In 2021 I set a goal to post reviews here for 1,000 comics, and finished the year at 1,008 reviews. It was a stretch - - not to read that many comics, because I actually read quite a bit more. The challenge is to find and take the time to write a fair review of what I read - - but I made it. I’m up for a new year, and a new challenge. My goal for 2022 is to read and document 1,200 comics. That’s an average of 100 books per month, easy enough to check and update. Wish me luck!
# GOAL FOR June 30, 2022 . . . 600 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 530 comics documented
Even though this is a set-up issue, and narrator Lulu explains her job and associates (very necessary, as it created some reasons to understand her and feel a bit of empathy for her) things are still pretty intense. After all Lulu loves her work, just as long as the bruises, contusions, etc. don’t take too long to recover from. Lulu is a strong female character with heart (although she avoids relationships like many dedicated professional sex workers), fighting for survival, and now on the run from the mob with a bag full of diamonds.
In an earlier review of HIT ME by our sometimes columnist Matt Lowder, I commented that it reminded me of something similar I had read involving a female sex worker witnessing a crime and then having to flee. Turns out that comic (which I couldn’t remember at the time) was PEEPLAND, also by Christa Faust. There’s more than one way to spin a premise and keep it interesting. I may wait for a trade paperback on this one. FOUR STARS.
For as much effort as Spurrier put into taking a classic pulp-era character and dropping him into the modern world, this doesn’t work completely. Not because of the story, which has enough twists to keep it engaging. It’s the character. The Shadow/Lamont Cranston (and other alter egos) is a little too talkative to feel right (if I’m remembering the re-broadcasting of those old-time radio shows I listened to while in my formative years. That kept taking me out of the story. The art, while good, doesn’t help create the mysterious atmosphere sufficiently.
There’s an imposter posing as The Shadow, and duping well-meaning nurse Mary Jerez who must decide to use the scalpel’s cut to cure or kill, realizing she might end The Shadow. This is really her series, as being pulled into these events causes her to make a critical decision regarding her future career path.
THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Overall, Dynamite has done a very commendable job with this character. While none of this is essential reading, the various volumes have been for the most part entertaining and interesting. To be fair, when I pick up a Conan or a Red Sonja comic I’m looking for escapism, not enlightenment. This satisfies in that respect.
In this particular iteration, Sonja is still trapped in the modern world and trying to figure out if Wallace, a senior-citizen version of a wizard is really going to help her defeat Kulan Gath (now, that’s a proper wizard name!)
There’s a defensive spell of duplication to deal with (another Sonja and Wallace on the other side of a dimensional portal), as well as a hazardous trail that leads them both to . . . hell. To be continued.
THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
This was even more interesting, with Sonja employing creative war tactics and strategy in a big battle. Plus, Colak’s art is really engaging, except for a little sloppiness in the simpler dialogue scenes.
Sonja’s back in Hyrkania and helping the peasant forces fend off an invasion by the Zamoran Empire.
FOUR STARS.
#520 RED SONJA/TARZAN #2 by Gail Simone and Walter Geovani (Dynamite, 2018)
This explores the dynamic between the two main characters in a time-traveling adventure against yet another evil wizard (Elon Duul).
After being tossed about, Sonja and Tarzan get a meeting with H.G. Wells who offers up his personal time machine so they can finally get to where they need to be.
THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#521 VAMPIRELLA VOLUME 4 #9 BY Jeremy Whitley and Creees Lee, Paulo Barrios, Andy Belanger (Dynamite, 2017) This is a short-haired version of Vampirella who doesn’t wear the traditional uniform but goes through this issue in a bunch of raggy-type clothes (her home was exploded in an earlier issue). Ignore the cool cover with a hybrid Vampirella who is half Little Red Riding Hood and half Big Bad Wolf. It has absolutely nothing to do with the story inside.
Vampy has defeated Lucifer, but not before the world descends into a Mad-Max type of setting. Also, with Lucifer dead - -now nobody dies. There’s a band of crazed motorcycle madmen trying to capture her for their mysterious leader. Vampi now need to bring death back to the world but not before a reuniting with Vicki her lover, whom she bites in order to keep her safe. THREE STARS.
#522 VAMPIRELLA VS. RE-ANIMATOR #1 by Cullen Bunn and Black Shepherd (Dynamite, 2018)
Presented in gorgeous black-and-white with red highlights. Herbert West, the Re-animator, uses some hungry zombies to wipe out a monastery so he can obtain an archaic journal.
There’s a cluster of werewolves that Vampy has to get past before she meets up with West (she picks up his scent and decides he’s dangerous). Too late. He uses his special serum to revive an ancient corpse in a secret tomb. Turns out to be Mictecaihuail (love these names), the Goddess of Death.
THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#523 - #524 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS VOLUME 1 #1, #5 by Jim Krieger and Carlos Paul (Dynamite, 2008)
I think it’s cool that a bunch of Golden Age characters from forgotten small publishers are brought together for new stories. And, Alex Ross covers and some really detailed art by Paul make these worth reading (at least once). But, the cast may be too big. I can’t really relate or empathize with any of these characters. They only get a little bit of panel time when they’re not fighting or discussing battle plans.
The Fighting Yank, who also receives advice from the ghostly American Spirt, recruits Green Lama to help him free their fellow heroes from the Urn of Pandora.
There’s a smaller contingent of ultra-powerful (sort of like Captain Marvel and family) former heroes who weren’t trapped way back when and don’t want any company. This provides the earth-threatening conflict.
THREE STARS.
#525 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER THREE #3 by Rob Williams and Sergio Davilla (Dynamite, 2018)
New creative team, with equally detailed art that I’m digging. This time the Golden Age heroes are up against a threat from outer space, an alien conqueror who changes the planet’s electro-magnetic field and disables their technology.
This issue features Scarab (an Egyptian Tony-Stark like character, not for the swagger but for the tech, which seems immune to the alien shutdown) and Mighty Samson (blind, but incredibly strong and in control of certain elements like storms).
Meanwhile, as Masquerade tries to watch over a bed-ridden American Spirit, the Death Defying Devil is corrupted and after them. Enter Black Terror (he’s a good guy, despite the name).
THREE STARS.
Reading the second and final story arc I couldn’t help feeling that this was a bit incomplete, as if Marvel decided the book wasn’t selling enough and told Cantwell to wrap things up. That might explain the delay between issues. However, to Cantwell’s credit the story doesn’t seem crammed. In fact, after the excitement of Issue #6 (Doom and Kang in the American West), it’s pretty much a slow burn.
Doom returns to Latveria, finds his loyal cabinet members awaiting him, and regains his throne. However, there is a traitor who allowed the Symkarian pretender to seize his throne while he was fleeing from his accusers (for taking down the moon base in Volume 1). Doom interrogates them one by one and ferrets out the mole. Larocca’s art is always good, and he messes around a bit with the look of Doom’s armor.
However, the story is really about Doom’s soul-searching, trying to decide if he wants to be a good guy and serve the world or go back to being the Doom the rest of us remember (and is more interesting, sad to say). Doom gets a glimpse of a potential future that frightens him, and so he sort of reverts to form. Interesting, and a strange way to end the series. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
No comments:
Post a Comment