This wasn’t a huge week for the Big Two. There were a few books here and there, but it all felt as though we’d covered it lately. As such, we here at team BAAPAS thought we’d go with a bit of a changeup and take on a stack of lesser known titles, along with some underappreciated books by the Majors. –Brendan

Also, sorry for the lateness. It’s totally my fault because I’m a lazy git (I’ve been catching up on the Harry Potter novels; don’t tell anybody, but Snape is a dick). I remember the days when I could blame this shit on my partner, but alas, the asshole is now me. –Adan

Criminal #6

Adan: When this series first started, I didn’t really like it. I lost faith in Ed Brubaker because I didn’t understand what he was doing. I was wrong. I was wrong not to like it and I was wrong not to trust Bru because he knew what he was doing. This time around, there is more trust, plus I’m not as dumb. The story in the first issue of the “Lawless” arc plays with time a little bit. We meet Tracy Lawless not at the beginning of his story, but sometime just after that, and he fills us in with flashbacks. The issue ended almost exactly where it started, but with a lot more information. You should grab the first trade too, not because you need it for this story or anything (the arcs seem to be only tangentially related and are short stories which can be read on their own), but because it’s pretty fantastic.

Brendan:I really dug this book from the start. I think the fact that it is such an unapologetic crime book that sells through Marvel, albeit the Icon imprint, is really cool. Icon is obviously Marvel’s gift to star creators, but they have all somehow been somehow supercharged books. This is as close as Marvel will get to doing 100 Bullets. Without the central conceit of 100 Bullets, though, Brubaker and Phillips seem intent on parading us around this one central underworld, and using that scenery as the book’s “theme.” I’m tempted to skip the monthlies on this book in favor of the traded editions but, like Casanova and Fell, the extra bonus material guarantees the price of admission.

Digital Webbing Presents #33

Brendan: There is an unspoken rule among independently published comics. The logic of the rule is given the fact that the two most successful comic publishers specialize in super hero action, and considering how badly the odds are stacked against any small publisher, you really shouldn’t make straight super hero comics. If you do, though, make sure you do them better than the big boys. See The Tick, Invincible, Astro City, and soon The Boys. The margin for error is slim.

I like what Digital Webbing does, and I was hoping I would be impressed by the more raw comic talent. I am a big believer that the best comic creators are those who have learned by making comics, as opposed to making a splash in another medium and then hopping over. I love the model that one pays his or her dues in a “minor league,” and then gets called up. I was on the lookout for greatness, but I was unimpressed. Like the great superhero books I listed, I expected this character and book to have some unique hook or angle. I’m still looking. I liked the costume… until I recognized the Miracle Man homage, maybe? The most interesting part of the book was the zipitone- style flashbacks, but even that disappointed. It wasn’t obvious enough, and didn’t serve the story as well as it did in books like Supreme or The Sentry. I thought that some of the hero poses struck throughout the story as high water marks. The heroic reminiscences fell flat and felt like too similar to and less uninspired than The Incredibles. I looked for meaning in this story, but found only- fight, wound licking, flashbacks of fights, and regret. Talk to you guys again in a few years. Good luck.

Adan: That’s kind of a harsh view of the comic, but Brendan’s right about doing something fantastic in order to get noticed if you’re gonna do superhero comics. Had this been a Marvel or DC comic, it would have been passable: one of those monthlies that would sell between 300,000 and 400,000 and then get cancelled twelve issues down the line. This is the thirty-third issue of Digital Webbing and I think part of its longevity comes from the fact that it’s not a Marvel or DC book and it’s an anthology. “The Fist of Justice” doesn’t appear in every issue and is therefore not solely responsible for the success nor failure of the book. However, I’m not reviewing any of the other stories that appear in the book (I don’t I could actually name any of them without taking a dip in the old back issue bins), and therefore “The Fist of Justice” remains a mere rehash of your standard super-hero tropes.

Final Girl #1

Brendan: What would happen if you read an entire comic… with no characters? How would you handle a story that went nowhere… and couldn’t be bothered to explain why?

If AP has their way, you will rush to apmanga.com and vote which characters will live… and who will die. Of course, your vote will be ultimately meaningless when they resurrect the character in twenty years, but a vote that counts for twenty years is a good deal. Literally, nothing happens within these twenty two pages. We are locked in a room of individuals as they are tortured. It isn’t nearly as entertaining as it sounds. There isn’t even character tension. The art is moody enough to sustain the horrific tone, but without any reason to give a shit about anything you won’t even notice. If you do pass on this book, here’s what you’ll be missing;

“Oh my God, did you see that!?”
“N-no! Not my-!”
“Aiyiiieee!”

Lather, rinse, repeat. Or don’t.

