Thought Bubble: Before Watchmen - Nothing Ever Ends

By James R

All this is pretty much the fault of Watchmen anyway.

When I was away at university as a fresh-faced 19 year-old, I had pretty much given up on comics - in the mid ‘90s the mainstream seemed horribly dull to me, caught up in a wave of foil cover, collector's editions and the speculator fad. The medium that I'd loved as a kid had become pretty moribund. Then someone said to me "Have you ever read Watchmen?” I said that I hadn't, and of course in those crazy pre-internet days it was really hard to find anything out about it. The collected editions, with their stark bright yellow covers, were always sealed up in shops, so it was impossible to casually flick through it. Watchmen was a thing of legend, and when I bought myself a copy for my 19th birthday, I fell into its pages - and I still haven't really emerged yet!

I would have to classify myself as both a Watchmen and an Alan Moore superfan - I think I can die happy knowing I've had the honour of telling Moore and Gibbons in person just how much I love it, and how much it means to me. It’s a work which has been equalled in my eyes (the idiosyncratic genius of Chris Ware is as thoughtful and pushes back the boundaries of the medium in the same way) but Watchmen has never been bettered. Consequently, a few of my friends have stood well back when asking me in hushed tones, '"What do you think about this 'New Watchmen stuff?” I think most of them have been surprised when I've said that without a doubt, I'm on board.

So what gives? Why am I going against my comics hero and endorsing these prequels? Well, before we go any further, I think we need to understand and agree on what we think a comic is. I totally understand and agree that comics can be a work of art. Of course they are. If you study aesthetics, you get told that a work of art is "something that provokes an emotional response." If you create something that people respond to - it's art. Simple as that. Using this definition, comics are art. TV is art. Sport, to a lesser degree, is art. I for one like this definition as I feel that sometimes people expect art to be a singular, individual creation that must be revered and unsullied. We rightfully baulk at the idea of their being a Catcher in the Rye 2 for example, and this is definitely the case with Watchmen - people see it as a complete and untouchable work.

When it comes to comics, it’s my belief that people mentally conceive of great comics like they do great novels. Indeed, to quote Alan himself: "There's not been a sequel to Moby Dick." That's because often in literature the work is designed to be singular, a self contained world. And that's what Watchmen is too for Alan Moore. You don't need to prequel or sequel it - it is what it is and requires no auxiliary tales. I absolutely respect that opinion (after all, he wrote the damn thing) but I would have to disagree. If we accept that art is an emotional response, then why not find it in a spin-off? How many people go, "Ah, Godfather Part II - that's rubbish - why do we need to carry on the story and find out how Vito Corleone ascended to power? Everything we need to know is there in the first movie!" There may be a few people, but most people consider Godfather Part II to be brilliant because it was created by talented people with superb focus and a good story to tell. I think it's the same for the Watchmen prequels; if the stories to be told are good, why not tell them?

I have read some views online in the past couple of days saying that the prequels will damage the originals. I for one can't see how this is the case. Recently, the magnificent comedian Stewart Lee spoke of how people expressing their offence at things in the media feel that it is their right not to be offended, when actually the exact opposite is true. A rich culture is one that's going to feature a myriad of voices and opinions, and you are not going to like them all! If there is a voice that you don't like, the response is not to go into a rage-fuelled outrage, the simplest thing to do is not to watch it, not to buy it and not to endorse it. If you don't like the idea of the prequels, then - hey! - just don't read them. In the same way that the movie has not damaged the original - if anything it's an interesting companion piece to it - I think the same will be true of the prequel series. I'll be amazed if DC manage to come up with a way to beam them into your mind against your will.

The second reason why I believe people are angry is because people don't like the 'Big Business' element of it; in the same way that Hollywood is derided for just churning out mindless sequels, people hate the fact that DC are doing the same thing with what is held as a 'perfect' comic. I'm slightly surprised at the naivety here. The bottom line is this: DC is a business. It is there to make AOL/TimeWarner money. Obviously it's in their best interest to make the highest quality product - that's what keeps us coming back for more - but stop and think for a minute. Imagine if a business made the best-selling product in a field... and then chose to not build on the strength of that product! The CEO's would be derided as myopic and narrow-minded. Because we have an emotional attachment to comics and the characters therein, I think sometimes we forget that these characters are moneymakers as much as they are cultural touchstones.

Looking at the reaction to DC’s announcement, I'm also reminded of the work of the philosopher AJ Ayer. Ayer was a proponent of the ethical theory of Emotivism, in which he argues that when discussing ethics, it’s impossible to make a truthful statement. All we have is our own perspectives on an issue, and so all we can say is 'Yay for X!' or 'Boo to X!' - there is no ethical debate taking place, just people expressing their emotions. The same is true here - everything I've read thus far seems to boil down to an emotional call of 'Yay, I'm on board!' or 'Boo, this is an outrage!' The amazing thing about the internet is that it allows you to see what people around the world think about an event, but I still can't shake the feeling that we are now part of a culture where every event is greeted with howls of derision or boss-eyed enthusiasm - there seems to be very little reflection or consideration around, and I think we shouldn't rush to judge these titles before we've seen a single panel.

One person who I am in total agreement with is Alan's daughter, the comics writer Leah Moore. Earlier Leah asked why DC wouldn't use the money for these prequels and get the same creators to make new books instead of riffing on Watchmen. I think she's right, but I also think that DC's parent company AOL/TimeWarner have the funds to push through the prequels AND the creator-owned books. I think it's a discussion for another time, but I think it would have been a savvy move to announce that the prequels were the next step in DC's relaunch and evolution, and said '”Just wait until what's coming after these series... we're just warming up.” (However, I'll be the first to note that I'm in teaching and not PR for a very good reason!)

