMAN #12

Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang finish out the first year of their celebrated run with a chapter that climaxes the immediate plot regarding Apollo's ascendency. It is a largely action issue, taking place on Olympus, as various Gods side in relation to the situation and their own agendas. The plot is made even more interesting as Zola's delivery is about to start, leading into a new set of questions.

The reader is invited to sympathize with Wonder Woman because she is the only one that rises above the intrigues to selflessly care for another. Azzarello repeatedly defines Diana by her unconditional love, justifying her role as the hero. Yet, she still feels like a one-dimensional superhero protagonist whose purity borders on obnoxiousness.

Diana, as designed by Jim Lee for the Geoff Johns-written "Justice League" continually undermines the Azzarello/Chiang dynamic. The final page of the issue tries for some sort of a compromise, in order to strengthen the title's connection with the wider DCU

For the moment, the Greek Gods provide more than enough entertainment value on their own. In the creators' hands, these thousands of years old myths are continually pliable and changing. This is why Apollo, Hera and ultimately even Hermes change their roles, and the implications seem to provide a much more natural story progression. More immediately, Diana's rivalry with Artemis seems like it could provide for a credible format for physical confrontations.

The character's over the top design and aggressive nature make her a more typical foil for what is notionally still a superhero book. Right now, the only character that sorely needs more fleshing out is Lennox, who reunites with Diana in the closing pages. In Hermes' absence, his indeterminate status as Wonder Woman's opposite number and possible romantic interest is likely to be more developed.

For all their attempts to stay relevant and powerful, the Gods that Diana keeps crossing paths with seem still beholden to ancient signs and portents, destined never to step too far away from their original limitations. Yet, the creators maintain the pettiness and sheer humanity inherent in their conflict.

It goes without saying that Cliff Chiang remains crucial to the book's success. Despite the many angry words exchanged atop Olympus, the setting remains distinctive. The mountain is sparse enough not to clutter the background of character focused panels, but the penciller/inker's ingenuity is glimpsed in a scene where a character is thrown off the cliff and depicted as starting to fall "for all eternity". The simple addition of the temple-like formations in the mountain rock reinforces the sense of place the creative team is trying to communicate.

This is especially important as the change of leadership starts effecting Olympus's look and feel, and the creators go on to feature a three page fight sequence that dispenses with the backgrounds for the sake of impact.

Taking all this into account, and with the promise of Diana confronting Ares (with their previous relationship to be spotlighted in the next month's #0), there is every indication that creators will keep up with this strength of the storytelling, delivering the best and most consistent of "New 52" titles.

Reviews for August the 1st

ACTION COMICS #12

The last chapter of the second Grant Morrison "Action Comics" storyline ends with an oversized issue. Excluding the back-up and devoting the space to wrapping up the story provides for an easier read, at least from the point of the script. With three pencillers and four inkers there is much less visual consistency, which has been a problem since the book launched. Both Cafu, Brad Walker and Rags Morales are accomplished superhero stylists, but their styles don't mash together too well. Yet, at this point the reader is already trained to avoid at looking too close to the art when it comes to the rushed jobs that the editorial has seen fit to publish in this title.

The main conflict of the issue, between Superman and Captain Comet, the Forgotten Superman, reminds the reader of plots of "All-Star Superman". The iconic character is faced with another one of the faulty versions of himself, and it is through the battle that he is reminded just what makes him the first and best superhero.

Unfortunately, Commet is written as a sterile, inhuman figure, serving highly evolved space intelligence, and as such makes for a rather bland villain. What he lacks in personality, the Forgotten Superman makes up for in the powers department, with Lois being a clear victim of his rampage on Metropolis. A flashback outlines the villain's tragic past, closely mirroring Superman's own, except for the crucial part the Kents played in his upbringing.

Superman pays no heed to the veiled references Commet makes about the eventual fate of Metropolis and his role in it, which will hopefully be elaborated upon in one of the remaining Morrison issues, before the writer departs after #16. Throughout the issue, Superman is helped by Lois' super-powered niece, but in retrospect her role becomes superfluous, with the writer chiefly using her a commentator on the clash between two super-powered characters.

The final ten pages prove crucial for getting over the issue, though, as they serve as a much more humane reminder of both the extant of the "New 52" Superman's powers, as well as his inherent goodness. Seeing Superman's efforts to save Lois, no matter how idealized, feels like another reminder of the thought that went behind the relaunch. The subsequent two page sequence featuring Batman helps round out the Johnny Clark/Clark Kent subplot, that reminds the character of the specific perks of his secret identity.

