Friday, June 9, 2023

PGHHEAD'S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part Nineteen



       This marks the third consecutive year that I will attempt to document my comics reading by writing at least a mini-review. The goal is 1200 books read and reviewed in 2023, although I missed the mark in 2022 by 88 books.  Still, I like that number as it’s easy enough to track - - - 100 books per month on average. Wish me luck!


JUNE 03 update: Even the little chunks of time have dissipated. I don’t see anything changing in the next month or so, but I’ll just plug away at this whenever I can . . . . .


# GOAL FOR June 10, 2023. . . 533 comics documented

CURRENT COUNT . . . . .  395  comics documented



#371 - #372  ALIEN #1 - #2 by Declan Shalvey and Andrea Broccardo (Marvel Worldwide Inc., June-July 2023)
Despite anyone with a minimum of knowledge about this franchise knowing what inevitably lies in wait, these two issues capture the feel, intent, and suspense of the first two films (ALIEN and ALIENS, and my favorites of them all). 

  Writer Shalvey nails it, and introduces some new characters to worry about. Artist Broccardo minimizes the grossness of previous arcs (so far) and goes for the big picture, with some very panoramic images and interesting illustrations of aliens running amok like ants in a frenzy.

   I needed a second issue to convince me to pick up the rest of this arc. I like this quite a bit more than the previous Marvel volume. 

   In 2195, a family of three is stranded on frozen moon LV-695 while the parent company that funded their water-resourcing mission (Talbot Engineering) is bought out by those unscrupulous folks at Weyland-Yutani who started this mess back in 2122. 

  Pregnant scientist Batya Zahn is forced to comply with Weyland thugs and turn over her research. Teen daughter Masha discovered a frozen face-hugger during an excavation, which prompts the corporation to dig it all up and uncover a nest. Husband Dayton, who lost his arm in an accident is confined and helpless to intervene. You know what’s coming, and it happens before Issue #2 ends. FOUR STARS.



#373  EXORCISTS NEVER DIE #2 by Steve Orlando and Sebastian Piriz (Mad Cave Studios, June 2023) 
This series can get a bit biblical, although maybe not the Bible that you know. As the combat exorcists exhibit their powers, they call on the spirits of less familiar angels. A quick check revealed that none of the more familiar ten archangels have been used so far, but Orlando does pull angelic names from Islamic and Ethiopian cultures. Nothing like getting a little educated during your reading. 

   The first issue featured a descent into an inverted skyscraper where Hell lies at the bottom and the seven deadly sins must be confronted first. The art and coloring are intriguing, and it took a second issue to convince me to continue this journey. I’m looking forward to how Orlando and Piriz depict the seven bosses, and the images of Lust are of a massive blob of body fat that envelops all. Even incidental contact causes mini-demons to be birthed.   


    What keeps this from being nothing more than a good vs evil battle (haven’t we all read our share of those?) is the dysfunctional confrontational relationship between the two combat exorcists. Very amusing and clever. 

     Once they realize that Lust is manipulating and distracting them in amorous fashion, Syd (male) and El (female) break up their coupling: 


El :Sex not to have.”  

Syd:Much to my disappointment. But yeah . . we’re on the job.” 

El: “For hellspawn, they’re sure moist. But, also, almost . . . hot . .what?”  

Syd: “No, I feel it, too. I think it’s the level . . . once we exxed Sloth, I couldn’t stop thinking about . . .” 

El: “You. They want us so busy with our waists we forget about the good work.” 

Syd: “Bad plan. We’ve never had chemistry we couldn’t kill.” 

El:Sure. It dies once I remember who you were or are.”

FOUR STARS.



#374  GREEN ARROW #2  by Joshua Williamson and Sean Izaakse (DC Comics, July 2023)
I came back for a second helping and glad I did.

I was thinking that this title might not hold up beyond the debut issue and end up sinking back into those familiar superhero tropes that don’t hold my interest. I was wrong. This is a family saga, about separation and finding each other again. It’s well written and Williamson introduces some new elements (including new character Troublemaker) to keep things exciting on Green Arrow’s new multi-versal home (but maybe not for long, considering what happens on the final pages). 

