Hey all. We went up a bit late last week, and as a result missed our opportunity to hotlink off the PCS main page. We got it done, though, and if you missed it check it out at http://www.popcultureshock.com/brendan-adans-picks-pans-scans-august-16-2007/42461/ And now… this week.

Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero #1

Adan: This new Battlestar series that takes place before the Cylons attacked the Twelve Colonies feels like a harder edged Star Trek: The Original Series, and not in a good way..

There seem to be three different time periods vying for attention, and while one obviously happens before another, I’m not sure where the third one fits in. Storyline one is Adama and Tigh on the Galactica as Adama goes on a planet mission (thereby invoking TOS) to rescue his previous Commander, Julian Dimarco. Then we get a flashback to when Adama was serving under Dimarco as they did some black ops stuff out on the edge of Colonial space. There is third time period in which Tigh and Adama are with their wives and talking about how they’re done with black ops stuff, but I can’t figure out where that takes place.

But even if I wasn’t having temporal issues, this book still feels like Galactica-lite. Brandon Jerwa just doesn’t give it the same resonance that the show has (which isn’t that big a surprise, but still), and I’m not entirely sure that this book is even an adequate placeholder while the show is on hiatus (until 2008! why!?) Jackson Herbert’s pencils over Stephen Segovia’s layouts make it very difficult to figure out who is who, but colorist Adriano Lucas may be equally at fault, as everything is murky and indecipherable, especially on the planetside story and its accompanying flashback.

The regular Battlestar Galactica series by Dynamite hasn’t exactly wowed me, but it’s still much better than this. If you’re a hardcore fan, you’re not going to be able to help yourself, but everybody else: you can skip this. Just wait a little longer.

Brendan: This was very forgettable. I can’t even pretend to have a lot to say. The art was less than impressive, and the storyline was too scattered. I had a hard time telling one character apart from another, which is always a sign of doom. The action lacked, and the characters didn’t look or sound distinct enough to create any real drama. I sort of dig this show, but not enough to want to follow this obscure book.

Comic Foundry Magazine #1

Adan: Here is the new comics magazine that purports to be the happy medium between Wizard and The Comics Journal. So, is it any good?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes and here’s why.

I got this magazine back when Editor-in-chief Tim Leong and my sister/erstwhile partner-in-reviewing Laura Hudson debuted it at the San Diego Comic-Con. They were obviously really excited about it, and when I bought it, I could only think, “I hope this doesn’t suck.” The next day, as I was waiting in line for a Warren Ellis signing, I read the magazine cover to cover. It is important to note two things here: I had a bunch of other comics in my bag (as well as a copy of Douglas Wolk’s excellent Reading Comics) and I hadn’t read a magazine cover to cover since the Wizard: X-men Special back when Grant Morrison was about to start New X-men. That right there is a huge endorsement.

As for the claim that Comic Foundry is a happy medium between Wizard and The Comics Journal? Well, it is and it isn’t. It certainly covers both mainstream comics and indy comics (though I think this issue skewed more toward the indy side), it doesn’t come off as either fratboyish (like Wizard) or snooty (like TCJ), but it also does some things neither magazine does, and that’s the Life+Style section that EIC Tim touts so much. Where else can you learn to Rasterbate, have Kieron Gillen teach you how to fake taste in music, have Matt Fraction teach you how to make love to Kieron Gillen, and learn Michel Kupperman’s favorite jokes? On top of that you get an interview with two of my favorite people: Kristen “Veronica Mars” Bell and Bryan Lee “Scott Pilgrim” O’Malley.

I know what you’re thinking: “Of course you love it, your sister’s writing for the magazine. You have to like it.” Untrue, dear reader. I don’t have to like shit (I didn’t even mention the two great articles she has in here). I like this magazine because it’s good, and I do have some problems with it. Two, to be exact: one, the Costume section of the magazine could really have used some color, especially the bit on the Voltron shoes (which one’s the green lion?); and two, the copy editing is really not good. I will let the copy editing slide for two reasons: it’s their first issue and they’ll fix it (and they will fix it) and my own copy editing is quite atrocious, so I really have no leg to stand on.

Final word: it’s good. Go buy it already, my sister writes for this thing, dammit!

Brendan: Who is this “Laura Hudson,” and what does she think she’s doing “writing?”

