Comic Reviews – Page 7

COMIC REVIEW – Star Wars: Dark Empire (Dark Horse Miniseries – 1992)

So this was the first piece of Star Wars Expanded Universe fare that I think I’ve read as a younger fellow. Oh, I have dabbled in the Marvel comics stuff and maybe that Splinter Of The Mind’s Eye novel, but in terms of new stories set in that galaxy far, far away that took the narrative beyond the Star Wars trilogy – there was only one – Dark Empire was the first thing that opened up. I wouldn’t get around to the novels until much later down the road, but the comics were easy reads… as were the video games that would come along later, but I digress.

Dark Empire takes place some years after Return Of The Jedi. The leadership of the former Rebel Alliance now head the New Republic and they’re still fighting the remnants of that evil Galactic Empire after all this time. The first thing you notice about this comic is the artwork, which has really rough-looking characters that somewhat resemble those classic characters you know and love, but updated to keep with the times. Luke Skywalker has darker-colored Jedi robes, foreshadowing the dark turn he would take as the series would progress. Leia has heir hair down. The various ships and setpieces are probably the real highlight of the art because they look a little better, but even to this day, I am baffled by the coloring, which seems very all over the place, cloudy, and doesn’t help the line art all that much.

As for the story itself… like I said, the Republic is still fighting the Empire and the Emperor is back from the dead in a new clone body, which makes me wonder if this was something that could’ve happened in whatever sequels would’ve followed if George Lucas would’ve gone in that direction. Luke takes a bit of a dark turn and things go to hell… but they eventually get better. For the time, I thought it was a fairly enjoyable little read and even coming back to it years after the fact, it might not be the one of the better Star Wars stories… and the subsequent miniseries, Dark Empire II and Empire’s End, actually turn out far worse than this one, but it’s an enjoyable little romp regardless.

COMIC REVIEW – Star Trek: The Next Generation (DC Comics, 1988 Miniseries)

Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987 and became a surprise hit. DC Comics, at the time producing a successful enough Star Trek comic book, would eventually produce a miniseries based on the new show lasting six issues. Naturally, the miniseries is non-canon to the larger Trek canon, so put down your phaser canons because this thing is BONKERS.

The Enterprise crew get into the Christmas spirit or something and they meet Santa Claus. There’s a three-issue arc featuring Q as an absolute madman, which may or may not be far off from the actual character; who the fuck knows. Honestly, I feel like whoever wrote that second season of Picard read this thing and made old Q seem like this Q… almost. Fundamentally, the comic takes a lot of liberties with the source material and I’m not quite how much material they had to work with when they put this series together. But reading this stuff now and knowing how the series (as well as the franchise as a whole) would turn out afterwards, this feels like some whacked-out fanfiction written by someone who has no idea what they’re doing. And I’m not faulting Mike Carlin on this one; it’s entirely possible he had little to work with and thus needed to fill the blanks.

I’ll give him this much; I was thoroughly entertained throughout. This, along with the artwork making all the characters appear buffer and more seemingly well-built with Herculean physiques – they had spandex spacesuits at the time, so I’m sure the art direction was a Rodenberry wet dream. But listen, you can debate the continuity snags (Stardates has you assuming this takes place in the second season, but it’s clearly based on the first since Riker has no beard and Tasha is still alive) and some of the minor nitpicks, but the one thing you can’t accuse this of is boring. For six issues, you’re getting some of the more wacky takes on Star Trek that you’re gonna get, almost right up there with the old Gold Key stuff from back in the days. Don’t come into this with high expectations and you’re going to enjoy this one immensely. Highly recommended for the lulz.

COMIC REVIEW – The Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe (1995 One-Shot)

In 1995, Garth Ennis wrote a Punisher comic that saw Frank Castle’s family killed during a battle between the usual Marvel superheroes and an invading alien force. After the superheroes show no remorse for their actions and offer a pitiful apology, Castle goes ape shit and kills a few before he is arrested, taken to jail, broken out of fail, and offered a shitload of weapons and tech to kill all the heroes, becoming the same ol’ Punisher we all know, but with a decidedly different target.

Almost five years later, Ennis would pen a new Punisher mini-series that would be critically acclaimed and this one-shot would see a reprint, with a new cover by Ennis’ occasional collaborator, Steve Dillon. But I didn’t know any of this beforehand because I picked up the reprint. And so it was jarring to open up a Punisher comic by Garth Ennis and not have Steve Dillon do the art. Fortunately, Doug Braithwaite does a serviceable job, with reasonably proportioned characters and some decent looking setpieces.

