Random Pop Culture Question of the Week is a bi-weekly journey into the headspace of the Review to Be Named gang, in which a pop-culture question is posed, answers are sought, and discussions are generated about issues and hypotheticals from throughout the realm of pop culture.
This week’s question comes from our own Jordan, who asked,
What tired trope or overused cliche still works for you? What keeps it fresh or funny or affecting enough that it doesn’t annoy you even with endless repetition?
With that question in mind, here are the responses from several Review to Be Named contributors. Comment and let us know what we missed!
Chris:
As the resident comics contributor, I’ll offer up a comics related answer. The trope that I will always love and probably never tire of is “the old order changeth” issue, or the team gathering issue. What I’m referring to is a common practice in team books such as The Avengers, or The Teen Titans, where most of an issue, (usually the first issue of a new creative team’s tenure on a title, or if it is a new book, the #1 issue, or first story arc) is devoted to a character or small group of characters going around to gather the various members that will comprise the team. Yes these issues tend to be pretty formulaic and if you’ve read one, you definitely have a good idea of what to expect from every subsequent type story, but I for one always enjoy these team building stories and probably always will. It’s a great opportunity to introduce your characters to new readers, to tease what the team dynamic will be for the series, and it allows the writer to really explore the strengths and flaws of their characters in justifying why they are right for or why they want to (or don’t want to) be on said team.
One of my favorite examples of this type of story is Brad Meltzer’s first arc on Justice League of America. This arc featured Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman sitting down in the Batcave with a head shot of just about every superhero running around the DCU to have an extensive conversation about just who should be invited to join the new Justice League. All the while, a mysterious villain sets events in motion that attracts the attention of a number of other heroes who come together by following the threads of a larger conspiracy. A lot of fans panned this arc as a boring snooze fest, and yes, there really wasn’t a lot of action to speak of until the arc’s penultimate sixth issue, but I for one don’t really ascribe to that kind of thinking. Yes I like a great action sequence, but even more I enjoy good character work. And seeing the DCU's most iconic heroes thoroughly analyzing and debating their peers lead to a whole lot of great character insights both about the heroes they were discussing and about the big three themselves. But a new Justice League was already forming without their assistance, and as we saw Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Arsenal (a twist on the usual trio of GL, Black Canary, and Green Arrow) chase down leads on their missing teammate Red Tornado, of Vixen's determination to retrieve the source of her powers after getting sucker punched by a couple C level villains, Meltzer revealed why these characters deserved to be in the League, and just how much chemistry they would possess as a team.
Jordan:
Since this was my question, I feel like I should have a direct, simple answer. Yet frequent readers of this blog should know by now that brevity is not my strong suit, so instead I have three answers this week. Deal with it.
First off, I will never get tired of that joke from old time-y movies and children’s entertainment in which a group of people running from the antagonist run one way down a hall and then immediately run back the other way. This comes up most often in Muppet movies and Scooby Doo, but no matter how many times I see it, I will always laugh. It’s just so completely absurd that I never get tired of it.
Next, because I’m a huge softy, I have to admit that the big speech at the end of a romantic comedy will pretty much always get to me, even if the movie isn’t very good (and a whole lot of them aren’t very good). My go to for a great example is the ending of When Harry Met Sally, but you can see examples of this in pretty much every romantic comedy ever made. Sure, it is a complete cliché, but something about the grand romantic gesture just warms my heart, whether I even like the rest of the movie it’s in.
Finally, I know I’m supposed to find the blatant anachronism jokes in shows like Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire and the British series Life on Mars (which I’m watching as we speak) really annoying, but mostly I just find them funny. When Mad Men does its “hey, weren’t things different in the ‘60s?” schtick (whether it makes the joke about everyone’s alcoholism or blatant misogyny) I generally just chuckle, probably because things were different then. From a critical perspective I know these are cheap jokes and that an over-reliance on them is bad writing, but it’s a dumb joke that for some reason just connects with me.
Rachel:
It didn’t take much thinking for me to find my answer. I will (most likely) never get sick of the tried and true trope of the Bad Boy who’s actually just a damaged softy. This is, of course, not at all surprising if you know me and my affinity for this type in real life. But for me, there’s something special in a guy with a hard edge who is actually just emotionally devastated from something in his past. Extra points if said man rides a motorcycle or is an artist or possesses startling intellect or comes from the wrong side of the tracks or forms an adorably endearing bond with a cute animal or child. Tears can help, but only in moderation, because there’s really nothing sexy about a cry baby.
