Swamp Thing #2 (Published by DC; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 9 out of 10): It's only understandable that since the DC universe is in the middle of a quasi de-Alan Mooreification, that Swamp Thing would receive a new origin. What Scott Snyder has done here is explain the origin of ole Swampy and how one actually becomes a Swamp Thing. It's again, mystical in nature, as is the antithesis of the Swamp Thing, and the threat of the story: Sethe. The best way I can describe Sethe is decay incarnate. It looks like a force of pestilence and rot, in the shape of a dead bird. It warps the minds of the inhabitants of the town where Alec Holland is presently residing and it quickly turns into a horror movie. Holland is saved by a mysterious biker, though the identity of who it is is not really a shocker, but I'm okay with that and ends on a proper cliffhanger. Snyder definitely has a niche for horror comics and even does a nod to Bernie Wrightson. His take on the character is really inspiring, and I can't wait to see how this all unfolds. Yanick Paquette does some incredible work here. How he uses vine-like constructs to do panel breakdowns and the way he handles the sheer macabre of it all is a break from the norm. I do fear this title won't be given the proper chance, but in the waves of Lanterns, Bats, and Super titles, give this one a read.
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Stormwatch #2 (Published by DC; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 8 out of 10): The second issue of Stormwatch is a little tricky. Paul Cornell introduces Apollo and Midnighter's first meet up as well as their invitation to Stormwatch. The book continues to push sci-fi boundaries in comics these days, even with just two issues in. The imaginative feel and imagery here almost feels like Morrison's JLA. I mean, you have our moon becoming self-aware and on the offensive. The art takes a leap of improvement in this issue with Al Barrionuevo taking on most of the pencils, with Miguel Sepulveda strictly on the moon scenes. Barrioneuvo does a great job giving the roster a more refined shape with his line work and Sepulveda carrying on a more tenuous look. I just wish it didn't feel like Cornell had put aside most of the first issue's plot developmnt and this one feels overcrowded. I'm sure he'll remedy that in future installments, but this book continues to impress me, I just don't want to get a little loss along the way.
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I, Vampire #1
Written by Joshua Hale Fiaklov
Art by Andrea Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo
Lettering by Pat Brosseau
Published by DC
Review by Lan Pitts
'Rama Rating: 9/10
Vampires have always been a staple of horror and fiction. No surprise then, that when DC relaunched their universe, there was this book in the mix. Originally published as backup feature in House of Mystery in the early 80's, Andrew Bennett is back once again fighting his former lover, Mary Seward, who is assembling an army to kill all of humanity. While the concept in I, Vampire is the same as it was almost thirty years ago, the look here is completely different and easily the most distinguished book of the new 52.
Let's start off by looking at the creative here. Josh Fiaklov became an indie sensation this year with the release of Echoes, published by Top Cow. His no-nonsense approach to the macabre is still in place here. His writing prowess is more or less the most engaging out of the newly relaunched books. He gives you a sense of the characters and their relationship in such few pages, the rest of the story sinks its teeth you and doesn't let up. Andrew is afraid of becoming a monster, while Mary has embraced the feral nature of the vampire, yet he still loves her.The narration between the two goes in and out of the timeline of the book, presenting it in a way that makes the readers think and caught me off guard. You get a hint of the big reveal in the beginning, but might not really understand it at first. Above all, it is accessible to new readers.
Andrea Sorrentino's art is unlike anything out there right now, especially at DC where it's practically against the grain with their house style. It's moody, stunning, and reminds me of early Mignola with the heavy use of shadows. Or the likes of Jae Lee, but with a more minimalist edge. There's not a real concentration on facial expressions or anything like that, but you still get the idea of what is going on and nothing is lost.
The superb colors by Marcelo Maiolo truly soar here. They're presented in a bold way that captures the feel of the book. The shades of red and blue indicating present time and flashbacks are a little helpful, but it's the way the colors reflect the eeriness of this world. Though a minor setback, the coloring on the caption boxes that has the dialogue between Andrew and Mary is so similar, it's difficult at times to understand who is saying what. I think red on black would have been suited better for one of the characters just for the sake of distinguishing the captions. Again, a minor setback as the the art team on here is an extreme breath of fresh air.
I'm sure a lot of readers are sick of vampires, but the presentation here is just jaw-dropping that it's hard to ignore. Nearly flawless in its execution and in company of supermen and masked vigilantes, I, Vampire has a look of its own and should not be overlooked.
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Artifacts #10
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Jeremy Haun, Sunny Gho, Ryan Sook, and Tom Feister
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by Top Cow
Review by Lan Pitts
'Rama Rating 10/10
Wow. Just wow.
