Comic reviews for Wednesday, August 25th

GOON #42

Eric Powell's commitment to produce another year of monthly stories on "the Goon" has quickly returned to the devices the writer/artist used the last time he produced an extended monthly epic. Namely, this issue offers 17 pages of the main plot, while the back-up helps raise the page count to the traditional number.

Powell tries to offer a complete story as well as the one that sets up the larger conflict. The common ground the two plots share is the supernatural, particularly witches' magic, which works very well with the title's usual modus operandi. The issue opens and ends with the relatively serious story of a boxer going up against the Goon's pick for the fight.

The story's too brief to register as anything but a diversion meant to provide the issue with a story of its own, with the eponymous boxer simply not having enough space to develop into a more nuanced character. Powell finds much more inspiration in the events directly involving the Goon, as the protagonist is continually confronted with bizarre harbingers of his upcoming doom.

Seeing a skeleton loaded with dynamite serves to both amuse the audience and provide some measure of physical threat in an otherwise static issue. The series creator doesn't waste any space, making each of the altercations last no more than a page or two, and still manages to provide some color besides the bizarre fights. For example, the page contrasting Franky and the Goon's clothing choices has two solid gags on it, that momentarily slow down the pacing, and help give context to the brawls.

Despite the focus on the plot, such as it is, Powell remains a cartoonist and heart, and understands that the little details have enliven the relentless pacing. Seeing the one panel depiction of the toilet at Norton's bar is in many ways the highlight of the issue. Still, this doesn't prevent the writer/artist from granting the issue a more traditional ending, with the box match fight wrapping up and the Goon and Nameless priest exchanging a crucial and poignant dialogue.

Despite the last page being packed with panels so as to have the story wrap up as soon as possible, the focus on the character's faces manages to save the sequence. Powell's artwork is typically layered and well-realized, and just looking at the beautiful ink washes makes the reader appreciate the time-consuming process. Despite still retaining the zany edge to his drawings, the writer/artist has improved his craft to such a high level that both the stylized cartoons absorb the cozy, melancholy atmosphere they're set against.

At this point, the book occupies a niche all its own, and the creator's insistence on working on his own terms in regards the scheduling and the presentations certainly makes up for one of the nicest looking books on the stands. The back-up section, realized with the artistic talent of Marc Buckingham presents a portion of a fight scene, that can be read on its own, but it hardly presents anything more than a snippet of a larger story. The "Fables" artist continues to prove a surprisingly strong match for the material, which remains somewhat hindered by the lack of coloring. The characters are continually on model, and the gray tones help make the action clearer, but there is still no indication how long the story is supposed to run.

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #644 BURNS

The penultimate chapter of"Everything burns" starts slowly, covering several of the locations and major player, before choosing to concentrate on Loki's point of view. The co-writers try to give Thor's predicament a modicum of tragedy, but the focus is once again clearly on his half-brother.

Starting off with a scene spotlighting the role of Loki's demon dog Thori, the creators proceed to endear themselves to the reader. The follow-up sequence is ridiculously over the top but highly amusing, with Fraction and Gillen stopping just short of derailing into absurdity.

The co-writers use Desir, the "Journey into Mystery" to sober Loki, and get him back to solving the predicament he started in the first place. The follow-up scene directly picks up on the plot point in the title's "Fear Itself" tie-in arc, once again clearing up that the current mini-event is meant largely as the conclusion to Kieron Gillen's short run on the title.

Taken on these merits, "Everything burns" acts as a very successful final act in the run that started off strongly, before hitting a rough patch with the artistic changes and tangential stories. It's hard to consider that anyone but the title's biggest fans would have imagined that it would close on such a strong note, in essence providing a capstone for a whole era of "Thor" comics.

Fraction's run is largely represented by Volstagg's turn as the replacement king of Asgardia, which also builds up on his role in "Journey into Mystery". Carmine di Giandomenico's art remains heavily involved with the use of computer coloring and angular crosshatching, doing everything to overpower the reader. The effect remains muddled and distracting, sacrificing everything for the immediate effect.

The unclear layouts, excessive details, characters that fail to emote, all belie an artist not really interested in traditional storytelling possibilities of the medium, who is miscast drawing the character-focused epic. Giandomenico succeeds in some measure in instilling a broader range of expressions when it comes to Loki, but otherwise the artist is preoccupied with instilling the mood and the look that make "Everything Burns" much more chaotic than the script calls for.

PROPHET #29

The latest installment in the relaunched and renumbered "Prophet" series was originally supposed to be published as #25. Following up on the first Faryl Dalrymple illustrated episode, Image even published the cover to what was the direct follow-up, but instead went on with a different story on the inside. It's only now, months after the initial publication, that Image presents the second Dalrymple issue, under the cover that has no immediate bearing on the story contents.

Reading the story, the reader is immediately aware for the reasons behind the delays. Dalrymple is called to illustrate the story which excels in detailed depictions of interstellar warfare and repeated scenes of an alien society that seems inspired by the work of Hieronymus Bosch. The artist's style is loose and expressionistic, but fairly graphical, and he's called up to depict numerous of the (presumably Brandom Graham designed) aliens. Despite all of the minute details, Dalrymple's layouts are at all times clear and in service to the story, revealing an artist that has spent considerable time thinking about way the readers experiences the page when they first encounter it.

 The crowd scenes are simply packed with detail to be discovered on the rereading, but they carry over the most pertinent information even for the reader who reads the captions and gives the double pages spreads the briefest of the glimpses, before turning over the page. The artist's Prophet clone is much more heroically proportioned than in his debut in #24, and with a physical frame and long hair that directly betrays "Conan" as an influence on the Graham-written approach.