     I’m surprised how much I like this. All the family characters are involved (but not together just yet) and the story follows their attempts to locate Oliver Queen/Green Arrow. Izaake’s art has a classic look with some creative panel placement. Guess I’ll be picking up Issue #3. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.



#375 - #378  RESIDENT ALIEN: THE BOOK OF LOVE  #1 - #4 by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse (Dark Horse Comics, November 2022 - February 2023)
  I needed to read some of the comics version of RESIDENT ALIEN, which I haven't done for many years, in order to realize how different this is from the television series. The only commonality is the premise, with the secondary characters all being revised and reimagined for the tv show

     I now regret my previous comments that Season One of RESIDENT ALIEN stayed true to the comics series. The tv show went off in wild and wacky directions and became less interesting as it moved forward. 

     With THE BOOK OF LOVE, the seventh collection of RESIDENT ALIEN, the creators show how much story possibility and versatility can be derived from that original premise - - an alien trapped on Earth and posing as a human in a small town. There are so many characters to appreciate, care about, and worry for. Volume Seven reads like a small-town soap opera, with romance and crime themes this time. At the core is the very human value of caring enough for others to take action in order to help them through conflicts. I appreciate the way those characters are depicted here so much more than the television series. 

     This is warm and charming. There just aren't many comic series that fit into that category. CONCRETE is the closest comparison I can make to this. There's a surprise at the conclusion, which sets up the plot for the next story arc. Keep 'em coming!   FOUR STARS.



#379 - #384  IRON MAN #20 - #25 by Christopher Cantwell and Angel Unzueta (Marvel Comics, July 2022 - January 2023)
I’m surprised by the changes that have occurred within this title 20+ issues from its’ beginnings. Having enjoyed Christopher Cantwell’s DOCTOR DOOM series, I picked up the debut issue of IRON MAN, expecting similar thrills, but just could not get excited by it.

   I did like the new Tony Stark (his brain in a cloned body), giving up his chairmanship of Stark Unlimited, and a new commitment to doing good in a stripped-down version of the Iron Man armor without all the hi-tech. It was the chemistry between Tony and Patsy Walker/Hellcat that put me off. It seemed forced and didn’t seem genuine. I also did not like Tony gravitating between the usual egocentrism or just complaining about what his former rich, privileged self has now lost. 

   To be honest, despite being a pillar character in the Marvel Universe, I really haven’t been excited by any Iron Man title since the late 1970’s when I started reading it every month from 1978, about one year before the classic Demon In A Bottle storyline and then until about Issue #158 when I got bored with it all. 



   I never returned to Cantwell’s IRON MAN until recently, when I couldn’t pass up a story-arc set at a bargain price (Issues #20 - #25). Too bad it was the final story arc, just before Gerry Duggan took over with THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1.

    Cantwell’s final storyline has drama, romance, sadness, and a real change of pace since that first issue. Tony has restored the tech to his newest armor and apparently has returned to an ownership position within Stark. He aims to use the vast resources and money behind Stark for good. In fact, he’s willing to spend it all in order to keep high-tech weaponry from reaching the wrong hands. An even bigger difference is that Tony is actually likable (but not perfect) and the relationship with Patsy seems more honest.

   Angel Unzueta’s art is interesting and has a kind of dimensionality that makes me wonder if some of it is computer-generated or photo-shopped. I’d be interested to learn what the creative process is.

      Without bogging this review down with details I’ll just share that there is quite a lot happening within these six issues. Not everything goes the way Tony wants it to, even in matters of the heart. Suffice to say that Cantwell slows the pace down enough to work in some character interaction/development, wraps up his storylines, and opens the door for the next re-boot, where I suspect Riri/Ironheart’s possession (for research purposes) of some of that high-tech weaponry will cause a stir. In fact, it has the potential to form the basis for another big Marvel epic/cross-over.  THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.



#385  THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #26 by Zeb Wells, pencils by John Romita Jr and inks by Scott Hanna (Marvel Worldwide Inc, July 2023)

The credits page synopsis details the Emissary story arc to date, with Peter eventually rescuing MJ (along with husband Paul and their two adopted orphans) from the fast-time dimension and getting everyone back to Earth. The final paragraph states how “in the time since, Peter has gotten his life back on track.” Good, because I really didn’t like that pretentious Rabin/Emissary character anyway. However, the final line says “But nothing good in Peter’s life can last, and Rabin has returned to make sure of that.” Groan.