This was a very strong launch issue for the magazine that seeks to fill the void between Wizard’s thinly veiled infomercial approach and The Comic Journal’s “Everything you like is wrong, books haven’t been good in twenty years,” insular approach. Foundry takes a lot of different risks in regards to content, with features on comics-influenced adult beverages, LAAPPAS alum’s article “Sex and the Superhero,” (hey, I hear that stuff sells), and Matt Fraction’s tutorial on how to bag the dude that writes Phonogram. There is more traditional fare also, like the ever important “Now we interview a blonde,” article, this time concentrating on Veronica Mars‘ Kristen Bell, but even this seems thought-out and worthwhile. I thought there were issues with the structure of the magazine. The heavier content was weighted towards the back, and the “Life+Style” section could have been pushed further towards the end, if not shortened. These things will happen with a launch issue, though, and are hardly big enough hiccups to worry. The short story is a refreshing addition, and the piece on “The Judas Contract,” gives a sense of history and credibility.

There is tremendous potential in this mag. It feels like a regular, newsstand magazine, which is an accomplishment. The fashion section is original and ambitious, recreating some familiar pages with trendy new digs, and the interviews, notably the final piece with Scott Pilgrim’s Bryan Lee O’Malley, are honest and fully realized.

And c’mon, it’s one cent cheaper than Wizard. At the very least, you gotta try it out.

Halo Uprising #1

Brendan: Comics like this are important. Books like this, Dark Tower and Buffy offer the unique opportunity to actively grow the comic book market. This book will be actively sought out by a crowd that may not be aware that books are released on Wednesday, or of who Brian Bendis is. This is a rare chance to grab someone who doesn’t care, and turn him or her into a reader.

That said, this issue is an accomplishment. The insanely talented creative team of Bendis and Maleev deliver a thoughtful, beautiful, action-driven story for hardcore Halo fans and n00bs alike. Matt Hollingsworth’s disturbing but consistent colors are hugely effective in solidifying the Halo world and look, while Chris Eliopoulos proves to be more than the guy that makes the Franklin Richards books go, and provides pitch perfect lettering.

The opening six page scene lays low any fear that this series would be the typical, dialogue driven storytelling that Bendis is loved and loathed for. This book is about fucking shit up. By the fourth page’s third panel we are reminded of why we’re reading this book, with a subtle “first person shooter cam” shot. The inclusion of Cleveland, Bendis’ hometown, feels like an ego-stroke, but is forgivable in that it is always refreshing to see somewhere other than New York or L.A. demolished. While the Master Chief story is obviously the driving force for this book, the common man storyline gives a much needed grounding to the world of Halo, and proves to interesting in its own right.

Licensed books, be they Halo, or the Transformers, GI Joe, and Star Wars books of yesteryear, are what get people into comics. While the comic inspired-movie boom has helped grant some mainstream credibility to the world of comics (read: money buys respect), the fact is that people who see the Spider-man movies tend to like the Spider-man movies. It doesn’t necessarily follow that they pursue the books. But, if you have an audience that clamors for more substance from their obsession of choice, (looking at you Buffy fans), then they will follow regardless of medium. They say comics can’t compete with video games. Maybe they can’t, but they can sure as hell help each other.

Adan: I don’t know about being an “accomplishment” or even “grow[ing] the comic book market,” but it was enjoyable, in a weird, awful watching-someone-else-masturbate kind of way.

Yes, Master Chief doesn’t say a single word (for two four-page stints, some kind of record for Bendis), but the hotel concierge guy who is in Cleveland when the Covenant attack is really just a better-looking, Indian Bendis. His mouth is potty and his mannerisms are that of a short, troll-looking mother, but the dude’s hawt. Which segues nicely into how awesome Maleev is. I think he could draw Brendan’s face and make it look good, that’s how good he is.

This book is kind of ridiculous, but Halo fans will buy it because whatever. That’ll probably the only thing they buy, but even only one Halo guy picks up a Daredevil trade, I guess it will have been worth it.

Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 #1

Brendan: I’ll be honest- the first volume of Mouse Guard didn’t blow me away the way it did some others. I thought it was solid and beautifully drawn, but the story felt a bit stretched. There were points of confusion in the storytelling, and at times it was hard to tell characters apart. Of course, I still think it deserved an Eisner and was eagerly awaiting the beginning of the second volume. I was pleased to see that David Petersen continued to evolve and improve with his work. The art continued to provide stunning portrayals of animal life while still giving insight into the characters and their world. I think Petersen has become more comfortable with his pacing, and has managed to find a story that suits the season in which it is set. These dudes are little heroes, and everyone should pay attention.

