Flash Gordon #1

Posted by Adam on October 6, 2008

(Ardden Entertainment)

One of the biggest complaints about entertainment these days—and I admit I’ve said this myself—is that everything is broken down into “franchises” centered around certain marketable characters. Movies, TV, shows, books and comics featuring characters who have a certain amount of name recognition come with a built-in audience, of course, so it’s not surprising stuff like Star Wars and James Bond is still being milked, and probably will be forever. But corporate types have become SO determined to grab hold of their own franchise that virtually every pop culture property has been relaunched, remade, or sequelized at this point. And when it comes to comics, which often end up as a sort of bottom-feeder in relationship to movies and TV, things often get downright ludicrous. I mean, did we really need a comic book based on Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name character?

On the flip side, though, there are those properties that are timeless and genuinely deserve to have a comic of their own every few decades, especially if done well. So on what side of this equation does Flash Gordon fall? He’s been the subject of a TV revival as recently as last year, the result being reportedly atrocious; they apparently tried to “grim ‘n’ gritty” it up, and stripped out all the comic booky-stuff (in other words, give it the same treatment as the new Battlestar Galactica, which is clearly a bad idea. Even BSG itself shouldn’t work, it just does somehow).

But everyone knows the name “Flash Gordon”, so it’s hardly surprising that someone’s trying again so soon. This time, the omens are better: Flash was born a comic book character, and that’s probably the medium in which he works best. The original comic strip was basically a ripoff of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars, with a noble Earthman being swept away to another planet in which the fantastical dwelt alongside the SFnal, and swashbuckling was just as much in vogue as flying spaceships. In this case, it was the professional polo player (yes, professional polo player) Flash Gordon, who was accompanied by reporter Dale Arden, who existed mostly to get captured and have her clothes fall off, and the friendly mad scientist Hans Zarkov. In the first strip, Zarkov forced them to accompany him in a spaceship he’d constructed in order to slam it into the planet Mongo, which was barreling out of space towards Earth, and thus save everyone. Somehow, not only did this plan work, but Flash, Dale and Zarkov survived to have various adventures striving against the cruel tyrant Ming the Merciless. The strip was, even at the time, mocked for its awkward writing, but everyone appreciated the lavish artwork and bold imagination of artist Alex Raymond.

This new comic basically takes the events listed above, which took place over the course of two Sunday strips, and stretches them out into a full comic. (Let’s hear it for decompression!) Flash is now a Yale professor, Dale is a CIA agent, and Zarkov is an old acquaintance of both of them. Now rumour has it he’s building weapons of mass destruction to sell to terrorists, and Dale needs Flash’s help finding him. This involves the two of them making a lot of buddy-cop noises at each other (Flash is even portrayed as a University professor…ON THE EDGE!!!!) as they wisecrack their way deeper and deeper into a (as if this scenario wasn’t already hackneyed enough) government conspiracy. Fortunately, by the end of the issue, the three of them are off to Mongo, and future issues promise to be geared more towards the classic swashbuckling adventure.

So, as may be obvious from the above, I wasn’t hugely impressed by the script by Brendan Deenan. Flash was a fairly generic pulp hero even when he debuted, and Deenan adds little to reinvigorate the character for the 21st century; making him a professor is about the only thing that comes close to being an interesting twist. Everything else, both in terms of the story and the character, amounts to throwing in a lot of trendy buzzwords (Zarkov discovered Mongo while studying alternative energy sources—how the hell does that work?!?) and a really forced “hip” attitude. At one point Dale tells Flash to stop making jokes, despite the fact that he hasn’t said anything remotely funny, which kind of summarizes the writing in this book. The whole thing comes perilously close to feeling like an early 90s Image comic at times.

Fortunately, the basic premise is difficult to screw up, and to give Deenan credit, he’s chosen to be pretty faithful to the original. The book also has a big advantage in Paul Green’s slick, animation-style artwork, which is detailed but isn’t afraid to be cartoonishly exaggerated, thus lending an essential appeal to the characters. It also “quotes” the retro-deco look of 30s adventure comics, especially when it comes to Zarkov’s futuristic technology, but doesn’t slavishly imitate it. The result is somewhere between Manga and Batman: The Animated Series.

For whatever reason, I always have a fondness for revivals of classic pulp characters, assuming they’re not “reimagined” into awfulness. This comic isn’t, so I found it reasonably entertaining—nothing to write home about, but solid as far as these things go. I can’t see this comic winning over people who wouldn’t have had an interest in Flash Gordon anyway, but as the old saying goes, if you like this sort of thing, this will be the sort of thing you like.

2.5 out of 5 Vikings

The Helm #2

Posted by Max on September 24, 2008

(Dark Horse)

Whoa, a second review for the same series? What madness is this!? I’m typically loath to do back to back reviews of any series, simply because there’s rarely a change drastic enough to warrant a second review. Good series are good, bad series are bad, and while there may be a significant change down the line (especially with a switch of artist/writer), typically the first issue of a title is a good indication of what you’re in for. So why the change of heart? Well for one, Helm creator Jim Hardison actually contacted me personally after my last review, a rare occurrence even when the review is glowing (which this one was not). Honestly, I was expecting him to tear me a new asshole, but not only did he thank me for the review, but offered to send me the next issue of his book free! Not just some fancified digital version either, but an actual paper copy, signed, sealed and currently sitting on eBay in my private collection. What a cool guy huh? What’s more, Jim didn’t even care if I actually reviewed the book, he just wanted to get my opinion (clearly the man is incredibly desperate). Still, while Jim may not be a manipulative, insecure attention-whore, I certainly am, so I figured I’d use this opportunity to once again force my unwanted opinion on the masses.

