Picks & Pans - February 27, 2008

PCS has a newly-appointed Senior Comics Editor — David Brothers of 4thletter, and we’re commemorating his arrival with our biggest Picks & Pans ever! Our contributors for this week’s P&P Party are newcomers David Uzumeri (Funnybook Babylon) and Samantha (Neither Doormat Nor Prostitute), along with regular P&P crew members Adan Jimenez (Adan’s Aztec Musings), Albo & AHR (Geekanerd), Ernie Estrella and Jason Michelitch.

Lots of picks and not a lot of pans this week, the biggest winners being Blue Beetle (Triple Pick) and Criminal (Quadruple Pick!).

Happy reading!

DOUBLE PICK: Action Comics #862

The highlight of this Legion arc so far as a few issues I had were brought to the surface, especially the fact that the whole Legion-reject thing was kind of dickish of the Legion, as well as Gary Frank continuing to settle in and get comfortable and typically cool (without being senseless) action that you’d expect from Geoff Johns. Not a masterpiece, but better than basically anyone’s come to expect from a monthly Superman comic. Shock Value: B- -David U.

It’s amazing, really. One of the big themes in Kurt Busiek’s Superman has been the feeling of isolation, rejection, and heritage and the way that it’s been shown has been through Chris Kent’s adoption into the family. The last issue even ended with Chris and Clark looking down onto the Earth and Clark proclaiming loudly and repetitively that Chris would always be a part of his family, no matter what. Mostly, the Chris plot has made me roll my eyes and want to smack everyone involved. I’m well aware there’s supposed to be some big emotional connection with the kid and the anvil of “HE’S JUST LIKE CLARK” could not be smacking me upside the back of the head any harder. But mostly, I just don’t care.

The same themes of isolation, rejection, and heritage are in place in Action, especially with this issue, and I bought into it. Especially with this: “I know what it’s like to be rejected. You feel ashamed of who you are. You feel worthless. But being rejected doesn’t mean you get a free pass to take it out on the rest of the world. And you can’t shut yourself off from everyone either. You might miss meeting people you’ll fit in with.”

That speech is spread over panels of a younger Clark trying not to show his powers and meeting up with the Legion and rang a lot more true than Clark’s “You’re my son and I love you forever and ever” speech to Chris. It feels more genuine and permanent to the title and the character of Superman than the “charming” father-son chats. Shock Value: A- - Samantha

PICK: All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder #9

I’ve liked ASBAR from the beginning, and Jon Bernhardt does a great job of explaining why in this week’s Alternate Current, and this issue may finally make it so that I don’t have to explain why I buy it every time it comes out. The issue begins with the usual Batman-as-jerk scene, and it’s an incredibly funny one, but swerves mid-way through the issue with a nearly fatal mistake. This is the turning point– the entire tone of the book changes from the madcap style of the first few issues to something touching and, to be honest, kind of heart-breaking. Give it another look. Shock Value: A+ -David B.

This is a really fantastic comic that, with this issue, really starts to show its range. As a matter of fact, I’d say this issue serves as a good breather after eight issues of high-octane insanity - but not before the first half of the issue, which, as anyone who’s checked out the preview can attest, is one of the funniest scenes in recent memory and certainly cements this Batman as an updated version of his trickster self from the Silver Age. The second half starts off like a record stopping, as the book changes mood dramatically in a way that’s perfectly consistent and finally brings some humanity to these loonies after Batman has a much-needed moment of clarity. It’s taken a while to get there, but this is easily in the pantheon with Miller’s other Batman work. Shock Value: A -David U.

DOUBLE PICK: Batman #674

Tony Daniel has improved immensely over his stay on this title, and Sandu Florea’s inks raise the game as well. I’m a huge fan of Daniel’s creepy new depiction of Bat-Mite, who Morrison is reintroducing brilliantly. Anyone who’s read the recent Newsarama interview knows just how much thought Grant has put into Batman’s life and character, and that love and understanding oozes from every pore of this page to the point where my only complaint is that it almost might be too jarring and confusing for non-longtime Batman fans. It certainly has more impact if you’ve read all the wacky ’60s stuff it’s referencing. That said, it’s a fantastic issue that continues to raise the bar on this run. Shock Value: A- -David U.

