There is 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.
Action Comics #35
Written by Greg Pak
Illustrated by Scott Kollins
Reviewed by Brian Salvatore
“Doomed” is wrapped up, and Superman has to start picking up the pieces – and he starts in Smallville. This issue, like much of Pak’s run, does just about everything right from the get go, but more than anything else, it gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. Lana is happy to see Clark alive, and she understands that he had to save the planet, but she’s more than a little bitter/upset that he couldn’t save her parents. That is an absolutely honest reaction to the event. We get to see Steel, now Lana’s boyfriend, establishing himself as a hero outside of his costume, and we get the first real character development for him since the early “Action” issues. Lana also, somewhat, aligns herself with a position Lex Luthor has always stated: that without Superman, so many of the problems of the world would never have happened, because he acts as a lightning rod for trouble.
Sadly, Aaron Kuder didn’t do the interiors of this issue, but the always capable Kollins filled in ably, especially in the final half-dozen or so pages, where Kollins shows us how many of the heroes (and one-time villains) have stepped up in Superman’s absence, as well as how the world has picked up the pieces, inspired, but not helped by, Superman. Overall, the issue did its job in wrapping up the last three months of “Doomed,” but also gave a lot of development for both Steel and Lana, and set up the next arc effectively.
Final Verdict: 8.2 – A nice bow on “Doomed,” and a really fulfilling issue of character growth.
Alex + Ada #9
Written by Jonathan Luna & Sarah Vaughn
Illustrated by Jonathan Luna
Reviewed by Jess Camacho
“Alex + Ada” #8 ended on such a heartbreaking moment, as Ada decided to leave Alex after her romantic move was rejected. The thing about this series is that while there’s been a great deal of commentary about how technology rules our lives, it’s the relationship between Alex and Ada that has carried the series. You read this for them, not for the social commentary. Ada is really the focus here, and I think this was a great move by this creative team. She is the one really going through radical changes, and Alex is just confused about what he should do. Luna and Vaughn are able to pack every single emotion into this one experience Ada has on her own in the outside world. The art is, once again, some of the best being produced by anyone in comics. If we didn’t know that Ada was an android, we’d mistake her for human, which proves some of the points being made in this series. “Alex + Ada” #9 is another step towards the big conclusion but it’s really the game changing issue because of what happens to Ada.
Final Verdict: 8.4 – “Alex + Ada” #9 continues to prove why this series is so special.
Edge of Spider-Verse #4
Written by Clay Chapman
Illustrated by Elia Bonetti
Reviewed by James Johnston
Every week brings another reason to love “Edge of Spider-Verse”. With the fourth issue, Clay Chapman and Elia Bonetti upset Spider-Man’s origin story by spinning it into a horror comic that would fit right in an EC Horror anthology. By amping up the “disturbed loner” aspect of Peter’s origin, Chapman gives us a disturbing version of Spider-Man we’d probably be glad to never see again, especially under Bonetti’s disturbing art which is consistently balancing the line between superhero story and utter nightmare. “Edge of Spider-Verse” has done an excellent job of giving us a wide breadth of Spider-Men to fawn over and while we may want to keep our distance with this one, issue #4 is still as compelling a one-shot story as all the other issues.
Continued belowFinal Verdict: – My hype for “Spider-Verse” is reaching obnoxiously dangerous levels.
The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood #1
Written by Christina Blanch and Chris Carr
Illustrated by Chee
Reviewed by Drew Bradley
Historically, I’ve been disappointed by new Dynamite books that have promising premises, especially since they embraced the $3.99 price point long before it was popular. To be completely honest, I expected to be disappointed again. In fact, I put this book on top of my reading pile with the intention of getting it over with and then washing away the bad aftertaste with “The Woods” and “Alex and Ada.” But you know what? This book was so amazing, I’d’ve been ok if it was the only thing I read this week.
If you haven’t heard, this is a noir tale about Charlie, a college professor who works exclusively with inmates. He’s a brilliant man with a low paying job and a sick son. One of the prisoners has been trying to talk Charlie into a ‘second job,’ and it’s getting harder to turn him down as the medical bills pile up. With a title like “The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood,” you know things won’t turn out well for Charlie.
The pacing, the dialogue, the characters, the moody shading and evocative facial expressions – everything about this book makes me wonder why these creators aren’t household names yet. After just one issue, this book has so much going for it that it’s already earned multiple spots in my best of 2014 list.
Final Verdict: 10.0 – I’ll be buying extra copies to give away.
Green Lantern #35
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Billy Tan
Reviewed by Brian Salvatore
Chapter 2 of “Godhead” kicks off with an image the severed arm of a Corpsman floating in space, which is a really apt way to start this crossover – this is one of the few times in the history of these big Lantern crossovers that the Lanterns seem totally mismatched. The New Gods represent a power level that Lanterns just aren’t used to fighting, and they make that quite known throughout this issue. Venditti doubles down on both the “Lanterns as cops” idea and the cold, passionless New Gods description, to make the differences between them clear as day.
