There’s a lot to cover on Wednesdays. We should know, as collectively, we read an insane amount of comics. Even with a large review staff, it’s hard to get to everything. With that in mind, we’re back with Wrapping Wednesday, where we look at some of the books we missed in what was another great week of comics.
Let’s get this party started.
Astonishing Iceman #2
Written by Steve Orlando
Illustrated by Vincenzo Carratu
Colored by Java Tartaglia
Lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham
Reviewed by Alexander Jones
Over at Marvel Comics, the publisher’s latest Iceman series got off to an intriguing start as readers waited to see how protagonist Bobby Drake avoided death at the X-Men’s most recent Hellfire Gala. Author Steve Orlando crafted a compelling narrative centered around Bobby and the lingering threat of Orchis in The Marvel Universe. Plus, Orlando has been utilizing recent X-Men continuity by introducing the mysterious Inhuman known as Romeo back into Bobby’s life. Artist Vincenzo Carratu has utilized a beautiful, curvy line creating a subversive effect for the new “Astonishing Iceman” visuals.
Author Steve Orlando dives deep into the characterization for Bobby by showing a younger moment where he exercised poor judgment as a young, conflicted Mutant. Bobby and Romeo have a strong, fascinating relationship with well-realized dialogue from Orlando. Bobby actively enjoys introducing iconic lines and saving the day from the villainous Orchis across this series. Seeing Bobby interact with the members of his family in this series also helps depict a strong vision for “Astonishing Iceman.” Orlando’s dedication to depicting the inner workings of Orchis has lent a unique tone to his Fall of X comics. “Astonishing Iceman” #2 is no exception to this rule, showing the mysterious Bloom station on Orchis. The Orchis memos in this issue added intriguing context behind the group’s plans to take down Bobby!
Carratu’s lines across this series captures the more animated and youthful aesthetic of Iceman beautifully. When Romeo manifests his powers late into the comic book, Java Tartaglia captures beautiful purple hues. Carratu changes the tone of the comic book considerably when exploring the inner machinations of Orchis. The sinister expressions and subtle movements for these characters are captured with an incredibly strong level of precision. I love the smile accommodating a panel bleed late in the comic book issue.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – ”Astonishing Iceman” #2 expands on Bobby Drake’s relationships and teases the grand return of Orchis!
Avengers Inc. #1
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Leonard Kirk
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Cory Petit
Reviewed by Quinn Tassin
A Wasp-led noir Avengers series by Al Ewing is about as easy a sell as you can hope for. The Wasp named Marvel’s premier superhero team and has a long history, a trait Ewing always uses to great effect. The mystery around someone reviving Whirlwind as Victor Shade is fascinating one that’s sure to make for a great story. The action reflects the tone of the story well and broadly speaking, that’s a good story. The tone is unique, especially given that “Avengers Inc.” #1 has that “Avengers” in the title. Rather than being a normal team superhero comic with some noir flavoring, this appears to be a real attempt at writing a mystery that happens to be about superheroes. The fleeting action is a blast, featuring relatively grounded fighting that still uses powers creatively, as well as delightfully cheesy dialogue (“let’s break the ice” while fighting an ice villain is my personal favorite). The narration is a particular treat; moments like Janet thinking “he was speaking my language all right” after being told about a mystery are pitch perfect. If that basic tone can be maintained moving forward, this’ll make for a really interesting series.
The thing is, most of the good things about “Avengers Inc.” #1 are about what they say about where the series is going. That’s totally acceptable for a first issue, especially when you need to establish where Janet is as a character, why Avengers Inc. is necessary. The same goes for the existence of Victor Shade, who seems to be entirely distinct from Vision. And of course there’s the ending tease of Eric O’Grady and an aged Hank Pym, who are working together and somehow involved with raising villains from the dead. But on the merits, it’s hard to judge this issue, which does less storytelling than it does setting things up. It’s like going to a famously good restaurant, eating the free bread, and watching your food make its way to you- you can already tell you’re gonna love it, but you don’t actually know just yet.