And the story itself is actually quite brilliant; shifting the Punisher’s war on crime to that of a war on superhumans and basically telling the story of a man who won’t stop until all these heroes (and villains) are dead. If nothing else, some of the kills are pretty creative and the way the comic comes to its conclusion makes sense.

For what is essentially a glorified What If, The Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe is a pretty entertaining read if you just want a bonkers comic. Recommended.

COMIC REVIEW – Action Comics #666 (July 1991)

Just for shits and giggles… why not revisit Action Comics #666?

There’s no devil worshipping in this issue, but it does open with Superman going mad and on a killing spree… so I guess that’s the closest thing to demonic or devilish tales to be had here. Alas, the cover story kind of gives way that all is not what it seems, but how we get there is… well, it boils down to a cliche used to dismiss the sort of tales that would once be advertised as “imaginary stories.” This was the 90s. We don’t have room for imaginary stories unless they’re part of our great canon.

The core of the story boils down to exploring Superman’s fear of losing control and going crazy, which is something that writers like to explore every so often to varying degrees of success. Before this issue came along, there was an arc where Superman had exiled himself into space after killing some dudes (I think it was kryptonians from a parallel world; I don’t recall) and that probably did a better job of exploring that fear over the course of several issues than this one issue could.

For a quick standalone story, it’s a nice, easy read that falls back on some cliche concepts to bring everything back to status quo. The art in general ain’t too shabby, either. A bit messy in some places, but otherwise, pretty good.

Just as an aside, we’re not doing Detective Comics #666 for the simple reason being that it’s the penultimate chapter of the comic event “Knightfall”, the saga that saw Bane break the Bat and a new Batman come in to take the reign. Maybe someday we’ll give that saga a proper look… maybe.

COMIC REVIEW – Batman #666 (July 2007)

I find it rather funny that several years ago, nothing particularly “evil” or “devil-themed” was conjured up for the 666th issues of Action Comics or Detective Comics, and yet here we are. Superman and Batman’s long running series had recently reached the number of the beast and both involve the devil in some form or another. But while Superman #666 is mostly about him being a dick, Batman #666 gives way to a future storyline in which Batman’s son, Damien, must take up the mantle of the Bat to face the Prince of Darkness… what?

So there’s a real twist here that has the son of Batman facing off against the Anti-Christ Batman or something. Apparently, a deal was made between Bats Jr. and the devil that would prevent the Apocalypse from happening. What kind of deal was it? Well, the obvious kind, of course. There’s the usual devil worshippings and satanic killings that are all the rage in this “devil-themed” stories. It’s seems done to death before, but it’s just a nice, slick story that it never gets boring or even remotely tedious. It’s a pretty fast paced book.

And it’s got nice art to compliment the book – not to say that it’s breathtaking or anything like that, but the thing with Adam Kubert’s stuff is that it’s consistently smooth regardless of the project being worked on. It successfuly interprets and recreates that dark, moody atmosphere which depicts a city on the verge of Armageddon. I don’t really have much to complain about here as far as the content goes, although I’m pretty sure some people will see this as a pointless cash in of an issue number similar to that of the Beast. But hey, I think it’s a decent cash-in nonetheless.

In a time and day when comic companies rely on tiresome story-arcs and gimmicky crossovers to tell their story or lack thereof, the 666th iteration of Batman is an enthralling read for a one-shot story. The dialogue is good, the art is great, and there is never a dull moment. Perhaps most importantly, it says all it needs to say within the 20+ pages of a single issue and also offers a tease as to what happens next, leaving readers wanting more of this stuff. Definitely worth a look if you’re a Batman fan or a fan of comics in general.

P.S. Waiting until All-Star Batman & Robin finishes up its eternally-long first story-arc before I give it a proper review. Honestly

COMIC REVIEW – Superman #666 (Oct. 2007)

So Superman’s long running series has reached the number of the beast, similar to how his other DC rival has reached the number. You could imagine the DC editorial meetings behind the production of this issue:

DC EDITOR #1: Lookie here, folks. Superman has hit six-hundred and sixty-six issues!

DC EDITOR #2: Wow, that’s incredible! How do we celebrate this momentous occasion?

DC WRITER: How about we show a what if tale about what happens when Superman is influenced by the devil from Krypton and decides to kill everybody?

