June 20 Reviews Redux

Lovely returns everyone. I apologize for my absence as of late, I've been in the middle of psychotic life changes and re-arranging both with .newseed and in my personal life. Not to say .newseed isn't also my personal life as it seems to dominate virtually everything I do anymore. That said, I've finally settled back into a routine and had some time to sit down and actually read something. Here's what I got for ya, inconveniently after-the-fact. Judge and debate. Enjoy.


Ex Machina #29
Wildstorm
4.5/5

I was planning on giving this one a high rating before I'd even read it, strictly based on some of the reactions I've been reading around the net. Thankfully this is as good as I expected it to be, and I feel wholly justified in smooching all over it here. Fact remains though; for each of the last several issues of Ex Machina responses have popped up claiming the story is stagnant or that 'nothing happened,' while others say its moving into a new, worrisome, direction and format. I say forget all that noise. This is a rock solid series, and it's performing at its highest calibur. We've been given an episodic introductory view to this universe, and now we are about to plunge into the depth and guts of this tale. Naysayers be damned, this is one to have near the top of your list.

Another significant noteworthy mention is that this series remains one of the only popular media projects devised around the events of 9/11 that actually connects and moves me. The FX television series Rescue Me is the only other endeavor coming to mind that handles and discusses the implications of that event so blatantly, but that also manages to do so with tact, insight, and without over-handling themes. With that said, even Rescue Me has moments that aren't candid enough, and rip you out of that world. Never has Machina's inclusion of 9/11 references detracted from my immersion in this story. Quite the opposite. I absolutely love this series.


Highwaymen #1
Wildstorm
4/5

If you want the succinct version it's this: I'm sold.

This series is off to a tremendous start. It treads the line between campy and serious. It's part Saturday morning cartoon, part gritty film-noir. Flipping back through the issue a second time I'm impressed at just how much was presented here. We get only basic blueprints of the characters, but the world they occupy is convincingly realized and just silly enough to imply that anything can happen. The underlying sense of realism, and expertly written dialogue tie things together and make this seem like a series that may be worth getting into. I'm signed up for the next installment.

Credit is also due to Lee Garbett and Jonny Rench for the well directioned art and inks. Very similar in look to Ex Machina in fact, with a tendency for heavy inks, dark environments, and drastic shadow falloff. It's a perfect fit, as a more cartoonish direction would have somewhat spoiled this for me.


X-Men Endangered Species (one shot)
Marvel
4.5/5

In the last year or so this is bar-none the most I've enjoyed an X-Men title that didn't say Astonishing on the cover. The issue is almost exclusively dialogue driven with little to no action save for walking between scenes and locations. This is the X-Men as I love them; character driven and contemplative. I'm still not convinced I'm going to pick up all four of the titles that the continued Endangered Species story will be running through, but my interest in certainly sparked. I wish X titles were like this more often.


Annihilation Conquest Prologue (one shot)
Marvel
5/5

I'm incredibly new to Marvel's galactic heroes, but was blown-away by how immersed I became in this story, and how quickly. I got a hold of an issue of the Annihilation Prologue from last year and comparing that to what I've read in this first introduction to Conquest, I have to say that it seems this new series is making all the right changes to what, by most accounts, was already an awesome system. Firstly, the art. The drawings and inkings in Conquest are dark, heavy, and mature, unlike the less sophisticated art used in last year's prologue. Secondly, I was very into the conversations and dialogue, particularly those involving Peter Quill. The cover looks great, and the story is intriguing and solid. They're be plenty of time to discuss the ins and outs of this plot in the coming weeks, but for now I'm content to simply chalk this one up as a successful start to what's looking to be the event I'm most excited about this summer.



Hellblazer #233
Vertigo
3/5

This was a decently fun read. A great majority of the issue takes place in Constantine's head, as well as through symbolism in strangely realized fashions. The story tied in with last issue's events, though sort of back-handedly and in an oddly independent manner. Whatever. I'm not captivated by Hellblazer, but I'm certainly entertained by it.