For me personally, this goes back to James Dean and Marlon Brando, who both, really, were just sex on legs. I’m also thinking Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You, and even Robert Pattinson in the much maligned (but really not so bad) Remember Me. While this character archetype is pretty typical in shitty RomComs, I swear I buy into it every time.
Sam:
For this question I had to dig deep because, as I thought about which tropes I really enjoy, I came up empty. First let me get my secondary answer out of the way. I still have a soft spot for the buddy cop movie. One cop is by the book and the other is a rogue who is days away from retirement. They hate each other at the start of the movie and by the closing credits they’re like family. Still get a kick out of it from the likes of Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour. That’s a fun time at the movies as far as I’m concerned. But the trope that I really do love belongs to television.
The “will-they, won’t-they”, when employed with writers who have at least some foresight in terms of planning their show, makes me very happy. Maybe it’s a cheap way to get the audience invested in characters but it provides real emotional development over the course of a long period of time that works best in long form narratives like a television program. The best examples of this, off the top of my head are Jim and Pam on The Office and their original British counterparts Tim and Dawn, April and Andy on Parks and Rec, (kinda) David and Keith from Six Feet Under and lastly Donna and Josh from The West Wing. There are many others (Ross and Rachel) that I don’t really care about either because I didn’t watch the program or it was sloppily handled. But a good “will-they, won’t they” is a television trope I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of.
Read more Random Pop Culture Question of the Week here
Got ideas for future installments of Random Pop Culture Question of the Week? Well let us know! Follow us on twitter @reviewtobenamed (follow us here), or shoot us an e-mail at reviewtobenamed@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label Justice League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Justice League. Show all posts
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Chris' Comics Corner
Hey all. Sorry for the extended absence. Let's just jump right back in shall we?
Ultimate Spider-Man #155
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Chris Samnee
"Happy Birthday Tiger."
"What's with the Tiger?"
"I like saying Tiger."
You know, sometimes it's really, really easy to forget just how good this series is. Just a month ago, I felt my interest in USM waning, and this week, it's undoubtedly the gem of my read pile. I think USM's longevity is as much a blessing, as it is a curse. This book ran for 111 issues with the same writer/artist team, and has been running for over 155 issues (including annuals and miniseries that were integral to the narrative) with the same writer. You know what you're gonna get when you crack these covers (not to say that there aren't surprises and twists, but the tone, themes, character arcs, and dialogue remain very consistent). And when a book is remarkably consistent in producing "good" issues, sometimes it needs to knock one out of the park every once in awhile to shake away your complacency and remind you just what a treasure it really is. Is this a fair situation? Probably not, but USM #155 proves that Bendis and his creative counterparts are definitely up to the challenge of topping their already exceedingly high bar.
The bulk of this issue focuses on a conversation between Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson, establishing a new status quo for these two, hitherto unseen in Spider-Man comics. The remaining pages are devoted to Peter getting various aspects of his personal life in order, including a surprise birthday party and a rekindling of his relationship with Mary Jane. The various exchanges are scripted excellently and all feel very satisfying (if not bitter sweet given that the next arc is infamously titled "The Death of Spider-Man"). My one complaint would be that I feel like it would behoove Bendis to keep Peter single for more than an issue or two, as his jumping from girlfriend to girlfriend while they seem to remain perpetually single in the interim does not make him a sympathetic character.
Chris Samnee is an artist whom I've heard a lot of buzz about, and while the art in this issue is good, it didn't blow me away. Not that I can't recognize Samnee's obvious talents, but I think he is better suited for a different book, as he does not convey kinetic motion in his pencils the way I feel a Spider-Man artist needs to be able to. However the conversational portions of the issue are handled with expert craft.
This was a great issue, one that reminded of just what a special book Ultimate Spider-Man really is, and how much this title, and character will be missed if any truth can be derived from the title of the next story arc.
Grade: A-
Justice League: Generation Lost #21
Publisher: DC
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Fernando Dagnino
"Through all of this, at every turn-- YOU are the one who's saved us."