Alright, I know what you may be saying to yourself: Nice creator + free comic + significantly improved score = sell out. Well I’m here to assure you that absolutely isn’t the case. I’m not saying I couldn’t be bought; heck, look at the weird ass crap we advertise on the site (Our motto: Anything but porn!). No, I’m just saying Mr. Hardison didn’t do a good enough job to warrant such a high score. Here, take a look at the official Rack Raids Integrity Manipulation Pricing Guide:

1 Viking: Free comic

2 Vikings: Pizza with our choice of toppings.

3 Vikings: Prostitute and/or gigolo

4 Vikings: Attractive prostitute and/or gigolo

5 Vikings: Attractive prostitute and/or gigolo with pizza (toppings optional)

As you can see, Mr. Hardison’s attempts at bribery simply wouldn’t have been enough to garner him a 4 Viking rating (that prostitute he sent was average-looking at best). So where did those extra 1.5 Vikings come from? Well, while I stand by my review of Issue #1, this second issue is such an improvement that I would be remiss if I didn’t bring it to your attention.

First off, the art; it’s pretty good. OK, that’s a bit simplistic, but since everything from my last review still applies, feel free to go back and read that if you’d like more detail. What I’d really like to focus on, and what elevates this issue above it’s predecessor, is its writing. While the first issue had it’s funny moments, a lot of the humor felt flat to me; recycled jokes that had been done better in films like Clerks (and much, much worse in films like Clerks 2). Combine nerdy guy with pop culture reference, and you’ve got instant comedy! It was a shame, because the book already had a great comedy angle built in. After all, anyone can make nerd jokes, but a asshole talking hat is something special. Fortunately, Issue #2 shifts the focus firmly onto the relationship between Mathew and Helm, with hilarious results. I don’t want to spoil anything, but both the training montage and the Helm’s attempts at cock blocking are worth the price of admission on their own. What’s more, while Mathew was a totally pathetic slob in the first issue, here he’s a totally pathetic slob trying to become a regular slob. It may seem like a small difference, but for me it was enough to turn Mathew from an object of scorn to a guy you can relate to (a must for any dweeb hero). Sure the guy’s not perfect, but at least he’s not a total loser.

My one big problem (hopefully addressed in future issues), is the fact that despite his new attitude, Mathew still hasn’t done anything particularly heroic. Yes he’s killed a monster and battled wraiths, but both were cases of self-defense. Heck, even the “evil sorcerer” he killed was simply defending his home (which Mathew and the Helm had broken into in order to swipe some magical goodies). It’s a bit odd, and while the hint of a new master villain at the end of this issue suggests a change in the status quo, I’m still not quite on the bandwagon. On the other hand, I think it would be brilliant if Hardison is pulling a fast one on us, and it turns out the Helm is actually a malevolent force. Wherever this book goes though, I plan to be along for the ride, as The Helm has suddenly gone from middling to superb in my eyes. Don’t believe me? Fine. Buy your own copy and see for yourself you paranoid bastards!

4 out of 5 Vikings.

Spooks: Omega Team #1

Posted by Max on September 8, 2008

(Devil’s Due Publishing)

Alright, here’s the deal. The original plan for my glorious return to Rack Raids was a blow-out review bonanza, in which I would look back at all the title’s I’d covered, see where they are today, and then discuss which had risen to be star titles, and which had fallen into mediocrity. I’d like to say that to my credit, I did go back and at least read all the current issues, and it was in doing so that I discovered the fatal flaw in my plan. Of the 20+ titles I read, none had changed enough to really warrant a re-review. I mean seriously, take a look at my initial score, maybe add or subtract a half-Viking here or there, and you basically have my up to date impressions. Could I have made it work? Possibly, but combine that with my planned Punisher editorial (still in the works!), and it was clear I had bitten off more than I could chew, choked on it, and was now being given the Heimlich by my fellow Raiders (except for Adam, who just laughed maniacally). Frustrated, I ultimately decided to take the advice my great-great-grand uncle gave to me on his deathbed; “Steve,” he said to me (the old man wasn’t too good with names), “always remember that when the going gets tough, it’s usually better to just give up entirely and get drunk as hell.” Wise words, but it wouldn’t be right for me to shirk my duties entirely, and so I figured that if I couldn’t return with a bang, then a healthy belch and some scratching would have to suffice. It is in this spirit of mediocrity that I present to you a very average review of a slightly-below average comic, written with the aid of a significantly-above average number of prescription medications.

My English teacher once told me that any great story idea can be boiled down into a single sentence, and while I’m not sure that’s totally true, it’s certainly applicable in this case. Spooks, an ongoing series from the folks at Devil’s Due Publishing, is basically Ghostbusters starring the cast of G.I. Joe. You’ve got the tough but sassy female, the jaded vet, the stereotypical token black guy (in this case ingeniously replaced by a stereotypical Hispanic guy), a ninja who’s one tracheotomy away from being Snake-Eyes, and what I can only assume is supposed to be the teams mentally-challenged member, judging by the horrible dragon tattoo he’s sporting (and on his face no less). I can only hope that the drunken bet which led to that abomination is the subject of a future storyline. This cast of totally original characters is tasked with investigating paranormal phenomenon, and by “investigating” I mean shooting the hell out of.

Of course even the most clichéd and derivative of characters can be redeemed through good writing (just ask Deadpool), but unfortunately that same G.I. Joe feel extends to the characters’ dialog and whether or not that’s a good thing will likely depend on your fondness for the old comics. To be fair, that G.I. Joe feel isn’t entirely unexpected, as Spooks scribe Larry Hama worked on the Marvel G.I. Joe series for years (as well The ‘Nam, and the unfortunately titled Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja). While I did enjoy his work on those titles (well, one of those titles), here everything comes across as corny at best, and hackneyed at worst; lame puns, characters describing their actions, and just a general sense of 90’s throwback, and not in a good way (actually, I don’t think there is a good way to do 90’s throwback). Cut out the few modern references (hur, Netflix, hur), and this could easily be B-material from, well, G.I. Joe.

The art does fare better, but also has its share of problems. The characters’ proportions seem to fluctuate randomly (especially those of the muscular Bettina), and the level of detail varies wildly from panel to panel. I usually try to avoid lumping art into “good” and “bad” categories and try to approach it mainly from a standpoint of personal preference, but this stuff is just ugly. I showed it to several people, and the consensus was that artist Tim Seeley was either rushed or simply got sloppy. It’s a shame, because Seeley does have his moments, but these bursts of quality only serve to highlight the numerous mediocre sections. Plus, what the heck is with all the bird’s-eye shots?