Continued belowThe artwork is largely very strong, with grounded penciling and a muted color palette, reminiscent of the early days of Peter David’s “X-Factor,” a fellow super-detective series. This isn’t an issue with any particular standout visuals, so much as one trying to curate a very specific tone. There are moments where that’s a shame, like Janet’s coffee meeting with Luke Cage, a multi-page sequence in which the paneling and staging are, frankly, boring. The faces seem a bit rushed and the way the characters are framed makes it hard to find the scene engaging. Most of the time, though, things work just fine. Janet’s visit to the morgue is a really great example of how to maintain the grounded tone while building tension and illustrating superhero action in a way that doesn’t mess with that. Something like Quicksand flooding the room and attacking a guard feels like a spectacle and far more tangible than it usually would. And the fighting itself is more quick and efficient, lacking some of the more acrobatic visuals you might be used to. All of that adds up to a comic without all that much visual flair but one with a strong aesthetic all the same.
Final Verdict: 8.0- A unique tone and rock-solid premise make “Avengers Inc.” #1 a clear success
Saint John #1
Written by Dan Schkade and Brennan Wagner
Illustrated by Dan Schkade
Colored by Brennan Wagner
Lettered by Frank Cvetkovic
Reviewed by Ryan Fitzmartin
Every city needs a superhero, and Portland gets its very own in “Saint John” #1. Saint John isn’t a superhero of the save-the-world variety, he’s more of a save-your-kitty-from-a-tree variety. Saint John’s adventures in his first issue aren’t the most high-flying, but that doesn’t mean that they’re dull. In this issue we see him charmingly wield the Heimlich maneuver, and deftly return a lost bike. Writers Brennan Wager and Dan Schadke seem determined to keep Saint John a low-key local hero; the most danger we see him in is saving a woman from jumping off a bridge. It’s a lot less action and violence than you’d see in most other superhero comics, but it’s refreshingly earnest and down to earth. It provides a nice contrast to the edgy alternative —sometimes a real hero is just a nice guy that saves you from getting hit by a bike. “Saint John #1” is a clear statement that superhero comics don’t need to be dark or violent to be good.
The artistry is satisfyingly tidy, keeping in line with the wholesome tone of the writing. The lines are clean and orderly, giving off a calm and composed vibe. Portland really pops off the page, feeling real and not generic. There’s a bit of minor architectural stylization to the faces that makes each person feel unique. The coloring is pleasantly bright, with upbeat colors giving way to darkness when there’s a hint of danger. “Saint John” #1 is just a very nice and pleasing comic to look at, with comfy vibes for a friendly character.
Overall “Saint John” #1 is a light and entertaining book. Readers looking for grit or depth will not find it here, but the back to basics approach to a superhero comic is a welcome contrast to other books on the market.
Final Verdict: 7.9. – A cozy introduction to an earnest new hero.
Werewolf by Night #1
Written by Derek Landy
Illustrated & Colored by Fran Galan
Lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino
Reviewed by Alexander Manzo
“Werewolf by Night” is a fun and exciting one-shot that does a good job of creating an entirely told story and providing just enough context and background so the reader understands and is left wanting more. Derek Landy uses both protagonists’ perspectives to give a full view of the mission. Elsa Bloodstone and Werewolf by Night (Jack Russell) have the same mission of saving a woman from being sacrificed by Doktor Nekromantik with similar methods that intersect very quickly. After introducing the two characters, Landy immediately throws them together and then gives the story a fun, missed romantic layer. Even though it’s only mentioned briefly, it provides just enough context to supply the solid unspoken bond between the two and be able to formulate a proper plan once they reach the true villain, Khabarian. Although there are some dynamic action sequences with supernatural elements, Landy’s comedic and quick-wit dialogue are the standout points that fit the Marvel feel (AKA Spider-Man). By the end of the issue, the reader wants to see more of this “Will they, won’t they”/buddy cop pairing, but they return to their separate lives to figure out what is next.
Fran Galan’s artwork fits perfectly with the fun and dynamic script style because he uses more broad linework rather than straight and crispy to help fuel the story’s supernatural element. During the introduction of the two characters, Galan shows off their fighting skills but shows the stealth and power of Jack when he fights a Shadowform creature outside of the castle. Then, he moves seamlessly to Elsa, fighting off vampires surrounding her inside a plane to emphasize her speed and sword-wielding abilities. This decision to show off their skills is a good way of keeping the readers’ attention to these characters they may not be familiar with. Similar to the choice of having both characters varying background stories, there are also opposite settings for the characters. Jack’s, for example, is primarily black and white with an emphasis on the greys, and Elsa’s are all colors that, once they collide, bring a vibrant and fun story.
Final Verdict: 8.2 – A fun supernatural tale with characters that don’t always get their shine, and it’s fully contained but leaves the reader wanting more.