Grant Morrison is hit or miss with me. Sometimes, he gives a really great story and other times he gives stories that make me want to bang my head against the wall. So far his Batman has been the latter, but I enjoyed this issue. It was just the kind of fun head trip that a Grant Morrison story should be, mixed in with an appropriate level of dark for Batman comics. Too often the “darkness” of a Bat comic feels forced (this is especially true when we start branching off into the Nightwing and Robin titles.) It’s like reading a comic with someone yelling over your shoulder “Batman is the Dark Knight! He is Grim and Gritty! Gotham is a dark and evil place full of badness!” And really, that’s unnecessary. I think in different hands, this story could be handled just as badly, because we’re pulling out the “the Gotham police hate Batman” card again, but Morrison managed to handle it in a way that made me believe both the likelihood of the story and that the “villain” and the Evil Cops were sympathetic characters.

Of course, he did so in the typical over the top Morrison fashion: “Doctor Hurt was the Devil. Sometimes he visits this world to destroy the good and make slaves of men like me. They poured hot glue into my brother’s eyes…carved obscenities into my sister’s flesh…so I could be driven by demons, just like you.”

I could feel his torment so strongly that I was relieved for him when he was shot and empathy for a Bat-villain is something I haven’t had in a long, long time. Shock Value: A- - Samantha

SEMI-PICK: Black Panther Annual #1

Hudlin’s Black Panther has been something of a rocky road for a lot of readers, though I’ve more or less enjoyed the run. The Annual is payoff for a line the Watcher had during the wedding of Panther and Storm, and while it isn’t perfect, it’s still a worthy read. It’s lovely to see Larry Stroman on art duties again, and he does a solid job of selling the story in his own style. Ken Lashley’s art I’m not quite as fond of, but his storytelling is solid, as is his Panther redesign. Seeing Shuri again is kind of awesome, too, since the Annual hints at big things for her. Shock Value: B -David B.

This was a weird little issue. First of all, it’s presented as a flash-forward; however, at least half of the issue actually consists of a verbal flashback to the 1800s related by Storm to one of her children as Hudlin indulges in a little creative historiography. Other than that, it’s certainly more focused than the last few issues of Hudlin’s run, finally returning to the plot points regarding Wakanda and the wedding’s implications that have been largely dropped ever since the wedding itself. However, the other part of the story - involving the ‘history’ between now and this possible future - doesn’t work as well, with Hudlin substituting hammers for scalpels and waving his “Screw Tony Stark” flag high. I’d also be remiss not to mention Larry Stroman’s art, which looks like an acceptable Quesada-esque style on some pages and anatomically impossible on others. Eye alignment is a big problem. There is, however, one very amusing double page spread of a future wedding where Stroman does some good work (except for the godawful Daredevil on the bottom). Not the book’s best issue, but an improvement, and hopefully one that’ll start an incline. Shock Value: C -David U.

TRIPLE PICK! Blue Beetle #24

John Rogers is about to take a break from the book and he aims to make the next writer look as minor league as possible in comparison. Beetle #24 is a rocking ride that’s over way, way too fast. All the disparate threads from his run begin coming together in 22 pages of high octane awesome. Jaime has been depowered, injured, and imprisoned, but what the Reach doesn’t know is exactly how dangerous this kid from El Paso is. With great character moments spread throughout great action sequences, plus a killer last page, Blue Beetle #24 is awesome. Shock Value: A+ -David B.

Man, I’m gonna miss John Rogers. This is the penultimate issue of at least the first section of his run, and it’s wrapping up a huge amount of the ongoing plotlines, deftly interweaving character work on Earth with a battle in space without ever seeming jarring or unfocused, as well as tossing in numerous fanpleasing Blue Beetle moments that nonetheless rise totally organically out of the issue and its plot. Not a jump-on point, since it’s providing the conclusion to two years’ worth of ongoing storylines, but if Rogers’s run ends with the next issue I think that’ll make one hell of an enduring collection. Shock Value: A -David U.