The story assumes that the reader has a basic familiarity with the series, but otherwise reads like a separate adventure, in keeping with each issue's stand alone quality. On the surface, it seems like a divergent adventure of a clone, that winds up in a repressive society and connects with the local rebel movement to fight back, but Graham uses the cliche to have it work on several different levels.

Satirically, Graham presents a war-oriented economy that numbs the slaves and noncombatants into a constant state of providing for a senseless war raging for 300 years. In the process, the Prophet clone is forced to confront his own loyalty to the Earth Empire, which suffers in the direct comparison, giving the series' first glimpse at the potential corruption behind the protagonist's masters.

In Graham's original plan, this issue was meant to precede the stories that have subsequently been published. When he first resurfaces, the reader had no reason to immediately sympathize with the Old Man Prophet's mission against the Earth Empire. Had this issue been published in spite of the story that was published in #25, the reader would have already seen the a more ambiguous portrayal of the Earth Mothers, whose manipulations are equated here with a society that brainwashes its members into servitude.

Beyond the justification of the original Prophet's mission, the story transcends the familiar set up by the way of the title's now standard odd character designs and the generous world building that goes far beyond the needs of the narrative needs to provide a unique atmosphere that makes each issue of the series a pleasant experience, no matter its relationship to the wider plot.

As of now, the series has wondered in and out different stories, and will remain fairly credible even if all of the plot threads never cohere into a traditional whole. Seeing the organic technology and the lived-in inventiveness of Graham's take on the Rob Liefield property is always an interesting experience that draws deep from a well of science fiction entirely out of touch with the pervading modern genre depictions.

Andy Risaino's back-up presents a much more subdued science fiction vision. The artist's simple style depicts the opening as an ironic approach to thoughtless space opera pulp, before pulling back and revealing the tragedy of a space mission gone horribly awry. The melancholic protagonist's story is still told in a minimalistic style, but with much more nuance. The somber colors work to prepare the reader for the final twist, which reveals the protagonist's predicament through Risaino's clear layouts. Despite its brevity, the writer/artist covers all of the necessary ground and establishes an atmosphere conductive to the philosophical query which finishes the story. The ending completes the story by answering the readers' questions and boiling down the predicament to a philosophical choice.

It's commendable that Image has decided to complement Graham's work by adding these vignettes after their highly acclaimed relaunch. It's highly doubtful that this kind of experimental work would have gained this level of market penetration if it was in a anthology or as a webcomic.

PUNISHER #16

Despite Rucka and Chechetto's careful work and attention to detail, this final issue of their "Punisher" relaunch, coupled with last issue's cliffhanger, do account for a rather quick wrap up. A sorrowful mood permeates the whole issue, as the tragedy that claimed a cast member's life last time stretches to endanger Frank's understudy.

Rachel Cole-Alves has been the reader identification figure from the start, and in this issue the creators finish her story, without even attempting a broader character arc for the title character. The whole affair with the Exchange seems to represent merely a phase in the Punisher's life, where he tried to train another in a stern but accepting way.

Frank deals with the fallout in his own way, accepting full responsibility, and acting upon it. His hand remains present until the end, but the police action taken against the pair ultimately resolves very quickly. Rucka wisely uses the two remaining supporting characters to play key roles in the final scenes, but it doesn't change the familiar feeling of a run being wrapped up before its natural end point.

Thankfully, Rucka eschews the familiar route of the police falling for the villain's ruse, and gives the officers a modicum of intelligence and respectability. The ending is tense and emotive, but once again slightly undercut on the artistic side. It's hard to determine whether the fault lies with Marco Chechetto or colorist Matt Hollingsworth, but the intense rendering of hail and rain that provides the cover for the title character in the final sequence quickly becomes distracting.

The clarity problems were somewhat present in the final pages of the last issue too, but this time it's clear that Rucka was writing for a technically more accomplished artist. Chechetto's figure-work remains appealing and dynamic, but the continual reliance on repeated panels and erratic panel flow have proven time and time again a hindrance to his work on the title. Chechetto is by no means a bad artist, but his tendency to concentrate on the pleasing visuals betrays an artist who has yet to develop the skills Rucka continually calls upon.

The writer's scripts are very precise and detailed, making them much more suited for an artist that cares much more about the sense of place and finds it natural to focus on the research as well as presenting characters whose conversations are as nuanced as the action he places them in. His association with the character is set to end with the upcoming "Punisher War Zone" mini-series, illustrated by Carmine di Giandomenico. The "Journey into Mystery" artist comes as a replacement for Marco Chechetto who withdraws due to a personal issue.

Rucka has since expressed his disapproval for the company's treatment of talent, stating that he will concentrate on creator owned projects for the time being. One of the reasons given is the Punisher's inclusion in the upcoming "Thunderbolts" title, adding to the bittersweet feeling of this final issue. Greg Rucka and Marco Chechetto have given Marvel their professional best on the character that the audience is so accustomed to that it remained largely unaware of this particular iteration.

WINTER SOLDIER #11

This issue of the "Winter Soldier" is perhaps the weakest in quite a while, in that it overly concerns with the plot mechanics, while not rewarding the reader with particularly impressive craftsmanship. After Michael Lark's short and stellar run on the title, the comic is for the duration back to where it was before.