Adan: Yeah, what the fuck? At the end of the book, you get a bio on the four girls you’re supposed to be deciding on, right? Which one you want to live and all that, but I don’t think they actually appear in this first issue. There’s a lot of kids and some of them are girls, but they don’t look like the girls at the end. And the story is obtuse for no good reason. There’s some shadowy conspiracy in the past (we’re still selling war bonds) and then it flash forwards to these kids in a basement and two crazy monsters come through the wall, beating the shit out of each other. This book is stupid and I vote David Hutchinson not write or draw anymore comics.

General Jack Cosmo Presents #1

Adan: A primer of what to expect from General Jack Cosomo Productions in the near future, and I don’t think I care for any of it, excepting General Jack himself. All the art in here looks like it came from a bunch of Rob Liefeld’s students (again, excepting General Jack himself). The stories are just various genre tropes thrown together in mostly incongrous ways for seemingly no other reason than to be different, which is surely an admirable goal in an industry full of muscleheaded super-heroes and whiny autobiographies, but you have to follow through with good stories and artwork. Otherwise, you’re just another book.

But let’s talk about General Jack Cosmo: in this book, he’s mostly just used as a framing device, but said framing device has the best writing and the best art in the whole book. If it’s the same guys doing it, I’ll probably pick up General Jack Cosmo, but not any of the other books.

Brendan: This book really entertained me. Like I said about the Digital Webbing book, when attempting to do superhero, or really any type of genre work, it is vital to have a central hook to differentiate it from any peer. Astro City
stories are always about the city. Powers is a police procedural that uses the media to paint its background. And so on. What I liked about this anthology was that each story had a unique goal it was attempting. This was a sort of “try-out” book that was showcasing future projects, but even with only the farcical General Jack to link the stories I appreciated the effort in the work. Of course I didn’t feel like each of the four stories was a winner, but I did find the Gentleman Barbarian and American Eagle/ Golden Star stories concepts to be ideas I would follow for at least a short run of a series. The art was inconsistent, with some great moments but also other confusing layouts, but frame art, as well as that of the American Eagle story, were at least as good as most of comics’ bigger hitters. This wasn’t for everyone, but I will most assuredly check out the subsequent stories.

Gutsville #1

Brendan: I’ve said this before, but it is worth repeating. I think it is insane if, in a premier issue, the setup is delivered in a prose introduction. A book doesn’t need a picture to set the scene, and a song doesn’t begin with, “Okay, so this song is about peace and love and kicking my mom’s cat.” Well, good songs can start that way, but usually don’t.

The point is, this is a comic. It is a visual medium. It is one thing if you use copy to recap what has happened before within the series, and avoid unneeded exposition. If you are just starting your story, though, it is the story itself that tells me what I need to know.

This book wasn’t the worst offender of this crime, but I did feel as though I needed to read it after I realized how little I understood early on. It turns out that this Gutsville is basically a colony of Puritans that fled the country a hundred and fifty seven years ago but where whisked away to the land of the lost with only their God-fearing ways to protect them. It basically means they live in Salem, MA circa The Crucible but with demons to boot. Frazer Irving kills on this issue, delivering haunting scenes and memorable characters. The cast of this book feels memorable and unique, and this book definitely has the potential to become an ongoing. Be patient with the sometimes stilted language and soak in the pretty pictures and you will enjoy this one.

Adan: I think you need to read the opening spiel again because you have no idea what’s going on. And leave the opening spiel alone. When your subject matter is something so strange (like a colony of Puritans living inside the stomach of some large creature), you’re gonna need to explain some things to your readers. Movies do this all the time when they’re set in the future or some alternate world or whatever. Just a little exposition so your audience isn’t ridiculously lost. I don’t understand your problem with this technique.

Frazer Irving’s art continues to amaze me, but to be fair, he’s really just drawing Klarion the Witch Boy again. Crazy monsters and Puritanical tribes seem to be his forte. I will agree with Brendan that the dialect used is sometimes oft-putting and I have to reread some bubbles to figure out what people are saying. Overall, though, this is looking like a really interesting series that I’m going to keep reading.

The Homeless Channel GN

Brendan: I am a big fan of AiT/Planet Lar. I feel as though Larry Young has a distinct eye for what he wants comics to be, and he is good at making sure each comic he publishes has an individual purpose. I was confident going into this book.

I was 100% vindicated. This was a very good story about a cause. Writer/artist Matt Silady tiptoed the line of preachiness throughout, but remained aware of it and never came off oversimplified. The book felt very much in line with the early work of Brian Michael Bendis, both due to the barbed witty banter and the negative photo referenced artwork. The art was clearly done mostly through meticulous photo-ref, but was rendered with a consistency that assured a solid look to the book. The result felt somewhere in between Michael Lark and Tony Harris’ Ex Machina work, with a very clear line to Bendis’ own artwork. It utilized a good deal of innovative page layout work, but never at the cost of storytelling clarity.