I also found myself agreeing largely with the views of J. Michael Straczynski. As the author of the Dr. Manhattan book, he was asked about what Alan Moore (and some fans) might think about this series, and he said the following:

"The perception that these characters shouldn’t be touched by anyone other than Alan is both absolutely understandable and deeply flawed. As good as these characters are – and they are very good indeed – one could make the argument, based on durability and recognition, that Superman is the greatest comics character ever created. But I don’t hear Alan or anyone else suggesting that no one other than Shuster and Siegel should have been allowed to write Superman. Certainly Alan himself did this when he was brought on to write Swamp Thing, a seminal comics character created by Len Wein."

As far as I'm concerned, he's hit the nail on the head - at the start I said how art should be something that moves us, and it's tempting to see comics as books: complete works that must be left untouched. But if we were to stand back from our emotional responses to the big Before Watchmen announcement, I think we can see that DC have assembled a very strong team of creators - I'd read anything Darwyn Cooke does, and I don't doubt for a moment that his Minutemen series will be anything less than superb. He will, as JMS alludes to, be able to do something cool and worthwhile with these characters. As I've said, I don't think that these series are going to damage the original at all, or take a cheap shot at a sequel, and when you consider the talent involved then I think it would be unwise to damn this project before it's begun. I hope I don't write again in a year's time saying "Well, I called that wrong!" but I'm going to side with AJ Ayer and say it comes down to an emotional call for me. Tonight I'm thrilled that I'll get a chance to see Moore and Gibbon's incredible universe once again.

Mini Reviews 29/01/2012

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #5
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Jim Lee & Various
DC $3.99

James R: I'm starting to believe that Geoff Johns may have been replaced by a S.H.I.E.L.D. Life Model Decoy, in an egregious plot by Marvel to sabotage DC! I can almost see it now, Marvel's 'Architects' huddled in a dimly lit and smoky conference room, when one of them clicks his fingers and declares "Got it! We replace Johns with a LMD, and get the Decoy to write DC's flagship book as if he has no idea how these characters speak or act! Mwa-haaaa-haaaa!" I always remember Grant Morrison arguing that characters like Batman were 'real', as they exists in the reader's heads and vitally, we know when 'they're not written right.' That is one of the two problems with this book - for some reason, Geoff Johns seems to be ignoring how these characters are written in their own books! Behold! Batman unmasking for the flimsiest of reasons in front of someone he's known for five minutes, and then doing something so daft and risky a teenager wouldn't try it, let alone one of the finest tactical minds in the world! See! Wonder Woman running around like Thor when she's written in entirely different (and better) way by Brian Azzarello. And - Gasp! At a plot that’s haphazardly thrown together. I know it's a different beast, but compare this to Rick Remender's Uncanny X-Force - that's how you write a team book! If it wasn't for Jim Lee's brilliant pencils, I'd think about dropping this. As it is, I hope the LMD Johns gets replaced by the original soon so we get the JLA we were anticipating. I can appreciate that for new readers this might be a blockbuster introduction to the DCU, but for me it's an awkward read. 5/10

Matt C: I don’t think anyone was expecting character-based drama from this rebooted series when it first appeared – it’s DC’s big gun and it was designed for large scale superheroic action – but Johns has always been good at effective character moments on the fly, so it’s disappointing to see this becoming more like a two-dimensional high-octane spectacle. Considering we’re looking at this as a coming-together-as-a-team arc, there seems to be too much assumption on Johns’ part that we have extensive knowledge of all these players. Obviously we do, but it feels like its trying too hard to please existing fans and ignoring the needs of any newbies who might have jumped onboard. After introducing us to the ‘new’ Darkseid last time, here he comes across as more of an intergalactic thug rather than the devious, obsessional being we’re used to seeing. Then there’s Jim Lee’s art – from the crisp, electric illustrations of the first issue, his work here looks decidedly rushed in comparison, perhaps a concession to getting this book out on time (or near enough on time). Saying all that, there are still a lot of exciting moments and I do enjoying having a Justice League book on my pull-list, but I think it needs to start delivering closer to my expectations if I’m going to shell out for it month after month. 6/10

Stewart R: There’s something going wrong here and I’m not referring to the troubles that DC have had in trying to keep their so called ‘flagship’ title on time - which they of course failed to do! No, I’m referring to the fact that Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are not demonstrating their respective comic-creating skills at anywhere near top quality. Lee’s art is steadily worsening as this arc progresses and as I look around the other DC 52 I’m thinking that there are a dozen or so people who this could have been handed to in order to get far better results. There’s a hurried feel to everything and so many of the panels are underwhelming - the panel with Flash, Darkseid and the fallen heroes on the second page is simply teeth-grindingly pants - and that’s compared just to those odd panels which really do come alive and show what Lee can do. Then there’s the writing. I’m starting to realise that Johns is one of those writers who excels when dealing with small casts of characters over a drawn out period and doesn’t do so well when having to bring a feeling of the ‘event’ to a comic book. There’s too much going on that’s getting overlooked - Cyborg, Wonder Woman and Aquaman may as well not have been included in these initial issues and to be honest the same could be said for Darkseid! The interaction between Hal and Bruce in this issue and what then transpires really winds me up purely for the fact that it just seems to be written in to punctuate how the DC Universe is ‘different’ following Flashpoint. Fair enough, but then why are those characters seemingly no different in their own books now after the reboot? Sure, okay, we’re looking at events that happened several years ago, but to be honest I can no longer be buggered to read this particular comic in the hope of finding out how these characters change and develop into those we’re reading about elsewhere! 3/10


FLASH #5
Writers: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
DC $2.99

James R: Now the New 52 is well under way, I feel very confident in saying that, for me, Flash is on a par with Batman as DC's best classic superhero book. Over the last few months I've been effusive in my praise for this book, and this month it's got even better. With superhero titles, there is usually an air of predictability as to how an arc will conclude, with the inevitable triumph of the protagonist and the re-establishment of the status quo. That's all fine, but I'm always impressed when a creative team manages to subvert this, or better still - catch me entirely unawares. In this issue of Flash, Barry desperately tries to save his friend Manuel Lago as his genetic doubles Mob Rule seek to prolong their lives. Without spoiling the issue for you (and I can't recommend you pick this up enough if you've not done so already!) Barry manages to save his friend... but not before creating a new addition to his rogues gallery and setting up a terrific plot for a future arc of the title - 'We've got to destroy the speed force!' Once again the book looks beautiful - Buccellato's colours give Manapul's pencils a unique tone, and for me it's up there with J. H. William's work on Batwoman. In every way, Flash has emerged as the pacesetter of the DCU. 9/10


BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #5
Writers: Paul Jenkins & David Finch
Art: David Finch, Richard Friend & Jeromy Cox
DC $2.99

Stewart R: I’d considered dropping this title after only two issues, but then things turned around and I actually began to enjoy it. Suffice to say I’m now back to where I started and thinking of saving myself the 3 bucks every month. My big problem with B:TDK is that it doesn’t seem to quite know where it fits; in some ways it’s almost a ‘Best of Batman’ title that dredges up a myriad of over-used villains and Gotham clichés and throws them at the Caped Crusader and then, on the other hand, it’s also one of the New 52. That’s the point where apparently we need to have the relationship between Gothamite and Kryptonian redefined for us and allow David Finch the opportunity to use a double page splash - from the limited twenty page count - to depict a punch that doesn’t quite work. The crucial factor for me now is that I’m closing the cover after reading of this title and thinking to myself that I haven’t really just experienced anything particularly new, innovative or interesting. For those looking for a purely action oriented Batman comic I dare say this is the place to look at the moment but when I’m measuring it up to its peers it’s falling short each and every time and I think it’s probably time for the two of us to part ways. 4/10


FF #14
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Juan Bobillo, Marcelo Sosa & Chris Sotomayor
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: IF you haven’t read both this and Fantastic Four #602 this week it would be my recommendation that you read FF #14 and then its sister title afterwards. But then it might work just as well the other way round... Okay, the important thing is that you read BOTH titles this week! Here we get to see the children of the Foundation fighting against the odds to prevent the Mad Celestials from making progress through The Bridge, gaining help from one of the last survivors of the Council of Reed Richards and of course, Victor Von Doom. It’s really good to see the past and present come together throughout this issue as we see Doom once again attempting to stare down gods and the plans that Valeria and Nathaniel made in order for that moment to come to fruition. Admittedly this is feeling less Future Foundation and a bit more like ‘The Convoluted Tales of What Valeria Richards Did Next’ with occasional cause for Alex and Franklin to use their powers, but it’s still enjoyable storytelling with a grand sense of scale - helped by Bobillo’s art which I’m warming to - and it adds a great deal to the events unfolding in Hickman’s other book on the same family. 8/10

Matt C: I used to be a staunch supporter of Hickman’s slowburning run on the Fantastic Four but I’m starting to find it harder and harder to stay engaged. I have nothing but admiration for the scope of the ideas he’s brought to the table but now, with his story split of two concurrent titles, everything seems stretched to snapping point, and a sense of cohesion appears to be disappearing from view. It’s a thrill for a longtime Marvel fan like myself to see Galactus, Doctor Doom, the Supreme Intelligence, the Inhumans and Annihilus appear in FF and Fantastic Four at the same time, but it’s looking more and more like Hickman has piled on way too much stuff, and I have the feeling that a streamlined, single title storyline might be more appealing. I’m prepared to see it through as I’ve stuck with it for so long and, to be fair, there’s much to enjoy in both books (in FF, it’s pretty much any scene with Valeria in) but if I’m to go beyond that Hickman will need to reign things in a little to keep hold of my interest. 6/10


AQUAMAN #5
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Eber Ferreira & Rod Reis
DC $2.99

Matt C: After last month’s abrupt conclusion to the opening arc, this issue is far more compelling. In fact, having seen the continuation of certain plot threads, I wonder if perhaps I was a little too harsh on the last instalment? Time will tell, I guess – for now, I’m enjoying how Johns is starting to dig deep into Atlantean mythology, expanding on Aquaman’s heritage and giving the character a lot more weight, a necessity really, considering the company he keeps. The ending isn’t much of a cliffhanger, but with Reis delivering the handsome imagery to back-up what looks like long-haul storytelling from Johns, I hope to be sticking with this title for a while to come. 7/10


ALL-STAR WESTERN #5
Writers: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Moritat, Gabriel Bautista, Phil Winslade & Dominic Regan
DC $3.99

James R: When this title relaunched it was one of the pleasant surprises of DC's New 52; Jonah Hex teaming up with Amadeus Arkham in Victorian Gotham had a nice hard-boiled feel and, thanks to Moritat's art, it looked terrific and suitably grimy too. This second arc is proving to be less of a straight shooter though, with Gray and Palmiotti serving up a tale that's far too formulaic. Hex and Arkham find themselves in the caves beneath Gotham up against the child labour gang, and as the issue unfolds like a video game - survive the rapids, climb the waterfall, fight the Descent-esque subterranean tribe - it all becomes a little too by-the-numbers for me. The back-up tale of the Barbary Ghost also fails to engage me, and so for $3.99, I feel this book is too expensive for a very standard tale. If the next story arc gets back to the tone of the first issues, I'll take a look again, but for now, I have to bid this book adios. 4/10


FANTASTIC FOUR #602
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Barry Kitson & Paul Mounts
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: No writer working for Marvel currently seems to have that ability to switch between focus point for whole issues in the way that Jonathan Hickman does. Last time out we were dealing with Johnny being back and having the Annihilation Wave at his disposal, the Avengers trying to save Earth - well New York actually (surprise, surprise!) - from destruction by flaming wreckage and the reincarnated Supreme Intelligence getting all a little bit genocidal about the Inhumans. Suffice to say much of that goes out of the window or is brushed to one side here as Reed and Sue realise that unless urgent, extreme action is taken then all could be lost. This leaping about from plot point to plot point can tend to get frustrating but sometimes Hickman lands on his feet from a breathtaking storyline backflip complete with triple pike twist, hook or cliffhanger and you all of a sudden get that pause as your brain checks the details itself and proceeds to tell you that yes, this really is happening. I’m certainly glad that in the absence of Steve Epting, Barry Kitson was on hand to get all of this onto the page as he really does deliver some grandiose illustrations that capture those ‘big players’ perfectly. 8/10