Butch Guice is still trying his best at inventive layouts, without a firm handle on the experiment - basically, reinventing as the artist in front of the reader's eyes. Ed Brubaker is going through the motions of a complicated plot that doesn't inspire the reader to keep up with the details, and there's very little of personality besides the now familiar spy/superhero genre hybrid.

Both of the book's nominal protagonists are largely kept at the sidelines, even though it keeps a strong focus on Bucky. The gruff protagonist is neither very effective nor very interesting this time around, nor does it feel that his actions have any wider consequences beyond the cat and mouse game with Leo. Hawkeye doubles as a solid co-lead, but he mostly serves as the sound board to animate the weary Winter Soldier. Leo continues to formidably play the role of the dangerous psychopath, but with every passing issue his plan grow to be more and more convoluted.

Still, the character serves as a credible mirror version of Bucky, forcing him to continually confront his past and the methods shared on both of the Soviet sleeper agents. Despite having the issue start with an action sequence, the near continual voice-over and the relentlessly overdone artwork work to tire the reader, so that the action that takes over the latter third of the book feels ponderous. The creators try to give Bucky an interesting moment at the beginning of the attack, but it feels as wrongheaded as the character's casual slaughter of AIM agents that follow it.

After setting the central conflict between Leo and Bucky so well, the book seems to have entered the territory where the creators have simply misjudged the length of the story, and forced a dragged out, uninspired issue on the part of the audience. By this point, should Brubaker had decided to stay with the book beyond this story, he would have had to tinker with the series, and come up with new ground to cover. Seeing that his tenure ends before the end of the year, at least he'll be leaving a tonally coherent run behind him, that will hopefully wrap up the book's central conflict.

Comic reviews for Wednesday, September the 5th

ACTION COMICS #0

Grant Morrison's "Action Comics" run started very early in the career of the first and most famous superhero, making the company's prerequisite #0 prequel issue largely superfluous. Both Clark's origins and his early days have been the topic of countless retellings, but this issue purports to reveal the exact circumstances behind his origin in "New 52".

Penciller/inker Ben ("Vigilante") Oliver for the moment replaces Rags Morales as the artist behind the T-shirt and jeans Superman's debut. His work here is somber and figure oriented, serving to ground the fantastic events in the sepia toned uneasiness. It works to instill a sense of past the recent past, but it still imbues the story with a wearisome tone, that works better with the subplot involving the titular "Boy who stole Superman's cape".

Morrison chooses an early transitory period in Clark's life in Metropolis, and frames the story around the question of how he ended up with the Superman moniker. The writer uses a couple of pages showing the protagonist settling in to his new apartment to set up the forthcoming arc starring Mr. Mxyzptlk, but he mostly focuses on the regular supporting cast. It's Clark's colleagues in the rival Daily Planet that get to asks the questions regarding his cape and the nature of his powers.

Typically, this kind of story doesn't really challenge Morrison's sensibilities as the writer. The departing scribe tries for his professional best, but it's hard to exhibit much enthusiasm when tackling material this well tread. As for the Luke, the child that steals the cape to confront an abusive father figure, his story is about as perfunctory as the rest of the issue. It serves to both encapsulate the wish fulfillment behind the Superman's powers, as well as to remind the reader of his role as the champion of the oppressed.

Yet, the regular reader of the title is deeply aware how quickly Morrison dismisses with the more grounded elements of Superman's accomplishments. The issue even climaxes with the scene featuring Clark stopping a train, a clear callback to his actions in Morrison's first issue. It's not to say that there's no style on display here, but there is a definite sense that the company is forcing the writer to repeat himself very soon after debuting with what is essentially the same story. It is unfortunate that the company did not simply reschedule the story as an Annual, and have commissioned a script from one of their other freelancers.

Of course, this is exactly what the company is already doing with the back-up. This time, Sholly Fisch returns with a simply story detailing the origins of Captain Comet. The writer's script is very accessible and more traditional, as is CAFU's art. The reader follows a scientist researching the truth behind the Blake Farm ghost story, who ends up meeting Adam at a crucial point, which forever alters his life. The short ends with a hint linking the events to the Andy Kubert pencilled fill-in arc from issues #5 and 6, but it reads just as well for the reader who is unaware of the connection.

BOYS #70

With the series set to conclude with #72, the biggest impression this issue makes is how calm it appears. There is no sign of rushing through the plot lines, character behavior that feels sudden and off key, and a general sense of the creators losing control of the series, unable to properly finish their work. If anything, Ennis and Braun treat this issue like any other in the series, quickly setting the somber mood and following the rising tension until the cliffhanger.

The spotlight is kept firmly on Wee Hughie, and his fragile state of mind, as the character tries to cope with last issue's cliffhanger. Throughout "the Boys", Hughie has been the reader identification figure, a flawed and sensitive young man, whose presence has managed to ground the series in the best way.

Throughout the series, the Scotsman has been surrounded by veterans of the decades of superhero conspiracy, who exhibited a great deal of patience regarding his many misgivings. At this point in the series he has been left without their help, and for once there is no one around to shoulder his pain. Realizing this, Hughie goes about his way, encountering two of the series' odder mysteries.

It should be noted that both of these are of a nature that would have made it extremely unlikely that would have passed the original publisher DC/Wildstorm's consent. The first of these is quickly wrapped up, but there is a sense that the writer is deliberately focusing of the body horror aspect of the scene, to distract from what it could signify story wise.

