By Don M. VenturaTitles released on September 15th.
Morning Glories #2
Image
Two issues in, and Morning Glories has quickly become the most exciting new book on the shelves. Writer Nick Spencer has produced a non-superhero comic book with all the thrills, suspense and mystery any reader could want from a book. While we are only at issue #2, I am reminded of Matthew Vaughn’s thrilling opening to Runaways, another book about a group of kids in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Morning Glories is the story of six teenagers, all sixteen-years old, who have been recruited to attend the prestigious Morning Glory Academy, a prep school with what appears to be the most sinister of intentions. In the inaugural issue we were introduced to the Glories (a nickname for the group assigned by Image I presume): Casey, Ike, Zoe, Hunter, Jade, and Jun. Spencer quickly established each of his main characters and gave them a voice as they made their way to school for the first day.
The second issue opens with Casey finding it difficult to forgive Miss Daramount and the rest of the faculty for their unacceptable behavior in the last issue—I’m opting not to spoil it here. Casey is sent to detention with the rest of the Glories, who are secretly being observed by Miss Daramount. The action takes place in the detention hall with a series of flashbacks to show what the Glories did to receive punishment, each demonstrating that Morning Glory Academy is one truly effed-up school.
Morning Glories goes to some wonderfully dark places, but the book is not morose. Credit the lightness of Spencer’s characters and their teenage sensibility. Spencer has given each of them a voice and, for the most part, they all speak and make decisions like teenagers, a craft many writers do not have an easy time doing.
When Ike and Hunter go traipsing around the campus after hours, they observe some occultish-looking activities. Ike tells Hunter, “You should probably run. They definitely sacrifice virgins down here.” Later in the issue, with the Glories in seemingly mortal danger, Zoe, the last to admit there is something dubious about Morning Glory Academy says, “Do you really think the last thing I’m gonna do before I die is admit someone else was right?”
Spencer has created some wonderful villains: faculty member Miss Daramount will not spare the rod at the expense of academia, an unnamed spectre that wanders the halls, and my favorite, Resident Advisor Pamela. Spencer is having fun turning this seemingly sweet-as-pie R.A. into a callous monster who speaks to everyone in a sing-songy voice and assigns obnoxious nicknames to the students. Isn’t it those people who are in a constant state of happiness the ones we are certain we can trust the least?
Joe Eisma’s artwork is fantastic. His character expressions are spot-on and compliment Spencer’s dialogue. He draws the action and there is never a question of who is who, a problem a book without characters in costume can face. Rodin Esquejo gets cover duties on the book, and this issue’s is stirring. The Glories are submerged in water with little space remaining to breath—the book’s masthead and the Image logo appear to be sinking as well.
Highland Laddie #2Dynamite
Garth Ennis takes readers, and his Boys’ character Wee Hughie, back to his Northern Ireland roots with this crime/family/friendship drama about a group of friends who, at one time, fancied themselves young detectives ala the Hardy Boys.
In the last issue we were introduced to Wee Hughie’s childhood mates, which was an exercise in oddness that felt like it was done for the sake of being odd. That said, the story of a man coming home and reflecting on his past is was what I responded to. We are treated to more of the same as Hughie spends time with his old chums, Bobby and Det, and a paternal new friend named Alastair Vigor.
A crime is beginning to brew in the background involving drugs, and gives Ennis an opportunity for some garishly violent happenings involving pruning shears. If you’ve read any of his work on The Punisher, you’ll be comfortable with the events that transpire. I enjoy Ennis’s sense of humor to a point—there is a disturbingly humorous flashback of the boys, so full of whim and wonder as they discuss a foiled criminal plot with a detective as a couple of officers mercilessly beat the suspect out of his daylights.
There is enough charm inside to recommend this little tale, but non-Ennis fans may have grown tired of the writer’s violent tones long ago.
Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #3Marvel
I have been enjoying Ed Brubaker’s take on the newly returned Steve Rogers in both the Secret Avengers and this title. This four-issue mini returns the former Captain America to the world of espionage as he attempts to uncover who is behind the apparent replication of a new Super Soldier serum.
At the end of the previous issue, Steve has his powers taken away and is reverted to the 90-pound weakling he originally was prior to being injected with the serum during World War II. Steve comes face to face with the one of Marvel’s more obscure villains, the Machinesmith, who plans to sell his new Super Soldier serum to the highest bidders.
This issue is heavy on action, as Brubaker firmly establishes that Steve Rogers does not need to be a heavyweight fighting machine to be a hero. This is a solid superhero story with the classic comic book feel that Marvel has strived for with its Heroic Age line of books. Dale Eaglesham’s pencils also add to that classic Marvel feel to the characters.
Time Bomb #2Radical
Time Bomb continues the story of a Special Ops Team sent back in time to stop the spread of a Nazi-generated virus that is quickly spreading across the globe after the accidental detonation of the Omega bomb. Initially expecting to travel back two days to prevent the virus from being exposed, the team finds itself outside a concentration camp surrounded by Nazi’s.
Though warned in the last issue of the Butterfly Effect, the team throws caution to the wind and immediately takes down the Nazi’s and frees the Jews. “Die you fucking Nazi fucks!” yells science expert Peggy Medina as she blasts the soldiers to bits. Butterfly-shmutterfly.
Writing team Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray have written a fun time-travel yarn and introduced us to some strong action characters. While there is not much in the way of character development, the story’s strength is in its tension as the team is ripped apart and each working independently to locate the Omega Bomb. Paul Gulacy’s artwork and Rain Beredo’s colors fit the tone perfectly; much of the action takes place in the dark, but even the tones of the lit scenes are muted and drab.
This prestige-format book rings in at five bucks, but it’s a bargain considering it’s 56 pages without ads interspersed between the story.
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