STUFF OF LEGEND VOLUME III: A JESTER’S TALE #4
Writers: Mike Raicht & Brian Smith
Art: Charles Paul Wilson III, Jon Conkling & Michael DeVito
Th3rd World Studios $3.99

Matt C: The third volume of this magnificent opus reaches its conclusion in startling fashion, once again confirming the series as one of the most unique, enchanting reads currently hitting the stands. The stakes seem to be continuously raised with things becoming increasingly complicated and less clear cut as our now disbanded group of heroes spend more time getting involved in the various happenings that occur in the Dark. The cover gives away the main thrust of the issue, as Jester confronts his bitter, corrupted brother, but it doesn’t quite prepare you for the episode of tragic heroism that we witness nor the shocking reveal that adds another level of danger to the proceedings. The writers incorporate many recognizable fairytale tropes but they twist them into new shapes so there’s a freshness as well as a familiarity present. Wilson’s dynamic, emotive artwork continues to bring a surprising level of realism to what is essentially a tale of toys adventuring and fighting. I still think too many people are overlooking The Stuff Of Legend, assuming it’s more of a book aimed at kids, but they couldn’t be more wrong: there’s real magic in the pages of this comic and any fan of the medium would be wise to experience it for themselves. 9/10


AMERICAN VAMPIRE #23
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque & Dave McCaig
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: This comic never, ever seems to dip in terms of quality... ever! Seriously! I’ll admit that I sniffed a touch when I heard that things were going to be jumping to the era of rock’n’roll and dragsters following the very strong and dramatic storytelling surrounding World War II, but this ‘Death Race' arc is proving yet again that Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque are masters of their craft. The opening single panel from Albuquerque in this issue is a perfect start for what’s to come as Travis continues the dangerous, high-speed chase of his quarry. Between moments of breathtaking action we get brief glimpses of the sad and troubled past that led him to this vampire-hunting juncture and I love the way that Snyder intermingles the dialogue and narration from present to flashback and back again effortlessly. Importantly, the protagonist here is no clear hero and that just exemplifies the delicious wealth of intriguing grey that you’re guaranteed to get when you take a bite into American Vampire. 9/10


JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #5
Writer: Peter Milligan
Art: Mikel Janin & Ulises Arreola
DC $2.99

Matt C: This is one New 52 title that I was impressed by to begin with but it’s been steadily loosening its hold on me as it’s progressed. To be honest, the magic corner of the DC Universe has never really appealed to me but the possibility of an interesting dynamic being set up between these characters looked like it might be a refreshing change to the norm, one worth investigating further. For me at least, that dynamic hasn’t been too riveting; in fact, by the end of this issue there’s still not much in the way of a team in place and my eagerness to see what occurs next has pretty much dissipated, especially after such a vague finale to this opening arc. There’s been some really strong work from Janin in this series so far - he’s done a fine job of creating some heavily evocative visuals – but that’s not enough on its own to hold my attention so this is where I bail out. 5/10


SECRET AVENGERS #21.1
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Patrick Zircher & Andy Troy
Marvel $2.99

Stewart R: I ducked out of Warren Ellis’ run on Secret Avengers after just one issue - I’ve heard nowt but praise about it since - and wasn’t looking to return. That was until I heard that Uncanny X-Force scribe, Rick Remender would be taking up the reins from #22. While I’ll always gush about Remender’s work on UXF I was less impressed with Venom so I’ll reserve full judgement on his handling of the Secret Avengers until a couple of issues in, but this is at least promising. Marvel are unfortunately having to bow to those higher marketing forces by redefining Hawkeye so that he’s recognisable for those cinema patrons likely to catch Avengers this Summer, but it’s no game breaker. Remender does a good enough job of showing what Clint Barton has been about for decades now and highlights just how different an operator he is to the clean-cut, straight-edged Steve Rogers. Okay, this demonstration of ‘extremes’ kinda flies in the face of a lot of the blurring and interesting character development that both characters have been through in recent years - Rogers creating and heading the Secret Avengers in the first instance shows he’s not that squeaky clean! - but Remender delivers some crisp dialogue and Zircher does a fine job on the visual side of things. We’ll see how things pan out with the series proper but it should at least be worth checking out. 7/10

Mini Reviews 22/01/2012 *EXTRA!!*

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, may get struck down with illness of a weekend and may also be subject to untimely powercuts, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good. Some of these things may have happened to Stewart R this weekend but he still got some reading and reviewing done... Better late than never!


SUPERIOR #7
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Leinel Yu, Gerry Alanguilan & Sunny Gho
Marvel Icon $4.99

Stewart R: Things get wrapped up in a bumper 36 pages of action as young Simon Pooni must decide whether to sell his soul in order to save the world from the transformed Sharpie and demonic monkey, Ormon. There’s destruction and carnage aplenty as the evil duo unleash their fury upon the city and I dare say that this is possibly Leinel Yu’s very best work to date. The sense of scope and scale is phenomenal and there are some terrific set-piece moments that should look truly breathtaking whenever we happen to have a live-action movie arrive in cinemas. Millar spent the last 6 issues setting all of the pieces up which allows this issue to clip along at a faster pace as it heads towards it’s grand finale. As a writer, Millar likes to play clever whenever he can and while the hook here is kinda signposted from a long way out I don’t think we could’ve asked for anything else considering the strength of the title as a whole. The only single criticism I have is that despite the level of death that descends upon the city streets, there’s no mention of the human casualties in Millar’s ‘summing up’; he shows us the global fallout of Superior's actions around the world but the loss of lives in the city don't register. It’s almost as if he’s too blinkered with what he wants from his ending to see that his vision slightly tarnishes what could have been a perfect end note. The nod to Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner though is a nice touch and over the course this has possibly been both creators’ finest work to date. Well worth the money and a 9/10 despite the one flaw.


