Short Notes: New-ish Comics

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.

Short Notes: BJ Shea's Geek Nation

This summer has been insanely busy.  The 13th Age game has been on unintended hiatus as no-one has been able to synchronize their schedules.

So, in the meantime, let me recommend to you the fantastic podcast BJ Shea's Geek Nation.  I ran across this program first for their 13th Age actual play broadcasts.  I had not planned to become a regular listener, but I gave some of the regular shows a try, and I was hooked.  The general show runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Tuesday they focus on Magic: The Gathering, and on Thursdays they have "Special Ops," which focuses on special topics that writers Brandon Jerwa and Mark Rahner choose and discuss. 

I find all the regulars on the show to be interesting, funny and to bring a diversity of perspectives which alert me to interesting topics, new trends and new media to check out (books, comics, film, games, etc.).

The interplay of the cast is lively and fun, often tinged with the kind of joking, puns, "friendly" put-downs, and movie and book quoting that characterized the time I spent with friends in my formative years growing up geeky.  Listening to one of the shows puts me back in a room among people who speak my language fluently.

I recommend the podcast very much.

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."

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."

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?"

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.

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."

Punisher Issue 12, comments and reviews

So, back on Wednesday, June 20, Greg Rucka's twelf issue of The Punisher came out.  Summer has gotten very busy, so I was late to the store (again my local place, Beyond Comics) to buy it, and I am late for my commentary and aggregation of other reviews.

So sue me.

*******************************Some Spoilers to Follow****************************

I liked issue 12 a lot.  The art was top notch, and once again we got to see the range of characters featured in the book all following their agendas and pushing forward on this story arc dealing with the criminal organization known as The Exchange.  The story's focus is on Marine Sargeant Rachel Cole-Alves again, and I have to say I thought the story was going to zig when it zagged.  My reading of things at the end of the Omega Effect was that Daredevil had perhaps talked her off the path of vengence and that Frank was not going to go looking for her unless she wanted to be found.

Well, no, totally misread that.  Rachel is planning more against the Exchange, perhaps even (reading between the lines) going down in a final blaze of glory before the cops can catch up to her.  This is not what Frank wants, not because he wants to save her, it is because his own plans require more planning and finer execution.

So, he manages to track her down and he gives her a choice, either you are all in, dead to the world all except the mission, like him, or you get out and try to tell yourself you can go on. 

The issue was low key, but intense, and sets us up for the roller coaster ride to plunge off the brink once again. 

I look forward to more.

But don't just take my word for it.  Here are some other views:

CBR (5/5 stars) "The Punisher" #12 is the first book I would hand to anyone who asked me why I like Greg Rucka's writing so much. While this is a very solid twelve issues into Rucka's work on the series, this comic is a shining example of a great shared universe adventure and everyone in the Punisher's sphere of influence gets some panel time."

Spinter's Reviews  "Greg Rucka and Marco Chechetto's leisurely paced relaunched "Punisher" series continues in much the same vein, . . .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."

Talking Comics "Greg Rucka’s run of The Punisher has been a must-buy since the beginning and issue #12 keeps that trend moving along nicely. From a visual or narrative standpoint you really can’t lose here. Checchetto’s artwork and Hollingsworth colors are a treat for the eyes and Rucka’s dialogue, especially his work with Frank this issue, is fantastic. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up. You won’t be sorry."

Punisher Central (A+) "There are two components to this issue that really drew me in. First was the artwork. From the cover to the last panel on the last page, Marco Checchetto’s work is second to none. Second is the leading up to the confrontation between Frank Castle and Rachel Cole-Alves. This meeting lives up to the hype and it leads to a very satisfying conclusion."

Sequnetial Review (8.5/10) "These bullets have backbone."

The Mamals "Rucka's take on the Punisher continues to fascinate me and just might be my favorite part of this comic book. I think this might be my favorite issue of the series so far because of the conversation between Castle and Cole-Alves."

Thor's Comic Column (4/5 stars)  "Rucka’s Punisher continues to do a fine job of telling crime-comic stories in a superhero universe."

IGN (8.5/10) "Throughout Greg Rucka’s run on The Punisher, Frank Castle has said, at best, 7 complete sentences. In issue #12, he finally speaks his mind to Rachel Cole-Alves about, what else, the mission. Remarkably, though he speaks more in this issue than he has in the series total so far, Rucka still positions Frank as merely a driving force for the other characters. We’re not interested in what Frank is doing so much as what he’s causing other characters to do."

