I ran through a period of time when I tried my hand at some regular comic book reviews.
Then I ran out of time.
Also, they cancelled Greg Rucka's Punisher and that was the book that pulled me into trying my hand. I kind of lost heart after that.
Still, I continue to read a handful of comics regularly. So, because this is my blog and I can do whatever I want, I thought I would give some quick thoughts to recent issues (and thanks to my local shop, Beyond Comics for pulling my books and especially for Lazarus #1, which due to a miscommunication did not get pulled for me so the owner gave me HIS BOOK; thanks guys! You rock!).
First, Lazarus #1 by Greg Rucka (writer), Michael Lark (artist), & Santi Arcas (colors): GET THIS BOOK. This is the first issue in a planned long (but finite) story set in a dystopian future. Now, from Hunger Games (book and movie) to Elysium (upcoming movie with Matt Damon) and everything and more in between, dystopian future settings are hot, and some may feel saturated. If you were to give Lazarus a pass because of that feeling, it would be a BIG MISTAKE (yes, it's my blog, I can yell if I want to).
Lazarus is the story of a world ruled by powerful families who control almost all wealth. Each family has vast holdings, private armies, scheming members, and at least one champion, who is a bioengineered miracle. The family at the center of the tale is Family Carlyle, and their champion is Forever Carlyle. In the first pages of the first issue she is mortally wounded. Then we get to see why her kind is termed a Lazarus and why she is a bioengineered miracle.
If you want a taste before you buy, there is a free teaser story (complete unto itself and not part of the first issue) here. You should read it, then you should go get issue #1 and you should put the series on your pull list.
RIGHT NOW!
Hawkeye #12 All I have to say is DAMN YOU MATT FRACTION (in the best possible way).
I opened this book, which continues the storyline of the last few issues, and I was just going to look at the first page . . . . and . . . the next thing I knew, I was at the end, and I do not have issue #13 in my hands yet!!
DAMN YOU!
Read this book.
Captain Marvel # 13 In general, I love what Kelly Sue DeConnick has done with Captain Marvel.
I did not love this issue.
Not really even a little bit.
The art was a mess.
The story that had been building within the title got hijack for an "event" across a bunch of other books I don't want to buy.
I got to the last page, and I kinda did not care.
That made me sad.
I hope this mess is over soon and Kelly Sue can get back to her focus on the character driven book of fun and adventure that I so admire.
Sad to say it, but unless you are a completists or collecting all the other books this story got splashed across, you can skip this.
I may not do more reviews, but then again I might. We'll see what next month brings.
Showing posts with label Captain Marvel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Captain Marvel. Show all posts
Monday, July 22, 2013
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Reviews: Goodbye to Punisher (Issue #16) and hello to Captain Marvel (Issue #4)
I have been unconsciously and consciously putting off these reviews. It will be my last regular review of The Punisher, as the run ends here with #16. The silver lining is that good writing and good comics continue, even when terrific series have to come to an end. Once more, I got my books at my great local place, Beyond Comics. So, once more unto the breach . . .
Captain Marvel #4
Now THAT'S what I'm talking about
In my last few reviews of Kelly Sue DeConnick's I have been damning the book with faint praise. I always liked it, but wanted it to be better.
This last issue turned a corner for me. I found it witty, exciting, and I feel like the investment in reading was paying off. We don't yet know all of what is going on, but we're starting to get a direction to the plot which feels right.
This issue felt like things snapped into focus, that the story which seemed to be zigging and zagging was suddenly on course.
I finished the pages, and I said to myself "yes, this is the Captain Marvel I knew she was going to write."
So, this issue wraps up Carol Danver's first leg of her time travel saga, but proves that it is going to be an interesting and exciting multi-stage journey. It starts with a big action piece with is handled just perfectly, with the writing and art balancing out to really deliver. Then we get the resoultion of the action on the mysterious island off the coast of Peru during World War II and pieces start to fall into place as to why Captain Marvel is being trasported through time and space, just in time for her to transfer to the late 50s/early 60's era of the Mercury 13 (at least the Marvel version of it) and find herself face to face with her girlhood idol, Helen Cobb, in her prime.
I still don't know all of what is going on, but I am finally fully happy to be along for the ride. Even Dexter Soy's art is growing on me, although it is still not my favorite. I really look forward to the next issue, and I think that we have passed the "make or break" period for the book, at least for me, and with issue #4, the series is "made."
Check it out.
Punisher #16
Fantastic and tragic end to the series
I really hate to say goodbye to this book. It's over, and though there is a five issue mini that will be a kind of coda, there will be no going back. Punisher is going to another author and into a team book, Thunderbolts, in the new Marvel reorganization of titles. I wish the character well, but somehow, I can't see the next book doing what this book did.
Issue 16 ends a patient, exciting, suspense filled and character driven story arc that took up all 16 issues. I loved every issue, and this issue is a fitting goodbye to the regular series. The Punisher and his mission remain, but the tragic toll of violence and revenge tally up in the book. It is great storytelling, and involves all the terrific characters drawn or drawn into Rucka's story.
The art is also outstanding. Because of undiscolsed family issues, Marco Checchetto is unable to continue with War Zone, but he gives us an issue to remember with his moody, beautiful art in this book.
I am talking around the details, as I am trying to leave the review spoiler free. This arc was about not only taking on "The Exchange" but also about what it would cost to do so, especially for Rachel Cole Alves, whose tragedy began in issue 1, and carries through the whole series to come to a conclusion in this final issue.
I loved every page, just as I loved every page of the series as a whole.
If you don't buy and read this, there's no talking to you.
Check it out.
Oh, and one last and final tradition to observe, here's what other's thought:
Weekly Comic Book Review (A) "Brilliant art, brilliant character work, and sophisticated storytelling by all involved. This is an absolutely top tier comic and I’m more than a little pissed that it’s been canceled…"
IGN (9.3 "Amazing") "Fittingly, this concluding issue doesn’t go out in a hail of gunfire, but a series of well-timed thematic and emotional payoffs that bring this entire 16-issue arc full circle."
Comic Book Resources (4.5/5 stars) "Rucka makes "The Punisher" #16 a story that celebrates the history of this series. The more you know going in, the more you gain, but prior knowledge need not preclude you from reading. This issue certainly would deserve a perfect score when put in the context of the entire run, but with this issue, a little more background is needed to provide testimony to what Rucka has accomplished with the transformation of Frank Castle. That's an interesting spin for the final issue of a series. So many final issues struggle to cover all of the dangling subplots and many of those issues just cut bait and run. Not 'The Punisher.' "
Between the Panels (postive review) "Between the stellar art team and the writing of one of my favorite authors, I’m very sorry to see The Punisher go. A great procedural, a great redemption story, and an all-around fantastic comic."
Read Comic Books (story 10/10, Art 10/10, Overall 10/10) "And so ends a masterpiece. Writer Greg Rucka and Merco Checchetto delivered their coup de grace in The Punisher #16. Normally when I review comics, I read and then begin writing as soon as I put it down. When I finished The Punisher this week, I sat dumbfounded and speechless on my couch."
Comic Book Bin (10/10) "I hate that Rucka is about to wrap up his stint on The Punisher by pitting Frank against the rest of the Marvel U in the upcoming, and re-launched, Punisher War Zone #1. I would rather (and could have) read 100 issues of The Punisher written in this vein by Greg Rucka instead. Rucka's The Punisher will be missed, but I'm happy that we got it for at least 16 issues."
OGR (5/5 stars) "Punisher ends on a powerful note and a compelling setup for the upcoming Punisher: War Zone limited series. Rucka succeeded at creating an interesting little world for the Punisher in the Marvel Universe, complete with three-dimensional characters who meshed perfectly as a cast. Far as I'm concerned, this series should now be considered essential reading for the Punisher."
Multiversity Comics (9.5/10 – Buy. Among the best Punisher stories ever told) "Greg Rucka and a bevy of talented artists have crafted a new side to the Punisher that feels like it was somewhere in there all along, just waiting to get out. They also navigated Rachel Alves-Cole through a sneak-attack of truly great character development over just 16 issues. It’s stunning to think of the transformation that took place."