Russ Braun's artwork likewise skirts the line of horror and parody, with his design of the "monster" in the basement going completely over the top. The Vought-American subplot gets its requisite three pages, this time a lovely choreographed dialogue scene that finally starts addressing the obvious question of the choice of the scapegoat for the company's failings.

The slowly escalating plot allows for one final diversion before the finishing set piece, dealing with another minor series' mystery. This time, Ennis uses the opportunity to directly tie it into Wee Hughie's forthcoming confrontation with the Butcher. Faced with even more evidence of his tutor's shady dealings, the writer lets the protagonist gathers his thoughts, before heading off to finally meet him face to face.

A particular coloring choice carried out through the issue becomes more than apparent in this sequence, as the texture used to indicate Hughie being covered in soot somewhat distracts from the more traditional colors otherwise employed. The use of water colors (or more likely, a computer filter fulfilling the same purpose) feels somewhat distracting when placed over Braun's rendering of Hughie, even though it adds to the feeling of the hopelessness emitted by the character who faced with overwhelming odds.

The episode ends with the sequence featuring another New York landmark, which has added resonance following last issue's end. The slow burning conflict feels natural, with Ennis' dialogue perfectly pitched and life like. Braun's frames the sequence in a way that competently dramatizes the deeper conflict, which breaks only for the cliffhanger.

In the end, the readers get to benefit for having two more issues of the series to look forward too. Each of the plot lines has been given a proper send off so far, and barring any last minute rushing, the eventual fate of Vought-American superhuman handler, Annie, Hughie and Butcher, is likely to be a culmination of everything that's lead up to this point, in the best possible way. It's extremely rare for a series to be executing its final arc this well and "the Bloody doors off" is at this point setting up to be the title's best arc.

HAWKEYE #2

Having established his take on the character last issue, Matt Fraction and David Aja use the second entry in the series to set up their story. In essence, the creative team seems to be using the backdrop of global depression to tell the adventures of Clint Burton as a modern day Robin Hood, while still working in the milieu of Marvel universe.

Starting with this issue, the book includes Young Avengers' Kate Bishop, the teenager that used the Hawkeye moniker as a spunky sidekick. Matt Hollingsworth provides a palette of differing shades of purple, the color traditionally associated with the Avenger, helping the creative team realize their stylish superhero book.

In trying to maximize the effectiveness of the artist's detailed, intuitive panels, Fraction deliberately slows down pacing with a combination of naturalistic narration and quirky dialogue. In effect, this frequently breaks down Aja's pages into a high number of panels, trying to capture the details of the mood and atmosphere, imbuing the book with another layer of personality.

 At this point, the book lacks the sense of fluidity that characterized Waid and Rivera's "Daredevil", the book's closest match when it comes to the publisher's output. Both of the creators seems to be trying hard to make the experience special both for them and the reader, in the process creating a comic that tries to be too many things at once.

On one level, "Hawkeye" wants to be a slick heist story in the vein of James Bond. Unfortunately, the addition of Marvel supervillains serves to remind the reader that they are reading a variation on a superhero formula that can only go so much before circling back to the same tropes. For the moment, the writer may be concentrating on Hawkeye's circus past and not on his more traditional days, but it's only a couple of pages later that the he brings in the Swordsman connection.

In trying to honor the essence of the character, Fraction is well aware that he has to include Hawkeye as a superhero, but he tries to keep his archery skills in the background, making it all the more special when the character finally uses them in action. Even then, the protagonists helpfully point out that they are using nonlethal violence, another hallmark of the limitations placed on the superhero storytelling.

There is no doubt that both of these accomplished creators have a plan with "Hawkeye", and it may be that in time they'll manage to build upon the foundation laid here, but at the moment the book feels labored and less than the sum of its parts.

MIGHTY THOR #19

"Everything burns" continues in "Thor", with Alan Davis returning to pencil this part of the crossover. Once again, the writers reiterate the information pertinent to the new Aesir/Vanir war, maintaining the tone of the event focused on character conflict. It's telling that a two page sequence tries to inform the reader that this is the conflict raging in huge battles all over the Nine Realms, but in practice it feels like nothing as such.

Until now, the war has consisted of an opening barrage and is more or less still in the opening stages of the conflict. Mainly, Thor and his friends are still debating the way to deal with the Surtur-powered threat, with the creators adding in the aforementioned sequence precisely for the purpose of fulfilling genre expectations.

This is not to say that "the Mighty Thor" features no fight sequences. The issue starts by picking up on the cliffhanger from "Journey into Mystery", featuring a fight between Thor and the Warriors Three. It is is a familiar image, if not the most welcome one, but Fandrall's subsequent derision works to make it a bit more authentic than the average clash between heroes.

These characters have traditionally be prone to speechifying, but their actions so far feel somewhat out of character. Seeing Thor address the Loki by putting the child in the choke-hold further undermines the strange state of the series the event is spinning out of. With Freya's characterization, Fraction and Gillen have finally managed to get some storytelling opportunity from the character's raised profile, but the wider trinity of Allmothers still feels strange and out of touch.

Idunn and Gaea‘s role never managed to stretch beyond the symbolism, with Odin continuing to play a larger role even though he is absent from the proceedings. The issue finishes up on a promising cliffhanger that further integrates how personal the conflict feels to both Thor and (especially) Loki.

All things considered, despite the creators' best efforts, the crossover is unlikely to prove relevant beyond the current moment in both "the Mighty Thor" and "Journey into Mystery", but the story certainly feels larger and more important than anything following "Fear Itself". And while "Everything burns" lacks the more universal appeal of the wider Marvel universe crossover, it more than makes up in its tone that is respectful to both the Lee/Kirby interpretation of the Norse mythology, as well as everything that Fraction and Gillen brought to their respective titles.