Plus, you get a bonus Geof Darrow pin-up.

Adan: More awesome mousy action from Eisner-winning David Petersen. It’s winter now, and Midnight’s attack in the fall has left the Guard with little food and medicine. The Guard Mice have to travel to the nearby cities and basically beg for food, medicine, and continued support of the Guard. It’s a hard life, being a Guard Mouse. It’s even harder trying to read Gwendolyn’s script. Good God, could you have chosen a more difficlut script. I mean thanks for not using Wingdings, but man.

Regardless, I love this book. I loved it the first time, and I’m gonna love it this time.

Also, I love Saxon.

Order of the Stick vol. -1: Start of Darkness TP

Adan: Another black and white prequel for Rich Burlew’s Dungeons & Dragons-themed online comic Order of the Stick, which is just as hilarious as his strip.

Where the last prequel focused on the heroes, this one focuses on the villains of the tale, Xykon the Lich and Redcloak, his goblin cleric. In his introduction, Burlew says that it is difficult to write a story where the villain is the main character without making him sympathetic. Fear not, for Xykon is an evil, evil jerk who can elicit no sympathy from anybody. Burlew does a good job of fleshing out Xykon’s character without giving him some kind of tortured past to explain away all his nefarious deeds. Xykon’s just an evil dick.

Redcloak, on the other hand… Well, you should read it.

Burlew packs this volume with a bunch of comics in-jokes, from a magical X-men team, to a slightly funnier rendition of that fateful night of Dick Grayson’s. Even with all the evil and smiting, Burlew makes sure you can yuk it up.

Like in his last prequel, Burlew chooses to tone the bulk of the story in grayscale and not add in color. While I can understand that printing costs would be much, much higher, Burlew’s stick figure representations of all that is Dungeons & Dragons look a lot better in color.

Regardless, I will be adding this to my collection because I do love OotS very much, and even though Burlew says you don’t need to read this book to follow the main story arc in his online strips, fans should still check it out. And if you’re not already a fan of OotS, then by all means, start now.

Brendan: What if Bone spent most of its energy making D&D jokes with Microsoft Paint graphics? It turns out, you’d have a lot of fun, and it would be a lot like this. This story was surprisingly serialized, with a plot that managed to move forward. It was generally funny, even to a reader not immersed in a “Vitality +9″ lifestyle. The balloon layout was confusing at points, and the page size was jarring. The best sequences were rendered in perfect Crayola bit graphics that accidentally carry into the main story. Oh, and cockroaches can breach the fourth wall, much how they can breach any other wall. I would probably not buy this without first being a fan of the web-work, but this does make the web publication more enticing and is a fine volume unto itself.

Stormbringers #1

Adan: First off, “womb energy?” Seriously?

Second off, five thousand women have been murdered and the cops have no leads? That there is the worst police force in the history of ever.

But back to the womb energy: apparently, there are women in the city of New Frontier (I think Darwyn Cooke and Peter David live there) who have manifested superpowers, “pregnant with … inexhaustible sums of energy.” This womb energy allows them to shoot laser beams, or run fast, or be an honest-to-God angel, apparently. Also, there are men who don’t have powers per se, but by exerting their wills real hard, they can be more than normal men. This isn’t the most ridiculous premise in the world, but it comes close. It’s not helped by the fact that the entire issue is exposition, and clunky exposition at that.

John Stinsman’s art is serviceable, but not great. Some of his forms are a little off, but overall okay. I really have beef with the colorist Megan Spence. She puts too much shadow on everything, even when it’s light out or people are in an office building with plenty of light. The area under someone’s chin should not be that dark in an office.

Also, I’m all for diversity, but making everyone in this book black is not diversity. I guess it’s possible that some of these people are Hispanic or something, but man, there’s like three pale-skinned people. Whatever, it’s not really a complaint; more of an observation.

The premise is too ridiculous to not keep reading this book, but it’s definitely not worth five bucks.