    Those in-the-know who frequent the informed comics circles have known what was going to happen here for months. It was no secret that a character was going to die, including who and how. I don’t frequent those circles so this was a complete surprise to me. I’m not going to mention it for those readers who didn’t know and will also be surprised. 

   I thought that Romita’s art here was particularly well-detailed and very expressive in all the right moments. Here’s hoping that the Emissary is finally gone and that the deceased character will make a return. That seems likely as I believe this is a popular character. 

     I think some regular readers are kind of pissed at this. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #26 is one of the most-reviewed issues on the Comics Roundup site and also boasts the lowest average rating - - 4.5 out of a possible 10. It deserves better than that. FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS FOR ME. 



#386  MISS TRUESDALE AND THE FALL OF HYPERBOREA  #1 of 4 by Mike Mignola and Jesse Lonergan  (Dark Horse Comics, May 2023)
Jesse Lonergan’s style and coloring really fit this title, great action scenes done in a minimalist style similar to Mignola’s art but distinctive in its’ own right.

   The story bounces between Victorian London with two female members of the male dominated (and somewhat condescending to females) Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra and a young woman gladiator in ancient Hyperborea (who may be an ancestor of one of the VIctorian characters). 

   Anum Yassa is a very Red Sonja-like character with a similar back-story (her village decimated, leading to slavery and arena fights). I have a feeling she is going to serve as inspiration for a woman’s revolt in the Brotherhood in the Victorian scenes. 

    Seems like not enough to fill up a four-issue mini-series, but I suspect Mignola will add several more layers as the story progresses, with some hints to connections within the Hellboy universe. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.



#387  THE MIGHTY BARBARIANS  #1  by Michael Moreci and Guiseppe Camaro (Ablaze Comics, May 2023) 
I’ve learned that the barbarian genre of comics is best appreciated in small doses.  Read too much and it all seems to mush together. If you’re looking for something a little bit fresher and off the beaten path from standard Conan and/or Red Sonja, check out BARBARIC from Vault Comics. And now, THE MIGHTY BARBARIANS is also a fresh approach. Both titles happen to be written by the same author, Michael Moreci. 

   This is a team book of legendary mythic and fictional characters from ancient lore. A new threat starts consuming various worlds. King Arthur supports sorceress Morgan Le Fey to use her magic to traverse the worlds and assemble a team of warriors. What makes the story interesting is that not all of these warriors are eager or confident enough to serve, some arrogantly opting out before being given a convincing reason to participate. It’s this back and forth between the main characters that provide the engaging drama and much of the amusement.

   In addition to Le Fey, there is King Kull (Robert E Howard’s second best-known creation), Anansi the African doppelgänger trickster, Viking maiden warrior and mead-lover Birka, and Nanook the shape-shifter (polar bear) from the frozen tundra. Thongor of Lemuria (from writer Lin Carter’s fantasy world) also makes an appearance. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.



#388  GREEN LANTERN #1 (DC Comics, July 2023) Hal Jordan story by Jeremy Adams AND Xermanico. John Stewart story by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Montos. 
I liked the new GREEN ARROW series enough that I decided to take a risk and pick up some additional Dawn of DC debut issues in hopes of finding another gem. Not a precious stone here, but this was promising.

  There’s a quick update to share that the Guardians of Oa have disappeared and the Green Lantern Corps have become part of the United Planets. Not so for Hal Jordan or John Stewart, who return to Earth but still intend to protect.  How Hal still has a ring is not fully explained. Maybe that was detailed in the Dark Crisis storyline, which I didn’t follow. 

   Hal, as portrayed by Adams, is a little bit arrogant and especially overconfident. He’s trying to rebuild his relationship with Carol but she doesn’t appear to be interested and tries to avoid him. She does break down enough to give him a job. He messes up a plane and encounters his first foe, the mediocre Steel Fury, in what is essentially a set-up issue. In one scene, a cloaked Sinestro is inconspicuously hanging out in a bar where he hears about the return of Green Lantern. That spells trouble.

