By Don M. Ventura
Batman: Gates of Gotham #1
DC Comics
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Scott Snyder and Kyle Higgins are proving that there are still stones to be upturned in their new mini-series Batman: Gates of Gotham.
The story opens in the late nineteenth century Gotham, the city is as dark as we have come to know it, but its forefathers are filled with the hope that their city can eventually out-metropolis nearby Metropolis. We come to learn that those forefathers are the Waynes, the Cobblepotts, and the Elliots—considering their descendants have been destined to war with one another, there is little hope that these men will walk away from this mini on amicable terms.
The story feels like an epic mystery right from the outset—something we have come to expect from Snyder whose American Vampire and Detective Comics have set high expectations for any future work. Before long we are transported to present day Gotham where the bridges of Gotham are taken out by simultaneous explosions. The scene below the Gotham River is a nightmare. Batman and Red Robin are unable to save all of the unfortunate Gothamites who found themselves in the middle of the destruction
The breakout star of the book is Trevor McCarthy, who has recently done some fantastic work on Batman Annual 28 and the recent Superman 80-Page Giant. I’m glad the dynamic artist has gotten an opportunity to spread his wings on a long-form story—he proves here to be up to the challenge for sure.
There is a truly haunting scene in which Batman is submerged below the Gotham River, surrounded by the victims of the bridge explosions. Guy Majors colors keeps all of artwork dark, but all of the images are distinct and not muddled. This can be a problem with some artists who work with night scenes.
Snyder and company have started off Batman: Gates of Gotham with a bang (or three?) and I can't wait to see what more they plan to add to the already dense Batman mythos.
Marvel Comics
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While I’ve only picked up a few of the minis and crossovers to Fear Itself, I haven’t been enormously thrilled with the supporting stories. I figured that if anybody was going to tell a satisfactory tie-in, it would be the Fear Itself scribe himself, Matt Fraction.
And boy was I right. I have enjoyed the way Fear Itself has unfolded so far, with the hammer-wielding Worthy tearing across the planet destroying everything in sight. While that has only happened in a handful of panels in the main story, Fraction gets time to explore the insanity and horrifying ramifications of what this means to the Marvel U.
In Paris, the Grey Gargoyle has been possessed by the power of the Serpent and his power have been significantly amped. Whereas the villain would normally have to touch his victims to turn them to stone, his mere presence seems to touch anyone within a certain radius into a statue. Iron Man is left unaffected by the villain’s powers, but there is plenty of damage done in the City of Lights.
Fraction presents a nightmarish action set piece with Iron Man trying to stop the Grey Gargoyle who is slamming the hero into dozens of stone people, effectively killing them. Fraction puts the reader smack in the middle of Tony’s head as he continues to come to grips with the fact that all of the rubble at his feet are people. And they’re all dead.
Marvel Comics
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There are two ways to look at X-Men Giant Size #1: a) just another dumb travel story, or b) ohboyohboyohboy—a time travel story. Put me in the second category than you very much.
Christopher Yost has penned a big, fun inventive X-Men story that creatively brings the original five X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel and Iceman) and the current team (far too many names to list here) together. For now they seem to be face-to-face with the same dilemma—beings called the Evolutionaries have come to save the race homo superior by extinguishing all other races.
Yost keeps the pace sharp and the characterization of the multitude of mutants featured spot-on (from this X-amateur’s perspective). The X-Men are being attacked by a race of beings called the Neo as the story opens. Scott Summers finds himself dazed during battle and finds himself flashing back to the earliest days of the X-Men as they battle Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (circa X-Men #4 I believe).
The art duties are handled quite well by Paco Medina and Dalabor Talajic. I have come to enjoy Medina’s wonderful pencils on X-Men and look forward to his work on Ultimate Comics X-Men with Nick Spencer. Talajic stays true to the costumes during the scenes of the X-Men’s early years. The artist kept Magneto’s costume baggy and Scarlet Witch’s headgear immense, in honor of Jack Kirby’s original designs.
Even with a couple of dozen characters featured in this issue, X-Men continues to be the most accessible of the X-Books.
Marvel Comics
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James Asmus’ entertaining “Escape from the Negative Zone” storyline has been a fun and funny ride for certain.
In this X-Men/Steve Rogers crossover, the X-Men and America’s top cop have found themselves trapped in a corner of the Marvel Universe that is usually reserved for the Fantastic Four. In this issue, Namor has gone somewhat insane due to a lack of water to keep his psyche balanced.
While there was much to enjoy about Max Fiumara’s artwork in this issue, I was not crazy about his take on Namor. I realize that the sea king was supposed to look crazed, but he was a bit too monstrous for my liking. That said, there is a lot to love in these pages. Fiumara’s artwork is dramatic and detailed when it needs to be. The fight between Namor and Steve Rogers is sensational in the opening pages.
Asmus for me has been the real revelation during this three-part Annual. He’s presented a fun sci-fi breakout story with great action scenes and clever dialogue. Not to mention plenty of pretty dumb aliens.
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