First Time Watcher: Marvel Heroic Role Playing Actual Play Report

This past weekend I had my first chance to run Margaret Weis Productions'  Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game as the game master (the Watcher, in MHRP parlance).  I have played RPGs off and on for over 30 years, but I had not yet run MHRP.

Some friends of ours generously host a game day at their home about three times a year.  The focus is mostly board and card games, but my son and I decided to take MHRP to see if anyone would sit down and play a brief event with us.

Fortunately, last week MWP released as bonus content, a "What if" scenario based in part on New Avengers issue 6, which happened to be one of my favorites from that era of Brian Michael Bendis' run.  The original story had to do with a batch of the New Avengers (Spider-Man, Spider Woman, Luke Cage and Wolverine) ending up having to fight The Wrecker (who is constantly reminding them that he has successfully fought Thor) and having quite a hard time of it.  The mini-event gives you the opportunity to run an encounter with The Wrecker, but also provides datafiles for the rest of the Wrecking Crew, as well as Thor, and provides some ideas on how to run an alternative scenario from how it played out in the pages of New Avengers.  Quinn Murphy wrote the action scene and Cam Banks and Dave Chalker (Dave the Game!) developed the bonus content download.  Amanda Valentine edited.  I mention all these folks, because they provided something that I was able to immediately jump brand new players into with minimal effort and prep and we all had a really good time.

Before I go into how things ran, I want to send a few more shoutouts to the professional and fan community surrounding MHRP.  I have been watching the development of the game by following Cam Banks (lead designer), Philippe Menard (The Chatty DM)  and Dave "The Game" Chalker on Twitter, and I had the good fortune to go with my son, Ian, to a launch event at Labyrinth Games in Washington, DC and sit at a table with Dave the Game as Watcher.  I have learned a lot from them.  Further, I have been really impressed and learned a lot from the fan base of MHRP.  Especially helpful have been Dr. Doom and Marvel Plot Points who through posting support materials, actual play reports and events (adventures) have really fired my imagination.

I have to give major prop supports to Plot Points, because I printed out a bunch of their unofficial hero datafiles to add to the official ones from the basic game in order to have an even broader appeal for my potential players. 

One pro-tip on printing datafiles from Plot Points: the image files will kill your printer as is.  They are beautiful and would totally work if you are using them off of a tablet (e.g. iPad), but to print out they are a challenge.  However, here is how I solved it.  I use Picassa 3 (free from Google) as my photo-editor.  I imported the datafile images into the program, and then I transformed them using Picassa's "Pencil Sketch" tool.  Just a little fiddling with the intensity of the "sketch" and I had very legible sheets that did not kill my printer FTW.

So, how about some actual play in the actual play report?  [This is what happened to the best of my recollection]

We arrived at the game day, and immediately, my son, who is 14, looked to recruit players.  He immediately had 3, our hosts' two sons (12 and 9) and the younger son's good friend (also 9).  I sat them down and they all selected heroes.  We soon had a team consisting of Captain America (my son), Mr. Fantastic, Iron Fist and Rogue (thank you Plot Points!).  I started to do my best impression of someone who knows what he is doing (thinking back to playing at Dave the Game's table) and explained how the basics of the game worked and how to read the datafiles.  Then two more boys sat down, each about 13.  We were happy to add them, and they picked Spider-Man and Iron Man.  Aside from my son, I think all the kids were pretty new to RPGs and most I did not know well, if at all.  However, we got everyone up to speed and launched into the mini-event.

In the wake of the Breakout at the Raft, heroes had been assembled to try to recapture the many Super villains who were at large.  SHIELD intelligence had identified a collector of super villain and super heroic memorabilia who might have acquired dangerous technology/gear that belonged to some of the escaped villains.  Heroes were dispatched to secure the items and set up to try to apprehend any evil doers who might show up. 

Captain America had the lead.  Reed Richards was the scientific advisor, since they were unsure as to what they would encounter in this collection, Iron Man was along to provide firepower (both scientific and physical) and Spidy, Iron Fist and Rogue were there for their versatility, experience and ability to punch things hard.  They touched down in a Quinjet on the cul-du-sac near Ed Gross' McMansion.

