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.
Carver: A Paris Story #1
Written & Illustrated by Chris Hunt
Backup Story Illustrated by Paul Pope
Reviewed by Kevin McConnell
I am a sucker for a great noir story, especially ones that take place in the before the 1950’s. There is something about the lack of technology and the “need to know” way of talking I gravitate towards. However, in the comic genre noir is not as prevalent as in film. Naturally, when one arrives, I have to read it.
This series begins with the villain of the story, Stacker Lee, talking to the audience about his story. Lee isn’t interested in making sense, just getting the story told. What is clear, he really does not like Francis Carver. Carver however, is in Paris for unknown reasons. He is not a man to say a lot, because he doesn’t need to. Carver is here to do what he has to and move on to whatever he has planned next. Stacker Lee sends his man to scare Carver, but he is not a man that scares easy. This sets up a nice cat and mouse game between the two, which adds to the mystery.
Chris Hunt is a new creator on the scene and boy does he make quite a splash. Hunt really enjoys the noir genre, from both the spoken perspective and the artistic side. Carver is a mystery of a man, who plays everything close to the vest. Normally I would be upset, but Carver is a man on a mission. Visually speaking too, Carver looks weathered for unknown reasons. All that you need to know, Carver is calm and cool. Stacker Lee though, is the star of the book. He is fascinating with his world view and is look, which is like Cobra Commander. Creating one interesting character, but creating two is next to impossible.
The 1920’s Paris backdrop is ideal for this story for great visual reasons. The architecture of Paris is unique and Hunt uses it to his advantage. The classic look out of the balcony from a hotel room is the first introduction to Carver. He is bathed in darkness, ironically, in the City of Lights. Hunt’s style also adds a bit of darkness to the story. He uses half measures in his ink brush strokes, leaving things somewhat unfinished. It adds to the noir-ish atmosphere, leaving things gritty, dark and realistic.
There is also a very cool backup story with art from Paul Pope that gives a little detail about Carver. Much like Hunt, Pope’s style uses the black & white pallet to his strengths. Oddly enough, Pope adds an extra layer of grit to Carver, as if he needed it.
I can say that this is the kind of comic that I have longed for since “Torso” was released. I don’t know how long Hunt plans to run the book for, but I am in for the ride.
Final Verdict: 8.3 – What a great first issue for a new creator. It might be tough to find, but it is worth it.
Darth Vader #13
Story by Jason Aaron & Kieron Gillen
Written by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by Salvador Larroca
Review by Ken Godberson III
“Vader Down” continues as Gillen and Larroca continue their wonderful tenure with Mr. None More Sith. Part One of this crossover set up an army of Rebel soldiers between Vader and his prey and the logical conclusion is played out here. Soldiers have their thermal detonators on their uniforms activated with but a flick of Vader’s hand. Snipers? To random and clumsy for a lightsaber deflection. Vader also displays a cunning for machinery as well, having ripped out the blasters from his downed fighter and repurposed them as an Anti-Air battery. And while Gillen gets to play with Han and Leia in this issue (to great effect) it is Aphra and her murder droids that shine here. Alongside Kanan, Hera and Rae Sloane from A New Dawn and Aftermath, Aphra has been one of the more interesting characters introduced post-Disney. And she displays a great deal of cunning and her great sardonic wit here with her encounter with Luke. And, as ever, roughly about 75% of the dialogue out of Triple Zero’s vocabulator is black comedy gold.
Continued belowIt’s amazing how Salvador Larroca has been going this long. Thirteen issues straight (including double shipping months) and the dude is still strong. Being that this is a Star Wars and not “Über”, the battle scenes of Vader vs. Stupid Dead Soldiers are never visceral but Larroca works with the dialogue to to create implications of people being blown up by their own grenades in horrifying manners. There is also a notable change in colorist Edgar Delgado’s work for the battle on Vrogas Vas. It’s much more muted in tone, which adds a layer of grimness, putting “War” in the whole “Star Wars” thing.
Final Verdict: 8.0- Gillen, Larroca and Delgado continue their powerhouse run with the Dark Lord of the Sith.