BATMAN #5
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion & FCO
DC $2.99

Stewart R: Wow! Just when you think that Snyder and Capullo can’t give you any better a Bat-book they show up with this month’s effort! Bruce’s investigation has found him at the mercy of the Court of Owls whose very existence in Gotham threatens to unravel everything our hero has been fighting for all these long years, as well as the Caped Crusader’s mind! The majority of the issue follows Bruce’s struggles throughout the mysterious labyrinth as he tries to comprehend just how his mysterious captors have operated under his very nose for years and years. Capullo does a fantastic job of capturing Bruce’s tired and frayed psyche as his usually strong resolve begins to fail him and the hallucinations grow stronger and more dangerous. The creators take a masterful step in playing with the layout which brings the reader further into Bruce’s desperation and highlights how close to madness poor Bats is. Add in a neat look at Commissioner Gordon’s belief in what the Bat-signal stands for and represents, and you have a top class comic on your hands. 9/10


AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #3
Writer: Zeb Wells
Art: Joe Madureira & Ferran Daniel
Marvel $3.99

Stewart R: Having fumed at the rather sparse offering in #1 I will say that the three issue first arc has been pretty good fun despite the inflated pricing. Zeb Wells clearly understands the webbed wonder and, despite having had the powerful Red Hulk in tow, it’s left to Spider-Man to save the day and bring peace to Subterranea. From this issue it’s now clearer just what this series is aiming to do and that’s show just where our wise-cracking hero fits into the wider Marvel Universe. Wells shows that despite his great powers, it IS his willingness to shoulder his great responsibilities that makes him the courageous man who can win against near-insurmountable odds. I’ll admit that it has been good to see Madureira take up his pencils and inks to bring us some comic book entertainment again and I’m glad now that I saw this arc through to the end. That said, at nearly four dollars and a change of artist ahead I will be saying goodbye to Avenging Spider-Man here. 8/10


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #5
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Fernando Pasarin, Scott Hanna & Gabe Eltaeb
DC $2.99

Stewart R: So, so good! With John Stewart and a few others in the hands of the Keepers and having been ‘enlightened’ by the arrival of the Martian Manhunter’s appearance during an interrogation, Guy Gardner knows he needs to start thinking outside of the box. And so begins his mission to recruit the Mean Machine, a bunch of veteran Lanterns renowned for stepping very close to the line and bringing the pain whenever it’s needed. I love how Tomasi’s writing seems to thrive when he’s expanding on the ranks of the various Corps and the grizzled warriors he brings to the table here are a true pleasure, especially when sizing up to the regular faces of the Green Lantern Corps. Across the current books focusing on the Lanterns there’s the growing feeling that the Guardians are perilously close to being too destructive a force in the galaxy and Tomasi offers up a huge wedge of evidence to support that view aided well by Fernando Pasarin’s luscious art. Be it the telepathic story reveal across a double page-spread or the action-packed attack on the pirate ship, Pasarin is undoubtedly on top of his game and I can’t wait to see what action he gets to dish out as the arc reaches its conclusion next month! 9/10


NIGHTWING #5
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Art: Eddie Barrows, Paulo Siqueira, Eber Ferreira & Rod Reis
DC $2.99

Stewart R: Another reasonable effort from all involved here as Dick continues to investigate the mystery surrounding Haly’s Circus and just why the whole enterprise has been left in his hands. Rather than barrel on with the main drive of that story Higgins elects to give us a brief diversion as one of the circus folk ends up in a spot of demonic trouble thanks to an old flame and of course Nightwing happens to be on hand to deal with the mess. When the ritual action-sequence arrives it’s handled with style by Barrows as Dick finds himself in quite the David vs Goliath battle and I certainly can’t fault what we’ve had from a visual standpoint as this series has gone on. Higgins is clearly giving Dick his own voice and I’ve enjoyed his work with the romantic angle he’s been tackling. For me though, the big problem is what this is following on from - it doesn’t feel that ‘this’ Dick that we’re reading about is the one who was, until recently, Batman. I understand why Higgins has taken Nightwing away from Gotham in order to make the role change clear, distinctive and allow Grayson to stand on his own, but then too many damn questions are surfacing as to why a street-level crime-fighter is now doing his heroism thing all over the country. Even in this issue Higgins has to make a nod to that ongoing problem and it is a touch distracting. I’ll be picking up #6 to see where the tasty reveal leads, but after that I’m sadly going to be dropping this book. 7/10

Mini Reviews 22/01/2012

While we may not always have the time to review all the comics we get every week, we do try and provide a snapshot of the latest releases, mixing the good with the not so good.

BATMAN #5
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion & FCO
DC $2.99

James R: I'm a great believer in 'the zone', the concept that a lucky few people - sportsmen, actors, writers, whatever you want - reach a pitch in their careers that, for a while, means that they cannot put a foot wrong. I think that Scott Snyder has firmly entered the zone and is making it his personal property with this outstanding issue. We join Batman trapped in a nightmare maze constructed by the Court of Owls, a trap that has pushed the Dark Knight to his very limits, both physical and psychological. Meanwhile, out in Gotham, the extended Bat-family grow increasingly concerned for Batman's safety. The issue is a masterclass on a number of levels; firstly, as an exercise in pushing the boundaries of the medium. I loved it when Mike Carey made an issue of The Unwritten a choose-your-own-adventure, as it was an attempt to shake up the conventions of reading a comic. Snyder does the same thing here, forcing the reader to flip the issue in the latter part of the story, neatly mirroring Batman’s own increasingly twisted journey through the maze. Then there's the characterisation; Snyder's Batman is, for me, a far more involving representation than Grant Morrison's - whereas Morrison portrayed Batman as virtually a God, unbeatable and a match to any challenge, Snyder's Batman is far more vulnerable and human but still filled with the unbreakable will that is the hallmark of the character. It also looks beautiful, with Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion outdoing themselves with every issue. I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the idea - Snyder is in the zone and long may it continue. You need this comic in your life! 10/10