The story itself is that of the uphill battle that is social service. Our world is built to keep the underprivileged that way, but the story also respects the truth enough to point out the pitfalls the underclass succumb to by their own will. As much as this is a story with far reaching implications, it is also the story of one workaholic and her struggle to care for herself. Honest, ambitious, and well paced, this story is the total package. A week after DC launched their MINX line, I found the perfect book to give an intelligent fifteen year old girl. This one would both give them something to identify with and challenge them as readers and compassionate people. Comics for everyone, what a concept.

Adan: I don’t know about giving this to fifteen-year-old anybodies, but I’m a bit of a Puritan so don’t mind me. This is a very well written piece about social service, but I’m not sure if I believe it. I usually read a ridiculous amount of books in which superpowered people fight each other in exotic locales, yet I’m having a hard time believing the premise of this book. A network devoted to the homeless would never get picked up, ever. But if you can swallow this particularly big fish, then the rest of it flows fine.

Though I really hate the art. I hate that kind of art. It reminds me of clip art on Windows machines. It’s just generic and stale and it kept taking me out of the story.

I also have a difficult time believing anybody actually cares about the homeless who isn’t out there actually doing something. Is this book considered ‘doing something?’ I don’t think so. I don’t know Matt Silady from Adam (except for his bio at the end which states he grew up in the ‘burbs and got a lot of higher education), but I hope he doesn’t think he’s done something with this book besides put out a nice piece of fiction. I really hate hypocrites.

Ninja Scroll #9

Brendan: I have a love/hate relationship with this book. Michael Chang Ting Yu is a perfect match for this anime classic spin off, with crisp line and clear action. The stories have been what they needed to be, pushing Jubei through interesting environments and into skirmishes. They always feel short, though, and this issue is the worst offender of all. A kid wants to be trained by our hero and pesters him until he gets his way. Then the issue is over. Spot the funny one liner about the other series with a lonely wolf with cub, but read this in the store. There’s nothing worth owning this time.

Adan: Yeah, holy crap was this short. I read it in like two minutes. What’s up with that? Let’s do some math, okay? This book is three bucks and Lone Wolf and Cub is ten. Ninja Scroll is about thirty pages long, probably less, and Lone Wolf is just under three hundred pages long. Scroll takes about two minutes to read, and Lone Wolf… well, that takes substantially longer. I think I know who wins. Sorry, Ninja Scroll but there is just as much of samurai glut as there is a super-hero glut and in this genre, DC is the independent publisher. If you don’t do something awesome with your samurai story, TokyoPop and Viz are going to wipe the floor with you everytime (yes, I know I used a Dark Horse manga to make my point, but Dark Horse has manga cred whereas DC does not).

Outer Orbit #4

Brendan: Another final issue that manages to satisfy, Orbit is slapstick space adventure. Annoying copilots, broadsword wielding space tough guys, and hot, badass, easy space vixens make for a cast worth taking note of, and what better way to unite them than an amulet or trinket that must be captured? Don’t answer, because the answer is nothing.

There are good jokes and over the top action, but it doesn’t feel quite like the total package. The dialogue induced audible laughter from me more than once, but by the halfway mark it felt as though it was really just there to clutter up the page. I was unable to follow the flow of the page at multiple points, each time a result of poorly placed balloons. It also felt seemed over colored, with backgrounds that bled into the action. This would have been a great independent book, but coming from the respected house of Dark Horse I felt like it was a bit of a disappointment. This was good, but greatness would have only been a little more work. Follow these creators, as they are getting better, and enjoy the galaxy ride.

Adan: Hollywood should make buddy movies like this all the time. Firstly, it’s in space, and comes with all the trappings thereof, so major points right there. Secondly, this is hilarious, which a lot of current buddy movies fail at so much of the time. Thirdly, the main characters are a small, blue, elfin thing who always loses his pants and a larger, gree, orcish guy who wears a chastity belt he made out of macaroni and Elmer’s glue, which is what Brendan must have been sniffing because this book is pretty damn perfect. Also, the nympho antagonist, she’s also a great character.

After all this praise, there is but one problem. This was originally supposed to be a twelve issue mini, but Dark Horse told them they’d only get four. While this is not apparent in this fourth issue, it was very obvious in the first two issues. Luckily, I’m not reviewing those, and this issue remains pretty damn perfect!

Spirit #6

Brendan: Darwyn Cooke has done wonders to this character. By staying true to Eisner’s original concept, and merely using the Spirit character to explore stories ABOUT real human things, this title manages to feel retro, modern, and most importantly, fun. Even the notorious character of Ebony is salvaged. The fables are deftly assembled, with this issue telling the story of a punk rocker’s descent into addiction and obsession. It would be easy to make this into an after-school special, but with a foundation of believable character development and a strong visual hook this story feels honest and fresh.