East of West #22
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Nick Dragotta
Review by Ken Godberson III
This issue belongs to Dragotta and colorist Frank Martin. No really: it’s a silent issue. Apart from Hickman’s white pages full of dark foreboding (because “East of West” is a notoriously happy-go-lucky series after all) and some dialogue at the last page, this story all falls on the art to tell it and it has certainly revitalized my investment in the series. The mini-arc that introduced the Endless Nation was fine from a world building standpoint, but there was a feeling of wheels spinning. This issue, however, brings us back to the People’s Republic of America where there is an assassination attempt on Premier Xiaolian.
The lack of action the last few issues is made up here because Dragotta gets to cut loose. While his manga influences may lead his art to be a bit closer to animation, do not be fooled. The dude can get downright grim as he depicts Xiaolian’s body guards throwing themselves in front of arrows for their mistress, Xiaolian effortlessly snapping an assassin’s neck, catching a blade and forcing it through the helmet of the idiot wielding it, and using her awesome metal hands to snap a blade in half.
And yes, the majority of this assassination attempt does take place in the palace bathhouse, so yes, Xiaolian is fighting these assassin’s while naked. For what it is worth from me, Dragotta and Martin never sexualize her fighting nor depict her in a cheesecake fashion. She is fierce, powerful, intelligent and in full control of her situation even when she has been taken by surprise.
There has been a specter hanging over Xiaolian ever since Hickman acknowledge way back when that she and her husband Death would never see each other again. However, that day is not today. This bungled assassination attempt (which also brings back one of my favorite characters in the series after being missing for a while) will perhaps be the spark that will really get Year Two of the Apocalypse kicking into high gear.
Final Verdict: 8.9- With the most bare minimum of dialogue, Hickman, Dragotta and Martin create a brutal, awesome and beautiful scene of violence that will hopefully resonate in the issues to come.
James Bond #2
Written by Warren Ellis
Illustrated by Jason Masters
Reviewed by Stephenson Ardern-Sodje
With the recent release of Spectre, and the fact that comic books are currently having an entirely inimitable influence on popular culture at the moment, it seemed almost inevitable that 007 would make his way back into a comic book at some point. Dynamite’s second issue of the ‘Vargr’ saga hit shelves this week, but how does it shape up against the behemoth of its cinematic counterpart?
Ellis’ iteration of Bond certainly feels closer to Fleming’s original secret agent than Daniel Craig’s version. In issue one we saw Bond hunting down a panicked opponent who was implicated in the death of 008. It was a sparse, military opening that displayed a dangerous and decisive Bond who can clearly be relied upon to get results. He followed it up with some of the traditional touchstones of Bond, brought forward to the modern day. We saw Bond flirting with Moneypenny, grousing with M, and got a nod to a mysterious villain sure to be the lynchpin of this arc.
Continued belowThe second issue pushes forward with much more of the same in terms of what you might expect from Her Majesty’s favourite agent. Bond heads to Berlin to track production of a drug that 008 was pursuing when he died. We’re treated to the latest ‘Bond-Girl’, complete with silly name and powers of persuasion that leave James helpless to resist, we meet futurist and questionably motivated billionaire Slaven Kurjak, and we are treated to some fancy new prosthetic tech, and a lot of Bond-esque quipping… and, not much else really.
While Ellis’ writing never really puts a foot wrong, it definitely errs on the wrong side of safe. The story feels so hemmed in by the elements of a Bond story that have to be included that it ends up a little formulaic. And, although Ellis manages to really capture the double-entendre-laden, razor-edged conversation that characterises a good Bond film there is a lot of talking in this issue. The conversations are all solid enough, but the sheer mass of words in this issue makes it feel more plodding than racing.
Masters’ art has moments of lucidity, but it definitely fails to grab me as well as it did during the first issue. Perhaps it’s the starched feeling of his many suited characters, but a lot of his more physical panels felt a little staged. What’s more, much of what people love about the Bond franchise is the way it romanticises the countries in which it’s set. But most of Master’s exterior panels are anonymous in such a way that leaves both action and more conversational pieces feeling as though they could have been set almost anywhere. After the harsh, icy blast of the previous issue’s Helsinki opening this is definitely a bit of a disappointment.
Overall, there’s just too little of a driving force carrying “Vargr” (which might as well have just been titled ‘Vague’) forward. It feels a little disjointed, and unflappable superweapon James Bond feels just a little too smug when translated from the big screen to the page.