As we near the Issue #24 finish line of this excellent maxi series, the action cools down for an issue of quiet reflection, checking in on each of our characters, examining how they are coping with the a recent major tragedy and a series of losing battles against Maxwell Lord. The issue ends on a major cliffhanger, and reminds me of just how much I'm hoping that DC announces a Justice League International ongoing series with Judd Winick following the conclusion of Generation Lost.
What impresses me most about this issue, and really, this entire series to date is just how well Winick gets these characters and puts them through their paces. There's Ice, who received an updated origin and an upgraded power set under Winick's direction. Ice was never a character who interested me very much, until Winick gave her a much more plausible origin, and gave her the unique disposition of being a super hero, who because of her recent death and resurrection is afraid of dying again. Winick rehabilitated Captain Atom, a character who had been regularly abused and misused for years, when he wasn't a pawn for the military, he was turning evil, and he was kind of a snoozer. Under Winick's pen Captain Atom has become the tortured backbone of the team, enduring the hardest trials of the ordeal and witnessing firsthand the cost of failure, all the while questioning the loss of his humanity. Winick continues the great work of evolving the character of Booster Gold begun by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, and Dan Jurgens. Winick acknowledges just how far Booster has come, from self serving narcissist, to self sacrificing hero, and finally to leader, all the while reminding us that while Booster is improving, he is still flawed.
The art is good, if not without flaws. Some of the facial expressions are a little off in places. But as always when a series maintains a bi-monthly output, I'm more than willing to forgive small flaws when weighed against the overall strength of the finished product. The fact is that these three rotating artists have been remarkably consistent and each issue has been remarkably consistent and polished. Francis Dagnino has shown the most growth over the course of this series, and I would be more than happy to see him or Aaron Lopressti at the helm of the hypothetical JLI ongoing that I hope against hope will materialize in the next few months.
Grade: B+
New Avengers #10
Publisher: Marvel
Wrtier: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Mike Deodato Jr. and Howard Chaykin
"So… They told you about my healing factor."
"He heals?"
When Marvel announced the dawn of the "Heroic Age" it was also announced that Marvel's new flagship franchise, The Avengers would relaunch with four ongoing titles: Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers, and Avengers Academy. Avengers focused on the big names and heavy hitters of the Marvel Universe. Secret Avengers is Steve Rogers's personal black ops force. Avengers Academy follows a group of young heroes in danger of jumping over to the dark side. Which left New Avengers and their author ascribed mandate of "protecting the world however they see fit." New Avengers suffered from not being able to distinguish itself from its sister titles, especially Avengers seeing as how both books are penned by Brian Michael Bendis. Halfway into the second arc it still feels like the only reason this title exists is because Bendis couldn't narrow the number of characters he wanted to use into just one manageable Avengers roster, and therefore needed a second book to accommodate all of his favorite characters. In situations such as this, I'm always in favor of a writer making one single book go bi-monthly as opposed to having two books that might step on each other's feet.
Two issues into this arc, and it looks like the New Avengers will still be fighting the same faceless henchmen and C-Level Super Villianess next issue. The A-plot feels like its almost plodding along, while the flashbacks which do not feature actual Avengers are mildly more interesting but only due to the phenomenal art by industry legend Howard Chaykin.
It's a shame that the book once considered to be the flagship of not only the franchise, but the company itself is now so visibly floundering.
Grade: C+
Belated Review
Fantastic Four #588
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artists: Nick Dragotta, Mark Brooks
"Hey, Spider-Man…"
"Yes?"
"What was your Uncle's name?"
"His name was Ben."
Seeing as this is the last issue of Fantastic Four we're likely to see for quite sometime, I thought I'd do something unique and countdown four reasons why this issue rocked!
4. Dr. Doom attends Johnny Storm's funeral. The biggest bad of the Marvel Universe proves that being the ultimate evil doesn't preclude one from being a total class act.
3. Two very poignant, silent scenes illustrate Sue Storm's mourning process. In the first scene, Sue sits alone on her bed in the dark. Reed reaches out to comfort her, but is blocked by her force field. Reed's fingers stretch around the force bubble searching for an opening but there is none. Sue's grief is too great to let anyone else in yet. A month later, standing at Johnny's grave, Sue takes Reed's hand, interlacing her fingers in his, finally ready to start the healing process.