All of these are familiar superhero tropes, and they never really elevate  the uneven bulk of the issue, but they certainly serve as the reminder that of the promise that accompanied the much maligned relaunch. Morrison finishes with a three page sequence hinting the developments of the forthcoming #0 issue, with another barrage of names that tease the players in the upcoming story. Hopefully, he'll have told most of his stories by the time he exits the title, wrapping up a run that was always interesting, even if it never truly lived up to the promise of the follow-up to his and Quitely's work with the character.

THE BOYS #69

The penultimate issue of "The Boys" continues "The Bloody Doors Off" story-arc, determined to wrap up the remaining plot lines. The plot again focuses on the details of the Butcher's operations, with the ending bringing the conflict back to the beginning. #70 will be Butcher vs Hughie, and there's every indication that it will be a desperate fight.

The former leader of the Boys has hatched a genocidal plan that will enable him to destroy everything that has to do with superpowers, and Hughie is continually behind when it comes to piecing together the information. Most of #69 is spent conveying this information over the phone, before the Butcher makes his move.

Aside from a single page subplot concerning the Seven's financial backers, Ennis shies away from regular dialogue scenes until the very end of the issue. Thus, Braun is given the unenviable task of drawing the characters holding cellphones, and conveying information, which frequently deals with the specific logistics of a planned airplane operation. The talk about hangars and hired pilots is punctuated by a real feeling that these characters are dealing with the fallout of the recent events, but Ennis still feels like the details are pertinent and must be straightened out on panel.

The latter telephone conversation between Hughie and the Butcher is much more accomplished, using the medium to tease a much more foreboding terror, but it still serves largely the same purpose. The newest member of the Boys is frightened about the rapidly decreasing chances of him actually stopping the Butcher's monstrous plan, which finally climaxes in an extended sequence reminding the reader of the threat Billy poses to his own people.

The purpose of the chilling, yet bitter-sweet sequence is to drive home how outmatched the protagonist is, before returning to him in the last issue to save the world of the Butcher's plan. Once again, #69 works splendidly as a chapter in the story of "the Boys", but in concentrating on the information conveyed, Ennis purposefully slows down the plot to achieve the desired pacing. There is every indication that the pay off in the next month's final issue will be worth the meticulous scripting and the hard work of both him and Russ Braun that set the whole story up.

DAREDEVIL #16

Two weeks after the last issue, Marvel provides the epilogue to the Latveria storyline, featuring the Avengers helping Matt out of the after effects of his predicament. It comes as no surprise that Mark Waid would choose to depict the particular grouping of characters featuring some of the oldest Marvel heroes. In fact, drawing a parallel between Matt and Ant-Man in this particularly retro rendition of the title feels surprisingly apt.

Even for the reader unfamiliar with the character, the writer provides enough of the context to appreciate the comparison, as well as feature Hank in a unique action hero role. Seeing Ant-Man battling nanite bugs in Matt's nervous system actually feels both amusing and reasonably tense, even if the parallel never amounts to something more than an amusing juxtaposition between two characters that shared very little previous history. Despite some of Samnee's rushed layouts, there is a very homely feeling once Matt resurfaces in the Avengers lab.

Reading Waid's narration of how Matt feels around Tony Stark and Stephen Strange feels as adequate as the previously established visual descriptions of Matt's senses. The creative team knows when to cut away from the Avengers, and in returning Matt to the law offices of Nelson & Murdock, features a tense confrontation that has been several issues in preparation.

With a grisly twist added to the supporting character's critique of the secret identity dynamic, Waid and Samnee present the recent development as just as sudden and unfair as it seems to Matt. Despite the skill involved in the conversation sequence, the quirky artist's work feels the strongest in the superhero portions of the issue. Several issues into the run, the penciller/inker really feels like he's getting used to the title, and hopefully he'll use the time granted by the Mike ("Madman", "X-Statix") Allred's fill-in to return with even stronger work the next time around.

Comic reviews for Wednesday, 18th July

DAREDEVIL #15

With this issue, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee conclude their two part story concerning Latveria's revenge on Matt Murdock. The story starts with a nine panel grid of all black panels, punctuated at the bottom by a splinter of light, indicating that Daredevil's hopelessly lost with the negation of his powers. The first half of the issue is a heavily narrated atmospheric sequence, attempting to carry over DD's plight, albeit in over-familiar terms. The story of a hero whose powers don't work but he conquers his problems by believing in himself is a common trope that plays out in a fairly typical fashion.