I only started adding this title to my pull list last month. Friends and fellow comic readers had been urging me to read since Jaime Reyes first stepped into the roll of Blue Beetle, but it took his appearance in Teen Titans (where he was the sanest member of the team, sadly) to sell me enough to make me pick up his book. This being only my second issue, there’s a lot I’m missing about family dynamics and the overall plot, and the most glorious thing of all is that it doesn’t matter. Because despite this only being my second issue, John Rogers makes it clear that Jaime is part of a loving family, has awesome friends and is generally both loving and loved by his supporting cast. The only other supporting cast that I can confidently say the same about is Captain America’s over at Marvel. This book really makes me wish I could say the same about more superhero comics.

Rogers also does a good job with the Reach, Jaime’s villains. He portrays them both as a far-reaching alien nemesis and one that has a very personal vendetta at the same time, something that allows me to both root for and worry about the hero of the piece even more so than I normally would. Shock Value: A - Samantha

PICK: Captain America #35

Butch Guice fills in on art, but that’s not really a complaint since Guice is really damn good and fits this book perfectly. It continues to astound me what a meticulous and capable plotter Brubaker is - even through the crossover fires of Civil War and The Initiative, this book has retained its identity and paid off
earlier plot points in such a well-paced and logical manner that it’s astounding how non-manipulated the book feels. At this point positive reviews of this book are almost passe, so let’s just call this one a winner as usual. Shock Value: B+ -David U.

PAN: Countdown #9

You know, when your story makes me think that it would be more beneficial to have Jason, Piper, Holly, and Harley watching my back in battle than Donna, Kyle, or Ray, you’re probably writing it wrong. I mean, love Jason, Piper, and Holly as I do, I really shouldn’t think a person would be better off with them on a team than an Amazon, a Green Lantern, and a former member of the Justice League. Because while I understand that Ray is still recovering from the insanity brought on by being part of one of the worst written comics of all time, a former member of the League shouldn’t be as completely useless as he is here. Nor should Donna be quivering in her boots because Kyle won’t wake up to protect them with his shield. Despite the threat of death, Donna should greet battle head on, a fact that even the otherwise atrocious “Graduation Day” storyline got correct. And Kyle….when he’s not being a jerk, he seems to forget that he holds one one of the universe’s most powerful weapons on his hands. Again, useless.

Also, I continue to worry about a Green Lantern that thinks leaving people behind is okay just because he doesn’t like them. Shock Value: D+ - Samantha

PICK: Crime Bible: The Five Lessons of Blood #5

This… huh. This is a really hard issue to talk about, other than saying it’s about in the tone and quality level of the previous four issues, but any discussion of the issue centers around the end, which is certainly… unexpected. Not that it’s random - the situation and how they get there is perfectly logical - but it’ll definitely throw a lot of people for a loop and very eager to see where Renee turns up next. Definitely not an ending but more of a new beginning. Manuel Garcia, as Rucka keeps saying, does the work of his life, miles and miles above his Countdown stuff. Shock Value: A- -David U.

QUADRUPLE PICK! Criminal, Vol. 2 #1

This is a great place to jump on (hence the new #1) as Brubaker rolls out an extra-long story (on the nicest paper stock I’ve ever seen a single issue have) about Gnarly the bartender and how he ended up with the Undertow. It’s an inspired piece of world-building as Brubaker continues fashioning his world in nonlinear time with a series of seemingly disconnected arcs that all flesh out the same world and provide hints towards his metastory. Sean Phillips is excellent as always. If you’re a fan of anything Brubaker’s done, or crime comics at all, you really owe yourself to give this book a try. Shock Value: A+ -David U.