They quickly split into three groups.  Iron Man was flying over watch, Cap, Rogue and Mr. Fantastic went to the front door, and Spidy and Iron Fist went around back.  Cap asked Mr. Fantastic to do some kind of scan to give them an idea of what to expect.  Dr. Richards quickly jury rigged something and soon had a full schematic of the house and its secure sub-basement filled with all sorts of super-tech and mystic junk.  Also, Richards could tell they some super-powered individual was already in the basement with someone else.

At this point Iron Man got bored, or at least the kid playing him did.  I felt a pang of failure as a watcher for not being able to immediately engage him and keep him interested.  However, no one gave him a bad time about deciding that this was not for him, and he went to find a more conventional game.  Later, my host told me that he actually doesn't like to play games that much, but he comes to the game days because all the other neighborhood kids come and he does not want to be left out.  So, not an epic fail, but, so long Iron Man. 

I informed the players that Iron Man had to respond to an emergency at Stark Enterprises and they were going to have to deal with things on their own.

So, then we switched to Spider-Man and Iron Fist.  They detected the intruder as well, but the old fashioned way, since someone had come in through the rear, ripped out the sliding glass door and stomped through the house and down to the sub-basement.  Spidy and Iron Fist followed the trail and soon heard some mean guy threatening a teenage girl.  The heroes immediately leapt to action.

I chose Spider-Man to act first since he seemed the most tentative of my players and I wanted to give him a moment to shine.  We talked about what he thought Spidy would do and I showed him how to form a dice pool.  He had a great role and he leaped into the room, web-shooters blazing and quickly had webbed Wrecker's face and feet!  I then explained how action order worked in MHRP and he wisely chose to let Wrecker go next, so Iron Fist could bat cleanup.

Wrecker, who can at least go a few rounds with Thor, was not going to let some web slinger do more than annoy him.  He ripped the webbing off his face and teleported away from the webs on his feet and behind Spider-Man, recently recovered magic crowbar raised to strike.  The collector's teenage daughter (being held hostage by The Wrecker) really started screaming at this point.

Into this calmly stepped the Living Weapon of K'un Lun.  I turned to the nine year old playing Iron Fist and said, "What do you want to do?"  "I think I should kick that crowbar out of his hands."

Okay.

One terrific role later, the crowbar was out of the Wrecker's hands and imbedded in the wall across the room.

Iron Fist graciously picks Spider-Man to act next.  He was not sure what he wanted to do next.  Bullpen style, we all gave him some suggestions.  Next thing he was rolling to grab the crowbar with his webbing and swing it upside Wrecker's head.  "Hey Wrecker, I think you dropped something!"

PTANNNGGGG!!!

Spidy K.O.'s the Wrecker with his own crowbar (d12 physical stress). 

Wrecker falls onto a pile of alien technology, mystic artifacts, and superhero fan magazines.  Sparks start to arc and there is a little smoke curling from behind his head.

The teenage girl continues to scream.

Back to Cap's group.  They briefly consider knocking down the door after the house foundation jumped when Wrecker hit the floor, but then they did decide to check the door, and low and behold, the collector's (Ed Goss) daughter has left the door unlocked (much like many a forgetful son and daughter I have known).

The heroes rush down to the basement, led by Mr. Fantastic’s holographic schematic and arrive to find one ex-hostage teenage daughter near hysteria, one unconscious super villain lying on top of some stuff that probably should not have been crushed together, and two very satisfied heroes (Spidy and Iron Fist).

Suddenly, Wrecker's limbs start to spasm, and before anyone can take an action, his right hand grasps the crowbar and he vanishes [yes, this was some mean old Watcher fiat, and I can explain that I had planned to have Loki (thank you Plot Points!), masquerading as the Norn Queen, manipulating things; I was going to follow the flow and decide if he would take a direct hand at all, or if he was just jerking everyone around.  At this point, he was just making mischief and putting Wrecker back into play with the rest of his Crew.

Reed Richards quickly scanned and could tell that Wrecker was being joined by three other like powered individuals and they all seemed to be approaching the parked Quinjet.

Uh oh.

In this brief transition scene, everyone besides Spider-Man decided to spend plot points to make assets based on picking up useful things from Ed Gross' collection.  Everyone made up what it was they were taking.  Cap picked up a Hydra pulse rifle.  Mr. Fantastic picked up a pocket mass canon.  Iron Fist picked up a mystic staff.  Rogue picked up an energy baton.  Then, they all raced topside, except for Cap, who took a moment to calm the distraught teenager who was sure her dad was going to kill her when he saw his collection.