  In the back-up feature, Jon Stewart only shows up for three pages, just enough to establish he’s returned home to help Mom out while taking some time off. The rest of the story takes place in “another universe, another time” with some foreshadowing for things to come. An aging Guy Gardner and newbie Shepherd (“the Lantern in the Dark”) are attacked by the Revenant Queen, who is looking for their “builder and guardian” a.k.a. John Stewart. 

   Like nearly every Green Lantern title before it, this new one doesn’t offer me enough to keep going. However, fans of Hal and/or John should check this out.  THREE STARS.



#389  TITANS #1 by Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott (DC Comics, July 2023)
The random issues of NIGHTWING by Taylor that I read were very engaging. He made you care about the characters, and put them in some interesting conflicts/situations. Maybe there are just too many characters here, as I don’t get that same feeling when reading this.

    After the fall of the Justice League during Dark Crisis, the Titans emerged as the premier superhero team in the DC Universe. Peacemaker shows up (again!) to remind them that the President wants them to work for the U.S. government, but they intend to work for “the world”. This doesn’t sit well with Peacemaker, who goes directly to Amanda Waller to squeal on them. 

    The art is very appealing, and there are some very cool scenes of Beast Boy (shouldn’t they change that to Beast Man?) growing to kaiju-size and form to take on Titano, the giant gorilla. (Shades of Kong vs. Godzilla!)

   Something very bad (possibly fatal) has happened to Flash/Wally West and the Titans HQ becomes a crime scene. 

   I may break down for Issue #2, but so far I’m not feeling it. THREE STARS.



#390 - #395  PUNISHER #7 - #12 of 12 by Jason Aaron with art by Jesus Saiz & Paul Azaceta (Marvel Worldwide Inc, January - July 2023) “The King of Killers, Book Two” 
The changes that Aaron made with the character of Punisher/Frank Castle did not go over well with many fans, from minor gripes about the new logo and new base of operations to major complaints about tampering with background/history and violating sacred continuity.  However, there’s still a good number of readers who like what is happening here, and count me among them. 

     This is quite different from your standard Punisher tale, but similar in many ways. For best appreciation, Ive been reading this as if it’s a Marvel What If? tale, such as - - what if Frank Castle obtained godlike/superhero powers and had an army of ninjas at his command, abandoning the armaments for a powerful sword, levitating abilities, and flames from his eyes and hands?  I fully expected things to return to normal once Aaron completed the storyline. 

 


Comics chatroom speculators are wondering if Marvel is tired of (or embarrassed by) The Punisher, have decided to retire the character, and gave Aaron the assignment of writing his last story. Really? Not a chance, says I. Besides, Frank is still alive following the epilogue in Issue #12, but maybe no longer interested in being the Punisher. More likely, this is Aaron's last run with the character.  Not a bad way to bow out. I like this as much as his PUNISHER:MAX series, which I recommend you pick up (especially if you like the brutal, punishing stuff). 

   Synopsis: Frank Castle continues to operate under the deal with The Hand and the influence of their avatar, The Beast. Maria Castle was resurrected from the dead in exchange for Frank leading The Hand, and he takes them on a global mission against criminals of all stripes and persuasions. Ares, the God of War, who considered himself mentor and Frank his student is angered by the new status and goes to war, only to be killed (but probably only for a little while, isn’t he an immortal god?) by the Punisher, the Fist of the Beast.

  


The backstory is where Aaron makes even more changes to Frank Castle. He didn’t develop these vengeful/fatal justice tendencies only after his family was gunned down in organized crime crossfire, but the roots go all the way back to his childhood (he was a violent badass at a very young age). He’s not motivated by love and loss of family. He’s motivated by love of war. When Maria Castle learns the truth about what lies beneath the shell of Frank she leaves him. That seems to disrupt his motivation and drive, and after he’s dispatched all the baddies on his list he succumbs to the combined efforts of Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Captain America, Black Widow and Moon Knight  who break him down.

   Summary:  This is thoughtful, carefully orchestrated introspection by Aaron (as attested by his final words in Issue #12).  If you hate the story, you may still appreciate what he was trying to do. If nothing else, the art is amazing and quite a contrast. Jesus Saiz depicts the current activities of Punisher and The Hand in vivid, action-packed images. Paul Azaceta tackles the backstory/history of Frank in a minimalist but intriguing style reminding me of many Vertigo series. FOUR STARS.



 

 


 

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