PUNISHER #15

The penultimate issue of the Rucka/Chechetto run on "the Punisher" (before the title transforms into the "War Zone" mini-series that will wrap up this take on the character) deals with the fallout of Frank and Rachel's last issue's mission. After last issue's flawless showdown with the Exchange, the vigilantes are forced to contend with one last bit of unfinished business.

The things quickly spin out of control, as one loose end overreacts to the shootout, leading the Exchange leader to maniacal lengths. As always, it goes without saying that Rucka's script works as a story in its own right, providing everything the reader needs to understand the events in motion, without resorting to expository monologues.

The creators are depicting an ugly situation, but the approach their utilizing is anything but. The bulk of the realization falls on the hands of Chechetto, with the returning penciller/inker realizing all of the disturbing events in the way that is both concise and powerful. The reader is at all times aware where each of the characters are in opposition to one other, except for the very end, where the lack of perspective becomes an important story point.

Marco Chechetto's return to these pages after two fill-in issues feels very welcome, as his powerful, animated figures have come to define this approach. The artist naturally feels much more at home with the character designs than Mico Suayan, even though he lacks the latter's darker edge. The brighter colors do somehow re-frame the horrible massacre into something approaching video game violence, but for better or worse, this was the way the title has always worked in the hands of these two creators.

The crux of the issue revolves around Frank's tactical approach in a situation going haywire, which ends with a seeming demise of a cast member. The antagonist willingly sacrifices himself to bring Frank and Rachel in conflict with the authorities, providing the impetus for stories now that two have dealt away with the Exchange organization.

At this point, it's pure speculation whether Rucka's original series overview included provided for the inclusion of superheroes that will have large roles in the "War Zone" mini-series. The conclusion of this issue certainly hints at an extended hostility with the local authorities, but the creative team's insistence that their story takes place in the superhero universe certainly provides for a possibility of a larger role for the superhuman community.

VENOM #24

The greatest compliment that could be given to Cullen Bunn's second issue as a solo writer of "Venom" is that the story stars to read as a comic in its own right. Even though it recasts Daimon Hellstorm as a generic sadistic monster, and has very little to do with Venom or Flash Thompson, "Monsters of Evil" is at least starting to function as an entity of it own.

The story legitimizes itself as the follow-up of the "Circle of Four" crossover, which only complicates the matters. In order to get to the pulp thrills that Bunn is trying to carry over, the writer has to meander through both the internal logistics of Marvel universe and the series' own continuity. At this point, the reader is made to feel every leaden step of his way through both of these, resulting in an overloaded synopsis.

Flash Thompson is the man who has had the Venom symbiote grafted to him, whose soul has been marked by Blackthorn the devil as part of the story in which he met Hellstrom. Following up on a McGuffin, Venom ends up being duped by Hellstorm, who possesses the symbiote with a demon. Having discovered that he still has a measure of control due to the mark on his soul, Flash tries to get the demon out of his body, first by visiting a local exorcist, before confronting Hellstorm and trying to force Daimon to restore him to his previous condition.

It's a needlessly convoluted set-up, that substitutes the title's inherent possession analogy with a literal demonic possession, in order to tell the story the writer is interested in. Bunn is purposefully distancing the title from its roots as a Spider-Man spin-off, which again makes the story all the more generic and unnecessary. The reader is to forget that he is reading about Flash Thompson, and instead try to embrace the new supporting characters lacking both the charisma and the sense of family of the original Spider-Man supporting cast.

In many ways, Bunn's story is struggling with both the format and the title it's appearing in, and Tony Silas does little to provide the individualization the writer strives so hard for. The penciller exhibits solid designing skills when it comes to the exorcist and the titular Monsters of Evil, that appear on the ending double page spread. Otherwise, his linework is neither caricatural enough to compare to the opening Tony Moore issues, nor does he exhibit a strong sense of naturalistic draftsmanship that Lan Medina had in his issues of the title.

Silas' Venom seems credible enough when in the traditional Agent Venom mode, but he fails to find a way to make the demonic transformations work in a consistent way. The images are gross but random, without the full demon-Venom form appearing particularly uninspired. Yet, despite the lack of embellishment, Silas' layouts maintain a clarity that helps his inherently dramatic art carry the story.

It's a shame that Bunn wasn't allowed to start a brand new volume of "Venom" stories on his own, as "Monsters of Evil" would have certainly read more organically had he been allowed to set the story up on his own. This way, in light of Rick Remender's scripts, Bunn's more traditional genre adventure work lacks the personal touch Rick Remender had managed to graft onto the grim an gritty villain fused with the body of a longtime Spider-Man supporting character.

Reviews for Wednesday, August 23rd

ALL STAR WESTERN #12

The fourth major "All Star Western" storyline concludes, wrapping up the "War of Lords and Owls". At this point, it's clear that the creative team's initial plan for the title stretched to the end of the first year. There is a distinct feeling of closure as the characters get back to the Crime Bible cultists that they initially banded together to confront. Therefore, the inclusion of Court of Owls gets revealed for what it was - a late addition to the already plotted storyline, providing a tie-in to the well-selling "Batman" story arc.

Tallulah Black continues to feature extensively, and basically takes the lead on most of the action sequences. This is fitting considering Palmiotti and Gray's decision to incorporate her as the permanent addition to the cast, which proves very justified. The character based storytelling has continually benefited the company's only period piece title, and Hex's lover brings a unique dynamic to the proceedings.