Brendan: This book sort of floored me. I thought the packaging was disappointing, and entered with low expectations. All of a sudden, there was womb energy and an Ultimate Nick Fury, modern Luke Cage, and Shaft 2000-era Sam Jackson protagonist. Oh, and after a passable first four pages artist John Stinsman leaps from passable to fucking superstar. It helps that his character work seems to echo that of Mike Mckone, an all time favorite of mine, but what Stinsman achieves is much more. His storytelling is fluid and natural. He is as good looking on the close shots as the full ones. His action is as visually interesting as his character interaction. Best of all, his inking is perfectly saturated to tell the story at hand. Usually, the best way to tell if an artist is ready for prime-time is to see how consistent their work is from page one to twenty-two. People inevitably mail it in on scenes they don’t love, and the result is so uneven an audience will tune out or put the book back down. I think his cover was a bad representation of his skill, and that he turned a corner during this project.

The story was incredibly charged and ambitious. The characters were well-written enough to keep me interested in turning the page. I worry that the allegory here may be laid on a bit thick but didn’t stray too close to feel like a book with an agenda. I don’t mind not seeing many light skinned folk in this book, because there are plenty of comics with exclusively light skinned casts. This book was a real surprise, and well worth hopping onboard early.

Adan: But why can’t I see anybody’s neck!? Even in a brightly lit room, that also has a huge window that lets in natural light, I can’t see people’s necks ‘cause there’s so much shadow. Did Stinsman just spill a bottle of ink or something?

Brendan: Necks are no longer necessary. They have been sacrificed in the name of mood.

Superman #666

Brendan: Welcome back to Superman’s issue 666 Satanniversary, (the joke so nice I used it twice). Regular series writer Kurt Busiek teams with industry legend Walt Simonson to bring this tale of a Superman gone wrong. Simonson’s powerful portrayal of Krypton’s Last Son is a treat, but the meticulous hand lettering of John Workman is a huge standout. You will never enjoy a good “THOOM” as much as one by John Workman. Simonson’s Superman, like that of fabled studio-mate Howard Chaykin, is not always “pretty.” The line work may be jarring to readers with modern sensibilities, but the strength of the work lies in its ability to convey the emotional beats of the story. The composition and style is perfectly realized. There is real power in this Superman, and it feels a great deal like I imagine a Jack Kirby Superman story would feel.

The plot itself is an eerie negative to Kurt Busiek’s Astro City story, wherein the Superman analog, Samaritan, dreams about his freedom to fly without responsibility. Here, Superman acts without the burden of responsibility he must shoulder, and the results are frightening. The story itself reads like a dream, with jumps in logic and time, but an internal consistency to make it feel real. I thought this story employed interesting narrative tricks, as well as a neat twist to Kryptonian mythology. Timeless and original, this was maybe one of my all-time favorite Superman stories.

Adan: Of all-time? Lay off the hyperbole, buddy. I’m not saying you didn’t enjoy it, but all-time? C’mon now.

I didn’t like this issue at all. The story was forced and contrived, the art was dense and hard to parse, and the damn book cost $3.99, a full dollar more than a regular (and usually better) issue of Superman. I’m not gonna pay $3.99 for some story about a Kryptonian demon (who didn’t exist before this issue, by the way) who tries to take Superman’s soul and make him into the Beast of Revelation. It’s quite silly and I’m not down at all.

Tales from the Crypt #2

Brendan: Is the classic Tales from the Crypt cover layout simply the best layout because of the baggage it brings? I think it may be more; I think the composition of it may be the pinnacle of the standard sized comic. Or maybe I just think gross looking shit is cool.

This book is dedicated to all the right people, and I think it is great to have this title back in print. Imagine a world where Tales from the Crypt went on unimpeded. Why, it would be somewhere in the seven hundreds, had it stayed in print. It could have rivaled 2000 A.D. as a proving grounds for comics’ best talent. Who knows, maybe some of comics’ most accomplished writers would have been American!

This first of this book’s two tales of horror is the story of the landlord from Hell, or rather the landlord put through Hell. Although this is a Crypt revival, The Tenant is a full on Spirit homage. Everything from the street names, Iger, of Eisner and Iger Studios, and Colt of the Spirit’s alter-ego, Denny Colt, is in honor of the man who brought literature to comics. Even the headstone at the story’s finale gives the gag away with the name “Willis Rensie,” Eisner’s one-time pseudonym. The story echoes the parable-like nature of Eisner’s classic Spirit stories with a morale of social responsibility and compassion. The art is good enough, but suffer when the panels are closer up. In fact, the production value on this book was way off. The entire chapter looks like second rate scans, and really distract from art that has moments of real potential. Artist Steve Mannion provides a spectacularly rendered cover, but fails to carry that level of quality throughout his chapter.