Ultimately, it’s difficult to see where exactly Spooks went wrong. There’s certainly enough talent at work here, and while I wasn’t expecting the next Watchmen, I would have thought that we’d at least get a competent action series (albeit of the brainless variety). As it stands though, with the exception of some boobies (of the statue variety), this could easily pass for a second-rate Saturday Morning cartoon. Hopefully everyone involved will step up their game for the next outing.

2 and a half out of 5 Vikings.

[Raided] Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #1 (of 4)

Posted by Sean on August 25, 2008

(Dark Horse Comics)

Meh. I’m excited to see the return of original Indiana Jones stories to comics, but this is a lackluster start to things. After receiving a mysterious note from an antiquities collector requesting assistance, Jones finds himself in New York City, immediately in over his head and on the run from Nazis, as all parties chase after the MacGuffin de jour — an ancient stone tablet that pre-dates recorded history and (possibly) also predicts the end of the world. We’ve been here before, and unlike Dark Horse’s Indiana Jones Adventures - which features a very different take on Indiana Jones in the early years of his carrer (an arrogant thrill seeker and adrenaline junkie) - writer Rob Williams does nothing with this character that we haven’t seen already…yet. To his defense, it’s still early, and this issue, more than anything else, is really just exposition heavy set up. The issue is not entirely without some surprising twists - such as the unexpected appearance of a competing tomb raider - but by and large, I was hoping for a little more.

2 and a half out of 5 Vikings

[Trade Winds] The Apocalipstix

Posted by Adam on August 24, 2008

(Oni Press)

Comic books frequently strive to be dementedly imaginative, satirical, and edgy, and I can’t think of a better way to instantly grant these qualities to a comic than by setting it in a post-apocalyptic scenario. Instantly, your book gains a veneer of punk-rock coolness and wry satire, as the end of civilization transforms America and the human race into twisted, exaggerated versions of themselves. It also provides a venue for SF adventure, which, depending on how over-the-top the authors are willing to pitch it, can allow for just about anything to happen, and a minimal need to explain it.

On the other hand, this particular subgenre was always tied pretty closely to the cold war, with its promise of total annihilation from nuclear weaponry. While mankind never stopped being technically able to wipe itself out, even after the Berlin Wall came down, a full-scale nuclear exchange seems pretty unlikely these days. That’s why post-apocalyptic tales have had to find new ways to end the world, like killer plagues, zombies, and, um, dragons. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Atomic Robo, Volume 2 #1

Posted by Adam on August 10, 2008

(Red 5 Comics)

Atomic Robo is another example of what I (and Warren Ellis) call “pure comics”–it’s almost nothing but action, wisecracks, and weird mad science and fantasy crap, and it’s glorious. The titular character is a robot built by Nikola Tesla in the early 20th century and adopted, more or less, by the US Government to fight at the head of a team of anti-mad-science crusaders. Describing it that way, of course, immediately evokes the most successful modern interpretation of this formula. Yes, Atomic Robo is very much in the vein of Hellboy, right down to the frequent appearance of Nazi villains. And therein lies the problem.

See, volume one had enough of its own distinct charms, including Scott Wegener’s sharp, cartoony artwork and Ronda Pattison’s bright colours. The biggest appeal, however, was the humor, in the form of Robo’s hilarious quips–he knows that he can’t be hurt easily, and thus can keep his wiseassed commentary up through the most desperate of situations. Writer Brian Clevinger also has a knack for zany comic-book situations, like an ancient Egyptian pyramid coming to life via clockwork, or Robo’s bitter rivalry with Stephen Hawking. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

[Raided] The Helm #1

Posted by Max on July 20, 2008

(Dark Horse)

(Sorry this is a little late folks, was watching the Affliction PPV. Man, Emelianenko’s a cyborg!)

Way back when I reviewed a pretty cool book called Fearless, and though I loved its concept, I felt that both the art and writing, while good, didn’t live up to the potential presented by the premise. Well prepare for some deja-vu, as I’m afraid Dark Horse’s The Helm falls into similar territory. The Helm tells the story of pathetic slob Mathew, who in the course of a few minutes (and pages) manages to get dumped by his fiancée AND fired from his job as video store clerk. However, on his way home Mathew comes across a yard-sale hosted by a mysterious stranger, where he finds a magic talking helm who believes him to be a chosen hero of prophecy, only to realize his mistake the minute Mathew picks him up, linking the pair unto death. Long story short, Mathew grabs the helm, and is now the proud owner of a talking hat who hates his guts. It’s a great gimmick, and the fact that the helm is actively trying to kill Mathew (all while spouting off insults in ye-olde Thor speak) allows the book to move beyond the usual grumpy side-kick shtick into pleasantly dark comedy. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

[Trade Winds] Indiana Jones Adventures (Volume One)

Posted by Sean on July 6, 2008

(Dark Horse Comics)

Generally, I find “all ages” books to be anything but. However, Dark Horse has established a solid reputation for sophisticated, thoroughly entertaining and genuinely “all ages” comics with their Clone Wars Adventures digests, and they further strengthen that reputation with the thrill-a-minute Indiana Jones Adventures. Unlike the anthology style format of the Clone Wars Adventures though, Indiana Jones is a full length story, and a damn good one that follows Jones from Sweden to London to Marrakesh as he tracks down an ancient Nordic scroll thought to contain a formula for making Berserker super-soldiers! Naturally, certain armband wearing fascists with global ambitions have also taken an interest in the scroll, and have hired a certain French tomb raider to get it for them. Indian Jones and Viking artifacts! Peanut butter meet jelly.

This is an exciting read, filled with globe-trotting action and adventure. But it’s worth noting that this isn’t “Indiana Jones Paint-By-Number.” By setting the story in 1930 (earlier in Jones’ career than in the movies), writer Philip Gelatt creates a setting that allows us to see Jones at a different stage in his career - one where he’s more a tomb raiding adrenaline junkie than a renaissance man, a little more committed to “winning” than knowledge. It’s an interesting take on the character.

Artist Ethan Beavers clearly did his homework before beginning work on this. There are several times in this book where he frames Jones in such an iconic way (putting on the hat for the first time, the look of frustration after being bested by a competitor) that you could swear he was taking cues from Spielberg, and you can just hear Williams’ score in the background. Top-to-bottom this is a very good Indian Jones story, recommended reading for anyone that needs to get the taste of Kingdom of the Crystal Paycheck out of their mouth.