DC EDITOR #1: Nah! That idea sucks! You’re fired!

DC JANITOR: Why don’t you guys just make him a dick for a whole issue?

DC EDITOR #2: Oh yeah! What a great idea! That’ll sell lots of issues!

DC EDITOR #1: YES! This will SO make up for our inconsistent progress of ongoing storylines spanning five hundred issues spread across the few thousand out there!!! You, sir, are a GENIUS! Here’s a promotion!!!

Ahem…

Let’s get this out of the way: the story behind this issue sucks ass. It’s rather pointless, it doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t play into the larger Superman mythos, and most of all, it’s one of the most cliched plotlines out there that was used simply because of the issue’s number. Anyone who is looking for great storytelling in comic books won’t find it in this issue because this issue doesn’t have it. Perhaps most of all, the plot is sort of misleading. This isn’t about Superman being controlled by the devil or being the Anti-Christ or anything like that; this is about Superman being a dick.

Yeah, that’s right. I said it and I’ll go ahead and say it again. Superman is a dick. If all those issues from the Silver Age don’t convince you of this fact, then this issue should be more than enough to kill any doubts you may have had about your favorite superhero.

THAT is what’s going to sell this issue. Superman is a dick all throughout this issue, as fourth-stringer heroine Zatanna will attempt to convince Superman to stop what he’s doing and Supes is like “Yeah, I know I’m doing bad things and I just don’t care” and will just blow her away or something. He does some nasty stuff to Jimmy (not THAT nasty, you pervert!) because the signalwatch buzzing annoys the hell out of Supes. This is superdickery at its absolute best and it is awesome. So yeah, the story sucks, because Superman being the dick he knows he could be just sells the book alone.

Forget the fact that a name writer and a name artist is behind the creation of this book: this isn’t about them. This is about Superman being a dick. Kurt Busiek does a good dick Superman and the art pretty much compliments the issue. It’s not the cleanest art and not my favorite, but it works.

Hats off to DC for allowing Superman to be his good old true dickery self for one whole issue and as a result, create a weird, screwed-up, fun story in a day and age when the most notable thing in comics are nonsensical crossovers and political overtones forced upon a story just because the writer gets a hard-on for them. While the issue does try to play upon some Christian values or something, it’s just fluff for the issue’s true motive. Anyone who longed for the days of Superman charging damsels-in-distress a rescue fee or stealing away Jimmy Olsen’s newly-earned cash will want to pick this up. But if you’re looking for something deep, you won’t find it here.

But come on. Superman’s a dick here. Just as everyone suspected…

P.S. – They didn’t do anything with Action Comics or Detective Comics when THOSE books hit 666. What the heck?

COMIC REVIEW – Marvel Zombies (2006)

I guess you can consider this a quick comic review, since I haven’t a format to put up a full review. In fact, it’s the first time in years that I’m reviewing a comic book in any form… much less five.

So the crossover series Marvel Zombies vs. Army Of Darkness is coming out soon and I thought I take the time to talk about the original five-part miniseries that was put out some time last year. For those who don’t know, Marvel Zombies is an alternate-universe miniseries in which all the superheroes are turned into flesh-eating zombies. The concept is pretty stupid, but it somehow works. The whole thing is set up so that the heroes are aware of their zombie status, but really can’t do anything about it. It’s certainly different from most zombie stories, where the zombies are depicted as mindless one-track idiots.

Marvel Zombie’s art is gruesome, as it should be. There’s a bit more gore in this story than most Marvel tales of this type and it’s almost appropriate considering what we’re dealing with. Some of the imagery is almost unsettling to a point, but it isn’t anything offensive if you know what you’re getting into. It’s not like anybody’s “little buddy” and spider-balls are hanging out in public.

All in all, this is a fairly entertaining miniseries that’s good for a laugh or two. If at all possible, track this one down (either the issues or a trade paperback if one’s available)

Recommended.

COMIC REVIEW – Spider-Man: Torment (1990)

Todd McFarlane made a name for himself drawing Spider-Man in a fresh take that remains somewhat to this day. After a long stint on Amazing Spider-Man, Todd wanted to stretch his limbs and give this writing thing a shot. So Marvel gave the dude his own (adjectiveless) Spider-Man book and I’ll never forget the cover of that first issue; Spidey in that one pose amid a background of webbing, which came in either metallic silver, metallic bronze, or full-color varieties. The full-color one (pictured) was kinda lame, but the silver and bronze variants were pretty cool and perfectly matched the tone of the book’s first major arc; a five-issue story called Torment.