The Garden is the issue’s second chapter, and is a chilling story delivered by Action Philosophers’ Fred Van Lente and artist Mr. Exes. The story is a strangely haunting one, with a true perversion of paradise.

Both stories prove to be good enough reads to warrant a look. They are neither children nor adults’ comics, a feat accomplished by telling topical stories with a meaning and a resonance without resorting to stupid fucking things like cursing.

Adan: Moreso than the individual stories, which were good in their own ways, I enjoyed the Hell out of the framing bits. The puns that Cryptkeeper throws down are hilarious and “What the Wertham–!” is the best exclamation ever and I have to start using it in my everyday speech.

Brendan is right in that “The Tenant” is just a love letter to Will Eisner, from the art style, to the plot points, to the themes, all the way down to the Easter eggs. Unfortunately, Brendan is also right in that the production value is just awful. “The Garden” was a much more interesting tale to me. It had a pretty sweet twist ending that I will not ruin because then it will cease to be pretty sweet.

Look, you just need to read this book. The Cryptkeeper is hilarious and these puns need to make out into the world.

Wolverine #56

Brendan: The creative team of Jason Aaron and Howard Chaykin on Wolverine packs so much testosterone you may need a pill to offset it. Grit itself would cower at the grit within these pages. A refreshing change of pace from the incoherent “Romulus,” storyline, this is a standalone story of how Logan can destroy a man without touching him. It is actually very reminiscent of Mark Millar and Kaare Andrews’ concentration camp issue (that’s issue 32 if you like editor’s notes). It is funny to see Aaron taking the reigns on the world’s most fearsome Canuck just a week after his pilot issue of Ripclaw, which, as Adan pointed out, is not a wholly *ahem,* original character template, but by delivering, all slings and arrows are left in their upright and locked position. The actual plot, with Logan trapped in a pit while a man guns at him for a full work day, echoes the story of Cassidy and Frankie the Eunuch in Preacher. While I won’t say the story isn’t original, it definitely wears its influences on its sleeve.

I’m not sure this is a logical follow up to Loeb and Bianchi’s previous story arc, nor do I understand how this would fit in any sort of current continuity, but I am sure that I do not give a shit. While Chaykin is not in top form, his jagged, bestial portrayal of Wolverine suits this one-and-done perfectly. The blood in this issue, (and oh, is there blood in this issue) practically sticks to your hands off of the page. It isn’t pretty, but nor should it be.

Adan: Yes, yes, Jason Aaron is a good writer and Howard Chaykin’s art makes my eyes bleed. And overall, I like the issue, but that’s not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about whether or not a mainstream superhero book can even have a done-in-one story anymore.

Obviously, this book begins a new story that then ends in twenty-eight pages. But is it a done-in-one, really? Most, if not all, mainstream superhero books are too hampered by continuity and a shared universe (not necessarily a bad thing) to be able to tell a done-in-one story. Taking this issue of Wolverine as an example (also because I am ostensibly reviewing it), at the end of the issue, you find out that the mastermind behind Logan’s imprisonment is that Romulus guy Loeb and Bianchi introduced in the last arc. Even the new and leathered Wild Child shows up. A reader completely unknown to comics could not pick this up and understand the whole story. He’d have to ask friends who the leather-boy is, who he is talking to, and why do they hate Wolverine so much? These are, of course, beyond the initial questions of who Wolverine is, why can he be shot a lot and not die, etc. which we don’t count because they fall in the purview of introductory questions (everybody asks these kinds of questions when about to consume new media, especially if they’re joining up in medias res).

And I don’t think even longtime readers can consider this a done-in-one. The entire time I was reading this issue, as narration boxes told me weeks were passing, that Logan was in the pit for about two months, give or take a week, all I could think was, “Where are the X-men or New Avengers? This guy belongs to about twenty teams, and none of them have noticed he’s missing? Maybe there was a scheduling conflict and all the teams think he’s currently with a different team?” I still half expect there to be a New Avengers or Astonishing X-men issue later on where Wolverine chastises Luke Cage or Cyclops for not coming to spring him from the pit.

The age of the one-and-done is long gone for mainstream superhero comics. There is too much continuity for this to be able to happen anymore. Throw in the fact that most mainstream superhero characters regularly appear in more than two monthly titles (Wolverine being the worst offender of the whole bunch), and you have the death of the done-in-one story.

But hey, Jason Aaron did write a good story, and I hope this gets you Wolverine readers out there to pick up his Other Side or his Scalped, both by Vertigo, as they are much, much better.

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