4 out of 5 Vikings

Fire and Brimstone #1

Posted by Max on June 30, 2008

(Antarctic Press)

(Sorry folks, another short review this week. For Pete’s sake, we put a man on the damn moon, you’d think we’d have this cold bullshit sorted out by now. Seriously, if it wasn’t green I’d swear I was hacking up pieces of lung.)

Today’s comic is brought to us by Antartic Press, publishers of the (apparently) long-running Gold Digger and Ninja High-School series. Their store also features a book called How to Draw Pirates, which seems a little niche, but hey, what do I know. Fire and Brimstone is their latest effort, and it’s the love-child of one Richard Moore, who handles both the writing and the art. Moore is famous for such titles as Boneyard, The Pound and Deja Vu, and by “famous” I mean he mentions them in his intro. Nice plug there Richard, very subtle. I mean, that would be like if I told you all that I also write video-game reviews over at VG Views (www.vgviews.com), the video-game site where you’re the reviewer! No one needs to hear about my well thought out and articulate opinions on the latest electronic entertainment, which can be read at VG Views (www.vgviews.com), and it would be inappropriate of me to pimp another site like VG Views (www.vgviews.com), especially on a site dedicated to comics, and not video-games, which is what VG Views (www.vgviews.com) happens to specialize in. No, I’m more professional than that, and I’d appreciate it if Moore was as well. Oh, and he starts off his introductory spiel with the following:

“I know what you’re thinking: ‘Who is this guy, and why should I care?’ Despite the fact that it’s extremely rude of you to ask, I’ll answer your challenging query.” WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Blood Bowl: Killer Contract #1 (of 5)

Posted by Max on June 23, 2008

(Boom! Studios)

(Note: Sorry for the short review this week folks. I’m currently battling some sort of Mongolian Death Flu, and as such my brain is functioning at about half capacity right now, just below coherent typing and just above actively drooling on myself.)

Long considered the wussified bastard child of rugby, American football received a much needed injection of insanity in 1987, when Jervis Johnson released the turn-based board game Blood Bowl. Start with regular football, add in a host of fantasy races and remove most of the rules, and what you’re left with is a blood-soaked spectacle that makes Rollerball seem positively tame. It’s an interesting premise, and considering the relative dearth of sports themed comics here in America, it seems like Blood Bowl: Killer Contract would have a ready made niche on store shelves. Unfortunately, some mis-steps keep this title from being much more than an interesting side-note. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

[Trade Winds] Y, The Last Man: Whys & Wherefores

Posted by Adam on June 22, 2008

(Vertigo)

There’s really nothing more to be said about Y: The Last Man. I mean that literally, since this is the final trade collection of what is arguably the most notable non-superhero comic…or maybe comic, period…of the last decade. But I’m going to try to find something to say anyway.

Over the course of 5 years, Yorick Brown and his hangers-on have completely circled the globe, and in the process, they’ve found rays of hope even in this seemingly hopeless, male-free future. (Funny thing about “Y”, it’s probably the most upbeat post-apocalyptic story you’re ever going to read.) They’ve also discovered an explanation for the source of the plague that killed seemingly every other male organism on the planet…but was it the explanation? In an earlier story, the protagonists ran into a traveling theatre troupe who had turned the urban legend of “the last man” into an experimental play; that story contained a number of meta-textual winks, including a reference to a Victorian story about a similar plague, in which the cause was never identified. That seemed like writer Brian K. Vaughn’s hint that he, likewise, was never going to identify exactly what caused the “gendercide”; we did eventually meet a (male) scientist who claimed he was responsible, but his rationale involved some extremely dubious “science”, which even the characters (particularly the ever-skeptical Dr. Alison Mann) didn’t quite buy. So kudos to Vaughn for being willing to introduce such an ambiguous note into an otherwise very mainstream series. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

The Voyages of SheBuccaneer #1 (of 3)

Posted by Max on June 16, 2008

(Great Big Comics)

Originally, reviewing SheBuccaneer was a joke, casually suggested by fellow raider (and apparently, blogger) Graig Kent; I guess he felt that after my review of Tarot, this kind of (seemingly) low-brow exploitative schlock would be right up my alley. Add in the fact that like Tarot, SheBuccaneer is the brain-child of a husband and wife team, Heidi and Bill Hughes (who also publish the title), and it’s easy to see how he thought this would essentially be a nautical rendition of the same garbage. Well, while Mr. Kent may have intended his comment as mere jest, I took it as a slap in the face, a direct challenge to my literary chops. You think you can intimidate me with your horrible titles and your hackneyed premises? I grew up a comic fan during the 90s man; there’s nothing on shelves today that can scare me anymore. Ultimately though, the joke was on me, because as prepared as I was for complete and utter rubbish, what I found was actually (GASP!) pretty darn good. Just another example of why it’s so wrong to judge a book by its cover (well, except this cover, which tells you everything you need to know). WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

[Trade Winds] Tom Strong Book Six

Posted by Adam on June 9, 2008

(DC)

Ahhhh — at last.

Alan Moore’s post-Watchmen career arc has been fascinating to me. Despite his punk-rock attitude, he was famously dismayed by what happened to the superhero genre in the wake of his masterpiece; rather than providing one take among many, the “Watchmen” mentality of deconstructionist, “real world” superheroes existing in a dark, dreary, morally ambivalent world in which all the zany fun had been drained out quickly became the default position for the genre. Moore responded first by ducking out for a decade or so, working on “From Hell” and some other projects that didn’t get off the ground. Then, when Image comics came along, he took advantage of their anarchic mentality to return to superheroes on his own terms. First he toiled forgettably (for him) on stuff like Spawn and WildC.A.T.s, but then, starting with “1963”, he launched a series of retro, silver age-style comics that represented an attempt to reconnect comics with their vast and interesting history. The culmination of this came in theABC line, embodied by two comics: “Tom Strong” and “Promethea”.

