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 . . . . . . .
#350 TORPEDO 1972 #1 by Enrique Sanchez Abulia and Eduardo Risso (Ablaze Publishing, March 2024) “About The Dead Sea”.
If you’re a fan of gritty crime comics (as I am) and long for something to catch your attention the way that SIN CITY and 100 BULLETS did (I can hope), TORPEDO 1972 may be as close as you’re going to get. It will remind you of 100 BULLETS, as it features the same artist, Risso, and his distinctive visualization and coloring. Also, the story by Abulia may remind you of SIN CITY.
Is this equal to those two titles? I wouldn’t go that far, but this is a very promising debut issue. To keep me feeling nostalgic for those titles, the story takes place in 1972, the same year that the iconic Mafia movie, THE GODFATHER, was released. Risso does a spot-on job of drawing the likeness of Marlon Brando during a movie theater scene.
Central character 60-year old Sicilian native Luca Torelli (a.k.a. Torpedo) was a crime family gunman in the 1940’s. He now lives in the Bronx, suffers from Parkinson’s disease, walks with a cane, and has a predilection for feeding pigeons in the park (and then feeding on them later). He’s a bristly, cantankerous old man when provoked, who still has enough fortitude to wield his fists or guns. He’s definitely not a likable character, but is fascinating as is his drunken manservant, Rascal.
James, an aspiring journalist (with Pulitzer dreams) learns of his residency in NYC, and after several payoffs finds his whereabouts and gets to interview him, arranging for magazine or newspaper pictures with his buxom photographer girlfriend Wendy.
She gets assaulted by Torpedo, and James pays back by including mention of an unverified murder of crime boss Pero Caputo in his article for the Wall Street Journal. The sons of Caputo take objection, so Torpedo decides to confront them before they can take action against him, setting up a major conflict for Issue #2. FOUR STARS.
#351 TORPEDO 1972 #2 by Enrique Sanchez Abuli and Eduardo Risso (Ablaze Publishing, April 2024) The story continues from Issue #1 in this engaging blend of crime noir and dark humor.
Torpedo’s quest for revenge on the journalist who framed him for murder (but, he’s not innocent) leads to a meeting with the criminal Caputo brothers, a gunfight in a bar, and a chase through the NY subway. Will Luca Torelli (Torpedo) kill innocent bystanders? Yes, without a thought if they stand in the way of his target.
Events in this issue kind of wipe the slate clean, except that one person who knows too much managed to escape. There’s some funny bits throughout as the aging Torpedo (suffering from Parkinson’s, along with a perpetually shaky hand) mispronounces words and terms in amusing ways - with his associate Rascal correcting him at his own risk.
I’m wondering where this is going as most of the conflict from Issue #1 has been resolved. No matter. I’m admiring the art and coloring of Risso. FOUR STARS.
#352 TORPEDO 1972 #3 by Enrique Sanchez Abuli and Eduardo Risso (Ablaze Publishing, May 2024) Rascal, Torpedo’s manservant, has a real drinking problem and rarely settles his tab. The bartender/owner’s had enough and tosses him out, but not before a nasty kick in his privates.
Rascal is suffering and fears he’ll never get an erection again. Torpedo takes pity and takes him for a cure at a brothel run by an old acquaintance - madam Lou. She wants Torpedo to kill the cop who planted a juvenile, set the business up, and is now blackmailing her.
That particular brand of cure does not produce the desired results, so next stop for Rascal is a urologist, which Torpedo mispronounces as “pricologist”. There are still some scenes of violence in this issue, but it’s an intermission that spotlights a more empathetic (but blunt) side of Torpedo, perhaps the calm before the storm.
Three issues in, and I’m not getting the 100 BULLETS / SIN CITY vibes that I was hoping for. Still, this is alleviating my urge for a little more crime noir/dark comedy. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
#353 - #358 BATMAN: JUSTICE BUSTER, VOLUME ONE graphic novel/manga by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi (DC Comics/Kodansha)
Synopsis:
"Crime in Gotham has gotten so out of control that Batman must step up his arsenal of fabulous toys.
Gotham City has been under the protection of Batman for only a short amount of time, but since the vigilante’s appearance, crime has changed. It’s gotten more bold, more destructive. As Batman tries to rise to meet these new threats, he develops a computer system, ROBIN, to help him analyze and subdue the rising criminal tide and hopefully one day put an end to crime in Gotham."