The use of chapter breaks continues to provide for an abortive pacing, but the stylishness of Moritat's pencils and inks and the unique subject matter more than make up for the shortcomings. The artist boldly realizes these bulky characters whose wrinkled period clothing fills up the pages. In this issue, the artist finds space (and time) for little else but the figures in his panels, leaving it mostly for the colorist to provide mood and atmosphere. The female character's manga-like features have yet to fully integrate with the style he strives for on this book, but otherwise, the art continues to imbue the book with a lot of energy and identity.

The Terrence 13 backup wraps up the Scott Kollins illustrated story in a way that focuses on debunking the story behind the Haunted Highwayman. The issue sets him up as a tragic villain, whose makes Dr Terrence's intervention personal, bringing out the doctor's cold, scientific mind to its rational extreme. It's a decent story, finishing up on a point that links the character to his original Silver Age  incarnation.

FLASH #12

Francis Manapul returns on art, as the title begins a two-part story, building on the string of oneshots that preceded it. Aided by Brian Buccellato, the artist is quick to restore the title back to its position as a lush, gorgeously realized book. The creative team uses several double page spreads and inventive layouts that maximizes the reader's goodwill, and makes them more tolerable when it comes to the story.

On the other hand, the creative team feels much more comfortable presenting the Glider's debut as the new leader of the Rogues. By returning to a broader canvass of episodic storytelling and interweaving subplots, Manapul and Buccellato go a long way to regaining the narrative footing lost since "Mob rule".

Such an open, plot-heavy approach seems to merge well with what DC wants the book to be. Having an art-centered traditional superhero title go through the motions of updating the Silver Age Flash stories for an audience grown up on "Heroes" and "Lost" certainly seems as a valid approach. As such, the wholesale Rogues revamp still feels chaotic and underdeveloped, despite the buildup in the previous issues.

Having all these characters running around Keystone at the same time, in the same issue, leads to most of them having little more than a cameo role. Just focusing on the Heatwave/Glider/Cold dynamic would go a long way to covering pretty much the same ground, despite limiting the somewhat epic scope of the arc.

On the other hand, having the threat escalate so fast makes it very hard for the creative team to properly wrap up the arc in the upcoming Flash Annual #1. In any event, the creators will likely use the double-size issue merely to establish the size of the threat. So far in their run, the Rogues have proven largely ineffective, which goes a long way to justifying the decision.

It remains to be seen whether Manapul and Buccellato ultimately succeed in making the Rogues into an interesting team of villains they have proven to be in Geoff Johns' run. There is certainly a lot of potential inherent in the both these characters and the title. The creators have for a time stepped away from grounding the title in the police procedural, and it will be interesting to see where they ultimately choose to go with "the Flash". For the moment, a still largely generic Barry is forced to contend with Dr. Elias, another character that begs for some fleshing out.

I VAMPIRE #12

The Fialkov/Sorrentino title reaches the end of the arc starring the Van Helsing cult. Surprisingly, the editorial choose this point to foster a crossover with "Stormwatch", with the characters of the former Wildstorm title providing a fresh, superhero perspective on the complicated events of "I, Vampire".

A lot of the issue is thus spent on recapping previous events, while the vampire/zombie situation keeps spinning out of control. By the middle of the issue, it's an absolute mess, that the characters recognized as being unmanageable. Fialkov provides a version of Stormwatch that basically represents a rebooted Authority, with a single reference to the secret society aspect of the team.

Besides the generally well depicted members of Stormwatch, the writer manages to have the main "I, Vampire" remain in the spotlight, and many of the issue's best moments involve Tig, Mary and Andrew. Sorrentino remains solid throughout, with layouts kept clear and characters largely distinctive. The sepia-toned colors maintain the specific atmosphere of the title, but the issue derives most of its impact from the ending, that features yet another status quo change.

And while the creators keep their sense of humor in the tense last moments of their first year of stories, there is no doubt that many DCU crossovers have burdened the title to the point of preventing the creative team from introducing new characters, and fully exploiting the premise. Hopefully, following the #0 issue, the editorial will see fit to enable the title to tell its own stories without the crossovers and tie-ins - providing Fialkov and Sorrentino with a platform for their creative best for as long as they are able to preserve retailer attention.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #12

Picking up from the cliffhanger of the previous issue, "Justice League Dark" #12 opens with a one page origin for the character that betrayed the team, before setting the course that will take the book to the end of the storyline. Both heroes and villains regroup as the mastermind behind Faust's plan announces his intentions and declares his revenge against Constantine.

At this point, the mystery villain's working mainly as John's opposite number, and it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that he is DCU's version of Golden Boy, John's unborn twin from his venerable "Vertigo" title. At the same time, Lemire hints that the character is known to other DCU magic users so that it could might as well be a new rendition of an occult villain that has yet to show up in the title.

For the moment, the Lady Xanadu/Tim Hunter part of the plot appears to have been a red herring. The aforementioned opening page hints at a personal value the Books of Magic may have for the turncoat superhero, with the writer trying hard to make them mean more then a typical McGuffin. Yet, for all intents and purposes that's exactly what they are, as Justice League Dark splits to follow the leads on Faust.

Breaking up a superhero team into two plot strands to make the scenes both more manageable and the characters more distinctive is a tried and true superhero convention, which coupled with the mystery villain kept in the dark really amounts to reminding the reader of the title's modus operandi. This really is a Justice League title focusing on DC's seldom seen shadier characters. It's issues like this one that serve to strengthen the reader's resolve considering the Lemire/Janin collaboration, as the experience seems to be worth it.