Matt C: Scott Snyder seems to be raising his game with each successive issue of Batman, resulting in the best of his run yet this month, and when you consider the quality of what’s come before, that’s high praise indeed! Batman’s lost in the maze of the Court Of Owls, desperately trying to a hold onto his sanity as, bit by bit, it’s slowly stripped away. The genius of this is that you become completely convinced that someone with the rigid self-control of Bruce Wayne could start to fall apart following a concerted attack that strikes at him both mentally and physically. As Synder continues to deliver script after script of pure brilliance, Capullo layers on the grandiose, gothic visuals that carry a dark potency which is magnified when the book is literally turned on its head. Amongst all the mind games we also get an emotive reminder of what Bruce/Batman means to Gotham, even as the man himself wonders whether it ever really was his city. The body of Snyder’s work with the character may be relatively small at this point but I think there’s now an immensely strong (watertight?) case for proclaiming him not only one of the great Batman writers of our time, but one of the great Batman writers, period. 9/10


UNCANNY X-FORCE #20
Writer: Rick Remender
Art: Greg Tocchini & Dean White
Marvel $3.99

James R: Any fears that this title might suffer a kind of hangover after the veritable all-night party that was the ‘Dark Angel Saga' are quickly dismissed this week with yet another fine issue of Uncanny X-Force. Fantomex has been dragged to Otherworld to stand trial for his infanticide of the young Apocalypse, and Captain Britain (yay!) tries to convince Psylocke to join him in the battle to save his realm. As I've said before, I was never a massive X-fan as a teen or in my twenties due to the seemingly impenetrable history of Marvel's mutants, but I'm continually amazed at how easy Rick Remender has made it for me to get immersed in this world. It's like he's taking a lot of 'Greatest Hits' from Marvel continuity and placing his own compulsive spin on them. Here, it's Alan Moore's legendary run on Captain Britain, which, as a self-confessed acolyte of the Great Beard, means it's even easier to love the action in these pages. Remender also keeps the team dynamic interesting and fresh with the AoA Nightcrawler in the ranks, and whereas the art isn't as amazing as when the book is pencilled by Jerome Opena, Greg Tocchini delivers his best work yet. One final point of kudos: as an Englishman, I love it when English or British characters aren't written as either toffs or Dick Van Dyke cockneys by American writers, so Gawd bless ya, Rick Remender, you're a diamond geezer, guv! 8/10


LORD OF THE JUNGLE #1
Writer: Arvid Nelson
Art: Roberto Castro & Alex Guimaraes
Dynamite Entertainment $1.00

Matt C: Dynamite seem intent on bringing as many of these iconic characters from yesteryear back to a modern audience as possible, and if they keep on with this ‘$1 for #1’ incentive I find myself much more willing to check out what they have to offer. I’ve seen various interpretations of the Tarzan character over the years, and perhaps I may seek out the original Edgar Rice Burroughs stories at some point, but I can’t say I’ve ever delved too deeply into the archetypal legend of the Earl of Greystoke. This debut issue appears to be setting out its stall as a serious, faithful adaptation of Burroughs work, and while it’s a solid read, it’s not quite strong enough to convince me that I need to pay $3.99 for the subsequent issues. The art’s rustic and evocative (although a touch confusing in some spots), the script has a certain measure of eloquence, but there are probably only so many pages of monkeys going “Oo! Oo!” and “Aah! Aah!” at each other that I can take. Not bad, but not something that makes me want to pound my chest! 6/10


DAREDEVIL #8
Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Kano & Javier Roderiguez
Marvel $2.99

Matt C: The concluding instalment of this two-part crossover with Amazing Spider-Man offers further evidence that Waid is on a roll at the moment. The first part was a buoyant affair, exhibiting the writer’s perfect grasp of both Spidey and Hornhead, but this title is where he’s made his current home, and his near-reinvention of the character is so successful that it’s not difficult to see why lots of people are now pointing at this being their favourite Marvel title. It’s not just that he’s brighten things up a fair bit, it’s also because he’s playful with the idea of an ‘outed’ superhero, and, perhaps most importantly, he’s bought Daredevil’s powers back to the forefront in the most inventive of ways. This last point has had a lot riding on the artists chosen to depict those powers visually, and there hasn’t been any disappointment in that department so far, a trend that Kano refuses to buck (check out the brilliant helicopter scene as one of the finest examples here). The series continues to race in a new direction (thanks to the Omegadrive) but Waid still throws in curveballs to keep readers on their toes, as that final page ably demonstrates. If you’ve ever liked this character but drifted away at some point over the years, now is most definitely the time to return. 9/10


CHEW #23
Writer: Johm Layman
Art: Rob Guillory & Taylor Wells
Image $2.99

Matt C: I often find myself passing Chew over when choosing which books to review in its release week in favour of other, frequently lesser, titles. This has to stop really as I should be getting behind the book at every available opportunity and singing its praises. Not that it needs it as it does pretty well for itself as far as I can gather, but if I can turn one person onto Chew that hasn’t already tasted its delights (sorry!) then I guess I’ve done my job. It’s just such a hugely likeable series thanks to its outlandish premise, even more outlandish characters, and the way it seems to continuously takes those characters down unexpected, hilarious avenues. Layman obviously loves his creations but does seem to enjoy putting them through the ringer (again and again!) for the readers’ entertainment, and Guillory’s idiosyncratic, over-the-top illustrations (packed with humorous incidental detail) are now so tied in with the concept that it’s kind of impossible to imagine anyone else drawing the book. A genuinely funny, relentlessly surprising and constantly mischievous comic, it’s always a pleasure to find a new issue of Chew in my weekly stack. 8/10


