For the last three years I have embarked on a Comics Odyssey, reading and writing reviews of comics towards an ambitious goal which I only attained on one of three attempts. This year, I still want to read more comics and write reviews, but I’m not setting a specific goal. I’ll just document them and number them. We’ll see how far I can go . . . . . . .
#222 GEIGER #1 (Image Comics, April 2024) Synopsis:
The critically acclaimed team of storytellers GEOFF JOHNS and GARY FRANK return to the nuclear wasteland of GEIGER for an ALL-NEW ONGOING series starring the violent and unpredictable GLOWING MAN! Leaving his home behind, Tariq Geiger now walks the radioactive roads of the former United States with his two-headed wolf Barney. But as his enemies doggedly pursue him, Geiger discovers salvation from the unlikeliest of foes. But what secrets does this potential ally hold that could help Geiger? And exactly how many people are after The Glowing Man... and why?
The return of GEIGER to an ongoing series is a nicely paced re-introduction that really sets the mood and tone for what will come. The opening scenes reminded me of 1960’s spaghetti western films, especially The Man With No Name trilogy that starred Clint Eastwood.
A later scene where a Knight from the Las Vegas kingdom who has been stalking Geiger becomes an unlikely companion reminded me of Don Quixote and his squire Sancho Panza. Finally, Nate the Nuclear Knight serves as a goofy tribute by Johns to the old Atomic Knights series from DC. That black-and-white checkerboard header on the front cover also revokes old DC cover styles.
A neat beginning and jumping-on point, elevated to FOUR STARS because of the excellence of the Gary Frank art.
#223 - #225 FREE MARVEL MUST-HAVES: APRIL 2024 . . . Once again, I’m thanking Marvel for making these samplers available to comics readers. When Marvel and DC put out a mountain of titles each month it’s impossible to stay up-to-date with these characters and it’s easy to miss or pass over some good story-telling - - unless you have an unlimited comics budget and the time to read over 100 books each and every month. Even comic shop employees, who might be able to read some comics between customers and other duties, can’t find enough time to keep up. Also, keep in mind that there could be some costs associated with your local comic shop making these available so don’t forget to thank them as well.
This sampler previews the beginnings of interesting story arcs that began in UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 (2023), DAREDEVIL #2 (2023), and CAPTAIN AMERICA #3 (2023).
My favorite of the bunch is the Daredevil story. End result - - I’m impressed with the new direction under writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Aaron Kuder (who’s altered his style a little, but it works here), and I’ll be following this title. Matt Murdock is now a Catholic priest running a youth shelter trying to fend it off from fake social media slander posts while as Daredevil getting to the bottom of a related criminal conspiracy manipulated by demonic forces. Some great scenes and dialogue.
Second favorite is the Captain America story by J. Michael Straczynski and Jesus Saiz/Lan Medina. Cap is also being threatened by a malicious and manipulative demon, and current situations remind him of his past (before the Super Soldier serum) when a normal Steve Rogers was being enlisted to help Jewish gangster Meyer Lansky fend off a fascist movement in NYC supporting Nazi Germany. The flashback scenes are well done. But, they are inserted into the current storyline abruptly in a fashion that pulls me out of the story every time. I expect JMS to handle these kind of transitions a bit smoother.
Least favorite is the Uncanny Avengers story. Not that it isn’t interesting, because it’s an intriguing set-up. It’s just a bit too dense to my liking, with more characters and side-plots than I want to follow. Also the coloring is too dark throughout and makes many of the panels appear murky.
All three stories are more than one year old, but smartly they draw attention to the trade paperback collections for those who want to pursue further. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#226 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #47/#47B Disney 100 tribute cover. Written by Zeb Wells. Guest artist Todd Nauck. (Marvel, June 2024) I’m raising my rating one half-star on this issue due to the art, which has freshened things up a bit. Wells’ stories continue to leave me indifferent although I appreciate the effort to make things exciting and credit him for determination.
This appears to be a lead-in to the landmark Issue #50, so understandably nothing too dramatic or final can happen until then.