Tan’s work is, as always, hyper-detailed, but appears a bit overwrought in parts. Of all of the Lantern artists, Tan’s is the most in the Jim Lee school, and that influence shows itself in spades here. As someone who respects, but doesn’t love, that style, I can’t say that this issue, visually, worked as well for me as “Godhead” #1. However, Venditti’s script, especially when dealing with Saint Walker and Orion, pushes the story along in interesting ways, and places a number of characters in important spots for the story to continue with their adventures.
Final Verdict: 7.1 – A strong chapter, but visually a bit stuck in the 1990s.
Guardians 3000 #1
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Gerardo Sandoval
Review by Vince Ostrowski
Dan Abnett returns to the Guardians of the Galaxy world to tell the story of the “original” Guardians and a timey-wimey paradox mixed with a major Badoon threat. If nothing else, Abnett knows these characters and this world inside and out. Those who know his work with the characters and “get” the method to his madness will be right at home. Even context aside, “Guardians 3000” is a fine effort, but a more difficult read without initiation. When you think about how the issue functions as a #1, it carries successes and failures with it. The team is well-built, has a purpose, and everyone gets their moment to shine in the first half of the book. On the other hand, once things quiet down, the direction of the story loses its way in favor of an oroboros-esque plot device that doesn’t suit the momentum that the story had going for it. Up to that point, “Guardians 3000” #1 looked like a high-octane, emotionally resonant action book. Maybe that’s not what the series is meant to ultimately be – and I don’t like to project that sort of stuff on creators and their works – but the issue was most satisfying when the team was in the fray. In fact, few writers do satisfying action that moves the story forward better than Dan Abnett. What came after was too big of a comedown for me to fully endorse it. I like what the book is packing. The second half of the issue just took a less satisfying left turn. “Guardians 3000” will also severely test your patience for nonsense future-babble and made up 30th century slang. I usually am able to look past that pretty easily, but this series looks like it’s going to put that to the test.
Continued belowIf the rumors are true about DC Comics keeping Gerardo Sandoval at arms length with nothing to do are true, then they wasted and ultimately lost out on a potential treasure. I’ve got nothing but nice things to say about his art, which reminded me of a less cartoony Humberto Ramos, or a less refined Joe Madureira. I mean for both of those comparisons to be complimentary across the board. Sandoval draws a strange and varied looking cast in a wholly expressive and attractive manner. For as wild and expressive as his art is, it’s never off-putting or wonky. There’s a lot of emotions running high in the first half of this book, and Sandoval lends them heft and drama while still maintaining his loose approach. It’s something to see, and incredibly engaging from an artistic level, even when the script or direction isn’t as engaging.
Final Verdict: 6.9 – An incredibly engaging first half gets let down in the second. Worth giving a few shots to earn a place in your rotation.
Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini #1
Written by Anthony Del Col & Conor McCreery
Illustrated by Carlos Furuzono
Reviewed by Jess Camacho
Contrary to the title, Sherlock Holmes and Harry Houdini are not actually fighting against each other here. This isn’t Freddy vs. Jason. Harry Houdini is in London to perform but he’s also come to meet the great Sherlock Holmes to get his help to fight a threat. The problem here is that we don’t get a firm idea of who the threat is or why they’re doing what they’re doing. What we do get of them causes them to run the risk of being Scooby-Doo like villains. The selling point of this book seems to be on the personalities of Holmes and Houdini. Houdini wants to amaze Holmes and Holmes is hung up on figuring out everything he does. It makes for great banter but there needs to be a little bit more to keep people with this series. Furuzono’s art is fine. It’s clean and crisp but doesn’t feature completely new character designs. It isn’t enough to make this issue something that commands your money.
Final Verdict: 6.0 – Cool concept but falls flat
Stronghold #5
Written by Brian Visaggio
Illustrated by Kevin Roberts
Reviewed by Jess Camacho
“Stronghold” #5 picks up immediately after issue four – Marc has made a request of the team: he wants to bury his wife, Julia, before the Stronghold team continues their mission to free the Earth from the grip of The Throne. This series has read, so far, like a blend of Star Trek and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The difference being that the characters here are fleshed out even more and the series has none of the camp that either of those shows are known for. Yes, even Star Trek got a bit campy. It’s this blending of those shows’ aspects, and the fresh ideas of Visaggio and Roberts, that continue to make this series a must buy. This issue in particular shows off the ability of this team to balance everything they’re putting together. There’s plenty of human drama to counter the longer action scenes. In this issue’s big fight scene, there’s a few great one liners by the team that help keep this series from being too dark, which inevitably will lead to it being embraced by a wider net of readers.
While the team is very well developed now, I would like to get more insight into the mindsets of Phanesis and Euprophone. I want to see how deep their “badness” can go, or at least see something in them that’ll make them a little more complicated. Roberts’ art is as vibrant and mesmerizing as ever. He’s at his best in the action scenes. No details are lost in those panels and the team in their suits just screams bad ass.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Looking for something new that won’t cost you an arm and a leg? Buy “Stronghold”. Thank me later.
