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Good Stuff #30: Lots of Good Stuff! Stephen Colbert for President, Green Lanterns that Can Speak to the Dead, Skrulls Everywhere, Brainiac is on Steroids, Grant Morrison is Professor X?? Click Here Now!
Posted: Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
The Good Stuff. Of course, that all comes down to personal opinion and what your general tastes are. Here at the Comics Bulletin, you can speak your free mind and discuss this blessed art-form with other individuals who are just as passionate about comics as you are. At Comics Bulletin, we pride ourselves on great reviews, fantastic features and a spectacular atmosphere for discussion. Our reviews are second to none covering every corner of the industry from the big guys to the little guys. But sometimes a comic book that doesn’t achieve a certain mark features a scene or a moment that really stands out. A 2.5 bullet book could have the best scene of the week’s stack, but the overall book could come up short in a reviewer’s opinion. So here it is, a column devoted to those moments, a “best of the week” type thing that acts as an addition to our extraordinary reviews. Feel free to agree, disagree, call for the tar and feathering of Kevin Powers, but take a second to check it out; maybe you missed some of the Good Stuff and you can grab it with this week’s stack.
Good Stuff #30: Lots of Good Stuff! Stephen Colbert for President, Green Lanterns that Can Speak to the Dead, Skrulls Everywhere, Brainiac is on Steroids, Grant Morrison is Professor X??
Where is it?Lone Ranger #12
Written by: Bret Matthews
Cover by: John Cassaday
Finally, The Lone Ranger makes its way back to the shelves and one can only hope that the massive delays in this series are a thing of the past. Regardless, I think the Lone Ranger is one of the best characters ever created and I wish there was more of him beyond this very well done comic series. One of the most inviting aspects of this issue, following such a long hiatus, is the cover by John Cassaday. I love the modern, and much more realistic, take on the Lone Ranger as portrayed in this series, and that character is fully realized on this cover. The long coat, the silver bullets lining his belts leading to two guns, the white hat and of course, the trademark mask make him both the perfect Western masked hero and also an intimidating force for those who wrong the innocent. Adding to the image is the “old fashioned map” in the background as well as the bottom quarter of what looks to be the Ranger badge at the top. This cover is iconic, the artwork by John Cassaday is gorgeous, and this would make a fantastic poster.
Where is it? Secret Invasion #5
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: Leinil Yu
Who is it? Maria Hill
I’ll be honest, since the first initial hinting at Secret Invasion; I was convinced that Maria Hill was a Skrull. When someone asked me to list who I thought was a Skrull, Maria Hill was the first name I’d mention. Why? Because she pushed Nick Fury out of S.H.I.E.L.D. and was really pissed off when Tony Stark took over. It seemed simple enough, Stark in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. would throw a wrench in the Skrulls’ plan and Maria Hill seemed to take it very seriously. But as this epic has progressed, it’s become more and more clear that Hill is more than likely NOT a Skrull. However, part of me still thought that she would reveal herself to be one when being interrogated by the Jarvis Skrull and the other S.H.I.E.L.D. Skrulls aboard the helicarrier. However, instead of such a reveal, Maria Hill’s character comes full circle and the woman who was once somewhat against Nick Fury takes a page right out of his book and then admits he was always right. In a completely bad-ass move, the Maria Hill being interrogated wasn’t actually her, it was a Life Model Decoy, the real Maria Hill was waiting for the right moment to fly off of the helicarrier with a jet pack, causing the ship to self-destruct in the process, killing all the Skrulls on board. This is a brilliant, Nick Fury inspired move that raises Maria Hill’s stock in my book and definitely proves that she can be quite the bad-ass.
Where is it? Action Comics 868
Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Tony Daniel
What is it?: Brainiac
I absolutely love everything Geoff Johns is doing with Superman right now. Johns is one of the top creators in the industry, the top talent at DC Comics, and it is only appropriate that he take on the first and greatest superhero, Superman. Since the end of 52 and the “Up, Up and Away” story-arc co-written by Kurt Busiek, you could almost sense the re-imagining and streamlining of Superman’s mythos. Thus far, the origin from the film series has been predominant, meshing together some of the best elements from the long and storied history of Krypton. But what Johns has done with Brainiac is brilliant. In many Superman related conversations, usually regarding film, Brainiac is always considered to be the most formidable of Superman’s enemies. However, Geoff Johns’ reimagining of Brainiac as seen in this issue proves how fantastic of a villain Brainiac would be in the next Superman movie. Johns and artist Tony Daniel have already made it clear that Superman has never met the real Brainiac, only probes. Here, the real Brainiac is shown for the first time, and he’s huge. Face to face with Superman, Brainiac comes out of his “shell” and reveals himself as a seven-foot muscle bound intelligent mass of humanoid. My only reaction: “F&@k yeah!”