Cap reassured her, and she said he was kinda hunky for an old guy.  Cap beat a hasty retreat and sprinted to join the rest of the heroes.

Spidy leapt from the front door to a lamppost and saw that the other three of the Crew (Bulldozer, Piledriver and Thunderball) had arrived in a huge dump truck.  Wrecker was back on his feet.  Thunderball, the genius, was cracking the code to get into the Quinjet.  Spider-Man acted decisively and leaped to the front of the dump truck and flipped it at Bulldozer and Piledriver.  He only rolled well enough for one effect die (and I got to add a d8 to the doom pool!) and he smashed the engine block onto Bulldozer's head, additionally exploding the gas tank and spraying burning fuel around the neighborhood (DOOM POOL, YAY).

Mr. Fantastic notified SHIELD authorities than an evacuation of the local neighborhood might be warranted.

Iron Fist got himself in position to stop anyone from escaping in the Quinjet.  He was unable to create an effect die to help him by melting into the shadows, but he still was in good position.

Bulldozer said "You are dead Spider-Man!" and attacked.

At this point, Spider-Man's player, unfortunately, was stating that he was tired (I think he spent the morning at the pool) and was thinking about going home.  I told him we would miss his participation, but if he needed to go, we would be okay. 

Bulldozer then hit Spidy so hard he went flying out of the neighborhood and into a nearby playground jungle gym.  The Bullpen decided that Spidy probably would see some folks trying to get out of the neighborhood that needed rescuing and would get caught up doing that before he could get back to the fight.

Piledriver then went after Iron Fist, saying he was going to plant that old Bruce Lee wanna-be six feet under.  Iron Fist easily evaded.

Thunderball declared that Mr. Fantastic was clearly the most serious threat given his intellectual superiority, so Thunderball put everything he had into catching him with his huge ball and chain and flinging Reed Richards out of the neighborhood.  Despite a valiant attempt to evade the attack, Reed Richards soon found himself having avoided damage, but under the complication of "hurled far away".

Rogue went after Wrecker directly, flying straight at him (gloves, literally off), grabbing his face, flying up with him, leeching his strength, and then pounding him into the ground.  How do y'all like that Sugah!

Wrecker's attack was ineffective against Rogue. 

Reed Richards halted his flight, crashed into someone's skylight, but then (again literally) began to spring back to the action.

Then, Captain America hit ALL the bad guys with his shield.  He made sure that he put two effects on Thunderball.  One was physical stress, but the other translated to mental stress.

While I could spend from the Doom Pool to activate invulnerability for Wrecker and Thunderball, I had to sacrifice and take some stress on Bulldozer and Piledriver.

Iron Fist then continued his fight with Piledriver.  Somehow, the battle took them up onto the Quinjet where Iron Fist swept Piledriver's feet out from under him and made sure that Piledriver's crotch hit the wing (hey, this was a nine year old narrating).  More physical stress to the Wrecking Crew.

Wrecker then teleported behind Captain America and laid him out with the crowbar.  Cap was down, but not out.  Rogue in turn took Wrecker down with his own stolen strength. 

Iron Fist easily leaped over Bulldozer’s charge, but could not counterattack. 

Cap caught his second wind and threw the shield to hit Bulldozer and Thunderball again.  Bulldozer went down, but Thunderball sucked a die from the Doom Pool and ignored the physical stress. 

"I'm smarter than all of you put together" declared Thunderball.  "You'll never take me down!"

Ian, playing Captain America did a facepalm and said, we have to stop hitting him and stress him out mentally!  We need Mr. Fantastic!

At which point, in sprang Reed Richards!

"Take him down with SCIENCE!" yelled Cap!

Cut to brilliant and funny nine year old playing Mr. Fantastic: I make my head really big, and I explain to him what the many probable outcomes of his continuing to fight with us.  I tell him he is going back to maximum security and tell him his intellect is nothing compared to mine!  Also I shoot him with my pocket canon.

One roll later, Thunderball collapses in a pile of overwhelmed nerves and neurons.

Cap: "You talked that guy into unconsciousness!  Way to go!"

After that, it was all cleanup.

“When do we fight Loki?” asked the kid playing Iron Fist (who had noticed the sheet in front of me). 

“Not right now,” I had to say.  We needed to break and everyone wanted to try some other games.