So here’s another chance to jump onto the best thing that Ed Brubaker is writing. Folks, that’s a big statement. But I implore the people who are waiting for the trades to pick this comic up monthly. Criminal is the one book that’s enhanced by the episodic grind, with more bonus material for fans of pulp novels, heists, and the most crooked of crooks. What’s more is that this new volume has more self-contained, single issue stories that when read together will be a bigger story. Sean Phillips’ panel work pounded me with body blows and jabs. Criminal, and this format, is a paradigm for successful comics in the current market, and for the reader looking for something more than superheroes and manga. A great pull, with rich characters and stories deft with long-lasting potential that they deserve their own film adaptation. Shock Value: A+ -Ernie

CRIMINAL continues to trundle along as one of the best mainstream/pop comics being published. This issue is a blessed “done-in-one” short story, and while I felt like Brubaker laid the noir-narration on a little heavy this go-round, the story itself was too good for that to be more than a minor flaw. Sean Philips just seems to be getting better and better - his deep shadows and tight compositions providing all the atmosphere for Brubaker to hang his words on.

Pretty soon I expect this book to get to the point where it’s been consistently good for long enough for people to take it for granted, so, while I’m pretty sure most of you have gotten the message by now, I’ll say it again: CRIMINAL is just prime stuff. If you’re reading Brubaker’s CAPTAIN AMERICA or DAREDEVIL and you’re NOT reading CRIMINAL, you are the official representative of what’s wrong with the Direct Market. This issue is a perfect jumping on point for new readers. Go buy this book NOW. Shock Value: A -Jason

Excerpted from Adan’s full review… Brubaker writes another fantastic piece of fiction as we get the generational stories of two characters who have, until this point, been relegated as background characters: Jake “Gnarly” Brown and Sebastian Hyde. How they grew up together because their fathers, Clevon and Walter, owned the streets of the city in the fifties. How they grew apart because Gnarly wanted to be a boxer instead of live that life like Sebastian did. And the girl that drove the final wedge between. Shock Value: A+ -Adan

PICK: Daredevil #105

I haven’t been so hot on this arc, but a few details in this issue finally drive home the relevance and impact of a story that I was coming close to sleeping through for the past five issues, especially since it’s really of a piece with the arc previous - bringing us, finally, to the end of this 12-part Mr. Fear epic. So how was it? Well, it was alright, with an incredibly strong finish, but at the end of the day I don’t think this story needed a full year, with an artist showcase extra-sized anniversary issue with nothing but flashbacks and reprints in the middle. It’s weird, too, because Cap has been moving along so briskly that this just feels sluggish in comparison. Still, Daredevil on a bad day still beats most other books on a good day, and if Brubaker keeps the quality up from the end of this issue - and with the upcoming Gotham Central Reunion Tour, I think he will - I’m excited again about what’s coming for ol’ hornhead. Shock Value: B -David U.

SEMI-PAN: Deathblow #9

Wow. Azzarello finishes his long-running story and we get… something. I kind of feel like this issue will read better when put into a trade, as Azzarello’s writing style, though I love it dearly, tends to work better that way. All of the plot threads seem to tie up, as well, and we get a pretty interesting ending out of the series. It’s a reference to DC’s marvelous competition, and kind of an obvious one. That makes this issue tough to grade– do I grade it as a story arc or as a single issue? If it’s as a single issue… it doesn’t quite work. As a story arc, though? I’ve enjoyed it. Shock Value: C+ -David B.

PICK: Fables #70

The pause before the war. We’re back on the Animal Farm and Niko Henrichon (Pride of Bagdad) steps in because the man can draw animals. And the four legged fables and other creatures have to make a big decision, oh and Boy Blue finally steps up to the plate. Does he swing for the fence or does he strike out? I can’t say, but this is definitely a “time out” issue before the big brawl. Shock Value: B- -Ernie

DOUBLE PICK: Justice Society of America #13

Guest art from Fernando Pasarin as Geoff Johns finally gets to the mythology and action. It’s also, most definitely, filled with tons of Final Crisis teases, so anyone curious might want to check that part out as well. It’s largely an expository issue regarding Kingdom Come mythology that’s apparently from the backmatter in the Absolute edition or something; however, it’s interesting and overdue exposition that should satisfy readers who’ve been complaining that this book needed to stop with the hanging-out issues and pick up the pace. Shock Value: B- -David U.