The misguided clone of Spider-Man (who I have never liked), Ben Reilly, is back as Chasm and reunited with his girlfriend Hallows’ Eve. Spider-Man just finished helping get Mary Jane’s Aunt Anna out of Ravencroft and now he’s got a new problem: Betty Brant’s husband, Ned Leeds, is wrongly imprisoned and she wants his help.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker goes out on an arranged date and returns to his former awkwardness (shades of Stan Lee!) before being pulled out of it by an urgent text message. Enter Queen Goblin. Ho-Hum. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#227 THE PRINCIPLES OF NECROMANCY #1 written by Jackson Lansing & Collin Kelly with art by Eamon Winkle (Magma Comix, April 2024) This was an impulse buy. I knew nothing about new publisher Magma and this title when I spotted it on the new release shelves. I was prompted to flip through it based on the evocative cover. The art grabbed my attention and held it so I bought Issue #1. The story is also a page-turner so I’ve already pre-ordered Issue #2.
So, if you like the sword and sorcery genre and perhaps Conan (even the Titan version) and Barbaric (Vault) seem too tame for your tastes, this may be your alternate read. I’m reminded of WOLFSKIN, the barbarian series Warren Ellis did for Avatar Press, especially the art. Visually vivid, plenty of blood and beheadings.
I’m really impressed with the art style, and not just the scenes of gore. There are winter scenes that are stirring in the way they set up the scene and atmosphere.
I’m not sure this will be a full-out barbarian comic, as the main character appears to be Doctor Jacob Eyes (one look at his face and you’ll know why that name is so appropriate), although he seems more of a mad scientist. The hopelessly outmatched tribes of low-landers who have lived in the forest for ages have their property under siege by the City King’s knights. They are no match for warriors in armor.
Doctor Eyes first earns the confidence of the tribes by offering assistance to patch up their wounded leader, who miraculously recovers in one day. Eyes becomes the official physician of the tribes and offers his services at no charge provided no one tries to enter the doctor’s tent when he’s working. That gives him the freedom to pursue his experiments unchecked.
What emerges from his efforts is a monstrous, hideous example of body horror. Creepy and wicked, a deft blend of barbarian fantasy and horror. FOUR STARS.
#228 RAT CITY #1 by Erica Schultz and Ze Carlos (Image Comics, March 2024) Another impulse buy for me, as I saw this on the new release shelf, gave it a scan and picked it up based on the interesting art and my admiration for writer Erica Schultz. I’ve liked everything I’ve read by her, and appreciate her style.
End result: this is the first title by Schultz that I don’t dislike but feel pretty indifferent towards. To her credit, Schultz creates a sympathetic character in disabled government soldier Peter Cairn but I’m just not feeling it. And, it has nothing to do with this being an expansion of the Spawn universe, this time in the future —either during or shortly after World War III (the story does not make that clear).
Side note: Despite the similarity to the character on the front cover, I did not make the Spawn connection until I came across it near the end of the issue. My son, who seldom reads comics, saw that cover and asked me why I was picking up a Spawn book. Also, the connection between Al Simmons (Spawn) and Peter is shown but not clearly explained - -especially if Peter will become future Spawn, as I suspect.
After suffering a near-fatal injury Cairn loses some limbs and undergoes surgery (by an experimental pharmaceutical company) to implant cybernetic legs for him and other wounded soldiers. When he doesn’t meet their standards (whose exactly?) during physical therapy he is let go and can only obtain work as a city maintenance worker.
He’s caught in a new explosion (unexplained) that results in his being unable to remove his prosthetics. But he feels more powerful and is confronted with an ethereal image of a glowing Spawn. We learn that the explosion may be connected to a “necroplasmic detonation” that occurred in SPAWN #301 and crosses timelines into the future.
After further exploration of the art in this issue, it didn’t wow me as much as on first impression. It takes a skilled artist to include a large amount of detail in small panels and still maintain clarity of images. Carlos includes the detail but it gets cluttered in too many places, also not helped by the too-vibrant or too-dark color choices.
The other thing that isn’t clear and bothers me a bit about this is how Schultz is going to connect this cyber-punk reality with the heaven-and-hell, spiritual/demonic nature of standard Spawn. But really, I don’t care to find out. THREE STARS.
No comments:
Post a Comment