Thankfully, the story picks up once Daredevil dons the costume, starting the chase. It isn't that the following sequence is exemplary in itself, but it at least posits an interesting way of Matt trying to escape Castle Doom. For all the human touch exhibited concerning Matt's hospital nurse, the creative team persist in making the men chasing him nothing more than cardboard cut outs from the jingoistic comics of fifty years ago. The creative team use the remaining pages to set up the next story, at the same time presenting a tonally uneven ending featuring the Avengers.

To be fair, there is a degree of sincerity and subtlety to the Matt's characterization that's been missing in Bendis' highly lauded work on the title, and in the best moments, Waid uses the little details to make for a more believable story. Yet, for all the human touch exhibited concerning Matt's hospital nurse, the creative team can't find a better angle then to play the antagonists as cardboard cut outs. Seeing a modern, inspired take on the title's science fiction premise was a welcome change, but to see the same jingoistic comics cliches of fifty years ago certainly adds a dose of camp that the title could have done without.

All the while, Samnee's artwork is clear and tells the story in an interesting way. By now, the artist's take on the project can be neatly summed up in a sequence in which Matt dangles from the Castle's window.

The panel is well laid out, and instinctively colored, but the building itself is drawn in a way that conveys its age and architecture, but isn't meant to be studied on its own. The drawing is stylish and serviceable, but it's no more than a single panel in service of the story. Samnee is an adequate penciller, but his work on the title can hardly be said to call attention to itself. By now, more than a year since its launch, "Daredevil" is a title for readers sticking to Waid's story, illustrated adequately by a professional in a way that feels consistent to the formally more accomplished work that preceded it.

JOURNEY TO MYSTERY #641 

 The concluding chapter of "Manchester Gods" by Kieron Gillen and Richard Elson is a surprisingly strong entry in the relaunched "Journey to Mystery". The series has arguably been at it's peak with the opening "Fear Itself" tie-in, but has slowly regained some of its charms. The central conflict between the industrial Britain and its rural past is with Loki's help resolved fairly quickly, by a series of well placed strikes.

Having Loki and Leah don "V for Vendetta" masks as they bomb the British countryside has an appropriate mix of tongue in cheek affection both for mythology and the irreverence that has managed to breathe life into this "Thor" spin-off. What started out as a story fairly divorced from the parent title's Norse mythology has, in the hands of these creators finally turned into a genuine "Journey to Mystery" arc, because of the requisite care paid to style and character. The resolution of Leah's status as a "handmaiden" is tongue in cheek and sweet, even melancholic.

Likewise, the seemingly random arc has proven to serve as a direct tie-in to the next month's "Everything burns" event. With the previous issues, the story seemed a bit insular and targeted at the British readers of similar bent to the writer, but ultimately it proved much more manageable than "the Terrorism Myth" that preceded it. Gillen's continued use of Daimon Hellstrom as a supporting character reminds the reader that the laborous "Dr Strange" inspired arc isn't completely dismissibile.

Yet, the continuing use of Richard Elson as the artist does present a problem, particularly when compared to the gorgeous, painterly look of Doug Braithwaite that introduced this incarnation of the title. The comparison might not be fair, but its apt, as Elson works in a much more exaggerated fashion. His clear layouts and playfulness were likewise nowhere to be seen in Braithwaite's somber work, but for all of Elson's strengths, it would have been better if Marvel saw fit to pair up Gillen with an artist more in tune with the previously established stylings.


JUSTICE LEAGUE #11

 Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's second "Justice League" arc reaches a penultimate issue, as the heroes continue to get a better understanding of the villain, but also face dissent in their own ranks. For a story that has spent issue after issue elaborating on Graves' motivation, it's frustrating that his abilities are still vaguely defined, and generally overshadowed by his psychosis. As a villain, he is still most interesting in the effect he causes in the team.
The idea about the Justice League being faced with an ordinary family being a casualty to the side-effects of their own adventures is arguably the most interesting part of the premise. The creators understandably play with the realism just enough to give some pathos to the arc, but ultimately shy away from the implications. Realistically, there is no chance that Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are going to deconstruct DC's flagship title, thus their efforts lean toward establishing the general context of this second arc.