“Star! I thought you were gonna save a good room for me!”

“Well, I didn’t know there’d be so many of us! Heck, I can barely fit at the meeting table anymore!”

“I get the society thing. ‘The world needs better good guys’ so the JSA is gonna help make ‘em, but enough is enough! This team is too damn big!”

Oh, YES. Actually, I have nothing to add to that but a big round of applause.

I actually liked this issue. Too much of JSA has been gratuitous addition of characters - and it still is that - but the conversation between the Supermen was a good one, and I liked that someone put Hercules in his place. I particularly liked Superman’s reasoning of not being very impressed, considering the Fluffy Good Guy the Wonder Girl Mini-Series made Hercules out to be. Shock Value: A- - Samantha

PICK: Kick-Ass #1

The comparisons to Wanted are going to come on pretty strong, and they aren’t altogether undeserved. However, unlike Wanted, there’s no sense of successful fantasy, no real feeling that Millar is indulging the character in a victory - he’s just set up the dominoes and we get to watch the train wreck. Millar manufactures a typically unsympathetic protagonist who takes on even more unsympathetic villains, but this time there’s a freshness to this approach that may come simply from it being set in the real world. That said, man, some of these pop culture references are just painful - who the hell was listening to the Goo Goo Dolls back in summer of 2007? Despite its faults, however, the book just has a certain sincere and smiling charm that’s infectious, and it looks like Millar may actually drop some serious themes on us without resorting to placing hams around his hands and hitting the keyboard. Millar’s epilogue says that they’re already plotting the third Kick-Ass miniseries, so this can’t be too tragic a story - as long as it doesn’t veer into self-parody, this should be an incredibly compelling read for quite a while. Shock Value: B+ -David U.

I’ve always been a fan of “real-world” takes on superheroes. I think that’s why I tend to favor Marvel over DC, and Batman over everything… They’re just a little bit more plausible. Kick-Ass takes that real-world attitude to the extreme, establishing the setting as diametrically opposed to fantasy universes by brilliantly having the characters debate the believability of their favorite comics: “Oh, yeah. High school nerd develops miracle webs even scientists in real life can’t create. Go fuck yourself.” This is a book that will require significantly less suspension of disbelief than comic readers are used to. In fact, when the main character decides the real world is sorely lacking a good costumed vigilante (a philosophy to which I myself subscribe) and dons a wetsuit to fight crime… He gets his ass kicked. And stabbed. And then he’s hit by a car. He ends the issue lying in a pool of blood thinking about how mad his dad is going to be. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this series, and if Millar can manage to keep the story grounded in reality I’m gonna have a blast. Shock Value: A -Albo

PICK: The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury #295

This book was really, really good. So good, in fact, that I don’t think I can do it justice here in Picks & Pans. Check back on Monday for an extended look at this awesome book in my staff blog. Just believe me when I say that it was everything I expected, and more. Shock Value: A+ -David B.

PICK: Mouse Guard Winter 1152 #3

This second series of Mouse Guard has been a little slow to start, a stark contrast to the beginning of Fall 1152 which kicked off with some memorably intense action sequences featuring mice fighting much larger animals (always a crowd pleaser). The winter, however, finds the duty taking the place of adventure, and the plot has been more fragmented, split between a dry subplot concerning the Guard’s governing branch and what has seemed to be a simple get-from-point-A-to-point-B storyline for the heroes. But this issue ads an exciting wild card into the mix, a highly suspenseful encounter with a cave full of unfriendly bats with nasty insecurity issues. This is the first time we’ve seen the mice verbally communicate with another species of animal, and writer David Petersen does an excellent job of making the bats seem scary and alien while still providing an intriguing explanation as to why they behave as they do. Both in this plotline and those that surround it, Petersen takes us a step further into a completely engrossing world that’s familiar yet fantastic. Mouse Guard continues to be one of the most transporting comics being produced today, and this is the best issue of the Winter Series so far. Shock Value: A -AHR