Just when you think you can breathe again when Ron Marz lets up, Jeremy Haun puts the peddle to the metal and goes full blast here. Taking a look back at the nine previous issues, Marz just doesn't let up. Here, we have a more relaxed pace as we're Ji Xi's origin and a brief family reunion. It plays as more as the aftermath of the big Aphrodite IX/Cyberforce throw down, and Haun gets to really shine here, right as Marz revs the engine for the next installment.
Since Artifacts was originally planned for thirteen issues, Marz has allowed the story to take its time. Yes, it was a matter of time before Sara and Jackie saved Hope, and every new character had their chance to get a little of the lime light. Though now almost a year into it, we get some pay off, which is just a thrill for longtime readers I'm sure. What Marz has done here is nothing short of good ole classic storytelling. The pacing has been solid and comprehensive, and all the while actually leading up to something that doesn't feel it was thrown together at the 11th hour.
I've found Jeremy Haun to be hit or miss in the series, but here, he's the star of the show. I can't put my finger on it, but everything just comes across as more polished and a cleaner look than before. The layouts are more dynamic than what he's done previously and it just looks great. I do think that Sara and Jackie's reunion with Hope felt a little flat and almost cavalier, but the action and Ji's origin just nailed it. Props to Sunny Gho as he proves again that he is Top Cow's go-to king of colors and can adapt to anyone's style.
Without a doubt, Artifacts has shaped up to be everything I had hoped for and then some. It's the event in comics now and still remains strong without relying on tie-ins and I'll be there to see how this all plays out. You should pick this up and join me.
Showing posts with label dcnu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dcnu. Show all posts
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Gatling gun series of reviews
Voodoo #1 (Published by DC Comics; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 9/10): This book, much like many of other DCnU titles was covered in controversy before it was even released. The notion that a "stripper" could have her own book and when a single splash page was released, it caused quite a storm of frustration from certain bloggers and raised a few eyebrows. Well, I guess it's much easier to have an opinion BEFORE reading something. Truth be told, I liked Voodoo. A lot. Ron Marz makes a splash here as he re-enters the DC universe once again. Yes, the main character is an exotic dancer, as she was in her previous incarnation. Though, Marz doesn't pander here, he sets up a solid story. The girls backstage talk about their dreams and hopes and how stripping is just another job. It's playing dress up and pretend, that's all. There's an aura of empowerment and how women own their sensuality here. Marz has made a career of writing kick-ass female leads for quite some time, and he doesn't stray from that pattern in Voodoo. Priscilla Kitaen, aka Voodoo, herself is a brutal force to be reckoned with and definitely not what she appears to be. To top it off, you have Sami Basri and Jessica Kholinne on art. Basri's line work is quite fine and simplistic. It reminds me of Joe Eisma, with a hint of Cliff Chiang. I found it not too over-rendered and gets the point across. Panel layouts are neat and clean and easy to comprehend. Kholinne's colors do the book justice and fits Basri's style. Marz rarely lets me down, and his book is no different. I wouldn't let a few naysayers get in the way of a good read, and you shouldn't either.
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Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time #13
Written by Robert Jordan and Chuck Dixon
Art by Marcio Fiorito and Nicolas Chapuis
Lettering by Bill Tortolini
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Review by Lan Pitts
Without going into a tirade or a gushing love letter to the Wheel of Time novel series, I have to say I am quite disappointed here. Dynamite's adaptation to the beloved fantasy series has been hit or miss, and mainly misses during the run. The rotating art team is inconsistent and here we have art that comes across as a really well put together high school project rather than work for a published comic.
Chuck Dixon does his best to adapt Jordan's style and pacing, and it shows. The book's dialogue comes out strong and in your face. You get the characters and their voices and the situation they are up against. I guess my big complaint here is that since he's straight adapting from the source material, there is a lot of telling and not showing. But that's a minor complaint in comparison to the art here. I can't exactly pinpoint the exact problem, so it might be a mixture here that rubbed me the wrong way.
Artist Marcio Fiorito has a moment or two of solid layouts and properly conveys the suspense of a high-action fight scene. The rest of the time, the line work is inconsistent going from broad to thin every other panel. On top of that, it just seems like pages of talking heads. Now, coming from a WoT fan I understand Jordan can get a bit wordy to say the least, but the artist's job is to break up the monotony of it and present some dynamic visuals. As I mentioned, there are some moments where he does let Moiraine the Aes Sedai ("wizard" for you non-WoT readers) shine and display her power accordingly. However, the next page begins a series of shoulder and headshots. It's just unfortunate. Even more so when you add the flat colors and awkward shading. It ages the characters tremendously as Mat goes from seventeen to forty-five in a single panel, and overall doesn't do the book any favors.