2. Thor and Hulk call a meeting with Thing to deliver a holographic last will and testament from Johnny Storm. Thing is still reeling from Johnny's death, almost more than the others. See thanks to a cure created by the super genius students Reed has been tutoring, Ben was trapped in human form when Johnny was killed, and only transformed back into the Thing when it was too late. Ben isn't ready to be confronted with his friends final words, and pushes Thor away. Thor blocks him from leaving with a bolt of lightning. Hulk steps in. Thing punches him several times, Thor moves in to break up the fight but the Hulk holds up a hand, and continues to let the Thing beat on him. Finally exhausted, Thing falls to the ground sobbing. Hulk embraces his grieving friend.
1. A frustrated Reed Richards confronts Annihilus demanding that he hand over Johnny Storm, hoping against hope that his brother-in-law is still alive. He is of course wrong. What matters is how Reed confronted Annihilus, by pointing the freaking ULTIMATE NULLIFIER in his face. This is a device capable of destroying entire universes and Reed leveled it at Annihilus like it was a glock. This is the most bad ass Reed Richards moment ever!
This was a great issue and a fitting end to the first act of Jonathan Hickman's grand plan for Marvel's first family.
Grade: A
Read more Chris' Comics Corner here
Want to keep tabs on all of our updates? follow us on twitter @reviewtobenamed (follow us here).
Ultimate Spider-Man #155
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Chris Samnee
"Happy Birthday Tiger."
"What's with the Tiger?"
"I like saying Tiger."
You know, sometimes it's really, really easy to forget just how good this series is. Just a month ago, I felt my interest in USM waning, and this week, it's undoubtedly the gem of my read pile. I think USM's longevity is as much a blessing, as it is a curse. This book ran for 111 issues with the same writer/artist team, and has been running for over 155 issues (including annuals and miniseries that were integral to the narrative) with the same writer. You know what you're gonna get when you crack these covers (not to say that there aren't surprises and twists, but the tone, themes, character arcs, and dialogue remain very consistent). And when a book is remarkably consistent in producing "good" issues, sometimes it needs to knock one out of the park every once in awhile to shake away your complacency and remind you just what a treasure it really is. Is this a fair situation? Probably not, but USM #155 proves that Bendis and his creative counterparts are definitely up to the challenge of topping their already exceedingly high bar.
The bulk of this issue focuses on a conversation between Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson, establishing a new status quo for these two, hitherto unseen in Spider-Man comics. The remaining pages are devoted to Peter getting various aspects of his personal life in order, including a surprise birthday party and a rekindling of his relationship with Mary Jane. The various exchanges are scripted excellently and all feel very satisfying (if not bitter sweet given that the next arc is infamously titled "The Death of Spider-Man"). My one complaint would be that I feel like it would behoove Bendis to keep Peter single for more than an issue or two, as his jumping from girlfriend to girlfriend while they seem to remain perpetually single in the interim does not make him a sympathetic character.
Chris Samnee is an artist whom I've heard a lot of buzz about, and while the art in this issue is good, it didn't blow me away. Not that I can't recognize Samnee's obvious talents, but I think he is better suited for a different book, as he does not convey kinetic motion in his pencils the way I feel a Spider-Man artist needs to be able to. However the conversational portions of the issue are handled with expert craft.
This was a great issue, one that reminded of just what a special book Ultimate Spider-Man really is, and how much this title, and character will be missed if any truth can be derived from the title of the next story arc.
Grade: A-
Justice League: Generation Lost #21
Publisher: DC
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Fernando Dagnino
"Through all of this, at every turn-- YOU are the one who's saved us."
As we near the Issue #24 finish line of this excellent maxi series, the action cools down for an issue of quiet reflection, checking in on each of our characters, examining how they are coping with the a recent major tragedy and a series of losing battles against Maxwell Lord. The issue ends on a major cliffhanger, and reminds me of just how much I'm hoping that DC announces a Justice League International ongoing series with Judd Winick following the conclusion of Generation Lost.