Where is it? Mercy Sparx 99-Cent Preview
Written by: Josh Blaylock
Art by: Matt Merhoff
What is it?: An Intriguing Look At What Could Be A Good Series
Ever since G.I. Joe and Hack/Slash, I will happily give anything that Devil’s Due puts out a try. I picked up Voltron solely for the art by future superstar Mike Bear, and I have actually enjoyed Drafted. Josh Blaylock is a pretty smart guy when it comes to appealing properties and how to execute unique ideas. His latest Devil’s Due endeavor is Mercy Sparx which comes to us in a well done 99 cent preview. The artwork is solid and Josh Blaylock’s concept really seems to have the potential to be a hit. At 99 cents it is most certainly worth a look to see if the story tickles your fancy. If you like humor, demons, some religious implications and women drawn well, you’ll probably dig this preview and like me, be intrigued enough to pick up the first issue or even the first few. There’s a preview of issue 1’s pencils and inks which actually look pretty damn good, this should be a fun and entertaining series at the very least.
Where is it? Action Comics 868
Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Tony Daniel
What is it?: Supergirl Checks Out Cat Grant’s Boobs
Finally someone is handling Supergirl right. While I can’t wait for Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle to take over, not since Jeph Loeb brought this incarnation to life in Superman/Batman has she been handled so well. Of course, the man doing the job right is none other than Geoff Johns in Action Comics. He portrays her how she was meant to be, a naïve sixteen to seventeen year old girl who has got the power and beauty one would expect from Supergirl. She comes to the Daily Planet looking for her cousin but stumbles upon one of my favorite characters from the Daily Planet staff, Cat Grant. The moment leading up to this is great, men ogling Cat, and then Supergirl comes in the window. Cat tells her where to find Clark and Supergirl pauses, turns around and stares straight at Cat’s breasts saying “that’s strange.” Looking closer, Supergirl informs Cat that her “x-ray vision is picking up some strange plastics in your-“ and then Lois quickly pulls her away. This is one of those brilliant moments that are silly, yes, but definitely made me laugh out loud. It’s also a great way to ease the reader before getting into the intense scenes with Superman and Brainiac.
Where is it? X-Men Origins: Jean Grey
Written by: Sean McKeever
Art by: Mike Mayhew
What is it? Young Professor Xavier was Grant Morrison?
Is it just me or did artist Mike Mayhew paint a younger Professor Xavier to look an awful lot like Grant Morrison in X-Men Origins: Jean Grey? I know a lot of artists like to draw characters to look like actual people, for example, Pepper Potts looks like Nicole Kidman and Tony Stark like Timothy Dalton in Invinicible Iron Man, but I always get a good laugh when a comic book creator pops up looking just like a character. Fantastically, Grant Morrison seems to be cast as Professor X; the resemblance is uncanny, even down to the finely tailored suits that Morrison is known to wear from time to time. It’s always a surprise because some readers don’t know a creator’s face, but when you do and their face pops up in a comic, the moment is both meaningful and quite funny. By portraying Professor X as looking an awful lot like Grant Morrison, it brought back memories of his work on the main X-Men title a few years back, which is significant to me because I feel that was some of his finest mainstream work. Regardless, it’s a very fun ”Easter egg.”
Where is it? Green Lantern Corps #27
Written by: Peter Tomasi
Art by: Luke Ross
Who is it? Saarek
Peter Tomasi introduces a fantastic new character in the latest issue of Green Lantern Corps. I’ll be the first to say it, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Tomasi at first, but he has really turned up the quality on every book he’s writing. GLC is no different, and he is helping Geoff Johns plant the seeds for the coming “Blackest Night.” A new Green Lantern named Saarek is introduced in this issue and one can only assume that he will play a major role in next summer’s event. While the Green Lantern crypt keeper, Morro, puts Bzzd’s body in the crypt, he discovers Saarek quietly sitting amongst the images of the dead Lanterns. Saarek appears to be very powerful and possesses the ability to speak with the dead. Here, Saarek is very creepily speaking to the dead Lanterns who all share one unbelievable emotion… fear. It’s a very interesting notion and Saarek is handled extremely well in this issue. His involvement plants seeds for the Black Lanterns and the idea that they may recruit dead Green Lanterns to help fill their ranks. The idea that dead Green Lanterns are afraid is frightening and the concept of Saarek and his potential as a weapon that could be used against the Black Lanterns is very cool. His character is written with a somewhat bizarre, zen-like persona that is both mysterious and intriguing.