Anyone familiar with McFarlane’s art should know what to expect; lots of nice little setpieces that sometimes gets a bit chaotic for its own good compounded with a lot of faces that look to have been molded from Playdoh. It’s an acquired taste and a style that fit the time it was produced in. Sadly, the same can be said for the story; serviceable for the time, but not something that holds up over time. A shame too, because the premise is actually interesting, with Spider-Man having to deal with an infection of sorts, as well as a more primal Lizard compared to what had been presented before and another sinister force with ties to an old foe who has left this proverbial plane of existence. Although to be fair, I do like the little moments between Peter and MJ; those are nice.

One thing is for certain; Torment would be a learning curve for McFarlane, who would go on to produce the comic series Spawn and essentially create a merchandising empire for himself. Not one of the guy’s best efforts and in terms of quality Spider-Man stories, there are certainly better ones, but for a pilot effort, it got the table set and is certainly worth a read as a period piece.

COMIC REVIEW – Justice League: The Nail (1998)

(2025 Update: The original version of this review erroneously stated this miniseries was published in 2004, when, in fact, it was Justice League: Another Nail – the sequel to this series from ’98 – that was published in 2004.)

Justice League: The Nail is an Elseworlds miniseries from 1998 that features an intriguing premise; the Kents runs over a nail that causes one of their tires to go flat, thus preventing them from discovering the Kryptonian rocket carrying its last son and negating Superman. The idea of a Justice League without a Superman of any kind is somewhat interesting and there’s a way to go about it that makes it compelling stuff.

And at first, it seems somewhat promising. A world where metahumans and vigilantism are viewed upon far less favorably than usual, the paths of various heroes, villains, and supporting players taking different turns ranging from drastic to not so far from the beaten path, and just an otherwise darker slant on the narrative of the DC Universe. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part of me that wanted to see this initial set-up go beyond the mere three-issue prestige miniseries format.

Unfortunately, by the time you get to the climatic finale in the last issue, the central premise of the book is basically undone and things somewhat take a turn towards the standard fare. I’m sorry if that comes off as a bit spoiler-y – not that it would matter since we already have a sequel mini whose covers spoiled the whole thing anyway – but sadly, once The Nail introduces another central character late in the game, it all becomes clear how this ends up going.

It’s a bit of a shame because The Nail is a really good story up to that point and Alan Davis’s art only compliments the narrative; a vibrant, colorful visual presentation with classical depictions of these heroes contrasting the less-than-cheery world they live in. If not for the final moments of the story, this could’ve been an interesting take on the lore.

As it is, it’s still a really good story and probably one of the better Elseworlds stories I’ve read, but it could’ve been so much more if it had stuck the course.

COMIC REVIEW – Green Lantern: Rebirth #4 (of 6)

When I first heard about this miniseries and its premise, my first question was simply “Why?” I mean, is there a critical necessity to restore the pre-Rayner status quo, bringing everyone back to life and continue on as if nothing has ever happened? I never really cared for the Hal Jordan character, simply because he never seemed all that interesting a character until he went “whacko”. Of course, there are those who disagree with me… so here’s the mini that brings him back to the role he’s familiar with and returns everything back to the way things were.

Questionable intentions aside, the one thing that isn’t questionable is the fact that the Rebirth miniseries has been a fairly entertaining and pretty good read thus far and really, isn’t that the only thing that matters in the long run? Although this fourth issue does advance the story a little further somewhat, it wasn’t as fulfilling as the previous issue, which had some nifty plotpoints such as the reasoning behind the old GL rings’ yellow impurity and why Rayner’s ring doesn’t have it. But who’s complaining?

The bit where Green Arrow strains himself to shoot an arrow with the power ring was a nice touch, going to show how much of a toll it takes to use the ring to create things as simplistic as a mere arrow and that it’s not easy to bear it. Of course, no one’s ever had a problem with this sort of thing before, but those were “special” cases for lack of a better excuse. Visually, the art’s consistently good as the three issues before this one. The choice of coloring and darker shades goes well with the book and really emphasizes the overall tone of the series.

Other than that, there’s not much else to say that you’ve probably haven’t heard elsewhere. Simply put, Rebirth, so far, is good stuff, regardless of your preferred ringbearer. Of course, if you’re patient, you’ll probably wait for the inevitable TPB that’ll come out in a few scant months, but why bother? Just read it now.