This was interesting and managed to hold my attention, but I would only recommend it to Batman fans who, like myself, may be curious to see how Japanese manga creators handle the licensed property. Aside from a few changes to familiar characters, this seems like the Batman I know.
Readers will need to make some assumptions as the story doesn't provide enough background. I had to read some reviews and synopsis to learn more.
The Penguin, Killer Croc, Firefly, and Deathstroke look very familiar, while the Riddler looks like a regular person, a stranger I couldn't pick out in a crowd. The Joker is an unwelcome wannabe sidekick to Batman, who has a penchant for killing foes as opposed to Batman's mission. He wears a luchador-like mask instead of facial paint.
The other change is to Dick Grayson, who has not partnered with Batman and is portrayed here as a youngster trying to hire a lanky detective (always nearby in the background, which makes me suspicious) to investigate the circus murder of his parents. Dick is always fascinated by images of the Bat-signal in the sky.
Batman has created an A.I. assistant dubbed "Robin" that assesses probabilities during Batman's action and makes a decision regarding a grappling hook that causes an almost-hazardous fall. Batman turns down an offer from Superman to join the Justice League, then initiates an upgrade to the Bat Boat, dubbing it the "Justice Buster" of the title.
This is mainly a set-up issue, and the story continues across several volumes. I like some of the panels, and some remind me of why I am not a huge fan of manga. Still, the story is intriguing me and I want to see where this goes from here. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS, based on potential.
#359 THE SCALE TRADE #2 by Steve Orlando and Megan Huang (Magma Comix, June 2024)
The back-cover synopsis: “In a modern-day world one step removed from our own, dragons are a highly respected — and highly endangered — species, but poaching is an existential threat. When a young idealist joins the federal agency tasked with managing dragon populations, he quickly discovers that the entire system is corrupt. After seeing firsthand the cruelty of the system, our newly radicalized dragon savior takes matters into his own hands!”
In Issue #1, new agent Carmen Tritos received a rude awakening that shattered his assumptions about the integrity of the law enforcement organization he just joined, the DCA (Dragon Conservation Agency). After busting up a dragon slaughterhouse (and now part of an internal investigation regarding the brutal death of the poachers) Carmen takes a wounded young dragon under his wing and trains it like a pet dog.
He’s determined to make a difference in denting the scale trade, but becomes even more disillusioned after discovering that the major backer and fundraiser for the DCA is unaware of the extent of the problem and may be using funds improperly. Also, even though his partner Cutter seems to have his back, can Carmen really trust him or is he walking into a trap that will make him the fall guy?
Despite that engaging cover, the art inside seems rudimentary with just a few exceptions. However, Orlando’s story has enough layers to hold my interest and overcome my indifference to the art style. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#360 LAWFUL #1 of 8 by Greg Pak and Diego Galindo (Boom! Studios, June 2024) The pitch: “Imperfection breeds monstrous consequences in this urban fantasy adventure with deep social commentary . . . “
Greg Pak comes up with a neat spin on fantasy tropes, and creates a fresh premise that would make for a great middle-grade/young adult fantasy novel. Based on the artistic embellishment by Diego Galindo in Issue #1, it should also make for an engaging comics mini-series.
In the walled city of New Sanctum there are lots of rules, and if one forgets there are constant daily reminders of them in signage, conversations and instructions from teachers, elders and parents. The whys and wherefores of such rules have yet to be established, but I’m sure Pak will get around to that backstory in future issues. He’s building a world in this debut issue that is amusing and engaging and will seem familiar as well.
Main character Sung gets a childhood lesson when he engages in some mischief with girlfriend Eris when they throw rocks into the moat that surrounds the city, causing a monster to crawl out and menace them.
The lesson from his father is not forgotten: “The security of all depends on everyone obeying the rules. . . If you break the rules everyone will see it. . . And if you keep breaking them . . you’ll become a monster yourself.”
Thirteen years later, Sung is a model youth, a “true innocent” always following the required path and in training to join the Office of the Champion. Underneath his shirt, his body displays the results of that youthful prank - - lizard-like scales growing on his chest. Others have not been as lucky. His friend Eris sports a tail, short horns, and a tiger paw on one hand. Sung’s under a lot of pressure and worries that he’s not perfect enough. He gets a new surprise on his body after making a minor error in his new responsibility. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
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