Tom Strong was essentially “Doc Savage with richer subtext”. An instantly iconic adventure strip character, Tom was a superscientific strongman born at midnight, January 1st, 1900, and raised to be the ideal human by his rather cold-hearted father. After his parents’ death he was raised by a lost tribe on a remote jungle island, then picked up the mantle of scientist-adventurer and proceeded to have a century of adventures (thanks to a life-extending medicinal plant) with his family and companions. His adventures were an encapsulation of comics history over the course of the 20th century, involving everything from Nazis to space travel to lava people to parallel realities. What was really great, though, was the way Moore wove strong characterization into the background. Strong’s credo is one of optimism, rationality and a determination to solve problems; his greatest strength and his greatest weakness is that his upbringing left him emotionally detached and sometimes coldly logical; his family and friends, especially his wife Dhalua, have redeemed his humanity, but his thought processes can still be slightly strange, at least in the more serious stories. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Duostar Racers #1

Posted by Max on June 8, 2008

(IDW)

Before starting this review, I’d like to preface things a bit. I picked up Duostar Racers largely on a whim, without background information on its creator or any possible tie-ins. After doing a little research, I found out the comic is apparently related in some way to artist Ashley Wood’s other title, D’Airain Adventure, which in turn has ties to a bunch of other creator owned titles (Here’s the link to the article I found http://www.idwpublishing.com/news/dairain.shtml). How the two are related I don’t know, nor do I particularly care. The point I’m trying to make is that in the proper context, this comic may have earned a higher score (though I doubt it). In my opinion however, unless you slap a Vol. 2 on something or make it abundantly clear that knowledge of another title is a prerequisite for enjoying your book, there’s an expectation that it be accessible to new readers. As you may have guessed, Duostar Racers does not live up to that expectation, and while it has its merits, as the launching point for a new series (or even an introduction to an old one) it fails miserably.

I guess I’ll start by addressing T.P. Louise’s writing, because frankly, there’s not much to say. Some guy is looking for his brother, and two other guys are racing on the freeway. That’s it. There’s some dialog, but considering it’s largely without context (and pretty bland to boot), there’s never a chance to get a real feel for the characters.. The writing’s not particularly bad, and I wasn’t immediately put-off the way I was with, say, The Executioner. There’s simply not enough here to even make me curious about what’s going on, and the whole thing comes across as a series of disconnected scenes without unity or flow. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull #1 (of 2)

Posted by Jeb on May 27, 2008

(Dark Horse)

I would disagree with those that call the latest Indiana Jones film unwatchable. It’s true that it’s visually uninspired, and that the script is an appallingly lazy piece of hackwork, but for most of the film, Harrison Ford does his best to rekindle our affection for Indy, and with the aid of Shia LaBeouf and Karen Allen, bring some life to the otherwise dire proceedings.

Sadly, of course, the qualities of personality and life that those actors bring to the film aren’t available to the comics writer. All he has to work with is David Koepp’s script, and I hope it’s true that Koepp cobbled the thing together from other writer’s drafts in a desperate race to beat the writers’ strike deadline, because at least that would offer some excuse for its being so terrible. None of that, though, helps comic writer John Jackson Miller, since he’s stuck with that script as his starting point. And, unlike some previous film adaptations, where the use of an early draft resulted in a different and interesting take on the material, this is a painful scene-by-scene slog through the finished version of the film.

And where the first part of the movie (which is basically what this first issue covers) is occasionally livened up by some decent-to-adequate action scenes, the pacing of the comic relegates them to a panel or two here and there. Which, really, is crazy: the only virtue in adapting this thing (well, the only artistic one, anyway) would be to try and bring some level of kinetic detail and excitement to those scenes. Instead, they’re given equal weight with pointless standoffs and dreary exposition, and fall completely flat. And speaking of flat, the omniscient narration draws bullet points and exclamation marks around the few bits of story that, in the film, are allowed to unfold gradually for the audience, thus making each turn of the page more deadeningly dull than the last.

Given that he’s not called on to do much action, artist Luke Ross is left trying to approximate the bland look of the film, and of the actors… and therein lies another problem. The 64-year-old Harrison Ford can still move like a man twenty years younger, and his facial expressions, carriage, and line readings all combine to make his older Indy nearly as vital as the younger one. On the page, though, the facial lines and white hair, with no animation at all, just lie there looking ancient and ghastly (I positively dread Marion’s appearance next issue). I won’t say that Ross had much of a script to work with, but apart from one or two splash panels, there’s nothing in the visuals here that would make you want to know what the characters were saying if the word balloons weren’t there.

I’m probably being too hard on Miller and Ross. I’m sure it’s a good paycheck, and who wouldn’t want to help contribute, in some way, to the legend of Indiana Jones. It’s not their fault that they were given the worst of the films to adapt, but its eventual inclusion in the Dark Horse version of the Indiana Jones saga will be something less than a high point.

The War That Time Forgot #1

Posted by Sean on

(DC)

Man, I was ready to love this book. A mysterious island lost in time, inhabited by dinosaurs and strange prehistoric creatures, where warriors from different eras — WWI, WWII, Vietnam, the American Revolution, the Wild West — inexplicably appear to fight for their survival. Wow. Nitro meet glycerine. This is the kind of stuff that is right up my alley. The kind of stuff that I’m hellbent on championing.

Of course, it makes championing things a whole lot easier when a book delivers on its promise, and after one issue, the jury is still out on DC’s The War That Time Forgot. This is why I hate first issues though, and why I’m slowly learning toward reading several issues at at time, or even switching to recommended trades. Unless the book is absolutely atrocious or clearly a cut above the rest, it’s often too difficult to definitively “make the call” when all you’ve got is a taste — the shrimp cocktail of the seven course (or in this case, twelve course) meal. The War That Time Forgot is neither absolutely atrocious or clearly a cut above the rest, and that drives me nuts because I wanted this to be a walk-off home run.

I was thrown the moment I started reading it. Writer Bruce Jones script is so exposition heavy that I was convinced by page four that there wouldn’t be a single action the protagonist (a WWII fighter pilot) took that he wasn’t going to describe. “Oh hell, a dinosaur crashed into my plane. I’m going down. I’m going to crash. I’ve crashed. Where have I crashed? I’ve crashed on a strange island. What are these strange things on this strange island? Who are these strange people?” Part of me wants to believe that that this is an intentional throw-back to the comics of old, but it’s not campy enough to convince me that this is Jones’ intent.