PICK: Narcopolis #2

Jaime Delano is one of the best writers in comics whose name most people don’t know. He should be as commonly read as Ennis or Ellis or Morrison, but the occasionally obscure density of his writing, combined with a career-long tendency to avoid most superhero work, has left him with a much lower profile. His new book, Narcopolis, probably isn’t going to raise that profile, but it is a worthy addition to his many accomplishments in writing original, adult fiction for comics.

Narcopolis is a SF story with its core located somewhere between the political concerns and language games of George Orwell and the paranoia and imagination of Philip K Dick. The protagonist, Grey Neighbor, lives in a futuristic city devoted almost solely to the pleasure of its citizens and the manufacturing of missiles. When Grey Neighbor idly wonders where the missiles are fired off at, he is tagged as a potential “Contra” and is investigated by and Agent to see if he is a sleeper agent set to “PsychStryke”, or explode from the inside with Fear and BadEvil. Delano delivers a pretty impressive array of alternate language that, while at times a bit precious, ultimately succeeds in pulling you into the world of the book.

Narcopolis is published by Avatar, a company for which artwork is usually the weak point of their comics. Jeremy Rock turns in a solid art job, though, with good perspective, engaging facial expressions and clear compositions. Avatar has really been turning itself around as a company, providing writers such as Ellis and Ennis with complete creative control over their projects there. We should all be glad that Delano has been added to that list, and hope that there’s a lot more where Narcopolis comes from. Shock Value: B -Jason

PAN: New Warriors #9

I really, really want to like this book. I enjoyed the first few issues, and I’m a Paco Medina fan. I like the cast, I like the hook, but I just cannot get into this series. The plot feels like it’s crawling and the character movtivations still aren’t clicking for me. This issue has Thrash coming off as almost completely unlikeable and doesn’t do much for half the cast being practically ciphers. Jubilee and Jono share a good scene, but that’s about all I got out of this issue. Shock Value: C -David B.

DOUBLE PICK: RASL #1

Jeff Smith is back, and my major complaint with this issue is that we won’t get #2 until May. His art and composition are, as always, easy to follow and uniquely him, while the subject matter strays far from Bone and Shazam: in fact, given some of the language it’s fair to say this book couldn’t come out at DC without the Vertigo imprint. I’d heard Smith was raising the age bracket of his target demographic with this, but I didn’t realize it’d be to this degree. This is a really strong first issue that introduces a number of intriguing mysteries and concepts, giving you just enough information to feel like you can figure things out but not enough to make it seem lazy or predictable. Much like Bone, Smith is also doing a great deal of world-building here, albeit in a different way - while it takes place seemingly in our reality, the mechanics of dimensional travel, while cryptic in this issue, seem planned in a way that Smith certainly knows the answers. It’s not whimsical or charming like Bone, but it’s got a more rollicking start and simply seems like the product of a more mature writer. I’m looking forward to following this for quite a while. Shock Value: A -David U.

RASL, being one of the most anticipated books of recent memory, is bound be running smack into some pretty high expectations right about now. I haven’t read any other reviews for it yet, but I expect some are going to overpraise it based on love of BONE and some will be confounded by it based on love of BONE. For my money, it was a fine first issue, establishing mood and setting and mystery while not really supplying much in the way of character or concrete plot, which is fine since there’s plenty of time to get to all of that. Smith’s cartooning is strong and clear, creating a sense of stylized naturalism which is then rudely and effectively interrupted by the book’s few fantastic elements. While comparisons to BONE will not be a great critical yardstick in the long run (RASL eventually should get to live or die on its own merits) I’m, at the moment, encouraged by how different from BONE this book promises to be: darker, certainly more adult (though so far only about a PG-13 to BONE’S PG), leaning more towards the sf/crime genres than humor/fantasy. And I think the cover design looks great, but that’s probably open for discussion. All in all, a satisfying beginning to what I’m hoping will be a terrific ride. Shock Value: B+ (for now…) -Jason