Weekly Crisis (Verdict-Must Read) "Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's work with Punisher has been some of the best stuff to come out this past year, and Punisher #16 is no exception. The issue, like the series as a whole, is built on its terrific character work. Whether it's Frank himself or the people who have found themselves caught in his orbit, this book is all about who these people are and why they do what they do. That's what's made it special, and that's what makes this issue a must read."
Captain Marvel #4
Now THAT'S what I'm talking about
In my last few reviews of Kelly Sue DeConnick's I have been damning the book with faint praise. I always liked it, but wanted it to be better.
This last issue turned a corner for me. I found it witty, exciting, and I feel like the investment in reading was paying off. We don't yet know all of what is going on, but we're starting to get a direction to the plot which feels right.
This issue felt like things snapped into focus, that the story which seemed to be zigging and zagging was suddenly on course.
I finished the pages, and I said to myself "yes, this is the Captain Marvel I knew she was going to write."
So, this issue wraps up Carol Danver's first leg of her time travel saga, but proves that it is going to be an interesting and exciting multi-stage journey. It starts with a big action piece with is handled just perfectly, with the writing and art balancing out to really deliver. Then we get the resoultion of the action on the mysterious island off the coast of Peru during World War II and pieces start to fall into place as to why Captain Marvel is being trasported through time and space, just in time for her to transfer to the late 50s/early 60's era of the Mercury 13 (at least the Marvel version of it) and find herself face to face with her girlhood idol, Helen Cobb, in her prime.
I still don't know all of what is going on, but I am finally fully happy to be along for the ride. Even Dexter Soy's art is growing on me, although it is still not my favorite. I really look forward to the next issue, and I think that we have passed the "make or break" period for the book, at least for me, and with issue #4, the series is "made."
Check it out.
Punisher #16
Fantastic and tragic end to the series
I really hate to say goodbye to this book. It's over, and though there is a five issue mini that will be a kind of coda, there will be no going back. Punisher is going to another author and into a team book, Thunderbolts, in the new Marvel reorganization of titles. I wish the character well, but somehow, I can't see the next book doing what this book did.
Issue 16 ends a patient, exciting, suspense filled and character driven story arc that took up all 16 issues. I loved every issue, and this issue is a fitting goodbye to the regular series. The Punisher and his mission remain, but the tragic toll of violence and revenge tally up in the book. It is great storytelling, and involves all the terrific characters drawn or drawn into Rucka's story.
The art is also outstanding. Because of undiscolsed family issues, Marco Checchetto is unable to continue with War Zone, but he gives us an issue to remember with his moody, beautiful art in this book.
I am talking around the details, as I am trying to leave the review spoiler free. This arc was about not only taking on "The Exchange" but also about what it would cost to do so, especially for Rachel Cole Alves, whose tragedy began in issue 1, and carries through the whole series to come to a conclusion in this final issue.
I loved every page, just as I loved every page of the series as a whole.
If you don't buy and read this, there's no talking to you.
Check it out.
Oh, and one last and final tradition to observe, here's what other's thought:
Weekly Comic Book Review (A) "Brilliant art, brilliant character work, and sophisticated storytelling by all involved. This is an absolutely top tier comic and I’m more than a little pissed that it’s been canceled…"
IGN (9.3 "Amazing") "Fittingly, this concluding issue doesn’t go out in a hail of gunfire, but a series of well-timed thematic and emotional payoffs that bring this entire 16-issue arc full circle."
Comic Book Resources (4.5/5 stars) "Rucka makes "The Punisher" #16 a story that celebrates the history of this series. The more you know going in, the more you gain, but prior knowledge need not preclude you from reading. This issue certainly would deserve a perfect score when put in the context of the entire run, but with this issue, a little more background is needed to provide testimony to what Rucka has accomplished with the transformation of Frank Castle. That's an interesting spin for the final issue of a series. So many final issues struggle to cover all of the dangling subplots and many of those issues just cut bait and run. Not 'The Punisher.' "
Between the Panels (postive review) "Between the stellar art team and the writing of one of my favorite authors, I’m very sorry to see The Punisher go. A great procedural, a great redemption story, and an all-around fantastic comic."
Read Comic Books (story 10/10, Art 10/10, Overall 10/10) "And so ends a masterpiece. Writer Greg Rucka and Merco Checchetto delivered their coup de grace in The Punisher #16. Normally when I review comics, I read and then begin writing as soon as I put it down. When I finished The Punisher this week, I sat dumbfounded and speechless on my couch."
Comic Book Bin (10/10) "I hate that Rucka is about to wrap up his stint on The Punisher by pitting Frank against the rest of the Marvel U in the upcoming, and re-launched, Punisher War Zone #1. I would rather (and could have) read 100 issues of The Punisher written in this vein by Greg Rucka instead. Rucka's The Punisher will be missed, but I'm happy that we got it for at least 16 issues."
OGR (5/5 stars) "Punisher ends on a powerful note and a compelling setup for the upcoming Punisher: War Zone limited series. Rucka succeeded at creating an interesting little world for the Punisher in the Marvel Universe, complete with three-dimensional characters who meshed perfectly as a cast. Far as I'm concerned, this series should now be considered essential reading for the Punisher."
Multiversity Comics (9.5/10 – Buy. Among the best Punisher stories ever told) "Greg Rucka and a bevy of talented artists have crafted a new side to the Punisher that feels like it was somewhere in there all along, just waiting to get out. They also navigated Rachel Alves-Cole through a sneak-attack of truly great character development over just 16 issues. It’s stunning to think of the transformation that took place."
Weekly Crisis (Verdict-Must Read) "Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's work with Punisher has been some of the best stuff to come out this past year, and Punisher #16 is no exception. The issue, like the series as a whole, is built on its terrific character work. Whether it's Frank himself or the people who have found themselves caught in his orbit, this book is all about who these people are and why they do what they do. That's what's made it special, and that's what makes this issue a must read."
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
A little behind schedule: Reviews of Hawkeye #2, Captain Marvel #3 and Punisher #15
September is slipping away and my three comic book titles were released days and weeks ago. However, I finally get around to some brief thoughts on each. Once again, my local store, Beyond Comics, came through with my subscriptions. Unfortunately, September is proving to be a heck of a busy month, so it's either short reviews or no reviews.
Hawkeye #2
Two Hawkeyes are Better than One
In this issue, we get not only Clint Barton doing the things he does away from the Avengers, but we also get "Young Avenger" Kate Bishop. Clint has been looking into many things that he thinks that he needs to take care of, and he is lucky to get Kate to join in. First off looks like "Something Big" going down at a circus performance attended by every major crime figure in Mavel's version of New York. Writer Matt Fraction does a great job of using Clint's shady past and Kate's high society background to lay the foundation for how things get moving. Once the performance starts in, as well as the heist, things really get cooking. Of course, Clint brashly goes in over his head, and it is a good thing he brought backup. Not that he is ever a slouch in any of the action sequences. Once again the issue demonstrates why Hawkeye is the best there is. There just happen to be two of them. The end of the book has Clint with more angry enemies than ever, and reveals that he has a serious plan to make a difference, no matter the costs. The art continues to be outstanding, and the book is beyond reproach. It is a perfect comic book experience, and if you are not reading it, go out and buy it!
Captain Marvel #3
The ride is fine so far, but where are we going?