Final Verdict: 5.1 – If you want to see Warren Ellis do bureaucratic British espionage better, pick up the first arc of ‘Injection’ instead.
Kaptara #5
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Illustrated by Kagan McLeod
Reviewed by Matthew Garcia
When it was first announced, “Kaptara” was billed as “gay ‘Saga'”, but now at the end of its first arc, Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod’s comic has way more to do with the serial fantasy adventures of Flash Gordon than the sci-fi opera of Alana, Marko, and Hazel. This issue finds our Keith, Manton, and She-La trying to come up with a plan to bust Dartor from bug prison. Meanwhile, more malevolent forces are starting to brew as other vile peeps start vying for Skullthor’s place as he invades earth.
“Kaptara” refuses to take itself too seriously, and that helps make it even more enjoyable to read. The jokes come fast, the gags are non-stop, and the whole book reads like McLeod and Zdarsky are trying to make each other laugh. This comic is a bonafide cartoon and that it sustains its humor and momentum
Even though he’s effectively only turning in a parody and allowing himself to be goofy and silly, McLeod still turns in some gorgeous artwork. Just look at the brushstrokes on his figures! The soft pinks and purples that make up the setting and the sky! The body language and animated movement! At its zaniest, “Kaptara” #5 remains a piece of strong cartooning. Zdarsky’s crazed imagination and McLeod’s fluid artwork keep this series standing on its own.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – A fun, beautifully illustrated, romp.
Robin War #1
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Khary Randolph, Alain Mauricet, Jorge Corona, and Andres Guinaldo
Reviewed by Brian Salvatore
This year is the 75th anniversary of Robin as a character, and between “Batman and Robin Eternal” and this crossover, we are getting a crazy amount of Robin-centric stories, which is only good news for me. This issue does a really fine job of setting the stakes for the crossover, as well as bringing certain pieces back to Gotham. Specifically, this year has really removed Damian from the Bat-family in a meaningful way, and here we see him return to Gotham.
Continued belowWe also see his need to be proprietary with the Robin name. To him, Robins get trained by Batman, and that’s it. Specifically, he seems to only really count himself and Dick Grayson as ‘valid’ Robins and, in the New 52 at least, I sort of see his point. So, having Robin clash with the “We are Robin” folks, makes a lot of sense. Also, bringing Dick Grayson in to be the ‘adult’ in the situation harkens back to when Dick was Batman, and Damian was his Robin. Sadly, I don’t think we get that story again for a long, long time (if ever), but having Dick and Damian work together is a really smart move. Bringing in the Court of Owls – a Gotham institution that really has only ever gone after Bruce, but has a history with Dick – is a pretty nice turn as well. Overall, this crossover appears to have the makings of one (a short, contained story with minimal tie-ins and real stakes that feel earned) that will work quite well.
What doesn’t necessarily work in this issue is the musical chairs in the art department. While everyone is capable, the book feels disjointed due to the fact that we have four different pencillers working at this. I understand that many times this is a function of scheduling, but with a crossover like this, that clearly has bottom line import to DC, they should be able to get an artist to do a slightly oversized issue with plenty of lead time. Tom King, a writer who impresses more and more with every passing issue, does his best to stitch everything together, but this is a visual medium, and he can’t perform miracles.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – A strong opening salvo for the “Robin War” crossover.
Star Wars #13
Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by Mike Deodato and Frank Martin, Jr.
Reviewed by Matthew Garcia
One of the gems from Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca’s work on “Darth Vader” has been the sort of negative-version of our favorite heroes. And, now halfway through ‘Vader Down,’ Dr. Aphra and her crew finally confront Luke Skywalker as the rest of the cast converge on the ground level. The two halves come together and it’s explosive.
The action in this issue is played more for laughs and it’s the sort of action that the story needed right now. Han and Aphra’s sniper battle ends with them mutually shooting a wasp hive on each others’ head. Artoo and Beetee show off their guns and engage in a shouting match. Triple-Zero’s psychotic dialogue peppers everything.
Like with the main series, Jason Aaron splits the action between different points-of-view, but with the characters all in the same relative area, the script doesn’t feel like it’s stringing you along as much as sometimes happens in the main series. Deodato keeps the action moving quickly, briskly, and he keeps a nice control over what we’re seeing and when we get to see it. Action sequences are all about location, and Deodato composes it well around the action.