What impresses me most about this issue, and really, this entire series to date is just how well Winick gets these characters and puts them through their paces. There's Ice, who received an updated origin and an upgraded power set under Winick's direction. Ice was never a character who interested me very much, until Winick gave her a much more plausible origin, and gave her the unique disposition of being a super hero, who because of her recent death and resurrection is afraid of dying again. Winick rehabilitated Captain Atom, a character who had been regularly abused and misused for years, when he wasn't a pawn for the military, he was turning evil, and he was kind of a snoozer. Under Winick's pen Captain Atom has become the tortured backbone of the team, enduring the hardest trials of the ordeal and witnessing firsthand the cost of failure, all the while questioning the loss of his humanity. Winick continues the great work of evolving the character of Booster Gold begun by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, and Dan Jurgens. Winick acknowledges just how far Booster has come, from self serving narcissist, to self sacrificing hero, and finally to leader, all the while reminding us that while Booster is improving, he is still flawed.
The art is good, if not without flaws. Some of the facial expressions are a little off in places. But as always when a series maintains a bi-monthly output, I'm more than willing to forgive small flaws when weighed against the overall strength of the finished product. The fact is that these three rotating artists have been remarkably consistent and each issue has been remarkably consistent and polished. Francis Dagnino has shown the most growth over the course of this series, and I would be more than happy to see him or Aaron Lopressti at the helm of the hypothetical JLI ongoing that I hope against hope will materialize in the next few months.
Grade: B+
New Avengers #10
Publisher: Marvel
Wrtier: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Mike Deodato Jr. and Howard Chaykin
"So… They told you about my healing factor."
"He heals?"
When Marvel announced the dawn of the "Heroic Age" it was also announced that Marvel's new flagship franchise, The Avengers would relaunch with four ongoing titles: Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers, and Avengers Academy. Avengers focused on the big names and heavy hitters of the Marvel Universe. Secret Avengers is Steve Rogers's personal black ops force. Avengers Academy follows a group of young heroes in danger of jumping over to the dark side. Which left New Avengers and their author ascribed mandate of "protecting the world however they see fit." New Avengers suffered from not being able to distinguish itself from its sister titles, especially Avengers seeing as how both books are penned by Brian Michael Bendis. Halfway into the second arc it still feels like the only reason this title exists is because Bendis couldn't narrow the number of characters he wanted to use into just one manageable Avengers roster, and therefore needed a second book to accommodate all of his favorite characters. In situations such as this, I'm always in favor of a writer making one single book go bi-monthly as opposed to having two books that might step on each other's feet.
Two issues into this arc, and it looks like the New Avengers will still be fighting the same faceless henchmen and C-Level Super Villianess next issue. The A-plot feels like its almost plodding along, while the flashbacks which do not feature actual Avengers are mildly more interesting but only due to the phenomenal art by industry legend Howard Chaykin.
It's a shame that the book once considered to be the flagship of not only the franchise, but the company itself is now so visibly floundering.
Grade: C+
Belated Review
Fantastic Four #588
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artists: Nick Dragotta, Mark Brooks
"Hey, Spider-Man…"
"Yes?"
"What was your Uncle's name?"
"His name was Ben."
Seeing as this is the last issue of Fantastic Four we're likely to see for quite sometime, I thought I'd do something unique and countdown four reasons why this issue rocked!
4. Dr. Doom attends Johnny Storm's funeral. The biggest bad of the Marvel Universe proves that being the ultimate evil doesn't preclude one from being a total class act.
3. Two very poignant, silent scenes illustrate Sue Storm's mourning process. In the first scene, Sue sits alone on her bed in the dark. Reed reaches out to comfort her, but is blocked by her force field. Reed's fingers stretch around the force bubble searching for an opening but there is none. Sue's grief is too great to let anyone else in yet. A month later, standing at Johnny's grave, Sue takes Reed's hand, interlacing her fingers in his, finally ready to start the healing process.
2. Thor and Hulk call a meeting with Thing to deliver a holographic last will and testament from Johnny Storm. Thing is still reeling from Johnny's death, almost more than the others. See thanks to a cure created by the super genius students Reed has been tutoring, Ben was trapped in human form when Johnny was killed, and only transformed back into the Thing when it was too late. Ben isn't ready to be confronted with his friends final words, and pushes Thor away. Thor blocks him from leaving with a bolt of lightning. Hulk steps in. Thing punches him several times, Thor moves in to break up the fight but the Hulk holds up a hand, and continues to let the Thing beat on him. Finally exhausted, Thing falls to the ground sobbing. Hulk embraces his grieving friend.