There was a lot of interest in doing some more, but we did not have time then.  But, I would totally sit down with those kids again, probably in one or two action scene and one transition scenes at a time.  My core group of 4 totally understood the game and really got into it.  They were uninhibited, creative and enthusiastic!

My Reed Richards proudly declared "Mr. Fantastic is definitely my favorite superhero ever!!"

For me, these kids epitomized why I play RPGs.  We went to a different world and had a whole lot of fun by cooperating together to tell a really interesting and exciting story.

It was a blast.  I don't know when my next opportunity is going to come, but I am definitely running this game again!

Punisher Issue #11-Thoughts and reviews

Hey, another month, another Wednesday, and Greg Rucka has another issue of The Punisher out.

Once again, I picked it up from my local place, Beyond Comics.  While my nearest gaming store is not so near, I am fortunate to have a great comic book place not so far.

So, I have a few thoughts.  The short review is probably not surprising.  I liked the issue.  After the conclusion of The Omega Effect crossover, it tooks us in a new and unexpected direction, while still keeping the storyline going.  I recommend the issue, and the entire run so far.

To discuss in slightly more detail I need to mention . . .

**************SPOILERS**************

So, as you may have read in the reviews (including mine) of the end of the Omega Effect, the big transformation was not in what Daredevil did with the Omega Drive, but instead in the effect of Spiderman, Daredevil, The Punisher and Sgt. Rachel Cole-Alves forming a temporary alliance had on those characters.  Chief of which was Cole-Alves.  It seemed that Daredevil had perhaps convinced her to step off the path that Frank Castle had walked, and to choose a new destiny.

So, we get neither Cole-Alves directly, nor anything to do with the Omega Drive (or Megacrime) in this issue.  Instead, we get a very interesting story about Detective Bolt and some major changes for him and his relationship to The Punisher.  However, hidden in plain sight in the story is also the evolving storyline of Cole-Alves and The Punisher, but we get distracted by the Zombies, so you might not pick up on it at first.

Yes, Zombies.

Actually, as gonzo as it seems, it is actually a great set piece, which really works for the character development that Rucka is putting forward.  Detective Bolt starts the issue in an interview room, talking about a shooting in Times Square.  However, he decides to come clean and admit that the earlier shooting in which he was involved (Punisher #1) did not go down the way he had described.  He admits that all the bad guys he supposedly shot were killed by The Punisher using Bolt's gun.  He admits to covering it up and accepting the praise for actions he did not take, and he explains that the encounter had turned him informant for The Punisher.  He explains that this is why Frank Castle approached him in Times Square, while Bolt was on a date, but before he can respond to Castle's demands for information . . . Zombie Attack!

As it turns out, some nutty supervillain/necromancer, Black Talon, from New Orleans is hoping to take on the Avengers.  Instead, Punisher systematically blows away about 20 Zombies with Bolt watching his back, mostly afraid to shoot, concerned with hitting civilians (he admits to taking down maybe one zombie at most).  Then, when Black Talon starts monologuing, Punisher puts a couple of round sthrough his chest.  End of bad guy.

Punisher exits the scene in the ensuing confusion, and Bolt ends up making his statement and confessing his past misdeeds.

Then, the twist. 

Despite serious misconduct, Bolt was on the scene and did do his duty (albeit with the lion's share of the work done by Punisher) during a supervillain attack.  The brass in the department decide that sweeping things under the rug and putting a good face on things is better in Bolt's case than going after his badge.

Bolt completely expects to have thrown his career away, but at least he won't be living a lie.  At the end, when they toss him back his badge, you can almost taste the bitter ashes in his mouth.  Things did not go the way he thought.

This is a great character piece.  I really liked it.  Also, there were, for me, some key nuggets of how the Exchange storyline may develop, especially in the wake of the Omega Effect.

Bolt says that they were looking at Cole-Alves as a suspect in some of the deaths of Exchange members, however, the fact that The Punisher wanted files on her, had made Bolt reconsider whether they might be working togehter.

I don't think that is a mistake on The Punisher's part.  I think at this point, he would like to see her out of it all.  First, she has proved to be an unreliable ally, given her departure from their plan during the Omega Effect.  However, he may, in some way, share Daredevil's hope that Cole-Alves can get out of the revenge game and escape Frank Castle's fate and mission.  One way he can do that is by covering her tracks and muddying the waters of any investigation on her.