There are two stories in this book. One is the main Captain Marvel story, and the second is a backup that relates somehow, as its focus is Carol Danver's childhood idol, but how the stories will intersect is still unclear. The "A plot" continues to follow Captain Marvel as she tries to sort out where and when she is, and why alien technology seems to have gotten involved in a lost corner of the war in the Pacific during the Second World War. The writing is solid. The art is growing on me. The plot is developing slowly. Generally, I don't mind a slow burn plot, but so far I am neither gripped by the situation or the characters. It may not be a fair comparison, but looking at last year's relaunch of The Punisher, which also featured a slow burn story (one that is just peaking now, in issues 14-16), there is a real contrast. That book gripped me from the first. I still have my attention on the story here for Captain Marvel, but it feels like I could easily shake off the grasp of the story, when instead I want to be locked in like I'm in an iron vise. The art is growing on me, but I am not convinced of its brilliance. It is different, but still remains merely adequate for me in the story being told. All in all, the main story delivers, but only marginally for me. I am interested in where this is going, but it feels like if I missed it, it would be no big deal. This is not where we should be at this point. DeConnick and Wacker need to get on the stick here and start hitting out of the park like Dare Devil and Punisher have over the last year, and the way the Hawkeye is killing it right now. They are more than capable of doing so. The "B plot" is quite short. The background is at the critical juncture in the women's Mercury astronaut program, the part where the men tell the women they aren't getting to go into space. Not a banner moment in American history, gender relations, or the historical advancement of women. The problem is, for most of the panels, I don't really care. I am not reading the book for this particular lecture on how carppy American culture was to women in the 50s and 60s. The packaging is clumsy and ham handed. I'm here for a Captain Marvel story. If I get a lecture in feminist studies on the side, so much the better, but it can't be the main event, because that is not what I paid for. Only in the last few panels, as Danver's childhood hero from the Mercury 13 is trying to make her own deal to get into space is there any inkling of interest. Again, the set up is adequate, but I am expecting so much more than adequate for my $3. The art is solid, and an interesting contrast from the main book. I will be back for issue #4, but without more, I may not last until issue #6.
Punisher #15
And I thought it couldn't get any darker, or better! But it is!
Last month began the final end game in the Punisher's plan to take down the Exchange and Rachel Cole-Alves' plan to complete her vengeance on every member of that organization. The problem is, as Feste the fool observes in Twelfth Night, "And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges."
As it turns out, Sergeant Cole-Alves is not the only seeker of vengeance. The tables get turned on her and the Punisher and it starts to get really bloody. Further, despite every piece of advice and order from Frank Castle to Rachel on being patient, on not rushing her punishment of all those connected with the cause of her tragedy, she is too tempted to finish it, once and for all, herself. The result is pure tragedy taken to a higher level. Vengeance is begetting vengeance and begetting even more.
This is a great book, even better than issue #14 which was a tour de force. Even in the Marvel Universe, vengeance is not free, and only one man alive has converted his pain, and his experience in getting revenge into a cause and a mission that carries on, and that is The Punisher. Everyone else seems to be ready to follow the classic arc of revenge, and that pretty much ends up with everyone tragically dead (e.g. Hamlet). We have one more issue to go, and five issues of coda in the War Zone series. I am thinking it is going to be a hell of a ride.
With us for this issue and the next is the superior art of Marco Checcetto. Once again, he captures the characters, the places and the mood of every scene deftly. The entire art team on the book supports and enhances the story in every way. I will be sad to see the last of that in issue #16. However, don't miss issue #15! It would be tragic if you did.
For the second to last time on this run of Punisher, I give you other's voices on this issue:
IGN (8.5/10) "The beauty of this issue is that Rucka’s run has been so deliberate in its pacing and usage of violence, that the sudden chaos of this installment gives it more weight to the reader. If you read issue after issue of guns blazing, it loses its impact. Not so here, and the overall arc of Rucka’s Punisher is the better for it."
I Got Issues (Recoomended) "I recently discovered that this series is ending soon (like next issue) and while this makes me sad, I want to focus on the positive…that this issue, hell this whole series has been amazing since issue #1."
Comic Vine (10/10) "As I mentioned previously, this issue was fantastic because of the way that it connected three characters through very similar experiences. It is interesting to see that although the characters are different, their motivations are different, they act out very similarly when they lose someone or something very close to them. It's a very powerful issue and feels really dense when you read it. It's paired with some pretty incredible art, too, so if you're a Punisher fan you really can't go wrong. I don't recommend reading this issue without at least checking out the previous one as I feel they really go hand in hand."
Newsarama (9/10) "Frank Castle has made murder into a mission, but it's Marco Checchetto that turns it into art. This comic will hit you like a hurricane, as Frank and his partner [Rachel] take on a wild gunman inside Wall Street — not to mention the entire NYPD."
The Weekly Crisis (Verdict-Buy It) "Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's Punisher has been one of the best books coming out of the Marvel offices this past year. Frank Castle's actions and his world have been depicted through a serious lens that does not ignore the consequences of his deeds, and the story has been better for it. It will be a sad day when Rucka's run on the character ends with the Punisher: War Zone miniseries - a day made all the sadder by Checchetto's absence."
Hawkeye #2
Two Hawkeyes are Better than One
In this issue, we get not only Clint Barton doing the things he does away from the Avengers, but we also get "Young Avenger" Kate Bishop. Clint has been looking into many things that he thinks that he needs to take care of, and he is lucky to get Kate to join in. First off looks like "Something Big" going down at a circus performance attended by every major crime figure in Mavel's version of New York. Writer Matt Fraction does a great job of using Clint's shady past and Kate's high society background to lay the foundation for how things get moving. Once the performance starts in, as well as the heist, things really get cooking. Of course, Clint brashly goes in over his head, and it is a good thing he brought backup. Not that he is ever a slouch in any of the action sequences. Once again the issue demonstrates why Hawkeye is the best there is. There just happen to be two of them. The end of the book has Clint with more angry enemies than ever, and reveals that he has a serious plan to make a difference, no matter the costs. The art continues to be outstanding, and the book is beyond reproach. It is a perfect comic book experience, and if you are not reading it, go out and buy it!
Captain Marvel #3
The ride is fine so far, but where are we going?
There are two stories in this book. One is the main Captain Marvel story, and the second is a backup that relates somehow, as its focus is Carol Danver's childhood idol, but how the stories will intersect is still unclear. The "A plot" continues to follow Captain Marvel as she tries to sort out where and when she is, and why alien technology seems to have gotten involved in a lost corner of the war in the Pacific during the Second World War. The writing is solid. The art is growing on me. The plot is developing slowly. Generally, I don't mind a slow burn plot, but so far I am neither gripped by the situation or the characters. It may not be a fair comparison, but looking at last year's relaunch of The Punisher, which also featured a slow burn story (one that is just peaking now, in issues 14-16), there is a real contrast. That book gripped me from the first. I still have my attention on the story here for Captain Marvel, but it feels like I could easily shake off the grasp of the story, when instead I want to be locked in like I'm in an iron vise. The art is growing on me, but I am not convinced of its brilliance. It is different, but still remains merely adequate for me in the story being told. All in all, the main story delivers, but only marginally for me. I am interested in where this is going, but it feels like if I missed it, it would be no big deal. This is not where we should be at this point. DeConnick and Wacker need to get on the stick here and start hitting out of the park like Dare Devil and Punisher have over the last year, and the way the Hawkeye is killing it right now. They are more than capable of doing so. The "B plot" is quite short. The background is at the critical juncture in the women's Mercury astronaut program, the part where the men tell the women they aren't getting to go into space. Not a banner moment in American history, gender relations, or the historical advancement of women. The problem is, for most of the panels, I don't really care. I am not reading the book for this particular lecture on how carppy American culture was to women in the 50s and 60s. The packaging is clumsy and ham handed. I'm here for a Captain Marvel story. If I get a lecture in feminist studies on the side, so much the better, but it can't be the main event, because that is not what I paid for. Only in the last few panels, as Danver's childhood hero from the Mercury 13 is trying to make her own deal to get into space is there any inkling of interest. Again, the set up is adequate, but I am expecting so much more than adequate for my $3. The art is solid, and an interesting contrast from the main book. I will be back for issue #4, but without more, I may not last until issue #6.
Punisher #15
And I thought it couldn't get any darker, or better! But it is!
Last month began the final end game in the Punisher's plan to take down the Exchange and Rachel Cole-Alves' plan to complete her vengeance on every member of that organization. The problem is, as Feste the fool observes in Twelfth Night, "And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges."
As it turns out, Sergeant Cole-Alves is not the only seeker of vengeance. The tables get turned on her and the Punisher and it starts to get really bloody. Further, despite every piece of advice and order from Frank Castle to Rachel on being patient, on not rushing her punishment of all those connected with the cause of her tragedy, she is too tempted to finish it, once and for all, herself. The result is pure tragedy taken to a higher level. Vengeance is begetting vengeance and begetting even more.