CATWOMAN #5
Writer: Judd Winick
Art: Guillem March & Tomeau Morley
DC $2.99

James R: I didn't pick up Catwoman as part of the New 52 as I felt that the creative team were facing an uphill struggle. I'm a big fan of the character, or to be more precise, I'm a fan of Ed Brubaker and Darwyn Cooke's version of Catwoman. When they relaunched Selina Kyle’s solo book in the last decade, they not only made her an interesting and strong female lead, but they also carved out a nice niche for her in the midst of noiresque tales of Gotham's underworld. When I saw that Judd Winick had been picked to kick things off this time, I was convinced that he couldn't live up to the book's last run, and that Guillem March was too much of a 'cheesecake' (ugh, I hate that term) artist for the book. However, I'd heard good things about the last couple of issues, so having invested in the prior four and this week's issue #5, I'm pleasantly surprised! Winick understands that gritty noir crime should be the heart of this book, and March seems to be keeping his slightly *ahem* revealing tendencies in check. It's good to see that Selina is portrayed as a character living on her wits, and the narrative feels suitably breathless. I'm still not entirely won over by March, and I don’t think the book is quite up to the standard of the Brubaker years, but it has managed to get me back on board. Slinky! 7/10

Ten Forward: March 2012

Every month we spend an evening scouring the pages of the latest issue of Previews and pick the ten titles we are looking forward to the most. This month it's the January issue of Previews which includes comics scheduled to ship in March 2012.

SAGA #1
Writer: Bryan K. Vaughan
Art: Fiona Staples
Image $2.99

Stewart R: The man who wrote Y: The Last Man and the artist behind Wildstorm’s much underrated North 40 get together to bring us some breastfeeding controversy and a tale of love and young family life on the run during an intergalactic war. Not sure there’s much more that really needs to be said...! Well okay, Vaughan is a man who we know can write ongoing titles with a broad scope to a very high standard and despite this being Staples first proper ongoing gig her style should be a match made in the cosmic heavens for the strange species and creatures lurking out in the universe. In today’s risky market it might be too much to hope for another series of Y:TLM’s length and stature but one can hope!


ROCKETEER ADVENTURES 2 #1
Writers: Marc Guggenheim, Peter David & Stan Sakai
Art: Sandy Plunkett, Stan Sakai & Bill Sienkiewicz
IDW $3.99

Matt C: The first series of Rocketeer Adventures saw the likes of Darwyn Cooke, Mark Waid, John Cassaday and Bruce Timm pay homage to the late Dave Stevens’ nostalgic creation, and it was (deservedly) enough of a hit that IDW are returning with another helping in March. My embarrassing confession is that I’ve never checked out Stevens’ original work (I’ll get to it one day, honest!) but the standard of creators that have been roped in to contribute is high enough that it could probably be an Archie book and I’d still pick it up. Well, maybe. If you’re looking for comic that exhibits an uncynical love of the craft, this is somewhere you need to be directed towards.


CROSSED: BADLANDS #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Art: Jacen Burrows
Avatar $3.99

Andy H: The original Crossed series was one of those stories you read and didn't forget about too quickly. Coupled with the downright bone-chilling visual explosion of horror I found it hard to stop thinking about it! I'm not the biggest horror fan in the world but this was a series I could not put down. The story was not just about the horror of the Crossed but also how far humanity would be changed in order to survive. Saying that, the David Lapham volumes didn't work for me so I'm excited to see Ennis and Burrows back at the helm, at least for the first three issues. Here the story starts in Scotland and is set some years after the first appearance of the Crossed. Expect the usual diverse mix of characters, moments of humour, outrageous horror and a complete sense of hopelessness in the face of overwhelming odds. There is no hope. There is no escape. There is only the Crossed! *gulp*


THE NEW DEADWARDIANS #1
Writer: Dan Abnett
Art: I. N. J. Culbard
DC/Vertigo $2.99

Stewart R: Having been a bit more interested in vampires (American Vampire, Victor Gischler’s X-Men) and zombies (Walking Dead) in the past couple of years I’m certainly drawn to what Dan Abnett might be able to bring to the undead party! It seems that he’s taking a thought-provoking and amusing route by using these two horror species(?) to exemplify the class divide in Edwardian England, with the upper classes all voluntarily becoming bloodsuckers to avoid being swallowed by the lowly ranks of the poor and destitute braineaters! We’re apparently going to see a detective story unfold amongst this bizarre London setting and while I’ve not been following much of Abnett’s recent non-cosmic based work this has me locked in for sure.


THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #1
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Nick Pitarra & Cris Peter
Image $3.50

James R: I've said it before and I'll say it again, Jonathan Hickman either produces works of genius or baffling indifference. Pax Romana? Genius. Red Wing? Hmmm. So it's with a little trepidation I recommend this new series from Hickman which speculates that the scientists involved in the Manhattan Project did far more than create the atomic bomb - they were responsible for unleashing all kinds of weird science hi-jinx! It reminds me a lot of S.H.I.E.L.D. and that's a great thing in my eyes. At least by setting it away from the Marvel Universe we'll be spared the image of Robert Oppenheimer having a 'special cuddle' with a Deviant!


REBEL BLOOD #1
Writer: Alex Link & Riley Rossmo
Art: Riley Rossmo
Image $3.50

Matt C: What, another zombie comic? No waitaminute, come back! This one’s got zombie animals in it too!! Still not sold? Well, I’d be in agreement with you after the glut of undead tales we’ve seen in various media recently if it weren’t for one thing: Riley Rossmo’s art. If you’ve seen his distinctive, intense work on Proof, Cowboy Ninja Viking or Green Wake you’ll know that it does stick out from the pack. Whether or not this miniseries can avoid the clichés remains to be seen, but it’s going to look unlike anything else on the stands and for me that’s reason enough to give it a whirl.