Of course, the narrower interpretation would be that he just wants to find her again after she disappeared at the end of DD #11.  However, that would contradict what he said to DD and Spidey, which was that she would be found if she wanted to be found by him.

I am intrigued by what it all means for the future of the long term story.

Gripes
I don't pick to much on the nits with things I like, even when they are imperfect.  However, I did want to get on record on a few things.  First, this month, and almost every month, the cover of Punisher either has nothing to do with the contents of the book, or even when related, is not great art.  There have been exceptions in the last 11 issues, but they are the minority.  It bothers me, even if it is unrealistic to coodinate cover art, because the guy on the cover has pretty much nothing to do with the character as portrayed in the book.

Second, the art is not great.  I don't mean any disrespect to Mirko Colak and the color artists, but I am totally spoled by the way most of this run has totally rocked out to the art of Marco Checchetto.  Colak is fine, but not up to the task of really making the visuals sing the way Checchotto has, and that is a disappointment in an otherwise good issue.

So, don't just take my word for things.  Here is what some others are saying:

Read/Rant (B+) "I feel like I should put this to a beat and sing it for you by now, since it seems to be the week’s theme, but… not bad, but not the best the series had to offer. It does resolve, or at least begin to resolve, one of the book’s ongoing plots, albeit in an appropriately cynical manner, and it does so using zombies and sudden, unpredictable violence."

D&J Comics (Book of the Week) ". . . Rucka gives us a perfect jumping on point for new readers with a fresh story arc.  Just like Frank, this series is methodical and will hunt you down."

iFanboy (Story 2/5 average, Art 2/5 average) "Disappointed. There was almost no relation to what was solicited or hinted at in the recap page to what was present in this issue. . . . Punisher is a great comic because it feels grounded. Even with the intro of characters like Daredevil and Spiderman, Punisher feels very street level and crime-focused. To suddenly have him randomly shooting zombies with zero questions asked before, during or after felt out of step with the previous tone of the book."

More as I find them.

Update May 11

IGN (7.5/10) "Overall, while the art doesn’t exactly do much for the visual tone of the series, Rucka crafts another engaging – if out-of-left-field – story that illuminates the world of the Punisher within the regular Marvel Universe like few have done in the past."

Punisher Central (B+) "The issue isn’t extremely entertaining but it does a decent job at keeping the reader engaged. The dialogue flows well and the decision for Rucka to tell Bolt’s story through the flashback convention, while being interrogated is an interesting one. Not all issues can be full of action and can move story forward at a lightning pace. Sometimes it is essential to have an issue here and there that provides backstory or setup for things to come. In that regard, this issue performs that purpose admirably."

The Comics Journal (no rating; unfavorable) "The comic ends with one of a Ruckan staple–undergraduate political skepticism, drink it in–but not before he rips off the best gag in that War Zone movie, strips it of its timing, and uses it to fill up two full pages of comic. Speaking of pages, the Punisher speaks on only two out of the seven he actually appears on, so at least there’s a bright side: you can finish reading this issue very quickly."

The Gathering (included on the Buy These Books list) "Greg Rucka has been writing what may be the best 616 run on Punisher ever."

Geek Hard (no rating; favorable) "I don’t like Marvel. I don’t like the Punisher. There I said it. But you need to read this book. Greg Rucka is on fire here."

Update May 14

Weekly Comic Book Review (A-) "A fantastic, psychological read of how the Punisher myth erodes one man’s identity.  So far, the smartest read of the week."

CBR (3.5/5 stars) ""The Punisher" is a consistently good series, and #11 continues that streak. I appreciated the end result of Bolt's encounter with the zombies and his subsequent outing to the police force; it provides a lot more story fodder for the months to come. This is a good example of a series that has found just the right pace, not only for collected editions but for the serialized format too. As always, "The Punisher" is a pleasure to read."

The Weekly Crisis (Verdict: Buy It) "This issue is kind of the perfect storm for me.  I really like Greg Rucka, I really like done-in-one comics, and I really like this iteration of the Punisher.  Taken all together, I can't help but ask what's not to love?  It's not quite as good as the Ozzy-centric issue, but it still makes for a great read."