If the first arc was about how the League is formed, this second has been about the place it has in the world, and the implications that come from having a high powered superhuman team in today's media-obsessed climate. The creators' intentions are clear in a scene in this issue where the villain broadcasts their infighting to the whole world - "Justice League" is not Wildstorm's transgressive "Authority", but merely a better thought out version of the familiar superhero ideal.

Said infighting is a genre cliche, the way to visually present the characters debating how to approach the villain, but framed in such a way to spotlight Wonder Woman's physical superiority to her peers. It's not the most original or the most interesting way to showcase Diana's worth to the team, but Johns frames it around the Amazon Princess' concern for her former boyfriend Trevor Scott, whose fate hovers above the whole issue.

And while the cliffhanger provides adequate payoff for this particular subplot, the creators don't manage to sidestep the typical problems with superhero team books. With twenty pages a month, it's a given that the creators won't be able to give each of the team members adequate time in every issue, but when dealing with characters with such long histories like Superman and Cyborg, it could be expected that the writer is able to carry over at least a shorthand characterization. The Flash, who features prominently on this issue's regular cover is particularly slighted in this issue, as he contributes nothing to do the plot, either in terms of events or the personality.

Interestingly, the timescale for the story continues to work at odds with the story. The characters making brief mentions about some of the threats they have been dealing with between the two arcs, and the villain's background clearly indicates that at least a couple of years have passed between Darkseid's invasion and his own revenge on the heroes, yet the team dynamic doesn't really support the notion of the five year gap between the stories. Thankfully, DC's mandate regarding their own continuity doesn't prevent the reader from enjoying the creative team's work on its own.

Jim Lee's clear, well realized art continues to be the major draw for the title, despite the inkers' tendency to maintain the focus on crosshatching. The penciller strong, iconic versions of the characters really leap out of the page, and for the most part communicate the best aspects of DC's house style. The work tends to suffer when it comes to smaller panels and close-ups, as the characters exhibit the familiar thin range of expressions, but by and large the book remains the publisher's best looking traditional title. As is the case for all of his work on the title since the first couple of issues, there is a noticeable difference between some of the completely finished pages and the random rushed panel, with the latter calling too much attention to themselves simply for not being up to the artist's usual standards.

Presumably, Johns and Lee will be finishing their weirdly mystical, and highly unusual Justice League story with the next issue. Where the creators take the story following the #0 issue remains to be seen, but it seems to veer towards the event-stories and possible crossovers.

As for the Shazam back-up, it's remarkably fast paced this time around. The creative team behind "Batman: Earth One", Johns and Gary Frank present the hyper violent introduction to the New 52 version of Black Adam, who dispatches Sivana's henchman in a show of power. Johns does manage to provide some diversion in the scene's dialogue, but by and large it serves to remind the reader of the writer's previous work with the character. After several years of his writing Shazam's evil doppelganger in "JSA", the character developed into a truly tragic and complex individual, thus making it regrettable that the continuity perished in the revision.

Yet, unlike the creative team's own run on "Action Comics", Johns has a chance of genuinely reworking the mythos from the ground up, and set reintegrate his addition to "Shazam" in a much more organic way. Meanwhile, the Billy Batson subplot rapidly progress from his first steps in befriending his new family to the start of the character's own initiation in the legend of Shazam. There are definite shades of "Harry Potter" in the creative team's approach, but the protagonist's own cynicism and world-weariness are likely to manifest in his dealing with the world of magic in a very different way.

Gary Frank again pencils and inks his own work on the story, alternating between expressive reaction shots and the more traditional superhero images, which fits nicely with the less then idealized story perspective. The duo are rapidly accelerating the action in the story, making the inevitable clash between Shazam and Black Adam both imminent and most likely crucial in demonstrating the tone of their "Captain Marvel" relaunch.

WONDER WOMAN #11

Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang start another arc on the "Wonder Woman", with Hera returning to plague the Amazon princess with the help of Zeus' other stepchildren. The episode is the strongest in the opening scenes, as it builds on the conversations between well designed deities of the Greek pantheon, but the creators wind up using them merely as the framing for the action set piece that dominates the issue.

The small-town streets serve as the setting for the long teased Wonder Woman/Apollo showdown, with the supporting cast caught in the conflict. Compared to the measured, stylized dialogue at the beginning, the characters don't sound nearly with convincing when Azzarello applies the same approach to their battle quips. Despite the brutality of the action, well choreographed by Chiang, just seeing Hermes throwing a kung fu kick breaks from the classical tradition these concepts are originally hailing from.