What’s more, Jones blows an opportunity to build up the suspense and let the reader get to know (who I assume is going to be) the main protagonist by immediately introducing a huge cast of characters. I think it would have been more effective to focus on just one character, and have him fend for himself for a bit, and then reveal at the end of the issue that he’s not alone. Heighten the inherent danger of the island. This is a twelve issue series after all. There’s time.

Still, soldiers v. dinosaurs. That says it all. Any time you put Enemy Ace, Tomahawk, and Firehair together with a bunch of dinosaurs you’ve got something. The elements are there for an amazing over-the-top adventure — it’s all going to depend on the execution.

2 and a half out of 5 Vikings

[Trade Winds] Aqua Leung OGN

Posted by Graig on May 9, 2008

(Image)

There are some who claim the floppy is dead, that trade paperbacks and original graphic novels are the only future for the medium. They may be right. The floppy, monthly (or otherwise) is a distinct format that allows for compressed storytelling well, and serialized storytelling even better, but the floppy is also limited in its flexibility and limiting to the storytellers, with stories pigeonholing themselves into, typically, 22 to 24 page chunks. Where graphic novels have the distinct advantage is the ability for creators to contract and relax, flex and release their story as much as they want. They don’t have to close out a story or leave a cliffhanger at page 24, the story can breathe and move on its own. Aqua Leung writer Mark Andrew Smith uses the format to the utmost, telling an miniaturized epic that is at times tranquil and others frenetic. Smith manages a 12 page introductory sequence that only tangentially ties into the story, but it does set the pace and the feel of the story, equal parts humorous, surreal and adventurous.

Smith’s story exploits numerous fantasy and comic book conventions, as a young boy finds his destiny is that of King of the undersea dominion. As a baby, Aqua was taken away from his undersea home, spared the bloody revolt of his father’s kingdom. Raised on the mainland by a loving Korean couple, Aqua only knew himself as human, but he’s thrust into prophetic destiny when his adoptive family is horrendously murdered by a sea creature, and Aqua is saved and given the key to return to the seas.

There he learns of that he is destined to be King and unifier of the lands, now divided. He first must undergo intensive training, equal parts kung-fu cinema and Spartan-style. Not only does he train his body over the year, but also his mind, becoming a fighter and a tactician. At the end of his training he’s sent on a vision quest, to encounter his own fears. Emerging at the other end, he’s quickly enlisted into King Calamari’s service. The King is of immense size (he’s illustrated more as a surrounding than a single figure, never appearing as a whole on panel, only as flickering tentacles surrounding his visitors) and his monstrous proportions leaves Aqua wary of him, but still indentured to his service.

His first task for the king is a quest for fire, which is to both test his resolve and his skills as well as to continue his education amidst more seasoned warriors. He returns from this elaborate and trying adventure more mature and aware, and the King dictates it’s time for Aqua to lead his people and unite the seas in battle against the tyrants of the land. The final act of the book is a prolonged battle sequence of Trojan or Spartan proportions as the forces of King Calamari wage war against the Crab King and his warrior caste. It’s an intense mêlée with obvious results, but no less exciting.

The book is slow to start, the introduction by the Millenium Tortoise whimsical but the dense exposition that fill the first 25 pages is much to wade through, a challenge and not strictly necessary (much of the exposition could have been revealed equally well at other times throughout the book). Once the story does get going, however, and we’re introduced to Adam Leung (later renamed Aqua by his people) it moves along swiftly, and pulls you in further and further.

The nature of the story is not unfamiliar, and bears parallels to the underwater kingdoms over the past half century via Aquaman, Namor, or many tales featuring an undersea Atlantis. But Smith doesn’t shy away from the references, even embracing a Namor-ian analog (”the Mighty Seaman”) as one of Aqua’s comic book heroes on the surface world. Rather than being a knock off of any story, it’s much more an homage to undersea adventurers merged with classic Greek warrior mythos.

Smith is accompanied by artist Paul Maybury in telling the tale. Maybury’s art is of the flat 2-dimensional mold with simplistically rendered, big-eyed characters, which is not unlike a fantasy variation of Scott Pilgrim, with definite parallels to Brian Lee O’Malley’s artistic style. But there’s also elements of the wild creativity present in Genndy Tartakovski’s Samurai Jack, not to mention similarities in its adventurousness and meditativeness, not to mention highly bizarre looking creatures. I also sense a touch of Paul Pope’s freehand pastiche, leaving the characters and settings not wholly refined, but deftly rendered.

Maybury handles the script exceptionally well, presenting some truly stunning moments like the dream sequence featuring the four-page spread of the dragon’s mouth, and the aforementioned too-large to fit in panel King Calamari. Unfortunately, there are also occasional panels or sequences which are completely indiscernible, the action or intent illegible altogether, muddied by Maybury’s simplistic but thick line. Thankfully these aren’t the norm and he pulls of a high number of captivating sequences, and the visuals get stronger as it goes along (the battle between Aqua’s forces and those of King Crab are downright spectacular).

The main quibble I have (which I have with most underwater adventures) is it doesn’t always feel like it’s underwater, and in this case, Aqua Leung shares the Spongebob Squarepants reality of underwater where the atmosphere isn’t treated like water but like air, and gravity is not indifferent from land. After a while, you forget that the events are undersea, which doesn’t fully affect the impact of the story itself, but is a missed opportunity for some further innovative visuals.

Despite its simplicity of line, Aqua Leung won’t be suitable for younger readers, although tweens and young adults who wade knee deep into Lord of the Rings or Narnia will easily find much to enjoy.

It’s beautifully rendered and strikingly colored, with sharp dialogue culminating in a very engrossing, complete read (once past the opening expository salvo), and for fans of fantasy and undersea adventure, it’s some pretty sharp stuff.