It is remarkable how consistent The Spirit has been. It has remained a gorgeous book, and each issue has improved on the last. The coloring this issue was standout. I couldn’t help but notice an eye shadow motif that seemed to underscore the outlandishness of the Spirit’s domino mask. Or maybe it was the blue Josie and the Pussycats that were outlandish. In any case, this is a great take on a classic character. Call it Ultimate. Or call it All Star. I’ll call it All Star.

He’s the Goddamn… oh I can’t even.

Adan: The one thing I look forward to in every Spirit issue is the title page. I look forward to seeing the art direction of that title page every single issue because, as you know, the title of the book is usually worked into the actual art in some form or another (and was done so by Will Eisner as well). They didn’t do it this issue, but the title page is nonetheless fantastic. It has this opening reel quality, or maybe the look of art on a dvd, but it’s awesome. The story of this issue, on the other hand, was a little weak. Brendan says this book is about real human things, but no one I know gets a contact high from a blue meteor and rain water. I understand the parallel we’re making here, but it’s still a little outlandish. Don’t let that put you off, though, because, yes, this was a little disappointing for The Spirit, but it’s still loads better than most anything else.

Street Fighter Alpha V1

Brendan: Okay, I can come clean; I really don’t read manga. Though I’ve read an American Tokyopop book here and there, I’ve looked at maybe one or two of those crazy backwards digests. Never horribly disappointed, I just don’t find myself seeking out more. This was a different experience. I’m no Street Fighter expert. Sure, I’ve logged an hour or fifty on the old Genesis Street Fighter 2 game. And sure, I’m familiar with the Marvel Versus series, for obvious reasons. But I’m not, strictly speaking, a gamer. You know who you are.

This is a long way of saying I’m not good at reading backwards. It is troublesome for me, much like playing Guitar Hero on lefty. Simply a pain in my ass.

This was a good read. I’ve been a big fan of Udon’s house style since their work on Deadpool and Agent X. They captured the energy and power of that book as well as anyone since the then unknown Ed McGuiness launched the title. However, on this book it seemed clear that the style works far better in conjunction to higher production values. When reading through the relatively cheap stock digest pages I longed for glossy paper and vibrant coloring I’m accustomed to. Despite this, and my dyslexic reading quibble, I was somehow sucked in. The plot gathered and identified combatants as well as any forced video game narrative while mixing in enough bouts to distract from the implausibility of it all. With dark warriors, friends turned against one another, and an unexpected visit to beautiful Key West, Alpha delivers nothing if not popcorn brand fun.

It may be a format issue, but I was disappointed in the abrupt way this installment ended. I understand that often these series are designed to last anywhere from nine to infinite volumes, but that is no excuse for an incomplete story. This chapter could have had a clearer theme driving the action, if only to contrast with other themes in subsequent chapters. Instead, we get a sequence of events that does little to satisfy either the reader or the hero’s needs. With Udon’s track record for late and discontinued series, I’m concerned I’ll never see this story continue. I liked the story for what it was, but I won’t be surprised if I’ve lost interest by the next volume.

Adan: I’ve never played the Alpha brand of Street Fighter games, so most of these characters were totally unknown to me (for example, what the hell is a Birdie and why is it palling around with Ryu?) but whatever, Chun Li is still here and she still kicks ass. The story revolves around Ryu’s Dark Hadou (*snicker*) and his journey to control it. As far as video game comics go, the Street Fighter stuff has always been serviceable. Never awesome, but never awful either. And the Coach is right about the art, or he would be if the art was actually by the Udon guys. The book is imported from Japan like most other manga, and like most other manga, it’s probably way ahead over there so you don’t have to worry about this not getting put out (unless Udon goes under, but I’m sure someone else would pick up the license).

Walk In #6

Brendan: This issue was… heady. I wouldn’t have guessed by the title, but apparently “Walk In” is a story about crazy dimension hopping brain switchers and talking animals. Color me surprised, (that’s somewhere near orange). In fairness, this was the last chapter in a six issue story about all sorts of lunacy, and I didn’t get lost. It didn’t seem like it was weighed down with exposition, either. I was particularly a fan of Jeff Parker’s visual storytelling, although it felt like the art was drawn on a smaller scale and blown up to fit comic page size. But I refuse to complain too much, if only because I reserve the right to enjoy any book that features a talking bear who can fire a rifle from on top of a ball. Those books are always great.

Adan: There was surprisingly little confusion from the final issue of a six issue arc. The first two pages were a fantastic recap that made complete sense, which is also surprising because this is a book that has a very high chance of not making any sense whatsoever. There is a talking bear, a talking squirrel, multiple dimensions, brain hopping, and octopus circuits. It’s pretty friggin’ weird, but it’s also pretty awesome. Pick up the trade when it comes out so that way you’ll get the whole crazy-ass story.