Once again, the writer less than convincing when depicting Diana as the superhero protector, and at this point the reader can do little but accept that it was only through this particular title that he could have realized his reinterpretation of the Greek mythology for the publisher. The reader is lead to expect that they will finally see Zeus in the cliffhanger, but once they get to another image of battle-ready Diana, coming mere pages from the fighting sequence, it really seems like the title is at the cross purposes of the creative team's sensibilities.

Chiang's expressive pencils and inks create a very intimate effect under the somber twilight tones of Matthew Wilson, and even if the artist feels like his much more attuned to the dynamics of a superhero title, the title simply continues to be at its strongest when dealing with the intrigues of the Greek Gods. The pantheon's machinations were at the seed of numerous heroic campaigns of ancient myth, whose execution was still miles away from DC's superheroics that it supposedly predates.

Nevertheless, the Azzarello/Chiang "Wonder Woman" remains the line's highlight, and continues strongly into the second year with the creative team that has finally found a way to invite a wider audience to the title.

Reviews for Wednesday, June 20

DAREDEVIL #14

Mark Waid's "Daredevil" run has started out strong, but has since become somewhat uneven, with the meandering crossover plot and the artistic changes. The distinctive innovative retro stylings have been all but lost in the shuffle, as the "Omega effect" crossover has helped the sales of tie-in books, but at the cost of throwing the critically acclaimed title off balance. With the #12's addition of a new regular artist, it's clear that the editorial has done work to help the beleaguered title.

On the other hand, it's hard to think of Chris Samnee as the regular penciller when Marvel wants to keep putting out multiple issues of the title each month. Taken on its own, Waid and Samnee's latest effort harkens back to the more stable days of the title, by once again playing with science fiction to present a challenge to the hero's powers, and in effect get away from the everlasting shadow the Frank Miller's neo-noir stylings left on the title. Following the issue in which Samnee showed the character going on a date in his civilian identity, his Latverian adventure sees nothing but superhero adventure. Daredevil's in costume throughout, and from the start Waid presents him with a trap he must escape from.

Choosing deliberately to start out "blind", the writer makes the issue a distinct storytelling unit, albeit one that comes with familiar "to be continued" at the end. The issue then centers around Daredevil's coming to terms with the villain's predicament, which tries its best to completely overwhelm him by the issue's end. The classic trope of superhero's powers giving up on him certainly presents a more interesting challenge for a hero whose powers come from his enhanced senses, and Waid seems to delight in narrating Matt's gradual realization. More problematically, the writers also posits a too familiar view of Latveria as a fantasy medieval kingdom with a dark twist.

While this is in keeping with the more traditional superhero approach, it also leaves the character in an underdeveloped setting that is overtly familiar to longtime readers. Using Doctor Doom's banker as the villain might have been inspired had the creative team not opted to depict him as a late 19th century feudal noble, which completely undermines the diverting potential of the economic references. More problematically, Samnee's Daredevil seems unsure and generic, lacking a personalized take.

Always a solid storyteller, the artist manages to get across the nuance in Waid's quirky script, but does little more besides, which is certainly a step down from the work of Rivera and Martin that preceded him. Given time, there is every indication that the artist will get more comfortable with the character and embellish his own style to get the most out of it, but coupled with the fill-in issues necessitated by the accelerated schedule, Marvel has turned "Daredevil" from an artistic showcase to merely an above average superhero title that hints at a greater potential.

PUNISHER #12

Greg Rucka and Marco Chechetto's leisurely paced relaunched "Punisher" series continues in much the same vein, while not picking upon the zombie threat teased at the ending of the previous issue. Once again, the decompressed storytelling results in a competently crafted comic that reads well in larger chunks. On its own, it's a very slight episode, featuring little more than a single scene, as the younger, more modern Punisher confronts his protegee in the fall-out of the "Omega effect" crossover.

Police lieutenants Ozzie and Bolt are kept to the peripherals, yet they use the little time they have to advance the subplot of the older detective's gradual acceptance of his young colleague, as the newly promoted detective finally starts owning up to some of his unprofessional behavior. Rucka also picks up on the Daily Bugle reporter, continuing the development of her relationship with Rachel, which has an interesting dynamic of its own. Norah's role in this chapter is also much more organic than that of the two police officers.

