Wednesday's Finest, 9/9/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura
Titles released on September 9th.

Batgirl #14
DC Comics
I am sorry to say that I have not picked up any of Bryan Q. Miller’s Batgirl run prior to this issue, because Batgirl #14 was an excellent read. More than that, it was fun. How else could it live up to a title like “Terror in the 3rd Dimension”, a borderline goofy one-shot featuring Supergirl and two dozen marauding Draculas?

Kara Zor-El, who doesn’t go by Linda in this issue, comes to spend a Friday night with Stephanie since neither of them have any derring-do to do. Being a couple of teenagers, the two head to Gotham University where they eventually find themselves at a 3-D vampire film. When a nearby science experiment goes awry, unleashing 24 hard-light carbon copies of Dracula, the girls are ready to bring the cadre of vampires to justice (although in a hilarious scene, we see that Stephanie is unable to leap into action as quickly as Kara).

Tracking down and defeating the renegade Draculas is expertly laid out by Lee Garbett. This is especially so in a two-page spread showing the heroines in a number of oddball settings; most notably a photo booth where the action is depicted in four photos, beginning with a very regal Dracula and ending with Supergirl and Batgirl making funny faces to the camera. Garbett clearly has as keen a sense of humor as Miller does.

While Grant Morrison has brought some fun to his Batman and Robin series, Batgirl has got to be the lightest of the current slate of Bat titles. Miller takes several opportunities to establish the chemistry between Batgirl and Supergirl as well as managing to have fun with their differences (both as heroes and as their alter egos). I will also admit to being a sucker for a good pairing of any Batman and Superman protégés.

I enjoy a well structured story arc, but it refreshing to come across a good one-shot like this where it isn’t necessary to remember what occurred in previous issues. It delivers on the humor while further establishing the friendship of these two young women.

And I can’t finish without touching on the fantastic cover by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau. It is wonderfully busy, but sets the tone of the story inside perfectly.

X-Men #4
Marvel Comics
X-Men titles have never consistently been my cup of tea; this is mainly because the creative teams seem to change so often. New writers often come aboard to reintroduce obscure and little-beloved characters that they believe deserve a fresh spin. I’ve not historically been impressed with the results.

However, this new title has been solid in spite of a plot centering around a vampire army’s attempt to recruit the X-Men into their fold. Paco Medina’s artwork is top-notch. There’s a fantastic scene with Logan violently doing the best he does against a horde of the undead.
Victor Gischler has taken on what would seem a thankless task: heading up the "Curse of the Mutants" storyline. But he is handling the story with great excitement and has kept the story progressing nicely.

A minor qualm with this book has been the covers which have so far consistently shown action that does not appear in the book. That said, Gischler continues to put out good stories with strong cliffhangers.

The Amazing Spider-Man #642
Marvel Comics
Mark Waid returns to this book with great aplomb and demonstrates that he understands Peter Parker as much as anyone. Waid delivers some great comedy as Peter races across town to make a first date, then immediately interrupts the scene by a crowning Lilly Hollister on a Goblin Glider (trust me, it’s good stuff).

She is being chased by an army of Spider-villains led by Doctor Octopus who makes a creepy appearance—which is a testament to Mark Waid’s ability to set up a scene. The book goes quickly from light to chilling as Spider-Man, Harry Osborn, and Mary Jane are subdued by Ock as he delivers Lily’s child.

The artwork by Paul Azaceta fits the tone nicely, but feels rushed and awkward in some parts. This five-part arc titled “Origin of the Species” is a welcome departure from Joe Queseda’s needless four-issue “One Moment in Time” story.

Weird War Tales One-Shot
DC Comics
There may be a theme here. I am really enjoying my arc-free books this week.
I grew up on books like Weird War Tales and the other horror anthologies that flourished in the seventies for DC Comics, such as Weird Mystery Tales and Secrets of Haunted House.

This issue submits three tales for our approval: Darwyn Cooke and Dave Stewart present an oddity called “Armistice Night”, the story of Earth’s greatest deceased warriors at something of a family reunion (too peculiar in places); a second story, titled “The Hell Above Us”, revolves around a sunken sub and its last doomed survivor. Written by Ivan Brandon with chilling illustrations by Nic Klein, this was the best of the three; Jan Strnad and Gabriel Hardman offer a final piece about a mortally wounded young soldier with an affinity for dinosaurs titled “Private Parker Sees Thunder Lizards.”

Stories like this are best judged twofold: 1) did you enjoy it while reading it, and 2) did you continue to think about it afterwards? In other words, did it haunt you?
Yes to both.


Thor, the Mighty Avenger #4
Marvel Comics
Like Batgirl, I was impressed to read a second one-shot this week that was also lighter than a run of the mill Thor tale. Thor, the Mighty Avenger has been surprise. Since I was a kid I’ve never warmed to this character, but I’ve been hooked by this simple take on the God of Thunder.

Stripped away is all of the posturing and dread seriousness. In it’s place we have a fish out of water tale about Thor’s banishment to midgard (Earth).

In this issue he is visited by the Warriors Three who take him out for a boy’s night out in England that quickly turns to fisticuffs between the four Norsemen and Captain Britain. Writer Roger Langridge continues to impress with his take on Thor; it is both funny and accessible. Equally, I am becoming an enormous fan of Chris Samnee’s art. It is deceptively simple, but there is so much expression and character in his straightforward illustrations.