1. A frustrated Reed Richards confronts Annihilus demanding that he hand over Johnny Storm, hoping against hope that his brother-in-law is still alive. He is of course wrong. What matters is how Reed confronted Annihilus, by pointing the freaking ULTIMATE NULLIFIER in his face. This is a device capable of destroying entire universes and Reed leveled it at Annihilus like it was a glock. This is the most bad ass Reed Richards moment ever!
This was a great issue and a fitting end to the first act of Jonathan Hickman's grand plan for Marvel's first family.
Grade: A
Read more Chris' Comics Corner here
Want to keep tabs on all of our updates? follow us on twitter @reviewtobenamed (follow us here).
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Chris' Comics Corner
I could have reviewed Casanova tonight, but frankly I need to read it another six times first and I'm not sure I can survive that kind of repeat exposure within 24 hours. It's an awesome, mind blowing book. Buy it. That's your review. Anyway onto business.
Justice League: Generation Lost #17
DC Comics
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Joe Bennett
It's hard not to compare Justice League: Generation Lost with Brightest Day. DC announced both books at the same time, they both ship on a bi-monthly schedule, they both pick up on threads left behind by Blackest Night, and they alternate the weeks they ship on. When they were announced, Brightest Day was clearly the more anticipated of the two. It was going to be written by DC's MVP writer, and one of their rising stars, and featured six of the characters resurrected at the end of Blackest Night. Generation Lost was going to be written by Judd Winick, one of the most controversial writers working in comics today. Not that his work is controversial, fans just seem to hate this guy. I for one always kinda liked Winick, not my favorite writer, but he could always be counted on for an entertaining read. Long story short Generation Lost was facing an uphill battle from day one.
And 17 issues in, I'll be damned if Winick and his little book that could aren't standing tall on top of that hill. Month in and month out, Generation Lost has consistently been a much higher quality read than its sister title. I generally try to stay off of comics message boards, as they truly are the most vile gutter of the internet, but every now and then I like to peruse the comments, and you would not believe how many people post about how Winick has turned them around with this title. Great writing, consistent art, narrative focus, and characters with a lot of heart have made this book a must read for me month in and month out.
The series follows six characters you've probably never heard of: Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Ice, Rocket Red, and Blue Beetle. Together they are a modern incarnation of the cult favorite 1980s Justice League International era. (If that doesn't mean anything to you, all you need to know is that they took out all of the big name characters and made the book, really, really genuinely funny.) The League's ex-manager turned psychotic telepathic super villain, Max Lord, was resurrected at the end of Blackest Night, and quickly used his powers to make the entire world forget he existed, save for our protagonists, who were at ground zero of Lord's mind wipe.
This issue opens with the new Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, as Lord's hostage. And with one dead Blue Beetle to his credit already, things aren't looking good for the young hero. The rest of the team has followed Lord's trail to Japan, but Max has taken steps to discredit them, most notably, framing Captain Atom for the destruction of several city blocks in Chicago, and no sooner do they arrive in Tokyo when they are attacked by fellow hero Power Girl, who herself is under Lord's telepathic control.
From day one these heroes haven't caught a break, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Winick has done a masterful job of advancing, what is essentially the same story, (The JL vs. Max Lord) in new and exciting ways over the course of the past 17 issues and it still feels fresh, tense, and engaging. Winick has done great work with all of these characters, but this week it is Blue Beetle and Booster Gold who get to shine.
Most heroes think Booster is a vapid imbecile, an image he encourages because it safeguards his true mission as protector of time itself. Booster is a tragic figure, the super hero community doesn't respect him and can never know how many times he has saved them all. But reunited with his JLI friends, Booster is with people who care about him, and have been equally discredited. Over the course of the series, Booster has quietly assumed the role of leader, moral compass, and emotional backbone. Yes, their mission is personnel for Booster, as Lord murdered his best friend, the previous Blue Beetle, but his primary role in this book shows just how far he has come as a character, and Winick should be commended for continuing the great character arc begun by Geoff Johns during 52.
I also have to praise Joe Bennett. Generation Lost is illustrated by a rotating team of three pencillers. With that schedule it's easy to forget that Bennett, like his collaborators have illustrated over 5 issues each in six months, without a drop in quality. This would be impressive for a monthly, but is amazing for a bi-monthly.
This is a great book. With only nine issues left, I wouldn't recommend jumping on now, but definitely pick this one up when the trades hit.