The character confrontations culminate with the fight between Frank and Rachel, which feels somewhat overlong and predicated on a piece of a particularly loaded symbolism. Chechetto's solid, clear work gets overtaken by a particularly intrusive piece of special effects when it gets to the featuring the two characters trading punches in the rain. The resulting sequence is at least a page too long and muddy, which takes away from the intended effect of shock and emotion. When the two characters finally start talking in a close space, Rucka hangs the sequence around a photograph from Rachel's wedding, a prop that has reappeared numerous times since debuting as the series' opening panel.

It makes some sense to have Rucka visualize the object of their quarrel, seeing as how the comics are a graphic medium, but the execution falls short of memorable. Thankfully, by the time the sequence has ended the two characters have come to the beginning of a new phase in their relationship, which has so far served as the emotional core of the series.

VENOM #19

Rick Remender's concluding arc on "Venom" is still building up to a crescendo, as co-writer Cullen Bunn presents a particularly tense issue. In the year and a half since the title's debut, the series has lost both it's original penciller and it remains to be seen how much longer it will maintain the presence in the market following Remender's exit. The original "Fables" artist Lan Medina gives a more representational look to the grim and gritty series, while losing some of Tony Moore's nuance when it comes to black humor. The over the top moments are still there, but his Toxin-possessed Eddie Brock feels much cruder and uncertain than some of the apparitions Moore designed in the series' entries to the "Circle of Four" crossover.

Plot-wise, this could be seen as a controversial issue, as it revolves around the Venom's relationship with Crime Master endangering the women in his life. Once again, the Spider-Man parallels are inevitable, with the writers going so far to underline the spin-off aspect of Flash Thompson's adventures by calling back at perhaps the worst tragedy in the life of Marvel's wall-crawler. It's entirely in their hands how much the execution will grate against some of the most controversial genre tropes.

Thankfully, the result is on par with the best issues of the title. There is not much to say about the issue in which Flash/Venom is still reacting to his enemies plan to punish him for insubordination, except that it hints at most of Remender's plots being tied up by the end of the "Savage Six" arc, while making progressing the character in order to leave Bunn with a foundation for a new direction that will hopefully continue to be supported by the fan base.

WALKING DEAD #99

The penultimate issue until the milestone #100 is decidedly an understated affair. With news of record breaking orders of the next issue, the present effort seems largely overshadowed and perfunctory. Simply put, Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard present another in a long line of issues that minimally advance the plot, while continuing the character subplots. All that happens in Walking dead #99 is that Rick and his friends plan their next move and head out once again, while mourning their loss from the previous issue.

Thus, the reader is focused to ponder Kirkman's propensity for seemingly randomly killing off major characters. That the cast has always consisted of characters that worked to a different degree of success in regards to the series was always a given. By killing another alpha male vying for dominance, it's tempting to say that the creators have subconsciously once again reasserted Rick's role of the protagonist. It seems almost indecent to note that with Rick freed of the shackles of family and the attempt of a relationship outside the core group of survivors, his taking up with Andrea seems almost logical.

The character has come a long way from the leader of the small band of stragglers, and has almost become an ends justify the means usurper that disrupts the order of the larger communities and uses his hardened stance to assert himself as an authority on everywhere he goes. This thuggish side of the character is largely depicted as a tragedy out of necessity, but his continued survival means that the creative team have to continually challenge him, while trying to effect sympathy from the existing audience.

Kirkman and Adlard have time and again introduced other characters as possible leaders that could ensure that Rick steps down from responsibility and settles down into the role of the father, but they have continually proven unstable and ill suited next to the series' protagonist. This strange dynamic is arguably the most interesting thing about "Walking Dead", and it remains to be seen how the creators plan to develop the character.

Obviously, having Andrea die and Rick advanced to begin a relationship with Michonne, while he becomes the leader of yet another larger community would not be the creatively most interesting outcome. In the meantime, Kirkman and Adlard produce yet another readable issue, most interestingly contrasting Rick and Andrea's first attempts at living together with the plight of Glenn and pregnant Maggie, as well as another local couple. Outside of these attempts at poignancy by these people who must go on with their lives in spite of the constant sense of life threatening danger, there is little new to discuss.

Charlie Adlard continues drawing both the melodramatic and the horror elements with equal precision, professionally going about the assignment at a fast pace, and Kirkman continues to tease the climatic break from the fortified community in which Rick and his people have spent the last several years of publication. With the advent of the anniversary issue, big chances are liable to be visited upon the series, which is viable to shake up the status quo and introduce new characters and come up with the new roles for the existing cast.