PAN: She-Hulk #26

Peter David’s run so far has been pretty bizarre. It’s completely replaced the supporting cast and thrown Jen into an unfamiliar situation just to take her back to where he was - while this was obviously so PAD could distinguish his run from Dan Slott’s as quickly as possible, it’s still jarring and leaves me unsure where this book is going, and, even worse, unsure if PAD knows exactly where this book is going. It’s not a bad issue by any means, but it’s not knocking anything out of the park and things have changed around so often that I’m really not sure where it’s going. I could, of course, be proven wrong, and I hope I am. Shock Value: C- -David U.

PAN: Spider-Man: With Great Power #2

I know, most people were able to decide from the first issue of this that it was going to be a waste of time. I stuck with it, though, because I had faith in David Lapham and I thought the premise was an inventive one. If you don’t know, this whole series takes place during one panel from Spidey’s original origin story, where he becomes “The sensation of the nation” before his Uncle Ben dies and teaches him a lesson about responsibility. The idea of a powerful but irresponsible Peter Parker is a good one. I was looking forward to scenes of him at school beating up bullies and wooing ladies, which I imagine is what most teenage nerds would do upon receiving superpowers. Instead, this book is about Spider-Man’s professional wrestling career. Seriously. And in case you don’t get my point, let me spell it out for you: This crap is boring. Really really boring. I wish Lapham would get back to things like Stray Bullets and Murder Me Dead and Silverfish… I guess he needs to make money, but it’d be great if he could do it within a genre he’s good at. Shock Value: D -Albo

When I first heard this series’ premise, I thought “Peter Parker as a self-involved prick” was a great tagline and concept for a book. However, this is an incredibly rare case where the creators involved are so distinctive and so unique that it doesn’t come off feeling like a Spider-Man story at all. Peter Parker’s fate plays out like that of so many Lapham protagonists/victims - seduced and confused; meanwhile, it is incredibly difficult to look at art from the Harris/Clark/Mettler team without thinking of Ex Machina. Not a bad comic by any means, but I was really expecting something more. Shock Value: C+ -David U.

DOUBLE PAN: Teen Titans #56

Let’s see. Everyone in the Teen Titans is a jerk, none of them actually like each other, and they’re supposed to be superheroes but can’t tell when they’re hurting one of their own? There’s something to be said for consistency, I suppose. So, basically, the teenage heroes in the Teen Titans title are all pretty awful, and the actual good teenage superheroes go to the Justice Society? Ya know, the ones that actually want to help people and be decent to each other? Hey, in that case? Let the JSA keep on growin’. Shock Value: D - Samantha

The first two thirds or so of this issue is fantastic, focusing on Eddie’s day alone and relying on McKeever’s skills to write believable teenaged characters, as well as his experience dealing with themes like ostracization and social schisms. It’s also very funny, as McKeever clearly knows these characters’ personalities and portrays them in a humanistic manner, especially one panel with Robin. Unfortunately, for the last third, Sean McKeever tries to turn it into a superhero comic again, and it’s so jarring and so unbefitting the previous two thirds that it feels like the comic just … changes. Additionally, the antagonists McKeever has introduced here seem not only non-threatening but also kind of a repeat of, like, the last two stories (”good titans vs. evil titans”). I’m hoping this is leading to something more than that, and I’ll stick around to find out, but I’ll be disappointed if this becomes the book’s new schtick. Shock Value: C -David U.

PAN: Thor #6

This issue is basically the Asgardians getting used to Oklahoma, and the Oklahomans getting used to Asgard. Straczynski, as he is wont to do, gets more than a little moralistic at times, but by and large the issue is a funny status-quo-establishment installment that teases all the stuff coming up. Despite his recent non-exclusivity with Marvel, JMS claims he’s staying on this title for the long run, so hopefully we’ll get to see him pay off all the setup he’s establishing here. Coipel’s art is, as always, top-notch both in action and character work. Shock Value: C+ -David U.