Grade: A-
Ok, my first review was much longer than I anticipated it will be, so I'll keep these short, and save my comments on the recent editorial change at Marvel for next time.
The Unwritten #21
DC Comics/Vertigo
Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Peter Gross
The Unwritten is hard to describe to someone who hasn't been reading it, and it's especially hard to describe with any sort of brevity. Essentially, this mature readers comic is about the nature of stories. The lead character, Tom Taylor, was the inspiration for the protagonist of his father's best selling series of books about the adventures of a boy wizard. Tom's was content to live off his pseudo fame, until he began to suspect that he wasn't just the inspiration for his father's character, but actually his father's character come to life. And then things started getting weird.
Currently he is trapped within the narrative of Moby Dick, his only source of information about the mysterious turns his life has taken is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein's Monster, and back in the real world one of his best friends is turning into a vampire. If that doesn't peak your interest then your inner child is dead. This is a must read for literature lovers, but is still a fascinating and engaging thriller for anyone who likes stories.
This book will be the subject of a spotlight feature at a future date, so I will leave the rest of my praise until then.
Grade: A
Heroes For Hire #2
Marvel
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Artist: Brad Walker
I picked up this book based on my love for the creative team's last collaboration, Guardians of the Galaxy. Whereas that book focused on the cosmic side of the Marvel universe, this book focuses on street level heroes. The series follows a non-team of vigilantes who are "hired" by Misty Knight. Knight collects information, passes it along to a street level hero, and that hero does the job because 1.) It's the right thing to do, 2.) Misty trades intelligence for services, or 3.) because she pays them. The series is unique in that it is a constantly rotating cast of characters. Sometimes they work together, sometimes different heroes tackle different links in a particular chain of crime (i.e. Black Widow stops a drug shipment, Moon Knight shuts down the guys cooking the drugs, and Elektra assassinates the head honcho) (that was the first issue by the way.)) Heres the twist: Misty is secretly being manipulated by the Puppet Master who wants to control the streets.
Heroes For Hire has a lot of potential, but just isn't there yet. I think it can get there, given time though. The hook is also what's hurting the book. There are only two characters who will carry over from issue to issue. While it is cool to cultivate an atmosphere where anyone could pop in and take the spotlight in a given month, it creates the need for super decompressed storytelling, especially since both issues 1 & 2 have been done-in-one (told a complete, stand alone story). I think this is the kind of book that could really benefit from 2-3 issue long arcs so the writers have the time both to introduce the guest starring heroes, and to make us invested in them.
Grade: B-
Read more Chris' Comics Corner here
Justice League: Generation Lost #17
DC Comics
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Joe Bennett
It's hard not to compare Justice League: Generation Lost with Brightest Day. DC announced both books at the same time, they both ship on a bi-monthly schedule, they both pick up on threads left behind by Blackest Night, and they alternate the weeks they ship on. When they were announced, Brightest Day was clearly the more anticipated of the two. It was going to be written by DC's MVP writer, and one of their rising stars, and featured six of the characters resurrected at the end of Blackest Night. Generation Lost was going to be written by Judd Winick, one of the most controversial writers working in comics today. Not that his work is controversial, fans just seem to hate this guy. I for one always kinda liked Winick, not my favorite writer, but he could always be counted on for an entertaining read. Long story short Generation Lost was facing an uphill battle from day one.
And 17 issues in, I'll be damned if Winick and his little book that could aren't standing tall on top of that hill. Month in and month out, Generation Lost has consistently been a much higher quality read than its sister title. I generally try to stay off of comics message boards, as they truly are the most vile gutter of the internet, but every now and then I like to peruse the comments, and you would not believe how many people post about how Winick has turned them around with this title. Great writing, consistent art, narrative focus, and characters with a lot of heart have made this book a must read for me month in and month out.
The series follows six characters you've probably never heard of: Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Ice, Rocket Red, and Blue Beetle. Together they are a modern incarnation of the cult favorite 1980s Justice League International era. (If that doesn't mean anything to you, all you need to know is that they took out all of the big name characters and made the book, really, really genuinely funny.) The League's ex-manager turned psychotic telepathic super villain, Max Lord, was resurrected at the end of Blackest Night, and quickly used his powers to make the entire world forget he existed, save for our protagonists, who were at ground zero of Lord's mind wipe.