This is a great book, even better than issue #14 which was a tour de force. Even in the Marvel Universe, vengeance is not free, and only one man alive has converted his pain, and his experience in getting revenge into a cause and a mission that carries on, and that is The Punisher. Everyone else seems to be ready to follow the classic arc of revenge, and that pretty much ends up with everyone tragically dead (e.g. Hamlet). We have one more issue to go, and five issues of coda in the War Zone series. I am thinking it is going to be a hell of a ride.
With us for this issue and the next is the superior art of Marco Checcetto. Once again, he captures the characters, the places and the mood of every scene deftly. The entire art team on the book supports and enhances the story in every way. I will be sad to see the last of that in issue #16. However, don't miss issue #15! It would be tragic if you did.
For the second to last time on this run of Punisher, I give you other's voices on this issue:
IGN (8.5/10) "The beauty of this issue is that Rucka’s run has been so deliberate in its pacing and usage of violence, that the sudden chaos of this installment gives it more weight to the reader. If you read issue after issue of guns blazing, it loses its impact. Not so here, and the overall arc of Rucka’s Punisher is the better for it."
Thursday, August 23, 2012
August Closeout: Reviews of Punisher #14 and Captain Marvel #2
Greg Rucka and Kelly Sue De Connick are two very different authors as far as tone, subject matter, and writing style. But both are examples of excellence when it comes to focusing on character(s) as the motivation and origination of action. Plot happens because of what the characters (large and small, on and off "camera") are doing. Plot does not just happen to the characters.
I appreciate this kind of writing and that is why I buy these comic books. I picked them up last night from my local shop (please go out and support your's wherever it is), Beyond Comics.
Both were good this month.
Punisher #14
Greg Rucka is winding up his run on Punisher. With only three more issues to go, including issue 14, he is wrapping up his story of the Punisher against The Exchange. The Exchange was a new type of organized super-crimial group for the Marvel Universe. The focus was staying under the radar and organizing along corporate lines. It was the internet startup of criminal groups, peeling off talent from AIM, Hydra, even SHIELD. However, it got sloppy as it got successful, and some of its more freewheeling employees ended up having a gunfight with a rival organization in the middle of a marine sergeant's wedding. Sergeant Rachel Cole-Alves survives the massacre, but her new husband, her friends, and her family, do not.
Her quest for vengeance, mirroring the origin of The Punisher, brings her into alignment with The Punisher, Frank Castle. For issue after issue, Castle has be methodically hunting down leads and leaving a trail of bodies to get to the heart of The Exchange. Cole-Alves started to do the same, and now they are working together.
Last issue, they pulled a caper that gave them a key to try to set up to get to the very top of the Exchange. This issue, they put that plan into effect.
The issue is very satisfying. It shows Castle and Cole-Alves working effectively as a military team, executing a daring and highly lethal plan that builds on everything they have been doing to date. It is exciting, and, as with every issue in this run, I had not had my fill when it was done. I wanted more and was disappointed only in the realization that I had to wait another month, and that I was only going to get two more like this.
Yes, there is also the 5 issue mini-series to cap off the run (Punisher War Zone), which I am happy is coming, but the fact that the series is going to be over is very disappointing.
The only other thing that I found disappointing from the issue was the art. Some of it was done very competently, but artist Mico Suayan lacks the skill shown by series mainstay Marco Checcetto. This deficiency shows up especially in the drawing of characters' faces when shwing strong emotion (fear, anger, etc.) and by the feeling I got that the backgrounds were flat and uninteresting in many panels.
In the end, the art got the job done, but it did not live up to the high quality of the writing.
Bottom line though, buy this book.
Captain Marvel #2
Last month I gave a somewhat luke warm review to Kelly Sue De Connick's first issue of Captain Marvel. After a month's reflection, I still feel the same way. The story, for me, was too slow, and I was put off by the art. This contrasted with the terrific writing for Captain Marvel by De Connick in the pages of Avenging Spider-Man (reviews here for issue 9 & 10), where she got the tone, pacing and character just right and I really liked the art.
So, how does Captain Marvel #2 stack up? For me, she did considerably better, though things still start out slow. Slow is not necessarily bad, in any case, but there can be a fine line between a slow burn and ponderous pacing. I felt that we tipped more into slow burn territory with the start of issue 2. By the end of the book, the story's pace has picked up considerably, and delivers some solid action, as well as promising more. The direction of the story certainly takes a left turn, as we go from gettng background and character information on Carol Danvers, to suddenly jumping into a mysterious time travelling (and possibly alternate timeline) adventure, which Captain Marvel in the middle of World War II action in what appers to be the Pacific, but one where seemingly alien craft are working with the Japanese forces.
It is a little confusing, but the reader is sharing the confusion of the character, Captain Marvel, as she tries to make sense of having be apparently ripped out of her time and place and popped into some other place by powers unknown for reasons unknown.
Because I trust the writer, I know that it will all become clearer as the story goes on, and I was both intrigued by the wild development in the story and happy with how the action unfolded in the last two-thirds of the book.
I am still not sold on the art. It has a definite aesthetic which sometimes produces some wonderful and striking panels. However, as a whole, it still feels muddy and dark to me, and I would prefer a cleaner line and a brighter pallet.
Nonetheless, I am optimistic about the book. I am still in "like" with it, and not yet in love, but it appears to me that this is a reader-writer relationship woth the time to invest in, so that is what I am doing.
Check it out.
------
As has been my custom over Rucka's run on Punisher, here are some other views on issue #14:
IGN (8.5/10) "Get ready for perhaps the most badass Punisher moment ever."
Comic Vine (Recommended) "If I had to sum up this issue in one word it would be 'heavy.' That's the perfect way to describe the overall tone and mood of the book; from the writing to the art. If you are into comics that are deep, gritty, action packed and weigh really heavy like a good episode of, say, 24 (remember that show?) then there's really no reason for you not to be reading THE PUNISHER on a consistent basis. Not only does Rucka capture Frank Castle's character perfectly in this issue, but he does it effortlessly."
More as they hit the web.
08/28/2012 update
CBR (4.5/5 stars) "'Punisher' #14 is yet another example of just how effective an editor can be to the overall cohesiveness of a monthly title. While most of the credit for this comic should rightfully be placed on the shoulders of Greg Rucka, if Steve Wacker hadn't convinced Rucka to write this book and supplied the writer with an amazing array of reliable artists with similar visual sensibilities, this title wouldn't be nearly as compelling."
Weekly Comic Book Review (A-) "A really, really fantastic read that manages to pull the reader in and get him/her truly involved. Issues like this only make me more upset about this series’ cancellation due to poor sales. Seriously, what’s wrong with you people?"
I appreciate this kind of writing and that is why I buy these comic books. I picked them up last night from my local shop (please go out and support your's wherever it is), Beyond Comics.
Both were good this month.
Punisher #14
Greg Rucka is winding up his run on Punisher. With only three more issues to go, including issue 14, he is wrapping up his story of the Punisher against The Exchange. The Exchange was a new type of organized super-crimial group for the Marvel Universe. The focus was staying under the radar and organizing along corporate lines. It was the internet startup of criminal groups, peeling off talent from AIM, Hydra, even SHIELD. However, it got sloppy as it got successful, and some of its more freewheeling employees ended up having a gunfight with a rival organization in the middle of a marine sergeant's wedding. Sergeant Rachel Cole-Alves survives the massacre, but her new husband, her friends, and her family, do not.
Her quest for vengeance, mirroring the origin of The Punisher, brings her into alignment with The Punisher, Frank Castle. For issue after issue, Castle has be methodically hunting down leads and leaving a trail of bodies to get to the heart of The Exchange. Cole-Alves started to do the same, and now they are working together.
Last issue, they pulled a caper that gave them a key to try to set up to get to the very top of the Exchange. This issue, they put that plan into effect.
The issue is very satisfying. It shows Castle and Cole-Alves working effectively as a military team, executing a daring and highly lethal plan that builds on everything they have been doing to date. It is exciting, and, as with every issue in this run, I had not had my fill when it was done. I wanted more and was disappointed only in the realization that I had to wait another month, and that I was only going to get two more like this.