PICK: Ultimate Spider-Man #119

Typically deft Bendis storytelling as he does the tired-and-true “classmate comes to terms with mutant puberty” story and manages to make it interesting via pure wit and empathetic characters. It’s a tribute to his ability to influence the reader’s perceptions that Kong has gone from Peter’s torturer to such a well-liked, sympathetic character, and this issue really cements his transition. I’m sure people who aren’t hot on Bendis will say the dialogue is pointless and repetitive, but for fans this is one of USM’s strongest arcs yet - even coming off of the superb Death of a Goblin. Shock Value: A -David U.

DOUBLE PICK: World War Hulk Aftersmash: Damage Control #2

Dwayne McDuffie’s throwback comic gets its sophomore issue, and it is much, much better than the first. Don’t get me wrong– the first issue was really good, but this is better. It’s a fun look into the ground floor of the Marvel Universe. We see how people react to the reality of their situation. Workers are warned to stay away from any alien junk so that they don’t gain any extra origins– the thought of radiation poisoning is just an after thought. This is a different kind of street level book than something like Daredevil or Moon Knight, but more than welcome. Fun, funny, and extremely well-written. Big ups for the recap page, too. Shock Value: A -David B.

With the setup out of the way, McDuffie can start with the jokes, and oh man does he lay them down. Cheers to him for making Penance funny without trivializing him, as well as the deftness with which he incorporates Kirkman and Guggenheim’s addition to the cast without missing a beat. McDuffie has clearly been keeping up on most of the Marvel Universe, and there’s a little bit of tough love here, but it’s still definitely love. Salva Espin is really coming into his own on this book as well - actually, to hell with “his own”, I’d never heard of him before this - and impressing the hell out of me with this clean, uncluttered style that’s pretty damn expert with storytelling and, especially, emotion. This guy has a long and successful career ahead of him if there’s any justice. It’s not the week’s most essential book, but if you’re looking for a laugh that doesn’t make you feel guilty it’s an excellent choice. Shock Value: A- -David U.

PICK: X-Men: Legacy #208

Professor Xavier’s solo book begins. It looks nice, with improved art by Scot Eaton interspersed with predictably impeccable storytelling from the World War Hulk team of Romita, Janson and Strain (who does especially effective work on the watercolor look for some of the mindscape scenes). This is an unconventional X-book, but still central, and it’s treated with the seriousness it deserves: there may not be any actual X-Men in it, but make no mistake, this is still the equal companion book to Uncanny and will contain the resolution to many of the open-ended plots from the “end” of Mike Carey’s run on vanilla X-Men. I just hope that it doesn’t fall into the trap of, quality or not, depending too much on the reader’s familiarity with the characters, but Mike Carey doesn’t strike me, nor does his work hint towards him being, a continuity wanker. Awful cover, though. Shock Value: B -David U.

PAN: Young Avengers Presents: Hulkling

If you’re worn out from all the skrull action in the Marvel universe, perhaps you’d like to unwind with this extremely dull comic, in which we already know the lead is part skrull and no one cares. The premise of this issue is simple enough, Hulklilng wants to know if Captain Marvel is his father, and if he is, will he cop to it and act like a dad? Instead of revealing the answers to these questions in a character-driven, engaging way, the questions just get repeated and picked apart by different groups, until they’re finally answered in a dry meandering conversation towards the end of the book. At one point the Young Avengers are beating up some unimportant robots, but the low stakes fight scene is merely used as a colorful backdrop to their tedious dialogue about whether or not Hulkling should have told Marvel he’s his son….and this is after it already happened.

Life is too short, people! There are a few nicely drawn panels that pull some emotional resonance from the father-son drama, but by the end the whole storyline just feels like a run around, with nothing tangibly lost or achieved. Colors look nice, though. Shock Value: D -AHR