The penciler/inker continues to adapt to the challenges of the title, as his characters start displaying a broader range of emotions that jibes much closer with their dialogue. Ulises Arreola's greens and purples continue to accentuate the stiffness in the art though, as the computer coloring never truly cohers into a satisfying whole. Taking a cue from the constant barrage of colorful spells the team members cast, DC seemingly aims at a video game esthetic, but despite the redesign, these characters and the story they are starring in seem decidedly informed by a decades old esthetic.

Still, the creative team's choice of the immediate villain's for the #13 seem as reasonable and fitting, as most of the creative decisions made by Lemire and the editorial since Peter Milligan left the title. Despite a gratuitous death of a woefully underused character that closes the issue, "Justice League Dark" seems finally to be fulfilling its mandate by being an enjoyable superhero-informed romp that abandons the Vertigo imperative for a refreshingly irreverent take on these characters.

PUNISHER #14

On "Punisher", Mico Suayan continues as a fill-in artist, in an issue that spotlights Greg Rucka's unique contribution to the genre. In itself, the story is a complete chapter in the wider Rucka/Chechetto run, but more importantly, it showcases a tactical operation of the Punisher, a vigilante existing in the Marvel universe. The storytelling is patient and economic, hitting all the necessary beats to make it an action thriller.

The wholesomeness of Ruck's craft shows as he illustrates both sides of the conflict, reminds the reader of the particularities of the conflict, which finally culminates in the confrontation that makes up the bulk of the issue. Throughout, both the tone and the pacing never falter, as the creators work in synch to deliver their genre best.

Suayan's photo referenced work feels much more suited to the action at hand than in the previous issue, that introduced the McGuffin. The faces retain an unnatural stiffness, but the tension and the dialogue help distract the reader away from all the close mouths and strange facial expressions. The Bulgarian artist tries, and largely succeeds, to echo a cinematic experience that is the dominant visual of these stories, justifying the use of photo reference in service of the representational art style.

The only other major problem with the story is that, for all of his effort, Rucka never manages to contort the rules of the Marvel Universe, and have his story seamlessly fit into New York that also has Spider-Man in it. Despite his debut in the publisher's flagship, the Punisher has never felt at ease in the superhero surroundings, and contorting the script to provide for the logistics of the fantasy universe only serves to call attention to the problem.

Despite this, for all intents and purposes, "the Punisher" remains the sole title that provides a crime fiction outlet in the publisher's output, and illustrates a high level of competency in delivering what would be a purely generic story in the hands of lesser talents.

VENOM #23

The beginning of Cullen Bunn's solo run as the writer of Marvel's "Venom" starts off very unevenly. Picking up the thread from the "Circle of Four"crossover, the writer presents the first part of the occult storyline, featuring Thony ("Spider-Man: Ends of the Earth") Silas on art. "Monsters of Evil" begins with the recap of the issues so far, and presents Venom with both a new mission and a possible new love interest.

Supposedly acting on Secret Avengers mandate, Flash goes on to oppose the Department of Occult Armaments, an secret society featured in his "Fear Itself: Fearless" work. For story purposes, they are just another evil cult that Venom cuts loose on, before fully comprehending their new scheme, and who is standing behind it. Considering how uninformed Flash is at this point, his continual narration consist mostly of conveying his emotions and letting the reader sympathize with him.

This becomes crucial as the issue climaxes and the villain exploits his weakness to bring out the monster in him. Compared to the issues preceding it, at this point the story feels arbitrary and off-kilter.  Silas' works here in the expressionistic, caricatural style that evokes artists such as Phil Hester, while exhibiting the typical strengths and weaknesses of the approach. His work here has a lot of energy, but a lack of definition without strong, original stylization, maintains the long struggle the title has endured since Tony Moore's early departure.

At this point, there is little to recommend the title, and unless Bunn finds a way to make the title his own following the"Minimum Carnage"crossover, this incarnation of Venom will likely be remembered for the Rick Remender issues preceding "Monsters of Evil".

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.

Punisher #7 "the String"

Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's "the Punisher" ongoing series has from the start faced an uphill struggle. Coming at the heels of a long string of Punisher revamps that have been chipping away at the good will of all but the biggest fans of the character, it's easy to see why the latest #1 was met with a lukewarm response from both the critics and the audience. Debuting at the same time as the highly acclaimed latest iteration of "Daredevil", the Rucka/Checchetto vehicle seemingly felt too familiar, both in concept and execution.

On the other hand, "The Punisher" is highly comparable to Bendis and Maleev's "Moon Knight", in that it was the product of long form plotting, done in the style pioneered by Brian Michael Bendis in the early 2000s, that is slowly falling out of the favor. Rucka's police procedural inspired take on the Punisher aims for the slow burn, and takes time to develop an extensive supporting cast, basically approaching "the Punisher" as a true ongoing title, and not the publisher's latest shock tactic, to try and engineer interest in their longtime intellectual property.

The writer's soundly crafted scripts are regularly being brought to life by Checchetto, featuring a style that is both detailed and dynamic. Peppered throughout the backgrounds are occasional flashes to Daredevil continuity, serving the purpose of reminding the reader they should group together the publisher's grittier titles. Until this last month, little was done to actually make "Marvel New York" titles feel like a coherent whole. Over on "Daredevil", Mark Waid has introduced a subplot regarding Matt Murdock coming into possession of an Omega drive hiding the info about several of Marvel's terrorist organizations, but the publisher waited until the last moment to announce the three part crossover between their vigilante books.