Yes, there is also the 5 issue mini-series to cap off the run (Punisher War Zone), which I am happy is coming, but the fact that the series is going to be over is very disappointing.
The only other thing that I found disappointing from the issue was the art. Some of it was done very competently, but artist Mico Suayan lacks the skill shown by series mainstay Marco Checcetto. This deficiency shows up especially in the drawing of characters' faces when shwing strong emotion (fear, anger, etc.) and by the feeling I got that the backgrounds were flat and uninteresting in many panels.
In the end, the art got the job done, but it did not live up to the high quality of the writing.
Bottom line though, buy this book.
Captain Marvel #2
Last month I gave a somewhat luke warm review to Kelly Sue De Connick's first issue of Captain Marvel. After a month's reflection, I still feel the same way. The story, for me, was too slow, and I was put off by the art. This contrasted with the terrific writing for Captain Marvel by De Connick in the pages of Avenging Spider-Man (reviews here for issue 9 & 10), where she got the tone, pacing and character just right and I really liked the art.
So, how does Captain Marvel #2 stack up? For me, she did considerably better, though things still start out slow. Slow is not necessarily bad, in any case, but there can be a fine line between a slow burn and ponderous pacing. I felt that we tipped more into slow burn territory with the start of issue 2. By the end of the book, the story's pace has picked up considerably, and delivers some solid action, as well as promising more. The direction of the story certainly takes a left turn, as we go from gettng background and character information on Carol Danvers, to suddenly jumping into a mysterious time travelling (and possibly alternate timeline) adventure, which Captain Marvel in the middle of World War II action in what appers to be the Pacific, but one where seemingly alien craft are working with the Japanese forces.
It is a little confusing, but the reader is sharing the confusion of the character, Captain Marvel, as she tries to make sense of having be apparently ripped out of her time and place and popped into some other place by powers unknown for reasons unknown.
Because I trust the writer, I know that it will all become clearer as the story goes on, and I was both intrigued by the wild development in the story and happy with how the action unfolded in the last two-thirds of the book.
I am still not sold on the art. It has a definite aesthetic which sometimes produces some wonderful and striking panels. However, as a whole, it still feels muddy and dark to me, and I would prefer a cleaner line and a brighter pallet.
Nonetheless, I am optimistic about the book. I am still in "like" with it, and not yet in love, but it appears to me that this is a reader-writer relationship woth the time to invest in, so that is what I am doing.
Check it out.
------
As has been my custom over Rucka's run on Punisher, here are some other views on issue #14:
IGN (8.5/10) "Get ready for perhaps the most badass Punisher moment ever."
Comic Vine (Recommended) "If I had to sum up this issue in one word it would be 'heavy.' That's the perfect way to describe the overall tone and mood of the book; from the writing to the art. If you are into comics that are deep, gritty, action packed and weigh really heavy like a good episode of, say, 24 (remember that show?) then there's really no reason for you not to be reading THE PUNISHER on a consistent basis. Not only does Rucka capture Frank Castle's character perfectly in this issue, but he does it effortlessly."
More as they hit the web.
08/28/2012 update
CBR (4.5/5 stars) "'Punisher' #14 is yet another example of just how effective an editor can be to the overall cohesiveness of a monthly title. While most of the credit for this comic should rightfully be placed on the shoulders of Greg Rucka, if Steve Wacker hadn't convinced Rucka to write this book and supplied the writer with an amazing array of reliable artists with similar visual sensibilities, this title wouldn't be nearly as compelling."
Weekly Comic Book Review (A-) "A really, really fantastic read that manages to pull the reader in and get him/her truly involved. Issues like this only make me more upset about this series’ cancellation due to poor sales. Seriously, what’s wrong with you people?"
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
First August Reviews: Avenging Spider-Man #10 and Hawkeye #1
This month is starting off with me getting comics on the day they come out. Good for me, less so for my wallet, but whatever. Thanks to Beyond Comics, for being there when I want to spend my dough!
This week's comics are brought to you (seperately) by the Husband and Wife writing team of Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction. That is a lot of writing talent under one roof! This month opens with two great books from them, one each respectively.
First I'll take a look at the conclusion of Kelly Sue DeConnick's story started in Avenging Spider-Man #9 and conveniently concluded in Avenging Spider-Man #10, then I'll talk about Matt Fraction's Hawkeye #1.
Avenging Spider-Man #10
More Fun! More please!
Last month I loved Avenging Spider-Man #9, with guest star Captain Marvel, and the love continues this month. DeConnick does a terrific job with both heroes, doing terrific justice to both characters. She plays them smart, funny and always heroic. Last month I gave only middling reviews to the actual debute of DeConnick on Captain Marvel #1, but I will definitely stick with the series because she can write and write Captain Marvel especially well. Even though I felt Captain Marvel #1 was too low key for my tastes, Avenging Spider-Man #10 shows what DeConnick can and will do with Captain Marvel, and it is a lot of fun.
Spidey also is done justice in this book. DeConnick plays him pitch perfect, and he proves a good foil to Marvel.
I won't spoiler the story, just say that the police, rent-a-cops in Iron Man cast offs, corporate and ex-corporate folks as well as the hero/villain introduced last issue, Robyn Hood (with a "Y" for Freedom) (yeah, she's kinda crazy) all play their parts well and provide a satisfying set of personalities to aid, inhibit and befuddle our heroes. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it.
Also, I have to credit the artists on the book again, it looked great!
I look forward to more from DeConnick with her blend of light comic touch over serious political and character issues. Captain Marvel is a keeper, and she can write my Spider-Man anytime.
Hawkeye #1
Bullseye!
This is a new title (ahead of the universe bending Marvel Now! new titles), which explores the "off duty" life of Clint Barton, Hawkeye. The first issue is a very good start.
I read an article where writer Matt Fraction described Clint Barton as the "Jim Rockford" of the Avengers. I was intrigued by that take on the character, and I think Fraction has made it work in spades. Of course, I think he has done more than just make Barton into the scrappy, never say die, never give up (on a client or other things) PI type, he has also gotten the interplay of dark and light in Barton's personality tuned just right. Fraction has done this hat trick before with Tony Stark on Invincible Iron Man; Danny Rand on the Immortal Iron Fist, and with the cast of characters in the current run of Defenders. He knows all about getting to the person behind the mask.
Barton can be a real jerk (much moreso that we ever saw from Jim Rockford). When he acts that way to his fellow heroes or the average guy on the street (which he can do), you cringe (good example of this for the character was Avenging Spider-Man #4 (written not by Fraction, but by Zeb Wells). Hawkeye was a criminal for part of his career, and part of what led him there was that he can have a very BAD ATTITUDE.
Of course, when he channels that attitude against guys who are even bigger jerks than him, then we are very happy. No cringing, pure applause. Of course, if that was all there was to Clint Barton, he would not be the hero that he is. Even though he can default down to a jerk, he can and does work hard to rise above his limitations. Often these are his physical limitations, because he is "just a guy." He is on a team with gods, robots, geniuses, and monsters. He is just a guy. With some sticks. So, he makes himself a hero by running into situations that no sane person would ever approach.
But more importantly, and Fraction totally sells this in the first issue, Barton knows how to exert himself to rise above being a jerk. He can make bad choices, but when the chips are down and it really counts, he makes the right decisions, the hard decisions, the personally costly decisions, and he backs them up with every ounce of skill and determination at his disposal. This was well captured about the character in Jen Van Meter's limited series, Avengers Solo, starring Hawkeye. Fraction doubles down on the premise. As much of a flawed jerk that Barton can be, he is, in the end, a "do the right thing" guy, and the extremes that he is willing to go to in order to make the right thing happen define his heroism.
The plot of the book almost doesn't matter, because the character stuff is so rich, but basically Fraction sets the scene for Barton as a resident of New York and what he can and will do when he is not leading the Secret Avengers or standing beside Thor, Captain America and Iron Man in some cosmic showdown like AvX. He solves smaller problems, for people and dogs, in his neighborhood, and I'd say it probably is one of the best first issues I have read since Punisher #1 by Greg Rucka.
The art is perfect. It's like Barton's neighborhood, a little rough, but with a classy heart. It totally fit the writing and I look forward to much more from this team.