SUPERCROOKS #1
Writer: Mark Millar
Art: Lenil Yu
Marvel/Icon $2.99

Stewart R: Funnily enough I’ve just this minute finished reading Mark Millar’s Superior which I now rate as one of his very best works, and lo, in the back happens to be a teaser of what’s to come during the early stages of Supercrooks. While we're not getting to see or hear much about the plot at the moment it looks nice with Yu on pencils and I’ll certainly give it a go as Millar is one of those writers that I almost love-to-hate/hate-to-love because of his rollercoaster success rate. That said, I’m a little concerned that this is yet another one of those projects that hasn’t even hit the printing presses but there’s continuing hype and talk about lining up a director to helm the live-action movie that's in the early stages of being greenlit. Such a cock-sure attitude about an idea like this has me a little wary of whether we’ll see Millar working at the top of his game or simply ‘phoning in’ this title as the big bucks are to be made with the idea elsewhere!


SAUCER COUNTRY #1
Writer: Paul Cornell
Art: Ryan Kelly
DC/Vertigo $2.99

James R: Paul Cornell seems to be a comics writer who blows a little hot and cold; he's a TV writer of rightful acclaim, but his comics work has been maddeningly inconsistent. His run on Action Comics was fun, but then his work on Batman And Robin was... well, you get the idea. However, I'm curious to see what he does in his new Vertigo title, Saucer Country. The blurb says that it's a story about an alien abductee who runs for President and her campaign to make people believe her story. It looks like the West Wing crossbred with The X-Files, and the preview in Vertigo's Strange Adventures looked intriguing. I'm sad Vertigo have dropped their '1st issue for a dollar' policy, but I'm still going to give this a try.


AVENGERS VS X-MEN #0
Writers: Brian Michael Bendis & Jason Aaron
Art: Frank Cho
Marvel $3.99

Matt C: Do I really care about this? Another Marvel event that will inevitably turn out to be a crushing disappointment. Well, no, not really, I’ve been burnt enough times to know better, and yet…. and yet I still have this faint glimmer of excitement erupting somewhere in the back of my mind when Marvel reel out another one of their event high-concepts. With the so-called ‘Architects’ at the helm there is always a chance this could turn out to be something memorable, something exciting, but there’s a far bigger chance it will, well, suck. I can imagine I won’t be able to resist giving this opening shot a look (at the bargain price of… $3.99! Huh?) but I’m certainly not going to get caught up in something I dislike just for some sort of narrative closure. No, sir, not me! (Please remind me of this later in the year!)


SUPERBIA #1
Writer: Grace Randolph
Art: Russell Dauterman
BOOM! Studios $3.99

James R: This new series, penned by Bleeding Cool's new video correspondent Grace Randolph, looks like it's got the potential to be terrific as it features the suburban life of the alter egos of a group of female superheroes (phew!) This reminds me of both Bendis' Powers (back when it was good!) and Brad Bird's The Incredibles, both of which equal fanboy gold for me! Randolph also promises to make it a topical read, bringing in the world of celebrity culture and reality TV. If done right, this could be a solid win, and I'm definitely on board for the first issue!

Cover To Cover: DEAD MAN'S RUN #1

DEAD MAN’S RUN #1
Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Tony Parker & David Curiel
Aspen $3.50

Stewart R: He’s a man who’s impressed me with his work with the Marvel canon, and now Greg Pak is putting his writing skills to a new project with a very supernatural feel over at Aspen. The story follows Sam Tinker, a cartographer who’s landed a rather dangerous job at the most dangerous prison on the planet; a penitentiary that sits on the very gateway into Hell! When his military veteran boss meets a sticky end, plans are set in motion that leave Sam sat on the wrong side of that gateway with no apparent way out...but then Sam is no ordinary man! Driven on by the need to save his younger sister, Juniper, who may well be stranded in the same brimstone-encrusted nightmare, Sam may just possess the natural skills to attempt the most daring prison break of them all!

Pak starts off well by establishing the strong, caring bond between Sam and his sister and links that to a nice flashback that offers a tiny glimpse of the young man’s abilities. From there things - just like Sam’s final moments in the living world - get turned upside down as he arrives in the most dangerous of locales. I have to say that I really find the idea of Hell - or at least the tip of that particular flaming iceberg - as a processing facility for the dead and guilty to be a very interesting concept and it allows Pak to play with and warp the general tropes associated with prison thrillers to fit the themes of judgement and punishment that are associated with the underworld. There are the threatening grins, the concealed shivs and knives associated with many works of fiction surrounding incarceration but also the involvement of demon-like guards and the feeding upon souls that you’ll find in horror works and Pak brings it all together brilliantly.

In Sam, it initially feels as if we might have an everyman type of protagonist on our hands, as he’s portrayed as that caring, responsible guardian, just trying to do the right thing. Before too long though, we get to see a bubbling confidence that rises to the surface in between the moments of bewildering chaos and blows to the skull and suggests that he might have what some call ‘grit’ by the bucket-load. A clever twist later provides us with another insight to just why Mr Tinker could be in even further trouble and I suspect that this series may well ooze with delicious character development as things progress.

Tony Parker certainly delivers a great turn on artistic duties with simple and effective facial expression work which really helps to capture the feeling of fear and shock that Sam and others experience through the course of the issue. He also gets to deliver some great panels that depict the engulfing horror of Hell - the sea of limbs that swallows Sam is a definite highlight! - and no-one can fault him whatsoever for his superb variety of viewing angles. I often find that some comics with a hell/horror twist can get a little too caught up in the disgusting, unnerving surrounds but here Parker succeeds by focusing in on what makes any prison a horrifying prospect by itself, and then adds little flairs of the supernatural here and there to spice things up further.

This is an enjoyable first issue that has me very much anticipating the adventure to come. The writing is sharp and snappy and the art is perfectly suited to the premise, delivering to the usually high standard of visual that I’ve come to expect from Aspen as a publisher. Definitely worth poking your nose into this week and I’ll also recommend picking up the #0 for the generous price of $2.50 while you’re at it (if your Local Comic Book Store has one). Released last November, this prelude offers a further insight into Captain Romero, Sam’s deceased boss, and just what his intentions are when it comes to the plucky young cartographer. 8/10