When they finally unveiled the solicitations, the readers and retailers were informed that the "Omega effect" crossover would be taking over the April issues of "Punisher", "Daredevil" and heretofore unrelated Spider-Man's team up book "Avenging Spider-Man". The story would be co-written by Greg Rucka, and feature the artwork of Marco Checchetto. As such, it's understandable that artist's work on the ongoing title would have to be rescheduled for the duration. To no one's surprise, the editorial's solution was to hire fill in artists. Thanks to their previous work on DC's "Gotham Central", this meant that at least for an issue Rucka would be reunited with his "Gotham Central" collaborator Michael ("Daredevil") Lark.

Fitting between two parts of the ongoing storyline, "the String" acts as an intermission designed to spotlight one of the detectives tasked with investigating the massacre that opened Rucka's run. In many ways, the story works as a character piece, thus making it a much more approachable series primer than the aforementioned first issue. Oscar "Ozzy" Clemons, the Harry Edgerton-inspired veteran African American detective had up to that point made several negative asides regarding the Punisher, and Rucka uses the Lark drawn issue to explain the character's frustration.

Just seeing Michael Lark's work, inked by frequent collaborator Stefano Gaudiano almost serves to set the bar in regards to the artistic level. For all of Checchetto's attractive animated figures, Lark and Gaudiano, much like Matthew Southworth before them, simply present art that is more seasoned and better thought out. Where Checchetto opts for imitating the cinematic presentation, and the editorial sees fit to color his work to reinforce the illusion of familiar special effects, Lark dismisses the notion for the traditional, layered comic book storytelling. And while the series' regular artist could hardly be said to feature traditional superhero art, Lark and Gaudiano go one step further, by presenting the moody, representational style that works as quality comic book art by any definition.

Rucka starts the story off with the familiar image of the detective staring at the city map strewn with photos and pins, but thankfully it's the switchblade that Ozzy's playing with that becomes central to the story. Called up to investigate seemingly yet another in the crime scenes left after the Punisher's shootouts, the detective joins his younger partner and they finally start discussing their differences when it comes to Frank Castle's vigilante work. Detective Walter Bolt had already been revealed as the Punisher's police source to the reader, adding to the tension behind Clemons' monologue.

From the moment Ozzy hands his partner the keys to the car, the story starts feeling like an episode of the "Homicide" TV-series, but Rucka is careful not to get carried away on a tangent. These characters, no matter how well defined, exist primarily to add dimension to the Punisher, and it's in this way that a flashback to their shared past proves crucial. Rucka specifically recalls an early "Punisher" issue, that crossed over with "Daredevil". Typical of Mike Baron's scripts for the original Punisher ongoing, the story of the Zum killer was an over the top affair, but executed in a very memorable way. Marvel used an Ann Nocenti/John Romita jr. issue to recast the action from Daredevil's point of view which, barring the Frank Miller's work with the character remains the most memorable of the two vigilante's team ups.

By inserting Ozzy into the well regarded 1988 story, the writer both solidifies his character's place in the Punisher continuity, and at the same time foreshadows the upcoming "Daredevil" crossover. The latter is most important, as the recapped story basically boils down to a single heavily narrated action scene that would otherwise serve mostly as fan service for longtime readers. The Daredevil connection goes a long way to elevating it and justifies the continuity nod over the new scene that would have served a similar purpose.

By treading this kind of material, and basically recasting the superhero formula from the point of an innocent bystander, Rucka is clearly following in the steps of "Marvels" and his own work on DC's Batman titles. Despite the over familiarity with the scenario, the insertion of human element is often key in making the larger then life plots resonate for the reader. This is how Frank Miller used journalist Ben Urich in his history making "Daredevil" run (the character cameos in one of the early Rucka/Chacchetto "Punisher" issues), and there is nothing wrong with the practice. In a genre where the reader point of view characters routinely become superheroes themselves after a while, it's clear why Rucka felt the need to populate his story with both the ambitious journalist stereotype and a pair of detectives.

After making clear his enmity against the Punisher and his self insertion in New York's penal system, Ozzy goes on to directly confront Bolt on his role as Castle's informant. The moment feels needed but unearned, since the reader has seen little evidence to corroborate Clemons' conviction. That Ozzy's intuition alone was enough to infer that Punisher was being given information by someone close to the investigation seems plausible, but in lieu of any direct evidence, Ozzy's proclamation seems rash and unrealistic. Thankfully, Rucka follows it with an extended epilogue showcasing the investigative skills of both detectives, with Clemons' talents bringing the character on the right trail and concluding the issue on a high note.

The last two panels featuring Ozzy's switchblade perfectly round out the story, as they both call back to his story of the Punisher's tempering with the justice system when it comes to the Zum killer, as well as releasing the detective's pent up anger in a way that seems both threatening and methodical. Having affirmed his belief in his own abilities, Clemons slides the knife in for the last time, to symbolically proceed to tighten the net on the vigilante killer by using his mind as a weapon.

All this makes for a welcome change in the heavily plot-driven series, and serves as the showcase for both the character and the creators. If Rucka's "Punisher" was a TV series, "the String" would be the episode nominated for Oscar Clemons' performance, as realized through Lark and Gaudiano's spotless cinematography and actor direction. Following the "Omega effect" crossover, the reader can only hope that Rucka will feel inspired to turn out more issues at this level of quality.