Good stuff.
This week's comics are brought to you (seperately) by the Husband and Wife writing team of Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction. That is a lot of writing talent under one roof! This month opens with two great books from them, one each respectively.
First I'll take a look at the conclusion of Kelly Sue DeConnick's story started in Avenging Spider-Man #9 and conveniently concluded in Avenging Spider-Man #10, then I'll talk about Matt Fraction's Hawkeye #1.
Avenging Spider-Man #10
More Fun! More please!
Last month I loved Avenging Spider-Man #9, with guest star Captain Marvel, and the love continues this month. DeConnick does a terrific job with both heroes, doing terrific justice to both characters. She plays them smart, funny and always heroic. Last month I gave only middling reviews to the actual debute of DeConnick on Captain Marvel #1, but I will definitely stick with the series because she can write and write Captain Marvel especially well. Even though I felt Captain Marvel #1 was too low key for my tastes, Avenging Spider-Man #10 shows what DeConnick can and will do with Captain Marvel, and it is a lot of fun.
Spidey also is done justice in this book. DeConnick plays him pitch perfect, and he proves a good foil to Marvel.
I won't spoiler the story, just say that the police, rent-a-cops in Iron Man cast offs, corporate and ex-corporate folks as well as the hero/villain introduced last issue, Robyn Hood (with a "Y" for Freedom) (yeah, she's kinda crazy) all play their parts well and provide a satisfying set of personalities to aid, inhibit and befuddle our heroes. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it.
Also, I have to credit the artists on the book again, it looked great!
I look forward to more from DeConnick with her blend of light comic touch over serious political and character issues. Captain Marvel is a keeper, and she can write my Spider-Man anytime.
Hawkeye #1
Bullseye!
This is a new title (ahead of the universe bending Marvel Now! new titles), which explores the "off duty" life of Clint Barton, Hawkeye. The first issue is a very good start.
I read an article where writer Matt Fraction described Clint Barton as the "Jim Rockford" of the Avengers. I was intrigued by that take on the character, and I think Fraction has made it work in spades. Of course, I think he has done more than just make Barton into the scrappy, never say die, never give up (on a client or other things) PI type, he has also gotten the interplay of dark and light in Barton's personality tuned just right. Fraction has done this hat trick before with Tony Stark on Invincible Iron Man; Danny Rand on the Immortal Iron Fist, and with the cast of characters in the current run of Defenders. He knows all about getting to the person behind the mask.
Barton can be a real jerk (much moreso that we ever saw from Jim Rockford). When he acts that way to his fellow heroes or the average guy on the street (which he can do), you cringe (good example of this for the character was Avenging Spider-Man #4 (written not by Fraction, but by Zeb Wells). Hawkeye was a criminal for part of his career, and part of what led him there was that he can have a very BAD ATTITUDE.
Of course, when he channels that attitude against guys who are even bigger jerks than him, then we are very happy. No cringing, pure applause. Of course, if that was all there was to Clint Barton, he would not be the hero that he is. Even though he can default down to a jerk, he can and does work hard to rise above his limitations. Often these are his physical limitations, because he is "just a guy." He is on a team with gods, robots, geniuses, and monsters. He is just a guy. With some sticks. So, he makes himself a hero by running into situations that no sane person would ever approach.
But more importantly, and Fraction totally sells this in the first issue, Barton knows how to exert himself to rise above being a jerk. He can make bad choices, but when the chips are down and it really counts, he makes the right decisions, the hard decisions, the personally costly decisions, and he backs them up with every ounce of skill and determination at his disposal. This was well captured about the character in Jen Van Meter's limited series, Avengers Solo, starring Hawkeye. Fraction doubles down on the premise. As much of a flawed jerk that Barton can be, he is, in the end, a "do the right thing" guy, and the extremes that he is willing to go to in order to make the right thing happen define his heroism.
The plot of the book almost doesn't matter, because the character stuff is so rich, but basically Fraction sets the scene for Barton as a resident of New York and what he can and will do when he is not leading the Secret Avengers or standing beside Thor, Captain America and Iron Man in some cosmic showdown like AvX. He solves smaller problems, for people and dogs, in his neighborhood, and I'd say it probably is one of the best first issues I have read since Punisher #1 by Greg Rucka.
The art is perfect. It's like Barton's neighborhood, a little rough, but with a classy heart. It totally fit the writing and I look forward to much more from this team.
Good stuff.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Views and reviews: Captain Marvel #1, Avenging Spider-Man #9 & Punisher #13
So, I am behind on many things, largely due to the wirlwind which was my children's swim team season. It was another season of fun and a lot of early mornings (less fun). But now, I need to do some catching up. I have expanded my regular consumption of comic books from one to a startling TWO. Not only am I subscribed at my local store (the wonderful Beyond Comics) to Greg Rucka's The Punisher (sadly to end at issue 16 and then be followed by a five issue mini-series, and then the character passes to another writer, reportedly in a team book (see Punisher Central where I first saw this story)), but also to Kelly Sue DeConnick's Captain Marvel. As a bonus (except to my budget), Captain Marvel also guest starred in Avenging Spider-Man #9, giving me three comics to behind on writing about.
So, without further meanderings, here's what I thought about these comics.
Captain Marvel #1
Good, but not yet great.
I am happy and excitited about this comic. Issue #1, based on my level of excitement, was a bit of a let down. I still enjoyed the comic, but I wish different choices had been made editorially and in the writing. DeConnick is a very talented writer, and the editor Steve Wacker is a very smart editor. Somehow, their efforts on this launch fell a little flat. The story was a real "back to foundations" kind of story. What makes Carol Danvers, currently Ms. Marvel debuing a new uniform, tick? (PS I in the "I love the new uniform" camp). She is a pilot at heart, and her heroes are female pioneers of flight. We get a bit about her growing up, her idols, meeting the female pilot who most inspired her, things like that. This is all good deep background. However, it wasn't very exciting.
Other things were a bit by the numbers as well. The comic is called "Captain Marvel." Carol is conflicted about whether the take the name, Captain America talks her through it. She flies into space. She decides to take the name. Okay, but we kind of knew that was going to happen because it is on the cover.
The other things that sort of bothered me was the by the numbers fight between the Absorbing Man and then Ms. Marvel and Captain America. Absorbing Man stands in the place of the sexist stooge, as well as the big dumb villain. I realize that Carol is, and is meant to be, a female empowering icon. An intrinsic femanist. I am totally on board with that. However, having Absorbing Man speak like he just stepped out of Mad Men instead of existing in the 21st Century just did not wow me. We don't have so much of a problem with big palooka's calling women "broads" anymore. Sure it exists, but the challenges to advancing women and girls political and social interests are much more subtle and poisonous today as I see it, and I am hoping for more depth in this book in future.
Finally, I have to comment on the art. Much of it is beautiful and eye popping (I love Captain Marvel releasing ashes into space). However, much of it is also muddy, unclear and hard to look at. On balance, I am not a fan of artist Dexter Soy as he is creating now. Maybe I am just too much of a traditionalist, but I love a clean line and sharp colors with a realistic style as my default "like." For me, the art often distracted from my enjoyment of the comic.
So, on balance, I have hope for the title, but I was not wowed by the issue. And I wanted to be. I wanted Captain Marvel to fly out of the pages and punch my brain so I saw stars. I'll be hoping for that from issue 2.
Avenging Spider-Man #9
Pure Fun
I have read a few issues of Avenging Spider-Man, and it has been a consistently fun title, with Spider-Man teaming up with a fellow Avenger for one or two issues.
This month, Spidey teams up with Carol Danvers, who at this point in continuity had taken on the mantle of Captain Marvel. The story is set somewhat after the initial Captain Marvel arc started in Captain Marvel #1. And this is the silver lining for Captain Marvel #1 for me. Kelly Sue DeConnick writes this issue, and it is pure fun. This and more of it is what I want to see in the main Captain Marvel title, and I know DeConnick can deliver. Here, Captain Marvel is determined, sassy, brave, resourceful and self-assured.