Points of Impact (BULLSEYE!) " . . . one thing is sure: the framing device in THE PUNISHER #11 does more than bookend the story; it is a story in and of itself.
. . .
Sure, you can use a framing device if you want to present your story in a cool way. But why stop at that when you could have a consistent framing device instead and tell two stories (and be the envy of all the other comic writers)? All you need to do is make sure your framing narrative has more than a token presence throughout the comic, that it can stand on its own as an independant story and that its plot leads to long-lasting effect on the regular cast of the comic."

Omega Effect Part 3: Daredevil Issue 11

So, the concluding part of the Omega Effect came out yesterday. 

SOME SPOILERS * * * * *

I picked it up at my local comic book store (Beyond Comics, yay!), and I have to say that i have mixed feelings about the conclusion.  I enjoyed the book.  The art continues strong.  I enjoyed the dialog, I felt the pacing was good, and the conclusion was satisfactory, and yet somewhat unsatisfying.  We came into the mini-event with Daredevil having the real problem of possession of the Omega Drive.  He concluded that he needed to destroy the drive, despite the fact that others would use it (Punisher) or turn it over to those who could use it (Spiderman, suggesting the Avengers or Reed Richards).  To keep Daredevil's friends and associates safe, he, Spidey and Punisher (along with his ally Sgt. Rachel Cole-Alves) agree on a truce during which they will take the fight to Megacrime, and once they have those organizations undivided attention, they will destroy the drive.

Well, things did not go exactly to plan, and that is part of the fun.

But, in the end, despite a lot of action, Daredevil still has the drive, and nothing about the looming danger is resolved. 

This is not to say that nothing happens.  For Daredevil, the more important things has happened.  He may have convinced Sgt. Cole-Alves to leave the path of the Punisher and maybe reclaim her life.  She represents his second chance of saving someone, where he feels he failed with Frank Castle.  Also, the three heroes get to take a major bite out of Megacrime and subject them to a big beatdown, with Spidey using his Avenger status to Call in SHIELD for cleanup.

So, Waid gets to keep the Omega McGuffin going, and that is intriging and probably fun.  But part of me was anticipating the resolution of the drive issue.  And that part of me is only a small part, but that part of me is disappointed.

Still, on the whole, I really liked the event and I liked this issue.

Here are what others are saying:

Comic Vine (4/5 stars) "This is not at all a bad comic; in fact, it's very entertaining. There is some really fantastic art in this issue and it is a great end to a cross-over event. I personally really enjoyed reading these three characters team up and work together. I liked seeing them keep a common goal in mind even if they didn't agree with one another. The fact that they did not agree actually made the story even more entertaining to read. Overall, not a bad issue and this book managed to wrap up the story very neatly"

IGN (8.5/10) "For a crossover event that has been solid for the first two thirds of its story, I fully expected Daredevil #11 to maintain the quality of The Omega Effect thus far and those expectations were met. This is a solid conclusion to the Daredevil/Punisher crossover that has a profound effect on both Mark Waid and Greg Rucka's series. Even for those that have only been reading Daredevil, Waid does an admirable job of getting you up to speed on Omega Effect right off the bat, though it's inevitable that the key dramatic beats of the story will likely be lost on you."

The Other murdock Papers "The criticism often leveled at cross-overs is that they are too often about rounding up a group of heroes just for the sake of putting them in a story together, where the story becomes nothing more than an alibi for doing so. With the Omega Effect, we had something very different going: a collaboration that felt organic, and which grew naturally out of a story that had been brewing in Daredevil for quite some time. There were also hints along the way (based on interviews with the writers) of the fall-out of the event affecting both the Daredevil and Punisher series in the coming months. Why, then, with everything going for it, does this story inexplicably end up giving this reader the feeling that the Omega drive was nothing more than a plot device to get these characters to team up? Yes, it was fun. Despite the destination leaving me cold, it was a fun ride getting there. But it feels as if there was so much potential for something more substantial."

Comic Vault (Story 10/10, Art 10/10) "Mark Waid wraps up the "Omega Effect" crossover with all of the elements that made the first two parts of the story so damn good intact . . .

Waid does a stellar job of presenting the story from Daredevil’s perspective (it is DD’s book, after all), exploring how Matt Murdock feels that he failed the Punisher by never being able to pull him back from the proverbial ledge before he went all the way over. Feeling he can do the same for Alves, we’ve seen Murdock try to talk sense into her once before in this crossover (during Rucka’s Punisher #10). Whether or not he gets through in this issue remains to be seen.