3 and a half out of 5 Vikings

Hercules: The Thracian Wars #1 (of 5)

Posted by Jeb on April 30, 2008

(Radical Comics)

One of the great strengths of HBO’s series Rome was its ability to give that ancient city’s people attitudes and motivations that would feel wholly recognizable and convincing to modern audiences, without seeming anachronistic. In this limited series (the first of several projected), veteran British comics writer Steve Moore helps to launch the new Radical Comics line with a similar spin on the adventures of the legendary Hercules: here less a man-god than a man, trading on a reputation based on legends that are swiftly losing hold on his contemporaries. Here (as on Rome), the gods and monsters of ancient myth are less articles of faith than metaphors for man’s dismal fate in a capricious world. Indeed, if there are any supernatural beings to whom everyone in the series owes allegiance, it’s the cold and pitiless Fates.

In this series, Hercules is a soldier of fortune, whose relationship with his legendary status is uncomfortable, at best. He leads a band of mercenaries that resembles nothing so much as James Cameron’s Marine troop in Aliens (there is even a female character– the fleet-footed Atalanta– out to prove herself as capable as any man). Summoned to the decrepit, debauched land of Thrace to aid its king, Hercules and company quickly find themselves insulted by the court’s denizens, and provoked into bloody action, the consequences of which are, by turns, predicable… and then unexpected. The dialog skirts a fine line: eschewing the pseudo-Shakespeare that Stan Lee made the lingua franca of legendary heroes, it goes for a naturalism that generally works, though some of Hercules’ weary snarking, and the occasional bit of phrasing like “cross-dressing sex monsters,” can pull the reader out of the period just a bit.

The painted art by Admira Wijaya is most impressive. It’s lithe and fluid, but carries enough real weight that the extended battle sequence never feels overlong. With the aid of Moore’s research, Wijaya imagines a bleak and brutal ancient world that contrasts sharply with the golden legends that form the basis for Hercules’ reputation. It’s also worth noting that the character design (and logo) are by the legendary Jim Steranko, who also offers one of the two covers for this issue. It’s nice, if a bit static, but any new Steranko is cause for celebration.

The only slight reservation I have about recommending this comic has to do with the pacing: while the book is a great buy at 22 pages for $1.00 (and future issues will carry a $2.99 price tag), at the end, we’re not terribly far along into the story (we’re not even certain just why Hercules and his team were summoned, or what their task will be). Still, at full price the book would be worth your money; for a buck, it’d be crazy not to try it. The most impressive series debut so far this year.

Don Pendleton’s The Executioner: The Devil’s Tools #1

Posted by Max on April 28, 2008

(IDW)

Fans of Don Pendleton’s Executioner series will likely remember them as competently written (if fairly generic) action titles. Essentially Harlequin novels for dudes, they delivered all the things most 12 year olds look for in a novel, namely guns, explosions and Schwarzenegger-esque body counts. Still, this particular series has always had a special place in my heart, thanks to its use as a template for my favorite comic creation, The Punisher. The star of the books, Mack Bolan (aka The Executioner) was essentially a proto-Frank Castle; an ex-solider turned vigilante, Bolan waged a one man war on crime after the death of his family at the hands of criminals. It’s a simple premise, and one the comic wisely avoids tampering with. The only questionable decision is choosing to maintain Bolan’s age, with the story’s various crime bosses talking about Bolan’s escapades during the 70’s and beyond. One even suggests that Bolan is actually a Korean war vet, which makes his current 30-something appearance a little hard to swallow. Normally this kind of thing isn’t a big deal in comics (Hell, Batman’s gotta be pushing 90 by now), but when you bring up the time element as part of your story, you should probably have a better explanation than “plastic surgery.” Chronological shenanigans aside though, how does the comic itself hold up? WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Fenix Gear #1

Posted by Max on March 17, 2008

(Grabbajad!!! Entertainment)

As a comic reviewer, I considered it my job, nay, my duty to seek out new talents and and titles, whatever their background or genre, and drag them kicking and screaming into the public eye (and by public, I mean the four people who read these reviews. Hi mom!). Thus, when I glimpsed the ambiguously named Fenix Gear sitting quietly all by its indie lonesome, I decided to give it a chance. Kneeing my natural manga-aversion in the metaphorical groin, I dove into the adventures of Zoe and Leylie, professional anarchists.

Before we go any further, it’s probably best I get the bad news out of the way first. The art on this comic is, for lack of a better word, ass-tastic. Don’t be fooled by the very competent (if somewhat bland) cover; what lies inside this book is not pretty. To be fair, this isn’t Rob Liefeld bad, but rather a more home-brewed, I doodle in my note-pad during Biology bad. No disrespect to Stephen Krock, but I’ve seen Tijuana Bibles more competently drawn than this. It’s weak, and in most cases would be enough to end my interest in this book immediately. Yet as much as I wanted to give Gear’s “art” the back of my comic-reviewing pimp-hand, I ultimately decided to stay my blow. As terrifyingly amateurish as it is (and trust me, it’s Misery scary), I just can’t bring myself to totally condemn it. Mr. Krock is clearly passionate about the project, and there’s an undeniable charm to the whole thing which almost transcends its technical limitations. It may not be pretty to look at, but it certainly isn’t boring, and I would think that with a few (translation: a lot) of lessons, Krock might have the skills to match his enthusiasm, and the art on this book could improve exponentially. Right now though, it’s going to be tough for a lot of people to get past. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

[Raided] Afterburn #2 (of 4)

Posted by Graig on March 16, 2008

(Red 5)

If you can imagine Matthew McConaughey in the role of Jake in this post-apocalyptic action-adventure mini-series, it will probably clarify for most what kind of book this is. It’s really not taking the whole “the world almost ended” thing very seriously, and you know what? It doesn’t need to. When you’ve got the hero fighting mutant Hong Kong pirates in zombie-shark infested waters then later taking on a team of ninjas, you shouldn’t be expecting a lot of scientific or political discussion about how the world’s turned out after a massive solar flare scorched and irradiated half of it. Nah, just sit back and revel in this rag-tag group of well-funded mercenaries as they venture forth on their objective (which, really is of less importance than the zombie-sharks or mutant pirates). Afterburn is an enjoyable dose of Saturday afternoon fluff which is unfortunately under-served by it’s visual component. The art team of Wayne Nichols and Nick Schley seem to get the G.I. Joe adventure vibe of the series, but the characters and scenery look like toys and models, with no real life to them. There’s little fluidity and often little depth or shading to the panels which leaves much of the action stiff and clunky, moreso than the first issue. The entertainment factor of the story survives the art’s failings, however, and writers Scott Chitwood and Paul Ens provide a nice (if disparate in tone to the rest of the story) opening flashback moment giving a first-person perspective of when the devastation happened that quickly and effectively reestablishes the story’s setting for new and returning readers alike.