The premise is that Carol Danvers, proud new owner of a prop engine plane, offers to fly Peter Parker to Boston. There is a bit of "road trip" bonding in an awkward and funny way, and then stuff starts happening that requires costumes, superpowers and some punching. Good stuff.
I don't want to provide any spoilers, just to say that DeConnick deftly tosses her two heroes into a superpowered conflict between a little Occupy Wall Street anarchy and big bank big corporate interests mercenaries. The tone is great, the twists are fun, and this time Deconnick gets to deal with the more subtle side of 21st Century inequality, involving sexism and economic disparity. The text is light, the sub-text is serious, and the tone is pitch-perfect. I was really happy to read this story.
And I was really mad (in a good way) that it is a two parter. I will have to wait until next month to see how Spidey and Captain Marvel diffuse (or punch their way out) of the situation.
Also, the book was an example of the kind of art that does not get in the way of the story and really enhances the experience of the reader. Artists Terry and Rachel Dodson did a fantastic job with all the characters and set pieces. I wish they were drawing Captain Marvel in many ways, though their clean bright art might not have captured parts of the story in Captain Marvel #1 that DeConnick was telling.
The comic book restored my faith, and I really liked it.
Punisher #13
Terrific! Buy it!
So, when I first read this title, I was not aware that it was one of the last 4 issues in The Punisher regular series. This issue is certainly an argument against cancelling the title. However, I guess the sales numbers tell a different story, which it a great shame.
Here we see the Punisher and his ally Rachel Cole-Alves working on a operation together. The operation is self-contained, but clearly part of a much bigger plan that the Punisher has to take down the Exchange. This is not a smash and grab operation, but instead an infiltration with the Punisher and Cole-Alves posing as high powered criminals to attend the auction of high tech contraband. It is clear that they have a plan (and probably multiple back up plans) to acheive their objectives. The heist is all around fun and excitement, and it definitely leaves you wanting more and wondering just what the Punisher is planning to do with the item they acquire.
This issue was not drawn my Marco Checchetto and he was missed, but in general I thought the art by Mico Suayan was solid, though no one works this comic like Checchetto does.
It is a great issue, and I am very sad to know that only three regular issues remain in the series.
Here, as per usual, is what others have to say about this month's Punisher.
Punisher Central (A-) "The story is incredibly entertaining. From Frank and Rachel becoming imposters in formal wear to Frank allowing himself to be captured and interrogated to allow Rachel to rig the yacht to explode, there’s lots to have fun with."
IGN (8/10) "Rucka delivers yet another worthwhile standalone issue this month. Punisher #13 is both an enjoyable heist adventure in its own right, but also an issue that builds towards a larger conflict and opens new questions about Frank's war against the Exchange."
Outer Realm Comics (4/5 stars) "In Punisher #13, Rucka and co. take a detour into espionage territory . . ."
The Complete Marvel Reading Order " It’s pretty standard spy stuff, but it’s an enjoyable read and it does a fine job of furthering the character arcs."
Trinity Comics "Greg Rucka is one of those writers that always does amazing stuff but never gets the credit he deserves . . . If you have always been interested in Punisher then you need to start reading now!"
iFanboy (Story: 4-Very Good, Art: 3-Good) "This story reads like a heist. Several twists and turns and we get some pretty cool action scenes."
Splinter's reviews "All in all, #13 is a decent comic, and an acceptable chapter in the ongoing Rucka "Punisher" narrative. It does little to elevate the story so far, which has seen much more accomplished moments than the ones provided here. Hopefully, by the time they are finished with the character, Rucka and Chechetto will leave behind a complete story, that is none the worse for inclusion of outside superhero elements."
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Some Comics are Good
At my old blog, I once did a short post on trying to get back into reading comics, that was titled something like "Some Comics are Bad." Brilliant, I know. Not sure why Pulitzer hasn't called yet.
Still, the issue was that, with the totally unscientific sample of books I had been able to grab off the shelf of my local library, I found precious little from either DC or Marvel, that was worth the time it took to read. Thus, I largely pulled back in and read only what I could get of work by my friends Greg Rucka and Jen Van Meter. This kept me largely away from Marvel and often put me in the Indie Comics world with stories that I really enjoyed. Based on that limited view, I knew that comics could be very good, but I doubted much could be found, particularly at Marvel.
Why so down on Marvel? Well, even though there are a ton of characters that I love from Marvel, I often find the universe and the editorial management of it pretty awful. I could cite a lot of things, but the crazy, messed up storyline that resulted in eliminating Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane really exemplified the kinds of style without substance that I perceived working at Marvel. Trying to read Civil War in trades (again, yay library) also reinfoced that. Here we had a mega event, with tons of talented people working at it, and yet I found the storyline just bad (my opinion, doesn't have to be anybody elses, but I'll say again, it was BAD). What stuck with me was the event was extremely plot driven and the organic development of or reactions by the characters were subordinated to the plot. For me, that is never good. The characters in many cases came off as cardboard pieces on a big game board, rather than interesting and complex individuals. Since Marvel was doing one of these plot driven monsters pretty often, it just seemed like, even where you had a solid creator behind a title, it was likely going to be hijacked and the characters would start doing really stupid out of character things to advance the plot.
So, I stayed away, read my Rucka and Van Meter stuff, and dove into the past getting trades of the old Question, Justice League International, and Walt Simonson's run on Thor.
Two things made me reconsider. One, Greg started writing The Punisher. Now, while The Punisher has been a long established and somewhat interesting character from time to time in Marvel, mostly I considered him kind of a bad joke. Hey, let's have a superhero whose power is, wait for it, GUNS! In general, not my thing, and not, I would have thought, Greg's thing.
Ah, but the power of a good editor and a writer given a chance to write a character (a bunch actually), that, I had not counted on. Now, I just have to say, thank you Stephen Wacker, I think you are the best! Suddenly I was pulled into the Marvel Universe by a character I had scant given consideration to. Great writing and great editorial changed my mind. Still, I was not that interested in going deeper in.
Then, Margaret Weis Productions new Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game came out, and it is really fun. It set me on a path back to exploring Marvel, and suddenly, I found out that, despite all the things wrong with Marvel (and I still maintain they are many), there are some really terrific writers who have written some fantastic books in the last 10 to 15 years. So, while you know I am totally biased towards Greg Rucka, here are some other writers I am really happy to know.
Ed Brubaker (Secret Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Winter Soldier) I know, you all are saying "duh!" He wrote Gotham Central with Rucka, and that was amazing. How hard was it to find him? Well, I have to admit the heresy of not liking Criminal very much and while I enjoyed his reunion with Rucka on an arc of Daredevil, I was just kind of avoiding Marvel comics in general. But dang, Secret Avengers! Those totally rock. The other stuff then follows and there is no doubt he is a terrific writer. I have been reading what I can get my hands on (on a limited budget).
Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente (Incredible Hercules, Prince of Power, Chaos War) OMG! Hercules was this B-list character, a foil for Thor. Not ANY MORE! These guys reinvented Hercules and gave us Amadeus Cho. The world will never be the same.
Mark Waid (Daredevil [and a million other things I am going to discover]) Mr. Waid is poised to win a number of Eisners, and despite my rabid Ruck bias (who was not even nominated darn it), I have to say he is really deserving. The current run of Daredevil is astounding. And, he handles both sides of the character right. A lot of writers really don't understand what Matt Murdock does as a lawyer. However, that is a really important part of the character. Waid gives a lot of time to it, and he does it right. I am really, really impressed. I know he is a long time player in the comic book world, and I am looking for more stuff to read, especially some Fantastic Four stuff, becuase I hear that is great.
Brian Michael Bendis (New Avengers, Moon Knight, and like a gazillion other things) Okay, I know, "DUH!!" Clearly, he has changed a great deal about Marvel. Mostly for the good. Now, I have to qualify my love for Bendis. He does some great character work, and I think nobody does Spider-Man like him. He also did some really intersting things with Moon Knight and I am sorry they have cancelled the title. However, he does have a terrible habit of having characters go on, and on, and on, in rambling di/monologue. You can get used to it, but sometimes he has a story really humming along and you hit a page that is just a person talking, talking, talking, for like six, eight panels, all down the page, and it is like hitting a traffic jam. Still, he writes good characters and gets to do things no one else has done at Marvel.