I had been hoping that once the action picked up, the comic would improve as well and this has not been the case. Dixon's script sums up the action pretty well, but the art side of things are still lacking. And with a series with such rich imagery, you'd think they'd turn it up a notch.
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Justice League: Dark #1 (Published by DC Comics; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 8/10): This is the book I've anticipated the most since its announcement. I'm a huge fan of the supernatural cast of the DC universe and a book that spotlights the supernatural superstars is just the thing I'm looking for. What we have here is Madame Xanadu, Enchantress, Shade, Zatanna, Deadman, and John Constantine in a magical alliance that acts as the last line of defense when one of their own goes out of control. Peter Milligan has scripted some eerie imagery and Mikel Janin brings that to the page. I was big fan of both Madame Xanadu and Zatanna's solo series, so it's good to see these staples of DC's more arcane side do their thing. It's good to see Milligan acknowledge that the JLA isn't the only solution to a threat by having Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg get taken down by a swarm cloud of teeth. Yes, you read that right. I have to admit, I was a bit thrown off at first when their costumes had been revealed. I still believe that Zatanna's new outfit is too "Criss Angel" for my tastes, but I've been assured she still has her classic attire when performing. It's a great first issue and doesn't give you all the answers, making you want to come back next month.
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Magdalena #8 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 7/10 ): It's Magdalena on Magdalena violence in this latest issue. Not having the church on your side and thinking you've gone rogue isn't the best way to start your week. Patience goes up against another Magdalena, and the impostor even manages to steal the Spear of Destiny. The issue is mainly a fast-paced fight scene between the two with church politics sprinkled in. But if you're going to come back after a slight delay, come out swinging. Keu Cha's art is pretty solid, but really could have used an inker here. The background assists by Jacob Grippen add that extra bit of detail, but I think Bill Farmer is the real artistic hero here. He does his best to paint over Cha's pencils and make everything come to life, but the pencil shading is still visible and is very distracting in some places. Ron Marz continues giving Patience a voice unlike any other character out there, I just wish the art was more put together.
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Chopper #1
Written by Martin Shapiro
Art by Juan Ferreyra and Chandran Ponnusamy
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Cover by Chris Ortega
Published by Asylum Press
Review by Lan Pitts
The best way I can describe this is as "urban horror".
It's part bad girl comics, mixed with Sleepy Hollow lore set in modern day Daytona Beach. Asylum Press is hardly a stranger to these type of horror books and have made a name for themselves in the genre. We're not quite sure what is going on here, as this issues sets up the character, Christina and her bad girl ways. There's also a hint that she could be tied to Satan himself.
The panel construction is pretty basic here, but the actual panels themselves are quite elaborate. You get a sense of environment and it's never a case of talking heads. There's always something going on and it isn't stale. Juan Ferreyra has a good eye for action and lays it out well. Chandran Ponnusamy's coloring compliments Ferreyra style using a very textured pallet. You can see the added detail that Ponnusamy brought to the table. A lesser colorist could have really mishandled the linework.
The script itself isn't bad, per se, but comes across as somewhat dated. Yes, it leans toward the more mature reader as there are a couple of decapitations by a headless biker and a grizzly scene involving a disembowelment, but it's the dialogue itself that carried that impression. You can obviously see Shapiro's influences in the script, ranging from 70's horror to contemporary classics. Christina, the main character, is the typical "bad girl cheerleader" and almost cliche in her actions, but nothing too out there that I haven't seen on The Shield or Weeds.
Halloween is right around the corner and I can definitely say there is an audience for this type of work. I'm sort of interested in why she's connected to the Satantic figure and what this has to do with a headless biker. Chopped has set the ground work for a serious horror series.
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Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time #13
Written by Robert Jordan and Chuck Dixon
Art by Marcio Fiorito and Nicolas Chapuis
Lettering by Bill Tortolini
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Review by Lan Pitts
Without going into a tirade or a gushing love letter to the Wheel of Time novel series, I have to say I am quite disappointed here. Dynamite's adaptation to the beloved fantasy series has been hit or miss, and mainly misses during the run. The rotating art team is inconsistent and here we have art that comes across as a really well put together high school project rather than work for a published comic.
Chuck Dixon does his best to adapt Jordan's style and pacing, and it shows. The book's dialogue comes out strong and in your face. You get the characters and their voices and the situation they are up against. I guess my big complaint here is that since he's straight adapting from the source material, there is a lot of telling and not showing. But that's a minor complaint in comparison to the art here. I can't exactly pinpoint the exact problem, so it might be a mixture here that rubbed me the wrong way.