2 and a half out of 5 Vikings

North Wind #1-3

Posted by Adam on March 9, 2008

(BOOM! Studios)

People have a lot of opinions about the current state of the comics industry. Some see it headed into a steep decline, others argue that it’s bouncing back from a lean decade. Most agree that we’re in the middle of a period of transition for the medium, which makes it very hard to get a fix on exactly where comics are headed next. But it’s clear that, as of right now, comics are no longer the populist medium they once were, nor do they attract many casual readers–usually you’re either a relatively serious comics fan, or you don’t read them at all.

Is this status likely to change? It’s a question that’s consuming the comics community these days, and one that’s probably several years from resolving itself. As I mentioned, though, there aren’t a lot of casual comics readers, which has done something funny to the medium: it’s pushed everything to extremes. To get noticed, or even to validate its proportionately high price, a comic has to do one of three things: appeal strongly to a niche market (superheroes included); experiment with the narrative form of comics; or be so unique, imaginative, or provocative that it would never gain a foothold in other, more conservative media. This is partly what’s made comics so interesting these days, but it’s also eroded the market for the kind of solid, well-told, but unspectacular comics that used to be the industry’s bread and butter. Comics like North Wind. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Zorro #1

Posted by Max on February 26, 2008

(Dynamite Entertainment)

Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks! As you may have noticed, we here at Rack Raids have recently taken to openly whoring ourselves out to advertisers, in order to maintain the decadent life-style to which your average comic book review crew is accustomed. Unfortunately, I may have let our new-found success go to my head, as after a multi-week bender of drugs, alcohol and Limited-Edition, Foil-Variant Spawn comics, I was left in such an enfeebled state that I could barely lambaste the daily funnies, much less provide the quality reviews expected by our fan(s). Fortunately for you, the loyal readers, inspiration struck in the form of one Mr. Graig Kent, writer extraordinaire and general literary stud, who politely informed me that if my lazy ass didn’t start posting again, I’d soon be reviewing vacuum cleaners on YouTube. Since both me and my muse respond well to direct threats, here’s the first in what I hope to be a continuous string of reviews, Zorro #1.

First created in 1919 by writer Johnston McCulley, Zorro is one of the world’s best known heroes, having appeared in numerous TV shows, books, video games and movies over the years. Famous for his Johnny Cash color scheme and fancy hat, Zorro is a man of the people, fighting corrupt government officials and wooing senoritas with a panache that puts most American heroes to shame. How can you not like a guy with both a sword and a bull-whip? Essentially Batman for grown-ups, Zorro has a fan following that transcends traditional comic book nerddom, giving him a wide-spread appeal many masked heroes lack. Though there’s undoubtedly pressure on any creative team saddled with such a well-known figure, it seems hard to imagine how someone could screw-up such an inherently entertaining character. To be fair, I can’t actually say that the newest Zorro writer Matt Wagner (of Grendel fame) has made such an error. Rather, Wagner’s taken the rather unique step of side-stepping the issue entirely and simply removing Zorro from the comic altogether. Instead, we get a whole lot of Zorro as a child, which ranks up their with Clark Kent Does His Taxes in terms of super-hero stuff we don’t care about. Look, everyone has at least a rudimentary idea of Zorro’s back story; is it too much too ask for a little excitement in our premier issue?

Apparently yes, as Wagner has wisely opted to replace any and all potential action with words. Lots and lots of words. I recently gave props to Wagner for the stripped-down charm of Grendel: Behold the Devil, a charm completely lacking from Zorro’s clunky narration. The writing ranges from boring to laughably bad (my favorite being a soldier’s reply of “What the hell–!?” after getting a rifle to the face in the issue’s sole fight). None of the character’s stand out in any way, and the whole thing comes across as incredibly dull. I don’t expect every character to be a wise-cracking anti-hero with nothing to lose, but it would be nice if someone, anyone in this book were entertaining. Instead were left with a series of cardboard caricatures, spouting dialogue so wooden it makes the recent Star Wars prequels seem positively Shakespearean. I’d have more respect for Wagner if he’d tried something fresh with the character and failed, rather than playing it safe and depriving such an iconic character of any sort of personality. It’s hard to tell whether Wagner simply has too much respect for the character and is afraid to experiment, or if he’s just phoning it in for a pay-check, but either way the result is incredibly disappointing.

As for the artwork, while it may be a bit muddied in places, Francesco Francavilla’s work is overall quite impressive. Though there is the occasional misshapen feature or lazy eye, the majority of the book is vibrant and powerful, with a rough-hewn style and color scheme that really shines in the issue’s nature scenes. Francesco at least seems to have the chops to bring Zorro to life, as the few brief glimpses of the character are quite compelling (or in the case of his shadowed face, downright spooky). Hopefully Wagner can resist blabbing for a few pages in the future and late Francesco do his thing. Right now however, I’m giving this one a pass. Only die-hard fans need apply.

2 out of 5 Vikings.

The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite #6 (of 6)

Posted by Adam on February 24, 2008

(Dark Horse)

The observant may have noticed that I didn’t join in last year’s “year in review/best of” series here at Rack Raids. This is at least partly because I don’t feel that I read enough mainstream comics to be able to pass judgment. This might be a bit silly, since after all no one could read every comic, or even most comics, produced in a year, but still, my tastes lie enough outside the mainstream that I feel I’m not fully plugged-in to the comics scene sometimes.

It’s not that I don’t have my own opinions, though. I just feel the need to qualify them the way I just did. Well, qualification over. Here’s an opinion: the first issue of The Umbrella Academy was my favourite single-issue comic published last year. And now that the first storyline is completed, I feel safe in stating that this is absolutely my favourite superhero comic currently being published–yes, even more so than All-Star Superman. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »