November 14 Reviews

Fables #67
Vertigo
Writer: Bill Willingham
Pencils: Mark Buckingham
Inks: Steve Leialoha
Colors: Lee Loghridge
Cover: James Jean
5/5

It pains me when I look at Diamond's best selling 100 each month and Fables isn't near the top. Not only that, it usually isn't represented at all. What? This is without question the last title on my pull-list I'd be willing to drop, and the one I'm most giddily anticipating seeing through to the end of its run. Someone somewhere needs to get the general comic-buying public together for a sit down about their not having been reading this series. Enjoying comics but not Fables is like loving life but hating oxygen, it's just plain silly.

This was the most fun of the Good Prince storyline thus far, though it looks to be dethroned next month given where this issue left off. Not only do we get to see the first major action of the impending war, but there are also some great character moments with Ambrose as well as those around him. The enemy gets a word in this month as well, and any time the Empire is given more of a face this entire series gets better.

The Good Prince continues to show itself to be one of the strongest arcs this always-great story has produced yet. I have trouble imagining how powerful this title is going to be once it reaches its final stages and concluding months. I'm not sure I'm ready to imagine such a time.
-Tom



Mice Templar #2
Image
Writer: Bryan J.L. Glass
Art/Cover: Michael Avon Oeming
Colors: Wil Quintana
5/5

The double-sized debut issue of Mice Templar was packed to the brim, crowded, and at times felt like too much at once. Some may be inclined to let that turn them off to the title. Don't let it. While it may have been a bit overwhelmingly front-loaded, what's emerged is an incredibly rich and textured fantasy world of the likes ill-represented in the current available lineup of comic book titles. It's captivating and not to be missed.

The unfairly concise re-cap is this; Karic, a young mouse, must learn the ancient practices of the forbidden Templar on his journey to save his family from the murderous rats, but along the way comes to learn of a great destiny he must fulfill. There's more depth to this story in two issues than most titles achieve in five or six. Everything here is easy to follow, the art is amazing, and the covers are fantastic. I hope with all my heart that books like Mice Templar inspire the rest of the industry to raise their standards in all areas of design.

Easily one of my favorite new titles, which isn't something that can typically be said after a mere two installments. But Mice Templar isn't going to be typical. Don't let this one slip by you.
-Tom



DMZ #25
Vertigo
Writer: Brian Wood
Art: Danijel Zezelj
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Cover: Brian Wood
4/5

I believe it's a mistake to view these standalone issues as merely exploring different characters and perspectives of the DMZ. Although they've managed to do those things, I think the real value in these issues has been Wood leaping around making various statements about the world at large outside of what the regular narrative of the series allows him to express. The different characters in Wood's tale are all interesting as people and individuals, but they're also each serving a symbolic purpose in Wood's dissection of reality, war, and the political and social climates of the United States.

So while this issue tells the story of Wilson and his grab for power in the fallout of this pretend war in a comic book, it's also making a statement about real world conflicts and the types of complications they involve. Wood is pointing out how war is destined to change unpredictably throughout its duration. Regardless of who the initial players are, once the situation bottoms out anyone else with some capability and motivation can join the game too. Eventually a whole bunch of people are playing but no one can agree on what the game is anymore. Figuring out where to go from there, that's the real battle.

Wood's just getting his things straight before he really plunges into this world he's created (revealed). We're getting a glimpse at who is what and why/where and what they represent, as well as some perspective on how Wood views the world. I expect, fully, that once he gets these one shots out there and feels comfortable with our understanding he's going to really push the envelope and get this book moving. Definitely one of the better books out there, but even more exciting is its blinding potential to become something great. I look forward to this one every time.

Guest art was passable but not up to par. Zezelj can effectively tell the mood, but he can't tell the story, and were this not part of the arc of one-shots I'd probably be pretty adverse to his presence. For this issue though, while not as good as Burchielli, he gets the job done.
-Tom



Nova #8
Marvel
Writer: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Wellington Alves
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Guru
Covers: Adi Granov
4/5

Where's this crazy-faced weirdnessity come from? One minute Nova is a decently compelling tie-in to the Conquest line, and the next it's off on the literal fringes of the Universe delivering some of the most entertaining and off-the-wall psychosis this side of Grant Morrison's brain chamber. Everything I loved about this series that I felt was slightly missing in the last two issues is back and cranked up to about eleven.

If you don't know, the last refuge in the Universe is Knowhere, the hollowed out insides of a dead Celestial's head watched over by a telepathic Labrador/Golden Retriever cosmonaut who speaks with a thick eastern European accent and wears a reasonably fashionable space suit. Inviting as this sounds, when Richard Rider arrives the entire place is being tormented by an unidentified life force which has been taking over and slaughtering the Avengers-like team of heroes responsible for bring it there, presumably in an attempt to destroy it.

Abnett & Lanning really know what they're doing and I can't wait to read more of them doing it. If Marvel has any sense at all, these guys will be soon be listed all over their payroll. If you have any sense, you'll be supporting this book.
-Tom



New Avengers #36
Marvel
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art/Cover: Leinil Yu
Colors: Dave McCaig
3/5

Frankly, if Bendis put himself in a position where he had to interrupt the flow of this series for some ridiculous symbiote Mighty tie-in, this is wasn't too poor a way to go about it. The voice-over flashback presentation was entertaining, harmless, expanded Luke Cage's character, and ultimately treated the entire situation rather dismissively. It was a short unwelcome time out, but was served up in a way that didn't detract from the rest of what's going on.

The remainder of the issue gets back to the Skrull paranoia and Hood storylines, both of which are still interesting and on track. As much as Mighty is getting the worst of Bendis' misguided indulgences, New Avengers avoids them for the most part and instead weaves a sleek and enjoyable team book that actually teases with being as important as it's billed to be. If there's one unavoidable complaint about this issue it's certainly the final page which, while somewhat obviously being a Dr. Strange spell, was a bit too much and sacrificed some of the gritty borderline realism this series has going for it. Aside from that lone bit of unnecessary trickery though, New Avengers looks to be on course for a great run leading into Secret Invasion. Assuming, of course, Bendis keeps his more moronic ideas confined to the ignorable pages of Mighty.
-Grady



All-Star Superman #9
DC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils/Cover: Frank Quitely
Inks/Colors: Jamie Grant
5/5

It would take one hell of a showing to keep All-Star Superman's claim to Best of the Week from being anything but a foregone conclusion. It's no secret that in this series Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely have put together one of the best comic book runs ever. Yesterday I read someone compare reviewing this book to reviewing water. It's unnecessary and what's really the point?

This series perfectly captures everything that has made Superman a relevant and relate-able character for so many years, but goes beyond that and discovers qualities and beauty we'd never seen before, the sign of a truly reverent tribute. Morrison, of course, brings his well-known personality and in this like any other issue there are easily two or three write-home hilarious moments. Quitely meanwhile provides an emotional force that adds a whole additional degree of quality. This book simply wouldn't be possible with any but this exact combination of talents.

The most meaningful accomplishment of this series though, particularly in this issue, is the brilliant subtlety in which it illustrates the humanity in this weird alien creature that somehow happened to become our greatest hero. All-Star Superman humbles quite nearly everything out there. A pure wonder.
-Tom



World War Hulk #5
Marvel
Writer: Greg Pak
Pencils: John Romita Jr.
Inks: Klaus Janson
Colors: Christina Strain
Cover: David Finch
2/5

Understand, I wanted to like World War Hulk. I don't go into big Marvel events expecting to dislike them, reading only to point out blunders and or short-comings. Sometimes reading around the Internet, it feels as though people are out to hate everything. Doesn't matter what it is, they're going to have a problem with it and beat you with their ridiculous reasoning until you're ready to abandon at least cyberspace, maybe comics, and perhaps life in this world. Personally I try to give everything the benefit of the doubt and not get sucked in to the pessimistic mood of the day but there's really no denying it - World War Hulk was bad, and the ending...was worse.

There were so many things wrong with this series, and the final issue was a perfect testament to many of them. Why, in the last issue of a months-spanning event, are we still having characters monologuing its premise? This issue was the final stage, it shouldn't have been still trying to justify and explain itself. By the time its over the entire thing turns out to be quite inconsequential, and I take nothing away from it except a new distaste for the Hulk. The story never got any deeper by its conclusion than it was in the solicitations released even before the first installment. This issue even managed to turn me off to JrJr, what with the Sentry's chicken legs and the same chunky expression on everyone's face. Not only that, but adding insult to injury are several pages of solicitations for soon-to-launch spinoff titles. Gross.
-Grady

~ More Coming Soon ~