This issue opens with the new Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes, as Lord's hostage. And with one dead Blue Beetle to his credit already, things aren't looking good for the young hero. The rest of the team has followed Lord's trail to Japan, but Max has taken steps to discredit them, most notably, framing Captain Atom for the destruction of several city blocks in Chicago, and no sooner do they arrive in Tokyo when they are attacked by fellow hero Power Girl, who herself is under Lord's telepathic control.
From day one these heroes haven't caught a break, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Winick has done a masterful job of advancing, what is essentially the same story, (The JL vs. Max Lord) in new and exciting ways over the course of the past 17 issues and it still feels fresh, tense, and engaging. Winick has done great work with all of these characters, but this week it is Blue Beetle and Booster Gold who get to shine.
Most heroes think Booster is a vapid imbecile, an image he encourages because it safeguards his true mission as protector of time itself. Booster is a tragic figure, the super hero community doesn't respect him and can never know how many times he has saved them all. But reunited with his JLI friends, Booster is with people who care about him, and have been equally discredited. Over the course of the series, Booster has quietly assumed the role of leader, moral compass, and emotional backbone. Yes, their mission is personnel for Booster, as Lord murdered his best friend, the previous Blue Beetle, but his primary role in this book shows just how far he has come as a character, and Winick should be commended for continuing the great character arc begun by Geoff Johns during 52.
I also have to praise Joe Bennett. Generation Lost is illustrated by a rotating team of three pencillers. With that schedule it's easy to forget that Bennett, like his collaborators have illustrated over 5 issues each in six months, without a drop in quality. This would be impressive for a monthly, but is amazing for a bi-monthly.
This is a great book. With only nine issues left, I wouldn't recommend jumping on now, but definitely pick this one up when the trades hit.
Grade: A-
Ok, my first review was much longer than I anticipated it will be, so I'll keep these short, and save my comments on the recent editorial change at Marvel for next time.
The Unwritten #21
DC Comics/Vertigo
Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Peter Gross
The Unwritten is hard to describe to someone who hasn't been reading it, and it's especially hard to describe with any sort of brevity. Essentially, this mature readers comic is about the nature of stories. The lead character, Tom Taylor, was the inspiration for the protagonist of his father's best selling series of books about the adventures of a boy wizard. Tom's was content to live off his pseudo fame, until he began to suspect that he wasn't just the inspiration for his father's character, but actually his father's character come to life. And then things started getting weird.
Currently he is trapped within the narrative of Moby Dick, his only source of information about the mysterious turns his life has taken is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein's Monster, and back in the real world one of his best friends is turning into a vampire. If that doesn't peak your interest then your inner child is dead. This is a must read for literature lovers, but is still a fascinating and engaging thriller for anyone who likes stories.
This book will be the subject of a spotlight feature at a future date, so I will leave the rest of my praise until then.
Grade: A
Heroes For Hire #2
Marvel
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Artist: Brad Walker
I picked up this book based on my love for the creative team's last collaboration, Guardians of the Galaxy. Whereas that book focused on the cosmic side of the Marvel universe, this book focuses on street level heroes. The series follows a non-team of vigilantes who are "hired" by Misty Knight. Knight collects information, passes it along to a street level hero, and that hero does the job because 1.) It's the right thing to do, 2.) Misty trades intelligence for services, or 3.) because she pays them. The series is unique in that it is a constantly rotating cast of characters. Sometimes they work together, sometimes different heroes tackle different links in a particular chain of crime (i.e. Black Widow stops a drug shipment, Moon Knight shuts down the guys cooking the drugs, and Elektra assassinates the head honcho) (that was the first issue by the way.)) Heres the twist: Misty is secretly being manipulated by the Puppet Master who wants to control the streets.
Heroes For Hire has a lot of potential, but just isn't there yet. I think it can get there, given time though. The hook is also what's hurting the book. There are only two characters who will carry over from issue to issue. While it is cool to cultivate an atmosphere where anyone could pop in and take the spotlight in a given month, it creates the need for super decompressed storytelling, especially since both issues 1 & 2 have been done-in-one (told a complete, stand alone story). I think this is the kind of book that could really benefit from 2-3 issue long arcs so the writers have the time both to introduce the guest starring heroes, and to make us invested in them.
Grade: B-
Read more Chris' Comics Corner here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)