12/31/14

BEST OF WEEK: MIRACLEMAN ANNUAL #1 — Well! This lays to rest any concern I had that there might not be room in the mythos for compelling new material. Or maybe that should be “new?” I know that it is an old Morrison script, and it definitely feels like unearthing a time capsule. I guess this thing must have been written close to thirty years ago? It very much scans like a cover version of what Moore was doing at the time, not quite achieving the stratospheric soar of the lofty oh-so-literary language that Moore was hitting at the time, but it comes close enough to at least not be offensive. Of course, the art by Quesada/Isanove is brand new, and that’s a bit strange, digital coloring, completely modern art style, low panel-per-page count, nothing at like what was going on in those old WARRIOR eight-pagers. This first story is basically just eleven pages of a teenaged Kid Miracleman being a right bastard to a terribly outclassed priest. It’s an entertaining diversion, but ultimately, it reads like more of an appetizer than a main course. Milligan and the Allreds provide the second story, a look back at the idyllic Silver Age days when the three Miracleman guys were just hanging out without any idea of their true origin or current actual situation. Of course, the Allreds’ patented neo-retro pop-art style is a slam-dunk perfect fit and makes me want them in regular rotation on something like this. If Dan Slott will ever untie them from that silver surfboard! Kudos to whomever worked on the backmatter. There’s normally not that much to it, but a Morrison script and notes on what Quesada did to amplify the material (including basing Johnny’s look on a young Morrison himself!) really goes a long way toward justifying the price point. Fine work, all around. It will be interesting to see if this is a one-off or if Marvel tries to produce more new material for this title after Our Neil finally brings the original run to its long-awaited conclusion.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 — I have a confession to make. I never really liked Coulson that much to begin with. I was actually surprised years later to learn that he had even been introduced all the way back in IRON MAN. I kind of only started retaining his presence around that first THOR, I guess. As much as I dig on Clark Gregg’s fine work now, it wasn’t until he stood out under the extra-quippy and grueling character beats of Whedon that he won me over. And now, of course, he’s had a season and a half, and I’m all onboard. And ready to dig on this comic. I mean, Waid & Pacheco. Editorial’s not exactly slumming as far as talent for this “adaptation.” It was certainly a dick move to hit the $4.99 price point for thirty pages, but I guess we expect nothing less from Mighty Marvel at this point. Only, the thing is, I had a hard time with this, and it kind of made me feel like those early days of Coulson, where there was this ostensibly badass agent getting shoved down our throats who didn’t seem badass in any way, shape, or form. His thing being that he’s a lifelong fanboy who’s leveraged that attention to detail to a ranking position at S.H.I.E.L.D. is not something you can hang a series on, or even a character, really. And I’ve been at this for enough decades to know that you’ve got to forget about continuity and just enjoy the ride you’re on that minute without worrying about where it fits in to all the other rides you’ve been on in the past, but I just couldn’t help it. So, this is 616? Meaning, this is an alternate continuity to the TV show? I guess I can wrap my brain around that, it just seems like a strange play. Like, all the things that happened on the show haven’t happened to these people? H.Y.D.R.A.’s not so much a problem for these folks, right? The Nick Fury who recruited Coulson does not in any way resemble Jules Winfield? Ultimately, the answer to these questions shouldn’t help or hinder enjoyment of the issue at hand, but I just couldn’t help it, and what was happening on-panel was not enough to make me care enough to suspend these nagging questions. It’s Waid, so it seems like I should give this one another couple issues at least to win me over, but we’ll see.

FUTURES END #35 — All the love triangling took a strange turn when Madison kissed an unconscious Tim with poor old Jason just hanging out learning what it feels like to liplock another dude. YES to Lana Lang and Fifty-Sue. That is a fantastic development. It’s terrific to see the Creature Commandos, but I don’t know how you bring them in and just use them for a one-page cameo. Maybe next week. I am all about Amethyst carrying Frank back to Earth on her back to save him from dying. They must have been high-fiving one another in the writers’ room when they were coming up with this stuff. I bet there was never really a “room,” per se. Oh, the existential longing and angst of an increasingly virtual/digital world! Plastique has absolutely got to stop calling Terry “McG,” that is fucking unacceptable, not even counting that douchebag who directed the CHARLIE’S ANGELS flicks. “McG, I ain’t playin’, yo!” Only one of those words did not actually appear in dialogue, it is my misfortune to report. Hell of a last scene to go out on, though. Most last pages of this series sneak right up on me, and I turn to the credits with a big, “Awwwww!”

BATMAN ETERNAL #39 — Ah, Felix Ruiz! This guy I dig. The rest of this issue hums along nicely in the snow. Not really anything else to say about it besides that was a pretty surprising and of course ominous last page.

BATMAN ANNUAL #3 — As solid as I find Tynion’s work, I was totally going to give this a skip on the basis that I don’t have much luck with random DC fill-in talent, especially on a $5 annual, but Brother Ben up at Capstone would not let me give it back on the basis of how good it was and I trust him, so here we are. He was right. Roge Antonio and Nick Filardi do terrific work throughout, but it’s Tynion’s gripping psychological portrayal of avowed Joker skeptic Thomas Blackcrow that gives this tale its weight. And everybody on this does such a great job with Joker, he’s a little bit more restrained than Snyder has had him of late, and less is always more with this guy. It’s much scarier when he’s biting his lower lip and just about to break out into laughter than when he’s already cackling madly. Of course, we can see the end coming a mile away, but as in all things Joker-related, the joy is not as much to be found in the inevitable destination as it is the execution of the thing.

GRAYSON ANNUAL #1 — On the other hand, I was in no way reticent to throw down $5 on this one based on the strength of the writers alone after the bulletproof track record from the main series so far. And I know I should probably judge this on its own merit, not compared to the previous annual I just read, but this one was just all right. It was solid but lacking in the twists and narrative surprises that you kind of need in an espionage caper like this. Stephen Mooney & Jeromy Cox provided capable art, the rain was a nice motif, and I will confess to a little surprise on the last page, but Tom King & Tim Seeley have already set such a high bar for themselves, they’ve got to swing a little bit harder than this to knock me out at this point. I mean, GRAYSON: FUTURES END, anyone?

EAST OF WEST #16 — Well, I thought that little short that kicked off the sourcebook was like a prequel or something but obviously not. I have got to say that it was pretty . . . uncomfortable sitting in my relaxing living room in Austin, Texas reading those first few pages after the opening titles. So thrilled to see Bel escape a hangin’, ably abetted by that Ranger who showed up around #7. The Texans are the best characters in this whole post-apocalyptic disaster, no problem. Dragotta & Martin continue to illustrate some of the most dynamic action sequences in comics, just stunning breakneck work.