Artist Marcio Fiorito has a moment or two of solid layouts and properly conveys the suspense of a high-action fight scene. The rest of the time, the line work is inconsistent going from broad to thin every other panel. On top of that, it just seems like pages of talking heads. Now, coming from a WoT fan I understand Jordan can get a bit wordy to say the least, but the artist's job is to break up the monotony of it and present some dynamic visuals. As I mentioned, there are some moments where he does let Moiraine the Aes Sedai ("wizard" for you non-WoT readers) shine and display her power accordingly. However, the next page begins a series of shoulder and headshots. It's just unfortunate. Even more so when you add the flat colors and awkward shading. It ages the characters tremendously as Mat goes from seventeen to forty-five in a single panel, and overall doesn't do the book any favors.
I had been hoping that once the action picked up, the comic would improve as well and this has not been the case. Dixon's script sums up the action pretty well, but the art side of things are still lacking. And with a series with such rich imagery, you'd think they'd turn it up a notch.
--------------------
Justice League: Dark #1 (Published by DC Comics; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 8/10): This is the book I've anticipated the most since its announcement. I'm a huge fan of the supernatural cast of the DC universe and a book that spotlights the supernatural superstars is just the thing I'm looking for. What we have here is Madame Xanadu, Enchantress, Shade, Zatanna, Deadman, and John Constantine in a magical alliance that acts as the last line of defense when one of their own goes out of control. Peter Milligan has scripted some eerie imagery and Mikel Janin brings that to the page. I was big fan of both Madame Xanadu and Zatanna's solo series, so it's good to see these staples of DC's more arcane side do their thing. It's good to see Milligan acknowledge that the JLA isn't the only solution to a threat by having Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg get taken down by a swarm cloud of teeth. Yes, you read that right. I have to admit, I was a bit thrown off at first when their costumes had been revealed. I still believe that Zatanna's new outfit is too "Criss Angel" for my tastes, but I've been assured she still has her classic attire when performing. It's a great first issue and doesn't give you all the answers, making you want to come back next month.
--------------------
Magdalena #8 (Published by Top Cow; Review by Lan Pitts; 'Rama Rating: 7/10 ): It's Magdalena on Magdalena violence in this latest issue. Not having the church on your side and thinking you've gone rogue isn't the best way to start your week. Patience goes up against another Magdalena, and the impostor even manages to steal the Spear of Destiny. The issue is mainly a fast-paced fight scene between the two with church politics sprinkled in. But if you're going to come back after a slight delay, come out swinging. Keu Cha's art is pretty solid, but really could have used an inker here. The background assists by Jacob Grippen add that extra bit of detail, but I think Bill Farmer is the real artistic hero here. He does his best to paint over Cha's pencils and make everything come to life, but the pencil shading is still visible and is very distracting in some places. Ron Marz continues giving Patience a voice unlike any other character out there, I just wish the art was more put together.
--------------------
Chopper #1
Written by Martin Shapiro
Art by Juan Ferreyra and Chandran Ponnusamy
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Cover by Chris Ortega
Published by Asylum Press
Review by Lan Pitts
The best way I can describe this is as "urban horror".
It's part bad girl comics, mixed with Sleepy Hollow lore set in modern day Daytona Beach. Asylum Press is hardly a stranger to these type of horror books and have made a name for themselves in the genre. We're not quite sure what is going on here, as this issues sets up the character, Christina and her bad girl ways. There's also a hint that she could be tied to Satan himself.
The panel construction is pretty basic here, but the actual panels themselves are quite elaborate. You get a sense of environment and it's never a case of talking heads. There's always something going on and it isn't stale. Juan Ferreyra has a good eye for action and lays it out well. Chandran Ponnusamy's coloring compliments Ferreyra style using a very textured pallet. You can see the added detail that Ponnusamy brought to the table. A lesser colorist could have really mishandled the linework.
The script itself isn't bad, per se, but comes across as somewhat dated. Yes, it leans toward the more mature reader as there are a couple of decapitations by a headless biker and a grizzly scene involving a disembowelment, but it's the dialogue itself that carried that impression. You can obviously see Shapiro's influences in the script, ranging from 70's horror to contemporary classics. Christina, the main character, is the typical "bad girl cheerleader" and almost cliche in her actions, but nothing too out there that I haven't seen on The Shield or Weeds.
Halloween is right around the corner and I can definitely say there is an audience for this type of work. I'm sort of interested in why she's connected to the Satantic figure and what this has to do with a headless biker. Chopped has set the ground work for a serious horror series.
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