By Don M. Ventura
Amazing Spider-Man #657
Marvel Comics
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There are great moments in this issue of Amazing Spider-Man, but for a bit too much of it, I was left a little cold. The story is a series of vignettes centering on Spidey’s friendship with Johnny Storm, told in the style of a clip show.
I am a sucker for nostalgia though, and found much to enjoy in the opening sequence with Spider-Man showing up at the Baxter Building—starting with the riff off of the cover for Amazing Spider-Man #1 (yeah, volume 1). The opening story (and the best of this batch), in which Spidey joins the Fantastic Four on a camping trip reminded me of an extended Strange Tales story.
However, the stories that followed did not grab me in the way the first story did. We get a story in which Sue Storm uses her power to pants the Fearsome Four and another in which Human Torch saves Reed and Spider-Man from a supernova. The first story seemed to really play off the charmingly antagonistic relationship of Peter and Johnny, while the next two didn’t seem to expound upon it any further.
Kudos to Slott and artist Marcos Martin, however, to a truly touching final two pages. The new FF watch a final transmission from Johnny as he asks Peter to take his place on the team. The final page includes an iconic image should make any Fantastic Four fan happy.
Wonder Woman #609
DC Comics
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While I enjoyed the first few chapters of J. Michael Straczynski’s inventive Wonder Woman storyline, I’ve found it to feel somewhat aimless until this issue. The scirbe is still credited as a co-writer, but the book feels as though it is under a more focused direction with Phil Hester completing the scripting.
Wonder Woman #609 is the ninth chapter in the “Odyssey” storyline and it takes a lighter comic book feel to it than the heaviness that has thus far preceded it. Hester has injected some wonder into his Wonder Woman.
At the end of the last issue, Diana is saved by Doctor Psycho from a likely demise at the hands of some reimagined adversaries. He shows her man forgotten alternate lives: a pirate, an African warrior, and finally as her most recognizable star-spangled self. Diana remembers none of this, but Doctor Psycho tells her she can reclaim her former life if she’s willing to choose to be Wonder Woman.
The artwork Don Kramer is excellent—especially in the final pages as Diana chooses to reclaim her more famous self. We are treated to iconic and obscure shots of Wonder Woman in the background as Diana takes what may be the final steps of her odyssey.
Butcher Baker the Righteous Maker #1
Image Comics
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As I’ve mentioned on the podcast, Image Comics may be the most exciting publisher right now because they continue to put out so many different titles that go completely against the grain. Where Marvel and DC have enormous properties to protect and repackage (that’s not a criticism), Image has the freedom to say, “And now for something completely different.”
Some things stick (Morning Glories, Halcyon, and Chew) and some things don’t (27, The Mission, and Marine Man). Then here we have Butcher Baker, which like the best of Image doesn’t fit into a category, but I’m not sure it is ultimately very interesting.
However, when you take a gander at Mike Huddleston’s gorgeous pages, you know that it is screaming to be interesting. I think there is an idea here that isn’t fully developed, because I’m not certain where the story is going or what the protagonist’s motivations are—besides scoring with the ladies (and there are a lot of them).
This is a mature book with plenty of nudity and unabashed sex. But that felt somewhat superficial. I didn’t find the story or Butcher Baker (the character) to be as provocative as the imagery of the first few pages. I’ll pick up the second issue to see where the story is aiming to go, but this first issue fell a bit flat.
Action Comics #899
DC Comics
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Didn’t you think Lex was in for it when we learned Braniac was behind everything at the end of the last issue?
Paul Cornell has packed great energy into each issue of Action Comics and things are no different in this penultimate issue of the extremely satisfying “Black Ring” storyline. Luthor appears shocked at first to see Superman’s green-skinned nemesis, then reveals he’s been onto Braniac for some time now. After all, he’s the guy at the center of the story—it would have been a tremendous let down for Brainy to get the upper hand.
Cornell has found the voice for each villain featured in this storyline (and there have been a lot of them), but none more than his characterization of a single-minded, power-hungry Luthor. Cornell has seriously played up Luthor’s extreme confidence—here’s a guy whose gone up against just about every hero in the DC Universe. He has confidence up the wazoo.
I was a little sorry to see that Robot Lois did not make it through the end of the story, I was hoping for an eventual scene between she and the real deal. It was also nice to see the return of Mr. Mind—oddly and inexplicably, one of my favorite villains.
Teen Titans #93
DC Comics
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“That didn’t just happen did it?” I thought at the conclusion of the last issue when Damian Wayne decided against being a Titan. Ah well. It was too good to last.
J.T. Krul proves that his cast is resilient enough without the pint-sized demon. I was happy to have Red Robin back on the team. Krul has a real knack for revealing the chemistry between these characters who have become the closest of friends over the past seven years.
In this issue, the Titans come to the aid of the Pakistani hero Solstice, whose parents have gone missing under mysterious (are there any other kind) circumstances. Sure the Teen Titans have been around for years now, but I’m glad that Krul understands that these are still kids and he writes them as such.
In one scene Kid Flash races off to locate Solstice’s parents—as much an act of heroism as it is an act to impress the lovely girl. Superboy also feels awkward that Cassie’s mother is giving him the “stink-eye” for breaking up with Cassie. This characterization is preferable to playing the team up as near-infallible heroes—the idea is that these characters are still heroes in the making.
Nicola Scott returns after a single month absence to dazzle us with her clean and striking artwork. I’m usually most impressed with her action sequences, but my favorite piece in this issue is a two page spread of the Pakistani site from where Solstice’s parents disappeared.
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For reviews of Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #1, Kick-Ass 2 #2, Halcyon #4, Jimmy Olsen #1, American Vampire #13, Captain America #616, Scarlet #5, Wolverine #7, and Undying Love #1 click here to listen to this week’s podcast.
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