WONDER WOMAN #10

Brian Azzarello concludes the three-parter involving Wonder Woman's debt to Hades from the previous arc. DC's insistence on "New 52" titles sticking to the regular schedule means that the issue has two pencillers, but Kano and Tony Akins styles adjust enough to provide for a unified experience. The drab atmosphere suits the fantasy/horror premise of the series, while paradoxally clashing with Hades as established in the previous issue.

Some of the playfulness has been lost in the transition between pencillers, which is not mitigated by all the fighting that goes on following Wonder Woman's decision to escape her wedding in the Netherworld. As always, the character designs for these version of Greek gods are the visually most interesting part of the book, but at this point it can be safely said that for all of their observed storytelling, the fill in artists still lack when compared to the flair in the work of the regular penciller Cliff Chiang.

Azzarello's Wonder Woman remains as resourceful and enigmatic as ever, but for all the effort she still remains little but the reader identification figure in this strange and wonderful world. At one point the writer hints at the special attributes of Lennox, but his two companions get little more than the complimentary dialogue to remind the reader they were there. Despite the brevity of the issue, the creators finish on a nice sequence liable to make the reader satisfied with what has been a slow building, but certainly one of the most consistent titles of the DCU relaunch.

WINTER SOLDIER #7

Interestingly, the Ed Brubaker spin-off title "Winter Soldier" has actually improved following the first storyline. With Butch Guice gone for the duration, the writer has followed up on Bucky and Black Widow's adventures with Michael Lark. One of the writer's original "Captain America" artists, Lark offers a completely different dynamic than the heavily atmospheric Guice. The resulting dynamic, here in its second issue actually makes for a better story, if familiar to the long time readers of Brubaker's take on the mythos.

With "Broken Arrow", the writer is actually developing a similar dynamic to the one in the "Captain America" that this title is spinning-off from, with an opposite number villain being a figure from the character's violent past. So far, both of the antagonists have little to show in way of actual character, but at least in "Winter Soldier" Leo Novokov does manage to bring the best out of both Bucky and Brubaker. After the slow start, the issue starts picking up with an extended sequence designed to streamline Black Widow's updated origin.

Redefining the character as Bucky's girlfriend might seem insensitive, but at least in this instance, the writer never stops showing Natasha as a strong and fully capable woman. The character was introduced as a supporting player and has historically been largely remembered due to the association with Daredevil, for the brief time that the two characters shared cover billing while relocated to San Francisco. Recreating a similar dynamic with Bucky, involved perhaps the largest Marvel retcon in a decade, explaining that Captain America's original sidekick survived WW2 as a brainwashed Soviet assassin, but in that framework the relationship works.

On the other hand, the new connection of the two characters didn't necessitate that the character specifically mentions some of the details of her previous origin as memory implants. The brief reference not only disparages previous creators work, but more importantly, it takes the reader out of the story. Thankfully, Brubaker paces his work so well that there is otherwise hardly a wrong beat in the entire, well structure scenario. Starting on the next page, the reader is treated to a fantastic spy action scene, phenomenally choreographed by Michael Lark.

The whole of this sequence is basically a blueprint for making superbly crafted action comics, as Lark maintains the sense of place and dynamic while changing the point of view. Despite the characters being highly capable operatives, suspense never lets up and the creators carry the reader through what could have been yet another familiar ticking clock situation. It feels earned even when the creators unambiguously compare the sequence with Bucky's original Silver Age demise, itself a retcon. Having a sense of pride over the moment that is quite clearly the best executed sequence in the title so far merely identifies Brubaker and Lark as creators who take pride in their good work.

The closing sequence exists to tease the next issue and underline the importance of the Widow's flashback. Once again, Brubaker underlines Natasha's importance to the title and rises the stakes in a way that seems natural and organic. Gone are the motivations built around Latverian cyborgs and nuclear weapons, as Ed Brubaker finds that at least one of the Soviet agents of the opening arc was too many. Looking at "Black Arrow" so far, a single one was more than enough to cause serious problems for Bucky and Natasha.

More importantly, with the title finding its own identity as a post Cold War spy epic, there is no need to return to Super-Apes and Doctor Doom once Butch Guice returns to the art. This level of assured, confident storytelling should be enough to assure the fans to stick with the title.