Jeff Parker (Agents of Atlas, Gorilla Man) Okay, another OMG moment. I love Agents of Atlas. I can't say that Marvel didn't try to make them work. Maybe they didn't do it the right way, maybe some other plan would have made the first or second ongoing survive. It's hard to know. All I can say is, thank you for the time we had with Atlas, because it was really good. Now I have to seach out other stuff Parker has done.
Paul Cornell (Young Avengers, Captain Britain & M.I. 13) Captain Britain & M.I. 13 was another series that did not last, but the writing, for me, was top notch. I didn't love every element of the first arc of Young Avengers, but in general it was good. Must see what else Cornell is doing for Marvel.
Matt Fraction (Defenders, and lots of other stuff) Just "discovered" Fraction's Defender stuff. It is gonzo fun. Hope to read more by him.
Honorable metion: Joss Whedon (Astonishing X-Men) Yeah, super-"DUH!" Don't have to look for his comic work though. Whedon had a very solid run on Astonishing X-Men. He really hit great character notes. Some of the plot stuff did not wow me, but he inherited a lot of it. I more appreciated that he really understood the characters and even in plots I disdained, I enjoyed the characters, because he understood how they would act and react. Now, he is (hopefully) going to be making many insanely popular bockbuster movies, and punctuating that with little side projects, and he probably won't write comics for a long time if ever again.
On the horizon: Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel (2012)) I have not read a word by her in comics yet, but she is pioneering the latest effort to get a female flagship hero into the stable of Marvel Comics. I want that to happen, and so, how can I not start buying. Captain Marvel is slated for release in July 2012 and I have my preorder in at my local comic book shop (Beyond Comics, yay!).
So, that is my growing list of authors for whom I will search. Marvel, I have a love hate relationship with a lot that you do, but you have employed some terrific writers, and I am going to do better about finding and following them.
Still, the issue was that, with the totally unscientific sample of books I had been able to grab off the shelf of my local library, I found precious little from either DC or Marvel, that was worth the time it took to read. Thus, I largely pulled back in and read only what I could get of work by my friends Greg Rucka and Jen Van Meter. This kept me largely away from Marvel and often put me in the Indie Comics world with stories that I really enjoyed. Based on that limited view, I knew that comics could be very good, but I doubted much could be found, particularly at Marvel.
Why so down on Marvel? Well, even though there are a ton of characters that I love from Marvel, I often find the universe and the editorial management of it pretty awful. I could cite a lot of things, but the crazy, messed up storyline that resulted in eliminating Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane really exemplified the kinds of style without substance that I perceived working at Marvel. Trying to read Civil War in trades (again, yay library) also reinfoced that. Here we had a mega event, with tons of talented people working at it, and yet I found the storyline just bad (my opinion, doesn't have to be anybody elses, but I'll say again, it was BAD). What stuck with me was the event was extremely plot driven and the organic development of or reactions by the characters were subordinated to the plot. For me, that is never good. The characters in many cases came off as cardboard pieces on a big game board, rather than interesting and complex individuals. Since Marvel was doing one of these plot driven monsters pretty often, it just seemed like, even where you had a solid creator behind a title, it was likely going to be hijacked and the characters would start doing really stupid out of character things to advance the plot.
So, I stayed away, read my Rucka and Van Meter stuff, and dove into the past getting trades of the old Question, Justice League International, and Walt Simonson's run on Thor.
Two things made me reconsider. One, Greg started writing The Punisher. Now, while The Punisher has been a long established and somewhat interesting character from time to time in Marvel, mostly I considered him kind of a bad joke. Hey, let's have a superhero whose power is, wait for it, GUNS! In general, not my thing, and not, I would have thought, Greg's thing.
Ah, but the power of a good editor and a writer given a chance to write a character (a bunch actually), that, I had not counted on. Now, I just have to say, thank you Stephen Wacker, I think you are the best! Suddenly I was pulled into the Marvel Universe by a character I had scant given consideration to. Great writing and great editorial changed my mind. Still, I was not that interested in going deeper in.
Then, Margaret Weis Productions new Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game came out, and it is really fun. It set me on a path back to exploring Marvel, and suddenly, I found out that, despite all the things wrong with Marvel (and I still maintain they are many), there are some really terrific writers who have written some fantastic books in the last 10 to 15 years. So, while you know I am totally biased towards Greg Rucka, here are some other writers I am really happy to know.
Ed Brubaker (Secret Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Winter Soldier) I know, you all are saying "duh!" He wrote Gotham Central with Rucka, and that was amazing. How hard was it to find him? Well, I have to admit the heresy of not liking Criminal very much and while I enjoyed his reunion with Rucka on an arc of Daredevil, I was just kind of avoiding Marvel comics in general. But dang, Secret Avengers! Those totally rock. The other stuff then follows and there is no doubt he is a terrific writer. I have been reading what I can get my hands on (on a limited budget).
Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente (Incredible Hercules, Prince of Power, Chaos War) OMG! Hercules was this B-list character, a foil for Thor. Not ANY MORE! These guys reinvented Hercules and gave us Amadeus Cho. The world will never be the same.
Mark Waid (Daredevil [and a million other things I am going to discover]) Mr. Waid is poised to win a number of Eisners, and despite my rabid Ruck bias (who was not even nominated darn it), I have to say he is really deserving. The current run of Daredevil is astounding. And, he handles both sides of the character right. A lot of writers really don't understand what Matt Murdock does as a lawyer. However, that is a really important part of the character. Waid gives a lot of time to it, and he does it right. I am really, really impressed. I know he is a long time player in the comic book world, and I am looking for more stuff to read, especially some Fantastic Four stuff, becuase I hear that is great.
Brian Michael Bendis (New Avengers, Moon Knight, and like a gazillion other things) Okay, I know, "DUH!!" Clearly, he has changed a great deal about Marvel. Mostly for the good. Now, I have to qualify my love for Bendis. He does some great character work, and I think nobody does Spider-Man like him. He also did some really intersting things with Moon Knight and I am sorry they have cancelled the title. However, he does have a terrible habit of having characters go on, and on, and on, in rambling di/monologue. You can get used to it, but sometimes he has a story really humming along and you hit a page that is just a person talking, talking, talking, for like six, eight panels, all down the page, and it is like hitting a traffic jam. Still, he writes good characters and gets to do things no one else has done at Marvel.
Jeff Parker (Agents of Atlas, Gorilla Man) Okay, another OMG moment. I love Agents of Atlas. I can't say that Marvel didn't try to make them work. Maybe they didn't do it the right way, maybe some other plan would have made the first or second ongoing survive. It's hard to know. All I can say is, thank you for the time we had with Atlas, because it was really good. Now I have to seach out other stuff Parker has done.
Paul Cornell (Young Avengers, Captain Britain & M.I. 13) Captain Britain & M.I. 13 was another series that did not last, but the writing, for me, was top notch. I didn't love every element of the first arc of Young Avengers, but in general it was good. Must see what else Cornell is doing for Marvel.
Matt Fraction (Defenders, and lots of other stuff) Just "discovered" Fraction's Defender stuff. It is gonzo fun. Hope to read more by him.
Honorable metion: Joss Whedon (Astonishing X-Men) Yeah, super-"DUH!" Don't have to look for his comic work though. Whedon had a very solid run on Astonishing X-Men. He really hit great character notes. Some of the plot stuff did not wow me, but he inherited a lot of it. I more appreciated that he really understood the characters and even in plots I disdained, I enjoyed the characters, because he understood how they would act and react. Now, he is (hopefully) going to be making many insanely popular bockbuster movies, and punctuating that with little side projects, and he probably won't write comics for a long time if ever again.
On the horizon: Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel (2012)) I have not read a word by her in comics yet, but she is pioneering the latest effort to get a female flagship hero into the stable of Marvel Comics. I want that to happen, and so, how can I not start buying. Captain Marvel is slated for release in July 2012 and I have my preorder in at my local comic book shop (Beyond Comics, yay!).
So, that is my growing list of authors for whom I will search. Marvel, I have a love hate relationship with a lot that you do, but you have employed some terrific writers, and I am going to do better about finding and following them.
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