Where is it? Brothers in Arms #3
Written by: Mike Neumann and David Wohl
Art by: Davide Fabbri
My Review of the Issue: http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121911695612303.htm
I’ve been praising this series for the past few months after I saw the first issue on the shelves and said “ehh, what the hell.” I was floored by the first issue, totally engaged in the second, but this third issue, holy crap. This issue is easily one of the best World War II comics I have ever read. You can check out my detailed thoughts in my review of the issue, but I felt that I needed to include a mention of the issue here as well. The raw display of war, the kind of stuff you saw in Saving Private Ryan is portrayed on the page brilliantly. The level of realism and authentic World War II action this issue creates is phenomenal. I loved every page and every panel of this issue and I really can’t stress enough that if you like comics and have any interest in World War II, you should be reading this series.
Where is it? Secret Invasion #5
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: Leinil Yu
What is it? Skrulls are EVERYWHERE!
Secret Invasion #5 features a fantastic two page spread by Leinil Yu where the Skrulls take over the television broadcast airwaves and pose as some of America’s most prominent figures both real and fictional. It’s probably one of the best moments of the Secret Invasion saga and there are MANY recognizable faces. There’s Paris Hilton, Chris Rock, Mitt Romney, Ann Coulter, Osama Bin Laden, Hilary Clinton, Steve Jobs, Oprah, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kim Jong Il, the Pope, Barack Obama, John McCain, Tiger Woods, Stephen Colbert and Tom Cruise amongst other real figures that I couldn’t identify. Fictional characters include those who are very real to the Marvel Universe like Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Dr. Doom and Namor, but also fictional characters such as Cartman from “South Park!” It is a fantastic spread and I had fun with a lot of people, including my girlfriend who has no interest in comics whatsoever, in identifying who’s who. Adding to the madness of this spread is the large center panel of the big screen in Time Square. Below the image of Tony Stark on the screen is a campaign poster for Stephen Colbert for President in ’08! And so can you!
Where is it? Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1
Written by: Joe Pokaski
Art by: Tom Raney
I’ve got to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this issue. I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Inhumans but I have loved every tie-in to Secret Invasion meaning my O.C.D. kicked in a little bit and I have to have all the tie-ins even if they are characters I’ve never been big on or known much about. With that in mind, I really didn’t expect much from Secret Invasion: Inhumans. Let’s just say I was wrong. There’s a brief explanation of what and who the Inhumans are, and the story picks up with Tony Stark revealing the Black Bolt Skrull to Medusa. In the midst of the revelation, there’s debate over who rules Attilan and where the real Black Bolt is located. Of course, when the reader finds out this information, you realize that this story has the potential to be one of the top tie-in series of the event. I was pleasantly surprised by this issue and recommend it not because it is a Secret Invasion tie-in, but because it’s a fantastic story starring the Inhumans.
Written by: Garth Ennis
“All Good Things Must Eventually Come to an End.” Last week, a very great thing came to an end. Garth Ennis’ run on Punisher MAX has been insane, bloody violent, consistently entertaining for sixty issues and he still managed to tie everything together in some way. In my opinion, Garth Ennis’ unique interpretation of the Punisher is the definitive version of Frank Castle. He handled the character brilliantly, and introduced a phenomenal supporting cast with each story arc to keep the story moving and to keep Frank Castle more than a just a two-dimensional, revenge driven mob-slaying. There have been many memorable characters including O’Brien, Rawlins and of course, Barracuda that have kept things moving along smoothly. This final story-arc was brilliant and a perfect send-off to Garth Ennis’ take on the Punisher. While we will see him return to his original Marvel Knights take on Frank Castle soon, his Punisher MAX will forever be the greatest Punisher stories ever told.
Categories Without a Description!
Best Team-up: Batman and Green Lantern, The Batman Strikes #48
Best Battle Against Magic and the Skrulls: Captain Britain and the MI:13
Fake Twist We All Saw Coming: Dr. Hurt is Thomas Wayne, even though he’s really not. Batman #679
Best Character Resurrection: Beta-Ray Bill, Secret Invasion: Thor #1
Picks of the Week
Captain Britain and the MI:13 #4
Action Comics #868
Booster Gold #11
Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1
Brothers in Arms #3
The Batman Strikes #48
Punisher MAX #60
Books I’m Looking Forward to This Week
Moon Knight #21 – Like you really need to ask why. My favorite character against the Thunderbolts... one of the best books on the shelf. My review can be found here: http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121916406331171.htm
Captain America #41 - The Epic Series Continues. My review here: http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121916519890470.htm
Brave and the Bold #16 - The quality of this book has really skyrocketed over the last few issues.
Rann-Thanagar Holy War #4: DC’s underrated and under-promoted space and sci-fi epic.
Robin #177 This series is the best thing to happen to “Batman R.I.P.”
True Believers #2 – The first issue was a sleeper hit, I’m actually really excited for #2
Voltron #2 - Mike Bear’s artwork, ‘Nuff said.
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