A crossover between some of the “Star Wars” titles was perhaps inevitable, especially when the Marvel logo started to appear at the books’ masthead. But it seems that everyone involved in ‘Vader Down’ has communicated well in delivering this ridiculously fun and immensely entertaining story. More crossovers should try to converge in a way as satisfying and non-insulting as this.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – A goofy, farcical, but nevertheless farcical action scene.
Tet #4
Written by Paul Allor
Illustrated by Paul Tucker
Reviewed by Jess Camacho
“Tet” #4 is the finale to Paul Allor and Paul Tucker’s Vietnam War romance epic. After three issues, we’ve seen all of Eugene’s story including how he got back to the U.S. and what separated him from Ha. In this issue we see how she ended up with Bao and how she was able to survive the war. “Tet” is the kind of series I’ve been looking for for a while now in comics. Comics desperately needs some more romance books and “Tet” combined war with romance in a way that played with some tropes but felt like something entirely new. Eugene and Ha’s story took many years to come to a conclusion and what happens is very raw, very emotional but very honest.
Continued belowThis isn’t “Romeo & Juliet”, it’s a difficult situation that didn’t work out for the best. Allor and Tucker in this issue, through Ha, showed the very worst of war and how it completely changes someone’s life. Eugene was a soldier but Ha wasn’t but they both ended up suffering in a war that had nothing to do with them. “Tet” was smart and this finale is almost perfect. There’s a lack of closure with what happens with Eugene but with most things in life, you can’t always get that closure you need and if you do, it’s not always enough to move on with your life. That’s what this ending does so well and that’s why it succeeds as a proper ending.
Paul Tucker’s art is dark, moody and captures so much tension. The character expressions are very good and Tucker really brings the horrors of war to life in a meaningful way. “Tet” is a perfect example of how to do a quick, 4 issue miniseries properly. No pages were wasted, nothing felt glossed over and this will make for a wonderful read in trade.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – A wonderful finale for a fantastic war romance.
Venom: Space Knight #1
Written by Robbie Thompson
Illustrated by Ariel Olivetti
Reviewed by Kevin McConnell
Venom is a character I have loved for years, my first favorite villain actually. But that was the old Venom, which as I found out here is not my Venom. Now it is Flash Thompson which is a little jarring, since I haven’t read any Venom books in a while. However, I could get used to this.
The story beings with Venom in space, after his stint with the Guardians of the Galaxy. He is on an alien planet looking for a chemical weapon of unknown origin. Quickly though, the weapon isn’t what Venom thinks it is. The weapon is made from the blood of an alien race. Changing direction, he helps the aliens escape back to their home planet. Although the battle is only beginning.
A lot of this issue is very short on an actual plot. Normally I would find this to be a huge problem, but the opposite is true. Robbie Thompson gives the reader plenty to offer with Venom’s internal dialogue. With myself being unfamiliar with this iteration, this was a perfect jumping on point. Flash Thompson the man, really wants to be a hero. Venom historically has been the major villain of Spider-Man, which is a little unusual. Flash speaks of the symbiotes’ rage being cleansed, but not his own personal rage. That for me was a fascinating element that allowed me to invest a lot into Venom’s journey.
It is difficult to describe Ariel Olivetti’s art without sound simplistic. The art is very three dimensional, but in the literal and figurative sense. Characters look hyper realistic, along with all the objects in their surrounds. Given the space setting, Olivetti gets an opportunity to show a lot of detail off. Space ships have a lot of nooks and crannies, each alien race does not look like any other. Stylistically, I really have no comparison to make, since this is something I haven’t seen before. If I have one complaint, it is that this 3D style loses it’s luster quick. Sure it is really interesting at first, but it loses impact as the book continues.
All things considered, I really enjoyed this version of Venom. Though it is an unlikely choice, Flash Thompson comes off as likeable and relatable. He very easily could have come off as a dumb jock, thankfully this is not at all the case. As well, separating Venom (or this version) from Spider-Man gives a chance to carve out a different identity. The evolution from long time villain to full time space hero is something everyone can enjoy.
Final Verdict: 7.1 – A solid re-debut for Venom in this expanded Marvel Universe. It might be a little off-putting for classic Venom fans, but I assure you, it is worth it. Recommended.