Marco Checchetto and Matt Hollingsworth continue to deliver the goods artistically. There really isn’t much I can say about it that I didn’t already touch on in my reviews for Avenging Spider-Man #6 and Punisher #10, so check those out, too.

What are you still reading this review for? GO PICK UP THIS CROSSOVER!"

iFanboy (Story: 2 - Average, Art: 4 - Very Good) "We left the second installment of the Omega Effect with an ambiguous ending in Punisher 10 last week and it didn’t get much better from there with this issue. Spiderman is a total throw away character in this entire arc and it seems like the Omega Drive is simply a MacGuffin to flesh out Rachel Cole-Alves. But even that falls flat as all we are treated to is Daredevil yelling at her. A poor ending to the arc and a rare misstep for Waid’s run on Daredevil."

Punisher Central (B+) "This issue had tons of action and even some tense and more quiet dialogue scenes. That entertained me tons! I was also anxiously anticipated the last few pages as I had no idea where this all was leading to. The book goes by fast with all the action and if you are a fan of Spider-Man, Daredevil or the Punisher then you are in for a treat."

Update April 27

CBR (1.5/5 stars) ""Daredevil" #11 is a frustrating comic. It's drawn beautifully and the scripting is strong. The problem is the plotting itself and that's what drags the book (and overall story) down a great deal. The strengths of "Daredevil" #11 are from the window dressing, but it's hard to ignore that the core itself is weak at best. It's a pity, because I expect much more from both "Daredevil" and "The Punisher" these days. Not this book's finest moment."

Suraph "What this all leads up to is that Omega Effect was a bit of a disappointment. After a strong start early on the crossover slowly fizzled out and eventually led nowhere."

Population GO (4/5) "All in all, it’s another solid issue of Mark Waid’s Daredevil run, it’s still well worth your $2.99, and if new readers jumped into this crossover I’m sure they’ll be inspired to keep following either of the series involved, if not simply to see what happens next with the Omega Drive. It may not have had the conclusion I originally expected, but it was a nice story to have before we do get to that conclusion."

Talking Comics "You won’t be sorry you read Daredevil #11 as it features Mark Waid’s wonderful prose and pacing, but you will find yourself unsatisfied with where this story goes. One bright spot is that I’m now familiar with artist Marco Checchetto. I started out cool to his grittier style, but found myself really appreciating what he brings to the table by the close of the issue. The end of the book does promise ramifications for Daredevil in the issues to come, but until that happens I’m calling this arc a wash."

Newsarama "Don't get me wrong, there's been a lot to like about "The Omega Effect," teaming up Spider-Man, the Punisher and Daredevil, but I think this saga hit its peak in the first installment, and was unable to top itself moving forward. . . . Ultimately, this book suffers most from its high expectations — this team is capable of some fantastic stuff, and the low-impact conclusion of "The Omega Effect" doesn't quite hit that mark."

The Collective "For those who haven't been reading Daredevil or "The Omega Effect", this issue probably won't do much for you, but if you have been following the story, this issue is a satisfying conclusion to the storyline, and offers some great story points for characters not only in Daredevil, but in Punisher as well. With so many big events going around in Marvel, it's good to see that the smaller ones are just as good, if not better, than the big guns."

Examiner.com "Overall, "THE OMEGA DRIVE" [sic] is a rare crossover in which the focus is on characters and interaction versus on generic action and cookie-cutter editorial mandates. It is for that reason it has been a pleasure and not a distraction, and why it is one that Marvel fans shouldn't miss."

Update April 30

The Doom Pool (5/5) "First off, this DD run is pretty damn good from #1 on. Pick it up. Issue 11 is not only a fitting end to the story arc (centering around a data drive that a number of crime organizations want), it shows DD at his best. We get the action early on, then a beautifully rendered and tense scene between Punisher’s ally, Cole, and Daredevil. It is a great example of action not being predicated on combat or chase, but emotional tension, arguments, debate, etc. "

Trinity Comics "The creative team for the crossover really stepped up their game. Mark Waid has been kicking ass on Daredevil since the relaunch and Greg Rucka has been doing some cool stuff with Punisher"

Weekly Comic Book Review (C-) "A fun crossover completely undercut and shot to bits by a terrible conclusion.  Seriously, the Omega Effect may as well have never even happened.  This entire crossover achieved nothing.  But hey, on the plus side, that Marcos Martin cover is totally wicked."